FALL FLORAL VASE

Even though it's in the upper 90's here this week, I'm pretending that if I proceed as if it's fall, the cool weather will follow.  Play along with me here.
I like a tall floral piece in my living room.  Not really big...just tall.  So, I made one.

It's really tall...

The best thing about this project is that I already had everything I needed to make it.  I picked up this terracotta vase from Hobby Lobby for $1.00 last year.  

 They had a whole rack of them out on the sidewalk.  They use them to hold their floral stems in their floral department.  Many of them were chipped or crack, but I was able to find two that were in perfect shape.  I brought them home and stuck them in my closet where they remained, completely forgotten until last week when I cleaned it out and there they were...still waiting for me to decide what to do with them.
Other than something fall floral, I had no plan.  So I did what I always do when I have no plan....I just started pulling a bunch of stuff out of my craft supplies that I thought might work.

Some did, some didn't.  I did want to use this little lighted floral branch that I got last year at Big Lots on clearance for half price.

It was kind of sad looking and sparce, as most lighted branches are, so I decided to just build my fall piece around it.  I cut some branches and spray painted them with Krylon's Brushed Metallic Champagne Nouveau Satin to make them a little more glamorous.

I added some faux flowers, daisies or lazy susans or some such mix.

I'm not usually a huge fan of faux flowers, but I like them for wreaths and vases because you can take them apart and change them around, which I always do.  In this case, I took all of the yellow flowers off and added some extra leaves here and there to fill in.
My terracotta vase was just the right size for it all, but lacked personality.  Let's give it some with some mesh ribbon, some colored ribbon, and some funky wiry floral stuff.

What?  You don't know what funky, wiry floral stuff is?  It's this...

I've had it forever and used it once.  I forgot I even had it until I saw my good friend Gail at Purple Hues and Me use it to make this Wired Candle Holder.  Isn't it lovely?  I'm so making this!

You won't believe how easy it is and you could make it with just about any kind of wire.  Go take a look, I'll wait right here.
I also used some acorns to add a little pizazz to the front of my vase, as well as some spanish moss at the base of my branches.

 All done!

 
 Getting a pic of it for you at night with the little twinkle lights on was easier said than done.  This was the best I could do....

Hard to tell from this, but it's just the right amount of twinkly.  Makes me happy every time I walk by and look at it on my painted buffet....which also makes me happy.

Go make something lovely that makes you happy!  Thank you Gail for the inspiration and for giving me yet another project to do with that funky wire!  You're awesome!

Linking up to any or all of these fine parties

WHAT ARE JUNKIN JEWELS???

I love being a part of the Inspiration Cafe.  I love all of the amazing contributors we have there and I am constantly inspired by them.  This week we have some exciting news.  We are starting up a new group of contributors who transform everyday junk into the most fabulous things!  Hop on over the Inspiration Cafe to get a sneak peak at who these ladies are and see some of their favorite projects.

Inspiration Cafe's Junkin Jewels

And while you're over there, check out Heather's project in our Kidding Around Series.  It's a great one and will keep your kids occupied..... at least for a little while!  If you have a fun kid project be sure to keep our upcoming link party in mind.....

Fall Recall for Y'all!

So fall is just about the most awesome season for me (unless we have the promise of a ton of snow for winter..then I'm all in).  I think I make more fall projects than any other season and before I start this years fall crafting, I'm going to recap a few of my favorite fall projects.

This fall wreath was one of my favorites, because I love cattails. 

FALL WREATH

My pallet shelf was long overdue and perfect for some fall decorations.

PALLET SHELF

 I jumped on the subway art bandwagon, in a small way.  (I thought it was some kind of right-of-passage for a craft blogger...kinda like chalkboard projects.)

FALL SUBWAY ART

This is still my favorite fall recipe.  I'll probably make it several times over the next month or two.   It's sweet, savory and you make it in the microwave.

HARVEST ACORN SQUASH

Sometimes a quick and simple centerpiece works best for my table, otherwise, it might not get one at all.

AUTUMN CENTERPIECE

 And last, but certainly not least....I shared some of my favorite fall alcohol...because it rhymes and because it's fun.

FALL ALCOHOL...I'M GOIN THERE!

 As a special note, I would like to say that any time I post about alcohol, I lose a few followers.  (I had a farewell drink for those special souls.)  If this offends you...well...then it offends you.  I respect everyone's right to their opinion.
So there's a little early inspiration to get you going, because if you make your fall decor, like I do every year, you want to have time to enjoy it.
Next post, I'm going to make a great fall floral arrangement that will take you all the way from fall, through Halloween and still look great for Thanksgiving with just a few minor adjustments.  

Linking up to any of the fine parties listed here or....

HOW ABOUT SOME FUN FOR A FRIDAY MORNING?

Remember that I told you how I quit my job and was getting the house ready to sell?  Well....the first thing I did on my first day as a non-working girl was take my grandson, The Golden Child, on a short vacation.  Fishing was involved.....

A little direction from PawPaw and he was casting like a pro in no time.  But..5 year old boys have the attention span of a gnat.  Especially if there is water around.  

If you wade in too deep and even though you're "not scared" but decide you can't move, you can always count on PawPaw for a deep water rescue!
Unfortunately, we had a lot of rain on our vacation, so we spent a lot of time at an indoor water park, went to see the movie "Planes" on opening day (because we're awesome Grandparents with nerves of steel) and made a trip to Toys-R-Us and purchased a Nintendo DSi for a 5 year old because neither one of us can so "no" to this boy.  He knows it too.  We don't care...he is the "boss of us" and we love it.

Oh....and I got a new car on vacation.  I like big souveniers..LOL!

Okay...it's not so big...but isn't it cute?  I love it..it's a 5 speed and I do love a standard shift.
However, vacation is over, the Golden Child is in school and I have to get back to reality.  Which means getting my house ready to sell.  I've spent the last 2 days working on my deck.  1 day prepping and 1 day staining...until 8:15 last night...ugh!  I'm afraid I need to give it another coat too.   Just waiting for the sun to come up so I can have a look at it in the light of day.  No pictures....because it's boring work.  
I do have something fun to share with you though!!  There's a new link party happening in about 1 hour and I think it's going to be a good one.  My good friend Mel over at Mellywood's Mansion has started a link party and I'm excited for her!  I love a new party and all of the inspiration it brings...so, at 8:00a.m. CST, please head over and show Mel some love, link something up and help make her party a success!

Should be fun and I'll be there!  Speaking of inspiration, we have a new theme this month over at the Inspiration Cafe and Natalie from NorthShore Days is kicking it off with a simple kid-inspired project.  Check it out while you're waiting for Mel's party to start!

 

See you over at Mel's party later this morning!

Painted Buffet

I've wanted to try my hand at furniture painting for well over a year now.  This summer...I finally did it, but not without some seriously awesome assistance.

 For some reason I found the idea of painting furniture both fascinating and terrifying.  I hold no major beliefs that old stained furniture should just be refinished, although I respect those who do.  I stalked furniture painters forever.  I asked them plenty of questions...some of them the same question, more than once.  I bugged them so much some of them invited me into a private face book group of furniture painters...even though I had never painted so much as a dot on a piece of furniture.  (I love you girls and you know who you are!)  Then one day I got this message, "Get ready Danni Baird because I'm coming to Silo Hill to teach you to paint furniture!"  And this my friends is where the rubber meets the road.  That message came from Karen at Somewhat Quirky Design and she meant business!  No more jackin around and wishing I would just wake up and be a furniture painter one day.  
Nope...no messin around either.  We were going to paint my two most intimidating pieces of furniture (at least to me) and we were going to do it all in 3 days.  
I ordered my paint and wax (more self-imposed intimidation....wax???...yikes!) from Lorraine...AKA Miss Flibbertigibbet, also a wonderful furniture painter, who sells Powder River Paint as well as Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint and supplies.  You can find those HERE. (Check them out...the colors are divine!) I used Powder River's Prairie Grass, an organic chalk/clay based paint. 
Here is a before and after shot of my buffet.....

 If you want to see all the details and know-how, as well as some better pics and possibly one of me cleaning up a major spill, check out Karen's post HERE.
If you want to see some pictures of my farm, my house, my dog, me drinking some wine and a night out at the local saloon with Karen, just click HERE. (Warning...alcohol was involved.)
Karen is so very fabulous and if you are lucky enough to ever have her visit you, well...it's like an event!  She's fun, she's smart, she's a great teacher, she's a hard worker, she's funny, she has some mad sawzall skills and well....she's Somewhat Quirky!  But most importantly, she's my friend and an excellent blogger so go check her out and show her some comment love, maybe even become a follower, because she'll teach you a thing or two.  I promise to write more about our visit later, but for now.....thank you Karen..and cheer's to you, my friend!

Karen from Somewhat Quirky Design on a much-deserved break from teaching me to paint!

Stay tuned...because I'm going to show you the armoire we painted!
and...
P.S.  Thanks Tuula for a little motivation!

Linking up to any or all of the fine parties listed HERE as well as....
The Dedicated House - Before and After Wednesday

STRANGE THINGS ARE HAPPENING

Some strange things are happening at Silo Hill Farm.....

Let's start with the above picture.  Remember my Succulent Planter that I made?

You know....the one with the cute/creepy little plant called Baby Toes?

Well, succulents don't normally grow very fast, but it seemed to be "still alive" every time I looked at it, which made me happy. Then one day, this appeared...

Just a little bud.  So I watched it and this is what happened.....

Exotic, isn't it?  You can see that it has 3 more little buds on it so I'll get to watch this happen again.   
Other strange things are happening here at the farm as well.  For instance, after years of living here and loving it, we have made a decision to sell our farm.  Yep, that's a big one.  During our 23 years of marriage, we have always lived in the country or the mountains.  This time we are stepping out of our comfort zone a little and we're going to buy a house in town.  A little more house and a lot less land is in our future.  Should be interesting.
Along with that decision, I have also given up my job.  One more week and I'm done.  I have a lot on my plate getting this house and farm ready to sell, but I suppose I'll have a little more time for creativity as well.  I'll also have time for a little more blogging, who knows?  I do have several things to share, like, I met 2 more awesome bloggers this summer AND I did learn some furniture painting which I have yet to show you AND, I'm still working on my black and white bedroom makeover.
Another thing I know that I'll have time for is a little more reading....something I have missed in all of my busyness.  I'm starting out with this....

I read "The Great Gatsby" in Jr. High English class.  I have zero recollection of it (hello...it was Jr. High....boys and fashion were the center of my world) so wanted to read it again before I saw the movie.  When Jessica at The Thriftiness Miss asked me, along with Mel from Mellywood's Mansion and Shatzi at Love and Laundry to join in a read and then watch challenge, I jumped right in!  Care to join us?  It's not too late (I'm picking up my book tomorrow) and you can read about it and sign up at The Thriftiness Miss:  The Great Gatsby Challenge.  These are some great girls, a great book,  supposedly an awesome movie.  I'm looking forward to reading, watching and discussing it and I'm hoping some of you will join in!