I thought I was done with any garage sale for a while after the trip to Alameda antique fair. Nonetheless, it seemed we were destination to get some matching glasses for the decanter that we just purchased. Check out these glasses… perfect for enjoying a glass of gin & tonic, poured from the decanter. 
Love it when I find items from separate sources and they work well together!
For many months, I’ve been wanting to check out Alameda antique faire/flea market, which happens once a month.
It was such a HUGE market with much to see. I’m quite bummed that I didn’t bring a camera because our weirdest sighting included a space suit!
Finally after walking around for 3 hours with my willing partner-in-crime, we picked up a few items to add to our space.
1) Buttercup Federalist Ironstone dish: serving bowl?
2) cute small stool with reupholstered top
3) decanter: it’s where our gin calls home now
4) vanity table – pictures to come
Mulled wine, variations of which are popular around the world, is wine, usually red, combined with spices and typically served warm. (quoted from Wikipedia)
I was first introduced to glühwein when studying abroad in Germany in a fall. As the holiday season approached, I started going to craft/gift fairs and many were held outdoor. The aroma of cinnamon, orange, wine, and the warmth of a hot drink in hand was a great companion to browse through the stands in the cold.
This holiday season, I wanted to introduce some of my L.A. friends to this drink.
The packets were sold originally to contain loose tea leaves so that drinkers can make their own tea bags without having to deal with the mess of loose leaves in the mug.
The spices I wanted to include were: whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and dried orange peels.
I found this really cute printable tag from Ez of Creature Comfort blog. I used one side for the gift recipient and the other for the instructions on how to use this packet.
Then I cut out each tag to shape and drilled a hole on top to tied one end of the twine. I then attached another end to the packet.
To use it, you basically will steep this packet in inexpensive red wine, water, and sugar on low heat for a while. For extra flavor, add fresh orange slices+juice, and splash or brandy.
I’ve been wanting a chalk board since I’ve read various blog posts about other people’s. My friend, M, made a huge one in her own dining room and had some left over paint. She was nice to offer it to me.
Then, I wanted a place to hold the chalks. I kind of envisioned a pretty simple thing, so I got a simple piece of wood from a store that I won’t list its name. I thought I had paid too much for the amount of wood I got, and it was basically part of their scrap pile.
In any case, I wiped the plywood board clean first. One of the sides was fairly smooth, so I didn’t bother sanding it. However, I did have to cut it to fit in a panel that in the kitchen.
Then, I began to paint 2 coats of chalk paint on the board. I waited until the 1st coat dried before applying the 2nd. Quite pleased with the result.
The scrap wood was too wide/long for the width of the board, so more sawing. The saw was not very easy to use. It vibrated quite a bit, and I couldn’t hold on to the wood too well. The cut line could’ve been much smoother, but I guess it has a more ‘rustic’ look to it. Then I painted it with left over light blue paint.
Lastly, I painted on some “vine & leaves” on the top of the plywood board where there was a small crack. I looked REALLY HARD for a stencil pattern online but couldn’t find any. After debating for a long while between making my own stencil board first vs. free hand the design, I decided to go free hand. Well, in all honesty, the result is pretty… from afar’. I hope no one examine it too closely when they look at it. Rather, I hope people will just be impressed by the fact that I MADE a chalkboard. :p
Attached the “chalk holder” to the bottom of the board, and nailed the board to the wall. Here we have a chalk board in the kitchen!
and a zoomed-out look:
When we first moved in, we found this wire shelf left by the previous tenant(s). The back side is completely open/without wire on the back side. We found it in the bathroom, and there was no logical place at all where this piece could’ve been used.
I painted the wires blue with an old toothbrush and hammered some nails on the wall. Then I just set this shelf over the nails. Now I don’t have to keep opening the cabinet to reach the basic cooking ingredients.
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