Goodwill Candlesticks Makeover

I'm still on a painting and glazing kick.  There is no end in sight.

Here's the before.  Uglies from the 80s.

I painted them mint green (also known as Valspar's "Summer Sigh"), and then glazed them.  Look at the difference the glaze makes!  It really does make them, I think.

It gets into all those crevices and "dirties" them up just the right amount.

You can find these in my Etsy shop.  Perfectly shabby!

Giveaway with Minky Couture!

I am so pleased today to announce my latest giveaway partner, Minky Couture.

"Minky Couture is proud to provide all ages with the luxurious fabric that was once enjoyed only by little fingers. Monster, adult, tween, infant and mini sized blankets allow everyone to relax with a blanket their size. Minky Couture caters its blankets to the customer’s age and style. Customers simply choose their size and design to create a blanket that is perfect just for them.

Besides warming customers with a customized blanket, Minky Couture also gives customers a new way to decorate. Minky Couture has provided customers with several blanket patterns and designs that can serve as elegant additions to any living room, bedroom, or bathroom. Draping a custom blanket over a dresser, a chair, a piano, or a couch brings color and life to any room. "

Here are just a few of their gorgeous selections. 

These are perfect for babies and children!

You know how sometimes your favorite throw or blanket isn't exactly display-worthy?  Not with Minky Couture.  It's the ultimate marriage of style and function....which is one of my favorite things!

Here is what the winner will receive:  a stunning chocolate and cream damask Minky blanket in the adult size, which retails for $165.

Beautiful pattern....

And gorgeous packaging!  (I wanted to take it out and touch it, but alas, I couldn't ruin the wrapping!)

But when I finally did....heaven! 

TO ENTER:

(Please leave a comment for each entry.)

1.  Become a follower of Till Death Do Us Part.

2. Visit the Minky Couture homepage and tell me your favorite Minky blanket.

3. Like Minky Couture on Facebook.

4. Post about this giveaway or put it on your sidebar!

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (darn those shipping costs!).  Giveaway will end on Sunday, June 10 (10 p.m. CST), and the winner will be announced here on June 11.

Good luck!

"Oh Happy Day" Wreath

Spring makes me feel like celebrating.

Warm breezes.  Sunny skies.  Outdoor parties.

Oh happy day.

To see where I link up, please click here or click my blog parties tab!  I'm also linking to:

Gone to Market

My husband's grandfather was tearing down parts of an old fence at his cattle farm in Georgia.

Of course, I snatched some up.

Now we have a piece of Madison.  The wear and tear the fence saw shows through the new paint.

Many sunrises, sunsets.  Many years.

Something natural, given new life.

May it's character grow.

Flower Cone

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  I hate waste.

So I made a flower cone, literally, out of trash.

Well, not everything is downright trash.  Some parts of it are those little scraps that are too big to just throw away but too small to be really useful.  Like a little leftover craft moss, floral wire, and tan scrapbookpaper.

But some of it was most certainly bound-for-the-garbage trash.  Old silk flowers, woven wallpaper samples from the early 90s.

And now this would-be waste is out of a landfill and hanging in my den, reminding me of the blooming May occurring outdoors.

And it didn't cost me a thing.

In addition to the parties on my Blog Parties tab, I'm linking to:
Sunday Showcase
Craftomaniac Monday

Chicken Wire Initial Art

I love plaques, and I love monograms, and I love chicken wire (and not just because I grew up on a farm where it was used regularly)!

This little plaque was created using a board I cut down, sanded, and coated with bright blue acrylic paint (I knew that it would later be dulled by the glaze, so that's why I like to start out with a really bright color on projects like this).

I got out my Valspar antiquing glaze (I can't stop using it.  I just used it yesterday on my coffee table) and gave the whole piece a light wash.  The B was made with a stencil. I just invested in a set of letters, as hand-painting them takes a while, let me tell you!  Then I used wire cutters to cut a small section of chicken wire, which I bent and folded around the plaque and fastened to the back with wood joiners (althrough I'm sure you could use carpentry tacs).  The last step is hanging with a black satin ribbon.

I love how it turned out, althought I must say, getting chicken wire to cooperate isn't entirely simple. Or painless.

Perfect in my blue kitchen!

In addition to the parties on my blog parties tab, I'm linking to:
Under $100
Thrifty Thursday
Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Fantastic Friday
Craftomaniac Monday

Coffee Table Re-redo

I've been so unhappy with my coffee table.  Part of it is the color.  It's way too white.  Part of it is the fact that my husband absolutely cannot be persuaded not to put his feet on it.

Gross, right?

So of course I went window shopping online. I love this lift-top coffee table, which is a lot like the one my parents have, and they love it.  This is a great storage end table (which would be great because our den is tiny!).  Or we could go for the whole coffee table set. 

While I dream of different furniture and different and bigger dens, I decided to redo our current coffee table.  It's actually been redone before, as you can see here.

Step one was painting it "luxurious linen."  I got it as a free sample from Valspar!  It came with a small can of paint, tray, and roller.  (You can find out when they do another free sample promotion by liking them on Facebook!)  The color came out beautiful--no more stark white.

I also used Valspar antiquing glaze to add a little character.

Then for the fun part: deciding what to put on top.  I chose a tray I refinished....

 a silver creamer with moss and two fabric rosettes...

and vintage mason jar with chicken wire.

Clean and simple!