What's on My Table: Tulip Edition

I thought it might be fun 

to occasionally share with you 

what is gracing the top of my coffee table.

It's a spot I enjoy changing out often. 

If I need a quick pick-me-up that's one of 

the first places I'll decorate. 

Yet for many, coffee table accessorizing is a chore. 

Hopefully my quick and easy changes

 will inspire you.

I started with a pot of freshly planted tulips

that I just dug up out of the ground so I could enjoy their beauty indoors. They were a bit top heavy

and even though I tried my best to tie them upright 

they insisted on flopping over.

 I actually preferred their floppy, more relaxed  appearance so I just added in a little nest 

to balance things and hide the dirt.

Then I finished things off with a, 

thrift store acquired, silver leaf and branch.

It was quick, easy, and cost next-to-nothing.  

 I think it shouts, "Springtime is Here!" 

Trophy Love Two

When I saw this metal urn at the thrift store it reminded me of 

a huge loving cup trophy. 

 

When I got it home I began to 

strip off the layers of paint. 

Unfortunately those layers were hiding rivets and seams and different tones of metal.

 To unify the piece I rubbed on a coat of Rub n'Buff. Then I gave it a little age with a dark glaze. I think it looks great! 

It's almost like a real vintage loving cup trophy 

but for a fraction of the price.

Trophy Love

I have a love for vintage trophies. Unfortunately I cannot afford their 

high price tag. 

I've been lucky to find a few  

small ones at the thrift store, even though 

one took a creative eye.  

I've also gathered a couple of newer metal trophies but I wasn't fond of the

 shiny yellow gold.

  

I tossed around a few ideas for giving them  

a little age. I could spray paint them but I wanted a warm silver not a shiny one so I decided to try removing the shiny finish with 

paint stripper and steel wool. 

It worked perfectly! Although I would still love to find 

a real vintage trophy,

  this small collection of faux vintage trophies makes me happy too.

Stalking a Trough

One day at the thrift store I noticed an item in another shopper's cart. It was a lovely, perfectly aged, long, skinny trough. I was in love, yet sad that I had missed such a wonderful piece. Because it was love at first sight for me, I had a hard time letting it out of my sight. So I very nonchalantly stalked the pretty little trough. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who stalks other thrift store shoppers hoping that they'll put back a coveted item! Actually I already know that I must not be because one thrifter told me that she had a woman come up to her after she purchased an item and offered her more than 10 times what she had just paid. Fortunately I did not have to go to such extremes for this trough. The other shopper put it back on the shelf and walked away. That's when I swooped in to make that little trough mine and we have lived happily together ever since! It's been such a fun piece for decorating for summer and fall.

My Imaginary DIY World

In my imaginary DIY world I would have limitless time, energy and money for projects. And, even more importantly, I would have outstanding upholstery skills! With these abilities and skills I would buy these really dirty, but very unique chairs, recover them, and use them at my kitchen table.In my imaginary world I would also buy this awesome fainting couch, paint the wood a dark brown and cover the body with a lovely linen. Then, I would place that beautiful couch in my imaginary art studio.

A girl can dream, right?

What are your outstanding skills
in your imaginary DIY world?

A Fresh Mantle

I found this beautiful oil painting at the thrift store for a $1.50. The painting and my newly crafted moss monogram were the inspiration I used to freshen up my mantle.Making a moss monogram was so easy! I simply traced around the letter onto the back of a moss mat (ready-made moss glued onto netting, purchased at the craft store). Then I cut and hot glued the moss pieces onto the monogram. I added faux nature onto my mantle---a flower resembling those in the painting, and a pot of grass to balance the moss letter. On the other side I placed two yellow ceramic artichokes and a tall pink orchid that mimic the colors in the art. All that was needed to complete the mantle was a few brightly colored books and a couple of shiny candlesticks (my favorite go-to items in decor!).

And there you have
a fresh, ready-for-spring mantle!

This post linked to:

Following a Trend

Garden stools are very popular in home design. Their versatility and unique design help to promote their popularity. I've been intrigued with them for some time but I could never justify their price. When I found them at discount stores their quality seemed a bit lacking and I knew they likely wouldn't hold up to my rowdy crew. So I gave up on having the trendy little stool, until I found one at the thrift store for only a few dollars. It's color was not what appealed to me. It was it's weight---it felt like it was made of cement! As I muscled it to the check stand I envisioned it's makeover.
It seemed that it's previous owners likely abandoned it because it had a serious injury. I pulled out a glob of plumbers epoxy putty, made the necessary repair, and waited for the putty to dry. Once dry I sanded the area and then applied a few coats of paint-plus-primer.
The little stool has a new life and I am a proud trend follower!

My Neighbors Might Wonder

I'm sure that if my neighbors looked into
my home in the evening
they would stop and take a second look.

They might be puzzled or bewildered.
They might wonder if I had lost my sense of style.
Wouldn't you if you saw such a sight?

It's just my way of trying to decide
which style of shade I like most for my thrifted,
awesome, oversize lamps.

Tell me, which style do you like most?

Back In Love

I have loved my long green table for years. It was a thrift find that may have once been a school science table---the old gum stuck underneath, as well as the holes from a pencil sharpener would indicate that that was it's previous life. I painted and distressed it to match my home decor but that was a few years back and my style has evolved since then.
A couple of weeks ago I stopped to look at the mis-tints at the big orange box store. I fell in love with a quart of muddy gray paint that someone else did not care for. A few coats of paint and it looked like new.Wanting to keep the story of the science table in tact I gave it a glaze, darkening it over the dings and scratches, to bring out the previous chapters of it's life.Then to give it a little more interest and height I added some casters.

I am back in love with my table!

***Enter for a $100 Wal*mart gift card HERE***

Topped Off Topiary

While thrift store shopping I found this sad,

yet potentially awesome, topiary. It just needed to be
stripped of the things
that were weighing it down---
old lights, faded greenery, and the too tall stem.

With the help of several bags
of dollar store moss rocks cut in half, a bunch of glue sticks . . .

a few hot glue blisters . . .a couple of hours . . .

and a fresh dabbling of paint to the pot . . .

the topiary was re-born!

***Don't forget to

enter for the $100 gift card
to Wal*mart***