Create a Winter Centerpiece with Thrift Store Finds

The home "halls" have been decked for Christmas and over the next week I will share my holiday home with you. I didn't completely change up my decor this year, but restyled what I have and added bits and pieces of new finds. Blues, greens, and whites are my color scheme. I am incorporating a lot of natural and organic elements such as pine branches and pinecones and warm light. Let's start with my dining table centerpiece.

Just about everything you see has been thrifted! Only the blue ribbon, the fairy lights, and the gold candle cups in the green glasses were purchased brand new. I found this antique, European wood sled last year at a favorite local thrift store and bought it instantly. I love the height it adds and the warm wood tones.

I placed the sled on a thrifted blue and brown plaid runner that also has bits of yellow and rusty red running through it. A pine garland that is sparse runs around and through the sled.

I used all kinds of thrifted, faux, pine stems to create the pine bouquet. I arranged the stems in a 99 cent, brass pot and added a blue ribbon and fairy lights on a timer. A thrifted, Putz style church sits in front on the wood sled. It does have lights, but I need to get a battery for it. 

A pair of green glasses that I turned into candlesticks with the addition of gold candle cups complete the centerpiece, adding height and candlelight. 

This thrifted centerpiece will most likely grace my table through the winter months. Remember these key elements to create a visually appealing vignette: varying heights, repeat colors, elements, and textures, use something natural (or natural looking), [lace objects on something to ground them, use unique items that you love!

Adorable Vintage Christmas Finds

Sourcing very vintage Christmas items is becoming harder and harder. But, here are a couple recent finds that are perfect for a vintage Christmas theme. 

Okay, the metal lunchbox bottom isn't necessarily a Christmas item, but I turned it into one. I found this at a garage sale a month ago. I picked it up and the gentleman said, "Oh, that's trash." He gave it to me for free (I did have to dump out the rusty nails in it).  

I clear coated it inside and out to stop the rust and add a floral foam block and various faux pine stems. Some little fairy lights finish this adorable centerpiece.

I also found this 1928 Santa Sunkist Lemon crate end.  It was very fragile and crackled. I did put a clear coat over the top of it.

It amazes me that something like this that is 97 years old has survived.

Both of these vintage finds will be available at my next pop-up, November 29, 9-4.

Cozy Curated Finds and an Easy Makeover

What criteria do I use when deciding to purchase a piece of furniture that needs upcycled? 1) Is it real wood? 2) How wobbly is the piece and how hard or easy will it be to sturdy it? 3) Is it a piece of furniture that is useful and versatile? 4) How much time will it take me to update it? 5) Is the price worth my time to upcycle the piece?

When I recently spied a mid-century, vanity bench at a local thrift store, I ran it through my checklist and decided it was a YES, buy it piece! 

This vanity bench is very solid, not a wiggle or a wobble in it. The wood is in good, nice looking condition. Perfect? No, but nice enough that the only thing I needed to do to it was clean it up with some soap and water. All I wanted to do to update it was recover the seat.

I have had this small wool square for sale in my pop-up shop for quite some time (I thought it would be great as a table square). I decided that if the square was big enough, I would use it. I liked the warm and cozy look that the cream and brown plaid wool square brought to the mid-century piece.

I could see the blue fabric had been used to recover the original fabric. I left both of those and typically do when recovering a seat, as long as they aren't too dirty or stinky. I covered the blue fabric with two layers of Warm and Natural quilt batting and then the wool piece. 

I few other recent finds that add to this cozy seat include some good, realistic looking pine branches, green velvet pillows, and a frame (that needs glass) and a vintage Colorado mountain picture. This vanity bench makes a great entry bench, an extra seat at the kitchen table, as a side table with a tray on it, or used as a bench at the end of a bed.

Cozy Christmas Decor and a Reclaimed Wood Fireplace Mantel

Oh, how I wish I had a fireplace mantel to style each season. Alas, I do not (but I do use my front entryway shelf like a mantel). I love making faux mantels or fireplace shelves for my pop-up shop to sell to those who also crave the ambiance that a mantel brings to a home space. Last year I made and sold three different faux fireplaces during the holiday season, each one different and unique. Here is this season's first "fireplace" for the pop-up shop. 

This one I created using reclaimed, graying, barnwood. Although it has a rustic style, it can easily be dressed up or down to fit in a variety of homes. The mantel piece is a live edge, reclaimed barnwood plank with moss on it. It is lovely.

It is hard to see in these pictures, but the fireplace is backed with a piece of sheet metal. 

This fantastic, antique, brass gargoyle, peacock fireplace fan dresses up the rustic wood. It is definitely a fun find.

I sewed the stockings from a damaged Pendleton plaid wool blanket.

Other recently curated items include a painting painted in 1984 that was painted by mouth and is signed by the artist. The vintage, printed Santa cutout is perfect for a shelf or mantel. 100% sheepskin pillows are cozy and white pom-pom garlands add layers to the mantel.

The cozy feeling that the faux mantel gives the shop is appreciated and just right for my upcoming Holiday Home pop-up. 

A Project Fifteen Years in the Making

Some projects take longer than others. I knew exactly what I wanted to create when I purchased this antique, birdseye, maple headboard (and footboard) at a garage sale 15+years ago...

It just took me awhile to get to it!

But, this weekend was time to build the bench that I envisioned many years ago and I must say, it turned out even better than I pictured. (Sorry about the sunlight streaks.)

The curved footboard was cut in half and attached to the headboard on the sides. I then created a seat frame, using a nice piece of wood across the front. I cut a piece of plywood for the seat bottom and used a thick piece of memory foam as a cushion. I covered it in a piece of thrifted, cream wool that I scotchguarded.

The headboard and footboard were made by Innis Pearce & Co.  in Rushville, Indiana. They manufactured furniture from 1884-1921. I love researching the history of old pieces. Isn't she a beauty?

The bench will work with many different styles. Here it is shown with a cozy, plaid, wool blanket and a wool pinecone pillow--perfect in a rustic home or cabin.  Switch out pillows and blankets and it will work in a farmhouse, eclectic, or traditional home. This bench will be for sale at my upcoming pop-up shop.