African Violet

Just a touch of rust.

Ok, a LOT of rust. 

I just had to share this gorgeous house plant with you.  Enjoy.



Abingdon Pottery

If you've never heard of Abingdon, then this post if for you.  It's a small town in Illinois.They made artware Pottery from 1934 to 1930.  I have a great book about it that shows the various pieces produced & their value.  There are statues, cookie jars, planters & more.  But I'm partial to vases.  The first one I ever got was a shallow dish. 

I love me some white!!!  It goes with EVERYTHING, anytime of year too!!!

You'll know when you've found Abingdon, most is clearly marked.  They have numbers also, which help you look up your value.

The Lupines in Minnesota are blooming now.  They make a great bouquet for the next piece I'd like to show you. This vase is so regal & fancy.  It was a good buy, for $15 at a swap meet.

Different colors were released throughout the years.  Some of the hardest to find now are: browns, greys and orange(fire red).  But colors like Sierra(light blue) are desirable.  It seems there were around 150 colors, so this subject can be researched more if you're interested.  I think this pink is pretty, with white inside.

My whimsical star vase is hard to arrange, but cute as can be.  It looks like it belongs in a baby girl's nursery, don't you think?  

I should make note, that the finish on the star is more glossy than the the other upright vase.  So if you decide to purchase or collect, take that into consideration.

There is a good website with more information. abingdon.net

Project Gone Wrong

Not every project is successful.  I recently had a major flop, which I'd like to share.

These little birds were 25cents each.  They seemed to be made of resin.  I sanded the shiny wings, hoping it would hold paint better.

 But alas, it was a royal disaster.  The Tim Holtz crackle paint did NOT stick.

I'll be giving this project another try.  But I have to ponder it for a while.  Spray paint might be the answer.

Tool Hideaway

I got a mailbox for my mother at a garage sale for a buck.  She has been wanting on to stick in her garden for her hand shovel, gloves and such.  It's a great idea, having all your tools already on location.  But what makes this project even MORE creative, is that my sister painted it up all cute.



Now here is the proud gardener, excited to go home & install the Tool Hideaway!

Now ladies- Get crafty with YOUR old mailboxes.  They make great planters tipped up high.

$2 Table

This is coral pink wonderful chippiness. I got the cutest pink table ever, for two stinkin' dollars!  I know, the kid is cute too!  He's also a keeper =)

Yeah, the last picture seals the deal.  Doesn't it?  I mean, this table needed serious rescuing.  I'm in love.  It moved into my living room, and another piece of furniture went right on out.

Silverware boxes make great platforms to stack junk on.  The lovely Rex Begonia is called Griphon.

Big Ol' Barn

I drive by a huge barn on my way to work.  Every time, I oogle at it.  The thing is just massive.  One of these days, it's going to be in a pile.  I just know it.  Before that happens, it's vintage beauty has been forever captured on my camera. 

I love the four tiny windows on the end.  It seems odd that there is no door up there to send the hay up & down.  I also thing the gables are so pretty, guess that makes it a "fancy" barn!  Back in the day, this one must have been a "Jim Dandy".

Rustic Utopia

I just have to share some photos of a friends garden, in all it's rustic glory!  The world deserves to see this!

This adorable light post welcomes you, with a stylish landscape in the background.

This is what you're about to enter,  a romantic shade garden!

She hasn't planted her claw foot tub yet, but it's so cute peeking out from behind ferns & hostas!

This looks like the perfect spot to sit & read my Flea market Style magazine!   

I hope you've enjoyed these images as much as I did!  Happy gardening to all you junkers!

*This post is listed on Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.  If you get a chance, check out the ideas posted there.

Progress

I hope I'm not the only person in the world that hoards stuff & never does anything with it!  I finally hung my Victorian poster in the stair well.  It needed a safe nook, where the sunlight wouldn't fade it.  So one day *light bulb*, I got an idea.  How cute would my grandpa's farm rake look hanging next to it???  The rake was way too special to use outside.  The results:

I love it!  Waaay out of my 2 year boy's reach!  Safe, cute & I get to look at it every day!



Birdhouse

Last summer I attempted to build a birdhouse out of barn wood.  It wasn't ideal, since the wood was dry & split on me a few times.  I did however, cobble together a rustic home for my feathered friends.  The tin roof was cut, and required a special power tool.  That's were the hubby came in handy!

It turned out pretty cute.  Now I just home it appeals to the birdies!

This project is listed on DIY under $5 at alittletipsy.  Please check out the great thrifty ideas posted there.

"Crack-a-lackin"

I love crackle paint!!! Tim Holtz makes these handy little jars of various colored it.  I decided to make a large paper mache "M" for my little Marshal's room.

The M got a base coat of black craft paint.  I wasn't sure if it would show through the cracks or not. 

Next was the thick crackle paint.  It takes a long time to dry, so plan ahead.

I decided only to do the front & leave the rest black.  That's all folks would mostly see anyhow.

I would highly recommend this paint to everyone!  The paint brush is inside the jar attached to the top of the lid, so no cleaning brushes.  It runs about $5, the M was $2.50.

From the garden

Just want to share some images from the garden today.  Enjoy!

The leaves are poking through a tractor seat.

This stump was a "fish" that I caught on year!

Have a good weekend, thanks for looking!