Getting Closer....

to finishing Jessie's room update!


I was hoping to be done by Friday, but I don't think that is going to happen. Jessie is leaving to visit with her cousins in Atlanta for a week on Sunday, so I really wanted it done before she left, but you can only do, what you can do!

(remind me to clean that window!)

The color is a little darker than I would have picked, but it looks really good against the white beadboard. We still have a coat of paint to do on the beadboard.

Be back soon!

Love Hate Relationship

I am trying to create something like this:

(Picture from Pottery Barn Teen Spring 2008)

See how far behind I am? 2008 This was and still is Jessie's dream Teen room!

See why it has taken so long to take on this project!

Wallpaper! My love hate relationship! Love it going up, Hate taking it down! Not to mention, having to repaint the ceiling, all the woodwork, etc, etc.

I can't get blogger to post the pictures in the correct order. I give up! Use your imagination!

Be back soon!

Pottery Barn Knock Off - Galvanized Metal 3-Tier Stand

Pottery Barn image found here.

I have loved this galvanized Metal 3 Tier Stand for over a year!!! Pottery Barn you rock! The buffet in my dining room has a galvanized top, so this belongs in there!! This is something I wanted to keep on my informal dining room all the time and change the display with the seasons. Unfortunately I didn't like the dimensions of this stand. It would be too tall and too wide to use for a centerpiece on my dining room table.

I thrifted two silver trays and I was ready to go! I collaborated on this with hubby, who told me to get a threaded rod from the lamp department at Home Depot. He didn't like my idea of just using glue and a dowel. Something about structural support etc, etc..... So he measured and drilled, and drilled, and drilled some more. He used some pvc pipe to increase the diameter of the center post and added a top ring with something he found in our "Parts Bucket" Here it is before painting.

Here it is after spray painting with a hammered galvanized spray paint.

Not quite the finish I wanted!

So I did a little faux finishing and sealed it with a matte sealer. I threw on some of the fall decorations that I had stored in my buffet and a crow I had purchased at the dollar store. Those crows go fast at the dollar store. Do not attempt to find one in October when you are in the mood to decorate for Halloween.

I love the way it turned out!

I still need to accessorize it. I really want a candle on the top tier. I want to put some candy corn in the bottom pumpkin dish and maybe some other type of snack wrapped with that gorgeous orange polka dot ribbon Pottery Barn used! I think I have some some in my sewing room.


The best thing about my Pottery Barn Knock Off is my bottom tier is a ball bearing swivel plate (carousel or turntable)! The worst thing - I love the knob at the top of the Pottery Barn version. I really want a knob at the top of mine. I may make a second version of this..................who knows when of if.......

Be back soon! Jessie has been crafting!

Trash Room Treasure

Every floor in our office building has a trash room. Hubby and I were taking a few bags over and what did I spy sitting on the floor next to the bin???

Hubby told me not to take it! "It's UGLY!" he said.

Nothing a little spray paint over the weekend couldn't cure!



Perfect for holding some of my shabby fabrics! Actually, I am debating whether I should give it a whitewash or do some distressing, or both. It just looks too bright.

And just to let you know, this is not the first time I have confiscated trash from the trash room!

Did you see those vintage patterns next to it? I found the "mother load" of them at the thrift store last week! I was so excited! I just love looking at them!

Be back soon!

Mother's Day In Pictures

Excuse the dirty table in the middle. It needs washing and painting!

OOPS!

Hope Everyone had a Great Mother's Day!

Be Back soon!

Shabby Linen Pleated Ruffle Pillow

I have been doing a little decluttering and cleaning around here this past weekend. My living room actually is beginning to look normal!

I only got through half of Jessie's closet. I did manage to get 3 bags for Goodwill from that half though! I would like to think I would get the rest done during the week, but I know better. It will have to wait until this weekend for me to finish it.

I did take time this weekend to make a "Shabby Style" white linen pillow with a pleated ruffle. It is an envelope style with a flap.

The pillow insert is a little fluffier than it should be. I need to flatten it a little to fill out the corners.

When I finished the pillow cover, I reached on the couch for the pillow form and realized my dog Patrick had left a smudge of his paw print on it - thanks to the melting snow.

I am sure everyone knows what happens when you wash those pillow forms! They somehow become really FAT!

A couple of days with a heavy firesafe box sitting on it, should take care of the problem!

I love the way this turned out! Just what I wanted! I didn't have a pattern, I just winged it!

Be back soon!

That Aqua Thing..................

Remember that thing I was painting on with aqua paint? Well this is the finished product.....




It's a vegetable and dip stand. Vegetables go on the plate with the dip in the tea cup. This will be perfect for a buffet table of appetizers!

I used a vintage plate and cup/saucer that I purchased at the thrift store and combined it with a small concrete planter that I painted and a crystal candlestick.

I repainted the base so many times, trying to get the "right aqua color" that matched the plate. I just could not match the color accurately! I gave up! Sometimes you just have to admit defeat and go on. But I still love it!

I used the glue "Quick Grip" to attach them. I really wanted to show you a nice picture with veggies on the bottom and my "famous-to-me-only" Red Pepper Ranch Dip in the tea cup, but I kept eating the veggies! (I eat raw veggies with lunch almost every day)

I found the little spoon at a small shop in Georgia, where my sister lives.

I did another "Holiday Extravaganza" today at the church, and didn't do as well as the first time, but it was nice to get out and meet/see a lot of people.

Be back soon!

Coffee Table Remake Finished

The coffee table remake is done. Remember this bargain at $4.99?

I should start out by telling you how Hubby didn't like my bargain coffee table. He thought it was ugly. It was purchased to replace the one in the boy's TV room. Hubby made the one in there. It was made from our butcher block kitchen countertop. It was the sink cutout. It is 2" thick and very heavy. Well, one of the legs on this coffee table kept turning in, looking like it was going to break at any moment. We have done several things to try to remedy the situation, all with no luck.

Well, I have to walk past this all the time to get to my sewing room. It literally bugged the heck out of me! Somehow (to me) it made the walls and floors look uneven. Hubby kept saying it could be fixed, but it wasn't. It has been well over a year since it started it's opposite "leaning tower" position. So when I brought this one home to replace it, you know what he did? He actually fixed the the opposite leaning tower coffee table and took it to his "Man Room". Why this couldn't have been fixed sooner.........nobody knows.

He decided we needed to use my bargain coffee table in the family room for the TV and move the coffee table the TV was currently sitting on to the boy's room. Well, this coffee table was an inch shorter than the one we had, and I thought that one was too low. (It was fine if you are slouched on your leather man chair though.)

So he built it up, I spray painted it, he added the knobs to look like drawer pulls and here it is:

This table isn't as long as the one we had before, so it makes the room appear larger. There is a speaker under the the shelf, so that is why you can't really see the shelf. We had everything to fix it up, so there were no additional expenses.

I just love creating something from nothing and that is unique!

And I won't have to bend my neck down to watch TV. Hubby might have to sit a little straighter though!

Be back soon!

This Blog is Handy!

Well, I made it through the "Holiday Extravaganza" without have an anxiety attack. It actually went better than I thought. The other people said things were a lot slower this year. They didn't have as many sales as the previous years. There wasn't much advertising for this, so that could have been the problem. I was just glad I sold some things! Yeah!

On Sunday I ran into the Goodwill looking for a mug tree. I thought that would be a neat way to display my ribbon key fobs at the show. I didn't find one, but I did find this....


A really solid coffee table for $4.99. A remake is in process.

I have been driving myself crazy looking for this purple and white gingham fabric. Someone wanted rice bags with purple and white fabric. All of a sudden it occurred to me that I used this fabric for a little baby dress. (I think)

Well, I went through the posts and there it was right here! When I saw it, I knew exactly where the fabric was! Fabric I have cut out of usually goes in one place. Uncut fabric goes in another. It sounds like I am really organized, but I know the truth!

Boy, this blog is handy! It saved me hours of hunting and wondering if I was crazy!

Be back soon!

Completed Projects

I finished some projects this weekend. Remember the "Young Detectives" costume my daughter Amber wanted. This was in the new Martha Stewart Halloween magazine. Well here is the cape.......

This turned out really nice! In fact I'm thinking I need one too. With different fabric of course. Here is a closeup of the fabric.

Here is the cap.

The dog coat is pretty small, but I didn't have much fabric left. I bought the amount the Martha Stewart magazine suggested, unfortunately I forgot that I was making a larger size adult cape. Duh!


Max didn't want to co-operate for the picture taking. He didn't seem to mind wearing the cape though. It was shipped by Priority Mail today - should be there just in time for Halloween! She better email me a picture with her wearing it!

I finished my project from two years ago, that I found in the closet. Orange felt circles were stitched around the edge

and faux fall leaves hot glued on.


It became a placemat for Thanksgiving or any fall inspired event.

I'm not sure I'm loving it. I like it, but it may be better as a hot pad in the center of the table. Sometimes I have to live with things for awhile before I decide it I really like it.

Be back soon!

A Quick Halloween Project

I bought this package of black glittery "Boo"letters from Halloween about a month ago at Joann's.


They were in the $1.00 bins right at the front checkouts. It came with a black ribbon to hang it up with.

I have seen this project all over blogland, for every season, so I copied! I had a frame already. I am sure it was from some project I never got to. I had some scrap paper left over from another project. That's all I needed, besides a glue stick and glue dots.

The black border around the edge was actually divided into 3 sections, I just cut off the dividers.
I wish the photographer could have captured the glittery "Boo" letters, and not gotten a picture with glare on the glass. I think it's time to look for a new photographer!

That's the start of my Halloween decorating. Hopefully, I will get a lot done this weekend!

I sat it on the mantle and the photographer, again, took a bad picture!

So simple, so cute and so easy!

Be back soon!

Working on:

You see this pile of fabric scraps?

They are from making my "Vintage Inspired" fabric pennants. A little at a time...............

It's amazing how much work you can get done in a car while waiting on your daughter to finish her activities! I just have to add the ties to these. Maybe I can get that done tomorrow and take a better picture!

Be back soon!

Halloween Basket Part 7

Eight cloth napkins. Tied up with ribbon - four in each packet. Each packet has two orange and two black, polka dot fabric. They all have the same checked fabric on the opposite side. All the fabric was from my stash. Another stash buster!


I have been looking for something to use this ribbon on. It is too stiff. My bows don't look that pretty - but good enough!


I am working on a table runner from the same fabrics.

Have a good Labor Day Weekend!

Be back soon!

Halloween Basket Part 6

Working on the labels for my witch spices. I found them on a Halloween forum, free for the taking. At least something is going my way!

So far so good. Don't you think? Gotta get back to work! I have to fill out a form about what is in my basket by Friday! Ugh! I need a few things, but the stores don't have them out yet. (At least I hope they have them this year) I can't list them until I know I have them.

Be back soon!

Halloween Basket Part 5

The Witches (Witch's?) Kitchen Basket continues. Here is the dessert stand I made for her kitchen. Everybody loves dessert! Even a Witch!


A closer view because I am a bad photographer.


and an even closer view (the glass distorted the heads - they are not chubby!):

Made from one of those cheese boards with a glass dome lid that you see all the time in the thrift stores (unless of course you decide this is so cute and you need to make one for yourself!) and a wooden candlestick, glue and black spray paint. Sooo Easy!

Oh yeah and I forgot. You need to add the dessert! This Witch loves mini baby skeleton heads with black spiders! I want to add some spider webs, but the dog gone stores haven't put out the Halloween stuff yet!

Don't you just love it? I know I do!

Be back soon!

Halloween Pennant

I have been doing other things than spray painting and working on the Halloween basket.

This has been on my list of things to do for a while, not necessarily for Halloween, just to try it out. I did a little bit here and there through the weekend and finally put it all together tonight.

A Halloween Pennant Banner for my dining room. I need to make another one for the other set of windows in there. The second one is almost finished. Hopefully I will be able to finish it tonight. (I just started watching Legally Blonde while typing this, so I don't know. I've never seen it.)




I tried to get a close up of the fabrics, so you can see how really cute it is! Taking pictures at night is hard. I just used fabric I had on hand, trying to reduce my stash. (Another 30 years and I may have one empty closet!)

Be back soon!

Halloween Basket Part 4

Yesterday I worked some more on the Halloween Basket. I did a lot more spray painting.

I also aged my Witch Cookbooks.


Brush the watered down paint on..............(take a picture for your blog)................wipe it off. Let it dry.

I also worked on my rat or tarantula cage. I don't know what it its going to be yet.


I aged it and sealed it. Then I took a thin plastic cutting mat, that I buy from the dollar store for my purse bottoms, cut it to size and hot glued Spanish moss to it. That way it won't create such mess on counters or tabletops.


It's looking good to me! I wish the stores would hurry up and put their Halloween stuff out. I really need a few things. Usually I am thinking, Wow they have that out too early. Now that I need something, it's way too long!

Be back soon!