Monday, December 23, 2013

More Christmas Decor



On quite a few blogs I've read how everyone is 'keeping it simple this year'


Not Me!



I don't have the mantle to decorate any more 'cuz someone put the TV on the wall over the fireplace.


So I used all the other spaces I could find except the dining room table. 


Even I consider that off limits.



All this junk, as Wild Bill calls it, is on the top of the low cabinet in the breakfast room along with the flocked tree.


A few years back, I bought this pillow made from an ugly Christmas sweater. I can't picture wearing it as a sweater, but I think it makes a cute pillow.


Love the smell of this candle in the old fashion hobnob glass container. 



And...there's plenty of red in the kitchen this time of year. I've got a few plans in here for next year. 

I'd like to paint the wall below the seeded glass cabinets a different color -- maybe with black chalkboard paint or a blue-green color.



One of my daughters said it would drive her nuts to have so much stuff on her counters.  


Heck, I'm just getting started!


Friday, December 20, 2013

The Dog Ornaments


At an after-Christmas sale 3 years ago,
 I found 3 ornaments that look just like
a few of the dogs in our family.
 
 
These three dogs were pound puppies,
adopted when they were well over a
year or two old.
Dee's Ornament:



Dee is always up for a party if it
includes food. She was adopted about
7 years ago by middle daughter and
her husband, and Dee loves babies. 
 
 
Over the last 4 years, Dee steadfastly
guarded over two new babies until she
was sure no one was coming to take
them away.


Wrigley's Ornament:



Our youngest daughter adopted Wrigley
about 5 or 6 years ago. Wrigley was a   
malnourished and terrified young dog.

It took years of love before he relaxed,
but he's always been the sweetest dog.

When he knows you, he loves you.

He also loves babies and even knew
his mother was pregnant before she did.

Now Wrigley won't let his pregnant
mama out of his sight -- which she and her
husband find adorable and a little irritating.

Wrigley's new baby is due in May.



Ginger's Ornament:



Ginger has been gone for over
22 years, but I still tear up when
 I think of her or see her picture.

She understood a conversation
- like "go get the kids up" -
and could answer too, by doing things
like shaking her head down for yes, 
and kind of a clearing-the-throat
coughing when she wanted to laugh.


I'm hoping to find two more ornaments
for Einstein and Bailey, the other two
family dogs.

If anyone out there knows who makes
these ornaments, please let me know.

Have a Merry Christmas!




Sharing at the following:
 
 
 






Thursday, December 19, 2013

Why Only One?

 
I have a lot of one-of-a-kind ornaments.
 
It's not that I planned it that way...
 
This little angel dates back to the '80s
when the youngest daughter loved
"angel-ers" as she called them.

 
I always (ALWAYS) think I can make
it myself, if I just have one to follow.
 
This doesn't often work out.
 
But that didn't stop me from thinking
early last month that I could use the
moose to make others just like him.

 
So the wooden angel and script and glitter
moose sadly keep themselves company.

 
Next year - for sure - I will use
all the 'one-of-a-kinds' to make
a bunch of others just like them.
 
That angel has been lonely a long time.
 
Next year, for sure.
You can bet on it.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Vintage Chair


Bought this vintage chair for $199 at my favorite
consignment shop over a year and a half ago.
 
Wild Bill hated it, but it was our anniversary
and it was the present I wanted.
 
The slipcovers on it are perfectly good, just out of style.

As you can see...
I'm a "more is more"
type when it comes to Christmas!
 
 
Pottery Barn sold a similar chair for over $500 or $600
a while back. I think my vintage chair is sturdier and
also has a more interesting base made of metal.
And the price was way better!

 
I put it next to the Christmas tree and added the
Christmas bird pillow from PB, bought this year.
 
The throw is from Restoration Hardware...
a gift to me about 10 years ago from one of
our daughters. I'll have it forever.
 
I folded up the $12 vintage bedspread I bought
last month, to show you the chair will look
better when it's slipcovered in white. 
 
 
Christmas is the only time of the year when green
and red show up in our house, so that's
the only time this chair fits in.

 
I think I can get the vintage bedspread made
into slipcovers by next Christmas...
no promises though.
 
I have to learn to sew first.
 
I'm more of a visionary than an actual do-er.
 
And my vision usually exceeds my talent.
You get the picture?
 
 
Sharing this week at:
 
 
 
 

 

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Lights Made From Junk


Saw this lighting piece hanging from a ceiling in a shop down in McKinney Texas last week.

Looks like it was made from pipes and various odd pieces of junk...
 
 
 
I was smitten!
 
What do you think of it?
 
 

Friday, December 6, 2013

Maybe A White Christmas?

 
It's snowing in Texas.
 
I mean really snowing!
 
Wild Bill wrapped his little lemon and
orange trees with lights and covered
them with large plastic bags.
 
 
We still have our solar shades on
the windows to block the sunshine!
 
 
 
 Here's the road and a few
neighborhood houses under a
beautiful blanket of snow...
 
Snow doesn't usually last more than
a few hours before the sun melts it,
but we're enjoying it while it's here.
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
 
Joining the party at:
 


Thursday, December 5, 2013

Simple Decorating: Lights In A Jar


Here's a quick and easy way to add a little sparkle to a dark corner of your home.

 
I had some old twinkle lights with no
where to use them.
 
Our flocked tree is pre-lite, and we
use net lights in our bushes outside.
 

 
So...I bunched up the lights and put
them in an old lantern-like jar.
 
Talent right?

 
I should add that the top of
the jar is wide open, so any heat
generated by the lights escapes
through the top of the jar.
 
I'm still on my quest to clean out
closets and the garage, so these
items were going to be donated
unless I found a use for them.
 
Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
or
You do without
 
 
Love the easy stuff.
 
 
Sharing this week at:
 
 

 

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

What I'm Working On Wednesday


Here's some vintage stuff I bought
recently and other treasures I'm work-
ing on from my "Fixin' To Do" list:
 
I bought this old bedspread at an estate
sale a couple weekends ago. A lot of
material for $12!
I bought it to make slipcovers,
so I was surprised after I washed
and dried it several times to find
it's in perfect condition.
 
I'm still going to cut it up, but a
stain would've made it easier!

The gray turkey is finally going
white. One more coat, then
dark wax on, dark wax off...


While I had the Swiss Coffee
paint out, my old bench got
a few coats too.
 
I'm giving myself 3 more days
to finish it or get rid of it.
 
No more storing unfinished
projects in hidey-holes...
I promised myself this when I
started purging all my boxes
and closets!
 
The yellow-y looking paint is
Annie Sloan's in Old White. I much
prefer the Swiss Coffee by Behr.
 
I bought this vintage strainer at
the same estate sale as the old
bedspread.

You should see Wild Bill's face
when I verbally admire the dings
and dents on this!

I love the gray-blue color. I'm going
to hang it on the kitchen cabinets.

While purging closets recently, I
found a "first Christmas" picture of
Lily (our 4-year-old grandchild).

My favorite picture of her cousin
Ben is this old "Fall at the Farm"
picture of him with his two
adoring parents.

 
Ben's now a "grown up" of
three and a half, and a big
brother to Olivia (8 months),
but this is still my favorite
picture of him.
 
Here's my favorite picture of
our older daughter's two sons,
Jack and Tucker, taken in 2008
during Thanksgiving vacation.
 
That year, Tucker climbed up the
bench and knocked off all the
pillows to reach the hats hanging
on the wall and some vintage
cowboy boots. We found him
all decked out.
He sure was cute!
 
Better go find those frames...
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Chalkboard Project Done


I had an old homemade chalkboard
that needed a little something...
 
I had a little spice rack that needed
to be used or be gone.
 
We put them together.
 
 When I saw "we" I mean Wild Bill
did it for me.
 
Sure, I could've done it myself.
But the man needed a job to do.


Anyway, I was busy staring at
these paint sample cards.

The left one is Gray Squirrel
by Martha Stewart.
The other is Behr's Macchiato.


I did the hard work of unscrewing
the wall switch a little so I could
slip the paint samples behind it.
 
So much easier than painting large
patches of paint samples on the wall and
leaving them there for 6 to 12 months!
(progress around here does tend to be slow)

 I'm making sure the paint colors
look OK with the kitchen cabinets.

I'm now convinced I don't want to
paint the cabinets -- but everything
else in the house is fair game!
 
Anyways...back to the chalkboard.
So glad to finally have a project done!
 
 
Joining the following parties this week:
 
 
 
 
 



Saturday, November 16, 2013

Plaid Throw And Christmas Pillow

 
I liked the PB pumpkin pillow so much,
I bought the PB Christmas Bird one.

 It's OK.
Not great, just OK.

The red pillows are old PB ones,
and I bought the red plaid throw
at a garage sale for $5.
 

The throw appeared brand new, but I still
washed and dried it 3 or 4 times on hot
before using it.

Seemed like the room needed a little more
red. So I added some red plaid ribbon to
the coffee area in the corner of the room.


When I get the Christmas tree and other
decorations up there will be more red.

Definitely needs more red...
and lights!

It might seem early to decorate for
Christmas already, but if I don't get an
early start, I'll end up finishing on
Christmas Eve.