Holiday Lampscaping

This past spring my husband and I started to redecorate our livingroom.  I really wanted some glass lamps that you could fill with sand/shells/sea glass, etc.  I was not willing to pay the price of some of the ones I had looked at.  One night we were in the mall at Crate & Barrel (the store I refused to pay $250 for one lamp) and I remembered JC Penny has a lighting department.  So we ventured over there.  I found a glass cylinder style lamp and they were on clearance for $32 a piece.  I told my husband that I know I will find what I was looking for and that is not quiet what I was looking for.  Well I never did find what I was looking for. 

So a day or two later, I went back to JC Penny and bought the lamps they had.  I actually really like them now but they still need "something" to dress them up.  The shade is a plain white drum shade.   Very plain for my taste.  One day I was watching the Nate Berkus Show and they were dressing up lamp shades.  I knew exactly what I was going to do.  I bought some black velvet ribbon and glued it around the shade at the top and bottom.  I look at it this way, the shade now has mascara on.  lol

Now that it is the holidays I wanted to take the base one step further.  I wanted to put something in it but didn't want to do the whole thing full of ornaments.  After a while I realize what I wanted to do. 

Here is the finish "project."

The bottom of the lamp base needed to be plugged.  So I cut two pieces of foamcore to block anything getting out.  After the foamcore was in place I filled the bottom with a couple inches of Kosher Salt.  Yes, salt.  I searched everywhere for something different and couldn't find anything.  Good thing a box of Kosher salt is really cheap.  Anyway, I went outside to my pine trees for a couple of clippings.  The ornaments are new from Target.  The first lamp has a Christmas card in it from my parents.  The bottom one is the picture of my family that will be mailed with our holiday cards. 

I am really happy with the way the lamp bases came out.

Winter White Flower arrangement

One of my favorite hobbies is floral arranging.  I am in the midst of planning our annual New Year's Eve party and I always have fresh flowers for the tables. This year I am thinking of going all white flowers with a hint of color (not yet decided on). 

While grocery shopping last weekend I passed the flowers to take a look.  I found a bouquet of all white mums.  Then I found another bouquet with mostly white flowers and a few colored mums.  I decided those would do. 

After sorting out the colored flowers, the greens and rest of the flowers this is what I came up with. The lilies are still so fragrant.

 

Table Top Ironboard

I am still perusing the internet for some craftroom/sewing room ideas.  I came across Pleasant-Home's site showing her studio.  I saw her tabletop ironboard and realized that was exactly what I wanted for my peninsula.  I am realizing while I am working at the peninsula I have little room if the full size ironboard is behind but infront of my counter area. 

I thought it looked easy enough to make.  I remembered we had a couple pieces of MDF leftover from my shelves, so I decided to use one of those.  I gathered up some batting, fabric, MDF and off to the garage I went.  (My neighbors must think I am weird using the air compressor at 6:45am). 

I started by placing the batting down on a work surface and then laying the MDF ontop.  I pulled the batting tight and stapled to the backside of the MDF.  Then I flattened the fabric on the work surface and placed the MDF ontop.  I pulled the fabric taut and stapled in place.  Simple and easy to do. 

Here is my tabletop ironboard: