Shelf Before and After + A Shelf Vignette

After blah blah blah-ing about this shelf forever and a day, I finally got it done. It's refinished, it's installed, it's decorated, it's photographed. Phew.

First, I bought it from the Christie Lake Antique show in May (read here). Then  I stripped all the old paint off (read here). Yesterday I primed it, painted it with two coats of white paint, distressed it, encountered a few small glitches, installed it, and then the fun part: trinkified it.

Here are some before shots:

Before

Before

Here is a during shot:

During

Here are a million and one after shots because I just couldn't help myself:

After

After

I started with a large white picture frame that I already had (from Homesense). I took out the picture of Roary as a puppy {sorry bud, I'll make it up to you with an extra long walk I promise} and replaced it with some butterfly scrapbook paper that I had in my stash. I wasn't sure about the colour of the matte but what can you do when you're trying to decorate with mostly what you already had?

I found another white frame from our sunroom, also from Homesense, and took out another picture {sorry J & J, I'll make it up to you with some baking}. I added a $3 double matte from Michaels and then put in an adorable greeting card that I found at Chapters. It's actually a get well card that has little jars of cute stuff on the front (honey, love, lemon, and cheer). Let's pretend that it's a mixed media piece by a local artist instead of a plain old greeting card. ;) 

On top of the framed card I added an old key that I bought from a lady who sells antiques out of her garage. I wanted to add a little bit of height to the smaller frame to match the other one. The colour of the key also ties in nicely with the colour of the hooks that came on the shelf. 

I found this little notebook on the clearance table at Chapters. I loved the texture of the cover as well as the colours. It just went perfectly with the whole look. It also added a little bit of height to the shelf.

On top of the notebook I put my two vintage tart tins that I'm, um, trying to collect. Apparently they are hard to find and when you find them on Etsy the shipping costs a lot of money. I found these two tiny ones at the Christie Lake Antique show for 50 cents apiece. Score!

Leaning in front of the large frame I have a white, rectantular plate that was also on clearace at Pier One for $3.

The little bowls were a set at Homesense. Also a steal at $3.99 for all three. I plopped a hydrangea from the front garden into the middle one.

On the right side of the shelf I used a small glass bottle to hold another hydrangea bloom. I got the glass jar a few years ago, can't remember where....

Even though the original colour of the shelf was also very pretty (turquise/blue), the white looks nice against the pale green walls. The shelf looks perfect up above my newly painted dresser. I'm hoping to do a little update on the breakfast room tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Linking to:

Feature Yourself Friday @ Fingerprints on the Fridge, Furniture Feature Friday @ Miss Mustard Seed Interiors, Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest, Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home, Fridays Unfolded @ Stuff and Nonsense, Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage, It's a Hodgepodge Friday @ It's a Hodgepodge Life, Show and Share Day @ Just a Girl, Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors, Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table and Dreaming, Amaze Me Monday @ Dittle Dattle, Tuesday's Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia