a number of things

June morning tablescape

 

a poster

I uploaded a lovely poster Anna made, with the calendar herbs, to my Etsy shop this morning. She has great plans for adding more of her art, so that may mean her own Etsy shop before long. :)

Have a fantastic day!

 

making home :: scrap wood chalkboard

After the new coat of paint in the kitchen / dining room, I found myself wanting something a bit different on the walls than what I had just taken down. I needed to fill one particular spot with something somewhat large, but lacking the "large" budget, I needed to think outside of the proverbial box.

 

I already had a can of chalkboard paint from a few previous projects, but what to put it on? Well I explored several options (costing money) but finally settled on (free) just using a couple of the many scrap boards that (still) lay outside near the shed.

 

Now this is probably not the correct way to go about this, but it works. My only expense in the whole project were the metal repair strips from the hardware store. I used 4 over the whole length to secure the two boards together. (Try to ignore the use of the completely wrong type of screws.)

 

 
My favorite part of the whole thing is the little chalk cup. It is an idea that I have seen in a few different spots (I am sorry, but I cannot remember where.) on the web and have been itching to try. It is simply an inverted cup pull for drawers. This particular one was leftover from when we did the living room cabinets back in 2007. A lighter color metal would have been easier to see, but hey, I'm using what I have here. :)

Have a fantastic weekend!

 

making home :: going gray

    

I am really into grays lately. So many soft and subtle variations. My very favorite shade in my watercolors is Davy's Gray because of the lovely effect it has on anything it is mixed with. I have been disenchanted with the color (a rather nondescript green) of the kitchen / dining area for a good two years now and it finally dawned on me a couple weeks back, gray!

Gray is tricky, however. There are blue grays, charcoal, brown and green grays. None of which is really what I was wanting here. So far, I am going with Silver Side from Mythic. You see, I have been know to re-paint an entire room in a new hue so similar to the first, that no on can tell a difference. But I must say, I think I like what I have this time.

making home :: new knob

I put the finishing touch on the new screen door today. Instead of the usual little metal pull handle, I opted for something a bit more interesting; an old outdoor water valve knob attached with a bolt. More of the current back screened porch fix-up can be seen here.

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

making home

Finally setting the table with the napkin rings ordered some time ago from this lovely Etsy shop. So pretty even if the napkin is only a thrifted men's handkerchief.

 

making home

I need to try and remember to occasionally make something, no matter how simple or primitive, for use in the home. It really does mean a lot to those who share this space with me.

 

making home

I have been meaning to pick a day to begin a series (as in one a week) of posts consisting of just a photo (or two) to help me to remember to make home making a priority. You know, those special little touches that can take a little forethought but just a few minutes to put into being. Those little things that make even the teenagers stop and smile and bring a bit more peace and beauty to our lives. (And my personal goal is to do it without spending any extra $$.)

So this is my first instalment. A sweet little arrangement on the wood stove done by 6 year old Rosie. (Thank you Rose!) If anyone else would like to play along, please jump in and leave a link to your post. I know I need all the encouragement and ideas I can get. :)

Have a fabulous fall weekend, everyone!