Thrifty Finds

I know that I mention my son, Hunter, alot but he is always getting thrifty things!  This past week he purchased a load of household items from a gentleman that is moving out of state.  He gave me this beautiful Wexford vase and little pitcher that was in his stash.

The vase is about 16 inches tall and is just beautiful!  The little pitcher is HEAVY!  That little thing weighs 4 1/2 pounds!  Yes, I weighed it!  I guess it is for cream, I'm not sure.  If anyone recognizes my little pitcher and knows anything about it, please let me know.

Don't you just love that picture?  I know I do!  I love the simplicity of it and the bamboo frame.  I purchased it at the Goodwill store for $5!

The two chairs were Hunter's also.  I purchased these from him.  The kid's got to make his money back somehow!  I like how they lighten up the area a little.  The ones that were there before were dark brown and black.  You can see them here.  The yellow topper is also a yard sale purchase many years ago.

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Hunter is quite a unique person.  Savannah and I were talking about him yesterday and both of us agreed that he is quite an usual teenager!  To read more about him, click here

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Thrifty Treasures @ Southern Hospitality

Let Freedom Ring!

Let freedom ring!!!  Today I'm on the back porch with a patriotic table set for two.

I started by draping the table with a red tablecloth and topping it with a vintage blue and white tablecloth.

For the centerpiece, I used a galvanized bucket with rocks inserted with red candles and red, white and blue pinwheels.

For a little music, Hunter's vintage Motorola radio. 

The place setting consists of red square plates (JCP) with a Mikasa Ultrastone Blue salad plate. The napkins are actually dishtowels that I found this pass weekend for 50 cents each.  The navy blue flatware was a thrift find.  The Noritake Sweet Swirl goblets were a recent goodwill find.  They look a little "dewy" right now.  Does that make sense?  I had just stepped from inside the house to the back porch and going from the cool house to the 93 degree (and high humidity) caused them to fog up.

If you want to take a look at my back porch paradise, click here.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Centerpiece Wednesday @ The Style Sisters

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen 

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch 

Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots and Jello

Patriotic Link Party @ The Checkered Apple

Patriotic Project Parade @ Itsy Bitsy Paper Blog

My Herb Garden with DIY Markers

Last year I had the herbs on the side porch but since I put my sewing machine table on the pergola I needed to relocate them.

I don't have a lot so I put them in this wagon I found in the barn.  Now I can roll them to different locations.  I've already had to move them once.  The intense heat and humidity started making them look a little puny so I moved them to the back yard under some trees.

I decided to go a little step farther and make some plant markers.  I have an assortment of silverplated flatware in different patterns.  I chose two larger serving spoons.  They were flattened with a hammer and then the stamped using metal stencils.  I think I need to try a fine point permanent marker and trace the letters so it will show up more.

For the other two, I chose forks.  I separated the prongs apart by inserting the other fork handle in and lifting up.

I found these T labels that I already had and snapped the bottom off and wrote in the name of the herb.

Insert the card in the prongs and there you have it, an easy peasy plant marker!  Now I could have used the T markers I already had but that wouldn't have had any character!

You do need to drill a hole in the water to keep the water from standing in it.

This was a very quick and easy project.

and I'm very satisifed with the outcome!  To see my inspiration, click here to go to my Pinterest.  Thanks for stopping by!

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Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer 

Swing into Spring Party @ DIY by Design

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Bunny Hop @ Bunny Jeans Decor and More

White Wednesday @ Faded Charm Cottage 

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here 

     Home & Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Creek Cottage 

Thursdays Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner

Thrifty Things Thursday @ The Thrifty Grove

Thrifty Thursday @ Tales From Bloggeritaville 

Treasure Hunt Thursday @ From My Front Porch To Yours

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Butter Almond Cake - For the Recipe Box

This is a super easy but also a super delicious recipe!  I found it in a local church cookbooks.  Church cookbooks are my favorite!  The recipes in them are usually from good old fashioned cooks who know their stuff!

I love almonds and that's what first prompted me to try this recipe.  My children love it and at times ask that I DON'T make it!  I know, that doesn't sound right!  They tell they can't control themselves and end up getting sick from eating too much!

Now for the recipe....

BUTTER ALMOND CAKE

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup melted butter (no substitute)

2 eggs

1 tsp almond extract

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

3 tbsp sliced almonds

1 tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9 inch round pan.  In bowl, whisk sugar and melted butter together.  Beat in eggs.  Stir in extracts.  Add salt and flour.  Mix well.  Spread batter in prepared pan.  Sprinkle the slivered almonds and sugar over top.  Bake 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool slightly.  Carefully run a knife around edges to loosen and turn out onto rack.  Invert onto serving dish.

So delicious!  Thanks for stopping by!

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Thursday Food Fest @ www.theeaseoffreeze.com

Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Show Your Stuff @ Just Winging It

Foody Friday @ Designs by Gollum   

On the Menu Monday @ StoneGable

Show Us Your Desserts @ Kelly's Korner Blog

Juliska Placemat Knock Off

I saw this ad in a magazine a couple of months ago.  It was either in Traditional Home or Southern Living.  I can't remember which.  The placemats, along with the beautiful place setting, caught my eye.  I have been searching local stores looking for cane to refinish a chair.  I guess that's why I noticed it.

Our neighbor across the street gave us a small amount of cane and offered to teach Hunter how to re cane the chair.  The above picture is my attempt at making a cane placemat inspired by Julisha.  You can purchase cane in different widths.  The one used here is 12 inches wide.  I went to Walmart and picked up a pack of Wrights Extra Wide Double Fold Bias Tape in a cream color.  First, cut your cane to the desired size.  I used another placemat as a guide.  Then you hot glue the bias tape around the edge of your cane. 

The problem I had was with the corners. After I already finished a couple of sides, my husband, the trim carpenter, said, "You should 45 the corners!"  Now, why didn't I think of that?

Of course, that worked the best!  The above picture shows where I just squared the corner, which wasn't bad.  I don't know if I'll make more because a couple of weeks ago, I purchased a set at Goodwill that is very similar.

I used them in this tablescape that you can see more of here.  This placemat is not exactly the same but very similar.

This is the darker cane placemat that Juliska offers.  They are $28 EACH!  Now you can make them for a LOT less!  If you want a darker placemat, you could stain the cane and purchase a brown bias tape.

Thanks for stopping by!  I'd love for you to follow me!  If so, please leave me a comment and I'll follow you back!

Sharing with:

Newbie Party at Debbie Doo’s Blogging & Blabbing 

Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm

Tuesdays Treasures @ Myuncommon Slice of Suburbia  

You're Gonna Love It Tuesday @ Kathe with an E 

Your Cozy Home Party @ Cozy Home Scenes      
Cowgirl Up Party @ Cedar Hill Ranch

Vintage China Cabinet

Today I'm sharing some thrifty finds that I've collected over the years that are stored in my vintage china cabinet.  The cabinet came from the local antique store.  I've had it for many years.  At one time it was used in my living room as a curio cabinet.  Below is a picture of it at Easter.

Let's start at the top.  The gold wood frame was a garbage find!  That's right!  We were going down the road and it was propped up beside a trash can.  I brought it home, cleaned it up and it has been above the china cabinet every since.

The silver plated candlesticks were a gift from my parents a couple of years ago.  They were purchased from ebay.  The champagne bucket, the little relish bowl and the candle snuffer were all garage sale finds.

My silver really needs a cleaning, so overlook that part!  The detail on the mirror is so pretty.  I don't understand why someone would throw it away! 

The candle snuffer has a bee with its hive on the end.  I think its made of brass.  I think I paid 25 cents for it.

The little relish bowl has a brass knob on top with a silver spoon.

This is my set of Noritake Richmond.  I watched ebay for months, or it seemed like it, for a good deal on a basic white or cream china with gold trim.  I purchased the entire set of 8 complete place settings (with a few odds and ends), 2 platters, round serving bowl, oval serving bowl, round serving bowl with lid, gravy boat, coffee pot and sugar and creamer for less than $50!  And that included shipping!  Needless to say, I was very, very pleased with this purchase.

A peek at one of the sides show some more Noritake and Mikasa "The Ritz" wine glasses.  I purchased those at a garage sale at a local storage unit.  I paid 25 cents a piece for them!!

The silver plated coffee serving set was given to my mom by her older sister approximately 45-48 years ago.  My aunt purchased the set with stamps.  My mom passed it along to me a couple of years ago.  Thanks, Mom!  Salad plates to the right are from the Salvation Army.  The gold rimmed glasses to the left were a gift from my son and nephew.  They found them while messing around in an old car at my dad's mechanic.  I think they were about 12 years old at the time.

Under the platter is a silverware chest.  It contains gold flatware that will serve 12.  You can see a teaspoon on the platter.  I picked up this set at a yard sale for $10.  The lady received it as a wedding gift and had never used it.

And there you have it!  My vintage cabinet full of thrifty finds, well at least 95 percent are.

Thanks for stopping by.  I've love for you to follow me.  If you leave me a message, I'll follow you back!

Sharing with:

Sunday   Pear Up @ I Heart Pears    

Thrifty Treasures @ Southern Hospitality

 Newbie Party at Debbie Doo’s Blogging & Blabbing 

Sundays Best @ My 1929 Charmer

Show Off Your Cottage Monday at The House in the Roses

Clear Jar Canisters with Chalkboard Tags

I found another use for my PB inspired dispenser tags!  Before I had some Chris Madden cream ceramic canisters as you can see in this picture from my kitchen post, which you can see here.  The largest of the three just barely held a 5 pound bag of sugar.  When I saw these big clear jars at Walmart, I just had to get some!  They were only $10 each and considering how much they hold versus how much I pay for the smaller ceramic canisters, I got a super deal!

After I got the jars home and filled, I started thinking of a way to label them.  I considered the vinyl sheets you can buy but I live a good ways from anywhere that would have that.  So I thought of these dispenser tags that I had made.  You can see that post here.

I like how they look on my counter.  They kind of lighten the area up some!

Thanks for stopping by!