Semi-homemade DIY shelf

Hello everyone! I'm joining Kimba's DIY party over at A Soft Place to Land for a little show and tell about my most recent project for my kitchen. I'm calling this shelf "semi-homemade" since I already had some gorgeous factory made corbels...just had to purchase some trim and a board for the shelf top. Here's a peek at the finished product holding some of my favorite white ironstone and pottery....all decked out for the holidays!

The corbels were given to me by our local lumberyard a few years back when we were building our house. The architect ordered the wrong style/size, and since they were a custom color/glaze, they were not returnable to the manufacturer. Yay me!

I went to my nearest home store (only 130 miles away!) and found some trim, which I think may actually be chair rail, and a nice hardwood board for the shelf top.

After calculating and measuring for size, I cut my pieces and began gluing and nailing (I've come to love my nail gun!) This may not seem like a terribly difficult project to you, and truthfully, it wasn't.....but you must understand, angles and me...we don't always get along so well. I figure that's why somebody created wood filler!!

Here it is in it's assembled, wood-filled state:

I knew I could never replicate the factory finish on the corbels, so I decided to create my own. I used Kilz spray primer in white to coat the entire piece. After drying, I lightly sanded it with fine grit paper and fine steel wool. Paint? Nope...just primer! The finish after the steel wool was perfectly smooth.

I then coated the entire piece with Ralph Lauren's smoke-tinted glaze, thanks to the gals over at Shanty to Chic for sharing one of their secret weapons! I left some of the glaze in the crevices of the corbels and it just naturally soaked into the imperfections on the trim, the rest I wiped off lightly.

I LOVE the results!

You could easily make a similar shelf with shelf brackets, unfinished corbels, or even antique corbels and get the same results.

Thanks for tagging along! Happy Holidays...stay warm!

Reflections of Christmas...

Good Morning! It seems I've used alot of mirrors in my Christmas decorating this year...

The upstairs dining room mantel took on a modern twist with the large graphic numbers. The warm glow of the candles reflecting off the mirrors look so pretty at night!Pieces of a broken mirror set the scene for a table centerpiece in the family room...It really looks like ice... And then there are reflections of candlelight bouncing off ornaments! Yes, reflections of Christmas are all around us!Stay warm!

Faux fireplace to warm your holiday.

What do you get when you challenge a bored teenager to cross an antique mirror frame, an old door, a couple closet doors, odds and ends boards and some miscellaneous trim? Answer: FAUX FIREPLACE !!!
With all the posts in blogland of wonderful Christmas decorations and ideas, I worried this post would be a bit out of place. But just imagine the cozy addition of a glowing fire at Christmas....er, uhm....maybe not with THIS fireplace, but we can pretend right?! Even a faux fireplace can add a certain sweetness to a room, fulfilling a warm and cozy touch that's perfect for the Christmas season.

In the blurry scurry of JunkFest preparation, I knew I wanted to re-invent this antique mirror frame into the front focal piece of a faux fireplace. Time was not on my side...so when Middle Child (will work for food) proclaimed his boredom one fine day, I put this challenge in his lap. "Take this frame, take those boards, find some scrap wood, measure twice and cut once....a fireplace...MAKE IT SO." Off he went to the barn, tape measure in hand.

Of course, old Mom checked in on him quite often, adding suggestions and advise when needed and not. I was impressed at his handywork, might have to hire him next year!

I did finish up the fireplace after he got busy. Added some trim, a "door" mantel, and some fresh coats of paint and poly. One of the repurposed trim boards had "September 7, 1905" written on the back in pencil with a name I couldn't make out. How sweet is that!!!
This is a picture of the fireplace on display at JunkFest 2009. Soon after the doors opened it found a new home to go to. I hope the new owners are enjoying the warmth even a faux fireplace can offer for this holiday season!
**This post has been added to Kimba's DIY over at A Soft Place to Land....go check out all the great projects!!

White Wednesday

Wow! Another week, and here it is White Wednesday again! I don't have all my decorating done, but here's a peek at what I do have.

Enjoy what's left of your week!

Deck the Halls!

Now that Thanksgiving is officially over, it's time to start Decking the Halls, don't you agree?!

Or, deck the doors, as I did! This summer I rescued this old crusty door. Yep. When I was out for a walk I eyed it leaned up against someones garage and my heart did a couple flips! It looked pretty cool from the street. I grabbed my cell, called my oldest son who was crusin' Main and made him help me load it in the vehicle before the owner could change her mind! Of course my son was appalled, but I thought it had definite possibilities!

A few days ago I taped off a pattern and sprayed the glass with frosted paint and added the vinyl letters from Hob Lob...cool details on it, huh?Next up: Wreath making the easy way! At this years' Junk Fest I bought a couple round grates Cassie was selling and knew exactly what one of them was going to be at Christmas. This new "wreath" is hung above the fireplace in my family room.

Very simple. No poofy ribbon. I just added a little JINGLE instead. It's tied to the rusty handle on the old grain bin door my dad saved for me. Love that dang door. It stays up all year long.

My other idea for a holiday wreath you've all seen before, but here's how mine turned out. First, I dug out an old frame I decided not to sell at Junk Fest (truly a miracle-for once I was thinking ahead!)......hung it up along with the fresh green wreath the LYO kids were selling...(the ribbon was a nice color and I didn't even have to change it out this year...) Here's where I added some "bling"...a few crystals and a couple metal numbers. The countdown to the 25th begins!Again, the end result is simple, yet pretty, don't you think?Yeah, keeping it simple - that's my goal this holiday season. Now go! Get busy and deck those halls, walls, doors, windows, etc., etc.! Have fun!

Turkey day and a Birthday Girl!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And Happiest of Birthdays to our own Sweet Melissa! Yes, folks we have yet another birthday to celebrate here at Junk Fest!! This will be the last for a long while...promise! For once, Sweet Melissa has been framed! Usually, she's the one behind the camera, snapping up incriminating and sometimes unflattering pics of the junk girls at their finest!

Cheers to you, oh lover-of-rust, junker extraordinairre!

May your birthday be filled with all the things you love! Here's to moist turkey, lump-free mashed potatoes, gravy better than grandma's and pumpkin pie!

Thanks to all that you bring to the Junk Fest table. Your spirit, positive "can do" attitude, sense of humor and just plain junktuitiveness! Yes, I made that word up, but hey, it's her birthday!

Enjoy your day! We love ya!

White Wednesday

It certainly appears everyone enjoyed the pictures Cassie posted last Wednesday...White Wednesday. Yes, they were grand! I told her I'd give it a try this week even though I don't have nearly the neat white collections she does (nor can I take such great pictures as she does - holy smokes girl, good job!) I do have a love for white though and it can be found throughout my house. So, here goes...

White candles...I love 'em...

I bet you can't believe I haven't been kicked out of the house for dragging all this chippy stuff in, huh?! I know, me either, but what's not to love?!!

Oh, yes. If it's white and not chippy then it's white and dusted with a tad bit of rust! Ha! I've posted some of my lamp bases before...wait till you see what I do with them for Christmas...!

And, just to see if you're paying attention, there's alot of WHITE WINE in my house too! Ha! But you knew that about me already, didn't you?! LOL! Happy White Wednesday!