Lamp Makeover

These candlestick lamps are easy to find at yard sales and thrift stores. I buy them if they are cheap enough and store them away for a rainy day. I also have a collection of orphan shades to mix and match. This is not a before picture of my latest lamp makeover- it is similar- I didn't think about taking a picture before I jumped in.

I spray painted the lamp black. Easy enough. The shade is where the work comes in. If the shade has a pattern, it is best to spray it with primer so the pattern does not show when the light is on. I ended up painting this shade black because the primer did not cover the gingham checks.

I glue on the burlap and make yo-yo flowers and felted wool leaves. Finally I glue trim around the top and bottom to cover the edge of the burlap.

These don't last very long at my booth. As soon as I make one - I start on the next one. We have found lamps to be good sellers. A little work makes a lamp look new and I can charge reasonable prices. Lamps and shades are so expensive in stores!

Here is a sneek peek at my next makeover victim. My vision is painted shabby white with linen upholstery. There are so many staples in it that I may have to be working on this for a long time!

In The Doghouse

My Hubby has really gotten into the junking way of life! So much in fact that his treasures were taking over my space. So I suggested that he get his own booth, so "Welcome to the Doghouse"!!! Featuring things men bring home that get them into the doghouse and some other fun stuff!
The sign I made him is a tribute to our Eli!
Butterscotch is waiting for someone to love...

Big TV's are his big seller!

This Grandma chair stayed in his booth until I had room to move it into mine. It is a great candidate for an upholstery job- I don't have time but, if it does not sell I will redo it this summer.

Over at my space I have Spring in the air!

I have been selling burlap carrots as fast as I can make them!

This rabbit lamp is a combination of several treasures found yard saling- a rabbit, broken lamp and a dust ruffle!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint project- desk and chair. Were old beat up cast offs- now sweet, shabby,and girly!

The needlepoint on the chair was dusty but perfect- I was able to remove it and clean it. After some restuffing and new trim it is better than new!

Thrifty Thursday Nests

Oh, Pinterest, how I love you! I pinned some felted wool nests from this blog. Then I followed her tutorial (mostly) and came out with these sweet things!

I used an old moth eaten brown wool sweater ! = Free! I have made 10 nests, but so far I have only decorated 4.

I used wire, wool yarn, hymnal pages, feathers,scrabble letters and mini pine cones from my stash. = Free

The sticks came from my yard due to this recent stormy/tornado like weather! =Free

I did buy a bag of tiny eggs at the thrift store for $1.97 and some moss ribbon at Hobby Lobby for about $3 (using the coupon) So I will spend about $.50 per nest. Thrifty!

I'm going to link up to Leigh's party at Bloggeritaville!

Copycat

Recently I have been inspired to relive my early 70's college life and make a terrarium....or 2 ...or 4! I first made a terrarium my senior year in Elementary Education at UNC. A group of students and a GTA went out into the wild around Chapel Hill, NC to hunt and gather plants, moss, rocks and sticks. We then made pickle jar terrariums (for a grade) to take to our classes during our internships. Unfortunately we did not recognize poison ivy and the whole class (except a lucky 2) came home from the woods covered in it! I was LUCKY that day! I have since taken an online course on recognizing poison ivy and scored a 98%!


I began to notice terrariums everywhere- "Better Homes and Gardens", Pinterest, "Lowe's Creative Ideas" and the Cranky Queen's Blog! At Lowe's they were priced $3o ready made. I knew I could beat that price. But after purchasing a few supplies I found that I was quickly reaching that total? So what to do ????... make more than one!

I found containers at thrift stores and garage sales. I pulled out some stands from my stash along with some small watering cans, Tinkerbell and clay pots. I dug moss and some ferns from the yard. But I still spent money on gravel/sand, charcoal, potting soil, plants and rocks. Yes- I bought rocks- the rocks in my yard were ugly and I wanted some with a little color!

I'm keeping the one with Tinkerbell. The others will try their luck at our booth at Angel's! If they sell I still have supplies to make a few more!

The Jimmy Table

Here is a project that I have been working on this week that I call the "Jimmy Table." If you know my hubby you will be able to figure out the name. I confess that I have been a little slow in finishing it because I have grown to love it and will hate to sell it!
Sorry I didn't take before pictures, but picture a 70's maple end/coffee table. We got it from a college student on his way out of town. It sat in our booth for 2 months - did not sell- but was good for storage and display. I got this idea from the blog world in several different places and adapted it for this table.
It is a heavy solid piece of furniture - real wood. I just got my first can of Annie Sloan chalk paint, so this was picked as the test. NO SANDING. Just painted it on and sanded areas to distress it. I later learned that you do not even need to sand -you can use a damp sponge.

I used a clock in my bathroom to copy the Roman Numerals and hands. Then I used Annie Sloan soft wax to finish it. I am sold on these products! They aren't cheap but a little goes a long way. I still have a lot more paint and wax in the cans.

So this week I will be sending Jimmy to the booth to find his new home- but I will be looking for another round table to recreate one I can keep! Oh yeah...It is Jimmy because .............. "It's 5 o'clock somewhere!"

Blog Interrupted

This blog has been interrupted due to wrestling season. We have been on the road almost every weekend since November (and a least one night during the week as well!) . The season lasts until mid February. I don't know what has happened to my baby boy.......

Pine Cone Elves

A few months ago I found some vintage pine cone elves at a church rummage sale. They were not very cute so I sold them on ebay. Of course I had immediate sellers regret! I already had a couple but, I wished I had kept them - just because of their age. So I decided to make some reproductions...only cuter! I made 5 based on the materials I had on hand and the 2 old ones I had. They are spending the Christmas on this shelf.
The shelf may end up in the booth after Christmas. It was an ugly painted country look. I sanded it, painted it, sanded again and added burlap to the back. I am afraid I will regret selling it next Christmas when I pull out my elves!
The elf on the right is vintage- the other 3 are mine.

On this shelf the one on the left is vintage.

I used Sculpty to make the face and feet. The base is paper mache with snow paint. The arms and beard are chenille.

I pulled out little stuff from my stash for accessories- trees, wreaths, light strings...

I made this one some Sculpty mushrooms

And this one has a Sculpty lantern hanging from a tree branch. The hardest thing to make was the face. I finally made a mold of an angel face that looked kind of grumpy and just made all the faces the same. To make a mold you just push a ball of Sculpty on the face and them bake it. You dust the mold with baby powder so the clay does not stick in it each time you mold a face. This was easy after all the trial and errors !!!!!