Thursday, July 28, 2011

How To Make A Tipsy-Pot

I have been asked to show how I made the tipsy-pots
 that I used for my herbs.
My herb tower.
My flower tower.
It's so easy to assemble and looks magical.

You'll need:
 a large bottom pot-about 18"
4 smaller pots-about 8"
a 1/2"steel rod/pipe- about 46" long
potting soil
plants
 Fill your large pot with soil and
 insert the rod into the center.
 Make sure your rod will fit through the
bottom hole of your smaller pots.
 Thread a pot on and lean it against the rod.
Thread another pot on and lean it in
the opposite direction
resting it on the rim of the pot beneath it.
Thread on the remaining  pots alternating the
 direction that they lean.
Fill these pots with soil and plant.
You can also use this method for
smaller table top pots as well.
Happy Gardening



Links: My Romantic Home, Funky Junk,
Under The Table and Dreaming,
Savvy Southern Style, A Beach Cottage

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Vintage Strawberry Tablescape

Red and white summertime strawberries
 are on the table this week. 
I'm still enjoying the
picket fence table runner
 I MAY'd, so I'm starting there.
 The ric-rac trimmed strawberry placemats 
were made by my mother-in-law's 
church ladies group.
They made the candy striped napkins too.
They also made the coordinating polka dot
and strawberry hot pads and coasters.
I even have the matching aprons.
They handmade lots of goodies to sell 
at the church crafts fairs. 
Love those church ladies!
 This vintage strawberry jam pot also
belonged to my mother-in-law.
No one else in the family wanted all
this "old stuff".
You can see my old Singer sewing machine
table base.
I tied a red gingham checked ribbon to
 a plain glass votive and used a red candle.
White teapot and cow creamer.
I filled two old aqua Ball jars with fresh daisies.
A Longaberger coaster basket is lined in red and 
filled with strawberry coasters.
A Longaberger strawberry basket is filled 
with wooden strawberries.
A few extra strawberries are scattered on the pickets.
Ready for afternoon coffee and strawberry pie!
For breakfast have strawberry puff pancakes.
I thought the milk glass cake stand would look better
 with a ribbon running through the cut out design.
I have a shelf above the utility sink in the 
laundry room where I store large jars 
filled with all the saved ribbons.
I found one small spool of red with white dots.
 I wove the ribbon in and out and
 tied it with a bow. 
I can see changing out different colors of ribbon
 for all kinds of occasions. 
A little bit wider ribbon would work best.

Cheers!
Rita


Sunday, July 24, 2011

Pretty Wine Labels and How to Remove Them

Sometimes a wine label is so pretty
that I just have to buy a bottle.
Sometimes it has a personal meaning.
You can guess why this is our "house" wine. 
I like to think of it as my personal vineyard.
Wine and dogs~what's not to love?
We spent a weekend touring vineyards in 
the Yadkin Valley, an up and coming wine 
region in North Carolina. 
We chose these dog-themed wineries.
My favorite label because 
we have three dogs.
I've found that the easiest way to 
remove the labels. 
Plan A: The oven method
  Put the  bottle in a 350 degree oven for
about 10 minutes. This works most of the time. 
Remove the hot bottle with good oven mitts.
Use a knife to gently lift up one corner of the
 label. Carefully peel back, gently and evenly. 
If it doesn't come off this way, nothing 
will take it off. It's because different 
glues are used, especially in Italian wines.
Plan B: Hot Water Bath Method
  For when you don't have access to an oven. 
If you are on a trip and want to save your
 labels you can soak them off in very hot 
water for 15 minutes. As on one of our
 last trips when Larry commented,
"Why are there wine bottles in the bath tub?" 
 The glue will not dissolve with the oven
method. You'll need to put your label
glue side down on a piece of paper or
tissue to make sure it doesn't stick to
 anything. Then you can weigh
it down to flatten it.
I keep a manilla envelope in a nearby
 cabinet and just add wine labels as I go.
When I have enough, I can start this project.
My niece Rita made the frame above. 
Isn't it great? She decoupaged the
 wine labels onto an old frame. It's
 perfect for a wine cork memo board.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I firmly believe in completely recycling
 the wine bottles after drinking all the wine.
I use the corks, the labels and the bottles.
So, that's the lesson for today;
 drink wine, save the corks, the labels
and the bottles!

Cheers! Prost! Salud!

click on my Pinterest Board for lots
of ideas for wine bottles, corks, labels,
and gifting wine.


Links: Facebook
Dittle Dattle, House In The Roses,
Between Naps On The Porch, Type A,
Savvy Southern Style



Saturday, July 23, 2011

It's National Hot Dog Day!

It's today's reason to celebrate!
  That puts us in the mood for our favorite way
 to eat hot dogs.....
Chicago Style!
Franks for the memories!
It must be an all beef hot dog. 
It must be on a poppy seed bun.
It must be piled with mustard, relish, chopped onion,
  tomato wedges, a dill pickle spear, sport peppers,
 It must be in that order, thank you very much!
and finally......it must be sprinkled with 
celery salt.
Don't leave anything out and don't even think about adding ketchup!
Sweet Home Chicago!
Rita


click on Rita's Recipes for more info.


Thursday, July 21, 2011

Make A Flip-Flop Wreath

A fun summer wreath made from flip-flops.
I MAY'd this in less than 5 minutes today.
 I bought 6 pairs of flip-flops on sale at the end of summer last year.
 I chose very tropical colors, 3 polka dots and 3 floral. 
 I laid them out alternating the dots and florals using 6 (same) sides.
 I was going to glue them to a straw wreath.
 Then I decided just to hot glue them together.
Easier and it saves a wreath for something else.
 You can also make a starburst pattern.
I went with the simple heal to toe pattern.
I found a pretty two color ribbon in my pink ribbon jar.
I tied a bow to one of the toes. 
I hung the wreath on my suction cup hook. 
It's so lightweight, and of course it waterproof.
 I put the remaining flip-flops in a clay pot by the door.
A little flip-flop bouquet.
(I MAY use them to make another wreath)
Colorful flip-flops=Summer in Florida

Stay Cool!
Rita

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