Things to come...

It's crunch time for me as I prepare for our local craft fair this weekend. I have been working hard and today (thanks to my dear hubby for taking the boys on a day trip) finished up several odds and ends. That's not to say I don't have plenty to do still :) Below are some ornament picture frames I have been working on that will be for sale at the fair. Here's some of my Christmas/Winter stash I am bringing this weekend.

An antique mirror done up in a yellow damask pattern with book pages underneath in charcoal gray (you must see this one in person to truly appreciate it!).

And a desk that I have been putting off for way too long. This still needs additional man hours but it will also be ready come saturday morning :).

There are a few more I am working on as well but truthfully I don't know if I will make it back to this blog again this week so these will have to do. I would love to see some of you at the Fair Saturday morning! Back to work!

Hair Accessory Organization

This panel was once part of a screen I got at an estate sale a few months back. The problem was it was much to short to provide any real privacy so I improvised and came up with this solution for the upcoming craft fair... I took it apart and using Mod Podge and pieces of scrapbook paper designed three wall hangings to hold hair clips. Chances are if you have young girls (which I do not) you have hair bows/clips gallore.

Using a staple gun I attached chicken wire to the backs of the screens like so.

Then I had a little fun or got carried away which ever way you choose to look at it :) Here's a full view...perfect for the back of a bathroom or bedroom door don't you think?

And up close again.

Love these vintage gals. And there you have it. Unique Hair Accessory Organization.

For the Country Folks.

My friend spotted this beat up dresser on the curb a couple weeks ago and practically drug me out of my house to go get it...it was in bad shape with no functioning drawers but we snagged it (after making sure it was A okay with the owner) and I brought it home. I guess you can almost call it a dumpster dive although techinically it was sitting next to the dumpster in this case :) I set out to make it over, not sure exactly what I was going to do. First I had to demo the inside which made the frame very weak of course so after cutting up some weathered cedar boards my dad gave me, I screwed them into the sides. Ummm, I sort of just wanted to hang out in the shed after cutting all that cedar, smelled soooo good! Okay, so liking how rustic it looked I decided to take this piece a little country, I mean ALOT COUNTRY.

To add reinforcement to the back and center of the piece I added a small 1 ft shelf and some old kitchen cabinet doors that I cut the center out of and attached chicken wire to. My hubs asked me if I needed some chickens when he saw me doing this part...he still thinks its weird, oh well :). I told him it's got to scream "Come get your farm fresh eggs". Anyway, this project cost me $0.00! That's right I used EVERYTHING I had on hand! It's not perfect, cuz, well I built it, but it is VERY STURDY and that's what counts most, right? Slowly but surely I am getting better at my building skills, promise!

Oh, and the paint is RED and black...for some reason my pics look more PINK, yikes! Maybe because it's nearly midnight again and I just took them...when will I learn? To see this table in person come visit me at the craft fair :). Adios, friends.

Updated Piano Bench

Found this little piano bench at the local D.I. a few weeks back. It was in decent condition but they wanted $10 for it...I'm not one to ask thrifts to lower their prices since usually the profits are going to non-profit related causes but a manager there, who I happened to know came over and offered it to me for $5 instead. I took it. Oh and I failed to take a before pic as well, sorry. Anyway, here it is all finished with a new cushioned top complete with button tufts and a fresh coat of white paint. It's actually quite comfy if I say so myself and I love that it opens for storage as well ;)

So that makes one more down and too many more to go! Be back soon.

Wall Decor!

I found these shutters (7 of them) at a yard sale this summer and paid a whopping $2 for all of them. Did I know what I was going to do with them...of course not, but here is what I came up with this week... A simple way to add some cottage-like decor on the wall. I simply nailed them to a square scrap board, painted, added a wreathe I picked up at a thrift for .75 and voila!

Easy Peasy :) Next, the music chair, a piano bench remake, and a handpainted sidetable!

For the Love of MUSIC!

Here is the chair I just completed to go with this... table! I found this old sewing table at a local consignment store a week or two ago and almost passed it up... until something about it caught my eye. The hardware reminded me of a whole note and it just so happened that on a recent visit to my sister-in-law Holly's place she gave me some old sheet music to do what I wanted with...at that time it was for my sister Katie who is a piano teacher and was looking for ways to appeal to her music students with the decor in her music room. Instead I got to use it (she found something else).

So I did. Right away I went to work gluing the pages onto the drawer faces with wall paper paste. Then after they had dried overnight I applied a thin glaze over the top to age it a bit more. After that I covered the surface with more paste...this time Mod Podge and after it had dried applied a polycrylic protective coat in a satin finish. Of course I had to paint the hardware, and prime and paint the desk. Finally I covered the hole in front where the sewing machine would be used with a scrap piece of molding I cut to fit.

And that's it folks! I am really pleased with how it turned out. Hopefully someone at the craft fair will love it just as much :)! Up next, wall decor! Happy designing!

I'm linking this up to these parties: http://www.missmustardseed.blogspot.com/

http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/
http://kammyskorner.blogspot.com/2011/10/trash-to-treasure-tuesday-link-party-1.html

http://www.decormamma.blogspot.com/

http://www.domestically-speaking.com/

http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

Something New!

I found this gem at a local estate sale and was lucky enough to purchase it before the person next to me did...I tell you, it's moments like those that get my heart beating! Anyway, other than the old paint it was in great condition! Just what I like, little repair work. And this is what I ended up doing to give it a new look. Like? I painted the body a satin black and then using a couple of different colors and some wallpaper came up with this painted on look. Yes, it's painted, NOT MOD PODGED. Sorry, I took these pictures in my basement...at night...but anyway you get the idea.

Oh and I almost forgot to mention that I ended up distressing it just a bit as well. I am liking how it turned out and will be taking it with me to a local craft fair coming up at the end of October.

P.S. Because of the fair...and the fact that I am no longer throwing up ;), I will be having several new pieces to show you during the next few weeks so stay tuned!

Kitchen Bench

Oh, how ugly is this photo. Well, it has taken me FOREVER to finish this bench but I am happy, no...more like overjoyed to report that this project is officially completed and going in a friends kitchen/dining area very shortly! My friend Jamee picked out the paint color...which I happen to LOVE! Then using the fabric she chose for her dining chair cushions I painted this gem on the back...twice :)

I love how it turned out and hope she does too!

Happy painting everyone!

Jack-O-Lantern Orange.

Finally something to post, or at least the energy and stomach to do so :). I painted this desk a few weeks ago but just put the hardware on today. The orange is a burnt orange even though it appears a bit brighter since I took these picks just before dark :( Anyway, I love it and think it would also work well as an entry piece decorated for the Fall Season. Can't you just imagine some Halloween decor with white painted pumkins, gothic candlesticks, and a bowl full of candy corns...oh I can't wait, one of my favorite holidays!

I am selling this piece so if you are interested in taking a closer look or inquiring more about it please email me at lemonsqueezing@gmail.com Thanks guys and can I just say I am sooo happy to be back! SOLD!

Missing in Action...

So sorry for the unexplained absence on this blog. I have been "under the weather" as of late and most likely will be for a while longer. Okay, okay, yes, I am expecting child number 3! Although I truly hate morning sickness, I know that this too shall pass and the reward will far outweigh any amount of misery I am experiencing now :) Bear with me...I promise to resurface eventually. Until then, happy design blogging!