Monday.

A week of collage challenge.

Mixed media, acrylic, on puzzle box cutout.

Herbal Remedies

I was bored the other night and found a stockpile of terra-cotta pots in the basement. I hate dried herbs and I feel ridiculous buying bushels of herbs from the grocery store when my recipes call for a tablespoon. So I bought a few herb plants for my bay window sill. I used a 1940's lettering book that I picked up on vacation for reference with the type on the pots. It's just acrylic with a matte sealer on a basic terra-cotta pot. If I can keep these alive I think I'll try growing Thyme and Cilantro too.

Coffee Table Makeover

Here are some before/after pictures of my coffee table refinish job. I have a Lane Acclaim series 1960's coffee table that I love the shape of but the piece was stained brown and had accumulated a quarter inch of Pledge residue over its lifetime. I bought a matching end table at a flea market this summer for $5 that was being sold as a microwave stand, so I used that as the test subject before redoing my coffee table.

(Above is the table completely sanded). The first and worst step is stripping the varnish off. This is completely awful, no way around it. I started with all the environmentally friendly stuff and by the end I had goggles and ventilation masks on, using chemicals that started melting my rubber gloves. The end result is not very rewarding, it actually looks like you ruined your furniture but it made sanding easier. After I sanded the piece down, I used a tung oil finish. I did about two coats and sanded with steel wool between them.

As you can see I still need to paint the tips of the legs black like the original tables. I also found the perfect location for the red wire vintage basket I picked up for free at an auction.

Mendocino Vacation

(Left) Sunset from Mendocino Headlands (Right) Mendocino Masonic Hall, built 1866. Very quaint, tiny town located along the coast with strong roots as an artist community. No chain stores, lots of organic restaurants, groceries and artist galleries.

Atrium Bed and Breakfast, Fort Bragg. This was the cutest B&B, perfectly decorated Victorian cottages. Fort Bragg was definitely less "quaint" than Mendocino -- and by that I mean they had a CVS-- but it was also much more affordable and closer to MacKerricher State Park which had the best coastline. There's also a great art supply store with an amazing paper selection on North Franklin Street. The wooden pulp papers aren't available online but their printed papers are on their website.

Mendocino Botanical Gardens -- featured 47 acres of plants and coastline with great views of the ocean along the bluffs. We ended our trip with a visit to Cowlicks Handmade Ice Cream (so good!) at the cafe entrance to the gardens.

(Left) Botanical Garden Coastal Bluffs (Right) Succulent Gardens

Mendocino Botanical Gardens Branch Gates.

Succulent Gardens

Dahlias

Fort Bragg, Glass Beach -- This beach was used as a town dump until it was closed in the 1960's. Since then cleanup efforts were made to dispose of all trash, leaving behind tiny pieces of broken glass worn down by the tide.

(Left) Fox Glove (Right) Glass Beach

(Left) Dahlias, Mendocino Botanical Garden (Right) Russian Gulch State Park

Mendocino Headlands

(Left) Mendocino Headlands (Right) Van Damme State Park Fern Canyon-- We camped overnight at Van Damme State Park where it unfortunately rained the entire time but the scenery was beautiful.

Five under $5

Here are some finds from June:

1. 1950's Blue Suede Clutch with Green Alligator accent

2. 1960's White Metal Ice Bucket with Red lining / 3. 1970's Straw and Leather Purse

4. Rock collection from a 1959 Franklin Institute field Trip in Antique Frame

5. 1960's John Romain tweed and leather barrel purse / 6. 1960's Lux starburst clock ($15)

1962 House & Garden; Book of Interiors

Some images to inspire from 1962 copy of House & Garden; Book of Interiors.
I am loving that suspended boat.

Kentucky Derby Party

Here are some photos from a party I went to the first weekend in May. The gorgeous cake was hand-painted with food dye by one of the hosts!! (AMAZING!!) The hats we made -- the plaid dress is 1950's vintage from a local thrift store.