Back From Never-Ever Again Land

I am finally back from Never-Ever Again Land.  It was not a fun nor adventurous trip.  Thanks to all of you who took the time to comment or email about my allergic reaction.  To catch you up on the nightmare, all day Saturday I tried massive doses of Benadryl to little or no effect.  My husband is currently suffering from intense low back pain and I was trying to make it to Monday to go to our regular doctor. Sunday morning my hand was humongous - I could not put my fingers together or curl them, and the redness had spread to my elbow.  I knew the emergency room was the only answer. I managed to get my husband up and going - arm rapidly swelling and my face was getting worse also.  When we arrived, they quickly took me back (did I really look that bad?)  Not one of my three doctors was on call so the on-call doctor came to treat me.  I was kept in the ER for 6 hours while the on-call doc and the infectious disease doc duked it out as to whether I had developed an infection or the reaction had caused my skin to severely blister.  By then the redness was to my armpit, my arm burning hot, and a very alarming purple spot appeared in the midst of the blisters on the back of my hand.  To make this short, they kept me overnight, gave me massive doses of antibiotics by IV, and refused to give me anything for the allergy but ice packs.  My doctor's PA liberated me after 26 brutal hours.  As you can see my hand is back to normal except for the dark spot (which has reduced 200%) and the stretched skin.  I was told no harsh soaps, no lotions, and no exposure to any chemicals including paint.  What the heck do they think I do all day!?!

Thanks for listening to my pity party whining.  What appalled me upon arriving home was the condition of my house.  No, my husband did not do anything nor the animals.  I had left it that way.  Now I'll confess I quit being Martha several years ago, and it was a freeing moment.  BUT (a big "but") there were still snow pictures hanging around the house (in the South we have to use prints of snowy landscapes to get that wintery feel).  Was it really April?  I immediately blamed all of you in Blogland for seducing me into this world of ever-increasing circles of DIY.  Somehow along the way I had gotten so caught up in blogging and painting and distressing and reading that I forgot I actually live here in this house and am responsible for the health and welfare of one husband, two cats, and two dogs.  What was I thinking!

Today is the first day I am allowed to use cleaning supplies (and other "harsh" chemicals) so I decided to tackle the mantel in the den since we sit and look at it every day.  To clarify, this is just the brick back wall of our living room fireplace with a mantel on it.  At some time in our house's past, our den was a carport and this wall was outside.

 

First I ate my favorite lunch:  smoked turkey and Muenster cheese wrapped around baby spinach with fresh strawberries.

 ( I know I am addicted to blogging - I just took a picture of my lunch!)

Here is the before picture showing my collections of head pottery and a collage i created of Willie at the dog park.  It was my late winter display - Easter occurred in another room this year.

The mantel all cleaned off except the mirrors that reside there. Though I think I will remove the left one because in my car is a beautiful mirror babe with chippy pale green paint and a girlish figure.  A new dealer moved into the mall yesterday and the rest of us were grabbing as she unloaded. This mirror just spoke to me - you know how it is!

Isn't she glorious!  I added books as risers under a white vase, a cast iron white cat and bird eying each other, a spring landscape, a blue vase, and an architectural  piece. Rather reserved for me, but I will keep it like this for a while.

The cat was originally strictly Halloween, but I have since incorporated her into spring and summer with all my birds.

I have had this landscape print and the architectural piece for years - they are easy to fit into any vignette.












I  know this post was not very instructional or exciting, but it just feels great to be back .  In my down time, I have visited many of you and you have inspired many ideas, but first I have to clean this house!  

See y'all!


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Repurposed Rust

 I was so fired up last night between HGTV's new shows featuring Lara Spencer and flea market flipping AND that super-duper Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special repurposed furniture posts.  I stayed up way too late browsing through the blog projects - boy, there are so many creative people out there! I had big plans for today after going to yard sales.  Then I awoke to find my hand and half my face looked like this. (I'll spare you the picture of my face - I look like a horror movie extra!)  Some kind of allergic reaction.  I took some Benadryl and went back to bed.  I felt better after lunch and those projects I wanted to do were calling (no, pleading) to be finished.  

Looking out in the backyard I saw a project past due for at least two years.  I found this lamp by the roadside several years ago and had used it as a candle holder by the pool.  I had left it rusty and stuck a candle in the socket. (I guess that was a two minute repurpose:).  It has since lost its socket to rust and age.  So I dug it out of its spot and surveyed the yard for a place to re-use it.  Sweet Autumn clematis was taken over my lavender bed.  TRELLIS!

This is the detail I love about this piece - the ball on the intertwined metal legs. I cleaned off the dirt and sprayed her copper.

Here it is drying in the sun.  (Yes, I do know pools are not supposed to be this color - its being treated as we speak!)









Here it is holding up the clematis vine away from the lavender which is blooming now for the second time this year.  I love the look of the copper against the blue and silvery green  of the lavender bushes.

By September when the clematis blooms, it will be completely covered in drifts of white blossoms.

Iotal time:  fifteen minutes.  Total cost:  about $1.50 in spray paint

 The puppies (Willie and Scout) stayed out of the way for once convinced they could catch the lizard that had been peacefully sunning.  Luckily for my beloved lizards, they are faster than the dogs and the cats.

 Here is a repurposed chair.  There is no before picture - it is twenty years old!  I found the chair by the road, spray painted it white, and was weaving a new rag seat for it when the front rail snapped.  I stuck it in the corner of the bathroom to hang towels over the vent in the floor so they would dry quicker. The basket holds extra TP.  In the summer bathing suits hang here.  Another faithful and useful friend saved from the landfill!



Willie and Scout were too tuckered to make it to the sofa.  So after they have had their afternoon treat, and I have had another Benadryl, it is off to nappy land.

Hope you come by again.  Please leave a comment if you have the time.

See y'all later!  

Befuddled Bedsprings

It's raining and I had projects lined up for outside.  I did some decoupaging on some gift tags and note cards so they are spread over every available flat space to dry.   It's raining and  the dogs and cats are bored -no dog park -no kitty-chase-the-stick games.  Everywhere I go they follow behind -my own personal parade.  It's raining and my beloved Blazer has decided she will not use her blinkers or the headlights so she is visiting her mechanic. 

As I looked around I see those  bed springs in their plastic bags.  I had vowed not to make another votive holder with them.  What could I do -What could I do?  A friend had wanted me to make a centerpiece for her table on a wreath form so she could hang it later.  I had bought the green wire wreath

 form and sprayed it Rust-oleum Cinnamon, a favorite among rust goddesses.  So why not a bed spring wreath! 

I took the first spring and twisted it around the form - in and out the wires on the form.  the first went on so well I thought this is easy.. Next I started the second one up inside the first coil.  That did not work.  I backed it out and started the second coil just inside the large bottom ring of the first coil.  Carefully twisting until it was positioned where I wanted it.  I continued around the form twisting and positioning as I went.

 When I got to the next to last coil, I had to twist it way up the previous coil so I could fit the last coil in.  After the last coil was twisted on the form, I went around the wreath adjusting the twists to even them out. I used fourteen coils.

 I have needed something to hang on the inside of the back door, and I think I have found it.  Here it is naked - just can't have that!   So I gathered some odds and ends from the stash cabinet and started playing.


 




I grabbed this star made from shutter slats.  It easily slid between the coils.  It did not need any extra anchoring. 






 I thought of that doll with the pretty vintage dresser scarf dress and tried her sitting in the wreath.  She overwhelmed it, and the pups are way too interested in her hanging skirt.  I am afraid she would quickly become a chew toy!

 I take off the star and doll. I add a piece of round frame that has had many different uses over the years along with part of my collection of garden tools.  (I know I did not confess to a garden tool collection in my last post, but sadly that was just the tip of the iceberg.)  I think it looks lop-sided so I remove the frame - it doesn't mind. It knows I will have a future job for him.

I add the star back to the wreath and adjust the tools.  That red trowel will not cooperate. The wreath still looks naked. I am surprised how well each object fits inside the coils - no wiring so far!   I think the star a keeper, but the red trowel has to go.  Sorry!

Atop my stash cabinet sits my Raggedy 

Ann angel. I add her in front of the star.  I know some of you are thinking aren't those coils rusty?  Yes, they are, but I, as a rust goddess,  do not mind rust spots on most stuff - it adds character!  If it bothers you,  you can spray it with a clear sealer to keep the rust look without the rust stain.

Here she is hanging on the door .  The dogs can't reach it (though both Willie and Scout have tried.)  I am off to upload the photos for this post.  As the pictures load, I put away some things and check on drying items.
I keep coming back to the door and looking at that wreath - something is missing.




How could I not have thought of adding my torn ribbons to it.  Well, duh, everyone knows I put ribbons on everything that stands still long enough.  I know just the ones to use.  They are the end pieces of other ribbons that were soaked in my husband's left-over coffee and cheap imitation vanilla from the dollar store. (HINT:  That cheap vanilla keeps its scent just as well as the real stuff!)  I gather the pieces into a loose loop and slip it through the top coils. Finally, a well-dressed wreath!

It is done - at least for today.  I hope you enjoyed this rainy day project.  Remember - I have two box springs of these coils so there will definitely be more projects!  

Come back again, folks.  Please leave a comment if you have the time - all are read and treasured.


 

Party Junk #210 at Funky Junk Interiors