Monday, April 2, 2012

New finds...

Hi Everyone!  I hope your week is off to a great start.  I am in the process of getting ready for my first ever Spring Craft Fair.  I've only ever done fall shows so I'm having a bit of trouble deciding what exactly to make and take to this fair.  It's one I've never been to (not even as a shopper) so I really don't know what I'm getting myself into.  And it's a two day fair.  Again, something I haven't done before.  So I also don't know how much stuff to take.  I am trying to make sure I have enough inventory and a variety. 

On that note, one of the things I've been taking to all my fairs are my version of a message/picture board.  Which I've shared with you here and here.  On my lunch break today, I stopped by one of the antique/junk shops to see if he had any frames available..and this is what I walked away with.
 I could make them, but why not recycle existing frames, if I can find them.
 Some of the time the frames are very ornate, but this time they all have simple lines.
 But I like the variety of shapes and sizes.
 This one needs a bit of work but I couldn't pass up the price.
 And this one is oak, but I have no problem painting it.
So with some paint, wire and clips, these will all be turned into my version of message boards or for pictures or art work.  There are just so many possibilities.  I will show them to you once I'm done. 

If it doesn't rain tonight, tomorrow my dad and I will be putting fertilizer on all the pastures.  We won't be getting calves this year due to the high cattle prices, so instead we will be putting up hay.  And since Spring arrived so early here, if the rain holds up, we should be have several good cuttings of hay. 
This is a picture from last year.  So hopefully we'll see sights like this several times this year.  We're hoping for a good hay year.  And the part for my saw will be here later this week so hopefully I'll have some new projects to share soon!  Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, March 31, 2012

102 years of Celebration...

Hi Everyone!  Sorry I haven't been around the last couple of days.  My miter saw is still not working yet.  The parts should be here this week.  My dad thinks I need a new one...and he's probably right...but I want to see if this one can be fixed first before running out and getting a new one.  So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  Which of course means I'm limited on projects.  I'm working on some signs....all of which you've seen before...for my fair at the end of this month. 

But onto the 102 years of celebration....Friday was my Grandmother's 102nd birthday.
 My family had a party for her.  They took her out for lunch and then back to the nursing home for the party.
 There she is with her birthday cake and flowers that my cousin Jill brought for her. 
Doesn't she look great for 102!  I wish I had gotten some of her genes....She had a great time at her party, surrounded by family and friends.  Happy Birthday Grandma!

Hopefully by the middle of the week I'll have some new projects to share with you.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Wanna Dance?...

Hi Everyone!  I hope your day is going well.  It's a nice day here, a bit windy so I don't think I'll be mowing unless the wind dies down.

I want to show you what I finished last night.  Well, it's almost finished.  I was going to make some nice chunky frames and paint them white, but I have sad news.  My compound miter saw is not working right.  It needs new brushes (I think).  So no miter cuts can be made right now to make the frames.  I have ordered the parts but they won't be here for at least a week.  So my projects will be somewhat limited.

I started out with these squares of luan.  I had a cut a sheet of luan down a few weeks ago into 12" x 12" squares.  I sanded them and then primed them with white.  Then I mixed up some light pink paint and painted them.  Then I sketched on the dancers and painted them black.




Won't they look a 100% better with those white chunky frames I had planned on making for them?  I like how they turned out despite the lack of frames.  And I think some little girl will like them too....once they have their frames.  Thanks for stopping by.

Linking to:
http://www.pandoras-craftbox.com/2012/03/craft-party-tuesday.html 
http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/2012/03/tuesday-to-do-party-55.html 
http://www.uncommondesignsonline.com/2012/03/uncommonly-yours-link-party-21.html 
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/03/wow-us-wednesdays-59-and-winner.html 
http://homehappyhome.blogspot.com/2012/03/whimsy-wednesday-features-and-link.html 
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/2012/03/119th-power-of-paint-party-scallops.html 
http://www.thesasselife.com/2012/03/crafty-sasse-wednesday-link-party-31.html 
http://mrshinesclass.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/show-tell-no-16/ 
http://acreativeprincess.blogspot.com/2012/03/its-party-47.html 
http://www.aturtleslifeforme.com/2012/03/share-wow-wednesday-come-link-up.html 
http://www.theartsygirlconnection.com/2012/03/pininspirational-thursday-27-linky.html 
http://www.52mantels.com/2012/03/thursdays-are-your-days-vol-12.html 
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/2012/03/under-100-linky-party_28.html 
http://livelaughrowe.blogspot.com/2012/03/live-laugh-linky-thursday-3.html 
http://theshadyporch.blogspot.com/2012/03/rock-n-share-22.html 
http://www.thenymelrosefamily.blogspot.com/2012/03/whimsy-wednesdays-4.html 
http://www.justalittlecreativity.com/2012/03/get-creative-linky-party-6-and-fabulous.html 
http://staceyembracingchange.blogspot.com/2012/03/creative-inspirations-linky-party-7.html 
http://thesepeastastefunny.blogspot.com/2012/03/link-it-up-thursday-13.html 
http://www.atthepicketfence.com/2012/03/inspiration-friday-no-58-and-giveaway.html 
http://madeinaday.com/2012/03/29/made-u-look-linky-19/ 
http://www.redouxinteriors.com/2012/03/friday-feature-party-49-and-mes-preferes/ 
http://oneartmama.blogspot.com/2012/03/shine-on-fridays-21-plus-features-and.html 
http://www.504main.com/2012/03/tickled-pink-no-92-yeah-yeahsame-old.html 
http://jaimelyn11.blogspot.com/2012/03/crafty-scrappy-happy-me-thursday-28.html 
http://www.craftionary.net/2012/03/friday-fun-party-and-features-13.html 
http://www.mysimplehomelife.com/2012/03/features-simply-creations-link-party-51.html 
http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/2012/03/catch-as-catch-can-67.html 
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/03/sat-nite-special-127-full-room-reveals.html 
http://too-much-time.com/2012/03/diy-crafts-recipes-link-party.html 

Monday, March 26, 2012

Spring....

Hi Everyone!  I hope you had a great weekend.  I spent Sunday outside getting the mower ready, picking up sticks and 2 1/2 hours mowing the yard.
 It already needs to be mowed again.  I had to mow it on a really high setting because parts of it had grown so much it would have clogged the mower.  If we avoid the rain that's in the forecast, then I'll be out mowing it again tomorrow to get it down to the level it should be at.
 I still can't believe it's March and we're mowing.  It was in the 80's today, so not heard of for this part of the country at this time of year.  Last year it was cool/cold until almost June.  My nephew was here helping me build last June and we were in the shop in sweatshirts with the furnace running.
I put this bird house condo out and took down the other one that is normally here.  It needs repainted.  So I will do that and then put it back up where this one normally resides.
My early tulips are almost done.
 The day lilies are growing.
And so are the vinca vines.  They are not perennials in this part of the country, but they are in this flower bed.  I planted them once and they have come back every year.  It's in a bed right up by the house and I think they hibernate up under the siding and take warmth from the house.
I even managed to get a sunburn.  I did laundry and put them out on the clothes line to dry.  I love putting clothes on the line to dry.  They smell so fresh and save on electricity.
I did manage to get one project done.
 I made this little fence.  And my mom gave me the little bird.  I couldn't decide what color to paint him, so I left him natural.
 Isn't he cute!
I added the dowel pieces so it would stand by itself. 
I like how it turned out but I think it needs something else.  Maybe some bunting that says welcome or spring or a birdhouse.  But I didn't have time yesterday and I had to work today.  Maybe tomorrow.  Well, now I must get to working on some projects.  Thanks for stopping by.

Linking to:
http://www.creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/2012/03/making-monday-marvelous-99.html 

http://www.cherishedbliss.com/2012/03/craft-and-tell_26.html 
http://blah2beautiful.blogspot.com/2012/03/tell-it-to-me-tuesday-13-features-and.html 
http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/2012/03/welcome-to-week-8-of-cowgirl-up-link.html 
http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/2012/03/terrific-under-ten-tuesday-56.html 
http://www.thekurtzcorner.com/2012/03/tuesday-tutorials-link-party-no-29.html 
http://www.notjustahousewife.net/2012/03/show-me-what-ya-got-67.html 
http://adiamondinthestuff.blogspot.com/2012/03/time-to-shine-party-no-62.html 
http://www.thecottagemarket.com/2012/03/its-cinch-linky-party-come-and-join-in.html 
http://www.pandoras-craftbox.com/2012/03/craft-party-tuesday.html 
http://www.uncommondesignsonline.com/2012/03/uncommonly-yours-link-party-21.html 
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2012/03/wow-us-wednesdays-59-and-winner.html 
http://www.52mantels.com/2012/03/thursdays-are-your-days-vol-12.html 
http://theshadyporch.blogspot.com/2012/03/rock-n-share-22.html 
http://thesepeastastefunny.blogspot.com/2012/03/link-it-up-thursday-13.html 
http://mom4realky.blogspot.com/2012/03/4-real-friday-link-party-7.html 
http://ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/2012/03/show-me-what-you-got-linky-party-7.html 
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/03/sat-nite-special-127-full-room-reveals.html 

Friday, March 23, 2012

Play on the Midway....

Hi Everyone!  I want to show you one of the things I started working on, but have not finished yet.  I started with a scrap piece of luan and painted it sky blue.
 You can see in this picture that I sanded the paint away from the edges.
 Then I started working on painting a Ferris Wheel.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Random things....

Hi Everyone!  Normally I spend each evening working on projects to add to my inventory.  Last night I did not.  I got caught up on a few things, read some blogs and pulled together supplies for the projects I would work on tonight, so I have no new projects to share with you.  I have some finished things that I could hurry up and write a post for, but I've decided to wait and do those this weekend.  Instead, I'm going to show you one of the things my mother got for me while they were away.  And I'm going to show you a couple of things I'm currently working on.
 
 Don't you just those this little metal truck?  I do.  Although I wish it was full size!  I can just see myself heading down the road in this.  Thanks Mom!
 Here's a door I'm working on.  It's an antique door to a cupboard that was in one of Aunt Barb's rental houses.  She wanted me to have the whole cupboard but it was too big and too heavy for them to move so instead I got the two doors.  I've painted in ASCP in Old White.  And I have sanded it....but now I'm not sure what direction to go with it.  I can turn it into a sign, but what do I put on it.  Any thoughts?
This is a piece of antique baseboard.  I filled some nail holes and sanded it.  I painted it with white acrylic paint and have sanded it.  But again, that's where I got stuck.  I'm just not sure where to go from here.  I can put pegs on it or I can turn it into a sign.  It's just not speaking to me.  Again, any thoughts?
Or maybe we should just go for a ride in the truck.  Thanks for stopping by!

Linking to:
http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/03/knick-of-time-tuesday-27-vintage-style.html