Happy Birthday America!

I know I have been terrible at posting lately,

but at least I make the holidays!

And what's better than celebrating 241 years of our country's freedom!

 I started with Memorial Day, framing my old (48 stars) flag

and adding it to my spring mantel, along with a banner.

 But I wanted more for the 4th of July.

I have been going through old boxes and found these

1980s crafts: Betsy Ross, Uncle Sam,

and Lady Liberty.

I knew I'd use these again some day!

Add some patriotic pillows and quilts and the room is complete.

 Even my Amish goose is celebrating!

 Flags add patriotic pizzazz to the dining table

along with the red and white runner.

And what's more American and summer

than a bowl full of baseballs?

Happy 4th, Everyone!!

Memorial Day Mantel

I seem to be a week late on everything these days!

Happy Memorial Day Everyone!!

Large Crates Upcycling

We recently finished up our local vintage market, Roses and Rust.

 I asked Husband to take a look around the shed and yard

and see what he could come up with, using only what we had,

and this is his masterpiece!

 It's technically a potting bench, but nice enough

to be dressed up, either inside or out.

This is what he started with, a large tile crate.

He turned it on its side and framed out the front.

Then he added some strips of wood to the shelves

and I stained them and washed grey and blue paint on some.

Looking for a top, we found this old twin headboard in the pile,

took out the center, painted it white and added chicken wire.

The front frame I painted white also,

but I decided to dry brush the sides.

It made a great centerpiece to the market booth

and was gone before I knew it!

Spring Mantel and Filling an Empty Space!

Just finished up another fun market, Roses and Rust!

 I decided to bring my antique camel-back sofa

and see what happened.

 Well, it sold!

Which is a good thing (though I will miss it!),

but it left a big hole in my living room.

I am now on the lookout for a new sofa, but in

the meantime, I had to fill that space!

  So I reshuffled the chairs and tables.

It feels much less cramped and also shows off that

cute little table between the chairs!

While I was doing this, I noticed my cow mantel was still there!

A little past time for a Spring mantel, I would say!

 A quick look around for some springy items,

 and this is what I came up with!

Pickets, garden sign and flowers, all say Spring!

Hello Spring!

 Yesterday was the first day of Spring,

 and even though I'm knee deep in projects

for the spring market in two weeks,

 I took a little break

 to put out a few spring decorations,

and look forward to this new season!

New Life for Old TV Armoires

When we finally replaced our old behemoth televisions a few years ago,

I had three large armoires sitting in the garage, taking up valuable space.

I had to either get rid of them or find a new use for them.

The first was the biggest, a pretty pine armoire from the 1990s.

I had painted it white in its next life,

but at this point, I knew it was on its way out.

I found a spot for it in my garage craft area

and filled it with fabric.

First armoire, useful.

The second one we bought at an antique store when we

were first married in the early 1980s. It had a second life

as a Nintendo cupboard for the boys in the '90s, then used

as a paint cupboard when I decided to do something with it.

I painted it a pretty shade of blue and white,

thinking I would sell it.

We added bead board to the back and some pretty things.

Now I wanted to keep it.

So now it's filled with toys.

Second armoire, useful!

The last one was my least favorite, but now it's most favorite,

because it is the most changed.

Unfortunately, I don't have before picture,

but the doors were solid and it was black when it lived in my bedroom.

I had Husband cut out the insides of the top doors

and I added chicken wire and red paint.

I put a piece of green tin over the hole in the back

that was cut out for the tv,

and added some odds and ends.

Now it lives on the back porch with my new swing.

Third armoire, also useful!

From Log Bunk Bed to Rustic Garden Benches

This rustic garden bench began life as a bunkbed for my boys,
way back in the 1990s.

Most recently, it lived in my grandkids' room.
Until last summer when we built a Triple Bunk Bed
to accommodate the seven (and counting) grands.

I tried to sell it, even give it away, but it was pretty big
and heavy, so no takers.
So, I did what I usually do with headboards that I
don't want any more, I made a bench.
Two benches, in fact.


There were 2 taller headboards and 2 smaller ones,
perfect for 2 benches.


First thing we did was cut the smaller ones in half.


They would be just right for the sides of the benches.


Which was the next step, attaching them to the back.


To do this, we routed a hole to fit in a long carriage bolt.


Next, we needed a seat.
We wanted to use some pine 1x1s that we already had,
but this proved to be a little tricky, because they had to stay
in exactly the position we laid them out, resting on the sides
in between the logs.

So once we had them in position, we screwed on some

1x3s while someone held them in place.

Then we flipped it over and screwed it in place.

It worked perfectly!

Side view: you can see the edges of the seat

sitting on the edge of the side log.

They aren't staying in my garden, however.

I thought it only fair to offer them to my boys,

since it was their bed after all.