This last week have been stuck in a heat wave. The temps have been around 97 degrees during the day with the humidity around 90%. The nights are not much of a relief, same humidity but the temps have been in the mid 70's. That doesn't do much for getting me excited about going outside and working on stuff that can only be finished in the garage.
Most of my OOAK things start with just things I find in the garbage, at garage sales or Goodwill. I love to find these hidden treasures and turn them into something enjoyable. I like to look at the "Trash" and see what it says to me. I know it will be a seasonal item, but sometimes I just don't know which one. These two old windows were things I found in Tulsa at River City Trading Company. I love how they turned out.
This Jolly Old Soul started out with a broken window. The frame was about $4, but all the glass was broken in it. We turned it sideways and added an old antique doorknob and escution plate. Santa is happy to greet you and he is even wearing my old leather belt! The feather tree is decorated with vintage glass ornaments and a rusty star. We topped this piece off with his name, an old skeleton key and a grungy prim tag that says "Santa's Magic Key".
This window started as a mistake. We cut too many of the tall snowman on the left and he was in the scrap pile. I never throw wood away, so I knew he needed to be on this window. I filled in with another snow guy and of course Santa. This one has glass and that makes this project even more of a challenge, you have to cut the pattern backwards and cut things to go around the trim. This window is hung from chain and has a festive plaid bow.
This wooden piece is something I found in Goodwill. I really don't know what it is or what it was used for, but I envision it holding bills and keys and being hung by the telephone in some Early American decorating theme in the 1960's. When I was a kid there were only three kinds of interior decoration, Early American, Danish Modern and Crap. My mother was Danish Modern and my mother-in-law was Early American. Back in the day I can just envision this hanging in her kitchen next to her Harvest Gold wall mounted telephone. But now it has that Retro vibe; I painted it black and Mr. MySpareTime distressed it and gave it his wonderful hand rubbed finish. I then painted Season's Greetings on the bottom and filled it with holiday greens, red ribbon, a reproduction vintage postcard and antique Christmas Tree ornaments. I wouldn't have been caught dead with the one from my mother-in-laws house, but this one would be great by the back door to welcome me home with an old fashioned holiday feeling.
Well it has started to rain and that will make it like a sauna here. So I better get dinner started, I have already had a glass of wine, or two, and dinner shouldn't be far behind.
Talk to you Tuesday!
