SALVAGED WHIMSY: tutorial

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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Driftwood Picture Frames

We are lucky to live in a lake community.

Besides the fact that I LOVE wearing a swimsuit for a quarter of the year....stifle your laughs, that was a blatant lie. Thoughts are things, right?

But really, living near a lake has many benefits, one of which is driftwood.

...driftwood, you ask?

Yeah, driftwood.

If you know me, you know I like free stuff.

Driftwood is free.

I also like natural stuff.

Driftwood is natural.

I've been collecting big pieces of driftwood since we moved here, and have a growing pile collecting in my garage.

The last time we took the kids to the beach, I noticed how pretty the smaller twigs and sticks were and picked up a couple handfuls.

(My sweet husband doesn't even bother to ask any more.)

The first project I decided to try was a picture frame.
So, using a natural-colored frame from the Dollar Store, I grabbed my handy-dandy (and nearly dead - is it bad when it smokes?) glue gun and went to work.

A couple tips if you decide to make one...

-- I suggest starting by covering the inner edges of the frame first, and then working your way out.

-- When you cut or break a stick, it looks better (IMO) if you lightly sand the tip (which I did not do on the one pictured here - it was my first try).

Another tip...make sure the font you use for your sign has an apostrophe*.

(*If an apostrophe is required for your phrase)

I did not do this and didn't realize it until I came home from taking it to the shop.

Nice.

Here are a couple other frames I've made:

I made the inserts using backgrounds from Mel Stampz blog - there are lots of different background options there - and Picasa to add the words.

Mel Stampz

If you'd like to use one (or all) of my little inserts for any reason -

they're all yours....but if you make a $1,000,000,000 from them, I expect a cut! ha!

It can't be enlarged very big, this frame is 4x6" and it was a little blurry. But, I did fix the apostrophe!

I love this quote - I even painted it above a window in my last house.

And they're free.

Free is good.

Planning to share my little frame at these link parties:

No Minimalist Here, the shabby creek cottage, The Charm of Home, The Shabby Nest, Redoux, French Country Cottage

take care -

Monday, March 5, 2012

Tutorial: Hanging Chalkboard Sign

Did everyone make it to Monday safely? I hope so, after the horrible storms over the weekend.

If you know me, you know I love chalkboard paint...maybe a little too much.

I think half the stuff in my booth may be chalkboard-ed.

and that's just half my booth...there's more on the other side.

Seriously. I made chalkboard coasters. Go ahead, make fun of me.

Ahem...

A couple weeks ago, I decided to chalkboard paint an old window, and was on a search for other things to paint when I came across some scrap wood of my husband's...

He already had it cut into nice little pieces for me. I drilled a couple holes.

After drilling through one side of the board, my husband suggested running the drill through the hole from the other side to reduce the of splintered wood. (You may want to sand over the holes too.)

Then, slap on a couple coats of chalkboard paint on all sides of the wood.

Once the paint dried, I sanded the edges of mine for a distressed / worn look.

Finally, add string, ribbon, wire hanger of your length and choice...

Front - CLEAN

Back - DIRTY

Front -MAX

Back - Birthday

These are just a few options - but you could also do:

- Store - Open / Closed

- Office door - In / Out

- Kid's bedroom door

- Front door - "Welcome" or "We're in the backyard" or "Shhh, Baby's Sleeping"

- "Just Married"

- "Mr. / Mrs." or New last name

- "Feed the Dog" or "Walk the Dog"

-"Take your pills" or "Taken"

You're more imaginative than I am, so I'm sure you could thing of a million more uses...please comment if you think of something else.

I thought they'd also be pretty if you edged them in ribbon or trim - and they'd be pretty hung from a wide satin ribbon too. The day I made them, I was working on about 5 different things at once, so I just used twine for them.

Have any of you tried making your own chalkboard paint using unsanded grout and paint? Does it erase and work as well as the kind you buy at the store?

The thought of endless color options makes me giddy with excitement!

If you're too busy to make one yourself, I have these chalkboards in my Etsy Shop and can customize them to your specifications.z

MONDAY:

Kristen's Junk Drawer

DIY Home Sweet Home

Thrifty Decor Chick (1st Monday of Each Month)

TUESDAY:

My UnCommon Slice of Suburbia

Kammy's Korner (Trash to Treasure)

WEDNESDAY:

Very Merry Vintage Style

{primp}

It's Overflowing

Domestically Speaking (Paint Projects)

Faded Charm (White Projects)

THURSDAY:

The Brambleberry Cottage

No Minimalist Here

the shabby creek cottage

House of Hepworths

Momnivore's Dilemma

From My Front Porch to Yours

FRIDAY:

Five Days...Five Ways

Miss Mustard Seed (Furniture Only)

Redoux

French Country Cottage

LaurieAnna's Vintage Home

Too Much Time on My Hands

SATURDAY:

I Can't Stop Crafting

Lolly Jane Boutique

Funky Junk

Be Different, Act Normal

{nifty thrifty things}

SUNDAY:

take care -

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Stunning Paper Rose Wreath Template

Isn't this paper flower wreath by Ellinee stunning? If I didn't have 15.5 (seriously) other wreaths to make right now, I'd SO be giving this one a try.

Even more fantastic...they give you a FREE template to print to make the flowers (as well as free templates for some of their other gorgeous items as well). AMAZING. Oh, wait, there's more! Ellinee also gives a photo tutorial to show how to construct this dreamy-confection-for-the-eyes.

I don't know about you, but the wonderful-ness of this rivals Christmas morning for me!

If you decide to give this one a try, please, please, please let me know how it goes...I'm desperate to find out if this is really as amazing as it looks! (I imagine it's quite time consuming, so you might consider grabbing a couple of your kids, friends, people off the street, etc. to help?)

Remember when my dreams of crafting glory were crushed by Martha...I hope that this doesn't also end in a frustrated paper-folding melt-down.

If I have a moment (you know, after the 15.5 wreaths...I'm writing this post at 6am on a Saturday...and my 2 toddlers are both still sleeping...I must have lost my freakin' mind!), I'm planning to do a little partying...

MONDAY:

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

The Girl Creative
Boogieboard Cottage
C.R.A.F.T.
Kristen's Junk Drawer
DIY Home Sweet Home
Thrifty Decor Chick (1st Monday of Each Month)
The Gunny Sack
Ask Anna

TUESDAY:

Home Stories A2Z
Tip Junkie
Sugar Bee Crafts

Coastal Charm
Rook No. 17

Homework
At Home With K
My UnCommon Slice of Suburbia
Kammy's Korner (Trash to Treasure)
Cherished Bliss
Ruby Jean
The Farmhouse Porch

WEDNESDAY:

Restore Interiors

Blue Cricket Design

Savvy Southern Style

Very Merry Vintage Style

{primp}

It's Overflowing

Domestically Speaking (Paint Projects)

Faded Charm (White Projects)

THURSDAY:

The Brambleberry Cottage

No Minimalist Here

the shabby creek cottage

House of Hepworths

Momnivore's Dilemma
From My Front Porch to Yours

FRIDAY:
Five Days...Five Ways

Remodelaholic

The Charm of Home

The Shabby Nest

Serenity Now
Release Me Creations

Miss Mustard Seed (Furniture Only)
Redoux
French Country Cottage
LaurieAnna's Vintage Home
Too Much Time on My Hands
SATURDAY:
I Can't Stop Crafting
Lolly Jane Boutique
Funky Junk
Be Different, Act Normal
{nifty thrifty things}
Marvelously Messy
Space 46
SUNDAY:
I Heart Naptime
LambAround
Petite Hermine

(I didn't receive anything for this post, like all of the blogs and sites I mention on Salvaged Whimsy, it's just something fabulous that I thought you might find to be fabulous too.)

Back to bed for me....hopefully....unless Emme decides to be an early-bird again this morning.

Have a beautiful weekend.

take care -

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Tutorial: Rolled Paper Flowers

Now that you've had a couple days to dye your coffee filters, I imagine that your crafty little fingers are itching for more coffee-filter-fun...

First, plug in your glue gun and make sure you have plenty of glue sticks.

Grab your favorite pair of scissors, and a big pile of your lovely coffee filters (or any paper of your choice)

Since coffee filters are so thin, I usually layer and roll 2-3 at a time. For this flower, I'm using 2 filters.

If you are using something other than coffee filters, you'll want to cut out a circle. If you're not a great circle-cutter, you may want to trace one before cutting, as it makes rolling the flowers a bit easier.

Next, cut a spiral out of your coffee filter. (Drawing it out first may make this step easier)

and we're cutting...

This is what your final product should resemble. When you get to the end of the spiral, there will be a small circle left that's about the size of a penny.

The place where you started cutting will also be where you start rolling the flower

Starting where you started cutting, roll your filter like you'd roll up a area rug. This will be the center of the flower and you want it as tight as possible. The outer edge of the coffee filter will become the top of your flower.

I had trouble getting flowers started with my big fingers, so I found it easier to fold down a tab as shown above to have more to hold on to.

Notice once I fold over the tab, how tightly I start the center.

Once you get the center stiff enough that you can hold the top and bottom between 2 fingers, it makes it a lot easier to roll this way.
As you near the end of the filter, make sure to keep the bottom of the flower tight, as the top will start to get loose.

Finished rolling. If your flower seems too tight and you want to look a little looser, cup it between your 2 hands and shake it, this will help loosen it up some without it falling apart.

This is where that little tab I mentioned above comes in handy...if your center becomes too loose, you can use the tab to tighten the center of the flower without starting over again.

If you are using book pages, scrapbook paper, cardstock, etc, you'll take some pressure off the flower and it will loosen itself. Be careful not to let go of it too much, or your flower may fall apart.

Once you get to the end, you'll have the circle tabs sticking out at the bottom of the flower.

On the bottom of the flower and around the edge of the bottom, you want to glob on a whole bunch of hot glue.

Then, fold the circle tabs over the glue bottom of the flower. If you are using more than one filter, make sure to glue each layer of the circle tab...