Wine Crate Shelf / DIY

Happy New Year!  Why not start 2012 off with an easy DIY'er?

 

Materials required:  A *wooden wine crate ~ a freebie!  I got mine from my niece, Brittney ~ the restaurant where she works was happy to unload some of these.  

*Stain of your choice.  I used Minwax Wood Finish stain and sealer ~ Provincial 211.

*Foam brush and paper towel.  After dusting the wine crate down, I applied light coats of stain with a foam brush then removed any excess stain with a paper towel.

After the stain dried, I sealed the shelf with ~

Minwax^® Polycrylic^® Protective Finish

Almost ready for hanging ~ I couldn't wait!

  

Lastly, I attached "D" rings to the back of the crate, so I could hang it on the wall. 

I hung the wine crate shelf up high ~ just because.  Read more about the Anthropologie inspired dresser here.  I'll soon be helping my son set up his apartment and we've talked about creating several of the wine crate shelves for his place.  Maybe we'll use one in his bath (above the toilet for storage), his living room (stacking several together to form a "bookcase") or in his kitchen (to be used as a spice rack/dish shelf).  So many possibilities ~ it should be fun.  :)  

I'm hoping your 2012 is the happiest and healthiest year ever for you and your loved ones.  I'm off to cook some blackeyed peas! 

Merry Christmas ~

I hope today has been a wonderful Christmas day for you and yours.  As I wind down from the activities of the day, I'm thankful for family and friends that are near and dear to me ~ and feel tremendously blessed that our three sons were home to share Christmas with us.  

Before Frostie comes down, I thought I might share another tradition we have around our place during the Christmas season.  We always hang this vintage Frostie Root Beer sign above our mantle.  Don't you think he resembles Santa?  :)

Snowflake stocking holders from Target ~ I love the way their mirrored surface reflects the glowing candlelight.

Hurricane globes ~ via my friend, Jill.  Candlelight always make things seem magical.  I snipped the fresh holly from a bush in our backyard. 



As this Christmas Day ~ 2011 ~ comes to a close, I hope it has brought you much joy and many blessings ~ Merry Christmas!

Preview ~ Vintage Home FINDS for Dallas Market

Most of the time I'm posting about wonderful finds that I've come across.  Not today.  Instead, I'm excited to be sharing with you some *sneak peaks of items I'll be selling at the Dallas Market Center in January.  That's right ~ Dallas Market Center is launching a new temporary venue bringing Vintage Home FINDS directly to the retailer. 

Oftentimes, designers and retailers are in need of one-of-a-kind furnishings, unique pieces of art or interesting objects to be used for display or props in a home/store.  With the addition of Vintage Home FINDS, the DMC will be making the designer/retailer's job a little easier by eliminating the need for going out and finding that "perfect piece" ~ instead we will be bringing it to them.  

Here are just a few industrial/vintage selections that I'll be taking to market: 

*Above...one of my fave's ~ an old New York Times display stand ~ ideal not only for magazine or newspaper storage but also for various goods/merchandise.

*A collection of various pressure gauges ~ wouldn't they be great as wall art or used in displays on a shelf or table?

*The uses for the chunky table on wheels are endless.  It would be a great place to merchandise wares ~ and would be equally appealing as a coffee or end table.   

*The tip top of a weathered railroad jack ~ an exceptional accessory! 

*The old mail receiving station above is brilliant in this vibrant blue color - it would perfect used as a host/hostess station in an eclectic restaurant. 

I'm happy to be part of this exciting event ~ and happy to share some wonderful finds with you as well.  If you are part of the retail trade, I hope you'll be visiting the Dallas Market Center ~ Vintage Home FINDS on January 20 - 23, 2012 (taking place during Dallas Total Home and Gift Market).  I promise it will be well worth the visit ~ the displays themselves will leave you feeling inspired.   

I'm off to finish up some last minute Christmas shopping ~ and just maybe I'll have a little extra time to scour some out of the way places for more great Vintage FINDS!     

Thrifted Chalkboard ~ "Feliz Navidad"

My mantra this year has been ~ "Simplicity" ~ which equals calm for me.  With only 12 days until Christmas, my real desire is to enjoy the holiday season.  Invariably, my "To Do" list continues to grow and I notice my "calm" slipping away.  I've found one way to keep the main thing, the main thing, is to keep my Christmas decor simple and uncomplicated.  

This brings me to a recent thrift store find.  A few weeks ago, Gavin and I were shopping for some ray gun gadgetry ~ when what to my wondering eyes did appear?  But an old vintage chalkboard and I let out a cheer (sorry ~ I couldn't help myself).  I'm pretty sure my enthusiasm stemmed from its eight dollar price tag.  Along with a bag full of ray gun paraphernalia, we loaded the chalkboard into our vehicle and headed home. 



Maybe I was feeling a little nostalgic the day I hung the chalkboard, as I decided to repeat the sounding joy over and over again.  I covered the entire chalkboard with the words, "Feliz Navidad."  When I was a little girl, I recall my mom playing Jose Feliciano's, "Feliz Navidad" (check it out here on YouTube) over and over again on the record player.  I loved my new artwork immediately ~ I think vintage board adds a funky and unexpected design element to the space.

I like it!

Underneath the chalkboard I sat up my Willow Tree nativity.  I love the clean lines, muted colors and simple form it offers.  The Christmas tree in the background was not originally in the plans and is still a work in progress.  I had no intention of putting up another tree after we had already put up the Ladder Christmas Tree.  But an event I hosted at my home necessitated a traditional tree ~ so, a couple of days ago, my hubby hurriedly helped me put this one up.   

Eventually, my plan is to paint the board with black chalkboard paint.  But right now ~ maybe because it's Christmastime ~ I'm enjoying the muted shade of green.  I hope you are able to step back from the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season ~ long enough to bring some calm into your life.  Have a good week ~ Feliz Navidad!!  :)

Christmas Baubles and Such

Funny how the most simplest of things can bring delight if you look for the beauty in them.  Over the years, I've collected vintage beads, baubles and ornaments.  I pull them out each year to bring a touch of Christmas to each room.  I think these glittery vintage Christmas balls (a flea find) are so pretty sitting on an old ironstone platter amidst silvery mercury glass garland.

Twinkly lights reflect off the glass beads and make everything seem magical!

Frosty, vintage snowflakes on vintage Limoge china ~ so regal. 

And a footed crystal bowl holds randomly collected one-of-a- kind ornaments.  Each one is like a unique piece of jewelry. 

It really doesn't take much to add a bit of Christmas to a space.  Simple little touches like these are subtle hints that Christmas is drawing near.  Happy Friday to you ~ hoping your weekend is filled with  splendid things!  XO

Christmas ~ Kitchen Window & Wreath

 

This is my kitchen window ~ I spend a fair amount of time in this very spot during the holidays.  So why wouldn't I want to make it a place worth being in?  I always hang my favorite wreath right above the sink to enjoy.  I'm enamored with square wreaths ~ I found mine here.  They come with pine cones already wired on and they smell heavenly.  I vacillate every year whether or not to tie on a floppy ribbon ~ but I think the wreath is so beautiful in and of itself, I always talk myself out of it.

Underneath the wreath on the window sill I line up some vintage scale weights ~ I think they look artistic, stately and strong.

 

My decorations by choice for Christmas ~ pretty + simple = a calmer me.  :)

A white ironstone pitcher (thrift store find ~ for only a dollar!) holds "candy cane" spoons.

Old silver glass ornaments lay nestled in a milk glass compote bowl ~ it belonged to Nana.

A little helpful hint:  I spritz the wreath with water every couple of days and it holds up nicely until the new year rolls around and it's time to pack Christmas away. 

That's all for today ~ I'm off to tackle some Christmas shopping ~ I hope you've gotten more done than I have.  I don't have one present bought yet ~ yikes ~ nineteen days and counting! 

P.S.  Be sure to check out my last post about my Ladder Christmas Tree.  XO

Ladder Christmas Tree

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around our place.  For years I've put up a "traditional" tree ~ and was looking to do something different.  This year, after seeing a ladder tree photo floating around on Pinterest, I was mildly toying with giving it a try.  Additionally, I had a conversation with some friends, Angie and Keith, who have used a ladder Christmas tree for years.  This was the kick in the pants I needed to go for it.  I kinda thought I might get a little push back from the fam, but after pitching the idea to my hubby and my youngest ~ they both surprisingly said "let's do it."  

We ended up wrapping each leg with strands of lights ~ that was Nate's job.  Thankfully, he doesn't seem to mind too much.  Probably, next go round I'll buy white corded lights, but this year, I'm just using what we had.  At night, you really don't notice the lovely green cords.  :)  I also placed glass votive candles on each rung.  It's reminiscent of how people used to decorate trees with actual candles. 

I hung vintage balls and snowflake ornaments throughout the ladder, with mono filament.

So Pretty ~

The crowning touch ~ a capriz shell star I already had ~ perfect.

I love that there's plenty of space for presents to fit under the tree.  In due time, there will be pretty packages filling the empty spot.  The ladder tree went up much easier than a traditional tree ~ and decorating it was a breeze.  We're well on our way to enjoying a simply wonderful Christmas!  Hoping you have a relaxing weekend.