Tea Cup Bird Feeder

I found this box of dishes at a garage sale over the weekend for just $4.00. I was so excited because beautiful dishes is just one of my many obsessions. The gal selling the dishes was kind enough to display the chipped dishes on the top of the heap. At first, I thought I would break the chipped dishes up for a Mosaic bird bath that has been in progress for about a year. Then it came to me, I should make a bird feeder for the garden. I had a left over porch spindles from a deck project so, I just used water proof epoxy and applied the dishes to the top of the spindle. Then, I drilled a hole in the bottom of the wooden spindle to inserted a broken garden stake which allowed me to stick the feeder directly into the grown .

I filled the tea cup with seed.

and
Then, I place the feeder in the ground.
and
Here's how it looks! My first guest was a Chickadee.

A Bulletin Board Craft

This image is from the Jeanne d Arch whole sale catalog. Unfortunately, there is thousand dollar minimum order to purchase this item. It is such a clever piece, I thought it would be fairly easy and fun to make. All that is needed, is a frame or an old window, decorative paper, and some wire cable. Add a few clothes pins and you have your very own custom made bulletin board. I can wait to get started and when I do, I will be sure to post it. Hope this inspires you to attempt one of your own.

Repurposed Glass Door Knob Projects

Courtesy of BHG

Whether you use glass knobs in a collection or as functional art, they are fun to repurpose. If you look closely, they come in many shapes, colors, and designs. Above is just a few examples of how I used them in my decor. Enjoy!

Welcome to the Chalk Board Party

Courtesty of Country Living - inspirational Projects!

This party is being hosted by: http://theshabbychiccottage.blogspot.com/ and I am grateful to her for allowing me to participate. The beauty of chalk board paint is that you can recycle almost any object into a chalk baord. They lend character to a room and they are a great organizational tool! I have several large frames that I intend to make into chalk boards for this party however, I needed to have the plywood cut to the correct dimentions for the frames and unfortunately, time got away from me. I hope you will stop back and check out future chalk board projects and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come over to my blog!

Simple, Yet functional Craft Project

How easy is this. I found this in Country Living Magazine and I love the simplicity and graphic appeal of this project. All that is needed to complete this project is terracotta pots, number stencils, and black Paint and the end result has such curb appeal. Not to mention, the pots serve dual purpose. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did and that it inspires you.

Creating Flower Vases Out Of The Unexpected

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Garden

This projects can be completed within minutes and the cost is minimal. All you need is a couple of old bottles and some 18 gauge wire. Once you have wrapped the bottle all you have to do is create a wire handle. Then, just add some flowers from your garden and It looks fabulous. I have used this same concept to create candle holders to hang from the trees in the backyard.

Photo Credit: Better Homes and Garden

In the past, I have used this project to place an individual flower arrangement at each place setting on the table. If you enlarge the holes (I used an ice pick) the lid acts as a flower frog. I used new inexpensive salt shakers however, you could collect some vintage ones.

Wine Corks Turned Decor

There are so many fun things you can do with wine corks. One idea is that you can hot glue them onto a 5 x 5 piece of plywood to create a hot pad. Using the same concept, you could also create a push pin bulletin board. Speaking from someone who loves numbers, letters, and graphic design, they can also lend a great graphic element to a room.

Happy Father's Day!

Photo Credit: Wendell T. Webber CLM
Happy Father's Day to your loved ones and especially to my hubby and my amazing dad whom now resides in heaven. Have a beautiful day.

Beautiful Inspiration

Photo Credit: Country Living Magazine

A beautiful photo depicting salvage, repurposed wood, and milk glass. Just simply beautiful inspiration.

It's A Party Over at My Desert Cottage . . . .

My friend at My Desert Cottage is hosting a party and you are invited. Just hop over to her blog to get the details. http://mydesertcottage.blogspot.com/ It sounds like fun!

Repurposed Art

My brother runs five miles every morning. On his run he is always looking for curb side finds for me to repurpose, reuse, and/or recreate. One day he brought over a collection of cabinet doors. Some of them had panes of glass, others were just simple old doors. I have had a lot of fun creating different things out of them. i.e., chalk boards, message boards, and wall art. Recently, he was outplace at work and I thought I would give him this message in a bottle attached to one of those old cabinet doors to offer him words of encouragement. The message in the bottle reads:

No longer forward nor behind

I look in hope or fear:

But grateful, take the good I find

The best in now and here.

John Greenleaf Whittier

Fun Ways to Repurpose An Old Lunch Pal

Photo credit: BHG

Photo Credit: Country Living Magazine

I purchased this lunch pal for $1.25 with fifty percent off because of it's vintage appeal. I thought it would look great sitting on a shelf in my craft area. Then, I came across the above awesome ideas for transforming it with paint, stamps, and other embellishments. It not only serves as a decorative piece but it also act as great storage. So now, I am just trying to decide between the paint colors either the fun and fresh blue or my usual choice black. I am hoping, after a few coats of paint it's blemishes will be less noticable.

Chest of Drawer Before & After

I absolutely love this color. It is a paint color by Krylon called Blue Ocean Breeze. It is so clean and fresh and it completely transformed this dresser. Another project down and to many to mention to go!

Sea Shell Inspiration

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart Living

These beautiful shells were purchased at a garage sale and I think they look lovely in this antique compote. If you are looking for additional shell decorating inspiration, check out my friend at Embellished Bayou. Have a beautiful day!

Hand Made Pillows

Photo credit: Country living Magazine

I have been collecting vintage table cloth's that I purchased at flea markets and garage sales for quit some time now. Most of them are stained and tatter but that's o.k. because I want to cut them up and make pillows out of them. Collectively, they look amazing in an old wicker rocker sitting on the front porch or on a screen in porch. I have a sister who is an amazing seamstress and yet, I have always been afraid to attempt sewing. Then out of the blue, my 1o year old decided she wanted to learn how to sew and with the guidance of my talented sister they have made several darling things together. This has given me the courage to attempt a straight stitch. Especially, since my 10 year old can thread the machine for me. When I saw this photo, it gave me the inspiration I needed to get started. I hope you also feel inspired today!

A Before & After Project . . . .

This bench was among a dozen other projects sitting in my garage just waiting to be worked on. I purchased this bench approximately two years ago in the middle of winter and planned to paint and recover it right away. I was finally motivated to get it out of the garage to acquire the extra space. After a good scrub, it was sanded, primed, and painted. Finally, I recovered the bench seat and the end result turned out pretty cute. Now, I hope to use it as an entry bench.

Vintage Red

I have vintage red accents all through out my home. So, of course, I was so excited to find this vintage red stapler and bird seed jar at a garage sale today. Originally, the jar had a brown lid with a wrought iron bird handle. I immediately came took off the bird replaced it with a drawer pull and painted it my favorite color colonial red. Now, if only I could just remember to take my before photos. Oh well!

A Place To Call My Own

This photo is courtesy of Country Living Magazine. When I first saw it, it spoke to me on so many levels. The vintage decor is phenomenal. I have always wanted a small shed/art studio in my back yard to paint, craft, and refinish furniture pieces but unfortunately, it is low on the list of projects to be completed around here. This particular shed was built specifically for this gal by her husband. (How lucky!) She of course decorated the interior and I think it looks amazing. This article was so touching for me because my uncle built a sweet little shed for my dear aunt and for many years she taught painting, quilting and pottery to ladies in her community and many of these ladies ultimately became her dear friends. For now, I will have to settle for the craft area in my basement which isn't quit as glamorous but hey, I did hang a chandelier and a pretty curtain to separate my little area from the rest of the space. Now, if I could only keep my kids out of there! Are any of you lucky enough to have a special place that you can call your own to be creative?

Chair Redo

Well it started with the above fabric swatch from Goodwill for .49 cents. Then, I found the chair for $5.00 at a garage sale . The chair was originally painted a cream color with brown specs throughout and the seat was covered in a luxurious faux pink velvet. I painted the chair black and recovered the seat with my nifty swatch and what a transformation. I love it and it only cost me $5.50 plus a can of paint. Not bad.

Love Of Salvage

I picked up this salvage piece and wanted to incorporate into my kitchen some how. Then I remembered the Fleur de lis that I purchased at hobby lobby at least a year ago. I mounted the Fleur de lis to the salvage and I think it turned out pretty cute. My kitchen in decorated in country french with a lot vintage through out.

Beautifual Inspiration

Photo credit: Country Living Magazine

Have a beautiful Day!