Twig Tree For Christmas

Like most of you I have been decorating our house for Christmas.  Many of my decorations are red but in my sunroom red is just too bright.  So I made a twig tree for Christmas in here.  Our home backs onto a woods which makes it very  easy for me to get some branches and put them in a vase.  If you already know me it's no surprise that I just happened to have a blue and white vase!

These crocheted snowflakes that a student gave me years ago make such a nice contrast against the dark brown branches.

Some small glass ornament from my collection add a sparkle of silver blue and aqua.

My twig tree  is the perfect tree for the sunroom: light airy and whimsical and it doesn't take up too much room.

Here is a view from the other direction.  This room is also my office so I get to look at my twig tree  and it doesn't block my view out the window as I work.

Maybe I have inspired you to find some branches and make a tree like this.  It is so easy and you could hang anything on it: cookie cutters, pinecones,  paper snowflakes, bows, spray it white, glue sparkles on it.  There are endless possibilities.

I like my twig tree so much it may stay up after Christmas and it can be a winter twig tree!

I'd love to see what you've done to decorate in your home.

Thanks for stopping by.
Rhondi xo

I've Moved

Dear friends

I have moved from Blogger to Wordpress.  
My new address is http://www.rhondisrosecoloredglasses.com

Just click on Rose Colored Glasses and it will take you there.

** If I commented on your blog and it brought you here that's because your comment section wouldn't allow me to comment with my Wordpress URL**

I am taking my tea set with me.

I've enjoyed all our lovely visits here and will always remember the good times, especially the summer porch party. Hope you'll come and visit me at my new home soon. Oh and if you see any of my other friends please tell them I've moved

Rhondi
xo

Porch Party in October??

Dear Friends
If you are on my subscription list you may have received an email today which looked like I had published a new post.  I apologize for that.  I didn't post it and I don't know how that happened.

But now that you are here why don't you stay for tea?  It's a little chilly here right now and a hot cup of tea would hit the spot.

I have been working at setting up a new blog in Word Press and can't use Rose Colored Glasses because someone has that domain name already.  I have a couple of ideas for new names, but haven't decided for sure what it's going to be.  When I write my first post, I'll let you know and I hope you'll come and visit me at my new home.
Now I'll just go and put the kettle on.
Rhondi
xo

Repurposing, Sewing and Fluffing

Hello dear friends,

I haven't posted in a long time, but I did a little project on Saturday which I'd like to share with you.These pillows used to be a tablecloth.  It had a few small holes in it and was no longer useful as a tablecloth and it was too pretty just to leave in a drawer somewhere.  I figured there had to be some use for it. I like the fun and challenge of  repurposing things so I used it to make covers for 2 huge down-filled cushions I bought at a yard sale awhile ago.  They are 24" x24".  I like the handmade look of the embroidery on them.

They look good tucked behind these smaller cushions I sewed last year.

When I see cushions in magazines, they are always pushed down in the middle like this.   I'm not sure which way I like them better.  What do you think?

Making these pillow covers is so easy, no zipper or anything.  If you'd like to know how just let me know.

It was so nice chatting with you today.  Hope you have a great day!
Rhondi
xo

Time For A Change

I haven't posted in such a long time, so as I write this I wonder if anyone will even read it.

For awhile now I've been wanting to have our home less cluttered and with some softer colors.  I had been hearing about this Annie Sloan chalk paint and so decided to give it a go.  In case you don't know about Annie Sloan paint, one of the best things about it is you don't need to prime or sand.  Some of you will recognize this hutch which used to be red.  If you've ever painted over red you know how hard it is to cover. I used 2 coats and it covered very well.   

This is the hutch when it was red.  I loved the red but doesn't the china look so much better against the white?  And I was able to add in some of my cobalt blue glass.  Sorry for the awful photo, guess it was from my old camera!

Here is the hutch in its original wood.  I have things on top of it in both these older pictures, but in my attempt to simplify I am going to leave the top empty for now.  Maybe put one plant or one big bowl on top.

I found 2 of these nice tables at the Salvation Army for $20 each and used Annie Sloan  Greek Blue on them.  Only needed one coat of paint and then you wax the surface which makes a nice durable finish.

I found 2 ugly brown wood lamps for $5 each at Salvation Army a couple of weeks ago.  A couple of coats of gloss white spray paint  and new shades from Target and they look very modern.

So I threw an old white bedspread over the couch and pinned some blue fabric I had on the cushions.  My plan is to make white slipcovers, but until I get around to it this will do.  Not sure what to put on the wall.  Maybe some plates or a grouping of things. That one plate looks pretty silly doesn't it?

 This is what that wall looked like before.  I found a leather chair and ottoman on Craig's list which I'm going to check out to replace the chair and footstool in the picture.  My husband sits in that chair all the time and it is so worn out.  We've had that couch a long time, more than 30 years and it has stood up quite well.This will be only the 3rd time I've recovered it.

Now I must tell you that I often get ideas like this and start them and then it takes me months to finish it but maybe showing it to you will be some incentive to finish it soon. I'll show you when it's all done.

Rhondi

How To Peel An Egg

 This morning one of my facebook friends asked did anyone have a trick for peeling eggs.  There were 31 comments: how long to boil it, how old the egg is, cool it in ice water, peel it under running water, roll it around the counter etc.  There was only one other one besides me who knew the trick.  Her name was Oma which I think means Grandmother.
All you need is a spoon.

I learned this only recently from my daughter in law who learned it from her Grandma.   I am amazed that I have been boiling eggs for 50 years and never knew this.
So if you have struggled with the shell sticking to the egg or the egg having little  indentations all over it, like mini moon craters, your troubles are OVER!!!


Tap the egg lightly with a spoon to  crack some of the shell.

Slip a spoon under the shell.

 Work the spoon around the surface of the egg.  The shell comes off smoothly and evenly every time!

 See how easily it comes off?

Voila! No little bits of shell stuck to the egg, a nice smooth egg!

Easy shmeasy!!

I like to sprinkle some salt on it and eat it whole.

Hope this little lesson was helpful :)

Rhondi xo

Random Thoughts

Do you ever get so busy with life that you don't do the things you love to do? I'm sure you do.  That is what has happened to me and  my blog. I just love looking at the world through my rose colored glasses, recording little snippets of my life  and yet I haven't been doing that.

So here I am today writing a few random thoughts, saying hello and generally just rambling!

Spring has arrived early here in North Carolina.  The cherry tree on our front lawn is blooming. If I had been organized I could have shared it with Beverly's Pink Saturday!

 The camelia bushes are covered with flowers.

 All the hellebores have been out for weeks.

Last week we had visitors in the woods behind our house.  Can you see them?

Here is a closer look.  They are so pretty to watch but they are a nuisance because they eat all my flowers!

When we were out for a morning walk recently I found a bunch of these feathers on the path.  Don't they look like polka dots?  I wonder what kind of bird it was, maybe a woodpecker.

 I love to have real flowers inside.  The daffodils are from my garden.  The forsythia is from Michaels.  I love it because it looks so real.  They brighten up my "office" sitting on the table where I work.

Those are my random thoughts on this dull rainy Saturday.  It's just so nice to chat with you again.  I wonder what you are doing today?

Rhondi xo