Anything Can Be an Elegant Centerpiece

Good Morning, Friends. I'm so glad you stopped by! Today, I was compelled to share with you a new project, as well as, a look back at some old favorites, to prove that, in fact, Anything can be made into a Beautiful, Elegant Centerpiece! And still be done on a Shoestring budget (under $5, or less, actually).

This beautiful piece, for example, was a little magazine holder I picked up at a rummage sale last month for $1 Yes, that’s what I said $1. 

It’s wasn't very old or even very pretty. But, it had at the top of it that wonderful Metal lace!! In my mind, I could see it in a beautiful Antique white. There was a small crack in one leg, easy fix, just a little crazy glue. And then, it occurred to me that I still had over a half of can of that wonderful Antique white spray paint I had used for my Rod Iron Candle Redo!! Perfect! Now was just the simple problem of how to make this container a vessel for beautiful blooms. 

With the sides at 6 inches, how simple to put some good old mason jars and an odd vase here or there, that could be filled with water and easily replaced as necessary!! 

This is when I could start to see the end image in my head!! So exciting to transform someone’s cast off’s into a beautiful repurposed, showcasing piece!! I am the very first to tell you, that I am not extremely “crafty” so-to-speak. 

But, I have found that if you look at the shape, dimensions, features, or “bones” of an object, You can truly see an inner beauty in it waiting to come to life in your home!!

Please look at all of the images here. These are all fairly simple things to do, you just need to look beyond what it is now, to see what it can be!! Go create! Enjoy Elegance on a Simple Budget!! I couldn't afford roses for this piece, but I have always loved Baby’s Breath ( which is only $2.99 for a nice large bouquet)!!

What can you afford? Do you have an old piece that you could make your Masterpiece? If you do, have at it!! And please come back here or on Shoestring Elegance's facebook page and share it with me!! It is seeing others creations, that inspires me to look beyond a simple object to its glorious potential!! Have a wonderful weekend all!!

This week I am sharing this post with these great parties!!

This post was kindly featured by:

Kathe with an E, Knick of Time, Rooted in Thyme

Anything Can Be an Elegant Centerpiece

Good Morning, Friends. I'm so glad you stopped by!  Today, I was compelled to share with you a new project, as well as, a look back at some old favorites, to prove that, in fact, Anything can be made into a Beautiful, Elegant Centerpiece! And still be done on a Shoestring budget (under $5, or less, actually).

New Twist On an Old Favorite ~ Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding

Is anybody else really ready for and missing the Fall weather? Or just anxious for it to get here? I sure am!! You know, having soups and stew on the stove top, fresh baked items coming out of the oven. That part of the fall is so wonderful and really something you can’t really do in the hot days of August in California. You have to keep your house open at night to get it cooled down and then close it up in the morning before the sun heats it back up. It’s hardly the time to turn on your oven or have something simmering on the stove top.Well, the couple last nights have cooled off early here and quite nicely, so I took full advantage of it to get my oven on! I wanted a wonderfully warm something from the oven that screamed of comfort food on cold days to me! A-Haa! My version of Bread Pudding!

Kitchen Table Makeover

Good Morning, Friends!  I apologize, again, for taking so long in getting this post up, but as I said on Shoestring’s Facebook page, this is a piece a intend to have for a long time and that I use often so I wanted to finish it just right..That being said, It’s DONE!!

I have had this kitchen table for 10+

Rod Iron Candle Redo<$1

99 Cent Candle Do-Over!

Good Morning, Friends!! So glad you had the time to stop by for a visit! 

So, last weekend, one of our local churches, had their “Annual Rummage Sale”!! I’m sure you can imagine it didn’t take me long to get up and ready for this! It started at 9a.m, so, of course, I was there at 8:55 with my tennie's on and ready!! Unfortunately, so were about 300 other people! No matter! I had a tremendously successful trip!! Many future projects will be forthcoming from the $13 I spent that morning! Yes $13, Woohoo!! I love a good rummage sale!

That brings me to today’s little project. No, I didn’t get it from this rummage sale! My sister had a garage sale a couple of years ago, and she knew that my Mom was going to have one, too. So what she didn’t sell she gave to my Mom to let her give it a try! Long story short I had first pickings at what neither of them were able to sell, before they were donated!!

 That’s how I came to own this black, rod iron candle stick holder. Remember when Black rod iron was all the rage? Anyway, it wasn't to my taste anymore either, but I thought I could make it into something I liked! 

2 years later I had a bracelet break, and got a great deal on some antique white accents spray paint within a couple of days and I saw what my little candle holder could be!!

I used a  wire brush to get all the old wax off and then I spray painted it.  About 2-3 coats worked beautifully!  And as I said, I had a cute little pearl and crystal bracelet (costume jewelry). It broke and little pearls and crystals went rolling everywhere. So, I picked them all up and put them in a container for a future project. Isn't that what everyone does when their jewelry breaks? 

So here is my little Candlestick do over which I achieved for 99cents (that was the deal I got on the spray paint!!) I hope you like it.  What was once sitting in the corner back behind the door now makes a beautiful centerpiece on my Dining room table!  Many Blessing you this week, I hope you have enjoyed my “cheap” or “chic” little project!  




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Prayer Request Box

This is actually a post and project I had not planned to do or to write! I was so happily surprised though with the results I decided to share it with you.

What is the saying “Necessity is the Mother of Invention”? Well, I don’t know if that is the case or if we are just lucky or so Blessed that we learn to “make the best” out of what we have.

I just recently experienced this. What a happy surprise!

My Wednesday morning’s “Women’s Power of Prayer” group was held at my house this past week, because our wonderful leader had an opportunity to have a vacation with her husband and their children.  It was not an overwhelming undertaking for me. I love to bake! I always have coffee and Tea @ the ready for all friends and family that pop by in the early hours of the day! So, how happy was I to have this wonderful group of women meeting here this time…It pleased me very much.  

One of the things that our leader has always had available at all of our meetings has been a prayer request box. One with blank cards to be written on & deposited in, (if someone preferred prayer that they weren't comfortable enough to request from the group). As well as, any donations, for some of the special reading materials available. (This has always been something that people could deposit anonymously, as not to provide any undo discomfort. And even though, our leader provided me with everything I would need for our meeting and what sections of our study to focus on. She had, in fact, forgotten this wonderful little (but very important box).   

I thought this was not a problem. Surely,  I should be able to find something I could use. In fact, it wasn't as easy as I thought, to find something visually appealing, as well as, functional.  So I searched my house the night before the group was to meet and stumbled upon this stationary, that someone had given me years before that was never really to my taste, but the hinged box was perfect for my needs. Then there was just the little matter that it was really not as delicate and pretty as I would have liked this important box to be.  So I looked in through my craft supplies and had a couple of sheets of “card stock” scrap-booking paper, that I had saved for whatever.?! Okay, I was just taken with the look of it and thought when I bought it at .59 cents a sheet that it would be beautiful for something! And it was!  I got out my ruler, straight edge and tacky glue and covered, lined and wrapped the lid up with a bow!! Standing back at 12:30 am, I was quite pleased with my little prayer box!!  It wasn't necessary to put all this effort in such a little thing, but I was pleased that I had! By the end of our successful morning meeting the contents were removed, to be handed of to the right person, and my beautiful little prayer box remained my happy little memory of the morning. 

This wasn't a difficult project for me, but it certainly was a rewarding one.  I remember thinking at the time, that it may have made God smile! Or laugh!  I hope you enjoy it, too!! 

As always, Many Blessings for a wonderful weekend! 

My Version of an Old Classic Vase!!

Hi all!!! Okay, so I have seen a lot of people making their own milk glass or just spray painting colors on glass vases, lately. While it is nice, I remember knowing that the milk glass vases were glass and I had been wanting to try something for a while... So, I decided to test my theory…(while I love all the other vase projects I had seen) I wanted to see if I could do it the way I was thinking.  I got this vase at our local Hospice Thrift store for $1.25.

Garage Sale Stand <$5, but Free To Me!

Okay, so you know how you have 5+ projects lined up that you have great plans for?  Well, that’s usually how I work. Anyway back to this post.  I have a wonderful new friend that loves that I go garage sailing and Thrift store shopping for my Redo’s She, however, doesn’t know how something speaks to you, I mean you see something and immediately know what you want to make out of it. However, being someone that loves to be supportive she went to a garage sale last week and found and bought this little stand for me. 

This would not have 
been my first pick, 
but I took it on as a 
challenge… So, I got 
my paints out after I cleaned it up and 
started repainting. 

I was so surprised when I stood back and saw what I had done!! I was actually very happy with it and it now fitted in with my style!! 

Serendipity!!

So, what do you all think? Better after, right?

Thank you so much for visiting me here and 

@ Shoestring’s Facebook page…Your 

views, “Likes”, and comments are a such a 

Blessing to me, you can’t even Imagine!! So 

from me to you Many Blessing!!

 If you get the chance try and check out


Metamorphosis Monday 


here:http://betweennapsontheporch.net/metamorphosis-monday/


As well as, these other great parties

My Heart's Desire and a Salute to Beauty

OK, so I must confess that not very long ago I had not seen a Blog or even knew what the blog world was about.   But, a few years back, I was searching for some pictures of the style I wanted to decorate my new home in.  I don't really remember what I searched.  One of my Google search links took me to the most Beautiful place I had seen, and everything that I loved.  It was Cielo’s “House In The Roses”  If you have not been there I highly recommend a visit.

Cielo, had all these beautiful images of flowers and lace and china a nice bit of whimsy all the while being serenaded by beautiful “Fairy music” I was hooked. One of my favorite pictures was a beautiful white chair with a gorgeous vase of roses in it.  So this post and redo is my Salute to Cielo and Thanks for all the Inspiration!

 One of my favorite items in dining rooms, kitchens or just in a nice corner of the room has always been Ladder-back chairs…I don’t know why.  You don’t see true 4 board Ladder back chairs much anymore.  But, being a Thrift store frequenter now, I came across a nice solid wood true one! It had seen some years, but the bones of it were solid, so to speak.    

 When I saw it I instantly thought of it painted white and distressed with a Beautiful vase of Blooms sitting on it.  How Blessed am I that I was able to achieve just that? Maybe not as lovely as Cielo, but I am absolutely in love with this piece and plan to enjoy for many years to come.

I hope you like it too!

So just a quick price break down, It wouldn't be keeping with true Shoestring Elegance style, If I didn’t tell you what a deal I was able to make this for.   Are you ready? You are not going to believe this, I got the chair at the local GW, it was priced only $9.99, but wait, it was half of yellow tag day!!! So yes, I got the chair for $5!  I used less than one sample size of Behr's Chalkpaint to cover it! So add a little under $3 to the tab, the rest was just a pure enjoyment in the painting, sanding, waxing and finishing of it all.  This one was truly a labor of love.  And the final project cost was just under$8.  How is that possible?  As soon as it was done I had to arrange some flowers and go cut some roses from my garden so I could enjoy it the way I had seen it in my minds eye. Hey, psst! If you get a chance go "Like" me on facebook. I have alot more pics and tidbits there.

I’m just following the way I’m lead and loving every minute of it!! Especially, getting to share it with you.  Many Blessing to you all! 

Always linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and Savvy Southern Style!

Goodwill 99cent Planter Redo

Okay now! So as promised, I am back with part two of todays projects!  Oh so much fun!! However, I’m going to keep this one short and simple!!  So I'm sharing another great Thrift store find, lightweight metal’ish, tin kinda, cute bones Pedestal container..99cents!!  Shut your Mouth!

I swear to you,  all I could see when I looked at this was it painted White with some beautiful little pink blooms planted in it!!

Friends, I was so excited, I completely forgot to take a before picture.  As you can see I had already started painting it when I remembered. At least you get an idea of what it was.

So, 2 coats of my Behr sample size chalk paint, under $3.00 now when you order it online through Home Depot!!  A hammer and a nail to put 3 drainholes in the bottom of it. (Otherwise your plant's roots will rott and your plants die) New knowledge to me! 

I grabbed this cute little Carnation and a couple Impatients from a six pack I had and dog gone it doesn’t it just look like that was exactly what it was made for?  I had a blast doing this!! Just sharing the steps with you, so you can pick up a 99 cent special, too, and make it into something special for you!!  If you haven't already, Please take a minute to go over and "Like" my facebook page... Lots more pictures from all the projects there!! Thank you for joining me and Many Blessings to you all!!

No Cost Personalized Tiebacks!!

Hi, Friends!!! I hope you have been having a wonderful week!!  I’ve been out of commission for a little bit with some back issues, but I’m back today with a couple great little projects for you to take and make your own!!

Do you ever have one of those moments when you fix something that’s been driving you nuts forever and then look at it and go, Of Course, That’s exactly how to do it?  I know some people call this serendipitous (a happy accident) I call it a cool new project to share with everyone else that it’s been driving nuts!!

Okay, I know I’m kinda rambling a bit today, but try and stay with me.  I have beautiful sheer curtain panels in my kitchen and in my bedroom. I love them because they provide some privacy while still letting the light in.  

In the Spring, I love to open the windows and watch the breeze blow them up.  However, in the hot days of summer, I just want them out of the way so that any little wisp of air can blow through and help cool down the house! It was like that the other day, and I did what I usually do, grabbed the curtain nearest the back door and tucked over and around the back doorknob, but it kept falling loose.  For some reason, I just opened the back door,  grabbed one of my clothespins and pinned the curtain back to itself. That’s it!! It worked!  Not only did it worked it looked good, really good.  So, I played with the sheers a bit more and loved the way they hung while in the clothes pin. 

Then there was the little issue that the clothes pins were weathered and didn’t look very good on my sheers, so I got about a teaspoon of my white paint and painted them… Then, I couldn’t stop! All the different possibilities!! I wrapped them with ribbon, I 

added a silk flower, I thought," Oh my they could even be bejeweled.. "I went through my jewelry box of broken an unmatched pieces and found an earring, not 2 but 1 that’s why it was in this particular box.. I added that to one and couldn’t believe how basic, simple and beautiful and elegant it all looked!! I hope you enjoy them as much as I am!! Love to see how you would decorate it!  Come back and share if you make some for yourself... I'm telling you, it's just the ticket!!

 I promised you a couple projects, I know!! The other one should be up in a few more hours, so for right now to be continued……. 

This post was featured by the very Lovely Gina @ Random Thoughts!

Hi, ALL !!! It has been awhile and I truly apologize and Thank You so much for sticking with me!!  I am putting on a couple finishing touches on today's post and will have it up shortly.  Very excited to be back and to share these projects with you that are just so darn cute I'm surprised I haven't seen them before ..Stay tuned!! Check back soon. I hope to have all the images uploaded and posted by this afternoon...Happy Friday!! 
Many Blessings!

~Theresa   

Eat, Pray, Live Party @ My House

Good morning to you all, I hope you have sun and you're all out enjoying it!!!  In case you didn't read it over at Shoestring's facebook page. I am sending you my apologies for being absent for so many days with no word, but my back went out and I wasn't able to let you know or work on any of my "projects".  Prayers have prevailed, again!! and I am back here at my keyboard to share with you all!!

So, to get on with it, so to speak, I want to share with you a recent experience of mine!  Last Friday, I provided the Food and Place for one of my new Life Groups through my church called "Eat, Pray, Live".  With having it here @ my home I felt there was a lot of emphasis on the "Eat" part, as that what I was providing...If you follow me on facebook you know I was struggling a little with the menu... 

However, believe it or not, my first passion is, and has always been, cooking and baking ( I'm sure I get this from my Grandmother)  Therefore, I just sat myself down determined to find out what 'universally friendly' foods I wanted to make so that all here were fed well and enjoyed the experience.

"A Brunch-themed dinner" seemed to be what kept coming to my mind.  Who doesn't love Brunch?  Plus, I knew I had created some pretty memorable Brunch meals in the past that had always been a hit.  So I wrote out my Menu.  It was a warm day, so the first thing that came to mind was ***Cucumber Water ( a new find for me ) and  I just Love it...such a simple thing as placing sliced cucumber in your water pitcher, makes your water so much more ...hmmm .. more watery(?) no...Refreshing! That's the way to put it! I can't get over how much difference this small step makes.

If you have the time, put some slices in the water the night before and just add ice for drinking. Another wonderful accompaniment to this is a few fresh raspberries. They just look so pretty! :)

So here's what I made:

A nice Fresh Vegetable Frittata, with spinach, onions, and yellow and orange peppers (Provides a great protein, without making a meat or poultry that might turn someone off)

Homemade Caesar salad(Light on the garlic!! Don't want to be offensive)

Watermelon, Strawberry and Green Grape Fruit Salad (It was hot out!! Nuff said!)

My Pasta Salad, served cold, with spinach, peppers, onions, and feta and my balsamic vinaigrette, (One of my favorite summer dinners) 

Little sidebar here, I must tell you that I won Cottage In the Oaks little tabletop Chalkboard Venue from Courtney at French Country Cottage and I was so excited (I never win anything)  to use it for this, it was the perfect  time and reason to do so...  Doesn't it look Grand?

The Group, the people, the prayer and food all went well!!  I thoroughly enjoyed the evening! So, I guess we can call it a success, I had very little leftovers so my menu was a hit.  Most importantly, was the wonderful fellowship I enjoyed that evening!! What a wonderful group of people that I look forward to seeing again next month! I hope you are all as Blessed as I have been to have people like this in your life!!

The recipes are my own, tried and true, as My Grandmother put it!  If you are interested in one of them shoot me an e-mail. (I'm hoping to find a way to post them here, but not in the actual post). I hope you all have a wonderful week, full of bounty and blessings!! Thank you for taking a few minutes to share with me.

Many Blessings,

Theresa

My Home and "Necessary" Room

Just for fun, I thought I’d share a little project I did, that unbeknownst to me, would be so popular I think I spent about $2.50 on the whole thing!!  First, I have to give you a little History about where I live; I moved into this beautiful 1912 home about 4 years ago...I had only seen it from the outside, but I loved it for years!! It was “For Sale”, and I knew I couldn't afford to buy it.  One day, I drove by and the sign had been taken down, I was so sad because, in my dreams, I had still had hoped to live in it one day. And then, God intervened!!! There’s just no other way to say it!

I drove by, saddened that the house had sold, this ONE time I turned around at the end of the street, instead of driving on to the intersection. I think just to see it one last time and kinda say Goodbye. When I came back from the opposite direction I saw something that I hadn't seen the first time I drove by, it was in the window now facing me, “For Rent” and a telephone number. My heart skipped. I quickly pulled over got my cellphone out and called the number. I got an answer, too. It was a man who recognized my voice and my life, it turned out that we had gone to the same school, his family and my family had been in many classes, together. He told me he had just put the sign up 20 minutes earlier and if I could stay there, he’d meet me in 10-15 mins. And we’d find a way to make it work! And we did!! That’s how I came to be in the house I now call my home. I almost cry with joy as I write this out to share with you, how great our God is!

 

Okay, so on with the project!! When we opened the door to my new home, It had all kinds of wonderful built-ins and moldings, and picture window, etc.. Though it was a bit tough to tell, as the elderly woman who had vacated it several years before had everything painted white, and I don’t mean a pretty white on white theme…more like ceiling paint white, that hadn’t been redone in about at least 20 years with big old heavy upholstery on the window, hiding the gorgeous moldings, until you got to the kitchen!! That, she had updated! Unfortunately,  it was sometime in the ’70s. Everything was yellow, the ceiling the walls the doors and the beautifully molded frames for the doors.  What wasn’t yellow was the vinyl/Formica backsplash of white with the gold starburst (c’mon you all remember someone who had that at one point)! Anyway,  I have rambled on…one of the first things I did was paint the doors and moldings in the kitchen back to their glorious porcelain white... Did I mention the bathroom door is in the kitchen??! Well, I should have, because that’s what I wanted to share with you today!!

After painting the door and molding, I wanted, someway, for people to know where the restroom was without having to open three different doors in hopes they may have found it!! Oh yeah, did I mention, none of the doors have locks?? Yeah, no! Not one.  So, I remembered this cute little needlepoint sign I had seen years before, that I thought would be perfect!!  Borrowed some graphics from Cathe Holden @ JSIM and the Graphics Fairy, bought a very inexpensive, bare, square plaque and a 59 cent door hang and created, what I think is a very fun, yet somewhat sophisticated way to let people know where that room was and to ensure them their privacy!! Everyone, that has been here has had a good laugh and declared their Love for this little project. I enjoy it everyday! How Blessed am I?

It could not have been easier, I didn’t even make a transfer of the graphics, I just got it to exactly the size I wanted and let the ink try overnight, cut only the typography out and sort of just modge-podged it on.  I put a few coats of clear polyurethane on over and Voila!!! Your own little “Necessary Room”!! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did doing it!! 

Many Blessings to you all!!

Theresa.