Mama's decor

Mom's got good taste.  It's a fact.  Check out her old medicine cabinet, gone cute-sie.  This berry twig adorned cabinet actually holds: medicine!  The crazed & chippy paint looks like dynamite against her geranium colored walls! 

The super duper large crock with overgrown greenery tucks in nicely by the living room fireplace.  It almost looks like a long lost forgotten object.  I wish I could use fake plants successfully.  I try, I fail. 

Mom can dramatically improve furniture with some paint, her bar stools look great!  She aged the paint to perfection.  And again, notice the fabulous fake plants! 

She even painted a long narrow table that had a marble top!  I didn't realize that it was possible, but my mom knows no boundaries when it comes to decor revival.  Bold & not afraid of color.  Good  colors too.

The next photo turned out very yellow, but in reality the cabbage pottery is perfect next to my grandparents photographs.  Old time charm.  What do you know?  MORE FAKE GREENERY!  To die for.

Thanks mom, for the fun visit last month.  I wish you the very best MOTHERS DAY!  Love ya.

Toy horse collection

When I was young, I had a metal toy horse from my grandpa's farmhouse.  I broke a leg off it & have no idea where that little horse went.  That memory sparked an interest in various tiny ponies!

I've picked them up at garage sales, antique stores & swap meets over the years.  A man at my favorite swap meet (Grand Rapids MN late July) was hard to bargain with, since he claims these little horses bring big money in Texas.  I'm not so sure about that, but maybe. 

They sit in my windowsill, above the kitchen sink.  I look at them every day & ponder my farm memories!

I love how they're each unique.  One has a chain, some have no tack.

They're different materials, I think.  I love that the painted details are still evident on a few.

My favorite one came from the closest antique store to my house- Giese Bed & Breakfast!

http://giese-bnb.com/



IOWA JUNK

JUNK IS MORE ENJOYABLE WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE TO FIGHT OVER IT WITH!  MY SISTER & I WERE GIVEN FREE REIN OVER THE JUNK IN MY STEP FATHERS WOODS IN IOWA.  WE WERE LIKE A PACK OF WOLVES HEADING IN THERE.  PHRASES LIKE " I CLAIM IT" & "YOU'RE GONNA HATE ME" FLOWED FREELY.  BUT IT'S ALL IN GOOD FUN. 

WE NEVER LAUGHED SO HARD.  WE ARE SUCH DORKS, AND REALLY GET A KICK OUT OF CORNY PICTURES.

WE DID FIND SOME DANDY TREASURES.  INCLUDING AN OLD BED FRAME THAT HAD TO STAY IN IOWA...FOR NOW.

I'VE BEEN WANTING A SET FOR A WHILE TO USE AS A TRELLIS IN MY GARDEN.  ALTHOUGH MY FATHER-IN-LAW COULD SANDBLAST & PAINT IT FOR ME.  HMMMMM, DECISIONS DECISIONS.  I GUESS IT MIGHT BE A WHILE BEFORE I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

THE WOODS WAS MUDDY & WE TUCKED OUR PANTS INTO OUR SOCKS. A JUNKERS GOTTA DO, WHAT A JUNKERS GOTTA DO! 

WE FOUND A STRING OF GEARS.  IN A MAGAZINE THEY HAD HUNG THEM.  WHEN I GOT HOME I GAVE IT A TRY. 

I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL I CAN GROW A PLANT OUTSIDE & IT HAS LOTS OF BEAUTIFUL COLOR!  YOU CAN EXPECT AN UPDATED PHOTO EVENTUALLY!

I'LL BE SHOWING MORE IOWA JUNK, A LITTLE AT A TIME.  I HAVE SOME PLANS FOR ITEMS THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU.  KEEP CHECKING IN, I APPRECIATE YOUR VIEWINGS!

Side Table Make-over

I'M VERY EXCITED TO POST MY FIRST FURNITURE RE-DO!  THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN BECAUSE IT WAS A PRACTICE PIECE, THAT I INTEND TO SELL.  NO PRESSURE, RIGHT?  IF THE COLORS WRONG, OH WELL.  IF THE DISTRESSING IS TOO MUCH, OH WELL!

I PURCHASE THIS LITTLE TABLE FOR $12 AT A LOCAL YEAR ROUND INDOOR "FLEA MARKET".  THEY HAD THREE, I PICKED THE BEST ONE USING MY BROAD FURNITURE WISDOM (COUGH COUGH).  IT'S NOT OLD, IT'S LIKELY FROM A HOTEL OR EVEN WALMART.  *BUT* I WANTED TO PLAY, REDO, PRACTICE.

IT'S SUPER UGLY, RIGHT?

COMPRESSED CHIPBOARD WITH A GLOSSY FINISH...CAN YOU PAINT IT?  WELL, I DID.  I SANDED IT, PRIMED IT, AND GAVE IT TWO COATS.  AND THAT HIDEOUS KNOB WHEN STRAIGHT INTO THE GARBAGE! 

THE COLOR IS EVENING COAST BY DUTCH BOY.  IT'S A FLAT LATEX.  THE DISTRESSING IS GEL STAIN SPARINGLY RAGGED ON.  THIS COLOR IS CHESTNUT 601 BY MINWAX.  I CREDIT MY FRIEND MELISSA WITH THAT CLEVER TECHNIQUE! 

THE HARDWARE IS FROM HOBBY LOBBY AND WAS $4.  THEN THE ADHESIVE LEAF DECALS WERE CUT ON MY CRICUT EXPRESSION USING THE GRAPHICALLY SPEAKING CARTRIDGE.  TO GET AN EXACT MIRROR IMAGE, USE THE FLIP BUTTON.

*I have linked this post to: http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/ & My Romantic Home

Images of an Iowa farm

My sister & I took a quick spring trip to see my mom in Iowa last week.  It was overdue, since I hadn't been down there for over a year!  I know, BAD daughter!  The weather was crap, but I did manage to sneak outside in between rain showers for some KICK BUTT images of rustic barns & other fabulous farm-ness!

Sometimes I have to stop myself & remember : things are also meant to be seen, not just had.  I get kind of "old stuff greedy".  So this post is to remind us all: SAVOR VISUAL BLESSINGS!

When one barn door closes, may another open.   And may there be multitudes of neat old finds visual treasures inside!  Happy junking everyone!

*This post is on Trash To Treasure's Friend Friday. http://www.trashtotreasuredecorating.com/

BOY ROOM DECOR

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GRUNGE UP MY TODDLERS ROOM. IT'S HARD TO WORK WITH A SHINY BRIGHT BLUE RACE CAR BED.  I KEEP TELLING MYSELF HE WON'T BE IN IT FOREVER.

MY MOTHER-IN-LAW HAD AN OLD TENNIS RACKET AND BAT IN HER FREE BOX FOR A GARAGE SALE.  THAT IS WHAT STARTED MY BOY SPORTS THEME.

I USED MY DAD'S OLD BASEBALL GLOVE, FOUND A TRAIN PIGGY BANK, AND MADE A BANNER.  IT'S BURLAP AND CHECKER FABRIC SEWED ON CARDSTOCK PAPER.  IT ALL HANGS ON A SEAM BINDING.

I ALSO BORROWED THE IDEA OF MAKING A STAR OUT OF A FOLDING TAPE MEASURE.  THE LARGE CREAM COLOR DRESSER NEEDED SOME FLAIR, SINCE IT LACKED KNOBS OR PULLLS.  I CUT VINYL SHAPES ON MY CRICUT EXPRESSION USING THE HERITAGE CARTRIDGE.  WE DID HAVE AN INCIDENT, WHERE MY SON COLORED EACH IMAGE (AND SURROUNDING AREA!) WITH YELLOW CRAYON.  BUT SOFT SCRUB CLEANED IT OFF NICELY. 

I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED THE TOUR.  IT'S A SHORT ONE, BECAUSE HIS ROOM IS SMALL.

*THIS POST IS LISTED ON SHOW & TELL AT:

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Spring willows

I try & get out for a journey each spring with my boys to find a handful of pussy willows.  Some years, it's snowy still.  This state is so horribly unpredictable!!!  This year was pleasant, yet cool.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE using wood and other elements from nature in decorating.  I collect it here and there.  Why not enjoy the outdoors, indoors too???

The old flat wooden box, was my father's.  I got it, and about 50 lbs. of junk screws & bolts from his pole shed.  The red tin was his also.  The finish on it is so nice & rustic.  The clay vase, which fails to hold water, can only hold dry sprigs.  Pussy willows continue to open and mature when in water.  So a person is best off NOT to keep them in a watery vase.  They make a messy pollen that drops everywhere after a few weeks.