2015 | Vintage, Paint and more...

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Best of 2015

Hello Friends.  Are you recuperating from your holiday celebrations yet or are you like me and still lounging around, watching movies and drinking coffee?  I love this week between Christmas and New Year's because I can do just that. No deadlines, no stress just lots of time with family. I always like to go through my posts from the past year at this time and see just what everyone liked and maybe didn't like so much.  So here are the Best of 2015 posts that you - the readers - loved. 

most popular diy and craft posts from 2015

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas



Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas today.




Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Christmas at Our House

Hello Friends, 
Today I am finishing up the last minute touches and little things that have to be done before the big day.  Yes, only two days until Christmas and the culmination of many days of work to make this holiday the best ever. Let me take you on a little journey of what our family has done this year.
We've glued and painted and crafted to our hearts content.

diy ornament wreath, diy christmas trees with burlap, ribbon andpaper

Decking our halls with beautiful color and decor inside and


Christmas in the living room, diy paper wreath, stenciled pillows

                     out.


Christmas on the porch with thrifted and decorated ladder, wagon

We've decorated our tree with our grands while laughing and reminiscing over memories that special ornaments give each of us.



Decorated Christmas tree done with burlap , diy ornaments and dollar store picks

We've wrapped all those gifts in beautiful papers and embellished each one in a way to make the receiver feel special.

diy wrapped gifts with naturals embellishments in burlap lined vintage wire basket

We've hung our stockings by the chimney with great care.



Christmas mantel with diy O Holy Sign, diy trees, drop cloth stockings

In hopes that St. Nick would find them and fill them to the brim.

vintage Old World Santa, vintage wire basket

We've baked our cookies and made memories with those we love.

baking cookies with the grand children

All of these things we have done to celebrate this season of wonder.  But let us not forget the true meaning of this day that brings us true joy.

nativity on a cake plate with diy snow of epsom salt and glitter and bottle brush trees

Wishing you and your family a wondrous and blessed Christmas.
                

               Merry Christmas

Friday, December 18, 2015

Christmas Tour of Family Room - Busy Girls Home Tour

Hi everyone,
My what a busy week it has been here.  It seems it is speeding by so quickly as we wind down the long stretch to the final days of preparation for the big finale.  "Sissy"  made it home and our oldest grand son is coming later.  I do love this time of year.

    Today I have a special treat for you.

Christmas tour of a simple family room



 I am joining my fellow hosts of 
 Share It One More Time
in the

image for tour

We have put together a little blog hop of our homes and an amazing giveaway just for you.  So be sure to follow to the end to see the other Busy Girls Tours and to enter our great give aways.
Last week I shared our front porch all decked out for Christmas in the "Home For Christmas Blog Hop".

our Christmas porch decorated with recycled, thrifted items

I love how it came together with recycled items from thrift stores and garage sales just by adding natural greens, lights and a few ornaments.

collage of Christmas decorated thrift items

Then on Monday I shared our living and dining rooms with you in the "Holiday Homes Blog Hop".

simple decor of red and gold in a neutral living room

I kept it simple in here by using what I already had and just embellishing it with "faux" greens and berries, colorful wrapping papers, and Christmas ornaments.  I used red, gold and black to pop off our normally neutral decor for a very vintage and yet sophisticated result.

red and gold decorated thrift items for a living room

Today I am sharing our family room with you in our "Busy Girls Christmas Home Tour". 
Family room decorated with DiY decor

Like most of you, the family room is where we spend most of our time.  It's a cozy room we love to relax in and spend time together. And since we have an open concept; it along with the kitchen is the hub of our household where most of the activity occurs. I chose to put our most favorite Christmas things in here.
Christmas mantel done with diy projects - drop cloth stockings

It has a wonderful fireplace that my chair sits right next to where I crochet and read when I can. And it's wonderfully warm here when the temps dip here in the South.
  
DIY drop cloth stockings, and small Christmas trees used on a Christmas mantel

I kept the decor in here quite simple also. Merely using what I already had and adding to it with the "faux" greenery, ornaments and colorful wrapping paper.  I love doing this because it can be changed up each year while costing very little.  
  
DIY Christmas sign done with wrapping paper and thrifted frame

 I made the sign above the fireplace using an old picture frame and just added some Christmas music wrapping paper with the words "O Holy Night". These were cut out of glittery gold wrapping paper I had left over from last year.  Then I added a gold Christmas ornament star.  I outlined all of it with a black Sharpie to accent it.

DIY Christmas sign and decorated Christ,as mantel

I placed a "faux" pine garland on the mantel and strung some lights through it.  Then added some glittery gold feathers, gold pine cones and spaced some glittery red birds throughout. 
diy drop cloth stockings, diy little trees

I added a few of our little white Christmas trees I made a few years back.  I love these little trees and how they can be used in so many ways year round.  They have definitely been work horses in our decor.  Our stockings are hung on either side of the firebox.  I made them from drop cloth fabric and added gold glittery initials I made.

wrapped packages in a vintage wire basket

I placed a vintage wire basket on the hearth and filled it with "faux" wrapped packages that I embellished with ribbons and Christmas ornaments.  I love the pops of color these give to this area.

nativity in a diy scene done with bottle brush trees

On our ottoman coffee table I have a wood tray that holds the nativity.  This nativity is 40+ years old.  I bought it when my boys were little. It's molded plastic and unbreakable and the boys (and every one of my grand children) have loved playing with it over the years.  I placed it on a cake plate with "faux" snow (Epsom salt and glitter) and some cute little dollar store bottle brush trees.  
"faux" Christmas swag with burlap ribbon

The other side has a Christmas swag I made from pine boughs, gold glittery twigs and red berries from the dollar store and a gold filament burlap bow I made.  I also added a candle in a glass star dish.  Very simple arrangement but very pretty.

nutcracker collection

Papa has a nutcracker collection that he and all our grands simply adore.  It has to come out (all 30+ pieces) every Christmas and be displayed.  They each have their favorites and it is practically a ritual to unwrap them and place them in just the right place.  It all began when my oldest grand son fell in love with the one and only nutcracker I had 23 years ago. Each year Papa adds one to the collection and so it has grown.  I have them displayed on a pair of ladder shelves. This year our "Mimi" made him a clay one in her art class.  You can see it below in the pic with the box of pine cones and ornaments.

nutcracker collection displayed with vintage and diy items for Christmas

All of them do not fit on the shelves so I placed the larger ones on the ledge dividing the kitchen from this room.  I spaced them out along a "faux" pine garland strung with lights.  Then added a few red and gold ornaments.   

candy stripe vintage jello mold wreath

Above this I hung our blackboard with the candy stripe vintage jello mold wreath I
 made this year.  It really pops against the black of the blackboard.
So that is it for the tour of our family room.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did sharing it with you.  
Be sure to visit the other ladies tours - I know you will be inspired by their beautiful homes. 








Before you leave for their tours don't forget to enter the give away here today.


Our first give away is a wonderful 3 Milk Bottle Tote compliments of Tammy from Farmhouse Decor Shop. You can see it  at           



The second giveaway is compliments of Barb from The Everyday Home Blog Collection and can be seen at


Be sure to visit both shops as both have wonderful items I am sure you will love.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Christmas Home Tour 2015 - Part 1

Hello Friends.
So happy you all are able to be here today as
I join with some of my friends in the Holiday Homes Blog Hop.  



Wednesday, December 9, 2015

DIY Multipurpose Gift Wrap -Junk Revision


Hi everyone.  Today I am going to share a really simple but very pretty little project. A DIY multipurpose gift wrap that can be reused after the gift is opened.  I love being able to stretch my dollars with projects like this. 

DIY multipurpose gift wrap using a recycled cashew can

I am joining the ladies of the Junk Revision Challenge.


This month's theme is "Gift Wrap Using Unexpected Repurposed Item".  So I chose an empty cashew can for my item. Doesn't look too promising as far as gift wrap goes - does it. 

cashew can to be diy'd into multipurpose gift wrap

I like using unusual items to wrap gifts with and if they can be used after the gift is opened that's even better. I made this one so it could be used for storage afterwards. So lets get on with the steps to transform this into something usable.

You will need:
black chalkboard paint and brush
glue gun and glue sticks
trims and embellishments of your choice

painting a cashew can with black chalkboard paint

First step is to paint the can with the black chalkboard paint or a color of your choice. It took 3 coats for mine to completely cover all the advertising.

cashew can after 3 coats of black chalkboard paint

This is how it looks after the three coats. All ready for the embellishments.  The next step is simply gluing your embellishments on in the place you want them.

silver sequins used to embellish a recycled cashew can

I chose this silver sequin trim I had to glue to the bottom rim of the can and the rim of the lid.

dollar store window clings used to embellish a recycled nut can

I used these window clings from the dollar store for the top of the can - I actually went ahead and glued it in place to assure it staying.

nut can with embellishments glued in place


I then glued on this beaded trim which I have had for ages.  I put it just under the lip of where the lid would meet the can so that it looks like it's hanging from the lid.

after of recycled cashew can

Here it is all finished - I love the silver against the black - it just looks so glam. 

gift in recycled nut can

It's large enough to hold a pair of gloves, a pair of socks, a piece of jewelry, or a very large bag of M&M's - all sorts of great gifts.
  
after view of recycled nut can to be used as gift wrap

I love how it turned out much prettier than I had imagined but I think what I love most is that the recipient receives a second gift. One that can be used in many different ways. 
Be sure to follow the links below and check out what the other ladies have come up with. You won't look at gift wrapping the same again.  
Until next time enjoy creating something you love.



An InLinkz Link-up







I will be linking to the parties that are listed on the Where I Party page.  Please be sure to visit these parties and check out all the great inspiration and creativeness found at each.


Sunday, December 6, 2015

Christmas on the Porch and The Home for Christmas Blog Hop




Good morning everyone. This past week I have been busy getting our Christmas decor put up and I am telling you - next year I am starting sooner.  I wanted to wait till after Thanksgiving to start but trying to get it all up in one week has been quite the challenge. I am almost done now and am looking forward to putting the empty containers away.

Today I have a treat for you I am joining a fantastic group of bloggers in the 
        Home for Christmas Blog Hop 
    hosted by 
      Hometalk.com and CountryLiving.com. 


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

DIY Ornament Wreath



I have been busily getting out all the Christmas decorations as I am sure many of you have also been doing. Such a busy time of year for us all. I feel like I am behind and today is only December 1st.  Next year I am going to start getting my plans together earlier than this year (but I say that every year).  One can always hope.
Today I thought I would share with you a pretty little ornament wreath I made from Dollar Store items.  This wreath cost me under $10 to make. I saw one similar to it - not quite as full - at a local craft store for $30.  So if you're into DIY'ing like I am I'm sure you can make this simple little ornament wreath in an afternoon.

Vintage, Paint and more... Gorgeous DIY Ornament Wreath made with easily found Dollar Store items.

Monday, November 16, 2015

A Dose of DIY - Wooden Snowman

Hi everyone.  Today I am joining a group of great bloggers in the Dose of DIY challenge. This month's theme is Christmas decor made with wood or fabric.  


  
My project is a cute little wooden snowman and I incorporated a bit of fabric with a scarf and hat for him.  Isn't he the cutest.


Vintage, Paint and more... snowman decor made from thrifted wood pieces

I made him with some wood pieces I found at the thrift store one day.  It was a large bag of all sorts of wood pieces - balls, spindles, beads, cubes, etc.  I had no idea what I was going to do with any of it but knew that it would come in handy in the future.

Vintage, Paint and more... thrifted wooden pieces

 For this project I chose the two pieces below - a ball with a flat side and a small cup with a flat bottom.  I turned the cup over and glued the ball's flat side to the flat surface of the cup with some wood glue. Then I let it set for a while to dry.


Vintage, Paint and more... wood pieces used to make a cute snowman

Next I painted it all white except the little bottom lip which I painted black using craft paints.  I used a sharpie to make a face and some buttons down the front.  I love how cute he looks here - but I decided to go a step further.


Vintage, Paint and more...DIY painted wooden snowman


Here's a little closer look at his face. Just two black dots for eyes, a small "u" shape with little dashes in red for a mouth.  Three black dots for buttons.

Vintage, Paint and more... sharpie drawn face on wooden snowman

For the next step I cut a long strip of blue felt about 3/4 inch wide and then cut fringe on each end for a scarf. 

Vintage, Paint and more... fringe cuts on a felt scarf

I then used a thrift store shirt and cut a small square out of the sleeve.  I sewed up the open side to make a tube for a cap.  I then gathered it across the middle.   With this area I cut little bitty strips to make a tassel.  Love this little hat - did you notice it has snowflakes on it?  Perfect...
Before I added the hat and scarf I sprayed him with some hair spray and sprinkled on some glitter ( my new favorite way to add glitter to wooden objects).  Here he is all dressed and glittered  - ready for winter.

Vintage, Paint and more... snowman DIY'd with wooden pieces painted and glittered

I wanted to place him in a bit of a snow setting.  I had a plastic plate I had bought at the dollar store and filled it with Epsom salts and then sprinkled some glitter on that to make "faux snow".


Vintage, Paint and more... "faux" snow made with Epsom salts and glitter

Next I added some bottle brush trees I picked up at the dollar store.

Vintage, Paint and more... bottle brush trees and "faux" snow create a snow scene

Time for our little guy to enter the snow laden woods.  He looks so at home here.

Vintage, Paint and more... A cute DIY wooden snowman in a snow scene created with bottle brush trees and "faux" snow

This little guy is definitely ready for the cold weather and not just for Christmas.  He could be kept around through the winter months to cheer you up. 

Vintage, Paint and more... DIY wooden snowman in a snow scene of bottle brush trees and "faux" snow

Thank you for joining us this month and don't forget to visit the other ladies to see what they have done.  You can find them easily by following the links below.



Vintage, Paint and more... DIY'd wooden snowman in a "faux" snow scene with bottle brush trees

Don't forget to join us next month when we bring you another great challenge.