Rustic Barnwood Hall Tree

One of the privileges of creating and building and having my own business is being able to donate items to various auctions and charities. 

Hubby has been on the YMCA board for five years and they recently had their biggest fundraiser of the year, the Snowball Gala. This year we built (and I say we because although most of the time I do all the building, hubby definitely helped on this one!) a rustic, barnwood hall tree.

We started with two pieces of weathered, corrugated tin we had. We made the tin back first.

I made the bench separately, adding storage to it. 

Hooks were added and the back was attached to the bench. I didn't stain any of it, but used my favorite, brush on clear finish.

(affiliate link)

I love this clear coat, you can get it HERE.

Giving back to our community is a priority for us and we are blessed to be able to do so.

Sunday Verses

Happy Sunday! It is January which typically means that our world here in Montana is blanketed in white. This year however, all around us is brown with very little snow. On a recent walk I spied some green popping up through the brown--it was unexpected, but a welcomed sight. It reminded me that there are small, unexpected signs of hope all around us. We often miss the glimpses of hope because we are too busy looking at the bigger picture. We are waiting for the one big "thing" and we forget to notice and appreciate the little encouragements and signs of hope that are in front of us. When we put off hope, when we forget to practice gratitude, when we refuse to notice the everyday positives, we make our hearts sick. Do not defer hope, look for it and take note of the daily hopeful bits of life all around you.

Double Duty Star

Well, it has taken me far longer than I planned, but this is my final 12 Days of Christmas project. 😁 This is a double duty, works for two holidays project so instead of being way behind, we can say I am way ahead.

This star is easy to create and the stenciled tag that flips over makes it perfect decor for both Christmas and the Fourth of July.

Farmhouse Shelf Makeover Take Two

Take two on this bookshelf makeover. I can't seem to find a photo of this shelf in the beginning and I am not even sure I remember what it looked like, but this is what it looked like after its first upcycle.

I got it from a friend's garage and if I remember right, I took the original top off to add to the back and used a barnwood top and stained the whole thing dark.  At any rate, it has been sitting in my booth for more than a year. I am not sure why it didn't sell, I thought it would be perfect for an entry with baskets on it or in a kitchen for cookbooks, towels, bowls.

Sunday Verses

Happy Sunday! If you read my Sunday Verses regularly you have heard me "preaching" practicing gratitude more than once. That is because I know that being thankful can be life changing. Science shows that people who routinely take the time to be grateful are more positive, have stronger immune systems, sleep better, and are kinder. Nothing turns my day around more than stopping my stinkin' thinkin' by mentally or verbally listing as many things as I can to be thankful for. There are countless verses in the Bible telling us to give thanks. I don't always remember to stop my negative thoughts with gratitude, but when I do there is a noticeable difference in my attitude. Today, this week, put a stop to pessimism by giving thanks and notice how it changes your frame of mind.

Thrifty Thursday Rusty Crusty Farmhouse Tins

Oh, the fun I have been having throwing things in the fire.

To be more specific, throwing thrift store tins and such into the fire.

I never know how they will come out, and to be fair, I should tell you some do get ruined in the fire, but the patina I get is worth the risk. I rarely pay more than one dollar for any tin or canister.

These two tins I painted with aqua paint after they came out of the fire.

Wood Crate

There is just something about crates that make me smile. They are an easy build, they are super useful, and they are darn cute.

Someone recently asked if I still use pallet wood. YES, I do!!

(affiliate links)

Sunday Verses

Happy Sunday! I recently saw a poster that said: Relax your Shoulders, Unclench your Fists, and Breathe. It stuck with me and made me wonder, how often do we go through life with clenched fists? We clench our fists (and jaws) when we are angry or stressed, when we disagree, when we hold tightly to the things we cherish--our marriages, our families, our finances, in grasping to our ideals and beliefs, in holding on to our grudges and grievances. This year I am working on opening up my clenched fists--opening them to God, unfolding them in prayer, surrendering those things I have held on too tightly to for too long, spreading my fingers to reach out to and help others. Want to join me? I am starting with prayer--open hands turned up toward God, resting, breathing, listening for what Jesus wants to put in my hands.

Repurposed Candlestick

Raise your hand if you appreciate minimal decor and color post Christmas decorating. While I love color and decorate with plenty of it, there is just something about the calmness of white and black and grey and wood that I love in the winter. Perhaps it is because it matches the outdoors. 

This simple, repurposed candlestick fits my winter decor mood perfectly.

This is also project eleven for my 12 Days of Christmas posts.

(affiliate links)

Thrift Store Tray Makeover

One of my new year's goals is to finish or get rid of projects that have been sitting around. One of those was this thrift store tray.

I do not have a before picture, I am sure I did take one--it might be on my phone that is at the bottom of a Montana lake. But it was wood and silver, which I loved, BUT the wood was that mahogany color and it had an image on it that I couldn't get sanded off.

The reason I quit making over this tray is because even though I clear coated the wood before painting it, the red stain in the wood kept bleeding through. There was a mahogany colored wood stain used in the 30's and 40's that never dried completely (or something like that) so it bleeds through all paint. Finally, after a few good coats of clear spray (ok, and a couple years of sitting) the red did not come through the white paint.

I stenciled a lacy "doily" in the middle of the tray. I love the tarnished silver around the edges with the white paint.

It is a great example of a thrift store item that is saved and updated with a little paint and is perfect on ottoman.

PS--I don't remember where I got the stencil from, but you can get a similar one (affiliate link) HERE.