Spindle side table

Remember when I got this old "essex wire corporation" spindle for $5 at a garage sale here?

Well I had been trying to find something to use as a base to turn it into a side table. I liked the look of hairpin legs, but the cheapest I could get 3 for was $12 each plus $12 shipping. $50 was more than I was willing to spend on this project at this time so I waited. And then I found this at Goodwill for $2.25.


A broken wine rack. And I turned it into this...

 

 

 

I love it! Is it the forever solution? Maybe not, but for now I think it is cool. It may not be everyone's look, but I am going for the industrial vibe. Mixed with beach house/farmhouse/midcentury vibe. Got it?

There's a first time for everything...

And this is the first time, as far as I can remember, that I haven't gone Black Friday shopping (since I have been an adult). It really does hurt my heart a little. I decided to skip it this year, because I didn't really have one specific item I wanted and I knew if I went just to go I would end up spending money on stuff that was on sale, but that I didn't really need. I may venture down to Carytown, a cool little shopping district in Richmond for those that don't know, and see what they have got going on for "small business Saturday" though.

I am hoping to live through everyone else. Anyone get an unbelievable deal? If so, please tell me!!

Last night I did the thing I dread each year: I climbed up into our attic and got down the Christmas decorations. Some swearing and a bump on my head was involved, but the tree and decorations have successfully made it to living-level. I swear this year I am finding a new place to store them or else getting rid of the tree and going Au natural next year, as far as the tree is concerned.

This are two quick little decor projects I did to get into the Christmas spirit. First I found these little reindeer at a garage sale and Goodwill for about $1 each.

Then I found this new spray paint at Wal Mart that claimed to be paint and primer so I had to test it out.

Ta da....

I love them! And I love that spray paint. So while I was in the spraying frame of mind, I sprayed down three of these pine cones I found while visiting my mom in Myrtle Beach.

Ta da #2...

Two quick, cheap and easy holiday decor ideas to get you in the spirit!
Happy shopping!

Quick Art Update

So today I walked into Goodwill looking for some items for a living room project I am doing for my friend Lisa. I was determined not to buy anything for myself. Until I saw this 20 seconds in:

 

A quick fact about me is that Gone With the Wind is 100% for sure my favorite book of all time (just barely inching out Harry Potter, or perhaps maybe a tie). It is also one of my top 3 favorite movies. So how could I pass this up for $5.25?! I know what room I am going to put this is (our basement) but not exactly sure where yet. That room currently has too much blue going on so this will be the perfect pop of color. Then I saw this:

Look at the adorable bamboo-esqu frame!! And on papyrus!? And a cute little bird? For $4.25 I couldn't say no to this either. I wasn't really sure where I was going to put this, but this is where I tried it first. And I loved it.

 

I don't know why it looks like a smokey bingo hall in this picture. No one has smoked in here recently. Or ever. Smoking is gross people. It causes strokes, so please quit if you smoke. Anyhow, back to the art. I thought the old-school/ classy look of the two pictures really balances out the homemade/modern feel of my homemade chevron art. This look is not be for everyone,







but I really like how it looks. The Gone With the Wind poster isn't everybody's taste either, but it is mine. As I was thinking, "I am not sure other people with get this" I was reminded of what my good friend Sherry Peterski said the other night at her book talk (disclaimer: I am only friends with Sherry in my own mind). Sherry said, when decorating you should never think, "will my mother-in-law get this?". I literally laughed out loud. Really loud. In the front row, yep I am that cool.  I really think this thought ALL THE TIME! Not about my mother-in-law, I don't have one, but the closet thing I do have to a mother-in- law, Tom's mom, is a amazing, kind and wonderful woman who would never judge me on my wall art. Anyway, the point is that your friends/family/coworkers/mother-in-laws don't have to live in your house, but you do. And if they do have to live with you, they probably have bigger fish to fry than how you are decorating. So while you want them to enjoy your house, they don't have to "get" everything.

And in other art news, my young house love tissue paper art from my last post found a home in the hallway. Well at least 2/3rds of it.

 

I think is a fun pop of color as you come around the corner. Anything you love in your house that you aren't sure that other people "get"?