My Salvaged Treasures: December 2012

Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year

WISHING EVERYONE A BLESSED, SAFE, HAPPY,
AND HEALTHY 2013!!

Friday, December 28, 2012

My 2012 Favorites

Can you believe we're closing in on the end of another year? With our out of town family functions and all the last minute preparations for hosting Christmas, this past week has been a total blur. Now I'm out of town again and will be spending the next few days visiting with my mom and doing some after Christmas treasure hunting.

I wanted to re-share some of my most popular and favorite posts of 2012 (in no particular order). Just click on the title to bring you to the original post. Hope you enjoy them the second time around:-)

Vintage Door Knob Love

A collection of my favorite door knobs.

Spool Necklaces

Necklaces made from wooden thread spools, sheet music, beads, and charms.

Vintage Hardware Necklaces
Necklaces made from old hardware and other trinkets.

Fun with Watch Parts, Keys, and Rhinestones
Earrings and necklaces created from vintage watch faces, keys, hardware, and rhinestones.

Morning Junking Finds
Oh yeah, it was a good day.

Pumpkins with Attitude

Little pumpkins decorated with bits and pieces of vintage trinkets.
~ most comments ~

Revived Yard Sale Finds
A tutorial on stamping silver plate forks and spoons.
~ most page views ~

Lamps...They're not just for Lighting Anymore
Necklace display made from a salvaged lamp.

Baseball Flowers
A magazine copy cat project.

New Labels for Old Buckets
A quick and easy way to add vintage looking labels from The Graphics Fairy to old galvanized buckets.

Little Finds and Quick Projects

Vintage finds including repurposed salt & pepper shakers.

One Hundred and One Years Later

A comparison of The Designer, August 1911 magazine with InStyle, August 2012

~ my personal favorite post of 2012 ~

I'm linking my 2012 favorites with:
Southern Hospitality for Top Projects of 2012

Craftberry Bush for Happy Hour Party
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Someday Crafts for Categorically Crafting
Sew-Licious for Show-Licious Craft Showcase

Sunday, December 23, 2012

My Favorite Christmas Treasures

This tattered little tree has always been my favorite Christmas treasure. It was given to me by my grandmother on my very first Christmas, and for a few weeks every year it always finds a special place in our home.

I usually don't do much to it when I bring it out every December because it's so fragile. Just last week I was thinking that it needed a little face lift, so I replaced a few of the worn out ornaments with some of the mini ornaments from my aunt's collection. I removed a few of the broken sections of the original bead garland, then left it alone so it wouldn't shed any more needles.

The needles are so dry and drop from the branches every time I touch it.

This sweet angel standing on a crescent moon is original to the tree.

The ends are bare and the wire is showing, but I love it just the way it is. After all, it has been around since the Eisenhower Administration.

I couldn't do a favorite Christmas decorations post without including some more of my vintage glass ornaments. Several of the ornaments on the silver tree in the background were on our family tree when I was a child. The smaller ones in the makeshift cloche are some I've been collecting for years. See the stocking hung by the chimney with care?

It was made by my mom for my first Christmas. Fourteen years ago she had to replace the

top part where it says BETTS after Buddy thought it was a new chew toy; good thing I discovered it before he got down to Santa's face. He was just a puppy then, but now that he's older and wiser, he'd be happy to just snuggle up next to it.

~ ~ Wishing everyone a warm, cozy, safe, and very Merry Christmas ~ ~

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Flatware Ornaments and Bud Vases

I've been picking up old tarnished and mismatched flatware from flea markets and yard sales for years; sometimes one piece at a time and sometimes in bulk. The stainless steel knife blades are too hard for stamping, so most of them have been getting bundled up and resold until I finally figured out a way to repurpose them.

The inside is hollow which makes these light enough to hang on the tree, or to hang around just about anywhere.

I used a hacksaw to cut off the handle from the blade. Oops, the first cut was too close to the blade, so I had to make a second cut far enough down to expose the hollow handle.

I drilled a small hole about 1/8" from the top, glued some silver glitter around the top to soften the cut, added a jump ring, and tied on a ribbon.

Matte Mod Podge was used to attach the individual letters on the front.

A beaded angel hangs from the jump ring.

~ peace ~

I made the flower charm by flattening the aluminum top of a glass ornament, then I glued a button and lavender rhinestone on top. I have several more waiting to be decorated for any season or occasion...they make sweet little bud vases too.

I'm linking up my ornaments with:

Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

Family Home and Life for Wow Us Wednesday

My Repurposed Life for Catch as Catch Can
The Answer is Chocolate for BFF Open House

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

Monday, December 17, 2012

Praying for Newtown

It still doesn't make sense and never will.
We're keeping all the families and friends of the victims in our hearts and prayers.

Bloggers day of silence Tuesday, December 18th.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Sweet Snowman Surprise

I was thrilled when Mr. Postman left a brown cardboard box on my doorstep a few days ago. As I opened the box, I knew it had to contain something special because...

...it came from my friend Marsha at Tattered Chick. Isn't he adorable? Marsha used paper clay to sculpt his body and stand, then she dressed him up in a sweet scarf and jingle bell buttons.

Don't you just love his sleepy eyes and festive hat?

His hands and painted legs are just too cute.

Thank you Marsha! He's precious.

Friday, December 14, 2012

A Senseless Tragedy

It's impossible to make sense of such a senseless tragedy. My heart is so sad right now. Sad for all the grieving families and friends of the precious angels killed today in Newtown, Conn.

We're keeping all of you in our prayers.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Vintage Ornaments and Boxes

I love vintage ornaments and I love their boxes just about as much. Could it be the muted colors and interesting graphics? Or the see-through tops with bright sparkling colors inside?
It has to be all of the above, plus the excitement of the season when they get to come out of hibernation.