Oh Tannenbaum

Our tree was glorious this year.  Taking down the decorations, especially the tree, makes me a little sad.  The holidays always go by so quickly I never feel like I get to enjoy them. 

 

This pic was taken the Sunday after Thanksgiving as we were setting it up. I am actually keeping it from falling down, which it did twice. We had to cut about four feet off or the tree would have been in the center of our living room. I used the cut offs to make a huge wreath for above the wood stove insert and some garland type things for above the entry door and stairs. The garland is tied with some burlap cut into strips. I think it makes a great rustic ribbon.

 

 The lanterns where $1.00 yard sale finds that are too rusted to be functional.  I stuffed battery powered light strings in the globes.

The little trees are tomato cages wrapped in tin foil and burlap. 

Sadly this is the best picture I have of the tree decorated. The lights above the windows and doors are all solar powered with the panels hidden behind the snow and animals. The stuffed animals on the window ledges are all from my childhood.  Christmas is the perfect time to put them on display as a child-free adult and not have guests think you are crazy.

Counter Culture

About two months after we moved into the house my friend Jennie left a bottle of green food dye on my untreated butcher block. The bottle leaked and the dye soaked into the wood overnight. I didn't take a picture of the damage, but I did snap a shot of the counter after I had attempted to lighten the damage. After numerous treatments of alcohol, lemon juice and salt (advice for a carpenter friend), paint thinner, vinegar and baking soda and anything else i could think of using.

I originally wanted to burn the counter for a rustic rail road tie look, but it was a slow process and it was using much more propane than I expected.  This is after one fat boy.

I also tried pouring a small amount of gas on the surface, letting it soak, and then lighting it, but only the liquid burns, it  doesn't do anything to the surface. Same result from soaking cloth and lighting it on the surface.

After months ( ok, two years) of a half green, half burnt counter I stained it with Minwax Jacobean and sealed with Minwax High Gloss Water Based Poly.

This is after 5 coats of stain. You can still see the outline of the green slotch if you know where to look, but overall I love it.  I feel like it gives out kitchen a much more custom look.

Builder Basic Before

After

We also finally got some stools too!! Yes, We had those other mismatched stools for two years also. No, I am not ashamed of my sad seating choices or my dirty kitchen.  This is real life.  The stools are Zuo Escape in Natural. I actually wanted to paint them when I first got them, but since the counter color change, I am having second thoughts.