Pretty Plate Decor

It's a beautiful & sunny, yet moderately cool, fall day here in northern Indiana today. As my deadline for my first craft show of the season quickly approaches, I'm in overload to get as many things done for this show as I possibly can, while also preparing to go camping at a festival in the southern part of the state, so I'm losing 3 days of creating time there. Only to be hitting the ground running when we get back from that to prepare for our trip to Disney World. Losing NINE days (minimum) there. That will leave me with one week to finish up any lose ends on the crafts, work on my inventory list and pack everything up for the show. Stress? No stress.....PANIC!!!

My house is a total wreck right now and could very well be a prime candidate for hoarding therapy. Seriously. I would simply die if anyone who knew me came to my door right now. 

Not only is my house a hoarding mess, we're in the process of installing new windows (finally!) that are leaving some areas of open stud walls, raw drywall, spray foam & incomplete electrical boxes, etc. Oh, and no curtains in the meantime on ANY of the windows in my house. Thanks goodness we live in the middle of the woods or all that wouldn't be happening - BUT deer season starts real soon. yikes!

Enough about all that.

I have had a Cricut Expression machine for a number of years now and for the most part, I really like the machine. I have to admit that it has increased my creativity 10x, in spite of it's short comings. I couldn't imagine creating without some type of cutting machine of it's kind anymore. I wish I had a Silhouette machine so that I actually could be even more creative, but that's a ways off. I wish they'd offer me one to try out and get my honest opinion of.

Over the past few years, I have picked up quite the collection of plates to decorate and sell as home decor. (notice, I didn't say hoard)  I have more plates to decorate than I actually have in my cabinet to use!

I picked up a very pretty plate rack before I even had a Cricut, because I just knew I could figure out a way to sell it someday. It's only taken me about 6 or 7 years to get that accomplished and I get to use up 3 of those plates! YAY!!!

I literally had no decent place to hang this in my home to take pictures, so I had to settle for laying it down on a shutter door that's on my family room floor & I'm also working on it too, so the plates look a little wonky. Ya know? I think it actually looks pretty good on that shutter door (section). I'm using the shutter door to hang things on at the craft show, so I will see if this will stay upright to display the plates like this. Sometimes I think if it weren't for serendipity, I'd be a terrible crafter. LOL! I like to think of it as God's hands guiding me in a direction I couldn't see on my own. 

 

 

 

Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I won't be bringing this back home from the show. 

 
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Re-Invintaged Chairs

Back in July, I found these 2 chairs at the local Habitat Store. I thought they looked awesome. When I originally spotted them & inquired on the price, I was told $10 each. Not that I thought that was a bad price, but I was on the hunt for a high back chair for a customer and wasn't sure these fit the bill - so I held off....and they were still there 2 months later with a sticker on them finally. That price was much better than before and they came home with me. The table was actually purchase later & I got it cheaper than it was originally marked at because one of the legs are broke. You can't tell and a little wood glue & it will be good as new. The sad part is that table was at a garage sale for less than my discounted price, yet I walked away. duh! Who knew it wouldn't sell and would end up at the Habitat store for more money?

I haven't gotten to the table yet, but I have gotten the chairs done and I love them even more than before!

I don't know if you can tell, but the chairs are paint two-toned, so look closely.

Then I did the faux French graphics from the ever-popular Graphics Fairy on the drop cloth fabric. To get this image, click here.

This one didn't turn out as clean as I would have liked, but it was better than the other 2 before it, so it was good enough. I only used my fingertips to press the image onto the fabric. It has a more worn look by doing it this way.

Then I decided to try using the end of a permanent marker to rub over the transfer to see if it would work better.

What do you think? ....Umm yeah, I'll be using the marker from now on to transfer my images this way. To get this image, click here.

Now, have a look at my gorgeous legs!  I mean the ones on the chairs.

The only two-toned painting I did on them was the vertical indentations and some distressing, of course!

So that is how the chairs turned out. I'm not sure if I want to do the same thing with the table in the first photo and make it a set or do the table differently. 

decisions. decisions.


 
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Maybe A Little Early

How many of you have seen this pin?

 (Source)

DO NOT pin this image from my blog - See BELOW for images that you can pin

It's like all over Pinterest for holidays and snowmen crafts. Pretty darn cute, eh? I thought so too....enough to make some myself! I couldn't resist. C'mon....you know you can't blame me.

Here are the two that I made. They are two different shades of red on two slightly different pans.  I didn't know which color I'd like best.  Sorry about the poor picture quality.

I thought I wanted the pan like the one in the original because I thought the circle indentations added a little extra something extra to the look, but when it came time to put the letters on the pan, I realized that the smooth one makes it a little bit easier

Since I didn't have a working white paint pen on hand and the local Walmart didn't have any on hand either, unless I wanted to spend $10 for a multi-pack of colors I didn't want, then I had to think of another solution. I've been a scrapbooker for over 15 years, so SURELY I have something I can use as a substitute. One night, as I was drifting off to sleep (typical), I remembered that I bought some tiny snowflake rubber stamps at a garage sale for 25 cents this past summer. YES! I also had some opaque white stamp ink that I hadn't had a chance to try out yet. It's not as bright as I would like and I'm thinking maybe it would have looked better if I had embossed them, but it is what it is. I also have a Cricut machine, so I cut out the words in white vinyl. I really liked how that looks! I also cut the noses out of chipboard with the Cricut. I sealed these with a Matte Finish Sealer and now I just need to add some rag ribbon to hang from the holes. My step-mom thought they were adorable, so maybe one may end up under her tree this Christmas?  -from Santa, of course ;)

What about you? Are any of you working on any Christmas projects already? Tell me about them & post a link to them in the messages below so I can come see and leave y'all some love!

  
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Down on the Farm...

I just have one simple project to share with you today, so this post will be a brief one from me.

Have any of you noticed the trend in rustic/farm/shabby/distressed/primitive decorating in the past few years? I have to admit that I do like a lot those styles and even mix it up a bit, because I'm so undecided on what I like - I think that's just the ADD in me.

In reality, my house lends itself to this trend very well, well except for the maybe the white shabby chic look. My home has a lot of darker stone & brick work and dark custom panels & dark trim, so I need to go more with the beige tones instead.

My kitchen will be transformed at some point in the next year to a lighter cabinet color instead of the dark stain. It was supposed to be this past summer, but that didn't happen because I changed my mind about having a holiday open house here. Isn't it funny how you need an event to motivate you to get things done with your home? I know I'm not alone in this...

Today I'm going to show you something that isn't going in my own home, but I really do like the way they turned out! I have come across some really great finds this year and just wish I had enough time & motivation to get AAAALL of them done for this craft show that I'm doing in less than 2 months. I'm starting to feel the push & yet don't feel as though I'm getting enough done for the deadline. 

I found these 2 enamelware plates at a garage sale and thought they looked very "farmish" (my latest new word) and what says farm more than a rooster, and well, of course the word FARM?

I cut out the designs on my cricut with some matte finish navy blue vinyl. There are some slight bump imperfections in the plates, so there are spots look like there's air bubbles. I hope that doesn't keep them from selling. Hoping for bad lighting at the show. Just kidding. That's just how it is with true hand crafting, there's going to be imperfections.

p.s. andI wasn't even inspired by anything from Pinterest for this. (I know-shock!)

Well, there's so much more to do & hopefully will have time to blog about, so enjoy your day!
 
  
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I've Been Gone Gone Gone So Long! (long post)

I have been MIA from my blog home front for so many weeks -shame. That wasn't my plan, but a lot of the things in life aren't in the plans, are they? I just lost my step-sister last week. Even though she had been struggling with Guest vs. Host disease from her bone marrow transplant for leukemia 6 years ago, we thought she was doing the best she had been since this whole thing began. Unfortunately, she developed pneumonia again & after having it a number of times, it caused her lungs to harden, also known as Pulmonary Fibrosis. The Dr.'s did a biopsy & punctured her one lung. It healed, but wouldn't hold it's own & she finally lost her battle. It's so sad, but I think there is a sense of relief as well. She was frustrated with fighting each new struggle that reared it's ugly head every time she got over a major hurdle. She was just tired at this point & gave up the fight. We will be attending her services today & tomorrow. Angie, you are missed. You were such a good person and didn't deserve all the struggles you were dealt, and not just with the disease either.

Here is the card I made for my step-mom and another for Angie's husband & son. They're identical, so I'm only showing one.

I printed the words with Indenture English Penman Demo font from dafont.com. I was inspired for the design by a card I found on Pinterest through the Splitcoast Stamper site here.

Now onto stuff that my step-sister would like to be checking out instead.
I have been moving right along on projects for my craft show. Are y'all gettin tired of hearing about this craft show that I'm in? Sorry, but if any of you do craft shows or any kind of sales event, whether it be a flea market or are lucky enough to have your own space at a fabulous venue year 'round, then you KNOW exactly how much it can take up your every waking moment. People stop asking you what you've been up to because they already know from the gazillion times you've told them that you're busy working on projects. Seriously, I don't think I have a real life! 

And for the Anonymous reply (who didn't even have enough guts to post it publicly) that was offended by my last post and said that I was complaining (idiot - and IF you think I'm coming to YOUR blog to see what you have to offer (spam/virus), then yes, YOU ARE an idiot). Since you said reading my blog was a waste of your time, then I guess you paid me back by wasting my time reading your idiotic reply. (ok, I've vented my frustration on this topic)

So enough about that... I hope to try to get back on track with my blog, but I ain't making that a promise.

Today, I have this to show you

It's a Primitive Star designed breadbox with a black and crackle cream finish. The cream color looks a bit more white in the pictures than in real life. 

After setting up for these photos, I'm almost tempted to keep it. Do you do that? Make something to sell and then start thinking you might like it for yourself instead? I mean, you can't wrong with either decision really. If you sell it, you make money you didn't have OR you keep it and it's a great piece that got on the cheap! I usually tell myself that if it doesn't sell then that's my sign that I was meant to have it for myself ;)  It usually sells then. :(

I've seen a few of these breadboxes selling on Ebay and they sure do go for a pretty penny! One even sold for $229.50 + shipping! WOW! I know I wouldn't have that kind of luck, but I am tempted to give Ebay a try with this one.

My husband was kind of against having this in our kitchen, but then later realized that it could work really great as a hiding place for our coffee & tea stuff to eliminate some clutter & yet everything is handy.

I found the cute little bread pan at a flea market for 25 cents & it works perfect for my little instant coffee packets! Of course, we have to keep the sugar bowl that belonged to my husband's mother. It isn't something I would choose to keep personally, but I'm not going to deny my hubby his choice of family keepsakes. This box helps keep both of us happy (if we choose to keep it) by letting him keep the sugar bowl & for me keeping it hidden. ;)



 Working with crackle is a bit tricky, but still looks pretty cool.

 Have a great day!


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