Simple & Elegant Fall Centerpieces

2

Today I thought I’d share a simple centerpiece I created for a recent work event.  I wanted something fall themed for this particular event, but hoped the elements I chose would pull double duty for our upcoming holiday party so it needed to be able to transition into winter.

The venue provided the silver lanterns, so I added a birch round, pinecone, pheasant feather and mini pumpkin to compliment.  Some of the birch pieces were thicker than others so I set the lantern next to the birch for those so they didn’t impede the view of the presentation being given.

1

We also had some small signs on the tables with factoids about the subject matter, which we put in small silver place card holders.  Although I can’t share the factoids, here’s a blank card to give you an idea of how they fit in with the centerpieces.

I was able to do all 7 tables for around $100 which was pretty minimal. They were just enough for this business luncheon event once the rest of the table was set, and next month I’ll reuse the pine cones, birch pieces and feathers for our “silver winter” themed holiday party!  Low cost and multipurpose, that’s my kind of décor! 🙂

DIY Measuring Cup Storage

Hooks5

I’ve been meaning to do this project for some time now and finally checked it off the list this past weekend while the hubs was sleeping of a cold and I needed something quiet to work on.  Our stacked measuring cups always seemed to be in the way in the cabinet, so I decided it was time they found a different home, one that didn’t cause extra effort when grabbing things in the cabinet.  Since there was a little extra room on both sides of the spice rack the hubs installed on the pantry door and that’s often what we’re measuring with these cups I figured that was a logical spot for them.  A few small hooks on either side of the spice rack was all I needed.Hooks1

The hooks screwed right in, although I did create a pilot hole with a finishing nail and hammer to get things started. I placed each cup as I went so I could eyeball how much space to leave between it and the next.Hooks2

Here’s how the first side looked a few minutes later.  All but one of the set fit on this side.

Hooks3

So I put the remaining cup on the other side with our odd duck extra from an old set that is handy to keep around.

Hooks4

Unfortunately the way they were hanging you couldn’t see the measurements with out taking them off the hook.  A metallic sharpie marker took care of that problem.  We’ll see how well it holds up to the washer, but I’m thinking it should be ok since they will have plenty of time to cure and dry before they go in for a spin.

Hooks6

It might take a bit to get used to the sound they make as they sway against the wood when you open and close the pantry door, but I’m fine with that when it comes with improved organization.  Simple, inexpensive and efficient.  That’s my kind of project!

Shared on Tatertots & Jello’s Link Party Palooza.

More Gallery Wall Additions

GalleryWallFull

If you’ve been around the blog for a little while you know I’m slowly curating our gallery wall around the TV in the Family Room.  Today I’m sharing a few recent additions I added over the weekend.  The first is a rustic mirror I got from Michaels for free thanks to a great BOGO sale when I purchased the frame for my whale breach collage.  It originally came with a rope hanger attached to the sides, which I liked but not in this grouping.  So I removed it and will re-use it on another project I hope to wrap up this weekend.

MirrorClose

The whitewash creates a weathered patina that immediately drew me to the piece.   I placed the mirror on the side near the fireplace where it can reflect natural light from the windows. I think it also helps balance some of the bigger items in the whole collection and I love that the round shape breaks up all the square corners.

Mirror

I also added this lovely rusty cross votive holder I scored on the local buy/sell page for $15. I had planned to use it on the deck, but didn’t want to constantly be emptying the votive holder when it rains, so I decided to find it a spot inside and am in love with it here. Next to it I added a freebie frame I got on the same Michaels BOGO order. I filled it with a free chalkboard printable I found online. I might change the chalkboard print seasonally, but I like that this one can transition from season to season if I opt not to.  Plus I love the simplicity and thought behind the quote. 🙂

GalleryWallCross

I plan to DIY a long narrow Alaskan themed sign to fill the space just above the cross and chalkboard print and a shorter narrow piece to fill the space between the fireplace switch and the stone, but it might be a while before those happen.  I also have a piece of family history on the hub’s side that I want to add under the metal 7, but need to figure out how to make sure it’s secure because it’s pretty darn heavy.  Stay tuned to see how this space continues to evolve!

GalleryWallFull

Shared on Knick of Time’s Vintage Inspiration Party #209!

Fairy Tale Ending for a Pumpkin

3
This little DIY pumpkin was a happy accident, which is why I don’t have a true before shot. I bought this white craft pumpkin at Michaels last year and used it without doing anything to it, but it wasn’t quiet fitting in with my other décor this year.  I was about to add it to my sell pile but decided to give it a chance and added it to the batch being chalk painted instead. Although that did tone down the bright white it still wasn’t jiving for me.

1

As I added gold touches to the several of my vignettes, I remembered I had some gold craft paint leftover from a past project and decided to give it a try. I opted to use the rose gold rather than the true gold because it felt a bit warmer.

2

I just started brushing it on, applying a thin coat and then adding a bit in some areas, primarily the grooves, as the mood struck me.  Once that dried I painted the stem with some more left over craft paint I had on hand and suddenly that simple white pumpkin looked pretty darn glam!

4

And it was the perfect contrast to my rustic wooden DIY pumpkins from last year in the entryway!  It’s a pumpkin Cinderella story – from unnoticed to belle of the ball!

FallEntry2

Did you have any happy accidents while decorating or crafting recently? I’d love to hear about them, so leave a comment below!

My Fall Decor

FallMantelAt last, I’ve finished decorating for fall and got some nice daylight shots to share.  I started with the mantel, which I kept very natural and neutral with a little pop of orange from the DIY pumpkins I made last year.

FallMedia1

Next to the fireplace I continued the neutral theme on the media cabinet. I found the free feather print online and added a green urn filled with tiny yarn pumpkins I DIY’d years ago by wrapping orange yarn around and around to form a ball, then adding a small stick as a stem. On the other side I kept the wooden tool box filled with hydrangeas from my summer décor and added a doily wrapped pumpkin – another DIY from years past using a doily to cover a basic green plastic pumpkin and covering the gathered ends with twine I wrapped to form a stem.

FallMedia2

My yellow and orange zig zag pillow covers made the throw pillows I was using for the summer more appropriate for fall and I added a couple of clearance pillows I found at Michaels to tie in the neutral colors I’d used elsewhere. I also picked up a white striped pillow in the same pattern as the black ones and have it on the chair next to the couch, although I somehow forgot to take a picture of it.

FallCouch

On the side table I placed a ceramic lantern and pumpkin in a metal tray and finished it off with a cute little wooden crow I’ve had for years. The lantern and tray were both recent Michaels finds. And the arrangement leaves just the right amount of room for the TV remote to be stored in the tray where it can be found.

FallSideTray

The metal table between the chair and couch holds my favorite thrifted find, a little owl lantern with some orange mums in an old crock and a pretty glittery green pumpkin I found at Walmart for under $1.

FallSideTray2

I put my little scarecrow on top of the curio cabinet, where his little button legs are safe from puppy teeth.  I like to display him with them dangling like I did last year, but now that the dogs are home alone for a longer portion of the day I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

FallScarcrow

I kept things simple in the entry way, using more of my DIY wooden pumpkins and an old wood tray I got at the estate sale this summer.

FallEntry

I filled the tray with a variety of green and neutral colored pumpkins and gourds, including several I painted white with chalk spray paint after seeing one of my favorite bloggers create some for her home the same way, although I painted the stems of mine green and brown for a little contrast. I added a berry spray I got at Michaels around the base for a little extra color.

FallEntry4

I also DIY’d this gold pumpkin, which picks up some of the golds in the pumpkins in the wooden tray. It was a super simple project using craft paint I had on hand, but I’ll share a recap of it in the next few days.

FallEntry2

On the other side of the entry table, I used a textured wooden pumpkin I found at Target. I’ve seen them all over blog land and there were only a few left at my store, so if you want one you better hurry.

FallEntry3

Over in the dining room the buffet became home to a mix of old and new pieces with a variety of textures.

FallBuffet

In the center is a new copper lantern I found on sale at Michaels. I paired it with a birch log stand and a piece of the berry spray I used in the entry way.

FallBuffetLantern

I found this little fox at Fred Meyer and knew he had to come home with me. I loved his graceful curved tail and adorable face. And since it was a BOGO half off sale he made a cute green ceramic pumpkin only a $1. The pumpkin ended up in the wooden tray in the entry way.

FallBuffetFox

Another new find this year was this rustic crow. He’s super sturdy with his strong metal feet and his distressed colors blend perfectly with the rest of my décor this year.

FallBuffetCrow

And here’s the whole scene with the candles on and flickering. I’ve set them all on a timer so they automatically come on about the time we get home each evening and I’m enjoying the pretty warm glow they create.

FallBuffetLighted

In front of the buffet I put together this little basket of harvest goodness. This was another revamped DIY piece created from a wooden tray I found on the local buy/sell page. I’ll share that project tomorrow.

FallTable2

FallTableSo that’s my fall décor.  October is shaping up to be a very busy month, including a work trip to Southeast Alaska, so I might just skip decorating for Halloween this year and leave these pieces up through Thanksgiving, but we’ll see.

Rustic Humble Sign

4

I spotted this large sign at an estate sale we attended this summer and immediately wanted it.  Unfortunately, the auction was done “by the pallet” and it was the only thing on the pallet I wanted so when the price went up I bowed out.  When I spotted the winning bidder sorting through the rest of the pile I figured it was worth a shot to ask if they wanted the sign and if they would be willing to sell me just that item.  He replied with “$20 and it’s yours.”  Needless to say I quickly dished out a $20 and practically skipped away with my sign.

Once I sat down with it I realized it wasn’t a true antique.  Instead it was a paper print on a metal base and because the auctioneers had taped across it to secure it on the top of the pallet the original buyer had realized that the tape was ripping the paper decal as you tried to take it off.  I was pretty bummed but decided to give it a shot.  I slowly worked the tape off so it wouldn’t damage any more of the decal and was able to get the entire strip off without further damage.

Once I got it home I Modge Podged the ripped section, which left a thin white line on either side of the tear.  To disguise that I took some wood stain and applied it lightly to the area wiping it off quickly.  A few coats made it blend right in.    You can still spot it if you look for it, but otherwise you’d never notice.  I decided to hang it in what will become our Foster Child room above the closet.  Being up high helps hide the blemish and I thought it was a great sentiment for a child’s room.

5

I’ve got some other exciting revamp/DIY plans for getting this room set up. We need the room to be gender neutral, so I’m going with an industrial/vintage style that can be personalized a bit for whoever comes to stay with us. I’ll be sharing those details over the next few weeks, so stay tuned!

Shared on Knick of Time’s Vintage Inspiration Party #209!

Gallery Wall Additions

Gallery

Howdy strangers!  It’s been pretty busy around here lately, which doesn’t leave much time for projects or posting, but I did manage to get a few more items added to our on-going gallery wall in the family room.  This collection is definitely a work in progress and will evolve over time as we add to it, but it means I’m always on the hunt for special pieces to add.

Gallery2

I finally put up the metal numbers we got at the Great Junk Hunt and love them.  I chose 907 because that’s Alaska’s area code and is representative of the lifestyle here.  I wasn’t sure about the different colors and fonts at first, but overall it works and if I ever want to change it up I can paint them all to match.

Gallery3

I also added one of our favorite photos of Tequila and Sangria listening to the ice in the bay.  It was previously in the gallery wall in the dining room so it was ready to hang once I chose a spot for it.  It fills the spot between the metal D and the fireplace perfectly and because it’s level with the TV we see it daily. 🙂  Below the D I added a little Alaskan art, in the form of a framed postcard I picked up at the Seward Sealife Center when the hubs and I went there with our friends.  This piece was in the guest room as a table top frame, but I’m changing a few things up in there so I had the hubs pull off the support piece and hung it here instead.  It’s just the right size to fill the awkward spot between the fireplace switch and the TV and I like that there are a few smaller frames to balance out the larger items.

Even with these additions, there’s still plenty of room on the wall to fill.  I’m considering a couple of favorite quotes to create a simple text canvas piece and plan to add a frame where I can rotate seasonal chalkboard prints.  I’d also like to add a few circular and odd shaped items like antique bread boards, wood slice art and maybe even a driftwood cross to keep a balance with all the rectangular frames.  I’ve got a couple of options in my project pile so we’ll see what makes the cut!

Goodwill Patio Umbrella Rehab

Umbrella4

Way back when we made our road trip on the Alcan, we hauled back an outdoor umbrella we found at a Portland Goodwill for $12.99.  One of the arms was broken, but the hubs assured me he could fix it, so I couldn’t pass it up at that price.  It hid out in the shed for a while, but now that the deck furniture is in place we were ready for a little shade.

Umbrella3

The hubs used a left over piece of molding we had laying around to make it operational again.  I plan to eventually paint it to match the rest of the framework, but it’s not super noticeable so it’s not a high priority.

Umbrella2

I picked up a weighted base at Pier 1 with reward points so it was free as well.  It took a few tries to find the right size pipe to join the umbrella and base, but the winner ended up being just $12 and the one that didn’t work out will be used for another project, so it’s not a loss.  I plan to paint the pipe to match the base, but again, not a huge priority since it’s the end of the season.

Umbrella

So the grand total for the umbrella and base was just $24.99.  That’s pretty minimal compared to $70+ for umbrellas in the retail catalogs plus another $70-150 for a weighted base.  Now we’re living the “fancy” life for a bargain price! 🙂

Updating Our Décor With New Treasures

Jar2

Remember, like forever ago, when I promised I’d share all the items we picked up on vacation and how we used them around the house? It’s finally that time! Some pieces worked just how I planned and others had to be tested out and ‘lived with’ in a few different spots to finally find their perfect placement.

LunaBasket

Several items found homes in the Laundry Room. The first was a basket I snagged on clearance for $10 at Marshalls. It became Luna’s new nap spot! Her previous cat bed was a freebie leopard number that we got soon after bringing her home. While it was functional, it didn’t fit the style of the room so I’d been looking for a replacement for a while and had decided a basket would be perfect. Although I was nervous that she wouldn’t adapt to it the hubs was certain she’d sleep in anything I put in that spot and apparently he was right! She took a couple quick sniffs, curled up and went right to snoozing before I could even put any padding in it for her! Eventually I added a towel inside an allergen pillow case cover so it can easily be taken apart and washed with the whites each week to help reduce my allergy symptoms.

LunaBasketSleep

Overhead, I changed out the red basket and hat box for a lovely olive bucket my mother-in-law gave me, a metal sphere I found at Home Goods for $10 and a large blue glass jar I already had. Everything fit nicely around my DIY Laundry Room sign and I added a bit of faux greenery to the olive bucket to balance everything out.

LaundryJunk

I hung a metal organizer on the wall next to the door to the garage so we have a spot to collect papers that need to be taken to work or for errands. Hopefully this keeps our counters clear and the papers safe from getting damaged in any way. Plus it’s a good reminder since it’s the last thing we see as we head out the door, which makes it harder to forget something. I think I paid around $13 for this at Home Goods. I’m liking all the little hints of black and metal that are now working together – the handles on Luna’s basket, the sphere and this rack. It’s starting to get that rustic industrial feel I’ve been wanting!

LaundryFiles

I found an amazing large glass jar that was almost identical to one I spotted on a favorite décor page recently for $45, and at half the price and knew I’d make it work somewhere. That somewhere turned out to be the dining room table – for now at least. It may eventually migrate to other areas as I change things each season, but for now I love it here.

Jar

The big metal can the hubs found at the junk show for just $25 now lives next to the front door where my holiday tree used to be. Although I loved my seasonally decorated tree, I’ve been looking for ways to be more efficient with my time and that was one of the things that could be given up without consequence. Instead I’ll just use those items in my seasonal vignettes throughout the house. I like that this piece can also double as an umbrella holder if needed. It’s not something we get much call for, but should the need arise its ready and able to corral those dripping covers.

MetalJug

I tucked another junk show find – the little metal oil can, on the other side of the entry table. I’m not sure it will live here permanently, but it works for now. It’s a great little $10 find.

EntryCans

OilCan

The bubble glass lantern became part of my summer décor on the entry way table. The blue tint to the glass plays off the red, white and blue elsewhere so it was fitting. I got this for around $12 from a store called At Home.

EntryCandle

 

One of my favorite pieces was a large antique wooden crate we spotted at the junk show for just $10. It was combined with a stem of preserved cotton to become art in the corner of the guest room. The chair may look familiar since it’s from the office. We’ve decided to switch to real office chairs that roll and have better lumbar support for my long hours of editing. Although we haven’t found the perfect replacements just yet, the hubs doesn’t sit at his desk all that much so we went ahead and moved his chair to complete the guest room for now. I love how it looks with my hope chest and the old crate art and I hope guests do too.

WoodCrate

Speaking of the office, we also snagged two wire inboxes – one at the junk show and one at an antique shop I spotted across the street from a gas station we stopped at! They are the perfect way to corral all those piles of paper the hubs and I seem to accumulate as we work on things.

Inbox

So that’s where everything ended up inside. Check back tomorrow to see where the rest of our finds ended up outside, along with a little garden update!

Thrifitng Karma

Thrift

As I was driving past the thrift shop around the corner from my office the other day, something said I should stop in and just take a look.  I’m a firm believer in trusting my gut so I pulled for a quick peek.  I’m glad I did because it yielded a pretty bevy of treasures!  I got all of this for just $46.  Apparently my gut can sense awesome thrifty deals from a mile away. 🙂

I plan to use some of the pieces as is, like the plant in the small crock and the cloche, but I’ve already got a few ideas for DIY makeovers on other pieces such as that blue bunny sign.  I may also update a piece or two for resale at the holiday bazaar I’ve booked just after Thanksgiving, but if they find a ‘spot to belong’ in my home before then I won’t be upset about it.

Have you found any great bargains while thrifting recently?  I’d love to hear about them, so share them in a comment below!