Notes from A Cottage Industry

A very easy little craft project that I did for free.

     I showed you my hallway photo wall work in progress earlier. Now, here is the little project I was telling about in that post.
Here's the old framed country art. I've had it since the early 90's and it had already done it's time. I love the long rectangular frame. The picture inside, not so much. I'll take it all apart and recreate it into something I can love again....

    First of all, I am going to dismantle the frame and the matte...taking the double matte apart with the "proper tool" (they glue these together at the factory, you know...dental floss works well also.)

Next, I will paint the frame and both of the mattes with spray paint (The frame and the inner matte are both black, the outer matte, white) and put them back together...

Now, to add a computer generated verse to make it perfect for my family photo wall.(Don'tcha just love this quotation?)

See? Easy peasy. And, one of my personal favorite 4 letter words...F-R-E-E.

Ever evolving chairs make over...

   

So many of you have asked about the chair in my daughter's cottage that I thought I'd better share it with you. I used the same technique as always...like in Furniture re-do 101, except the paint color is a darker wheat for the base color. (Sorry, I don't have the Behr recipe, so just pick one you like!)
     I found 4 of these chairs on craigslist well over a year ago. They were so cute, but they are reproductions, not antiques and a couple of them were scuffed up.

     I primed one, then painted it a light yellow-ish wheat color. After that, I glazed the chair frame in a tobacco color and slid some fabric I had over the cushion to get an idea of how we'd like it.
   The newest maid-of-honor wasn't sure of what colorway she wanted to go, so the chairs have been there, in transition.   As her cottage has taken shape, we have chosen a color palate at last. We are set to paint all 4 chairs black, along with the drop leaf round kitchen table very soon, and add new cushion fabric...oh yes, you know I'll be sharing the results with you!

Totally free two minute art project

    Everybody's doing the monogram thing these days...Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Ballards Designs, Horchow.... and me.
Isn't it classy looking? Ya, I thought you'd like it. That's why I just had to share this easy-as-pie and basically free idea with all of you today.
     While cleaning out the workroom, I've been going through all of my old scraps of paper, pages from magazines...and ads. I came upon a Pottery Barn page where they are actually selling printed letters of the alphabet. Are you kidding me?! Who is buying these things? Are they charming? Yes. Sophisticated? For sure. But to pay money when we can all just print a letter out on our deskjet printers..? Pul-ease. I want to meet the folks buying these, 'coz I have a bridge I want to sell them.

Anyway.

I also ended up with a semi large collection of assorted picture frames. Some small, some not so small, you name it. I took a frame I liked (an old TJ Maxx clearance find for $3.99) and I then printed the letter in WORD in a large font.(I think the font size was 160) I centered it on the page, then I took the glass from the frame and laid it over the paper with the letter "B" on it. When the letter was centered, I drew around the piece of glass, and then cut out the square. I placed the glass and the paper back in the frame and I was done.

So...I am thinking these will make fabulous gifts.(Maybe for Valentines day? Gee, I hope my kids aren't reading this...) Frame one, or do a collection of the same letter in different fonts, (masculine or feminine) how cool would that be? Or spell out a  word, like L O V E or H O P E or B L I S S in 4 assorted frames with one letter in each, and done in different  fonts, then place them together to form the word?

**edited to add: OK, to get your font size larger than 72 in WORD, all you need to do is highlight the lstter (or whatever) and then in the font size box that reads 72, click and type in the number you want to try...say...175, then hit ENTER. The highlighted letter will enlarge.

Oh. My. Gosh. My mind is reeling at the many ideas you can create here, for free, people!

Mirror, mirror, on the wall...

    Oh yes, I'm still working in my workroom/home office, and I am having a ball setting it up in such an organized fashion!
    You saw this mirror in the "before" state already, but here it is again.

    It was originally on top of an old dresser, but the brackets that were to hold it in place were broken. Of course, I had big plans for it, just not sure what the big plans were.
     I've been hanging on to it for a year and a half now, waiting for that right spot to jump out at me. Looking at the two bookcases with the old piano bench (newly re-slipcovered in the same fabric as my dining room chairs, by the Sewing Queen of norther Nevada!) I knew I had finally found that special spot.
    The first step was to tape it all off....

    Oh, and I had plans to add an appliqué to the top area that had been broken off before I got the mirror.
     I primed it with my favorite..Kilz water based primer....

    A couple more coats and I was ready to antique the piece....

I added the antiqued appliqué (I always antique appliqués before attaching them, and then do a bit of touch up)and I hung it on the wall....

I sat back and admired the look. *Sigh* Nice. Just the look I was after. And it didn't cost me anything but my time.

Hmmm, now, what am I going to do with the ugly mdf board on the backs of those bookcases?

Christmas eve breakfast tablescape...charming and cheap.

Wow. Two posts in one day. What can I say? I'm still high on life from my fabulous Christmas.
    I have a few shots from our Christmas table in P-Town that I wanted to share. *sigh* Such fun being up there, even if time was too short. (It always is)
To start off the holiday, we all gathered for a fabulous Christmas eve breakfast. We did the table up with hints of blue and mocha to coordinate with the dishes.(followed later that day by an amazing dinner, with white dishes and all silver and glittered accents!)at the current maid-of-honor and her sweet hubby's cottage.

    For the base of our center piece, we used a very old, chipped mirror from a thrifted sideboard. It works perfectly as a shabby backdrop for anything glitzy and is a nice long rectangle. (Think about using a mirror on your table next time you're stumped for a tablescape)

    I took my "Wish" tickets along with me...my gosh, have I gotten my money's worth out of those little gems, or what?!

    Their place is cozy, with only room for a darling vintage drop leaf table and 2 chairs in the area between the kitchen and living room, so we took an old wooden closet door (it was actually 4 feet by 8 feet in size) and placed it right on top of the table. We then covered the board with a beautiful white cutwork table cloth (TJ Maxx...on sale right before Christmas for only $8.99!) and set the table. Voila'! We took a caned back settee (yard sale find!) and covered the cushion with fabric that matched with the table (actually an old vintage damask drape purchased at the Willows Nest event last summer!) The caned settee coordinated perfectly with my daughter's chairs around the table. It looked amazing. Truly.

  Oh! Another idea you'll want to remember. Hit those after Christmas sales! The items on this tray at the bride-to-be's home are all simply Christmas ornaments and a long plastic silver beaded garland. Toss it all on a silver tray (or an old mirror, or whatever suits your fancy) with some candles, and you've got instant (and so affordable!) glam.
     I'm sharing this because I want you to know that no one cares how big your home is, or how fancy, or how many your table usually seats. It's about people, not things. It's about thinking outside of that box.
     Look around your home next time it looks like you may have a space limitation, not a large enough centerpiece, or not enough tables. Use what you've got. Ornaments, thrifted finds, old books, a piece of heavy plywood (or a free closet door left from your remodel!) and make. it. happen. Make it special. Show you care.

That's what it's all about.

Most unusual cupcakes indeed.

    These cupcakes aren't for eating, there for heating.**
     That's right. They're fire starters, and they make wonderful gifts for anyone with a woodburning fireplace.

    I thought everyone already knew how to make these, but I found out while conducting my workshop last Saturday that many of you hadn't heard of these yet...so here's the skinny on them.

FIRESTARTERS

Cedar shavings (found in the pet section of WalMart or at pet stores. It is meant for the cages of guinea pigs and hamsters)
parifin or candle stumps left from used up candles..any color will do
An old large pot (from a thrift shop or yard sale- you won't be cooking in these things after this)
Cupcake pan (again, from a thrift shop or yard sale)
cupcake liners

Melt the wax on low heat on the stove. Watch it, wax can be flammable if overheated. Fill cupcake liners with cedar shavings (don't pack it too tightly) Pour melted wax over cedar shavings. Let set up (put in freezer to speed process up) Bag up the fire starters, along with a few pine cones if you like, and instructions for use. When you're done, let any left over wax cool and harden in the pot and store the pot, cedar shavings and cupcake pan for later use. As you have little candle stubbs, simply drop them in the pot and when you're ready to make more, you'll be set.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

Put one of these little babies in the fireplace, beneath the grate. Add some newspaper and your logs on top of the grate. Light the fire stater, and it will burn for a long while, starting up your nice big fire.

Bag a few of these little gems up in a large corsage bag or basket with directions for use and you're finished. These make perfect gifts around the winter holidays for neighbors and friends alike!

**side note here** I will admit that the first time someone gave me a bag of these (my eldest daughter was in Kindergarten and her teacher gave them to the room mothers as Christmas gifts...)and I did think they were some odd kind of bran muffins. (I vividly remember thinking that they looked a bit dry to me.) Luckily, before I tasted one, a fellow room mother announced to me that she was thrilled to get some, because they were the coolest thing for starting a fire.

Easy peasy handmade thank you's

    

     If you thought you'd heard the last about the wedding, (since I was put to work half of the weekend finishing up those kitchen cupboards) you'd be wrong.
     There's more. (you're not even surprised)
     You see,long before the wedding, the bride had a fabulous idea. She asked me to make a cute "Thank You" sign for them to hold up in a posed shot at the reception, and then make the picture into thank you cards. Well, in all the festivities of the day, we both forgot to have them pose to take the picture.
     Not to worry.We got a sneak peek at a couple of great pictures of the darling couple from the photographer, and I made them some thank you cards, post haste. It was so very easy to do, too!
     I used a little cheapo print program on my computer, but you could create these in MS Word just as easily. Simply take a photo and put your wording underneath, print it on card stock so you get four copies to a page, cut, and voila'! You have very classy looking cards with plenty of room to write a nice note, and then to put in invitation sized envelopes. All in less than one hour's time.
      This idea doesn't have to be used only for wedding thank you cards. Picture using this idea for a child's birthday thank you. Take a photo of the birthday boy or girl blowing out the candles on a cake, and then let the child write the thank you note. Or how about a picture of you in front of your new home on "we've moved" cards? Possibly a picture of that new puppy to share your news of the newest family member? Oh, my head is spinning; the possibilities are endless.

     Oh! I almost forgot to share these little treats with you! The groom's sweetheart of a Mom ordered these adorable personalized m & m's for the big day as well! Look close now. Are these incredible, or what?! See the tiny  names? See the tiny date? Too cute.
    *sigh* I saved these especially to share with all of you.

the moment we've all been waiting for!

Yes friends, it's finally here.
Strike up the band, clap your hands, ooh and aah, and for gosh sakes, somebody throw some confetti!
The kitchen cupboards are done. Painted. Antiqued. Fini. (Well, all except for knobs, which are laying on the counter in a bag, and I do promise to get them all up this week, and to share photos!)
     Here is a before shot of part of the kitchen as seen from my entryway. It's a bit digitized, as it was from the virtual tour of the cottage online. (I showed the counter re-do before on this post...oh my. Was it really all the way back in March?!) And just below the before, is an after...including a vintage table that used to be painted red and served as a night table in a guest room in my last house. ( it's just exactly the perfect size to use as a kitchen island now that I am in my sweet, sweet cottage!)

Now, it's been reinvented, and I owe it all to the Maid-of-Honor. (I had no idea this was what Labor Day meant...) She was like a pit-bull drill Sargent. I only got to take a break twice, and that was to assist her in an hanging a light fixture in the master bath, and then for a quick deli sandwich.

     In the end, it was all worth it. I love the cool, calming, vintage-y look and feel it gives my much-loved cottage kitchen. I wonder why it took me so long to wrap this lil' job up?

*edited to add: If you're intersted in trying this paint method,  I have full instructions here.
For my kitchen cabinets I used Behr Brand from home Depot "Ultra Pure white" in eggshell finish for my paint color, after I painted 2 coats of Kilz primer.

A gentle reminder

...Always.
     I painted this sign last night to hang above the French doors in my cottage dining room. I saw a picture of a sign hanging in someone's kitchen on a home tour on somebody's Blog, and I adored the sentiment. (sorry! I don't remember which one of you shared it, but thanks for the inspiration!) I made a mental note to make one for myself, when I got the time.

     I shared the technique on how to paint verses on things when I made my garden sign from an old headboard a short while back. The cake sign was actually an old sign I already had that was a Thanksgiving themed sign, and I didn't have the right spot for it in my cottage, so I just thought I'd reinvent it as a year round sign. A little bit of primer and paint, then a bit of antiquing (You really can't see it unless you click on the first close up photo to enlarge it, but I used a tobacco colored paint to antique the edges of the blue area) and what was old was new again.
     I think it kind of lightens the mood in the dining room, don't you?

Time began in a garden

 

  I like quotations. You know, little verses hanging about, here and there, in surprising  places around my home. In my last house I had one out near the front courtyard to greet people as they arrived. The Thanksgiving time photo is pretty blurry , but you can get the idea:

      I finished up a sign for my garden today, and I thought you might like a tutorial. This one is made from an old twin sized headboard. Now, you can use anything, a board, cupboard door, or even a larger headboard if you like (I once made a fabulous sign for a friend's shop using a full size old four poster headboard upside down- darn, why didn't I take a picture of that?)

Anyway.

I have several old twin sized headboards in my inventory in the garage. You can get these for next to nothing at yard sales or thrift shops, and if you're lucky, you'll find a headboard and a footboard, which will give you two signs. Here's how:

1. Prime and paint the headboard.

2. Print your verse in a print program or large font in Word and tape it together.

3. Rub chalk on the back side of the paper. If the headboard is painted a light color, use colored chalk.

4. Place the verse, printed side up, on the headboard, exactly where you want it.

5.Using an old fine tip felt pen, outline all the letters, pressing fairly firmly.

6. Remove the paper. (The chalk letters did not photograph well at all, but trust me, they're there...)

7. Paint in each letter, coloring book style.

8. Seal with marine varnish or other sealer.

9. Plop in in the garden, nestled in between some spring flowers, get yourself a nice glass of something cold and delicious to drink, and have a seat where you can enjoy the new sign.(Once my plants fill in and get to blooming it will really be pretty.

See? Easy as that. What are you waiting for?

A little crafting

    I really enjoy creating a pretty table when I entertain a guest. Now, I try not to get too carried away with my table settings, and have the kitchen look like something off of a Sandra Lee show (Yes, I watch far too much Food Network) however, I do adore a table done up with place cards, especially creatively done place cards, and that is what prompted the chair cones idea.
    This past weekend was all about entertaining, (Oh, I had forgotten how much fun it is!) and after I posted the table set up, my sweet friend Marcia asked me how to assemble the cones I made for the backs of the chairs in my table setting.
    I thought I'd share a pictorial of directions today, in case anyone else is having trouble figuring them out. It takes about 5 minutes to make one of these charming cones, start to finish. Really.

You can use any kind of paper you like; wallpaper, scrapbook paper, old book pages, whatever.(I am using scrap book paper for this demo)

Roll the paper to form a cone shape, making sure the bottom creates a point. Then, staple the cone so it holds it's shape.

Trim off the top pointed area to form a true cone with a straight top edge.

Punch holes on either side and tie a coordinating ribbon through it. If you're going to hang it from a chair as I did for my breakfast, make sure to leave a long enough section of ribbon.

   Fill with flowers. Or Ivy. Or candy. And a name card if you like (Or a verse...)Hang it on a door to welcome friends, or on a chair as a place card holder, or other any place you like, just to add a bit of beauty to a small spot in your home.
    *sigh* Simple pleasures are the best.

furniture re-do 101

Here is the charming little table that I showed you a few weeks ago. It began as a plain wooden piece, rescued by my daughter from someone's driveway at a yard sale.
I thought I would walk you through the process, so you'll see just how easy it is to unearth a diamond in the rough for yourself...Here's how:
1. Prime it. I like Kilz Brand- spray or brush on. (the spray can may clog sometimes, but for spindle style table legs And such it works well)To avoid drips when brush painting, apply a thin coat.

2. Spackle and fill in any areas like holes from previous knobs.

3. Lightly sand.
4.dust with a tack cloth.
5.Paint. I like eggshell finish enamel by Behr. With light colors, one coat will do. For darker shades it may take 2 coats of paint.

6. Antique with glaze or by sanding lightly with 150 grit sand paper,(this is what I do on dark pieces, especially black) depending on the look you want. To make the glaze, mix 1 part paint to 3 parts glaze. (Glaze: I use Behr Brand, sold at Home Depot. it looks white, but is actually clear until you add a paint color.) Add more layers of glaze as wanted.*edited to add: You can glaze light, with a white or cream paint, or dark, with a dark browwn, burnt sienna color. You can brush it on, which works best in creases, or use a rag. I like to wipe it off with a very slightly damp cloth, to even it up.

7. Add knob.

8.Enjoy!