Rusty Rave Monday - Pretty Plates & Tempting Tea Cups

Whew! I've had an extremely busy summer and fall, thus far. Lot's of travel and other things have presented themselves, so it's been quite awhile since my last post. Throughout my jaunts, I have come across a number of, most exceptional and economical, items, that I just have to share! Today I am obviously focusing on some divine dishware.

I love to collect teacups and pretty plates, and found all of these for a steal!

The color and floral design is significant to me.

I prefer china with little or no gold trim,

so I adore this one with the lavender edging...

AND I love pansy's so that was double the noteworthy find!

So fun to mix with other pieces.

A couple of cute saucers to go with some teacups that were missing their other half.

Like I said, I love mixing patterns.

Last of all, three charming dessert plates.

This one is beautifully hand painted.

I'll have some more show and tell on Friday...

Hope you had a sumptuous summer, and are having a fabulous fall!

Rusty Rave Monday - Summer Stand Out's!

I have been otherwise occupied with travel and projects and haven't posted in a while, so here's a little bit of what I've been up to...

I refinished a table that I have been storing in my garage!

I was inspired by this Pottery Barn beauty which is priced at $700.

I found this table about a year ago and picked it up for $25!

It wasn't in too bad of shape, but was in need of some sanding and TLC.

I didn't want to totally mimic the Pottery Barn style, so I sanded down to the wood as much as possible to smooth out the scuffs and scratches.

I decided that I was just a bit crazy, beginning a project like this during July in Arizona! I was up early in the morning to try and beat the heat, but we were still at three-digit temperatures.

So I took it inside to paint!

After I let it cure for a day or two, I had to take it outside again to sand some more.

But I love the way it turned out!

We got out the glaze and did some finishing touches!

Cooool!
I have also taken to using wallpaper remnants to "paper my drawers". It's a fun finishing touch!



From this...

...to this! Then more glazing...

Yay!

While I had the glaze out...

This used to be black, much better now!

I got these candlesticks at a garage sale for $1. They used to be gold--so lovely in white with a little glaze for good measure!

Fun, fun, fun!

Rusty Rave Monday: A Great Giveaway and a Swap

In honor of my sister's 200th post at Something Special, and her brand new blog look, by Valentine Design, she is having a giveaway! Check it out and spread the word!

Have a lovely day!

Plum Perfect Friday - Pretty Publications, "Novel" Novels, OR Bodacious Books!

Here's a little project that I have had in mind for a while now...I saw these fabric covered, and coverless books at Restoration Hardware, and thought they were very cool!

Obviously the coverless paperbacks are easy to recreate, but here's my take on making the fabric covered ones, (I got a little help from the DIY Maven, if you want to check her tutorial out...)

I found 5 of the same book for a $1 at The Habitat for Humanity ReStore! First ya gotta cut the spine from the cover with an Exacto Knife. It was necessary to paint my books white because my fabric was fairly see-through, so I did the edges first.

(Sorry, Nathan...)

After they all dried, I painted on the Modge Podge,

centered it on the fabric,

turned it over, smoothed it out, then pushed in the creases on the spine.

Cut the corners.

More Modge Podge...

Glue the spine back in place,

More creasing and, then viola, your done!

It took me about an hour from start to finish, and I did 5 books. Pretty quick and easy...I WILL be making more of these, they are such good decorative embellishments for vinettes!

Here's to discounted design!