Tag Archives: showpiece

I Copied!

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I saw a post from Home for Now featuring Gold Dipped Wine Glasses.  So your “girl gone crazy with paint” decided to give it a try.  Guess what?? I did it and liked it.. I used some $0.50 cents  glasses – just in case I goofed – I would’t feel so bad..  But I actually scored because they turned out great…They actually match the ice bucket I’ve had for years …..

It was quite simple.. I taped them.. sprayed two coats of metallic gold paint..(let dry between coats) and sprayed with a clear polyurethane.. let dry and hand washed them..

            

Here are my pair gold dipped glasses

I decided to use a 3rd one to create a glitter glass candle holder    

This was my first time working with glitter spray .. I think I started something.. because I like it  🙂

                        

They all look pretty elegant – so much so, that I think it’s time to open the bar and show you my family heirloom – a vintage “Creme de la creme” wine cabinet.   This wine cabinet is a rare find.  I have to pay homage to my dear sweet grandmother, we lovingly referred to her as “Mother Dear”.   Mother Dear had this cabinet covered with a tablecloth for years.  I never knew what was underneath because she had plants sitting on top.  After she passed, we cleared her belongings, I removed the cloth and found the hidden jewel she had been hiding for many years.  I asked my father if I could have it.. and he said “yes – of course”.. I was so happy to have gotten something of hers.  I brought it home, had it professionally refinished (it had some type of paint on it) to restore it to its natural beauty and it’s been a cherished item ever since.

See the beautiful wood grain

I’ll show you what makes this unique… It’s how it opens and closes..  The top lifts up and the inside moves up and the top lays flat

To create a serving area

The top stores the glasses

The bottom stores the liqueur

The gold-dipped stemware and the glitter-glass candle holder looks fab here

Mother Dear picked a beautiful time piece.. because this baby will never go out of style.. (In fact, I bet there will be a replica made of this someday)..

So I thank  you Mother Dear – Every time I look at this – I smile and reflect on the fond memories of her and how much I love her.

Goodwill Trip

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I made a trip to the Goodwill again, feeling a bit discouraged because lately I hadn’t lucked up on anything.  I did find a hurricane and a square vase, so I picked them up.   They’ll come in handy one day.

         

Then I received the latest Pier 1 magazine in the mail and this caught my eye:

The hurricane vase.. see their price – $40.00 with 20% off (whoopdy-doo)  just hurricane wood base $32.00

The hurricane I lucked up on was $6.75 – so I decided to re-create the look for less using the hurricane vase I picked up at Goodwill and the $1.00 candle I bought the last time Goodwill Hunting.    I found a base I had lying around the house, and some stones from other plants and created the look.    So I re-dressed the table update.   My update cost –  a mere $7.75  (boo-yahhh!)

        I also added a simple little touch to the table

I definitely like the new look of this table.  So I feel confident to continue with project.

Costco with a Cause

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Today was a day spent at Costco with hubby.. while perusing the many isles of shoppers delights I came across this stand with these beautiful baskets.. OMG!  I had not seen them before.  So, naturally I begin looking at them.. I’m studying the many design patterns salivating over their beauty and wondering which one of these babies is coming home with me.  Then I happen to pay attention to the little card/tag on it and saw they were hand-crafted by women in Africa.  The cause.. ALL ACROSS AFRICA – helping to serve the poor and impoverished.

            

All Across Africa is dedicated to improving the lives of the poor and marginalized with economic opportunity through job creation and educational programs.  They  work with more than 3000 weavers on a regular basis. Each basket made and sold means food and medicine, education, community, and security for their weavers— and each basket means new life.  Read more about this vital organization here.   By now the Hubs is rolling his eyes, waiting patiently for me to make my choice…Here I am trying to read all the cards and decide which one .. I just said “go ahead”  I’ll catch up.. and his reply “nah, nah – you’ll be here forever”.. Oh boy – darnnit..    now you tell me.. how can I choose one so quickly when they’re all so beautiful.. take a look at some of these.. basket      basket1     basket2

Do you see what I see… decisions, decisions…    I mean look at those patterns and colors…

basket4 basket6       basket8

Oh my, my, my.. I just can’t make up my mind… by now I’m hearing “WILL YOU COME On!!!!” and then I say  Uggghhhh… “Will you wait!!” .  You know how we women are.. we have to think first .. ok…..where is it going to go, what room, the colors in that room and the size & shape.. what are you going to do with it.. .

baskets9 baskets10 baskets13

Is your head spinning like mine with excitement????  chuckles…

In addition to these beauties.. they also had jewelry – get this – made out of recycled magazine paper..

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They also had handbags too!!

        

This was too much… ok,  now I’m realizing… I need to hurry up and make a decision..  

 This is the one that landed in my cart and came home

With this note from Jeanne:

I haven’t decided where or what I’m going to do with it.. but in the mean time, it’ll hang here reminding me that instead of shopping just “because” ……  I shopped with a “CAUSE”

          

So instead of me getting my 4 bags of brownie brittle and a few other goodies I normally get, I exchanged them for something more viable.. and knowing my purchase could help the Rwandans gives me a rewarding feeling.  If you’re not a Costco member, you can still make a purchase through their website.

Here are some of the pictures decorating using baskets from their website:

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Are you just as excited as I am???  now – go get your basket  🙂

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Perked-up Porch

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I hemmed and hawed about my front porch.   The cement is so badly stained and I just haven’t decided what to do.  Should I paint or should I clean it with some type of harsh chemical to get it looking new.   In any event, my hopes were to get it to look as pleasing as the ones I posted in my  “Porch Dreaming” post.  But that’s later to decide, because summer is here and I need to spend some time on it, ..so in the meantime I decided to perk it up.  FIrst, I needed to wash the siding.. so 2 hours later with a bucket of bleach & water I washed it.. and suprisingly it came pretty good.  I started with the Off My Rocker chairs.

I had this vintage trunk that I decided to paint and use it on the porch.   I painted it white and used a leftover purple-ish color for some stripes ..  DSCF1324and used it as a plant stand DSCF1438 DSCF1439

I found this chalkboard frame and decided to use it as a “Welcome Sign”

Next came time to dress it up with plants.    I had this vintage crate and decided to use it as a planter, so I outlined it with plastic bags to protect the wood.   Placed it on top of a folding seat and it becomes a pretty little showpiece for the plants.

        Found a piece of caribbean art to hang

Used a thrift store find table ($3.00) for some additional plants

            

The sedum planted in the chair added some additional color.  Since I had so many in the garden, I just dug some up and placed them in the pot last year,

             

I picked up this vintage wrought iron candle holder for $5.00 at a flea market and it became a planter instead

So, in the meantime, until I decide to paint, I think my little “perks” made a big diffence to the look of the porch.  So, if you’re ever in my area just know that guests are always