MIRROR ETCHING

I have done lots of etching on clear glass, but this was my first attempt using the etching solution on a mirror......I am so pleased with the results that I am planning to work on a few more after the Christmas season.

Happy day!

xojanis

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Christmas blessings to all my blogging friends!!

xojanis

WORD PLATES!

Here is a great idea for little silver plates......just apply a word to the front and stand it up on a little easel for some easy Christmas cheer.

I was inspired to create these little word plates after finding a bag full of easels

at the thrift store.  A little added bling takes them up a notch.

Have a happy weekend everyone!!  One of my boys reminded me today that there are only 14 days until Christmas.................EEK!!!......HOW DID THAT HAPPEN!!??!!
xojanis

BLOG LAND INSPIRATION

Believe it or not about a year and a half ago I didn't even know what a blog was!!!!! 

 I am blessed to have many fellow junkers in my life that I know through the spectacular junkmarket style site........and one of my buddies, Gretchen of Mimitorias designs was the person who introduced me to blog land.

Gretchen sent me the link to Karlascottage.  Karla's blog was one of the first blogs I ever visited and

 I was blown away by all her gorgeous creations.  

 I fell in love with the beautiful crowns she handmakes from old gutter screen  AND so wanted one of them. I contacted Karla, but she was very busy at the time getting ready for Silver Bella and had no crowns in stock.

So sad was I and sooo obsessed with her crowns that that was what I was thinking about the day I spotted some ugly brass basket thingys in a thrift store.  

  WHOA----I thought-----there are my crowns!!!!

I

I made a crown template from some paper, then laid it over the ugly thingys and cut away.

I then spray painted, added sparkles, ribbon and vintage jewelry.

I so love my crowns and I thank Karla for the wonderful inspiration she provides on her gorgeous blog.

These are the ugly brass thingys in their glory prior to the wire cutters getting hold of them.

Happy thrifting my blogland buddies.

xojanis

CHRISTMAS SWAGS!

Remember the "BOO" swag that I did up for Hallowe'en??  Here are some I created for Christmas.

I soooo love these silverplated coasters...trouble is I CAN'T find anymore anywhere.  Well....off to hunt some more thrift shops!!

Happy day blogging buddies.

xojanis

WHAT A FABULOUS FIND!!!!

Earlier this fall on one of my thrifting days (oh, but I COULD thrift shop every day of my life and still not get enough--ha,ha) I found these absolutely fabulous old trophy cups!!!!!

They make the perfect holders for my bleached bottle brush trees!!!

Because I am more in to the Shabby Chic look I tend not to use traditional greens and reds at Christmas.......my house is all done up in silver and white and cream.

Sticking green bottle brush trees in bleach overnight turns them a beautiful cream.  Add some glitter and Christmas balls and you've got an easy handmade junkstyle decoration.

Happy thrifting my blogging friends.

xojanis

CHRISTMAS WISH'IN

 I have been such a terrible blogger as of late.......it is such a busy time of year, and I have only been able to manage quick peeks at my favorite blogs.  I love all the Christmas inspiration out there in blog land, and have been busy with some Christmas projects of my own (in between all the mom and work stuff).

One of my favorite things to do as the holidays approach is to glitter absolutely anything and everything that I can get my hands on!!!!!!!  This candle holder was $3.00 at the thrift store and the mirrored tray was just a little bit more.  I painted them with decoupage medium and then sprinkled on the glitter.....

I added little knob feet to this tray.

So you see.....my house (and me) are absolutely covered in glitter!!!
Happy day!
xojanis

A THRIFTY GIFT IDEA!

As you all know I just love to re-invent JUNK!!!!!  I picked up a crystal clock at the thrift store and was planning to use it for one of my clock projects, but wrecked the clock trying to remove it........there was NO way I was going to give up on this beautiful piece of crystal so just stuck a picture in to the center.  Voila, it becomes a beautiful frame!

The tag was easily created using an office supply tag and my paris stamp set and a rhinestone earring finishes off the look.

I am so enjoying all the Christmas ideas people are posting on their blogs and have been busy working on some projects of my own so will get some pictures up as time permits!!!

Happy junking!

xojanis

A SPECIAL THANK YOU!!

I continue to be amazed at all the wonderful people I have met through blogging. 

Thank you all so much for visiting my blog.

There are a few people who frequently leave beautiful comments on my posts which I am unable to respond to as they do not have blogs of their own, and I do not have contact information for them.

I want you each to know that your comments warm my heart and leave me

feeling very much inspired. 

This is a little arrrangement I made from an old silver vase.  I added the crystals and stuck a vintage tree topper in the middle to add some height to the arrangement.

Thank you to each of you for the kind support and encouragement!!!

How far that little candle throws his beams!

So shines a good deed in a weary world. ~ William Shakespeare

Happy day my blogging friends.

xojanis

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LITTLE LIKE CHRISTMAS!

Don't you just love finding new and different things!!??!! 

I am so excited about my find today that I have rushed home to take pictures to post on my blog in between all the sporting events we have set with our three boys.  On a quick trip into one of my favorite stores, The Passionate Home, I found these adorable Christmas balls stamped with fleur de lis (another of my favorite things).  One of the ladies, Elinor, made them and I just had to show them to you all.

For now I have just placed them in a white wooden bowl I have, put a mirror at the bottom for reflection, added the balls, a candle and a little fake snow.

A gorgeous, uplifting find on a rainy blustery day, don't you think!!??!!

Happy day my blogging friends.

xojanis

VINTAGE CLOCK PROJECT

I so love old vintage clocks whether they work or not........this project is a great idea for ones that are no longer working.  Simply take the back off the clock, remove the clock workings and put a picture in.

I painted the body of this clock black and left the number plate intact as I thought it framed the picture just perfectly.

And, of course, I just had to add some bits and pieces of vintage jewelry.

Hope you are all having a fabulous day.  Thank you to all who visit my blog and leave such lovely comments!!

Happy day.

xojanis

WHITE WEDNESDAY SITTING DOWN

I was given four old chairs by my mom and dad that were sitting out in their shed.  This is the first re-do of one of those chairs which will all eventually be painted white and embellished somehow.

I wanted this chair to look as if it had been sitting in the basement of a Parisien hotel for years, so used some graphite paper to write the words on the seat and the back has a room number on it.

Have a fabulous White Wednesday and don't forget to head over to Kathleen's blog for a list of all the W.W. participants.

Happy day!

xojanis

GLASS CLOCHE PROJECTS-from the thrift store,of course!

Well, it's about time for another thrift store junk project.......................don't you think!!??!!

I (like many of you) absolutely love glass cloches, and every time I am at the thrift store I pick up anything that even resembles a cloche.  These are some cloche projects I did this past summer.

Ahhhh,...there is nothing better than embellished junk!  The rhinestone piece hanging off the top of this first cloche is a piece from a broken bracelet.  The wording is courtesy of my beloved xyron cutter, but I also use rub-ons, and if you have a steady hand you could use paints and stencils for your words.

In addition to always picking up any type of glass cloche I also can never resist any silver pieces I come across at the thrift store.

Several years ago I bought these cut glass cloches and they have been awaiting the perfect project at the bottom of some box!!!  I am happy to finally put them to use!

Yes, the house is somewhat overflowing with cloches, but happily they do seem to sell pretty quickly.  I have several cloche projects on the go right now so will show them to you all as I get them finished.

Enjoy your day my blogging friends!

xojanis

Fall Garden Whites for Wednesday

Here are some last garden whites before winter sets in that I thought you all might enjoy for White Wednesday.  This isn't actually what it looks like out the window today----the rain is coming down in buckets!!!

Hope you are all having a wonderful day.  Be sure to check out Kathleen's blog for links to all the gorgeous blogs that participate in White Wednesday.

Happy day.

xojanis

Touches of Fall

Aren't the colours of fall absolutely spectacular!!!!??!!!  I could do without the cooler temperatures and wetness, but what a sight to behold looking at the glorious changing leaves.  I have added a few orange touches to my house in an attempt to bring the beauty of the outside in.

Am I ever excited as when I went to do this post the size extra-large has been mysteriously added to my picture size option!!  Just what I wanted!!!  Thank-you google (I think!).

Hope you are all enjoying these beautiful days.

xojanis