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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Pedestal Bowl, Take Two

So, I've been wracking my brain trying to think of more things to put in my pedestal bowl. I kept waiting for your awesome ideas, but I'm guessing you've all had a busy week. Anyway, I really wanted two specific things, so I headed off to Goodwill to see if I could find either dice (preferably black) or Scrabble games.

Do you know that it is a law, seriously, that when you want to buy something you won't be able to find it? Take for instance, a shopping trip dedicated to the purpose of finding the perfect white button-up shirt. You've got the money. You've got the time. You need that shirt. There won't be one. I promise.

But if you have 10 seconds to get 108 items at Target (none of which is a white shirt), your three little boys are crying, tired, grubby, and hungry, and your checking account has only $57 (to cover the 108 items), you will suddenly spot a display with multiple styles of the greatest white button-up shirts you've ever seen. On sale, no less.

Wait, it seems I've gotten off track. Let's get to the point, shall we. I was unable to add to my sad little Scrabble tile collection. (Wouldn't it be fun to fill a huge bowl with them and put them in the center of the dining table? Imagine the letter and word games you could invent at meal time!)

I found white dice at the dollar store, but no black. And definitely not 'vintage.' (Birthday wish list?) I did, however, find these cool children's chairs (because I wasn't looking for them, and I was trying not to spend money on things that weren't on my list). You'll see them in another post after they are painted:
Of course, I would love to have 2-4 more chairs, but there is no hope of finding them now that I'm actually looking. (Birthday wish list?)


Sorry, where were we? Oh, yes, the pedestal bowl. I was in the mood for black and white. Black and white vintage dice were out. Then, in the middle of the night it came to me. Sara had mentioned that she would put her crafting stuff in pedestal bowls (if she had a bunch). (Wouldn't spools of brightly colored thread, or little bottles of paint be fun?) I thought, what about my foam letter and number stamps? They're black and white! Oh, the thinks you can think in the middle of the night. What do you think? I'm off my rocker?

Supposing we decided against the foam stamps, how about silver napkin rings? I would love to have a large collection of mis-matched silver napkin rings. (Birthday wish list?)
By the way, do you know what I did find while shopping? A white pedestal bowl. Martha Stewart, vintage inspired compote bowl. On clearance. Regularly 29.99. Now, just 12.99. I didn't buy it. Should have.

So, if you head to K-Mart and there are no pedestal bowls on clearance (although MS also has an inexpensive clear glass trifle bowl which would look nice), and you don't know what to do... head over to Nesting Place. Scroll down a bit and check out how to make a pedestal plate (or bowl) using a cheap plate (or bowl), an old candle stick, and a hot glue gun. Brilliant, no?

Finally, (you thought I would never stop talking, didn't you?) reader Shelly sent me a picture. She decided to use this gorgeous blue-green bowl and the Raggedy Ann dolls she made (talented!) for her decorative focal point:

What's in your bowl?

16 comments:

Donna said...

How about wine corks? I only have a few because I just started collecting them, oh, I mean, I don't drink wine that often. :-) Love the Scrabble idea!

Dreams of a Country Girl said...

i can't believe you did not use my idea......wink wink giggle giggle
(totally joking) I just thought I might make you smile!

What about coffee beans? or old buttons? or peppermints at christmas...or the candy hearts with messages at valentines....or ice creme...ok j/k on that last one....

Jen Rouse said...

We used to rent a house that had a dark, scary spider-infested woodshed out back. We kept garden tools in it. Once while I was out there getting a rake or something, I noticed a small object lying in the dirt floor. I looked around and realized that there were old Scrabble tiles half-buried all over the place. I thought they were really cool looking, so I actually went in the house, got a hat to protect my head from any spiders that might drop down unexpectedly, and dug up all the Scrabble letters I could find.

The thing is, once I brought them into the house, washed them up and admired them for their vintage appeal, I didn't really know what to do with them. I did not have the benefit of your blog back then :) . I kept them in a drawer for probably a year. And...sadly...when we moved I eventually threw them away because I never had found any use for them. If only I had them now! (and a pedestal bowl, of course). Beth is totally into spelling words at the breakfast table, but we use the big chunky letter magnets off the fridge and they don't have the same aesthetic appeal.

Oh well. Next time I'm digging around in a scary, dirty woodshed, I'll see what I can find :)

Also, I love the black and white stamps in the white bowl--looks gorgeous!

{marie} said...

my 16 year old is playing baseball right now and we are somewhat of a sports nut family. every year i fill two hurricanes with baseballs during baseball season. sometimes i add old vintage baseball mitts to the mix and a pair of the first cleats he ever owned. i will post a picture on my blog as soon as i make it to target to buy new batteries for my camera....but it will have to wait for the weekend because i too only have $57 in my checking account! :)

Anonymous said...

I like to make jewelry,so I tend to take my bigger/biggest beads of different shapes and color and place into the bowls.Also,I love little office supplies like multi colored paper clips or those brads that they now use in scapbooking, that come in loads of shapes,sizes and colors.I like the dice idea!

Anonymous said...

LOVE those chairs!

Sarah said...

I'm SO enjoying your posts, Heidi! Perhaps I'll have a link to a few table collections of my own soon!
Blessings,
Sarah

Anonymous said...

Ok Heidi you asked for it.... I have posted all my bowl ideas... I love yours and feel oh so inspired! Thanks for the Kmart bowl tip, I went and bought mine this morning.... Oh happy day~ Jen

Heidi said...

Donna~ Wine corks! I love it! Now, if only I drank wine... My sister cracks me up. She collects wine bottles that she chooses for the cool labels, but she doesn't drink either. I need to develop a taste for wine. Somehow, when given the choice between Dr. Pepper and a glass of wine, the Dr. Pepper always wins out. How sad is that?

Star~ Ooh! Jewery beads. Great idea! I love office supplies, too. :)

Simple Mom~ Aren't those chairs great? I can't wait to paint them!

Sarah~ Yes, please do give me a link to pictures when you get them up. I think I'll do another follow-up post...

Jen~ You made my day! I love the pictures you posted, and the dominoes are *perfect*. Gonna do that one! I'll post again with a link to your post...
Country Girl~ I really should have posted the pictures you sent me, LOL. But I do love the coffee bean idea! There is another beverage I've never developed a taste for, but I happen to *love* the smell. And suddenly I have an urge to run my fingers through a bowl of coffee beans. I bet it is as relaxing as playing in the sand. I'm gonna try that one.

Jen~ Your story made me LOL. Thanks for that! And see, you only find things when you don't want or need them! I'm glad you like my stamps.

Kambria~ Actually, I think a bowl full of baseballs would look pretty cool. I think it is fun to go with a theme like that...

Anonymous said...

i just realized that i have quite a few pedestal bowls that have nothing in them for decoration. now, i'm on a mission to add things to them.

~~Mary

www.adayinmaryslife.com

Heidi said...

Mary~ Perfect! I'm glad you had some on hand. Let me know what you fill them with!

Anonymous said...

Hey......How about cookie cutters?? I think I will go try that right now. Also found quite a few pedastal bowls on ebay in case anyone is looking! Thanks....Shelly

Anonymous said...

You are soo very creative!! In our bowl at the moment? Dominos. The older kids like to play, and my little one likes the smooth feel of them. Love your blog!

Sue said...

Hi Heidi,
I've loved checking your blog on a regular basis, I am so inspired by your ideas and thoughts!
I have a dilema and hoped you could give me a few ideas for uses for a really cool rectangular vase I recently recieved as a b-day gift? I can send you a picture..my email addy is littlesue2@msn.com

Jodi said...

*hint* you can find bulk scrabble tiles on ebay. ;-)

Heidi said...

Thanks for the tip, Jodi! I don't know why it doesn't occur to me to look online, especially ebay. You can find *anything* there. Now, to go spend a bunch of money...