You Can't Blog With Your Eyes Closed

You may have noticed that I've been scarce lately around the blogging community. I've had an issue with my right eye, probably related to a corneal abrasion that I had a while back. If you've ever had this injury than you know that wearing a contact bandage, the best treatment to allow the eye to heal quickly, is almost as uncomfortable as the injury itself. Needless to say, I've spent the better part of the past two days resting my eyes and applying drops to prevent what is probably just an irritation from getting worse. (I'd rather give birth in a field-in a third world nation that wear a contact bandage again!)

I hope to be back to posting again soon and look forward to seeing all of the new projects that you've done while I've been gone.

Instead of Spray Painting...

We've had near 100 degree temperatures and virtually no rain for weeks now. Our city has issued restrictions for homeowners on how often they can water their lawns. Violators will be fined! All the work I put into my garden this spring, all of the weeding and the money spent for flowers was for nothing, my grass looks like dried straw. But even more depressing, I can't get to my spray paint projects!

Remember this old piece that I wanted to update? It's been sanded and the nicks and scratches were smoothed out with wood filler but it's still sitting in my garage waiting for the oppressive heat to subside.




Well no use fretting about something that I can't control. I won't be spray painting or enjoying the great outdoors this weekend but there's plenty of other options...

Make a batch of my favorite lemon souffle pancakes from the citrus inspired brunch I wrote about last year.

or

Whip up a pitcher of my favorite white sangria and finish the book I've been reading. (It's Eat Pray Love, I think I'm the only woman in the universe who hasn't read it!)

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or

I could keep cool browsing the aisles at an architectural salvage store I've been dying to visit.

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or

Do some online window shopping. Wisteria is my new favorite site.




The heat may keep me from my spray painting projects this weekend, but I'm sure I'll find something productive to do this weekend.

How do you beat the heat?

If My Blog Were a Room...

I'm moonlighting today at Simple Dwellings participating in Amber's "If My Blog Were a Room..." Series. Come on over and join the fun.

The Versatile Glass Cloche

When I saw that Hobby Lobby was offering glass items for 50% off last week I made a beeline to the aisle with the glass cloches and picked up the one you see pictured above for just $17.99. While there are a zillion and one ways to style a cloche I chose the classic plant-under-glass look. That lasted for about 30 minutes before I noticed that the interior of the glass was opaque with condensation. Ooops, send me back to 3rd grade science class. (See the end of my post for tips on how to get the look without going the faux plant route.)

After checking that option off my list I did some online searching for inspiration for ways to style my cloche. Here are a few of my favorites:

Highlight something with sentimental value

Via Pinterest

Via Pinterest

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Make everyday items seem more special

Via Remodelista





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Add height with a pedestal

Arrange multiple cloches to create a vignette

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Change the look periodically to represent the season

Via Pinterest

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Via Pinterest





Via Decor Pad











Use items from nature

Via Pinterest

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Choose the right plant!

Via ThisNext.com

If you love the look of a plant under a glass cloche I did a little investigating and found that any plant that needs a great deal of warmth and humidity like African violets and small ferns are especially good choices. Lifting the cloche daily to vent and placing it away from direct sunlight will prevent overheating.

Even with all of the inspiration here I still like the look of the plant under glass, guess I'll be heading to the garden center.

Which way of styling a cloche is your favorite?

No Use Crying Over Broken Glass

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Have you ever thrown out a frame because the glass broke? The glass in a ready made frame constitutes a large percentage of the total cost so it's understandable that someone would consider just purchasing a new frame if the glass in a frame broke or chipped, but I just learned a great money-saving tip to help you avoid this unnecessary cost. Customers can bring their own glass to their favorite frame shop and have the piece cut down to size at a considerably lower cost. Goodwill and other thrift stores always have a wide selection of frames at reasonable prices. Pick up a couple for the glass alone, toss the inevitably hideous artwork and you'll be all set in the event that you need to replace a piece of glass.

Hobby Lobby's frame shop, for example, offers a cost-per-cut fee of only 50cents per cut. In other words, for $1 you can take care of your problem. This is an especially nice savings if you need a piece of glass cut for a frame that's not a standard size. The larger the frame the more money you're out.

I just learned this tip and couldn't wait to share. I hope this comes in useful for some of you in the future. For more cost saving tips for framing check out this post.

Blog Vacay

Is it just me or do you find that summer means lots of interruptions in your blogging? I'm finding it harder and harder to post regularly. I'll be taking a little time off to catch up.

Have a great weekend!

Make the Ordinary Extraordinary

Via Belle Maison

While browsing Pinterest in the past few weeks I've noticed so many innovative examples of the use of ordinary objects in creative ways. If you open your mind to the possibilities, you might be surprised what you have laying about that could be used to add a touch of the unexpected to your home. I know I wouldn't have thought about using a collection of Pez dispensers as wall art until I saw the image above, but you have to admit, it's pretty fun.

Even very utilitarian objects can find their way into your home's design. Check out these wood clamps used as book ends.

Pinterest

Can't afford a large mirror? Hang three basic back-of-the-door type mirrors horizontally. You'll bring in light and add a bit a drama to your space.

Via Pinterest

Hanging a collection of mismatched plates may be nothing new, but how creative is the way this grouping was hung to follow the lines of the furniture piece in this entry. This makes me want to come up with a plan to add an unexpected touch to my own entry.

via Pinterest

A wine rack filled with basic glasses keeps colored marking pens organized and acts as a decorative element. I've also seen wine racks used to hold hand towels in a bathroom or rolled up magazines in an office.

via Pinterest

When painted in soft pastels, old crates get a new life in a mudroom. I wish my family kept their shoes this organized!

via Pinterest

Have you seen any creative uses for ordinary objects lately?