Santa Is Coming

Santa is coming!  It's almost time.

He is on his way!

I made him some cookies just today!

But I'm really not ready so I will have to scurry.  Wishing all of you the most wonderful of Christmas Seasons. 

Lacy Lampshade

A couple of weeks ago I unearthed a basket of lace trim I bought at an estate sale.  I had no purpose in mind just thought so much beautiful trim shouldn't go to waste.  Tonight I sat down and in about an hour turned it into this.

Can you guess what it is?

Why it's a lampshade of course.  Look at the soft glow peeking through all the different textures and fabrics. 

I just wrapped all my ribbon and trim around the frame of a lampshade and tied it at the bottom.  I really like the way the dangling ends give it such a whimsical look.  Wouldn't this look lovely in a little girls room or a guest room.

To think it all started with just a wire frame and some found trim.   This is a very easy project.  There is no gluing, no sewing and no pattern.  With different trim I think the looks you could get are endless.

Stand, Table, Chest?

I just ran this cute little guy down to my antique booth At Time Goes By in Greenwood, Mo.   But as I was writing the tag I couldn't decide what to call it.  Is it a stand, a bedside table or a small chest?

Anyway I wish I had taken a before photo.  I found him buried in a damp basement at an estate sale.  All the paint had peeled off the sides and legs from the damp.  I brought it home and used a putty knife and sand paper to get rid of the peeling paint.  Gave it three coats of an off-white paint and used a hand sander to distress it a bit.  When I sanded it some very pretty blue popped through that I wasn't aware was there.  But I was so pleased with the result and couldn't have planned it better.  Love it when that happens.

Now I hope someone likes it as much as I do and takes it home for Christmas even if I don't know what to call this piece of furniture.

Silver Birds

When I went home to clean out my Mother's house I found some thing I remembered being in the house from the time I was a small child.  These two silver pheasants were one of the few things I brought home with me.  My Mother always kept them sitting on the dining room table or in a hutch.

The birds are fairly heavy and appear to be silver.  They are salt and pepper shakers and to fill them you screw off the heads.  I have never seen anything like them in any antique shops or flea markets that I have visited (and I have visited quite a few). Has anyone else ever seen similar salt and pepper shakers?

I decided to use them as part of my Christmas decoration this year.

They are sitting at the base of my Christmas tree nestled in among some  red Christmas balls, poinsettia, and fir branches.  I have to say they look like they are enjoying their part in this holiday season.  I know my mother would enjoy that I have given them a home and am using them this year.

Lampshade

You know how sometimes you get really bored with the things in your house.  I have felt this way for sometime about the lamps in my living room.  Looking around in stores I felt that even in discount stores it was to much for my pocket book to purchase new.  So I found several old brass lamps at a local thrift store.  First I painted the lamp with hammered bronze paint. 

I found some wired burlap ribbon online at Crate and Barrel.

I made three roses out of the ribbon to glue on the lampshade once it was finished.

I cut ribbon in strips to fit the shade and glued it on with fabric glue.  This was a spur of the moment project and if I did it again I would buy some clothes pins to clip at the top and the bottom as I glued.

I couldn't find my glue gun so I clipped a flower to the shade until I find it.  I almost like the flower so much I may forget the roses I made.  For under $15.00 I have a new lamp and shade.  Have two more lamps to go so will let you know what they look like soon.

Seventy Years Ago

Two momentous events occurred seventy years ago today.  What must of you will remember if you are old enough is the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Secondly, I was born on that day seventy years ago.  I woke up today thankful that I can still jump out of bed and can do all things I still want to do.  I  may do them slower and for shorter periods of time.  My second though was I will not get a birthday card from my mother this year.  She was always so faithful in remembering my birthday and pointing out how old was getting.  And she wasn't of course.

No special plans except going to my oldest daughter's for dinner with some family and friends.

Hope you all have a good day and remember the men and women who gave their life for our freedom on this day so long ago.

Almost

 Thanksgiving day came with much ado.  Thirty seven guest so stuffed and so happy left little time for the next big event.  But now I have to hurry because Santa is due.  Christmas has arrived in spots and in places.

Remember my friend who I couldn't decide if he should go or should stay.  He is now dressed for the anticipated holiday.  The tree is aglow and looking so pretty.

 I popped a few deco in a little small box, found a red candle and Poinsettia.

The angels are happy keeping watch over it all.

Now I've only one job left I must do.  It seems fall still spills over the table in the hall.

Well it's almost done.