Wedding Wednesdays: My Grandmother's Dress

My Grandma Barb is on the right. My Grandpa is on the right and her sister, Alice, is on the left. 

When we were cleaning out my grandmother's house a few years back, we came across her wedding dress. In a plastic shopping bag. In the bottom of her linen closet. I imagine in 1947, most women didn't pay to preserve their wedding dresses. In my grandmother's case her sister made her dress (by hand, then made herself a matching one) and probably didn't see the need.

Fast forward 67 years when my Mom brings the dress to me the weekend we go shopping for my own wedding dress. Obligatory photo in Grandma's wedding dress:

It actually fit! And the peplum style is totally in right now. But with the yellowing, stains, rips and button-up turtleneck look, it just wasn't the dress for me. I knew I wanted to make use of it either in my bouquet or some special piece in the wedding. I found this arrangement and it served as my inspiration for the project.

I researched the best way to clean yellowed silk, turns out Woolite was the best option. I took a deep breath and cut the dress into several different sections. I soaked each piece for 10-15 minutes, then hand-washed them and hung (throughout) the house to dry.

I didn't realize just how much material was actually used in the dress, so this process took days! I tried different flower techniques, new shapes of petals, tried incorporating my Mom's lace from her veil, but Martha and a little tweaking to my own styles won in the end. Once I got into the groove, the flowers came along quickly. I found the pine cone and Dusty Miller sprigs at Michael's and decided two use just two colors from my wedding bouquet as a pop of color. The last issue I had to deal with was the vase. We decided these flowers would be with the remembrance candles the mothers light at the beginning of the ceremony, so it had to be bigger in size and quite a statement. Three weeks before we wedding, we were visiting friends in Charlotte and I was told to check out Old Time Pottery. Thank goodness I did, because I found this stunning Mercury glass jug for only $20!

It was hard to imagine our wedding day without my Grandmother there. We shared so many wonderful memories together, and she would have loved every second of the day. With this arrangement, I felt like she was a part of the entire evening. Not to mention, I think she would have been impressed that I took her trashed heirloom and made into something we can cherish forever.

#77: Tint Jars

I'm a hoarder of glass jars. When we moved last year I was hiding them in boxes everywhere so Mike didn't realize just how many I had collected. And why? I have no idea. I feel guilty throwing away a perfectly fine receptacle for pens, or cutlery at a party, or an upcycled vase for felt flowers. And what are we supposed to do with all the grease that you can't put down the kitchen sink (which I have used a jar exactly once for this purpose)?? Anyway, when I saw this tutorial on Pinterest, I knew I had to give it a try. Besides, my jar collection could double as wedding decor! However, I learned a few tips along the way the other bloggers are not reporting.

What you need: Mod Podge, food coloring, paper bags to cover your countertops, jars, wax paper and a cookie sheet. Mod Podge tends to get a little lumpy if you haven't used it in a while, so beware of clumps or dried up pieces within your bottle.

This mixture goes a long way. If you're just planning on doing one jar per color (like me), you need about a tablespoon of Mod Podge and a few drops of coloring - depending on the size of your jar. Make sure the inside of your jars are clear of any dust or dirt or crumbs.

You can forgo the water. I think it made the mixture way too watery and was tricky to get the rims of the jar covered without it spilling out the top. Swish the color around until all the sides are covered.

Dump the excess out and NOT IN THE SINK! It will dry and coat your pipes with a thin layer of dried glue. I emptied it all into another jar and threw it away. Yes, I threw a jar away.

Turn the jars upside down so they can finish draining the excess color. When you pick the jars off the paper, be careful, there might be a lot of liquid hiding under there and will start rushing everywhere :) Which brings me to another point. Even though it's diluted, you are still working with food coloring. This will stain your fingers, clothes and other surfaces, so be cautious when you're working.

Turn your oven to "warm" or about 200 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and place your jars top down. Here's my advice. Either have a second wax-paper lined cookie sheet ready, or place your jars in a straight line (if they'll fit). After about 10-15 minutes, you'll flip the jars right side up and there will be leftover liquid on the tray. If you distribute habhazardly like I did, you run out of room and end up playing a juggling game with hot jars, a hot oven and a food-colored mess. Also, these are glass jars in an oven. They will be hot!

The last thing I will point out is the smell. I'm not a fan of the smell of Mod Podge. It grosses me out. But throw some Mod Podge-covered jars into a hot oven? Your whole house is going to smell like hot glue. Not a very flattering smell for someone who just came home from a run and was going to throw some chicken in the oven (sorry, sweetie). Overall, the jars came out just like the tutorial said. I love the yellow and the black created that nice green you see on the left. I want to try it again with red to make a nice shade of pink. Until then, I'll be finding uses for these lovelies around the house.

I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. Click here to read all about it and here to a see a gallery of pictures of everyone participating.  

Thrifty Thursday: Before & After

We bought this buffet and hutch for $100 from one of Mike's Dad's contractors with the idea that we'd refinish it or sell it and make a few bucks. When Barney dropped the piece off it was in need of a little TLC, so we cleaned it up with some Old English the previous homeowners left us. Surprisingly, it looked really nice! However, it still didn't match our brand new table that looks almost identical to this one from World Market.

I listed the piece on Craigslist and it sat for about three weeks. Since our housewarming party was nearing and I didn't want this unmatching piece hogging the spotlight I got to work on researching techniques for "refinishing cherry wood to look like world market table." You can imagine how many search results I found: exactly Zero. After talking to a Home Depot employee (who didn't actually roll their eyes at this project), I decided I would have to make up my own technique. I bought black paint, black varnish and a pack of plastic gloves for $10.

We removed all the hardware and wiped down the cabinets. Then Mike got to work "distressing" the wood by take a hammer to it. We decided that using all the different edges worked best to give it the super textured look. Next, I took the electric sander and went light over the entire surface and much harder in only a few areas for that weathered look. Using a damp cloth, wipe the surface completely clean.

Instead of a "white wash" that I'm sure you've heard of, I made a "black wash." It consisted of 1 part flat black paint to two parts water. I gave it a stir and painted it on. Oh, and this would be the point you need to put on your gloves.

Because you're going to take a rag and wipe all the paint off. You want to make sure the black wash has covered all the surfaces, but don't be too worried if it looks too dark at first. I left the wash on anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes. I tried to work fast, but with the bottom it was harder to get through all the sides quickly. Just make sure the paint doesn't dry before you can wipe it off.

Here is the hutch after hours of hammering it. I'm glad this was Mike's task!

Once your black wash is completely dry, open up your can of black varnish. I cannot stress enough to make sure both hands are gloved! Take a dry rag and dip into the varnish, wipe on the wood with the grain. You're almost going to massage the varnish into the wood, I'll warn you, this is the tricky part. You don't want to use too much varnish because it'll be sticky as it dries and smudgie (trust me, I learned this the hard way). Just use a little as you go and be sure to wipe away any excess. We experimented with the drawers one day and let them dry over night, I tweaked the process from that - if you have the time, try it that way.

Grandma's mash potato dish, Great-Grandma's fondue dish, Haviland Wedding China
passed down through generations, a house warming gift, a graduation gift,
a Moroccan treasure and a gift from a strange. Everything has a story, everything has a place in my heart.

As you can see, the final product turned out pretty close to our table. The piece fits in the room much better and while we may not have it forever, I'm certainly happy with our $110 project!

Make sure you have these essentials!
Cotton rags or your boyfriend's old undershirts (lots of them)
Several pairs of rubber gloves
Electric hand sander
sandpaper
flat black paint
black varnish
a tarp or drop cloths
paint brushes
jar with lid (to mix the paint and keep overnight)

I am happy to use this as my "No. 27 Freebie." I'm participating in the 92 Days of Summer challenge. To learn more about it, click here.

Thrifty Thursday

On Saturday we visited Earth Studios and I fell in love with the desk/table they have at checkout. Turns out Robyn found it in the trash (a girl after my own heart)! On Sunday we had to make an exchange at Garden Ridge and on the way home I was complaining that I wanted to find a perfect desk in the trash.

I still need to hide the excess computer cord but just haven't gotten that far yet :)

And like that, my prayers were answered. I spotted a big heap of trash on our street, yelled "STOP" and hopped out of the car. In a neighbor's trash there was a round table that had been split in half. The one side was broken, but the other was intact and sturdy. Very dirty and gross, but with loads of potential. The table was in the truck and I was off to Taylor's. I bought a pack of L Brackets for $5, spent 30 minutes cleaning and scrubbing the trashy table and another 30 to install (Mike drilled a hole in the back of the table for my computer cords to go through which took a while since our biggest drill bit is 1/4 inch).

It's like we had planned it all along! I love my new desk and how it goes with the comforter, furniture and even the painting Deb made for us when we first moved it.

Thrifty Thursday

My Mom is no stranger to me bringing home other people's trash. One time in high school I drove to return a movie to the video store (sounds so primitive) and spotted a rather large mirror next to someone's trash. The mirror weighed more than I did, but it followed me around through college and even to Virginia. When my parents were visiting and we passed this dresser my Stepdad says "Doing some shopping, Ashley?" I had already eyed this gem and was just thinking of the right way to persuade Mike to let me bring it home.

It's Vintage! It's Free! It's on our street, so it has to mean it was meant for me! I know we don't need it, but what's the harm in taking something that will be heading to a landfill? Lucky for me, there was a garage sale that my Mom and I walked to, so we detoured to the dresser. As we approached I spotted another girl leaning over the rather sad-looking piece. It wasn't until this moment I knew I needed to have it. Turns out, she was taking the hardware off the drawers. (By the way, who does that? That's like eating all the free samples and then not buying anything!) Regardless, my Mom and I walked over to check out the leftovers. The dresser was falling apart. It would have to be completely refinished, if not halfway rebuilt. After inspecting the drawers, I decided a few of them would be usable for shadow boxes. So yeah, I took two drawers. I'm not sure what's worse, taking the hardware or just taking two drawers.

Top shelf shows my new bluebird (Michael's clearance for $2) and my Grandmother's milkglass
vase. The bottom shelf holds a clock my Great Uncle Vernon made, owls my sister bought me
from Burma, a random glass vase and a hand-stitched floral picture by my Great Aunt Alice.

Nevertheless, I came home, applied some wood glue, gave the boxes several coats of white paint and purchased three spigots, bolts and nuts (a total of $6.36). Mike attached some hangers to the back of the boxes and we hung them in the guest bedroom. Not too bad for something that was heading to a landfill!

Better Block: Day 3

All the street lights are the god-awful orange color.

Today is the big day! I've been luckily enough to have a flexible schedule with work all week, working 7:30-4:30 and today I'm taking a half day to finish up around our shop and help with the outdoor space. The weather is looking a little foul for this afternoon, and it sounds really windy out right now, but fingers crossed it'll all clear up by 5 p.m. 

Gotta love the pizza box, it's like a real kitchen!

I'd say our biggest change for the day was the addition of our pallet couch by Mike and Ryan. Didn't they do a fantastic job?! You'd think they were professionals, but in fact, they aren't. Haha, the duo made up their design as they went along. Since there were a few random nails and the wood is so rough, I covered the bench with table cloths my sister sent me from India. We're getting pillows from a local crafter today to throw along the back. 

My friend Alli tackled the pattern wall project. We were kiiiiiinda told not to use nails, but after discovering those 3M hooks weren't cutting it we put a few holes in the wall and covered up the fact with some an awesome display.

John's display is looking amazing. I love how it feels like you've stepped outside into your garden with his homemade gardening bench (he did it himself - with pallets!) and tree stump grape vine display. His terrariums and air plant creations are so unique, people are already getting sucked into the store by their appearance.

 At one point later in the night we heard this loud (like, really loud) music coming from a few doors down. I popped my head into the Texaco Building, which will house O'Connor Brewing, an arcade, outdoor games and music, and they had a full on concert-style sound system going. It sounded amazing! Anyone volunteering to fill in for me while I get my dance on?? Hahah.

The Better Block opens tonight at 5 p.m. I'm sure you've already scouted out where to park and have a pocket full of cash ready to spend at 765 Granby Street :). Stop by and say Hello to us, we can't wait to meet you!

Better Block: Day 2

I got to the shop promptly at 5 yesterday and got right to work. You could not imagine my deep gratitude for the people who have shown up to volunteer. Immediately, Tina, Ari and Terri got to painting on the wooden pallets John and I planned on using for tables. My friends Susie and Cali worked on folding maps and some decor for the shop. 

 

We weren't exactly sure how to assemble the tables, but the guys from Better Block assured us they would deliver wood for legs...and sure enough, they did! Chris and Bob put together four large pallet tables and a coffee table made from an old window frame (Mom - can you believe I'm still holding onto this thing??) in less than an hour! They came together so well, I'm hoping they have enough passion to put together a couch tonight! 

I am absolutely obsessed with this wreath my friend Cali made from newspapers  (left). It was a pinterest find, and although it took her 2 hours to make it was definitely worth it (although she may not agree, haha). On the right is our sandwich board display for the sidewalk.

Tonight is the big night. We have lots of people stopping by to lend a hand setting up, painting, folding maps and whatever other odd jobs we can find. Wish us luck, tomorrow is the big day!

Better Block Project

You may have read my post last month about the Norfolk Arts District, the newest downtown renovation project. Recently, a group called the Better Block picked Norfolk, specifically the proposed Arts District, as its next stop. The group "temporarily re-engineers and re-programs streets into complete ones. Over a weekend our team and local residents, property owners, and volunteers create a demonstration of a vibrant block."

The start of this exciting phase is this Saturday, March 9 at 9:30 a.m. There will be another walkaround the area to visualize the areas and talk about what is needed. You can check out all the details for Saturday's event and sign up to volunteer for Team Better Block (which will be in April) right here. In the meantime, I've rounded up a few ideas I'd love to see happen with the area.

food trucks, of course.

moss beatle

  Make a life-sized Chia Pet!

painted crosswalks

herb garden

boxpark shoreditch

 First-ever pop-up mall in East London. They used shipping containers (which Norfolk has plenty of) to make a retail establishment. Slightly reminds me of being in Thailand.

comb bike rack

pallet path

Love the idea of a walking path, although I think these would need to be dug into the ground...seems like a bit of a hazard to me! Plus, then we could have all sorts of plants grow up around and through them.

left, right

 The art on the left is by Richard Haas, and is a great idea to trick the eye. The mural on the left is from Massilon, Ohio (represent!), and shows what the Ohio and Eerie Canals look like directly behind the wall.   

bus stop

We've got plenty of bus stops - and a whole Greyhound Station - on Granby St. Why not make a rooftop garden from one?

shipping pallet swings

 How cute are those? And every district needs a swing set and playground!

left, right

Inexpensive wall art and homemade moss graffiti! Yes please!