Monday, October 31, 2016

Basic Black Bookshelf

bookshelf makeover, painted furniture, black shelf

Happy Halloween!



No, I will not be throwing out my lovely pink mosaic pumpkin.

Pumpkins are good until Thanksgiving.






Chucks has been driving this bookshelf around in the back of his truck for weeks. 

Cleaned and sanded - as you can see multiple layers of paint.






Painted it satin black.

A basic black bookshelf  is a great display piece to let your collections shine.






Even if you (or me) dragged the collection out of the yard.

(or I)





Another pic of the pumpkin.















Another pic of the basic black bookshelf. 











Did not want to leave out my watering can.

And the pine cone which seems to photo bomb most of my blog pics.

Hope your bags are filled with chocolate!

No rocks.



See y'all!



Sunday, October 30, 2016

Quickies

quick makeover, bookshelf makeover, painted furniture, Krylon, Rust-Oleum, Oil Rubbed Bronze
A quickie bookshelf makeover.

I did not really want to paint it, but someone had glued tissue paper to the shelves and the finish was ruined.





The only before shot.

Bottoms up and ready for paint.

I decided a satin black would be great to cover the flaws.












However the brown stain kept showing through.

Then it dawned on me the color was NOT black but BRONZE!

I had picked up the wrong can.





Only had a partial can so off to Hobby Lobby for another can of Oil Rubbed Bronze - Krylon.

OUT!?!

OUT OF STOCK!?!









Ran next door to Lowe's who had Oil Rubbed Bronze in Rust-Oleum so I took a chance.

Luckily it matched.

I liked the highlights of bronze in the paint.







Love the mission style of the slats.

This was definitely a homemade, but well-made, piece.












I have only used this bronze on metal pieces, but plan to use it on another furniture piece soon.







I will make sure to have enough on hand before I start something.













The back looks as good as the front.

The bookshelf could be used as a divider.

Booth C-23, Riverfront Antique Mall, North Augusta, SC.


See y'all!


 



ETSY SHOP IS CLOSED




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Amaze Me Monday #187


Friday, October 28, 2016

Friday Finds

vintage finds, vintage dolls, pewter pitcher, Americana
A few smalls for my Friday Finds.

From a church sale I bought six Album of Americana dolls.








The dolls have never been out of the boxes.

However the boxes are in poor condition.








Inside each box top is the history of the woman featured.

Molly Pitcher.









 Mary Todd Lincoln.














Betsy Ross.














 
Barbara Fritchie. 

(Hint at the bottom of post if she is not familiar.)










 
Dolly Madison.















Martha Washington.

All of the dolls are quite glamorous especially Martha.

These are from the 1950's.







A brass basket.

A quart-sized pewter pitcher marked James Yates.

The tankard/pitcher needs further research into the value.







On my way for boiled peanuts and BBQ for the Saturday football games, I stopped at a community yard sale.

An old cotton lace-edged slip.







I followed a guy around to see if he would put down the lovely hand-knit sweater he was carrying around.  

When he went to check out, he noticed a small hole and decided he did not want it.

I do!  I do!





Always needing baskets for displays.













And books.

This is the third week I have shopped at this house. 

They are moving and assure me everything is gone.

We'll see. 

They told me the same thing the previous week.






And a huge box of magazines.




As always I am torn between hunting for junk and watching football this weekend.

Nothing yet looks too interesting.


See y'all!




Barbara Frietchie 
Up from the meadows rich with corn,
Clear in the cool September morn,

The clustered spires of Frederick stand
Green-walled by the hills of Maryland.

Round about them orchards sweep,
Apple- and peach-tree fruited deep,

Fair as a garden of the Lord
To the eyes of the famished rebel horde,

On that pleasant morn of the early fall
When Lee marched over the mountain wall,—

Over the mountains winding down,
Horse and foot, into Frederick town.

Forty flags with their silver stars,
Forty flags with their crimson bars,

Flapped in the morning wind: the sun
Of noon looked down, and saw not one.

Up rose old Barbara Frietchie then,
Bowed with her fourscore years and ten;

Bravest of all in Frederick town,
She took up the flag the men hauled down;

In her attic window the staff she set,
To show that one heart was loyal yet.

Up the street came the rebel tread,
Stonewall Jackson riding ahead.

Under his slouched hat left and right
He glanced: the old flag met his sight.

“Halt!”— the dust-brown ranks stood fast.
“Fire!”— out blazed the rifle-blast.

It shivered the window, pane and sash;
It rent the banner with seam and gash.

Quick, as it fell, from the broken staff
Dame Barbara snatched the silken scarf;

She leaned far out on the window-sill,
And shook it forth with a royal will.

“Shoot, if you must, this old gray head,
But spare your country’s flag,” she said.

A shade of sadness, a blush of shame,
Over the face of the leader came;

The nobler nature within him stirred
To life at that woman’s deed and word:

“Who touches a hair of yon gray head
Dies like a dog! March on!” he said.

All day long through Frederick street
Sounded the tread of marching feet:

All day long that free flag tost
Over the heads of the rebel host.

Ever its torn folds rose and fell
On the loyal winds that loved it well;

And through the hill-gaps sunset light
Shone over it with a warm good-night.

Barbara Frietchie’s work is o’er,
And the Rebel rides on his raids no more.

Honor to her! and let a tear
Fall, for her sake, on Stonewall’s bier.

Over Barbara Frietchie’s grave
Flag of Freedom and Union, wave!

Peace and order and beauty draw
Round thy symbol of light and law;

And ever the stars above look down
On thy stars below in Frederick town!

Now you know about Barbara Fritchie including her name is spelled two ways! 


 



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Thursday, October 27, 2016

Tung Oil Trees

tung oil, trees, Aiken
You get your tung oil straight out of the can, Right?

Did you know how it got there?

Down one block here in Aiken, South Carolina, is a line of tung oil trees.








Back in the summer I posted a photo on Instagram of the fruit growing on the tree.








The first blush of color on the green fruit.















The photo from August shows a lot of color.

The trees stand about twenty feet high and have lovely large leaves.

The trees are mostly round in shape.






Last week I noticed the fruit had ripened and was falling to the ground.

The color is very pretty, but they quickly continue ripening ...







Until they are brown and ready for processing.

At this point the city usually comes along to gather them up before ruining the cars parked underneath. 






The fruit will split easily into three to seven pieces.












Peel off the outer husk to get ...
















These hard-covered wedges.



















 
Peel the hard cover and the paper-like cover off to reveal ...












A very hard kernel.

Yes, it is covered by yet another hard shell.












I smashed it between two bricks to reveal (FINALLY!) the inner white core.

In the processing plant this would be pressed for the oil.

So now you know where your tung oil originates.

I'll never bemoan the price of tung oil again.

A whole lot of work.

Interesting facts about the tung oil tree can be found HERE.

Like "tung" is Chinese for "heart" - the leaves are heart-shaped.


See y'all!









ETSY SHOP IS CLOSED




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Amaze Me Monday #187