Tips for Displaying Your Collectibles – Decorating the Hoosier for Spring

April 9, 2019Cottage, decorarthurized home, collectibles, colorful cottage living, decorating, display, fiestaware, kitchen, pyrex, spring decor, vintagearthurized 5 Comments

This Hoosier cabinet is a kitchen workhorse. It’s been a pantry, storage for extra dishes and large pots but most often it has been a display area for seasonal decorations and collectibles.

Several of the items in here have sentimental value; a memory tied to an experience, found or given to us by family, starting with the Hoosier itself. A gift from my sister.

This bird nest was part of the decor at my Indiana grandma’s 90th birthday party. The china belonged to my grandma in California and was lovingly shipped here by my aunt and uncle. Other items were collected over time from the flea market, thrift stores and yard sales. Some pieces are new, purchased at a discount.

The bunnies are new pieces, the leaf plates are a gift from my mom. The vintage table linens below were collected over time, mostly gifts from my sister-in-law.

“Chocolate” bunny found at TJ Maxx.

This apron was sewn by another sister. She chose cherry fabric for me because at the time we had nine cherry trees on our property.

The Fiestaware is a reminder of my Indiana Grandma and her colorful kitchen. She used Fiesta as her everyday dishes and had a glass front cabinet in her kitchen chock full of it.

These chick vases were found on a shopping trip to Dixie Pottery in Abingdon, VA with my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. They are new pieces with a vintage look.

This cookbook holder with illustrations cracks me up! If you need an infographic for how to hold a cookbook open; perhaps the cooking is best left to someone else?

My husband bought this little teacup for me. It’s hard to read the message, but it says “Be always happy”. I imagine the original owner drank her tea from it and her thumb resting on the cup wore off the word “always”.

The lemonade pitcher and glasses were a birthday gift from my sister-in-law.

Here are some tips for displaying your collectibles:

Decide on a color scheme/theme. In this case, I’ve used all pastel and Spring/Easter items. You could go with brights, all white, monochromatic, etc.

Group like items together. Odd numbered groupings look best.

Vary the height of the pieces on each shelf. Try to arrange vignettes of triangles and inverted triangles. This creates movement and helps to guide the eye through your display.

When decorating shelves or bookcases, group colors and stagger them from right to left in a vertical zig-zag pattern.

Most importantly, use what you love! From the outside looking in, this may seem like a strange group of unrelated pieces, but nearly every item reminds me of an experience or someone I love. And that is the real story of my home and yours.

Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!

Copyright 2019-2021 © Arthurized Home – All Rights Reserved. This post is the original content of Arthurized Home. If you’re reading this on another site, it’s unArthurized.

Cottage Style Race Medal Display – A Tutorial

April 5, 2019create, decorarthurized home, colorful cottage living, cottage decor, habitat restore, medal display, paint technique, race medals, race swagarthurized 3 Comments

One of my goals for the year is to find a way to display the race medals that my husband and I have accumulated. We’ve got them stuffed into storage boxes in closets and the basement. I’ve been shopping for a large medal holder and just haven’t found the perfect thing. So I decided to make one from a wooden shutter.

Adapt this project for your own use! Make sure the louvers are fixed and strong enough to support whatever you hang from them. You could use a sturdy shutter and hooks to hang kitchen utensils, towels and aprons. If you have a young girl in your life, make a display for hair clips, bows and jewelry, etc. Create one for your garage or potting shed to hang work gloves and hand tools. The possibilities are endless!

Materials List:
A note about the paint: Eggshell or matte acrylic is best. I used leftover “oops” paint for this project and found that the semi-gloss topcoat peeled a little more than I liked during sanding. Choose a color for the undercoat that contrasts nicely with the topcoat.

Shutter
Paint for undercoat
Wax candle in white or ivory
Paint for topcoat
Old paint brush
Sandpaper
Cleat for hanging, rated for the weight of your project – I bought mine at Lowe’s
Optional – decorative trim of your choosing
Optional – spray matte sealer to protect the painted finish

I found this shutter at the Habitat ReStore and it is in great condition;
22″ wide by 66″ tall made from solid wood with wide louvers.
Weighing about 20 pounds, it’s not too heavy to hang on the wall.

The shutter had some brown stains on it that I initially thought were water damage, but it was just sawdust(?) and rinsed right off. I didn’t bother to sand it. I’m going for a rough/chippy/distressed look. A few lumps and bumps contribute to that.

The first step is to add paint in a color that contrasts with the top coat. I chose a chocolate brown paint, because I want the impression that the shutter is old and made from a dark wood. Apply the undercoat to corners, decorative trim and edges where time and use would have worn the paint away.

Next rub a wax candle on areas where you want the top coat to sand off easily. The wax will resist the paint. It’s important to use a white or light colored candle, otherwise you might stain the undercoat.

My sister gave me some enameled ‘his’ and ‘hers’ plates that are perfect for this project. Thanks, Allie!

Apply the wax heavily and don’t worry about removing the excess. Remember, we’re going for an aged/chippy/distressed look.

Now, it’s time for the top coat. If you have one, use an old project paint brush because jamming it down between the louvers will ruin the bristles. I tried using a foam brush and it didn’t hold up well.

Touch up any bare spots if needed and let the paint dry completely. Now, it’s time for the magic! If you’re like me and have forgotten where you waxed, start lightly sanding the piece and the paint will easily release in the waxed areas. Affix any decorative pieces and attach the hanging cleat to the back of the shutter and to the wall.

I bought the 200 lb. hanging cleat; you could certainly go lighter. This one has a level that slides into the cleat. We did not drill into studs to install, but the shutter is very secure.

The total cost of this project was $41. I paid $25 for the shutter, $15 for the hanging cleat and used about $1 of Oops paint.

Don’t mind my internet cable; I’ll place a basket there to hide it!

If you make this project, I would love to see it! Send me an email at arthurized dot home at gmail dot com.

Window Boxes on the Garage – An Upcycling Project

April 3, 2019plantsarthurized home, colorful cottage living, container gardening, diy, galvanized, garage, upcyclingarthurized 1 Comment

The garage at Arthurized Home once serviced our small neighborhood.
The previous owners supported themselves and their 14 children with income from this garage. (As much as I love a good exaggeration, that’s not one. They really raised 14 children in our 950 square foot cottage! But that’s a story for another day.) The garage has a pit for changing oil and a beam for hoisting engines. There’s a fireplace out there; you can see where someone closed up a 4′ x 8′ window (yet another story) and blocked up a bay door. We’ve got some future goals for fixing it up, but for now it’s a utilitarian eyesore.

Why yes, that is a leaf blower hanging in the window!

A few years ago while my sister was visiting, we stumbled upon the Funky Junk Interiors website. She made the brilliant suggestion that I should “junk up” the garage. I started with some upcycled window boxes made from discarded metal sawhorses.

Here’s how: Wearing safety glasses and heavy leather gloves, my husband cut the legs off of the saw horses, leaving the attachment and folding the cut edge down into the box. (You could file the sharp edges if you like. We didn’t bother.) He then drilled holes for hanging along the back of the window boxes using a drill bit for metal. Next he positioned the boxes and marked on the wall where the screws would go. Then he drilled pilot holes into the cinder block using a masonry drill bit. He aligned the boxes with the pilot holes, placed a large washer over the holes and secured each one with a masonry screw.

Using my coffee filter trick, I blocked the gaps on the corners and filled the planters with soil and flowers. Because the planters are shallow, I use a moisture retaining potting mix. I feed and water these on the same schedule as my other outdoor container plants. When it’s hot outside they get a drink twice a day.

While I wouldn’t recommend installing them on a playhouse, (hello, potential sharp metal edges) these window boxes would be great on a deck, a potting shed or other outbuilding. A she-shed? A chicken coop?
I could go on all day.

If you make this project, I’d love to see it! Email your pictures to arthurized dot home at gmail dot com.

I Better See A Daggone Hobbit Up In Here

March 29, 2019travelarthurized home, blue ridge mountains, cascades, colorful cottage living, hike virginia, hiking, love va, pembroke va, virginia is for loversarthurized 3 Comments

A hiking review of Cascades and Barney’s Wall near Pembroke, VA
8 miles round trip, 1,600′ elevation gain
TRIGGER WARNING: Terrifying Photos

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I don’t hike. I’m not one of those people who gets blissed out in the woods. The beach, yes. Ticks, bears, snakes, serial killers and poison ivy? No. However, I enjoy being married to one of those blissed out hikers, so I hike. Occasionally. And under great duress.

We paid $3 for this super awesome warning, but I guess they won’t tow away your car if you have it, so, okay cool. Also, nobody listens to me. Hiking. Is. Dangerous.
They even tell you that up front. Can’t say you weren’t warned.

So the hike to the falls is gorgeous.

We got there early and had the trail to ourselves. This section felt like hiking into The Shire.

There were fallen trees everywhere and even over the trail in several places. We climbed over some and crawled under two of them. Yes, crawled on our knees. Not kidding.

The falls are truly magical. Especially early in the morning before the waters fill with amorous Virginia Tech students.

I maintained a good attitude for the first 2.5 miles of our hike. Right up until we met a couple on their return trip from Barney’s Wall. They had just encountered a bear at a campsite near the top. I went into High Alert! Stressed out of my mind for the next 5.5 miles, I scanned the woods in every direction. Every boulder was a bear. Every distant stump was a bear. I’ll never understand how this is supposed to be relaxing.
Panic mode: Expert Level

View from Barney’s Wall. We met a lady on the way down from Cascades who said she’s never made it up to Barney’s Wall. My advice to her: Don’t. Just Google pictures of it. It looks the same. That lady said her group had just seen an enormous snake. The biggest one she’d ever seen. Good times.

Bear Campsite. And I really had to pee. No worries, we’re only 4 MILES from a bathroom.

Remember that I said we climbed over fallen tree trunks? I started over this one, reaching out to steady myself on a small tree nearby. Guess what I wrapped my hand around?

Creepy.

And his friend Super Creepy. And yes, I screamed like a girl. Hiking is like being trapped in a horror flick set in nature, not in some axe murderer’s wood shed. They don’t tell you that dying of a heart attack while hiking is a very real possibility. Just from sheer terror.

Oh, thank you, Jesus! Only two more miles of this mess. I just have to make it back to the car. I can do this, right? The sound of rushing water from the creek was not helping the really-gotta-pee situation.

We took the Upper Trail back to the parking lot and freedom. It was a nice assortment of rocks, pointy rocks, sharp pointy rocks, rocks covered in wet slippery leaves and mud puddles. And trees overhead just waiting to fall and crush us.
And my husband l.o.v.e.d. it.

If you’d still like to visit after all that, go here to check it out: https://www.virginia.org/listings/OutdoorsAndSports/CascadesNationalRecreationTrail/

https://www.hikingupward.com/JNF/TheCascadesBarneysWall/

Cascades Pro Tips: Highly recommended for a quick hike with great views. Get there early for parking and solitude. Because the Cascades hike is so popular, the trails fill up in beautiful weather. We took the Lower Trail for the climb to the falls. The scenery is beautiful, but be prepared to climb up and down stone steps toward the end. A little challenging for this shorty. If you want an easier stroll, the Upper Trail is wider and more accessible. The Upper Trail views are slightly less spectacular but still pretty.

Seed Starting Pots – A Recycling Project

March 27, 2019plantsarthurized home, colorful cottage living, garden with kids, plants, recycle, repurpose, seed savers exchange, seed starting, seedsarthurized 2 Comments

Do you know that you’ve got an endless supply of seed starting pots in your home? Well, they’re not pots yet. They’re more commonly known as empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls! (I’m trying to refrain from potty puns.)

If you’re using paper towel rolls, cut them in half or thirds.
(Do you think my background looks like tiny rolls of toilet paper?)

Open up the tube and pinch the first folds together and press flat again to form a square.
Measure across the top; mine is just over one inch.

Use half of that measurement to mark the fold lines. My fold line is 1/2″ from the bottom.

Using sturdy scissors, cut along each of the 4 corners up to the fold line. You don’t have to mark the flaps A, B, C & D. I’ve done that to better explain this step. I hope!

Now fold each flap toward the center of the pot. Starting from the top (A),
work clockwise (B, C). When you reach the flap on the left (D), tuck the top half of it
under the first flap (A). That will secure the bottom of the pot.

You want the pot to close tightly at the bottom so the soil is contained.
If yours has a gap, re-fold the flap a little higher until the gap is closed.

Now you have a little seed starting pot!
But he needs some friends.

Fill with potting soil and plant those seeds!

When your seedlings are ready to transplant into a larger pot or the garden, open the flaps and plant it whole. Or, carefully cut the side of the pot open from top to bottom without disturbing the roots. The pot will decompose over time. Happy gardening!

Real Food Meal Planning

March 22, 2019meal preparthurized home, clean food, colorful cottage living, cooking with kids, gluten free, groceries, home cooking, meal planning, menu, real foodarthurized Leave a comment

An empty refrigerator can only mean one thing. It’s time to get meal planning! But first, a note about “real” food: I define real food as made in nature and not in a factory. If you define it differently, that’s great! Do what works best for your health, lifestyle and budget.

If you are on a budget like me, the first step is to review the online weekly grocery ads. In our small city we have Aldi, Kroger, Earth Fare, Fresh Market, Wal-mart and Food Lion. Skim the ads quickly because we’re looking for foods that are natural or minimally processed. List the sale items by store. I’m old school, so I use a low tech piece of paper for this step. Use ‘notes’ in your phone or a grocery store app if that works best for you.

Now it’s time for the menu. If you have go-to recipes for the sale items, list those. When I need some recipe inspiration I search my favorite real food websites. If strawberries are on sale this week, enter “strawberries” into the search box. Scroll through the recipes for something appealing and save to Pinterest or print the recipe out. I typically plan five dinners per week. This leaves room in the schedule for a leftovers night or eating out.

Bonus points if your meal uses more than one sale item!

We have a high tolerance for eating the same meal repeatedly, so breakfast and lunch are the same Monday-Friday. If that’s not you, make enough at dinner to have lunch leftovers the next day.

Once you’ve compiled your recipes, fill out the rest of the grocery list. I skim each recipe and make sure that I have the pantry items on hand. If not, they are added to the list, keeping a tally of how many of each item I need. For example, if three recipes call for garlic, total up the number of cloves needed and note that next to “garlic” on the list.

If I’m going to buy an item at a certain store, I add the store’s initial to the check box.

Now it’s time to grocery shop! I’m heading to the store(s), but if you’re using a grocery app, plug in your list or order online. I hope this is helpful to you. If you have any questions about my process let me know in the comments.

This is not a sponsored post. I am not in partnership with, nor do I own any of these websites or the recipes linked here.

My Experience with Tupperware Warranty Replacement

March 3, 2019Reviewsarthurized home, colorful cottage living, review, thrifty tip, tupperware, tupperware warranty, warrantyarthurized Leave a comment

Tupperware warranty replacement review

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