Glass Light Globe Pumpkins

Fall.  I  love  it.  Not just a little,  a lot.  

I don't usually start to decorate till October, and when I do it normally has a spooky twist.  All those years as a Halloween party hostess I guess.

Quick Set Concrete Pumpkins

Over at Fox Hollow Cottage I spied a guest post from Shayna at The Wood Grain Cottage for some concrete pumpkins, and I knew right away I was gonna make some.

Using quick set concrete was right up my alley since I now have three stone look walkways made using the stuff.

Terracotta pumpkin, and thick foam light up pumpkin with his electrical gutted and removed

These are my first victims.

Pallet Halloween Props

Give a man a couple chisels, the back side of a hammer, and two old wood pallets and in no time at all you can have a spooky fence for Halloween.

You wanted a spooky fence right?

I did.  I needed it for a haunted trail.

Now don't judge most of these photos too harshly.  When they were taken, I didn't know I was ever going to have a blog and show them to people.

Nor did I know that using old wood pallets was going to become all the rage 10 years later.

This is the tale of pallets and days gone by many Octobers ago.

Spooky Halloween Silhouette Windows

It's Shock-tober at Bliss Ranch, and that means highlight some of my favorite Halloween projects from around this haunted house.

One dark and gloomy October day a few years back before the Bliss Ranch blog existed, I decided to make my version of Martha Stewart window silhouettes.

I followed her tutorial here.

Well, I kinda followed it.

Cottage Bench + Link Party

You wanna see some sweet salvage style stuff? 

Of course you do!

Along with me are 8 other bloggers willing to show you their upcycled, repurposed, or trash to treasure projects and then at the bottom link up your projects because we all want to see what you've been creating.

The Bliss Ranch Project - not to be confused since it's October with the Blair Witch
Project - is a vintage headboard I won at an auction for five buckaroonies.

50 Shaded Questions

Kirby from Kirb Appeal and Andi from Delusions of Ingenuity, are now on the top of my list.

You know what list that is right?.... my schmidt list.  

Not because I don't like them, I do, they are a whole lotta funny.

They are on the list because they've obviously got my number and know I won't say no.

So, because I am such a gosh darn good sport, I'm going to answer 50 questions that I was tagged in....twice.... that have nothing to do with painting or recycling furniture.

That is twice as in I was tagged twice.  You're welcome -  I won't be answering them twice.

1. What are you wearing?

My birthday suit.  With a jammies chaser.

$2.00 Box of Wood Hangers

I mentioned in my last post that I had picked up a box of mystery items on the same day I brought home the pine box that I painted with French Lime paint.

The mystery box contents are two dollars worth of wood hangers. 

Some vintage, some with advertising, including some of the short grippy wood ones that hold *slacks*, and some unfinished ones that are a blank canvas for me.

Pine Box with French Lime Paint

I don't want to act all goofy and giddy, but Maison Blanche sent me a new paint to try out, and well, I LOVE IT!

Maybe some of you have painted things like the Sistine Chapel or Italian Frescoes but not me, I'm small pahtatas in the world of art.

Microwave Corn on Cob Complete With Husks and Silk

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, lend me your ears......

I suppose by the time I get around to doing a post on a tip I saw - and tried -  that you've all seen and tried this on you own?

Oh well.

I'm gonna write sort of a corny post anyway (as that joke proves to be lame at best).

And I'm also gonna make sure I type the word corn and corny correctly each time.  They are the kind of words if I type them wrong, spell check won't catch - and it will take this post to a very dark place on the internet with stalks stripped down to their golden bits.

At the beginning of August when the sweet corn harvest was bountiful around here, I saw a little video on cooking corn, husks and all, in the microwave.

Pillows I Can't Make

Well howdy-doo everyone. 

Imma gonna partake in just a slight Bliss Bashing.

Quit reading if you can't fathom that thought.

When I started this blog I announced for God and everyone to read that I. Can't. Sew.

That was no joke, and then I went on to make some coffee sack pillows which was agony for me even though I was pleased with the result. 

Here's my coffee sack version of a burlap bolster with added doo dads for bling.

Wow an Appealing Post of Other Peoples Stuff

My friend Laura over at Top This Top That has a weekly feature she calls *Weekly Wows*.

My friend Kirby's blog, Kirb Appeal does a *What I Found Appealing* feature highlighting things that appeal to her - get it... Kirb Appeal.. Appealing?

And I'm sure there are a million other blogs that highlight and feature awesome projects from around the web. 

So I'm gonna be a million and one.  At least for today.

Willie Nelson's Armadillo

Yes you read the title of this post correctly.

Willie Nelson's Armadillo.

Sounds like a new paint color, but sorry - no - I'm not painting a dresser Armadillo Gold.

I was scrolling through my photos looking for a DIY project that was already completed but that I had never posted.

I found a couple past project pic's and they didn't excite me anymore now than they did when I made them.  So not posting.

Bean Bag Toss - Yard Art

I've been gone.  Gone, as in I have not been home.

First we took a few day trips over the past few weekends.

Then we went on vacation.

Often we have stay-cations and play at home, so all these little jaunts so close together are not the norm.

But while I was home for a couple days I did a little painting with some new outdoor paint from Maison Blanche.

Wisconsin Cheese Curds, Deep Fried Recipe Edition

Anytime I post a recipe I have to quantify it by saying, I am not a food blogger, I am a food eater.

My thighs don't lie.

Thank you to my son for being my hand model.

So while I'm gearing up for a couple of paint projects after I return from a quick vacation, I'm gonna share one of those secrets to having thunder thighs, the food that gives me the courage to paint, the sustenance to forge on with my paint brush.

Cheese.  In fried curd form.

I do not advocate eating cheese curds on a daily basis.

Wisconsin Beer, Cheese and Fireworks

As I travel on with Midwest week, I'm gonna write about beer.

I realize some of you might be wondering if I've hung up my paint brush in favor of hitting the road.

Yes, I'd much rather travel around than paint.  But this wanderlust is only temporary.

I toured around St. Paul in part 1 here, and part 2 here, and now I'm heading across the border to Wisconsin for contraband. 

Beer, cheese, and illegal fireworks to be exact.

Touring St. Paul, Part 2

Read Part 1 of touring St. Paul {here} and come along with me now for Part 2.

I mentioned in part 1 that George our tour guide had a bit of an agenda when he planned what we would see.

His wife Betty lived for a time in the city, but never visited some of the sights, so part of our day was related to Betty's bucket list. 

After breakfast at Mickey's Diner we headed to St. Anthony Falls.

St. Anthony Falls are the only true water falls on the entire Mississippi River.

Touring St. Paul, Part 1

I suppose you think all I do is sit home and upcycle, repurpose or paint old ugly pieces of furniture?

No, sometimes I hit the road to see what I can see.

If last week was mosaic week at the Ranch, this week would be Mid West week.  

*I need to add a disclaimer right here...... many of my photos are drive by's.  Brawn doesn't pull over in the city just so I can take a photo, which is hard anyway on a freeway right?  So I just kept my mouth shut (for the most part) and snapped through the windshield.

So back to St. Paul.

Stained Glass Mosaic Tray

I mentioned in my last post that it's mosaic week at Bliss Ranch.

The first project {here} was like stormy seas and this one is like a sunny day at the beach.

If I had any sharks we would have shark week too, but I'm fresh out.

All I've got is shards.... of glass.

I know, lame pun - just humor me.

Stained Glass Cook Book or Ipad Stand

It's shaping up to be mosaic week at Bliss Ranch.

I finished up a couple projects that graced my dining room table for a couple weeks.

If you spend any time on Pinterest or reading blogs like Homeroad, you know exactly what a trivet ipad holder is.

Bliss Ranch Takes a Turn on the Blog Tour

Angie over at Knick of Time invited me to participate in a tour around blogs - the proper introduction would be a Blog Tour, and it's sort of a "what makes you tick" type tour.

Angie passed the torch to me, so click over to check out her tour, then you can learn everything about her creative mind and what makes her tick.

And creative she is, so there is a LOT to learn!  She ticks a lot as well as tocks, hence her blog name, Knick of Time.

How about a piano turned into a desk?

Piano Desk 

Best Burgers?

Bliss Ranch has this gig over at Kirb Appeal - sometimes-usually-but not always - once a month.

I get to write stuff and I don't have to create a new project or even use any pictures, but I throw some in for visual interest and for Fiona.

Habit Burger

July's post, that really was done in August, is about burgers.

Huffington Post had an article about the best hamburgers around.  My pick came in at #2, and I don't think some even belonged on the list.

But different taste-buds for different folks, right?

Stop by Kirb Appeal and bite into my post to find out who was #1. 

Stargazer Lilies

I am sort of an accidental gardener.

About 5 years ago I picked up this bag of mystery flower bulbs, buy one get one free.  They were only .99¢, and I figured if they didn't grow or if I killed them, I wasn't out much coin.

At that time I really wasn't sure what a lily was, nor did I know there were over 100 different varieties.

Projects and Pillows

August is just about here.  Seems I spent so much time waiting for it to warm up that now Fall is right around the corner.

But I'm not done working on summer projects outside, in fact I've barely got started!

If I said my patio was a bit blah it would be accurate.  Sure, it's nice, peaceful, has lots of things to do, but it has almost no color.

There are lots of stones and natural elements, but nothing vibrant and happy looking other than some potted flowers I'm surprised I have kept alive.

This photo is from last year.  I hung the buckets again but I planted hostas in them instead of flowers because we have an over abundance of hostas.

Throw Back Thursday with Peter Alsop CD's

When my older kids were little it seemed appropriate on occasion to turn off my AC/DC or Queen and tune into something a bit more kid friendly.

Not sure that really worked, or mattered much, since when a certain 6 year old was 3 he walked around singing We Will Rock You.

And I'm also not sure why I thought kids had to listen to kid songs.

When I was seven I wasn't listening to Mary Poppings sing about spoonfuls of sugar.  I was listening to how Mick Jagger couldn't get no Satisfaction and working on being a California Girl for the Beach Boys.

Pink Play Kitchen Transformation Details

Last post I introduced you to a nightstand turned play kitchen, (you can see the pretty pictures {here}), and I thought it was so stinking cute I inserted pictures of the finished product without even a before photo of the nightstand.

Today I'm going to remedy that.

This is the before and after, in all its' basic nightstand glory...

Maison Blanche Debutante Pink Play Kitchen

Let's see now... I posted about plans to make a play kitchen back in March.

I included crazy cute ones from my Pinterest board for inspiration.

I had been stalking cast off entertainment centers and nightstands, but ultimately it needed to be compact in size, so nightstand won.

Plus I got a two'fer - two nightstands for a song.

Mud Pie Station

Sometimes I have these crazy thoughts, lets call them pie in the sky notions.

I see something somewhere that I have never seen before and I get all pie eyed with wonder.

Rhubarb Torte Dessert

Rhubarb.  

Growing up in Southern California I never heard of such a thing.  

My mid-western mother surely had, but I'm guessing there wasn't an over abundance of rhubarb in the produce isle in our suburb of Los Angeles. 

Fabric Spray Paint Shirt and Banner

Often times when someone is getting crafty around the Ranch it's #2 daughter and not me.

I walk by the dining room table and it gets the all clear, then 5 minutes later it's covered in a project.

She is a spur of the moment crafter.

 Her older brother bought some canvas, and some fabric paint then enlisted her to make a colorful banner for his band for an outdoor summer gig. 

At Kirby's Place

Maybe some of you can tell by my sometimes wordy project posts, I really do like to write.

I wrote a play when I was 10 years old and forced the neighborhood kids to act it out.  A murder mystery - I liked those even back then.  The victim was Mrs. Knotta Live.   I know.... oh brother!  What can I say, I was 10.

Hankie Noodle Dandy

Once upon a time on a pool noodle far far away, I made a wreath for the 4th of July.

I linked this up to a pool noodle party.

I was quite proud of myself so I'm reposting 

this from 2 years ago for one reason only.....

And that reason is how freaking clever I am sometimes!

But I'm not referring to the project - even though I liked it.

Turn Up The Radio...Bar

I'm working hard, you're working too -

we do it every day

For every minute I have to work -

I need a minute of play

Day in day out all week long -

things go better with rock....

Beware of Sharks.... Pool Sign

When crafty kids get bored often times they crack open the paint and design weird stuff.

On canvas.

At least that's how it works at my house.

Then when they're done painting a usually random vision, they expect me to hang it somewhere.

And more times than not, it just doesn't match my decor.

I wasn't hanging that shark in the kitchen.

Instead I got out some of the cedar lats I picked up for a couple bucks for a stack of about 50, as well as my sample pots of Maison Blanche paint and figured out where I could hang a great white shark.

Battle of the Gray Grey Greige Rugs

Gray.  That's how I've always spelled it.

With an A not an E.

Gray Choices

I know that's how I learned to spell it growing up in California, so how come everyone else in the world spells it grey? 

Someone answer that for me....
and while you're at it, answer which rug I like better, which would go best under my dining room table, and does greige go fine with a very deep espresso color?

Mailbox Makeover, Part 2

When last I typed about the mailbox here in Part 1, I was heading down the driveway with a bucket of water, scrub brush and paint in hand to complete the mailbox makeover.

Part of that actually took place.  I may or may not have scrubbed the rocks enough to get the cement grout off.

Painting with Maison Blanche at the Ranch

There is something stirring around Bliss Ranch.

Something smooth and creamy.

Summer Sandals for Sore Heels

This is a post about shoes.  Summer sandals to be exact.

It might seem like I have a shoe problem buying them up in three's, I assure you I do not.  I buy shoes only when I have too, it's agony for me.

And I also assure you..... I had too.

But I probably didn't need three, unless I wear them for 10 years to be cost effective like my last pair.

My 10 year old flip flops were mostly a flop.  I realized it the other day when I flipped them off and my son asked if that was dried blood on one.

Part 1 Mailbox Makeover

Sometimes a project around here isn't intended to reach perfection, it's just intended to reach done.

Like this mailbox.

Thin piece of cement board attached for starters

We can't see our mailbox from the house, it's 1/4 mile down our driveway.  Anyone else who drives by can see it, but they can't see the house.

It's the first point of contact for what may lie down the long and winding road.

It's a big box, the kind that can have a whole package stuffed inside it, and a few days ago it was in a sorry state of disarray.

Faux roof and cement board backing

At one time it had little black painted lats of wood on it which worked good till someone with a beer bottle wanted to toss the empty out of their car window before they hit town.

That was the downhill spiral of the wood, and one by one over the course of a year each lat fell or started to hang off the box leaving people to wonder if down the long driveway you would find a house with boarded up windows.

Notice the chicken?

So I got this brilliant idea to adhere landscape rocks to the mailbox and then it would match our stone pillars. 

I wasn't aiming for perfection,  I just wanted it a bit tougher so it could handle someone elses aim or anything that's thrown at it - literally.

Not spending any money was a top priority, so reusing what we had was necessity.   At any time the mailbox could fall victim to teenage pranks, and I didn't want to cry over an empty beer bottle that my fancy, pricey, new mailbox needed to be replaced.

All was going well....

I made a high tech tool out of a soda lid to use as a spreader for the glue.

The cement was mixed and poured over the rocks as a grout....

A trusty paint stirrer stick was used by Brawn to sculpt away excess cement....

And when I turned my back the man decided to use up some old paint on the mailbox roof without consulting me.

What the helll?  I know this was a low expectation project, but I wasn't going for little red barn mister! 

I didn't hold back, I let my feelings out...... I exclaimed that it looked like schidtt.

Lovingly of course.

I was promptly handed a paint brush.

Then, much like this post, the mailbox project came to a screeching halt.

Done or not, dirty rocks, red roof and all, it needed to be returned to it's post since it had already missed a couple days of mail delivery.

But first I got out a can of gray spray paint.

And now, because it's so much easier to haul a bucket of water 1/4 mile to wash the rocks instead of when it was right up by the house, I will pack up a scrub brush, take some gray paint, and stand on the road washing and painting for all the world to see.

And that has me mad.

Why?  Because I like to paint in my jammies. 

Guess I have to get dressed for this task. 

The mailbox and me will be back in a day or two, both of us dressed, but only one being revealed.

Painting Fabric Chairs, The Review

Two weeks ago in part A, I set out to paint our old upholstered wing back dining room chairs.  They no longer matched the rest of the set, one of them was ripped on the seat, dirty and 20 years old.  

Not to mention the sage green and cranberry colors were long gone in the dining room.

The fabric however was still nice and tight, the chairs were put together very well, especially considering the years of use - or abuse - they have had.

Spool Patio Table

When Brawn is left on his own, I never know what he's going to come up with.

On the to-do list last year was to make some sort of a patio table.

How Does My Garden Grow?

Recall I started seeds this year in my empty disposable coffee maker cups, you can read about that {here}.

They actually grew and needed to be planted but the weekends were flying by and out the window my vision of a big beautiful garden flew too.

So I went to Pinterest and entered these words..... "Vegetable Container Garden".