Danish delight

On the heels of the Spring Fling chair, I give you this Danish inspired beauty. From the same trip to Gayfeather's Fabrics, I also picked up this bright, pop-y print from Alexander Henry. Big, bold flowers on a crisp white canvas.

This was what I started with. A wooden school chair, with a missing dowel in the back, a wobbly leg and a dull seat. But the fixes were easy and the book rack at the base was nice detail.

Wood filler for the holes where the dowels once were and evening out the legs were an easy fix. Still excited over my new eco finds, I used the same primer and bamboo batting from this one, and pulling a rich teal color from a few of the flowers, I used the paint left over from this project... reuse, reuse, reuse.

The result...a modern, eye catching new look that is ready for its second life.

perfect pair

Over the last few years, I have been fortunate to meet many inspirational, creative, and just plain cool fellow entrepreneurs. So when a combination of things I found the first time I met 2 of those fantastic people came together...it was just too good not to share.

First, a large wooden frame purchased at a flea market in Chicago with the uber-talented salvager, columnist and blogger Diana. It was not only a great deal, but a nice size and had fantastic detail.

Second, a 1960's print of Montmartre in Paris, from a Manitowac vintage store with the innovative artist, teacher and shop owner Kim. Soft colors and my love for Parisian things made this $5 print an instant sale.

They sat next to each other on the same shelf for about a year before I finally made the connection. I can't believe I didn't see it before, but the print fit in the frame just like Cinderella's slipper. Of course I had to give it a coat of paint (Coral Isle from Krylon) and the two became one. C'est magnifique !

Diana meet Kim, Kim...Diana. You are fabulous alone, but spectacular together.

Spring Fling chair

My latest transformation is right on time. Bright, cheery, fresh...everything that spring has to offer. As if starting with a used chair is not 'green' enough, I have bumped up the eco-friendliness even more with this one.

But first things first, our before...a curved line dining chair with a leather covered seat.

It had a pretty slick varnish, so normally I would start with a heavy sand before the primer, but instead I used THIS. A zero VOC (volatile organic compound) primer from Zinsser. It has awesome coverage, can be applied over almost any surface, dries quick and comes in a recycled container. This is my new favorite primer. I picked mine up at Menards (where they are offering a rebate right now) but almost every home or hardware store carries it. After that wonderful eco addition was on and dry, several coats of snow white gave the chair a smooth crisp finish.

Now for the seat. On a recent trip to Gayfeather fabrics, here in Madison, this fantastic bolt of Amy Butlers caught my eye. Rich robin's egg blue, dotted with little sprouts of blooms. Before I applied the fabric to the seat, I incorporated my second new 'green' find. Bamboo batting. It is made from both bamboo (which is sustainable and also naturally antibacterial) and organic cotton. I just needed a little fullness to this sturdy seat, so a double layer of the bamboo batting was stapled and topped with the bright blue.

The chair is very lightweight, but still quite sturdy. It would be perfect paired with a writing desk or as a nice addition to a guest room.

Look for the Spring Fling chair later this week in my shop and enjoy all the pleasures this season has to offer.

going once....

This weekend I went to my first auction. I stumbled on an ad just a day before, and had heard there were going to be lots of collectables, farm stuff and vintage signage. I set a rough budget and with number in hand I was ready to bid. Although all my bids stayed in the bargin range, when the caller started that fast talking and muliple people start bidding...my heart rate increased a bit and I quickly jumped into the game. I was there for 7 hours. Just the fact alone that I did the same things for 7 hours speaks volumes on how 'right up my alley' this new sport was.

I missed out on a few things I really had my heart set on....(a vintage boy scout sash covered in cool badges), but I scored on a bunch of others. This baroque mini chair has some decorative damage, but I have grand plans to transform it into a little girls "throne".

I also picked up this amazing 3 ft by 3 ft mounted aerial shot of Bayfield WI from 1966, a vintage medical chart of the inner ear, an art deco paper trash can, a tube of old tinker toys and a super cool old polo helmet...that is most likely going to become a wall clock.

There were a handful a pro's there too. I knew I was on the right track, when we all were wanting the same thing. Knowing how much you are willing to pay for something, BEFORE you start bidding, helps avoid getting caught up in all that fast talking too. I was willing to pay $50 for that huge aerial photo and was thrilled when I won at $17.50.

Spring is here in Wisconsin and now that I have one under my belt, you can bet I will be hitting a few more in the upcoming months. To find an auction in your area check out auction zip or your local papers. Happy bidding.

super hero chair

As a sequel to the quite popular, League of Justice chair....I give you the Super Hero chair.

A chipped wood and metal school chair just needed some vision...as in X-RAY.

Pages and pages of comic books serve as the covering to this trash-bound chair, and multiple coats of poly give it super durability (and a very mod shine).

Look for it shortly in my shop.

HA HA HA

They say laughter is the best medicine, so when I came home this weekend to find our second story gutter ripped off the roof (from ice) and crashed upon my car, shattering my windshield...I figured I needed a good dose or two.

While at my small business class these last 2 weekends, I met all sorts of locals with all sorts of creative business ideas. One, were two ladies that were bringing Laughter Yoga to Madison... and they just happened to be having a class the next day.

As I mentioned, I was desperately in need of a good laugh, so since the center was only 3 miles from my house, and I had no car, I put on my walking shoes and checked it out. I'll admit, I was a little uncomfortable at first, sitting in a quiet room with 15 strangers not knowing what to expect, but once the class started, any awkward or weirdness just floated away and the laughter began.

The leader walks you thru a bunch of 1 minute simulated exercises, separated with a few relaxing breathing techniques. Although not traditional yoga, it is very aerobic. You've heard of a good belly laugh.. well, laughing is like jogging for your insides and after 30-40 minutes, you can really start to feel a little light headed. All that great oxygen filling up your brain. I also was amazed at the way it loosened ones inhibitions. One of the foundations of LY is to connect with your fellow participants, after all laughter is contagious. Now, we have all done ice-breakers at meetings or events, where you need to introduce your self to your neighbor. Often they can be downright painful, but when the leader asked us to mingle around the room, greeting each person with a a handshake, direct eye contact and a good hearty belly laugh, it was unbelievably natural. Even if you are still feeling weird with this all, once you start seeing everyone else laughing, you will start just because what you are doing is so completely absurd. I kept thinking that if I stranger walked in and witnessed this, they would think we were all crazy...that just made me laugh all the harder.

Laughter Yoga's founder Dr. Madan Kataria, a Physician from Mumbai, India, started it in 1995 after seeing the direct benefits of laughter to both mental and physical health. Currently there are over 6000 laughing clubs in over 60 countries.

See, the body can not tell the difference between genuine or fake laughter, and even if you start forcing yourself to laugh, it will naturally turn into genuine laughter. When you laugh, your breath deepens, endorphins are released and you are completely in the present moment. Laughing boost immunity, relieves stress, decreases pain, relaxes your muscles, eases fear and anxiety and a whole list of other benefits.

Laughing Yoga is for everyone. Our class was half men, half women and ranged in age from 15 to 85. You can find a group in almost any city. It has been profiled on CNN, BBC and even Oprah. Laughter Yoga was even practiced at this years Olympics. Over 10,000 gathered in an outdoor Vancouver venue to set a joyful and peaceful tone for the event by just laughing. Laughter yoga is practiced with school children, the elderly, cancer patients, even prisoners.

Here is a clip of famous funny man John Cleese offering a brief example of what LY is all about. Just watching it will make you giggle.

You can find a group near you here or participate in International Laughing day on May 1st, with events planned all over the globe. So whether you check a group out for yourself, watch a good comedy or even just laugh at life's random events, know that you are doing a world of good for your spirit, your health and even your fellow man.