Saturday, November 26, 2011

Almost 100 Followers & My 1st Giveaway!

As of 10:54am (EST) on 11/26/2011, I have 91 amazing followers...only need 9 more of you to join me to reach 100. 


In celebration of this historical :) event, I will be hosting my first-ever giveaway once I reach 100.  Now, this won't be a typical plain old gift card giveaway...it will be a one of a kind, just for you, giveaway.  (tempted now, aren't you!)


Please consider becoming a follower of my blog so you don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!


Thank you SO much to all of you who've already chosen to follow me, I can't tell you how much each of you have helped me to "wake up" and rejoin the world.  Blogging has made me a happier, better, more fulfilled person.  I love my my babies and family more than anything, but blogging has allowed me to think outside my daily life of laundry, diapers and bottle-filling. (Admittedly, it's a rut I put myself into - I'm a self-described introvert, and it's been a challenge for me to meet new people since we've moved)


Enough of that mushy, lovey-dovey stuff...but I do love all of y'all!  The pictures were just an attempt to make this post a little more interesting.


Okay..so let's get at least 9 more followers so one of you can win my giveaway in time to re-gift your prize for Christmas!


take care -


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Tuesday, November 22, 2011

{Whimsical Wednesday}: Thanksgiving and Some Fun News

This morning, I was looking for some fun vintage clipart, so naturally I did what any blogger would do...I started my search at The Graphics Fairy.
  At the top of the blog was a picture that looked familiar. Really, really familiar. 
It was my silhouette drawer shelf.  On The Graphics Fairy's DIY blog. 

Featured Here?

After refreshing the page a couple times, and it was still there, I shared my excitement with my husband ("great babe, who's the Graphic's Fairy again?")



I'm off to celebrate by cleaning the bathrooms! Yee-Haw!
If, for some crazy reason, you are not familiar with The Graphic's Fairy, stop whatever you are doing and go there as soon as you finish reading my post  now.  I've used graphics from her site many different projects.



On a more somber note, I'd like to wish all of you a safe, blessed, and happy Thanksgiving. 

Love your babies, enjoy friends and family, and don't let the details of the day get in the way of the celebration of the people, experiences, and things that we should be thankful for every day of the year.

One of the best Thanksgivings I can remember included the turkey catching on fire and the (whole) ham falling on the floor.


Happy Thanksgiving!


take care -


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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Salvaged Sunday: A Kitchen Island

This piece had seen much better days when I found it...

Unfortunately, this is the best " before" picture I took...please disregard the disarray in the background (aka...the garage)

 
My wonderful husband is removing the old side and back panels as they were brittle and unsalvageable.  One of the casters had broken off, so the top made about a 45 degree angle with the floor. Luckily, the enamel top was in nearly-perfect condition.
Here it is with the new side panels and after a couple coats of primer. I wanted to use bead board, but this was the only thing similar that would fit into the existing corner braces. We also re-used the silver hooks off of the pink & green bookshelf (that was originally a wall shelf when it was purchased).

I painted the exterior and gray-blue color (I think it was called "Rainy Day" by Martha Stewart)...it came out looking more gray than the sample looked at the store. (It's also the color I used on the Silhouette Shelf)

Of course, I didn't get a good finished picture before it went to the shop.  I must get better at this!

As you can see here, I added some pale yellow details to the drawer and door fronts, as well as painted stripes on the interior cabinet for a little bit of whimsy.

The knobs were a challenge for me...I bought some silver handles, but everyone voted that choice down.  I then tried painting some old wooden knobs the same pale yellow color, but I still wasn't thrilled.



Yesterday, I changed the knobs to these ceramic white ones from Hobby Lobby. 
Ceramic Round Knob with Beaded Edge 
When selecting them, I had 2 unhappy toddlers with me who were trying to use knobs as projectile weapons, so I didn't have much time to make a decision.

From now on, I will attempt to use a little forethought and order the knobs online...it seems like they have a lot more selection than in the store....and they totally beat any of the home improvement stores on style and price. (And I bought mine when they were 50% off...gotta love Hobby Lobby!)

So, this kitchen island (that fit perfectly in my kitchen) has officially been salvaged!

I will be sharing at many of these lovely link parties:


TUESDAY: 
{primp}
Momma Hen's Coop
Domestically Speaking (Paint Projects)
Faded Charm (White Projects)

THURSDAY:

FRIDAY:
Miss Mustard Seed

SATURDAY:
I Can't Stop Crafting
Lolly Jane Boutique
Funky Junk
Be Different, Act Normal
Perfectly Imperfect

SUNDAY:
I Heart Naptime
LambAround
Petite Hermine

(If you are the gracious hostesses to one of these parties, and I didn't leave a comment thanking you, I either forgot, or more likely, Blogger wouldn't let me. -  Thank you!)
take care -

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Saturday, November 19, 2011

Chest #126...and a little Christmas Decor

Just to prepare you, I'm feeling a little feisty tonight.
So, yet another chest.  I know, I know.  And I don't even have a before picture...I've only been blogging since August, and I'm already slipping.  Basically, it was a big brown, dirty, old plywood box.

First thing I did was add some casters....and did the whole priming and painting thing....
... and I finally joined the number club and put a number on it..and then I distressed it.  On the inside - it was a big old mess, and the only way I could think to fix it would be to cover it.  I applied a glaze and stain mixture over the book pages before a couple coats of poly.
  (If you're jealous of the pretty brown, office-like carpet...you should be...added bonus...it's in the kitchen.  The last owner "loved carpet in the kitchen")

I had a couple pieces of furniture sell, so we took the new chest to add to my booth.  I didn't get any good pictures before my husband stuck it in the car.

I also added the sisal handles
I always wonder why people choose the numbers they do...I chose #126 because 1/26 is our wedding anniversary.

This would make a great coffee table...with bunches of storage (toys!).  (any takers?  if you live nearby, I'll even bring it to ya!) Since it's on casters, it could easily be moved out of the way if more space is needed.

Made a couple changes...

A little Christmas decor for the ole' booth.  See the fringe-y tree on the left...guess what it's made from....COFFEE FILTERS.  I almost lost a finger in the making of that-there tree. The flowers on the little wreath...uh huh, COFFEE FILTERS.

The garland...COFFEE FILTERS (and book pages)...and the wreath around the trunk...COFFEE FILTERS! I'm a woman possessed...maybe I should rename my blog...Salvaged Coffee Filters?  Coffee Filter Crafts?  Nah.

I changed the knobs on the kitchen island.  And put new inserts in the picture frames.

A little glittery tree made from cardstock and book pages.  I know you can't tell, but there's a little flower on the rusty scoop next to the tree...and shhh, it's made from COFFEE FILTERS.


My husband built an A-MAZ-ING farm dining table out of an old door.  You will pee your pants, it's so awesome.  I need to put some poly on it and take pictures, but hopefully, I'll have those for you in the next couple days....so you better come back and check it out. (promise??)
 I didn't even know he had these abilities...and we've been married almost 4 years!  He probably shouldn't have revealed this hidden skill to me because now the possibilities are endless!!! (Bwah, HA, HA...does that sound evil in your head, because it's supposed to)

If I don't get the chance to chat with you again before Thursday, have a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving, enjoy your family, and don't forget your elastic pants!

I will be sharing this at most of these parties...probably will miss any Thursday parties this week, if you go, link one for me (haha, like drink one for me..nevermind).

MONDAY:

TUESDAY: 
{primp}
Momma Hen's Coop
Domestically Speaking (Paint Projects)
Faded Charm (White Projects)

THURSDAY:

FRIDAY:
take care -
 

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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Whimsical Wednesday - Unique Drawer Silhouette Shelf

Doesn't it drive you crazy when you have a good idea or something you want to say and you forget what it is?  I had something I wanted to talk about for this WW post, and for the life of me, can't remember what it is.
Bummer.  Isn't it even more annoying when someone tells you they had something great to tell you, but can't remember what it is? Sorry about that.
So anyway...instead, I thought I'd show you this shelf that my husband helped me put together. My mom brought me these 4 drawers (yes this IS my 3rd drawer-related project in the last 30 days...and yes, my mom is responsible for finding all of the drawers) and they were scattered in random places throughout my garage, so I kind of forgot about them because I had no idea what to do with random, unmatched drawers.
Once I put them in the same area, I realized that they were all the same drawer, just painted different colors...I arranged them in a couple shapes until I came up with this:


My husband attached them to one another for me before I painted them gray.

I then found some silhouettes on The Graphics Fairy blog, and edited them to the size I wanted. I love the picture of the baby (who is so much cuter in person than the pictures below)...so I decided to do a little "family".

I did my little tracing trick like my first drawer project:

I used black craft paint to do the silhouettes before sanding/distressing and then slopping applying a generous amount of a stain + glaze mixture on it.  After I wiped away the excess, I allowed it to dry for a couple days before sanding and distressing it again.

These pictures are icky, but as I mentioned in my booth post, some of the other dealers were watching me, and I felt a little weird about taking pictures in front of them.




I wanted to put another coat of the stain on them before taking them to the store, but I ran out of time.

It seems I'm going through furniture phases...first the chests/trunks (and I still have 2 more in my garage), and now all these drawers:

Project #1

Project #2

and this makes Project #3.

Would you be surprised if I told you that I have ANOTHER set also sitting in my garage.  They are pretty fun "as is" though, so I think I'll just be cleaning those up.

I'm still trying to figure out what my original post idea was, but to no avail....if it hits me at 3am tonight, I'll be sure to write it down this time.

I shared this project at The Graphics Fairy. and most of these link parties:

MONDAY:
TUESDAY: 
{primp}
Momma Hen's Coop
THURSDAY:
FRIDAY:
take care -


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Sunday, November 13, 2011

Easy (CHEAP) Chistmas Coffee Filter Decor Tutorial

This project was featured on Trash 2 Treasure Tuesdays at Kammy's Korner...If you haven't linked there before, I highly reccomend it.  Kammy's blog is so fun and energetic...I always feel happy when I leave her site.  Thanks again to Kammy, for featuring this project.

For someone who doesn't like coffee, I sure do love coffee filters.  They are quickly becoming one of my favorite craft items.  Today, while making another coffee filter wreath (here's my first), I had an epiphany...I could shape the filters into a ball.  Fantabulousness!


I guess it kind of resembles the famous Martha Stewart tissue ball things...but my method for arranging them is different (I made about a million of those bad boys for my sister's wedding and will live a happy life if I never have to make another)

What I used:

- Coffee Filters - Approx 15-20
-Glue gun/glue (when I mention "glue" below, I mean hot glue)...but you could probably use a lot of different ways of attaching the pieces.
-Fishing line or ribbon to make hanger
-Scissors

To shape the filter, I formed a circle with my thumb and fingers, lie the filter on top, and poke the filter down into the "hole"

Then I pinch the end together

And twist the end to help the "flower" hold it's shape until I make more of them.  (Please excuse my dirty thumb, it's primer from another project I was working on today)

Once I had made 5 of the flowers, I glued the twisted tips together, to make a circle. 

How it looks from the side

And the front. I made 2 of these.

Then, I took a pretty long piece of fishing line (another one of my favorite crafting tools), but you could use ribbon, twine, lace, yarn...you get the idea. I made a loop, and glued it to the center of one 1/2 of the flower.

So after I glued the 2 halves together, I noticed there was a bare spot, so I just put some glue on another flower and stuck in there.  I played around with it for a little while, trying to get the shape to look as orb-like as possible.  Don't be afraid to trim some of the flowers if they stick out.

And and coffee filter ball....TA-DA.  Easy as can be, right?

I left mine plain, but you could cut it down to make it a more compact, smaller circle.

Or you could spray glitter on it.  I also thought tying some pretty ribbon or greenery at the top and letting it hang down the sides could be pretty.  Maybe tucking in some feathers might be snazzy?  You could also use all different kinds, colors, patterns of papers.  THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!

Plus, while it could be an Christmas decoration...it could also be used year-round, depending on how you accessorize and use it.  See...endless possibilities.

Here are a couple pictures of my coffee filter wreath:

I did a tutorial for my wreath before Halloween.  This one, I used a Styrofoam plate, so it's a bit smaller than my last one.

She still needs some pretty ribbon or something.

Right now, it kind of reminds me of a freshly groomed Bichon Frise

See it in around the head area?  Just saying.

Another wreath I'm loving is my rolled paper flower wreath:

I'll give details on this one within the next couple days.  A little more time consuming, but still easy.  There will be glitter, so don't miss out!

Can you see now why coffee filters are quickly climbing my list of favorite crafting tools!  (If you have Aldi's- you can get 200 for $.99....which is about half the price I've seen them other places)

See...and my husband asked what I did all day.  geesh...

I'll be sharing this at these many of these fantastic blogs over the next week: 

MONDAY:

TUESDAY: 
Kammy's Korner (Trash to Treasure)

WEDNESDAY:
{primp}
Momma Hen's Coop
Faded Charm

THURSDAY:
House of Hepworths

FRIDAY:

SATURDAY:

take care -


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