Sheet music wreaths and ornaments...

Hi Everyone!  Happy Monday!  I've been busy getting ready for the craft fair this weekend and one of the things I've been making are sheet music wreaths and ornaments.  I first made these last year and they were a big hit and I've made them for every craft fair since and they go over very well.  So I thought I'd show some of the ones I'm taking to this fair.  Sorry about the pictures.  I always hang them in my dining room until I'm ready to box them up and unfortunately the walls are all antique white, so the wreaths don't show up as well in the pics. 

I make large, medium, and small wreaths and ornaments.

And I love how they all turn out looking different, yet similar.

I like the double row wreaths and the single row. 

I've even made tree toppers.

I know that sheet music wreaths are all over blogland and I'm not showing you anything you haven't seen before, but I enjoy making them and it seems that my customers enjoy them too.  They are great "filler" pieces in my booth at craft fairs since most of booth is filled with furniture pieces.  The sheet music I've been using is all from 1891-1893.  It has great color and the pages are in really great shape.  A few folded edges and a couple of small tares on a few pages, but nothing terrible.  And one of the things I love are the hand written notes on the sheets.  With instructions on how to play it or to learn this piece.  It was obviously used by a piano teacher.  I just wish I had taken some pictures of the notes.  But I've used the last sheet of music, which makes me a bit sad, but the really great news, is my Aunt Barb has already found some more for me and is sending it to me.  So thank you very much Aunt Barb!  I can't wait to get it!  Well, thanks for stopping by. 

A peek...

Hi Everyone!  Happy Sunday!  Here's a peek at something I've been working on.  I'm not finished with it yet, but so far I think I like it.

It is a board left over from a headboard that I took apart.  I added large pegs that I cut from a broken chair.  Then I  had an idea to add a small message center to the board by using a small frame, wire and clips.

I painted it with Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Old White, but I haven't waxed it yet.  I am thinking of adding numbers above the pegs.  What would you do with it?  Thanks for stopping by.

Numbered peg board...

Hi Everyone!  Happy Saturday!  I want to share with you one of the items I've been working on for the next craft fair.  The fair is next weekend and I can't believe it's almost here!  And that it's the last one of the season for me!  Even after the fair is over, I won't be finished yet as I have about 7 orders that I need to fill.  Some large and some small, but luckily my clients have been patient with me. 

This is made from a recycled baseboard and pieces from a broken chair.

I added the numbers instead of a sign since it was long and there wasn't much room for words.

I haven't made one with numbers before and I like how it turned out.  I painted it black and the numbers in white.  I alternated the larger peg with the smaller to give it an interesting look.  I will be taking this next weekend and hopefully it will find a new home.  Thanks for stopping by!

Hawkeye Fans.....

Hi Everyone!  The weekend of my big Craft Fair something else excited was happening.  My brother and his family (minus my niece-she's not a fan) went to an Iowa Football game.  I have a very dear friend, Craig (Happy Birthday!), we've been friends for 13 years, who has Iowa Football season tickets and is nice enough to share them with me and my family.  My dad and I usually go every year and we give the other two tickets to my brother and his wife for their birthdays.  But this year my dad and I did not go.  Instead we gave all four tickets to my brother and sister-in-law so they could take their boys. 

 This is outside the stadium.  My nephew Ridge has never been to a game.  He lives in southern Missouri and I bought him a train ticket to get to his dad's (his car is not reliable).  Ridge is leaving for the Marines in December, so this trip was extra special.

 My nephew Quinton got to go last year with us because the game we picked was late in the year and at night and boy was it cold, so Dawn did not go.

 Now there's a Hawkeye family!

There is a Hawkeye train that takes you from a parking area a couple miles away and stops at the base of the stairs outside the stadium which makes parking and getting there so  much easier.  This is my brother and nephew on the train.  The Hawks won so a great time was had by all.  It would  have been even sweeter if Dad and I had gotten to go, but I was busy at the craft fair.  Next year.  Thanks for stopping by!

A preview...

Hi Everyone!  Happy Thursday!  I wanted to show you a preview of the benches I'm working on for the last fair of the season!  I have one week to go to get everything done!

 This is a Jenny Lind headboard that I've been storing for about a year now.  I thought it was time to work through some of my stock rather than get anymore headboards.  This is just the headboard so it will be an armless bench.

 And this big boy, let's call him Bernie has been in my possession since this spring.  He doesn't have a footboard either so he will be an armless bench too.  Only I'm making him with storage under the upholstered top since I heard a lot of wishes at the last craft fair for the armless ones to have storage.

And this little one, let's call her Lucy is a twin size.  I almost forgot to take her before picture.  Lucy did have a footboard but I used it on another bench.  I'm doing something a little different with her.  I am making her armless with storage but the depth is small.  My idea is for it to go in an entry way that doesn't have tons of room as a place to sit and put your shoes on.  I made one like this for a client last year minus the storage.  I heard people at the last fair say how much they loved the benches but that they didn't have room for the large bench, so I thought this might be a nice alternative.  So we'll see how it goes over at this fair.  Well, I've got to get back to the shop so I can finish these.  I'll be sure to share the finished products with you.  Thanks for stopping by.

Headboard bench for a client...

Hi Everyone!  I want to show you the bench that I made for a client while I was in the middle of getting ready for the last craft fair.  My client picked it up last week and loved it.  Here is the before. 

 I just love the delicate lines of this headboard.  It definitely looks very feminine to me.  When my mom and I went shopping for headboards, I saw this and knew that it was perfect for this client.

And here it is finished.  My client wanted it painted this color.  She saw the bench that I had taken to the Labor Day Market which was this same color and loved it.  It is Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Graphite.  With both dark and clear wax.

I think it turned out nice and what's even better, is that I think my client was very happy with it.  So now I need to get finished up with the benches I'm taking to the Red Cross Craft Fair next week.  Thanks for stopping by.

Craft Fair in Review...

Hi Everyone!  I hope  you are having a great day!  I'm busy working on things for the next fair and don't have anything ready to show you yet, so I thought I'd just show you pictures from the last craft fair.  I don't know if I've said this yet, but I had a really great day!  I sold four benches, a bunch of trees, all but three of my hand painted signs, several sheet music wreaths, the storage box/coffee table with the walnut stained top, both painted windows, and both frames with clips (message/picture center).  We had more display pieces to carry back out than we had boxes of stuff left.

The only thing that didn't sell that I thought if they were going to sell would be at this craft fair were the wedding and tux ironing boards.  I get tons of great comments on them, but no buyers.  I just might have to find a place in my house for them to go until next year if they don't sell at this next fair.  Well, thanks for stopping by.