Project #7 of 2012 A Big Valentine Heart for a Window display

A few years back I used to do window displays for an antique shop owner who was a friend of mine in Burlington city. And I also used to do the window displays at a fabric shop that I used to work at. I always enjoyed the creative outlet that dressing a window brings.
This year I've been given the opportunity to dress one of the windows at the North End Antique shop in Cape May NJ, which I have to say at first I didn't want the responsibility, but once I decided to go for it, I dove right in.

 I made the huge Valentine heart myself with coffee filters.

I rimmed the edge with pink roses which I also made from filters and red food dye.

 After forming roses out of about 4 filters,  I  painted the red food dye on just a little bit at a time so as not to entirely soak the paper. The above pic is in a dark room, true color is below taken in sunlight outside.

The interior of the heart is just pinched coffee filters, glued down.
It is a little labor intensive but so worth it in the end.

I really enjoyed decorating this window. Gotta have a few cupids in there.

And a pretty vintage beaded bag.......Now wouldn't that be nice if hubby bought that home for you?
That's why I hung it on the cowboy coffee pot ...;) wink, wink;)

 I love vintage bags, and this one below is so cool.. it actually stands up on it's own,
so it was perfect to hold a small bouquet!

Below is a shot from the inside of the window before

And after I got done with it.

 The pics are somewhat dark because the sun was setting. But isn't it pretty how it makes the white milk glass glow? My favorite part of this window display has to be the enamel ware.
I love it's farmhouse quality. I am searching for an old chippy beat up table that I can set  up the bucket and coffee pot on.

I also love how the whole window glows at night  from the outside!

I had lots of fun doing this, and whatever you are doing this week I hope you are loving it!

Lots of Love,

Eileen

Posting at the parties below

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Inspiration Friday at the Picket Fence

Potpourri Friday #21 @ 2805
Saturday Night special

Project #6 Pottery Barn Decorative Ledge Copy

I love the copy cat challenges that Debbie has at her blog, Debbiedoos...  I have always been satisfied finding an alternative, more reasonable way to get the same look in home decor as those big expensive name brand catalogues.
Little by little I have been working on one of the bedrooms around my house and wanted a mantle in the guest room, but really don't have the space... or the mantle, so for my  copy cat challenge I chose as inspiration this Pottery Barn decorative shelf that costs a wopping $399.00.. Which was only about  $349.00 more than I was willing to spend!!

Pottery Barn Shelf $399.00

My version. Total cost 32.00

I wanted a wee bitty valentine slant so used some rose buds instead of votives

and a cupid votive holder.

Sorry these pics have shadows, the light is so poor in this room, 

and it just snowed so the skies are dark grey. 

It doesn't help that I am just learning this camera!

But I got this look with all stuff that I already had around the house, 

except for the chippy corbels, that I found at 

Home Goods for 15.99 each, fell in love with.. and drug home before I even knew what I would do with them!!

Isn't it fun and fulfilling to shop around your house and put things together?

That's why I love Debbies challenges, inspiration to create that mantle I wanted!

The simple floating shelf used to be in my office.

The vintage bottles I've had forever, hubby dug them up from the streets in Philly

The picture is one of my photos on canvas. ( coming soon in my etsy shop)

The carved wood decoration above used to be over my dining room door. I added that for interest, although it wasn't in the Pottery Barn version.

Have a great week, check out the fun party!

Magazine copy cat challenge 

Good Life Wednesdays @ A Beach Cottage

White Wednesday @ Faded Charm

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday @ Primp 

Project #5 What to do with an Old Tool box

I found this wonderful old tool box I just had to bring home. It was love at first site.

It had lots of yucky old tools in it and encrusted with dirt

but....

It spoke to me... " I clean up nice"

and below is how I saw it in my head!

A bit of elbow grease and help from  my dearest friend, Mr Clean magic eraser, and it went from
this:

to this:

And all dressed to party...filled with some chosen treasures, dried roses from my daughter's birthday, pretty china, vintage bottles.

In the Dining room.

 My centerpiece at the Dining table morphs from one thing to another all winter long, just to entertain myself!

In the summer hardly anything at all will happen in here. I will be busy entertaining myself on the beach.

:0)

That little birdhouse in the background corner was a thrifted find that I adore, and I filled it with those bottle brush trees that I'm keeping out all winter.

This way it reminds me of peering thru the garden gate of an old mansion in winter, as a child.

Here's hoping these are the only snow covered trees I see all winter!!

Off to the partays!!
~White Wednesday # 135~
Under $100 linky party

The Shabby Chic Cottage

Strut Your Stuff @ Somewhat Simple
Vintage Inspiration Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Welcome to Inspiration Friday #48!

Project #4 Sisal Rope Vase

This was a real simple project I did while watching tv.

I was inspired by the item below, I spotted at Home Goods (again)

The minute I saw it I said to myself, " yep I can do that" "Already have everything I need!"

My only regret is not taking more, bigger, better, Inspiration pics with my iphone,

 while waltzing around the store.  It had a big plume of natural elements in it, but I already had them too in another vase at home.

 I actually went back the next day to get a clock I loved, and thought about taking another picture but the vase was gone!

HOME GOODS VASE

MY REPLICA

 A bit of tweeking and I settled on this arrangement

It was a simple craft done while watching NCSI, with my sisal rope, glue gun and an old ftd vase, that was actually in our donation box in the garage.

 ..and this is what I formed.

I like the shape of mine better than the one I saw at Home Goods, and I made sure this baby will not be unraveling!

A nice touch of coastal decor.

You like?

Partying with these wonderful gals
Creative Me Monday
Making Monday Marvelous #89
Between Naps on the Porch
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Project # 3 a Pressed Back Chair and renewing my booth

I found this old Pressed Back chair

 and pondered painting it....but Press Back Oak chairs have always been well liked, and sought after, just in their natural oak state, so I really didn't want to mess with history. They certainly have a wonderful, cowboy, prairie, heartland of America quality.

But changing the seat wouldn't hurt. It's probably been done many times since this baby was made.

So with my trusty old oil, and fine steel wool, I cleaned her up,
and got out the dropcloth to see what I could do about that seat.

I could not get the seat off to cover her so I hot glued the dropcloth onto the existing fabric, and added some trim. I also made an accent pillow for it with a vintage map fabric from 1994.

It's got nautical maps and conk shells on it.

Now she is sitting in front of a Tiger Oak desk with a safari vignette in front of her,

That hat which I thought was a safari hat actually turns out to be a helmet from World War 11

Worth quite a bit of money!

I covered that entire wall in burlap and did a bit of a safari theme for the Tiger Oak desk and Oak chair. with a few old botanical prints, Currier and Ives prints, and vintage  clocks

And of course anyone doing all that work out in a safari...

 is going to need a big ole jug of rum from a demijohn!

 All waiting for a new home, at my booth in Cape May at North End,

on the masculine side of my booth.
I try to have a masculine side and a feminine side to appeal to all.

The other 2 walls are much more feminine with the white distressed desk I posted about last time, a 1950's Wilendur roses tablecloth, and some ruby glass and milk glass,

I know I have to cover this wall too, not crazy about the pegboard look!

 But it is ready to remind those men of the upcoming Valentines Day. They all need to be reminded.
 Most of them think about it at 4 pm on Valentine's Day!

 Dont ya think?
Or do you have one of those dream boat romantics?

So that's what I've been up to with my latest projects.

Renewing and stocking my booth in Cape May at  North End Antiques and Collectibles.

Farmhouse Friday

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

Vintage Inspiration Fridays

Project #2 for 2012 a found Vanity

Project 2
This is one piece that spoke to me, one day as I walked with my grandbaby down the street from her house to mine. "Rescue me"it whispered, while 2 men were tossing things out of a house. so I stopped and looked and I asked if anything was wrong with this piece. They just had no use for it... so... back I walked to get my son's truck and rescue her I did.
But I did it again. Forgot the dark and oak-y shots...Got so excited and dove right in. Here is the finished product. Annie Sloan to the rescue on this abandoned vanity.

 This vanity was all dark oak.
Halfway through the paint application, I did the dunce move on my head.. :)
"You dope you forgot the befores"
So you may have to imagine a wee bit of the before. Here is a couple shots I stopped and took.

The whole thing was dark

Then I got back to work on it.

My Inspiration:

I really like the highly distress look of this bureaux, below that I spotted and photographed,

 at Home Goods

So I set out to do a similar finish.

A close up below of that inspiration bureaux.

And a close up of my vanity below when finished.

I'm pleased as puddin on how pretty she is.

And today she went in my booth in Cape May

I already had an admirer before I even got the tag on her.

That feels good.... I did take my time finishing her. 

It was off and on work for 3 days, cause my life gets in the way.

You know how that goes, with laundry and dishes, and God forbid, anyone should need to eat!

But.. got her done.

Do you like it?

Joining in to these parties:

Metamorphosis Monday

Creative Me Monday

DIY Showoff

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

White Wednesday

Good Life Wednesdays

Primp

Overflowing with Creativity #4

Vintage Inspiration Fridays

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

Pearl and Lace party

Farmhouse Friday