But I do hate buying pumpkins that only last a month or two.
Jeff used some scrap lumber he had laying around and cut these for me, and then drilled a hole. The stem is from a broken shovel handle… because we throw nothing away. You could use a tree branch for a stem too.
This patch of pumpkins is made from 4×4′s. I used regular craft paint and the shading is natural because the paint soaks into the wood pretty good. The more ‘weathered’ the wood the more ‘shading’ there is. I hot glued some fake moss to the tops and added a raffia bow. A burlap bow would be good too.
This ‘patch’ is made from landscape timbers…the same process.
I took some dried hydrangeas and stuck them in a grapevine wreath. I left the stems long enough to twist into the wreath, you could use some floral wire if you need to. or even hot glue them in.
My family makes fun of me because I am always painting something. I like to call it homemaking. There is always something that needs to be touched up or updated. With a glue gun and a can of spray paint there’s not much I can’t do!
I recently added to my wall of family pictures, and chose to paint all of the frames the same color, they were a mixture of goldish and dark brown frames. I didn’t take a before picture.
I like that the frames are different shapes and textures, yet the same color.
I have an iron plate rack that I bought at a yard sale, I painted it the same color as the frames. I’m really pleased with the wall and as weddings happen and the grandchildren start coming I can easily add to the Family Wall.
What I love most about this wall are the wedding pictures, pictures of faithfulness. There is Jeff and me, my grandparents and great-grandparents, and now Josh and Emma (my parents divorced).
Some tips for using spray paint:
Always clean your project and make sure it is dry.
Use a good quality of paint, it is worth the extra couple of dollars.
Follow the directions on the can- they are there for a reason!
Most projects need to be primed with a primer spray paint or Kiltz. (I did not prime the frames as they will not be handled/used.)
Use a gloss paint.
Always spray with thin coats.
Allow the paint to dry thoroughly between coats.
For items that will endure heavy use, like a table or chair, seal with a poly-acrylic.
Spray paints that have a texture to them will cover less area than a regular gloss spray paint.
One of the many things my husband does is restoring homes that have been abandoned. Many times the houses are full of junk and sometimes he brings home some really cool stuff!
Sometimes they are things that he re-sells or I can use in the house.
A few years ago he brought this cabinet home. It’s a quality piece of furniture but it is very 80′s. I’ve had this in my kitchen wondering what to do with it. I stored platters in the bottom but dust was an issue.
Last year he brought this piece home and it has been waiting in his storage shed for me to decided what to do with it. It had some water damage to the back and was pretty neglected.
I decided to paint them, first using a bonding paint. I busted out the lattice and gave it a few coats of paint.
I had this eyesore of a space next to our table. We have a very small house so I am always trying to make the most of any storage space I can. I chose to shuffle my mother’s china cabinet into a bedroom out of sight (she lives with us during the winter months) and put the other cabinet into the girl’s room. I had to thin out some of my dishes and glassware (which most of it is rarely used), but it is so freeing to have less stuff. Stuff can bog you down fast, and the more people you have in a small house the harder you have to work at keeping it under control. I’d rather spend my time doing ‘people stuff’ than always cleaning and organizing THINGS!
This little kitchen spruce up cost me nothing! I used leftover paint from painting our cabinets last year and the fabric I had in my stash, and even better MY handyman husband was paid to haul this furniture off. Girls…marry a guy with real SKILLS!
It’s official, it’s fall, because I’ve got my door wreath DONE!
Our neighbor has a huge Oak Leaf Hydrangea bush with these dried flowers, which are perfect for a fall wreath. I have a grapevine wreath that I use year round and just change out the decorations. It took me about 10 minutes.
$8.99 a yard for the jute.
You could use a tree branch for a stem too.
