Recently, I went to Goodwill and found a wooden horse on a pedestal. It was quite beautiful, despite one ear being damaged and half of the tail missing. These are the moments that keep me returning to Goodwill. If the horse had been in perfect condition, it would have absolutely been sold already. But, yeah for me it was not! Having repaired missing pieces on furniture before, I knew I could fix this as well. The first step in repairing the horse was to rebuild the missing parts. For this, I used Alumilite Amazing Mold Putty. I applied the putty to the intact ear and the remaining section of the tail to form molds for the resin. Once shaped, I left them to dry. The next step was to mix Alumilite Casting Resin. I poured the liquids into their assigned cups and then blended them in a separate container, stirring until they began to gel. Then, I poured the liquid into the dried putty molds. Once the resin set, I removed each piece and glued them to the horse. After securing them, I sanded the resin ear to match the undamaged one, and I filled a gap in the tail with spackle. After everything dried, I painted it to blend with the original. Here is the finished piece. I love it! If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like (the heart below)!

In the first part of this blog, I described how I found a rather "dated" console at Goodwill for only $5. Despite the red velvet and ornate door design, I was confident I could modify it to look like units I have seen in Pottery Barn and Ballard Design catalogs. Plus, if it did not work, it was just a $5 investment. We left off in the first blog removing the ornate panels and red velvet, giving it a good clean and then applying a primer coat. For this post, the first task was for my husband to measure and cut panels to fit the doors. I then glued them in place and let them dry overnight. The following day we cut some additional molding to finish off the center panels. I attached them using wood glue and filled any spaces with caulk. After everything dried, I applied Annie Sloan French Linen Chalk Paint with my new spray gun. The next day I added clear and dark wax for depth. This is the completed piece. Once we placed it in the family room under the television, I did a happy dance. It actually looked like the pieces in the Pottery Barn and Ballard Designs catalogs. I couldn't have been more delighted! Just a reminder of what it looked like before and what it looks like now. I would love to hear from you about hardware for the piece. Should we leave it without hardware using a push/spring closures or add knobs or handles? What do you think? If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like (the heart below). I would appreciate it!

This is the sideboard I found at Goodwill. It is definitely not everyone's cup of tea with the intricate filigree and crushed red velvet. I have been looking for a large sideboard to place under our TV for a long time, but the cost has always been a deterrent. Keeping this in mind, I was able to look past its less attractive features and appreciate its potential, and with a $5 price tag (can you believe it), it was worth taking a chance. After purchasing the piece, I borrowed a measuring tape to see if it would fit in the car. If you've been following me for a while, you know my measuring skills aren't the greatest (my husband was out of town), so I gave it a shot. I measured twice, and it seemed fine to me. Since it was quite large, I asked for help to load it into my car. Four strong young men managed to get it in, but it stuck out a bit. Judging by their expressions, returning it to the store wasn't an option. I thanked them for their assistance and tried to figure out how to get it home without any way to secure it. Fortunately, there was a dollar store a short walk from the Goodwill where I bought some rope. When I say I secured this buffet within an inch of my life, I'm not exaggerating. With it secured, I turned on my flashers and began my 3.8-mile journey home. Picture a sloth driving my car, slowly moving along, holding onto the piece with my right hand—what would that do if it decided to go? Absolutely nothing (but it made me feel better). Bless the people behind me; they kept at least a three-car distance the entire time. They recognized a potential disaster when they saw one. When I finally got home, I felt such a rush, like winning a race or having a winning lottery ticket. I may have even done a happy dance, it felt great! After getting it out of my car (another long story). The first thing I did was remove the filigree panels and red velvet backing. I am keeping the filigree panels; I can see them painted in an aged look, grouped together on a wall as an art piece. What a difference just removing the panels and velvet made. The next steps are to cut panels to fit in the openings and paint. Look out for part two, the final reveal! I f you enjoyed this post, please give it a like! As always, feel free to leave comments. I love hearing from you!

Our son Kevin treated us a much-needed getaway to Niagara-on-the-Lake. We enjoyed three days exploring, dining, and, of course, antiquing. By the end of our trip, we felt refreshed and ready to head back and resume our day-to-day lives. Here are some of the things we did during that time: We stayed at The Red Coat Bed and Breakfast which was conveniently situated close to both the wineries and the downtown area. Not to mention the breakfasts that were included. Omelets with fresh vegetables, muffin tops (I have since ordered a muffin top pan), apple puff pancakes... Absolutely delicious! The Red Coat Bed and Breakfast Following breakfast, we headed out for some sightseeing. Our first stop was the Hotel Prince of Wales, where we celebrated our first anniversary 33 years ago. We then visited the historic Downtown area, enjoyed the stunning views, and of course, we could not resist Canada's finest ice cream. Following our sightseeing, we returned to the bed and breakfast to freshen up for a wonderful dinner at The Waterfront Restaurant located at the Niagara on the Lake Golf Course . Our views were incredible: I admired the waterfront, while Matt had a perfect view of the first tee on the golf course. The next day was all about antiquing. The first stop was Old Towne Antiques, situated in the downtown area of Niagara-on-the-Lake. This shop featured a vast array of stunning old antiques. Although nothing initially caught my eye, the proprietor offered to show us his barn, which housed even more items. The barn was exactly my kind of place; you had to dig around to find what you wanted. While I was exploring, the proprietor took my husband to see something else. Meanwhile, I discovered an old metal shoeshine bench, missing its seat, which I use as a plant holder, and a heavy-duty candle holder that I use as a plant stand. When my husband returned, he was grinning from ear to ear; he had apparently had the chance to sit in a very expensive Bugatti sports car. Antiques on The Creek Even though we weren't certain about what we were looking for, we found it—a beautiful fireplace surround for our front room. Ellie, who helped us, negotiated the price with the surround's owner, and we ultimately paid $75 USD. Antiques And Treasures This antique shop provides a diverse selection of distinctive vintage and antique items, including furniture, blankets, glass, books, clothing, artwork, and pottery. We discovered a Wedgwood Pottery piece for my mother-in-law and a gardening book for myself. Flax And Fire After departing from Antiques and Treasures, my husband noticed a small shop at the end of the driveway. A man was unloading boxes, and we inquired if they were open. Although he said they weren't, he kindly allowed us to come in and look around. He mentioned that he and his wife had just returned from a show she was participating in. As an artist and creator, I felt inspired the moment I entered the space. It was filled with pieces that had been transformed using block printing, rusty nails, sewing, weaving, and some techniques I couldn't identify, yet they resulted in beautiful creations. We did not buy anything, but I started following them and will definitely be on the lookout for upcoming events. Lewiston Antique Mall Lewiston was the final stop on our trip. Located just across the border, it was bursting with all types of antiques. I discovered a rusty table and chairs for $25. I'll place the table on the patio, while the chairs will serve as stands for my pots. It was a wonderful getaway; everything was absolutely perfect, even the weather. If you enjoyed this post, please click on the heart to give it a like.

The main principle when shopping at any thrift store is to always inspect an item carefully before dismissing it. My husband and I were at Goodwill, and he bypassed a small dresser with a crack, thinking it was broken. I stopped to see if it might be repairable. However, upon touching the top, I realized it wasn't damaged; it was actually a lid that lifted to reveal a desk with compartments. So cool! The secretary desk turned out to be a Drexel piece from the 1950s. It was quite a bargain at $19.99. I was thrilled with the piece and was eager to begin working on it. One of the first things I did was replace the wooden tracks inside the desk on each side. These tracks keep the drawer from sliding back, giving it the appearance of a real drawer. I also used spackle to fill a crack in the wood. The piece had a factory finish, so I needed to strip off the layers of paint and sealant. I started by applying the paint remover then covering it with plastic wrap, allowing it to sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Using a scraper and a wire brush for the detailed areas, it took three applications, but I managed to remove most of the finish. While removing the finish, I discovered that while the piece was really well made, it was made of various wood tones, making it impossible to leave the wood exposed. Therefore, I needed to paint it. Unsure how to proceed, I sat with the piece and waited for it to speak to me. Not talk to me like "How's the weather?" or "What do you think of those Bills?" but more like a feeling I get from the piece on how I should proceed. I opted for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen. To achieve a translucent effect, I diluted the paint with water, applied it with a brush, and then wiped it off using a finishing sponge. I repeated this process multiple times until I achieved the desired appearance. After I got the base color just right, I used different brushes to add clear, dark, and white wax. This helped bring out some depth by highlighting and giving the piece an aged look. I then painted the interior of the cubbies with Annie Sloan's Whistler's Gray Chalk Paint. For an element of surprise, I added Decoupage Paper by Redesign with Prima to the front of the drawers. Here is the finished piece; it is exactly how I envisioned it in my mind. It's reminiscent of something you might find in a French chateau. If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created. As always, I enjoy hearing from you, let me know what you think. I have listed this piece on Facebook Marketplace if you're interested the link is below. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3069579579878351/

I'm beginning to think about spring decorating, even though we still have snow on the ground and it's cold. But what better time to think about warmer weather and the rejuvenation that it brings? As I have mentioned before I am obsessed with the Pottery Barn's Spring collection.  I've already created a replica of one of their vases in an earlier post, and I'm about to attempt two more replicas to enhance my spring decor. One thing that caught my attention were the rabbits. Typically, I'm not fond of cute decor like rabbits, but the Pottery Barn versions have an appealing old, worn look. Additionally, I was drawn to an orb-shaped vase with a stunning bronze antique patina. It was displayed in the store with beautiful flowers that I couldn't stop admiring. Let's see what I did: The on the left is the bronze patina that I saw in the store. The one on the right is the vase I found at Goodwill. To get the black undertones like the Pottery Barn vase I painted the sphere using black chalk paint (all products used will be listed at the end). To get the texture of the inspiration vase I added baking soda to the chalk paint for the second coat. After donning a pair of gloves, I took antique gold acrylic paint (I chose gold instead of bronze because it goes better with my decor) and with a rubbing and tapping motion applied it to the sphere until I was satisfied. To seal it I used clear wax. The finished vase, I think, came out beautifully. To fill the vase, I purchased these florals from a craft store, as I thought the cascading look complements the vase. I think they are very similar except mine is gold and theirs is bronze. Here are the Pottery Barn rabbits I told you they were adorable. Target has a section near the front of the store where products are priced between $1 and $5 each. It was there that I found my bunnies: three smaller ones for $3 each and two larger ones for $5 each. I appreciate that they have more detail than the Pottery Barn rabbits, but I'm not a fan of the glossy finish. I applied a coat of white chalk paint to each rabbit. After they were dry, I used mineral color chalk paint on them. I liked the way they looked, but they did not resemble the concrete statues I admired. To try and remedy this, I coated each rabbit with spackle. Once it dried, I sanded them until semi-smooth. To finish I used clear wax to seal them. They are a far cry from the shiny Target ones. I think they look perfect with my birthday gift (Pottery Barn vase). If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created. As always, I enjoy hearing from you, let me know what you think. Products Used: Annie Sloan White Chalk Paint Annie Sloan Clear Wax Waverly Mineral Colored Chalk Paint FolkArt Chalk Paint in Rich Black DecoArt Metallics Acrylic Paint In Splendid Gold Dex Dry Dek Spackle

When you set up a space, especially the kitchen and dining room, sometimes it isn't really as efficient as you would like. But the thought of rearranging keeps you from tackling the problem until you have time to do so, or you reach a breaking point. For me, it was the latter. Let's see what I am talking about: These are the three areas that weren't working for me: the small pantry off the kitchen, the buffet, and the shelves in the laundry room. The small pantry was too tiny for the cleaning supplies; to find anything, you had to take everything out. The buffet was equally cramped; items were so tightly packed that I had to re-iron tablecloths or napkins every time I needed them. Lastly, the shelves in the laundry room, intended for shoes and boots, never actually made it there, and I eventually gave up on that idea. The small pantry now holds all my entertaining essentials: candle holders, candles, napkins, napkin rings, and vases. This means I won't need to re-iron tablecloths or napkins for a second time. We are now able to not only keep our cleaning supplies in the laundry room but also laundry detergents and backup supplies. I would say that is a win! Lastly, the buffet, which now contains my fine china that used to be in the pantry, along with my good silver. Can you believe it? I even have two empty drawers. Who would have imagined? If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created.

The Spring Collection from Pottery Barn has been released, and if you like Pottery Barn, it doesn't disappoint. I was especially taken with the vases and vessels collection. To my surprise, my mother-in-law gave me a beautiful two-handle vase from the collection for my birthday. I was thrilled with my new vase and wanted to create a spring vignette, but I needed an additional vase. Since I didn't want to spend the money for another Pottery Barn vase, I decided to get creative. What if I could revamp a different vase to resemble the Pottery Barn style? Let's see what I did... This is the vase I received for my birthday. I could look at it all day! I bought a vase from Goodwill for $6.00, so if it didn't turn out well, I wouldn't feel too bad. I began by applying a primer coat (all products used are listed at the end of the post). After it dried, I painted the vase with moss green chalk paint. Then, I sketched a design on the vase by hand that resembled the one from the Pottery Barn vase. After completing the design, I blended acrylic paints to create colors that would complement the Pottery Barn vase. Finishing with clear, white, and dark waxes for depth and to seal the vase. The completed vase in a vignette with my birthday present looks good, if I do say so myself. Products used: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Old White Annie Sloan Clear, White and Dark Wax Waverly Chalk Paint Moss Craft Smart Acrylic Paints

I visit the Goodwill stores frequently and have discovered many incredible items, but I have never been to the "Goodwill Bins". The bins are where unsold items from regular Goodwill stores end up, and the cost is tallied up by the pound. I've watched YouTube videos of people visiting the bins where they have found cool items at great prices, so I decided to try it out. I ended up finding a wooden tray that was in good shape except for a piece missing on the bottom, which could be fixed easily. In order to repair the bottom of the tray, I needed to shore it up so that I could use wood filler to eliminate the spaces. In this case, I used balsa wood. First, I measured the wood, then mitered the corners and glued the pieces on, securing them with a clamp. Next, I filled the space with wood filler. Once it dried, I sanded it smooth and finally painted the whole tray with a primer to prevent bleeding. To add something special, I selected a beautiful decoupage paper to place in the bottom of the tray (all products will be listed at the end of the post). When I positioned the decoupage paper in the tray, I didn't like how the vase was cut off. Luckily, I had leftover pieces from another project where I had used the same decoupage paper. With these pieces, I was able to complete the vase. As I adjusted the paper for the vase, the flowers were out of sync. To correct this, I cut the flowers out and rearranged them to fit. Once everything was in place, I used craft glue to attach the paper. Initially, I was going to paint the background but decided to lay the extra pieces of the paper in a mosaic style. I finished by painting the tray with a lovely blue color that matched the decoupage paper. I liked the piece, but it was a bit bright and needed to be toned down. I lightly stippled the surface with a moss-colored chalk paint. Once it was dry, I applied a diluted antique wax over the entire surface, wiping off the excess. To finish the tray, I applied two coats of water-based sealant. This is the finished tray styled in my office. I made the right call to tone it down. It fits perfectly in the room without taking over. Looking back, my first jaunt to the Goodwill Bins was not what I expected. It was loud and a bit overwhelming. But I am not one to give up on the first try. I went late in the day, so next time I'll go in the morning. I will let you know how it goes. Products Used: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Provence Waverly Chalk Paint Moss Waverly Antiquing Wax Mint By Michelle Decoupage "Karens Technicolor Bouquet" MinWax Polycrylic Finish If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created. As always comments and suggestions are appreciated.

Like many people, when January arrives, something clicks in my mind, prompting me to start organizing and cleaning. However, due to recent gallbladder surgery, I wasn't able to start until now. The first thing I am tackling is the pantry. When I first set up our pantry four years ago these are the items I used for organization. I still stand by all of my choices. They are not only "pretty" but they also clean up easily and are very accessible. The first thing I did was take everything off the shelves and give it a thorough cleaning. Next, I emptied the containers and washed them inside and out. I used a toothpick to get out any "schmutz" that wouldn't come off with a cloth. Finally, I measured and cut new shelf liner in a textured gray color. I'm just going to throw this out... Is anyone else puzzled by having a lid on the breadbox being a problem? To hide the unsightly power cords, I found a breadbox that fit perfectly on the shelf, concealed the cords, and looked cute. However, over the years, I consistently found the bread on the counter or beside the breadbox. When I inquired about this, the response was that they didn't know there was bread in the box, forgot, or couldn't see it. So, I removed the lid, and there hasn't been a problem since. Who knew? Here's how it turned out. All clean and refreshed! If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like (heart at end of blog post) and subscribe to receive new posts as they are created. Don't forget to leave a comment I love hearing from you!