Cloche Love

Maybe it's because of  the gray Northwest days but I have have had so much fun making little display type Cloches...full of  flowers and anything springy!!  :)

It all started with a trip to the GW where I spotted four of these little cloches. 

They didn't have bases and of course were over priced...so you can imagine how happy I was when, I came back  about week later and they were 1/2 off... (Big Smile)!  I could only find three of them and they were scattered around the store...but they were MINE!

Next step was to find a base and maybe, just maybe, something to go inside.....

Do ya think I might have gotten a bit carried away?  The chicken plates were also at 1/2 off, so I couldn't leave them behind and they will look fantastic on my dinning room wall...I do love my chickens!

I tried a lot of bases for my 3 little cloches and this was one of my faves (of course I already had this one at home).  You can't tell from any of my pictures but it has a lovely Silver Plated Base.  I added the sweet little swans and an Air Plant I purchased on Etsy...(I just love Air Plants) and Fa-La the first one was done!

(I still have 2 more tops like this but that will be another post)  :)

For my second Cloche I used a candle base...I have no idea what the dome top belonged to...

but I like it!

The china flowers I put in the center are handed painted by Aynsley aren't they beautiful?

                                                          Here it is all put together.

While I was poking around GW I also found 2 cheese cloches.  This one with a wood base and one with marble base....but...that will be another day...

For this one I painted the base with "Gray Area" by BEHR and then sanded it some...for a distressed look...sprayed it with Krylon's Matte Finish and put a silk Peony inside. 

All of these would be fun to change up for the different season...but right now I NEED SPRING!

These are off to Viking Village...but there are already more in the making  :)

Thanks for visiting!

Denise

(I will be linking up to many of the parties on my side bar...do check them out)!

"Paris in Spring" Occasional Table

So I've been trying to finish a piece of furniture a week ...which isn't easy now that I'm back to work at the nursery...but I do think I organize my time better when I have a lot going on....

The thing I don't always get done is my blog post and sometimes I wait way to long to respond to your WONDERFUL comments so I do apologize!!

Anyhow, I finished this piece last week and I am so pleased with it!!  I got it last summer at a garage sale and knew then, I wanted to decoupage the top...The original plan was put a map with Point No Point (Our very favorite beach) on it.... but I couldn't find one with the colors I wanted.

So I got on Etsy and searched maps...They had a ton of maps and fabric with  travel themes.

I found two that I liked and purchased from Loris Country Fabrics.  The other is going on a "Suitcase Coffee table"...but that will be another post.  :)

Don't you just love the fabric???

Here's my before picture...Man do I miss summer!  I purchased the other two tables at the same time....Look how green my yard was...Heavy Sigh.  :(

Anyway...

I painted it with homemade chalk paint and then distressed it all over...I like the way the black came through when sanded!!

I cut the fabric a little smaller than the table top...and then used Mod Podge to adhere it.

I put on several coats of Mod Podge and then sealed the whole thing with polycrylic.

My son's girl friend liked it so much that we covered the top of her table with the same fabric....

She painted her's pink.....too cute (although not the best picture..sorry)!!

Well that's it for now but stay in touch I have a lot more to come!  :)

Denise

Will be linking up to many of the parties on my side bar!

I decided top enter this little project in:

You have got to go there and check out all the other awesome projects...It's the best of the best!!
:)

Nap Time Buddies

When my mom comes over to visit she often takes a nap on the couch with Cash curled up at her feet...

But last Saturday when I came up stairs to check on things; this is what I found.  :)

 There is no doubt...Cash LOVES Grammy!

I'm Linking up to Wordless Wednesday over at The Paper Mamma.

Come Join me!  :)

Denise

Lavender Heart Sachets for Valentines

Here is a quick and easy project to spiff your space up for Valentines Day plus give it a bit of a springy feel (and smell too).

First I made a pattern out of card stock....you remember...just like we did in grade school ...fold the paper in half and cut and then open it up.  :)

I then folded my fabric right sides together and then traced around the heart with a pencil.

Not wanting to sew and then have to turn the fabric inside out I choose to use my pinking sheers to cut out the hearts.I pinned them and added a ribbon on the inside for the ones I wanted to hang....on my cool white tree that I got for a dollar last summer....just had to brag a bit.  :)

Anyhow..

I sewed around the edges leaving a space open to add the stuffing...

Stuffed them with lavender seed and poly-fill...then sewed up the hole.

They seemed a little plain so I hand sewed a button on each side....Done!  :)

For the banner I simply cut slits to thread the ribbon through.

Here they are down in my space at Viking Village....

Just what it needed!

Told ya they were easy to make! 

(Will be linking up to many of those AWESOME link parties on my side bar)!

Denise

Awesome Chalkboard Coffee Table

 OK...This is by far the BEST, MOST AWESOME piece of furniture I have done!!!

The only reason I can give it up is the colors don't go at all in my house.  :)

Don't cha just love it?

When I saw it at the Good Will I knew I had to have it!!!

I loved the shape of it (especially the legs), it has a Mid-Century Modern feel.

The top had some burn marks on it, but other than that it was in good shape and made of solid wood.

So after my lovely husband sanded it for me I painted it with several coats  BEHR Ultra in "Full Moon." 

I then taped off the area for the chalkboard and painted it with Krylon Chalkboard paint....It felt to white, so I added jade("Winter Surf") to the inside of the legs...better

But it was still missing something...I then added "Hollyhock Pink" around the edge (a Martha Stewart color, also from Home Depot). 

I loved the way the jade was just a little surprise on the inside of the legs but it didn't show well and it was a great color !!!  Sooo.....

I added two jade stripes to the top....Perfect! 

Here it is sitting in front of my couch... 

My son's girl friend wanted it for her bed room but then decided she needed a smaller version for her dorm room next year.  :)  

Well that's it for now and thanks for letting me brag!!!

Denise

Of course I will be linking up to those rockin parties on my side bar!! 

Two Drawer Side Table

Wow this week had just zipped by!!!  I started back at the tree farm on Monday....Am I ever sore and tired, but I promised myself to keep pushing on and try finish a piece of furniture a week...

So here's last weeks project...

 I got this baby at the GW unfinished and ready to paint...

Can you believe that...Sometimes wishes do come true.  :)

I painted the body with BEHR's Semi-Gloss Paint and Primer.

(The color is Full Moon)

The drawers I painted with one coat of the white and then two coats of "Valley Mist" by BEHR. 

 (I like that you can get little samples cheep)!

The drawer pulls are painted with my favorite Yellow: "Whisper Yellow" again by BEHR.

Here is is down in my space at Viking Village.

The space is kind-of empty now so I am working hard to fill it back up...I plan on adding a Chalkboard Coffee Table on Friday (I will post it sometime next week....I'm hoping it will be way cool).

Sooo....

I'm off to paint just one more coat of Chalkboard paint....

Thanks for Stopping by!!

Denise

(Linking up to many of those cool parties on my side bar)

Ear Warmer and Fingerless Gloves DIY

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Are you ready for another year of crafting?  I sure am...I have so many ideas in my head it almost makes me dizzy.  :)

(I know for a fact it drives my family nuts)!

The other day I was working on 4 different projects at one time...while trying to put my Christmas decorations away...

I love the Holidays...My house is all clean and ready for company...but it also means all my crafts (except for knitting)  are put away.  You see I tend to craft all thought the house.  :)  The thing is...I like to be with my family so I work in whatever room they are in and then tend to leave little messes behind...That is something I'll be trying to improve in the New Year!!!

Anyway....Here's  a little project I finished just after Christmas...(I started it before but ran out of time).  :)

I found this wonderful striped sweater at the Good Will and knew I would have to make something out of it!

After felting or shrinking it in the washer I cut the bottom of the sleeves to make the fingerless gloves.  I made these ones 8" long and cut the thumb hole 3" down from the finger end.  I then sewed around the arms with a Zig-Zag stitch on my sewing machine...I love the way it make a slight ruffle. 

Because of the stripes they didn't need much embellishing so I just added 3 pink buttons to each glove.

Now for the ear warmers I had a little more trouble...mainly because I have never made them before, but this was the perfect fabric...So it was time to learn!!

 I made a pattern by tracing around a fleece one that both Autumn and I liked.  I then laid the pattern out on my sweater and cut 2  pieces...The plan was to sew them together and then turn it inside out, so the seams were on the inside...But I didn't like the way it laid and it looked just fine with the seam on the outside (remember the wool fabric is felted so it won't fray).

I sewed two vintage buttons on, cut out the Button holes (planning on sewing around them later) and put it on my lovely model..Autumn.....
She can make anything look good!!!

So there it is my first project on 2013....Now it's your turn give something new a try!!!

I hope this year turns out better than planned full of lovely surprises!!
Denise
(I will be again linking up to many of the awesome parties on my side bar)!