Faux Mercury Glass Pumpkin

I love my fall centerpiece! I won the glass pumpkin at Bunco last year. This year, I decided to use Looking Glass spray paint and give it a faux Mercury Glass treatment. I found the cake stand at Hobby Lobby for 60% off.

I found the big acorns while walking in the neighborhood with my husband. The seed pods are from my Golden Rain Tree.
Blessings,
Lorilee

Paper quilled snowflakes and clean windows!

I've managed to finish four paper quilled snowflakes so far. Of course, I've also been teaching Pre-k, taking care of the house and yard and even slipping in some crocheting! I think I will actually finish the Japanese Flower Shawl I started last year around this time! I had to drag out a ladder and clean the transom window BEFORE I could take a photo of it! I have several tension curtain rods left over from when we first moved into this house and had no curtains or blinds. For privacy in the bedrooms, I safety pinned pockets into sheets and used the tension rods to hang them. I used one of them for hanging my snowflakes. So, here they are! I really enjoyed making them.

This transom also needed cleaning. It looks so much better now!

My list of "craft projects to try" grows as quickly as the laundry pile now that I have discovered Pinterest. Hmmm, maybe that is why my laundry pile grows---I'm on Pinterest! Actually, before I allow myself much computer time, I try to accomplish some chores. After school to day, I ran some errands, disposed of the dead rabbit the dogs caught invading the yard, fed the chickens, sorted some laundry, washed some dishes, straightened Brian's bathroom and emptied his trash can.

Y'all come back,

Lorilee

Around the House!

 The house almost all dressed for Christmas! I just finished this banner. I am wondering if it needs something between each HO! Maybe just a small bow or something.

 The tree is decorated. The newest kitty, Rascal, tried to climb it a few times as I was putting the lights on it. Luckily, he hasn't bothered it any more.

 So many memories connected to each and every ornament!

 My Zygocactus is even ready for the holidays.

 You may remember the black paint craze.(See the previous post.) I painted the bench in the living room black now as well. Sadly, the paint on the stools and bench stayed tacky. I did some internet research and decided to try using Minwax Polycrylic over the tacky paint. It seems to have solved the problem! I am so relieved.

I am definitely impressed with this stuff!

I've started burning this candle in the evenings since it gets dark so early! Just imagine me sitting in the chair with Rascal asleep on my lap as I work on a blog post!
Y'all come back!
Lorilee

Before November ends!

 I did finish painting my kitchen stools black. The paint stayed a bit tacky for awhile, but they are finally completely cured.

 It seems like yesterday that I put out my fall decorations. Now I will be replacing them with Christmas decorations.

 We decided to try our hand at frying our turkey this year instead of baking. We ended up frying 3 turkeys. They were wonderful. We prefer fried over baked!

Luckily, we had nice weather for it! Of course, we had plenty of food. The menu included: the fried turkey, Giblet gravy, Cornbread dressings, jellied cranberry, Broccoli Rice, Green Beans, Sweet Potato Casserole, Cherry Coke Salad, Stuffed Celery, Rolls, Fruit Salad, Creamy Pumpkin Pie, Kentucky Pecan Pie, German Potatoes, Sourdough bread, Buttermilk Pie, and Traditional Pumpkin Pie.
Now on to the Christmas preparations!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

 I am officially in love with black for accents! Last weekend, I painted the shutters along with the front and back doors. We had not yet replaced the kickplate on the front door when I took the photo.

 This weekend, the Mr. added a kickplate to the backdoor, along with a "scratch plate" on the door frame! The kickplate is off-center because the precious dogs scratch at that side of the door! I also repainted the inside and outside of a side door that leads into our garage. I don't have a photo yet.

The Mr. also finished the rat-proof window covers he started last weekend.

We used old-fashioned wooden screen brackets to hang them.

This is why the "covers" are needed. Rats have chewed holes in all three window screens in my garden shed.

We decided to put the "cover" on the inside of the loft window. It is hinged so that it can be opened to allow access to the window.

These are next. The one on the right has already been sanded. With all the painting, I haven't had time to vacuum or mop my house! I also have lots of ironing that is piling up! Oh, and I need to pack up the Halloween stuff and put out the Thanksgiving decor. Maybe next weekend!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Fridge Love!

 After the first new fridge was replaced with the second new fridge because the ice-maker wasn't working, I am in love with it! The replacing part was a pain. It meant moving a curio cabinet and my antique sewing maching/end-table. It also meant removing the front door. Twice, mind you.

 But now! Ahhh, so much space. (Also, no out-of date food or dabs of unrecognizable left-overs! Maybe I shouldn't admit that one!)

 I love the bottom freezer drawer. It is a Frigidaire Gallery. I think we have now replaced all of the appliances that were installed when we built this house 13 years ago--dishwasher, range, hot water heater, AC/heating unit and now fridge.
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

A treasure!

 I am thrilled to have this beautiful dresser that belonged to a dear departed friend's grandmother. I have always admired it and feel so honored to be entrusted with it.

 My husband, teenager and I spent the Sunday before school started playing musical furniture! I emptied my dresser, and we moved it to the teens room. I have the treasure. My husband emptied the bureau/chest of drawers, and we moved it to my craft room. My son emptied his dresser, and it is in our bedroom for my husband.(It is an old dresser that was at my Granny's and then in my parents' attic. My husband rebuilt it and refinished it. It was literally falling apart.)

 I love the beautiful details on my dresser. I was thrilled to receive TWO keys that go with it for the drawers.

 The mirror and perfume bottles also belonged to my friend. (She was also my Mom's best friend.)

 The blue bottles were my Mom's, the other items were my friend's. The school photo is my Dad and the other is my Mom and my Granny.

 The gold and glass "dresser set" were also my friend's grandmother's.

Yes, that Sunday WAS two weeks ago, and I am just now getting around to sharing!
Y'all come back,
Lorilee

Aprons and hearts

I have fallen in love with "garlands"! I decided to use my mini-aprons that I make as ornament/favors for the Christmas Cookie Exchange that my SIL and I host as a garland over my kitchen window. All I needed was some twine and mini wooden clothespins! TADAA!
I also made a Valentine Garland using vintage Valentine graphics from The Graphics Fairy.

It was easy! Print, cut, glitter, punch and thread ribbon through the holes!

Y'all Come Back,

Lorilee

You may remember my excitement about finding this old chandelier at an antique mall. It was originally pink, but I spray painted it black. I whittled the base of the candles to make them fit! I love the way the wax looked dripping down the sides of the candles.

BUT the candles started looking really grungy. I was in Hobby Lobby a week or so ago and found candles and related items on sale 1/2 price. (squeal)

I came home with sconce cups and battery powered votives, among a few other items! I used the black tape to camoflage the base of the sconce cup.

Ta Da, the new chandelier.

BEST OF ALL, the candles stay lit, even on windy evenings!

Y'all come back,

Lorilee

Rearranging

I'm still here. Just staying busy. I did a little rearranging on the patio. It all started with the new shelf from Hobby Lobby (only because it was 30% off). I already had everything on the shelf, well almost everything. The chicken on the left side of the top shelf was 50% off at Hobby Lobby. The patio still needs some tweaking. The pump sprayer doesn't belong there, but I had just been spraying mosquitoes. They WILL carry you away in the evenings. The back door needs to be re-painted since the paint did not adhere to the window frame!

A friend gave me the ceramic "bucket". I think I need to add some glass marbles or something to cover that florists foam! I was in a hurry to get things done before dark!

The old aquarium stand had been where the new shelf now sits. A wooden spool was in this corner, but critters liked to live in it! ( red wasps and a mouse)eeek! That blue pot with the wood is supposed to be a small fountain someday!A closer look at the shelf that started all the re-arranging. The Off bottle is another necessity because of the mosquitoes!

Oh, my another piece of poultry! I couldn't resist this while buying scratch grains at TSC. When it turns in the wind, it looks like the glass marble is going down the spiral.

I also put out some of my patriotic accessories in anticipation of summer. That sounds like I'm really on top of things, but it also means I just put away my EASTER accessories. Should I even admit that? I still need to put the red, white and blue lights on my front door grapevine swag, but the mosquitoes have talked me into waiting a few days.

Y'all Come Back,

Lorilee