Hello... I thought today I would show you how I make my prim, grubby pillar candles. I like to be able to actually burn my candles, but I know that if you don't have a "trick" it can be dangerous to do so with all the spices and primness. So, what I do first is buy a bunch of pillar candles at the end of the holiday season. Then, I burn it just long enough for it to have a "nice" well in the middle. Next, I rub the candle with a towel and rubbing alcohol to remove the waxiness and to help the paint stick better. Allow to dry. Then, I paint the candle with black acrylic paint, right up to the well, but not inside the well. After the black paint is thoroughly dry... I paint a little burnt umber acrylic paint here and there for that nice aged look. And, allow that to dry. Next, I paint the candle with Mod Podge, and sprinkle well with whatever spices I am in the mood for. Today, I just used cinnamon, but they come out great with ground cloves and nutmeg too... and sometimes I will also add a little coffee grounds to the mix. Allow to dry and set well. When all is dry, I then gently rub off any excess with my hands. Decorate with a little grungy cheese cloth or homespun. And voila, a grubby candle you can actual use! Wasn't that easy??
No doubt bittersweet is beautiful in fall arrangements. Just search Pinterest and you’ll see it featured in many fall container gardens. While I understand bittersweet’s appeal I NEVER advocate it. Oriental bittersweet (celastrus orbiculatus) is invasive. Our feathered friends feast on the orange/yellow berries and then do their business in the woods. Bittersweet is a […]
Hello... I thought today I would show you how I make my prim, grubby pillar candles. I like to be able to actually burn my candles, but I know that if you don't have a "trick" it can be dangerous to do so with all the spices and primness. So, what I do first is buy a bunch of pillar candles at the end of the holiday season. Then, I burn it just long enough for it to have a "nice" well in the middle. Next, I rub the candle with a towel and rubbing alcohol to remove the waxiness and to help the paint stick better. Allow to dry. Then, I paint the candle with black acrylic paint, right up to the well, but not inside the well. After the black paint is thoroughly dry... I paint a little burnt umber acrylic paint here and there for that nice aged look. And, allow that to dry. Next, I paint the candle with Mod Podge, and sprinkle well with whatever spices I am in the mood for. Today, I just used cinnamon, but they come out great with ground cloves and nutmeg too... and sometimes I will also add a little coffee grounds to the mix. Allow to dry and set well. When all is dry, I then gently rub off any excess with my hands. Decorate with a little grungy cheese cloth or homespun. And voila, a grubby candle you can actual use! Wasn't that easy??
Hello... I thought today I would show you how I make my prim, grubby pillar candles. I like to be able to actually burn my candles, but I know that if you don't have a "trick" it can be dangerous to do so with all the spices and primness. So, what I do first is buy a bunch of pillar candles at the end of the holiday season. Then, I burn it just long enough for it to have a "nice" well in the middle. Next, I rub the candle with a towel and rubbing alcohol to remove the waxiness and to help the paint stick better. Allow to dry. Then, I paint the candle with black acrylic paint, right up to the well, but not inside the well. After the black paint is thoroughly dry... I paint a little burnt umber acrylic paint here and there for that nice aged look. And, allow that to dry. Next, I paint the candle with Mod Podge, and sprinkle well with whatever spices I am in the mood for. Today, I just used cinnamon, but they come out great with ground cloves and nutmeg too... and sometimes I will also add a little coffee grounds to the mix. Allow to dry and set well. When all is dry, I then gently rub off any excess with my hands. Decorate with a little grungy cheese cloth or homespun. And voila, a grubby candle you can actual use! Wasn't that easy??
Well with the holidays right around the corner, and all of our craft projects that we need to get done, I thought I would share my recipe for Grungy, Grubby Hang Tags. I like to add these to everything! Bags of potpourri, dolls, Santas, presents, etc... Ingredients Instant Coffee Vanilla 2 cups hot water Ground Spices ~ cinnamon, cloves, etc Bowl wooden spoon Hang Tags In Bowl, combine coffee granules and 2 cups hot water. Mix to combine, then add vanilla and spices to your liking. Next get your hang tags, now you can keep them flat or you can crumple them up and flatten them out again, it's up to you. I like to make them both ways, because I use them for different things. Dip the tags into the spice mixture and allow to sort of drip dry. Now, place them on a cookie sheet. Turn oven on to 200 degrees, and place cookie sheet in. Keep an eye on them, and remove when they are dry. New get creative! Start stamping, drawing, cut and pasting... you decide!
A blog about farmhouse French Country Style. DIY, decorating on a budget. Found & repurposed, Crafts, furniture painting, home renovation, recipes.
Veronica Popoiacu is a freelance artist and the girl behind bittersweetcolours.com. Because I studied art in high school and college I always had the desire to express myself. At first it was on a small dimension, later, a piece of canvas turned into a big picture. I care about the way I dress every day - for me, this is just another form of art that involves creativity.
Why you should beware of invasive species like kudzu, English ivy, privet, Bradford pear, Japanese honeysuckle, trumpet creeper, Virginia creeper, and more.
Shop this outfit here! Howdy, ya'll! You may or may not know this, but I grew up in Texas and didn't move to Oklahoma until college. Oklahoma is where my heart is but Texas will forever feel like home. I consider Argyle/Denton to be my hometown since it is where I grew up and went to high school but I lived in Frisco when I was a little girl and it holds some pretty awesome memories, as well. So, that being said, when Visit Frisco reached out to me and offered to host me for a weekend trip, I knew I had to jump at the chance to go "home." Since I was heading back to my roots, I asked my mom to go with me! Girl's weekend getaways are always good for the soul and Frisco was the perfect destination as it was only a few hours drive away from both Oklahoma and Arkansas (where my parents live now). Frisco has changed a LOT since we lived there in the 90's....I remember when Preston Road was two lanes and had cow fields on either side! Now-a-days, Frisco is a lively, bustling little city filled with upscale shopping, restaurants, the Dallas Cowboys practice facility and so much more. I'm including all the places we visited below. Similar Star Print Leggings | Pink Yankee Hat | Free People Tunic | Adidas Sneakers What to Do in Frisco Get Creative at Crafted - I love arts and crafts but 1) I never have the time to do them and 2) they never turn out like I envision (or like they look on Pinterest haha). Insert: Crafted! My mom and I signed up for a 2-hour Saturday morning workshop complete with mimosas! We took a piece of raw wood (looking it came straight from the hardware store) from start to finish and turned it into a beautiful frame that I am proud to display. Our instructor taught us how to distress the wood, how to stain it and how to paint it .... we were able to choose our texture, color, and design to really make it our own and make it match our personal taste and style. It was such a fun activity and I'm already wanting to go back and craft some more pieces and memories. Relax at Stonebriar Spa - what's a girls weekend without a little relaxation? We spent an entire afternoon at Stonebriar Spa and left feeling rejuvenated and pampered. We both did the Dream Package which was three hours and included a massage, facial and pedicure. Yes, please. Every part of the experience was wonderful from the mint chocolates in the lady's locker room to almost falling asleep during the facial. The spa pedicure and Swedish style massage were amazing, too, but the facial is what really relaxed me! When I get a facial in OKC it is usually something super painful (like a chemical peel) so the experience of having a relaxing, organic facial was something new and wonderful. The products used are supposed to restore balance and leave you with a healthy glow....and they definitely did! My skin has been so happy ever since! Hang out at The Star - The Star is the 91 acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and practice facility. It includes a massive outdoor field where anyone can toss a football around, a shopping center and a ton of yummy restaurants! There is even a neat Cowboy Walk of Fame around the property. Visit the Rail District - I heard great things about The Rail District, as well, but we didn't have time to make it there. Frisco started as a train station town and they have really revitalized the railroad area and turned it into a town square. They have a railroad museum and the Rail Yard food truck park - the whole area that is bustling with cool places to visit! Where to Eat in Frisco Tupelo Honey - oh my tastebuds! I'm still craving the sweet potato pancakes I ordered during Sunday brunch! The cathead biscuits w/blueberry compote weren't too bad, either. Yum, yum and yum. The Heritage Table - the cutest little locally sourced restaurant located in an old house on Main Street! They offer "familiar foods from scratch" .... like the chicken pot pie and deviled eggs I ordered and devoured! Eight11 - anyplace that has wine, craft beer, cheese plates and a fire pit is a place I know I will love! Eight11 did not disappoint. We stopped in for a light lunch of sangria and charcuterie! Like The Heritage Table, Eight11 is also located in an old home that has been turned into the cutest Main Street stop. They often have live music on the backyard patio under the bistro lights! Neighborhood Services - we didn't eat at Neighborhood Services on this trip, but I've been before and have nothing but good things to say about it! It's a little on the expensive side but would make a great date night spot or special occasion destination. Summer Moon Coffee - you guys know I'm a coffee snob and finding a cute (and delicious) coffee shop is a MUST when traveling! Summer Moon was recommended by my cousin who lives in Frisco! It was popping on a Saturday morning and was really cute. They serve wood fired coffee made over Texas Oak. We just got coffee to go but it looked like they have tasty breakfast pastries and such, as well! Pro Tip: The hot drink menu is on the wall behind the wait line ;) Cow Tipping Creamery - this company started as a food truck in Austin and has since opened a few brick and mortar locations around Texas! Frisco was lucky to get their own Cow Tipping Creamery at The Star. I recommend the Southern Charm: caramel sauce and honey dusted pecans layered on top of soft serve and southern cracker candy. Insert drool emoji. SomiSomi - I scream, you scream! The ice cream from SomiSomi was quite possibly the best thing I ate on this trip. SomiSomi serves Korean-style soft serve in fish shaped ice cream cones! You can choose a filling for the cone, the flavor of the ice cream, and the toppings. I went with coffee soft serve, my cone was filled with Nutella and I topped it with graham cracker crumbs! YUM. I then proceeded to spill it all down my white shirt soooo.....don't be like me haha. Babe's Chicken Dinner House - we didn't eat at Babe's on our girl's weekend, BUT, Babe's is forever a favorite for my family so I wanted to include it! They have the BEST fried chicken this side of the Mississippi and serve all their sides bottomless family style. Pro tip: combine the mashed potatoes and creamed corn for the yummiest southern side dish! Tupelo Honey The Heritage Table Eight11 Cow Tipping Creamery SomiSomi Where to Shop in Frisco Sunny Paige - the cutest mother/daughter owned boutique on Main Street....also located in an old house! Main Street is seriously the cutest, you guys. I bought a cute crop top for an upcoming vacation and a gorgeous dress to wear to a wedding in a few weeks! They had great gift items, home decor, clothes, shoes, accessories and more. Bittersweet Ivy - so, funny story. Back in 1999 when Beanie Babies were all the rage, I would save my $2 allowance for two weeks and go to the store (where Bittersweet Ivy is now located) to buy a Beanie Baby to add to my collection. Now-a-days, Bittersweet Ivy is much more my style than the Beanie Baby store! It is cool to see how Frisco has changed right along with me! I scored a pair of paper bag pants here that is perfect for the office. Flea Style + Heirloom Haul - Flea Style is located at The Star and inside the store you will find Heirloom Haul, a little tea room and cafe! Flea Style is SO CUTE and has a ton of pieces from trendy fashion to eclectic decor and jewels. I bought several things here and wish I would have been hungry enough to try the macarons at Heirloom Haul! Next time. There are a ton of other boutiques at The Star and on Main Street! I wish we would have had the time and money to shop at them all! Of course, Stonebriar Mall is there, as well, with upscale department stores and chain stores. Where to Stay in Frisco We stayed at the AC Hotel by Marriott. It was a new hotel and it had the yummiest European buffet breakfast! The Omni Hotel was just a few blocks away and I have heard great things about their property, as well. Both are conveniently located off the Dallas North Tollway and right by The Star. Have you been to Frisco? I had the best time exploring my old stomping grounds with my mom and highly recommend it as a girl's weekend getaway location. I was so shocked at how cool the Main Street area is now and how many local places there are to shop, eat and enjoy. I love that Frisco is more than just big name stores and food chains...it is filled with thriving local businesses at its core. You better believe I'll be back the next time I'm in North Texas area! Happy travels and thanks for reading! Thank you Visit Frisco for hosting me! As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The US has discovered that one of the best ways of fighting invasive plants is also one of the oldest - goats.
Do you have any favourite plants/trees to work It’s hard to choose! I have a whole forest to choose from. I’ll jump around from plant to trees.In terms of personal connection to the land, the Easter…
Turn a ho-hum lawn into a hub of activity with a sport court for horseshoes, croquet, or bocce. This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook shows you how
Tout pêle-mêle...
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Something about antique hand painted Limoges France - this piece is a work of art - mostly the painting but also the form. Fabulous vine plant with stems leaves and berries - the berries look like Bittersweet. Painting on both the inside and the outside of the bowl. Gold trim to highlight the leaves and stems and also to outline the berries. The backstamps indicate OLD ABBEY Limoges and Limoges France. The star with the word LIMOGES inside and the word FRANCE underneath indicates that the L & E Cioffee factory made the bowl form. Nice medium sized serving bowl with scalloped edges, some ribbing and tab handles. It is 8 1/2" x 9 1/2" at the top, has a 5 1/8" diameter bottom and stands 2 1/4" tall. This is a gorgeous piece for display and/ or use. Thank you for visiting https://vintageoak.etsy.com
Handcrafted, unique, wooden furniture and art for your home. I use bittersweet vines to create most of the pieces you see here. Bittersweet is an invasive vine that is destroying New England forests. I have permits from local towns and conservation groups to remove this vine in an ecological way. I use only mature vines and never disturb the berries (which could further spread these vines). Visit www.entangledfurnishings.com to see the pieces I offer for sale.
Y ES, THEY CAN MAKE YOU FEEL VIOLENT, author Teri Dunn Chace admits about weeds in “How to Eradicate Invasive Plants.” In fact, if authors
Part of the fun of the holiday season is "decking the halls" and decorating for the season. By bringing the symbols of the season into our homes, for festivity and communion, we are able to deeply align with the living earth and her turning seasons. And the symbols of this particular season, at the winter
