Merry Christmas Everyone !

Well, Christmas will be here in a few days. The weather has turned cooler here in Florida - in anticipation of Christmas. Maybe it will snow? Oh, well, just kidding. 

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope that your time with family and friends is enjoyable. Make sure to give extra hugs. I am sure I will be enjoying my family gatherings. 

I love putting up our tree since it gives me a chance to look at all the bulbs and decorations and remember where they came from. I still have ones from my children when they were tiny. Since they have their own children now, I get new ones from the grandchildren each year. Then there are those that we purchase on a trip as a remembrance.  We get a new one each year and it is great to remember that particular vacation. It's just one of our traditions. 

I have enjoyed "visiting" with all of you and thank you for visiting with me. See you in the new year.

Growing Poinsettias

Blooming Poinsettias!  Wow, I am so excited!

This time of year, many people buy Poinsettias for decorating. I usually do so as well. Then what do you do with them? When I lived up north I would wait for them to die and then throw them out. The last few years, after Christmas is over, I say to myself, "plant those Poinsettia plants and see if they grow and bloom" here in Florida. Unfortunately, that never seems to happen. They sit there for a while, and then I move them and forget to water them and they die. 

Prayers are Needed!                           

What can we say that will help ease the pain for all those families that continue to deal with last Friday's ordeal. I can't begin to imagine what they are going through. I thought of my grandchildren who are 5 and 7 years old and my daughter who is a teacher.  

What can you say; what can you do?

I have been praying for them. I believe that prayer is a powerful thing, so in the course of your day, lift up a prayer for all those families and let them feel our love.    

Spend time with your loved ones today, for tomorrow is never promised.

Decorating the Outdoor Steps !!

Decorated Steps with Vintage Watering Cans

Isn't it funny how you can get excited about steps and a banister? Who knew!  

We live in a ranch, so there are no steps or banisters to decorate. However, we do have three steps and a banister leading down from our deck. I usually have planters with flowers blooming on the steps, but at Christmas it gives me the opportunity to decorate this area. 

Since there is no chance of snow here in southern Florida, I sprayed the greenery and poinsettias with snow. We do get a lot of rain, so I don't know how long the fake snow will last. 

Chinese Light Bulbs?

"Chinese"  Light Bulb

'Found these "Chinese" light bulbs many, many years ago. I thought they were really cool although I never tried to plug them in to see if they worked. 

I love to bring them out at Christmas in different arrangements. The paint is beginning to wear on them, some more than others. 

Jute Wrapped Candy Cane Ornaments

Jute Wrapped Candy Cane Ornament

Did you ever buy something and had no idea what you were going to do with it. Well, that is what happened to me before Thanksgiving.

I went to a yard sale and found this bag of jute "curls". Not sure what they were used for, maybe doll hair.

Anyway, I kept thinking that I could do something with this curly jute, so I bought the bag. The price was right since it was only 50 cents.
 

Jute "Curls"

Vermont is Calling!

We are heading to Vermont to have an early Christmas with the Children and Grandchildren. Snow is on the ground and we will be sled riding and snow shoeing. There's nothing like a Vermont trip this time of year to get me into the Christmas spirit.

My granddaughter can't understand why we don't have snow in Florida. She keeps asking, "do you have snow yet? " When I say, "no", she wants to know why. She is so cute!!

I finished all of my decorating before I left. Yea!!! 'Hope you are getting your Christmas decorating done. There have been so many great ideas posted on the link parties. Check out The Lettered Cottage for their Holiday Home Link Parties.

The Lettered Cottage will be hosting Mantels party on Tuesday, December 4th.
Centsational Girl will host Crafts link party on December 6th.
Southern Hospitality will host Vignettes link party on December 11th, and
Thrifty Decor Chick will host the Christmas Trees link party on December 13th.


There are many great link parties happening everyday with wonderful Christmas ideas. Share your ideas!! 

Lemons, Oranges Oh My!!

What does lemons, oranges and figs have to do with Christmas - well nothing really. 

Since it is a beautiful sunny day here in southern Florida, I hung sheets outside (love the way they smell)  and then I decided to make some lemon cookies. I have two lemon trees in pots on our deck and the lemons are ready to be picked. Love this time of year when the fruit trees are doing their thing. Thought I would share them with you.

Ripened Lemons

Decorative Christmas Boxes

                                                                      

Decorative Christmas Boxes

Sometimes you just need a little box or maybe three! They can be used for decorating or for gift giving. These cute little boxes are easy to create and inexpensive as well. 
I purchased these paper mache boxes at my local craft store A.C. Moore. They cost $1.00 each. You could also use small tins instead or even large ones depending on your particular need. 

Travel Mug with Fabric Stocking Tag

It seems that I always have a travel mug in my hands, either with hot tea, water or iced tea. I actually have a separate one for water. I don't like any other flavors to affect my water. I guess I'm a little odd.

I see others carrying their mugs too, so I thought that a travel mug would make a good Christmas gift or teacher gift. I always try to have extra gifts already made, since you never know when you might need one. I always need a little something! 

Vintage Yellow Vase with Fall Arrangement

Vintage Yellow Vase with Fall Arrangement

Hope you had a great weekend. Mine was awesome! 

Found this yellow vase at a church flea market. Loved the vintage look of it, although not sure how old it is. 

The finish on it has a "crackling" glaze to it. It might just be the way it is made, but I loved the look and thought it would make a great addition to my fall buffet display.

Close up of Yellow Vase

Rustic Turkey Salt and Pepper Shakers

Rustic Ceramic Turkey Salt and Pepper Shakers

Rustic Ceramic Turkey from Pottery Barn

I was looking through one of my favorite magazines, Pottery Barn and saw this picture of a Rustic Ceramic Turkey, which is no longer available. I fell in love with it, but it cost $159 - too expensive for me. 

So I wondered if I could re-create this look. I didn't want to buy a large ceramic turkey to experiment on and as luck would have it, I found a set of rustic ceramic turkey salt and pepper shakers at a garage sale for 50 cents. What did I have to loose!

Butternut Squash Soup

This is the time of the year when soup warms you up on a cold evening or if you live in Florida, a cool evening. My son’s crop was fantastic this year. So when I came back from Vermont recently, I brought one with me. 

Not sure where the original recipe came from since I have doctored it up over the years. It is an easy recipe that takes around 45 minutes to make.  

Vintage Bobbin Spool and Old Spring Display

Vintage Bobbin and Spring Fall Display

Bobbins and the machinery they ran on were some of the greatest inventions of the Victorian Era. Since most textile mills had their own machine shops and their own favorite shape of bobbin, we see many varied bobbin designs. 

Recently I came up with the idea to combine vintage bobbin spools with old springs. I  found these unique spools, which are different from most of the wooden bobbin spools that I've collected. Someone thought they might have been for quilting, but I can't find any reference to that. If you know specifically what they were used for, please let me know. 

Vintage Bobbin Spool and Old Spring

Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts

                 

Glazed Pumpkin Buttermilk Donuts

I just returned from visiting my children and grand kids in Vermont. The weather was great - warm during the day, with no humidity' and cool crisp evenings. I arrived home to cooler weather as well, so when I saw this recipe for glazed pumpkin donuts, I thought they would be great for this cool weather day. 

I don't make sweets too often, but these were calling me. They were easy to make and turned out great. I got them off of Pinerest at Barefoot and Baking.

Halloween Front Entry

The front door is always a great place to decorate for Halloween since the kids come to the door to trick or treat. I wanted it to be lighted for nighttime viewing and also be sufficiently decorated for daytime enjoyment. 

First I added alighted garland around the door with some spider webbing over the top part of the door and half way down the sides. I hung two scary foam spiders in the corners, using fishing line, one on each of the door. 

In the right corner beside the door is a witch that I purchased at a garage sale for $1.00. It was a great find. 

Fall Scale Display

Vintage Scale and Wooden Pulleys with Halloween Potion Bottles

The weather is cooling off a little here in southern Florida, highs only around 84 degrees; after being in the 90s it feels great. So I am trying to get all of my Halloween projects completed before I head off to Vermont next week for 10 days. When I get back, Halloween will be in 3 days. So get busy!!

I created this fall display using my husband's scale and my vintage pulley hooks.

Outside Halloween Display

Halloween Display

Although it doesn't feel like Halloween outside (90 degrees) and leaves are not turning here in southern Florida, I still love to decorate for Halloween. I decided to create a small Halloween display out front. I started with a small bale of hay that I purchased at A.C. Moore (miss the days of purchasing a real bale of hay up north).

Next I added a mum that I purchased at Home Depot. I didn't like the container it was in (the typical black plastic type) so I spray painted it using some gold paint that I had on hand.

A bluish colored pumpkin was next. I picked this up this past weekend at Fall in the Field at Renninger's Antiques Center at Mt. Dora, Florida. The pumpkin actually came from Ohio and they had so many unique varieties and colors.

Halloween Framed Welcome

Halloween Welcome Sign with Bow

When I saw this Halloween Welcome Sign on DIY Network, I wanted to make one myself.  I found a picture frame at a thrift store for 50 cents. I removed the glass and I sprayed the frame with black Rustoleum spray paint. 

Once it was dry, I added gold tacks(had a jar full of them)  around the back of the frame approximately every 3 - 4 inches. I left 1/4 - 1/2 inches of the nail sticking up from the frame. 

Hurricane Candle with Indian Corn

Hurricane Candle with Indian Corn

When I received the October issue of Pottery Barn magazine,(I just love Pottery Barn) I began looking through it. I saw these awesome candle holders. They were comprised of a small plain hurricane top and a base vase that was surrounded by small Indian corn.(They have a large version as well) 

I liked the look, but not the price. The medium top hurricane was $39.50, the medium base was $39, and the Indian corn was $19.50 for 6 and they used around two sets of these. I thought, why not recreate one on a smaller budget.

Fall Pumpkin Arrangement

         

Fall Pumpkin Arrangement

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year and a time when I like to make arrangements. 

When I began to work on my fall arrangements, I located some appropriate items that I have had for a few years: some silk leaves, a ceramic pumpkin, 3 leaf candles, and some acorns. I even found a plate that might work. What could I do with them?

Fall Florida Arrangement

Fall Florida Arrangement    

As I wondered about making a fall Florida arrangement, I thought about the ones I used to make when I lived up North where fall leaves, pumpkins, gourds, and other plant and shrub materials were readily available, both at farm stores and in my own back yard.


I recently purchased two yellow mums from Home Depot that I thought I could use, but I needed something to go with them. So I headed outside to see what I could find in my yard.
 

Fall Mason Jar Lamp

Mason Jar Light

What a cute and versatile little lamp! Just change the ribbon and it will fit into any holiday setting. I like to turn on low energy lamps in the evening to add warmth to our home and this fits the bill.

Here is the tutorial on how to create this Mason jar lamp.
It is a little long, but I tried to be thorough in describing how to create this lamp, including how to re-wire the lamp.

Painted Bottles with Jewelry

Painted Bottles with Jewelry

W hen I saw these bottles at Fox Hollow Cottage,  I thought they were adorable and I immediately knew what I wanted to do with them.  It seems that many of the older bottles have a cloudy film on them that doesn't come clean. I have even tried Clorox in them. Nevertheless, these would work great since they would be painted. 

I found two bottles that would work and then while I was at A. C. Moore, a craft store similar to Michaels, I found a larger bottle for $1.49. I had a 55% off coupon so 75 cents was a good deal.

Second Chances

Hello and Welcome

So glad you stopped by today!

Today's Topic - Second Chances:

Do you like to reuse, recycle or repurpose items in a way different from its original purpose?  Once you have created your reimagined piece, do you get excited and just love it? 
 
One of my favorite projects revolved around where I keep my pots and pans. Where do you keep yours: in a cupboard, drawer, or do they hang?  If you look on Pinterest, you can find many inspirations for hanging pots and pans - a pot rack.

My Pot Rack - What item I gave a second chance

I have been reusing, recycling and repurposing for years. It all started when I was young and didn't have much money and had to be resourceful to create decor for our home. My grandmother always told me, "necessity is the mother of invention". So true when funds are limited but your need is great like when you have limited space in your kitchen.
 
Many years ago, I saw a vintage window grate in an antique store and immediately envisioned it as a pot rack. 

Come and see how I gave the window grate a second chance

NEXT

Saucer Picture Plate with Pearls

Vintage Saucer as Picture Frame

I am always looking for objects to use to display pictures, especially ones of the grand kids. After I had finished creating the mosaic shelf for my spare bedroom, I wanted to place a picture on the shelf, but not in an ordinary frame.

Pillows Using Vintage Lace Items

Pillows with Vintage Lace, Buttons, & Buckle

Moasic Shelf

Mosaic Shelf with Vintage Saucer Picture Frame

Mosaics are one of my favorite projects. There are many materials that can be used to create mosaic pieces, it depends on what you are doing and what effect you want to create. You can use plates, which I use often. It is fun to collect vintage and old plates that can be broken* to create decorative designs. Sometimes you can find beautiful pieces that might have a chip in them, which would make them otherwise unuseable.