My Percolator Coffee Egg Find

I have a wonderful recipe for coffee punch that is always requested when I hostess a party.  I've shared it on  

The Lavender Tub before - if you'd like the recipe, you can find it here.

 I don't drink pots of coffee (oh, how I wish I could), instead I just do my little Keurig pod everyday and try to be happy with one cup.  However, that one-cup-at-a-time setup is not very convenient when I need to make a large quantity for the punch.

Imagine how excited I was when I came across this very cool percolator at Goodwill for $2.99!  Lucky me, people don't know how to use percolators anymore (including me), so it was a steal.  However, I looked up the instructions, and Let me 

tell you - it is so convenient being able to make 35 cups of coffee at one time.  (Lol, on a side note - I didn't realize just how reflective this percolator was when I snapped this picture.  Yep, me in my jammies!  Sorry.)

I have no idea how old this pot is, but I recently found the above picture in a current magazine.  Mine looks as if it has never been used, so I'm wondering if it is a new style. 

Anyone know?

PS - the knob was missing off of mine, but I found a cabinet knob that fit perfectly.  Blingy is better anyway!

Gift Idea - Watercolor Paintings

My hubby's birthday is August 25th.  It is such a mile marker for me because once his birthday is here - I blink and it is Christmas.  No kidding!  I'm always amazed how quickly time flies the rest of the year.

So, the way I look at it - Christmas is next week and I've got lots of gifts to get!

I think a wonderful gift I would like to give would be a watercolor of something special for someone I love.  The only problem is - I can't do watercolor......

No worries in this techy age.  There is an app out there called Waterlogue that turns your pictures into watercolor paintings.  It is such a fun, fun app - you've got to try it.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Our home.  

Wouldn't it make a nice gift for your neighbors

to photograph their homes?

This is my grand daughter sitting on the floor in 

Target reading books.  I think this is a gift to me.

 This is an oil rig, and it happens to be one my 18 year 

old son helped to build this summer.  What a great gift 

for a guy who has everything - a painting of his workplace,  

or maybe a favorite sports stadium.

I hope this will give you some good ideas for getting your Christmas gift giving season started.  Handmade gifts are so much more personal and special.  I don't know about you, but I would love a watercolor painting like this.

Rescued Armoire

A friend of mine, Kiah, was having a yard sale and posted pictures of what she was selling on Facebook.  I'm always glad when she has a sale, because she refinishes furniture and often has some tasty cast-offs that she doesn't think she will get to.

 Like this armoire.  It was in such sad shape, and it was more work than she wanted to put into it.  I really didn't have much use for the armoire, either......but the doors were fabulous!

Aren't they gorgeous?

As things go, however, I began to see that I had a need for a cabinet in my office.  I started looking over this little armoire and decided I could make it work.

Did I say it was in bad shape?  I had to glue the veneer down on every surface.  It literally took weeks, because I had to work lots of wood glue into it and clamp it everywhere.

But one day the gluing was finally finished, and it was time to paint - which I did in Annie Sloan Old White Chalk Paint.

So, are you ready to see.........?

I left it open and just added some wire baskets I picked up at Kohls, because the doors are still reserved for other places*.

It has been a great asset to my office, and I love the character it has.  I'm so glad I opted to rescue this tired old piece, than to hunt forever to find something new.  This really is more my style anyway.

Doesn't it have pretty details?

*Now about the doors:  I could use about 10 sets, because 

I have lots of ideas about how to use them.  When I settle 

on the idea I like the best - I will definitely share.  Here is 

one way I've already used them. 

What do you think, was it worth the trouble?

Sparkle, Sparkle, Shine - Chandelier

There is just something about blingy, sparkly things for the girls in this family.  We love them!  Have you seen the t-shirt that says, "Sparkle is my favorite color" ?  This is absolutely us, Dah-lings.  Even my 21 month grand baby girl will walk mesmerized across an entire Hobby Lobby just to get to the sparkly things.

A few months ago I put out a message on a local Facebook garage sale site asking if anyone had a crystal chandelier for sale.  I wanted to put a small one in my grandbaby's room here at my house, but didn't want to spend a lot.  I didn't get a response, so I moved on and picked up something else off Craigslist.

A few weeks later, however, someone wrote to me privately and said, "Hey, are you still looking for a chandelier?  I have one, but it is not in the greatest shape."  I thought, "What the heck, I'll go ahead and look if the price is right as I can always use the crystals on something else."

It was crazy dirty, and actually smelled smoky and dusty - but she would take $45 for it.  She thought it was from the 30's (like my house), but the wiring was in too good of shape and I knew it couldn't be that old - probably from the early 60's based on the labels.  It was pretty timeless though; I just wasn't sure I could get it cleaned up enough to hang.

It took a ton of elbow grease, but this sweety cleaned up so NICE!  I didn't think about where I would hang the chandelier when I bought it, because I honestly thought it would be parted out.  The longer I cleaned, however, the more I knew it just had to go over our bed.  We've had an ug-o ceiling fan there since we moved in, and although I knew Edward would think a chandelier over our bed would be a bit "ostentatious", as he likes to say, I knew he didn't like that fan either.   

 I can't believe he went for it, 

but then again Who could resist this pretty?

It is a fun thing to wake with a chandelier over my bed, especially when I can see its reflection in the mirror above our mantle.  It just kind of says, "There is a day full of wonderful things just waiting for you to discover."

What about you?  Are you a sparkle person, 

or not so much?  

Well.......it's never too late.........

  

isn't it time to come 

to the bright side?

Ellie

Old Chandelier for the Dining Room

Last year I asked you Lavendears if we should change out our dining room chandelier, as we were getting our house ready to put on the market.  Those of you who responded said the chandelier we had was just fine......so we left it.  You can see more pics here.

Wellllll, we didn't put our house on the market (long story - essentially my hubby, Edward, became a partner in his firm last January.....which made the banks look at us as being newly self-employed.........which means no new mortgage on a new house.........you get the picture).  Anyway, I went on a business trip with Edward to Grapevine, TX, and while he worked - I killed time antiquing.  The only thing that caught my eye and could fit in our car was this solid brass chandelier.

Edward couldn't see past the Malachite finish - plus this thing is HEAVY - but Edward was a good sport and let me bring it home.  Although I felt a bit guilty painting over it's original paint finish, we both were really delighted with its new color.  (I forgot to get a full picture before I took it apart......).

 I think the faux Malachite finish kept more people from being interested in this chandelier, and it was deeply marked down.  

Lucky for me!!!

Isn't she a beaut?!

So glad you stopped by today!

Ellie

Handstitched Tablecloth

I have a friend who is my other half, especially when we go yard saleing.  I can't even begin to tell you how much fun we have - it truly is the highlight of my week.  One of the things that makes it so fun is that we are alike in some of our tastes, but also quite different.  We've been together long enough that I know exactly the things she will go for - whether she needs them or not - and she knows the same about me.

This is us at Kohls pretending......

Oh, no amount of explaining would help you understand.......

Without hesitation, she would tell you that I snatch up crocheted doilies and other handmade items without fail.  It's true.  I don't need them at all, but I almost cannot help myself.  You see, I've been a stitcher, seamstress, crafter my entire life, and when I see a handmade item that I know took some person hours to create - I just appreciate it so much I have to buy it.  It really isn't that I NEED to OWN it - I truly just want to appreciate its beauty.  Most of the time they are priced at .10 or .25 cents, and that hurts my heart.  I know - so silly!!!

This tablecloth is nothing but an old, rust-stained thing until you get to looking at it carefully.  I think I paid $1 for it, but just look at it up close.  It is quite old, and can you see how it was pieced?!  The entire cloth is hand stitched.  Isn't that beautiful?  Someone worked on this for a long time. 

"Dear sweet kindred spirit from another time, please know that your work is admired and appreciated.  I will never know you, but it is an honor to display your work in my home!"

What are you sappy for?  For me it is the handmade items.  My friend so enjoys little miniature things.  Ahhh, the treasures of yard sales goddesses.

Thanks for stopping by the tub!

Ellie

Origami Owl Living Lockets

I'm so excited to tell you about some gorgeous jewelry I've just become familiar with.  A few months ago, my son-in-law ordered a locket for my daughter for their anniversary from a message board he is part of.  Needless to say, she was giddy delighted - and for good reason.  WOW! was it beautiful!  Since I was so impressed, yet had never heard of this company - I thought you might not have either.  So, I thought I would share:

This is a special locket made just for me!!! 

I.LOVE.IT!

Notice the camera and the postcard (to represent posts)?

The company is called Origami Owl, and they are a direct marketing company that sells lockets and other necklaces through their designers.  What I love about the lockets, aside from how lovely they are, is that they can be opened and the charms changed to fit whatever look you desire.  This fits my style exactly, because I love having items - whether decorative, clothing, or jewelry - that can be used many different ways. 

The lockets are made of stainless steel, are hypo-allergenic, plus will not tarnish nor rust.  The gold and rose-gold lockets are actually plated with 18K gold.  I think the quality is very noticeable, and when you consider how versatile the lockets are - it seems like a great product for the price, to me.

I also like that the plates and tags are hand-stamped here in the US.  I am very concerned about human trafficking, and I like knowing where the products I buy are made.  I want to support our domestic industries, and I'm happier knowing that some child in a remote third world village is not stamping out what I'm choosing to wear for ornamentation.

My designer is Dorraine Hudson, and I hope you will check out her website here (or there are now links in the right sidebar of my page)

www.dorraine.origamiowl.com

and go like her facebook page here:

Origami Owl - Dorraine Hudson, Independent Designer

She may be offering some giveaways in the future - 

and you wouldn't want to miss out!

You can place an order directly through her website, or contact her on FB.  I know she will love to help you out.  These are the steps she suggests when shopping for a locket.  

Aren't they stunning?  Have you heard of Origami Owl, or are they new to you too?  If so, what lockets have you put together?

The biggest problem I see is 
How do you choose?
Thanks for stopping by the tub,

Ellie 

Decorating With Used/Thrift Items

In the economic times we live in, it can be very difficult to have much money left over for decorating.  With that extra 2% of taxes newly taken out of our checks (for my US readers), most of us are probably feeling that sting a little more right now. 

While decorating isn't a life or death necessity, I would argue that it is beneficial to have a space on this planet that is relaxing and as pretty, comfortable, and welcoming as we can responsibly make it, for our re-energizing and for blessing others.  Regardless of how much money our family has made at any given time, buying items secondhand has always been my favorite way to  

Make my Home.

  

I like knowing that I'm making something purposeful again and rescuing it from a landfill.  I'm thrilled that secondhand items already come with their scratches and dents - so a few more do not matter.  I love spending time with my dearest friends, sisters, step-mom or hubby to find the amazing treasures that are just waiting to be uncovered.  Mostly, though, I'm thankful that we can use the money we save for more important things like missions, hurricane relief, anti-slavery, activities with our kids, paying off debt, etc., etc.  By the way, as of December, we became debt free with the exception of our mortgage.  No student loans, car debt, credit cards - nothing.  Living with secondhand furnishings to be debt free is  

Absolutely Worth It!

Please don't mistake that secondhand decorating means shabby in a "not-so-shic" way.  It can be very beautiful.  The maid's room I've been sharing over the past couple of posts is decorated almost exclusively secondhand.  For those of you who decorate this way, you know what I'm talking about.  For those of you who don't, I thought I'd share an actual account of how much it cost us to furnish this room:

  

   

 

 

 

Did any of that surprise you?

We have a funny story in our family:  My son-in-law once asked my daughter while they were dating if she had ever been to a garage sale.  Unable to hold back her laughter, my daughter boasted proudly, "Why honey, I was raised poor, white trash!"  Well, whatever that means - and who really knows - she was raised to appreciate the value of a hard earned dollar enough not throw it away on only brand new things that depreciate in value the minute you take them out of the store.

I'll bet most of you reading this love to thrift, too.  I love your 2 cents and hope you'll share your thoughts and favorite treasure finds with the others stopping by the tub.

Ellie