Yup—You can even paint that!

Argh!  You find a great deal on the table you’ve bee looking for, but—dang it—it has a laminate surface.  Not a problem, just grab your Annie Sloan Chalk Paint^TM and get busy!

Here is my table.  I’ve been using it for a painting surface, now it is time to paint it.

Because it has this laminate—super shiney, smooth surface—I decided to break the surface tension with some sand paper.

Here’s how it looked with a little scruffing.

A closer look at the sanding I did, plus the colors I’ve chosen (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint^TM in Country Grey on the left and Graphite on the right).

First, the Graphite.

Then the addition of the Country Grey.

I decided to try the Country Grey on the top, too, using a wet rag distressing method.  What do you think?

Then the addition of Clear, then Dark wax.

Yeah?  Me neither.  So we are back in black!  I just did a quick coat of graphite again, clear and dark wax again.

Much better.

Now it is ready to  be put into service at your next bridge game or bunko night.

Thanks for your indulgence!

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

(My Leaf Chronicle article for Nov 20th)

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. One thing I’ve noticed as I get older, a survey of my peers results in the same opinion. Most of us prefer Thanksgiving over Christmas. Further, most of site the same or similar reasons—less hubbub! Not so much to do to prepare for it—just fix some dinner and invite the family and friends over. It’s almost like any other Sunday for many of us—just more food.

Some of us travel. Well, that’s an understatement, being that it’s the most traveled holiday, but as I am retailer, I gave up even the thought of traveling on Thanksgiving! I don’t have those crazy 3 A.M. sales at Hodgepodge, but it’s a busy weekend anyway, so I can’t imagine being away.

So, for the past nine years, Thanksgiving has been at the King Kompound and that makes me VERY happy. My sister, Kendall, and her family are always part of the day and for that I am grateful. Between the two of us, we whip-up some rather tasty dishes that generally leave us quite satisfied.

Every year we try to think of some new dishes to prepare, but we’re hesitant to give up the tried and true recipes that we all enjoy. So, we usually make them all! This has really become a problem, because we just keep adding to an already large menu. Desserts alone are numbering close to the double digits!

One year I ventured on the wild side and made a dish using baby Brussels sprouts. They were amazing—even my youngest went back for seconds. The problem is I have less-than-no idea where that recipe went. I have tried replicating it—with acclaims and adoration pouring forth from Kendall who happily attests, to those being subjected to my experiments, that the original recipe was truly delicious. It’s very frustrating.

Tonight I will sit down with my cookbooks. I’m going to find a new vegetable recipe—one that doesn’t involve Brussels sprouts, but I do want it to be unusual. I’d also like a different green salad recipe. I’m looking forward to perusing my extensive cookbook collection for something mouthwatering.

I also need to do a little preparation for our table setting. I think I’ve written about the fact that I use a painter’s drop cloth canvas for our tablecloth before, but this year I want to make it fitted. I hope to find the time to cut it apart and create the tablecloth I’ve always intended it to be. If it doesn’t get done for Thanksgiving—it will get done for Christmas—even if I have to pay someone to do it for me!

As I think about my plans for my table setting this year, I decided to look back at pictures from years past (Yes, I take pictures of my table settings—when I remember—they come in handy for blogs and newspaper articles.). I really did like the table last year. I used a primitive three-tiered display, loaded down with gourds, pumpkins and Indian corn, as my centerpiece. As mentioned last week, a length of burlap served as the topper on my drop cloth.

I have to say—this was one of my favorite settings. And, true to the nonsense I spew at luncheons and other meetings I’m asked to attend as the speaker, I used the same basic setting for Christmas. I only changed the centerpiece.

(Of course, true to my form of these past few months, I failed to take any pictures of this year’s table.  The place settings were almost identical, but my centerpiece was simple.  I just used my twelve hole sugar mold with my artichoke votives.)

I’d love to hear about some of you Thanksgiving traditions, trials and tribulations.

Thanks for your indulgence,

What’s in a Monogram?

Brain cramp! I’m rarely at a loss for words, but when it comes to thinking of something new or, at the very least, old, but interesting to say, I’m starting to suffer from that thing called “writer’s block.” So, I shifted gears and remembered how many of my wonderful readers have told me that they feel like their having a conversation with me while reading my articles. (The BEST compliment I can receive, thank you!)

So, I called my Mom and started talking . . . we chatted about a myriad of things, mainly ideas for transitioning into fall. I know this seems to be the subject that won’t go away, but summer is the season that won’t go away! Thus, I’ve landed upon another idea that will work in any season, in any room of your house and you can use what you’ve already got at home.

I’m talking about monograms.

There was a time, during high school, when I wouldn’t be caught dead with anything monogrammed, but now—I want to monogram everything. There is something about adding your monogram to almost anything that takes it to a new level.

I’ve sold monogrammed items in the shop ever since I opened, but I didn’t have many monograms in my house. Then one day—okay, over series of days, weeks, even months—monograms started to insinuate themselves into my personal décor. It started with one little throw pillow on the bed and now, they’re everywhere. I am, for the moment, referring to embroidered monograms. Here’s how you can use them:

. . . in the bedroom. As I stated, I monogrammed a pillow—a simple hemstitched linen pillow—but you can monogram your euro shams with a large centered monogram. This can be a large single letter or the traditional three letter monogram; you might add a wreath or other embellishment. You can also add your monogram to the hem of the standard pillowcase or the flat sheet. Make sure you have them stitched on the side which faces up when the bed is made. (Seems silly, but they could come back wrong!)

. . . in the bathroom, of course, you can monogram towels. If you do this, consider how you hang your towels—folded in half, folded in thirds or on a hook. I would limit it to bath and hand towels. Basic monograms are nice for your bath, but you can also embellish with something expressive, such as an icon (crown, fleur de lis or ladybug). Don’t forget the hand towels for the guest bath.

. . . in the living room, you can add a monogram to your sofa pillows or your throws. A beautiful monogram centered on a luxurious throw you drape on the back of your sofa will make a huge impact.

And finally, in the dining room you can add your monogram to an infinite number of surfaces, such as the tablecloth, napkins and chairs.  (Of course, this one isn’t a monogram, but it is along the same lines . . .)

I have more ideas, but I’ve run out of room! Check out my blog for more ideas and, of course, pictures! Thanks again for reading—I really appreciate it!

Do you use monograms in your home?  Any new ideas?

Thanks for your indulgence!