Halloween Decor

  While I was setting up the table for Griselda's birthday dinnerI also decorated the buffetin a festive manner.

On the left side I placed a purple glittered skullon top of books from Goodwill.Perfect colors and titles for the season!

The tombstone is from the Dollar Tree.

The candelabra was found at ARC Thrift.I dripped some wax from a red candleonto the white candles.This is one time I did not concern myself with the candles being perfectly straight!The ghouls really aren't that particular about details.

Crows are perched here and thereto watch over the birthday festivities.

The orange spidery runnerwas purchased last year, on clearance,from Big Lots.The Witch Is In came fromHobby Lobby several years ago.

The thrift store broom started out like this.I pulled off the heavily gluedChristmas decorations,

spray painted it blackand sprinkled silver and purple glitter all over it.Several coats of spray clearand it was ready to gift to Griseldafor her birthday.

On the left side of the buffetI placed a skull inside an estate sale purchased metal and glass cage.

I was able to capture some of Griselda'spet mice and get them into the cage too.The big rat decided he'd ratherkeep watch from on top.

 All of my guests seemed to be very pleasedwith the party decor.Griselda loved her new broom,as purple is her favorite color, and her centuries old one was too small and worn.

Once again, the ghouls were sureI had cast a mystical spellto obtain such prettydecor at such magical prices!

 

Click here to see where I may be partying this week.

And don't forget to come by on Tuesday's
for the link party.

Chalk Paint Transformation

Remember back in July when I introduced you

to Veronica?

Veronica is a thrifty find from our local

Arc Thrift Store.

I paid all of $7.50 for her.

 

She has lived very happily on my side of the bed.

She came with a few dips and divets, mars in her

otherwise pretty face, and I decided it 

was time to transform her into the true beauty

I knew she was.

I had been really wanting to try my hand

at homemade chalk paint.

There are recipes all over the web and the one I

went with consists of

2 cups paint (I used some of a gallon of 

Olympic eggshell called Belgian Waffle, an off white with a tinge of yellow)

 5 tablespoons Plaster of Paris

Several tablespoons of water

I mixed the Plaster of Paris

with enough water to make a paste like

consistency and then added it to the paint and stirred really well.

After taking Veronica outside,

I lightly brushed some black craft paint

on areas I wanted to distress later.
I dabbed generously some Vaseline

on some areas I wanted to distress later.

 I may have got a little carried away 

with the black paint...

I then brushed the first coat of my chalk paint 

al over her, except the top.

I then went and got my nails done.

Hey, I HAD to! 

I needed to let the first coat dry at least 2 hours

and if I didn't get out of the house

I knew I'd be futzing over her.

Once my nails the first coat was dry,

I applied a second coat.

I let her dry thoroughly for several days

and then took a fine grit sanding block

to the areas I wanted to distress.

  (sorry for the pinkish tones of the photo.

Not sure if you have noticed but, it's getting darker 

really early now LOL)

I showed great restraint in the distressing.

I just wanted it to look as though

Veronica had lived a much loved and useful life.

Next came a coat of finishing wax applied with a soft,

lint free cloth.

 I left the wax on for half an hour and then buffed 

with a clean soft cloth.

I applied another coat of wax a few days later.

Now it was time to attack the top.

Mr. B was kind enough to let me borrow

his orbital sander with 150 grit sandpaper.

I want one of my own and it is on my Christmas list.

 (action shot)

(close up)

After sanding and giving her a good wipe down I

applied a red chestnut stain

 (another action shot)

Mr. B was greatly impressed with my staining skills!

After wiping it on, I used a clean cloth and wiped off the excess.

I let her sit for a good 24 hours and then rubbed on

a coat of wax and after a half hour, buffed it off.

I repeated with another coat of wax the next day.

Done!

Look how deep and rich that stain looks!
LOVE!

And here is Veronica in her

natural habitat.

For someone that is very impatient this

project was a true lesson in patience.

It took a full week from start to finish but,

I seriously could not be more in love with how

she turned out!

The only thing I had to buy was the Plaster of Paris,

everything else we had on hand. 

I already have my eye on another piece

of furniture that needs a facelift!

Click here to see where I may be partying this week.

And don't forget to come by on Tuesday's
for the link party.

 

Thrifty Breakfast & And Update

Thank you all for your cheery thoughts

and prayers for my health!

I was awakened at about

4:30 AM on Tuesday morning in extreme pain.

I woke up Mr. B and we went to the ER

as I had been instructed.

Several hours later and the diagnoses was

no appendicitis.

Only thing they could find was some blockage

so I was sent home with a 

citrate cocktail.

I'm still in some pain but it is diminished somewhat

and I am just hoping it all

works its way out,

if you know what I mean (wink).

Luckily, I had set the table for breakfast

over the weekend

using some of my very thrifty finds!

 The tablecloth is vinyl and 

came from Big Lots.

I started with a woven placemat

that I purchased at Goodwill

here for $2.00 for the set of four.

I then added the plates

found at Sears,

on clearance, for less than $8.00

on this day.

And the rooster salad plates are the 

newest thrift find from this

past weekend thifty day

for $1.00 each!

The flatware was a gift

from Mr. B and the napkins I've had forever.

They are a perfect match to the green in the 

salad plates.

Big glasses for milk from Walmart at .79 each,

little juice glasses from Ikea,

$4.99 for 6,

and our everyday Gibson coffee mugs

finish the setting.

 The table is also set

with a large pitcher

from Goodwill several years ago

to fill with icy cold milk.

The roses sold me!

And, of course, the sugar and creamer

set also purchased

this past weekend.

 I had to include the vintage

orange juice carafe

from the very first giveaway I entered

when I started blogging,

and WON 

over at

Rhett Didn't Give A Damn!

The centerpiece is simple.

Just my favorite clearanced rooster

from Joann's 

and a thrifted vase I spray painted

heirloom white

with some faux

late summer flowers.

I'm thinking that, once my

stomach is up to it,

this breakfast table calls for some

hearty biscuits, thick sausage gravy,

chunky applewood smoke bacon, and

homemade bread, still warm from the oven,

dripping with Saskatoon berry jam!

(Source)

I always share my tablescapes with 

Kathleen at Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen 

Susan at Between Naps On The Porch Tablescape Thursday

and 

Marty at A Stroll Thru Life Table Top Tuesday

Click here to see where else I may be partying this week.
AND
Don't forget to come by on Tuesday's

for my link party.