Fall Rust

Have I mentioned that I love fall?

The cooler nights, warm, sky blue days, the crisp leaves, apples, pumpkins...oh my!

Fall in Montana is especially glorious, and while it is not quite here, I can feel it and I can't wait.

And because I have the patience of a 2 year old, I decided to jump the gun a little and make a new fall front door decoration.

I had no idea what I was going to make until I spied this rusty funnel in my stash.

I knew the rust color was perfect for fall.  I painted some barn red and bright orange paint on a piece of barn wood, sanded it a little and then stained it in Puritan Pine.

I screwed the funnel to the board and added some fall floral to it.  As you can see, I did this in a very random, messy way.

I drilled large holes in the top corners and pulled and knotted a piece of burlap through it to hang it from.  Hint--put a little poster putty on the back to keep it from banging on the door.

A book cover tag, some jute, and a couple washers completed my new fall door decor.  

Harvest Blessings to you!

Sunday Verses

Turquoise Tote

I have shown some of these tool boxes/ totes before, but had to show off this one because I really liked how it turned out.

I used some reclaimed oak flooring (I think that is what it is)--putting the grooved part to the outside. 

The first thing you need to do when building this is decide what you are going to use as a handle because this will determine the size of your tote.  Mine is from a broken mirror harp.

Cut a piece of wood the same length as the handle for the bottom.  Cut two pieces for the sides the length of the bottom PLUS the width of the wood x 2.  For example, if your handle and bottom are 22" long and your wood is 3/4" thick, cut the 2 side pieces 23 1/2" long.

For the end pieces cut whatever height you want the box to be.  I usually like them fairly tall so wine bottles fit nicely in the tote.

Screw the side pieces to the end pieces and then the bottom piece will fit up inside--screw it in place.  Add the handle and paint as you like.  This one has my "accidental" finish--the color scheme I discovered by accident.  Red, bright green, and then turquoise with stain applied over the top and just stain on the inside.

Wouldn't this be welcoming in a guest room--an extra blanket, magazines, and a bottle of wine.

Sunday Verses

HOME

HOME...

Welcome home.

There's no place like home.

Home is where the heart is.

All roads lead home.

Wherever you are, that is home.

Home is a cozy and warm and happy word.

So HOME was the word I decided to build (okay, the letters are also easy to make).

These are about 18" tall and 3" wide.

They are assembled using thin pieces of wood screwed to the back.

I lay the pieces on top of one another and draw lines to figure out what cuts I needed to make.

I could have made a square O, but I like using a wreath, or a bundt pan,

These do have D rings on the back to hang them, but since they are for sale I didn't want to put a bunch of holes in the wall.  Happy HOME, always a good thing.

Sunday Verses

Rustic Elegance

Rustic Elegance?  I am not sure if that is a real thing or a defined style.  But that is what I am calling this little dining set.

It started as a pile of pallet wood and two little restaurant, red vinyl covered chairs.

The table is the rustic part.  I added a little cream and turquoise paint under the grey.

I do not know what type of wood the top is made of, but goodness, this was the heaviest and hardest pallet wood I have ever used.

The chairs are the elegant part,

Yes, their chippy grey paint is still rustic, but the fabric adds a touch of elegance.

I perfect little dining set for a hip college apartment or a covered patio or porch.

PS--Don't you adore these little turquoise dessert dishes?  They are from an antique store, I got 10 of them for $12 and are the perfect size for many different delicious foods.

A Montana Minute

I have lived in Montana for 33 years.  I came here as a teen kicking and screaming.  Now you would have to take me out of here kicking and screaming.

The beauty that surrounds me never ceases to amaze and delight me.

Yesterday, we too a few minutes (okay about 180 minutes) to enjoy some of that beauty.

We hiked to 2 falls.  This hike can be a 14 mile hike past 11 falls--someday.

My puppy doing a little fishing.

I don't walk across logs. Hubby and daughter are great buddies.

Lots of wildflowers still blooming.

The end of another beautiful Montana hike.  Thanks for taking a minute to enjoy the beauty with me.

Off the Hook

Or on the hook?

Coat hooks are so useful.  I love them in kids' rooms--they can always hang something up on a hook, in bathrooms as it is much easier to hang a towel on a hook as opposed to that fancy towel folding for a towel bar, for jewelry, by a hot tub, in an entry or mudroom, and...so many other places and uses.

Here a couple of coat hooks I recently made.

I added numbers to one of them.

 I wanted blocks of color, but nothing too precise so I used a tape measure while I was painting 
to figure out how big each block should be, but I didn't tape off the different spaces.

I sanded fairly heavily and added stain.

Paint those Hobby Lobby hooks for a more vintage look (don't forget to paint the screws).

And hang it up, or hook it up! 

Find more ideas at Funky Junk Interiors.