Hanging Driftwood

Hi everyone,

Several weeks ago, I purchased a hanging driftwood mobile made from predrilled pieces of driftwood that was hanging on two pieces of cross shaped wood .  When I received it in the mail it was broken :-(.  So, I contacted the shop I purchased it from and they gave me a credit and told me I didn't have to ship it back, just to keep it.  When I first pulled it out of the box, it was A LOT larger than I thought it would be but in the spirit of not wasting it, I decided to "repair" it.  Because it was soooo large, I decided to restring it and make it smaller so it wouldn't be so heavy.  It turned out fairly good but it was still extremely heavy.  After hanging it in the closet on a hanger until I could think my way around what else I could do with it, I had visited a blog where I saw driftwood pieces whitewashed and hung in a straight line instead of on a mobile. (I wish I could remember the name of that blog to give credit but it escapes my mind)  So, with that in mind, I decided to "repurpose it" AGAIN.  (I hate throwing things away and after all someone did take lot of pains and product to make the original mobile).


So, I unstrung it and took the driftwood pieces that were already predrilled and purchased some paint from Sherwin Williams called Eider White, diluted it 4 ounces of paint to 6 tablespoons of water and with a stiff brush painted each piece of driftwood with the paint and then immediately wiped it off with a lint free cotton cloth.  And while it took 2 and 1/2  hours to do this, it was well worth it.  I reused the ring that held it and left the string that had attached the two pieces of wood that was crossway and held the pieces of driftwood.  I added a starfish that was attached to the original mobile to the one I made and PRESTO, VOILA, a hanging strip of whitewashed driftwood pieces.  I love the way it turned out and I am so glad I didn't toss it.  Please excuse the photos as the room that I have this hanging in is quite dark and after taking photos with the light on, I didn't like the yellow cast it placed upon the driftwood.

This is approximately 5 ft. long and the perfect  length for the wall.

A close-up of the top of the hanging driftwood.

The middle section.

The end.

Full length.

So, I guess persistence does pay off cause I really like my new wall art!

Etsy Love

I am a huge fan of Etsy and whenever possible I make purchases from there.  There is always such a nice variety of shops to browse through and I am always amazed at the talent out there.  I've been reading in various magazines and on blogs about some really cool shops that I will be showing you today.

The first one is called Eye Poetry and as of late I've been looking at prints to hang on a long chain with clips in my office.  I usually like the 5 x 7 size and have found some gorgeous photos in this shop.  Here is the link to the shop:  Eye Poetry Photography.  Here is a sample of some of my favorites:

This one is on my list of favorites

I loved this one so much I purchased it.

I've never been a fan of horse pictures but I love this one!
Hmmm, I'm thinking of getting this one!

This is such a serene photo, ethereal.  It  has a heavenly look to it.

This is another one that I purchased...I have to stay away from this shop!  LOL

I hope that you will stop by and check out her prints.

Here is another shop, a ceramic shop that has the most charming and colorful pieces. A lovely lidded jar, bowls, and vases all so bright and cheery.  You can find it here: Owl Creek Ceramics.

Love these!

One of my favorites!

For all of you who knit or crochet, I think this is pretty nifty!

Rim Pasta Bowl ~ Blue and White Handpainted

When I am looking for crafting/paper supplies and other cool items this shop is one of my favorites:  I love the twine's in linen and in the raw for wrapping gifts.  She also has tags and an assortment of painted clothespins for hanging prints etc.
Olive Manna

Belgium Linen

Raw Twine

Textile Bobbins

Wooden Buttons

More Linen Thread

She has all sorts of bits and bobbins and a designated Website which you can also visit here Shop Olive Manna that carries vintage, handmade and sundries.  I've made several purchases from her and have always been very pleased with what I've ordered.

I'm sure most of you are well familiar with Etsy and I hope you have enjoyed viewing the items from these wonderful and talented people.

Almond Cake

Hello Everyone,

So sorry for not blogging...it has been awhile.  I've been enjoying the summer here even though it has been extremely hot and humid with very little rain.  Needless to say watering the plants has been an all consuming task, among other things.

I have been doing some baking lately.  Last week I made a homemade peach cobbler which was delicious even if I do say so myself and today I decided to make an Almond Cake.  While this recipe is time consuming, it is well worth the time spent making it.  Here are a few photos of how it turned out:

I added the slivered almonds in the center of the cake to satisfy husbands desire for "nuts"  Hah

Here is a copy of the recipe from Provision 52, a website I wrote about here: Provision 52 along with another great recipe I found from their website.

I hope all of you who try this will like it, I sure did.  With summer slowly coming to an end, I am awaiting much cooler temperatures and less tourists (I haven't been to the beach or Pier since July)so that I can stroll down the Pier and window shop once again without a rush of people and long lines.

I will be writing about several new Etsy shops I have scouted out this week, so stay tuned.