EASY DIY: Super Simple Faux Zinc Painted Candlestick Holder Tutorial

This weekend, I came down with a case of pro-craft-ination.   I have chronic, recurring episodes.

They often last for days.

Sometimes, I can feel an attack coming on....like when it's been more than 48 hours since I've painted something or baked something...or rearranged the family room.

In those instances, it comes on slowly. At first, it feels like boredom and I find myself standing in the middle of my studio... for no reason...searching for something to sew...or paint (or, sometimes, trying to remember why I went in there...but I digress...)

Then, if I can't find anything, I generally end up in the garage or the basement, rummaging through my stash of old pallet wood and boxes of fabric (sadly, they've been taken to the storage locker until after we move so I'm out of luck for awhile).

This weekend, however, I was caught completely off guard.  It was a classic case of sudden onset pro-craft-ination.

I'll admit it, I thought that I might be coming down with it when I realized that the only thing on my Saturday agenda was to pack boxes for moving.  But I had a large glass of water and set out to find a cabinet or closet to pack that wouldn't be too difficult or require more than an hour or so of my time because let's be honest,....I didn't really want to pack.

I decided to see if there were things in the lower cabinets in the family room that I could box up. After all, I'm pretty sure that I haven't looked in them since...oh... sometime in late 2010.

As soon as I opened the door, I spied these candle holders and had one of the most severe cases of pro-craft-ination that I'd experienced in months.  It was so bad, in fact, that not a single box was packed. Not one item was wrapped in paper.  Instead, I decided to treat these holders to a faux zinc finish before I tuck them away until we finish the rehab on the French Farm Project .

The process is SUPER simple: I gave them two coats of Graphite chalk paint and then sanded lightly with 000 steel wool.  Then, I mixed a little metallic craft paint (black nickel, gunmetal and brushed silver) with some antique effect and dabbed and wiped. I repeated this step with each of the three different shades. There's no need to cover all of it and certainly no need to be perfect.  After they dried, I sealed them with some matte polyurethane so that I can wipe them off.

Oh, and, for the record, the Martha Stewart people didn't compensate me in any way for this post. They probably don't even know that I exist!

The attack lasted the rest of the weekend. I'm actually feeling better today but no packing is going to get finished because I have to work.  Ah well, there's always next weekend. At least I know that these faux zinc finished candle holders will look fabulous when I see them again

                                                                                                                                              ....in 2014!

Have a beautiful Monday!

Wonderful Saturday Wedding Details: Florals, Lanterns, Burlap and Mason Jars

As I know I've probably mentioned several times, I have a dear friend named Sadie who is an incredibly  talented florist and who owns The English Garden Flower Shop in Clarendon Hills.

Cookie Cutter Wreath and Mason Jar Candles

Happy Sunday after Thanksgiving! I hope that you had a wonderful weekend. I know that I did.

Do you feel like you spent a bunch of time in the kitchen over the last week? I do. First it was  cooking and baking in preparation for hosting family for the holiday.

Then, since Thursday,  I've also spent a fair amount of time in the kitchen mainly eating leftovers...for every meal.   Mainly leftover pie.

So much so that I've decided to go on a diet.

It's a new kind of diet. I invented it this morning.

Yes, I know, those of you who have been reading my status updates on the Serendipity Refined Facebook Fan Page   can stop laughing now.

I know, you're probably thinking to yourself  

                                         Yeah, right. She's going on a diet AFTER she ate pie for lunch.

Actually, it wasn't the pie for lunch yesterday that did me in. It was the pie for breakfast this morning that got me thinking...

about Christmas cookies...and how they're right around the corner.

I was considering the fact that I bake batches and batches of cookies in the weeks before the holiday

                                                                                                ...and how most of them never last 24 hours.

Having young men and their friends in the house virtually guarantees that a batch of cookies can be finished (along with the gallon of milk that was supposed to last for three days) in under ten minutes.

Trust me. I've timed it.

So, I decided this morning, (while I was all hopped up on the sugar rush following eating a piece of butterscotch pie for breakfast followed up by a cup of really strong coffee),

that I should probably resist the urge to bake Christmas cookies, at least for a few weeks....
                                                                                         you know, until closer to the actual holiday.

After careful consideration...while my heart rate returned to normal after the caffeine and sugar wore off. I decided that it's kind of like doing everyone a favor.

...At least everyone who lives at my house and would like to wear pants with a zipper in them to family gatherings or to mass over the holidays.

I'm going to save everyone a few pounds...I'm using the cookie cutters for a WREATH...in the kitchen!

Don't worry, I didn't ruin them.  They're just tied on with waxed twine.  They can be carefully removed, when the time comes, to bake batches of all of our favorites.

 In the mean time, however, they're safely above the stove...on a wreath.

Above the stove, hanging in a place that would take me, standing on  a ladder to reach..

A ladder that I'd have to go outside, into the cold garage to get. 

 Above the stove, on a shelf with these adorable jars that I filled with "snow", tied with twine, added some berries and a piece of fir to.  Glass jars...that I'd have to move while standing on the ladder.

So for now, the cookie cutters are safe. 

Safe from me...and any chance of spontaneous cookie baking.

Safe from anything but a well thought out effort to go to the garage, get the ladder, take down the wreath, untie the cookie cutters, wash them and then  bake cookies.

It'll be a couple of weeks but it'll happen....because me and the gingerbread man have a date...

and I'm pretty sure we'll be joined by a gallon of milk.


xo,


I'm sharing this post at:
 Between Naps on the Porch
Debbiedoos
Embracing Change
Jennifer Rizzo
Stilettos in the Mud
Thoughts From Alice

Pottery Barn Inspired Patio Lantern Project

Source: Pottery Barn

I've recently spent some time  going back to my boards on Pinterest and I was SHOCKED that I have amassed nearly 1,900 pins on 48 boards over the last year! Holy smacks! How did that happen!?

Behind the scenes - Thanksgiving Tablescape.

As promised, here are the details of the table scape posted yesterday:

Table Cloth: two 9x12 PAINTER's DROP CLOTHS (yep, that's right, folded them in half, put them on the table) - they came from our local paint store and cost $9 each.

Table Runner: Men's suiting fabric, hounds tooth wool. Closeout at Joann's $3.99 used my Merry Moolah coupon for $5 off my purchase of $25.00 so the table runner and a ball of jute were FREE
Had enough left over to make a runner for the sideboard and wrap 14 votive cups for individual centerpieces at each place.

Wood Chargers: These were a challenge at first but I found out that anyone with a steady hand and a chainsaw can make them.  Traci at Whimsy in Morris has a guy who will do it. I found a really nice man named Tim who owns a mill in Yorkville that will do it and I found out that I can actually do it as well. 

Vintage Brown and White Transfer ware Dinner Plates: Borrowed from my friend, Ann at Nellie's. They were PERFECT...and although priceless, they were FREE to borrow.

Small Bread Plates: Purchased at the Goodwill on a Tuesday during customer appreciation and got a 20% off scratch off. They cost 35 cents each. Total $4.90

Candlesticks, teapot, candles, silverware, glassware, votive holders, napkins:  From my collection.

Centerpiece: Old, wooden shipping crate gifted to me by the same friend (Ann) who loaned me the dishes.  She waxed it brown, I added 4 men's belts from Goodwill ($0.99 each), dried hydrangea and dried flowers from my yard, a couple of nests that I had on hand, some lotus pods, pine cones and dried artichokes (also on hand)  I purchased greens, tallow berries, 3 "quails" and 5 magnificent turquoise hydrangea. Total investment for an incredible centerpiece that I'm going to redo slightly for Christmas as well as the 14 individual place setting pieces: about $40.
Jute Tied Napkins with Leaves:  Punched out the leaves at Archivers. Bought 3 sheets of card stock, used their die cut machine at no charge: Cost $1.50.

Total investment? $68.50 and while that is a significant amount of money, the dropcloths, plates and table runner are all reusable and I was able to set a table that made an impression that will last a lifetime for my family and friends. 

I spent today cutting down the last of the garden and raking the last of the leaves (16 barrels and bags full...it took me all day!) Tomorrow, I'm planting tulips for next spring. Then, it's on to Christmas Decorating!

P.S. Yes, we removed the centerpiece during dinner. It's probably taller than the "ideal" would be but it is PERFECT for me!

Have a wonderful weekend.

xo,

S

Giving Thanks

It starts when we're young.  Older adults shape our lives. They teach us about love...and gratitude. In some of my very earliest memories, I was taught to say "please" and "thank-you". It's a basic concept for most of us.  Human decency, kindness, thoughtfulness. I like to think that I do a pretty good job, most of the time, remembering, to express my thanks.