A Fireplace and Door Facelift /Met Monday/ TodaysThrifty Treasures

Hi All! I hope you all had a wonderful week-end and got all rested up for the week ahead.

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/I am adding this older post to the Blog Party at Funky Junk Interiors please click on the link to see inspiring posts!    
Today I'm joining Susan @ http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ and Rhoda @ http://southernhospitality.blogspot.com/ for there blog parties. Please give them a visit when your finished here. I like my stone fireplace but have always felt it was a little too rustic for my taste. The previous owners had made a rustic looking mantle and it was supported by these big ugly posts. I also thought the gold doors looked pretty bad and needed a changed. See pic above and below for before pics of our fireplace. We've lived in this home for almost 2 years and are gradually getting it to where we want.

I was so happy when Dan said he would do a fireplace face lift! Oh joy, a new mantle for me! Keeping the thrifty in mind he started out with a can of black spray paint to the doors.

Old mantle removed and he's getting ready to go!

Black paint to the doors.

We found these travertine tiles on sale at Home Depot for 15.00 a box. We took a chance and just bought one box and actually had one tile to spare. There is a lot of tedious work getting the tiles on and grouted just right. It's hard to tell, but the tiles have lots of interesting variations that add some character and the off white brightens things up a bit.

My talented hubby then went to work constructing a new mantle. Our floors our hickory so he used a combination of walnut,maple, and cherry to give it variations. He also used the old mantle as his core.

Here you can see the routered edges he added. I am so happy with the lovely wood variations and the beautiful edges.

We found these cool bronze metal brackets last week-end and I thing they add a nice touch.

A finished view!

I am so happy with the results! Total thrifty cost for our fireplace facelift is about $50.00 and of course a lot of hard work by hubby! I bid on a fireplace screen that I love on E-bay and lost but then I got offered a 2nd chance at the highest price I was willing to pay so hurray, hurray it's on its way. I'm also working on a new wreath to put up and a few new decor ideas!

Now on to the ugly steel door. This door is at the end of the hall that leads out to our garage. I thought we should just replace it because it was major ugly and there were dents in it. Dan thought that he could fix it up just fine and make it look lovely!

He primed and painted and smoothed out the dents. He then painted the inside of the indentations an apple red and crackled over them. The rest of the door was painted a cottage white.

A finished view! I can't believe it's the same door and it brightens everything up so much!

I won't be posting much this week because the County Fair starts and I'm taking some exhibits! I will be coming around to visit all of you as much as I can. Have a wonderful week! Cindy

An Apple Tablescape for an Apple Cottage and I won a giveaway!

Today I'm joining Leigh and Susan for a double post! Thanks to our lovely hostesses and please visit their blogs @ http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ for Tablescape Thursday and http://lbratina.blogspot.com/ for Thrifty Thursday! I have been wanting to do an apple table for some time but I just couldn't find the right dishes with the right price! For my centerpiece today, I am using my apple tea-pot filled with red geraniums . I found my apple butter dish on sale for only $2.00 and my S&P shakers are my every day's and look like little mason jars.

Now can you see the cute little gingerbread family? I was one of the lucky winners of Beneath my Heart's recent giveaway! Traci is the lovely gal who made these and they are just the cutest thing! Be sure to visit her Blog and see all the neat things she has going on and pics of her lovely family! Thanks Traci!

A closer view, aren't they adorable! I thought they fit perfectly for today! Later, they will go on my Christmas Tree!

An up close of my 2.00 butter dish find.

And now for the super thrifty part! I found my apple plates at Old Time Pottery for only .25 a piece! $1.00 for 4 cute apple plates by Oneida! We don't have one near us, I found these while on vacation.

I'm using my fave Country Living Table cloth, my nubby white place mats and Red gingham paper napkins tucked inside my cloth ones. The cute green glasses with the fruit pattern were a recent purchase from TJ Maxx. I splurged and spent $3.00 a piece on them!

A final view with a view! Thanks for coming and I hope you like my apple table! Please leave me a comment and let me know you came by. Cindy

Outdoor Wednesday /The Beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway/ A Giveaway Winner too!!

Hi all and Welcome to Outdoor Wednesday with our lovely hostess Susan. I am also announcing the winner of my recent 100th post give-away! Thank-you to all who stopped by and left comments! I wish I had the means to send something to each and everyone of you! Your friendship means a lot!

Hubby and I recently returned from a trip to N. and S. Carolina. One of the highlights was our drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The scenery is breathtaking and I am sure my pics will not do it justice.

The higher we drove, the cooler and mistier it became.

As we came upon the visitor center the mist became so thick it was hard to see. The temperature had dropped about 25 degrees, it was amazing! One moment I was hot and running the AC and the next I was scrambling for my sweater!

But the most amazing part, are the wild rhododendrons! They are growing everywhere, and as you can tell by my pic, they were a bit past there peek but still fabulous! Everywhere, everywhere pink rhododendrons! Oh what joy! Now, on to my giveaway! My daughter Katie and her friend stopped by to help out. Katie is the one in the cropped jeans.

After a lot of cutting and folding ( 3 entries for my followers) we have a WINNER!

Congratulations to Loretta! Loretta has been a great blogging buddy. She is always looking things up for me and is such a lovely lady! I found her blog because I loved Cherries and when I saw the name, Under the Wild Cherry Trees, I just knew I had to check it out! If you have missed her blog head on over by clicking the link above! Thanks again to everyone who participated! Happy Outdoors! Cindy

My 100th Post!!! Blue Monday, A Winner and another Give-away! !

Today is my 100th post!! I started this blog Jan. 1st, 2009; It never occured to me that I would have a follower, or that I could think of much to blog about. I am truly grateful for all the wonderful friends I have made! I am also hooking up with Smiling Sally for Blue Monday!

I had 43 entries for my tea-pot giveaway! If you are a follower or became one you were entered 3 times! (excuse the paper bag, we were supposed to meet friends 3 hours away and were running a bit late)

I printed off every one's entry,- 3 times for some of you. With a little help from my hubby....

And Lily the cat......

We have a winner!!! Congratulations Debbie from Jadehollow! Please e-mail me Debbie so I know where to send your teapot. And now, my 100th post give-away!

The winner will receive, a pretty little rose shaped tea cup.

I am also sending along a little votive to place inside!

Some lavender spa treatment for your poor tired feet!

And a whimsical Alice in Wonderland Tin filled with .... ( notice the blues on the tin)

This darling mug and coaster! See the lovely blues! Please leave me a comment on this post by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. If you are a follower or become one, you will be entered 3 times! Debbie was a follower so it does pay to have more entries! Thanks for coming by my 100th post because you are what makes blogging fun! (my strange little blog has the comment button at the top of this post) Thank-you for your friendship!! Cindy

Tablescape/Thrifty Thursday and a Giveaway!!!!

Welcome to a double post and a give-away!! Our hostesses are Susan and Leigh, click the links for some great tablescapes and thrifty ideas! My phlox are in bloom and its my 98th post! To celebrate, I am having 3 give-aways starting with my 98th! To sign up just leave me a comment on this post until Friday at Midnight. Better yet, if your a follower and leave a comment you automatically get your name entered 3 times!! I will announce the winner on Sunday and have details for my next give-away!

Today is thrifty and phloxy!! OK, is there such a word ? We have been having the most perfect summer weather! Everyday has been sunny and low 80's and low humidity. Believe me, in March when some of the rest of you have glorious weather I will be so envious! My centerpiece is a pitcher I found for $2.00 and I filled it with my garden flowers! My china was bought at K-mart for $16.00 ( 20 piece set) and is Martha Stewart Living.

The cute little bunny, the votive holders shaped like garden pots are all dollar tree. The glassware was purchased years ago in Mexico.

My new little place mats! Bought in North Carolina at the neatest little shop for only $1.00 a piece.

Here is a closer detail!

The dinner and salad or dessert plate.

All 3, i think these are so pretty for the price!

My simple centerpiece!

My mom bought the napkins at a thrift store for me (very cheap) I wish I was good at folding napkins but if I had some pretty paper one's to match I would have used them! Who wants to wash and dry napkins in the summertime!

Another view for the view!

Here's my first give-away!! I found this pretty little tea-pot while on vacation ! It was in a thrift shop but it was brand new in the box and had never been opened! I love the Victorian and romantic look of it and now I hope someone else can enjoy it too! Please leave me a comment and you will be entered! If your a follower or become one, you get 3 automatic entries. My comment button is way at the top of the post ( I know, I'm the strange one) Good Luck and I am so glad you stopped by, Cindy

Met Monday/Blue Monday/Thrifty Treasures/a chair/a wreath/ a deal!

Today I'm going for the gusto!! I mean the triple post! Please visit these lovely ladies blogs for so much creativity your head will spin! Susan, Sally, Rhoda

These lovely plates were found while on vacation recently in North Carolina. They were in a backroom of 2nds and close-outs! They fit my kitchen/dining area with the colors and style and the best thing they were mega reduced! Each plate was only $2.00 and the rack was $2.00 for a grand total of $6.00 !

The blackberry plate has very blue- berries and I love the little green polka dots!

I have been looking for a wreath project! I found this one in a magazine and on some other talented bloggers sites and thought I would give it a go! All supplies were bought at the dollar tree for a grand total of $5.00! You wrap the ribbon around the wreath and add a little glue to keep it in place.

All dollar tree supplies!

Get out the handy glue gun and go to town! Place the shells in various directions and layer to give more dimension!

TA-Da! I added blue ribbon for a little more interest and it will hang in my blue bathroom!!

I have been looking for a wooden office chair and of course I wanted it cheap! This one fit the bill and with a little bit of work....by my talented hubby.  The chair only cost $10.00 !

A coat of primer!

Two coats of Cottage White paint by Behr,  new casters and paint. Grand total of $20.00!

Now here's the Pottery Barn version.  There's is $299.00 before shipping, taxes and cushions!

And here's my $20.00 chair with an inexpensive cushion from IKEA for $10 and a pillow I already owned!

Another view, thanks for coming by.  Cindy