Updating My Tea Cup Shelf

A few months ago when I painted my tea trolley a light green colour 'in this post' I loved it.

Then it made my tea cup shelf look too dark.  So I thought I'd freshen it up.  The only photo I could find is the partial one above.

Anyway, out came the white and old white ASCP and the leftover green/white mix from the tea trolley.

Base coat of pure white, followed by crackle medium, old white, and then clear and dark wax mix.  

Its a light crackle, but it still adds a lot of texture and depth to the white finish.

The teacups look nicer with the green back ground too. 

So, now that its painted a lighter colour I'm happy. I can sleep at night again. At least until the wall colour bugs me enough to paint the room!

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What do you do when you're sick?

I was going to call this post: 'The Tutorial No One Needs Anymore' Or 'DAH! Who Doesn't Have One!' but as I WAS sick, I thought this was the least obvious!

I've been sick for a couple of days, but was really hit hard today.  Just the flu...shakes, chills, hot spells, you know the usual.  

Instead of sleeping I pulled out my glue gun!

I made a paper wreath (yeah, I know, I'm about 3 years to late for it to be a 'WOW')!  

I don't care if I'm late, I've always wanted one, and it was pretty fast and easy to make.

One paper punch:

Punched old book pages:

And a handy dandy glue gun (no photo required).

I remember seeing Miss Mustard Seeds tutorial, where she used a cardboard base for gluing, so I cut a cardboard round:

And...

Make sure you make lots (and lots and lots) of these ahead of time:

And tada!

This was a trial run anyway, I want to make one of these:

From ETSY

Its a bit fresher/newer, but as I'd never made a paper wreath before (except my wire/heart wreath)I wanted to play with a simpler sample.

Hope everyone is well (warm and dry!).  Have a great day!

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Going out on a limb...

My hubs sent me this today (cause we both think no Kinder eggs in the USA is kinda funny...all things considered), so I felt that I had to share this with you all.

I believe many of you are mothers, and many of my readers are American.  I don't think blogs are a place to preach but I think this poster says it all.  

Have a great day!  I am, I'm eating a kinder...

So, as a mom, tell me, do you want guns or kinder eggs?

Spring Mantle

I don't have a fireplace so its not really a mantle, but I have a buffet under my upstairs window which I decorate during the holidays.  

The view coming upstairs if you had eyes in the back of your head

While I love holiday decorating, to be honest I really prefer a neutral decor.

Its always a work in progress.

Here's what its looking like now, but i'm sure it'll change again, REALLY SOON!

Still looking for something to put in this

I bought this vintage birdcage from Renningers, when I was in Florida for March break. It barely made it home in our totally cramped SUV but not without some serious damage.  The metal was so brittle and the car was so full, that many of the bars had snapped.  Its still lovely, just a little more 'distressed'.

I'd place vintage books in it, except that the bottom wouldn't hold them.

I liked the ivy in the sieve until I saw it in these photos! I've removed it since I snapped these. 

I bought these Saks shoe molds in Cape Cod last March break.  

This lady reminds my kids too much of the stone angels from Doctor Who.  They are very freaked out by her.

Me on a Saturday night...'Give me my WINE!!!!'

  
I don't think my stone angle looks anything like the ones from Doctor Who!  

This perfectly chippy childs chair was a thrift store find a few years ago.  I just cleaned and  sprayed it with clear varnish and it was perfect.

I'm strategically trying to angle my photos to cut out the green bookshelf on the left wall.  While its not a bad looking shelf, it was a temporary measure which has been not so temporary!  Three years later and I haven't moved it yet.  

Okay, here's a dark sneak peak at my green bookcase which soon won't be there. So many projects, so little time...

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Funky Junk Interiors - Party Junk 183

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Primp Your Stuff

Muskoka Dreaming

When I was in grade 6 (about 10 years ago...Okay, in 1975), a Canadian poet named Madeline Freeman came to our school.  We all had to write a little poem or story and submit it to her.  She then picked 2-3 kids from each class based on their writing.  I was one of these kids.  Over the next month, she tutored us on writing styles (obviously I've forgotten everything!), and helped us work on all types of creative writing. I threw everything out but she kept all our work.  

1979 was declared 'The International Year of the Child' by UNESCO. I was contacted by a publishing company asking permission to publish my poem in a book of poetry written about or by children, to commemorate the Year of the Child.  I was totally gobsmacked, I later found out that Ms. Freeman had submitted my poem.  My poem was called "The last night at camp", and it was about a little girl sad because it was her last night camping with her family.  It was very descriptive and detailed.  I had never been to camp, just dreamt of camp. My poem was based on my deepest desire to go camping with my family...but my parents weren't really camping folk.  Their childhoods were pretty grass roots and rustic so they liked the luxuries that Canada offered them.  They didn't feel the need for 'getting back to nature'.  So, as my family wasn't going to take us camping, I had to imagine it...

My husband and I have gone camping quite a few times (prior to the babies), but I dream of the romantic notion of log cabins and fireplaces and marshmallows!

So last week when I went out 'junking' I came across one of these, I had to get it.

Isn't it gorgeous?  The green stripe is hidden in the folds.  It looks like a Hudson Bay blanket but its not.  The USA has similar blankets by Pendleton I think.  

Its made by Ayers Wool (Canada).  Its in great condition although it does have a couple of teeny holes.

Hanging next to this blanket was not one...

but two of these gorgeous TePee wool blankets by Mohawk.  These are also Canadian.

Talk about feeding my camping dreams!

I guess someone was clearing out their Canadiana blanket stash!  Go figure! 

I've got to find the perfect place to display them.

I think they'll look great next to my vintage red suitcases with the Canadian travel stickers.  Although you wouldn't take suitcases camping...but its best not to over think this!

I've got a great red tartan vintage canteen which would just set the perfect scene...

But, I'm going to put them away for now.  Pack em up real tight because although I love them, I don't want to see any more wool or blankets! I'm sooooo ready for spring! 

Have a great day!