Antique Mirror Makeover Serving Tray ~ And all for under $7

We all love a Makeover, don't we? I know I do!
I found this mirror at a tag/yard sale in CT years ago for $1 - it is a great antique with some missing pieces on the lovely sculpted deeper part of the frame. I knew immediately what I wanted to do with her...

As you can see by the close-up pics, the chips were definitely noticeable, but I had just the idea that would bring this Mirror up to her potential!

The condition of the Mirror itself was in perfect condition...

At one of my favorite antique stores, I found this genuine mink brooch/hair clip (yes, it does both) and decided she had to play a part in the Makeover. Doesn't every lady love a mink brooch?

Using a jeweled metal ponytail holder that had lost it's attachment through frequent use, this was the perfect piece to hot glue to the mirror so I could clip the minkie on, but also take it off when "I" wanted to wear it! This was my favorite part of the entire project...dual use for this luscious clip.

I'm a button and bauble bead collector - so I pulled my tray of goodies out and selected just the right ones that would bring this Mirror Lady to life. Many of the items in this location are not only buttons, but odd earrings that I no longer wear, but have great artistic interest.

A sneak peak at her on the bed after her Makeover was complete - you'll see in the front middle area that I've added a few pheasant feathers that helped to tie in with my hint of animal print that I have as accents in my Master Suite.

I decided to keep the entire stressed look, other than covering the areas that had badly chipped. This reminds me of us ladies that begin to mature, it's part of "who" she is, and it somewhat speaks of where she's come from...

I loved making the earring drape over the outside edge...again adding to her sweet presence and uniqueness.

Another great view...

The pic above allows you to see how the mink clip reflects in the mirror - unfortunately a little dust is showing in this pic that I missed dusting off first. Oh well, I have a bit of dust on me today too... ;)

And, here she is - in her full glory in her new room.
The wine colored pillow on my bed says "I believe in Angels" ~ a great thrift store find right before Christmas. I think this Mirror definitely had her own little Angel to bring her all the way from CT at a tag sale to my home here in GA to live like a Queen with all of her new Jewels & Mink. You can't really see from these pictures, but four smaller knobs are attached to the bottom of the mirror, as every woman needs shoes... Oui? I am on the search for some small crystal door knobs to replace these smaller ones eventually.

I have missed posting these past weeks, life continues to spin so fast...the harder I try to slow it down, the faster it gets. I'm sure many of you can relate!

Hoping to drop by and visit many of you this coming week! I miss you all so much when I'm absent. Happy Spring!
Hugs,
~CC Catherine

At 18 months, It's still important to learn the Basics of Tea Time~

Catie is my namesake, and she's my 18 month granddaughter!

I had to show you these pics as she explored my world of Tea Time ~ and I shared just a couple

tips with her along the way.

1. Always sit with good posture ~ She gets an "A"

2. Never put your arm on the table ~ She's gotta work on that one. :)

3. Always be sure to inspect the cleanliness of the silverware when no one is watching - just kidding...
Then on to the real fun, the Tea Pot & tray ~ What is that lid for she thinks...

Hmm...Any tea inside?

Nope ~ They drank it dry

Well enough of having "no tea" ~ I'm trying on Mimi's shoes she says...
And before I knew it, she was tired and needed a bit of afternoon shut eye ~ But as all angels do, she needed to work on her lil angel wings awhile before she could shut her eyes.

I hope you enjoyed Catie's little Tea Time excursion today!

We are anxiously awaiting her little cousin that is due any hour...his name is Jonathan David. He will be her first baby cousin on our side of the family and my third grandchild and second grandson.

We are excited!

Hope you are enjoying this lovely hot summer!

Blessings to all of my friends I adore in Blogland!

~CC Catherine

What does one do when a PC crashes? For me, I kept busy...and am awaiting the birth of my third Grandchild!

This post is to give all my blogging buds a quick update since I just got my PC back from the Computer Docs after getting a new hard drive.

I kept busy...held a Vintage Tea for a local Writer in my home - Sneak Peek of the hat & earrings below~ I wore my grandmothers vintage white pearl earrings, her jersey silk blue/white dress that I remember her wearing when I was a little girl...and then I sported a great new blue hat that a new friend, Julie, gave me earlier this Spring. I even wore my Grandmothers floral shoes - yes, we have the same size foot! The Tea was so much fun, and we made some great memories for the featured guest!

Then this past weekend I was in Cornelius, NC and visited a great little authentic FRENCH owned Chocolate/Wine/Coffee Shoppe. The owner is an artist and his art covers the walls. His wife is the Chocolatier...and she does FABULOUS designed and tasty chocs! The wines are all French!
Today I decided to start my day off right......so, I'm really trying to eat well this summer and make it a lifestyle and not a whim any longer. The Blackberries were scrumptious and the parsley is from my own herb gardens in pots on my front porch. I grabbed my favorite magazine, Romantic Homes, and showcased the platter on my favorite Italian Tray which was a vintage find a few years back. A picture perfect morning with great flavor! :)
And, now I await the call that I'm a MiMi again.....and I will soon share my new grandson, lil Jonathan David, II with you all!

Ciao for now...hope to visit you all very soon!

Hugs!
~CC Catherine

Serving Trays Are Addictive For Me!

I was fortunate enough to find this purchase for $2.99 at a Goodwill in Charlotte, NC. It's what appears to be solid Mahogany and hand made. There are no dates or markings on it anywhere. Silver is somehow latticed in the front and rear of the tray very delicately and it is quite solid in it's installation of the tray. The center has a silver circle inset. What I love about this tray is that it's very large and I have room for two cups, creamer & sugar, and a small dessert plate.

Now this, I will "not" dare attempt to "Shabby Chic-it". 8=) Seriously...it's perfect just the way it is. I love to also have a Serving Tray on my guest room beds when my guests arrive for a visit. I always put a special prayer written by a missionary friend, a gift, a flower vase with fresh flowers, and I typically will also include a small book for reading on the tray.

Till Monday ~CC Catherine