Meet my newest little decorating accents

Hello everyone. Sorry I have been away from posting on our blog; everyone is so...busy. Had to share this cute new idea to reuse older items. I love needlework in all forms and this past winter, began cutting them down to a smaller size and ended with a cute small pillow to hang anywhere I needed a splash of color. Possibilities are endless.

Pillow postings

I love to make pillows. Show a small piece of needlework to me or perhaps a tea towel or even better, anything cross-stitched and I will make a pillow. I rarely hang a piece of art created in needlework. I had rather do a pillow for a special chair or sofa (can't do a matching set). My favorite type of pillow is a small dkp -known as door knob pillow. You can hang it from any place that needs a splash of color or to celebrate the memory of a loved one. This cute sort of modern take on a pillow was created by cutting a variety of pieces from favorite shirts and blouses you can no longer wear. I love the splash of RED. The big C pillow created by me used a sample monogram piece from my aunt Renate, using her embroidery machine. Lucky for me, she gives me all her sample items and I enjoy using them to create really unique pillows for friends and family. Of course my cousin Patty's last name is a "C" and I know she loves toile and a splash of red. She will use this on a gorgeous black rocker recently purchased. The small oblong pillow was created by using a great piece of needlework by our deceased Aunt Grace. Years ago, she began to do each state flower and I was fortunate to have acquired them after her death. Patty's daughter lives in LA, so it was great to have a home already picked out by the time this small pillow was completed. Enjoy it Amy! Thanks for checking our blog; all of us busy but we check in once in a while. Happy Memorial Day - can't believe how the time is rushing.

Spring Greetings ....from a favorite shrub

Happy Spring. Not sure how the photos will flow on this post, so bear with me as I introduce one of my favorite spring shrubs. If you don't have a Flowering Quince in your garden, please consider one. A hardy shrub in our Zone 7, but check for your particular area. This specimen is lovely even before it blooms. Tight buds will greet you in mid February as they slowly creep out and enjoy the first traces of sun and warmth. Pretty soon you will see tiny leaves emerge and then a full array of gorgeous blooms. I'm not sure if other colors are available; I have only seen the pink one I have. Cuttings are easily transplanted should you wish to expand.

Hang on to your shirts/blouses ......new ideas to be explored

Just HAD to share an updated photo of other collars for jars, etc. Earlier post introduced you to this cute idea BUT I wanted to emphasize that you do not have to do these on a sewing machine. In fact, the first one I completed was done on a machine and I pulled out all the stitches and used a slip stitch. Much neater job and ease of turning under the hem. Try these EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BUTTON AT THE NECK. They would look great in a bathroom to store cotton balls or Q-Tips. Personally I like almonds and M&M's in mine. The black and white check blouse had NO BUTTONS, just ties. Wow - this blouse was an antique, so I sewed the ties on and hemmed as usual. It looks great. Thanks again to Jane for posting photo of the magazine.

Ah.... the joy of repurposing.... AGAIN

Recently while visiting my cousin Patty in Alexandria, VA, I was introduced to the cutest publication entitled Flea Market Style - 2011. Living in a small town, I don't always have the opportunity to grab this cute magazine due to quantities available and I jumped at the chance to obtain another copy. What cute complimentary ideas to any home.... I am on a serious hunt for nice shirts or blouses that will allow this idea to be embraced. A way-too-tight blouse proved to be a good choice as I made a cute collar for an old glass jar. Look around your house; you probably have some of these. I like to keep almonds in easy reach and this looks so cute. Try it - Thanks Jane (for posting photo of magazine).

Happy Valentine's Day

Hello - Excuse the brief absence; we've all been quite busy with holiday fun, removal of Christmas and all the other exciting chores we are involved in. I wanted to "get the jump" on Valentine's Day by showing off this cute heart. I love to recycle and reuse and was thrilled to find a much too small gorgeous RED sweater that needed a new look, so I did the usual - After shrinking it in hot water and drying same, I drew different sizes of hearts, cut them out, using a couple of buttons for embellishments and after two hours of looking for a tip in some book to show "how to do a blanket stitch", I thought of Google. Silly me - should have looked there first. I love the simplicity of this little number and it will find it's new home hanging on a door knob or perhaps hanging on a suction cup in a window. Hope you like it. Again - Happy Valentine's Day.

Snow covered clear jars (amost snow like)

Just had to give a sneak preview of a few of the items featured on our recent Open House tour. What a great time we had. My son assisted in moving this cute project to another level by using a product on the glass BEFORE adding glue and snow. This makes for easier cleaning. I drew the tree and he taped it - did his magic and waited hours for the snow to dry completely. They are so pretty with just a hint of glow at the bottom of the tree - Hope you like it. Look for more posts - perhaps tomorrow.

Making a definite impact - small or LARGE?

Each of us has probably purchased one of the black wrought iron wreath stands - I have a couple and use them a lot. While rummaging in the basement for something different for my Christmas Tree theme this year, I came across an old floor lamp - you know the type that has a swing arm or it can be stationary but think of re purposing it into a BIG wreath stand. I removed the electrical parts of this one about fifteen years ago with good intentions to rewire the thing, but it never was placed on any one's list of things to do. I've used it a couple of times to display an item and even a wreath - years ago, but only this week - realized how neat it would be to bring it out again. Dusting the cobwebs off was all it needed. My bathroom is very small, but what an impact this makes? This gem won't be cast aside any longer. Enjoy - oh - please check back in for some photos of our Christmas 2010 Open House. Merry Christmas.

From tablecloth to a "needed bed skirt"

I switch tables out like you would not believe. I must have owned about nine or ten during my lifetime. My current house is the only place I have lived that offered a separate room off the kitchen as a dining room. I used it as such for years, but always gravitated to the small table in the kitchen, or perhaps the small bistro table on the screened porch (off the kitchen). Our dining room was used mostly as a "pass through" to get to the short hall and bathroom, so a few years ago,Carl and I decided late one night to do some rearranging and get rid of the dining room atmosphere all together. It has worked quite well, for now I have a small TV room that tends to be our favorite spot. The windows face west and even on severely COLD days, the room receives plenty of sunshine to warm you. So, after all this explaining, I arrive at the reason for today's post. I was rummaging through my huge collection of tablecloths and found this really pretty, white with small blue scallops and cut-out work. Needing another fresh cottage look in our guest room, I removed about twelve inches from the center and still have the CENTER of the tablecloth to make a nice pillow sham. I had sufficient length to do several pleats which compliment the bed skirt. Careful planning and cutting is my only expense to this recent project. One of the photos shows a small view of my recent slipcovered rocker.

A cast-away chair gets new life

This old rocker has been around my sister's place for years; we traded a chair a few years ago and in the swap, I acquired this one. It was painted white a couple of years ago and nothing else done to it. It has sat outside in the elements for over a year and you can see from the BEFORE PHOTO - painting was done without any taping, so I decided yesterday to start a slipcover from a nice piece of Waverly fabric. I'm so.............glad I remembered to wash FIRST in hot water and dry because it shrank quite a bit. This little gem will come upstairs now and enjoy a corner in my guest bedroom. You gotta love this fabric in ANY color.

Autumn greetings from my front porch to yours

Sorry I've been out of touch for a while - too much going on and just couldn't get in the groove to blog. But I'm back today - Happy Friday also. My son just completed a makeover of my front porch. Removing a "not so good brick job from years ago", marks and scuffs from deck boards to original concrete substance was quite a feat, but it looks great. Our small 8x12 porch took 25 bags of concrete mix - I could not believe it. I look forward to this new smooth finish for many years. Enjoy the pillows from a previous post - I thought they would look great on the two chairs, flanking the small round table displaying an antique crochet piece. I made the large fall arrangement from my stash of stuff in the basement. Not a penny was spent on this autumn look. You gotta love any project that doesn't cost money.

Using what you already have . . . . . . sometimes it is GREAT

My friends call me the "queen of recycling" - I love it. It's a great way to save the planet, save some cash and who out there doesn't like doing that? My son had a few pieces of shelving left from our bookshelves project and I was pondering what to do with perfectly good boards. I had spotted on a blog months ago something similar but did not want to copy exactly, so I chose another route. Rather than use fretwork and painting the whole object, I decided to install a cute ROUND frame I've had for years, tossed in a drawer downstairs and then the real fun began. I love taking photos and must have hundreds like many of you, but I was seeking the "perfect one to compliment the look I was going after" and this is what I come up with. It is all painted white and houses a beautiful photo I took over six years ago after a brief shower of snow. I love how all the trees around Carl's workshop stand out. You gotta love a free project once in a while. This gem will be enjoyed during Christmas season and I can even display other favorite photos.

Framed piece for all to see and enjoy

Sorry this was delayed in being posted with first post. Blogger was not the usual ease of use today. Photo would NOT upload. Here is the finished framed small plate. I found just the right spot to hang this and enjoy it so much. Look on right side of screen under LABELS to read post that should have been included with this one.

Newly dressed treasure for all to see

Don't you just love a new look for a treasured piece; perhaps a small plate from a previous collection; perhaps a wedding plate from a grandmother's house - Anything can be mounted on the appropriate mat and framed. Having the best framing expert can be helpful and I'm fortunate to live in a town that has one. Jonathan is a friend and does wonderful pottery pieces, teaches classes at our local museum and he also owns a great framing shop and is great to work with. I found these two lovely small plates at our local DAV thrift shop (the set of four had been broken up and only these two remained). Of course, since there was red on one plate, I knew my cousin Patty would love to be the new owner AFTER I had Jonathan frame them. They are so pretty - try this look on a treasured piece - I bet you have just the spot on a wall and you can enjoy the piece much better than moving it around in a drawer or china cabinet. Lucky me - I spotted these for less than $3 and already owned two really nice walnut frames.

Here I go recycling AGAIN and AGAIN..........

Just had to show off this cute contemporary looking photo frame with curved back (it has the easiest access door to the back of the frame). Picked it up at a little flea market just outside of town earlier today. The wood appears to be oak and I thought of using it to display a cute saying regarding dinner (or rather, the lack of it). I loved the way it just sits on the counter - no easel or stand - just the curved shape allows it to stay put. Almost forgot to mention..... it was only $1.50.

Getting dressed for a "new look"

Don't we all love to create new spaces? I do. I love bookcases and have been toying with an idea to have some installed, but kept putting the project off. My son is visiting and has some great carpentry skills, so we got together and he came up with this look in our small TV room, off the kitchen. Living in an old house has some advantages, because of niches and areas jutting out, etc. This area housed a nice beveled edged mirror that I wished to keep, so the approach worked out great. I love the way the shelves wrap around the wall and framing the mirror. You can see a small section of shelves that face the kitchen. All of my cookbooks are stored here now for easy access. I've never been a fan of all books on shelves; I love to sprinkle in treasures and objects I love to be around. I'm very proud of my son's efforts - he did a great job in just two days and I'm fortunate to have a sister close by who LOVES to paint. She opted to assist in this task and the whole project was moved to COMPLETION within three days. You gotta love a plan that works this smooth.

Slipcover 101 - finished project for my book

For those that follow on a regular basis, I promised a post of completed slipcover. That was a while back, I'm ashamed to say, but it is FINISHED now. This project was by far, the most difficult and challenging, but that was because of my fabric choice, NOT the slipcover itself. I've completed three in the past, but NEVER NEVER NEVER attempt one with something this difficult to match. I am motivated to start on a slipcover for a small sofa we use daily but the fabric is not my choice, so the next BEST THING to do is a slipcover. I plan to purchased several good quality painters cloths - WASH THEM FIRST in hot water and dry in a drier which will shrink fabric BEFORE MAKING SLIPCOVER. In addition, washing will make the painters cloth much softer and easier to work with. Hopefully I will enjoy this cute slipcover in my living room where it proudly sits. Can't wait to show it off to my guests. A lot of my friends who visit are probably wondering "has that slipcover been completed yet?" but they are much too kind to ask.

New look for a great piece of art

Sorry I've been out of touch with blogging for a short time, but I'm back. I missed you. Wow - how fortunate can a person get? My cousin Patty and her friend Susan of Alexandria Va met me in a quaint lakeside town called Clarksville, Va for a girls outing and upon arrival, she presented me with a gift. I had been introduced to this wonderful artist months ago but to own a piece of Capodimonte - wow that's GREAT. A pair of these belonged to Patty and a lot of things don't have to seen together and she parted with one of them - we both use a glass votive holder and candle RATHER than the usual tall taper. Who says you can't get out of the box and do something different?

Sinks are NOT just for washing up. . . . . . . . .

Saw something similar on one of my blog searchs a couple of weeks ago and thought about duplicating the look. Earlier this spring while roaming the woods behind our house, I spotted an old iron bathroom sink halfway buried in leaves and debris. It stayed put until yesterday after I talked my husband Carl into going among the poison ivy leaves and pulling it out. A good scrubbing was all that was needed to move it to a usable state and I spotted a perfect spot for this HEAVY gem under the stair landing off the deck. We had a bit of a struggle to install it with sufficient holding elements, but soon we had it mastered. I ventured to Lowe's and rescued a wave petunia plant on the discount table for only $3. It looks so cute - just had to share this one. Also, for those that are following posts, I promise to get back to the slipcover project TOMORROW. I have to drive that little project to completion. Thanks so much for stopping by our blog. We have ALL been a little absent lately.

Recycling again and again - newest approach

My eyes had spotted the round, heavy metal looking contraption for weeks, laying in the grassy field that adjoins our property, but I didn't pick it up. Much later, I spotted it again in late spring and decided that I should take a better look at this piece. I asked Carl if he could identify the object and he took one quick look (it must be a man thing for sure) and said "it's a brake disc" from an older model car. Not sure how long the thing had been in the field, but I claimed it and moved it nearer our flag post in the yard. Last Friday, I saw it again as I walked from the mailbox at the roadside. I brought it to the basement where Car was working on something and asked him if he had a grinder or something that would clean the rust off. He handed a small palm sander to me with coarse grit sandpaper and I started working on it and in a few minutes, it was smooth and looked much better. We strung some rope through four of the holes, tied good knots to secure it and hung it. I had just the perfect size candle object to place in the center opening. I like it a lot and love the fact that it has taken on new life. How long - I don't know, because I tend to change things around often.