pottery barn knock off

 Pottery Barn wants $399.00 for this ledge....  Seriously?  

So remember this post about my $5.00 doors?  They looked like this for a year or so

but I got tired of that and painted it with ASCP Paris Grey and Old White

this is just painted - no waxing

It was pretty, but not ledgy like ... I showed the PB catalog to Jeff and said, I want this. ..  will you cut this thing in half for me?   Remember we started was 2 doors that he glued together with wooden dowels .....

and now we have this ...... 

love that shine.....  

a coat of clear wax, lots of sanding, and top coat of clear and dark wax and buff buff buff

I am not settled on what I have on the ledge now, but changing it up is half the fun for me

 you like?

I am going to try to remember to link up to 

Miss Mustard Seed and Frugal Friday at The shabby Nest and Home Sweet Home and Beneathmyheart

The end of the harvest tablescape

If you live near a HomeGoods Store you might consider posting a tablescape on your bloggy and link up to Centsational Girl's giveaway at her  "Tablescape Link Party + HomeGoods Contest".   At first glance of the rules, I thought I read that the winner would be chosen at random.  So since I didn't have to be the best,  I thought I had as good a chance as anyone else to win.  But after spending 30 minutes finding and posting pictures on here, I read the rules again and see that the winner will be based on style affordability and creativity.  Well..... the only criteria I meet is affordability.  I used what I had around here.  Because it takes me so long to post,  I am going to throw all pride in the wind and hit "publish post"  

.  

the silver tray was a 25th anniversary gift to my parents back around 1972

I have enjoyed the apothecary and change it up for every season

plug for the ASCP - this is Old White on the pumpkins - one coat

I think this might have been last year's vignette on the front porch

  

and this is the back porch

and this is what the table looks like tonight  ....  just keeping it real 

Check out the party - you might win, and you will for sure be inspired

cleaning out the hopper

Remember this hoopty in the hopper?  Remember the 3 chairs I got for free at an auction in Linden?

INTRODUCING....

Miss Brown Swirly

She needed a little TLC is an understatement...

A new back

A new arm

A new seat bottom 

Actually, I'm quite jealous - I need all three of those things!

 oh and a paint job ... 

it's a mix or a mess of white primer, heirloom white, SW creamy, and ASCP in Old White

and I think ASCP clear and dark wax

untrained upholstery working is not for the faint at heart and certainly not for the perfectionist.

I've learned that I don't really like upholstery work, but Jeff seems to.  He rebuilt the chair, and did most of the stapling, and put all the nail head trim on.  I cut the fabric, and sewed up the welting cord, and painted the chair .... it's a labor of love and kept this ole gal from going to the landfill.  

Oh and I had to show you my knock out roses one more time before the frost arrives.  I am not 

not sure what will happen when they are frosted, as this is my first summer to have these.

I recommend them to anyone wanting roses because they require very little attention.  

These have actually been neglected and still thrived all summer long.

check out these parties - I promise you will be inspired and amazed at what women are doing with the hooptys in their hoppers.

Linking up to Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Feature Friday party

and Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest

The trees are on fire!

I knew that would get your attention....  

I think the trees that line the street in my neighborhood are red leaf maples, or maybe they are oak trees?   I'm just not sure, but I am sure glad they are here in the hood.  They are gorgeous this year.  They look like they are on fire.  They will look different in no time at all.

This ole gal will need to come inside soon, or before a frost.  She really is old, like maybe 20 years old. Before I bring this inside I will need to cut all these leaves off, so I will put it off as long as possible, even though it doesn't seem to keep it from coming back every summer.

We have been churning out the projects, so pictures to post soon, but for now.....

Happy Halloween!

love, 

Jeff and Glenda

these characters actually look a little like us.... even ragged and dinged up in a few places

The View Master

remember the View Master?

I didn't know until about a year ago that Jeff still really enjoys looking through a View Master

so, when we run through an antique store he looks for these things.  I found this set at SY Wilson's and bought it for him, because of the storage case.  I've never seen a View Master storeage case before, plus, it's made out of Bakelite, and y'all know my weakness for the Bakelite. 

I took this picture before I cleaned the case.... the View Master has a bad eye, but still works really well

Jeff has given 2 or 3 of these to Amzie and Evan ... It's hard to compete with HD TV, but they did spend some time clicking through the reels.  Funny how you can find a particular item once you start looking for it.  He finds these, and I can spot a chandelier in someone's car at Kroger after dark 

(please, don't judge me, I couldn't help myself)

Here is the rest of his toy collection.... 

and so .... if you see a View Master, or any cool reels out there in your junking ventures.... remember

 Mr. Jeff and how he likes to lay up in his big ole recliner and look at stuff 3D style

Linking up to Treasure Hunt Thursday at

http://frommyfrontporchtoyours.blogspot.com/2011/10/treasure-hunt-thursday-29-highlights.html

look at those cool mermaids!  You know this party is going to be fun!

Beach Creatures

We saw these crabs washed up on the beach in Virginia

Have you ever?  Me either....

This is a horseshoe crab ....  it has seen better days

the top side resembles a horse hoof, and that tail is not a weapon, but helps the crab travel in sand, acts as a rudder and can be used to right the crab when it accidentally tips over

I love Google!

I love baby feet and hands ...

something ate this crab?

We saw this Blue Crab

is this seaweed?  lots of this stuff washed up on the beach

Camryn was not afraid of any of these sea creatures, or the water... 

she would run from one thing to another and then to the water ...

I need to find a way to go back before this beach baby forgets who I am

The USS New York

remember me telling you that Jeff went on a Tiger Cruise with J.Paul ...

this trip was from Norfolk to New York ....  the ship was sent up there as part of the 10 year memorial of the 911 tragedy.  The New York has 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the the twin towers forged into her bow. This facbook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/USS-NEW-YORK-LPD-21/113468238587 is a log of the ship, the crew and and lots of really good pictures of the ship. 

J.Paul is the dentist assigned to this ship for 2 years

I have lots of pictures, many have already run through FB, so I am just posting a few pictures, mostly of Jeff and J.Paul

Jeff got to hang out in the Captain's seat for a bit... and earn his Tiger Certification  

Coming into Staten Island on the Hudson River

I was hoping he would send me this picture

I've only seen the Statue of Liberty one other time from an airplane. 

 I find this moving. 

It clearly says to me that this is the land of liberty, the land of the free...

 Jeff said they had a coast guard escorts on both side of the ship into Staten Island, with helicopters above... lots of security, as you might imagine

33 Rockefeller Plaza.  

My 15 minutes a day of TV is televised here in the morning before I go to work

this was mid day, so all the people were gone

  

Times Square

They went to David Letterman's show and saw Michael J. Fox

 Jeff said it was easy to ask people to take their picture 

he said, people walked up to J.Paul all day and thanked him for his service, and would often ask to have their picture taken with him

  

Central Park

They had a tour guide, "Akoud" (I could).  He was from Turkey  ..... 

giving them a tour of Central Park, in New York USA, the land of opportunity...

I think they bonded with Akoud

This was outside the apartment building where John Lennon was killed

 They were told that Yoko still lives here on the top floor 

people still leave flowers for him

Jeff said he had the time of his life ... and loved spending all that time with J.Paul

All ya need is love  ... love ... love is all ya need

xxoo