Stretching My Sea Legs & Creative Muscles

I haven't posted in far too long.  I was busy interviewing for a new position...and then preparing for my first day because I landed the job!  After things settled a little, I started getting antsy for a project.  

I found a great old ladder beside our place lost and without a purpose, lying in the grass.  I scooped that little sucker up to give him a new life (actually big sucker, about 13' long, and really I awkwardly bumbled around with it until I coerced it onto our back deck).  Anyhow, I knew it would be perfect for hanging treasures from.  The trouble was, what treasures?  I decided I wanted a little ambiance back there and set about figuring out a way to hang votives for tea lights.  

Using some extra rope from a toy hammock I dismantled, I created mini nets for each votive to rest in.    Once I had one done, it was a cinch to whip through the others.  I have a step-by-step towards the bottom for making these hanging nets.  

The mini nets were very nautical to me, and I still had the rest of the toy hammock, so my vision just grew from there.  I soaked the toy hammock in coffee for a bit to tone down the bright white then hung it from the top of the ladder on down the rungs. 

I also snaked some rope from the top down the back, knotting at each rung, and attached some beach finds.  

  

It's so pretty at night, I love lighting it up and enjoying my little bunk.  

 I'll be working full time so I may not post as often as I'd like, but you can bet your buttons I will  still squeeze in projects some how because I get all jittery when I don't stretch my creative muscles.  

Step-by-step for hanging nets

Depending on what you plan to hang you'll want to adjust the space between your knots.  You can knot your stands around a plant ring or similar at the top, and use S hooks or plant hooks to hang your votives or jars.  I used what I had on hand, some old shower hooks I no longer use.  This would also work great with wire, you would just twist the wire at the points you would knot.

Miniature Wonderland

I had everything all planned out for Easter down at my grandma's.  We were going to arrive about an hour early so I could put together and cook the quiche.  Once those puppies were in the oven safe & sound, I was going to dress up the table just in time for everyone to arrive.  I had the vision in my head and it was going to be amazing.  Things didn't go quite as I had planned however...

We made a pit stop half way down at a gas station and were in and out in a jiffy, ready to hit the road for the home stretch.  When Craig unlocked the car door it bent the key a little and as he was trying to bend it back into place, the tip broke right off!  We couldn't start the car and were stuck with all the ingredients for the quiche, which was to be the main course at our brunch, and all the eggs for our great hunt.  While Craig was in the gas station trying to glue, tape and use telepathy to get those two pieces back together, I was calling my mom for help.  We ended up calling AAA to bail us out by sending a locksmith who cut us a new key.  So, needless to say, we were two hours late for the much anticipated Easter brunch.  I had to whip through the quiches like a mad woman and throw together my carefully thought out table decor.  I was bummed it didn't turn out quite as I had envisioned.

  I've had a hard time letting go so I set up the tablescape here at home to recreate what I had planned.  I was wandering around my neighborhood snipping branches, uprooting plants and piling clods of moss into my arms...I'm sure it was quite a site for my neighbors.  I captured the pictures I wanted though, and can finally let it go...enjoy.


I used mercury glass votives and glass bottles I've saved for the plants, branches and flowers.  The grapevine sphere I made from a wreath I had taken apart from a previous project.  I won't include a how-to for the sphere because it was just nonsense trying to reconfigure the grapevine, I suggest purchasing premade spheres from your local craft or home decor store.

The mushrooms I made from styrofoam and can be found on my au naturale post, along with the vase containing the branches and nests and mini terrarium inside the butter dish.

I purchased the long strip of moss, bright green moss, mini eggs, butterflies and lady bugs from Hobby Lobby.  The moss clumps and other greenery were courtesy of the great outdoors.

I used a metal paint trough to hold the tea lights and just filled in moss around the votives.

After all is said and done, I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out.  We now have three spare keys and will always keep one handy in the car...lesson learned.