Charming Halloween Baskets in 4 Easy Steps

Looking for a simple, inexpensive way to add a bit of Halloween charm to your fall decor?

This summer, I bought up a lot of peat pots of various shapes and sizes at an estate sale. I've made simple peat pot baskets before and have enjoyed incorporating them into vignettes. With my latest acquisition of peat pots, I decided to go with a Halloween theme.

As usual, I forgot to photograph the "in progress." But, I can assure you this project can be completed in 4 easy steps.

Choose the images you want to use and print them on card stock, sized to fit your peat pots. I found my images at The Graphics Fairy.

Paint your peat pot the color of your choice. A light coat of paint works best. Don't worry if the original pot surface peeks through. The charming result is a slightly distressed and rustic appearance. Peat pots are absorbent, so a heavy coat of paint can cause the pot to warp when it dries. 

Adhere your  image to the peat pot with craft glue or Mod Podge. Again, the absorbency of the pot comes into play. It will soak up some of the glue, so cover the back of the image completely with a thick coat. Let the application dry completely before beginning the decorating phase.

Now, embellish, embellish, embellish! I used vintage buttons, paper flowers, glitter, twine, paper doilies, rick rack and vintage lace. Some pots are finished off with rustic, wrapped wire handles and vintage lace from a 1940s wedding dress and filled with Spanish moss. Others are topped with glittery tulle inserts I made from extra wide tulle ribbon.

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Moonlight and Mason Jars Link Party
What's It Wednesday

Project Pin-It
Thursday Favorite Things

Vintage Inspiration
Inspiration Spotlight
Bouquet of Talent

Orphaned Salt Shaker Has New Life as a Tassel

My craft room is overrun with odds and ends that I pick up at estate and garage sales and thrift stores. If I like and odd little something and the price is right, I usually grab it. Even if I don't have any clue what I'm going to do with it.

That was the case when I picked up this orphaned salt shaker. Poor thing. No pepper to keep it company.

It sat on a shelf so long, I don't even recall how long ago I bought it. It still had the 50 cent price tag on it when I recently picked it up to examine it closer. As I looked at the bottom, which was missing the cork stopper, it came to me.

This lovely piece would make a stunning tassel top. I had plenty of other supplies to choose from in my craft room stash to complete a tassel. I pulled out some buttons, beads and ribbon.

After doubling over a very narrow scrap of satin ribbon, I created about a 3-inch loop by tying a knot. Next, I strung the bead and buttons onto the narrow satin ribbon.

The hanging loop was now ready to thread through two holes on the top of the salt shaker.

That was easy. After experimenting with burgundy satin ribbon for the body of the tassel, I decided I didn't like the look. I have a drawer full of miscellaneous yarns that I have collected from estate sales and instead chose a fun and funky specialty yarn in an ivory color.

Making the body of the tassel is simple. But, I forgot to photograph that step. I looped the yarn back and forth in the length I wanted until I had a stack of loops that looked thick enough for the body. I gathered loops in the middle by hand and eyeballed the length. I aimed to make the length (the loops folded in half from the middle) about a third to a half longer than the depth of the porcelain top.

When I was satisfied the length was good, I tied the ribbon hanging down through the porcelain top around the middle of the loops. I fluffed the body up to create fullness. You could leave the loops uncut. For this tassel, I cut them into strands.

Decorative tassels are so versatile. You can use them the traditional way by hanging them from a door or drawer knob or from a sconce or chandelier. Or, pile a few on a cake stand or fill a pretty bowl with them. Dangle one over the edge of a shelf. Or, simply add one or two to an existing vignette for a little added interest.

In my opinion, one can never have too many tassels!

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Inspired Sunday
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop
Nifty Thrifty Sunday
Make the Scene Monday
Mod Mix Monday
Monday Funday
The Scoop
Upcycled Linky Party
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Tuesday's Treasures

Knick of Time Tuesday
Sizzle Into Summer--It's a Party
Whimsy Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things
Pin Me Linky Party
Project Inspire(d)

Cheep, Cheep, Cheap, Cheap

Finally! Thrifting life is returning to normal.

Each year, that period between mid-December and mid-January becomes so hectic that time is at a premium. In our community, estate sales are nearly non-existent during that time. And, this year, between holiday house guests and a bout with the uber nasty respiratory flu, I was out of commission for a good part of December and early January--even if the estate sales wouldn't have been.

Now, estate sales are back. They started slowly, with one last weekend. More are advertised for this weekend. Hooray!

Take a look at some of the items I found last weekend.

The sweet little ceramic chick sports a darling blue jacket for spring. How dapper. The underside of his beak has a small boo-boo that's not visible unless you turn him over. But, that might explain the 50-cent price tag.

A stamp on the bottom says "Joan Lea Creations." Not a signature I'm familiar with.

A couple of burlap tablecloths--one forest green, one a rusty shade of red--and a pile of buttons in shades of brown are another useful find. One can never have too many buttons. The tablecloths may reappear someday as something other than tablecloths. I have a couple of project ideas, but need to mentally prepare for working with burlap. It gives my hands an itchy rash.

These charming 1950s rayon placemats and napkins are so cute they make me giggle. Still in the original box with the tag attached, they're in mint condition. The tag describes it as a barbecue set.

Each placemat has a different saying on it.

Little excites me more than to stumble across vintage cameras to add to my extensive collection. What a delight to come across a small vintage suitcase containing two mint-condition vintage Kodaks, a significantly-less-than-mint Agfa folding camera and a couple of vintage flash attachments that fit the Kodaks.

Overall, the darling little wooden case is in very good condition. Looking into the repurposing crystal ball, I see a makeover with embellishments in its future.

Happy thrifting. Let the weekend begin  . . .


Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Time Travel Thursday
Thursday Favorite Things
Feature Friday

A Hare Past a Shackle

Since around Halloween, I've been shackled by a block. Not a creative block exactly because I've had plenty of ideas. And intentions. Just not the motivation to do anything with the ideas or make good on the intentions.

Don't get me wrong. I haven't been a complete slug. I've created a number of ephemera journals in the past few weeks--all in response to special requests. But I haven't done any crafting just for the fun of it. Now, our inevitable winter weather seems to be just what I needed to light the crafting fire. Being snowed in gave me the perfect excuse to hole up in the craft room for an afternoon.

Some time ago, I came across this wonderful vintage image of a hare at The Graphics Fairy. I really wanted to create something with it, but had been avoiding it. You see, in days gone by, I collected rabbits. Not the real ones. Cute, whimsical, elegant and rustic bunnies to accent my bookshelves, tabletops and mantels. Some were antique, like the glass candy holder rabbit and the chalk bunny. Others were new. Some were handmade.

Then, when the live rabbits moved in and claimed our suburban acreage for their breeding ground, playpen and smorgasbord, the critters quickly fell out of favor with me. Pesky rabbits! After stepping in numerous bunny burrows, coming home from work to find hostas sheered off at ground level and witnessing the continual taunting of our dear, sweet Barney, I channeled Mr. McGregor and declared war.

At the same time, I stopped collecting rabbits. I was so disgusted with the real thing, I just couldn't do it anymore. What you see here are most of the remnants of my original collection.

I gave some of my bunnies to the kids, sold some at my garage sales and donated some. The items I have kept generally have sentimental value. And I do have a nice collection of Teena Flanner rabbits I display for Easter.

So, it's been a while since I've opened my heart or home to a rabbit--or hare, to be specific.

I transferred this grand hare onto the linen of a rescued vintage placemat using Rosemary's Splendid Blender method. Then, I embellished the finished pillow cover with a handmade flower sporting a reclaimed faux wood button.

So, did I waver on bringing a new rabbit into the fold? Well, maybe a hare.

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Sister Sunday at Sisters of the Wild West
Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop at Homemaker on a Dime
Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy
Made With Love at Sew Chatty
Tuesday's Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Share the Love Wednesday at Very Merry Vintage Style
Potpourri Party at 2805
Simply Klassic Sunday at Simply Klassic Home
Threading Your Way Link Party at Threading My Way
Cowgirl Up at The Farmhouse Porch
Pillowpalooza

Ornaments Have a Flipside

Who among us doesn't like surprises? I certainly do, which is one of the reasons I couldn't resist participating in  the Button Floozies Christmas ornament swap--create three ornaments and swap with three partners. (Read that carefully.)

For the foundation of the ornaments I made, I chose three beautiful images from The Graphics Fairy, mounted them on pretty card stock and embellished them with vintage lace and fabric, glitter, and, of course, buttons. The backside of each is Christmas-related sheet music so each is actually two ornaments in one.

The variegated blue lace around the Santa image is an old piece of tatting that my grandmother made. The netting adornment is from an old crinoline that I picked up at a local thrift store. The hangers for this and the bird ornament are made of vintage seam tape from an estate sale.

The photograph doesn't show the glitter around the mitten image very well, but it creates a finished look around the graphic, which is mounted on a piece of painter's canvas drop cloth.

Creating these ornaments was so much fun. But, I think the best part of participating in swaps is meeting and sharing with other artistic women from around the country.



Jeanelle created the sweetest holly ornament and packaged it using a page from a vintage 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' book. She hails from Colorado Springs, which is my absolute favorite city in the nation. Wish I could join her for an early morning walk in Garden of the Gods. Denise created two ornaments: one an of a 1940s vintage postcard featuring a long-established park in my community; the other a granny-circle crocheted Christmas tree with wispy yarn garland and great buttons. What Denise couldn't have known is that I collect vintage postcards and the park shown on the postcard has personal significance to me. Michelle created a wonderful ornament that looks as if it were designed specifically to coordinate with the rustic and primitive ornaments I already own.

If you've ever wondered about joining a swap, don't sweat over it. Jump in and give it a try. I think you'll be glad you did. You can see more wonderful ornaments at Button Floozies.



Make it a great day!

Linking to:

VIP Party at Designer Garden

Farmhouse Friday at LaurieAnna's Vintage Home

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense

Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Button Floozies Christmas Ornament Swap

Sister Sunday at Sisters of the Wild West

Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple

Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy

Categorically Crafting at Someday Crafts

Savvy HomeMade Monday at Home Savvy A to Z

Cowgirl Up!