the medicine cabinet and mirror

The bathroom MIRROR
was in the form of a
RUSTY medicine cabinet.

It had integrated lights and the only outlet for the room was INside the cabinet.
Its condition was pretty disgusting, and nothing you’d catch me using!
Plus, it was SMALL, very inadequate storage.

A few years back I happened to find a nice 3ft tall medicine cabinet at one of the local ReStores, $10.  Unfortunately it was missing its shelf brackets (not an easy find here-?).
We used these in our new construction builds so I knew their quality and what they cost.
THIS was a DEAL!
I bought it and added it to my stashes–you never know when you might need something!

W e l l~
Brandon needed something
and I had a solution!

 

Tearing out the old medi-cab revealed some scary wiring leading to the lights and outlet.  Thank God Brandon is an electrician!  I REframed and added proper blocking for the new medi-cab and new wiring was RErun.  (In the works here….)

The new medicine cabinet is a 3ft tall × 1ft wide cabinet–mirror and storage.  It should offer a great balance over the vanity, sink, and to the room.  Plus~ I think TALL people will appreciate the height!

And here are the new RETRO-styled lights!

—apparently a sneak peek of the “shiplap” too.

Catherine

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a Garden Chandelier

Someone owed me money for design work–

and [gave me] this chandelier as payment when they couldn’t pay up.  Swell.  Do you think I can pay the electric bill with it too?

It’s been hanging in the rafters for a long time now and HAS TO GO.  I can’t move on as long as it exists.

So I took it down–took it apart–and started with -blowing off all the dust & cleaning it up- and altering the faded black metal.  

Taking the fixture apart as far as was reasonable, I protected the rest of it in Press n’ Seal.  Absolutely a staple in my “tool box!”

I used a spray primer, and then two different whites.  I painted in sections with the crisp white, then immediately misted over it with an ivory so the color had more dimension.

It took several light coats to cover so I gave it a few days to thoroughly dry before trying to put it all back together.  I took pics as I took it apart to help me remember how!

Although it looked much lighter and fresher, it still needed something and-I had an idea! And more springs!

Hanging crystals would be totally–Wrong.
Glass globes–No.
Pseudo Globes–perhaps ?!?

I thought it could be playful–but STILL needed something.

That’s when I thought about a garden style.  So I did what some would call UNthinkable—I sprayed glue in specific areas and applied sphagnum moss.
To one side.  Like you see on a tree in nature.

And I sprayed the spring coils and rolled them through the moss on a table!

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I’m still trying to figure out how to stabilize the coils better, they’re a bit tippy.

But I LIKE IT!

I think it would be fun in a bathroom, or a sun room.

Even a very stylized guest room!

Catherine

 

Maybe I’ll get SOME of my money back this way, right?

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Nellie’s Chandelier

  I’ll be selling my treasures & creations at the June

Nellie’s Barn Sale

and it’s coming up quickly!  I’ve got a LOT of work to do to be ready.  But waiting for something to set up on one said project (to be able to continue) –thought I’d make good use of my time with some SUDDEN

UNexpected inspiration!

I bought this

“Part of a Chandelier”

long-long ago for $3–I’ll bet it originally included some lantern-styled glass around it.  I’m always collecting misc parts of things~found this wood piece in one of my bins with a $1 price sticker on it.  AND a random lamp shade was laying around- 50¢.

The wood piece looks like it was part of a lamp so it was already drilled out down the center–YaY!  I DID still have to make/drill some modifications to fit the center shaft through it.  Then I put the chandy back together -THEN- I painted!

Doesn’t it almost look “authentic?”

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Now the shade—it LOOKED like the perfect size and scale to add to the end look and design!

Digging through my stashes of grain sack- I was excited to find an end cut still WHOLE in its tubular form.  And can you believe, it was EXACTLY the right diameter.  Omg- MEANT to be?

Don’t ya’ love when that happens?!?

And now a REcovered — CUSTOMIZED lamp shade!

I took the chandy apart one last time at just the top section so I could feed the shade into the mix for a solid attachment.

Et Voilà!

I LUV IT—but time to get back to what I actually WAS working on!

Small in scale but perfect for a hall, foyer, or small bedroom!

Catherine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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on the subject of Birdhouses. . .

Seriously–

not trying to beat the subject of Birdhouses to death-

BUT–

Back in November of 2011, roaming around one of our local ReStores, I saw this gargantuan light fixture.  Presumably for a 2 story foyer.  $34

I saw interesting parts.

Even back then- my thoughts gravitated towards the ROOF of a birdhouse.  Two of them!

Do you see it?

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe this helps?

 

Obviously, I bought it–  and promptly deconstructed it!

But sadly, any kind of project got back-burner’d into my stashes.

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So now I’m thinking about this potential project–again. 

I just think the two BIG “roofs” will make super fun  -and even biGGer-  Birdhouses!

Btw~ yesterday I ran back to the antique mall with a few props for my latest two favs!  I really love them—and if for some reason they don’t sell- I really won’t be so terribly upset about it.

So you see- my mind is stuck on spring. . .  if only Mother Nature would get on board!

Catherine

 

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a quick sconce project

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I can’t remember ever sharing this with you—from 4 years ago.

I found them at the ReStore,

got them cheap,

did a very simple face lift,

and REsold them quickly!

. . . gotta love when that happens!

I painted them with a charcoal gray metallic spray paint, and decoupaged the metal shades with parts of an early 19oo’s newspaper.

I’d actually forgotten about this project,

so fun stumbling onto these old pictures!

Catherine

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…is there such a thing?

…as a Christmas

 hangover? 

My body, my energy, my motivation has called a big ole time out on me.  I spent the 2 days after Christmas doing…absolutely…NOTHING.  Nada.  Zilch.

It was  W O N D E R f u l !

W e l l~ I did finally do the Christmas day dishes early Wednesday morning.

I sorted and organized everything Christmas night and then decided—

I just didn’t FEEL like doing the rest.

After 2 glorious days of slackin’ off, I’m getting back in gear (uhgh!).

This year’s decorating seemed to stick close to just Reds and Whites…including decorating all the lighting!

Decorating stayed very simple–and mostly just little touches of Reds & Whites.

 

 

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And then there were

the TREES!

But~

If you’ve followed my blog long enough, you know I do something FuN & crazy every year for the kiddo’s Christmas tree!

I revisited the long-time-idea of going UPside down!

When I stumbled onto a stuffed lower half of Santa…well, it was meant to be!

Starting with a TREE…

Couldn’t be fake—the “hinged” arms would just fall down.

Okay, REAL.  Would have to be smaller to emphasize being off the floor.  Would have to have firm branches to stay straight out.  Would need to cut the trunk LOW to the bottom branches to lay flat on the ceiling.

I screwed an eye bolt into the bottom of the trunk, and a molly bolt & strong cup hook into the ceiling~& hung it up!

The Santa came with a hook to catch the trunk, and I happened to already have a stuffed Santa Hat to poke through the other side of the tree—HoHoHo!

Santa’s legs were wired so I manipulated them to look like he was climbing in the tree.  Wait a minute~is that really Mr GRINCH stealing our tree?

I strung the lights, I added “snow,” and decorated with lots of CANDY!  (Including licorice tinsel)  The kiddos like to “EAT” the tree here!

This is After Christmas with much of its candy eaten!  But it still looks fun!  The kids LUV’d it—and so did the adults!  I noticed several walking over to take another look at it all!

I found some amAzing lights to put on the kiddo’s tree this year—below are the color options it gives!  You can pick a color or some combo of—that’s not a filter!  There’s also a CANDY-color option of white-pink-purple-orange-red.  Then you can select solid-flashing-chasing-twinkling-fade!

With just the white lights to see (what’s left) the “decorations!”

This year we TRULY took pics UNDER the tree!

(wink–wink)

I used a softer light-scheme!

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alternative candle sticks

I’m sure I’m not the only one

who has seen and glossed right over these commonly-found wood lamps in the thrift stores.  Don’t know WHY, but, this time I actually LOOKED at this pair—

with a different eye. . . . ?

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Something spoke to me.  Their shapes perhaps?

What if I cut them up and give them NEW shapes and a NEW use?

Candlesticks come to mind.  Hmmmmm. . . .

The cut pieces became puzzle pieces. . .

and 3 candlesticks!

I did run them through the router with a dado bit to counter sink the area for the candle to be seated more securely.  I also decided against -just painting- in favor of a raw wood.  I tried sanding them but bailed pretty quickly for stripping.

Much better!

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Now I’m playing with (cutting up) varying table legs, bed posts, and vintage porch spindles!  Some will be painted- and some left completely alone!

Catherine

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this, that, and those other things

. . . there’s a missing wall in this space.

Because it used to be ONE – HUGE space and is now subdivided.

And the neighbor has this large 3-paneled screen.  With a dog.  A ridiculous dog.  Annoying me to NO END.  So I’ve come up with a remedy I’ll work on today.  Otherwise, I’m trying to take it easy today—I need a day off!

I NEED that beach I’m dreaming of…sigh…

Okay~ dream over~ well, deferred

~

WHAT doesn’t belong here . . . hmmmm . . .

Catherine

AND there’s WaY more waiting for space to free up. . .

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see the light!

I know, corny!  And for the 2nd time~

 

 

 

 

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The countdown is on–we get the new antique mall space for this sale tomorrow!

I spent the latter half of the day upholstering chairs yesterday, I’ll share those next time!  Until then~wanted to share THIS with you!

Among their belongings was this cool old wooden tripod–that I think was for one of two old Brownie cameras that will be put up for sale.

A quick 30 minute REvission!

Just seemed like it would be more fun as

a floor lamp!

With an Edison Bulb!

Right?

Catherine

I did leave a harp bracket for someone to add a shade!

And the legs let you adjust the height!

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juggling projects

Besides MY OWN crazy array of the usual projects,

I have been ~ I am

juggling projects for 2 other families!

For Judy~ REstyling some ladder-back chairs AND a trestle table,

plus a REdesign for a change of TV.

And THEN there is a “pseudo estate sale” for a senior couple leaving their home of MANY years–overwhelming and exhausting in the best of circumstances.  I’ll be helping them sell their treasures at the antique mall beginning April 1st!

The preliminary work is almost daunting–almost.  One bite at a time, it’ll get done!  Dressers are getting stripped–one completely REstyled!  Things are getting painted, even REcreated—

and EVERYthing is getting cleaned and polished!

Bear with me—COOL PICTURES ARE COMING!  I promise!  ; D

Catherine

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