From This Day Forward...

Ruffledblog.com, one of my most favorite online wedding sites, hosted a competition recently, and asked readers to enter using a re-purposed vintage item suitable for a wedding. My creative juices got flowing, as I tried to think of something that hadn't yet been used as an entry. Ah ha! What else, but a chair?

As a self-professed chair rescuer, I began my search for the "perfect" one to use. It had to be sturdy, have great design lines, and have an area to display engagement or wedding photos. I found one for $10 at our local ministry. We already had the paint and glaze, and I found the plants that I needed at Lowe's. I just needed some TIME in the midst of my sweet, often crazy life, to get it finished!

Here's how it all came together...

First, I removed the chair's seat cushion, by loosening the screws from the bottom. 

A couple of thin coats of blue latex paint, went on next with a sponge brush. 

Shorty after the last coat, I rubbed on antiquing glaze with a cotton cloth, removing any excess.

Rubbing the cloth firmly over the areas I wanted to hi-light, helped to expose the stained wood underneath. The pretty, blue chair was being transformed, right before my eyes!

After the paint dried, I lined the chair seat opening with a remnant of window screen, attaching it to the chair's frame with large tacks, then trimmed the excess with scissors. You could also use burlap here instead.

In went the potting soil to fill the lined area. All the sun-tolerant perennials were nestled into the soil, with the longer ones spilling out over the sides. A couple of brown dragonfly napkins rings, were tucked in front for interest. 

I attached our 18 year-old wedding pictures to the cane seat back, using wooden clothes pins. 

My vintage, Polaroid camera, even got a chance to shine.

 

Here, I grouped the chair with some other things that would look great at a wedding.

Tip: A chair placed on a sloping area of your yard, will not sit level without rocks under one or more of its legs. I know what it was, I was drawn to the daffodils in this area.

A special thanks to Ruffled, for their approach to engagements and weddings. The couples and artists featured on their site, let go of pre-conceived, typically stiff wedding expectations, and choose to approach the day instead, with such artistic freshness. 

What I could have done 18 years ago on my wedding day, with such inspiration! I would have definitely LOST the hoop I carried on my forearm like a purse! And the halo headpiece, puffy sleeves, and pink fluid-filled fountain, wouldn't be my first choices either.

I had a great time just getting to relive our special day through this project, even if our pictures will always look like this. We've come a long way, Baby!

Paying Love Forward

Since my last post revealed the lack of grace I displayed why hiking, I thought I'd shift the focus this time, and talk about those that love me anyway.

The first thing I was greeted with following my visit to the ER that Friday, was a colorful collection of handmade cards from our girls. They'd done the only things they knew would help while we were gone - they prayed, colored, glued, and glittered. Very effective acts in the face of tragedy.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, four sweet friends came bearing beautiful flowers for us to enjoy, and delicious muffins for the girls' breakfasts for the week. I was touched to tears! Friends are truly a blessing from God.

The Thursday morning following their visit, was our scheduled day for our Meals On Wheels route. This is a community service provided through our local Christian Ministries, to provide free or low-cost meals to elderly shut-ins in our area. The meals are delivered by volunteers, and organized by Ms. Joanne, an employ of the ministry. She, however, would rather have her toenails removed than to receive compensation for her services. She is such a humble servant, with a contagious love for others.

 Before we left out on our route, the girls worked their artistic magic on some happy, springtime pictures to share. Seeing our little ones reach out to senior adults, makes this mama very proud. I'm proud that they're not afraid of our older friends, proud to see them engaging in meaningful conversation with them, and proud that they recognize the importance of reaching out to others, who can't get out themselves. We've sure been blessed with some sweet girls, I'll have to say.

We recently lost our first elderly friend, Ms. Helen. My girls still remind me that we never did get to take Ms. Helen down to her pier to fish. They're right. We're all full of good intentions, and sometimes it stings our hearts when a loved one's time with us is over, and our opportunity is gone. I know Ms. Helen understood though. She was sweet like that.

Wondering what it was that I could take along to give to our seniors, I saw the beautiful bouquet from my friends. I knew my shut-in friends were sure to enjoy some bottled sunshine on that rainy day. So, out came more of our saved Starbucks bottles to serve as vases. And in a few minutes, five mini bouquets were born.

Since Brad was able to take the week off to be with me, he became our Designated Driver for delivering the meals. And so we set off, with a cooler full of chicken dinners, a box of bouquets, my throbbing leg thrown up on the dash, and our three girls in the back with their works of art in hand. Our venture to spread some love (and fill some tummies) had begun!

Let me just say here, that I am blessed with a great husband, who knew how important it was not to reschedule because of my injury. Our sweet friends look forward to our visit, and so do we. We're not required to take anything to share, and our only commitment is to deliver a hot meal. If I had to remain propped up in a bed instead, only to watch as my flowers wilted, I would've felt terribly guilty that I'd kept their beauty for myself. He knew all of this, and he knows me all too well. "In sickness and in health," means more to me now than ever. Here he is getting ready to do dishes before we left, so that I didn't have to stand in one spot with weight on my leg. I just love this sweet, humble, rarely ornery, man of mine.

We accomplished our route and stopped by the ministry to deliver Ms. Joanne's surprise bouquet. She asked how we could have known that she needed her spirits lifted that day. She went on to say, that she would be undergoing a breast lumpectomy the following Monday, and radiation treatments soon. I pray the Lord is with this sweet friend, as I know He is.

All of this confirms to me again, the importance of following through with the nudges of our hearts. When we do, we get to see the Lord work even the smallest gesture full circle, with even greater impact than we anticipated. I'm glad I followed through that day, and will make a better effort from now on. It sure felt good to pay love forward :)

A Glimpse of Preserved History

I've been out of commission, since hiking Friday in our woods with a sweet friend, and our girls. Because of so much wind and rain that we've had here lately, it made for an obstacle course with lots of fallen trees. 

On this beautiful, picture perfect day, as we trotted along having great conversation, it happened! I hooked my toe on something, and fell forward on a limb sticking upright. OUCH! We tied my jacket around my calf, and headed back to my house. Brad quickly accompanied me to our local ER, where I received ten stitches to close up the opening made by the limb. I won't show you the pictures, since they're just plain gross, if you ask me. But I will show you what we were in the woods to enjoy in the first place - 

a great, historic Civil War period furnace. 

Never mind the children in the foreground wearing mismatched play clothes. We call it having fun! These furnaces were known for being located along creeks, and powered by wooden water wheels. They used iron ore harvested from the surrounding area, to make canon balls, weaponry, and kitchenware. 

They usually employed about one hundred men. This is possibly a foundation from a structure that was once on site. I would LOVE to have it as an outdoor fireplace at my house! If stones could talk.

They're very pyramid-like in form, which makes them all the more fascinating.

This one is a reminder of  early craftsmanship, and history of days gone by. It serves as a great conversation piece for those visiting it for the first time.

And it's a beautiful place to play in the water and make memories. 

 

Even the four-legged little ones love it!

Only a few of these historic furnaces still remain in our area, and it's an honor to have one in walking distance from our house.

I hope you've enjoyed your virtual tour of this beautiful piece of American history. 

Have a beautiful Sunday.

What Took You SO Long?

I promised you a Before and After, and I'm sticking to it! Enter in, exhibit A - a white, medicine cabinet whose light-robbing depth, has driven me crazy for years. Six to be exact. Because the cabinet didn't recess into the wall, it's always blocked the light from above. No longer will I  provide a spotlight for dusty items stored on top! No more, I say!

Lord only knows what I've really looked like after having put on my "face" in front of this mirror with bad lighting since the day we moved in. The term clown face now comes to mind. Family! How could you not tell me?

Look at what a major improvement this vintage, unframed mirror has made in the space. More light and more area to reflect. I am very pleased and wish that I would've made the change sooner. Kristin, if you're reading this, you're probably thinking "What took you so long?" about your procrastinate friend . That would be me.

I guess, bad design decisions or not, sometimes we keep them around until we're finally ready to make the change, others convince us that it's necessary, or we can't ignore the sometimes painful result any longer. Wow! Design sure does mirror real life, huh? 

Here's a sneak peek at the other side of this same bathroom. I never distressed the beaded board around my tub, and now I'm ready for a new color scheme altogether.  So, sorry tub surround, but I have something in mind that I think you'll like even better - Gray! 

As you can see, I've already removed all the caulking that wasn't "ideally" applied. We all have different gifts though, and Brad admits that caulking precisely, isn't one of his. I  do love that man of mine, crooked caulk and all! Here are a few inspiration pics that will leave you gray. That's a good thing :)

 

Photo, courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Photo, courtesy of Apartment Therapy

 3 Photos, courtesy of Decor Pad

Photo, courtesy of Fresh Home Design

You might like to know that the assumed accountability factor in blogging, is what motivated me to get started on this project. Now, I'm ready to fill nail holes, sand, and paint! If this unspoken guilt only worked for other everyday household chores, I'd be set ;)

Thanks for continuing to read the ramblings and renderings of a rookie blogger like ME! I welcome your comments and suggestions about Cottage Appeal. And may your life's cup, simply overflow with blessings today!