You're tagged................

That first morning cup of coffee.....the wake up call, the start of a new day filled with promises, adventures, or just the mundane daily chores............but nevertheless a new beginning.   As you cradle the mug in your hands, sipping and thinking, making mental notes of things to do, or not do, the bottom of the mug appears, slightly stained perhaps in its emptiness.  A second cup rarely tastes the same, good perhaps but not great.


So what do you do with your leftover coffee?  Throw it down the drain, chill it for an enjoyable iced drink later in the day (this really only works in hot weather for me), or reheat it later - only for the brave!!


Me, now known as a bit of a shopkeeper, a quasi 'antiques dealer',  but would love to be a real one, has been recycling my coffee dregs lately.  Tags, plain old manila shipping tags, those interesting little bits of stiff paper, holes pre-punched sometimes with reinforcements, often with string already threaded through, have been greedily soaking up my leftover coffee!

I love to create vintage looking tags to hang on items in my booth at SuzAnna's Antiques.  A soak in strong black coffee - the only way I like mine - a bit of a scrunch to provide aged wrinkles, then on to a baking tray and into a 200 degree oven for 10 minutes to dry.  Quick and easy.

They could be used just like that, however I like to go a step further to make them more attractive.  I pull out my rubber stamps and distressed ink pads, and stamp away........the Tour Eiffel, Bonjour Paris, an olive wreath, a French postage stamp, a crown..........and words.  

Yesterday I spent a little time changing things about in my booth as I had some farmhouse items to pull together.   Tomorrow I'll be there again to add my recently painted table, complete with coffee baked tag! Show that next time.

Surprised nobody gathered up my bunny on his rusty, iron wheels and carried him home for Easter.  He won't nibble your hostas which are poking through the earth, and at Christmas you can change his bow to something more seasonal, and tuck a holly sprig in his basket.  Hmm, he's so adorable he might just be coming to my house, after all he's even French grey and will fit right in!

Spring changes...........

I moved a few things about this past weekend to bring some Spring touches to the house.

Added this small oil painting to the mantel......

.............changed out the previous lamp base to this thrift shop find which I really like. It's heavy and aged, perhaps solid brass but definitely not shiny which is how I like it. Made the lampshade many years ago.  Framed piece of French floral tapestry, especially love the unusual shaped mat. 

I don't do much decorating for Easter..............other than my always cheerful rabbits, this pair are on the dining room table.  Every year, when I pull out the box from the attic and unpack them, I feel Spring is truly here! 

Thanks to all who gave me recommendations on small electric sanders - I'll be buying one this week. Besides my own kitchen table to refinish, I'm painting some small furniture items to sell in my booth at SuzAnna's Antiques. Distressing and aging with bits of sandpaper is not fun, I need to hit those edges with more power!   

• Primer
• Heritage White Paint
• Sander
• Tack Cloth
• Rubber Gloves
• Painter's Drop Cloth
• Sunny, wind free day
• Azaleas and dogwood blossoms all around............let's have some fun with old brown furniture!

Moving in the Marais chairs............

Well, he seems to like them.........but, like most men, making changes around the homestead causes anxiety when something looks/feels a bit different.  Plonking one's derrière on the same old chair for years becomes automatic - it feels the same so one doesn't give it a second thought. Then a new chair usurps the tried and true, and, 'ifs, ands, and buts'(no pun intended!)take over the conversation.  We did add sliders to the legs - this makes them glide effortlessly on the laminate flooring - and yes, the iMac will be moving soon to the upstairs office, well I'm praying that happens!

Don't laugh............I forgot to hide the dreaded scale when taking this shot early today............I'm on a sensible eating plan (if that's what Atkins is) and weighing in about every 4 days!  It's working, but I sure could kill for something decadent right now, like a Cadbury chocolate bar, or even a hunk of crunchy French bread with my cheese.  When you're allowed to eat cheese without bread or crackers it just isn't the same!


...........and the ugly black briefcase bag?  DH is off again tomorrow on yet another business trip, flying away and leaving me here to love my Marais chairs alone, and to start thinking seriously about the table makeover I need to get moving on.


I would truly appreciate any tips on buying a small handheld electric sander for furniture refinishing products. If you use one please tell me the brand and whether you find it manageable.....and thanks to those who left nice comments on the chairs.