Okio B Designs: December 2011

This has to be one of my most favorite Valentine's Day images from The Graphics Fairy. I've used it for pillows, sachets, tins and now these petite Dollar Store candle holders:

I printed out a wallet size image (yes, the candle holders are that small!) and simply Mod Podged it onto each candle holder. I did another coat on top to seal it on. Once that was dry, I put on the red rhinestones. Easy, peasy!

And these little hearts are actually a leftover from Christmas. As I was taking them off the tree yesterday, I thought they'd look sweet in this urn I got from Goodwill a few weeks ago.

I'm slowly breaking out the rest of my Valentine's Day goodies from last year. Yes, my husband still thinks I'm crazy!

Jeanine

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Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I can't believe how fast it came and went. Today was so dreary here that me and the kids actually started taking some decorations down. Then we hit Target for some lights for next year. Somehow I came home with two of these pretties:

Yup, Target already has some Valentine's Day items out. So of course that made me start working on a Valentine's Day windowsill for the kitchen.

The pink glasses are actually candle holders from Ikea that I picked up last year.

And some of the reds that I had out for Christmas, I keep out for Valentine's Day. How cute is that little heart pen? In the dollar aisle!

My husband thinks I'm crazy but when in Rome, right?! Besides, Target started it - not me!

Jeanine

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Pull up a chair!

We'll be hosting a small Christmas eve gathering this year and here's what I'm thinking our table will look like. This is the first year I'm getting to use these Christmas plates that I got at Home Goods last year:

I love a plaid tablecloth for Christmas and I got this one at Target. The rooster plates are from Kmart.

The big ornaments are from a local nursery called Hicks. I bought them a couple of years ago.

Remember these tree napkin rings? I got these from the local church thrift store. The napkins are from Pottery Barn. I bought them for the 4th of July but I think the stars also work for Christmas.

The red wine goblets are also from Target...from about 10 years ago!

One last peek.

Just need to add the menus and settings for the boys and we'll be ready to rock and roll!

Jeanine

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I just love this tea party image from Alice in Wonderland! I saw on Pinterest that someone had taken a beautiful black and white photo and added it to a votive with Avery see-through paper. I had a couple of sheets handy, so I made these:

Here they are without the candles. Can you see the little rhinestone embellishments? If you haven't tried the Avery see-through paper yet, it's really great. Just put in your printer glossy side down and pick an image to print. Once it's printed, you can easily cut out your image and stick it to anything!

Here they are with some faux candles.

And with the lights off.

I can't wait to add them to my tea room this Spring!

Jeanine

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'Tis the season to pay homage to Santa:

Vintage Santa image on metal tin. Great last minute gift for a teacher or co-worker.

Hand-stamped Santa tags to hang from gifts of all shapes and sizes.

Vintage Santa candleholders.

Santa sheet music.

Something my children would say!

And finally my favorite Santa ever...Acquired at a garage sale over 10 years ago. The best $3 I ever spent!

Jeanine

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I can't believe there are 10 more days until Christmas! I made a couple of last minute holiday pieces yesterday. Both from the Dollar Store:

These itty bitty candles are maybe 2 inches tall. I printed out the great vintage image from The Graphics Fairy (wallet-size!) and used Mod Podge to glue them to the glass. After the second coat dried, I simply added two little red rhinestones which I think work perfectly with the vintage image.

This is my last little Dollar Store birdie. I think I bought every single one when they first came out two years ago. I gave her a fresh coat of white paint.

Then I used my Mod Podge again to add some German glass glitter all over. I love how she sparkles!

I have a couple more holiday items planned and then I guess I'll be moving on to, gulp, Valentine's Day! =)

Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday.

Jeanine

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Note to self: iron your fabric before attempting to hand-stamp it! I'm a victim of my own laziness for this next project. I wanted to give a French touch to this vintage hanky so I broke out the stamps and got busy:

But as you can see, I did not think to iron it beforehand. Well, that's not entirely true. I did think: maybe I should iron this first. Alas, laziness won out and if you look closely, you can see one of my red stamps is a bit funky.

I had planned to add this to my Etsy shop but because of that oopsie, I'm going to add it to our guest room decor instead.

So the moral of my story is, if you have a vision in your head that includes wrinkled fabric, be sure to iron it first!

And by the way, I took these photos AFTER I finally ironed the hanky. I do not love to iron. =)

Jeanine

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I was playing around with different menu ideas for Christmas Eve. Of course, I headed over to The Graphics Fairy and here's the one I decided on using. The photos are a bit light and my printer seems to be running out of color ink, but you get the idea:

I still have to work on moving over the Fresh Greens line. But isn't this scroll just perfect?!

I'm going to print some out in the green with red lettering and then some in red with the green lettering. Still debating on whether or not to tie them into scrolls or just leave them over the plates. Luckily, I still have over a week to go!

Jeanine

2 comments

My hubby and I have been collecting old bottles since we first started dating. Unfortunately, after we remodeled our kitchen, much of our collection is gathering dust in the basement. I broke out a few of them last night to make these cute Christmas bottles:

First I printed out the black and white images from The Graphics Fairy. Then I filled two of the bottles with German glitter glass (I didn't have any Epsom salt in the house) to create a faux snow look. I carefully rolled each photo so it would slide into the bottles easily.

After positioning them best I could, I tied a bell onto some twine and then tied them around each bottle. Since the little bottles are just so little, I added some faux, white bell flowers.

I just love the look of the old photos with the old bottles.

Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday.

Jeanine

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I saw this idea on Pinterest yesterday and thought it was so sweet and simple that I just had to copycat:

A clear mason jar filled with some fresh pine cones and an evergreen branch (courtesy of my neighbor's pine tree!) with a couple of candy canes.

I love the simplicity of it and the fact that I had everything I needed for a quick little holiday touch.

And since simple seems to be my word of the day, here's the cowbell and little frame at got at the estate sales this weekend. A little gold vignette of sorts. The bottle brush trees are from Home Goods. I want to swap out the photo of the girl praying with a black & white one of my mom and dad but there is something about the little girl that speaks to me.

I bought these little acorns from Walmart last year. Surprisingly, I did not see them this year. Bummer because I would have loved a few more. Anywho, I filled my little black tray with vintage sheet music and added the acorns.

Sometimes I like to keep it simple.

Linking to Between Naps on the Porch: Met Monday.

Jeanine

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We hit another estate sale this morning. Brrrrr...it was a chilly wait but definitely worth it. Just take a look at today's batch of oldies but goodies:

I collect old spectacles/glasses and these are perfect for my collection.

I've been looking everywhere for these glass insulators in blue and I finally got them! Four to be exact.

I couldn't resist the old books, cow bell and this "No Smoking" sign which is more of a gag because, unfortunately, both me and the hubby smoke. Never in the house and this sign will remind everyone of that.

Today set us back about $75. My husband also got an old wagon wheel and old wall-mounted coffee grinder.

Jeanine

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The hubby and I hit an estate sale this morning while the boys were in school. Lookie at all of the goodies we snatched up:

There is something intriguing to me about the clown with the violin. I don't know if it's a jewelry charm or perhaps more of an ornament. The artist painted the image onto a metal shape - which I know makes it very old. I just can't tell what type of metal it is though. This one may or may not go into my Etsy shop - after I do some research. The tag says $89!!!!!!! I paid a quarter. Meanwhile, my husband picked out the salt and pepper shakers. And who could resist the little frame for 50 cents?!

Once I clean up these tongs, they'll be perfect for my Xmas eve table. The vanity mirror was another piece that intrigued me so I grabbed that as well.

A week ago I couldn't find any bottle brush trees and now they seem to be everywhere I go! These little cuties were 10 cents each. The ceramic tree napkin rings will also look nice on my Xmas eve table.

Twenty dollars well spent!

Jeanine

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I made a few more painted peat pots this week and I think I'm becoming a little obsessed. For this batch, I added some number tags along with the buttons I used on my previous bird one:

The first one is filled with rolled vintage sheet music and ones I downloaded from The Graphics Fairy.

The other two I'm still deciding on what to fill them with. For now they are filled with shredded sheet music. I'm leaning towards adding some fresh greens and pinecones to them for a natural, festive look.

I love that these are super simple to make and I think they'll transition nicely into my regular home decor after the holidays!

Jeanine

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I just can't seem to get any good photos of our Christmas tree. I don't know if it's because of the dreary weather or the lights on the tree or what?! Here are a few of my attempts:

I almost feel like this one makes the tree look like the leaning tower of Pisa! Ha!

Got this idea from a magazine (f course I can't remember which one as I'm typing this!). I just love the look of vintage toys for Christmas, don't you?

Little rocking horse from Home Goods.

Another view.

I can't wait until it's filled with lots and lots of presents underneath!

Linking to 2805's Christmas Tree party on December 9th.

Jeanine