And she shall be called....POWER TOOL GIRL!!!

I'm feeling incredibly macho at the moment. I have managed to remove a kitchen cabinet from the wall without the assistance of my husband! The husband was out of town when I got this bright idea to replace a kitchen cabinet with an antique shelf unit. Armed only with a chisel, hammer, screw gun and Google, I have managed to dismantle and remove a cupboard from the kitchen wall without causing ANY sheetrock damage! Without even scratching the laminate on the cabinet. I have spackled the nail holes exposed after the removal and am preparing to paint the walls, ceiling and trim. After this is done I have the more intimidating job of figuring out how to hang this shelf unit so that it is EXTREMELY secure to the wall - without putting lots of holes in my beloved antique piece. I don't want this thing to come crashing down with all my favorites pieces in it. But with power tools and Google, I feel pretty equipped to take on the world at the moment.

Move over Helen Reddy. I am Power Tool Girl, hear me roar.

Charity

Currently Under Construction...

I found these awesome candlesticks while treasure-hunting on Thursday. I loved their whimsical appeal and lollipop colors. I thought they'd make cute cupcake/display stands. So I brought them home and glued on some Franciscan saucers. I had one cloche handy and will be glueing on a little knob on the top and then making a tag to dangle from the top. I need to buy one more cloche for the second cupcake stand. Then I just have to decide whether I will keep them or if I sell them whether I should do it singly or as a pair. The stuff on them was just thrown there while making room for them on the shelf. I think they'd be charming when used to serve minature desserts. Their colors and touch of sass makes them perfect for "cute" desserts like petit fours, cupcakes, cream puffs and tarts.

The Irresistable Appeal of Millinery

Forgive me, father, for I have sinned...

I have been coveting the vintage millinery collections some of you have so heartlessly been flaunting out there in blogland. It has led me into temptation. I have battled jealousy and I was soundly defeated. HOWEVER...yesterday I was able to start my own collection with a fabulous find. I was rummaging around in Salvation Army and found a ziplock baggy full of gorgeous pink velvet millinery leaves and sprigs. And some white and opalescent ones of more recent vintage, but still entirely craftable. And the baggie was only a quarter! They are so beautiful I can't think how I will be able to bring myself to use them. But at some point I'm sure my desire to create will overcome my protective desire to hoard them. In the meantime, I'm happy to just to oogle them and know that they are MINE, MINE, ALL MINE! (insert insane, maniacical laughter here)

Cottage Shelf

I couldn't resist. I had to go back and buy the shelf unit mentioned below. I'm still not positive about using it in the kitchen, but I loved the piece so much that I decided I would find a place for it somewhere! So if the measurements prove it to be a match then tomm. holds a new adventure. I have to figure out how to remove a kitchen cupboard from the wall. Then I need to paint the wall behind it. I have a lovely soft mocha picked out for repainting the kitchen and I may as well do it while the cupboard is removed. Then I have to figure out how to rehang this shelf unit securely enough so that it can bear the weight of all my favorite pottery and china it will display. The last thing I want is it to coming crashing down in the middle of the night with all my favorite pieces in it!

So...here's the new, old piece.




As long as I'm sharing pics, this is a darling children's print from the 30s that I found at the same antique store and listed on Ebay yesterday. It reminds me of Hummels. :)

Should I or shouldn't I?

At today's antique store closing sale I found the most delightful antique shelf unit. It was large enough to replace a kitchen cupboard, but is a very primitive open shelf style. Lots of cut-outs and gingerbread-y stuff. VERY thick, chippy, super-distressed robin's egg blue paint. And it's only $60.00. So now I have the very scary decision of do I buy it and take down a traditional cupboard and replace it with this? Will it look odd if I have the rest of the kitchen remaining in traditional cabinetry?. Current cabinets are in an oak finish, but I want to paint them an ivory color and then give them an antique glaze. I think they would then have the same feel as the cottage open-air shelf unit I'm considering. Of course the shelf unit would be edged in aged crochet which would also tie them in color to the rest of the cabinets. And they'd be filled with vintage pottery and dishes in pink, blue and cream.

What do you think? Should I or shouldn't I? I have to decide soon as stuff is flying out of the antique store....

Charity

Bad News, Good News

The bad news is that my favorite antique store is going out of business. The good news is that I got lots of cute new goodies at their closing sale! I found this sweet 40s era candy tin with the cutest snowman graphics. I've stuffed it full of vintage and new craft goodies. Fabrics and trims and buttons and jingle bells and so much more. Even a turn-of-the-century postcard. A great gift idea for a blog buddy or swap. It's on Ebay. See the link in the sidebar if you're interested. I will be listing more of my finds throughout Weds. to take advantage of Ebay's listing sale.

Drawing Winner

And the winner of the Cupcake Stand w/Cloche was....

"BEJEWELED" !!!!

Congratulations and please email your shipping address. You can contact me at lovelace@mtaonline.net. I hope you like your pretty and thanks for visiting!

Charity

Tiny Dancer

Just finished these wall words tonight. Perfect for a little girl's room. They were crafted with vintage gift wrap and vintage wallpaper. I've put them up on Ebay.




Charity

Cheap Thrills

"All God's pleasures are simple ones;
the rapture of a May morning sunshine,
the stream blue and green,
kind words,
benevolent acts,
the glow of good humor."

~ F. W. Robertson

I was helping my eldest son get a few necessities for his dorm room this week and happened to stumble across PINK SPATULAS! I had to grab some. They make me smile everytime I reach for one. Food that has been prepared with a pink utensil tastes better! Guaranteed. For a couple of bucks you can have a sweet bouquet of spanking new pink spatulas in your own counter crock. Hurry down to your local Wal-Mart before the summer products give way to the Fall line and you're stuck with orange or worse yet, plain ol' white!



PS -- If you haven't yet signed up for the 100th Post Give-away, there's still time! I will be doing the drawing at Midnight, Alaska time. :) SCroll down for details.