Showing posts with label projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label projects. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Trash to Treasure!

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Notice anything different? I added shutters to the side of my mirror...the mirror that my dad made me in 1992! I've been wanting to do this for a long time! I've been looking around at flea markets and thrift stores for shutters that would work but I couldn't find anything until just by chance I drove down a street and saw these on the curb with a "Free" sign posted on them.

I almost didn't stop for them because they were too big. In the photo above they've been cut in half. I forgot to take a picture before I cut them (actually my ex-husband cut them for me). They were door size and hinged together. I noticed that there was a divider between the slats and that's when I got the idea to cut them in half. The only problem is one end was too short and the other too long. I put the short ones up but they would look better if they were about 2 inches longer. I can live with it though...after all, they were FREE! I also lowered the mirror so I could put the plates above. Do you like the plates above or is it too much? It looked a little plain without them. If I take them down I'm going to have a lot of holes to patch. I think there are probably at least 2 nail holes under each plate because it was so hard to get them even. I first primed the shutters with spray primer and then I brushed on gray paint that was left over from my kitchen. It's gray but it looks like a soft blue. The color is Benjamin Moore "Feather Gray". I just love this color and I have my daughter Lauren to thank for picking it out! I nailed on some of those picture hangers on the back and just hung them on the wall. I also put a little piece of double-sided tape at the bottom to keep them in place. By the way in case some of you are wondering...I still love my Ikea slip covered sofa!

Below is the mirror before the shutters...
I'm so happy with how this totally-free project turned out!!! Now I need to think of a way to use the two larger halves I have left over!

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Making topiaries

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Yesterday I was at Target and I saw these rosemary plants and I thought they would be perfect to make little topiaries. This is a project I have wanted to try for a long time.

I want the pots to get mossy which is not always easy when you live in a dry climate. I've heard if you brush plain yogurt or buttermilk on the pot and then rub moss on it that it will grow moss quicker. I'm not sure how great the moss will grow since the rosemary needs full sun! I didn't think that part through until after I did it.
I removed all the stems except the strongest center stem and then removed all the leaves except for the very top. I pinched off a little on the top which will make the plant send off two new branches and you just keep pinching as they grow until you get a little ball shape at the top. Here is a photo I found of what they should look like....although it may take a year or so to get there. I'll keep you updated on it's progress.


Click here to find directions for starting them from just a clipping of rosemary.