The Ultimate in Recycling

You would think that Butch would be all over this. Instead, he just shakes his head. He just couldn't understand this---but let me explain. Connie showed me a picture about a year or so ago. It was a fall decoration with old graters on a tray surrounded by pine cones and acorns. Pretty cute. It took me a year to collect these. All along, Butch kept asking about them---"why are you collecting all these graters?" When I told him it was for something I was making for Connie, he didn't get it. Even when I finished it---since it's spring I went with an Easter theme---he still didn't get it. She was thrilled. She's using it as a centerpiece on her table. She says she's going to change it out for the season---yeah, right, that's going to happen! See her email to me below the picture.

I just want you to know how much I appreciate your making me the grater centerpiece.  I absolutely  love it and will enjoy for years to come.  I can’t believe you took the time to do it with everything else you have to do.  I don’t want to sound too “sappy”, but I don’t know what I did right in my life to deserve a friend like you.  You are so special to me, and make life so much more fun.  (Even if I did have to wear a sombrero and have the waiter feed me!)  Anyway, thank you, thank you, thank you.  Every time I look at the graters I will think of you and cherish our friendship.

Connie

And while we're on the subject, a few other ultimate recycling projects:

I made this flower arrangement this weekend in this old mailbox I bought in St. Louis. This is what I had in mind for it:

But because of this, I couldn't:

Somewhere along the line, Mindy burned the top of her vanity with a curling iron, so now I have to have the hand towel to cover it up. Kids! I can't have anything nice!

And just a few other things:

This is an old floor grate I just hung on the wall.

Old swing frame with the Pagella family, old camera, books and scale---right side of mantle.

Old binoculars, more books---you can never have too many books---a staple of my decorating, Venus de Milo, old clock and "new" Lenox plate---left side of mantle.