Vintage Books

Since school started back I haven't much time to work on any projects.  The first few weeks of school are always very hectic.  Things are calming down now and I have been able to complete a few things.  This is my latest:

I have noticed that vintage book displays are very popular right now.  I have seen them in lots of gift shops and they are kind of pricey for old torn books so I decided to make my own.  

I went to a local thrift shop and bought 3 paperback books.

There were all kinds of books there and I found some that would be perfect. They were priced at $1.50 each and then I got a 50% discount. 

I tore off the book covers.

I left them outside so the sun would fade the pages.  Can you see the raindrops?  Yes, I left them in the rain too.

I actually left them outside for about a week so that the pages would have an aged look.

I added a little raffia and VOILA!

Not bad for a thrift store project.

I bought three books but I just couldn't tear the cover off this one.

I found a place for it in my guest room.  Right next to Tara.

I bought this a long time ago.  You can see the date on it.  Before we moved to our current home, we lived in Jonesboro, Georgia.  The home of Gone With the Wind.  So many things in the town were named after Tara.  My son even went to Lovejoy High School where the real Tara mansion was supposedly located.  Actually there wasn't a real Tara.  The plantation in the book was modeled after a relative's home  and it wasn't a large plantation. I could go on and on with stories about the history of the town.  I'll save that for a later time.

For now, it will stay here.

My Husband to the Rescue

Sometimes it only takes a little pressure washing and paint to bring a piece of furniture back to life.  My mother in law had this cute child's bench in her back yard but over the years it had weathered.  Each time my grand daughter sat in it, dirt and grime would get all over her clothes.  (Drum Roll)..... My husband to the rescue!  After one of our visits, we hauled it back to our house for a makeover.  

This is a BEFORE Picture.  Would you want to sit on that?

It has cute little frogs and flowers but the colors are all faded. 

RD to the rescue! Bring on the pressure washer.

Look at the difference.

Which color should we paint the flowers to keep the whimsical look?

The Finished Bench.  It is so cute that I wanted to keep it for my porch but we took it back to Alabama to MeeMaw's house.

Now all the great grand kids can enjoy it.

Nap time!  (Sorry the pictures are blurry)

The Finished Door (Almost)

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that we were starting a new project that had something to do with a door, actually two doors.  Well, it is finished, or almost finished.  


This is one of the doors that we removed from the hallway in our basement.

These are the two french doors we installed.  The doors were custom cut but I had to paint them. 

I used an oil based high gloss paint.  Oil based high gloss gives a brighter sheen than latex high gloss but it takes a longer time to dry between coats.  

 Here's a little trick I learned from HGTV.  Between coats, I wrapped the paint brush and stirring stick with plastic and placed in the refrigerator to keep the brush from drying out so I could continue to use it.  It worked! Since brushes used with oil based paints can't be cleaned with soap and water, this saved me from wasting several paint brushes.  It took about three days for the door to really dry before installing it.  

Here is one of the doors.  It really opens things up into the hallway so it doesn't seem like a basement. 

Look really close and you can see the other door at the end of the hallway. 

It's not so claustrophobic in the hallway now as you enter our home theatre ( or known in the US as theater).  I can't tell you the last time we actually went to a movie.  We just wait till it comes out on DVD or pay per view. 

My husband did all the arranging of his Alabama memorabilia.  He did it very tastefully.  I'll show you another time the spotlights he added that are aimed right on the pictures. 

Now come on in to the theater and see what else my husband made!   See those movie posters on the wall.  Look very close at the frames.  HE BUILT THOSE TOO!

He used simple molding from Home Depot.

He has become quite handy at building things.

Now, it's time to watch a movie.

Oh, want to know what he did with the doors that he took down?  It is not quite finished yet but he got a start on it. 

He turned it  into a storage shelf in the garage for some of our tailgate stuff.

He still has some bracing and trim work to do but you get the general idea. 

I think this was one of his most creative ideas.  Stay turned for the finished project after it is trimmed out.  I might need to pin this idea on pinterest.

Today I'm linking to the following blog parties:
Addicted 2 Decorating
My Romantic Home 

Garden Art

Recently my husband and I visited his mother who lives in Alabama.  She is 83 years old and still works in her yard.  I love garden art and she has so many pieces tastefully displayed.  I even got some great ideas to incorporate in my backyard.  

This is the gate that enters into the backyard.

This is the little garden that you walk past as you approach the gate.  Do you see the bird houses? 

This is the "bottle tree on the other side of the gate.  The bottles are really pretty when the sun shines on them. 

Look very closely.  Do you see the sign hiding in the background?

Here it is!  Don't you just love this vintage sign!  This is an old advertising sign of the radio station, WJMW,  in Athens, Alabama that my husband's grandfather and father started in 1948. It was the first radio station in Limestone, County.  For a little history lesson on the station click here and here.
You can listen to live streaming:  WVNN

This is perfect as a piece of artwork.  I see signs like this all the time in antique stores.  

Look what she did with this hollowed out stump.  Just add a fern.

She has created a bird sanctuary and it is so relaxing to sit on her porch and listen to the birds.

Lots of perennials.

It is so soothing to hear the water flowing in this fountain.

The radio sign is my favorite thing in the garden but this bird feeder is my second favorite thing.  The design is so unique.  

 I hope you enjoyed the tour of her garden/sanctuary.  I know she has probably added something new so I'll find out this weekend. 

Matching Footstools

Now that the table is finished, my husband and I were sitting on the porch one afternoon, relaxing in the wicker rocking chairs, when we realized that we needed a couple of footstools.  Out came the left over lumber and paint from the table project.  DRUM ROLL!!!!!!!  Matching footstools!


They are perfect for propping up your feet and are sturdy enough for sitting.  My granddaughter even used one of them as a little table.  The great thing about them was the cost:  $0. 

I'll use this cushion until and find or make one to fit.

This picture shows how it matches the table.

In the left side of the picture you can see a little bit of the day bed.  That's where I am headed in a few minutes. 

We have a new project that we started yesterday.  I am really excited about this one because it is INSIDE the house. You will have to check back for updates.   Ok, I'll give you a little hint.  

It has to do with these two doors that my husband removed from a room in the basement. 

Talk to ya later!

Patti