Tuesday, August 6, 2013

The Converted Pallet

I have enjoyed looking at all of the great things people have made out of pallets and you know I love upcycling...so I decided to give it a try. I used 3 pallets for this project. I still need to add a few long boards to the sides and suppose I should seal the piece, as it is fully exposed to the elements. I wanted something added to my deck that I could decorate with plants, pots, etc. The decorating still needs work; I haven't brought my pots up from the basement, yet ; ) If you like making things, as I do, you should really give pallet conversion a try!


Soutz me
just fine!

Monday, April 22, 2013

Butter Pat Collage

I have collected some really cute butter pats over the past couple of years. I like to use them in some of the smaller lamps I make (the lamp on the left has 2 pats). I just took an antique frame that I had and covered a stiff (cardboard) piece with burlap and then hot glued some of the butter pats to the burlap. This was a really simple project. Later, I may decide to redo it and put it all under glass.

But for now, this Soutz me just fine!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Too Pretty to Keep in a Drawer...

I collect odd silver plate and use it for my everyday flatware. It ends up looking a lot like "hotel" flatware without the fancy price. Plus, I love finding unique pieces, especially on Ebay!

Here I have displayed 3 lovely serving pieces, that I didn't plan on using, in a small rectangular frame. This makes a great piece to hang in any area of the kitchen.

Soutz me just fine!

Monday, September 24, 2012

$45 Goodwill Find

BEFORE: I found this piece at Goodwill for $45 and snatched it right up!
It sat in my basement for a few months before I figured out what I was going to do with it.
I knew when I saw it that I could make it into something worth keeping.
Besides, it was perfect to put in front of the double windows in my keeping room!

AFTER: I painted the piece with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, dark wax and added some elbow grease!
The fake bamboo trim really stands out now and the metal and glass knobs
from Hobby Lobby were a great find at 1/2 price!

This redo Soutz Me just fine!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Nice Old Family Trunk "UpDo"


I guess it's pretty obvious that the only reason I started this blog is to be able to post on Miss Mustard Seed's Feature Furniture Friday! : )  I am like a lot of other women, I love finding bargains, bringing them home and cleaning them up to make them mine. I plan to try a painted piece before long, but have not found the right one, yet. A couple of months ago, I remembered that I had an old family trunk that was being stored at my in-laws house. It was in pretty rough shape and my mother -in-law didn't think it would ever look like much. I, however, knew it would be special! Anyway, this is what it looked like before the "UpDo". The bottom of the trunk was very weak and the wood strips that held the metal in place were rotten. I put a new bottom on the trunk (from the inside), replaced the wood strips, ordered new leather handle straps and nails and began the detail work on the metal pieces. Most of the metal was rusted, so I spent most of my time cleaning it up. I sanded and stained the wood strips. The rest of the trunk was covered in a cotton fabric, which was in pretty good shape for the age of the piece. I decided to stain the fabric and all of the metal to make it look old again. After replacing the handles, I put one coat of sealant over the entire piece. I had decided to use the trunk by my bedside, so I needed to make it taller. I happened to have some leg pieces from some antique teak chairs that I thought would do the trick, so I added those at the corners. The only thing I have left to do is order a piece of glass for the top, oh and try to find a key that fits the lock! Any suggestions??

So, I am quite pleased with the end result! It is the right height, has plenty of room for some of my do-dads and makes me smile! The best thing is that I only spent about $35 on this project; that's always a plus!


Thank you for reading my post and I hope you have a wonderful day  ; )


Soutz me just fine!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

What a special find


I follow Miss Mustard Seed and was reading about her finds on Craig's List a few weeks ago....so, I decided to search for antique furniture listings in Georgia to see what kind of deals I might find. Well, I found a lot of wonderful antique furniture pieces, some inexpensive and some pricey. However, I stumbled upon a real gem for the unbelievable asking price of $150. Take a look at the wonderful old cabinet that I purchased! Lesley (the seller) told me the cabinet was built around 1914 and was given to her mom as a thank you gift when Lesley was a child. She said that she always remembered it being in their home while she was growing up. When Lesley got married, her mom gave the cabinet to her as a wedding gift. Lesley said that they were having to move back home to Florida and couldn't take the piece with them, so she needed to find it a good home.


These were the pictures posted on Craig's List.

We traveled almost 3 hours to see the cabinet and when we arrived Lesley said she would understand if I didn't want to buy it. You see, the cabinet had a lot of scratches and a piece broken off of the trim at the top. But all of the glass was intact (individual panes) and all of the hardware matched and was original. All it needed was a bit of TLC and I knew I could provide plenty of that! I couldn't be more pleased but I can't help but feel guilty for taking such an amazing piece from such a sweet lady. : ( I told Lesley that if she ever decided she wanted the piece back, to please call me. Until then, I will treasure it! : )

After a good wash down and a touch up with some stain, this is how the cabinet looks in my sitting area just off my kitchen! I have displayed my favorite serving pieces and gifted treasures from family and friends. 







I enjoyed the cabinet this way for a while...













...and then I decided to add some paper between the shelves to change the look just a bit... I can always remove it later ; )





Until then, this Soutz me just fine!