Sunday Verses

12 Days of Christmas, Day 5, Advent Calendar

Okay, at the risk of being obnoxious ;) BEFORE you see day 5 PLEASE take 30 seconds to go vote for my pallet potting bench.  I am closing in on first place, but need your help to take the lead.  THANKS SO MUCH!!

VOTE HERE!

On the fifth day of Christmas

Beyond The Picket Fence gave to me

An advent calendar that is bright & cheery.

For this advent calendar I started with a bunch of "branch rounds".  However, these really aren't from a branch because I didn't have one.  I did have some wood tree stake poles so I cut one of them up on the chop saw. You could also buy round, wood circles at the craft store. 

After a light sanding of each round, I stained one side and painted chalkboard paint on the other.  My plan was to leave the stained side that way, but it was so dark and not very cheery so instead I painted the one side with red, green, and blue.  

I then painted numbers on them with white paint, drilled a small hole in the top and added an eye hook and some baker's twine.

I grabbed apiece of plywood and laid the number rounds out.  If you are particular, you can use a yardstick to get everything even--me, I am an eyeballer.  

I added screws above each round.

I painted the board white

and then I added a 1"x 2" wood frame.

Now, as my hubby so gently pointed out, these are pretty small to write on with chalk.  But, you can buy a fine tip chalk pen (which I plan to do) or sharpen chalk with a handheld pencil sharpener or draw pictures for the activities that you will include for each day or use a paint pen if you want permanent activities.  

Remember to include lots of community activities like visiting a nursing home or baking for the local fire department.

Vintage Inspiration Party

Welcome back to the Vintage Inspiration Party.  We're so happy to have you partying with us every week and we always look forward to seeing your vintage inspired treasures and projects. This is the place to share anything old, treasured, passed-down or tattered, but you can also share projects that were made to look old, including repurposed and upcycled creations.

vin-tage (adj.) 1.) used to describe something that is not new but that is valued because of its good condition, attractive design, etc. 2.) used to describe something that has the best qualities or characteristics of the things made or done by a particular person, organization.

When you link up here at Vintage Inspiration Party your links will be seen on all 4 blogs!!

Knick of Time

Beyond the Picket Fence

My Salvaged Treasures

Songbird

Let's take a look at the features from last week's party chosen by Betsy at
 My Salvaged Treasures

Pallets, Oh How I Do Love Them!

I just got a new batch of pallets and I am happily and busily planning and plotting what to do with them.  The possibilities are truly endless.  Right now I am working with them as the whole pallet like I did with this project that I am reposting because "she", yes my potting bench is a she, and she is in a beauty contest right now and she needs your help.

This project is entered in Bob Vila's Thumbs Up! contest for the month of November 2014. You can vote once a day. It only takes a few seconds to vote, I promise!  PLEASE VOTE FOR IT HERE! THANK YOU!

Tune in this evening for the Vintage Inspiration Party!

I am still in my pallet paradise mode--loving the beauty and creative possibility of free wood.  Now, free wood does not mean less work, quite the contrary.  Pallet building is not for the faint.  It is hard work making that free wood useable.  But, I love discovering the different kinds of woods, dreaming up new ways to use the various parts of the pallet.  Using half a pallet, I built a potting table that is ready for spring (or late May in Montana).

I filled in the empty spaces between the pallets with some painted trim pieces.
Old window sash pieces worked for legs and some found tongue and groove boards for the bottom shelf.  I added a little chalkboard I made from an old lace shutter frame I found in an alley and a few fun things to hang tools from.

Even with the bottom shelf, she was still a little unsteady on her feet so I added a cross piece in the back which stabilized the table beautifully. 

Mother Nature, bring on some planting weather!

Find more great ideas at Miss Mustard Seed's Friday Furniture Feature and Donna's Funky Junk Interiors.

Sunday Verses

12 Days of Christmas, Day 4, Coffee Lover Gift

On the fourth day of Christmas

Beyond The Picket Fence gave to me

A gift idea for the lover of coffee!

Vintage Inspiration Party

Hello and welcome to the Vintage Inspiration Party!  We hope you all are well, enjoying the last bits of fall and maybe gearing up for the holidays.  This is the party for all things VINTAGE!

12 Days of Christmas, Day 3, Scrap Wood Wreath

On the third day of Christmas

Beyond The Picket Fence gave to me

A scrap wood, front door wreath. 

Sunday Verses

12 Days of Christmas, Day 2, Toy Box

On the second day of Christmas

Beyond The Picket Fence gave to me,

a toy box for under the tree.