We’re excited to share our Cincy adventures (we laughed, I cried, and yes — something even got confiscated at the airport) and to tell you about the new Pinterest challenge project we’ve started. There’s also a pretty cool before-and-after that’s almost finished — I just need to take final photos and write that post — so there’s a lot going on around our casa, both duck-related and otherwise. I call it duck-related because I picked up a quirky little wooden duck at a thrift store in Richmond (Diversity Thrift) for $4 about a year ago. I finally moved past the year-long “thinking about it” phase and actually finished the makeover. If you’re curious about my habit of procrastinating on small projects until I finally dive in, you can check out my “Dude, Get On That Already” challenge for more context.
The duck is about 8 inches long, which is harder to tell in photos, but it’s a small, friendly piece that begged for a colorful update. I pulled out a bunch of craft paints I already had on hand from earlier projects and used masking tape to block off stripes across the body. I named her Mallory — probably because she looked like a mallard at first glance — and decided to give her a bright, striped makeover that felt playful and a little Jonathan Adler-inspired. If you can’t have fun with a wooden duck, where can you have fun?
My inspiration came from a variety of sources: a striped dachshund pillow that made me laugh and a gallery of painted ducks that pushed me to just go for it. I pictured bold, happy stripes wrapping around the little duck and thought it would work well in a child’s room, a playroom, or even a cheerful corner of an adult space. A small, well-placed pop of color can make a surprising difference in a home.
I won’t pretend it was instant perfection. About ten minutes into the project I was staring at a hot mess and wondering if this would be one of those “we share the good, the bad, and the ugly” posts. The first coat of paint didn’t give great coverage, and it took several layers for the colors to look even and saturated. In hindsight I probably should have primed the duck before taping, but working with what I already had felt part of the charm. After a few coats, removing the tape, and free-handing the edges where necessary, the duck finally came together into something dapper and cheerful.
In the end Mallory looked adorable and felt right at home in a nursery or kids’ room, but I also wanted to show she can live comfortably in grown-up spaces. I photographed her in the kitchen so you can see how a playful accent like this can brighten a countertop or open shelf. If stripes aren’t your thing, a solid glossy color — white, lime, navy, or another favorite — would give the same whimsical vibe with a simpler aesthetic. I do believe every home can use at least one wooden duck to add personality.
I especially like how Mallory plays off other colorful elements in the kitchen — a spiky yellow vase, art on the top shelf, and even a pig-shaped cutting board that seems to be racing her toward the stove. These small, portable accessories tend to migrate around the house, so she might next appear on a mantel, a console table, or tucked into a bookshelf. That flexibility is part of what makes little decorative finds so fun: they move with you and keep surprising you.
Okay, I’ll admit to one cheesy moment: “Goose, there it is.” It’s a stretch — she’s clearly a duck — but I couldn’t help myself. What have you been getting on lately? Any small, silly projects finally making their way from the “maybe someday” pile to reality? As a quick aside, I don’t recommend literally getting on a duck. When we were kids one bit my mom’s hand, so they don’t seem know for their enthusiasm about being ridden. Just a friendly warning from personal experience — not that she was trying to ride it when that happened.