It's Raining...Come Sit on the Deck!

My Coke Machine Dresser...inspired me to add more color to my deck.

 

It's been raining for several days...which is nothing new to most people...but we've been in a drought.  So...while the rain isn't spoiling any activity of mine...it's a welcome drink of water for this dry western state.  George will have to wait to add the new plants to the flower beds and the rock garden patio area.  I'm glad we didn't have a Mother's Day BBQ Bash planned...we'd be inside and a bit gloomy.  My plans tomorrow are for a trip up the canyon to the Sundance Resort for brunch and the kids will be over later in the day for dessert and visiting.  Sometimes simple is what a mother craves!

 

I thought a rainy day would be a good time to show some of the changes I made to my covered deck.  I've wanted to add some vintage color and vibe...but I just couldn't get myself to buy update the chair and chaise cushions...those things are expensive!  So for this year, at least, I will be content to just add color in other ways.

 

New metal signs from Hobby Lobby. 

A "Coke" sign is a given.

I plan to add a Route 66 sign.

A man in Oatman, AZ makes some rustic ones.

I plan to seek him out next visit.

 

 

New pillows for the glider.

Chevron was $15 from Target...great price!

I made the patchwork pillow cover in red and aqua.

 

 

 

Lots of fun prints!

 

Soda Box Gnome Home.

I've had the little door and gnomes for years!

 

Wooden box of acorns and a sweet bird hidden in the wildflowers.

Nothing is attached permanently...so I can change things around.

 

Cute baker's rack display.

I stuck fake geraniums into two vintage canisters.

(I can't be trusted with real flowers)

I found the two canisters in a shed at George's grandma's old farm house.

 

"Pinned it...and did it!"

Lacy Glass Mushrooms.

Super easy to make...just a tube of glass cement, glass bowls and vases from the thrift store.

Two of these were made from glass light fixture bowls

I found in the same shed as the canisters.

Wish they looked sparklier in the pic.

 Inspired by...

Pin from Design Function.

They look so magical!  I'm not sure where to put mine yet.

 

That's all for now...

Easter Mash-Up...Crafting With Vintage Potato Mashers!

Any nest can make a cozy home!

 

Why do I love birds nests so much?  It's almost a theme in my home...but I never made a conscious decision to decorate with birds, nests, cages and bird houses.  Just now I counted over 25 different bird-related items in just my bedroom and master bath...and heaven only knows how many are in the rest of my house.  When I was little, some of my favorite pictures were of pretty nests in a blossoming tree.

 

Pictures that give me hope for Spring.

 

When a new mother-to-be fusses over her nursery, sewing tiny clothes and tidying up her home, we call it "Nesting." If I could choose a symbol of what "Home" means to me...I'm sure it would be a nest...a place of safety and warmth with Mother and Father watching over and providing for their chicks.

Easter "Pinspiration" 

Isn't this the sweetest and most unique nest yet?

I am continually amazed at the creativity of my fellow crafters!

I found it on Pinterest...made by Vikkis Vintageworks on Etsy. 

This one has sold, but she has several more...as cute or cuter!

 

My Version...

I have made two so far...one for me and one for my sister's birthday.

I chose colors to go with our vintage kitchen décor.

She seldom reads my blog so I'm not worried she'll see it here.

 

A baby chick for Patti...

Beautiful bunnies for me...

 

Vintage chicken was a swap gift from a blogger friend...



Fun little hand mixer...

 

Over Valentine's weekend I went on an antique store quest in Vegas and Oatman, Arizona for potato mashers and I found four to add to the two I had on hand.  I plan to make four more for gifts.  I will probably use more traditional Easter colors on those.  And I have some smaller nests that will fit inside some little tart tins.  I have really enjoyed seeing holiday crafts made with unusual or re-purposed items on Pinterest.  I bet I could get more blog posts done if I'd give Pinterest a little rest...lol!

Simple, simple little garland...rick rack, scrapbook paper circles and vintage images.

 

Happy March...It's only a day away!

Christmas Crafts...Vintage Tins!

This cute card says it all...

I "borrowed" these ideas...lol!

Pinterest Inspired Christmas Tin Arrangements

Repurposed cannisters from Kaytee Jane's House

The moment I saw these candle arrangments on Pinterest I knew I would have to make something similar.  Of course, when I want to use vintage tins and cannisters...they are either impossible to find or too expensive outside of yardsale season.  Kaytee Jane also used the vintage candle lights for hers...mine were from Walmart.  I just love her cute blog...I just became a follower.  I think you will love it too.  When I get done posting, I am going to go back and look at more of her fun projects.

Cute Little Elf in a Flour Sifter.

The first one I made.

The candle was a battery powered one.

They were white...so I painted them all cream.

Larger Bucket/Tins...Hobby Lobby 2012 Clearance.

Larger plug-in lights.

I found that the small wreaths in Hobby Lobby's miniatures section were just right to use for these arrangements.  I wish I had bought more. George drilled me a few holes around the top edge so that I could wire the wreaths to the buckets  Vintage Elf and Deer...mix of new and vintage doodads.

Deer Arrangement for My Front Hall.

I decoupaged the tin years ago...I'm glad I kept it.

A little winter scene in a nicely rusty coffee can.

Cute Vintage Kitchen Tin...red and green graphics.

This is for daughter Missy.

Elf, Cookie Cutter, Cupcake and a Vintage Rudolph (not seen)

Darling Tins from Michaels.

Used some old Victorian Santas to match.

For my DILs

Cool Muffin Tin From "A Vintage Chic!"

I first saw this on Pinterest...tho' I am a Faithful Follower!

This wonderful muffin tin is from Julie Campbell of A Vintage Chic.

Julie has instructions on how she made it.  She also has a cool Halloween version here: halloween Tin

My Muffin Tin...

It took me almost a year to find the perfect grungy muffin tin.

I like the 8 muffin configuration with the hole at the top/bottom.

For this I used images with a more "antique" feel for my Cozy Country Cabin Christmas theme... alliteration is fun!!

Another smaller vintage Santa head and a few rosettes from Christmas sheet music.

Back to the Workshop!

A Few Cute Cards I've Found Recently...Enjoy!

Pinterest Inspired Pot Lid Pumpkins!

Cute Pumpkins as Seen on Pinterest...made by Organized Clutter

 

Front Door...Under Construction! 

My front door is a work in progress most of the Fall season.  I start out by taking down the ivy and sunflowers...or whatever I've got hanging around.  I replace the lights...if needed...then get out the hose and drown all the spiders!  They had the great plan to pre-decorate my front porch with nasty cobwebs.  If I want webs I'll put them there!  Once I get the leaves up, I can take my time with the rest.

 

Pot Lid Punkins...

Definitely...a work in progress!

 

Every year I try to make something new for the front door.  My favorite Halloweenies are Black Cats and Jack-o-lanterns.  So I really loved the "junk" pumpkins I saw on Pinterest.  They looked fun and easy.  When I went to the thrift store I didn't see any old cake pans...but there were plenty of pot lids without pots.  What I loved about them were the handles...they would make the best little black noses!  Then all I would have to do is find some old hardware and rusty gizmos.  My husband's work garage is full of crap...but do you think I could come up with any great old hardware?  Of course not!

 

 

Then there was the quest to find spay paint that wasn't bright orange.  I found this lovely cinnamon color at Home Depot.  I am totally inept at spray paint...so George sprayed them for me.  I cannot leave things alone...I keep playing with them, too impatient to wait for paint to dry.

 

Since I didn't have any cool sprockets or gizmos...I painted some wooden discs black and glued on buttons for eyes  Then I had George cut up some 25 cent Walmart rulers for mouths.   I admit they are a tad strange...but it is Halloween after all!  Best thing is that I spent about $6 total to make them. 



Tied to the grapevine garland with polkadot ribbon...they will look fun with the rest of my decorations...to be added later!

A Sweet Project...U and I Sugar Sack Pillows!

 

U and I Sugar...Home Grown Sweetness!

Utah and Idaho...the sugar I grew up with!

C & H Sugar...just a sweet little imposter!

 

This lovely saltine tin was our sugar canister...often found on our breakfast table.

Too lazy to use a spoon...the sugar was poured directly from the tin.

Every bowl of cereal had a half inch of sugar on the bottom...lol!

 

Lehi Sugar Mill....

Postcard from my collection...Lehi Sugar Mill.

 

As a child we often drove by the old sugar factory in Lehi.  It was located near the dreaded "Mill Pond"...a body of water rumored to have no bottom, that would suck down any child who swam there.  My mother's cautionary tales were often exaggerated all out of proportion, but I wasn't going to test her theory.  She once told me that it swallowed a train...the "Orem" I believe. 

See all the spooky smoke over the creepy Mill Pond...all for the love of sugar!

The factory was built in 1891 during the height of  Utah sugar production.  American Fork was also competing for the factory.  In the American Fork library there is a copy of a pamphlet put out by American Fork to show all the wonderful amenities our city had to offer prospective industries.  What they should have offered was a building site and land for a beet farm.  Lehi did just that...40 acres for the factory and 1,500 acres of land.  They also built a road to the location, bought stock in the company and gave perpetual water rights.  Also a plus...two railroads passed nearby...The Rio Grande and the Western Pacific. 

American Fork offered photos of lovely homes and a picture of the Postmaster...who was famous for his mustache and cape.  Who would pass over sedately boring American Fork in favor of  boisterous "shoot 'em up" cowboy town Lehi?   Lehi celebrated their victory with bonfires of looted property and free barrels of beer.  Well done, Lehi...well done! 

 

Sweet Pinterest-Inspired Pillows...

 

Cute pillow I found on Pinterest.

 Sold by Maggie Jane's Vintage Etsy Shop

 

 

I found two bags on ebay...5 lbs and 10 lbs.

Sadly neither one was made in Lehi...and one is from South Dakota!

But they had the brightest printing.

Fun use for milk caps...almost like a prize ribbon!

I love the instructions printed on the backs of the bags.

 

 

Vintage Sheet Jammie Pants...

I am pretty late to the home-sewn pajama pants party...but not too late!  I have been collecting vintage sheets and pillow cases when I find them in the thrifts.  I can't believe how cheap they are sometimes.  I thought it would be fun to make PJ pants from one of the sheets.  I love the cool feel of sheets in summer.

 

Pretty violets...full sheet was $4 at Savers and was enough fabric for two pairs.

I trimmed the pants with vintage rick-rack and found a comfy tee-shirt to match.

They are soooo cool and comfortable, I think I will make a few more.

 

Have a sweet week!