Candlestick Makeover

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It finally feels like fall here! Last week it was in the high 80s and now it's raining and in the 60s...I'm so happy. It's finally time for candlelit evenings!

I painted my green garage sale candles white and I think they look so much better.

I was so happy to see that my cloche fits perfectly on this dish!

Here are what the candlesticks used to look like:

I saw this commercial on TV last night and I love it! I had to share it with you because it not only has a good message...it will make you smile...Guaranteed!!! And to the few of you out there reading this that I went to high school with, I still have my pom-poms so when I'm 70-something ...

The Garage Sale Makeover Projects

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Remember all the things I bought at the garage sales a couple weeks ago? I finally got them painted. First is this shelf above. When I bought it I had no idea where I was going to put it but it was only $2 so I bought it anyway. It actually looked really pretty in the dark wood (you won't hear me say that very often!) but it didn't go with anything in my apartment so I painted it white (no surprise there). I found a great spot for it on the wall in my dining area. I'm not thrilled with that carrot mold I have hanging above it but that hides my thermostat. I'm always on the lookout for something better to hide that ugly thing but I haven't found it yet. (you can click on the photo above to enlarge it.) The green spots on the wall and shelf are just reflections from the chandelier crystals.


Below is the before photo but before you wood lovers say I shouldn't have painted it, I just want to mention that it was damaged and there was rubbery looking stuff coming out of the corner.

I also painted the little side table white...

Now it looks much better in my apartment...

Tomorrow I'll show you the big candlesticks I also painted.

I have an update on the haunted soup tureen...it stopped making noises. I found that it makes noises after it's been washed. It's so weird, when I get it wet you can see cracks (crazing) all over it but once it dries they go away. I'll have to take a photo of it to show you! It's so weird!

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Some New Pretties!

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This is the cabinet I painted blue. Do you recognize anything new in here? First off...I finally got a piece of glass cut for the shelf. I tried to take the cheaper route of cutting a piece to fit myself...big mistake, that ended up in the garbage and I ordered this one from a glass company.

I found this pink rose cake plate at the Goodwill. I was trying to read the writing on the back to see where it was made but I didn't have my reading glasses so I asked the young guy at the counter where it was made...he told me "Australia". I thought that was weird because I've never seen anything that says "Made in Australia." When I got home I put my glasses on and saw it said "Austria" not "Australia" Maybe that guy should go back to school and learn how to read! LOL It was a steal at $2.00!

Look at this adorable little chandelier. I think it's meant to be a Christmas ornament but I hung it in the cabinet. I bought it at Vintage and Vogue....remember that cute store?

I can't tell you how many times I went to Marshalls and picked up this teapot. I finally bought it last week. It was only $9.99!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already done so!

A Little Fall Giveaway!

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How about a little Fall Giveaway? I got four more of these adorable pumpkin candles. Two for me and two for you?

Anyone can enter whether you have a blog or not! If you don't have a blog, please be sure to include your email address so I have a way to contact you.

The drawing is just for the candles though...not my crystal candle holders....I want to keep those!

I will draw a name on Friday at 9:00 PM Pacific Time. Please feel free to spread the word about my small fall giveaway!

Update: I bought these at Nob Hill (also called Raleys in some areas). They are a grocery store chain in Northern California and Nevada.

Soup Tureens

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I have a thing for soup tureens! When I see beautiful tureens at thrift stores I can't pass them up. I found this one Saturday at the Goodwill and fell in love with it. It was marked $9.99 but everything in the store was half off! I walked out of the store with a $4.99 soup tureen that looks like it cost so much more! It was made in Portugal.

I love the little artichoke on top.

Even the handles are gorgeous! I couldn't understand why someone would give this away. Once I got it home I understood completely why they gave this away...it makes strange noises! I'm not joking! Saturday I kept hearing a cracking noise but I couldn't figure out what it was. It sounds sort of like ice cracking. About every 1/2 hour or so I would hear it. I finally figured out it's the soup tureen!!!! Lauren thinks it's haunted and creepy but I love it even if it does make weird noises. I just hope it doesn't explode one day. I won't be using it for soup that's for sure! It will be for decorative purposes only!

Does any one know why it would be making these strange noises. I have a feeling it wasn't "fired" correctly or something.

Autumn?

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The leaves are starting to change color here in Northern California but it sure doesn't feel like Fall... it was 86 degrees here yesterday! It's beautiful weather but I'm ready for it to cool down a bit. The weatherman said next Thursday the temps will drop below average! Yay!

The HGTV "Rate my Space show" I was on will air again three more times. The episode is called "A Romantic Cabana with an Island Vibe" Here is the schedule:
Sat. Oct. 25th 11:00PM ET/PT
Sun. Oct. 26th 3:00AM ET/PT
Sat. Nov. 8th 5:30PM ET/PT

Update: I had put the wrong dates above, they are now corrected. Thank you Joanne!

I made the photo mosaic above last year using other flickr member's photos. It's one of my favorite mosaics I've done!

I've been tagged and given some awards and I'm going to try to get to those this weekend!

How do I clean all this?

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I've got a few comments and emails lately asking how I keep so much stuff clean. Hmmm...I really don't think I have that much stuff. I think it just looks like I have a lot because it's all crammed into a 900 sq ft. apartment. If this were in a normal size house it wouldn't look like that much at all...at least that's what I keep telling myself! LOL! Anyway, last weekend I was cleaning my $25 garage-sale chandelier and decided to do a post about cleaning!

I clean my crystal chandeliers by holding a rag behind each crystal, spraying a little Windex on the front and then rubbing it with the rag. After awhile the rag will be soaked in Windex and then I just rub it over the remaining crystals and if needed dry it with a dry rag. It's so amazing the difference it makes. I didn't think my chandelier was very dirty but I guess it was because it's so much more sparkly now!

I dust once a week using a feather duster. I used a Swiffer Duster for awhile but I'm back to using a feather duster because I think it just goes over my collectibles so much easier. I bought mine here, I have the 17" Premium Ostrich Feather Duster (they haven't paid me to say this, I'm just a happy customer.) A couple people commented on how clean my linens were that I showed you yesterday. The truth is they didn't look like that when my mom gave them to me. The white tablecloth with the blue embroidery was really stained and yellowed. It even looked like it had rust stains all over it. I soaked all the linens overnight in hot water with OxiClean powder. That stuff is amazing...it works like magic! Everything comes out so white and the stains were gone! Here is how I dry them...

Magic in a tub...

Most of the time I enjoy cleaning house. Really! I think it's a state of mind and if you think of it as a time to play with all the things you love it actually becomes enjoyable. I just put on Chris Botti or Diana Krall CD and enjoy making my apartment all clean and pretty!

Some More Treasures From my Mom!

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Yesterday I showed you the vintage perfume bottles my mom gave me. She also gave me some vintage linens and lace! She bought these all from thrift stores and flea markets over the years. My mom has so much linen and lace that she could open a shop! Her china cabinet drawers are full and she has bags & bags of them! The difference between her and I is that I use them! I have a lot in drawers too but I rotate them. Remember my post I did awhile back about my collection? I think I have a serious linen and lace addiction and so does my mom and so did her mother. It must be hereditary!

There were five of these little doilies. They are the perfect size for a cup and saucer to sit on. I put four of them on the shelves of my hutch (below)
This little linen and lace baby pillow is my favorite! Click on it to enlarge to see the details!
Four little cross stitched linen towels. Again, you have to click on this to see the detail. I can't even imagine the time that women spent making these things!
Four lace place mats.

A beautiful lace runner that I put on my hutch.
This table cloth above is gorgeous and it has two different size napkins that match.
Some old tea towels...
This little dish below belonged to my Grandma. Like I said yesterday, I hardly have anything that is hers so it's really special.
I remember a time in my life when I hated lace doilies. I thought only Grannies decorated with them. I guess there are still people that feel that way. I can't remember if I mentioned this here before but one of Lauren's friends calls our home the Grannie House! Hmmm I don't think it looks like a Grannie house but maybe I'm just getting old!!!

Vintage Perfume Bottles

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My mom and I love the same things. I sometimes wonder if I would have the same taste in these things if it weren't for my mom. When I was growing up, my mom and grandmother would shop at thrift stores looking for old linens, jewelry and anything else that was a "quality" item that they could get for next to nothing. I think they were way ahead of their time. I also think there were a lot more great things available in the thrift stores back in the 60's and 70's just by looking at some of the things my mom bought.
My mom started collecting perfume bottles and she has quite a collection. Last week she gave me some of hers...all of these pictured above! It was like Christmas as I was unwrapping each bottle. Here are closeups of some of them (you can click on them to enlarge).

This green one is my favorite!

She has 3 more of these old Shalimar bottles in different sizes!

This powder jar above belonged to my Grandmother so it's really special. I don't have very many things that belonged to her. She was born on Halloween in 1889 and she passed away December 19th 1986...one hour before my son was born.