Ode to Joy

Two of my projects today were inspired by (okay, copied off of) Joy, of JOYS OF HOME . She has an amazing talent for decorating and creating. Be sure to check out her blog and get your fix.

First up, the infamous Dollar Tree 'boo' frame. I had a little trouble running the newspaper through the printer and ended up just scanning it, printing that, and then printing the letters on top. It was hard to take this picture without getting a bunch of stuff in the mirror that I don't want anybody to see. Hmm, I think I'll paint the back of the frame black since it sticks out in the mirror like a sore thumb.


Next up, this thing:

A couple of months ago I was in Hobby Lobby and this was in the big clearance aisle for about $2. I bought it with the intention of painting it, though I wasn't sure how. It sat on my mantel in this condition until a few days ago. Handsome thought it looked like some kind of WWI bomb. A dinner guest said I had it upside down, and it was supposed to be stuck in the ground by a tombstone with flowers in it. Nobody understood my vision.

Then one day while blog surfing, I came upon Joy's blog and this post. Hah! I'm not the only one! So, thanks to her brilliance, here is the thing now, lookin' all lonely on my mantel, and kind of like an aged garden finial.

So, thank you, Joy, for your inspiration and the eye candy that is your blog. BTW, I have a special affinity for the name 'Joy'. It was my mother's name, and it is Pinkerbelle's middle name.

One more little project that doesn't require a post of it's own. I got this message center at a thrift store for $3. I took it all apart, sanded lightly, primed, and spray-painted it satin black.

Now here it is hanging in the little hallway just inside the garage, ready for keys, mail, and notes. Handy!

Lastly, I'm adding a cool signature I got from My Live Signature . No, it is not my actual handwriting, though I wish it was.