Showing posts from February, 2013

Faux Chocolate Easter Bunnies

February 24, 2013
Last week on one of my days off, I painted a couple of bisque bunny figurines that I had purchased thrifting for $1 each. Since the bunnies did not have a shiny finish, the acrylic paint stuck very well.  I mixed Walnut Noyer, Burnt Sienna and Raw Sienna.  Not sure of the proportions.  I winged it.  I brushed on several coats with a foam brush.  I then sealed them with a water based matte poly.


A Book Page Bunny

February 24, 2013
Since my book page Christmas tree was a big hit in blogland, I decided to try a book page bunny for Easter. I searched the net for book page bunnies and although there were a lot of decoupaged bunnies, there were not too many decoupaged with book pages.


1951 Canned Meats and a Tongue Platter

February 23, 2013
The following ads and photos are from a 1951 Woman's Day magazine...   I remember my Grandma making sandwiches with Underwood Deviled Ham when I was young.  I don't think I have ever purchased it.


My Proudest DIY Moment: 20 years in the making

February 21, 2013
Earlier this month I was delightfully surprised to see my front flower border in Flea Market Gardens magazine. I had entered a contest last spring for an opportunity to share your flea market garden ideas in a future magazine.  My front flower border is, by far, my proudest DIY achievement. It started almost 20 years ago as a garden hose laid out in a kidney shape on my front yard. I laid out that hose, and my husband removed sod (a difficult job) and roto-tilled the new bed with sand, peat moss, top soil, and black dirt. We have a heavy clay soil here in northern Minnesota, and the soil needed the additions. The very first year, I planted all annuals. The garden was nice but was a mere shadow of what was to come.


A Day In My Life

February 19, 2013
I'm off work today.   What do I do on a day off? I saw a recipe for crockpot chicken soup on Tatertots and Jello's blog. It's in my crockpot right now.  The recipe is  here.   I will be serving it with French bread, and happy tomorrow when I am at work that there is leftover chicken soup in the fridge to heat up after work!


Welcome to Northern Minnesota

February 17, 2013
Spring is not around the corner here in northern Minnesota.  The view out my front door.  The path is for our little dogs to walk on outside to potty. My poor potting bench.


Luck of the Irish Vignette

February 16, 2013
I have never decorated for St. Patrick's Day before.  I guess since I'm not Irish it never occurred to me.  I think my husband may be a tad Irish.   I probably wouldn't have bothered this year either except for the "Luck of the Irish" vintage items that I found  thrifting.  (I will NOT have a St. Patrick's Day tote!  I will NOT have a St. Patrick's Day tote!  I will NOT...) First, I found this Carrigaline Pottery, Ireland, stein or tall mug for $2.


A Simple Mantel

February 16, 2013
If you follow my blog you will remember that I had a rustic and pretty busy Christmas mantel, and my Valentine's Day mantel was pretty full too. I chose a more de-cluttered look for the after Valentine's Day, not-yet-spring mantel. I brought out one of my favorite vintage pictures of a tea set, vase of flowers and book in an antique gold frame.  I love it's muted colors.  I also chose a symmetrical design and substituted china fruit bowls and saucers for height instead of books. I have had the outer floral pictures for over 10 years but they are not vintage.


Recycling a Man's Suit 1951

February 16, 2013
The Woman's Day magazine from 1951 that I purchased a couple weeks ago is so full of interesting articles and ads.  This one is in the "Found Money" section, and instructs the housewives of the 1950's how to make a woman's suit out of a man's suit.  The suits are really quite stylish.


Chefs in the Kitchen

February 15, 2013
Remember my kitchen shadow box display? After Christmas I filled it with my veggie salt and pepper shakers, tins, jars, and a couple vintage valentines.  The valentines are now put away for another year,


Decorating with Collections: Oil Lamps

February 15, 2013
The Valentine's Day vignette with head vases on my coffee table is all put away, and I have replaced it with a collection of oil lamps. What do you think about the vignette feature on Picasa?  Do you like my photos without it, like the photo above?


Sweet Valentines from My Childhood

February 14, 2013
I am lucky enough to have a bag of late 1950's and early 1960's Valentines from my relatives and my kindergarten classmates.  Here are a few of my favorites.


Signs and Soul Searching

February 14, 2013
I tell you my friends this has been a tough week for me here at Organized Clutter.   I first got a virus on my laptop.  I tried and tried to get rid of it.  I know many of you would probably hire a professional.  Hiring a professional would cost money and lead to a good deal of crap from my husband about blogging ruining our computer.  I think I may have mentioned that he thinks that blogging is a huge waste of time.   Anyway, the laptop is from 2009, an old one of my daughter's.  She took the newest one to college.  I did splurge last year and buy myself an ipad but otherwise I have outdated hardware.   I am proud of the fact that after my old laptop crashed, I was able to re-install the operating system and get the computer up and running again, even though I hate all this technology.   What do I like about blogging?  The creating and the decorating.  I have a higher end point and shoot Canon but I know my indoor photography is still not very good.  I was lucky enough to


Hey girl...

February 10, 2013
I am positive that my Valentine would NOT want to be included in the "hey girl" party at Bliss Ranch, but he never checks my blog so he'll never know, if you don't tell him! He's at the cabin right now with our dogs! Follow  ORGANIZED CLUTTER In A Reader. Follow  ORGANIZED CLUTTER by Email. Follow  ORGANIZED CLUTTER on Facebook. Follow  ORGANIZED CLUTTER on Twitter. I'm joining Bliss for the  Hey Girl Valentine Party!


Cloches and Canister Jars

February 09, 2013
I just changed up the dining table vignette using blue and white transfer ware china in canister jars and cloches.


The Wedding

February 08, 2013
She's here! My ebay purchase of this head vase was featured in  Head Hunting.


Look What I Dragged Home Now

February 08, 2013
I have to admit that thrifting has been rather slow since Christmas.  I think the extreme cold and abundance of snow here in Northern Minnesota have cut down on donations and consignments. Here are some recent purchases: It's an old high chair. I think it's oak.  No tray.  $10.  I am thinking it will go outside this summer.


My Garden Step Ladder in Flea Market Gardens Magazine

February 06, 2013
While picking up dinner for my husband and I after work at the grocery store deli, I grabbed a copy Flea Market Gardens. I just sat down to look at my new magazine and to my surprise, my contributed reader photo was on page 6.


1951 Woman's Day Re-purposing Wood Crates

February 06, 2013
I recently picked up a copy of Woman's Day magazine from 1951.  I was surprised to find an article, complete with how-to instructions, on re-purposing humble packing crates. Of course it wasn't called re-purposing in 1951, rather making Early American Adaptations or Brand New Antiques .  So if any of you creative types have run out of new ideas for pallets, here are some new "old" ideas:


One Vignette Two Ways

February 03, 2013
The sewing vignette that I put together this morning... has been changed up a bit.  I couldn't leave it well enough alone, and I made it into a Valentine's Day vignette.


A Re-purposed Glass Votive Holder

February 03, 2013
I'm sure all of you have seen these glass votive holders while thrifting.  They are usually about a dollar each.


Your Fireplace 1967 - Part 2

February 01, 2013
If you missed part one of this book, "How to Plan and Build Your Fireplace", the link is  here.