The cutest little faux vintage tree

Happy day after Thanksgiving, welcome to Sweet Tea N' Salty Air. I was cooking for 2 whole days but it was well worth it just looking at everyone enjoying the food and good company it was a wonderful day except some of my children live up North so I was missing them.

Natalie and I were scanning the thrift stores for an easy set up tree for the dining room and we found this cute one piece about 31/2 ft pine tree. The box was vintge and had the name "Pam" on it. So Pam if your reading I gave this tree a very good home. We paid 4.99 for it, a great buy! I knew we wanted to go with the woodland theme so I found these plaid flannel pants that I was eager to cut and make a garland out of. So off we went home to deck this cute tree out!

This little tree is tucked in the corner of the dining room along side a vintage wooden duck and a Halloween owl turned snow owl with a lick of paint.

 

 

Red and white birds along with some white paint dipped pinecones.

A HANDY KITCHEN CENTER TO HELP ME GET THREW THE HOLIDAYS !

Welcome friends, so happy you could stop by. I don't know about you but I spend about 75 % of the Holidays in my kitchen creating all the magical holiday treats and eats! I was trying to come up with a more efficient way to get through the holidays so instead of fumbling threw cabinets I decided to put all the kitchen items that will be used on a daily basis on a nice stainless steel kitchen shelf.

 No more rummaging and wasting time. Even the frequently used spices fill a big bowl for easy grabbing. An extra micro /convection oven is ready for breads and pies. Dish towels at my hands along with flour ,sugar and large whisks and spoons etc...

I also decorated it with garland and some pretty blue lite snowflakes.

Everything is plugged in for easy using such as the coffee pot , can opener and mixing bowl. I really dislike all the things congesting the countertops, Now the counters are free and clear.

 For some whimsy an old trolly its on the toaster oven.

 Grammas cheese grater hangs on a hook for easy access.

 Loaf pans sit waiting to be filled with delicious cranberry and pumpkin mixes.

 

This set up may not be for everyone but it will be put to the test on Wednesday , that will be food prep day for pies, cakes , sweet potato casseroles, fresh cranberry sauce, doe for breads and what ever else is thrown my way. Are you cooking this Holiday? Have fun with it!

A TOUCH OF WINTER COMFORT AND JOY FOR THE CHAISE LOUNGE!

Welcome! been busy prepping and shopping for Thanksgiving hard to believe it is just a few days away. I will be hosting dinner for about 15 and this year we will be doing a sitdown instead of a buffet  I attached another farmhouse table to the existing one so now I think we will be able to sit everyone down. Although I spend most of my day in the kitchen I think I enjoy watching everyone laughing , appreciating all the wonderful foods and enjoying family that's what it's all about.

We recently acquired a chaise lounge and I want to say it is the most comfortable piece that I have ever sat in, I'm just loving it. So after doing a little thrifting I found this incredible twin heavy duty flannel plaid fitted bed sheet so for 2.99 I swooped it up. My mind scanned a bit about just what was I going to craft out of this beautiful piece........so I thought I would do a throw for my chaise.

 

 

EXPRESSO FAUX PAINTED WOOD FLOOR

Hi friends.........wow is it cold outside!  Here in southwest Florida this kind of weather is not expected by "Tourists" , They come to beach, boat, fish and see the sights but with this very cold weather I feel sorry for them.  I'm a northern girl so I know cold only too well but the true natives here in Florida have a rough time with the cold. Many will be wearing heavy coats and hats today, many will be indoors not even wanting to go outdoors at all.

As I had said in a previous post we had to replace subflooring in the bathroom and kitchen hallway. So I needed to have flooring for the  kitchen hallway. I had shopped for flooring and found a pretty dark espresso color so I got to thinking I just may be able to replicate the look myself. So with some prep work such as filling in any nook and craney and sanding I began the process....

Here is the start.

I used Rust-o-leum  espresso color.....this paint is tough and durable and leaves a smooth finish, I used a wood graining tool to achieve the wood look and a random stick was used to draw the panel lines.

I used a non sharpened pencil for the lines.

The color on the wall is gingerbread and the theme is also Gingerbread not only for Christmas but I love to collect Gingerbread items.

 

 

 

I also used the rust-oleum to darken the doors a bit.

 

 

 

I did paint a few coats of non shiny polyurethane to protect it but it feels great to walk on . If you do decide to paint a wooden subfloor good preparation is advised. I only used less than half a can of paint so this was an inexpensive floor fix and the results were great!

 

 

 

Thank you so much for coming by today ! Stay warm

 

Hark The Harald Angels Sing

Welcome to Sweet Tea N' salty Air, I'm feeling some Christmas spirit how about you? Christmas  has so many celebrations first and far most the birth of Jesus.  For many it includes special times with family and friends and pets. I myself love all of it but it also includes memories of Christmas's  past mainly with my mom and dad whom have past away. My mom was a lover and collector of Angels and as I was once again cleaning bins and straightening out the back shed I found a box of Angels. They all are different and beautiful in there own way....so I started thinking what could I do to incorporate them into the Christmas décor .

 So your not going to believe this but I decided to give them a coat of white chalk paint, this way they would somehow all "sing" with each other. I felt like mom was looking down on me with a frown....hopefully not though, she knew that I could hardly never leave anything alone with out putting a touch of myself in it. Some are praying and some with open arms.

 I left some peeks of darkness to show through just a bit.

 Now they seem to sing the same hymn.

 They sit atop the fire place surrounded by greens , berries and pinecones.

"Hark the Harold Angels sing.......glory to the new born king............

 Peace on earth and mercy mild

 God and sinners reconciled. Joyful...........................

I think mom would approve

Hopefully mom is looking down with a big smile on her face . Mom is missed but her love is my heart every day . Perhaps you have some things in your home that may not be your cup of tea so maybe you can change them with some paint or material etc. Come back and join me for some more Christmas decorating all month long that will include the very cutest woodsman  thrifted Christmas tree , a winter owl , my crafted wooden box all decked out for Christmas!  Thank you so much for letting me share mom's treasured angels with you!

A SIGN FROM AN OLD PIECE OF RUSTY TIN AND AN OLD WOODEN FRAME

Hi welcome, I'll pour you a cold glass of milk and serve you some yummy chocolate white chip cookies and you won't have to pay the nickel! Cookies are a favorite here at Sweet Tea N' Salty Air. So I thought I would make a cookie sign out of an old rusty piece of tin that I had stashed along with an old wooden frame that would go with my Farmhouse style kitchen.

After attaching the tin to the frame I used a platter to get the right shape I was looking for. I had to trim the tin to fit in the frame so I made a tin bow for the sign. I never knew how easy it was to cut tin, I used a pair of regular scissors.

 Of course after everyone seen the sign they just had to have some cookies and this gang here does not like store bought so I made some yummy chocolate/white chip cookies.

 When working with tin such as the bow here be careful it is very sharp and I have the cut to prove it.

I wanted to paint this sign with vintage style in mind and also something that would not only be for Christmas.

 

 

Got some old stuff around you can make a sign from , give it a try.......mine is not perfect, heke if I want perfect I 'll buy a sign from Target ! Homemade is always better. Thank you so much sweet readers for letting me share my Cookie sign with you! Have a wonderful weekend

You can find me at any of the following linky parties!

AN EASY SEWN TABLERUNNER FOR SOMEONE SPECIALS BIRTHDAY!

Welcome to Sweet Tea N' Salty Air, My very special aunts birthday is coming up so I wanted to make her a little something. She was the fun aunt when I was a child......took me to the soda shop for some dishsoap soda, I don't know what it was but it was outstanding! we sat at the round old time stools I can remember spinning around and around. My aunts also took me sledding for extreme fun. I was lucky to have aunts not too much older than myself.  Miss my dad but happy to still have his sisters.

 I found this pretty material at Joannes ,love the green and cream colors together.

 A cording bow with vintage buttons that were my great grams.

 The first part of sewing this was cutting and fraying the burlap. If you have never frayed burlap it is very easy,just sew a straight line as far up as you want the fringe , then just pull the threads until you get the desired fringe you want.

This table runner is super easy to sew and would make a wonderful Christmas present as well as a hostess gift! Have fun sewing......

GET YOUR JIGSAW READY! A SIMPLE FAUX BIRCH TABLE BOX IN ABOUT A DAY!

Welcome friends! Out with October in with November......already, time is never on my side. That's ok I just go with the flow. I have been visiting some blogs recently that are showing long centerpiece wooden boxes and I truly love the look so........

 I got some scraps of 3/4 plywood together and built a basic box 7in. high and close to 3 ft long.

I wanted the look of birch that I love so well and see allot of in the High Camp Home online shopping.

So I gave it a full coat of brown chocolate color paint,

Then gathered the 2 important tools to pull this look off which is a wood grain rocker and this rubber texture tool. Both can be bought at any major craft retailer. I then gave the box a full coat of cream color paint once the brown was fully dried. When the cream color was still wet I took the rubber tool and moved it across the box  horizontally many time and every inch of the box, carefully wiping the excess paint from the tool as you are going along. You should get a texture and be able to see brown slightly showing through.  One all is dry it will be time to make the wood knots. With no rhyme or reason splat some dark brown circles all around , while still wet take your woodgrainer go to every splat of brown paint and move your wood grainer in a circular motion..

 I painted the inside of the box black

Here it is filled with some hydrangeas , pine cones and china. cant wait to fill it with a touch of Christmas.

 I sure am loving working with wood and creating some cool things. Loving my Jigsaw!

 I crafted a banner to go with it as well made from brown grocery bag and just a small amount of cream color paint gently swipped across here and there.

 

 

I bought this huge mirror at a thrift sale to go with this piece , it was all placed in the dining room.

Got scraps of wood around? Give it a try, This can be used in many decorating ventures or can be useful to hold dishes etc. Hope I have explained this project well as always when using power tools use  safety goggles. Girl.........get you a jig saw and make a pretty box for your table. Thanks so much for stopping in !

Come join me at the following parties for some great inspiration!
http://www.withablast.net/2014/11/freedom-fridays-53.html

http://akadesign.ca/weekend-retreat-link-party-92/?mc_cid=f5fa2d60dd&mc_eid=ad513a4aae