Vignette Day

It's Vignette Day at The Stories of A 2 Z.





I thought I would show my vignette that is up in the vault of my great room. I have a large shelf that was once suppose to be a mantel. I needed something up in this peak, so I used it up there. I have some wonderful old things. This old radio that was my father-in-law's is really neat. Also, this neat lantern that I think I stole from my mom's house. By the way, if you think you are seeing some cobweb's or dust, you are. Sorry, it is really high and I have to bring the big latter in to clean so it doesn't get done to regularly.



My walls are not white. The light today is bad, because we are getting snow, yes, snow. So it is dark and maybe that is why the walls look white. They are a creamy tan color in real life. I had this cute wire basket so I put some pine cones falling out for cuteness.
Then I found this arrangement and it was perfect for some height.
Under the mantel shelf looked really bare so I found this grapevine thingy and it fit perfect to fill up the emptiness.
Here it is all together...
Now run over and see some great vignette's at:

Home for my soap

I finally found it! I have been looking for something, anything to put my laundry soap in. I want to leave it out on the dryer for easy access. So here is what I found...

I know, I know, I can read. The fact that it says "Sugar" is a small problem. Very small. The real problem is what I spent for it....uummm....all I can say is it wasn't a thrifty find...it was $23.00. I know, but sometimes when you find the "Right" thing, you just have to. The red color was Perfect for my laundry, and the size was perfect too. Anyway, I decided I wanted to make a chalkboard sign for the front over the word sugar. Off to the garage, I found a small thin piece of wood and cut it to size with, who else, Mr. Big...

Then a little chalkboard paint...


Then I just cut a piece of scrapbook paper for a frame (of sorts) and glued it to the back with good old Elmers.


I then glued it right over the word "Sugar" on the can. Like so...

Filled it with my laundry soap...

And look how cute, and so handy right there where you can easily get to it. I love it.

Oh and while we are right there, you can see the other chalkboard I made to cover up the ugly breaker box. You know, we all have them, mine is right there, first thing you see when you walk in the room. I thought a chalkboard would be cute so a few years back I made this one...
My, I should raise my prices! So all together they don't look to bad, I am happy.

Have a great day!




I will be linking to:

How I found my home

Hi everyone, I was just over at Leanne's at Organize and Decorate Everything and she told the story of finding her home. It got me thinking about my home. You know a home doesn't have to be large, new, or perfect in any way. All it has to be is full of people and things you love and then it becomes perfect for you.
We built our home in 1995.
This is an older picture of our home. (Just so you know, that is not the street you see in the front of the picture. It is our round driveway.) When we built our home we were poor. My husband had just started a new job and the opportunity came and we took it. So glad we did because we build what we could afford then and so it was easy for us to pay it off and then spend money of improvements as we made more money over the years.
We only had a few requirements that we just had to have and they were; Front porch, entry, pantry, and just one open great room no living room. Those were our requirements. I drew the plans very simple so that my husband would be able to build it himself. He is veeeerrrrryyyy handy, but hadn't build a home before. But, we had to save as much money as possible. He did most of it himself with help from friends and family. It was very stressful and difficult but now we have a beautiful home that we have now built on to. (A large family room in the back.)
I don't have a picture of the finished room. But it is only 35 degrees right now so I am not running out there to take one. Maybe later.
Would I build a different home now if I were to build again. Yes, I would love a larger laundry room and I would make a few other changes, mostly just larger rooms. But I love my home, not because it is perfect in the worlds eyes but because we have made it a home with wonderful memories of family, friends and things we love.
How did you find or build your home? Do you love it?

Keys are hung...recap

I am just so excited about the 3 different areas that I improved with my $9 purchases. You remember...
The keys got hung, love how they look...

Then with the 2 little topiaries I did this...
Before
And After
Then with the iron scrolly thing I did this...


That just makes me excited to look at these new areas in my house. Don't you just love to get something new? Even if it is just something small, it changes the look or feel of the room. Maybe I just get excited over small things. What about you?

Key project finished

So I finished the key project. I still had to sand with my handy palm sander...
Then I got out our new brad nailer. I have had this for several years and never used it. I usually choose a finish nailer but for this small project the brad nailer is perfect.
I just nailed all the frame pieces and the base piece all together. Oh and I did use a little wood glue, that never hurts.
Then I went for my can of white spray paint. There was none. I had to do it the old fashioned way, with a paint brush and paint.
It took longer but that is okay. I did two coats and let them dry really well.
Then I sanded it all on the edges and just ruffed it up again, with my palm sander of course. To antique it I used Special Walnut stain and a old sock. Wipe on and wipe off. Kinda like Wax on, Wax off. Ha
I love how the stain makes them look, "old".
Then I used E6000 glue to glue the keys on.
I hope it works, I have to let them dry 24 hours before I can hang them so I'll let you know if they fall off. Hope not! The ones I saw in Rod Works were wired on, but I didn't like seeing the wire so we will see about the glue.

I just love how they turned out. I am so excited to hang them. I think I will just put a sawtooth hanger on the back of each one. I'll show you how they look on the wall soon as I can.


I will be linking to:
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Antique key project

Okay, so I am going to start the antique key project. It's all in my head, you know, I can see it perfectly. So I grab my keys and a old board...
Out to the garage I go. Cut the board to the size of the keys...
It turned out like this after I cut the board to size with my trusty miter saw...
With the leftover board I started trimming pieces I could use as a frame...
We have to stop here and pay tribute to my trusty table saw. He was given to me years ago by a nice old neighbor of mine. He isn't pretty or petite but he cuts through wood like "butta". Not really he is usually pretty testy and sputs and sputters, but we eventually get a cut made. So pay your respects to Mr. Big...
Bet you want one.... Hu? Okay, back to the keys. (I need to confess I had to scrap up another piece of wood when I decided to make a frame around them. That is where the painted red piece of wood with letters came from.) About this time I ran out of wood on the last piece for the frames.
A slight panic stuck me, but I rummaged through the garage and found this piece that I thought would work with a lot of cutting and measuring...
Thank goodness for Mr. Big he just cut and trimmed until we got the right piece.

Aahh, I love you Mr. Big. Now this is what I have so far...
This post is getting way to long, so I will finish it tomorrow. I'm off to do some sanding, panting and antiquing.
See you tomorrow.

Frugal Finds Part II

You remember these things I got for $9 and felt really good about.
I already showed you what I did with the little topiaries. Well now I'm going to show you what I did with the scrolly thing. I got this picture, which I love, and I knew where I wanted it but it needed something.
So this is where I wanted to put it.
Kinda Blah hu? Ya, that is why I thought it just needed something. Sooooo....
I hung the picture. Then I had this ribbon in the closet so I put it thought the holes in the scrolly thing and tied knots. Then I hung the scrolly thing (which is kinda heavy) so I used nails instead of the ribbon. I think I might get a knob of some kind to make the ribbon look like it is hung on something other than a nail.
Then the floor next to the cabinet looked bare. I had this basket that is kinda dark like the frame, so I put it on the opposite side of the cabinet to balance it.
Then a little greenery next to the milk can with twigs and wala...

So just so you get the difference, I'll show you the before....
And now the after....
So much better, if I do say so myself.
So now all that is left in the frugal finds are the keys. I will get to work on those right away and I will have those for you shortly.
Have lovely day!
Brooke