Seasons, Tin Ceiling, and Other News From the Front

 This time of the year CJ brings out all the books we have about the coming holiday season. Many of the books are about Christmas and we spend some time pouring over these books looking for projects and holiday inspiration. Some are favorites that she has had around for years. One of the most favorite of these is a book entitled Seasons at Seven Gates Farm. It it a book that was published by Country Living about 1996 however it has a very timeless feel to it which is why we still love looking thru this book. It takes you thru the year of a 1830's circa Maryland farmstead. There are pictures in this book of a garden that would be the envy of any green thumb including beautiful winter scenes of the garden covered in snow. If you are looking for a little inspiration for the holidays I can guarantee the the final chapters of the book that cover the upcoming holidays will not disappoint.

We have both been busy working these days. CJ has had plenty of design work for which we are grateful and she as also been creating for the the up coming Beneath the Wreath show. I am also busy trying to get many of the projects sitting around my shop done. I find that it is more easy to sometimes find projects than to get them done. One of the projects I am finishing is this really great industrial work bench. It has great cast iron legs and a maple top. It should be available in the next week.

Another of the things I am working with is vintage tin ceiling. I purchased a rather large quantity of tin ceiling from someone this summer and for the most part have been very happy to just be selling pieces of it. However, I am seeing alot of people creating with tin ceiling so I have been giving that a try in my shop.

This past week I finished up a bunch of stars that I mounted on vintage bed springs. They are free standing all by themselves or can be used as tree toppers. I also used the leftover scrap to wrap picture frames with. Both should be available and make their first appearance are the Beneath the Wreath show.

 I have also been playing around with making cake plates out of vintage light fixture parts and tin ceiling. This have been both fun and frustrating at the same time. I spent a lot of time working out a lot of problems. In the picture below you can see the end result still drying from the coat of milk paint I put on them. Because of how much time these took this might be the only edition. Some if you are interested these will be making an appearance at the Beneath the Wreath show as well.

My next big goal is to get my shop moved into about half the space that I currently occupy. It will be easier to heat this winter and will be cheaper rent. I can assure you this will be no easy feat with all the stuff I own. But, it is a goal that has forced me to be creative with my space, how I organize it and how I use it.