Here is a super quickie post on my coffee table! I'm sure you'll enjoy the goodies stashed under the glass top. You can't have an urn and not fill it up with beautiful objects (or re-purposed junk!).
Here is a close-up of the side--complete with its crusty original finish and drainage spout!
I don't know if you can tell from the photo--I have this on a 12x12 ceramic tile to support the weight of the urn (nearly 100 pounds).
If you try this at home, which I strongly recommend, do so with caution--have help moving it! Don't try to do it alone! And don't forget to somehow evenly distribute the weight--here a $0.96 tile from Home Depot does the trick--if you don't distribute the weight you could cut your rug, the carpet, or dent your hardwood floors!
Here are some close-ups of the goodies displayed within: seashells, vintage jewelry, buttons, starfish, chandelier crystals, and many other bits and bobs!
"Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?"
If the quote above wasn't a big enough hint, my inspiration for this display was Ariel's Treasure Trove/Grotto in Disney's The Little Mermaid! You can also see my favorite find--the preserved four-leaf clover--from my great-great-grandmother's (yes--that's my double-great grandmother's) button collection! It's not a button, I think it was a pendant at one time, but I am not sure, either way it is one of my favorite things!
Don't forget to use the little clear skid-protectors or other type of felt or plastic feet to keep the cast iron from scratching/cracking the glass!
One final tip if your do this yourself--SHOP AROUND FOR GLASS! I called around several shops for a piece of 30" diameter beveled glass--most of the quotes were in the $200.00 - $300.00 range. I looked on-line, and nearly bought it for $80.00--that sounded to me like a good deal! But low and behold, I snagged this for a whopping $15.00 at THE DUMP! No, not the garbage dump, but The Dump--the Haynes Furniture liquidation center. Needless to say, I was ecstatic!
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoy the real thing!
~Mikey @ Shabby French Cottage
[Edit: Linking to http://shabbyfrenchcottage.blogspot.com/2010/05/spring-mantle-re-do.html]
