Make Your Monday: Freeze Frames!

No, I'm not having an 80's music flashback! I'm really talking about frames for your freezer and fridge. I've had this idea rolling around in my head for awhile...actually, it's not an original idea as I'm sure if you look hard enough, you can purchase something similar...but I thought, why not make it myself? So here's an easy "Make Your Monday" project that will have the front of your fridge spruced up in no time!

For this project, you'll need some picture frames (with or without glass), super glue, some strong rare earth disc magnets, and photo mats if you like. I buy my magnets on Ebay, by the way. I've been collecting those old vintage and vintage style metal picture frames from Goodwill for a little while now and I like them because they are lightweight. You can use just about any frame but remember, the heavier the frame, the stronger the magnets need to be.

Here is my pile o' frames before I altered them:



I also found a good sized wooden frame...



I pulled off all the frame "stands". This is so that the frames will lie flush against the fridge.



Then I removed the backs and all the glass and painted the frames. I used my favorite brown that you see on so many of my projects like my studio ceiling fan, gumball machine, and other accessories - Rustoleum's camouflage brown spray paint. I did not prime the frames but I would recommend it for durability.



Next, I flipped the frames over and superglued the magnets to the corners of the frames. It's important to let the glue fully cure for a day or so before using. Notice that I used bigger magnets for the bigger, heavier frame.



Now the frames are ready to adorn your fridge! For the larger frames that I used for my kids' art, I did not use the glass. I'll be changing out the art frequently so it makes it so much easier to just be able to pop a new piece of art behind the frame. For the smaller "word" frames, I did use the glass as I won't be changing those out as much. Either way works so long as you use stronger magnets to support the added weight of the glass. But if you have young children that like to bang on large appliances, maybe you shouldn't use the glass:)

I used photo mats in a few of my frames for a nice clean look. You can use these "freeze frames" for art, frequently used recipes, poetry...oh, and photos! The possibilities are endless!








It thrills the kids to see their artwork displayed so beautifully - the frames make them appear even more special than they already are!

Now, for all the paperwork that usually goes on the side of my fridge...do you think they make magnets strong enough for me to stick a filing cabinet there? Just keeping it real folks...just keeping it real:)



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If you would like to read more information about the 2009 Cottage Charm Giveaway event taking place during the entire month of May and see the list of current cottage style giveaways, just click the banner below!

Wood Carved Boxes and Accessories

Aren't theses roses beautiful? My very dear and closest friend brought these over for our family (along with some homemade soup, muffins, and cookies!) a few days ago. They were big when I got them, but after putting them in water, they fully opened up and and were absolutely huge...much bigger than the palm of my hand! The rose fragrance was absolutely heavenly and permeated the living room! It really makes me want to plant some more rose bushes of my own. Ah, the rose - an absolutely perfect masterpiece. Perfect in every way!



I've always had a thing for all things wood carved. That said, I don't have a lot of wood carved pieces, but when I find them, you can bet that they come home with me. There is just something about all those tiny, intricate details that piques my interest. Here are a couple of my own wooden boxes. The large, dark one I found for $10 at Hobby Lobby during one of their half-price sales. (They have half price sales daily - love that!) I use this box to hold pens and pencils. Functional beauty at it's best!



The small box I found at Goodwill. It wasn't stained a color that I loved, so I painted it myself and stressed it a little. There in the center, I'd like to add a monogram or perhaps my sparrow silhouette that I love so much. And there in the background are a couple of carved wooden candlesticks from Goodwill as well...

In the past, I've written about my trivet collection. Left unpainted, they seem to take on more of an Indian feel...but painted and aged, they work perfectly in a cottage kitchen. I have to admit, though, these are really tough to paint, even with spray paint, but well worth the effort.





And here are a few carved vintage boxes that I found while perusing Etsy. Aren't they gorgeous?!

Nifty Vintage

KittyBCreative

Grandtiques

Olive Vintage


I have most of my new blog design completed. I hope you like it! There are some issues to work out, though. If you have added my blog to your blogroll and click on my blog name or photo snippet, you may be directed to the wrong page and get a Blogger error message. I don't know what is going on with that, but I'm working to get it fixed. Also, if you haven't been receiving my blog feed, let me know. I think things went awry with my feed when Google officially took over Feedburner.

If you know of some great cottage style blogs out there that I haven't yet discovered, I'd love to hear about them!

Have a great Monday!
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If you would like to read more information about the 2009 Cottage Charm Giveaway event taking place during the entire month of May and see the list of current cottage style giveaways, just click the banner below!

The "Forever" Table

Have you ever thought that you could live without a certain item in your home or maybe even just thought that you could move it to another spot - but once removed from it's original location, something just felt wrong? So much so that you finally moved it back and then all was right with the world again? Yes. Me too.

A few years ago, I found the sweetest little white table at the flea market for just $20. I brought it home and tried placing it in the living room, the bedroom, and other places, but ultimately it ended up in the kitchen at the end of the counter. This has been a good spot for it because it seems to soften the abrupt, hard lines of the side of the cabinet, plus it's a great surface to decorate! This table has been adorned many different ways...like this soft romantic look compiled of tea pots, doilies, old plates, and a decorative dessert display.

A couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd take the table out of the kitchen - you know...to free up a little space and to provide a visual change. Well, I don't have to tell you that that didn't last long! The space seemed so "off" without my little old white flea market table. So back it went, nestled into it's permanent home at the end of the counter.

I seem to be drifting toward a kind of French cottage style - rustic meets elegant. So this is what I've recently come up with for my "forever" table...



I just love straw hats! I only have two, but I'm going to keep my eye out for more and start a little collection. The white dish towel is actually very, very old but has been preserved well throughout the years. I found it on Ebay. Linens - another weakness! I like the look of it layered on top of red and white towels (clearance at Wal-Mart). And nothing says French cottage like a nice basket! I have three of these baskets (thank you Goodwill!), but one I reluctantly gave to my birds once I saw how much they loved playing in it:)



My trusty old teapot you see in my photographs all the time coupled with an old chippy guilded box that I've had for years...and a bowlful of ceramic eggs!



In case you haven't noticed, I'm really into layering lately! I layered an old Italian gold mirror on top of an antique plate for a little extra sparkle.



Do you have a "forever" piece in a permanent spot in your home? Tell me about it! I really do understand!

Here are a few lovely bloggers that took the time to comment on my last entry about my mantel...Thank you!
The 7 Daggets , Aurajoon, Walnuthaven Cottage, Therapy by Decorating, Reinvented, As Time Goes By, Honeysuckle Lane, Cozy Little House, and The French Bear.

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If you would like to read more information about the 2009 Cottage Charm Giveaway event taking place during the entire month of May and see the list of current cottage style giveaways, just click the banner below!

A Touch of Delicious Whimsy

I've been working on accessories for my little robin's egg blue studio. I knew all those knick knacks and containers that I've picked up at Goodwill and stored in my attic over the years would come in handy someday! I had always planned on remaking them at some point and finally just took the plunge and began. I first took "before" photos of everything before priming my items because don't we just love a good before and after comparison? So I took photos of everything in their "before" state and went to work.

And then the memory card in my camera died and all my "before" photos were lost.

Who is this Murphy guy and why is he and his Law out to get me? ;)

Anyway, one of the items that I worked on was an old red gumball machine. It probably isn't actually old - it just looked very sad and beaten up. The red paint was chipping off like crazy and clearly, it had seen better days. I picked it up at a yard sale several years ago for $5 and liked it because there's just something nostalgic about gumball machines. Above is a photo that I took when I first brought it home back in 2006 (when we were working on our kitchen!).

But I don't like gumballs, or sweet tarts, or any of the standard candies you would find in a gumball machine (though my kids sure do!). I wanted the piece to be purely decorative anyway, so I thought why not fill it with something I really do truly love and can't live without? Something like...

Chocolate!










I superglued a lamp finial to the top (the gumball was missing the top piece), spray painted the gumball machine in a deep chocolate brown, and added a collection of my faux chocolate desserts...a touch of delicious whimsy for my studio!

You may be able to see the lines drawn on the painted chocolate brown floor, which is actually the top of the steps in my studio. I'll be painting a checkerboard pattern there, and I've gone ahead and drawn out my grid. We'll see how it goes!

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If you would like to read more information about the 2009 Cottage Charm Giveaway event taking place during the entire month of May, just click the banner below!

More Goodwill Thrills

You just never know with Goodwill. Some days, there is nothing for you there. Then there are other days...ah...other days that Goodwill has a special something just for you.

I've been on the look out for a large mirror lately to go on my old dresser that currently resides in my living room. I'm addicted to mirrors (though I don't always necessarily enjoy looking into them). As more of our house is completed, I need to spread them throughout our home a bit more instead of having a mirror concentrate in our living room. But back to Goodwill...

I was there on Friday, my usual Goodwill Hunting day, and I spent a great deal of time picking out a collection of vintage metal picture frames. I didn't realized how much I loved these little things. I want to use them for black and white family photos. I haven't decided yet if I'll leave them as they are or paint them all the same color. White maybe? Suggestions?



As I was about to checkout, I spied along the wall a beautiful, large, antique mirror! My heart skipped a beat! I made a dash for it and picked it up to put it in my cart (somehow)- it was so heavy! I couldn't believe the treasure I had just found. And best of all? It was only $12.99! I thought my eyes were going to pop right out of my head!

So here it is in it's new home. Again, I don't know if I should paint it white or leave it. Something tells me that I'll end up painting it, though:)





Here is a close up of the beautiful ornamental details...



The cashier that checked me out said she priced that particular mirror. She said she knows that it's worth probably at least a couple of hundred, but no one would pay that much at Goodwill - so she thought she might as well make it affordable! Here's another interesting story she shared with me. She said a lady came in a couple of weeks ago and bought two pairs of shoes. She paid about $30 for them (they were really nice, new shoes) but then she put them on Ebay and sold them for close to $500! Can you believe that?! This tells me two things: One, there are fabulous bargains to be found at thrift stores. Yes, one might have to do a little digging and searching, but that's half the fun, don't you think? And two, in today's economy, I think it certainly is a good idea to think about picking up a few extra bargains here and there at thrift stores with the idea of reselling them for a profit. Nowadays, every little bit helps! If you already enjoy "treasure hunting" anyway, why not?!

Have a wonderful Monday, everyone!

Seeing Red in a Cottage Kitchen

I've been fortunate to meet so many other "red lovers" in the last few days. I really appreciate all the thoughtful comments about my red cabinets. Someone asked me if it was a tough decision to choose a bold color such as red for our cabinetry and I have to say that for me, I didn't even have to think twice! Love, love, love red! (Now, picking the right shade of red was quite a different story!)

But you don't have to have red cabinets to have a red cottage kitchen. Red accents are just as lovely with cabinets of just about any color. It's a beautiful morning - just perfect for snapping photos, so I took a few shots of some of my red accents right now:

There are those berries again! You've seen them in my window sill as well. I found the big white bowl either at Goodwill or Marshall's on clearance. I bought it a while back, but I know that I didn't pay much (true to my thrifty form!).




A teapot from Ebay, platter, bowl, and eggs from Goodwill, vintage doily from Ebay (it was a part of a very large vintage doily collection- I struck gold with this one!), and dish towel from Wal-mart... Funny story about the eggs: One morning I decided that I was going to order some ceramic eggs online. But I first made a run to Goodwill, because...that's just what one should do on a Friday morning...and what do you know! I found these ceramic eggs all wrapped up and hidden down in a vase!



I bought lots of red and white cotton dish towels on clearance from Wal-mart a couple of weeks ago. They came in packs of three for just $2 per pack! I bought three packs to use just for decorative purposes. A couple towels sewn together would make a great little summer pillow cover, don't you think?



A little word stone I made a couple of years ago....




I bought faux apples at Wal-mart as well. Did you know that you can now buy them by the bag? The cashier ringing me up that day thought it was a real bag of apples! The old bowl is from Goodwill.



I hope you've enjoyed taking a peek at my recent red additions. I want to incorporate more robin's egg blue - just a little here and there as a secondary accent color - but it's a harder color to find. But you can bet that I'll also be on the lookout for that happy and delicious color red!