Decorative Wall Hooks

Bonjour Mes Amis!

I wanted to thank those of you who left encouraging comments about our little cocker spaniel Emily and her surgery.  The big day was yesterday, and hubby and I were able to bring her home this morning.  The surgery went well, and she is curled up sleeping right next to me as I write this. Your thoughts and prayers really meant alot!

Today I wanted to share with you a few of my latest projects, decorative wall hooks, that I've created for my Etsy shop.  I'd picked up a bunch of unfinished wooden plaques last year while out thrifting, not having any idea in the least what I'd do with them!  Does that ever happen to you?  They had the neatest shape, and the price was right, so I knew that eventually I'd figure something out! Well, I finally did, and this is what I came up with!

 I recently picked up some cast iron decorative hooks, and a light bulb went off!  Why not mount them to the plaques?  So that's just what I did!  ("I", as in "hubby", that is!)  Hubby also added key hole type mountings to the back, so they can hang flush to the wall.

I first painted the plaques my favorite shade of creamy white, then did just a bit of distressing around the edges.  I really love this crown hook!  It has just a tiny bit of rust on it, giving it that time worn appeal that we all seem to love.

 I really like how this one turned out!

 What could be more French then the fleur de lis motif?  I really love this double hook, and the antiqued bronze tone.

 Oooh, la, la!

 I just had to paint one of the crowns pink!

 I think it would be so cute in a little girl's room, or nursery.

I have a few more to make.  It was a fun project, and I'm so glad that I was finally able to make use of those plaques!
Linking up with Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.  Be sure to visit!

Musical Themed Christmas Swag

Have you started your Christmas decorating yet?  I see that some of you are already finished!  Wow!  I've been gradually getting things out, and rather than decking ever nook and cranny of our house, this year I'm trying my best to take a "less is more" approach!  No easy feat considering that I have so many decorations that I truly love. So, we'll see if I can stick to it or not!

Today I wanted to share with you a Christmas swag that I made last year, and just hung up.  It's a long tear drop shape, and after adding some large pinecones, I gave it my special "lightly dusted in frosty glittery snow" treatment.

I added a bunch of my large roses made from vintage sheet music.  I've been featuring them quite a bit lately in my posts, I love them so much!

I also added some beautiful German glass glitter musical notes, that I really love!

Some cute little glittery silver snowflakes (bought at Michael's or Hobby Lobby, I can't remember) add even more sparkle.

The musical ornaments are just starting to show some patina, love that look!

The swag is actually bigger in person than it appears in these photos.

Here's one last look.

On a side note, tomorrow our sweet little cocker spaniel Emily is going in for surgery.  She tore a ligament in her right hind leg, and for the past 1 1/2 weeks has been hobbling around on three legs, which breaks our heart to see.  We took her to three different vets (long story!) and they all said the same thing, that she needs surgery. So we are looking at a very long and intensive rehab that I'll be doing at home with her.  Emily isn't "just a dog". She's a huge and very important part of our family (you can see several pictures of her on my sidebar).  So, I am anxious, worried, and stressed.  I know we'll get thru it, bu I'll be so glad when it's all over with!

Hope you all have a great week!

It's Going to be a Glittery Christmas!

Ok, you all probably know how much I love glitter and paint. 

"Is there anything this girl doesn't glitter and paint?", you may ask.

Well, there are a few things, but today this post is all about the sparkle and creamy dreamy white!

 The other day while out thrifting, I almost overlooked a set of three vintage candle rings.  You know, the plastic kind. The kind your mom's or grandma's probably had (maybe you yourself have some tucked away!).  Anyway, there were two identical rings, and one slightly larger ring.  As soon as I swooped them up, I knew just what I would do to transform them!  I wish that I'd have taken their before shots, but I was too excited to start their makeover!  So, I gave them my special frosted, glittery treatment, which involved using lots and lots of glitter!

 They still needed a bit more something, so, what to do?  I looked thru my stash of goodies, and remembered a bunch of silver jingle bells that I had on hand.  Actually, the bells were another one of my paint and glitter projects!

 The bells originally were gold, so I spray painted them silver then added lots of coarse clear glitter.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm a use what you've got kind of girl!

 I think the rings look so pretty with the tea lights lit.  As much as I'd love to keep them for myself, I've placed them in my Etsy shop, if you are interested!

 I got a little snap happy during their photo shoot!

 So remember, if you see something that's looking a little tired and worn, it doesn't have to stay that way forever!

 With a little imagination (and glitter!), you can turn the drab, into fab!

 I'm linking up with Debra over at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.
Be sure to visit!

Christmas Peat Pots

Like so many of you, I have fallen in love with peat pots!  I purchased a bunch earlier this summer, fully intending to create something fun with them, but never got around to it til now!  So today I thought I'd share with you one of my glittery Christmas pots!  I was really inspired by Becky over at Time Washed. She turns peat pots into the most amazing creations!  So here is my take on it!

I first gave the pot a white washed treatment.  You can't tell by the photos, but I added a generous dose of glitter to the paint, so that the pot glistens in the light!  I also was inspired by the tutorial that Becky did awhile back, on how to bleach bottle brush trees.  I went out and bought a big bag at Michael's, and after bleaching the trees, I then glittered and flocked a bunch of them.  For this cute little tree (which I am in love with, by the way!), I used a pale aqua flocking powder, by Martha Stewart.

I've had the most fun creating these little pots!  I've made quite a few of them so far, that I'm going to give as little Christmas gifts!  (And I am keeping one for myself for sure!)

The handles were fashioned from iridescent pipe cleaners, and I added a mini pale aqua pom pom trim to the rim (don't you just love pom poms?!)

An adorable little German glass glitter bird, a glittered little white star (which started out gold, I'm a big believer in using what you've already got on hand!), and some glittery white little tree branches were added.

You know how much I love bling, so I thought this pretty rhinestone brad was the perfect accent to the sheer white ribbon bow.

I also added this lovely angel print (compliments of the Graphics Fairy), that I mounted on heavy cardstock.  Oh, and I glittered that, too, of course!

I tucked in some shredded vintage sheet music, and viola!

My version of a Christmas peat pot!

Gotta go and get busy making some more!

I'm linking up with Becky over at Time Washed for Blissful Whites Wednesday.
And Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Be sure to visit for tons of inspiration!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Retro Kitchen

Bonjour Mes Amis!

I was about to share with you another Christmas project that I've been working on, but thought I would save that for a bit later in the season!  Instead, I wanted to show you one of my latest creations, that I transformed with one of my favorite shades of aqua!

 I was beyond excited when I found this vintage kitchen dimensional wall hanging while out thrifting the other day!  Of course she didn't look this pretty when I found her.  Oh, no!  She was more than a bit tired and dated, and was just begging for a transformation!  

Are you ready to see her in her "before" state?

 Yikes!  I told you she was dated!  I'm sure the other shoppers took one look and thought "that poor woman has horrible taste!"

 Even hubby was more than a bit apprehensive when I shared it with him!

But I immediately knew that with some aqua paint and a bit of distressing, she could go from dated and drab to funky and fab!!

I think the hooks would be the perfect spot to hang potholders or aprons (I always wear an apron when I work in the kitchen, do you?)

I'm so happy with the makeover, and can't believe what a difference paint can make!

 I've placed her in my Etsy shop.  Now I would love to find more of these beauties!
Sharing at the following fun parties:
Shabby Art Boutique Shabbilicious Friday
Common Ground Vintage Inspiration Friday

Frosted and Glittered Wreath

Can you believe that the holidays are almost upon us?  Hard to imagine, isn't it?

Well, I've caught the Christmas crafting bug, and wanted to show you my latest creation, what I'm calling my "Dreaming of a White Christmas" wreath!

To a faux pine wreath I added some assorted berries, greenery, and large pine cones. Then I gave it all the appearance of being dusted in snow and glittery frost.

I also added 5 large glittered paper roses that I made from vintage sheet music (I showed you those in a post the other day).

 Aside from the roses, one of my favorite elements of the wreath is the "W", which our last name begins with.

I painted a wooden letter silver, then generously doused it in glitter (because you can never have too much  glitter at Christmas!)

 I'm so happy with the way it turned out, and can't wait to hang it above our fireplace!

I am forcing myself to wait til after Thanksgiving, though!

 I'm offering these wreathes in my Etsy shop as custom orders.  I think one of the neat things about the wreath is that you can keep it up all winter long.

 Wouldn't it be beautiful as part of a winter wedding decor?  

 Natasha decided that she wanted to model it for you! (tee hee!)

 So I hope that I put you in the mood for a little Christmas creating and decorating!

Now I'm off to see what you all have been up to!
Linking up with the following parties:
Timewashed for Blissful Whites Wednedsay
Common Ground Vintage Inspiration Friday 
French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday
Be sure to visit for tons of inspiration!

Glittered Vintage Sheet Music Roses

Bonjour Mes Amis!

You may have noticed that I love creating with vintage sheet music.  I know that many of you do, too!

So today I wanted to share with you the glittered roses that I've been making out of vintage sheet music.  Some of you might have seen my posts in the past about the roses, but thought I'd show them again for those of you who might not be familiar with them.

 While they are quite the time consuming project, they are so much fun to make!

 I've made all sizes, the largest ones are pictured here.  The smaller you make them, the more tedious they are!  I've used them to embellish everything from decorative tags, to Christmas decor, to candles.

 The possibilities are endless!

 Having fun with PicMonkey!  (which I love, by the way!) 

 I even made a garland of them awhile back, which I think looks so pretty!

 Here I've just displayed a few with some other loves of mine, a wonderfully tarnished vintage silver tray, and a mercury glass votive holder.

 I did a tutorial a few years ago on making the roses.  You can check it out here if you want to try creating some yourself!  I've since modified the way that I create them, I guess it's one of those projects where there is no right or wrong way of doing it! If you do make some yourself, I'd love to hear about it!

 Ok, here is a little sneak peek of a project that I just finished, using the roses.  I'll share it with you next week!

Happy creating!
Linking up with the following great parties:
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday 
French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday