Faux pearls w silver Rub'n'Buff

I don't have a picture of these pearls 'before'. I got them last year as a 36" bead garland from a Christmas store. They are plastic and came in white only, the beads are 3/4" round in size. This was a pure white and was rather harsh around what I already had for decorations. Then, I thought.... silver!!! I put on vinyl gloves (thin, more flexible type) and put a dab (about a teaspoon size) of Silver Rub'N Buff in the palm of one hand and then pulled the beads through, I massaged each bead so that the waxy Rub'N Buff would spread on each bead. Within a few minutes I was done! They are so much prettier than when they were white! And the Rub'N Buff is a waxy oil based paste so it spreads well and lasts. They have a nice luster too. I wiped them off with a clean rag after so as to take off any extra residue so they would dry well. After 24 hrs, they are ready to put anywhere! Thought I would share this idea! I showed them in the box I was working in and added the remote (Cable) to give an idea of the scale of the beads. That is a letter file box cover they are in.
Below: close up on a grass round placemat

Blog into a book on Blurb!

I had looked into Blurb.com some time back and now they let you import your Blog right into a book format! The books are under $50 and have lots of choices. I wonder if anyone has tried this yet?

I found this information: "Works with many blogging platforms – Supports LiveJournal and TypePad blogs. Edit in real time – Allows you to customize and edit your book as little or as much as you like".

Purging things I don't use!

One of the items I sold this week on Craigslist was this clover leaf table. This table was made in the late 1800's. It is a parlor table, probably used for holding a plant.

I found out it is the craize for the coming year! Even Ethan Allen is copying it! Loved this table when I bought it, but, this week I saw the face of a young professional woman who called and met me to buy it that she was in love! She said she looked all over for an authentic clover leaf table! I made a profit and she bought a bargain! All smiles here!

This table was just too delicate for my use, and I didn't want it to get damaged during the move. Also it was pieced together in such a way that if it had fallen during the move it could have been damaged beyond repair! I felt so good, like someone was adopting this wonderful table and would care for it gently. Ahhhhhh a sigh of relief! AND it opens up a space for a new treasure I have NOT found yet!

Layered table setting, chargers!

I love the old siver plated trays (showing a 13" wide one at the bottom). This setting has 5 plates. The bottom is the charger (silver plate tray) then a plate with silver stripes from Target, this year's Christmas plate collection. On top of that is a real bargain! At the dollar tree store they have (like a thick foil catering grade at 9 3/4") a smaller silver toned charger type tray for one dollar. I have that Dollar tree tray on top of the silver striped plate, then a white lacy plate, then my green leaf/flower plate. This is one way to add a metal layer when you want more bling to a setting.

Another setting using this 9 3/4" silver toned charger tray.Picture shows them taken apart. You can see my silver plate tray is starting to tarnish here, IRL the two trays look more alike than in this picture.Here is the luncheon size with 8" plate on top of that 9 3/4" charger tray, then picture below that takes the setting apart. And here I used this small tray for a backdrop in my china cabinet, and the best part is no polishing! Helps to reflect light and balance where you might have silver displayed in another part of the cabinet and it is not a symmetrical display.

Small lighting used for cone trees and villages

I love my little cone trees and decided to put them in my china cabinet (being used as a bookshelf). The first picture shows my attempt to light the cabinet with regular Christmas lights. If I had planned for this display I could have researched what would be best, but it was one of those spur of the moment decisions (and frankly running out of horizontal space to display things!).Thi next picture shows the same cone trees with a set of small LED lights that are made for small village and train set display. I found two sets at Lowe's! They come with one battery pack, about 16" of wire to two small (black box) spot lights. I think it makes the display more interesting with shadows and more texture. I had also tried an overhead small light (the type with a nightlight 4W bulb that fits into a night light. but it gave the 8" height-paper houses a flat washed out look.This shows the cabinet with the houses and the cone trees lit with these tiny LED spot lights. The light bulb is supposed to have 700 hrs. And I have lit these spot lights every night for a few hours each for a week now. They are still going strong.

CHRISTMAS Mantel-cover shelf!

I have not done much for Thanksgiving decor except show off my mercury glass pumpkins!I am working on my Chirstmas decor now. It takes me longer to work on things now so I wanted to start early. Our living room mantel as was constructed and we beefed up with molding. I took the mirror and items off to start decorating.This picture below, shows how we made an over mantel shelf cover so the decorations could be stapled, glued, tacked on to stay in place without damaging the original shelf. This shelf was actually screwed (with two screws towards the back) to make it more secure. This shelf is 2" larger all the way around so that things will fit better. Here it is unfinished, the wood is poplar that we happened to have in the garage (left over from another project).Below: this is the shelf as I stained it dark mahogany (3 coats, last coat not wiped off) I saw a couple of finials at Lowe's and decided to attach them to the corners pointing them down to create more style.This picture (below) shows a close up of the corner (after 2 coats of stain and not sealed yet)Below: shows the cut outs that my husband made to accommodate the pilaster and the outlets that we have on that mantel shelf. The shelf here has the three coats and I waxed the shelf after it was fully dry (waited a few days). I used Briwax clear wax which hardens and can be rubbed to a sheen. I played around with some of the items I worked on last year for the mantel look for this year, you can see how the shallow shelf didn't allow much on there. Below, another look for the mantel.
Link back to my Traditional Tropical Blog

My finds this week! Pottery barn idea!

Click on picture for link to Pottery Barn! I had seen this Pottery Barn item in their new catalog online and wanted to try this for Chirstmas decoration this year.
This first picture is from their Holiday decorations in their new catalog! They are called Natural display lanterns ($39-$69) I found this wood frame lantern at a thrift store yesterday! Along with these other finds. The leaf is made of alabaster. I love the wire tray.
Picture below shows how the teak wood box opens, was made for a candle. I want to use it for a winter scene as the one from Pottery barn is done (one in center of picture above).
This last picture shows the price I paid in black marker on the right. I also got 15% off that!

Here is the box I filled with my faux trees and snow for Christmas!