Broken Rocking Chair Turned Art

Sometimes, when people give me things, I wonder if it's really because they want to offer me a challenge, or if they just don't feel like taking a trip to the dump. Then I feel guilty thinking that I'm going to take the castoffs to the dump myself instead of creating something. When a friend gave me a broken rocking chair, I really wanted to tell her to keep it. But, no, I took it and stuck it away in the garage (with about 50 other unfinished projects). It sat there for over a year and I decided it was time to do something or throw it away! When I say it was broken, I mean it! Not one part of the chair was still together. It was all in pieces and tie wrapped together. And, the seat was in shreds. The only part in good shape was the back...

So, I cleaned off the spider webs and painted it...

Then, using chalk, I sketched a jar filled with flowers and started stitching with yarn...

The caning was the perfect canvas for cross stitching...

I outlined the jar...

then filled in the flowers...

I did a straight stitch for the flower stems...

and, then added some cross stitched leaves...

Challenge complete!

And, the rest of the pieces are going to the dump!

Linking To:

  Someday Crafts, Sew Much A Do, Ginger Snap Crafts,  Creations By Kara,  Rae Gun Ramblings, Ivy & Elephants,   Seven Thirty Three,  The Shabby Creek Cottage, Seven Alive,  Bear Rabbit Bear Crafts, Made In A Day, Katherine's Corner, Redoux, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Shabby Nest,  Momnivore's Dilema, Somewhat Simple,   Live Laugh Rowe, Have A Daily Cup Of Mrs Olson, Truly Lovely,  The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Tatertots & Jello,   Blissful & Domestic, A Vision To Remember, Boogieboard Cottage,  DIY Showoff, Craft-O-Maniac,  Under The Table and Dreaming, Keeping It Simple, Homemaker On A Dime, I Should Be Mopping The Floor, The Dedicated House,   Coastal Charm, Reasons To Skip The Housework, Sugar Bee Crafts,  Nifty Thrifty Things, Cherished Bliss, A Bowl Full Of Lemons, Mad In Crafts, Flour Me With Love, Not Just A Housewife,  Today's Creative Blog, Tip Junkie,  Homework, Kammy's Korner,  I Gotta Create,  Thrifty 101,  Domestically Speaking,  C.R.A.F.T., The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Adorned From Above,  Cedar Hill Ranch, Classy Clutter, Flutter Buster, Twelve O Eight, Nap Time Creations, The Shady Porch, JoJo And Eloise, Hope In Every Season, The Foley Fam,  House Of Hoff,  Our Home Away From Home, Living Well Spending Less, Remodelaholic, A Lived In Home, Flamingo Toes,  VMG206,  Finding Silver Pennies, Mad Cap Frenzy,  Gingerly Made,  Pink When,  Minnette's Maze,  Made To Be A Momma,  Start At Home,  Lil Mrs Tori,  Homecoming,  The Vintage Farmhouse,  Pink Recipe Box,  Sweet Haute,  Table For Seven,  Be Betsy,  It Happens In A Blink,  One Dog Woof, 4 You With Love, A Stroll Thru Life,  A Bright And Beautiful Life,  Crafty Goodies,  Live Love Create,  The Koenigs Create,  Bloom Designs,French Country Cottage, Daisy Cottage Designs, Orchard Girls, Elizabeth Joan Designs, The Scoop, Stone Gable, Knick Of Time, Lou Lou Girls, Karen's Up On The Hill, Our Secondhand House,

Yankee Blue

I love color! And, one of my new favorites is Yankee Blue from the Dixie Belle Paint Company. 

I knew it would be a great color for a hutch that I recently purchased. The hutch was kind of nasty. Well, not kind of, it was nasty! It was dirty. It was covered in stickers. Worst of all, it stunk! But sometimes, a piece is such a great deal that you can't pass it up. I only paid $30 for it!

See...even Bo thinks it smells...

I cleaned it up a bit and let the paint cover the rest of the imperfections.

Now it's good as new in Yankee Blue...

And, while we're at it...
another great color from Dixie Belle is Honky Tonk Red.
I got in a hurry with this little table so I forgot to take a before picture. I hate when that happens!

The table had a simple wooden knob that I changed to one that looks like a garden faucet knob. 

Then I added a black glaze...

I finished it off with a clear top coat...

What's your favorite "go to" paint color?

Linking To:

  Someday Crafts, Sew Much A Do, Ginger Snap Crafts,  Creations By Kara,  Rae Gun Ramblings, Ivy & Elephants,   Seven Thirty Three,  The Shabby Creek Cottage, Seven Alive,  Bear Rabbit Bear Crafts, Made In A Day, Katherine's Corner, Redoux, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Shabby Nest,  Momnivore's Dilema, Somewhat Simple,   Live Laugh Rowe, Have A Daily Cup Of Mrs Olson, Truly Lovely,  The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Tatertots & Jello,   Blissful & Domestic, A Vision To Remember, Boogieboard Cottage,  DIY Showoff, Craft-O-Maniac,  Under The Table and Dreaming, Keeping It Simple, Homemaker On A Dime, I Should Be Mopping The Floor, The Dedicated House,   Coastal Charm, Reasons To Skip The Housework, Sugar Bee Crafts,  Nifty Thrifty Things, Cherished Bliss, A Bowl Full Of Lemons, Mad In Crafts, Flour Me With Love, Not Just A Housewife,  Today's Creative Blog, Tip Junkie,  Homework, Kammy's Korner,  I Gotta Create,  Thrifty 101,  Domestically Speaking,  C.R.A.F.T., The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Adorned From Above,  Cedar Hill Ranch, Classy Clutter, Flutter Buster, Twelve O Eight, Nap Time Creations, The Shady Porch, JoJo And Eloise, Hope In Every Season, The Foley Fam,  House Of Hoff,  Our Home Away From Home, Living Well Spending Less, Remodelaholic, A Lived In Home, Flamingo Toes,  VMG206,  Finding Silver Pennies, Mad Cap Frenzy,  Gingerly Made,  Pink When,  Minnette's Maze,  Made To Be A Momma,  Start At Home,  Lil Mrs Tori,  Homecoming,  The Vintage Farmhouse,  Pink Recipe Box,  Sweet Haute,  Table For Seven,  Be Betsy,  It Happens In A Blink,  One Dog Woof, 4 You With Love, A Stroll Thru Life,  A Bright And Beautiful Life,  Crafty Goodies,  Live Love Create,  The Koenigs Create,  Bloom Designs,French Country Cottage, Daisy Cottage Designs, Orchard Girls, Elizabeth Joan Designs, The Scoop, Stone Gable, Knick Of Time, Lou Lou Girls, Karen's Up On The Hill,

The Days Of Wine & Petunias

Over the years, I have created a lot of projects using wine bottles... hummingbird feeders, soap dispensers, olive oil containers, candle holders... just to name a few. So this project, is just one in a long line. I like to think of it as doing my part to save the planet. After all, I am recycling!

I had purchased a metal hanging "thingy" (for lack of a better word). It's like a chandelier but doesn't light up. So, it's really not like a chandelier at all. It's made to hold wine bottles.

I wanted something a little different than just filling it with wine bottles. So, I put my Christmas present to use... I used the bottle cutter that I got and cut off the bottom off of some of my stash of bottles...

The bottle cutter scores the glass. Then you dunk the bottle in boiling water and then ice water to get it to break away. I have to admit there were a few casualties during the process. Afterwards you have to sand the edges...this is the scary part for me! I take precautions using gloves and wearing goggles, but it's still scary!

The bottle hanging "thingy" holds 10 bottles. I decided to cut 5 bottles and leave the other 5 as is. Plus, I was running out of bottles because of the casualties.

I cut window screen into circles, and  made them into a cone shape, then added them to the cut bottles...

I used a long handled paint brush to push the screen all the way into the bottle.

Then I filled the bottles with dirt and petunias...

Now my metal hanging "thingy" is a unique hanging basket...

Linking To:

  Someday Crafts, Sew Much A Do, Ginger Snap Crafts,  Creations By Kara,  Rae Gun Ramblings, Ivy & Elephants,   Seven Thirty Three,  The Shabby Creek Cottage, Seven Alive,  Bear Rabbit Bear Crafts, Made In A Day, Katherine's Corner, Redoux, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Shabby Nest,  Momnivore's Dilema, Somewhat Simple,   Live Laugh Rowe, Have A Daily Cup Of Mrs Olson, Truly Lovely,  The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Tatertots & Jello,   Blissful & Domestic, A Vision To Remember, Boogieboard Cottage,  DIY Showoff, Craft-O-Maniac,  Under The Table and Dreaming, Keeping It Simple, Homemaker On A Dime, I Should Be Mopping The Floor, The Dedicated House,   Coastal Charm, Reasons To Skip The Housework, Sugar Bee Crafts,  Nifty Thrifty Things, Cherished Bliss, A Bowl Full Of Lemons, Mad In Crafts, Flour Me With Love, Not Just A Housewife,  Today's Creative Blog, Tip Junkie,  Homework, Kammy's Korner,  I Gotta Create,  Thrifty 101,  Domestically Speaking,  C.R.A.F.T., The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Adorned From Above,  Cedar Hill Ranch, Classy Clutter, Flutter Buster, Twelve O Eight, Nap Time Creations, The Shady Porch, JoJo And Eloise, Hope In Every Season, The Foley Fam,  House Of Hoff,  Our Home Away From Home, Living Well Spending Less, Remodelaholic, A Lived In Home, Flamingo Toes,  VMG206,  Finding Silver Pennies, Mad Cap Frenzy,  Gingerly Made,  Pink When,  Minnette's Maze,  Made To Be A Momma,  Start At Home,  Lil Mrs Tori,  Homecoming,  The Vintage Farmhouse,  Pink Recipe Box,  Sweet Haute,  Table For Seven,  Be Betsy,  It Happens In A Blink,  One Dog Woof, 4 You With Love, A Stroll Thru Life,  A Bright And Beautiful Life,  Crafty Goodies,  Live Love Create,  The Koenigs Create,  Bloom Designs,French Country Cottage, Daisy Cottage Designs, Orchard Girls, Elizabeth Joan Designs, The Scoop, Stone Gable, Knick Of Time, Lou Lou Girls, Karen's Up On The Hill,

For The Mom Who Loves Wine...

Are you looking for a unique gift for mom for Mother's Day? Or, maybe you're a mom and need to drop some hints about what you'd like this Mother's Day. If you or your mom love wine, then I have the perfect gift idea!

I recently received a pair of wine glasses from UncommonGoods...

Notice what looks like a glass inside the glass?

Well, that little "glass in the glass" has small holes that aerate the wine as you pour.

Why aerate wine before drinking?

Exposing wine to air for a period of time softens the flavors of the wine and release aromas. But, if you're like me, when I want a glass of wine, I want a glass of wine. Patience is not necessarily my virtue and I don't want to have to wait for my wine to breathe! So, these glasses are a great solution. The best part...it works! I conducted multiple taste tests. Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do! The result... the wine did have a much smoother taste when poured into the aerating wine glasses. I even tested it with friends and the worst skeptic of all, my husband. And, he was shocked! He is now a believer.

I also received a cute wine themed hand towel from UncommonGoods.

It has all kinds of history, tips, and info about wine.

The towel would pair nicely with the aerating wine glasses as a gift for mom (or yourself).

Visit UncommonGoods and check out all the other great items they have that are perfect for mom! If mom's not a wine lover, then there are other wonderful things to choose from. Order by Thursday, May 7 to receive your order just in time for Mother's Day.

UncommonGoods is a privately owned retailer based out of Brooklyn, New York. They feature unique designs and handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment and without harm to people or animals. Besides that, most of their products are made in the USA, and about one third of their collection incorporates recycled and/or upcycled products. For me, that makes it an even better place to spend my money!

Go HERE to check out more great gifts for mom!

Cheers!