DIY - Country Sampler Magazine

What a mess....wood scraps left by the previous owners!!! I have looked at this for almost 6 years thinking surely I could build something...anything...something I wouldn't be ashamed of. Over the holidays, I came across a picture of a shelf that I thought would look great over our sofa, only it wasn't for sale. The shelf (inspiration) is on page 95 of the January 2011 issue of Country Sampler magazine. Yep...I can do it!!!



I started with left over tongue and groove pine that was used for the ceiling in our living room and foyer. I've cut the pieces for the back of the shelf and have used wood glue to glue them together.






Table saw....kinda scary, but I've used it before. I used this to make all my cuts. I did waste a couple of pieces of wood because I tried to make curves in the sides, like my inspiration piece. Table saws don't make curves!!! What I need is a jig saw. I'll look for one next time I'm at Lowes.




So far so good...no fingers missing and the back and sides are put together.







Added a shelf. Maybe I should have turned the tongue and groove the other way????? Too late now... it has been glued and nailed in.







Lo and behold...an unexpected surprise. The "tongue" part that I had to cut off made excellent trim to finish my shelf.







Sanded all the rough edges with a palm sander (Christmas gift from husband a long time ago.)









Painted with "Cowboy Hat" from Valspar.

After it was painted, I knew it still needed some work. It MUST look old. I sanded until I wore out a whole pack of sanding pads, I dinged it with the hammer, I stabbed it with an ice pick and I hit it with a pair of pliers. After the beating, I painted in sections with watered down black paint and immediately rubbed it off, leaving just enough in the corners, holes and dings to give it that antique look.



An upclose look at the "antiquing" and the trim.








Because it was heavy and hanging over my sofa, I didn't want it falling off the wall and giving anyone a concussion. I found this picture hanging system at Lowe's from Hangman. This is the mounting bracket on the back of my shelf. It interlocks with the wall bracket and can hold up to 200 lbs. Exactly what I needed!!! It even comes with a tiny level so you can't mess up hanging it straight.


This is how the wall bracket looks on the wall.







Although it doesn't quite look like my inspiration piece, I think it turned out great and is exactly what I wanted....something to fill up that space! I pulled out some junk (treasures) that I had in other parts of the house to display. Mmm.....I think I have found a new hobby!!! (as if I need another one).

Christmas present redo

My husband has been known on occasion to make some great finds....like the time he drove all the way to Nashville just to buy me a tobacco basket. Well, he did it again this Christmas. He found a big ole wonderful wooden box (just $10.00), only I wasn't crazy about the shabby chic paint job the last owner gave it. So today while my little wildman was at day care, I gave it the "once over" in black. Is that wrong to redo a Christmas present? Anyway, this paint job took place on my dining room
floor and fireplace hearth...too cold in the basement. Luckily no paint on the floor, just on me. I think it will make a great toy chest for the little guy. On to Lowe's to buy hinges....

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

Did it ever!!! The local weatherman said this is the first Christmas snow northwest Georgia has had in 20 years. I ventured out yesterday to take a few photos around noon. We got 4 inches yesterday and it has been snowing all day today. It was the perfect end to a perfect day!!

Christmas Home Tour

When we first looked at this house almost six years ago, the double sided fireplace was one feature we were really drawn to. The stacked stone goes 20 feet up to the top of the ceiling with plenty of display area all the way around to the kitchen. Sorry...no crackling fire today. It puts out a lot of heat.

The kitchen side of the fireplace

The old cupboard was a Christmas present from my parents 23 years ago.
























A tiny half bath off the foyer. The dry sink belonged to my grandparents as did the oil lamp. The oil lamp was given to them as a wedding gift.

I found this old school desk at an antique store in Madison, Georgia. If you ever have a chance to go to this wonderful old historic town, you will not be disappointed. The spectacles and Bible on which they rest belonged to my great great grandmother.

My son loves this wooden sampler. He is really into saying his ABC's.

Doesn't everyone have a Charlie Brown Christmas tree?

I hope I'm not the only one....you know...with one of those trees. The kind that is not very attractive or goes with the decor but it holds all the special ornaments that you can't bear to part with...the ones your children have made, the ones made by people who are no longer with you, the ones you recieved as gifts and the cheap ones you purchased when you were first married and it was all you could afford. Every year since my daughter was born I have bought her a special ornament that holds her picture. She now has 14 of them. We have bought two now for our little "wildman". Speaking of....here he is rearranging the above mentioned ornaments on our Charlie Brown tree.

Our Charlie Brown tree is in the sunroom where little fingers don't go thanks to a baby gate. While I was in there he did some more "decorating".

Looking suspiciously innocent (and cute)!!!

Howdy Santa

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I can't wait to start decorating for Christmas!!! Up first is my son's room, done in a cowboy theme. The denim curtains I purchased at Target and added a red cowboy print on the inside edges. I made a patchwork quilt and two pillows out of the same fabric. During the Christmas holidays two years ago when I was very pregnant, my husband and daughter painted the room a primitive mustard and the little dresser and an old pine bookcase I had in a wonderful red. His little tree is outfitted with cowboy ornaments...all of them at clearance price last year from Peebles. The little red lantern I found at Target along with the denim rag rug. I have had the little blue chair and the dresser for years and never really knew what to do with it. I think the good Lord had a plan for them all along!!

Plum Cake

I first tried this cake at a school luncheon. A friend that baked it said it was made from baby food plums. My first thought was "no way am I going to eat that". I did try it and much to my surprise it was wonderful. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was a hit!!
Here's the recipe:




2 cups of self rising flour
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 jars baby food plums
1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together. Bake in a bundt cake pan at 350 for
1 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cake is cooled

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!!! The "wildman" is at daycare so this morning no one was under foot and I was feeling quite domestic so I thought I would do some pre-Thanksgiving baking. I found this recipe online for pumpkin muffins with a cream cheese filling. They were scrumptious!!! The recipe called for a streusel topping which I did for the first batch and decided to leave it off for the second batch. I prefer no topping. The recipe makes 18 muffins. Here goes:

Filling

8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Muffins

2 and 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

3 large eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons soft butter

2-3 tablespoons chopped nuts

Preparation:

line muffin pan with paper baking cups or grease and flour the muffin pan

heat oven to 375

Filling: in a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until smooth and put aside.

Muffins:

*In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 and 2/3 cups of flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Add eggs, pumpkin, oil and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat until blended.

Topping:

*In a small bowl, combine the 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, butter and nuts. Work together with fork.

*Fill muffin cups about 1/3 full with the muffin batter, then put about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of each. Top with 1 more tablespoon of the pumpkin batter or until the cups are about 3/4 full. Sprinkle muffins with streusal topping. Bake for 20-25 minutes until firm.

First time trick or treating

This is my little pumpkin and he went trick or treating for the first time this year. Last year we dressed him up as Tigger, but for pictures only, no candy. He still doesn't eat the candy, but we went anyway. Its funny how he knew what that plastic jack o lantern bucket was for. He inspected every piece of candy that went in there. We made it to five houses of friends and former neighbors before he had had enough. If it were not for the Kai lan DVD playing in the car we would not have made it that far. Thank goodness for portable DVD's!!!