How to Make a Candy Corn Wreath

Fall has arrived and it is time to cozy up your home.  One of the first places I like to start my decorating for a new season is the front door.  A welcoming wreath says it all.  One thing that really screams Fall to me is candy corn so I decided to combine the two.

I purchased a foam wreath form at Jo-Ann's Fabrics and Crafts, an autumn floral pick, a roll of duct tape in orange, yellow and pinkish swirls to cover the form, and a package of candy corn at my local supermarket.   I originally planned to cover the whole form in candy corn but once I put on the tape I couldn't cover it up.  It looked interesting and very Fall like all on its own.  Instead I used my glue gun and just did one ring of candy corn around the center of the form.  I centered my floral pick at the bottom and hot glued on some extra silk leaves and then I tied a brown ribbon at the top.  To keep the bugs away from the candy corn I sprayed the wreath with a clear top coat protectant.


Now for about the cost of $10 I have a one-of-a-kind and very cool looking wreath to hang on my door.  Sure I could have bought one at The Dollar Store but it just wouldn't have been the same.  You be the judge.

My Retro Bar Cart

If you find yourself one of these at a flea market or yard sale scoop it up.  I found this one at a yard sale for $1.00.  I believe it is an old Costco kitchen cart.  It even has an electric outlet attached that plugs into the wall to plug in your blender for mixing margaritas or your coffee pot if an Irish Coffee is more to your liking.  It would be the perfect retro bar cart for my new mid century modern decor. 

I cleaned it up with soap and water.  I unscrewed the metal shelves from the base for painting.  I scuffed up the surface a bit so the paint would adhere better.  I painted the two lower shelves a glossy black and the top shelf and the base with a metallic silver spray paint.  After letting it dry overnight I put it back together (of course, not after a trip to the hardware store to replace the screw I managed to loose somewhere in the garage).

All it needed now was a little set dressing.  I placed an acrylic tray with matching ice bucket, stainless drink shaker and blue corked glass bottle on the top shelf.  On the middle shelf I placed a small round ruffled silver tray with blue and white teapot and sake cups.  Finally, on the bottom shelf I placed a shallow rectangular  wicker basket and four black and gold retro tumblers.   All of the items used are items I found at yard sales or flea markets or that I bought at my favorite auction house.  It makes for a very collected over time look.  Check it out.

More Than Staging Needed Here

Spent today with my son and a couple of his friends emptying out his muddy place.  Could never have imagined what it would be like to have everything you own destroyed in a flood.  Sure I have seen it on the News.  We all remember Katrina.

Binghamton is at the confluence of two rivers the Chenango and the Susquehanna.  We experienced severe flooding back in 2006 which was suppose to be the 100 year flood.  So shouldn't it be another 100 years before we suffer another?  Guess not.  This time it was worse.  First some areas experienced flash flooding from creeks overflowing and then it was the major rivers.  It rained so hard in a 24 hour period that the rivers rose a foot an hour.

My son was evacuated from his home in the early hours on Thursday by Fan Boat with the water chest high.  Today the water receded and left a thick sticky muddy layer on everything in its path.  My son didn't have much, a few pieces of hand me down furniture mostly.   Now all his stuff sits at the curb in a pile awaiting the trash hauler to take it away.  His whole neighborhood is suffering as are others in the area.  To see the possessions that people held dear, their cherished family heirlooms piled on the curb was almost too much to bare.  To be displaced from your home, your sanctuary from the world, many forced to live for days in a high school gymnasium or similar facility, I can imagine few things more stressful.

We can be very thankful though that no lives were lost.  The human spirit is resilient and those affected will rebuild.  I will be there for my son every step of the way.   I will seek out just the perfect new hand me downs to replace his old ones.   After I do, I will post pictures of his cute new place and we can all celebrate his fresh new start together.

Lamp Renovation

Above are the before and after pictures of a small bronze lamp I found at my local thrift store for $2.99.  You would normally put a round shade on a lamp with a round base but I wanted to mix it up a bit.  I found the square shade for $2.99 at the same thrift store.   The shade was a bit dingy but I figured I could do something with it and I really loved the shape.

To update the lamp I picked up a can of silver metallic spray paint, a roll of adhesive shelf liner and some decorative ribbon that had elements of the green and pink found in the shelf paper.  I spray painted the base and the electric chord and when dry I cut a piece of the shelf paper to fit, pulled off the backing and adhered it to the shade.  I then glued the ribbon around the top and bottom edges of the shade.   I actually purchased two of the lamps and shades so for $12 and the cost of about $6 in supplies I now have a cute pair of bedside lamps to grace my guest bedroom.