Wall art x2

I "finished" 2 new paintings for our sitting room. Yay the walls aren't naked anymore!


I wrote"finished" because I don't feel like they are quite there yet, but that's pretty typical with me and my paintings.

They are a panoramic view of one our favorite stretches of land here. They usually have cows visible on the hillside, and about a thousand ground squirrels. The grass on the hillside gets so long in the spring that it moves like waves in the wind.








I don't frame my paintings, as the canvases wrap all the way around with hidden staples so I paint the edges. Also because frames are EXPENSIVE. So for now they are frame-less.

Photo Pin Board

I revamped our Laundry Hall pin board into something I actually want to look at, and it only cost me $6.00!
Okay so the pin board was free, it was left in our garage when we bought the place, and I had all of the photos already. So all I had to buy was the large wooden "B" and the white/colored and textured card stock via Michaels Crafts.
Side note: I love that you can pretty much print out a 40% or 50% off one item coupon every time you go into a Micheals on their website! I bought a roll of jute twine with my discount.

Here it was before as I started to take it apart on the floor. Basically a bunch of old memorabilia of our youth and some photos of friends.




I white washed the frame for a little contrast with the cork using acrylic craft paint and water.
I cut out all the photos and backed them with gray, white, and blue card-stock backings. Like faux mats.

Now its a collage of mostly our wedding photos, some silly high school images with friends, including our Senior class photos. Also a few of our favorite things, like Baxter, Mr. B's new '66 Triumph bike and of course a Jamaica Blue Coffee sticker (the best coffee in the world).


I was going to paint the "B" with a shade of gray or blue, but I left it white for now. All the pictures are pinned up with T-pins.


Doing laundry is just a little bit better now that I get to look at this :)

Outdoor love

Despite my seasonal allergies, I love being outside in this weather. This weekend it was in the high 80's and just perfect! I spent the majority of my time laying out on our outdoor lounge chairs with a girlfriend and Baxter.

I have been lightly fixing up our outdoor space now that we can actually enjoy it again.
This old wooden bowl from India was picked up on sale from a local import shop that is perpetually having a sale, and actually has really great pricing. I filled it with glass fisherman floats wrapped in jute rope from Pottery Barn, and a conch shell I picked up years ago from the Caribbean.






Right outside our backdoor I hung this chalkboard up last year. It was given to me from a good friend that works at our local bar.
Not so into the Malibu brand advert on the frame, I busted out my bright acrylics and went full theme on it.




Now it very simply says "La Cantina" and in bright Macaw colors that you know I love so much!


Okay, I'm ready for summer.

Tablecloth or Runner?

It's really not quite either is it? But I still love it!
Mostly because its burlap and I have an obsession...


While returning a rug at Pottery Barn last week I saw these wide burlap table runners on display and also for sale in store, but unfortunately not on their website, so I can't share my inspiration. They were $39.00. They layered faux fishing nets on top and all sorts of nautical decor, think starfish. Of course it was an outdoor table dream come true. So I thought...I have an extra bit of burlap and I could throw that on top of my outside table!
So I did, and its not exactly wide enough for a tablecloth and a little too wide for a runner, but who makes the rules anyway? I think it looks good, and for something I picked up at the hardware store for another project, (seen here) I think it is just right. I might add a few new decor items on top if I find some while hunting at garage sales this spring.

Latest and greatest etsy shop!

Ahhh Etsy! Isn't it great? It's where I've found lovely things sold by people that love handmade items and vintage finds as much as I do!
My wedding clutch was one of my first purchases, a beautiful silk and pearl beauty from the 50's.


My latest lovely find is this beautiful single cupcake sized glass cloche and milk glass plate, which I plan to use to display my future yummy baked goods! Isn't it just adorable?


I even got a couple of extra goodies in the box, these 2 really beautiful bookmarks/tags with ribbon. I have them here in our guest bedroom on my shabby-chic CL found nightstands.


The seller junktojoyshop is also having a giveaway on her blog!

So if you want to check out her wonderful items for sale at the etsy shop, and then visit her blog to to enter a chance (or 4) to win some fabulous giveaway items. I did!

Technical difficulties?

Apparently Photobucket the online photo storing site I use is having some maintenance issues. So sorry the images are down on our blog for now. Hopefully they will be back up and visible soon.

So here is a cute picture of Baxter that I manually uploaded! Take that internet!

Finds for the weekend

AAAhhhh, its my favorite time of the year. Not spring, but sale season. It means spring cleaning, and that brings garage sales! My favorite addiction.
I know someday with my habits I will be the one having the garage sale, but until we run out of room and purpose for my things, I am going to keep on hunting for finds.
So yesterday I went out and picked up some $5 goodies. Here are a few.

These old widows are something I have wanted for a while. They remind me of the windows we had is our first place we rented together, it was built in 1914. The old fashioned pulley mechanisms are not the best for use, but these paned old tattered frames look great above the guest bed.



I stuck these handmade letter-pressed card stocks up to the glass for now. They were given to me from a friend (for our house warming gift) inspirational cards with a handmade stand. The stand only holds one card at a time, and I have so many others I thought I would put them to use.
I might change out what is behind the glass later, its fun having the option for a change of decor. But for now these are so cute.





Okay so the next item I found is a little weird, but I had to have it and the price was right. I have no idea what its roll will play just yet. But just look how cool/odd it is. Its a very thick glass head, I mean come on!





These large old looking keys are too fun, I plan to move them around from tabletop to tabletop. Currently I am using them as paper weights for my magazines on our coffee table.

Who knew?

Occasionally when I'm trying to change something I don't like around the house, I discover a completely unexpected and wonderful surprise. I think that just happens when you buy a home and inherit many unknown secrets from past owners. Like when taking out old carpeting you discover a second floor below! That can be great when its beautiful hardwood, but not so great when its ugly stained vinyl flooring that's glued down to the slab (that happened in my craft room).

Well today something in our home surprised me again. This chandelier was here when we bought the place and its not bad. I don't love it, but I certainly don't hate it enough to replace it for a few hundred dollars or more. Mainly I dislike the yellow "pineapple" shades, they just seem dingy and I hate that they match the wall color. I have searched hardware stores and online and I have had zero luck finding affordable glass replacement shades that actually fit this fixture.
Not knowing what brand the fixture is certainly makes that harder, but the shades are not a standard size either.


So while at the hardware store today I was talking to a helpful clerk who recommended painting them with Krylon frosted glass spray. I thought its worth the a try for $7 bucks, right?


I came home and took off one shade to test it out, but first I wanted to clean them really well so the paint would be sure to stick. I sprayed the first shade with windex and when I went to clean it the paper towel turned completely yellow!
At first I was a bit freaked that it was dirt and I started to panic that we had been eating under filth. That was not the case, thankfully! Phew!
The glass shades that were yellow were some how sprayed in a way with a very non permanent paint from the factory. So, I got very excited :) and I pulled out my cleaning products and gloves.


I busted out my nail polish remover (with acetone) and stuck it in an empty spray bottle. I sprayed the acetone all over the glass shades and I watched with amazement as the hideous amber tint dripped right off.


6 shades later, and this is what they looked like. Still slightly tinged yellow but very faintly. I think they look a million times better, although the shape and carving is not really my style.


So to brighten them up and bit more and really help them look even cleaner, I gave them a coat with the glass frosting spay paint I picked up.


After 2 coats, this is now what the chandelier looks like. Not too shabby for $7.00 and a lot of nail polish remover.

After



Just in case you forgot.
Before


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