The Gold Rush Holiday

Not too long ago I posted pictures of some vintage thrift store finds. Among them was a large pedestal tray I wanted to give to a collector.  Well, it turns out they collect silver and pewter, not gold leaf. I kept it for myself knowing the holidays were coming and I'd certainly come up with a use for it. At the same time I had bought a set of five black candle holders I knew I couldn't pass up. 

Vintage gold leaf plate stand and black candle holders. Part of my "Junking" finds.

A couple of years ago in one of my thrift store quests, I saw a mirror with a tin raised fleur-de-lis motif. I immediately knew it was coming home with me. Don't show me anything vintage french 'cause I'll find a way to get it!  It definitely needed some TLC. I had been using it like it was for awhile though and knew that "someday", it would get more love.

Mirror and wall, before.

 I also posted a blog on my "red" finds for the holidays. I knew something was going to come out of this mix. Gold and red and holidays?! I put it all together and it spells "Gold Rush Holiday". I had some fun doing it too!

Dollar store trimmings.

 To create a simple and thrifty centerpiece, I used gold and red trinkets from the dollar store. I just arranged them on the gold leaf plate and voila!, instant holiday centerpiece.

These Holiday plates found on sale at Homegoods, are a welcome addition to my plate collection

Love the butterfly....

The mirror was another story. I wanted to gold leaf that also. First I painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in "Old White".

Gold leaf  kit from a craft store.

Gold leafing the borders.

   Then I gold leafed the edges and motif. The burnishing solution I used came with the kit and used for distressing.

I needed sunglasses after gold leafing the mirror!

 It was too gold looking so I white washed with ASCP in "Old White". I added a little blue to outline the motif.

The gold was toned down a bit.

 I painted the candle holders first in gold, then used ASCP over it. After sanding, I then used paste wax over it.

I decided to paint over the candlesticks in Annie Sloan Old White, then sand them down for aged look.

Before sanding and wax.

 My wall, plate rack and door are complete! Yes, the door was given a "french touch" with painted panel borders.

No fancy decorating for me.......I switched up some blue plates for some with a little red. The crocheted red tablecloth is a vintage family heirloom from an aunt. The chandelier got a new look with crystal beads.

A little tree, natural greens and sparkling lights and I'm done with this nook! Onward Rudolph, there's more to do!

Enjoy your shopping!



Check out "Without Further Ado.....the Reveal!", for post on the plate rack, extended wall and door. It's been my biggest project so far and I'm still tying up the loose ends. Not a problem.

Life Has No Pause Button

Boy, it seems I haven't blogged recently. I've been what I like to call, trekking the net, since sometimes it seems like such a long stretch on the computer. 

Plus, personal reasons have kept me away. I need a whole new blog for that one. Sometimes I'd like to put something down in writing but think, what's the point? Who's going to read it and if they do what will it accomplish? It's all been said before hasn't it? If someone hasn't heard it, will it change anything? I don't think so.

Nah, I just blab away for the fun of it. I like to see my words in cyberspace somewhere. Kinda like sharing your essence. Something like that. 

For now I have to take a pause, a break, time off, respite. Whatever you want to call it. Without going into the details, I need to get tweaked. 

In the meantime, between pauses I've been working on my wall. It sure has taken a long time let me tell you. Hopefully this week-end before I go in for tweaking on Wednesday, it'll get finished. Yay

My Wall In the Works

This wall was extended by about 20 inches in cedar wood. To be painted.

This is the stair wall. A rustic farmhouse style plate rack is being made and under stairs storage from a thrift store, vintage  RCA Victor cabinet.

This door was switched up from a swing open door, to a curtain, to this bi-fold. The bi-fold doesn't take up space when opened. 

 Stay tuned for the reveal!

 Have a great day and week!

Bread Box Redo

It's a beautiful Saturday morning here in New York City today. The sun is shining gloriously and there's no sign of rain, wind, cold or any other inclement weather to ruin such a day.

Too bad I have to be indoors today! Yep, I must complete my wall 'cause I'll be out of town soon. What I don't do this week will have to wait until I return. That's not a good thing.

In the meantime I worked on my little vintage bread box find. I bought it at my favorite goodwill thrift shop and  painted it in Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Louis Blue. The distressing was done with Minwax Wiping Stain and Finish. It's water based and in tube form, so it's easy to work with. A little goes a long way. I had to test it out first because I didn't want it too dark. I used a very, very dry brush method with it. I like the results because it's not too brown looking  and just shows some grain.  I also used AS clear paste. The handle was switched up for one that matches the kitchen cabinets. All done!

Now let me go on with things! I'll be in and out all day, just to catch some of this good weather and still get things done. 

Enjoy!!!!

Up It Goes!

Today it's raining here in New York. It looks gloomy and grey. However, the show must go on! I have too  much to do to sit around feeling droopy. I might do that later, when I get tired.
As I had said earlier,  we have built a wall extension to the kitchen area of my tiny "casita". It is made of wood planks and will get painted with a white washed effect. I'm thinking of Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Old White. The plate rack will be going up this week-end, more to follow on that.  The under stairs storage is also coming along. I had purchased an old  "RCA Victrola"   TV cabinet in a flea market years ago, painted it with ASCP and will have new storage area under the stairs! It is painted  in ASCP Louis Blue with clear paste wax. The distressing effect is Minwax Wiping Stain and Finish. I just mixed it with the paste and wiped on. We're still working on that.
The new doors to the utility closet are up. It was no easy task as we had to put in a new water heater during all the construction. Did I say construction? Yes, my tiny dining, living, kitchen space looked like a mini consrtuction site!  Of course, I demolished a small wall to create the storage space. I destroy, my son builds up. Knocking down walls is such fun. This is my third!

To create under stairs storage, I knocked down the lower part of wall. Such fun!

This is the framing for the extension of wall. Not permanently up yet. 

Adding one plank at a time! Good job Edgar!

Old RCA Victor cabinet I bought at a flea market a thousand years ago! Well, seems like anyway....

Sneak preview of wall.

Can't decide between A.S. Old White or Louis Blue.


As I said the show must go on, so gotta go break a leg! Figuratively speaking of course.Come back for more!