Arlette, Backstage Beauty

 In my lifelong quest to clean out the craft room, I decided to move the furniture around.  Now this room is only about ten by twelve so there is not a lot of space for a craft/computer/guest room.  (I think I will call it the slash room.)

Arlette, the French actress, whose image is found at The Graphics Fairy is the backstage beauty here.

 


I turned around a bookcase to serve as the headboard for the twin bed.

 In all of its brown Masonite glory.

A sneak peek at this cluttered and disorganized section of Horror Monster.

 I primed the back with gesso.

At this point Chucks walked in to ask why I was painting the back of the bookcase and why was it turned backwards.

I explained it was a design plan I had for the bed to fit into space where the desk is now.

He had no words.

 Two coats of my lovely greige.

Next a doily pattern stencil.  I used Folkart paint for the two stencils.

First the brown.

Yes, the blue tape pulled some paint off, but you know what?  It just adds to the distressed look.

The next stencil in off-white.

Notice I changed my mind about the big brown dots and covered them.

 Stencils are too flat for me so I have to add some shadowing to make them pop.

I used Vintage Photo Distressed Ink around the edges smoothing it out with my finger.  I also daubed it in the brown areas to give them more depth.

Next I used a brown Sharpie and added shadows along the right side of several elements of the doily pattern.

 Now for some ornamentation.  I collected a book cover, some laces, a doily, and a silver spoon.

I took the image of Arlette over to Pic Monkey with some French labels from The Graphics Fairy.  I played around with the overlays and the color until I liked the result.

Covered the book cover with a lace panel, added lace around the bottom of the image which had been stamped with a curly pattern, glued the doily to the top, and the silver spoon to the bottom.

Voila!  Arlette, the backstage beauty.

Arlette had to have a special hanger.

I screwed a bronzed drawer handle to the bookcase and placed a "White Swan Furriers - Greenville, S.C." hanger on it.

Arlette would need a furrier, wouldn't she?

 To top the bookcase, three totes with a Paris theme were added.  They have a ton of room to hold and hide treasures.  When I decide what will be put in them, I will add tags.

At this point Arlette is the best thing in this cluttered room.  I am almost ready for the big switcharoo.  It will probably take at least two days just to move the furniture around.  Remember that Lowery Blue desk is sitting out in the hall.  (desk here)

Of course in Distressed Donna years two days is really two weeks.

Bonsoir, Arlette.





See y'all!









Have you been to Life On Willie Mae Lane to sign up for Vicky's ornament exchange? Go to the post here to read the simple rules.  You have until November 8th to sign up.  It sounds like fun.

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