Happy St. Patrick’s Day

 Welcome back!  

MOM'S EULOGY

 This was such a beautiful tribute to our Mom.  It was written by my brother, Matt.

Here's to you Mom!

 

$75.00 VINTAGE HOMEMADE ARMOIRE

 Here we have another estate sale treasure.  My plans are to paint it a dark charcoal and add silver engraved hardware.  Will update when finished.

I pulled a white metal knob from my stash and didn't like the look.  

Wanted to post this  earlier.  Few words, lots of pictures. 

Glad to have finished this piece.  

Happy Thanksgiving  to all!

A Beautiful Coffee Table Display

 Flowers from a friend. A treasure from another friend.  If you look very close, you can see an embroidered white initial V on the napkin.

Blessings!

HOMEGROWN TOMATOES ROASTED INTO FOCACCIA

 

This was the first year that I grew tomatoes and had success. I followed a wise friend’s advice, and planted, fertilized, watered, and treated for bugs. I covered the plants with mesh so the birds wouldn’t eat them. That is key!

Out of 5 plants, I grew about 25 regular size tomatoes and 40 cherry tomatoes.  The taste of that out of the garden tomato just cannot be matched with grocery store tomatoes.

I knew that when I had an abundance of them, I would not make sauce.  Instead my friend Mary shared a recipe with me on how to roast tomatoes with olive oil, shallots, garlic and salt and pepper.  I baked them in a low temperature oven for 3 hours.

Meanwhile, I made  a batch of focaccia dough, let it rise and put it in the fridge for 2 days.  When I was ready to bake it, I let the formed dough sit on the counter for 3 more hours, topped it with the roasted tomatoes and shallots and baked it in the oven. 20 minutes later, I spread a good amount of grated mozzarella on top and put it back into the oven for 5 minutes only until the cheese melted. 

Here was one  of the more perfect tomatoes.

 

After the final rising. 

This dish was fabulous. Freezes well in parchment, then foil.

 

Neighborhood Garage Sale Find 2020

 While out walking last Saturday, I stopped at one of the neighborhood houses to look at their garage sale items.  I saw an interesting short bookcase. For a mere $20.00, I thought it was a good deal.

Immediately, I pictured stripping and repainting it for one of the girls. It would be perfect sitting at the end of the couch. It wasn’t large and wouldn’t take up too much space as they move place to place.  

There was just one thing wrong with it.  It felt very dated with the scalloped apron. Mr. Thrifty was at the ready and before I could finish the sentence, he pulled the apron off.

Two coats of General Finishers Lamp black paint and a topcoat of polyurethane and the shelf is done. 

I’m loving this project. A fast turn around on a project is always good. 

MARRYING TWO ESTATE SALE FINDS FOR A NEW SHRINE

 This next project comes from 2 estate sales.  For some background, many Germans settled here with the Von Braun rocket scientists.  We go to many sales and the fine carved German furniture and crystal is plenty.  One of the houses that we went to for the sale was a German scientists who worked on cuckoo clocks. No surprise there.  I picked up this one piece that was a part of a clock and it was $12.00. Isn't it gorgeous? I had no idea what I could do it, but I couldn't pass it up.

Fast forward two weeks later.  We walked into another estate sale and this hanging cabinet was $75.00.  There was no way I was going to pay full price, but my friend who I go with always goes back on the last day for the 50% off sale.  I told her if it was still there to pick it up for me.  Well, she went back and she picked it up for $37.50. I think it was a steal.  And, I thought about the clock part-hmmmm.  What if Mr. Thrifty could figure a way to attach it to the top.  And that is what he set out to do.

Because the top of the cabinet had a curved top, some engineering was involved.

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He got his fancy wire tool out to mimic the outer curve of the top of the cabinet.  He then cut a piece of wood that was curved on one side and flat on the opposite side. 

Of course, the level needed to be used.

First, he cut the pattern out of cardboard and then transferred it to the wood.

It looks pretty good for the dry fit.

The next step will be cut the mullions out of the cabinet door.  There is also glass on both sides.  Both of those pieces will need to removed.  I am hoping to paint it all out in white.  Look at this shrine/cabinet that I found on Pinterest.

Can you believe that price? I told Mr. Thrifty that I might have a job for him when he retires!

Two coats of white chalk paint and a coat of dead flat finishing cream completed the project  

A good friend recommended to me to make a curtain drape for the inside of the shrine.  I purchased this periwinkle velvet to make fabric pumpkins for the fall. I had enough to whip up a curtain.  

                                     I can’t decide between having the curtain or not. 

 

This has been such a great project.