Wow, you guys love a giveaway! I love me some vinyl, glad you do too! Hang in till the end and I'll announce the winner. (I'm mean like that.)

So for at least five years, probably more, I've admired these Ballard Designs pears:
I don't know what it is about them, but they make my heart all a-flutter. You know I love all things fruity, so it's probably just a personal thing I need to work out. But I think these are just classic and timeless. Oh, and adorable.

Months and months ago, I found a pear -- same size, same shape (uhh, that would be pear shape) at the local thrift store. It was only $7 and I snatched it up. It is a stone material and was grey -- like cement -- when I bought it.

You know I have issues with painting things black, and without really thinking about it, I spray painted it black:

Umkay. Who? Who wants a black pear in their kitchen? I don't know what the heck I was thinking. Grody. So a few weeks ago I was on a mission to transform it from an old moldy pear to a bright, green, ripe one.

I found green craft paint I thought would work, (called Houser Light Green), and my trusty Burnt Umber, which I use for everything. It is a fabulous color:

I used my sponge brush to paint the whole thing green, and wooee, was it green! I am not good at "faux" or distressing, or anything that involves going back over a perfectly good painted item and very possibly ruining it, but it was just too green.

I looked at a real pear, looked at my inspiration pear from Ballard, held my breath, and started painting on the brown here and there:
I got a paper towel slightly damp and just rubbed the brown around as I worked, while it was wet. I loved the result!:

Helloooooo -- the real Ballard pear is $49.00. Mine was a total of $8. My pear is the same exact size as the real one too. Can it get any better? Could this pear be any cuter? (Please tell me know you what show that is from!!)

For more of my Ballard inspiration projects, like my jute:

Go here:
And here:

And to see how I copied this wall art:

Go here:

OK, the winner (picked by Random.org) of E.A.D Design's vine wall art is Rameelin from Raising Redheads!! If you can e-mail me, I will get you in touch with Emily! Congrats!!