Monday, December 19, 2011

Unique Cheese Markers

I love to entertain. But instead of doing a huge dinner party, I'm more of an appetizer/tapas gal. I stumbled across these fun cheese markers in Michael Chiarello's, NapaStyle catalog:

Vintage Silver Fork Cheese Markers



Of course I had to take a stab at making these. Supplies you need are:
J

Letter Stamps
Heavy Hammer/steel block
Black Sharpie
Steel Wool
Forks

Choose the words you want to stamp on your forks.  I would recommend using silver plate or sterling over stainless, it's easier to stamp. Tap the letters using a hammer on a steel block.


Use the sharpie to color in the letters, then rub off with steel wool to make the word more visible.




The 'sheep' one was my first, didn't quite hit that one hard enough.
Just need to get the hubs to cut off the handles for me (and sand 'em), then they will be ready to use :)
What a fun and different way to identify your cheese!  They would also make a unique hostess/host gift with a bottle of wine, and of course...cheese.





http://www.shabbynest.blogspot.com/

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Fake Antler Craft

I'm on a roll with this faux thing... so I did a little craft involving 'antlers'. You have all probably seen the antler/taxidermy fad incorporated in a ton of decorating magazines, fake or the real deal... so I thought I'd jump on the antler-madness band wagon by making a set...
I have a few real sheds that are displayed in my bookcase... but this is my attempt on a faux pair:

I started with air dry clay. I grabbed a couple of branches from outside to mold the clay to.

In the background you can see my inspiration picture on my iPad.


I used some tin foil to wrap around the branches, to give them a little more shape..


Here is the finished product (after painting 'em) next to my real ones...



I think eventually I would like to mount them on a faux skull cap, to make it look a little more like this:



Or maybe go a little over the top crazy like these:

TWO'S COMPANY PAIR of neon bright enamelled painted antique deer skulls and antlers






Monday, December 12, 2011

Yes, I Went Faux

This year I deciced to go with a fake tree. Not only did I decide on a faux-tree, I went with a three foot tree!



It's a little tabletop size tree... and anytime I can add the word, 'hope' in my decor, I do. We live in a town called Hope ;)
As I stated in a previouse post, I am not much of a Holiday decorator...I wish I was, especially with all the inspiration there is out there in blogosphere.. I just add a little touch here n there.
















There ya have it... And as I send this post out there... I wonder what you guys are thinking?Does Charlie Brown, the Grinch or even Ebeneezer live there?? Haha, no. Don't get me wrong I love Christmas and all the traditions that come with it, but I have never been bitten by the Hallmark bug..

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Tea Table Knock Off




My Knock-off $4.99
I found this brass tray at a local thrift store:



Had the good ole hubs make a stand out of scrap wood we had laying around.  Painted it with left over spray paint, did a quick floral design, then sanded the snot out of it.  I didn't spend a lot of time on the design...because (a)I knew I was going to sand it ...pretty much off, and (b) I'm impatient. I wanted it to look like an old vintage piece, something you'd find along side a dirt road.




Granted it's not handcarved with a Moorish design, and the top is probably a 24" diameter as opposed to the 28" polished brass ebay model.  But...not bad for a knock off? I could have gone with the cashier at the thrift store's idea.... make a gong:)




Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Bring on Christmas

Got through another wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday thanks to my sister-n-law and her boyfriend. It was a little strange not having any of my family this year... no hubs (had to work), no parents, no siblings, and no kids:(. But what was amazing...no DRAMA! It was fun being an 'outsider' observing some one else's family and how they interacted. The bonus, no hard feelings, regrets or arguments! Stress-free all the way...not to mention, no clean up. Loved it!
But seriously, I do love my family and all their (and my) imperfections... It was just 'different' this year.

So now to the next holiday... Christmas. BRING-IT-ON! The funny thing is, I am not much for decorating the house for the holidays .... funny in the sense that I love decorating. Just not so much in the Christmas sense....
I have a few inspirational pictures I found on Pinterest to get me in the mood.  I just like to keep it simple.

Christmas for the Home

Christmas in a home in Denmark.

My favorite Christmas home

Decorating the home for Autumn

I love to incorporate natural elements into my Christmas decor.... although this year I may do the fake Christmas tree! I know, I know....but I am getting lazy in my later years, lol.

How do you decorate for Christmas?  Simply or over the top?

Friday, November 18, 2011

Black Friday

Have you seen these Target commercials for Black Friday?


I laugh every time she goes through the sale flyer!  I believe these commercials ran last year, but they are still classic!

I have never been one 'of those people' to get up at 4am and shop Black Friday...and I am not planning to this year either.... but these commercials remind me to probably get off my booty and start thinking about Christmas shopping.  So I was all motivated today to go into town... til


Yeah... I think I will wait... especially since I am about 2 hours from a department store...
Maybe Cyber-Monday is more up my alley ;)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Pour Decision?

Love the pun in the title?

Around the holidays I always feel the need to set up a bar.... so this weekend I did. I gathered items I already had on hand including; a collection of wine bottle openers, a small wine bottle holder, a tray of various liquors, along with my bowl o'corks, all placed on a cart from IKEA.


I also did a quick canvas painting of a wine opener to add a little whimsy.


At some point I would love to find a small brass n glass bar cart... but I am not sure.  My OCD usually sets in and I remove the 'bar' cause I start to feel it looks like clutter and I hate the added dusting duties :) Bar Humbug!



Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Thanks a'latte


With the temperature dipping, the day light hours shortening, it is a small joy to indulge in a a caffe' latte this afternoon. Thanks a latte!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

DIY Silhouettes

This morning as I began my ritual of breaking out the computer and scrolling through Blogworld, I came across this awesome project tutorial, how to make silhouette prints using Piknik from Crafted Niche .  I thought to myself, hmmmmm, I totally need to do this.  For those of you who know me, you know I am a bit obsessed with my dogs, so any project involving the 'boys'...I'm there.  Check it out:


This is the sample of Oscar.  Of course I had to do the other two, my yorkies, Louie and Henry also. 

I printed the silhouette prints on some scrapbook paper and framed them in some inexpensive clip frames I already had.  Free art!  I just need to prepare myself for the grief my kids are going to give me...




Not sure yet where the pictures will land...

 






Sunday, October 23, 2011

Outside/Inside Project

I decided to make my way outside today and tackle the daunting task of raking.  The sun was shining and I was feeling quite motivated ...was that ever a joke!  As I raked the many leaves, a few thousand fell in their place.  Ok, ok I am exaggerating, but not by much.  I soon gave up.  I convinced myself that I will put it off til next weekend, because by then all the leaves will have for sure fallen... hahaha.  Wishful thinking.
So I headed inside to start an inside project I have been pondering for a while. We have a finished attic space but with unfinished, empty spaces under the eaves.  I want to make a quasi-closet space and built-in desk.  The challenge.... use what we have...


If budget wasn't an issue, I would love to have built in white cabinets with louvred doors...ahhh to dream.  Instead I hung two wooden dowels and tab topped curtains on one side.  The other I had Mr. B use an extra door we had and install it on the wall using a small shoe shelf as a 'leg'.








I still need to decorate the area, probably add some funky fabric to the bottom of the curtains (they are a little 'high-water'..). Not bad for an afternoon that started outside, eh?




Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Cedar Slice Table

Over a year ago, we had the Forest Service come through the yard and thin out some trees.  We were left with quite a few stumps so the ole hubs decided to 'slice' a few pieces off the stumps along with stump grinding... we were left with quite a few of these:



I thought...hmmmmm... what could I do with these? 


Why make a table...of course!  We had to let the piece dry, then sand, and sand and more sanding..


Had Mr. B weld some table legs from rebar we had laying around.  I thought they would be fun to shape into chicken feet :)


So now we have a whimsical and unique end table for ....FREE!