How to Display Bottles of Treasure

 

Ever since I found these glass spice bottles at a thrift store, I knew I wanted to fill and display them in my bathroom as if they were lotions and ointments to dab on to promote beauty, grace, patience, kindness, etc.

 

But I lacked the perfect shelf.

I could see it, but I didn't own it--- yet.

 

 

The (empty) bottles collected dust for hmmm, 4 months(?)

awaiting the appearance of the perfect shelf.

 

 

 

Two weeks ago I found the perfect shelf!

It was ugly, but only 10 cents.

Then last week I stumbled upon the perfect wooden architectural element at Hobby Lobby

(to make the perfect shelf more perfect).

Over the weekend I got socked in by the weather and in a fit of cabin fever,

tackled The Shelf Re-do Project.

Perfect timing, you might say.

 

I just lacked certain tools, (a saw!), but improvised with an old kitchen knife and hammer.

Necessity is definitely the mother of invention.

The knife idea worked perfectly!

 

 

Ready for paint.

 

I painted the ornamentation and edges of the shelf with a yellow ochre base and let it dry,

so when I applied the white top coat and wiped it away in places, the base color showed through.

It looked just as I had hoped-- perfect!

 

 

The finished wall arrangement in my bathroom---

just as I envisioned it.

Yes, I think it's perfect.

I love it when a plan comes together!

The square architectural piece was another thrift store find--

cost me just one dollar.

 

You have to know that the things I envision don't always happen or go as planned.

So I'm giddy that this project did!

 

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Now go make something!



Christmas Breakfast Party

 

When I told an acquaintance that I was going to a Christmas party at 9 in the morning, she was surprised, but the Corder Home and Community Club has always had their Christmas get together as a Saturday potluck brunch.

Really a very good idea when you think of how busy the holidays get with evening events.

And who doesn't like breakfast food?

(Sausage and egg casseroles, stuffed French toast, cranberry nut bread, blueberry muffins, apple cinnamon muffins and fresh fruit!)

 

 

This year, Dana Lineback, opened her gorgeous home

to us and lavished us with her skills as a decorator and impeccable hostess.

 

 

Every table had a sumptuous display

to tantalize the eye and feed the spirit.

(yum!)

 

 

You will find it no surprise to learn

that Dana used to own a floral shop and retail boutique. 

Her skills as an "arranger" are evident everywhere in her house.

 

 It is a gift to enjoy a home

that I did not have to decorate or clean.

And I treasure the knowledge that somebody somewhere has a baby grand

 in their vestibule.

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God bless gracious hostesses!

 

 

 



Altered Mail Art From SANTA

 

There are rare, but unique opportunities to use my creative talents as a member of the Postal Service.  Like impersonating Santa to a couple of little, letter writing, girls on the rural mail route!  The route driver (Loucinda-- a good friend of mine) retrieved the letters, addressed "To: Santa" on her rounds one day and asked if I would write replies and create envelopes that looked like they traveled from halfway around the world.  But, of course! Happy to help out! 

I just left space for a real first class postage stamp in the upper right hand corner, because it needs postage to be delivered into a mail box.

The return address?  "North Pole", (zipcode) "00001"

 

A word of caution--- if you "try this at home", don't stamp "Air Mail" on the envelope unless you know your post office won't charge you $1.10 (Airmail) to mail a First Class domestic letter (currently 46 cents). I thought about this after I took artistic license with the rubber stamp!  Loucinda worked around that by having the envelope cancelled by her postmaster (boss) before delivering it herself (an official mail carrier).

It's good to be one of Santa's Helpers!

My Beautiful Girls

 

 

Rebecca (9), Victoria (17 yesterday!)

Victoria is very gifted with an iPhone camera!

Pumpkin Patch

 

My friend Kelly has a sister and brother-in-law in the gourd business.

It's their first year and the selection is amazing!

The stacked pumpkins above are called

"Cinderella Pumpkins",

and a small "stripe" pumpkin tops them off.

 

 

I helped haul some around and arrange them for retail presentation.

 

 

Rebecca helped too.

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Open Thursday- Sunday from now until Halloween.

On Hwy 13, North of Higginsville, MO.

Hay bales, corn shocks (stalks) and mums available for purchase too!



Rockin' the (Denim) Apron

 

So I got this idea to take denim jeans, bought cheaply at the thrift store, trick them out with some western themed applique (a shirt bought at a resale boutique), added boullion fringe for a Dale-Evans-meets Mae-Wes look and made a rocked out apron.

I wore it to Higginsville's "Country Fair"

with a pair of skinny jeans (I've lost over 30 pounds this past summer);

 "new" red cowgirl boots and a hat, both bought at a local flea market.

I'm rockin' the red these days.

 

 

I made Rebecca a more "hip" apron with flowers

cut from a 1960s fabric remnant and some fibery fringe 

bought for a different a project (years ago) that I never completed.

Rebecca looks better in the cowgirl hat than I do!

 

 

I also made a "prairie" version with appliques of

(tattered and stained) embroidered linens

and a crocheted lace edging for the bottom of the apron.

 

I gave it to my antiques friend, Liz, whose shop we are photographed in (above)

and I didn't get a photo of the apron before I gifted it to her!

(bad blogger, bad blogger!)

 

The theme and medium possibilities are just about endless for this basic denim apron.

I'm thinking of painting one with acrylics--

denim is just unprimed canvas after all!

 

You may take the idea and run with it---

just link back to my blog and let me know so I can see your creation.

:)

It's a New Day

 

I have taken a long hiatus from making art (all summer!) but last night made an opportunity to pick up a paint brush.  I had bought a (9) pack of 8x10 canvases at Walmart last week, with the thought that I would paint a visual quilt of them and include my kids in the project. Over the summer I painted the walls in my living room "lightening bug butt YELLOW" (a very cool yellow, not sunny warm), so I am purposely painting (and commissioning!) art that pops on that color.

 

I wish you could see the true colors of this first canvas-- the pinks are not lavender and red, but the color of cotton candy and salt water taffy.  I can only do so much with color correction. ha!

 

 

And doesn't everyone have a jar of sequins in their paint box?

(Stuck onto the canvas while the paint was still wet.)

 

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I have put away the browns and blacks and vow to paint in only vibrant colors.

My house is starting to reflect that and my life is also.

This is a new day and I'm dreaming in color!