Candlesticks for my fireplace for free...yes please.

Sometimes you need a little inspiration...say from Pottery Barn magazines or Pinterest. Other times you surprise yourself and come up with something completely on your own and...well surprise yourself. I have admired large candlesticks for quite sometime and knew they would look amazing in front of our fireplace but they can be rather pricey and it wasn't something that I was willing to splurge on. I had searched Pinterest looking for some ideas but really didn't find anything I loved so I filed that thought away temporarily.

While working on my daughters' bedroom I was in the garage and saw the bed (a yard sale find and on it's last leg) that she no longer wanted. It  was headed for the dump and I sat staring at it wondering how I could salvage any piece or part of it...crickets...and then it came to me. I quickly (for fear of getting side tracked and losing sight of my most spectacular idea ever) started working to unscrew the posts...they unscrewed easily and I knew I had my candlesticks I had been drooling over.

Before

 



I took three of the posts and cut them down (by my own self) to different lengths with my Steven's miter saw. I painted the posts and attached them to some wooden bases I had purchased at Hobby Lobby this summer. Right when things were starting to come together I had no idea what I was going to use for the top to set the candles on...it was a dilemma. I went on a search through my house and seriously found nothing...until I spotted our old pickle/lightning bug jar lids...hmmm...I was skeptical myself but with a little spray paint and stain they looked like they belonged. I screwed them to the tops of the post and perfection...I have my free, one of a kind candlesticks that look perfect in front of my fireplace.

I wanted to share my Marion sign that I made as well. It was a trial run and my inspiration was a sign that hangs at a beautiful landmark in our town,  the old train station. I love everything about that building and the sign. I imagine what it would have been like to have been on a train traveling and rolling into our beautiful train station and quaint little town...anyway...I had an old piece of wood in the burn barrel that was the perfect size so I painted, trimmed, distressed and voila my very own train station sign. It is far from perfect and I actually love it so much I want to try again with a better quality wood but for now I am content with how it looks over our chalkboard wall...I love it and the daydreaming of the "old days" that it provokes. : )

Have you saved anything from the trash lately and transformed it into something beautiful?

Brandy

Linking up with:

 

http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2013/02/the-creative-spark-no-79.html
 

 http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2013/02/wow-us-wednesdays-106.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavvySouthernStyle+%28Savvy+Southern+Style%29

 http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/tutorials/tutorials-tips-link-party-97.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thestoriesofa2z%2FVisw+%28Home+Stories+A+to+Z%29

<a href="http://www.uncommondesignsonline.com/"><img src="http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h379/linesacrossmyface/MondayFundayFeature150_zpsb35eec31.png" border="0" />

http://www.beneathmyheart.net/2013/02/best-diy-projects-of-february-linky-party-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=best-diy-projects-of-february-linky-party-2

 



...and then I was the mother of two teenagers.

Where does time go? When family and random people would tell me to enjoy my children while they were little because before I knew it they would be graduating...I listened, sort of, but like everything else in my life I had to learn that lesson on my own. I can't believe most days that I am the mother of two teenagers...after all wasn't I just one?  To go back and do some days over again...what I would give. To play a little longer, to read that story again for the 101th time and to have just one more tea party...but time has marched on and gone are those days (at least with my two oldest) but I am trying to make the most of every minute because I now know time does pass so quickly and these precious days will be gone before I know it.
We recently have updated the teenage bedrooms and sadly realized this was probably the last time...tears. We moved my 16 year old to a new room downstairs to give him some more privacy and so he can be closer to the kitchen but so I don't  embarrass him for his privacy I will not show his room...but Gracie on the other hand is more than willing to let me share her new and improved teenage bedroom.

My sweet sister donated a weekend to help while Gracie was on a youth trip. It was an awesome surprise. We repainted her green walls an Ash Gray which looks so clean and fresh, I love it. I painted a chalkboard on half of one wall which her younger brothers love to leave her messages on. We bought new frilly curtains, hung her pompoms up in a corner above her old/new vanity and painted her dresser and nightstand True Turqoiuse with a little distressing and wax. I painted two canvases for her and made a necklace holder out of an old clock frame. I made a headboard out of pallets and a piece of wormy chestnut found in the attic. Enjoy the pictures but most importantly enjoy today with your sweet children for these days are gone too quickly...