My Recycled Wooden Christmas Tree (Thrift Shop Find)

Look at this wooden Christmas tree/candle holder/ornament display thingy I found while in a thrift shop in...............yep - you guessed it

My favorite thrift shop in Birkenfeld.

Yes this is indeed a solid wood tree

that have arms or branches that rotate.

The little holes at the ends hold candles.

I did not like the tree being just a wooden tree truly I did not

 

A Ho-Hum pedestal (Yawn Yawn Yawn)

For days I stared at the tree and wondered how I could give it character.  It needed character.

Well as I was researching something on the internet I came upon this fabulous blogger

Ann @ Make The Best of Things

and she did a wonderful tutorial on how to do a crackle finish with Elmer's glue.

I studied this tutorial and then I got to work on the

Wooden Tree That Had no Character

and

TAH DAH

I love how the crackle technique turned out on my thrift shop find.

 Crackle Crackle Crackle

From the tip of the tree

To it's base.

I so enjoyed the transformation and I can't wait to share what I am working on to hang on my once wooden tree that had no character.

I am linking this to

One More Time

Eschenbach Tea Set (of four)

One of my favorite thrift shops is located in a little town called Birkenfeld.  It's about a twenty minute drive from Baumholder.   When you shop in this little store you need to be ready to dig (and dig deep.)
And so we did
and
we found a teacup set that I absolutely fell in love with.  The markings read
"Eschenbach"
Bavaria Germany.

There was only four dessert plates, four saucers and four teacups.

Grapevines and polka dots.......or are those little dots the grapes that bounced off the vine to form a perfect border on the scalloped edges of the saucer, plates, and rim of the cup?  Don't know.

Can you see the ripples on the edges?

Handles have a dainty curve.

The Maker's Mark.

Now...........I did do some research on "Eschenbach."  Do you see that little crown above the "Eschenbach?"  Well the date cannot be determined as to when these were made; however my research revealed Eschenbach has another marking where the crown does not have the cross on top.  So......maybe this set is older than the ones without the cross on top.
Sadly both references disclosed that the dates cannot be determined on these two marketing.
Hopefully there is an Eschenbach expert out there in Blog Land who might know more?  Leave a comment - I would love to learn more.

Hugs,
Kay
Gallery Fifty Eight

Top Five Blogging Tips I Learned at Haven Yesterday by 21 Rosemary Lane

21 Rosemary Lane: Top Five Blogging Tips I Learned at Haven Yesterday

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might (win the Pfatzgraff Dinnerware)

I have been exploring the participants of

Coastal Charm's

Party

and I came across

21 Rosemary Lane

By Barbara Curran

She blogged about Pfatzgraff Dinnerware Review and my oh my what a beauty that set is.  Take a stroll over there and have a look at it.

Star Light

Star Bright

First Star I see tonight

(if it ain't foggy over the small town of Baumholder, Germany)

I wish I may

I wish I might

Have the wish I wish tonight.............

I sure wish that I could win the set of Pfatzgraff service for 8 Country Cupboard giveaway.

If I do, I will certainly continue to invite single soldiers who are tired of the dining hall, mess hall, food and sit them down to this nice set for a down home cooked warm meal complete with dessert.

Oh how that would make them feel less lonely

and

most appreciated for all that they do for our country.

Tah Tah for now.  And my fingers are crossed (wink wink)

Six Hundred Circles (Old Book Page Crafts)

I was blessed with a big box of old books.  There must have been at least fifty books consisting of both hard cover and paper back.  Before my book blessing I must say that I was really getting into doing things with old book pages.  I began with little paper bags.

Then I went on to doing paper roses after watching a YouTube video on how to make a Novel Wreath by Marzipan. 
And I made the wreath (after many many many attempts).

Ohhh what a beautiful wreath this became.

I just had to make more. 

Then I came across this wonderful blogger in Blog Land Ann @ Make The Best of Things.  She took wax paper and cut them into circles and made a light cover.  It replicates the capiz lamps that I remember seeing in homes in the 1970's.  I love the sound of a capiz lamp when the wind causes the circles to brush up against each other.  Oh so serene.

Anyway, I live on an Army Post and Army housing is..........well Army housing (smiling cheek to cheek here).  We have a pretty huge apartment and the lighting is adequate; however, fluorescent is just not my glow.  It makes my home feel so military, so classroom-y, or so office-y.

See how the light emits everywhere?  

So.......with Ann's tutorial - I took my big box of old books, a sewing machine, scissors, glue and I made me Ann's gorgeous strings of faux capiz but instead of using wax paper I used old book pages - at least Six Hundred Circles (and some).

I just love how the light is subtle when it emits through the paper yet spot lights the center of the dining table.

During the day it is just a masterpiece in my opinion (wink wink).

Sigh.............thank you Ann - this was so much fun to make.

Speaking of fun.........I made more book page paper roses and took this drabby, unattractive white clock

 and an old book from the big box of books

and made this:

Isn't the cast iron pug door stopper cute?

*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*

I have been visiting lots of thrift shops in the little German towns around where I live.  I am so excited about what I have been finding and those bloggy blogs will be posted in the days to come.

In the meantime I joined my first blog party at Coastal Charm
who is hosting

And I'm a couple of days late in posting this Nifty Thrifty post on my book page chandalier, wreaths, and clock.  Sighing..........working the late shift is getting to me.


The second party I joined is happening at

French Country Cottage

and I am having a lovely time visiting all the wonderful participants.

 The third party I joined is happening at

One More Time

Check out my Facebook page.

Please leave a comment - I would love to hear from you.

Come Tour My Basket (Reutter Porzellan Bear Henry and Friends)

Happy Monday.  The weather is certainly turning chilly but we did have the sun peek out at us here in Baumholder Germany despite the gloomy and rainy weekend.  The weather didn't stop me though as me and hubby headed out thrifting and I am so excited to share this adorable picnic basket we found:

The basket is in excellent condition

The straps have no sign of wear and tear.

The interior's fabric showed no sign of fading.

I absolutely loved how it opened up in the front.

The top (or lid) of the basket holds the dessert plates but then I am thinking these are cheese plates.  I'll explain later.

The back of the basket holds two cups.........perhaps for coffee?

and

The back of the basket also holds this cutting board; hence, me thinking the two plates hold the cheese after you cut it.  

The bottom of the basket holds two little wine glasses.  When I saw the wine glasses I was thinking why the coffee cups?  Not sure not sure.

The front flap of the basket holds a set for two stainless steel eating ware and two cloth napkins.  So adorable.

The markings on the Reutter Porzellan's.

Made in Germany.

Thank you for visiting.  I hope you enjoyed the tour of my little basket.

I have visions of picnics with hubby and the pugs using this basket or maybe even taking it to the Mops Meet in the Spring of 2013.

I don't know...........we'll see and I will certainly share.

If anyone out there knows anything about this set please do share - I would love to hear from you.

Why This Blog?

Because I want to share what's on my mind which I tend to think is a gallery of thoughts.

 

Because I want to share what I find for my home which I tend to think is a gallery of what nots that make me happy hence a happy home.

 

Because I'm pretty darn good at finding new life for something that is no longer wanted.  Mainly at thrift shops, yard sales (a sale of stuff in a yard), garage sales (a sale of stuff in a garage), or..............stuff thrown on the streets.  So my gallery of creating new life (okay recycling upcycling......whatever) adorns my home.  Does that make me a rescue-er?

 

So for my first Blog as Gallery 58 (BTW if I tell you what the 58 is about in "Gallery 58" I will definitely give away my age) I want to share this neat shelf I found at the thrift shop located on Pulaski Barracks in Kaiserslautern, Germany

It has four shelves that holds my collection of paper mache and clay pugs.

 

 

 

 I do love pugs Oh Yes I do.

 

 

 

 I tried to bend and point one leg like this and ouchee ouch ouch ouch!

 

 

 

 The columns on the little shelf was perfect for the pudgy Bumble Pugs.

 

 

 

 Okay this little painting wasn't on the shelf but isn't it cute?

 

 

Do you have a little shelf that you display a collection on?

I'd love to see it and if you don't mind.........I would love to feature it on my blog.  Just leave me a comment and a link to your blog or pic and I will definitely share it here. 

 

Thank you for stopping by.