Nice Niche

BEFORE: This is the niche in the dining room. It has a glass and brass table that fits inside. It needed help.

AFTER: We painted it cobalt blue. Now it's a great backdrop for a few of my favorite things.

 It holds my "glass menagerie", a collection of Lalique crystal figurines, a little Waterford lamp, and

 a colorful oil painting that we found at our town's Art & Craft Festival.

It was our Christmas present that year.

Paint is always the fastest, cheapest and most dramatic thing you can do.

"In memory everything seems to happen to music" Tennessee Williams - The Glass Menagerie.

Cheers!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch

Thanksgiving-In-A-Box

 I need to go into the garage to get a storage bin down.

It's a two-person job because......

 it's up too high. It's on the top storage shelf. The one that says.......

THANKSGIVING!

Button Wine Charms

I just finished making these cute button wine charms.

 Here's  what you'll need.

skill level: no skill required
supplies: buttons (you've collected), earring hoops (or wire), needle nose pliers...that's it!
cost: pennies for the wire hoops
time: in 5 minutes you'll have a set.
gratification: instant!

 I gathered a few jars of buttons. I had a few earring hoops on hand. In no time I had festive wine charms. I used red, green and white for Christmas. You can use any colors, for every season or decor.

Just thread the buttons onto the hoops.

 You can get these at the craft store. You could also make your own by bending wire around a broom handle and making a small loop at one end.

 Two or three buttons on each hoop.

 Then bend the straight end with your pliers to make a hook.

 That's it!

 Viola!

It's fun to pick out different buttons.

It will help keep your guests wineglasses properly identified.

I think I'll make some to use anytime too.

A set would make a cute small gift.

Quick, Cute, Easy, No Cost, No Skill....my kind of craft!

Cheers! 
Rita


Links: It's So Very Cheri, The Style Sisters, Between Naps On The Porch, Life As Lori,
Somewhat Simple, Tales From Bloggeritaville, My Romantic Home, Fine Craft Guild, 
All Things Heart & Home, Funky Junk Interiors

Butcher Block Care

About one a month I condition the butcher
 block top on my kitchen island

I use this prep surface everyday and the 

wood gets dry from the daily washings. 

The best thing to use is mineral oil. 

Do not use vegetable or olive oil.

Just wipe it on with a rag. You can really see

 the difference. Let it absorb in for about
 30 minutes and if the is any excess
just rub it in again.

Much better!

Click HERE to see the island makeover.

You can find mineral oil in the medicine
section of your grocery or drug store.

Cheers!

Links: A Stroll Thru Life

Before-Four Poster Bathtub Project

I found this old before photo of our bathroom before the four poster project.

and the after......

To see the whole project click on:   four poster bathtub


Links: Between Naps On The Porch, Savvy Southern Style

Family Room Storage Credenza

We had this office credenza stored in the garage. It's a solid wood vintage piece.

I thought that it might fit behind the sofa in the family room.

 I could put  my two blue pottery lamps on it. We can always use more light.

 It has lots of storage space. We can really use more storage.

It just fit!  It gives us lots of storage and also more room in the garage! Good thing too, because we didn't want to have to move it back to the garage again! The antique armoire is another Kane County Flea Market find brought from our Barrington, IL home. I think all the wood tones play together nicely.

Links: My Romantic Home

Dining Room Fall Tablescape

A little rearranging........again.

 This may last until I set up for Thanksgiving.  Then again.....maybe?

  I used my Evesham china on the silver three tiered stand.  

The previous S&P sets are now being used in the kitchen.

 

Added a fall berry bobeche ring to each of the Waterford candlesticks.

The pumpkins have copper leaves and tendrils. 

The good thing about all this rearranging is that it makes you clean as you go.

I think that's a good thing?

Rita

Links: Between Naps On The Porch

Swedish Meatballs

Delicious Swedish meatballs, with lingonberry sauce, mashed potatoes and creamy gravy. You can make it yourself or.........

 You can go to IKEA.

On Tuesday the meatball dinner is on special for $2.49 (reg. $3.99) and kids eat free. A 3-item child meal with each adult meal purchased is free. Can't beat that! Even the guest on Martha Stewart today said to go to Ikea for great meatballs. He was cooking them on the show from his family recipe.

A great place to go when you're out and about about and don't want "fast food". I hear you can also get home goods there too!

"Smaklig Maltid!"   
Rita

A Scarf Tablecloth

Use a scarf as a tablecloth!
 I needed a colorful Autumn table square for my weekly tablechange. I went into my box of scarves. I never wear big square scarves anymore, especially in Florida, but I did save the ones I wore years ago when I dressed everyday for work. Some are Hermes', Burberry, Gucci, so I kept them all, even the Marshalls ones.

 One that's not silk will work best. This was an inexpensive one.

 It had all the colors in a cornucopia pattern.

 I added a few thrifty finds: wooden pumpkin napkin rings - 6/ $1.00, bamboo chargers - 6/$2.00,  decoupaged fall fabric glass plates - 4/$1.25. Yellow flatware- Pfaltzgraff-Tuesday Morning $20/set, years ago.

 A butternut yellow Longaberger bowl for the soup.

 Brass candlesticks that I have spray painted Heirloom White. S&P in a basket and  wrought iron stand both Longaberger.

 Pumpkin teapot found for $2 in a thrift shop

 Pumpkin S&P, fabric pumpkin-Target.

 Wine glasses are hand painted with fruit and ivy from The Dollar Store.....for a dollar.

 Leaf pottery plates from Walmart, on sale last year.

 Cornbread's ready! Do you make your cornbread in a cast iron skillet?

 It comes out perfectly.

 I used grapevine napkin rings for candle bobeches' rings.

Soup's On!

Taco Soup and cornbread. For soup recipe click HERE.

Links: A Stroll Thru Life, Domestically Speaking