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When Life Gives You a Broken Wrist (or a Leaky Birdbath) Plant Succulents!

May 15, 2015 by Patti 32 Comments

Perhaps you’ve noticed that I haven’t been blogging much lately and yes, there is a reason.  I hate to sound whiny here on my blog and I also hate to seem whimpy.  That’s why I waited a week after breaking my wrist before going to the doctor to have it x-rayed.  That’s also why I waited two weeks after the cast came off before going back to the doctor with my suspicion that something wasn’t right.  Pride?  Yeah, maybe.

Feeling more pain after the cast comes off than when it went on is not good.  Not being able to write or type or turn the key in the ignition, or sleep soundly at night because of shooting pain up your arm is bad.  Having your husband tell you to get into the doctor, when your husband is a doctor, is the worst!

I remind myself that a broken wrist is a little thing and how blessed I am compared to people who have really awful things in their lives.  Still, not being able to work on all of the projects I’ve started has left me feeling a bit “down in the dumps” for the past couple of months (losing our SnoopyGirl didn’t help either).

Succulent birdbath prep

Before planting I drilled a few holes in the bottom of the cement birdbath and added rocks to the bottom for drainage as succulents don’t like to remain too moist.

So when life gives you a broken wrist, or a leaky birdbath, the perfect thing to do is plant succulents!  I have been able to do projects that don’t require small motor movement of my right hand and wrist so I’ve been spending a lot of time working in my yard, which is a delight this time of year.  Now . . . since even writing this little bit is painful . . . I’m going to move on and show you the pics I took after planting this old birdbath and thrift store pitcher with succulents. 

Succulent birdbath 001

Succulent Birdbath 001a

This is one small corner of my yard where I’ve added color. Beyond the grass is a fenced wooded area with a walking trail.  We plan to add more plantings along the edge of the grass as time goes on in order to create a bit of an enclosed courtyard feeling to our backyard.

Succulent Birdbath 002

Succulent birdbath 011

Over the summer these succulents will grow and begin to overflow this container like they did in the three-tiered succulent planter I did a couple of summers ago.

 Super simple and super cute right?  And how handy it was to have a tree right there to wire the pitcher to.

Succulent Birdbath 006

Today I start twice weekly occupational therapy on my frozen wrist.  My faith tells me to pray for healing of my wrist.  I’ve had lots of prayer and I believe that God is healing my hand.  The whiny in me would love for it to be sooner rather than later.

Though I’ve missed sharing what I’m working on with you all I can honestly say that I’m enjoying not having the pressure of hours spent preparing and sharing posts.  As we head into summer my stress meter is lower than it’s been in a long time so perhaps I’m learning a thing or two along the way.  Any maybe, just maybe, God’s timing for healing my hand is the perfect timing 🙂

Though I’m not blogging much right now I AM taking pictures of the things I’m enjoying every day. If you like to share in that, please follow me on Instagram.

Blessings to you until the next time,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
 NiftyThriftyThings,
SilverPenniesSundays, SundaySoiree, SundaysAtHome
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, AnExtraordinaryDay,
InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, RedheadCanDecorate
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife, 
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles, 7Alive,  Maison de Pax, VintageInspirationParty
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse,
BeyondThePicketFence, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, Inspiration2
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat,
KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty
Friday:
FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,
ShabbyliciousFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal,
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SayG’DaySaturday,  SaturdaySparks,
TheInspirationGallery
Succulent Yard Art
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Filed Under: Blogging, Flowers, Gardening, Health, My Yard, Southern Living, Spring, Succulents, Thrift Store Re-purposing Tagged With: Blogging, Flowers, Gardening, Health, my yard, southern living, Spring, Succulents, thrift store repurposing

Preserved Boxwood Wreath Tutorial and Other Thrift Store Crafts

March 14, 2015 by Patti 11 Comments

 Savvy shopping.  It’s a family tradition . . . passed down from mother to daughter.  My mother never learned to drive but when I got my license you’d better believe she made sure I got a lot of practice . . . and the best way to practice was to drive to shopping destinations all over the greater Seattle area.  One of her favorite places was the gigantic Goodwill Store in downtown Seattle!  It is the biggest thrift store I’ve ever been to and it is amazing!

I don’t know if you know this Savvy Shopping Tip, but thrift stores are the BEST places to shop for seasonal decor . . . and right now they have their Seasonal displays right up front for your shopping pleasure!  Ceramic eggs that have lost their cool?  No problem . . .

Mossy Decoupage Egg

Cover the egg with sheet moss and a bunny graphic and it will be cuter than ever. 

Empty plastic eggs from Easter’s past? 

Decoupage eggs

They will be beautiful displayed in a basket once they’ve been decoupaged with Spring napkins.

A plain old basket with no pizzaz?

Mossy Basket

Moss it!!! To see the complete tutorials for these adorable projects, click on the links HERE, HERE and HERE.

Some winter decor and our living room 018

All that leads me to the main subject of this post, how to make a Preserved Boxwood Wreath.  My boxwood wreath began it’s life as a grapevine wreath adorned with silk flowers that were well past their prime!  Thrift stores and garage sales are a great source for inexpensive wreaths in need of a makeover.  You only have to look beyond the surface and imagine . . . what . . . might . . .  be . . . 

Of course that is the main theme of Old Things New!

Boxwood Wreath 001

Grapevine wreaths are great to work because they are woven together loosely enough that it’s easy to tuck boxwood stems (even silk flowers . . . pretty ones) between the gaps, and their tight woody branches hold your stems in place as you work.

Boxwood Wreath 003

I tucked my individual boxwood pieces into the wreath with each stem going in the same direction.

Boxwood Wreath 002

Then I added green florist’s wire, wrapping it around the wreath several times to hold everything securely in place and to tame unruly branches.  I was careful to hide the wire under branches on the front side of the wreath.

partial wreath

If you prefer a “well-groomed” look to your boxwood you can achieve that by doing a little trimming with pruning shears.  I chose to leave my boxwood just a little bit wild!

For more boxwood ideas you can link back to my Decorating With Preserved Boxwood post HERE.  There you’ll also find the link to where I purchased my preserved boxwood in bulk (the thriftiest way to go by the way).

I don’t want to forget to remind you that Farragoz, the online painting course shown on my sidebar has a LIMITED TIME OFFER for my readers only going through the end of March.  The course, normally offered at $150 is being offered for $99.  This is a great value for this amazing online painting course and the only way to link up to the special offer is to click on the link below.  To read more about the course you can link back to my full post HERE.

Farragoz Special Offer

I know it’s been a pretty harsh winter for many and I hope it’s beginning to feel more Springlike where you live.  Doing a Spring project sure helps to make it feel like it is a bit closer.  If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to Pin It or Tweet It!

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Blessings to you my friends,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
ThreeMangoSeeds,  NiftyThriftyThings,
SilverPenniesSundays, SundaySoiree, SundaysAtHome
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, AnExtraordinaryDay,
InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, RedheadCanDecorate
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife, 
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles, 7Alive,  Maison de Pax
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse,
BeyondThePicketFence, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, Inspiration2
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat,
KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty
Friday:
FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,
ShabbyliciousFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal,
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SayG’DaySaturday,  SaturdaySparks,
TheInspirationGallery
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Filed Under: Gardening, Home decorating, My Home, Old Junk Transformations, Spring Decorating, Thrift Store Re-purposing, Wreaths Tagged With: Crafts, Home Decorating, old junk transformations, Spring, thrift store repurposing, Wreaths

Favorite Tips for Creating Gorgeous Velvet Pumpkins!

October 2, 2014 by Patti 25 Comments

A brand new mini dress with psychedelic swirls of hot pink and lime green . . . my big sister “ratting” the crown of my new short haircut and sealing it in place with Aqua Net, the cement of hair sprays . . . a little bit of mascara (shhhh . . . don’t tell mom) . . . a touch of white frosted lipstick and I was out the door. 

But OH, how I was shaking in my hot pink heels.  You see, it was my first day of Junior High and I was so afraid that I wouldn’t be sophisticated enough to fit in.

All my worries were for naught . . . as most of our worries tend to be.  I found a new best friend the very first day and went back to my normal mode of dress from that day forward, realizing that 7th graders aren’t very sophisticated after all.

5-Velvet Pumpkins & The Secret Garden Tea Room 001THAT is one of the memories of Fall that sticks out in my mind.  It is a good memory and a somewhat traumatic memory all at the same time!  I think it taught me a thing or two about trying to fit in though.  Flash forward to today . . . some (EEK!) 46 years later and remember . . . authenticity is always best.

So what about you dear readers?  What memories do you have of Fall?  What is the happiest memory you carry?  What is your favorite thing about this time of year?

2-Entry Hall & Fall Decor 069I don’t suppose you have to ask me what my favorite thing is because it is pretty obvious that I have a passion for decorating and making my home a welcoming place to be, each and every season.  It is especially fun this year to be decorating a brand new (to me) home.

9-Velvet Pumpkins Tips

I promised you in my post A GRAND FALL PORCH that I would be back to share with you my absolute best method for creating gorgeous velvet pumpkins.  I learned by trial and error so you don’t have to!  So lets get started:

2-Velvet Pumpkin Tute 002First of all, the Old Things New part.  I hit the thrift stores last Fall and searched out velvet and velour fabrics in pretty “Fallish” colors.  My pumpkins were made from old pillows, dresses and blouses.  You can make a whole LOT of pumpkins out of one woman’s full length dress, which is fun because then you’ll have some to give away to friends.  They will be delighted!

I created several sizes of pumpkins, using different sized plates as patterns.  The smallest pumpkin was traced from a salad plate and the largest from a serving tray.  I suppose you could have a REALLY big pumpkin if you traced it from something like a big aluminum snow sled!  How fun would that be?!

4-Velvet Pumpkin Tute 005Anyhoo, these are the “ingredients”:  White beans, Poly-fil, a couple different varieties of moss and dried pumpkin stems . . .

NOTE: For the pumpkin stems, you can dry stems taken from your own pumpkins OR, if you want a lot of them (like I did), you can walk through local pumpkins fields just after harvest and pick up what’s left behind (I actually did that . . . with permission of course).  The problem with that was I wanted to make velvet pumpkins . . . and I wanted to make them NOW!  So while my collected pumpkin stems were drying I ended up buying stems from an Etsy shop.

E6000 Lastly don’t forget the E6000, the absolute best crafting glue I’ve found . . . and I think they should pay me for saying that!

Begin by hand basting around the edges of your fabric circle with some extra strength thread.  Then pull the thread to gather the edges together, leaving just enough room to add the filler.

Now for my tried and true tips:

Tip number 1:  Add some beans to the bottom of the pumpkin, filling it about one third of the way.  This will give your pumpkin stability so it won’t tip over.

Tip number 2:  Be careful not to stuff your pumpkin too much.  Add polyester filler until your pumpkin is about three-quarters full, then pull your basting thread tight and tie it off.  Stuffing the pumpkin too full will make the pumpkin stems will look like they are sitting on top of the velvet pumpkin, rather than growing from it.

1-Velvet Pumpkins 002Tip number 3:  THIS tip is why I call this the BEST way to make velvet pumpkins. Attach the stems with E6000 and then scrunch the pumpkin up around the stem and rubber band it in place until it dries.  Overnight is best.  Remove the rubber bands and voila . . . gorgeous velvet pumpkin!

8-Velvet Pumpkins & The Secret Garden Tea Room 011But what if you have a mess up and it doesn’t look so gorgeous . . . like if you accidentally glop glue on top of the velvet, or you stuff it a bit too much and the stem doesn’t sit down inside the velvet nicely, or if your stitching shows, or whatever . . . ?

6-Velvet Pumpkins & The Secret Garden Tea Room 002Simply add a little moss to cover up the goofs!

Velvet Pumpkins 038And here you have it . . . a pumpkin redeemed!

7-Velvet Pumpkins & The Secret Garden Tea Room 005I like grouping my pumpkins together, some with moss and some without.

Velvet Pumpkins 025

Velvet Pumpkins 022

Velvet Pumpkins 069I also like mixing them in with real pumpkins and gourds.

Velvet Pumpkins 071

3-Entry Hall & Fall Decor 080One of my most viewed posts was this display of pumpkins contained in my junky chicken wire cloche.  To see more pics and to view the cloche tutorial you can link back HERE

4-Entry Hall & Fall Decor 106Finally, another cloche filled with pumpkins.  The Chevron patterned one was made from an old pillow cover and the little pumpkin on top was made from drop cloth fabric.  Aren’t they darling?  These pumpkins have a whole different look and were shared in a tutorial by the amazing Shannon over at AKA Design.  Head on over to her place to see the “how to” and while you’re there check out the rest of her blog.  It is packed with creative and inspirational goodness!

An added NOTE:  Jonni at Minnie’s Milestones made some of her own velvet pumpkins after reading this post and she has come up with a few extra tips that are extremely helpful. Head on over to her blog to see her pretty pumpkins and get some additional ideas!

So what’s next?  So far I’ve shown you the front porch of my new house.  Next I’ll be taking you inside where I’ve added a little more Fall decor.  I hope you’ll come back and join me.  I’m off now to find a Starbucks so I can savor one of my other favorite things about Fall, Pumpkin Spice Lattes!

Blessings,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, TheTablescaper,LifeOnLakeshoreDrive,
ThreeMangoSeeds,  NiftyThriftyThings,
SundaySoiree,
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife,  TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, CarrieThisHome, Dwellings, AnExtraordinaryDay,
InspireMeMonday,
BetweenNapsOnThePorch
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife, 
VMG206, TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow, TheWinthropChronicles, WeCallItJunkin’
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, BeyondThePicketFence, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife, AKAWeekendRetreat
Friday:
MyRomanticHome, FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
 DIYVintageChic,
ShabbyliciousFriday
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal,
OneMoreTimeEvents,  SayG’DaySaturday
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Filed Under: Cloches, DIY, Drop Cloth Projects, Fall Decor, Home decorating, Thrift Store Re-purposing Tagged With: Cloches, Crafts, DIY, Fall Decor, Home Decorating, thrift store repurposing, Velvet Pumpkins

Happiness in a Vintage Strawberry Crate

March 19, 2014 by Patti 35 Comments

1-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 001Do rainy days make you happy?  Sometimes I like the rain, but not when it continues day-after-day, week-after-week, without a single peek at the sun.  One Saturday morning just a few weeks ago, our day began with a shroud of clouds and drizzling rain that seemed to mirror the gray feelings inside me.   Enough with the rain already!

2-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 002On this drizzly day Mr. OTN and I decided to “escape” from home.  We escaped our lists, our piles, our things-to-do . . . and spent the day just JUNKING.

5-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 016

As we walked down Main Street of a quaint old town Mr. OTN caught sight of this wonderful vintage strawberry crate all alone on the sidewalk.  It caught his eye, not because it was something he’d like for himself, but because he knows me . . . and he knew it was something that would delight me.

3-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece and St Patti's Day Decor 007I have childhood memories of a strawberry crate much like this one.  One week in summer.  One long, hot week picking strawberries.  In between the strawberry fights and sweet berry juice running down my chin, it was the hardest work I’d ever experienced.  In fact, it was probably the only REAL work this city child experienced.  But I was motivated to do the work in order to earn spending money for our family trip to California.

2-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece and St Patti's Day Decor 003And what did I do with my hard earned $14.00?  I bought a souvenir gift for each of my friends.  I was quite proud of myself . . .  but not proud enough to go back to the strawberry fields again the next year.  Like I said, it was HARD work!

8-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 042While Mr. OTN was making the purchase I was already making plans in my head for what I would do with this weathered and rusty old crate.

7-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 040Once back home I began by laying down tablecloth and table runners, then lined my crate with vintage lace.

6-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 028I filled it with everything needed for a dinner with the one who knew that this strawberry crate would bring sunshine to my day and warm me from the inside out.

3-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 009I tucked in a few floral branches to remind me that Spring is right around the corner . . .

4-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 0119-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece 048

. . . and as I prepared to take some pictures, the sun broke through the clouds . . .

4-Vintage Strawberry Box Centerpiece and St Patti's Day Decor 011. . . turning one gloomy, drizzly day into a day filled with bright happiness! 

Blessings,

My Signature

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, TheTablescaper,LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SuburbsMama,
ThreeMangoSeeds
NiftyThriftyThings
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, TheGraphicsFairy, TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, GiveMeTheGoodsMonday,  TwelveOEight,
FrugalCraftyHome, Dwellings
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, MyUncommonSliceOfSuburbia, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse,  BloomingHomestead,KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife, 
VMG206, BeBetsy,TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow,
TheWinthropChronicles
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, The36thAvenue, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove, Timewashed,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, BeyondThePicketFence, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife 
Friday:
MyRomanticHome, FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TickledPinkTimesTwo, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
IHeartNapTime, WeCallItJunkin’,
DIYVintageChic,
FindingFabulous
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, ClassyClutter, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal, TooMuchTimeOnMyHands,
OneMoreTimeEvents
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Filed Under: Antiques and Collectibles, farmhouse glam, Home decorating, Junking, Spring Decorating, Table Runners, table settings, Thrifting Tagged With: Antiques and Collectibles, Centerpieces, Farmhouse Glam, Home Decor, Junking, Repurposing, Spring, Table Settings, thrift store repurposing

Mercury Glass Used in Winter Decor

December 31, 2013 by Patti 21 Comments

 I have a special fondness for mercury glass no matter what time of the year but especially in winter.  Winter nights are long and the days are short and anything that catches and reflects a little more light around my home makes me happy. 03-Mercury Glass at Christmas (2)

04-Mercury Glass at Christmas (3)

05-Mercury Glass at Christmas (4)I spray painted the inside of this clear bottle to give it the mirrored effect of mercury glass, then added this cute little snow baby graphic (I’ll give you all the who, what, where, when, how info at the end of this post!)

06-Mercury Glass at Christmas (5) I love the look of dried cotton but since I didn’t have any available to me I made my own.  What do you think?

09-Mercury Glass at Christmas (10)  On Christmas my sister-in-law asked me where I got the cotton and when I told her my secret she was so impressed.

07-Mercury Glass at Christmas (6)On the reverse side of the bottle I added a different graphic.

08-Mercury Glass at Christmas (8)

11-Mercury Glass at Christmas (13) In my powder room I have these great vintage bottles on display.  I was fortunate enough to find a whole “family” of them at a local thrift store for $2.00 apiece.   After a few light coats of spray paint I applied French perfume bottle labels which seemed fitting for a powder room.

12-Mercury Glass at Christmas (14)

13-Mercury Glass at Christmas (15)

  15-Mercury Glass at Christmas (17)

16-Mercury Glass at Christmas (18)A little twine and few sprigs of faux winter berry branches make these festive all winter long.

01-Mercury Glass 009This is a vase I had on hand (one of those vases that collect under the sink after the flowers are gone).   I added a pretty vintage earring for a little more bling.

06-Mercury Glass 029Roses and mercury glass go so well together . . .

05-Mercury Glass 025As an FYI, Looking Glass spray will not withstand water.  I put my flowers in a ZipLock bag filled with water and carefully slipped it down into the vase.  You could also insert a smaller vase inside a large one.

02-Mercury Glass 012

Here mercury glass is a part of my winter centerpiece.  Silver and gold mixed together is festive for New Year’s and beyond. 

07-Mercury Glass 044

1-Mercury Glass 055

2-Mercury Glass 053

1-Mercury Glass 052A little warmth on a cold winter’s night.

08-Mercury Glass 045One last touch of mercury glass in my home are these light fixtures that I purchased to hang over my kitchen island.  Being a DIYer I tried to use my fancy spray paint on the frosted glass shades that used to hang here.  Note: Mercury glass spray paint does not look good on frosted glass!  They turned out looking more like metal shades than glass.  Oh well, there are bound to be some failures along the way.

10-Mercury Glass 048I thought these were reasonably priced and they came from Pottery Barn.

09-Mercury Glass 046

So, here are the details, as promised: 

For all of the DIY mercury glass projects I used Krylon Looking Glass spray paint (found at WalMart) to create the mirrored effect.  There are many good tutorials to be found online but for these pieces I simply followed the instructions on the can and sprayed a thin coat of paint down into the bottle followed by a spritz of water to make the water drop effect.  I speeded up the drying time by using my hair dryer between each coat of paint.  On the more “see-through” items (like the old bottles) I used 3-4 coats of paint and on the vases I probably used 5-6 coats of paint. 

All of the cute graphics are from The Graphics Fairy.  If you haven’t been to her fabulous website you’ve gotta go!  To age the paper I dipped it in very strong coffee, placed it on a cookie sheet and baked it in the oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.  Then I applied it to my bottles with Mod Podge.

For the homemade cotton twigs I used pieces of polyfill stuffing which I sort of rolled into balls between my hands and “stuck” onto pussy willow branches at random.  I didn’t use any glue at all  and they’ve held up just fine.

Do you love the look of mercury glass as much as I do?  For more bright and shiny inspiration be sure to check out my Pinterest Board “Mercury Glass Love”. I’ve pinned a lot of items that I’d like to try to duplicate myself, if I can find the right clear glass pieces.  I’ve also pinned some ideas on how to use mercury glass pieces in home decor. 

Keep your light shining bright throughout this winter season.

Blessings to you,

My SignatureMercury Glass

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!
Sunday:
 UnderTheTableAndDreaming, TheDIYShowoff, TheTablescaper,LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SuburbsMama,
ThreeMangoSeeds
NiftyThriftyThings
Monday:
 IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor,  ModVintageLife, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, TheGraphicsFairy, TheDedicatedHouse, UncommonDesigns, WestFurnitureRevival, BoogieboardCottage, HuckleberryLove, GiveMeTheGoodsMonday,  TwelveOEight, FrugalCraftyHome, Dwellings
Tuesday:
HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, Elizabeth&Co, MyUncommonSliceOfSuburbia, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,  NaptimeCreations, CedarHillFarmhouse,  BloomingHomestead,KatheWithAnE,NotJustAHousewife,  VMG206, BeBetsy,TuesdaysAtOurHome,
TwirlAndTakeABow,
TheWinthropChronicles
Wednesday:
SavvySouthernStyle, The36thAvenue, IvyAndElephants,  DIYByDesign, TheStyleSisters, AdornedFromAbove, Timewashed,
SomedayCrafts, GreenWillowPond, Fishtail Cottage,  TheCityFarmhouse
Thursday:
NoMinimalistHere, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, BeyondThePicketFence, AllThingsWithPurpose, MyRepurposedLife, FromMyFrontPorchToYours, ADelightsomeLife 
Friday:
MyRomanticHome, FrenchCountryCottage, MissMustardSeed, ThirtyHandmadeDays, CommonGround, TheShabbyNest, LizMarie, Redoux, JenniferRizzo, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TickledPinkTimesTwo, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday,
IHeartNapTime, WeCallItJunkin’,
DIYVintageChic,
FindingFabulous
Saturday:
FunkyJunkInteriors, ClassyClutter, SixSistersStuff, It’sOverflowing, BeDifferentActNormal, TooMuchTimeOnMyHands
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Filed Under: Christmas, Craft Ideas, DIY, Home decorating, ModPodge, Old Junk Transformations, Tablescapes, Vintage bottles Tagged With: Christmas, DIY, Home Decor, Mercury Glass, Mod Podge, Tablescapes, thrift store repurposing, Vintage Bottles

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OldThingsNew

I am Perfectly Imperfect Patti, daughter of the King, wife to the amazing Mr. OTN, mom to two grown daughters, a great son-in-law, and companion to two spoiled dogs. At Old Things New I share DIY’s, budget friendly home transformations, as well as posts about how God transforms our souls. I myself have been made new and I love to share what I’ve learned through WRITING and SPEAKING. To view a short Vimeo of “Our Story” (Mr. OTN and I) please follow the link at the top of the page.

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