Buttons and Burlap...

The weekend flew by and we were quite busy here!  I know that is not shocking news...I wonder when was the last time I just was able to do nothing in a day and be lazy...ah, reminiscing...

We did have a little fun this weekend.

Mr. Wonderful was given some free...(I love that word!) yes, free tickets to a baseball game on Saturday.

The weather as of late has been off and on...a nice Spring day one day, the next snow or rain.

Of course, Saturday happened to be a day of rain showers here and there.  As irony would have it...we needed our umbrellas before going to the game and I could not find any of them...we had none...zero, zilch!

All the umbrellas (at least 5) we once owned...broken...you know, all the boys pretending they were swords, lasers or whatever their imaginations could come up with...everything but what they were designed for...rain.

So...there we were with no umbrellas...and of course this wasn't thought of until the very last minute.

 What kind of mom am I?!  A very unprepared mom at the moment! 

That did not stop us though...regardless...we were there to have some fun as a family...rain or shine...soaked or dry!

Fun...we did  have!

I forgot how much I enjoy watching baseball and it was great sharing it with my family.  We decided since it was close to the evening we would just eat dinner there.

 Isn't having hot dogs and peanuts the nostalgia at a baseball game.  Little did we know that just for a hot dog would be at least $5.  Lets see...$5 times 7 people...oh, lets not forget drinks at $4 each and other things...well, you can see it adds up very fast! In the end as we left the game that evening, Mr. Wonderful said "Wow, it costs us $60 for a free game!"  We all had to laugh.

If your still with me and wondering what this has to do with my title...Buttons and Burlap... absolutely nothing! I just thought I would share. :)

So...here is another project to mark off my list...2 lampshades, done!

I think they turned out quite pretty and have a vintage look to them.  I even gave a little boring tutorial.  An easy and great way to dress up any shade...

Loving the way these turned out!

I had bought two of these shades back in NM before we left.  

I knew I wanted to add something to them to tie into the lamp bases I had.

Using burlap as my fabric, I first had to find the length for my pleats.

  I did this by measuring the inside of the shade at the bottom. 

 I cut a strip that length and then made my pleats to fit inside it.

Put your iron on the highest setting, (burlap can be hard to shape). 

 Fold your strip of fabric in half and make a crease down the center.

*I used an old towel underneath this when I ironed.

Cut another strip of burlap measuring your width for the 

pleats (keep in mind this width will be folded in half)and 

about 2 times longer than your band.

Using lots of steam and a water bottle mist the burlap as you iron.

 Start making your pleats.  I didn't measure my pleats, I just estimated 

as I went. Fold and iron all together about every 4th pleat.

Once your pleats are done using a hot glue gun take the length of

 burlap you cut to fold over the top of your pleats to make a band. 

My band was about 2 inches wide and then folded in half,  you can make it whatever size you need for your shade.This will make it easier to glue onto the shade, keeping it more even and give it a finishing edge.  

It should look like this glued on both sides of the pleats.

Turn your shade upside down, it will be easier to work with and 

see where your band is being placed.  Glue to shade. I didn't worry

 about the pleats being exactly even in length, being that it's burlap.

Once the pleats are done,  now you can glue your buttons. 

I sorted through the button's  I wanted to use and made a pattern before I started

 gluing them on.  I spaced them and added small and large for interest.  I used buttons

 that had similar colors in the shade and base to give contrast and tie it all together.

Now, some of my favorite lamps! 

A great way to add a little something to your shades.

Before I go, there is a joke going on around here lately...

Whenever one of the kids or my husband is looking for me and they ask where I am, the reply will be..."Mom's in the garage stripping"...of course the "stripping" they are referring to, is my  furniture I am working on... 

Never a dull moment in my house!  :)

Will be back with more finished projects to share soon!!

Hugs,

Reality...

I could have stayed in the French Provence
 and not have come back to reality....how about you? 

Thank you to all who came along...I hope you enjoyed our little virtual vacation.

O.k....so I am back to my life...

Not that I have a bad one...

  I am very grateful for my blessings and the life I live.

The reality I am talking about...

Projects...

too many still unfinished and making my life chaotic!

  Everyday a little closer to having our lives back to the so called "normal".


I thought I would share just a few of the
 many projects I am currently working on...

As you can see lot's of  things still a work in progress...
 hopefully though,  I will have some of these finished to show next week.

I have been unpacking lots of boxes and
 now have to find a place for everything.

Here is the dresser after I stained the top...this wood is gorgeous!

It has a mirror with a frame that goes on top of it.

 At first I had decided to use the mirror elsewhere,
 but since have changed my mind...

Here are all the pieces that go to the frame for the mirror.
 I have stripped the old paint and stain and will have to
 put it back together and then finish painting it.

I am in love with the detailed carvings...so pretty!

This is the base to our kitchen table that is getting painted.
 It's primed and now needs to be sprayed with the paint color.

Next post I will be showing what I added to my lampshade's.

A peek at some new designs I have been working on for my Etsy...
Light grey dupioni silk, glass beads and honeycomb smocking...

A pretty soft blue-grey linen and fabric butterflies...


As you can see many things to still finish...
I need more time, energy and hands to get it all done! :)

As my husband always says to me...

"How do you eat an elephant?"
(my question,"Why would I want to?!")
his reply..."One bite at a time". ;)

I hope to visit  soon and catch up on all I have missed...

I think of you all often. Thank you for your friendships and support!

I will be lost in projects and trying to get my life back to some kind of "normal"!

Have a great weekend!!

Hugs,

Spring Fluffing...

I know it has been a little quiet around here the last week and you might even have wondered when I said "let's take a vacation" if I just went on my own.

Well...the truth is, when it is quiet here I am very busy working on projects and wanting to get them done to share with you all.


So...I hope you have been taking advantage of all the fun vacation places that are happening at DDNA's  Blog-About Cruise!  There have been so many wonderful and beautiful places to visit...the other great thing...getting to know so many other bloggers. I will be taking you all with me on my dream vacation very soon...I hope your on the cruise...it's going to be Fabuleux...yes, that's a hint! ;)


As I mentioned above...working on projects.  The kitchen has taken a little break while I am waiting on some finishing details and I decided I needed to think of other things besides paint and cabinets. :)


I have been doing some Spring Fluffing and putting things together.  This is my favorite part of design. Trying different ideas and adding here or there...or as my Aunt would say..."puttering" around my home.


Adding some whimsy and incorporating the look I see in my head...I am quite happy with how it is all turning out.  I have a clear idea on how I want my entry way/parlor and dining area to come together and having fun using my creativity.  Still lots more projects with fabric, sewing and re-doing...the final look, I think will be beautiful.


Izzy and I had fun doing a photo shoot and captured quite a few great pictures.  I am now looking for a wide angle lens and a lens for doing macro pictures...I can see the $$ signs now! Will just have to buy each one as I can.


A question to all of my photographer friends...what is the best way to get pictures of glass jars...such as apothecary jars?  I could not seem to get the pictures I wanted and I know partly it was because of the glare coming off the top window...I will be putting something up there soon to still let the light in, just diffuse it.  Would love to hear any tips you all might have.


O.k. enough of my jabbering and on to my Spring Fluffing...


The area I stared focusing on was my buffet hutch.  I started from the top and worked my way down...

*Click any of the photos to enlarge*

I started with the sash window...bought it off of Craigslist for $5.  Thought I would end up painting it, being that the dark green paint wasn't my color and was worried about lead.  I went to clean it up and realized it had a beautiful patina on the inside of the window that had been stained...hung it on the wall...love it!

  

Even the crack adds interest and love this latch!

So happy with the soft blue grey paint we 

choose for this room...it's called Filigree.

Different sizes of cloche`s each with a unique nest...

This nest happens to be my favorite...

birch bark and green feather like grass.

Wanted to add whimsy...what better way than some tree branches...

just added a couple of silk pink cherry blossoms...beautiful!

Here's an overall view of the buffet.  I changed the hinges and pulls from silver to ORB...just a paint color can make all the difference on the look.  I then added some glass knobs not forgetting to change the inside screw to the same orb...now it has a more antique feel.

  

Here is 2 different sets of silver plated silverware that I bought from the sweet lady when I found my BREAD pot.  These were her husbands mothers silverware and they hadn't thought about parting with it at first and then decided to sell them to me...the husband told her he knew they would go to a good home and use. :)

This soon has become one of my favorite things...

Had fun displaying some of these on my pretty cake stand...

Isn't the tarnish beautiful!

Couldn't take enough photos of the silverware...

It will be great to use these for dinner parties...
there is at least a full setting for 6.

Scalloped edge of the stand...

I found this stand at Marshalls and love the vintage look...

I bought these pale blue plates 10 yrs. ago when I lived in Iowa.  They were at a Wal-mart discounted down to .50 for the big ones and .25 for the smaller.  I have 12 settings for each...I love the small plates that look like a flower. 

These pitchers are a great holder for all the silverware...

An antique tea cup that I have had for 15 years now...not sure how old

 the actual cup and saucer is...loved the simplicity of it with the tiny spoon.

My favorite pottery and color...

My Waterford glass butterfly bowl

 Mr.Wonderful gave to me for our 5th anniversary.

A cute little birdie...

A sweet sugar jar...

I hope you all enjoyed seeing what I have been up too.  

Here is just one of the projects I am working on...

I have just the right spot for it and can't wait to see it done. 

Wishing you all a great start to your week and will be back soon to share lot's more!!

I am linking up at Jen's...

Hugs,

Flea Market Trixie...

A sweet spot to sit...

I love the hunt of finding treasures. My heart races and I feel giddy...yes, giddy with excitement whenever I see a thrift store, garage sale, auction or get to go see a storage shed full of...treasures.  Now...maybe to some, this would just seem like...junk. *Gasp*...to me, it is more than what it might seem to be...it is has endless possibilities of what it could be.

I have found someone in this blogging world that loves a great bargain and hunt for treasures as much as I do...I only wish we lived closer. Oh the fun we would have...I would get up at the crack of dawn just to go on the hunt with her...I don't like to get up early for anything, but to go find treasures with her...I would!

Who could I be talking about that could make me give up my beauty sleep...I of course am talking about the  incredibly talented and lovely...Trixie from Flea Market Trixie.

Whimsy Spotlight!

Trixie not only can find a great bargain, she can transform something that's not so pretty into something beautiful while still keeping it thrifty!! That takes talent and a great eye for design. She is a natural!  Let me just share with you all a few of  her things she has transformed from something ho hum to extraordinary!

This lamp before...dated and not so pretty.

Now...beautiful and fresh!

Again...just an old dresser...nothing to exciting about it.

Amazing! I love this...it looks like a totally different dresser!

What I really loved about this project...laser stencils.  She used a laser stencil and modeling paste to add texture on the center drawers...so creative! I now have been thinking of what I can do with stencils and modeling paste...of course she shares how to do this on her blog. She is very giving with her ideas like that.

Do you see what I am talking about?  Trixie finds a great deal and creates a whole new look!  So talented...just amazing!!

This next one is brilliant...I am in awe over this! You must go see how this was transformed...so creative!! I could go on and on...

Galvanized Rusty Table...

When I first found Trixies blog a few months ago, I was intrigued.  I love her style and the way she has decorated her home...gorgeous! Everything from the colors, to the overall look.  I enjoy looking at her pictures over and over. 

Here are just a few photos of her beautiful home...

There is so much more to see.  I love how all the colors and design effortlessly flow one to the next...my eye doesn't just stop anywhere, it takes it all in.  That is a great designer! She adds all the little details and makes it feel so inviting...beautiful!! 

Trixie's style is definitely  being recognized in the blog world.  She is a contestant on the new and fun blog 

So You Think You Can Decorate.  Every week she has shown her creativity and talent...she is one of my favorites!  You can check out all the great talent here and make sure to vote for your favorite! 

This is her recent project for week #7~Home Improvement Store Materials...

Believe it or not...this was done with galvanized cavity caps...gorgeous!!!

Brilliant!!

Trixie's bargain hunting has also led to another adventure for her...Flea Market Trixie...her Etsy boutique.  Here you will find beautiful vintage treasures and handmade items done by Trixie.  This will become one of your new favorite places to shop! 

A whimsy picture...Burlap Butterfly 1

Some pretty Vintage Scrolls...

Trixie has been very giving and is doing a giveaway for my readers!  

This handmade Paris Paris sign will be for one lucky winner!!!

I love the aged look on this...beautiful!!

It is easy to enter!

1. All you have to do is go to Trixie's Etsy and pick one of your favorite treasures and come back here and tell me which one you loved. 

 I of course always give you more entries to make your chances of winning better!  Please make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry I am using the random generator. 

2. Let me know if you are a follower or are now following me.

3. Stop by and give Trixie some love on her blog.

4. Blog, tweet or put this giveaway on your side bar.

See...it's that easy!! I wish you all luck!! This giveaway will end on Saturday April, 17th by 12 a.m. pacific time.  The winner will be announced on Monday April, 19th.

Hugs to you all!