Vintage Tray Wall

I am so in love with my vintage tray wall that I finished up today. It's only taken me 3 months to get it all done. Why do personal projects take me so darn long? I've got to take some each week to get a little bit done for my home!! I have to say that the Country Living Fair sure did motivate me to nest a bit more!!

 

I bought the wire hangers from a very kind Etsy shop ower!! Marmee Rob's Shoppe They were great for the bigger trays, nice and sturdy!! For the smaller trays I used the sticky disc's that I got off of Ebay. I have to say they were pretty wonderful, just make sure you get out a measuring tape and really get the disks centered. You know I learned that one the hard way, at least you can reposition them if you don't get them right the first time.  

I love these so much, I've been collecting them since we moved into the house 14 years ago. If my memory serves me right the large round coffee tray was the first one and was gift from my MIL! 

Which one is my favorite? I have to say that the 2 BBQ trays really do make my heart sing!

What about the extras? I've got to have some laying around that I can use, don't I? We use our trays as project trays. Lego's, embroidery, or homework. Trays are great to keep things in one spot.

Mixin' it up!

I went on a bender yesterday, a decluttering bender! I started in the dining room from hell and made my way around the first floor of our home.  I haven't done that level of decluttering in ages. Now, don't get me wrong, I have done my fair share of this and that, but when you only have 4 days off in 3 months, things tend to pile up!  It doesn't help that I am a "piler". I make piles for my piles!  I have to admit I like a good pile, but enough is enough.

They kids and I went to work, with our new friend Mr. Chicken! Fly Lady taught me that you could rule the world 10 minutes at a time, so that's what we did. While the kids dusted and vacuumed I took some time decorating!  Here are a few pics of my pretty new vignette in the foyer. How can the most neglected space in the house is also the most seen? That's just wrong.

 Check out my Flickr Collection for more photos of our home!  

Mantel Junk

mantel display 19/365, originally uploaded by ModernJune.

Where does one get cool junk? This is my burning question every time I see a cool home on Apartment Therapy or Design Sponge. I just love junk! Today I will share just where I got my treasured loot from.

• The door is from on old ironing cabinet, and I rescued it from the alley. I stored it in the shed for years before I found a place for it. I love the worn paint and attached hardware
• The iron gate was found in the alley behind the same house but years later. I have had to rescue this from my own alley several times, my husband kept trying to get rid of it. Someday I want to have it sandblasted and use it for tissue paper/wrapping paper, just like a local store has done.
• I finally found the perfect way (for now) to display my Instant Roadtrip, 6 Postcard Set from Roadside Photographs. I found this Los Angles based photographer through Paper N' Stitch and Etsy, two great market places.
• The giant M came from Artful Vintage, ahhhhh, I could really spend some money in that Etsy Shop!
• My sweet green gnome was present from my cute hubby, we saw it in a Busch Gardens shop, he snuck back and bought it for me! How fun is he?
• I have no clue where I got the orange vase, maybe from a frequent trip to the Lakeside thrift shops.
• I saved the best for last... my cherished Irish Cottage that came from my Grr. When my Grandparents went to Ireland in the 80's they brought back tons of these, one for every child and grandchild. I received mine a few months after she passed. I love this music box so very much, it reminds me of winding up the old one that sat on her mantel through out my childhood.

I am sure it looks like junk to some, but to me it's a mantel loaded with memories!