Flea Market finds

Last Saturday I was able to go to a flea market held locally. They only hold this flea market once a year and since there aren't any regular flea markets around close by I was excited to check it out.

I found these old boxing gloves for $10. They will go perfect in my boys' room which I want to fill with vintage sports equipment.


I also found these cool boxes to put jewelry or little odds and ends in. The little green one was only $1--sweet deal!


I found this really chunky necklace that is so fun. It is full of old jewelry bits, an old key, and other fun trinkets. It was fun to do a little shopping outside, a change from my usual thrift store perusing.

Getting organized

I really enjoy organizing, whether it's one drawer, a closet, or for me this time, the top of the desk that sits in the kitchen.


I had papers stacked on top of the desk and was just sick of seeing them out in the open. It was time to find a home for all these papers, before the kids go back to school and bring home more papers. I decided to buy the really cheap magazine/file holders from Ikea. They come in a pack of 5 for just $1.99. They were just a plain white cardboard so I added some thick muslin fabric, glued right to the front. I got out my scrapbook stash and attached round metal tags to the front with brads, then stamped the contents of each cubby.

After completing these, I realize I could use a few more, one for each kid, and a few others, but first I'll have to make some more room on my desk.

a POP of blue

well actually more like turquoisey-blue

I've been slowly trying to incorporate some blue into my living room

to pair with my red accents and bring in more of a POP of color.

Did you ever meet Jaqueline?


I transformed this large frame from boring to bright. I had originally modge podged some black and white scrapbook paper on this wide wood frame but then got really sick of it. I wanted something different. I freehanded some wide blue and cream stripes, then antiqued it a little with wood stain. I added a thrift store frame, painted white, to the front to give it a unique look. I like the look of the wood frame along with the detailed frame.

I stacked a couple of thrift store books--I just love these colors.




Another blue frame--this one with vintage sheet music and mini bird nest with blue eggs.

I love this blue bird pillow with its large rosette purchased from Target for about $20.

My fun ruffly aprons.



And this is where I sit every morning,

checking out my favorite blogs and eating my usual, GoLean with frozen blueberries.

Meet Jaqueline

...


I know, most people don't name their furniture, but I thought she was so charming she needed a name. She just looks like a Jaqueline to me, with her curved bottom and long thin legs.



When I first saw her she had a terrible paint job but I knew I could make her pretty again. I picked a caribbean blue and removed her charming knobs to spray them black.

I think she looks just lovely now.

Homemade Salsa

I made homemade salsa for the first time and it was actually very easy!

I love my new (old) food scale I won off of ebay for 99 cents. (Not necessary for making salsa, I just wanted to take a picture of it.)

Here is the recipe developed by my neighbor Jennifer:

1 bunch cilantro
6 cups onions
1 gallon tomatoes (16 cups)(boil for 1 min., plunge in ice bath, then peel off skins)
2 cans tomato paste (12 oz)
juice from 3 limes
8 cloves garlic
3 jalepanos
12-15 tomatillos
1/2 C vinegar
1T cumin
3T salt
1T sugar

Chop everything in the food processor. This is delicious fresh or you can process it for jars. Makes 7 quarts.

I would have made this sooner if I'd known how easy it was, and it is sooooo good!

Painted Chandelier Pillow

This is my second freezer paper pillow, which was much more time consuming, but not difficult. I copied the chandelier design onto freezer paper and then very carefully cut out the design. This was the most difficult part, trying not to cut anything off. I ironed the freezer paper right onto my square of white fabric. I used a foam brush to fill in the design with black acrylic paint and carefully peeled off the paper so as not to get paint all over the pillow. I then finished the pillow normally with stuffing and stitched the opening closed. This was a really fun project. I love this freezer paper method, you can transfer just about any image this way and make a unique item for your decor.

Shabby Church Pew

After spotting an old church pew in my newly acquired book "Shabby Chic Interiors," by Rachel Ashwell I had it in my head that I had to find one. But I wasn't willing to fork out lots of money for an actual antique church pew. So... I had to make one myself.


This is what I came up with.

This is what the bench looked like when I found it. I bought it off of KSL from someone who had kept it in their laundry room. The seat actually lifts up for storage.


Before painting it, I wanted to add some character without adding a ton of money. I found a table leg the exact length I needed and had a very nice neighbor cut it in half for me. I also added the circle doodad wood piece (I have no idea what this is called but I have always loved these) for added detail.


I then painted it turqoise, sanded it and antiqued it with wood stain.

This adds a huge punch of color into my living room, where it currently sits until I can decide where to put it permanently. I just love that it turned out exactly how I envisioned it!