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July 22, 2024


Hello sweet friends and Welcome to 'What I've Read'.

If you're new here this is a monthly post of the books I've read either on Kindle or in physical form, or listened to on Audible or Chirp. Hopefully you enjoy this months books or if you've read any let me now what you thought in the comments below. If you want to see more of the books I've read go here or check out goodreads.

Happy Reading! 

A Year of Puttery Treats (July chapter)

Author: Alison May | ☆☆☆☆ |Available: Kindle HERE | This book covers each month as chapters and has fun ideas/inspiration for each.  


Welcome to A Year of Puttery Treats. One gorgeous, life-enhancing little something to do for each of the 365 days in the year.

Housekeeping you see, can be terribly dull. A monotonous round of chasing dirt and moving objects that we should seek to enhance with the kind of decorative little to-do’s that gladden the heart and help to bring both order and authenticity in to our homes.

While the treats vary from the pretty to the silly, the fragrant and the celebratory, they are each designed to remind us that keeping house is about more than getting busy with a vacuum and a duster and should instead be about enhancing the lives of those that live in our homes. In reflecting the soul of the Mistress of the house and marking the lives of those she shares it with, puttery treats are quite the most lovely way to ritualise life within our own four walls and more than that to celebrate the art of homemaking and bring joy to domesticity.

In a Year of Puttery treats you will find seasonal tasks and little to-dos for annual holidays and national celebrations. You will discover ways to journal your days and create a living museum of family life. You will find tiny pampering treats and scrubby housekeeping tips, and in the midst of it all, right there in the heart of your home you will find yourself…

Thank you very much for being here!

Have a great day!

Hugs,Tina



you'll find me sharing at the parties listed here

July 15, 2024


Do you get tired of furnishings around your home like I do? I really liked the square coffee table I had, but it was just too big and didn't look right once I changed/swapped the furniture around. This led me to search for a new one. I looked on Pinterest, Instagram and anywhere else, but could never find exactly what I wanted.  

The Inspiration 

Then one day I was watching a reel on Deb and Danelle Designs. Deb was building a coffee table and it was love at first sight. I saved the reel and This Post for future reference. (Do you follow Deb and Danelle?)

The Wood

Then some time after finding the inspiration Jeff brought home some free 2 inch pieces of wood. I  loved the grain and color (Jeff sanded a small area), I knew immediately that was my coffee table.




(At first I thought about leaving the rough edge, but decided against it. Knowing my luck I would somehow run into it and get splinters, Nope ain't gonna happen!)

Table Measurements & Sketch

I sat down with the linked post and reel, and drew up a sketch of what I wanted + size/measurements.

Measurements: 47¼L x 24W x 18½H




Tools & Supplies 

  • Tablesaw
  • Sander + sandpaper 
  • Wood glue 
  • Kreg
  • Screws
  • Biscuit joiner + Biscuits
  • Tape measure 
  • Stain + polyurethane 
  • Router + router bit

Wood Cuts/Parts (in case you can't read my hand writing) 

  • A - 4pcs @ 2×6×13½ (top & bottom of legs)
  • B - 2pcs @2×12×13½ (legs)
  • C - 2 @2×12×47½ top joined by biscuits to equal 2×24×47½

Assemble (I don't have pictures, so if you need visual go to @debanddanelledesigns , a biscuit joiner is not used in Deb's version)

  • The first part that Jeff assembled after cutting the pieces was the top (C). He used his Biscuit joiner for this and set it aside to dry.
Isn't the grain beautiful? 

  • He then routered the top edges of the legs (A)



  • Give all the pieces a good sanding
  • Measure and mark where A & B will join, use kreg and wood glue to join 
  • Measure and mark where the joined legs will attach to C and attach with screws and wood glue.
  • Stain then Poly and admire!

Excuse the mess!

Here is the finished piece...



What do you think? 

Until next time,
xo Tina

INSTAGRAM  PINTEREST



★I am not affiliated with any company/business shared on this website★

joining:   will blog for comments ,  love your creativity,  senior salon pit stoptuesday turn about , karins kottage party,  vintage charm party,   farmhouse friday ,    satuday sparks

July 08, 2024


Do you have a need for lighting on your outdoor dining table?Do you need simple tie backs for your outdoor curtains/sheers? Do you need a door stop that can be used indoors or out? Well I have 3 quick, simple, and inexpensive (possibly free) re-use it ideas for you!

If you've spent anytime here you know that I love to reuse things and these diy's are no different, they're all made from reused items around my home. 

So shall we begin? 

Outdoor Dining Table Lighting 

Do you have a small open weave basket you kept but not sure what to do with it? Maybe you have an extra outdoor solar disk light?

That's what I had laying in the garage. Every time I went out there this basket was whispering to me,"what about me?" Then one day I had an idea! You see, I wanted some light on our outside dining table, but I didn't want anything to tall, didn't want a candle (either real or battery operated) . 

So I grabbed the basket & the light...

Pushed the light through the basket top (it was a tight fit)... 

but I got it in...(getting it out when the batteries die is going to be fun)
and there it is...
a quick and easy light!
What do you think?

Bead Tie-backs 

I'm sure there are a lot of us out there that have leftover/ unused Bead garland. I had 2 strands I bought at Hobby Lobby one year to hang Christmas cards from.  I  used them once and they sat in my stash until last summer.  I hung sheers on my back porch but needed tie-backs. At first I was going to use ribbon but I saw this garland first. 



 I grabbed these, scissors, painters tape, and a roll of jute twine.

  1. Cut the twine and remove beads
  2. Divide beads by number of tie-backs 
  3. Cut jute to desired length 
  4.  tie loop at one end and tape other end (this keeps it from unraveling while threading the beads).
  5. Add beads 
  6. Remove tape, tie loop at other end, and hang



Easy and looks good, right? 

And finally...

Kettlebell Doorstop 

I bought a set of Kettlebells but wound up not really caring for them, so I stached them away.

Fast forward to 2020-ish after we replaced the screen and doors on our porch;  I went on the search for a doorstop. You see, we have 3 fur babies and constantly opening and closing the screen door (plus the back door) was a little tiring; so a way to prop it open was needed. I remembered the Kettlebells and the re-using began.
  1. Using an exacto knife remove rubber coating
  2. Wash thoroughly removing any residue and let dry
  3. Grab whatever color spray paint you want and paint Kettlebell(s), let dry 
  4. Choose either rope or jute twine and a hot glue gun and wrap handle, using glue to secure jute in places (especially at the beginning and end) 
And there you are...



Hope this gave you some ideas to re-use some things around your home!

xo Tina

★I am not affiliated with any company/business shared on my website. So I do not receive any form of compensation ★
sharing:   will blog for comments ,  love your creativity,  inspire me monday  inspire me monday,  senior salon pit stoptuesday turn about  karins kottage party,  vintage charm party,  thursday favorite thingsfarmhouse friday

June 30, 2024

Welcome to 'A Note from Tina'. A monthly note where you can catch-up on all the projects, d.i.y.s, crafts, recipes, and life here at Maples & Stone. So grab your favorite drink and join me for a few. 

☆FYI: Monthly posting schedule: (this may vary depending on the month or how much is accomplished)

  • 1st Monday - Recipes 
  •  2nd Monday - DIY, Re-use It, and/or Did you know, 
  •  3rd Monday - Tips & Tricks and/or Room Reveals 
  • 4th Monday - What I've Read, 
  •  Last Day of month - A Note from Tina (newsletter)


★I am not affiliated with any company/business shared on my website. So I do not receive any form of compensation★

This guy was just a chillin' in my garden 

Life Lately: Good bye June....Hello July!


  • June was busy just like May! My oldest grandson D drove up for a week. I miss him & it was great to see him. 
  • My middle grandson 'J' is here for the whole summer. It's fun having a 12 year old around! 
  • Our granddaughter 'S' (9yrs) lives in the neighboring town,  she comes to visit but gets bored, lol. She doesn’t understand why her brother 'J' doesn't want to spend 24/7 with her, lol! She will learn eventually (we hope).


Grand fur-baby Wolfie enjoying the dirt!

  • Finally all the dirt saved from the driveway extension, sidewalk and side patio is spread and grass seed is down and starting to grow, Yes! Trying to keep the fur babies out has been 'oh so fun' (sarcasm).
  • My garden is doing good but not as well as years past!
Hot Thai peppers 🌢 yes they are hot πŸ”₯ 

  • I've started working on garden ideas for next year! 


Around the Web: 

  • Cottages and Bungalows has an article on Homemade Bug Repellent for your outdoor summer fun
  • Do you follow Cindy of @windowboxcottage she's so sweet and her home is so beautiful! If you don't have instagram you can check her home out HERE

Shopping: 

  • Not much to talk about besides groceries,  I don't think you want to hear about that. Except this pineapple cream cake, it was so moist & delicious! Bought it from a local store Pate's Farm Market.



June on the Blog: 

That's all folks! :)



P.S. Be safe and have fun this upcoming πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Independence Day πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ


xo Tina


sharing:   will blog for comments ,  love your creativity,  inspire me monday  inspire me monday,  senior salon pit stoptuesday turn about , creatively craftyinspire me tuesday,  karins kottage party,  vintage charm party,  thursday favorite thingsfarmhouse friday

June 24, 2024



Hello sweet friends and Welcome to 'What I've Read'.

If you're new here this is a monthly post of the books I've read either on Kindle or in physical form, or listened to on Audible or Chirp. Hopefully you enjoy this months books or if you've read any let me now what you thought in the comments below. If you want to see more of the books I've read go here. The Reading Nook - What I've Read is posted on the 4th Monday of the month. 

Happy Reading! 

● A Year of Puttery Treats (June chapter)

Author: Alison May | Available: Kindle HERE | Published: April 2019 | This book covers each month as chapters and has fun ideas/inspiration for each.  


Welcome to A Year of Puttery Treats. One gorgeous, life-enhancing little something to do for each of the 365 days in the year.

Housekeeping you see, can be terribly dull. A monotonous round of chasing dirt and moving objects that we should seek to enhance with the kind of decorative little to-do’s that gladden the heart and help to bring both order and authenticity in to our homes.

While the treats vary from the pretty to the silly, the fragrant and the celebratory, they are each designed to remind us that keeping house is about more than getting busy with a vacuum and a duster and should instead be about enhancing the lives of those that live in our homes. In reflecting the soul of the Mistress of the house and marking the lives of those she shares it with, puttery treats are quite the most lovely way to ritualise life within our own four walls and more than that to celebrate the art of homemaking and bring joy to domesticity.

In a Year of Puttery treats you will find seasonal tasks and little to-dos for annual holidays and national celebrations. You will discover ways to journal your days and create a living museum of family life. You will find tiny pampering treats and scrubby housekeeping tips, and in the midst of it all, right there in the heart of your home you will find yourself…

  

● The Summer House 

Author: Alison May | Available: Kindle (only) | Published: April 2019 |"The Summer House (The Seasonal House Series Book 2)".


The Summer House is the second of five seasonal titles from BrocanteHome.Net’s best-selling Seasonal House series.

This pocket-sized book is a cornucopia of Summertime homemaking inspiration, with ideas for preparing for the change of the season, Summer puttery treats, cleaning recipes, decorative touches, journal prompts, a book list and an essay on living well in Summertime, written with all the same charm Alison May has been bringing to the world of vintage housekeeping for over twelve years now...



● Patina Style, Patina Living, Patina Farms & Patina Homes

Authors: Brooke Giannetti & Steve Giannetti | Available: Amazon, Kindle & Patina Home & Garden | Love these books 

Patina Style: The Giannettis have developed a home design style that embraces age, patina, weathered and worn surfaces, and rough surfaces. Patina Style is a color palette, a romance with subtlety, an attraction to natural materials and architectural details. It is at once old-world, contemporary, and mildly industrial. Patina Style gives insight into materials choices, methods and treatments that result in spaces that celebrate beauty in the old, the imperfect, the slightly roughed-up.

Patina Farm: When Brooke and Steve Giannetti decided to leave their suburban Santa Monica home to build a new life on a farm, they looked into themselves, and traveled to Belgium and France, for inspiration. Brooke’s inviting prose combines with 200 photographs and Steve’s architectural drawings to show their inspirations, their materials selections, and the enviable result of their team effort and creativity: an idyllic farm in California’s Ojai Valley. We see every corner of the family home, guesthouse, lush gardens, and delightful animal quarters.

Patina Living: An intimate look at life on Patina Farm enjoying the interplay of rustic and modern European farmhouse charm―including the sheds, outbuildings and well-designed gardens where the Giannetti's entertain and enjoy their miniature goats, sheep and donkeys, the chickens and ducks, and dogs. In addition to the home, charming sheds and outbuildings in the Patina landscape are inspiration for a beautiful life in the popular Patina Style.

Patina Homes: Steve Giannetti’s architectural designs springboard from his image of ultimate beauty— a place where modern, classical and industrial elements merge to create a unique style with a modern sense of space and emotion drawn from history. His materials palette consists of wood, metal, and stone. His color palette is a chalky patina. Twelve varied homes—ranging from a modern desert glass box and a beachfront contemporary to a historic East Coast farmhouse and a Provencal-style home in California—show how Steve has used these themes to solve unique architectural challenges. Steve has collaborated with his wife, Brooke, as well as other designers on the various interiors.

Have you read any of these books? 

Happy Reading! πŸ“š


Thank you very much for being here!

Have a great day!

Hugs,Tina



you'll find me sharing at the parties listed here

June 17, 2024


Welcome to 'Reuse It'. A monthly post where I reuse items around my home in different ways. 


★I am not affiliated with any company/business shared on my website. So I do not receive any form of compensation ★

Back in the early 2000's while stationed in Wisconsin. We were living in a small 3 bedroom town house. We needed a place for our desktop and printer,  but computer desks were to big for the only area to put one. I gathered a tape measure,  ruler, pencil, paper and an inspiration photo and got to work creating this cabinet (above). I used Gothic style fence finials for the feet.

After being moved to many times to count, no longer owning a desktop and not having a place to put it; the time had come to retire it. 

While Jeff was taking it apart the one request I had was to save the feet. 


Supplies:

  • Gothic style fence finials 
  • Drill + bit (bit is the size of dowel on flags)
  • 2in 4×4 block of wood (to make taller)
  • Paint or stain (optional) 
  • Wood glue 
  • Sandpaper 
  • 5 small American Flag 
  • Clamp
  • Nail + nail gun 

Assembly: 

  1. Make sure your drill bit is of similar in size (not smaller) to the dowel of the flag. 
  2. Mark where the holes are to go. I have 5, 1 center top, 1 in each of the 4 sides.
  3. Drill holes on sides at a 60⁰ (degree) angle, about halfway down. Insert a flag to verify that it's neither too small or too big. 
  4. If you've got any rough spots after drilling the holes sand little.
  5. Attach the base (4×4×2) with glue and clamp,  or nails
  6. Once dry paint or stain. 

Now that your flag holder is finished,  add the flags and place anywhere your heart desires! The great thing about this (depending on the color), is if you have the long, slender candles ( here ), it can be used year round. 

What do you think? 


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