easels

How To Turn A TV Stand Into Cute Wooden Easels

Creativity is always a leap of faith. You’re faced with a blank page, a blank easel, or an empty stage. – Julia Cameron I enjoy my vision boards.  I keep them simple using foam core boards from Dollar Tree.  However, I grew tired of them sitting on the floor and falling over in the corner […]

Delightful Treasures Out Of Old And New

“Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” Matthew 13:52 (KJV) Blending the old and new into attractive functional spaces can be a challenge, but when done […]

What To Do With Leftover Treasures Rescued From An Attic Renovation

The story behind a certain activity and/or objects serves to document steps in a project, especially one of long duration. These may not be as personal as other forms of story but have value nonetheless.  Following is an example of such a piece. What do we plant when we plant the tree? We plant the houses […]

How To Celebrate Forty-Two Years Together?

Forty-Two years of marriage is big deal, but not in terms of milestones.  There is no special gift or stone.  It’s not rubies, emeralds, silver or gold.  It’s simply forty-two years.  So what does one do to celebrate? In our house, we chose to take a ride on a carousel.   Yep, you read that right-a […]

How To Repurpose Cute Knob And Tube Components

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook I re-purpose stuff.  I primarily use materials left from rehabbing our 120+ year old houses. There are oodles of vintage wood many rehab-ers toss out as scrap, especially the raw stuff from the plaster walls:  lath.  I […]

Searching Frantically! Help! What Is A Dixie Maid?

What Is A Dixie Maid?  I thought I would write a bit of history and back story about the “Dixie Maid” label I used to make this cute decorative coat hanger.  What I found was not at all satisfying, so I need help.  First, here is what I found. The term “Dixie Maid” seems to […]

If It Is The Joyland Carousel Then It Is Wonderful Wichita!

 My husband and I recently visited Botanica, The Wichita Gardens.  This is the new home for the Joyland Carousel scheduled to be open to the public fall of 2019.  I have know this was coming, seen pictures and layouts, but it was not until this visit and seeing the building site, did I truly […]

What Screams, Snores And Thumps? Buck The Cat!

At Maison Steinbuchel, we have cats.  Over the years, the number has varied from two to seven at a time.  I know the latter puts us dangerously close to the crazy cat people category and to be frank, seven was a lot.  We have a big house, so we have had upstairs cats, downstairs cats […]

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Lath and Porcelain – Leftovers From the Attic

What do we plant when we plant the tree? We plant the houses for you and me. We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors, We plant the studding, the lath, the doors, The beams  and siding, all parts that be; We plant the house when we plant the tree. by the American author, Henry Abbey […]