A Day at the Flea Market

A day at the flea market in a near by city on Saturday morning.

We hand breakfast with the family and then decided to roam around for a while.

A few finds but most was out of my league in price. 

The bottom small oil painting sold as soon as I listed it in http://www.southerntouches.etsy.com.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MAY GOD BLESS EACH DAY.

handmade St. Nicholas

I found a lot of ceramic and bisque Santa head ornaments and tried my hand at making my own version of the expensive St. Nicholas.

Using a liter or 2liter bottle and filling it with garden stones or glass stone from the Dollar Tree.
A glue gun, scraps of favorite Christmas pieces and lots of fabrics, Christmas or vintage seems to come out the best.

Cut, wrap, glue and enjoy in every room of the house.

If you are a crafter and collector they will cost about $5.00 each to make.

Display and enjoy,  Merry Christmas

Upcycled Wooden Box

This old shoe shinning box made the perfect place to keep clean cloths next to the garden tub.

Could be used for any home decor or even a keepsake box.

A little cleaning and someones throw a way becomes a treasure.

Fall Delights

My husband and I were out walking the other day and one of our friends drives by and asked if we wanted to taste and have some japanese persimmons.   He said they have four trees at their house and I didn't even know that they would grow in north Florida. 

We have the wild ones growing side the roadways but they have to be really soft and red  not to be bitter.

To my amazement you can slice these when they're  firm and they have an apple like flesh and taste.
When they fully ripen you use them in cakes,cookies etc.

A nice fall surprise and they are great in fruit salads.

Repurposed Poker Chip Case

I just fell in love with this vintage wooden poker chip holder and knew I had to do something with it.
Well, here it is in my upcycled bathroom.  Rolled up some facecloths and added them to the counter between the double sinks.

I fine it fascinating to look at objects and try to place them in room at home.  This one took just a little cleaning and was ready for use.

Guess what you can do with an old shoe shine box?  Next.

Hannah's on the Square

The main reason for visiting Denton is my daughter and her husband, Sheena and Jim. 
The pictures here are of Hannah's on the Square downtown where she is the head chef and a manager of this fine dinning restaurant.  My hubby sits in the background in his FSU wardrobe.

Favorite food is the southwestern crabcakes with reduce balsamic syrup.  Yummy!!!!

If you go to Denton, do try the downtown shops and restaurants.  You will find everything to please your taste.

Buying and Vacation Trip/ Denton ,Texas

Some of the displays at down town Denton Antique Malls.  I sure had a yummy time buying and looking for items for my Etsy shops.  Great place to vacation and shop, though all shops will not allow photos.  If your ever near Denton, go to the downtown square for a lot of shopping and shops.

Warehouse Gazing

Wondering through a giant warehouse that excepts everything as donations and sales them for the Florida Sheriff's Boys Ranch.  You can find everything here even if it is broken.  But to upcycle or recycle it is the best place around.  It is also tax excempt.  

Bottom pic is one of the ladies that courteously let me take her picture as I told her she would be featured on my blog.

Creating Pendants

Looking around this afternoon at some creative pendants that I like very much and hope to try and make my version of each.  Long flowing pendants over a sweater is one of my favorites and hope to have some made by fall and winter.

Go into your junk drawer and start chaining bits and pieces to see what you can come up with.

Happy crafting and creating today and tomorrow.   Thanks for looking, Marie

Caligraphy Reused

A few things upcycled from caligraphy papers and turned into great things to use or wear.

I have become fascinated with old hand writing papers while extracting info from old courthouse records  researching our genealogy.

The long clear earrings are from anotheruse shop on etsy.com.

Gather old papers,letter,documents and even postcards to make delightful, useful items.

White Pears

The bottom pic are the ones I made.

White pears are becoming very popular in home decor especially if you like vintage,cottage or french country.

I have been experimenting with making some white pears for my shop on etsy.

Southern touches will soon have the bottom pic listed and they are stark white pears upcycled from vintage pears that have a natural stem look and rustic white coated paper mache outer layers.

I first put three layers of torn white paper over vintage plastic pears and dried 24 hrs. Then I gave them 3 coats of stark white acrylic craft paint and let dry in between coats.  Using fine steel wool I gave them a brushing all over thinning in random spots.

I think they turned out nicely for a small bowl or basket display.

Renewed Kitchen

My kitchen is getting a facelift. The colors for so many years waere beige and primary colors.  I have painted the cabinets stark white enamel  with a beige wainscot around the walls and added black and white vintage adornments.  All white dishes and lots and lots of milkglass. I even painted the cabinet pulls metal parts black.

Still have a cabinet to transform but have not decided where it will be black or white.  I'm leaning towards black. 

Now I am collecting white china of any and every style.

Most of the color splashes  comes from my collection of dogwood blossom vintage dishes and nic nacs.

Everything seems to suit for the time being.

Coming to Etsy Shops

From vintage to primitive you will be able to select your favorites by visiting all three etsy shops.
http://www.dogwoodflowerdesigns.etsy.com
http://www.vintagetreasureanew.etsy.com
http://www.southerntouches.etsy.com

Southerntouches will be closing from all handmade items and become a shop of renewed home decor and usable items.  Most items will be upcycled to weathered white or rustic.  Hope you will stop by in the near future for the grand opening.