Week 24 Project

My brother Cy is the artist in the family. His strengths include drawing and painting. My drawing skills peaked in 3rd grade. So, I solicited his skills in drawing some patterns for me.






Simple shapes, but I wouldn't have been able to do them. (Couldn't find the right light, sorry for the bad pic)





I used some of my fabric stash and created some cute little 2D stuffed animals. I love their cuddle factor! I have a nice button collection, but since I'm making these for little bitty people I didn't want their to be a chocking hazard.



Stuffed animals friends, Done!

Week 23 Project

I often get lost in google image searches. It's bad. I won't even remember what I began searching for and then I'll notice its two hours later. But, I gotta tell ya, I find some pretty cool stuff.
I will not be sharing the inspiration photo for this project. Mine turned out nothing like the photo I saw and I originally thought I'd chuck the whole thing. I hated it compared to the original. However, the thing has been in my living room for over a month now, and its starting to grow on me.


As is becoming usually, I started this project with a trip to Vally Thrift.This odd little lamp came home with me.


 Then I picked up 1500 zip ties, floral wire and two cans of spray paint from the local home improvement warehouse. I can home and tore up the lamp shade and started constructing a "birdcage".

Lots of time spray painting and zip-tieing and this little spot in the living room went from looking like this...


 to this.

Here's a close- up of the shade when its on.

And here's what it looks like when the lamp is off. I had originally put the zip-tie shade on the lamp that was in the corner, but the shinny-newness of it didn't jiv well with the retro-y shade. So I pulled an old lamp table up out of the basement and it works soooo much better.

Zip-tie lamp shade, Done.

Week 22 Project

This is my TV.

 Its probably my least favorite corner of the house. I have two ginormous trees next to the house. They provide wonderful shade and keep the house nice and cool. However, they also have a tenancy to make the interior of the house kind of dark. When I moved in, I  painted the yellow walls this lovely grey and soon realized a lighter grey would have been a better choice, but I love the color and am pretty much over the idea of painting any more walls for a while.
The combination of the shaded house, darkish walls and black TV on black TV stand created a bit of a black whole in that corner (I took this pic with all the lights turned on, on one of the sunniest days of the week) 

The tuesday before last I made up my mind to do something about this dark issue of mine...

Last Saturday I had a date with my youngest brother, Cy, to go to the Cincinnati Art Meuseum.We had a lot of fun at the art museum in Denver when we went out to visit my sister and so it was time to explore a little closer to home. The art museum was really cool and really cheap (free!) We made a pit stop on the way home at Valley Thrift. I've mentioned Valley Thrift before and this probably won't be the last time you hear about it.  Cy is a huge thrift-er and loves finding unique items there and apparently high school-ers are into that kinda thing these days (geez, that makes me sound old) He managed to find a pair of khakis (that I'll turn into shorts for him) a Reds t-shirt, and  a cor-dory shirt(that you'll just have to see a picture of some time).

I planned on buying a fabulous pair of jeans without trying them on, like my friend Mindy, but no such luck for this chick. I walked in the door and found something I immediately knew I was taking home.  I wasn't sure it would fit in my car and I wasn't sure I wanted to spend $25 at the thrift store on one item. I had them hold it for me in the back and then, then, I saw something that bumped that 1st beauty right outta the running!

Yep, I bought an old console radio. The price tag almost stopped me, but Cy convinced me that the detail work was worth the price.

This British beauty (seriously, it was manufactured in England) was equiped for 8-tracks, records, AM and FM radio! Now, I've never seen an 8-track so I don't know if that part still works, but the radio works! The sound was actually pretty good. Too bad my TV will be on top and I won't be playing her.

Since I spent sooooo much on the actual radio, I wanted to see if I could do the rest without spending much. I did end up buying an extra can of white spray paint. I didn't have enough on hand and the idea of priming all the detail work by hand sounded like a pain. With a little leftover wall and Yellow Dresser paint, the project was complete! I should have sanded but didn't and I'm hoping since this won't be a piece that is "used" ( setting cups or books or plates on) it won't be too much of a problem for me. The TV is on top and that where it will stay.

Old radio turned into "new" TV stand, Done!

Week 21 Project

My last adventure in furniture painting went well enough for me to try it again.

I wouldn't say that I make safe choices when decorating my home. However, I do tend to stay away from any bold color choices. I'm a female... and I change my mind...  a lot... often.

This dresser came with the house. Its been in this back bedroom for all the years I grew up and came to visit my grandparents. Its one of the pieces that I may not have bought but it serves a purpose. I knew in its heart, it was fun. It was just tired and wanted a face lift.


Yellow had hit me for no reason. I was thinking about it tyring to determine the kind of yellow I wanted. Bright Yellow, Sunny Yellow, Canary Yellow, Mellow Yellow, Lemon, Meringue...

I've learned to always stop at the end of aisles for clearance items. I was at Lowes for another reason and two quarts of yellow paint on clearance were sitting there waiting for me. I didn't even really think about it. I glanced at them, I decided it was a yellow I liked and for $5 total, they headed home with me.

One little problem and it was a moral dilemma for me. I have a strict rule that when you wear nail polish you should know the name of the color, the color listed on the bottle by the creative folks at the nail polish companies; the same rule applies to all paint colors. Currently, I don't have hot pink nails, my nails are "Big Daddy". There was no color name on the quarts.

I'm glad to report that I managed to get over this problem and will gladly take color name suggestions from you, my dear readers.

Here she is!

Yellow Dresser, Done!

Week 20 Project

Eventually I'll redo my kitchen in an updated retro black and white style. Eventually.

For now, I'm workin' with what I've got. I'm also trying to work with supplies I have on hand. Ending up on TV as a hoarder is one of my big fears. I purge the house (closets, storage areas, drawers, garage) regularly. I also had an unexpected, very expensive break job on my car recently. (Which happens when you commute 126 miles a day) A resourceful kinda crafting weekend it was.










Painted Kitchen Cabinets, tying the kitchen together just a bit more, Done.

Week 19 Project

My Aunt Lois (who happens to also be my godmother) saw the apron I made for my mom, here, and commissioned me to make one for her daughter Mary.  I was more than happy to do this and really excited too. When I lived in Columbus, Mary, Jon, Maria, Mario, Maggie and I would meet up, at least once a week, for a meal... and like two or three times a week for ice cream! I had my own apartment, but Mary's house was my home in Columbus.
Making her an apron was fun. It was fun because I love her. It was fun because I can imagine her daughter Maria pretending in it...maybe I should make Ri one. It was fun because so many of our memories together involve laughs over a meal. Most importantly it was fun because not many of those memories involve her cooking! I love Mar, but she is a crazy busy active mom. She would much rather mow the grass, run the kids to the library in the stroller, bike to Giant Eagle for popsicles and wrestle in the living room, (seriously, like all of those things) than spend the night in the kitchen. At least that's what I saw. Her kids are never bored and I love her for it.

Anyway, back to the apron. I still haven't bought a pattern for anything I sew. I took a bit of what I did for my mom's apron and threw in some different ideas. My use of bias tape has gotten better and for whatever reason I was scared of cutting/sewing curved lines on my mom's apron so I did that this time and it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it might be.












For the life of me, I can't get this pic to save when I rotate it. I've tried like 8763ways and every time I upload it, its rotated. Do me a favor, tilt your head to the right. Thanks.

Mar's apron for Aunt Lo, Done.

Curtains are the Eyeliner of a Home's Windows

So, I made that saying up just now. ...as an experiment...
My high school English teacher made up a word once, gahsnaffle (sp?), as a word to say when someone sneezes. It was an experiment in the evolution of the English language. I still use gahsnaffle.

Back to the point of the post, or not. I don't wear makeup often, maybe once a week. If someone asked me if I had to choose one item of makeup for the rest of my life, I might hesitate and almost say my lip plumper, but then emphatically say eyeliner. I think it makes the most impact on a bar face and makes me feel, like, well, Cleopatra. Silly I know, but she was one of those powerful women in history. I love powerful women.

Ok, Curtains.
This isn't a weekly post, because I didn't make any of these items this year, but they were, at some point, projects. I made curtains for the kitchen, which I hope will be a complete black and white masterpiece one day.

I also made curtains for the door off the steps that match. See 'em down there on the right?

Then I realized that I hated seeing my mismatch college plastic cups, so I made matching inserts for the hutch.





















 I fell in love with this fabric before I had a plan for it.



Seriously Love.
I don't think there was a better purpose for it than to be the focal point of my bathroom.


Not a curtain, but a project I'm proud of accomplishing.
I had fabric from another project that I bought at IKEA.

I tried my hand a flanged edge on a pillow and covered my body pillow, which I now use as a headboard.





That thing above my bed is a project from probably 5 years ago. I cork board spray painted blue with pushpins holding my necklaces. If I don't see my jewelry, I forget to wear it.



And now you're all caught up on projects from the past.