Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Thrift Store Rocking Horse Makeover

In the last few years, a few bloggers have been rocking the rocking horse as a Christmas motif. 
Now, I lived through the rocking horse and carousel fad of the 80s. Some trends I don't want to repeat, so I resisted the urge to add a rocking horse to my Christmas collection. 
I kept coming back to it. I was drawn to it like a pony to the hay barn. 
The desire to pare down our Christmas decor has been a conflicting pull. 
In an effort to avoid retail, I've visited the thrift store for makeover candidates. 
You can read about another 80's craft in this post


By shopping the thrift store, a good cause is supported and there is no guilt when the unwanted item makes its way back to the store. 
The hunt for rocking horse makeover candidate actually began last Christmas. 
Last year, there was one that was a possibility but I walked away from it. 
Then, I spied this guy and walked away from it three times. 


Clearly, there were some serious doubts about going down this path. 
You're going to think I'm silly but he was $5.00 dollars which seemed too high for an 80's cast off. 


Sorry, Bob Wolfe. 
Literally, an 80's cast off. 
He received two coats of white spray paint and a wreath of microfiber holly courtesy of Hobby Lobby. 


The mantel was the first of the Christmas decor to come out as soon as my post Thanksgiving nap was complete. 

              

The stocking was made to coordinate with the tree and with the grain sacks on our dining tables. 
It was made from a Tuesday Morning dish towel. 

I used last year's stocking as a template. 




 Some old crochet finished it off. 

The clock and the candlesticks are staples. They always stay on the mantel.
Other accessories come in and out of rotation.
The gold frame is new. It was $1.50 at an estate sale. 
We've had the framed ceiling tile forever. 
The iron stone pitcher came from an estate sale when we lived in Lubbock during the 90s.  The coffee pot was found in an antique store in Clifton, Texas in September. It's not in perfect shape but it was a deal.
The garland is a Hobby Lobby.



The crock came from the garden. It was fun cleaning that up to bring inside. It's never been inside. The boxwood is from HedgeScapes.








Bob was not the only one rocking the rocking horse motif during the 80s.
 I was rocking it way back during the Christmas of 1983 - our first Christmas.



The irony is not lost on me.
Now, let me pack these stockings away until Christmas Eve.


I just can't seem to let go of our original stockings but they aren't on display anymore.


I hope you like it.
Have a wonderful day!
Katie

6 comments :

  1. Katie,
    I love rocking horses and had a collection of them to hang on the tree.... until my house was burglarized one year, and the thieves took my entire Christmas ornament collection stored in a small chest. My sister also loves rocking horses and carousel horses. I have two small handcarved natural wood horses that stay out all year on the window ledge of the roundtop window in my stairwell. I can see the horses when I am at the kitchen sink and still love them.

    Yours is cute with its new coat of paint and wreath.

    Judith

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  2. Katie, your living room looks beautiful and that rocking horse is MUCH improved! Nice vision. The room is so pretty!

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  3. I love that you painted the rocking horse. He looks great on your mantel. Love your pretty Christmas tree too.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  4. Your fireplace is perfect for Christmas displays! The rocking horse looks much better painted than in the original brown. He would be cute hanging in the middle of a big wreath.

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  5. Katie, I love your little horse. Call me a kid, but I just think Christmas is not perfect without at least a couple of rocking horses. Your's looks so cute on the mantle and I really love your tree..Happy Weekend..Judy

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  6. I love your makeover and the whole room! I featured you at this week's TFT party. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas!
    https://followtheyellowbrickhome.com/christmas-tours-decor-and-more/

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