common ground : decor

Showing posts with label decor. Show all posts

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Quick and Easy Seashell Topped Bottles

Since the window of decorating with Seashells for me is a maximum of 4-6 weeks in the summer, I'm kinda low on the scale of said seashell decor. I love having some on display during this "after the 4th and before the late summer-pre fall excitement" season, but living in the middle of the US and the fact that the closest beach is a good 16 hours travel time away, seashells just aren't on my radar most of the time.

But...I did get a little hankerin' for some seashell bottle fun for my mantle.

I had some old bottles and a few misfit shells, so I wanted to figure out a way to make some "faux soldered seashell topped bottles" on the cheap. Do you remember the song with the lyrics "from a distance"? Uh huh...these work "at a distance". not foolin' anyone up close, but hey...for a few weeks they will suffice.

So guess how excited I was when I saw this post with a

Seashell Bottle tutorial from Nita at Mod Vintage Life.

Nita's cool version involves tinting antique bottles, and then using a low temp glue gun attaching the seashell and paint. Don't you love how they match her gorgeous tiled fireplace?

I decided to keep my bottles clear, and since I didn't have a low temp glue gun, I went with what I had on hand...which was white wood putty. It kept the shell in place without glue and gave a smooth surface.

Then after some drytime, I used some bronze metallic paint and a pewter Rub n' Buff mix, brushed on.

I know I'm not fooling anyone.

These don't come close to the real thing...

gorgeous soldered seashell topped bottles.

But they do look OK "from a distance"...

Hmmm...

this "From a Distance" theme seems to be a recurring one.

More Living Room Seashell Stuff tomorrow!

Joining in for Met Monday
AKA Design
It's Overflowing
Redoux
My Romantic Home

Hope you're having a great weekend,

xoxo,

Friday, June 1, 2012

Vintage Inspiration #90 More Birdcage love...

My last post I shared some of my vintage birdcages around the house,

Today I wanted to share a few iconic images from Pinterest

(I'd love for you to follow along with my wanderings)

And how wonderful to use them in an outdoor tablesetting,

for a wedding reception or just a casual dinner.

Here are a few more from the house of moi.

Coffee table in Living Room

this one isn't old, but sure looks it.

Hanging in the Sunporch

Also in the sunporch

Back to the Living Room on our armoire.

I'll be back doing more features on all you faithful partiers

and supporters of Vintage Inspiration.

(this has been a hectic week).

So, here are just a few links from last week

that were wonderful vintage inspiration;

Antique Hairbrush Transformation from

Betsy from My Salvaged Treasures

Amiee from It's Overflowing found a wonderful creative way

to frame out some great family photos.
(this girl is SuperWoman!)

Kelly from Eclectically Vintage

showed off her wonderful trophy collection

And Jacqueline from Cabin and Cottage always inspires!

just take a peak at her wonderful Dining Room

Hope you'll join in today for Vintage Inspiration,

"anything vintage or vintage inspired",

Thank you everyone that comes by each week and makes

Vintage Inspiration such a success!

Please have a link within your post to be featured.

And please visit these other great Friday Parties!

Feathered Nest Friday Home Sweet Home Inspiration Friday

Redoux Simple and Sweet Fridays Unfolded

xoxo,

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Sweet Spring Bookends

I've had these oh-so-sweet little vintage chalk bookends for the last 5 years or so, and even though I've photographed them before, for some reason they've just never made it into a blog post.

I was smitten with the little children's faces that reminded me of vintage Hummel characters. I imagine they are from the 40's by the look of their sticker on the bottom, and the fact that they are chalk and maybe plaster of Paris. (and that means so very easily chipped)

The little girl appears to be very shy, and she's holding a basket of baby chicks.

While the little boy is snuggling a load of bunnies.

Aren't they just adorable?

I have them downstairs in my shabby seating area.

(say that fast 3 times)

And I have to tell you, I've fallen in love with Pic Monkey. It's everything (well almost everything) that we found in Picnik, and hopefully they will expand once they can. I was able to do the little banner with the text on it (the first photo) there and watermark my photo. Super easy! You'll find the ability to do the transparent banner under the header of "overlays" then to "geometric shapes". Much easier to navigate than any other photo editing site. yay!!

I'm joining these fun parties this week:

TableTop Tuesday at A Stroll thru Life

Knick of Time Tuedsay

White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Share the Love Wednesday at Very Merry Vintage Style

What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants

Primp Your Stuff

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Hope to see you back here Thursday for
Vintage Inspiration
"anything vintage or vintage inspired."

If you haven't entered the Give Away from

Cottage in the Oaks,

then just click here

Daune has some great things chosen for you!

And don't forget to check out Monday Marketplace
that will be up all week.
Lot's of great links for Etsy and Online Boutique Items.

OK, have a great week, everyone!

xoxo,

Friday, February 3, 2012

Vintage Inspiration Friday # 75 A Gallery Wall

I think I'm finished with this little "project"!
(and what might this project be?, you ask)
a gallery wall...

and I've realized that putting one together,
is a little harder than it might seem.

I started with this shabby rectangle mirror. I've had it for ages,

and toyed with selling it, but it never seemed to make it to the booth.

I've tried using it here at the house before, but it never did work out.

So, when I realized I had a good 4x4 space to play with,

what do you think I dragged out...

yep, my shabby, chippy, old mirror.

I think I've tried about 20 different elements before I finally decided on this,

the finished product, and that was about an hour ago.

(that's why I had so many nail holes...trial and error)

I've Googled and checked on Pinterest for "gallery walls",

but most were of photographs or paintings,

not many were a mix of objects AND art.

I found I had to stay with the golds and creams to make it work,

I had a lot of beautiful prints that were within the subject matter,

but they were either the wrong size, color, or shape.

It was harder to find the balance in all that, than I imagined.

My advice for creating a gallery wall would be to gather all your possible elements first, trying to keep color and subject matter complimentary. Find your larger pieces to anchor your arrangement, then you can build around it.(them). On this light wall and with this shabby white frame, I found darker pieces, or ones with too much color just didn't look right; they were too "jarring" and very distracting. I wanted this space to flow.