DOUBLE DUTY ON THE PATRIOTIC TABLECLOTH RUNNER

 Years ago, I purchased the cutest flag table runner on sale at Pottery barn.  It was so festive for the Fourth of July table.  I used my Blue Willow salad plates and solid colored tomato red dinner plates to set the table.  Home sewn red gingham napkins completed the table.
 

I wanted  to reuse the table runner in another way.  Ta da!!!!!

  

How about an accent on the cream Matelassé club chair?

Think about the table runners  in your dining room buffet.  Maybe one can be used for this holiday season!



PATRIOTIC INFANT BLUE JEAN OVERALL DOOR HANGER

When my first daughter was born, I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to buy her a pair of denim overall shorts.  He was shocked.  Why would I want to put her in 'boys' denim shorts when she was a girl? 

 

Because she looked so cute!

 

 

After number one daughter came number 2.  She wore them too.  Remembering all the fun filled active days they had wearing them, I knew that I needed to keep them for sentimental reasons.

This picture was taken in front of our military house on Great Lakes Naval Base.

 

 

That is how this project came to be.  It was around the 4th of July and I had nothing to put on my front door for decoration.  Getting multiple little flags out, I started stuffing the pockets in the overalls.

 

The first thing you might notice is how worn and faded the overalls are.  They have been washed many, many times.

 

 

And from a distance, the overalls are patriotic in all of their faded glory.  Hung on my vintage shutters from New Hampshire gives them the perfect backdrop.

 

 

How simple of a patriotic display is that?
 

FRAMED METAL CROSS ON PADDED MAT -AUCTION PROJECT

During the summer, I am always on the hunt for items that can be recycled for silent auctions for our schools.  One of my better finds incorporated two items into a beautiful piece.

This metal cross was 75% off at Hobby  Lobby. This substantial cross was only $3.00 down from $14.99.

 



The frame was 50%  off which lowered the price to around $20.00.

To begin with, the glass was removed from the frame.  It will be used for a later project.

A piece of 18x18x1 inch cushion foam was purchased at Hancock Fabrics.  On sale it was $6.53.

 

 

The next step is using my extra strength Elmer's adhesive spray out and spray directly on the back of the mat board.

 

Quickly  lay the foam on top of the mat board.  Press down gently on all areas of the board.

Taking my electric knife,  I lay the mat board foam side down on the island edge and trim the sides.

 

The knife cuts through the foam like butter.





Leftover fabric from my slip covered chair at my vanity would become the fabric mat for the cross.  Place the foam on the wrong side of the fabric with enough fabric to wrap around the mat board.

Next, I secure a piece of duct tape on the fabric.  Laying the fabric over the foam equidistant on all sides, I'm ready to wrap.  Flipping all the pieces over, I push the mat board into the back of the frame.  Pull the fabric over and secure the tape onto the mat board back.





Don't worry, no one will ever see it.  I'll fill you in on that secret later.

 





 

Everything is going along smoothly...not!  I didn't take into account that the heavier fabric had so much bulk at the corners, so I had to take it all apart and shave down two sides of the wooden mat board by 1/4 inch.  Trust me, it is worth it to do it right.  Once I trimmed the board, the foam mat and wrapped the fabric back around it, it was perfect!

 

Now back to the blog....



  

A nail needs to be put through the fabric, foam and mat board before closing the back of the frame.

  When I nailed the brad through the mat board, I placed a thin piece of wood on the back of the mat board to anchor the nail in place.  This will make sure the nail stays put.

 

To complete the back,  I cut a piece of heavy duty brown mailing paper.

 



 

  Placing glue on the 4 ridges of the back of the frame, I carefully laid the mailing paper over it keeping it as taunt as possible.  Let dry.  This is a very important step.  If you don't let the glue dry, the paper will not cooperate later on.

 

The next picture shows the paper fairly taunt with edges laying over the frame. 

 

After the glue is dry, you will notice that the paper is not taunt.  Never fear!!!!

 

Fill a spray bottle with water.

Spritz the back of the frame (paper only) and let it dry.  

 



I know the paper looks worse than before I spritzed the paper.

Get your hairdryer out.  The magic begins.......

Use the hairdryer to dry up the paper.  Do all areas of the paper.  Is this unbelievable?  Taunt as it can be.



Using sand paper, sand off the remaining edges of the frame on all 4 sides.  This cleans up the back of the frame.

 

 

Attach your saw tooth hanging hardware to the back of the frame.  Because this frame was made of resin, Mr. Thrifty drilled two pilot holes first.  Because the frame is rather substantial, he used screws instead of the nails to attach the hardware.

 

Turn the frame over and hang the cross on the nail.

The framed cross has lots of textures from the metal cross to the chenille fabric to the embossed frame.  Your eye is drawn to all the dimensions of the piece. 



Until the auction, I will keep the frame in my house on the wall with my Mary Altar.

 





It is my hope that this frame finds a home full of faith.

Well, if this project didn't take a detour.  While talking to a friend of mine, she mentioned that one of her dear friends had just moved out west.  It just so happened that this special person was my daughter's Theology teacher sophomore year.  She is a very dynamic teacher I might add.  My friend offered to buy the frame for her friend for a housewarming present.  I couldn't refuse!

My project DID find a home full of faith.  I hope she enjoys it on her wall and remembers the thought  of her friendship that goes along with it.
 

JUNE WEDDING 2014

 You might recall a post that I wrote on May 31, 2012 titled Here Comes the Bride and Groom.  I took a flea market vintage cake topper and painted it to look like Mr. Thrifty and myself at our wedding.  I wanted to create a display this June reminding us of our anniversary.

While at an estate sale this spring, I picked up a silver plate lid with some interesting detail.  When I first looked at it, I envisioned a platform of some type.  It had a blemish in the middle of it, but that did not deter me from purchasing it.  It was only two dollars because it did not have the matching bowl with it.

 

 

Another view.

 

 While driving in the neighborhood, I spied an overgrown lot full of Queen Anne's Lace.  It happens to be a weed, but it reminded me of Bridal Veil.  My youngest daughter and I went to the lot and cut a bunch of it.

 



I wanted to create a canopy of sorts for the bridal couple.  I pulled one of my estate sale teapots out and polished it up.  Filling the tea pot with the 'weeds' made a wonderful backdrop.

It doesn't look like weeds now, does it?



Placing the cake topper on the silver plate lid gave it some stature.

I love the backdrop of the Queen Anne's Lace.



So for $2.00, I have my June vignette.

 

 

 Here comes the bride!

  

 

 

 

Now that the Queen Anne's Lace has been in the teapot for a week, I came back to see this on the buffet this morning.

 

 

The scene reminds me of the custom of throwing rice when the couple exits the church.  How awesome that the Queen Anne's Lace gave the couple much more than a beautiful backdrop.

 



PATRIOTIC COFFEE TABLE DISPLAY

I was thinking of a coffee table display for the summer.  In all things patriotic, I started with the colors red, white and blue.

 

Using a Royal Crown Cola wooden box as the base of my display started my creative juices flowing.

 

 In order to protect the coffee table, I turned the box over and applied 4 chair felt pads to the base of the box.

 

Adding two corbels from my vintage porch post were added to the mix.
 

 

A tea stained flag heart was introduced.  I propped the heart up on a glass fruit cup.

 

I pulled a Starbucks bottle out of my vase cabinet....

 and added 10 small American flags.





I threw the 3 remotes into one of the compartments.  I don't like to have them visible--ever!

 

A few slate coasters were added to another section of the box.

 

 

A vintage 4th of July postcard enhanced with glitter glued onto a painted wooden plaque was poised against the corbels.

A sale priced Pottery Barn blue and white star napkin was casually draped over the edge of the box.


I have a useful patriotic display for the summer months.  The TV remotes are somewhat hidden out of  view, the way I like it.

Another view.

Just to add a bit of patriotic color to the mantle, I pulled an old red enameled frame out that I put together in the 90's.  In those days, Good Housekeeping would put a vintage cover in their magazine copy.  I tore the picture out of the magazine, bought a navy mat and put the two in the frame.

 Leaning it up against the mantle mirror along side the blue and white Chinese pottery was just the touch it needed.

Another vignette complete by collecting items around the house.  Hooray!

 

Casually placing another stars and stripes napkin on top of the dresser  behind the couch unifies the area.