Rediscovering and Redesigining

Life for me, lately, has been a little like that first fall sip of pumpkin latte-- a rediscovery of sweet goodness all but forgotten in the hubbub of intervening seasons. Having recently emerged from an intense season of life called graduate school and unexpectedly finding myself back in the favorable climate of artistic employ, I’m finding that most days are an exercise in getting reacquainted with myself. Absent the constant stress of assignments, three-hour classes, and the duties of a graduate assistantship, I’m remembering all kinds of things I used to enjoy. My most recent renaissance is in the arena of creating mosaic facades for unappreciated furniture.

I hit a few thrift stores over the past week, looking for some prime candidates for a tile facelift. I was initially thrilled with this quirky little find until my daughter claimed that it evokes the feel of a below average manger:





Not entirely sure of its original purpose, I initially envisioned a plant stand, as it seems an ideal size and height to boost a group of potted plants up to a sunny window. My friend Lori, who is infinitely wiser and better acquainted with reality, informed me that it was likely a butler-something-or-other designed for food service, but heartily agreed that it could be repurposed for horticultural use.



A couple days later, I snagged this great storage box for $6.95 at a new thrift store, a deal that convinced me that the $15.00 I paid for the sub-par manger was probably four times too much. What can you expect from a thrift store novice?



It even came stocked with bonus items!



My next step is to come up with some color schemes and patterning themes to give these pieces new life—a process that I plan to document here as the season of my rediscovery continues. Ideas welcome!