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See what they are saying about our products and service HERE.

The best Christmas gift...

It started with the top of a hutch. My girlfriend (thank you Elizabeth!) no longer needed the top and of course she thought of us before getting rid of it. It had beautiful lines, of course my honey could build a base for it:) That was about 3 years ago...I think. And there it sat in the dining room, empty, collecting dust.  We always have a project or 2 or 4 going on in the house but my husband was determined to finish this piece for me as a Christmas gift.  Right up until the day before we were adding the finishing touches and I'm in love!  I could finally unwrap the china and I can finish decorating this room now. I just can't stop staring at it when I walk by this room.

Here is what the before looked like:

We wanted to have it resemble the top enough so it wouldn't look like they didn't belong together.
So my husband rounded the base and added corner round to the front corners. He also routed the center support to match the top.

We thought about purchasing unfinished doors but decided to make them. I realized that I might want to add fabric to the doors so we really just needed to make a frame.

I loved the finish on the top before paint but I knew I would not be able to match the base to the top so I had no choice but to paint it. However I gave the top accent moulding and the doors just a wash of french linen to tone down the stain but still appreciate it. I love the way it came out and the way it contrasts the Graphite chalk paint (Annie Sloan). I also applied a french linen wash (after a coat of clear wax) to highlight the detailed areas of the piece.  Just a little distressing on some of the edges and a couple of coats of wax finished the piece. Just in time for Christmas!

Now the chairs need to be painted. I'm thinking french linen for them.

I chose a neutral french toile fabric for the doors. My husband did a great job pleating and stapling! 

Some of the details. The hardware on the bottom doors were in my stash from an another piece of furniture. They were a perfect match in their antique brass finish.

I think this is definitely one of my favorite pieces we've done. I was a little nervous about the dark paint but I really LOVE this look!  I think it has a french country farmhouse feel to it.  Exactly the look I'm going for in this room.

I hope this inspires you to find new life in a furniture piece of your own. Let me know if you have any questions regarding technique.

Now I just need a little sideboard piece for the opposite side of the room....the projects never end!
If he didn't do such a beautiful job, I wouldn't ask!

Happy New Year!

Christmas Mantel

Finally coming to the last week of Christmas preparations. I hope I make it! Thankfully I've been busy with orders and just about done with the last few going out by the end of this week. So, the mantel is about all I have complete in the decorating department and wanted to share it with you. Next year, I promise myself to finish decorating Thanksgiving weekend! Which would mean designing the Christmas line by the end of summer...let's see how that goes:)

I like to change it up every year. It's just not fun for me to put the same decorations in the same place each year. So much nicer moving things around, gives it a whole new look.

I still always gravitate toward that natural, neutral, touch of color, rustic look with a little sparkle.

This snowman was a gift from long ago and a favorite.

I used to sell these bottle brush trees, another favorite to decorate with.
And the little sign, a gift from mom.

One of my purchases this year.  Mercury bulb garland on twine! Perfectly mine.

Even though I prefer real greens, this pine garland is just so pretty with it's snowy tips and mini pinecones. Looking so elegant over great grandma's mirror. Love the details on this mirror, especially the beading.

The furry stocking are new too! I have been looking for a while. And since I need 6, the price had to be right. These were perfect at $15/set of 2! They just need a little something. And since the little one demands personalized stockings, I burned our names into some birch wood slices and added a sprig of preserved cedar with tallow berries and some muted gold ribbon. LOVE!

The white feather trees, another item I used to sell, never grow old. And the large sugar cones have been dusted with glass glitter. 

When I spotted this printable from the movie Elf, I stopped everything to print one and frame it for the mantel. It's a favorite Christmas movie in our house! You can print your own at Eclectically Vintage.  You can find it in her Christmas house tour post HERE.

Ok, so I procrastinated enough today and need to get back to my sales tax return:( 

I will share a tablescape and the rest of my Christmas home after I finish my shopping!  

Good luck to you all with the rest of your to do lists!

And if you want to procrastinate a little:

you can see our home tour from last year HERE. 

Rustic planter box ideas

They are great for holding seltzer bottles.

 One of our most popular products can be used in so many ways and it's a simple box.  We've been creating them for over 4 years now. They may be customized by color and size. 
We can also monogram them for you. 

I've put together a collection of photos showing some different ways
you can decorate with them for all seasons.

Find them HERE.

preserved cedar and pinecones dusted in german glass glitter

on the mantel - with mason jar candles - evergreens - pinecones and berries

Burlap wrapped candles - cedar sprigs - dried pomegranates - dried artichokes and pinecones

with colorful fruits and some greens tucked in 

mason jar candles - berries and pinecones

for the fall table - mason jars filled with flowers and a bit of burlap

A wedding table centerpiece filled with preserved hydrangeas

mason jars over filled with flowers - pumpkins, and artichokes on a stick

I love them simply filled with baby's breath in mason jars and burlap

Filled with my favorite flowers - hydrangeas!

Purple wax flowers and burlap

looking beautiful with lavender bunches

 We can add words or monograms.

A few of our customer submitted photos:

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customer submitted photo

customer submitted photo

customer submitted photo

customer submitted photo

customer submitted photo

Send us your photos for our inspiration page!  We would love to see how you decorate with these versatile boxes.