DIY - VINTAGE PICTURE HANGER

I have spent alot of time searching for Vintage Pant Hangers [and looking at a blank hallway wall] that I could use to hang up 6 prints that I purchased from Obvious State on Etsy. Finding one hanger here and there and paying $10-15 a piece didn't interest me. I found 6 hangers at my local consignment store for $4.95 and I already had my favorite DIY product Briwax, I decided to just make my own 'Vintage' Hangers. It ended up being a very easy project + gratification was almost instant!!

EQUIPMENT:

• Wood pant hangers
• Sander + Sandpaper [I love my Black + Decker Mouse < $40 + gets in all the little nooks  & crannies!]
• Briwax [I used the Tutor Brown} 
• Assortment of tools for 'aging+ damaging' i.e. hammer, awl, screwdriver + pliers
• Fine grade steel wool
• Rags
• Double sided 'sticky' tape

DIRECTIONS:

1. Remove the padding from the underside of each hanger. Clean with soap and water and let air dry
2. Sand the outside and underside of each hanger. Don't be afraid to be aggressive on the edges, you want to get a 'worn' look!
3. Using any fine grade steel wool, rub over sanded areas to smooth the surfaces to be waxed.
4. Carefully avoid the metal hanger, and damage the wooden areas of the hanger by pounding, hitting, crunching and scratching with your tool assortment
5. Using your rags, follow the directions on the Briwax container in a well ventilated area and apply to the wood on your hanger. [A little bit goes a long way...] Let dry for 30 - 45 minutes and polish waxed areas with an additional clean rag.
6. Place a strip of double sided sticky tape on the BACK side of your picture, position and close your hanger + hang!

BIG FAT SNICKERDOODLE COOKIE RECIPE

A few weeks ago a super sweet and very talented friend Tina, brought over a plate of the most delicious Snickerdoodle cookies I have ever tasted. Huge + crunchy on the outside with an oh so nice soft center. At my family's request I asked for the recipe. Not only did she tell me where she got the recipe from, she brought over a recipe copy and a brand new X-Large ice cream scoop  [2.75oz|1/3 cup] necessary to get the Big Fat Cookie size and even shape ... She is such a sweetie xo

The kids are getting ready for school finals this week and what better comfort food is there to 'cope with the stress' than a crunchy + soft freshly baked cookie? I was so excited to try this recipe and my brand new scoop!

From Big Fat Cookies - Elinor Klivans p.73

INGREDIENTS

• 2 3/4 cups of unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) of vegetable shortening
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract

DIRECTIONS

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350F | 175C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick silicone baking mat.

Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup of the sugar + cinnamon: set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, vegetable shortening and remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar until smooth and fluffy @ 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract and mix until blended, about 1 minute. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just until it is incorporated. The dough will be soft and smooth.

Using an ice-cream scoop or a measuring cup with 1/4 cup capacity [ I used my 2.75 oz scoop = 1/3 cup] scoop out portions of dough. Roll each one between the palms of your hands into a smooth ball, roll each ball in the cinnamon- sugar mixture to coat evenly, and place the cookies 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the bottoms + edges are golden @ 18 mins. The centers of the cookies should feel from on top and soft underneath - this indicates that the cookies will have the desired soft, slightly chewy center. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Makes 18 cookies...

This is also [Tina's] great gift idea for  family + friends. The Big Fat Cookie book + Ice-cream scoop!

* As an Aussie I am used to substituting caster or superfine bakers sugar in place of regular granulated white sugar, which I did in this recipe. While it should not make any difference in the batter texture, the granules do dissolve faster during the cooking process. The only difference that my boy's and I noticed was in the slight reduction in the crunch texture on the outside of our snickerdoodles!

** Note that when using a larger ice-cream scoop or cup unit of measurement, cooking time will increase. That being said, with smaller ice-cream scoop or cup unit of measurement, the cooking time will be reduced 

Please feel free to add your own 'go to' + favorite cookie recipes in the comments section ... I am always looking to add to our family collection of most loved cookie recipes! xo

I am linking this post to the following parties! Someday Crafts, Sugaranddots, Buns In My Oven, Ginger Snap Crafts, EllaClair Inspired

PRETTIE..SIMPLE DECORATIONS

One of my favorite things to collect is vintage wooden thread spools. They come in all shapes and sizes. I love the paper labels that usually remain on the top and bottom of the spool that are usually worn and have the most lovely hues....My mum and I guard our collections from each other obsessively!!

I love to dress up and display the spools on shelves and in vintage jam jars around the house, but, with the holidays coming up I just quickly decorated them with simple items I had on hand - vintage paper lace seam binding, bakers twine, glitter, paper music remnants and pipe cleaners. How do you display and decorate with some of your collections?!?!

Linking with : Laurianna's Vintage Home, Whipperberry, The French Country Cottage, Common Ground, Stuff & Nonsense

PRETTIE...BOO-TIFUL TREAT CUPS

This year is moving at a furious pace and I am feeling a little overwelmed with the approaching holidays. I found these fantastic wooden treat tasting spoons and thought they would go well with my Halloween tasting menu - now that our kids are too cool to "spook" we like to open our house to other Halloween "lonely" parents to help us distribute 400 + pieces of candy - which leaves no time to sit down and eat!!

These plain white drinking cups are the perfect size for chilli, soup, dips, apple cider, melon balls and ice-cream!

If all goes well I will do the same for our Christmas open house - substituting 'boo' for 'joy'.....Really restaurant supply stores are some of my most favorite places to shop! If you are looking for some cute treat tags click here for the download!

PRETTIE...VINTAGE PAPER FLOWER WREATH

My love of Vintage imagery is not just relegated to children's books, wrapping paper and gift cards from the late 1940's - early 1960's.....Over the last few years I have been lucky enough to find quite a few Vintage Sewing Patterns at my local Thrift stores.

Once I have scanned and cleaned up my favorite images....

I am left with quite a stash of often unused very pretty pattern paper.....which until recently I was unsure what to do with other than wrap a few choice goodies for friends with.

After making a few hundred paper flowers for my best friends wedding a year ago, (using this tutorial) and reams of purchased tissue paper - I had my "light bulb" moment. One thing let to another and my stash was quickly put to good use....I absolutely LOVE the random-ness of the printed directions and pattern pieces integrating with the kraft|brown.


One of my favorite crafting projects is to make one of a kind seasonal or celebratory wreaths which usually involve alot of tulle and/or tarnished glass christmas ornaments. For this wreath I decided to use a few (approx 120 - yikes!) of my Vintage pattern flowers and some Ivory tulle cut into 1 inch "ribbons" to make my now favorite and year round wreath.....


Basically I used about 40 of each flowers in 3, 3 1/2 and 4" sizes and tightly "packed" and hot glued them onto a 20" wire wreath frame in 3 layers. In between every 2 or 3 flowers I tied my tulle strips as a lite accent which also helped to "break" up the tone and texture of the pattern tissue paper.

The backside looks pretty messy and busy and I should have spray painted the wire frame a neutral ivory color but....hanging on the front of a decorative wall piece over my entryway mantle - no one can tell!

This entire project involved a significant time investment and the finished wreath is a substantial 24" in diameter ..... but it is a permanent fixture that has and will give me great pleasure and satisfaction for years to come. It is also used and loaned out (to worthy and carefully screened friends!) on occasion as a decorative accent for special events and celebrations. How lovely would a wreath similar to this look at your birthday party or wedding!?! Linking this project to: Tea Rose Home, Beyond the Picket Fence, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Whipperberry, Thirty Hand Made Days, The Shabby Nest, Common Ground, Farmhouse Friday, French Country Cottage

PRETTIE...DOILIES

A few weeks ago I was happy to send Melissa a few of my hand dyed doilies and ruffled seam binding as well as a few other vintage bits and pieces I had for a vintage inspired wedding photo shoot she was both styling and photographing. All I can say is wow! You can view more of her gorgeous and oh so chic photographs here! Not only am I thrilled to see how my doilies are eventually used but Melissa makes them look so good!

PRETTIE...VINTAGE WRAPPING PAPER

I spend alot of time here drooling over Vintage Wrapping Paper. My own collection is small but...growing! These are just a few of my favorite birthday paper images.