Show And Tell

When I was in grade school I LOVED Show and Tell!  Perhaps I needed just a litttle attention that I knew was rightfully mine.  Attention-seeking though my reveling in Show and Tell may have been, I knew I was within relatively normal parameters because of Matilda. 

My classmate, Matilda, would lug in a whole grocery bag (back when they were brown paper and voluminous!) full of trinkets to display proudly at Show and Tell:  "...and this is my stuffed hippopotomus that my Uncle Bob gave me... and this is a wheat penny...and this is a man I made out of legos..."  Until everyone was trying not to snore or throw things at her.  The teacher eventually put parameters on Show And Tell and Matilda was at least somewhat curtailed!

My blog is my own little Show And Tell forum.  I try not to abuse it by being boring or self-indulgent.  Just call me "Matilda" if I get carried away and I'll know that means I need to rein it in!  Maybe Matilda from grade school just needed her own blog?

So, classmates, here is my Show And Tell about what I made this weekend!

My amazing friend Vanessa makes the most incredible mosaics!  She is truly an artist and her mosaics are truly masterpieces.  You can see her mosaics and her other vintage wares at http://www.vintagebutterfly94.etsy.com/.  Here's are a couple of examples of her artistry:

Vanessa SO inspires me!  She also indulges me by letting me learn from her and copy her from time to time!  I cling fervently to the hope that she sees this as the sincerest form of flattery!  I would never try to sell my creations or be in direct competition with her (and, as you can probably tell by a quick comparison, I pose absolutely no threat to her).  I just need gift ideas now and then!

I needed impressive but not budget-busting gifts for a couple of family members this Christmas so I borrowed from the Vanessa genius and made these mosaic platters.




Mosaic platter featuring broken blue Christmas plate, tan ruffled plate edges, and backstamps from several assorted plates.



Floral mosaic platter.

As I was unloading a plastic bin full of Christmas decorations on Saturday, I came across a broken Christmas plate.  I skipped over "sad it was broken" and rolled immediately into "wouldn't that look cool in a mosaic"!  If you can pick out the blue piece with the white dots on it you might understand why -- it was just screaming to be highlighted rather than tossed! 

So the blue pieces are the remains of the Christmas plate.  There are seven "backstamps" featured on the oval platter that are the maker's marks from seven different plates.  The rest of the mosaic pieces came from four plates that I smashed just for the occasion (quite fun!).  The silver platters came from thrift stores for $1.99 and $1.45.  The mastic and grout were both free from the City of Fayetteville paint and chemical recycling facility. 

Here are a few photos of the process:

Sara-Grace grouting for me.  She kept saying she was tempted to lick the knife because it looked like icing!

Sara-Grace grouting.

Floral platter while the grout was drying.

Works in progress.

It's a good thing most of my family doesn't read my blog or they'd be getting a preview of their Christmas gifts!

Welcoming Christmas

I'm hoping today that it is perceived as endearing that I am just simply open and honest.  To me, life is just WAY too complicated if you don't just put all your cards on the table and deal with things openly. 

With this as my mantra, I confess, I was at a loss for a blog post for today!  So, welcome to my front door!  These are a few of my favorite things and a couple of them happen to be Christmas-related so, TA DA!, quickie blog post!

I get lots of compliments on my house numbers so I know that they have more universal appeal than just that I like them. 

I started with a decorative plate rack -- $2 from the thrift store.  I find these EVERYWHERE because no one really knows what to do with them unless they are completely enamoured of a particular plate.  I added a platter from my daily ware -- also $2 from the thrift store. I use this dishware pattern because I like it but also because it is massively common and, therefore, available at thrift stores on a regular basis. I can and do easily and often replace or add pieces (translation: I've bought this set at least five times over!). On the surface of the plate I just stuck on some adhesive numbers (as is evidenced by the way the 8 is starting to peel a bit -- but that's ok because they're easily replaceable!). I found these numbers in the garage. I think they're left over from when my parents had to put numbers on their boat (in 1983!)!

 

You probably remember that thing about me being a Scrooge.  But I get the warm fuzzies over my Christmas door decorations! 

This wreath is made from a grapevine wreath form (found in a dumpster -- but you can get them anywhere for cheap!), a bunch of wonderful pearly berry things ($2 from the thrift store), and a bow made from gorgeous, decadent ribbon (bought at the thrift store for 33 cents for the whole roll!).   Total cost: $2.33.

 

The "Merry Christmas" sign is (surprise, surprise) a $3 thrift store find. I seriously wish I could say it was of my creation but, alas, I cannot. But someone DID make it -- out of spare cabinet door, some transfer letters, a stencil, some paint, and some drywall compound. I always hate to put it away after Christmas is over because it is just one of my favorite things!



I'll let you in on a little secret!  I would be just happy, happy, happy if Christmas decorating were so simple as hanging a wreath at the door and proping up a sign.  Maybe I'll simplify down that much in my old age someday!  But probably not -- "simple" is not really the way things in my world tend to be!  And now I'm off to tackle my complicated day!  Have a good one!