Topiaries Out Of Paper

I came across this blog post by Julie at Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss on making a quick topiary.  I like quick.  Even better, I like cheap!  I printed out Julie’s post and added it to my “Blog Projects” binder.  Here is how Julie’s turned out. 

Isn’t it so neat and pretty?  Mine are not so neat and pretty.  I don’t feel too bad though, because I made them out of wadded up grocery store circulars!  So I’ll just redo them when they start to bother me enough.

When I read Julie’s post, I had been frustrated with myself {again} for leaving Michaels my last trip there and forgetting to get styrofoam balls {again}.  I thought using wadded up paper was a great idea!  I already had the urns and the moss, and I have paper!

 

I did my little urn with just a moss ball using reindeer moss, but used the same technique of wadding up some circulars, taping them and then using hot glue to apply the moss.

For the larger of the two urns, I used a stick from my yard and I made a bigger ball of paper.  I used this other moss {the messy moss} and after burning my fingers several times, I gave it a little haircut and got this.

This one I just made into a moss ball for this very small urn and sat it on top.

Yeah, I know.  They won’t be sitting out long.  I wish I could say I was drunk when I did them.  Serves me right for forgetting to get proper round styrofoam balls when I’m at Michaels.

Redressing The Mantel

Since I took my mirror down to be painted, I took everything off my mantel.  With the mirror going back up, I thought I’d do a post about decorating it.  Let me just tell you that this is a difficult room to photograph, flash or no flash.  I’ve got windows and a set of french doors, as well as two skylights in here, so trying to avoid a glare is near impossible.  So I apologize for the pictures and the ceiling fans reflected in the mirror.

Here it is as a blank slate. 

My hubby made this mantel and did the tile surround.  I love the decorative moldings he used.

Let’s get the mirror back up there and in place.  Lovely!  So glad I painted it the Oil Rubbed Bronze and did the Rub n Buff.

Since I know my topiaries are going back up there, I’ll do them first.

Then the mantel clock I bought at a Florida flea market 15 years ago.

Now I’ll layer in my pictures that I did here, with the frames that I painted in Oil Rubbed Bronze.

Some books, and those fleurs and orbs I found at the dollar store {also painted in . . . you guessed it, Oil Rubbed Bronze}.

So happy I painted that mirror!

Linking up to the Vignette Party over at Beth’s, The Story of A to Z!   Didn’t Beth do a pretty button for it?  Be sure to come by and see what everyone else links up, too!

Have Coffee Table Will Travel?

Coffee tables with wheels?  Well, of course!  When I saw some of these coffee tables, I just knew I had to share them with you.  Although they might not be a good idea if you have small children {I’m sure they would be turned into some vehicle or other during play time}.

From artemano.com

From momentumoffailure.com

From familyplanningla.com

From ideadesignfurn.com

From Country Living

From Restoration Hardware

From Anthropologie

Not my personal style, but I could see myself having fun doing a room with one of these.  What do you think of coffee tables with wheels {or any table with wheels}? 

Tablescaping For Spring

These placemats from Dollar Tree provided the inspiration to play around with some tablescaping.  I do love the happy, Spring-like colors in these placemats {I believe they also had blue and orange, if you’re interested}.   I did the first tablescape in my dining room because the green placemats went so well with the candles and centerpiece I had set up in there.

Because I only have small green leaf plates, I thought to do this as a dessert setting.  I brought out my rabbit tea set, which I thought was just perfect for this time of year.

I put out a couple of our green Coke glasses.

And for anyone who might prefer iced tea to hot tea, I put out my matching rabbit pitcher.

And a green cherry cake plate for a tasty dessert!

The centerpiece I put together that inspired the colors in this tablescape.

I’m linking this post up with Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life and Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch.  Thanks to Marty and Susan for hosting these lovely linky parties!

Thrifty Finds From Good Will

Finally.  I got to Good Will this Saturday and while they didn’t have a lot going on, I did manage to spend $27.08.  I don’t know about the Good Will’s by you, but some of their prices are looking a bit high on some things.  High enough that I would just go to Target or Home Goods and buy it new!  So I passed over a few things, but did find these.

I don’t even know what this first item is ~ a wine bottle caddy maybe?  For $2.99 it didn’t really matter.  Here’s what I saw in my mind when I picked it up ~ Heirloom White spray paint and either two pots of flowers or two bottles with some cut flowers.  Maybe a pretty little sign attached to it, too.  I think this would work nicely in my gazebo or a bench I have on my patio.

Yes, this is a Christmas box, also $2.99.  When I first picked it up I thought about painting and decoupaging over it.  As I looked at it a little more, though, I was starting to like it just as it is.  I guess sometimes you don’t have to redo everything you pick up at Good Will!  This box is wood and has a snowman on the front and the back.  This could be for a floral arrangement, hold Christmas cards, children’s holiday books ~ I think this could turn out to be a versatile piece even if it is geared toward Christmas.

After my disastrous attempt to make my own topiary and moss ball this past week {well, they’re not really that bad ~ post coming soon}, I found this one {$2.99}.  It looks like it was meant to have a base of some kind, but it works just fine for me.  I may just paint the pot a fresher white.

I’ve already put it over by my kitchen sink.

This box {that looks like it is brand new from Target} and which is actually a jewelry box, will be getting a little make-over as far as the “love” will be coming off and I’ll put something else in its place.  Also the ring holder in the one drawer I took out already.  I thought this would work well for some little embellishments and any other little doodads I pick up for projects.   This was probably the most expensive single item I bought at $4.99.

These earrings I really liked and they were $2.99 a pair.  I’ve been looking for pretty buttons and old jewelry to have on hand as embellishments and thought these would be good to add to the jar I’ve been filling.

Finally, this little china tea set, which just screamed “Cute” to me, at $3.99.  Not a crack or chip in any of the pieces, which is amazing when you consider that it was stored on the shelf in a cool whip container with no lid or paper around the pieces.  I’ve already washed this up and will put it away until some future date, to be used with a little someone, who will be making their appearance this Summer! 

All in all, I think I got a nice haul!  I like when I can find a variety of things like this.

Linking up to

Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Thrifty Thursday at Tales From Bloggeritaville 

 

Quickie Easter Decor

A trip to the dollar store got me these picture plaques, which I used for this next project.  I had seen this antique Easter bunny picture on kmckaydesigns.com and was able to find it online and printed it out.  It is so cute I had to find something to do with it and these plaques were it.

I pulled out some scrapbook paper that I already had with colors that would work with the image.  I traced around the plaque, cut the paper to fit and glued it on with craft glue.

Once that dried, I centered the image and glued that on top.  I had the little letters and pulled out varying patterns to spell out “happy easter” and glued them down each side.  A coat of matte Mod Podge over the top and a little ribbon hot glued to the back and it’s a quick Easter decoration.

I used the same idea to do this Moth graphic from The Graphics Fairy, which I posted about at It’s So Very Cheri’s Thursday Tutorial feature today. 

I really love the way this turned out!   Can’t beat the price either ~ $1.00 for the picture plaque, I had the paper, and the graphic was printed from on-line.  The moth project, with the addition of the label holder, was maybe $2.00 {the label holder came in a package of 4}.

Linking up to

Five Dollar Challenge at Life with Lindsay

Easter Party at Embellished Bayou

Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch

Make Your Monday at Twice Remembered

Be Inspired at Room To Inspire

Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden