Simple Centerpiece

Would you like to see another simple, thrifty elegant centerpiece idea for a wedding or a party? 

I  saw this idea at a wedding this summer and thought it looked so pretty-simple, vintage and elegant all at the same time. I decorated my table like this for a gathering we had at our house recently (the kids were gone so I could actually have candles and breakables within reach! )

I bought my tea lights at IKEA-the nice wide kind that burn a little longer than the standard ones, and I used two different sizes of Ball jars-arranging them in a set of three on a nice antique cake plate a friend gave me.

I love how the candles glow and sparkle in the jars! 

Wouldn't these be pretty hanging from a tree on a nice summer night? 

Linking up with these parties. and this one

Repurposed Tiered Treat Stand

Got any old aluminum cake pans laying around? How about old candlesticks? That's about all you'll need to make this cool vintage-ey tiered stand you can use for sweets and snacks at a party, a fruit and veggie stand in your kitchen, a caddy for craft or school materials, even a "sweet treat" stand at a wedding!

I first saw this idea on Pinterest, posted by a blog called The Crafting Chicks. Here is their version:

Source: maryjanesandgaloshes.com via Kristina on Pinterest

I couldn't wait to run to the thrift store for some pans (I already had a nice big wooden candlestick I planned on sawing in half).

Their version had three tiers with a thin candlestick, but I wanted to change it up a bit to make it my own and use the materials I had to work with. The best part about this project is that it cost me around $2 to make!

Here is what I used to make the stand:

-First, I sawed the wooden candlestick in half. 

-Then, I nailed through the top of the smaller cake pan into 

the top of one piece of the candle stick to secure them together. 

-I repeated the same process for the bottom cake pan, nailing 

through the bottom into the base of the candlestick.

-Then, I added a touch of vintage handmade lace 

I snagged at a garage sale by painting it on with Mod Podge.

My boys were ready to devour the fall treats I was bringing to them 

on my newly made tiered treat stand! 

Oops! I'm sorry for making your mouth water for caramel apples...ha ha...

These might be healthier snacks to crave!

Linking up with these parties.

Pottery Barn Style Wedding Chalkboards

I have some friends getting married soon who are doing a vintage-themed wedding and presented me with the request to make "bride and groom" chalkboards, along with a photo from a Pottery Barn calalog showing theirs, to hang on their chairs for their wedding--distressed style, of course! They were fun and simple to do, here's how I did it:

-First, I started with plain wooden photo frames- one was black, one was white. I removed the glass and spray painted it with chalkboard paint, and allowed to dry. (30 min. minimum)
-Then, I painted the white frame with dark brown acrylic craft paint and let dry. Then I painted both with white latex satin paint as the top coat and allowed those to dry.

-After the frames were dry, I took medium grade sand paper and lightly distressed the edges and grooves. I added dark brown paint to the raised areas that would naturally distress to add more detail. I made the "groom" frame more rugged and masculine and the "bride" frame more elegant and feminine.

-The finishing touch was adding ribbon to the cardboard back so that the glass would sit on top of it, sandwiching the ribbon into the frame to make it more secure, and gluing with a low temp glue gun.

Gladly, Ryan and Savannah were as happy with the results as I was. Can't wait to see them displayed

on their wedding day!