Ladies ... You CAN do this! Hang a new light fixture

Don't be scared to hang your own new lighting fixture!

DIY with Vintage ... Pantry Make-over

Okay this is embarrassing, but yes, this is my pantry.
In a house with not enough storage anywhere, my kitchen is the same.
Way too much gets shoved in here and every once in a while it needs a facelift.

lets take a look ....

DIY with Vintage ... Heart Art, Framed

Easy hand made art ... 

Courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

1st.  You need a Large Gorgeous Frame ...

like this Barnwood Distressed one from CobblestonesVintage on Etsy

2nd.  Fabric 
large enough to cover the opening in the frame

like this ticking from AStringorTwo on Etsy

 or Old Sacks

from FragmentsAnotherTime on Etsy

 

or a Scarf 

from retrogroovie on Etsy

3.  If your frame has glass in it, just cover the glass with your fabric.

If not, fit the back with a piece of cardboard.

Cover the cardboard with your fabric of choice and place in your frame.

4. Pictures to arrange in a heart or maybe a Monogram letter, like these,

French Postcards from KickassStyle on Etsy

 

Victorian Black and White Photos from DavesPaperGoods on Etsy

Or maybe old Playing Cards from MissSarahBelle on Etsy

5. Using something simple like sticky 'funtack' or double sided tape, place on the backside of the pictures or cards and stick onto the from in the shape of a heart or letter.

Tell me about your amazing creation!

I will be adding my picture here this week :)

DIY with Vintage ... Doily Table Runner

Create your own table runner with smaller crocheted doilies.

DIY this gorgeous creation on the cheap 

courtesy of BHG

Use your local thrift shops or find some great deals on doilies online like these one:

 Assorted Pink Doily Lot

 Assorted Cream Doily Lot

Mixed Doily Lot

Find that perfect selection and join them together with a simple stitch here and there.
If you want to achieve the look of the first picture, they took 5 different shades of blue and hand painted the doilies to get an ombre effect between each one.
Voila!! 

Unique Vintage Beauty!

Tea Party please ...

Yellow Tea Rose on Black

Assorted mixed bone china and ironstone cups

Red Poppies by Bavaria Schumann

Mushroom Pattern by Aynsley

Pansies on Lime Green by Foley

Fish Motif by Toyotoki Japan

Some beautiful teacups I have had the pleasure of meeting ...

Dahlias on mint green by Paragon

Decorating with Books ...

No need to have a full out library in your living room with shelves filled from top to bottom.  Incorporate the books you love into the warmth of your home.  Small stacks here and there can add height, colour and depth to end tables, coffee tables and shelves.

My Collection of John Patience children's books on top of my curio cabinet

These books are very old and I use the top 3 green ones as props a lot for my Etsy shop

In an old wooden crate, scattered Bailey's Miniature Houses all around Books are proudly displayed

Every animal lover needs to read James Herriot at some point in their life

Most of these books in this pile I bought for $0.25 a piece at various thrift stores

The last Book Bundle in my living room, the 'need to read' pile I guess (check out my new Scentsy warmer)

Footstool Re-Do

 BEFORE:

One retro stool for $2.99 - horrible shape but I could see the potential.  Deal of the week!!

Classic: Brown vinyl with drizzled gold & silver paint!! The legs were solid but in definite need of some TLC

AFTER

Sanded the legs down

Then burnished with Burnt Umber Acrylic paint with a touch of gold (I was thinking a dark Walnut Stain but didn't have any on hand - I think it turned out well)

Finished with a light coating of Tung Oil

 For the new top - I just measured and cut the top & 4 sides from a drapery remnant that had been gifted to me ($0.00!!)

 Sewed it together ... Added some padding ~ double layered 

(I used leftover remnant of mattress padding $0.00)

Stapled the edges under ...

 Good as new ... for $2.99

and it matches the curtain in my bedroom that I already made out of big piece of drapery material :)


and now I've decided it's not quite Finished as of Wed. March 24 ... I'm not happy with the edges along the bottom ... so I guess it's still a work in Progress ... like so many other things :)

What do you think?
Ruffles?
Ribbon?

anything else?

Linked to: Ma Nouvelle Mode

Bargain of the day!! Vintage Lamps - perfect for a snowy-day project ...

 $12.00!! love it!!

no markings on this one - but it's very solid

 it's missing one of the sets of crystals ... so I will probably replace them all ... the detail in the metal is beautiful!! ... I think it will just need a new shade and a clean-up and will be ready to go!

 $10.00!!! It's very cool too!!

L & L 1973 lamp - there's a small bulb in the base that lights up as well.

the shade is too big ... hmmm maybe I will just swap them around ...

and see if the tacky flowers will come off - then try to paint or stencil something fun on it ... any suggestions?

I just have to find that awesome Blog where some crafty girl repainted and aged the metal parts of the lamp and it looked so NICE! - if I find it I will post the link :)