Make your own Mercury glass...

So my friend recently had a yard sale, and let me tell you, I was buying. (Plus she gave me lots of stuff too.) Anyway she had this star shaped tea light holder that I thought had potential as just a decorative element. I thought it would look great with a mercury glass treatment.

The main ingredient needed is the Looking Glass spray, by Krylon. It's a little expensive, but it's awesome stuff.  I've used it to make mirror before. You just follow the instructions on the can, but they basically entail spraying the back of the glass. I like it because it created the aged mirror look that I love. While making the mirror, I found it sped the process along if you sprayed black paint on the back. (Otherwise you have to put on a lot of coats of the Looking Glass.)

So to get the Mercury glass look, I found it works best to use the looking glass first, a couple light coats. While the Looking Glass is still a little wet, start spraying, other metallic paints - I had chrome and gold- on the backside of the glass. It's also great, while the paint is still wet, to hit it with some sprinkles of water. (It reacts cool with the paint and makes it more Mercury-like.) I forgot this step on my star. I finish off with a light coat of black paint. I just used chalkboard because that's what I had on hand. 

Here's the finished product ... cloudy-mirrored, loveliness. Useful, no. Pretty, yes.

Chair no more...

Most people who know me, know I like rescuing old chairs, and this one was in need of help.

It was painful, but I hope this chair appreciates the transformation.

I decided it had a higher purpose. I've always thought my fireplace deserved a mantle, so when I found a random mantle cap at the thrift store, I decided it was high time I did something about it, and I sacrificed the old chair on the alter of my hearth!

I used bits and pieces off the chair to create a mantle for my naked fireplace and I'm happy with the results. I may tinker around with it some more... keep my eyes peeled for some other architectural pieces that I can add... maybe some corbels, who knows?

I also have some tile and I'd eventually like to re-tile the hearth, but you know the whirlwind of Christmas is coming. Speaking of Christmas, I can't wait to hang up the stockings.

Ahh, the Possibilities

Not many people would get excited to see the table below, but I am not most people.

In this modest little table, I saw the realization of a project that I've had on my mind for several months.

I'm pretty happy with the results and I think the pooches are too.
You see, our Jack Russell, Buddy, is a problem child and is not allowed on the furniture (aggression control measure.) So, I made him a nice bed, but the problem was that our little dachshund, Shamus, is also a problem child and he always takes Buddy's bed. I'm hoping this new bed will satisfy both these needy little creatures.

I know it's aesthetics satisfy me.

My name is Rene and I have a problem

I have a hard time leaving an ugly chair behind, especially if it's a child's chair. If my son Jack is with me, he can make it even worse. He plopped down in this one and flashed me a smile.

"It fit's," he said.

Here's a pic after I already started doing some work and had already removed some hideous decals. The chair is nice because the seat lifts and provides storage. It's the perfect place for Jack to store his blocks.

I'd say things are looking up for this little chair. Jack chose the dinosaur motif and his little pillow, which went to his crib set, fits perfectly in the chair. I used a table runner from Ikea to make the seat cushion.

Anyone who has been to my house knows I have a thing for little painted chairs with rush seats, I have them in graduating sizes up to a full-size chair.

When I saw this little number for a $1, I knew that I had to have it, even though the seat was a complete mess.

It may not have made a great place to sit, but it was the perfect place to park a few succulents. I may just have to find a place to keep this guy inside during the winter, instead of overwintering it in the garage.

It makes me smile every time I drive up to my house.

Here it is ...

Okay, as always I forgot to take a before picture before I was already underway, but I think this still shows the transformation. This old vanity wasn't really useful as a vanity any more... So, I decided to turn it into this bench. I'm hoping to give it to my step-mom because it was her grandmother's vanity. Do you think she'll like it?

The bottom drawers are hinged to open up and allow storage for shoes in stuff. It's very sturdy too! I got the idea from www.designspongeonline.com one of my favorite blogs. It has a feature called before and after and it's always great inspiration.

Favorite new item

Here's a new item that I just added to my shop. I used the "wagon" that my son's blocks came in to make a message-chalkboard.

I think it has some nice details with a little eraser, and a chalk pocket. It also comes with hooks on the back to affix it to the wall.

Of course the blocks, hearken back to it's former life.

While I'm normally go to the thrift store looking for things to recreate, it was kind of fun to find a candidate right in my house!

You won't see him in my shop!

Here's the little guy I dropped, breaking his sleigh!




Wasn't he oh-so-cute, He even has little toys in his sleigh. Luckily, the sleigh is pretty much intact from the front.

Whenever I create these little guys, I'm always tempted to keep them and in this case it looks like I'll have too. Oh well, I really like him, so it's not so bad.