"Bee"ing Creative

Cabinet Door-Picture Frame Re-purpose.

2012-01-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

This is another one of those pieces I bought because I just knew something good would come of it. Had no idea what, and it went through several different purpose ideas before it finally found it's life.

I picked it up at the used building materials warehouse I visit occasionally. It was the glass that grabbed me. This old cabinet door had a cherry stain and beautiful bubble glass. I quick coat of white paint, a crackling medium and finally a super dark brown (yes, almost black) and here it is. I filled it with black and white prints and create a family collage.


Wonderful Bubble Glass

I will be able to change the collage as the family grows and it's a unique visual touch. Remember, think outside the box, or the cabinet.

Handmade Dining Table

2011-11-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

So the banquette is not done yet, but we needed a dining table for it. Shopping on Craigslist is always a good thing, but finding the right size dining table just wasn't in the cards. So I decided to make one.

The search was on for the right base. Enter a Craigslist find for that...an antique Singer sewing machine base for $50.

So what to make the table out of. I knew I needed something about 30 inches wide and 5 feet long and strong enough to withstand someone leaning on it without curving or bending over time. Off to Stardust to find a solid core door. I cut the door down to 60". (lesson 1: I recommend 59 to 59.5" to accommodate the trim molding)

I centered the sewing machine base upside down on the door and marked and drilled holes to match those on the base. In addition I drilled a 3/4" "sink" hole about 3/8' deep so that the mounting bolts would be flush with the door, then bolted the door to the base.

Next step...adding the re-purposed siding I picked up from a friend. They were tearing down an old shed on their property and offered with wonderful chippy wood to anyone who wanted to pick it up.

Because it was siding it was thicker on one side. In glued and nailed small molding strips to the door so I could mount the thinner end of the siding and have level slats.

I glued and used black drywall screws to mount the siding to the door. The screws served double duty because they also filled the holes for the old nails. I centered the boards on the door to used the best part of the chippy wood. When dry, I trimmed them down with a hand saw to the size of the door.

The last building step was to trim the door with casement molding that I painted white then distressed with the crackle medium and brown/black paint.

Here is why I recommend making the table slightly less than 60". The glass topper was a little more expenses because the glass company had to order a larger size piece of glass to create at 60 3/4" x 32 3/4" piece. Using a 60" piece would have been less expenses. The glass made a huge different and I don't have to worry about any of the old paint chipping off during use.

A unique piece. Since completing this project I have purchased an additional sewing machine base for another re-purposing adventure. Have any suggestions??

My Useless Cabinet

2011-11-15T10:04:00.001-07:00

I thought people were smaller in the 1950's. To walk through some of the homes in my neighborhood you would think the same. I mean, really, the house across the street has a Master Bath the size of a travel trailer. My husband can't even get inside the shower stall.

So why was this cabinet in my kitchen so high? Most of the top shelves in the rest of my cabinets hold all the stuff I only pull out once a year, like Christmas dishes. This one above my sink was useless. Who is going to use a cabinet that you have to have a ladder to reach and you have to hold the door up with one hand while to try to search for what you need with the other.

So a decorative shelf was born in my 1954 kitchen. But a plain white shelf in my plain white cabinets was...well...boring. For something a little different I lined the shelf with fabric. I little spray glue did the trick. (Hint: don't use striped fabric. It's much harder to make it look good.) I used hot glue and a little bit of black lace trim to cover all the corner seems. Voile'.

P.S. Everything on this shelf was found at a thrift store. The bird was a cheap tacky resin figurine that I gave knew life. See the post on that here. The decorative "carving" on the face of the shelf was made using a stencil and spackling paste.

Don't let that hard to reach cabinet sit empty. Have photos of your shelf project? Share them on my Facebook page.

More Tacky Art Reborn

2011-08-03T20:51:00.000-07:00

Ah, the 50's & 60's. The era of cheap, tacky, green art. Once again I found the perfect item to raise from the dead. It's your grandma's art. You know that stuff that you remember hanging on her wall from the time you were knee high to a pigs ear...or something like that. After grandma passed on it was the first thing to end up in the "estate" sale pile.

I love that word. "Estate" sale, "Estate" sale. Like saying it somehow makes all the really old plastic furniture worth a little more. But, as usual, I digress. If there were an ugly art contest, like those ever-so-sweet ugly pet competitions, this would win, hands down.

The purchase had to be mulled over. After all, what in the world was I going to do with this? There was only one reason I couldn't pass it up. It was a perfect match to one of the images on my recently purchased toile fabric for my kitchen. And where there is one tacky piece of perfect art, there is always it's mate, and they both came home with me.

They sat in a drawer in my craft room for about 6 months and I decided to take them apart the other day to hopefully inspire my creative juices. It worked! And glory be! All the other owners of tacky art would have taken their mildly hideous pieces home from the competition the minute I walked in with these ugly mutts. What I found inside was a cheap piece of molded silver plastic so flimsy I could cut it with a pair of scissors. So I did.

I trimmed the corners, just in case I find a use for the small corner border pieces then cut around the center frame with a ruler and my utility knife. Did I say "thin piece of molded plastic" because it was a piece of cake to cut. Each piece of art got a good coat of cream colored spray paint to cover up all the green. After mere minutes in the Arizona sun these babies were ready for a coat of spray glue on the back and voile'.

I glued them to the inside cabinet on either side of my kitchen sink, let the spray glue dry overnight, then used paintable kitchen caulk around the edge of each picture to ensure the look of a cohesive piece. When dry, I simple brushed a light coat of the same cabinet paint to give each piece a hint of wood grain.

A completely new life has been created and I will challenge anyone (who hasn't read this little blurg) to suspect the humble beginnings of these beautiful, custom carvings.

If it weren't for grandma's in the 50's we would actually have to pay real money for real stuff like this. Thank you grandma.

Cheap Art Made Into Something Special

2011-06-08T07:12:00.001-07:00

You know the stuff I'm talking about. The Big Lots, K-mart, Walmart art that you bought for your first apartment. Yes, the kind of art where the frame is worth more than the picture and that's not saying much.

I found such a piece at Goodwill a while back and while the art had no appeal to me I really liked the mat with the coordinating inner frame. At the time, my brain was seriously lacking in ideas for this masterpiece and my sanity was a little in doubt as well. But it all became clear after I returned home from my son's Army Basic Training graduation.

After 10 weeks of absence my first thought upon seeing him was "man, this must agree with you because you look great!" I was trying to remember when I had ever seen him so happy. During our visit I managed to snagged one really good photo that clearly emphasized this, and when I returned home I knew it needed a little something different.

My list of ingredients? A camouflage bandanna, some little wooden stars, a small American flag, string, jewelry wire, scrapbook card stock, an antique angel button, a US ARMY die cut and some customized dog tags I ordered off of eBay.

The Angel button accents Psalm 91: 10-11 printed on card stock and framed is a coordinating decorator fabric that I fringed by pulling out some of the weave. I made the barbed wire out of gold heavy gauge jewelry that I "dusted" with black spray paint. The flag, string and die cut were too tidy so I aged them with Distress Ink.

So if you combine this little piece, with all the stickers and magnets on the back of my car, and my t-shirts I think I clearly qualify as going overboard on the Army mom thing.


Pvt G. Sean H., U.S.Army Medical Corps

I'm so very proud of you.

The Charm Springs Forth

2011-04-21T08:57:00.001-07:00

You know all those new houses in those new neighborhoods where all the roofs are the same? They're all painted the same color and your this close to your neighbor. We used to live in a neighborhood like that. The one my brother and sister-in-law lived in was so clone-ish that we would often have trouble finding their house. That 2 story number that was built behind them finally solved that problem for us, but I don't think they liked the idea that their neighbors could see everything they were doing in their tiny back yard.

The "before"...

I've always loved older houses because they have so much charm. The Bee Hive had hidden charm from day one. Our first encounter with our "estate" was a view in the windows that did not reveal the great bones of this place. We were actually looking at the property across the street and saw a for sale sign in the window. After making offers on three different houses on that same street before we finally got a home here, and the more homes I see in our 55 plus year old neighborhood the more I realize we really do have a little gem of a house. I think we ended up with the best of the three we bid on.

and the "after".

So now our new roof is complete and the charm is eye-catching. I love to sit on the front porch (I think I have porch sores on my behind from being bored there a lot during my recovery) and I notice the drivers and pedestrians turn to look at our place as they go by. The bright red door is turning even more heads. Soon the grass will be bright green with the summer irrigation and there is talk of a new fence and improved gate with our neighbors. Our next step out front...taking out the poor ficus tree that sucummed to severe frost. You know how harsh the Arizona winters are...whimpy tree.

Friday's are "Wear Red to Support Our Military" days. We've decided to just go red everyday with our front door and draped our son's Army flag in the window in support of his decision to serve our country.

Before he flew off to basic training, my son and I installed these shutters that I found at Stardust for $4 a piece (see the previous post) and the iron sconces were a 50 cent find at a garage sale. And we had pretty red candles in the sconces but this is Arizona and they had taken on a graceful curviture before plopping to the patio . A few more fake candles have been ordered for the summer months.

I just need a few plants for my pots, a new light fixture because I broke the one that was here when we moved in (I was having trouble with Christmas lights. I still don't know how I broke it), and maybe a porch swing. Walking up under the shade of our 50 plus year old Laurel tree is already a comforting experience. A few more special touches and it will be and "oooo, how cute" moment for all of our visitors.

Heres to all of the charming days ahead.

Time To Recover and Re-roof.

2011-04-12T19:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things are made right but after use and time parts wear out and repairs must be made. Then again, sometimes things are just done completely wrong from the start and you put up with the stares and the laughs and the embarassment until you just can't take it any more.

The first is me. I was wonderful and beautifully made by God. But with time and use some of my parts have expended themselves beyond the point of usefullness. Recently, my not really needed parts also came under fire from themselves. As a result...a pretty major surgery, 4 days in the hospital and an extensive recovery at home. Yes, it was the big "H", and even though I was told how long it would take to recover I knew I was stronger and it wouldn't be nearly that long. Yeah, right!

The second is our roof. As a teenager I assisted my parents and siblings in re-roofing the ole' homestead with a new layer of shingles. Dad handed us a hammer and some nails and showed us how to roof a house. I'm ashamed to admit that we have lived in this house 2 years and I had never seen the roof until we had wind damage from a recent storm and we were getting an assessment from our friendly neighborhood roofer.

You have got to be KIDDING! Who in the world put this roof on?!

So. As I sit here recuperating I get to observe and catalog a few exterior improvements that will make a huge improvement to the integrity and appearance of the house.

The next big project, calling the local water company to tell them what idiots they are because they suggest we neighbors get together and pay someone to come out and fix their broken irrigation system. You have got to be KIDDING! What numb-skulls are running the water comany?!

A Soft New Look - Recycled Kitchen Project

2011-03-24T12:02:00.000-07:00

Finally! It's seems to have taken forever but I have actually made some progress to the point where I feel like I can share it with you. My new pantry. Well, maybe and maybe not. I haven't decided yet if I will distress the cabinets or not. If you read my earlier blog you have seen this ugly cabinet. We did make one attempt at improving these 57 year old cabinets after we moved in. But we were rushed and never really did like the outcome. Primer, brown paint and hew hinges were as far as we went.

With a little bit if ingenuity, some glue, recycled faux wood blinds, clamps, black spray paint and a new white finish...voile!

This is the same cabinet, same doors, same hardware. I found some used 2" textured faux wood blinds and Stardust and framed the cabinet doors. Window blinds have small holes to accommodate the pull strings so I had to come up with some way to hide these holes.

I filled the holes with spackling paste then used a stencil and more spackling paste to create a Fleur de lis embossed treatment over the holes. Those ugly chrome handles...a coat of spray primer and matte finish black paint gave me a more desirable piece of hardware. Forget spending $3-$5 on new handles. I spent that much on a can of primer and a can of paint and I'll be able to re-do all 35 kitchen handles and 3 bathroom handles.

The white looks so much bolder and yet somehow softer against the tan paint.

Redecorating can be done very affordably if one is will to think creatively and take the time to measure, cut, glue and paint, paint, paint.

In The Meantime

2011-02-03T13:34:00.001-07:00

I'm still doing a lot of work on the kitchen cabinets and waiting until I have made significant progress to post more photos, AND I've been doing more artwork to promote my sponsorship with the Arizona Mounted Cowboy Shooters Association.

So today I am sharing the latest piece of art that I finished last night. More crafting an home improvement blogs are on the way.

"Ayla" 16 x 20 Acrylic on Canvas

Happy Thursday everyone.

Wedded Bliss

2011-01-23T14:11:00.002-07:00

My blessing abound daily. I am blessed with a wonderful, handsome, caring, funny and generous husband. On the day of our wedding I wore the gown of my dreams. As I saw it hanging in my closet this afternoon I thought it would be a pretty thing to blog about, and when I started shooting pictures of it I realized that my "style" hasn't changed much. I still like pretty, frilly, old fashioned things.

Dave and I were engaged six weeks after we met and we set a date for December which meant we had about 4 months to do everything, including find a dress. Mom and I hit the bridal shops together one Saturday and at store #3 there it was. BUT...it was the wrong color (beige) and too expensive. Once again, the blessings came upon me. My mother is a seamstress extraordinaire. When she realized how much I loved the style of the dress she suggested we find a similar pattern at the fabric store and shop for various laces. Being the seamstress she is, she knows all the best stores to find things like lace, and she pulled the pattern out of the package and proceeded to fold, draw, cut and pin, until we were able to match what we had seen.

Since our wedding was during the Christmas season we incorporated tiny silk burgundy roses and poinsettias in to the dress.

There are, I believe, 9 different kinds of lace on the dress, some of which we could only find in white-white. We died it with tea so that the dress had the proper Ivory coloring. We shopped just about every fabric store in the Phoenix metropolitan area to find the perfect fit.

More of the burgundy coloring was added with this satin lace up in the front of the dress.

I love the pretty, puffy lace sleeves.

And the pointed hem-line.

Mom also included a built in slip, again finished in another type of lace.

If I were to get married today, or maybe just renew my vows with my sweet, giant teddy bear, I would wear this same dress. I hope that all brides are blessed with the same feeling after taking a walk down memory lane.

Thanks for sharing those memories with me.

You Bought A What?

2011-01-21T17:02:00.003-07:00

$8. That's what this beauty cost me. Eight lousy bucks that the other guy wouldn't fork out. The seller told me they were originally asking twice that but they had dropped the price because it was getting late in the day. (There are advantages to sleeping in sometimes) Well, it was one of those moments. "What the heck am I going to do with a Korean War Cluster Bomb Box?" There was no reason to buy it, and no suggestion in my head that said this was some great antique. But I HAD to have it.

Check out the cool lettering.

You know the feeling. That little voice that just tugs at you and says "Buy it! Buy it!".

...and the awesome paint drops.

Do you like my "antique" photo effect?

I keep some of my potential projects here until I need them.

The details are amazing.

So, none of my friends have a Korean War Cluster Bomb Box. No one in my family has a bomb box. Nonetheless, I found out when I got home that it was, in fact, a great purchase because my 21 year old son said "Coooo-ooooool". That's all one needs to hear when ones actions make them start to think that they have early onset dementia.

There is so much great stuff out there. And if you sleep in and think it's too late to hit the yard/garage/rummage sales on a Saturday, maybe it's not. I'm just glad I could help those folks out by taking this crazy thing off their hands.

Throw Something!

2011-01-16T10:36:00.004-07:00

That's right. Throw things all you want. Why not throw cheap things. Then you can throw things and not feel guilty. Of course, with this kind of throwing you won't feel bad anyway.

Most of our furniture is either hand-me-down, yard sale, or thrift store purchased. With all this mix and match one might think they can't have a nicely coordinated decor. Ha! If you have recycled furniture of any type, try throwing it.

A Pretty New Corner

Two Goodwill blankets dressed this ugly recliner up so much that even my husband, who looks at furniture only as a means to watch football, made a positive comment after I had fancified it. Each throw cost $3. The pillow is a Christmas pillow that my mother made that I turned around after the holiday. About 15 minutes after I very carefully put this little corner together, our cat, Booger, jumped up and initiated the "new" chair with a nap.

This is what the ugly chair really looks like.

So why not rethink buying new or coordinated furniture. Pick up a few blankets and give your old junk a whole new look.

Post Script 1/17/10
Um, some one needs to tell my cats it's the same stupid chair we have alway had. They are fighting over it now.

Post Script 1/21/10
It has also become a play platform for Bryndal & Booger

Wedding, Tea, Birthday Party Centerpiece - A New Idea

2011-01-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here I go again. Someone just needs to take these stupid books away from me. I guess I am just feeling sorry for the poor things. With the introduction of electronic readers these paper books are going to go the way of the VCR and the home telephone line. There are so many books out there someone has to plan for their inevitable demise and find a new use for them.

So here is my latest idea. Use old hardcover books to create a centerpiece for a wedding table. Perhaps the same idea could be used for a tea with the ladies or even a girls birthday party. This was my first rough draft using thrift store lace & flowers, yard sale beads and some card stock paper. I threw in part of an old bracelet for a little punch.

Of course you can decorate this with all sorts of colors, or themes but I thought it would be quite unique. For stability I used an old hair crimper to bulk up the books pages to ensure it remains open and standing no matter what impact might befall the table.

Here are a few progress photos.

I cut the book with a jigsaw. My hope is to find a cheap scroll saw on Craigslist. This will give me the options to try some other ideas I have for these poor dead trees.

Use a thinner book. It's easier to cut. I suggest leaving the bottom of the "skirt" as wide as possible for strength and stability.

I added plain card stock paper to the center binding, and printed card stock paper to the front and back of the dress. Stay away from the thin scrapbook paper on all of these projects. It wrinkles and tears too easliy.

I sprayed glued the larger pieces of lace on. I didn't want to cake it with layer upon layer of Modge Podge.

I trimmed the lace back. Next time I think I will wrap it instead.

I found that the best way to add bulk and keep a nice appearance what to crimp at the lower end of one page of the skirt and the upper end of the next page. It was faster than trying to crimp everything and leaving part of each page straight kept the crimping from gathering together.

If anyone has theme suggestions, or if you create your own, please share here. New ideas are always welcome.

Happy Crafting.

Just Sharing Some Photos I Took Today

2011-01-08T20:01:00.000-07:00

At the Whitney Alderson benefit shoot with the Arizona Mounted Cowboy Shooters event today out in North Phoenix, my nephew and I took some wonderful photographs. I know I'll be using some of these as reference material for future artwork.

So take a step outside of the usual creative realm on my blog and enjoy these great action shots. These are fun events to watch and those involved are some of the nicest people I have ever met.

My friend, Dawn, introduced me to the sport and there I found...

my cousin.

If your so inclined to do something a little different some weekend do a browser search for a Mounted Cowboy Shooters Association in your area. Find an event and take your kids.

They put on a fun, family event.

The Best Goodwill Stores In The Phoenix Metropolitan Area

2011-01-06T17:58:00.002-07:00

My Favorite Thrift Stores

Just a short post today sharing with you my list of the best Goodwill stores in my area. Please comment and add to the list, no matter where you are.

Rural Rd. & Guadalupe

Tempe, Arizona

This is a great store for floral products and silk plants.

McKellips & Center St.

Mesa, Arizona

This is a fairly new store, it's large, and has a good selection of trinkets and craft bags. I've also found some really nice fabric there.

I17 & Happy Valley Rd.

Phoenix, Arizona

I stopped in this store one day because I was in the area. They're prices are lower than other Goodwill stores and they were steadily filling the shelves as I was shopping.

Please feel free to comment with your favorite thrift stores and where you are located. Your pick's will be shared on Twitter. Thanks.

New Year - New Arrangement

2011-01-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

If you ask my husband or my kids they will tell you that I am kind of obsessed with re-arranging furniture. So, keeping with tradition I have moved a few things around making my electric fireplace the focal point of my living room. Now, I know what you are thinking... "Electric fireplace?! Ha ha, ho ho. What is an electric fireplace?"

When you live in an area where it's usually not very cold, and the EPA likes to apply New Jersey or Iowa particulates standards to the dustiest terrain in the country, an old fashioned wood fireplace doesn't get used much.

When they say "NO BURN, you evil heathen!!!" I say "HA. Take that you wicked desert alien!" An electric fireplace offers ambiance and warmth and let's you say "pooh, pooh" to the fireplace police here in Arizona.

The small table on the left was a Goodwill find. I will be blogging later when I re-do this little table. The "drawer" is actual not, it's hinged and all of my remote's are hidden inside. I threw some of my art work on the wall and the clock that was my birthday gift from Uncle Jack (I wonder if my hubby realizes that I reclaimed it). On the right of my fireplace is my recycled lamp Candleabra. I'll be looking for the perfect chairs for either side of the fireplace.

The room feels more comfortable now, and the fireplace is at the center of it all. Can you say "Cozy"?

Bryndal, sweetie, do you want to watch the Dog Whisperer?

The Gifts Have Been Given...Time To Share Them Now.

2010-12-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

The Christmas gifts have been given, therefore, they can now safely be shared here. I made altered book photo frames for my sisters, sisters-in-law and my mother. All I need to do now is find a place to host a how-to class for this art.

These books can be opened and the photograph can be changed in the hard plastic sleeve inside. I haven't seen this done before, the idea just popped into my noggin one day.

Donna's Book

Mom's Book

Liz's Book

Kathy's Book

Nici's Book

All these books were decorated with various thrift store finds. Two have Prima flowers. I love making them just to see what idea pops up next.

This really did bring out the joy of giving for me this year. They were greatly appreciated, admired and shared.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you all.

What Christmas Means

2010-12-22T23:48:00.000-07:00

What Christmas Means

Theresa Higby

Tidings of Great Joy by Theresa Higby

Christmas means a Father's promise has been fulfilled.

Christmas means when you have absolutely nowhere else to go, God can relate.

Christmas means the humblest King came to be a servant to all.

Christmas means both the lowliest Shepherd and the noblest Ruler

can share equally in the greatest gift ever given.

Christmas means religion has died and a relationship has been born.

Christmas means there is nothing that you have to do, it's all been done for you.

Merry Christmas to all.
May you truly find the joy of this blessed season.

A Crafty Break...

2010-12-17T21:47:00.006-07:00

My crafting, and remodeling efforts, are taking a break today so that I can work on a Christmas Present that a friend of mine requested for his wife. This pretty girl was her pet for many years and my friend asked for the portrait after he saw a painting I did of his father's dog.

I've been painting and drawing all my life and I love being able to share this gift with people knowing that they will be able to find joy in owning a piece of my work.

So, Merry Christmas. May you find the true joy in giving this year. Give of what ever gifts you possess. It's the most blessed joy you can receive during the holiday season.

Post Script 12/21/10 She is done. What a cute girl!

Post Script Post Script 12/22/10 I was told that the giftee is going to cry. I never thought the thought of someone crying would make me happy...but I think you know what I mean.

Go Toward The Light...

2010-12-14T09:55:00.001-07:00

Turning something kind of tacky into something lovely to look at can be done in all sorts of interesting ways. Take these lamps. I found them a few years ago at a consignment store and I fell in love with the glass base. The cut of the glass and the night light inside made me want to leave them on all the time. But the ugly, dirty nylon shade left a lot to be desired.

I have no idea where this idea came from, but I really wanted to create something that used the light of the lamp as part of the decor. Somewhere in the cortex under my hair the idea of a "slide" popped up. How or what that would result in took a day of idea shopping and thinking. More on this later...

After bringing in one of the usual suspects, thrift store fabric, I splurged a little bit on this project and spent about $15 on two different coordinating fabrics that match my bedding. I didn't use this fabric on the lamp but it did help me create that unique light effect. I also picked up some trim and some ribbon for an additional 8 bucks or so.

The first step was to grab a pair of scissor and remove the cheap nylon strips from the frame of the lamp shade. Eye sore gone, yeah! I ripped my cheap cotton fabric in strips and frayed the edges. Yes, I do like to do this a lot. It's because I am too lazy to sew things. I stitched the strips together by hand with the seams facing out and frayed those edges as well. After wrapping the fabric all around the shade frame I stitched the end onto the rest, again by hand, and frayed the edge.

Here is a tip. Be sure to count the number of wraps between each support bar on the top so that the strips of fabric are evenly spaced all around. Count the number of times you wrap the fabric around the first frame and duplicate that count around the second.

Now for the light effect. I scanned the fabric I bought into my computer and created images of the moth's, butterflies and bees on the fabric and printed 6 color images on a piece of paper. Since I live close to everything (one of the better features about living in this neighborhood) I made a quick jaunt over to Kinkos and printed 1 copy on transparency film. Another jaunt over to Mystic Paper and I cut 12 small frames out of Idea-ology Grunge Board. I made six slides gluing the transparencies between the grunge board with the top piece wrapped in the coordinating fabric. With a grommet punched into either end of the slide I ran ribbon through and tied 3 slides around each shade. When the light is on it creates a pretty soft picture on the shade.

Finally, I stitched a coordinating trim to the bottom of each shade and topped them off with a cheap $3 antique finish finial from Home Depot.

Originally my plan was to refinish the brass base as well. I'm so happy with how pretty these turned out I've decided that it gives it a little bit of pizzaz and have left it alone. It's very romantic. Oooo, la la.

Mucho, mucho better. Most of the time I do leave these lamps on now. I just love walking into the soft light warming my bedroom.

Captured Beauty

2010-12-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

I am blessed to have several friends who are very talented photographers. John Tarr (click here) not only has a talented eye but nature seems to follow him wherever he goes.


Out-witting physics

When I saw this one I knew it was the perfect piece of John's art to share here on my blog. Be sure to follow John. He is a wonderful teacher and shares a lot of his know-how on the blog.

Today's Thrift Store Re-purpose

2010-12-10T09:50:00.002-07:00

Sometimes you run across a piece that you know is just perfect. Even if you don't know what it is or where you will use it you just know that it's perfect.

An online search for "Maison de Provence" found several links referring to a shop with this name in New Orleans that specializes in French and Antique furnishings. I think it is a tray for a planter but I was unable to find anything similar on their website. Regardless, this $2.99 find at Goodwill was the perfect large piece for my kitchen shelf (a former kitchen cabinet). It was a little grungy when I purchased it so I cleaned up the gooey stuff and was left with just enough distressing to make it simply beautiful. P.S. The solid marble candelabra next to it...also a Goodwill find.

These pieces will "pop" quite a bit when I have finished the inside of the shelf with fabric.

I am becoming a Goodwill addict. I must learn to control myself.

I Forgot To Mention...

2010-12-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

So sorry to forget this. Particularly since I expect it to be one of the most unique and endearing features of my new kitchen. I completed the first part of my test on my faux wood beams. You can find faux wood beams on the internet but the price is, well, let's just say....CRAZY!

As is my calling, I have found a more affordable way to create this look. I'm using different tools and chemicals to make these but here is the basic shape. You can buy this styrofoam in 4' x 8' sheets from Home Depot. It comes in a variety of thicknesses. I picked the 2" thick foam and glued two pieces together with spray glue. (Spray both pieces of foam).

I cut the pieces 5" wide and glued them together to form a 4" x 5" beam. Since I was working outside I reached over and grabbed my Bar B Que scrubber and used it to scrape the foam on the sides and hide the seam. I scraped it across the wide side of the foam to create a wood grain effect..

Since I have worked with this kind of foam before I know that Mineral Spirits will "eat" it. Next step...using Mineral Spirits to create the look of aged insect tunnels. Be sure to check in as I go along to find out how they look.

Kitchen Project - Something A Little Different

2010-12-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

These homes built in the 1950's have a wonderful, energy saving feature (NOT!) that you just don't find in new homes. Nothing says mid-century Ranch in Arizona like crank-out windows. Windows that crank out require one very important thing, screens that hang "in". That doesn't necessarily mean Ugly. Idea time once more.

I painted the metal screen finish white. A nice dress up, I thought. But, ooo-ooo-ooohhhh noooo. That would be way too easy. A black & white Country French theme is what I'm going for here. So I printed a Fleur De Lis on card stock and made my own stencil. A quick spray of black paint and...voile! (Note the extra touch with the Christmas Ornament for the holiday season)

Don't forget the finishing touches. They can add a lot of spark.

Bryndal! Don't chew the screwdriver!

Creative Kitchen Cabinets

2010-12-05T12:27:00.001-07:00

Update #1 on the Uber kitchen remodel. Kitchen cabinets.

Testing various techniques - Tying in to the existing back splash and future counter tops.

I used a door from our old linen closet to create a test board for the techniques I was thinking of using for the kitchen cabinet make-over. It was still laying around from our Master Suite remodel, and since it is the same type of wood I thought it would be a good work surface. What I needed to accomplish was to achieve a technique that would maintain the visual integrity of the fabric print but allow me to distress it at the same time.

Fabric Distressing Technique

And the winner is...

I protected the fabric and created texture by covering it in two layers of clear, water-based kitchen caulk. It's white coming out of the tube which allows you to ensure adequate coverage of your area, and dries clear. Don't use the type that must be cleaned with mineral spirits. It's too shiny and sticky, even after it has dried. The first layer of caulk was spread on thinly with a drywall blade. The second was slapped on thickly, and rather hap-hazardly to create depth and added a nice touch with the application of the antique glaze.

I tried a few other ideas that I thought would create the antiqued look I was going for, but none of those protected the fabric. Once the glaze was applied it just soaked right in and covered the pretty toile print.

In addition, I needed to test my use of old faux wood window blinds as the frame for the doors of the cabinets. With these blinds you get nice convenient little holes about every 10" which allow the strings to work the blind when it's hanging in a window, but inconveniently create a quandary when you are trying to re-purpose them. Problem solved. I covered each hole by applying Spackling Paste to a fleur de lis stencil. Once the paste was dry I dampened my fingers with a tiny bit of water to rub out any sharp edges and they look very attractive with the glaze applied.

I'll be completing the top doors in the kitchen first. I think I may simply apply the same technique on all of the lower cabinets without the fabric, to lend a little bit of subtlety to the overall look.

Keep checking in. This could get very interesting.

Yes, Bryndal, you can chew on my coke bottle. I'm finished with it.

A Dollar Store Dress Up

2010-12-04T20:09:00.004-07:00

The creative bug has taken serious hold of me. That bumble bee has stung me too many times.

As I was going through a few old things while I was cleaning my office I started a thrift store donation box. I tossed in a shoe I think my dog ate the mate to, some electronics cables that aren't compatible with any equipment that we have, (What exactly is a VCR, anyway?), an old cheap resin parakeet from the 99 cent store, then a... Wait a minute. I can do something with that ugly parakeet.

I mean, really. They don't come any cheaper than this, do they? Tacky, tacky, tacky.

But my brain said "NO". It does not have to stay tacky. I can rebuild it, I have the technology! By technology I really only mean the chemicals that make up a can of glazing medium, gesso, and acrylic paint.

So I took this pathetic little guy and covered him in two coats of artists Gesso. Two more coats of white acrylic paint, and all of the color was thoroughly concealed. With a whopping large mixture of a spoonful of glazing medium and a spoon of tan paint, I covered him with glaze doing small sections at a time. I gently sponged most of the color off with a damp cloth. Two light coats of a matte finish clear coat spray completed the job.

He is, as they say, a new man. I am no longer ashamed to display this stunning "sculpture" in the public spaces of my home. I believe he will fit in nicely with a more classic Country French decor.

Remember the old saying..."Don't judge a cheap resin figurine from china by the store you bought it in." Ok, maybe that's not really how the saying goes but who says we all can't create our own new sayings. I think this will be my tag line for a while.

Some times a little bit of vision can transform what is before you into a pretty addition to your surroundings. Try looking at what you see without the color and then picture what you might be able to do with it.

Bryndal....oh, never mind.

The Giganto, Humongous, Mondo, Uber Project Begins

2010-12-01T15:50:00.002-07:00

My husband wants a new kitchen. No! Seriously! He hates our kitchen and he wants a new one. Every day he has to walk through the kitchen to get to his precious Man-Cave so he is constantly reminded of how much he hates the kitchen.

1954 was a lovely year for kitchens

But remodeling would be super costly, and we are too cheap.

So here is the goal...remodel my 1954 kitchen for as low a cost as possible, re-using as many of the current items as possible, while achieving a fine French Country finish deserving of a few "oooo's" and "ahhhhh's".

The cabinets are sight built and structurally bound to the universe. They don't build them like that anymore. They'll be staying put and receiving a fine treatment with fabric, recycled window blinds, paint, caulk and drywall mud.

The appliances all work just fine. Olivia is the original 1954 gas cook top. She works like a dream. I'd like to find a way to re-finish her with a heat resistant enamel paint. Carol (lovingly named after Carol Brady), the 23" gas wall over works just as well. Even the built in timer functions flawlessy.

Dated but fully functional appliances

Ok, ok, ok. So I have to throw in this story here. This is the first house we have had with gas appliances. Right after we moved in my husband, Dave was yelling from the kitchen that the oven wasn't working. When I went into the kitchen to investigate he was repeatedly pushing a button above the oven door. "It worked fine the last time I used it. What did you do to it?"

"Nothing" he replied. "But the 'light' button isn't working."

"The what button" I asked curiously?

"The 'light' button" he responded as he pressed his Schwarzenegger finger on the tiny little chrome knob over and over again. I burst out laughing and he looked up at me with crooked, sheepish grin on his face, those blue eyes twinkling with confusion.

"Honey, dear", I mused. "That's the button to turn the light on so you can see what's cooking. You turn the oven on by turning the temperature dial." I slipped my hand up the knob and turned it to 400 for pizza.

After a brief pause he huffed with embarrassment and said quietly, "Oh. I thought it was like the stove and it had an ignition."

I love that guy. Back to the project...

I took the door off of the horizontal cabinet above the sink. No one but Dave can reach it anyway, so I will add a treatment to this "plant shelf" to tie it in with the cabinets. I will also be shopping for a set of matching vintage light fixture to replace the ultra cheapo hardware store versions currently in place.

A plant shelf and new light fixtures are in the plans

And last, but of course not least...the counter tops. Those lovely Formica counter tops; those UGLY Formica counter tops with their burn marks, scratches and permanent mold caulking around the sink. I can't replace them without ruining the back splash, and that I actually like. We will be tiling over the existing counter with new ceramic tile in black. The current back splash is in perfect condition and has a sweeee-eet black accent that will tie the whole thing together. You can see it better in the appliance picture.

Can you say "Yuk!"

I think this project will take several months, lots of man, um no wait-woman hours, and some minor expenses. The project will be blogged as I proceed with the costs incurred and the techniques. I will summarize all of the expenses and hours when I am finally able to post the photos of my completed Country French kitchen.

After that... A vacation. I don't think I'll be done before our pre-Army ship-out Disneyland trip with my son in March. Hopefully when we return from his Basic Training graduation in May we will be coming home to our "magnifique cuisine".

Stay tuned...ask questions...make comments if you wish, and don't be surprised if an emergency room tale, or complaints about how old I am surface occasionally.

Where is Bryndal, anyway?

Continuing The Project

2010-11-30T21:49:00.001-07:00

Here is an update on the "What To Do When You Don't Have The Energy To Do Anything" post from last week. I've added a few things to my fabric wreath, but I'm simply not convinced that I'm done.

If you have any input please feel free to comment.

The Roses Are In Bloom

2010-11-29T09:49:00.001-07:00

It's fall in Arizona. It's our second Spring. Twice a year we have lovely roses blooming all over our bushes. Cliff, our neighbor, has even more. I was never a "Rose" person until we moved into this house. The 1950's cottage just seems to require them, and when they are in bloom you simply can't complain.

A Tiny Visitor

Remember to stop and smell the Roses today. They are beautiful enough to make the Bee cease it's impossible flight, and the tiniest spider climb it's petals for a drink.

Cute As A Button

2010-11-28T13:01:00.004-07:00

I love my house. It's old, it's tiny, it needs a lot of sprucing up, but I love my house. Did I mention the fact that I love my house?

Our 1954 Ranch style home has a warm cottage feel. At only 1300 square feet it's small. When everyone still lived at home it was packed and felt packed. The rooms are small and the bathrooms...don't even get me started. I think my kids have the smallest bathroom on the planet.

But I recently gave it a little pick me up and the charm has increased.

Yes, it was cheap. I used recycled exterior faux shutters picked up at Stardust building supplies (there is a link below) for $4 a piece. These originally black shutters were painted a horrendous olive green. Two can's of extra coverage paint put them back to their original black color. Ha! Take that you ugly green people.

After a ridiculous attempt to drill a hole in the block wall with my regular drill, a trip to Home Depot was in order. Let me just say this, the right tool makes the job so much easier. With that big power driver I rented my son and I drilled out the remaining 23 holes in about 45 minutes. Well worth the extra funds in my opinion.

The shutters were a piece of cake to hang. I just tapped 6 plastic nail looking thingy's with little teeth in each shutter. Perfect. Next, I painted the window grids and surrounding sills in an antique white. The shutter project took about 2 hours, including the trip to HD. The painting touch up took the rest of the day. It took an additional day to scrape all of the extra paint off of 41 window panes, but the ultimate result was achieved. Charm, charm, charm, charm, charm.

Shutters...$16. Paint...$22. Tool rental...$40. The charm that greets you went you come home...priceless.

Oh, did I mention that I love my house....even more now?

P.S. This is Arizona. We do have tiny little pockets of quaint neighborhoods, and flood irrigation makes for some very affordable green grass.

Bryndal, your feet are all muddy!

Give Him Cookies And Milk And A Fat Man Will Let You Do Anything

2010-11-26T15:36:00.001-07:00

I stuck a needle in Santa's butt.

That's right ladies. I stitched the old man's tush to a wreath and he didn't say a word. Maybe he is just grateful that I saved his tiny little behind from a dirty yard sale box. Maybe he had a sleigh accident and was paralyzed in the back side. All I know is that he sat still and didn't squeel.

The shopping list for Mr. Clauses throne? A white hangar from my closet. Cotton fabric, lace and beads from the thrift store. Ribbon from a craft grab bag at a yard sale. And, of course, the man himself. Kris was hiding in a box of Christmas leftovers at a yard sale last Saturday. Shhhhh. Don't tell him that he was actually a throw in on another deal. I couldn't pass up that Korean war cluster bomb box...and...I asked them to throw in St. Nick.

The how-to for my man? Cut lace into 5x5 squares and cotton fabric into 1 1/2x 9" strips. I frayed the cotton to add a little softness to the piece. Open an old hanger and run the hanger through each piece of lace about 4 times, folding the lace back and forth as you do. Tie a piece of the cotton fabric on to the hanger between each piece of lace. Pack that hangar full of lace and fabric, to the point where you can barely fit another piece in.

Reconnect the hanger and fold the hook around into a loop with pliers. If you're strong enough you can do it with your fingers but why risk breaking a nail.

Wrap the wreath loosely in ribbon. Sew the ribbon at various points to keep it from moving, if you wish. Now for the fun part. This is where I stuck Santa! If you are going to make this wreath and have a LARGE center piece attach it first. That way you won't cover up the cool little things you will attach later.

For the final touch I recommend sewing on beads, or trinkets, or pearls or whatever. Make it your own. Skip the hot glue gun. I have found over the years that it doesn't stand up well in storage and you have to re-attach pieces every year. Plus, I think that stitching things on this piece gives it a more Victorian feel.

Did I mention the milk and cookies?? Once Santa is stuck on the wreath....their aaalllllllllllll yours.

Merry Christmas and God bless.

Bryndal! Share your toys. Let the cat have the tennis ball for a while.

Poor, Lazy Woman's Thanksgiving Coleslaw

2010-11-26T00:58:00.003-07:00

First of all, I was too lazy and too cheap to try it before Thanksgiving, so I am posting it after. It was successful! I received several positive comments on it, and when it comes to me and food preparation, positive comments are a rare thing...trust me.

Second, I took this photo next to the burn on my counter top and my 56 year old stove top to reiterate the "poor" aspect of this recipe. No fancy kitchen here. I don't like to cook or prep, so I don't need a fancy kitchen.

Third, I didn't buy the ingredients at the big box store that I won't name here ( but it starts with a "W") because I was too "lazy" to deal with the long lines. So I went to the next cheapest store. I estimate the cost of the ingredients at around $5. Nuts aren't cheap. Unless you live at my house, then they're a dime a dozen.

So here it is. A bag of coleslaw mix, a bag of dried cranberries, a bag of walnuts, a jar of coleslaw dressing and some broccoli. Decapitate two broccoli spears. Open all the bags, dump everything into a bowl that has a tight fitting lid. Put a little bit of coleslaw dressing in the mix, snap the lid on and shake vigorously. Repeat if you want more flavor from the dressing.

Quick and easy. It actually took longer to find the lid for the stupid bowl than it did to make the salad. We had 18 people at dinner and there are left-overs so estimate the number of servings from that. I won't list the calories or any important information like that, because we all know that we don't eat the serving size anyway.

Happy, simple cooking everyone, and God Bless.

Bryndal, do you want to try mommy's coleslaw. Bryndal! Wait, come back!

What to do when you don't have the energy to do anything.

2010-11-24T22:03:00.001-07:00

I've been under the weather in various forms for the last few days. Today I got hit with the chills and a little bit of a fever. Yeah! Just in time for Thanksgiving.

The thing I hate most about being sick is that I can't stand laying around doing nothing. But when you are too weak to get up out of your chair the best thing to do is something in the chair. So I grabbed an old hanger and a piece of decorator fabric I bought at a thrift store. I cut the fabric into 9" x 1.5 inch strips (approximately). Hey, I'm gone today. There is no way I am going to measure them.

I sat in my chair and tied the strips around the hanger then used some pliers to wrap the hanger hook around itself behind the fabric. This is what I got.

When I am feeling better, I'll look at decorating it.

Bryndal, stop licking your brother!

More Ideas With Recycled Books

2010-11-19T16:04:00.001-07:00

The brain never stops and the ideas keep coming.

I visited Mystic Paper with my sister-in-law yesterday and they have soooooooooo much stuff. I'm sure I could spend a whole day there if I had it to spend. But, we had to hop across the street to the antique store before she had to leave so my time was limited.

All that "stuff" gave me a whole new crop of ideas for these books I've been playing with. How about picture frames? I have hard plastic trading card sleeves that I found on ebay for my ATC art, and I thought "hey, I can use those to hold a photo inside a book." (Yes, I actually said that to myself). The question was, how do I decorate the book and allow for it to be opened and closed again so the photo could be inserted.

Mystic Paper had the answer. I was introduced to Hitch Fasteners from Idea-ology. These are what you might finding holding your daughters diary closed. I picked up a packet of 12 and promptly had to try them out. 4 book photo frames later, I have worked through the how-to's.

I made two books that have ribbon hangers and two without. Granted, these unique picture frames will stand up on a table or shelf unassisted, but I will be making a trip back to the paper store to look for a small hanger that can be attached to the back of the book so that the frame has more flexibility for display.

The trading card sleeve holds a card or picture up to 2.75 x 3.75 inches, so I am cutting the frame openings 2.5 x 3.5. Speaking of cutting, forget this utility knife stuff. Ouch! I've been going to bed with cramped hands. I stopped by Lowe's to pick up a new Dremel tool.

I burned my old Dremel tool out out years ago helping my son create his Starship Enterprise Derby car, which, I must say, one first place for design and managed to pull off a few race wins as well. But, I digress.

Tonight I plan on playing with the Dremel to see how the cover and page cutting goes. I expect a lot of trial and error so I'm sure there will be at least one book in the trash can.

Time to create a youtube video for these and write and e-book. Just more "work" taking the time away from the creativity. We must do what me must do.

PS. I've been pulling apart my "mistakes" to salvage the hard cardboard covers and the pages. You never know when something will come in handy.

"Bryndal, why are you chasing your tail? You're going to make yourself dizzy."

Creative Books

2010-11-09T22:23:00.001-07:00

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?! Everything old is new again. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Enough of the sayings, let's get to the "doings". Books! Books are a great adventure to be sure. But when the adventure is complete, and the book is old, and the library gets cleaned out the books can end up in the dump or they can be refurbished into something fun and beautiful.

Art and decor doesn't have to be limited to the traditional. Spread your "decor" wings and consider something different. The creative term for it is "Altered Art". It's not limited to books but this is one of the major players.

My exploration started with a few books I picked up at the thrift store. Combined with heavy scrapbook paper in coordination prints, some trims, ribbons, cut-outs and whatever, you can create a truly unique conversation piece. After I finished "Chrysalis" my daughter stopped in her tracks and mid-sentence said, "wow, that's really nice".

To me, one of the best compliments I can receive on my art is one that doesn't have to be requested.

"Bryndal, get out from under the chair!"

Murder At Crooked House

2010-11-01T21:49:00.002-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted anything since January. Holy Cow.

First and foremost let me follow up to my last post and show you the set. I was really pleased with the way this one turned out. Sheri and I think it's one of the best we have ever done. Combine it with talented kids and a great performance and the whole experience was, again, truly enjoyable. No wonder I love volunteering on it so much.

The play was an audience participation murder mystery, and each evenings performance concluded with a different ending.

Back to the set itself. The basic set with the walls and trim was constructed by "Willy" Williamson with Classic Home Improvements, in Chandler Arizona. For the styling, the starting point was an inexpensive fabric which we used for the wallpaper of the set. I had original picked other colors from the fabric but ended up going with the sage green as the main color. As part of the story line we had to age the set so after creating this beautiful set we stained the walls, the fabric, and the furniture and we distressed the doors and wood trim.

The walls and the fountain in the garden were constructed of insulating styrofoam used in construction. Carving and creating with this material can be a lot of fun. If you can handle all the snow that is left lying around after you cut, trim and shape, you can spend many happy hours carving away while you let your imagination go to work. I also used fishing line to create a water effect coming out of the lions mouth.

Our faux library was created with very thing wood molding to create the look of shelving and book and trinket cut-outs were glued to a canvas wall framed on 1x2's. Each door swung open and gave the hint of part of the house, including a dining room and a solarium.

After 10 sets I'm still looking for a way to do something creative at home with this styrofoam. There is always my husbands train set to work on.

Until next time, keep creating, keep smiling.

God Bless.

Play Set - Day 1 Shopping for Materials

2010-01-20T10:36:00.002-07:00

The Valley Christian High School play this spring is an audience participation murder mystery. It will be set in the mid 19th century chronologically but the set is a turn of the century, aged manor.

Today I went to Stardust Building Supplies in Mesa, Arizona with VCHS custodian, Sean. (yeah, yeah he happens to be my kid, but he is an official staff member) Stardust sells all sorts of recycled building materials and other cool stuff. Doors, appliances, cabinets, lighting, hardware, windows, fireplaces, paint, tile and more. We even saw a nice set of truck rims there today. You just never know.

They had a lot of blingy things there and my ADD was just going bonkers. Sean had to get me to re-focus several times. I'll have to go back when I can just spend some quality time digging through all the cool stuff

We found a set of french doors that are 5' wide and a single french door for the Solarium and Garden entrances to the set, as well as a brass sconce and a chandelier. All together the items would have cost us $125.00 After speaking with Todd, the manager, they generously offered to lend us the said items, with the option for the school to buy them should Sheri decide to keep them. Wow! They were so willing to help us out I just had to give them a plug here.

Thanks to Kenny and Gary who set everything aside for us so Sean can pick it up with his peek-up truck.

Thanks again Stardust. We look forward to showing you how we have incorporated the supplies.

NO MORE DIGGING THROUGH MY PURSE FOR MY iPHONE!

2010-01-17T12:36:00.001-07:00

I finally got sick and tired of missing calls because I couldn't find my phone fast enough. Before I purchased my iphone, I had a nice little case that hung on the outside of my purse. Since getting the iphone I haven't found one that was large enough that had the same outside-of-the-purse hanging feature.

So I decided to make my own. I guess I just can't get enough of that recycled fabric.

Another piece of an old tie, some jewelry rawhide and a few matching beads later I have my own, custom made iphone pouch that I can put on my purse or a belt loop. No more digging!

I'm so excited!!!

2010-01-16T19:04:00.001-07:00

It's my favorite time of year. No, not Christmas, not Easter, not my birthday. It's something even better.

It's High-School performance time, and that means sets for the play. It's one of, if not my most favorite creative thing to do. Over the years of done little things here and there for various elementary and middle school Christmmas programs. In 2003 I became the parent of a high-school freshman, who was very much at home on the stage. As a matter of fact, he finally became his real self when he was playing a part and making the audience laugh.

My first foray into the world of make believe was a small bit of faux painting assistance, a black light door knocker, and a portrait of one of the students as Scrooge for Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol". I guess I made an impression because I was called upon again the following year for The Importance of being Earnest and Tales of the Kingdom. It was here that I discovered the amazingly flexible set staple - styrofoam sheets used for insulating homes.

Each year, and with each play I had an opportunity to experiment and hone my styro-skills. My most extravagant effort was a town square for Gossip Gone Wrong seen here...

This was all done with styrofoam sheets, clear plastic table clothes, cardboard pillar forms and miscellaneous wood trim. There was an extensive amount of math involved in this set to create the 3 dimensional street effect on a 2 dimensional flat panel.

Recently, I was called upon to do a simple decoration for a Christmas Program at my church. Back to my favorite medium...styro. I made 2 "pillars", 4 feet wide and 12" tall. Each piece consisted of 2 separate sheets, a flat background piece and a carved 2nd piece attached with 3M spray glue. This has been the best adhesive of everything I have tried. The pieces were made from several thicknesses to provide a true three dimensional effect. In addition, I used paint thinner to create textured icicles. They were then sprayed with adhesive and sprinkled with a large-cut "snow" glitter. The foam was finished with Glidden house paint. Spray paint doesn't work as it has a tendency to eat the styrofoam.

So what's next, an audience participation, murder mystery. I met with the drama teacher today and we went over sketches and ideas. A living room with doors leading into a library, dining room, solarium, garden terrace, and curved stair case. Sounds complicated, maybe?

Yes, I'm excited to have something fun and wonderful to blog about, in addition to my little craft ideas. Keep checking back to see what ideas we come up with and how we overcome and difficulties that arise as we search for the desired effect.

So,, happy set building and happy crafting.

MORE CRAFTS WITH SCRAPS

2010-01-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

I had some fun attaching new covers to old books with fabric recently. I thought I would try to apply the same ideas to a removable book cover. My beat up, old Bible cover was pretty sad after more than 10 years of use.

I grabbed of few of my fabric pieces and played around with the idea. After a few mistakes I had managed to pull something together, although it was pretty rough. Some stitches had to be pulled out, and I laughed at myself a few times for how stupidly I was thinking. However, once complete I was able to take the cover and some measurements as well to determine how to calculate everything for the next attempt.

Plus 2" inches here, plus 1 1/2" there. Add a little zig-zag stitching...oooo, oooo, lets throw some jewelry and beads into the mix. If you have been reading any of my blog you know I love to add beads. Beads, beads, beads, la, la, la...

Ok, back to reality, my dear.

This cover is pretty simple to make. I would consider myself and Intermediate sewer, thanks only to my Sewing Goddess Mother. This project took about 2 hours. I think I'll try putting a few more together for my store and see if they sell.

I'll be putting an e-book together for this one. Post a comment if you would like a copy.

Decorative Tassel

2010-01-05T15:33:00.000-07:00

Think outside the box. Isn't that how the saying goes. Don't limit yourself, be flexible and you'll be surprised what you can create.

I wanted to dress up my cheap IKEA chairs so I decided to try a little bead work on them. No, I didn't glue any beads onto the chairs, I pulled together some of my jewelry supplies and started laying some ideas out. Here is what I came up with...

I LOVE it! It gives just the tiniest little punch to the chair. You can use this idea on almost any kind of dining chair. But wait, there's more. Why limit it to chairs. I tried it on my (again) cheap IKEA buffet, then the candle on my $7.50 brass candleabra (see previous blog).

Let's see how many ways and places I can think to use this in, oh, two minutes. A bed post, a door handle, a cabinet handle, a chandelier, a lamp base, a wall sconce, a shower curtain rod, a towel rod. (Oh, my goodness, now I have another idea for the same thing with a cedar sachet to hang on a closet rod, but I digress)

What can you suggest? Walk around your place and look for something, anything you can loop this little gadget around and comment here. We could have some real fun with this one.

A Cost Summary Of My Entry Decor

2010-01-05T09:58:00.000-07:00

I put together this entry collection with a lots of bargain shopping and a little bit of creativity. Some pieces were new but very reasonably priced and others are re-purposed. I'll start from the top down and go over where I purchased each item and what it cost.

The mirror was purchased from Fry's Marketplace at 75% off. Originally around $50 I was able to pick it up for $12.99. This was not a scratch & dent or flawed in any way. I was simply at the right place at the right time.

All of the books were purchased at Goodwill on half-off day. I chose the top two because the covers were in very good condition and visually appealing. The bottom book was painted with house paint and antiqued with a little bit of craft paint (see previous blog).

The red fabric mirror, the black iron decor and the ceramic bird were all purchased at Goodwill, again on half-off day, and all were in perfect condition. The lamp was one I already owned but it was white with an ugly white plastic shade. I spray painted the base of the lamp brown and antiqued it with a little bit of cream colored paint and picked up 1/4 yard of decorator fabric and beaded trim at Home Fabrics for $6. The lamp shade was recovered using a little bit of hot glue.

The red table "runner" is simply one of my placemats. The table itself was purchased at Fry's Marketplace for $25. It was one of those put-it-together-yourself pieces, but the size was perfect. The basket also joined us from Fry's. It has a white cotton lining that is attached and I picked it up at 40% off - $7. The picture is a drawing I did many years ago, of my son and his dog. There are a few other framed drawings behind it. I just switch them out and place a different one in front when I am in the mood. Behind that, another Goodwill item. Some scrap silk plant parts.

In total, I have calculated the approximate cost, not included the items I already had, to total around $62. That's it. After that it was just a matter of playing around with the arrangement until I liked the look. I did not have a plan for the decor or the display when I started. The pieces caught my attention individually, and when I started putting everything together they kind of told me where they wanted to go.

So now you are thinking I am crazy and I talk to inanimate objects. YES, I do! Try it sometime. You may like what they have to say.

Quick Coaster Tray

2010-01-04T16:53:00.001-07:00

I picked up a little wooden tray at the thrift store the other day. It was bare unfinished wood but had a cute metal mesh on each side of the tray, and I thought I could do something with it.

Perhaps it would make a nice, non-traditional coaster for a couple of drinks, or even a serving tray for a small fast-food meal.

I sprayed the whole tray with black spray paint and let it dry. Then I taped off the metal mesh with painters tape and went over it again with a light coat of brown spray paint. After drying, I attached a piece of scrap fabric so that the tray would not scratch my $12.50 coffee table (see previous blog) and then cut another piece of scrap fabric and frayed the edges. I placed this fabric inside the tray but did not glue it. This way if the fabric is spilled on or stained I can easily pull it out and place a new piece inside. I can also change the fabric do coordinated with seasonal and holiday decorating.

It's a nice change from the traditional "coaster" and not bad for a buck.

Beautiful Books

2010-01-03T16:27:00.004-07:00

Keeping in line with our recycle theme I had a lot of fun turning used books into one of a kind decorations. My sister-in-law calls it "repurposing". With a few good hard cover books, some decorator fabric scraps, men's ties, and yard-sale jewelry I was able to throw together some nice pieces in very little tim.

The project is completed in such a way that the books are still ready for reading. Enjoy full access to your library with a unique decorative flair.

I'll be writing an e-book with the step by step instructions for this one. Check back soon to look for the link.

$12.50 Coffee Table

2010-01-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

So your dog chewed up the furniture. Big deal!

Talk about keeping stuff out of the landfill...I found this great coffee table at Goodwill. I had obviously been chewed on a little by a dog, and three of the four bolts holding the table to the base were missing bolts. The regular price of this table was $25 but it was half-off day so I picked it up for $12.50.

The heavy base was in great condition and other then some teeth marks the oak was a little scratched but in otherwise good condition as well. With some help from my son and his truck (save more dough by borrowing a friend or family member) we brought it home and dropped it on the back patio.

I pulled out all four bolts and put the base upside down in the yard. This allowed the wood top to extend out over the base and all the sides and corners were easily accessible for sanding. With an electric sander I gave it a once over on the whole table and a little extra focus on sanding where the teeth marks were. There were a few spots with glue or something else dried onto the table, but these sanded right off. I don't think it was more the 15 minutes of sanding overall.

I then used Glidden brand house paint in a Satin finish, in a basic black, painted the inside corners and dips in the wood with a brush then quickly rolled on one coat with a lint free paint roller. I did a final roll from end-to-end without stopping to get rid of "roll over" thickness. The next day I did the same with a second coat of paint. (I waited an extra day due to the cooler temperature) On day three I used a light sandpaper to distress the finish in a few places and then hit those spots with a very light coat of a matte finish spray. I think the distressing helps to "cover-up" the dog's rustic treatment.

After a week or so, I will hit it with some spray pledge to give it some protection. If its gets a little worn down the road I have left over paint and can easily touch it up again.

Not bad for less then $13.

Thanksgiving Preparations

2009-11-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

It's Thanksgiving day. I am thankful that I never really learned how to cook. I am thankful that my family has come to understand this fact and therefore doesn't ask for much in the way of cooking. I've burned water, yes, seriously. I was so distracted from the cooking task at hand that I forgot the pot of water was on the stove. It boiled away to nothing and then burnt the pan beyond use.

In addition, I was the one who left the burn ring from the hot popcorn pan on my mothers formica counter top. And yes, I did leave the bag of giblets (whatever that is, kind of a silly word, "giblets") inside the turkey the one time I tried to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner.

Since the day is packed with other things to do, I will just give you a little teaser to get your curiosity peaked. Two old books and an atrocious '80's necklace that I found at the local Goodwill store. Now, I would like to apologize to anyone who actually wore this kind of necklace. We all suffered from some sort of 80's syndrome (mine was "big hair").

Back to the teaser at hand...the medallion on the necklace is what sparked my creativity. I new there was something very traditional and classy I could create out of this. I pulled the necklace apart and ended up with a lot of nice individual pieces I think I will be able to use, though not necessarily on this project.

Watch for the outcome soon!

Happy Thanksgiving, and don't burn anything.

Decorating with recycled books

2009-11-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a great way to go-green with your decorating. Use older hardcover books in your decorating instead of throwing them away.

I picked up a few from a second hand store for about $1 a piece, and chose books with a canvas type cover-not paper. Two coats of basic satin house paint covered any color that was on the book. In addition, I put a nice thick coat of the same paint over the outside edges of the pages. This had the effect of gluing the pages together.

I thinned out some acrylic craft paint with water and cut up one of my son's old t-shirts. (Do not thin the paint too much) Then using a damp piece of "t-shirt rag" is lightly wiped the craft paint until I reached the desired aged look. I touched up the edges of the books using a dry brush technique to a darker tone than the rest of the book.

That's all. Once dry I tried placing them in various combinations. This one worked well with a hardcover book I did not paint. The cover is very attractive so I left it in tact.

$7.50 cent solid Brass Candelabra

2009-11-16T08:00:00.001-07:00

You are probably thinking, ?"yeah, right. Where can you get a $7.50 solid brass ornate candelabra?" Goodwill, of course. There is a catch. You have to be willing to think outside the box and stare at something for a minute. Ok, so the people shopping at Goodwill might think you are a little nuts for staring at an old lamp, but they probably don't have the vision that you have.

Mom and I hit half-off day and there in the lamp section I found this beauty. As a lamp it's not my style, but as a candle holder, or perhaps even a gazing ball stand for my garden, yes, it's definitely me. As soon as we got back to her place we pulled out the tools, cut the cord and removed the bulb base. We then had to reinstall the bulb base inside the bottom of the lamp so it would hold together.

I threw on a small brass toned bracelet that I "borrowed" from my daughter and Voila! A stunning piece. In order to place the candle on I had to carve out a bit of the wax from the bottom of the candle as the lamp has a "hump" where the hardware was attached.

Be sure to comment with your staring-at-a-lamp story.

She should be in a magazine

2009-11-15T23:52:00.000-07:00

Kelli's home is one of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen. In my opinion she puts ALL the model homes I have ever seen to shame. Her sense of style is amazing and she is willing to take some pretty big steps to create some pretty amazing looks.

She crackle finished the maple cabinets of her kitchen island. I don't know if I would have even been willing to do such a drastic thing to some perfectly good cabinets. But the effect is stunning.

These are not custom cabinets. These were put in by the home builder. It is not a custom home. Granted it is in an upscale development, but a development non the less. All the homes are basically the same. Pick your favorite floorplan and choose your upgrades kind of homes.

Kelli used a crackle medium she purchased from a local craft store and painted over with a basic house paint. I'll ask her if she knows what the brand names and colors were.

Inspiration

2009-11-15T23:03:00.000-07:00

I visited my good friend, Kelli, the other day and was once again astonished by her natural gift for creating beauty out of what others would simply toss out. I offered to be her manager and get her hired to be the hostess for a new show on HGTV. Maybe "Decorating Outside the Box" or "Beautiful Abodes on a Budget". What ever the name, her home is the ideal example of her skill and talent.

So, I began my own feeble attempt at creative home decorating on a budget. I hope to work with Kelli and others who have great ideas who are willing to share them with you. Most of what you will see will be taking treasures we find a 2nd hand stores, but I will also attempt to share ideas for dressing up inexpensive (oh, let's say Ikea) into pieces that you wouldn't recognize.

My experience in decorating also includes designing sets for plays. I've worked with different materials creating the impression of something that wasn't really there. I will try to share some of what I have done.

If you find me and us and you like learning or try what we do or are inspired to share what you have created please comment. Life should be about beauty and beauty comes in all different forms, one of which is the beauty of sharing.