Junkin' Junky

A new tool to determine colours

2012-02-09T10:04:00.001-05:00

Look at this! A tool provided by Sherwin Williams that will allow you to find colours used in any online photo. This is a photo of my lamp makeover and it picked the colours out perfectly! I am already addicted :)

I am soooooooo excited! Kelly from Jax does design posted about a new tool that she has been turned on to.

You guys are going to be amazed.

Head on over to Sherwin Williams ChipIt for the details

Ooh La La – Frenchie claw foot coffee table

2012-02-08T17:23:00.010-05:00

It took a long time, but I’m done. And I love how it turned out.

This is what I started with

The wording was from the Ballard Designs ottoman knock off that I created.

I’m not a fan of heavily distressed furniture, and since this will be for sale, I wanted to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible. I distressed and glazed and kept it pretty conservative.

A post on how I created such a big stencil is forthcoming, for now I’ll sit down and relax.

Sharing at

Progress

2012-02-06T21:39:00.001-05:00

I have been really busy with stencil orders this past week, so didn’t have time to work on my coffee table. Tonight I finally had a few hours, so I got to work.

This is the final look I’m going for

I created the stencil with my cricut and SCAL software. Because the table is 33” wide, I had to break the stencil into three pieces to get it to cover such a large area.

Now it’s drying and tomorrow I will spend some time sanding it down so it looks like it’s always been on there.

can you see my oops? Obviously I’m not going for perfection :) .

Followers

2012-02-03T17:27:00.001-05:00

With the announcement that Google Friend Connect will no longer be available to platforms other than Blogger, I became a little worried. How am I going to let people know that use other platforms, that I still follow them and value what they post?

Needless worry, but that’s just how I am :) Brett of McLinky fame, has created a new tool that will allow you to follow blogs, no matter the platform. Linky Followers is his newest tool to help us out.

I’m not sure if I need it on my Blogger blog, but I don’t think it hurts to have it along with GFC, do you? And what if GFC all of a sudden is no longer available to anyone?!!! Just to have all of my bases covered (‘cause I’m paranoid like that LOL), I also have a Word Press blog.

I’m still figuring it out, so I don’t post there yet, but maybe someday.

I’ve been blogging for a while now, and I am so appreciative of those that follow along with me. To think that people actually want to read the things that I post about, is thrilling!

I am hoping to finish off my coffee table this weekend. I consulted with the best out there, Susan of Maple and Magnolia and she inspired me to create something that is unique.

Where I buy vinyl for my projects

2012-01-27T10:37:00.005-05:00

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that I love using vinyl for many of my projects.

pssst… a give away for a set of vinyl to make your own herb crates is coming soon

Since I use so much of it, I had to find it at a better price than what I was getting. I found a company online that specializes in sign making and sign making supplies. I emailed the company and a wonderful lady named Kerry hooked me up with the most amazing pricing, EVER!

The company is All Graphic Supplies, in Mississauga, Ontario.

They carry a line of vinyl that comes in a matt finish and is perfect for all of my projects.

M,K, ready for the price?… $20.00 for 24 inches wide X 10 yards!!!! (black and white) and $22 for colours and metallics. And they will cut it down to 12” for you to fit your cutter mat! So, you end up with 20 yards of vinyl at 12” wide.

Back in November I ordered some. I will admit that it didn’t cut quite the same as the vinyl I was using from Avery as it’s a little thicker than what I was used to. With some adjustments to blade depth and speed, I was able to get it to cut perfectly.

I can pick mine up, but even if you live far away, it may be worth it to figure out the shipping charge (they have an online fedex shipping calculator).

Let Kerry know that Mel sent you :)

slow progress – claw foot table

2012-01-26T20:32:00.001-05:00

sheesh, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; I don’t know how you guys knock off painted furniture so quickly!

I’ve sanded, primed and have my first coat of paint on, and it feels like I’ve been at it for weeks :)

I ran out of my go to primer, Zinsser oil base, and when I went to the store to get more, I found an odourless one! Thank goodness, because I am painting indoors. It really doesn’t have an odour. But, it still irritated my eyes.

The colour I chose to paint it with is Cottage White, in Behr premium plus. I am really liking it, and it was free at the recycle centre.

See that roller, I bought it at the dollar store and it’s FANTASTIC! Smooth as butter. Here is a shot with the paint next to the primer so that you can get a read on the cottage white.

One coat down, hopefully only one more to go.

Save a dollar – Pinterest inspired

2012-01-20T17:17:00.002-05:00

When I was growing up, a box of tissues was a luxury. With six little girls running around in a northern climate, you can imagine how many boxes we would have needed. We used regular ol’ toilet paper to wipe our noses.
When on Pinterest a while ago, I saw an ingenious idea and had one of those ‘smack my forehead’ moments for not thinking of it myself.
Take a roll of toilet paper and remove the cardboard tube from the center. Find an old tissue box, open it up, insert tissue, pull from the center and glue the box back together.

Yes, I can afford a box of tissues, but I feel like a genius using this method :)

Joining in at

Cutting Edge Stencils winner

2012-01-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

Thanks to all that entered.
The winner is

It’s Erin, from Where Beauty Meets Function. Congrats Erin.
Please email me and I’ll hook you up :)

Thrifty finds Jan 18

2012-01-18T17:00:00.001-05:00

I couldn’t wait to show you this fabulous chair I picked up today. I was so anxious I didn’t even take the dust off of it :)

Here’s the reality. It’s a miniature

While looking through several of my plastic containers, searching for photos, I found this water colour that I had bought several years ago. Very similar chair, huh?

I love the robin’s egg blue of this candlestick

And this box will become a remote control centre for a friend at work.

I’m going to do something similar to what I did to my remote control holder/organizer made from an old cutlery box.

I seem to be having some good luck lately with my Junkin finds.

Claw foot round coffee table

2012-01-18T06:40:00.001-05:00

Another fabulous find at my local GW! It’s huge, it’s solid and it’s in pretty good shape.

It’s obviously a reproduction, probably made in the 80’s, but it has so much potential.

And cheap too.

I bought it to redo and sell. I’m thinking of stripping the top and re-staining it, as I did with my other thrifty find coffee table.

Or, paint it all black and distress to expose some of the wood. Or stripping the entire thing and re-staining a nice dark walnut. Decisions, decisions. I hope to get started this weekend. Feel free to weigh in.

Be sure to enter my Cutting Edge Stencils giveaway, going on until Friday.

Cutting Edge Stencils giveaway reminder

2012-01-17T17:10:00.001-05:00

My stencil came today! I’m so excited and anxious to get started. I was surprised to see that they also included the roller and the stencil level. How very generous!

So far there are only 19 entries, so compared to some of those “BIG BLOGS” that are hosting the same give away, your odds are much better here :)

Visit this post to enter and good luck. Winner will be announced this Friday.

Just before Christmas I knocked my dining room light down and it broke and blew a fuse! I’m guessing that the wiring shorted. I still needed a light though, as there are no other lights in the room.

I came up with some things that I had around the house to make a new one. It still needs more crystals, but overall I’m happy with my “no cost” light fixture.

To this

Blooming flowers

2012-01-14T15:08:00.001-05:00

My buddy gave me an Amaryllis for Christmas and it bloomed this week! It’s so lovely to see flowers when it’s so miserably cold outside.

How beautiful is this!!!

She also gave me a hyacinth and it smells heavenly

This rose was from the spray at my sisters funeral; it’s still going strong

Also, I have a give away going on. You can win a stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils. Visit this post.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

Cutting Edge Stencils Give Away!

2012-01-13T09:53:00.003-05:00

Yee Haw! It's Friday.

Time for a give away from Cutting Edge Stencils!

Oh how I have loved all of the projects made from Stencils! The curtains, the walls, the flooring and now with their craft stencils, the pillows! The possibilities are endless.

Casablanca Craft Stencil

Birch Trees on walls are all the rage now!

Birch Tree Stencil

Now is your opportunity to win a stencil of your choice (up to a $50 value) from Cutting Edge Stencils! And, shipping is free!

You have three chances to win!

- Visit Cutting Edge Stencils and leave a comment on what stencil you would like to have and how you would use it (mandatory)

- Like Cutting Edge Stencils on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know you are a follower

- Follow me via Google Friend Connect and let me know you are a follower

The winner will be announced on Friday January 19th.

You must leave a separate comment for each entry. If your email address isn't linked to your Google account, please leave your email address along with your comment so that I can contact you.
Disclosure: in return for hosting this give away, Cutting Edge Stencils have offered me a stencil of my choice - project to come soon :)

Thank you and a quick refresh

2012-01-07T12:17:00.001-05:00

Thank you to all of you that left your condolences on the passing of my sister. Some of you have shared the heartbreak of losing your own loved ones and I am grateful for all of you.

The service was beautiful, just like she was. Remembering her bright smile is helping me get through the hours and days.

In order to get my mind off of my heart breaking sadness, I had to do something. I decided to brighten up the canvas pictures in my dining room with some water colour paint. I bought these at a thrift store ages ago for 4 dollars each. I think they are from Ikea and they carried them a few years ago.

for the lily I added a little green and some yellow around the stamen (I don’t even know if that’s what it is called, lol)

The daffodil needed some yellow and I made the tulip pink, because I love pink tulips.

It didn’t cost a dime and I really needed some subtle colour in my dining room.

M.I.A.

2012-01-02T20:29:00.001-05:00

Thank you to all of you that left such kind comments recently.

Yesterday turned out to be a very sad way to start the new year; my sister passed away in her sleep. This is not the sister that you sent your prayers for a few months ago, this is another one. Totally unexpected and shocking, to say the least :(

I spent today making funeral arrangements. I hope that I don’t have to do that again for a long time. If you have a sister, tell her that you love her.

Decorating slump

2011-12-30T13:19:00.001-05:00

I’ve been off work since the 22nd and I’ve done very little, in fact I’m in a bit of a decor slump :)

I want to do something to this humongo frame but since I have no artistic capability, it sits blank.

I did manage to get a couple of things done though

I removed the toilet roll holder from my bathroom. Who designs houses anyway? You practically had to do an about face to get paper while sitting on the throne :) Of course removing it meant that I had to repaint the wall.

While I had the paint out, I repainted the powder room off of my bedroom.

It’s now a much more soothing shade of blue. I got rid of the stand behind the toilet in favour of these two shelves that I got while junkin’ in the summer.

I have distressed one of them to see which I like better and I still can’t decide. Which do you prefer?

And I got some new bedside lamps. I love the lamps that I had, but they take up valuable space on my side tables. I bought the lamps for $6 each and the shades for $1.50 each. I have to come up with a way to cover the cords as the thrift store were fresh out of covers :)

Today is my big bubba’s 18th birthday! I know, I know, hard to believe that a woman this young looking can have an 18 year old. Ha ha. We are going out for dinner tonight and his choice is Korean bbq, of which none of us have ever tried, it should be interesting.

Here he is with my daughter. They really do adore one another and get along so well.

I’ll see you all in 2012!

2011 in review

2011-12-26T06:45:00.002-05:00

When I thought about writing a post about 2011, I had completely forgotten about some of the projects that I completed this year; it was nice to be reminded of all that I had accomplished.
Take a look through all of the projects that you have completed this year, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Here are few of my favourites. Click on any picture to be taken to the post.

January

I transformed my entry into a soft and welcoming space.

Created a knock off Pottery Barn plate

And used freezer paper to create a Union Jack cushion – had to get in on the Royal Wedding craze early :)

February

I created a silhouette gallery wall of my family and included this vintage, linen tea towel for fun.

Painted a 70’s drum table in silver and created a bird sanctuary LOL

March

March was a month of vinyl and stencilling projects

Spring was beckoning, so I gave my bedroom a fresh new look

April

In April we celebrated my daughters birthday and celebrated my bathroom reno. This is the project that I am most proud of as I did most of it myself; tiling, flooring, moulding, painting and created a really nifty shelf, perfect for small spaces.

I had fun creating this sunburst mirror from paint sticks and skewers

May

I redecorated my daughters bedroom, repurposing a king size headboard to create a daybed, stencilling a floor cloth and a damask pattern for the wall.

With the warm weather around the corner, I finished my patio makeover, you really must see the before!

June

June was a month of crafts, upcycling several items.

A side table from a candlestick and old table top

A tote bag from an old skirt

Recovered chairs with modern fabric

July

Since I had updated my daughters room, my son could not be left out

I made my own rustic herb crates

Updated an old trunk that was being stored in the garage

created a savings bank from an old shadow box

August

I updated an ugly $10 coffee table to something more modern

Created my own version of the Ballard Designs moulin cube

Made a rustic looking monogram with an old clock frame

And redecorated my bedroom. This is the easiest headboard ever; two large canvases, some batting and fabric stretched over them. Because it’s so lightweight, it’s easy to hang and change.

September

I made peacock feathers out of vinyl to update my lampshades; easily replaced when I grow tired of them

After 9 years, I finally made over my walk in closet

An old cutlery chest became the perfect place for remote controls and drink coasters

I learned how to split a letter and created several of these to sell

October

Last year I created horizontal stripes in the dining room; I hated them instantly but lived with them until I couldn’t live with them any longer. A fresh coat of paint and I kissed those mind blowing stripes away.

With the purchase of my new to me DSLR, I had to have a camera bag, so I made one

Discovering that brass is back, I found this fantastic partridge for $3.

I got an early start on Christmas decorating

November

A simple Christmas craft

I incorporated purple into my existing Christmas decorations for an update

Once again, I reorganized my craft room to try to make some order of the chaos

December

Always a very busy month for me, it was a little quiet in the home decor front. I did manage a couple of projects like this Trina Turk cushion knock off

And a giant Christmas kissing ball

So what’s in store for 2012? I have a few projects in mind, like creating a cutting table for my craft room and updating a dining room table. I also would like to continue to sell my custom signs and lettering to earn some extra money for my decorating projects. I look forward to the new year and thank all of you that take time to visit, leave encouraging comments and provide me with such inspiration.

Happy new year!

Sharing at

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T15:36:00.003-05:00

It’s been a crazy busy season for me. I apologize for my absence. I have had the chance to visit my favourite blogs and I just love all of the festive spirit that is present at this time of year.

I don’t have a lot of stuff so I set my dinner table very simply with things that I have. I could use some proper napkins :)

One of the best thrifty purchases this year was this brass partridge. I love it and proudly display it every day.

I made him (her?) part of our Christmas dinner too

So, here’s wishing you all the best of this wonderful time of year. Hold it in your heart each and every day. Thank you for sharing your time with me.

Mel

Christmas Kissing Ball

2011-12-09T20:01:00.008-05:00

A friend recently showed me a gorgeous Christmas Kissing Ball that she had purchased. I was intrigued and like any crazy crafter, had to make one for myself. Besides the price tag on a ready made one was out of my league.

I started out by purchasing a really big mercury glass ball for $10 at Home Sense (thank you to Beatrice at The Crafty Bee, I was the recipient of a $75 giveaway and this is one of the things I purchased).

I looked around in my stash of Christmas wrapping paper and found a box that I bought at a garage sale in the summer, which had several of these pretty silver and gold picks.

Using a coffee can to hold it upright (thank goodness that I drink lots of coffee), I glued the picks to the top of the ball.

Because I had to leave the circle “O” at the top exposed, I couldn’t attach a bow as is, I had to cut up ribbon in loops and attach each piece individually.

Next year I can easily remove what’s there and completely change the look.

Here I have hung a regular sized ball to show you how big this ornament is (and heavy).

And finally the sun decided to shine and I was able to get a photo in natural daylight.

I only have two more Christmas parties to do, then I’m done my entertaining for this year; a chance to relax and enjoy the season.

Sharing at

Centsational Girl Holiday Craft Party

Designer cushion knock off

2011-12-03T12:25:00.001-05:00

I get a lot of satisfaction from making cushions; they are quick, impactful and are a great way to add colour and contrast, without breaking the bank.

I have had my eye on Trina Turk’s Palm Springs Block cushion for some time. Mine was made by painting some fabric, hers is much more decadent. But, unless you plan on looking up really close, they look remarkably similar.

I used my cricut and freezer paper to cut out the inner design first, painted it in, then cut out strips of freezer paper to block off the outer square.

While I had the sewing machine out, I used one of the remnant pieces that I bought from Tonic Living to make another cushion.

A simple envelope back makes these cushions quick and easy.

Home – my refuge

2011-12-01T16:39:00.002-05:00

Is where I feel safe, loved, honoured and most comfortable. No matter where I roam, I always feel best at home.

When I saw this quote, it felt perfect for how I feel when I walk in my door.

I found the quote via Pinterest on Brown Paper Packages

I used a piece of pine, painted in Ralph Lauren Roadster White, cut the vinyl with my cricut, reverse weeded it and painted it in.

Taming the chaos

2011-11-28T19:47:00.001-05:00

I’ve reorganized, cleaned, purged and rethunk my craft room, yet again :)

There is no one else to blame except me; I am a messy crafter and I’m not very well organized. I find it difficult to put like items together and put stuff away after I use it. So here I am trying once again to get it under control. It gets so messy that I dread going to this room, and that’s not a good thing :(

My friend gave me a Rubbermaid closet system when she replaced it with Pax wardrobes (I know, lucky me). I only used about half of the system and came up with some organized storage.

Bins were purchased at the dollar store to contain like items together. Small pieces of fabric were folded and put on the shelf, larger pieces hung on hangers. Cushions and forms are in and on an old ottoman (yeah, it’s stuffed to the gills).

I saw this method of storing wrapping paper on Pinterest; genius! Right now mine are hung with cord, but it will be replaced and I’ll create even more storage with bungee cords.

Next up, a high island tabletop for cutting fabric on. I’m getting too old to be on my hands and knees on the floor.

Once I get it functional, I will work on the aesthetics.

Oh Christmas tree

2011-11-25T21:20:00.002-05:00

Once a month I get a Friday off of work, giving me a chance to catch up on things that seem to go by the wayside. This Friday, I spent a leisurely day putting up my tree.

Um, I didn’t have enough of the mini lights to cover the entire tree, so I had to use the led lights at the bottom. There is a noticeable difference in the amount of light they cast, as you can see in the photo. The good thing is that in real life, you don’t notice the difference.

Other than hanging our stockings, I have completed my Christmas decorating. Tomorrow is the first of my entertainment biz bookings.

I have a couple of non-Christmas projects in the works though, and hope to find some time to do them.

My Christmas Fantle

2011-11-25T08:25:00.003-05:00

Since I don’t have a fireplace in my living room, I use my cubby shelves as a fantle.

When I added the crown moulding it gave it some substance, but any item that I placed on top was dwarfed by it. To solve this I cut a piece of drywall, wrapped it in white fabric and placed it on top of books, giving it a platform so items didn’t seem to sink to the bottom.

I took the pine stems from the tree next to my house, but I’m going to replace them with a different type of evergreen, they look a little too sparse.

We will be putting the tree up this weekend. I’ll be working on making a new tree skirt, so wish me luck :)

Happy Thanks Giving to my friends south of the border.

They’re watching – tweens have good taste too

2011-11-19T08:56:00.001-05:00

My daughters girlfriend came to visit after school one day and was completely smitten with my Union Jack cushion.

My daughter volunteered me, to make one for her friend. It has taken me some time to get to it, but I’ve finally done it. I really didn’t think that tweens took notice of home decor, but apparently they do :)

Smaller version in black and grey

Thrifty fabric find

2011-11-17T19:58:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I was at my local Value Village and found metres and metres of fabric. White, cotton twill, heavy fabric. Total score. Each bolt is at least 30 metres!

And the price? $9.99 each bolt!

Yeppers, I’ll have white fabric For-Everrrr!

I also ordered a batch of premium scraps from Tonic Living. There are several pretty pieces of fabric, but there are also some duds. I knew when I bought them that I was taking a risk on not getting anything I wanted. Overall I’m happy with what I got, especially this remnant of their Bodega, Navy

Just enough to make two envelope back cushions. I think I am in love :)

I needed some pattern in this space and these fit the bill.

Today I am guest blogging over at White Lacquer. Patience has an eye for beautiful things. She is running a series about “things I want/can’t live without” and I contributed 5 things that I can’t live without. Pay her a visit, you will be glad you did.

It was short and sweet

2011-11-16T18:55:00.001-05:00

First, I’d like to share with you the three most visited links of Beautiful Junk Saturday

A gorgeous settee from Patience at White Lacquer

Melissa found some fabulous vintage pieces at an Estate Sale/Antique store at Vintage Mellie

Kat at Maple Leaves and Sycamore Trees also found some fabulous vintage goodies, I’m particularly smitten with this wool carpet

Thank you to all of you that linked up.

Anyone that has hosted a party before knows that it does take some work and I am afraid that I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I simply don’t have the time and devotion it takes to honour those that participate.

So sadly, it was a short lived series that may or may not be resurrected some day. Thank you for coming and participating and viewing the links.

Score 24! A quick and thrifty Christmas craft

2011-11-15T17:18:00.006-05:00

I actually went to my craft room to sew some cushions, and well, one thing led to another…
I don’t know about you, but I have to be in the mood to sew, which I wasn’t, so a craft it was
I used a dollar store frame, some scrabble tiles and a a few coats of paint. Done in 20 minutes.

This years Christmas wreath

2011-11-12T13:27:00.003-05:00

No sense in throwing out last years ornaments, I just used them and added purple for this year.

I purchased this pretty wreath at HD, it’s from Martha Stewart. Then I went to the dollar store and bought three picks with purple poinsettias. Added a few bulbs (that’s what we have always called them) and it’s now shiny and glamorous :)

I haven’t decided yet where I will hang it, indoors or out.

This is the wreath I made last year, for those of you that are new around here.

Beautiful Junk Saturday is in full swing.

Sharing at

The easy and oh so pretty scarf

2011-11-11T22:50:00.001-05:00

My girlfriend stopped by a knitting shop the other day and within a few minutes, learned how to knit a gorgeous scarf. I went to visit her and she showed me just how easy it is. I stopped by the store after work tonight to get my own yarn and while watching a couple of episodes of Breaking Bad, I created a beautiful scarf.

Pssst, don’t tell my model (my daughter) that she is in the photo, she didn’t want her photo taken :)

It takes on 6 stitches cast on and away you go. If I can do it, anyone can. I haven’t picked up a pair of knitting needles in over 30 years. And, it only takes on ball of this special yarn (it’s like ribbon)

I started making another one in black, white and grey. It can also by crocheted together.

The secret to it’s fullness and ruffles is the yarn spreads apart to look like it’s crocheted and you only pick up a stitch every 2nd stitch.

Here is another colour that I will work on this weekend.

The instructions are online too.

Knit with Sashay yarn

Beautiful Junk Saturday #3 is in full swing, so sashay on over and share your thrifty decor and finds.

Beautiful Junk Saturday #3 - Link Party

2011-11-11T15:05:00.009-05:00

Thank you for sharing again last week. There were less entries than the first week, so I hope you will join in this week. I know you must have some beautiful junk ready to show us all :)

The top three visited links last week

Vintage craft room at Shabby Love

Drexel Heritage desk makeover at Because I like to decorate, swoon!

A sweet frame makeover at Avery & Anderson

Pinterest inspired

2011-11-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

I’ve seen the swirly painted glass ornaments around and since I’m having a hard time finding purple bulbs, I made one. Um, it took 2 minutes! Love that.

Pour in a little craft paint, swirl, add more if needed. Done :)

Participating at

Christmas Advent Calendar

2011-11-06T18:25:00.005-05:00

Instead of doing what I was supposed to do today, I decided to take a break from the chores.

When my kids were little, I used to get them one of those cardboard advent calendars with the horrible little chocolates inside. They loved counting down to Christmas and it was always the first thing they did when they came downstairs for breakfast.

Now that they are older, I thought that this one would be a little more mature for them :)
I started with this golf shadow box frame that I picked up last year. I’m glad I finally found something to do with it.

I removed several of the pegs, leaving 24. Then it got a few coats of spray paint. I thought that it wouldn’t be blingy enough, so I glued some ribbon to the back. WRONG! Eww, I hated it.

So I ripped the ribbon out. Whew, so glad I did. Now it looks much better. I used my cricut and white vinyl for the numbers. This year I’m incorporating purples into my Christmas decorating, but next year this will be easy to change out the bulbs. The lighting is horrible; I was surprised when I came up from my craft room, and it was dark out, therefore the photos are not so great. I’ll post a daylight photo another time.

Sharing at

More Monograms

2011-11-05T15:07:00.001-04:00

If I seem to have been a little absent this week, I have good reason. I received orders for 6 more monograms!

I now realize that it was a mistake to offer to frame them at cost; it does not account for my time, gas, framing, wrapping and then delivery! For those of you that sell your handmade items, how do you account for this type of thing?

Anyway, they are done and I will definitely be raising the price for those that want them framed. They are each a lot of work, but knowing that they will be cherished is so gratifying.

A while back I purchased a stamp from an Etsy shop to brand my creations. It was not very expensive and the selection was great.

All packaged up and ready for delivery. Tick that off of my list of things to do this weekend.

Please don’t forget about Beautiful Junk Saturday link party going on.

I’ll be back with some thrifty finds later.

Beautiful Junk Saturday #2 - Link Party

2011-11-04T15:58:00.003-04:00

Thank you for coming to the party ladies. It was wonderful to see your thrifty treasures. I hope that you were inspired and were able to meet someone new!

The top 3 visited links last week were

Tracy at A Comfy Little Place of my Own - antique and flea market finds.

Sarah at The Yellow Cape Cod - thrifted (and smelly) dresser becomes a gorgeous dining room buffet

Pam at Our Adventures in Home Improvement – the coolest garage sale finds

I can't wait to see your Beautiful Junk this week

My Christmas Cloche

2011-11-01T19:04:00.002-04:00

If you’ve been to my blog before, you know I have a wee fascination with cloches’.
The lovely Marty at A Stroll Through Life is hosting her Fall Cloche Party. Since my aim is to be ready for Christmas before December 1st (when I get busy), I can’t participate this time, but I’m sure she will host another party in time for Christmas.
A quick trip to Home Sense and the dollar store.

If you love cloches, you have to visit Marty’s party.
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Awesome neighbourhood haunt

2011-10-30T19:24:00.001-04:00

I have two neighbours that go all out every year. Each year it gets better and better.

This guy is so real and creepy

Even their hog is in on the festivities

I couldn’t back up enough to get a full size view, but this is an entire pirate ship!

There are flashing strobes, eerie sounds, fog machines, lights…it’s amazing! Why I have to drag my kids is beyond me, I love it!

Selling my wares – anniversary gift

2011-10-29T13:19:00.002-04:00

A co-worker asked me to make him a 30th anniversary gift to give to his wife, and he paid me for it! I’m so excited. He opted to have it framed, makes it easy for him :)
This is like the one that I made for another co-worker as a wedding gift.
A little closer view.

Sharing at the DIY Showoff, you have to see the giveaway she has going on and her buffet transformation

Beautiful Junk Saturday - Link Party

2011-10-28T16:01:00.002-04:00

Christmas head start – ornaments

2011-10-27T06:05:00.006-04:00

I know, Halloween is not even here yet, but I need to get a head start on Christmas as that is my busy season with my entertainment business.
I picked up some clear glass balls and used what I had around the house to come up with these; feathers, trim and fake snow. So pretty.

I will be making personalized ornaments as gifts this year. Ideas are twirling in my mind.
Have you started your Christmas gifts yet?
Don’t forget about my first Linky Party coming up this Saturday (you can post on Friday at 4:00 PM)

I would love for you to participate. Come and show us what you have found or done with your Junk and thrifty finds.
Participating here

It's on! A new link party on Saturday

2011-10-25T10:43:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all of you that took the time to let me know that you would love to participate in an all new link party!
I've decided on a name, it it may not be completely unique, but I'm working on half brain capacity today :)

I've chosen Saturday as the day of the link party, as I have more free time than on week days.

This coming Saturday will be the first party. I hope you will join in and help spread the word. This is another opportunity to show your stuff, and who doesn't like to show off just a little? :)

More thrifty finds

2011-10-20T17:14:00.003-04:00

When I stop at the grocery store, I always take a quick peek into the GW to scope the place out. Yesterday I found this fantastic mirror for $10

I bought a buffet $50, sold it for $100 and purchased another IKEA Markor bookcase for $50, so it was basically free!
I’m still working on creating vignettes, but every single item, including the books were thrift store items. I call it my Junkin’ bookcase :)

After my previous thrift store brass purchase, I found another brass item that was too adorable to pass up at $2

I have a question for all of you. If I were to host a linky party (maybe weekly depending on the level of interest), would you be interested in participating? The party would be a way for you to show off your thrifty finds or how you have put your thrifty finds to use. I would like the focus to be on decor, as that is my area of interest. I know there are other parties out there that have a similar (or the same) theme, and this will be another way for you to show everyone how clever you are :)
Whatchafink? Also, if this were a go, can you come up with a relevant and clever name for the party?

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Recent Thrifty Finds – Brass is Back

2011-10-15T18:08:00.003-04:00

I’ve been conscious of my purchases lately; just too much stuff lying about around here :)
But every once in a while I find something that cannot be resisted.

First I found this fabulous cast iron, brass finished partridge for $3. I have to admit that I didn’t know it was a partridge at first and had to look it up.

While looking it up I found an eBay store that has the same vintage bird for $99.! Theirs has broken toes, while mine is pristine :)

Next I found this fabulous shield shape vintage mirror, for $7. I’m not too keen on the tassels, but they do go with the piece. It’s gold, but close enough to brass :)

I had the perfect spot for it on my gallery wall

sharing at

DIY Camera Bag

2011-10-10T21:23:00.006-04:00

Now that I have this fantastic camera, I needed an equally fantastic camera bag. Well, I looked around a little and if I wanted one that was pretty, I would have to mortgage my house :)

You know I would find a way to make one for myself. Because it’s a holiday here today (Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canucks), there were no stores open, so I could only use what I had around the house.

Another consideration was that I wanted something that could also be used as a bag on it’s own, just in case I was able to find a nice camera bag for cheap :)

This is what I came up with.

I started with two fabrics that I used to recover my chairs. I needed some foam, but didn’t have any handy. I searched around in the garage after exhausting my craft room, and there I found an old life jacket! Use what you have.

There are a few tutorials on making the insert for a camera bag, so I won’t go over it again. The one that I found most helpful can be found at Blue . Lace . House .

The bag itself is reversible. I found an excellent tutorial to make it at Little Girl Pearl, adjusting the dimensions to my needs.

I’ve come to realize that sewing Velcro is the pits; I’d rather chew nails.

A sweet camera bag that cost me absolutely nothing. You can’t beat free (unless I were to get a fabulous bag for Christmas, hint hint)

No one will ever know that it’s a camera bag, therefore making it less likely to be stolen, I hope :)

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Dining room update

2011-10-08T22:12:00.008-04:00

After the hours of work applying the horizontal stripes in my dining room, and living with those stripes for a year, they had to go. I never loved them and the room felt cold.

I spent the better part of today giving it an update.

I started by painting the ceiling. I measured 32” from the floor and painted the bottom wall white. I installed chair rail and painted the upper wall in BM asphalt. This is the same colour that is on my living room gallery wall. I’ve always liked it, so I figured go big :)

My fear was that it would look too dark, but I feel like it is just right for a dining room.

I’m now looking for two chairs to replace the white ones. I brought in my two antique chairs, but because the arms were high, they didn’t fit under the table. Easily solved by adding casters to the table legs.

Some daylight shots

Like any update, it’s never really done.

Maybe some picture frame moulding on the bottom? Some more art?

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My newest toy – a DSLR

2011-10-07T10:24:00.004-04:00

I have no idea what I’m doing, yet. But I’ll learn.

I picked this up used from Kijiji. It’s a few years old, but that doesn’t matter as it works fine and does exactly what I need it to do. It was less than $300! came with the lens kit (18-70mm)as well as a 50mm lens, and a 4GB memory card, strap, manuals etc.

If you are considering a DSLR, but don’t want to shell out the big bucks for a new one, this is a perfect way to get your feet wet.

That’s me, happy happy happy :)

All of these photos are straight out of the camera, on auto. As I said, I have no idea what I’m doing. ha ha.

My son

My daughter

Daughter’s BFF

It’s a beautiful day here, forecasted to be sunny and warm all weekend. I’m working on updating my dining room this weekend as the stripes never really sat well with me.

Also on the agenda is a hike to take in the autumn colours, Thanksgiving dinner at my BFF’s and a long weekend. Perfection.

I hope you have a beautiful day.

PB knock off – Rooms for Rent sign

2011-10-01T10:38:00.005-04:00

I was taken by the rooms for rent sign that PB had in their catalogue a couple of years ago. I found it again via Pinterest and made one for myself.

PB’s version

I made it out of a 32 x 16 board. I then designed the graphics using SCAL. I cut out a stencil in vinyl and painted it in. I couldn’t find the scrolls so I used a different style. In hind sight the top ones kind of look like a moustache and I should have found something else :)
Here it is on my gallery wall. I’m working on yet another display.
Sharing here, please go and visit and see all of the amazing things folks get up to.

A fabulous coffee sack

2011-09-23T18:19:00.001-04:00

I’ve been under the weather the last couple of days. My bestie, despite going through some really tough times, always finds a way to make me feel better. She asked if she could bring me some chicken soup :)

Instead of chicken soup she brought me some lime green gladiolus and the most fabulous coffee sack ever! I stapled it into a frame and now it is on my kitchen chalkboard wall.

I’ve had a lot of coffee sacks, but never one as pretty as this one. I love it!

When I get more, I will host a giveaway so that you too can have one of these fantastic sacks.

Autumn…

2011-09-18T21:48:00.001-04:00

My favourite time of year. Beautiful colour, crisp air, lovely scents….aahhhh.

I picked up a few things at the dollar store today to bring some fall, indoors. I brought out my faux fur plum throw, which I’ve been dying to use. It’s stating to get cozy.

Monogrammed wedding gift

2011-09-17T12:19:00.005-04:00

There is a really sweet girl at my work that will be getting married next month.I wanted to make something for her that is meaningful and pretty.

I found instructions for splitting a letter in Scal 2 from Denise at Paper Pastime. It was tedious and a little frustrating to weed the teeny tiny pieces of vinyl out. But it’s done and it’s beautiful.

I bought the frame at Ikea. The mat opening was the perfect size for a 12 x 12 piece of cardstock.

Here is a close up

If you are interested in purchasing the svg files for each letter of the alphabet, Denise has done all of the work for you and the price is phenomenal. Visit Paper Pastime for the details.

The monster in the bathroom

2011-09-17T11:16:00.004-04:00

I saw this on Pinterest and knew that I wanted one.

Easy enough to make with SCAL and cut it out on my cricut.

oh what fun!

Cutlery chest becomes handy storage

2011-09-15T20:45:00.006-04:00

I don’t know about you, but I get tired of picking up remotes and finding a place for them. I wanted some functional storage for them that also looked good.

I found this cutlery chest and knew that it would be ideal. At $3.99, if it didn’t work out, it was no great loss.

I sprayed it white after giving it a good sanding, but the stain bled through. Back to HD for some kilz primer and it did the trick.

I wasn’t sure what to put on it, but I for sure did not want it to be plain white. I pulled out my stencil that I created for my storage cube ottoman and cushion cover, and used that.

I then applied some stain and quickly wiped it off as I only wanted a hint of stain.

Now I have a place for remotes, candle lighter, coasters and what ever else I want to be put away when not in use.

I am having trouble lining the interior. I hate fussing with fiddly bits :)

Linking up to:

fun with paint chips

2011-09-14T21:54:00.001-04:00

Because they are free and because the frames were only a dollar, I played around tonight and made a Halloween craft.

Just because.

Are you a noreply comment blogger?

2011-09-13T06:31:00.002-04:00

When someone is kind enough to leave a comment on a posting, I like to thank them. Or perhaps a question has been asked, to which I would like to reply.

Problem is, there are so many that are noreply-comment@blogger.com. These are the people that have not attached an email address to their blogger account.

I’m here to help :) In a few easy steps, you can add your email address to your blogger account (sorry, I have no experience with wordpress to help you out).

Go to your dashboard and click on Edit Profile

Click the box where it says “show my email address”, then under Identity, enter your email address (see mine? flyingfishlips@gmail.com)

Save your changes. That’s it :) Now I can respond to you.

I hope this has helped.

It only took 9 years – closet make over

2011-09-11T16:45:00.005-04:00

Despite how hideous my bedroom closet was, I never felt compelled to make it over. More than likely it’s because I don’t put a lot of time and effort into how I dress. I am not a clothes horse and when something doesn’t fit or I don’t wear it, out it goes.

For my birthday last month, a friend had given me, amongst other things, a pretty storage box. Maybe it was a hint? LOL

Here it is mostly completed. I still have to get a better/bigger mirror, but I’ll probably concoct one myself.

It’s better than it was, let me show you

It had falling down wire shelving, a lovely barney the dinosaur wall and a bare light bulb.

I painted the walls a taupe colour that I picked up at the recycle center. I went to my back yard and took the brackets off of the fence and sprayed them in glossy black. I purchased a melamine shelf from Rona so that I didn’t have to paint a piece of wood, and placed it on the brackets.

I went back to Home Sense to see if I could find two more baskets like the one my girlfriend had given me, but there were none, so I bought two of these animal print ones.

My Ikea malm dresser was boring, so with my SCAL software I created the oval pattern. Being the thrifty gal that I am, I used shelf paper that I bought at the dollar store.

The mirrored jewellery box and the little white tray were both bought at the thrift store some time ago.

I had to come up with a way to cover the bald light bulb. I already had a drum shade but had to figure out a way to suspend it. I used 4 cup hooks in the ceiling.

I attached wire to each of the arms of the drum shade and looped them around the hooks. Worked like a charm.

I did manage to whittle my wardrobe down a little more and I now have lots of room for more clothes.

Here is a glimpse of my split personality; my work clothes are plain and colourless, my clown clothes (in case you missed it, I am a professional clown) are so bright and cheerful. :0)

It’s not a very large closet so it was difficult to take photos. The only things I purchased were a roll of shelf liner for a dollar, two baskets for $25 and a shelf for $9. A $35 makeover.

Sharing here

Peacock feather lampshades

2011-09-05T13:48:00.007-04:00

Because I moved my brown lampshades to my bedroom, I brought the white drumshades down to the living room.

Plain and boring, I wanted to give them a little zing :)

I found a simple image of a peacock feather and traced is using SCAL then cut them with my cricut I created a stencil at first, but nixed that idea because then the peacock feathers would be permanent. I like to change things up quickly and without too much fuss, so I cut them out of black vinyl. Perfect for me.

sharing here

Easy pleats

2011-09-03T12:11:00.002-04:00

Last year some time I read about a fabulous pleating tool made by Angie Knowles called the Quick Pleater.

Several of you have asked what it is I used to quickly and easily make the pleats on my ottoman slipcover

You can purchase yours from Angie, or you can make them yourself (or have someone else do it, as I have). Mine are a little crude, but do the job well.

Mine are 4” wide, 3” and 2”.

I used the 4” one to make the pleats on my ottoman

While at Wally World the other day I came across this tool to make pom poms for $1.97

Same shape! Works the exact same way. The best part is that it will make 2 different sizes of pleats, 2” and 1 1/4”. I love a great and thrifty find!

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A totally new look that didn’t break the bank

2011-08-30T05:00:00.007-04:00

The purchase of a $5 piece of fabric was the impetus to make this change to my bedroom. I liked the natural colours in the stripes and used it to recover my headboard.

The headboard is made from two canvases. In the past when I recovered them, I did each one individually, but this time the fabric was wide enough to cover both so they look like one.

$6 for the canoe paddles, which I added my children’s birth dates to. Stuff gathered from around the house, a newly covered ottoman and a couple of cushions later, and my room is now ready for fall nesting.

It is a bit of a tight fit, but I’m not ready to give up my king size bed, ever :)

Because I kept the wall colours neutral, making a change to this room is easy. Here are some other looks achieved by changing the bedding and accessories.

Sharing at the following parties. Please pay them a visit and be ready to pin ;)

Framed monogram

2011-08-29T19:17:00.007-04:00

Another project completed for my bedroom update.

When I saw the framed monogram at Love of Family and Home, I knew that I wanted to make one for myself. It’s beautiful in it’s simplicity.

I used an old frame that used to be a clock, some burlap and a letter. I gave them a few quick coats of white spray paint and put it together. I sanded it to expose the darker colour underneath in spots.

I’ve recovered my headboard and am getting closer to the reveal :)

Sharing at the following parties. Please pay them a visit and be ready to pin ;)

Pleats and ruffles

2011-08-28T08:08:00.005-04:00

Another change is coming to my bedroom. Because the wall colours are neutral, I have been able to modify the look easily.

A friend made me a pleater tool quite a while ago, and I’m just now getting to use it. That along with the easy method of making ruffles, made this ottoman update easy, although it was time consuming.

I used a drop cloth and only barely bleached it as I wanted to keep the natural colour.

This is my first time making pleats and thanks to the pleater tool it was easy.

I was originally going to add a contrasting trim where the pleats join the cover, but trim is expensive and I’m ~~cheap~~ poor :) Turns out I like the ruffles.

I’ve been really busy lately. I golfed this week, for the first time in 20 years! I’ve also been working my entertainment business on the weekends, so there is little time for junking or crafting.

Hopefully I can get to some of the updates to my bedroom this week. Stay tuned :)

Sharing at the following parties. Please pay them a visit and be ready to pin ;)

Sac de Moulin cushion

2011-08-22T18:07:00.001-04:00

Since I made a stencil for the Ballard Designs knock off cube, it was easy to make a cushion using the same design.

Now they are a pair :)

I used two different sources for the burlap, so the shades are a little off, but you would have to inspect closely to tell in person.

There were a ton of people that asked me to send them my svg’s for the rustic herb crates as well as the Paris Flower Market. I hope that if you make something from the files, that you will share it with me :)

My recent thrifty finds

2011-08-21T12:58:00.001-04:00

I haven’t shown you my thrifty finds recently. So here we go…

I bought this for $50 with the intention of restaining the top and painting the bottom, to match my coffee table, but it’s just going to be too much work. I’m reselling it if anyone local is interested.

Two of these lampshades for $6 each, with the price tags still on them. I thought they were a nice change from my drum shades. The lining is made of gold fabric, quite pretty with the light on.

This Bombay Co mantle clock is in perfect condition and only $10.

Have you found any good “junk” lately?

Framed brooch

2011-08-20T19:37:00.001-04:00

After a long search, I finally found a brooch at the thrift store. Popped it into a simple frame and now have to find somewhere to hang it.

It was a really nice day today, one of those days that you are thankful for.

I worked at an event doing facepainting and my daughter came to work with me. You know 13 year olds, it’s not easy to get to spend time with them, so I will take it any way I can.

This little girl was so precious. After I finished painting her face and showed her how she looked in the mirror, she was in awe and I think a little shocked; so sweet.

Ruffled cushion and some new fabric

2011-08-20T09:58:00.001-04:00

I put the ruffle instructions to use this morning and quickly whipped up this cushion cover. It worked like a charm.

While out at the thrift store the other day, I found 4 metres of this heavy weight cotton fabric, for $5! I haven’t figured out what I will make with it yet, but it looks perfect with my zebra stripe fabric that I bought from Tonic Living a while back.

The easiest way EVER to make ruffles

2011-08-18T21:11:00.006-04:00

I’ve wanted to make something with ruffles for ever, but the methods I had tried were labourious and frustrating.
While on Pinterest (instead of doing what I should have been doing), I found a link to an incredible blog that shows us just how easy it is to make ruffles.
You are going to want to thank Crystal at Little Bit Funky and I’m going to show you how easy it is too. If I can do it, anyone can.

I used a piece of drop cloth for this example.
Set your stitch length to it’s longest setting, in my case it’s 4

Set your tension to it’s lowest setting

I’m sorry, I only have two hands so couldn’t show you this part, but you just hold the thread where it comes off of the spool. The tighter you hold the thread the tighter the ruffles, the looser you hold the thread the looser the ruffles. See Crystals example, she has more hands than I do :)
Here it is as I sewed (notice paint on hands? I was multi-tasking lol)

I also tried it on a wider piece of fabric and it worked just as well.

If your tension happens to slip, don’t worry, you can move the ruffles along the threads. Just don’t pull too tightly.
I hope that this helps you too. Now I can’t wait to do something with ruffles :)

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Flip Flop refashion

2011-08-16T20:48:00.001-04:00

While out junkin the other day, I found four pair of Havaianas’ for $3 a pair. They are comfy, but I wanted less of the flip/flop happening. I used the tutorial found at make it and love it. I left mine fairly simple as I’m not much into bling. You have got to try this, especially while flip flops can be found so cheap at this time of year.

Another savings bank

2011-08-15T19:50:00.002-04:00

A friend asked me to make a savings bank for her daughter after seeing the one I made for my daughter. I searched every thrift store I could find for a similar shadow box, but to no avail.
This is what I was able to come up with. It’s not a shadow box, but it is perfect as a bank.

It started out with hideous faux leather, which I promptly removed. Then I removed the latch and hinges at the back.

Fortunately I was able to use the pieces as a template for the new cover, making it easy for me.

I choose this paper as I thought it went well with the latch and hinges. I glued it on and used an emery board to lightly sand the edges. Total cost $2.25.
I didn’t drill a hole for the coins since it has a latch. She can place photos of items she is saving for and the clear window at the front will remind her of all the money she has been able to save (hopefully).

P.S. That’s the top of my coffee table that I made over. Love the colour of American walnut.

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Table legs become candle sticks

2011-08-14T19:15:00.006-04:00

I’ve had these table legs for a long time and knew that I would some day make some candle sticks out of them. Today I was bored :)

Easy enough, lots of tutorials out there, so I’ll spare you the details…

Fills this corner of my living room in nicely

That’s it, that’s all.

Enjoy today.

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Kitchen floor runner diy

2011-08-13T14:54:00.005-04:00

My kitchen floor is above my garage and it gets quite cold in the winter, especially with porcelain tile. In preparation for the long, cold winter, I knew I needed a mat, but I wanted a long one and it couldn’t cost a small fortune.

I used a window blind made of seagrass or something like that. Perfect size and shape.

Since I already had everything, it cost me nothing but my time :)

I started by removing the wood that was used on the top and bottom, then turned the edges over and taped them. I laid out the pattern for the outside and inside rectangles first.

Then I cut a trellis stencil out and filled in the center.

Next I applied two coats of wipe on poly and that’s that.

I’m not sure how well it will hold up to kitchen messes, but I thought it was worth a shot. I like the way it looks and hopefully it will survive longer than a week :) I’ll keep you posted.

I will be applying latex caulking to the back to see if that will prevent it from moving.

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You sure know how to make a girl feel better

2011-08-08T21:28:00.001-04:00

Take your right hand and place it on your left shoulder. Now take your left hand and place it on your right shoulder. Now squeeze.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

That’s me sending a big virtual hug to all of you that so kindly left me a comment on the passing of my sweet Betty. You managed to make me realize that it would have been difficult either way, with her as she passed, or without.

To all of you that have left such kind comments recently on my projects; if I haven’t responded to thank you, it’s because you don’t have an email associated with your account. So, thank you.

Enjoy today.

Pet loss

2011-08-06T22:23:00.001-04:00

Yesterday after work, we had to say goodbye to our dear and sweet Miss Betty.

She graced us with her presence for 16 years.

I have one regret; I was too chicken to go into the exam room while she slipped away, and the thought that she had to look at a stranger as the last face she saw, is breaking my heart. I had planned on it, and it was a last minute decision not to, I think I was afraid of letting her go.

I miss her more than I would have ever imagined.

Ballard Designs knock off – Moulin cube

2011-08-05T17:48:00.011-04:00

Have you seen the new Ballard Designs items for fall? Lot’s of great stuff. They are so many great items to knock off, and this one seemed like an easy one.

Well, I’m no sewer :) I struggled with it, but in the end it turned out pretty good. It’s not an exact duplicate, but good enough for me.

I started with a $20 storage cube, some burlap, drop cloth, fabric pen and some straps from a grocery bag.

I created the lettering using SCAL and cut a stencil out of acetate (just in case I want to make another).

Ballard Designs version

Which sells for $269.00

My version, which cost me $20

I'm participating

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And the winner is …

2011-08-05T06:01:00.000-04:00

Congrats Tina. I will send you an email to get your address.

Thanks to everyone for expressing an interest.

My new coffee table

2011-08-03T17:45:00.012-04:00

There is nothing wrong with my old one, but when I found this table for $10, I wanted the challenge of making it look better. If it didn’t work out, I only lost a few bucks and some time.

This took me a long time. Sheesh, I don’t know how you guys do it. But now I’m worried that the painting bug has hit and I’m wondering what I can paint next. LOL

It turned out fab! My first time staining and it’s not perfect, but I don’t do perfect anyway ;)

Stripped down

I used American walnut for the stain on top, and RL Roadster White for the paint. I lightly sanded all of the edges and then applied 3 coats of wipe on poly. I don’t mind that the poly gives it a bit of amber as it adds to it’s aged appeal.

Before

My inspiration for this update came from an Australian business, French Dressing. Same size and same shape, very similar to mine.

Cough cough, it’s $995.00, equivalent to $1039.00 Canadian dollars! (1,097.21 USD)

I already had the primer, stain, paint and poly, so my cost … 10 bucks!

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway.

I'm sharing this update here:

Bed & Breakfast sign

2011-08-01T13:52:00.001-04:00

It’s a holiday here today, and rather than go outside where it’s roasting, I decided to stay in and work on some stuff around the house.

When I find something that I want to do, I pin it and when I feel motivated, get to it. I love the fun of this Bed & Breakfast sign, so I made one. I’m still working on the distressed/beachy look. I’m getting closer :)

I’m STILL slugging away at painting my coffee table. I don’t know how you girls knock off painted furniture so quickly.

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway, for a burlap tote bag and the vinyl to make your won rustic herb crates. It ends on Friday morning.

Off to the garage to put another coat of paint on the coffee table.

Enjoy today.

Giveaway time

2011-07-30T12:28:00.001-04:00

My small way of saying thank you for all of the inspiration I get from all of you.

While out shopping yesterday, I found a burlap tote that is big enough to actually carry groceries in, and as an added bonus it’s lined/backed in plastic so any messes will be easy to clean.

By itself it’s pretty plain, so I decided to gussy it up a bit, just for you. I used freezer paper to cut out this Paris Flower Market sign and stencilled it on to the bag. Think abut how chic you will look, carrying your groceries home in this :)

Wait, there’s more! I will also include a set of vinyl, pre-weeded and ready to apply so you can make your own Rustic Herb Crates. I’d send the crates too, but the shipping would break me :)

How can you win? Easy. Become a follower via Google Friend Connect then leave a comment letting me know. If you are already a follower, let me know.

Please include your email address in your comment if you don’t have your email attached to your account. Type it out as words to avoid getting spam. like this, flyingfishlips at gmail dot com

This giveaway is for residents of Canada and the U.S. only. Giveaway will end on Friday, August 5th at 6:00 am and I'll announce the winner that day. Thanks and good luck!

I won a giveaway

2011-07-30T07:24:00.001-04:00

Sarah at The Birds Papaya (a fellow Canadian) hosted a giveaway and I won!

Marilyn at BeiFiori on Etsy has a lovely shop filled with handmade and charming gifts. Her prices are amazing and her work is impeccable.

I had $25 to spend and it wasn’t easy to decided on what to get, as there are so many lovely things. I decided on a French postage stamp tote and a couple of gift bags.

Adorable huh?

Thank you to Sarah and to Marilyn for my gifts, I will cherish them.

Rustic herb crates knock off

2011-07-27T22:31:00.017-04:00

You’ve seen them everywhere, most notably at The Lettered Cottage. They are not that expensive to purchase, but when you factor in the shipping costs to Canada, they make it a big splurge.
So what’s a poor girl to do? Make them. This project didn’t cost me anything, as I had all of the supplies at home.

Here’s mine

I only had enough wood to make three and since my wood was already cut for sign making, I used it.
The total outside measurements are 12” width x 6” height x 7 depth. I’ve never made a box before in my life, so it was a bit of trial and error, and since I have no clamps, they are not square, but who’s looking that close?

Here’s the steps I took for the lettering. I am happy to share the svg’s if you want them, cause getting the letters in an arch was tough work, that you won’t have to go through :)

After making the boxes, I stained them with American walnut, the only stain I have.

I cut out the letters in vinyl and reverse weeded them.

Using transfer tape, I covered the vinyl completely, then removed the vinyl from the paper backing.

Rub the vinyl on to the wood really well, then remove the transfer tape.

Paint over the areas where the letters are

Remove the vinyl while your paint is still slightly damp, it makes it easier to remove.

Now I have to come up with some way to get the hooks. I’ll ask around at work tomorrow for some ideas,
and if you have any to share, I’d love to hear them.

Here are the original crates that inspired me.
Sharing at
The Shabby Creek Cottage

Organizing a lingerie chest

2011-07-26T17:21:00.001-04:00

When I made over my $20 lingerie chest, I didn’t know at the time how to keep track of what was in each drawer.

For more than a year now, I have had to open each drawer to figure out which one holds my socks, which one holds my underwear, etc. etc. I could never remember and I certainly wasn’t going to label them LOL

As I was about to do my search once again this morning, it finally dawned on me…ORGANIZE it from the top of your body to the bottom of your body. I put my bras on top, undies next and socks below that. Makes total sense. The other drawers are for those items that are used less often.

Am I the only one that didn’t know this already?

Butterfly specimen art

2011-07-24T14:30:00.009-04:00

This has been done before, so nothing new here, but I still really like the graphic element of it.
I did my first one back in February of 2010 and it is now in my bedroom.

I removed the raindrops from this frame and added butterflies, in a gradient.

I started with black and worked my way up in varying shades of blue.
And now it’s on my wall that I love to play around with. I’ve also added my vintage sail boat lamp inside of a vintage crate, and another set of deer horns that a co-worker gave me.

I have stained my new to me coffee table and it’s ok. It’s not perfect, but I’ll live with it. I hope to have it done before next weekend, but it’s been so hot here that I avoid going outside. Serious, it was 47 with the humidex on Thursday (116 F.)

Sharing at

What’s up with Pinterest?

2011-07-20T12:28:00.001-04:00

I love Pinterest, in fact it’s safe to say that I may be a little addicted. So, when I continually encounter this message

I start getting the heebie jeebies :)

Looks like they can’t keep up with the popularity. I hope they get this fixed soon. Please :)

Help – how much do I have to sand

2011-07-19T21:48:00.001-04:00

I stopped at the thrift store after work and found this substantial coffee table.

It’s a heavy beast :) And the best part…

It has some dings, scratches and nicks, but they are surface only and I knew I could sand them out.

My plan is to stain the top in Minwax American Walnut and paint the bottom portion in a creamy white. I really need some natural wood in my living room, all of my furniture is painted.

What I really like is that it has tons of space for storage underneath.

I have sanded it down, but I’m not sure when I know it’s been sanded enough. Can someone give me some tips?

Here it is now.

I want to be sure that it’s going to accept the new stain. Help? anyone! The dark spot on the bottom left is water, not varnish.

DIY savings bank

2011-07-17T11:29:00.007-04:00

while trolling on Pinterest, I saw this Dream Bank at Uncommon Goods and immediately scrounged through my stash to find a shadow box.

By the time school starts in September, my daughter hopes to have saved enough to buy herself a laptop.
I had this shadow box that I picked up a while ago for a few bucks.

I unscrewed the teeny tiny screws at the back with a screwdriver used for eyeglasses. Drilled a slit across the top to insert the money and used some pretty scrapbook paper to line it.

It won’t be easy for her to get her money out, which will hopefully encourage her to continue saving.

I’m going to keep my eye out for more of these. They will make a great gift for any one, whatever their dream is.

DIY clock

2011-07-16T17:45:00.002-04:00

I needed a clock for my living room. I decided I should make one. I bought the mechanism, bought a plate, drilled a hole, cut out my vinyl, put it all together.

Build a better bird house

2011-07-15T11:44:00.004-04:00

While out junkin’ yesterday, I found this birdhouse for $5.00. Cute, but not substantial enough. I scrounged around the house for something to make it have more presence. These are the things that I found. You may remember the large candlestick from the table I put together, which I really didn’t like, no matter what I did to it.

I glued all of the pieces together with no more nails, set two cans of paint inside to hold it down and waited.

Then I sprayed it all

I had this little bird in one of my cloches, so I put him on a stick with some fake ivy. Isn’t he adorable?

For the top I used part of a pepper mill that I took apart, and added a glass knob

And here it is all put together

My few days of vacation are now over, but I still have the weekend to figure out what other junk I can throw together :)

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Junk Trunk

2011-07-14T07:28:00.009-04:00

I bought this trunk 12 years ago from a local craftsman. It lived in my old house as a coffee table/toy storage and back then I had the south west theme going on (cringe). One day I decided that it should no longer be stained blue, but should be black, and then I gave up. That was 11 years ago and since then it has sat in my garage, being used as something to practice my piling addiction on. LOL.

I’m warning you, it’s ugly. But it’s a good sturdy piece with dovetailed construction.

I set to work yesterday to make it pretty. It was sanded, then primed with an oil based primer.

I then painted it with 3 coats of Ralph Lauren’s Roadster White. I love this white and use it on most of my signs; It’s creamy without being yellowish.

I wanted something on it that was simple and decided on a damask pattern. I cut out a stencil and applied it to the top and the front. I sanded lightly to make the damask look like it had been on there a long time. Some distressing was done to expose the blue stain underneath the paint.

And now it is a welcome addition to my front entry, providing tons of storage and a place to sit to put on shoes.

I am not a furniture painter by nature, if there is such a beast, and I think there is :) But I may change my mind after this one because it turned out better than I anticipated.

Sharing at

PB Teen pillow knock-off

2011-07-11T21:38:00.001-04:00

Here is my version of PB Teen Suite Ribbon lumbar pillow.

This is their version

Granted my version was made with bleached drop cloth and my ribbon isn’t quite as thick, but I made mine for nothing, with things I already had. Their version just for the cover is $36.51 Cdn. and the down insert is on sale for $20.15. Um, hello, a cushion for my daughters bed for $56.66, I don’t think so!

Which one would you buy given the choice? My choice is clear.

Raindrops

2011-07-10T21:33:00.002-04:00

I enjoy playing around with this large wall in my living room. It’s an endless source of creativity, figuring out what to display. When I got my grubby little hands on my plum faux fur, I wanted to bring that colour in to the room, but in a subtle way.
I changed the large frame from white to black, then covered a piece of luan with some textured paper.

Using scrapbook paper, I cut out some raindrops and then arranged them in an organic shape.
So for now it works, until I come up with another change.

One Love

2011-07-07T20:00:00.003-04:00

After seeing so many great projects using globes, I finally decided what I would do with mine, and jumped on the band wagon.

I picked this up many months ago, but it just sat there, staring at me :)

Are you singing Bob Marley’s song yet? Or maybe Dionne Warwick’s “What the world needs now, is love sweet love”. Let me know :)

I don’t bake

2011-07-06T21:46:00.006-04:00

But I can make a sign :) As a joke of course, because along with cooking, baking ranks right up there as something I loathe. I still cook every day because I have to.
I saw this sign at Paint Me White and decided to make one for myself.

I modified it to work with the fonts I have and the wood that I have. I decided to add a little red to it also.

Now I realize that the word bread is crooked and it’s not supposed to be, oh well :)

Sharing at

Just a Girl

Plum perfect

2011-07-05T19:50:00.001-04:00

I’ve been searching for some plum fabric for my living room for some time, but didn’t find anything at my price point (meaning, thrift store discount price).

Jackpot! Today I found this ginormous, plum, minky fun fur. There is at least 3 metres of it and it’s really wide! Here it is totally covering my loveseat, plus some, for $10.

Which inspired me to create a piece of art

And they go together perfectly.

I will make a throw and a couple of cushions and then I’m sure I’ll still have some left over.

I’m ready for the cloche party, are you?

2011-07-04T19:45:00.001-04:00

I’ve been fascinated with cloche’s since the first time I viewed the party that Marty at A Stroll Through Life hosted.

Marty is going to be hosting another party soon, a Summer Cloche Party. Get your cloche’s ready for July 19th and link up.

I stopped by my local GW after work today and found this adorable pewter figurine. It has two fairies sitting on a toad stool and is totally captivating. $2.00!

It gave me an idea for the cloche party.

There is something magical about cloches; how they are able to capture a snippet of time and put it on display.

Look at how sweet these two are. (wishing even more that I had a better camera)

I used some moss that I already had and covered a piece of floral foam, then I went outside and grabbed a few sprigs from my fern. Totally adorable! I almost feel like a peeping tom, catching these two on a romantic tryst in the forest.

I hope you too will join in on the party.

side table updated

2011-07-03T15:28:00.001-04:00

The silence was deafening :)

So I took your advice and made a change to this table

I really don’t have a clue what I’m doing, but I do agree that it needed toning down.

I painted it white, then removed the vinyl to expose the graphic in blue, added some silver and burnt umber and then sanded (which is tough work and good for the upper arms lol).

Teenage boys room update

2011-07-02T16:33:00.004-04:00

I cleaned it up (trust me, 17 year old boys, left to their own devices are not the neatest animals) . It was bare and lacking any character. Here it is post clean up but before the updates. Drab and lifeless LOL.
It’s not easy to decorate for a young man; too themeish would be child like, too together and it could look overly mature. This space turned out perfectly for my son. It is just like him, calm and simple (no, not his mind).

Since I am trying to redo this room at little to no additional costs, other than what I have in the house, I had to come up with some paint colours, so I mixed and came up with this palette.All of the paint is from the recycle center; free.

The only additional cost was for the curtain rod, everything else had been purchased at thrift stores.
You can see my tutorial here for attaching a drum shade to an old ceiling fixture.

The tv was mounted on the wall. 2 lack shelves to hold his gaming console and movies were $3.33 each. The Ikea drapes were brand new and bought for $12.00. The curtain rod I bought today for $12.95 at HD.

The Pier 1 storage unit was a thrift store find for $10.00. The large letter D was $3.00. He made the little white table himself, I’m so proud of him. The mirror was taken from my bedroom.

The burlap was bought at a yard sale last year and I used my old shower curtain rod to hang them in his closet. Even the curtains rings were bought at the thrift store :) Are you sensing a theme here?
I have one piece of baseboard left to install in that one corner.

He was reluctant to have me change his room, he’s a pretty typical teenager. A thrifty update that I am sure he will love.

Sharing here:

Dress up an ugly ceiling fixture

2011-07-01T20:42:00.005-04:00

If your house was built in the 70’s as mine was, you may be familiar with these ugly ceiling fixtures.

I am in the process of redecorating my son’s room. I am doing it on a slim budget, so removing this fixture was out of the question; besides it works and there is nothing wrong with it, other than being hideous.
I recently found some new lampshades for my living room lamps, so I have two extra black drum shades.
I came up with a way to attach it to the fixture.
A long bolt that fits into the fixture as well as the hole in the shade. 3 spacers that I found in my “things that I should throw away, but don’t” pile, and a nut.

I placed one spacer on the bolt, inserted the bolt into the shade, added two more spacers and put the bolt into the fixture. Tighten the nut.

Ta da! A fine looking fixture.

I hope to have the room reveal tomorrow, but for now you can see a peek of the colours I have used.

Sharing in hopes that someone finds this useful

So very happy

2011-06-30T21:01:00.001-04:00

Seriously, I can’t get enough of it.

If you would like to see my pins, click on the Follow me on Pinterest button in my sidebar. I’d love to see your pins too :)

New signs

2011-06-28T21:46:00.001-04:00

I have made a couple of new signs this past week.

The first is for my friend to commemorate her recent trip to Portugal. This is the town that she stayed in.

This next sign is for a friend and his wife to put up at their cottage. Don’t you just love the name? I do. The name is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It had been used by the Vikings more than 1000 years ago to dock their vessels. Most recently it was used as the site of the United Kingdom's chief naval base during World War I and World War II. Had they not ordered this sign, I never would have known that. huh.

An unlikely pairing – a new side table

2011-06-25T12:54:00.004-04:00

I created this side table today with a couple of pieces from around the house. I was inspired by Richmond Thrifter, who did such a fantastic job on her own table.

I used the top of this old table and a thrifted candle stick.

Caribbean Blue spray paint and gave it a couple of coats

I then dry brushed all of it with some white paint

I could have made a stencil of the Paris flower market, but didn’t want it to be permanent, so I cut it out of vinyl.
I then used a light grey paint mixed with glaze and gave the whole thing a once over. Best of all, I had everything in the house, so I didn't have to put out any money.

Update, Pam at DIY Design Fanatic asked for the cut file for the Paris flower market image; apparently you can use it with a Silhouette (although I don't know how) by importing the svg file. If you would like the svg, email me and I'll send it to you :)

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Vintage rattan bar cart

2011-06-23T19:31:00.003-04:00

I spied this beauty a few weeks ago at the GW for $15.00 and knew that it had to come home with me. Even the glass was intact! I also knew immediately that it was perfect for my girlfriend, who is celebrating a birthday today. She’s in Atlanta today but will be home this weekend so that I can help celebrate her 39th birthday, again :)

She has an oasis for a backyard and this piece will fit in wonderfully. Not to mention, that she loves to entertain, me, not so much.

I gave it a few coats of oil rubbed bronze spray paint, buffed up the castors until they shone brightly and finished it off with a couple of coats of poly.

It went from this

I had to dig deep to find any booze in this house, I don’t usually have much

To this

And it looks pretty good next to this one for $995.00!

Found here

Happy BD, CL!

Patriotic flag

2011-06-20T21:36:00.003-04:00

On July 1st, Canada will be 144 years old! I’ve never decorated for our celebration before, so I wanted to start with something small. (ok, so probably the only thing I will make :)

I started with this sign from the thrift store for $3.00, which I thought was highway robbery, but I knew it would work for what I wanted it for.

With some spray paint, vinyl and lots of sanding I came up with this sign.

It looks like it’s been dragged down a dirt road from the back of a pick up truck, I’m still learning how to distress :) It’s not real wood, so it wasn’t easy to get it to look like it is.

Sharing here