Please don’t hate me. I gave my ampersand a makeover. I know, I know, it was such a cool RED. But that became the problem. It was RED. And while I love red, my ampersand kept getting shuffled around, stuck in corners, and finally banished to the porch, where it languished all summer. It was too big to fit anywhere in my kitchen, which is about the only place I have much red anymore. It stuck out like a big RED ampersand anywhere I put it and it wasn’t fitting in anywhere.
Some of you may remember it – I’ve had it for several years now. It’s HUGE, metal, and really cool. I kept trying to come up with a place for it that I really loved it and it just didn’t work for me. I was to the point of selling it.
I’m a little slow sometimes but I did finally think about the fact that it could be painted. And since I really like the ampersand why get rid of this really cool, huge, metal one??
Some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint – which went on very well on the glossy painted metal 🙂
And some clear wax and this Ampersand is ready for a new role in the decor around here.
He fits in now instead of sticking out like a big RED ampersand. The picture frames are tolerating him being shoved in front of them because it is only temporary – just a spot to get the big guy out-of-the-way till time for Christmas decorating 😉
So please don’t hate me for covering up the red. It’s my ampersand and now I am so excited to use it in my decor.
Sew a Fine Seam
linking up!
Oh! I love its new shade! You are right – now you can put it anywhere. While I do love red I don’t have much of it anymore either. Nice job! xo Diana
Thank you Diana! I suppose the red may find its way back at some point? Can’t imagine it now but time does change things!
Once I left my phone at Jill’s and when I got it back it was painted white and aged with AS wax. True story.
LOL, Jessica!! Hope you had your fingers crossed when you wrote that!! Makes a good story, but TRUE????
Well, trueish. Maybe it was a chair, can’t remember…
Jess, I’m getting a little concerned about your memory 😉
I was wondering about that little “true story”!
Luke is always teasing me about one of the kids being the one getting a “new look” when he gets home and smells paint in the garage. 🙂
Melanie, you have to watch that Jessica! For the record I promise to never intentionally paint anyones cell phone!! 😉
Mom, she has to cross her fingers a lot 😉 heehee!
Man, Jessica, I don’t even remember that at all!!!!!!! LOL!!!
You are so funny! You always come up with the best comebacks……
Jessica, did you hear that? Down in the comments somewhere it was mentioned that you need your own blog. THAT is definitely a true statement.
kudos!
🙂
I am cracking up at Jessica’s comment!
It’s good to know that A.S. paint works well on metal. Your ampersand looks wonderful in it’s temporary home!
~Lynne
w/L.
Lynne, Jessica really should have her own blog – she is a total crackup! Thanks for liking my ampersand!
I like it, Jill. Looks great!
Thanks Mom!
Who on earth would have predicted you’d paint it white?!!! 🙂
🙂 I know Pam, it’s such a shock! tee-hee!
I like. 🙂 Aside from me using all that “rubbery” paint instead of AS, we would get along well in the paint dept. It is a running joke in my family when I go to paint something…they ask what color I am painting it, and of course, they know it will be white.
I may drop off some things on your porch that need painted…in your painting frenzy, I may get lucky. 😉
Seriously Colista, I really must get you reformed. Next time you have something to paint let me know and I will bring my chalk paint over! It is totally worth switching 🙂
I love it and it is good that you can use it anywhere now. What a nice size.
Thank Kim! It is a great size and now that it isn’t red it blends in very nicely!
Jill. my attitude when it comes to painting is ‘why not?’ I always paint first and think later. So I’m not the best person to ask advice, tee hee. But I absolutely love the fact that turning it white made it so much easier to fit into your life. And it looks fabulous.
Leslie (aka Gwen Moss)
Leslie, I like that attitude! I need to push that to my hubby a little – I have a china cupboard he bought me 12 years ago. I still love the style but I really really want to turn it from oak to white. And he won’t let me. I’m going to share pics of it when I get this place decked out for Christmas and see what everyone in blogland has to say 🙂
You are so funny! I loved the red BUT in its newly painted state, it looks so much more like you. It blends and fits in much better painted. Now it screams Jill!
🙂 Thanks Amy – it does look much more like me now 🙂
I like it better this way, and I love red! I think with that bright red it looked like it belonged in a really contemporary setting, which doesn’t fit with your soothing, calm whites and creams.
Karen I can’t believe how much better I like it this way! So glad I went with it!
You know I LOVE red, but I will say that it looks awesome with your decor. You made a wise choice!
Leslie
Thank you Leslie! I’m so glad I painted it instead of getting rid of it!
Oh wow, wish I would have known you could have been persuaded to sell 🙂 I love the red bu now it looks more like you. Jess cracks me up!
🙂 Isn’t she a hoot?!!
I just came across something that was red the other day while cleaning things out, and I so wanted to use it somewhere but it had red in it too which doesn’t work here much anymore. Can’t even remember what it was now. I wonder if I could have painted it… I’ll have to try and remember. I love your ampersand in white. Good fix!
Liz
🙂 I hope you remember what it was – chances are it CAN be painted!!
I liked the red, but I’d have to say the update is awesome!
Thanks!
Not hating! I love the white! I’m more into neutrals anyway 🙂
Thank you Yelle! I’ve gotten lots of support on this – just reinforces that I did the right thing!!
I like red – a lot – but I think it works much better for you in it’s new form. I think I might have to paint something tomorrow, too. . . I know it’s weird but I’m felling kind of Christmassy!
Oh Breida – I’m definitely feeling Christmasy! I think the decor is going to have to come out earlier than normal this year!
That’s the wonderful thing about paint! I love changing things up…sometimes just for ONE HOLIDAY, then I paint them another color. Yes, it’s true, I’m an obsessive re-decorator! I LOVE your ampersand…it’s perfect for winter! xo
Thanks Kimberly – not sure why it took me so long to think about the fact that it could be painted! LOL!
It looks great! I love its new versatile look!
Thank you! I’m liking it a whole lot now!
I don’t have you, I think it’s Fabulous!!!
Ok, so that was supposed to say “don’t HATE you”. Some days I just can’t type… LOL
haha! Thanks Jeannine – typos happen 🙂 Thanks for coming by and leaving a comment, glad you like my ampersand!
Jill, I love it! Even in white it has such graphic appeal.
<3 Christina at I Gotta Create!
join The Wildly Original Crowd linky party
Thank you Christina! I am so thrilled with it!
Love the ampersand, love the makeover, just love the whole space. Jill, you always amaze me.
Thank you Taryn! I love it now too! Looking forward to decorating for Christmas now!
I loved it red but now it is awesome. It fits so well with your other decor. Which I happen to love all of.
I have a question about your links party links. Would you be willing to share how you organize them sk neatly and must you repeat it for every post? Your blog is so lovely.
Thank you,
Ruth
Thank you Ruth! And I would be delighted to share how I make those linkups look so neat and tidy! I had to ask another blogger how she did it 🙂 inlinkz has a link manager that does it for you. Go to inlinkz and create an account go to the link manager and you can create your list by adding new links and then putting them in the order you want them. when you have all the ones you want in your list save it then you can go to a ‘get code’ option and it gives you a code to put in as html. It’s super easy to do – if you have questions when doing it just let me know and I can help you through it! Once you have your links in they stay there and I just go to inlinkz and copy the code and paste it in my post. saves SO much time!
Good choice…the red was stunning, but this is oh, so chic now. Beautiful!
Thanks Angie! I’m really liking it a lot now too!
Jill, you have such beautiful taste …just love coming here…xo
🙂 Lucy, I love getting your comments!
I think the white looks great – the more neutral colors are easier to fit in a space, especially when its such a big piece!
We just got our link party up and running and would love if you came and joined in on the fun. Each week we are giving away free ad space for one week to one random party goer. Our main site gets thousands of hits per day and The Better Half gets thousands per week. Hope to see you there! http://www.oneprojectcloser.com/the-humble-brag-link-party-5/
Just found you over at the Ironstone Nest…love the new colour and it looks lovely on that shelf!
Thank you Cheryl – so happy you stopped by! Come back anytime.
Super cute! I am a huge fan of red, too, but I like the white even better for this piece.
Thanks Betsy I’m liking it more every day. So glad I painted it instead of selling it!
I think your & looks great! I went through a red phase and spent the last couple of years repainting “red things” in our house a cream color. Thank goodness for paint 🙂
yes, isn’t it great that paint was invented! 🙂
This looks awesome! Would love it if you linked up on my blog hop http://www.w-t-fab.com/search/label/bloghop. Also let me know if you’d like to follow each other!
Hi Elise, thanks for coming over and leaving a comment! Right now it works best to keep my link parties to Tuesday and Thursday. I just don’t have time for them all right now! But thanks for telling me about yours – I will come by and check it out!
It was pretty cool when it was red, but I like it even more this way. I’m sure it gives you so many more options too. I would love for you to link this up to my Fall into Fall party going on right now. Hope to see you there.
Thanks Judy! And I already linked it up over on your blog! Thanks so much for hosting every week!
I’ll trade you a deer head for the ampersand! Oh…wait….
Snicker! I’ve got them BOTH!! 😉