It's been happening to me...finally!

 I love reading blogs for ideas but I'm often frustrated because all of you seem to find these great pieces for nothing or next to nothing in thrift stores, yard sales, curbside, etc., and then you transform them into beautiful pieces that frankly leave my mouth hanging open.  I can't seem to find these things.  The only thing curbside in my neighborhood is trashcans.  Well, I guess my luck (or skill?) is changing.  I've found a few things lately that I'm kind of excited about.  I think I have about 5 projects in the works.

Last weekend, we went to the Bowie Trade Days in Bowie, Texas.  I found these mirrors below.  

There were two of them and they cost almost nothing.  My husband thought they were the ugliest things. He doesn't read blogs.  

I'm going to spare you a tutorial here.  You all have seen many a blogger, much better than me, paint and finish off furniture and write great tutorials about how to do it.  So, here's a bit of my process and the final result.

Looks better already painted in a light gray.  I found a gallon of oops paint at Home Depot for $5.  It's enough to last a really long time. Don't be surprised if all of my projects over the next few months are this same shade of gray.

ahhh, much better.

I'm taking most if not all of next week off.  I'll be out of town for most of it due to a business trip.  When I get back, I'll be posting more regularly.  I have a lot of projects going on, some other blogs to highlight, flea markets coming up as well as some ideas for spring.  My pal Jennie's been busy too and maybe I can convince her to let me post some things she's been doing.  It's really warming up here in Texas and it's been nice to get out and get some things done. 

 I'm linking up to some of my favorite blog parties listed in the link above or down below on the right.

  

     

faded old blue jeans...rug?

There's really nothing better than a great pair of comfy worn out jeans.  Jeans reflect my laid-back, vintage, rustic style.  So, I've been looking for a rug for my main living area.  Since we have concrete floors, I wanted a large rug, at least 8'x10'.  Do you know how much nice rugs that large cost?  It's crazy.

I thought about trying to make a rug myself but I needed something warm and durable.  What's more durable than denim? blue jeans?  I wonder if I could find a rug made out of blue jeans?  Yes I can.  Can I find a large one?  Yes I can.  Will it be too expensive?  Yes it will.  Darn.  I looked everywhere and I just wasn't willing to pay $400, $500, $1000 for a rug.

I can't remember how I happened upon it but I finally found a large denim rug, just my style, made out of real old blue jeans...and in my price range...and in the most unusual place...a children's store.

Land of Nod

Oh my goodness, it's so awesome.  We don't have to be careful with it.  

It doesn't really show dirt.  It's great!

I think I want another one, maybe three!

Funky Junkified

I love a good contest and have entered many in blogland.  I have even been lucky enough to win a couple over the last year.  I have never wanted to win a contest as badly as I would like to win this one!

Donna at Funky Junk Interiors is having a "Copy Me" challenge.  

What is that?  

She says "it is your time to shine with your own version of my salvaged junk decor style!"  

What do you have to do to enter? 

"Simply link up a post that you feel emulates my decor style, and you're in!"  

What do you win? 

"The winner gets to customize their own Funky Junk styled prize."  

OMGoodness!  I want it.

So, I thought about linking up an older post (she said you can do that) or creating a new little project to link up but 1) our weather has not allowed for much of anything and 2) why create new when I have so much around here that represents her style?  

You really can't sum up her style in one little project anyway. It's not that simple and it's really not something you can copy.  Sure, you can try to copy a project she did but that just doesn't capture the whole essence of her style.  I don't like to copy anyone since I have my own style but she has definitely inspired me and validated the sometimes "off beat" things I do.  

So, here's my entry. Fingers crossed.  

RUST: FJI loves old rusty things.  

old rusty tiller in my garden as garden art

heart made out of rusty bedsprings

huge barn star in my dining room

SIGNS: FJI is a sign maker extraordinaire.  Handmade signs, found signs, old signs are all good.

I wanted a huge old looking personalized sign, so I made one too.

had an old scrap of salvaged wood and made this one

sign from my dad's jewelers company

Use of interesting pieces (particularly industrial/architectural salvage in interesting ways: FJI is amazing at finding and using salvage pieces in very interesting ways.  

industrial funnel light in my dining room

salvaged tin ceiling panels as a kickplate under the kitchen bar

old ice cream maker bucket as my umbrella holder in the entry

vintage yardstick chair rail

salvaged window as my dry erase memo board

old tool carrier holds paint supplies in my project room

metal mold for concrete garden edging hangs as decor on the wall

number 3 from an old sign

Layering and Ladders: To capture FJI's style, you need to layer and of course use a ladder or two.

let's point out crates, metal tool boxes, old fan, old scales...

Personal touches: FJI incorporates personal touches that mean something to her while still capturing her style.

my dad's jeweler's drill bits sit on a mantle

my dad's old jeweler's loop (my house is filled with personal touches)

Inspiration: How can you copy inspiration? Many of her posts inspire others.

A recent post inspired us to do things we've always wanted to do but perhaps fear and risk kept us from achieving the goal.  

My pal, Jennie and I just opened our first antique booth in an awesome local antique mall.
It was a huge leap for us.

So, here's my entry into the "Copy Me" challenge. 

If I don't win?  No worries.  Sure I'll be devastated and probably crawl into a hole :)

It's okay.  I love my house and love my junk...and it was fun to participate.

The Super Bowl is the perfect time to....

The Super Bowl has come to town and so I thought this might be a perfect time to show you around 

my "neck of the woods."

Let's start with a map of the area for a little clarification.

This is the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex.  On the left is the Ft. Worth area and on the right is the Dallas area.  Cowboys Stadium hasn't actually been in Dallas for many, many years.  It was previously in Irving (just west of Dallas) forever and now it is in Arlington (the big black circled area).  Although Dallas is getting all the attention, I wanted to be clear that all of this isn't even taking place in Dallas county but rather Tarrant County, which is the Ft. Worth area.  So, I'm giving Ft. Worth it's props and showing you a bit of it.  (The big red dot?  That's where I live...in the far north Ft. Worth/Keller area).

It may surprise many of you who have never been to Texas that you can drive for miles and never see a horse and most Texans who live in the big city areas don't wear cowboy hats, many don't even own one.

We actually have sophisticated shopping, art districts and the most amazing restaurants and food.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm proud of my Texas roots and my Texas twang (I can turn on my accent and speak as hick as the next person when I want) but I would like people to know there is way more to Texas than cowboys and rodeos (although the annual livestock show just finished up.)

So, here's a bit of my town:

Bass Performing Hall

another view of Bass Hall

Botanic Gardens

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

Montgomery Plaza: used to be a huge Montgomery Wards store but has now
been converted into expensive lofts with shopping and restaurants below.

Ft. Worth Stockyards Horse and Mule Barns

Ft. Worth Stockyards: Merchants Exhibit Building

Stockyards Station: You can take the Tarantula train for a scenic tour
from Ft. Worth to Grapevine and back.  

The Tarantula train

TCU campus, the chapel

TCU visual arts building (TCU's a mix of old and new)

Old Home Supply (old home salvage); it's an awesome place

photos from here

Oh, and it's still snowing.  We got another 4-5 inches (some had more) over night and this morning.  It finally stopped around 2:00 this afternoon where I live.  The sun has finally come out (first time since last Monday) which makes it feel a bit warmer than the 20-something degrees it is.

Here's an old window table that's on my front porch.  It's a covered porch and
pretty deep but still managed to get a lot of snow on it.

The old shovel has seen a lot of action the last few days.

For those of you who have never been here,

 is this what you thought Ft. Worth, Texas was like?