Welcome another blog friend, Judy from Gracious Southern Living. We met the first summer I started blogging when she emailed me back and forth a few times and then we ended up meeting in person and have been “buds” ever since. Love this fellow Southern girl!
I was so excited when Rhoda asked me to guest post on her blog. Rhoda is one of the first blogs I found and I fell in love with her style. Later on when I had the pleasure of meeting her in person, I found her to be exactly as I imagined….a true Southern belle and every bit as charming and talented as she appears to be. So I wanted to “do her proud” with my project she is going to feature.
Several months ago hubby and I attended an auction and I bid on and won a bench that I saw. Wasn’t in the greatest condition and he wasn’t too happy when he came back into the auction house from loading what we’d already bought and found out I’d snuck in another purchase! But I justified it by telling him what I had in mind to do with it and besides, I only paid $25 for it!
After the bench sat in my sunroom for many months, I decided to put it on my front porch. Then of course I couldn’t decide what color to paint it. After trying out several colors, I decided on painting it black (is there any other color?) and make a stenciled burlap pillow to put on the bench. Kinda like one I’d seen in a Pottery Barn catalog but without the price.
So I got busy and painted the old bench and it turned out just like I wanted it to. Then I got busy making my pillow. I bought a pillow form at Hobby Lobby, gathered up my burlap and stencil and went to town on this little project.
Took me a few hours (I’m not a seamstress at all) but in the end, I’m really happy with the pillow and bench.
You can read more about the bench and the pillow making process on my blog at Gracious Southern Living.
Thank you Rhoda for featuring me on your blog and I’m looking forward to our next “thrifting” and girl time.”
Isn’t that gorgeous?! Great job, Judy and I love your porch and those black shutters, perfect spot for the bench. I’m continually amazed at all the creativity out in blogland, right at our fingertips.
It’s enough to make you want to paint something. 🙂
Back from the beach, we had a great time, in spite of rain every other day. 🙁 I’ll be back real soon with some beach pics and updates and we’ll go ahead with a Thrifty Monday post, so look for that on Sunday afternoon. I may not have much to share, but we’ll play anyway. 🙂
Don’t forget the Homegoods giveaway in the post below. It will be open for a month, so be sure and sign up.
And be sure and come back for the Beadboard Wallpaper party on Tuesday, the 22nd. I can’t wait to see who all shows up for it, I know we’ll all be inspired again.
Lastly, the Southern Lady book giveaway winner is Anita. Big congrats to you, Anita! Enjoy those books. And just so ya’ll know, I use a random number generator site to choose the winners of these giveaways.
Love Judy’s bench & pillow! Hope you had a great time at the beach! Look forward to the beadboard wallpaper party! Patti
Hi Rho!
Neat pillow!
Are you doing Thrifty Treasures tomorrow?
Love the bench and I think the pillow turned out great!
Oh my! Purchasing a Lutyens bench for $25 is unheard of! I am stunned at your good fortune! And also shocked that it wasn’t teak…..because I just KNOW you would never paint a piece of teak furniture. Nice work on it AND the pillow, Judy.
Welcome back, Rhoda!
Such talent you have Rhoda! I mean really, girlfriend…you are such a sweetie to try to make us think we can do that, too…only if I were standing behind you…and you assured me that I had done it all on my own! lol
hugs
Sandi
What a totally unique bench … so right about painting it black! The lovely pillow is the perfect accent. Good job!
Beautiful bench!! I can’t believe you paid only $25 for it! Good choice to paint it black too… and the handmade pillow… very clever!
I love that pillow! I’m off to ask where she got that stencil. Thanks for sharing all the lovely ladies this week, there have been some great projects.
Judy, that bench is amazing and I absolutely love the pillow!! Great job!
you are so right is there any other color than black? Love the bench and the pillow is too cute.
What a great bench! I love the curves on the back of it.
Looks so much better dressed in black with that cute burlap accessory. 🙂
What a wonderful project! The bench looks fabulous painted black, and the pillow turned out fantastic! This really makes me miss having a porch.
Jane
The bench looks great and I love the pillow. I recently spray painted some old wooden restaurant chairs for my daughter that I bought at a yard sale for $1 each. I sprayed them black and got some cute cushions on sale at K-Mart (Martha Stewart) and they turned out really cute for her apartment at college. Thanks for all your inspiration. I know you had an awesome time visiting Kat in Florida. Love & blessings from NC!
Love the bench and the burlap pillow…thanks for showing us the how-to!
I love that pillow! It looks great. laurie
I love the pillow… I am going to do this for my screened porch… perfect touch.
The bench is so curvy, nice element for the porch.
Black is my faithful standby too.
I am new to blogging and thought I would follow along and put you on my blog roll.
Lee
Judy,
The bench and pillow are just gorgeous, what a great job you did of both.
Thanks Rhoda for introducing me to yet another talented blogger, where will it all end?
I could get lost in blogland and never return home!
a bientot
Maggie @ Normandy Life
A very simple and elegant look! My favorite and I think you did an excellent job on both!! Terri
Wow! I am having bench envy right now. I want one so bad for my front porch, but don’t want to pay more than $30 for it. Its beautiful and I love the pillow too!
what an outstanding bench and the pillow is the icing on the cake.