A Watering Can

Here is a watering can I bought at Salvation Army.  I used the front door this time, instead of the drive thru.  I had no idea what I was going to do with it but I did know it was coming home with me.

I loved the crackled look of it.  Do you want to know what I did with it?

This is what I used.

I mosaic'd it (yes, that's a word, I just made it up).  Here is a picture just before I grouted it.

I used the border of a bread & butter plate and I cut some pink stained glass for the petals of the flower.  I then cut a piece from another plate to use as the center of the flower.  I filled in around the petals with some taupe colored stained glass.

Then I grouted it.

I think it looks cute by my front door.



I think it needs to hold something like maybe some branches?  But for now, I like it just the way it is.

Kaye

For the Love of Buttons

Remember the little sewing basket I blogged about here?  I was thinking it needed something else but I wasn't sure just what.  I thought maybe a liner or even a wash of very light pink.  But I think I came up with something better.  Here it is.

Yes, buttons.  I love buttons.  Who doesn't like buttons?? 

I was watching TV lastnight and thought of this idea.  So I plugged in the hot glue gun and busted out the buttons.  I have been picking up buttons at estate sales so I just happen to have a stash.  I wash them and divide them up by color. 

How cute is this I ask you.  You don't have to answer that because I already have.  It's super cute! 

The lid is now a bit heavier, go figure right?  But that's ok since it will be closed all the time anyway. 

Now, what should I put in it??

Hope everyone has a Happy Easter!

Kaye

Cookies

Today, I made sugar cookies with my daughter.  She loves to roll and cut them out. 

Her favorite part is when they're all done and ready to eat.  So we fancy it up and bust out the china.  Not really, but it makes for some cute pictures.

 It's really windy today in Michigan and it even snowed a little.  It's a great day to stay inside and bake cookies.

 I have to go now, I have a date with my 6 yr. old.  We're going to eat cookies.

What did you do this weekend?

Kaye

Nightstand Makeover

This is a cute nightstand that I bought at the back door of the Salvation Army.  I know, it sounds like a drug deal but seriously, have you seen the stuff they have out there?  Holy cow, who needs to go in the front door when you can drive-thru the back.

No, this is not how it looked when I bought it; remember I'm still working on taking a before picture.  It's a solid wood nightstand made by Dixie, a furniture company in Charleston, North Carolina.  I'm sure you've seen their pieces; they're usually white with the groovy gold painted trim.  I used to have the whole set when I was little; complete with canopy bed. 

Anyway, I liked the lines of this nightstand and I new I could nix the gold trim and give it some character.  Stripping all the white and gold off of it was not very glamorous or exciting.  I won't bore you with those details; we've all been there.

First I painted this a light green but I found it a little on the pale side.  So I took a darker green, watered it down and wiped it on with a rag.  I was beginning to like what I saw.  This green is pretty vibrant and reminds me of the green on the Princess and the Frog poster.

I did think it was missing something though.  Those ovals at the top of the front legs were screaming, "Do something."  I shouted back, "But, what?"

Without seeing it, my friend Patti suggested I free hand something.  I thought maybe she bumped her head but I was getting desperate.  So I did.  I painted on some flowers, complete with stems and leaves.  Not bad, not bad I say.

A little is good so more must be better, right?  I added some flowers to the front too.

To soften the flowers, I gave it a light sanding with 120 grit sandpaper after it dried.

I even busted out the power tools to mount the pull handle.  Yes, I did.  Me, myself, and I had some bonding time with the old De Walt drill.  I even used a level so you can be sure that handle is straight.

I lined the inside of the drawer with some scrap booking paper.  Pink of course.  In case you couldn't tell, my daughter is really into the pink princess thing.  She's a girly girl and I love that.  Don't mind the pencil scribbles on the left of the drawer; that's abuse from its previous owner.  Nothing but love in my house people.

On the walls, I stenciled those vines and stamped the crown and castle as a border going around her room.  I made the stencil and bought the foam stamps.  I used four different colors and used canned paint (not the creamy stencil paint) because I like a challenge.  Not really but it sounds good.  I recommend doing none of this, but then I saw how excited she got about her girly girl room and I thought, that wasn't so bad.

Update:  I just walked into her room and there was this large, hideous sticker of Dora stuck on the front of the drawer.  I about died.  I couldn't peel that sucker off fast enough.  Dora did put up a bit of a fight though, but I won and into the trash she went.  Sigh.

Kaye

A White Basket

This project doesn't have a before picture, simply because I completely forgot to take one.  Sorry, I'm working on that.  I got together on Sunday with my crafting friends but not much crafting got done due to eating, laughing, chatting, and planning a spectacular vintage tag sale to be held in June! 

 Anyway, in between all of that we took a trip to a local antique mall and I found this cute sewing basket.  It was a natural brown basket when I bought it, but I promptly spray painted it white when I got home.   You can click on the picture for a close up. 

The inside is still the natural brown but I think I'm going to put a liner in it.  Nothing fancy, just a piece of utility material or a piece of drop cloth left over from my slipcover.  I don't think I'm feeling the white though so I may change that to a pastel pink.  I was also thinking about doing something on the lid, but the jury is still out on that one. 

It is a nice day outside so I took these pictures on my front porch.  I'm sitting out there right now as I write this post.  Here are some more pictures.

I think it's cute.  I've never seen a small sewing basket like this and thought I could use it to hold spools of thread or something.

I am linking up to some White Wednesday parties.  So, what are you painting?

Kaye

Faded Charm Cottage

Domestically-Speaking



Blue Cricket Design



Slipcovered Wing Back Chair

Alright already.  It's done.  I finally finished the slipcover for my wing back chair.  I could bore you with all the details about the hold ups and why it wasn't done earlier this week but I'm not going to rain on my own parade. 

I am nothing short of ecstatic about it.  Will I be ringing up my sewing friends to come see my work; highly unlikely.  Will I slipcover my couch?  Probably not.

Here she is in all her glory. 

I know, I know she's fabulous.  Seriously, I am thrilled with how this turned out.  By all means she's far from perfect but remember, I'm the "sewer wanna-be". 

I used two drop cloths from Home Depot (sorry Lowe's but I've read your drop cloths have seams down the middle of them). 

 Here are some more pictures.

Ignore that crooked seam and don't measure those pleats; work with me, will ya? 



This finished project was made possible by Miss Mustard Seed's Slipcover Series (video tutorials).  You can see them here.   Marian is great; she not only demonstrates how to make a slipcover but she actually answers your questions when you ask them.

Here is what my chair looked like before she got dressed.

The burgundy brocade had definitely worn out its welcome in my home, but I couldn't part with the chair because it's really well built and very comfortable to sit in.  I wish I had a picture of what she looked like when I first found her in my girlfriend's attic. 

Her upholstery was this shiny ivory colored material with a turquoise tapestry print over it.  She was missing some stuffing as her dogs used to play tug-of-war with her.  My husband saw it and told me, "That is NOT coming into our house."

My Mom had her reupholstered for us and my husband did a double take.  I like to give him a hard time when I see him sitting in it.

I'd love to show you a picture of the back but truth-be-told, it's not finished. This was a big project for me and I'm going to milk this post for all it's worth.  I'm going to put buttons down the back this weekend and I'll show you pictures then.

   

Here is a picture with the throw pillow I made.  You can read about that here. 

I added a burlap rosette with a wooden button in the middle.

Sorry the pictures are not great but it's late here.

Well, it's Friday night and I have some parties to attend with my chair.  My chair and I are definitely "tardy for the party", but  I prefer to say we're fashionably late.........

 Kaye






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JaG

I'm a Winner.....

This is a quick post to show you what I received in the mail yesterday.  I entered a drawing over at ...just being Judy  and I won this adorable owl apron.  

Judy made this apron; isn't it the cutest thing you've ever seen?  I have been using it ever since it arrived.  Here I am getting ready to made homemade pizza with my Dad. 

My parents arrived Saturday morning on their way home from Florida.

If you haven't been to ...just being judy then you need to go check her out.  You will not be disappointed.  She has some great ideas and I'm sure you'll agree.   Leave her some love and let her know I sent you!

Also, be sure to stop back here in the next couple days.  I have some projects that I'm finishing up and I can't wait to show you!

Kaye