Buckets of Burlap

Blessings

Becky C

Entertaining Buffet Style

2012-01-12T12:20:00.001-06:00

Hey my friends!

With the New Year, I’ve been thinking about this year’s possibilities… goals to reach, projects to complete, along with new ideas & inspiration…

so I thought I’d do a series of posts to share “Buckets of Tips” on ways to use vintage/farmhouse items in entertaining or decorating… how’s that sound?

You know, suggestions on all the flea market/antique finds you “must have”, just to get them home and have NO idea what to do with them. I do that regularly :)

Now, by no means am I an expert on decorating or entertaining- I’ve had no education in these fields. Much more so, it’s just a passion of mine :)

And I believe we (you & me) share the same love for farmhouse, vintage, & country style…right? I’m guessing that’s why you keep coming back to this little blog of mine…

So, here we go…

let’s talk about buffet style- highlighting ways to use milk glass, vintage bread boards, and zinc pots.

First, I always set up the backdrop. This is our buffet table in our dining room. Notice here, I used a layering technique; by that I mean leaning items in front of others. First a white window, second a rustic wooden window frame, a chalkboard, & last a picture frame. You can do this with items you have.

Chances are, you probably have a few milk glass pieces… so let’s use them for entertaining. I used plates, a pitcher for mint tea, and hobnail glasses to match. I also had two little bowls for crackers and walnuts.

Zinc pots come in handy for a buffet luncheon. Use them for fresh bouquets of flowers, candles, or holding silverware. Lining the pots with parchment paper keeps utensils clean.

Vintage breadboards provide a contrast on the white table & scale. And I love the contrast of white & wood :) I already mentioned this…but I like layers :) I also added an ironstone bowl under the salad bowl. Which could be filled with ice for keeping greens cool.

Next, I lined a vintage box with parchment paper to hold the napkins. The old chippy green board adds another rustic element.

Another tip, is to provide different levels. It is easier for guests to serve themselves when things are within reach. By using a drying rack or scale, items are easily accessible. Cake stands & candlesticks would add different heights, too.

Not to mention, various levels are pleasing to the eye :)

And never forget the fresh flowers. Ironstone pitchers, zinc pots, sap buckets, or enamelware make for perfects vases.

Chalkboards are fun ways to display your luncheon menu.

By using what you already have, you can set up a nice buffet on a low budget. Food and flowers were all I purchased for this salad luncheon :)

I sure hope you found something useful…

I’d love to hear what you think about these “Buckets of Tips”.

And, if you have suggestions on what type vintage items you’d like me to discuss, let me know. I’ll do my best :)

Thanks so much for visiting me today!

I’m joining

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Blessings,

Becky C

A January Table

2012-01-05T19:02:00.001-06:00

Hey my friends!

Wish you could join me…

I set a table, just for two :)

Perfect for enjoying a nice winter salad for lunch…

I made a fancy little drink using sparkling grape juice, limes, and blackberries.

My hope for January, is to post about different ways to use vintage items when decorating or entertaining.

So today, I used antique vegetable baskets as napkin holders. The baskets give a nice rustic contrast.

A vintage spoon to serve blackberries.

You may have seen my antique ladder before…but here she provides a nice backdrop to display old bottles.

I also tied twine around the vintage bottles and added lavender; using them as bud vases on the ladder.

Mr. Buckets built this table with old reclaimed lumber. I use it as a coffee cart in our kitchen. However, it can serve many uses :)

I painted it with a gray stain on top, added a white wash, then sanded. The bottom is all white and distressed.

As a centerpiece, an old Ball jar holds the flowers, and limes line the inside.

My craft for this tablescape was to stamp small pieces of driftwood with words “one” & “two”. I attached them as labels to the glasses with twine.

I don’t know about you, but when I buy a fresh bouquet of flowers…I get inspired to set a table :) That’s all it takes. Flowers.

Thanks for visiting me today…

I’m joining Farmhouse Friday

Furniture Feature Friday

Potpourri Friday

January Cottage of the Month!

Blessings,

Becky C

Heartfelt Thanks

2012-01-05T12:24:00.001-06:00

Hey my friends!

I have some “sweet” news to share with you…

A few months ago I was contacted by Elaine K. Phillips, from Romantic Homes Magazine.

And I’m thrilled to share with you the results of a phone-interview and several emails…

Photos of our kitchen, along with a very nice article about our home…

A feature in Romantic Homes! I’m honored to say the least :)

And my heart is bursting with gratitude…Thanks so much, Elaine :)

Secondly, the editor of Bedrooms & Baths (special edition of Romantic Homes),

Rebecca Ittner, contacted me about our master bedroom.

And take a look at this!

Our barn wood headboard is featured under “Farmhouse”, as one of the Top Design Trends of 2012!

I am so very thankful to Rebecca for including us :)

Of course, I have to give thanks to my friend, Donna at Funky Junk Interiors… she taught me how to shoot manually in ONE email!! She is an amazing encourager and has supported me from the start of this blog. Because of her expertise, I was able to do my own photography for these magazines :) Thanks so much, Donna, for helping me!!

Next, I would like to send hugs and thanks out to Jennifer Grey at The Old Painted Cottage…for featuring our “farmhouse” at

Check it out, if you have not seen it yet.

And to all of you!! Thanks for being my biggest cheerleaders! For always making my day with your compliments about my photos and little farmhouse… because of the Lord, my sweet family, "sister", and you, I am able to do all of this without my precious mom…

you all mean the world to me :)

Thanks from the bottom of my heart!

Blessings

Becky C

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T18:18:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year, my friends!

Just wanted to say thank you for blessing me with your friendships and kind words all year through…

My prayer for you is that God pours out His blessings on you and your families in this New Year!

If you are new here at Buckets of Burlap, I’d like to say WELCOME!

I truly hope you will find something here that inspires you :)

Please stay awhile, I can’t wait to get to know you :)

My heart is full of joy knowing a new year is beginning, and looking so forward to great things happening…

Blessings from Louisiana,

Becky C

Christmas Dining

2011-12-24T13:15:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas Eve, my friends!

I hope you are enjoying this sweet day with family…

I haven’t had a chance this week to post our dining room all set for Christmas dinner. So, here are some photos for you :

It sure was fun to set our new farm table, built by Mr. Buckets :)

I used zinc name plates atop a trimming of Frasier fur branches for a rustic touch. And added the cranberries for a splash of color. A piece of parchment paper under the branch keeps the plate clean.

Our table is set for just us five… our sweet kids on the bench side together. So, their place settings are fun and whimsical with lots of Christmas color.

One little Christmas craft I finished this week was wrapping cones in sheet music. Then I added the greenery and candy cane. It is hung from the bistro chair with bakers twine.

And that’s the dining room. Now, off to enjoy a wonderful dinner :)

Have a very Merry Christmas! Hugs to you all from Louisiana!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Blessings

Becky C

I’m joining the Christmas home tour at

SNS Christmas Home Tours

Santa Pancakes

2011-12-23T16:31:00.001-06:00

Hey my friends!

It’s almost here! My little ones are so excited about Christmas day.

This week we have been wrapping, baking, watching movies, and making lots of special memories…

This morning we made Santa pancakes. I use a Santa pancake mold to make these. The key to making it work well is using a generous amount of non-stick spray. Then once it is done, we add chocolate chips for eyes, red icing for a smile, and confectioners sugar for beard and hat trim.

A fun, festive Christmas breakfast :)

I hope you are enjoying time with your family and friends this week, too :)

I want to thank you for visiting my blog and leaving such sweet comments… your friendships mean the world to me, and I feel so blessed to have each of you this Christmas. May you be filled with the joy of the Lord this Christmas!!

Blessings

Becky C

I’m joining

It’s Finally Christmas Around Here

2011-12-16T12:58:00.001-06:00

Hey my friends! I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

We have had some really interesting things going on around here this December. Exciting things I will share with you in another post…

Therefore, we just got around to decorating for Christmas this week!!

I wanted to share a few quick, easy ideas for a simple Farmhouse Christmas…

I added vintage sheet music to my old ice cream bucket, and sat it on an old sled.

Free from Home Depot… I added Frasier Fur greenery, along with ornaments and mercury glass.

I found these sweet pinecone mercury glass ornaments last year at Target during the “after” Christmas sale.

The wreath came from Lowes.

So, this is my first Christmas post. I will share more of our simple Farmhouse Christmas with you this week.

And I hope you are enjoying this special time of year with your family.

Blessings

Becky C

An Outdoor Thanksgiving Table

2011-11-21T19:53:00.001-06:00

Hey my friends!

Happy Thanksgiving Week! Can you believe it’s already here?

I put together a Thanksgiving table in our pasture.

This area is separate from the farm animals. It is a perfect spot for our

bonfires, soccer games, and outdoor dining.

I used many vintage items to create a simple farmhouse Thanksgiving table setting. My sweet husband got me the two bistro chairs for our anniversary :)

We are always blessed here in Louisiana with warmer-than-usual temps during this time of year. As you see, our leaves are just beginning to change colors.

My heart is so full of thanks this week for my family, health, and great friends…

And I want to tell you how thankful I am for each of you…for visiting my blog, and being an encouragement and inspiration to me.

I hope you have a blessed, Happy Thanksgiving :)

Blessings

Becky C

I’m joining these parties:

Tuesdays Treasures

White Wednesday

SNS Tablescapes

A Garlic Wreath

2011-11-18T11:31:00.001-06:00

Hey my friends!

How has your week been? Great, I hope :)

I’m so thankful for the gorgeous weather we’ve had here!

I wanted to share a little wreath I made this week. It’s a garlic wreath.

Here’s how it turned out.

I used size 18 gauge Steel Wire, along with about 15 heads of garlic…

(5 heads of garlic for 1$ each, and wire already on hand)

I cut the wire about 24 inches long and strung the garlic onto the wire.

I didn’t use every head of garlic, because it was beginning to weigh it down.

I wanted it to hang in a nice little circle, as a wreath.

If you like the smell of garlic, this is a fun little project.

I might try to make a garlic garland next…anyone ever tried this??

A possible sweet little homemade gift for the holidays…

I’m joining these parties :

Kathleen at White Wednesday

Saturday Nite Special

Blessings

Becky C

Semi-Homemade Biscuits

2011-11-13T21:24:00.001-06:00

Hey my friends!

I hope you had a glorious weekend, where ever you are!

Remember, I told you about all the treasures I brought home from Amy in Tennessee in my last post? Well, here is another one…a recipe for ”semi-homemade” biscuits :)

She told me about this wonderful brand of biscuit baking mix. So, I tried it!

It’s an easy way to make perfect biscuits,

but you still get to play with the dough :)

You simply add milk to the mix…

Form the dough into a ball and knead a few times…

Roll out into 1/2 inch thick…

Cut out your biscuits and bake…

What you get, is warm, flaky, delicious biscuits!

Of course, we couldn’t resist adding the scrumptious apple butter Amy sent home with us!

You really should try this, if you enjoy the fun part of making biscuits :)

I’m joining Creative Bloggers Party!

Thanks so much for visiting me here today!

Blessings

Becky C

Treasures from Tennessee

2011-11-03T21:55:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

Well, what can I say? Except that our trip to Tennessee was FABULOUS :)

We arrived at Amy’s gorgeous house and didn’t want to come home…

Here are some wonderful treasures Amy sent home with me:

old bread pans

seltzer bottle

vintage suitcase

and fancy plates

And although I treasure these special gifts,

Most of all, we treasure the friendships and memories….

of long walks and talks together

of laughter and fun

of movies around the campfire and the best hot dogs EVER

of waterfalls and drives along the back-roads

of gorgeous weather and the Nashville Flea

and scrumptious home-cooking

and the wonderful idea that one day,

we will get to go back again…..

Sure hoping you have great friends to make memories with!

Sending lots of hugs to all of you :)

Thanks for visiting me…

Blessings

Becky C

Cabinet Redo

2011-10-19T12:11:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

I wanted to quickly share photos of my cabinet with you again.

I put the doors back on, after painting them to match the cabinet.

I can not wait to tell you all about our trip to Tennessee!!

I’m joining Farmhouse Friday :)

I hope you all have a lovely week! Thanks for stopping in to visit!

Blessings

Becky C

More Table Goodness

2011-10-11T20:21:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

How are you? Great, I hope :)

Thanks for all your sweet comments about the little bit of fall decorating I’ve done around here.

I’m adding a few more fall items, but keeping it simple.

I gave you a glimpse of this new farm table my brother and Mr. Buckets built, in my last post…

my brother generously gave us a huge pile of wood from an old crate.

They used a really cool tool (kreg jig) that allows all the hardware (screws, nails) to be hidden underneath, out of sight. Carpenter’s dream!

Talented, they are…putting this big boy together in two days :)

We used a few different painting techniques throughout the process.

I will share that with you in a step-by-step post, soon.

I sure am having a great time sprucing it up for fall. Pumpkins, goldenrod, and pinecones are the highlight. And we moved our chippy scale from the dining room to add a little vintage.

The goldenrod smells lovely. I did not know that :)

I hope you don’t get tired of seeing my old ice cream bucket…

it’s obviously one of my favorite vintage pieces I own.

It’s moved around all over my house :)

The goldenrod came from our wooded area behind our house.

We took a visit to the pumpkin patch yesterday. I was so happy to see there were special pumpkins available.

Well, there you have it. More table goodness built by hand here on the farm.

Hope you didn’t mind so many photos…that’s how I roll :)

Today I’m sharing with

Thanks so much for visiting me today :)

Blessings

Becky C

Fall Farmhouse Decor

2011-10-06T17:19:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

Welcome to Buckets of Burlap, if you are visiting from Laurie Anna's Vintage Home, I’m so glad you found me :)

If you would like to see the sweet Featured Farmhouse of October post, head on over there to check it out. Thanks so much Laurie Anna!

I wanted to share a few farmhouse fall additions I’ve made to our den.

Just very simple, and mostly staying with earthy tones and natural colors.

I am finding the purple is so soothing this fall.

So I added the purple hydrangeas and lavender.

And left over okra pods from our garden piled in this vintage berry basket sit next to the hydrangeas on my barrel side table.

I used an old urn found in the barn on this chippy garden table.

Here is a sneak peek at the new farm table “Mr. Buckets” and my brother built. I’ll show you more real soon…

Lastly, the porch got a little touch of fall, too.

Did I tell you we are getting ready to visit our Tennessee friends??

We can’t wait to see how autumn can really feel and hang out with some of our favorite people :)

Today I’m sharing with these sweet ladies:

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Have a wonderful weekend!

Blessings

Becky C

A New Kitchen Table

2011-09-30T22:11:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

Mr. Buckets has been at it again…he built another table :)

My brother gave us a huge stack of gorgeous reclaimed wood from old crates.

We’ve had several projects in the making from this old wood.

One being, our new kitchen table:

Here is the way it used to look, with the old painted table top:

After removing the old table top, Mr. Buckets replaced it with wide planks. He used the same legs, and just rebuilt the top and base.

Here it is with a coat of weathered wood stain from Home Depot.

And this is it after staining, adding white wash, and sanding it down.

We also added 2 coats of Poly on the top for easy cleaning.

It goes much better with our farmhouse style, don’t you think?

We are really enjoying the new table.

Add some flowers and zinc pots for a little centerpiece…

And on to the next project :)

I’ll be sharing more real soon.

I’m joining in

Farmhouse Friday and Furniture Feature Friday

Have a wonderful weekend :)

Blessings

Becky C

P.S. I’d like to thank Max from Pocket Change, where they featured my blog on the Be @ Home, Best of the Web series. Very sweet :)

In Honor Of…

2011-09-16T08:57:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

I hope you are enjoying some cooler fall weather where ever you are!

Of course, here in Louisiana, fall will last for about two weeks and won’t even arrive until late November… okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a wee bit.

I’m always so amazed this time of year to see those of you who are already experiencing cooler temps, going to apple orchards, and wearing your sweatshirts and jeans :)

Which leads me to this post. I saw fresh pears, apples and hydrangeas at the grocery store today. And I was inspired to set a little fall table.

Lately, I just haven’t had the desire to do any blogging. You ever felt this way?

I just could not get motivated to do photos, edit, write…

And maybe it’s true I’ve been a tad overwhelmed with the transition from summer into home school. And our oldest, well, she is a freshman now, attending high school. And she loves it.

Juggling it all, well, it does not come easy for me.

Oh, I’ve been popping in on your blogs, to get inspired. And, I really have missed all your sweet comments and conversations. So, now I think I’m back in the swing of things! Ready to create, stage, sew, and post all about it :)

For this fall table scape, I used an old piece of weathered wood over a grain sack to place my centerpiece. Then I put the flowers in the ball jars.

I placed the pears in my antique German molds to hold them steady. How cute would they look holding a place card?

And to adorn the napkin, placed a hydrangea leaf in the center, tied with twine.

Fruits add a subtle splash of color for the changing season. Love how God created such gorgeous colors in nature.

Now, I’d like to dedicate this post to honor a special group of people… who have been heavy on my heart the past several weeks-

ANYONE DEALING WITH CANCER

I lost my mom to ovarian cancer before I started my blog. I think about her so much as I do this without her. She would have been my biggest cheerleader.

Now, I’ve watched as many of you openly express dealing with a loved one with cancer. It is just not easy.

But having all of you helps. All the prayers and support are so needed and appreciated. Let’s reach out. Let’s pray for each other.

Anne of Fiona and Twig- she needs us

Amy of All Things Home- she needs us

and I’m sure so many more of you are affected by cancer in some way.

I wish I would have had all of you when I was going through it with my mom.

At least I have you now :) I’m thankful for that :)

I’m joining Farmhouse Friday, Vintage Inspiration Friday, Saturday Nite Special

Thanks for hosting, ladies!

Blessings

Becky C

Guest Blogger from Design Shuffle

2011-09-02T08:29:00.000-05:00

Hey my friends! Today please welcome Susi, from Design Shuffle!
She is sharing some tips with us on using vintage items in bedrooms...

Hi, everyone, I’m Susi and I write as a guest blogger for DesignShuffle.com, a fabulous social media site that promotes interior designers and their work from around the world. My writing focuses on things I'm passionate about: interior design, decorating ideas, home furnishings, gardening, travel and art. I get to look at gorgeous things all day and write about them. I'm a very lucky girl!

I love decorating with vintage finds so I'm thrilled to be sharing some ideas on decorating the bedroom with vintage furniture and objects. Thanks for letting me and Design Shuffle come to visit. Hope you enjoy these vintage filled bedrooms. ~ Susi

Design Sponge via

A corner china cabinet gets a new life in a bedroom. This charming bedroom is filled with vintage finds, from the art work to the chandelier, the dresser to the beautiful vintage dress.

Espacio Vital via

Pieces of architectural salvage, like these doors, are great finds to use in the bedroom. Large mirrors, shutters and wood panels can all be used to add charm to a bedroom.

Home Biba via

A simply decorated bedroom is full of vintage charm. The painted vintage armoire is wonderful for storage as are the Shaker style peg boards. A cottage style vintage painted metal bed fits perfectly in this bedroom design.

Pinterest via

A dark wall makes for a dramatic backdrop for an eclectic collection of artwork and other objects. A vintage upholstered headboard and vintage crystal lamps with charming scalloped shades stand out against the dark wall.

A Well Dressed Home via

I've been thinking about papering a wall in vintage book pages for a while. Love the cozy feeling the book page wallpaper creates in this bedroom filled with vintage finds and beautiful bedroom decorating ideas.

Apartment Therapy via

Vintage metal twin beds would work for either a children's room or a guest room. A working vintage fan is a welcome addition on warm nights.

House to Home via

Decorating with vintage finds sometimes means reconfiguring them or rethinking their purpose to suit the room. A dressmaker's form is a clever place to store and display necklaces and pins. A buffet with its doors removed is very charming. Great bedroom design ideas!

Home Designing via

This cozy book-lined bedroom has loads of vintage charm. Vintage (or vintage inspired) wallpaper lines the walls while an eclectic mix of linens covers the bed.

Check us out for interior design ideas at Design Shuffle a social networking site that features interior designers from all across the United States. From Los Angeles Interior Designers to New York Interior Designers!

Thanks to Susi for joining us today! If you pay a visit to their blog, you will find great decorating ideas :)

Have a wonderful Friday!
Blessings
Becky C

Eggs and Asparagus

2011-08-23T19:58:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

Do you have a weakness for signs? Me too ;) All over blog land and even name brand catalogs…signs are everywhere.

I saw a photo on a blog from Pottery Barn catalog, and showed Mr. Buckets.

And, being the sweet carpenter guy that he is…now I have some nice, big wooden letters over the stove.

Here is my inspiration photo from Pottery Barn:

Just look at that farmhouse. kitchen. OH. MY!

Our little kitchen does not have quite the space to put GROCERIES, so we opted for a much shorter word :)

And did you notice the ASPARAGUS sign in the above Pottery Barn photo? Well, I painted my version of that one, also:

This one was just stenciled onto an old piece of barn wood. Our family loves asparagus in the summer months. My kids eat it like candy.

I did not, however, paint the stenciled number jars. They came from a store called Tuesday Morning- great things at great prices :)

Well, I’m sharing my signs this week at these fun parties:

White Wednesday

and

and

Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday

And one more little tidbit of news: our “farmhouse project” was featured today on Design Shuffle Blog. It’s a neat blog, where you can get designing ideas, or share your own. Go take a look at the sweet post they did…I’m most honored to be featured. Thanks to the folks at Design Shuffle for giving us a shout-out!!

Blessings

Becky C

A Summer Mantel

2011-08-18T23:04:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

I realize I’m a little late showing photos of my summer mantel, but better late than never, right??

I replaced the large IKEA hanging lanterns with the ball jars.

Added old books, lavender, and greenery.

And propped another old window in front of the fireplace.

I like that pop of color the ball jars bring to the white.

These photos were taken last week. This week ALL of our flowers in the garden are already gone. The heat here has just been too much to bear.

Well, thanks for stopping in to visit :) I love having all of you to talk to, and share my love for farmhouse stuff.

Come see all the fun ideas over at Laurie Anna's Farmhouse Friday

and

and

Donna's Saturday Nite Special

Blessings,

Becky C

Antique Berry Crate

2011-08-11T22:12:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

I found an antique berry crate with baskets at a local Antique Mall.

I have had my heart set on finding one. And there it was! Waiting for me…

The little berry baskets are very unique, and I’m sure would look great holding any type of berry.

But I had cherries on hand, and some delicious cherry preserves :)

It’s Farmhouse Friday over at Laurie Anna's, so I’m joining in the fun.

I hope you have a lovely weekend! Thanks so much for stopping in to visit me today! You girls make my day :)

Blessings

Becky C

Farmhouse Dining

2011-08-05T08:52:00.001-05:00

Hey my friends!

Happy Friday! Hope you’ve had a wonderful week :) I wanted to share with you what I did with those slider doors from my NEW CABINET.

I hung them on the wall above my side buffet table. This is a very long buffet table, which gives me space to place lots of things…and the wall is very large.

So, I hung the slider doors and added the old green window frame. Paired with the new chippy crate from Canton, it all came together for that farmhouse feel I’m going for :)

Two of our favorite scales also reside on this buffet table.

On my last visit to Laurie Anna’s, I found these cool wooden cutting boards, so I just copied her idea, and used them as chargers. She has great ideas…

My rustic crate is used here as a centerpiece of sorts. Holding extra plates, glasses, and silverware, it also gives added height to the table.

I placed a silver platter on the top of the crate, so I could add more textures. The platter fit perfectly.

Thanks for stopping in to see my Farmhouse Dining area today :) I really appreciate you following along!

I’m joining lots of parties today:

Vintage Inspiration Friday