Outside Pets

White Elephant

This is why stopping at garage sales can be dangerous.

White Elephant

I’ve been looking for a ceramic garden stool to go next to my egg chair as a little side table, but I haven’t had much luck finding a good inexpensive one. Now I have a bizarre little elephant to set my drinks on instead.

Murray’s a little creeped out by it.

Murray and the White Elephant

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  • Nora
    April 16, 2009 at 3:32 pm

    OH MY GOD! I love it. it is so crazy. great find :)

  • Samae
    April 16, 2009 at 3:58 pm

    Its cool, but it might be even cooler if you paint it. Maybe white or magenta???

  • Amy
    April 16, 2009 at 4:16 pm

    you can never go wrong with an elephant

  • robin
    April 16, 2009 at 4:16 pm

    that’s so funny he’s pointing at it! cuuute :O)

  • Kathryn
    April 16, 2009 at 4:18 pm

    I agree with Samae, definitely paint it. I’m a fan of a pink elephant!

  • Michelle
    April 16, 2009 at 4:26 pm

    Love it! My vote is leave it as it is.

  • Jodee Leader
    April 16, 2009 at 4:30 pm

    That is perfect! Great find!

  • Tara
    April 16, 2009 at 4:35 pm

    Great find! Definately paint it! A white or a color found in that lovely pillow!

  • Tania
    April 16, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    My mom has an elephant like that. Painting it pink would be cool.

  • Amy
    April 16, 2009 at 4:55 pm

    Love the elephant! I think it would look good nearly anywhere. Painted or not painted!

    BTW, I recently saw a large group of ceramic garden stools in a Home Goods in NY. I can’t remember the price, but I remember thinking they were inexpensive – probably $30-70. Come to think of it, I should have bought a couple!

  • Camila
    April 16, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    He is so cute. Great find! Tell Murray he is good luck and maybe he’ll be able to deal with him. :)

  • Making it Lovely
    April 16, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    Amy, I made a trip out to HomeGoods specifically to find a garden stool. They did have five or six, but they were so ugly! I hear the selection is better at different locations but I was disappointed.

  • Jacci
    April 16, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    I vote for super glossy white, too :) He’s very cute!

  • Erin
    April 16, 2009 at 5:45 pm

    I love your blog! Ive been checking it everyday for a while now! I’m so inspired by your kitchen and bathroom remodel…I checked in today to see about the baby! Assuming she hasnt come yet?

  • Ayanna
    April 16, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    Love the elephant, but where’s the baby?

  • jennifer12287
    April 16, 2009 at 6:10 pm

    I love the cushiony chair in the back, it looks SO comfy!

    • lasiciliana
      April 2, 2010 at 8:02 am

      I”m with Jennifer… Love the cushiony chair in the back! where did you get that?

    • Making it Lovely
      April 2, 2010 at 8:27 am

      It was from Pottery Barn.

  • katelynjane
    April 16, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    I totally think you shoudl paint it. Magenta sounds like a good idea…

    I love how it goes with the funky 70’s-ish feel of your cushions too!

  • katelynjane
    April 16, 2009 at 6:33 pm

    Ps: Those White Devil Bags in your Wish List are so amazing!!!

  • Nikki
    April 16, 2009 at 6:36 pm

    I kinda like it! And whatever it takes to pass the pre-labor time by, eh?

  • Valentina
    April 16, 2009 at 6:52 pm

    It’s kind of funny and at the same time is so cool! elephants are *GREAT* :)

  • luuvely
    April 16, 2009 at 7:20 pm

    yeah i bought one of these for my ex’s mom years ago…she loooved it…its really cute..painted or left just the way it is..would be just the same…

    and katelynjane is sooo right! the devil bag! suuuper cute!

  • life a colorful life
    April 16, 2009 at 7:27 pm

    I’m with Jacci. Paint it glossy white.

  • melissa mae
    April 16, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    i’m quite fond of him. Have you named him yet?

  • maja
    April 16, 2009 at 7:47 pm

    i saw some ceramic garden stools on overstock.com. not sure if they have pink, but it might be worth a look. they have free shipping this week it think.

  • Becky @ Farmgirl Paints
    April 16, 2009 at 8:11 pm

    Yep quite the find. Something unique you would never find if you were looking for it.

  • Jasmine @ Experiment in Poverty Blogspot
    April 16, 2009 at 8:30 pm

    hahaha! he’s awesome. so quirky and cool!

  • Keri
    April 16, 2009 at 8:30 pm

    I love it– it’s unique and quirky. My favorite!

  • Amy
    April 16, 2009 at 8:36 pm

    Great find! Funny your dog doesn’t like it – my dog is scared of anything I get for the yard for like a month until he gets used to it!

  • Ash
    April 16, 2009 at 10:24 pm

    I think it’s super cool!!

    I think glossy white or glossy light pink would be cool.

    And perhaps changing his direction…a bit closer to the chair and either facing out or the other way. even though I can’t exactly tell about it’s ‘Feng Shui from a pic.

    Where is that baby?

  • Cheryl Ann
    April 17, 2009 at 4:58 am

    Personally, I love elephants. How about painted just the painted parts? Pink and brown?

  • mrs.lee
    April 17, 2009 at 7:31 am

    i love that egg chair! where is it from?

    http://pearlsandgreentea.blogspot.com/

  • zoe
    April 17, 2009 at 9:06 am

    Hi Nicole! I think its a great find! And if you end up finding another end table you like, you could always use the elephant as a flower pot stand in the garden!

  • Amanda
    April 17, 2009 at 10:05 am

    Ooooh, I didn’t think about it until I read other people’s comments but I think a “Pink Elephant” would look so fun next to your pillows too! Maybe the Krylon Raspberry spray paint that I did my tray in (http://amandajillsblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/save-buck-or-two.html)… it would be a great color I think.

    Do you mind letting us know how much you paid for this teriffic find at a garage sale? I think that’s often my problem… not knowing how much something is worth and overpaying for something.

  • Jess LC
    April 17, 2009 at 11:05 am

    I love the pillow in the egg chair- that print is awesome and so perfect for outdoors. Where did you get it?

  • atm
    April 17, 2009 at 11:35 am

    So… how’s Murray? I see he can walk now. poor thing.

  • Miss B.
    April 17, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    That image of Murray is classic.

  • Amanda
    April 17, 2009 at 2:08 pm

    So cute! I think the elephant would look awesome glossy white. Great find!

  • Julie
    April 17, 2009 at 2:51 pm

    What a treasure you found – and it goes perfectly with your egg chair. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. :-)

  • Agnes
    April 17, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    Oh he is so funky and cute! What awesome style girl!

  • haus
    April 17, 2009 at 3:15 pm

    I’d forgotten about your cool egg chair. I think the elephant is perfect. What a great hangout for you and baby this summer!

  • this humble abode
    April 17, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    You didn’t post for two days, I thought for sure you’d gone into labor. But no, you were out shopping for elephants.

  • green ink
    April 17, 2009 at 5:40 pm

    Oh, I thought there’d be baby when I logged in tonight!! (sorry, you must be so sick of “where’s the baby?” questions). I love the elephant! x

  • Cheryl Ann
    April 17, 2009 at 6:18 pm

    Ok, it’s apparent the baby has SOMETHING to do with the elephant. Maybe she helped you find it??? I agree with the other posters we want to know about the her…

  • amy purple
    April 17, 2009 at 7:51 pm

    How is Murray doing since the surgery?

  • Amanda
    April 17, 2009 at 8:59 pm

    Just thinking… how ever did you carry the elephant being 9+ months preggo!? Isn’t that a solid cement elephant (it appears to be)??

  • Janelle
    April 17, 2009 at 11:58 pm

    I just went to a HomeGoods store last night and I saw some gorgeous ceramic stools there! Solid light and pastel colors for $50 or less.

    Like this: http://www.qingart.co.uk/images/pomander-green-front-large.jpg

    I think you have one 30 min away from your city so perhaps you should check it out?

    :)

  • Janelle
    April 17, 2009 at 11:59 pm

    Ah nevermind I JUST read your comment about Homegoods.. Whoops. Oh well :{

  • Making it Lovely
    April 18, 2009 at 10:11 am

    Amanda, it’s ceramic (not cement). It’s heavy, but not that heavy.

    As far as painting it goes, I don’t know if I’ll be doing that or just leaving it as-is. Since it is ceramic (and the glaze is cracked and chipping), I’m not sure how well paint would adhere.

    The baby has not made her appearance yet! I’m four days past-due at this point and just waiting patiently, hoping she’ll be here soon. The doctor thought maybe it would be this weekend, but now I’m not so sure. I don’t feel any closer…

    And Murray is OK. He still favors the leg and we’re hoping that it’s healing properly. He has another follow-up visit to the vet in a couple of weeks.

  • Sharon
    April 18, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    this is quite a statement piece! If am not wrong, this is a lucky charm, albeit a bulky one, so hopefully, the baby is coming along soon and Murray will get better in a jiffy:)
    Let me add: i absolutely love your blog, thank you for sharing all these lovely things:) take care

  • Decor South Furniture
    April 18, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    this would make a great “white elephant” gift!

    don’t paint it though… it looks great as is…

  • Nuit
    April 21, 2009 at 1:31 pm

    I LOVE the elephant and love it as it is, no makeover necessary! what a great find. I normally find the most amazing things at flea markets and garage sales!

  • Drea
    May 5, 2009 at 4:52 pm

    The elephant is awesome!

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  • Marion
    February 7, 2011 at 9:36 pm

    Hi! I was searching the internet for “white ceramic elephant 21″ tall” and found this! Your elephant is very very similar to one my husband and I just found off the side of the road! The top “table”-like surface is broken (about half missing), but the rest of the elephant is in great shape. it’s completely white (not painted like yours), but what I find really strange is that it has the exact same symbol on the side (on that “blanket”). Do you have any idea what it might stand for?