Depression Glass

The weather is finally warming up here AND EVERYTHING IS LOOKING bright and cheerful! I just love the SPRINGTIME!!! I can’t help but think of warmer days to come and reminiscently daydream of my Mother serving my brother and I ice cream in these pretty spring green sherbet dishes. Later on, I come to learn that these cheerfully colored glassware are depression glass!

For those that may not know, depression glass was manufactured in the Midwest and Central United States and is a clear or colored translucent glassware that was usually distributed for free (or at low cost) during the great depression (example: movie theaters would hand out the glassware for entering their venue).

There are over 100 patterns made and come in a variety of colors; most common are clear (crystal), pink, pale blue, green, and amber. Less common are yellow (canary), ultra marine, jadeite (opaque pale green), delphite (opaque pale blue), cobalt blue, red (ruby & royal ruby), black, amethyst, monax, and white (milk glass). To learn more about colors and patterns click HERE to read.

One last thing about depression glass, I LOVE IT!!!!

picture source from ebay

Don't you just love panelling?

When someone mentions panelling, you immediately get A KNOT IN YOUR STOMACH AND CRINGE from the image of that horrible 1950s - 1970s stuff!

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Raised panelling and wainscoting can be absolutely beautiful and can add visual interest, texture and warmth to a room! Check out these images below!

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credit for the above 4 photos

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Lemonade, that cool refreshing drink!

While flipping through blogs today, I came across the this beautiful image below over at Our Best Little Bites.

I thought it was a beautiful image with it's vivid yellows and greens and hints of blue and since we have had such a SNOWY winter thus far, I wanted to conjure up some images of SUMMER! While staring at the image my mind started wondering about how could these colors be used in a room? So I searched the web for some mouth watering images - ENJOY!

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Don't just sit there like a sack of potatoes....

Get up and decorate!!!!! With BURLAP. Yes, burlap as in potato sacks.

Lately, burlap is showing up in places you wouldn't expect. This durable FABRIC can be used for many different applications and can add charm and personality to a causal home.

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Not sure if burlap is for you? Start small, wrap a clear glass cylinder vase with a strip of burlap, like the picture above. The rough texture of burlap juxtapose to the modern smooth shape of the vase is an eye catching affect.

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I love these place mats! These were handmade - to get instructions visit pickles and cheese blog page!

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Or how about a throw pillow or two or three....

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a table runner is a good place to start with decorating with burlap.

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Lampshades are a great place for this versatile fabric.

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Bet you never thought of using it as part of your bed linens.

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The casual dining room above is beautifully decorated and the burlap roman blinds look great.

Hmmm, now that I'm done with this post, I think I'll grab a baked potato with butter, sour cream and chives.

I want to wish EVERYONE A Happy Thanksgiving!

Home offices!

More and more people are creating home offices whether or not they work from the home. Why?The home office is a “private space” for one to collect thoughts, be organized, pay bills, surf the net and maybe use for a hobby”.

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THE ESSENTIALS: What basics you will need to make it a home office.

• Desk and chair (writing/bill paying area with pens, pencils, paper, and containers to organize them)
• Storage drawers for everything from office supplies to integrated file cabinets (these can be a part of the desk or separate depending on space)
• Shelving or cabinetry above the counter top surface
• Computer or Laptop
• Printer, Scanner, and Fax machine
• Bulletin board or magnetic board or dry erase board
• Specialty Equipment for a specific profession or hobby
• Proper Lighting! You can’t work well if you can’t see!!!!!!!!

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I included this picture because, no matter how small your space is for a home office, you can still have a succesful and productive space with the bare necessities. credit

MAINTENANCE: What you need to do to keep your office productive and efficient.

• · Keep your office clean and clutter free – I truly believe a cluttered room equals a cluttered mind. Keep your mind free of debris in order to be productive and creative.
• · Prioritize the items in your space – keep only what you need in the room and take out any item that don’t belong in this space (hair dryer, dog brush, kids sports equipment…). Keep what you need on a daily basis within reach. Desktop – computer, stapler, tape dispenser, pens/pencils/markers, notepad. The rest can go in drawers. Files get put in file drawers (obviously) and reference books in above shelving or bookshelf. Bulk office supplies go in a closet or freestanding cabinet.
• · Upkeep - when you are done with something, put it back in it’s proper place. This will maintain a clutter free environment for you to work in.

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DÉCOR: What style and objects that will make you want to be in this space.

Now that you have all the essentials, here’s where the fun begins – DÉCOR AND STYLE!!!! Remember this is an office in your home, this is NOT a cubby in some florescent lit office downtown, where the rules of the company is to not have family pictures on your desk. This is your HOME, make it warm, make if fun, make it YOU! So whether your style is Modern, Chabby Chic, Old World, Hollywood Glam, Country, it doesn’t matter, this is YOUR OWN PERSONAL AND PRIVATE SPACE!! Make it a place where you want to work and be in! Let’s face it, we spend more time working than we do at leisure.

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If you need help creating your own home office space, contact me.

If it's not Baroque, don't fix it...

But if you are Baroque, THAN MAKE IT YOURSELF!!! Ugh, I know, I know a bad, bad pun - sorry!!!!!

As you may already know, sunburst mirrors are making a come back in a BIG way! They come in many styles and range in price- which are usually expensive.

SO here's what I'm thinking.....

How can I make an easy version of my own SUNBURST MIRROR? So I thought ceiling medallion! I ran to Home Depot and grabbed a Baroque ceiling medallion ($26) and a tube of liquid nails ($3). Shuffled on over to Michael's Arts and Craft and purchased a 5" centerpiece mirror (.99C), metallic acrylic paint in silver (.89C). Total cost of mirror $31.89 + tax - WHAT A BARGAIN!!!!

spray paint!

two coats needed!

using a very expensive tool, my finger to add silver highlights to the raised edges of the pattern

Looking good if you ask me! Set aside to dry.

Glue mirror on back - I used liquid nails and taped it down while it dried

FINISHED!!!

Okay, so it's technically not a sunburst mirror but the acanthus leaf pattern reminds me of a sunburst! Anyway, I'm happy with the results!

OMG - Like your house is totally 80s!

It's okay when your walls are adorned with ATARI wall graphics from blik!.