Egg Timer-A Lenten savior

To preface this blog, I am receiving no money for endorsing this product, however, I would like to pass on an item that makes my life simpler.


When Lent comes around, there is always one piece of kitchen equipment that comes in so handy.  It is  the Hammerhead Products egg timer that is put in the water with the raw eggs to cook.  It perfectly boils the eggs when the burner is set to medium.

  No matter how many eggs you put in the pan, they are all consistently done. If you want your eggs cooked medium, or hard, the egg timer will darken to the line.  Then, remove them from the water when the line touches the appropriate hardness.

When the red egg turns purple, the eggs are done.  Remove from the water and cool before putting them back in the fridge.  I wash the Hammerhead egg with Dawn and water, dry and put it back in the drawer for the next use.  I would not recommend putting it in the dishwasher.

                                Enjoy your Friday lunch egg salad during Lent.

The Marriage of a Guilded Mirror and a Sewing Machine cabinet

This next set of posts will detail the making of the masculine home office. I purchased this mirror at a   friend's garage sale for $40.00.  It was very heavy and I didn't have a purpose for it, so I set it aside in my pile.

After we moved into the latest house, I needed a coffee table for my husband's office.  I also had an old sewing machine that I picked up in the VA dump for nothing.  I had intentions of refinishing the piece, but again, put it aside in 'the pile'.(It is the black piece in the left of this next picture.)

 

The sewing table was high gloss black and somewhat chippy.  One day as we were arranging furniture, I asked my husband to chop off the legs.  What transpired then was an instant coffee table.  Talk about no work!

 

 

 

Look at the drop down sewing drawer in the base of the coffee table.

 

 

 

We just lifted the mirror onto the sewing machine sans legs and ta da....

 

 

 

The next blog will be a truly attractive display for military coins.

  

  Another blog, another day. 

The March Foyer

Trying to come up with an idea for our March foyer evolved very slowly.  I gathered up my Belleek pieces, a loden green hat, a  rosary  and some other vintage jewelry to embellish the space.  I knew that I wanted to use my little 'lassie' bust for the focal point.  Last but not least was my annual St. Paddy's Day card.

This is the start of the layering process.

Something was missing from the bust.  Over the summer, on a trip home, I visited a neighbor of Mom's who had a garage sale the week prior to my arrival.  She invited my two daughters and myself over for a 'shopping adventure'.  I loved this vintage lace collar that I had spied in her wares.  In days of old, instead of buying new dresses, ladies of that time would just add a collar and have a whole new dress.  I loved the daintiness of the handiwork and it brought to mind a lassie from the old country.

Doesn't the collar just add the touch that our Lassie needed?

They say that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. Tornadoes swept through the Alabama area last week.  Damage reoccurred in one of the same spots from last April.  Please keep these people in your prayers.

The Updated White Headboard

It just seems like yesterday that we were putting the finishing touches on the master bedroom headboard.  I had a piece in mind to fuse with the headboard, but didn't get the right vibe for awhile.  Here is the piece I was thinking about.  I believe it was a molding that once adorned a dry sink or twin bed.   I used it over the couch in the old house and attached some vintage blue Willow ware pieces from  it.

Once the plates were taken off, I just sat the piece over in the corner.  A few nights  back, the idea came to me in the middle of the night.  What if I could hang it over the new headboard?  What do you think?

The piece did need a top coat of the white trim paint.

 

 I think it adds just the right touch to finish off the bed.

I really enjoy reusing items over and over.  The challenge of thinking outside the box is quite rewarding.  When you tire of a piece, rework it in another room of the house.  It might surprise you.

The Oak Table that grew Part II

   It will take a lot of coats to match the existing table.
Here is the leaf after one coat of stain.

And the second coat....

I am using Golden Oak stain by Minwax.  I have a feeling  that it's going to take multiple coats.  Here is the 3rd coat.

It is starting to take the color and getting a deeper richness.  I'll keep on staining.

                                                                 And the 4th coat.

I'm really liking the color, but I think just one more coat ought to do it.  Yes, it is time consuming, but worth the patience.

It is a good match now.  I sealed it with a matte spray clear sealer.  After I added the leaf to the table, I realized that I should have used a high gloss sealer.  It is just an added leaf and will not be left in the table permanently.

Here is the finished table.  Amazing!!!

Now my inexpensive Ikea chairs look desperate.  Another idea, another blog.  They will just have to wait.....

The Vintage Windows

I was going to post the completion of the oak leaf, however, I had to interrupt the flow with this blog.  I think you will see when you get to the end of this blog.  Sorry!  I willl post that blog in a few days.



I'm sure that I have shared with all of you my fixation with old windows.  I have made numerous projects with them.   To refresh your memory, when I was putting new windows in our 1939 brick cottage, I saved several storm windows for projects.  After using up the windows for said projects, I began to scour salvage yards in hopes of finding some more.  While in Little Rock, we happened upon a salvage yard that had nothing but windows and doors.  I was thrilled.  I ended up purchasing 14 some odd windows.

My girls have asked that I make me to make each a blackboard/bulletin board out of the windows.  That IS the next project.

Here are some of the projects:

And a patriotic one.....

And I made one for myself.....

  I really like the perfume flower prints.

Sometimes, I use a window that doesn't need glass.

This next window shows some of the fabulous charms and pendants that my dear friend Tara makes.  Her business is called Charms & Flourish.  Tara and her friend Maureen have a great partnership in a wonderfully creative venture.

I need to show you the close up of some of their pieces.  They do an amazing job! Here are a few pictures of their amazing work.

And another.....

And some more......

Check them out on Chicks Picks by Hillary.

The Oak table that grew Part I

We  purchased an antique round oak table with one leaf about 2 years ago.  It comfortably fits 4.  As I was looking at it the other night, I mentioned to my husband that I wished that I had another leaf to expand the table.  Mind you that it was 2 hours before the Super Bowl game.  Mr. Thrifty went into the garage and came back and said that he could make a leaf quickly.  What!  I told him we could do it another time since I knew he wanted to watch the game. 

What seemed like mere moments, ok maybe a half hour, Mr. Thrifty walks in with the finished leaf.

Close up

                                                             Trying the leaf on for size.

                                                                 Fits like a glove.

  Unbelievable!   He's my hero.

 All I have to do is sand, stain and seal the leaf.  And still time to spare for the game....