Tag Archives: ironstone

DIY Candle Holders from Everyday Objects

The ice storm that hit several areas of the map this past weekend and was supposed to hit us missed us. We’ve been in them before, losing power, tree wreckage all over the yard and streets. It’s no fun and my thoughts go out to those who were affected.

With the thought of losing electricity in mind, today I’m reposting an issue from my long-running series Girls Want Pearls where I show you how to turn ordinary objects into pearl dripping candle holders. I gathered up some of my ironstone collection, spools of string, and some glass bobeches.

I decided to keep it all neutral, so I used off white candles. The bobeches come in handy to both bridge the gap at the top of vessels and to hold the candles in place. They also keep hot wax from dripping onto your vessels. I added stick tack to some of them to keep them even more stable. Swags can be made by hooking the pearls to the bobeches if they have holes/wire for that. Some of mine don’t so I just wrapped pearls around the candle base, then intertwined, swagged and dripped to get the desired effect.

Here’s a view from the top.
You can see how I added pedestals to bring the height up on some of the pieces.

Almost anything can be turned into a candle holder ~ clear glass vases, mason jars, silver or tin pieces, teapots, the only limit is your imagination. Experiment and have fun!

You could place an arrangement like this inside of a non-working fireplace. Be sure to exercise caution when lighting the candles.

Stay warm!

Farmhouse Dining Room Part 2 & My Desk Space

Before I show you my drastically improved desk space in Part 2 of my dining room reveal I would like to share a few shots of my ironstone collection.

You may remember the “Bethany” plate. Most of the pieces were great bargains that I picked up for just a dollar or five. The smaller pitcher was gifted to me by my mom several years ago and the little creamer sitting on the oval dish belonged to her as well.

I still have room for a few more items!

Just to the left of the buffet and hutch is where I sit as I write each blog post.

This is what it looked like before.

Yikes! It looks so much worse than I remember.

Seriously?

The tangled mess of wire was such an eyesore. I tried numerous ways to keep them tucked away neatly but they always eventually got out of control.

So when I started making over the dining room and desk space I was determined to end the wire octopus. The armoire became my solution. I’ve had it for years, sitting in the living room. It held our television and kept it concealed when we weren’t watching it. But last Christmas our kids gave us a flatscreen TV. With the armoire now empty, I knew it would be perfect behind my desk.

The doors don’t shut completely and a few wires show behind the desk but it’s SO much better than it was. I added a metal basket to the side for holding jars with pens and pencils.

I placed 2 doors on top of the armoire that I had removed from the hutch. I feel like I’m getting more décor bang that way, by allowing my ironstone to be fully exposed while at the same time having a great backdrop on top of the armoire.

I hope you enjoyed a peek into one of the spaces in my home that I love and use the most.

And here’s this week’s tip on A Little Bird Told Me.

Have a productive week! :)

Linking with: Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,The Scoop, Between Naps on the Porch, From My Front Porch to Yours, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life, Ivy and Elephants, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Amaze Me Monday, Funky Junk Interiors, Savvy Southern Style, The Charm of Home, Vintage Charm

Farmhouse Dining Room Reveal

I decided to show you the dining room reveal while it’s arrayed in its fall glory. Along with all the other rooms downstairs, the dining room got a couple of coats of Benjamin Moore Crystalline to brighten it up and bring more cohesion between rooms.

It was previously (and for several years) this pumpkin color.

A little bit different now, huh?

The change I was most eager to make was to move the chippy old hutch
off the top of the corner buffet…

and place it on top of the longer, more suitable white buffet.

I love it in its new home. Along with moving it, I purged the brown transferware,
leaving only shades of white ironstone.

The architectural header made the perfect topper and a day at the orchard last week
yielded my ever favorite bittersweet.

I flanked the hutch with a pair of Italian sconces. I love their elegance in juxtaposition with the rustic farmhouse hutch. The sconces are each located right next to a window so their dripping prisms really sparkle on sunny days. When I show you my entry hall you will see
where the sconces previously hung.

I love how much lighter everything feels now. One of the things I still want to do is make over the dark trestle table and chairs. That will have to be a 2016 project.

At the opposite end of the room sits my desk. I will show you what I did to make that area so much more appealing in part 2.

This week in “A Little Bird Told Me” I am sharing a tiny tip that made a huge difference in my life.

Anyone who suffers from debilitating migraines should really give this a try!

Linking with: Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,The Scoop, Between Naps on the Porch, From My Front Porch to Yours, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life, Ivy and Elephants, Common Ground, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Amaze Me Monday, VMG206, That DIY Party, Funky Junk Interiors, Savvy Southern Style, The Charm of Home, Vintage Charm

More Fall Neutrals and a New Series

I put together another baby boo display and kept it neutral with browns, grays, creams and a hint of navy blue.

I already had the fluted metal pan and ironstone grouping in my bathroom with candles in it. I added a bouquet of dried hydrangeas from a friend’s wedding and changed out the candles for pumpkins and acorns.

I still have some baby boos on the vine waiting to be picked so I will be playing with pumpkins throughout the month. As much as I love fall neutrals I envision the next display with pops of fall color!

Back in January I shared 8 Things I Want My Blog To Be in 2015. Number 2 on the list was to give my readers practical ways to make life a little easier. To that end, I have designed a little series I’m calling “A Little Bird Told Me.” The feature will be at the end of various posts and will contain random, helpful information. Some will be a little kooky, some may seem obvious, but all will be tried and true tips that I have learned and put to use in my day to day life. I don’t claim to be an authority on the subjects I will cover. From crafting to cleaning, from hygiene to mental health I’ll share a mix of life hacks that have worked for me. Here’s the first of many…

Yep! Simple but true!

As always, I’m so happy that you took the time to read my blog. I hope that you have a beautifully creative week!

Linking with: Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,The Scoop, Mod Vintage Life, Between Naps on the Porch, From My Front Porch to Yours, Cozy Little House, A Stroll Thru Life, Ivy and Elephants, Common Ground, Shabby Art Boutique, French Country Cottage, Amaze Me Monday , VMG206, That DIY Party, Funky Junk Interiors

An Aqua Cupboard and Brown Transferware

By now you may have seen most of my farmhouse kitchen reveal. The final thing I would like to show you is in the far corner behind the peninsula.

This little aqua cupboard is a piece I picked up at an estate sale several years ago. It was this color when I bought it and I didn’t have to do a thing to it other than fill it with treasures.

And fill it I have!

I previously had a hodge podge of mostly vintage dishes and glassware displayed inside. I have a small but growing collection of brown transferware that was scattered here and there, mostly unnoticed. I wasn’t doing it justice so I decided that the aqua cupboard was the perfect home for it. I love the visual impact that grouping a collection brings.

One of the amazing things about the cupboard is the way it was made.

The inside has stair step notches running from top to bottom on each side. The notches allow for every possible shelf adjustment imaginable.They don’t make them like they used to!

My favorite piece in the collection is this bowl that my mom used next to her kitchen sink to hold her sponge.

I wouldn’t say I’m on the hunt for more brown transferware, but if I just happen to come across any at a rock bottom price I’ll make room for it in my collection.

Kitchen Reveal … Almost

Hey! Just popping in to say that I hope you’re having an inspired week! Things always take longer than planned when it comes to DIY. Not surprisingly, I am not quite ready to show the full kitchen reveal. But it really is coming soon! Very soon!

In the meantime, I will show you a very quick peek of one area.

I told you it was quick!

As soon as I finish stocking my coffee station, tidy up my mail center and make my red amaryllis white, I will start snapping pics. I keep seeing other things I want to do to the kitchen, but I’m holding myself to those 3 things! The other ideas can and will be implemented later after I’ve had a chance to live with it for a while.

Back soon with more!

Tarnished Royalty

Design Your Life