A Burlap Gift Sack

Thanks to a very special daughter, I have an abundance of large burlap sacks. I had a large gift to wrap, but knew wrapping paper would end up getting ripped. So, instead I utilized one of those sacks by painting a message on the front of it, tied a bow around it and called it done! I have been very absent from blogville over the last month and it doesn't look very good for showing up much between now and Christmas, so I want to take this opportunity right now to wish all of you wonderful bloggers and very happy, safe and blessed Christmas.


Linking up to Stephanie's Sunday Showcase

Centsational Girl
Thrilling Thursday

POTTERY BARN KNOCK OFF

Happy Friday to all. This has been the l-o-n-g-e-s-t week.
I know, I know!!! These pillows are old news. Seems like every time I finally arrive to catch the train it has already left the station..LOL. I used Osnaburg fabric, created a stencil with my Cricut Expression and painted the design on with fabric paint.
Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic weekend!

Stool makeover

A few months ago I was asked if I could recover a stool. I said yes, and then it went in my garage. Out of sight...out of mind...I was having major problems motivating myself to get after it. I think I just lacked the confidence to feel it would turn out okay. The owner had given me free reign with her only request being that I put Tracy's kitchen on it.This guy was a sight for sore eyes. It had obviously been in an auto parts store and showed all the wear and tear of such.

After a friendly inquiry from the owner about a week ago, I decided I'd better get myself in gear. What was the worst that could happen?? No matter what I did to it, it had to be an improvement over the torn vinyl and greasy foam. So I disassembled it, replaced the foam, painted a design on canvas and reassembled. The hardest part was trying to get the canvas stretched on correctly. I used an electric staple gun (which with me as the operator requires 2 hands) so the fabric is not as taunt as I would have liked. BUT....mission was accomplished, the owner was happy.

Best find in a while!!

My neighbors were cleaning out their garage this past weekend. As I was walking down the street I stopped to chat with them. I had earlier spotted this table and was very curious as to what they were going to do with it. They were getting rid of it and offered it to me for $5. There was no saying no to that. He even put it in his truck and carried it to my house for me. Now, I would guess that this couple is in their fifties, and he said that this had belonged to his mother.



Now, here's the surprise! This is not a table! The top folds back to reveal a desk!



And, then a board pulls out to offer a writing space!


And doesn't she have the prettiest legs?




I can't wait to start in on her makeover. Here is my dilemma, see the little shelves...like paper cubbies. I don't think I will be able to take that apart, so if anyone has any advise as to how I should tackle getting that area clean and repainted I would be extremely grateful!

A SIGN OF THE TIMES

A SIGN CAN GIVE US DIRECTION, LEAD US TO A PLACE OR EVENT, MAKE A BOLD STATEMENT, MAKE US NOSTALGIC OR MAKE US LAUGH. IT CAN INSPIRE US, REMIND US AND ENCOURAGE US.

I was so happy that "signs' won for this weeks theme on Funky Junk Interior's Saturday Night Special. Last week, after reading Donna's tutorial on making old signs, I made this .






I had so much fun, I couldn't stop there. So...I made this...



and this.....design credit goes to My Vinyl designer for this one




and this.....this one didn't get distressed cuz my sander went on the blitz. I also can't take credit for this design as the file was puchased and then a very kind graphic designer converted it for me so it would be compatible with my software.


Sanders working again and I was able to complete the last important couple of steps!



Thanks for stopping by!

I'm linking to Saturday Night Special

My first try at heavy distressing

 

After making several signs and only doing a small amount of distressing, I decided to try something different. Donna, from Funky Junk Interior did a tutorial on how she makes old signs. You can see her's here. I had to give it a try. The base coat of paint looks blue, but it is gray paint I made by mixing black and white. Lesson 1: it doesn't take much black paint to make gray(the color in the picture actually looks blue). I didn't completely cover the surface. Then I came back with a haphazard coat of Barn Red, again not completely covering the surface. I stenciled the design on and then attacked it with my palm sander. It looks okay from a distance so I think for awhile it will reside on top of my kitchen cabinets.




I'm linking to Funk Junk Interior SNS
Thanks for stopping by!
Kathy

High School Senior Subway Art

I was asked to make a subway art canvas for a highschool senior. This is the finished product. Hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to Funky Junk Interior's SNS

Picture Frame

Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend! This is a picture frame I did for Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Night Special. This is just a very inexpensive picture frame from a dollar store. I simply removed the back and mat, cut the vinyl design in mirror image to apply to the back of the frame. I glued the glass into the frame. I added a few crystals to the front for a little bling. The picture is.....
well far from good, but since I haven't posted anything in a few weeks wanted to get this on.

Linking up to Funky Junk Interior's SNS

Wooden Wine Crate Repurposed

I finally got around to going to a liquor store and asking if they had any wooden wine crates. PAY DIRT!!! I came home with 6 of them. This was the only one that would work for the project I had in mind. This box measures approximately
16"x12"X8". If you have been thinking about repurosing a wine crate, you should not have to pay more than $5 each, and if you are really lucky you might even get them for free. I was pretty sure I wanted to keep the Cellar No. 8 logo that was on the front panel. It was also on the top along with the ink from where someone had written on the wood. It had a shipping label on it when I first brought it home. I used some rubbing alcohol to remove it and the alcohol just smeared the ink more. No worries, I was going to turn the top panel over and use the blank side. I would be losing the notched finger pull area, but I already had an idea on how to fix that.








The first thing I did was take an ice pick to the top panel. I gouged the wood in several places by dragging the pick across the wood. I wish I had done more, but this is fairly thin pine wood and I didnt want to take any chances of splitting it.
Next, I measured out the area in which I would stencil my design and got busy creating it in Sure Cuts A Lot. I cut the design in temporary vinyl, pulled away the letters and placed the negative on the wood. Deciding to work off the colors in the logo I used Engine Red and Black acrylic paints, I stenciled the words on the wood. Once that was dry, I stained the entire box (inside and out) with Minwax Red Oak Stain (it was what I had on hand). The pictures were taken after just one coat of poly. I know I have to add at least one more coat.






The top slides and I thought that little boys fingers would need an easy way to get to his treasures, so I added a handle I already had in my stash.
Now, I am on a mission to find another of the Cellar No. 8 boxes, so my other Grandson does not feel left out.

This project was totally inspired by Donna's Crate Stair Project

Thanks for stopping by and please come back again soon!

I am linking this to Metamorphosis Monday
and Funky Junk Interiors Saturday Nite Special
and Making the World Cuter
and Under the Table and Dreaming
Reposting to link to Donna's at FJI copy me challenge

First Subway Art

After seeing so many neat subway art projects around blogland, I decided to give it a try. There were so many different subjects I had in mind, but for this I decided to go with family. I used my sure cuts a lot program to design it, cut the words out of vinyl to use as a mask when I sprayed the cranberry colored paint on the canvas. Easy peasy. Thanks for stopping by!

Piggy Bank

I had this gallon glass jug which I felt needed a new purpose in life. And it just so happens that my grandson could use a bigger piggy bank! The file for this was generously shared by someone on the craftedge forum. Thanks for looking! It's almost the weekend, and a long weekend at that!!!Hope everyone has a fun and safe one.

Wine Glasses

These were done using the etch vinyl. By the time I got done I could have used a glass of wine.....but since I was working on these at 5 A.M. this morning and still had a full day of work ahead....well, I think not! I used the dry application method on one and the wet application method on the other. For this project I don't think it made a difference. I have found the etch vinyl very tricky to work with when doing a small design. It's difficult to keep the design in place during weeding. I would love to hear any tips you may have.

Old picture frame

Happy Sunday morning! This is a recycled picture frame from which I removed the mat and backing. I painted the frame itself with apple spice. I cut the design in mirror image so that I could apply it to the back of the glass. I just have it leaning aginst the wall so it is casting some shadows. I think it will look better when it is hanging on a wall. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
I'm linking up to Funky Junk Interiors.

A few more things

I did a few flour sack towels The tea time towel was done with iron on transfer. The first 2 towels are not dirty. I took these pics outside and the tree must have been casting a shadow on them.



as was the "If you can't take the heat" towel.

This towel I made for my sister. The word Gasthaus is the German translation for Inn. I used heat transfer vinyl on this one.


Remember the purse from my last post? I gussied it up a bit.

Parlez-vous français

Many moons ago, I had purchased some iron on transfer paper, some cotton table napkins, and a cotton dish towel.....and they just went into the "to do later pile".
Then yesterday I came across Olive Rue's Etsy Shopand discovered a gold mine of designs. I recognized many of the elements of her designs from The Graphics Fairy
but since I don't have photo shop or any of those neat editing programs, I could not have known where to begin to create these wonderful designs. So, lucky for me, I had some money sitting in my paypal account that was just screaming...spend me spend me! And so I obliged and when I got home from work last night I got busy. I absolutely love this Vintage Junk Queen zippered pouch. Perfect for the flea market or garage sale goer. Just think, you can have both hands free to dig around looking for your treasures. I want to jazz it up a little with some trim....it's on the shopping list.



The iron on transfer paper is a little pricey, so I tried to squeeze as many designs onto one sheet that I could fit. The Queen Bee turned out just the right size for this onsie.


This is a sampling of napkins I did. The Robins Nest one is a graphic from The Graphic Fairy and I just added the text.


This is the dish towel. Need to get some more of these.


Thanks for looking! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Onsies for Baby Maddie

My youngest son's life long friend just had his first baby. A little girl named Madeleine Rose. I made her a few onsies to add in with her gift. I got the SVG file for the I POOD one from Bobbie on the cricut forum. (Thanks Bobbie) The monogrammed one was done using KK monograms and the other I just played around with the letters to offset them a little. They were all done with Siser easy weed heat transfer vinyl. Thanks for looking and have a great week!

Bridge Tallies

The mother of a friend asked for some bridge tallies. She wanted a summer theme and a Christmas themed set. She supplied the graphics of the sailboat for the summer set and I choose some of my favorite vintage Christmas graphics to do the other set. Many of the graphics were found here. Karen, at the graphics fairy has wonderful images to get creative with.
I cut 3 1/2" X 9" strips of felt and pinked the edges. Once, I had sized and cut out the Christmas images, I edged them with gold stickles to give them a little glitz. With the felt folded in half, I adhered the graphic to the front using liquid fusion. The inside top holds the 2 table progressive chart and the bottom half holds a post it note for score keeping. Easy peasy, if you know a bridge player, it would be a very inexpensive and useful gift.
Thanks for looking!

In a perfect world....

I would still be on vacation. But little by little reality is pulling me back into it's ugly grips. New York was wonderful! The weather was picture perfect! I went to the Suffolk County Detectives picnic, made a quick trip to New Jersey to meet my great neice and see her sister again, visited tons of farm stands, spent lots of time with family meeting all the new babies that have been born since I was there last and went to a sunset lobster bash. Gosh, I really did not want to come back. I was only back a couple of weeks and then headed to the Texas Coast to spend a few days at the beach with friends as the three of us were celebrating turning 60 this year. Back home, to have my son and his family visit for 4 days. Yes, getting back into work mode is a very harsh reality. I have done a few small things here and there. Nothing to write home about. But I thought I would share and let the world know I am still alive and kicking!


A Name Sign for my daughter



Beach Balls for the grandsons


Baby Washcloth lollipops


Monogrammed Wine Glass


My reason to return to reality

Leaving on a jet plane

By now, my bags are packed and I'm ready to go! This morning I am boarding the plane and heading back to that old familiar place called home. Although, it has been decades since it has been my actual home, I am so excited to be heading to Long Island to take in all the old sights, stir up some old memories and spend some long overdue time with family. And if the temperature and humidity are below 95 degrees I"ll feel like I'm in heaven. I'll be back in touch next week!

A last minute project

I designed this sign to take to NY with me to give to my sister I purchased a 1X12 at Home depot and had them cut it into 20" lengths, then purchased some molding which was cut to the width of the board. I glued the molding on, primed and painted with Heirloom White. I cut the design out of black vinyl and applied it to the board. I really wanted to do some distressing with the sanding and staining, but ran out of time. I have a 4:00 AM wake up time so I am off to bed.
Catch you next week!

A curbside rescue

About a month ago when I was driving home from work, I noticed a neighbor had put a dining room chair out for the trash.  From what I could see, there was nothing wrong with the chair other than the very 1970’s unattractive covering on the seat cushion. So, I waited for dark, walked outside and made sure no one was watching as I made my way to the chair and quickly carried it home.  My daughter referred to this as dumpster diving. I was not about to let some young whippersnapper deter me from my plan. I first scrubbed it down, primed it then painted it heirloom white and distressed the heck out of it.  I kinda got carried away with the distressing, but it was so much fun! Ultimately, I decided to go another route and painted it black, and NO DISTRESSING. I had originally planned to paint the design on the fabric I was going to cover the seat with.  I cut the design on freezer paper, but then I could not figure out how to transfer the freezer paper from the Cricut  mat and keep it  intact  so I decided to use iron on vinyl.

TOTAL COST OF THIS PROJECT 1 CAN OF SPRAY PAINT, I had everything else! I had taken a picture of the chair when I first brought it home, but the picture was mistakenly deleted from my camera.  Just picture ugly

Finished!!!!

Wednesday afternoon, I received an order for 37 tiles for graduation gifts. I was excited as that is my biggest order ever. I went to work on them right after I got home from work on Wednesday and completed them this morning. I hope all the recipients enjoy them. I am happy to donate 10% of the proceeds of this sale to the Susan Komen Race for the cure 2010. I will do the same for all sales between now and October. I am especially happy to do this for the sale of these tiles, as the sweet woman who ordered them from me is a breast cancer survivor.