DIY extravaganza

Life has been so interesting as of late it seems like when it rains it pours and all that I can say is that I am so thankful for the times that it pours. Those dry spells are not fun, especially when it comes to your finances. I think the best thing for me to do was keep a positive outlook and believe that something will sprout up, beyond my expectations.

I have become what I have always wanted to be an artist. I am not starving but have been before, and think that when it comes down to it if I had to I would to be able to do what I ultimately love...which is everyday that I get to wake up and create and not just create, but create whatever inspires me.

I have had a few moments as of late where things feel as if I am finally doing what I was meant to do all along. I am not searching for a place to inspire me to create, and looking to leave to find somewhere to fill that creative void. I am finding it right here, in my home. A place I thought I was so different from what I wanted to be, but in reality was everything I needed, to bring out the best of who I am supposed to be.

I have been creating a lot lately and doing a lot of thrifting, garage sale-ing, etc. I look for objects that the normal eye would not see as beautiful and seek to restore them to a beauty that is relevant to today, and adds value to something that would have been seen as outdated and irrelevant.

Here are some of my photos of my recent work, I hope you find these things as fun and intriguing, as I have felt when creating them. This is only the tip of the iceberg and there are definitely more to come in the near distant future.

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My sister and I have been finding a lot of places that have literally been giving away stuff for free, so we look at the items and see what inspires us and go from there. The chair below was missing a joint and so not easily fixable but definitely perfect for a planter to sit on outside. I would define it as, shabby chic. (This is a decorating reference I never thought I would be a part of but I really do love it!)

before

after

I am not sure if you remember this stool that I bought that I was going to reupholster, but here is the before pic. I found it at a estate sale for a bargain and knew that all it needed was a little life.

before

after

I love the way the stool turned out because of how much more modern it now looks! I want to keep it but there is no room for it. So this is definitely an item I will be selling in the near distant future.

Did I mention that I may have taken a fancy to decoupage? I know...I know..I am becoming far more mature then my years for what crafting projects I have taken on. Remember those children's journals that are being sold on my etsy shop? Well I thought it would be a wonderful idea to decoupage the lampshades in the pages since, I wanted to use them for another project and this what I came up with. I think my favorite part is when they light up you can see the overlapping of the pages which to me is such a cool addition.

This little gem is an owl candle holder, it was original a very sad brown and black but with a little help from my friends at Krylon. The color I chose to spray paint this little owl is called, Ocean Blue and by far my favorite little gem.

The last thing I am going to show you, is my favorite furniture pieces. I used doilies and lace panels to create the effect shown below. These tables were really troublesome for awhile only because I learned that you should not paint when it is below 40 degrees and in our garage there is no installation so it feels as if you are outside.

So a lot of these items my sister and I will be selling at what we would call a showcase sale. A sale for us to showcase our work in person and let you all know what it is exactly that we are doing.

That's all for now...TTFN! :)

Colorful projects

So last night I decided it was time to take some of my projects and get crack-a-lackin on them. After purchasing enough paint to give the majority of things needed a facelift....it was time to start. Let me tell you I am not afraid of color either. I love bright bold interiors.

I have this theory that each item in your wardrobe should stand out or speak to you in some way so that when you put all the pieces together the end up being something amazing. Well I feel that same way with your home. If you do not love it or put your own personal touch on it then it becomes more cookie cutter and less personal.

This is why I love giving old beat up pieces new life, and add a bit of whimsy to them.

First project:

THE CHAIR

-BEFORE-

So when I saw this chair I knew that it needed some love great frame, great structure and I love the harp. When I saw this I knew that the harp had to be accented with a mettalic and the seat and frame would have to be in the purple family. Here is the result.

AFTER

My next project was this massive 1 1/2 ft tall candlestick that I found walking home one day. It was sitting on the sidewalk for free that is one of my favorite things about living in Portland, all the little treasures you find.

BEFORE

Bright was the best option to make this dingy candlestick come to life, and come to life did it!

AFTER

Those are all the project photos I have for you now but just wait there will definitely be more up tomorrow. In the meantime check out some pics from my garden project.

My first lettuce seedling!!! So excited!

And some flowers in my garden area!

Table Project

So I have not posted in over a week, was trying to get the hang of posting every couple of days. I got a little busy with weddings and people visiting. So now I am back in action and ready to get back on my crafting, upcycling etc.

The thing about artists, I feel like sometimes we get a creative block, for writers it is writers block, but for artists it is definitely creative block.

So thinking of a lot of new ideas and coming up with some new concepts, as many of you know I have been making journals, which I have about ten more to make in total. I have sold a few through my etsy shop which has been really awesome. I have quite a few pieces of furniture out there that I need to redo and upcycle as well!

So here is a later piece I create but wanted to show what I created.

This was just an ugly old round table before I began on this baby btw!



Yes it is all paint if you were wondering btw! :)

Adventures in thrifting. Again?

Today my sister and I looked out at the beautiful weather and decided that it was the perfect day to go thrifting. We stopped at two places, both of which had really great treasures. Some of which I will list on etsy, others which I will upcycle and recombinate to make a bit more modern.

Here is what we found at the first thrift store:



I couldn't say no to this amazing, intact book from the 1970's with an array of paper dolls and the outfits from the celebrities in the movies.



I know, I know everyone is probably like "owls are everywhere", but this one was so adorable I had to get it. It has so much character and vintage charm.



Teacups, teacups. Tea party? Hmmm...maybe, but I might have a crafty project in mind for these teacups. They are everywhere and have so much potential to be practical!

We moved on from the first thrift store and low and behold we ended up close to our home. I stumbled upon this small leather lunchbox....or at least what I thought was a lunchbox?



When I opened it I realized that it was a vintage 8 track carrier!!!! Amazing! I am going to stencil this object at a later date!






I found an amazing vintage print that I will upcycle for a pillow project. It is going to be fierce.

And last but not least...


I found more books, that I could make into journals!!!!! I was so stoked to stumble upon these amazing hardback children's books. I could in no way resist their charm.



In short I have a love for thrifting because to me it is like a fabulous treasure hunt. Or like a box of chocolates you never know what you gonna get.

Children's books turned into journals/sketchbooks!!!

So as you all know the other day I received a box of 51 books that I am going to make into journals.

I took the guts of the book out, and the inside cover of each of the journals has an image on the front and back cover of the original book. Don't worry I am using the insides of the books for another project here at the end of the month.

I completed a full five which I am very proud of. I almost want to keep them because I love them so much!!! There are are about 15 more that are ready to be bound. These should be done by Saturday.

Anyways here are some of the example of my work so far let me know what you think!

Here is the front of The Peacock Lane Journal.

The first cover page, using some of the original pages in the book.


The inside of the journal. The journal is combined with a few poems from the original book.


The end of the journal also uses some original images from the book. This is by far my favorite journal that I have created.

Book Binding

I have been trying to post at least every couple days on here, showing all of you what it is that I am currently doing. I have an obsession with books, no not reading books but using books to be reused in a way that gives them new life. Let's face it book reading is an art form that is losing ground quickly and being replaced by everything digital.

What inspired me to have these thoughts. Well I was searching on a magical website called Ebay. I hope you are all familiar. ;) I found a lot of 51 children's books for a reasonal price. I watched it and watched it and finally, I called my sister and we agreed that it would be a great idea to purchase these books and see what we can do.

So today I come home and find the box, I have been waiting for it all week!!! Thinking. Brainstorming. What do I do with all these vintage children's books with beautiful covers. Well how about I learn a new technique called Bookbinding and create some journals or sketchbooks.

I decided that all books I create must have blank paper only!!!! As a creative person it is hard for me to be linear and if you know me, I definitely have never stayed on the straight and narrow.

Well here is my first journal that I created. The pics are a bit blurry but you get the idea of what I am doing at least there will be more to come soon!



How much would you spend on an upcycled journal that you knew was handmade???

Let me know your thoughts I am coming up with price points for the 50 books that I have to do. Leave it in the comments segment below!!! Look forward to your feedback!!!

When in inspired...

So this week has been a really wonderful week. For one I am back home in Portland sitting next to the windows of a beautiful coffee shop overlooking Brooklyn Park in SE, and it is clear blue skys and warm enough for a light jacket. Is it really January??? I have been finding that every week I am inspired by a collective group of things, or things are going on in my head, that need to be created, changed or brought to life.

Here's to Inspiration and posititve change! CHEERS!

I have a small obsession with old books, most of which are falling apart, water damaged or just a little to dry for most of us to understand. There is so much beauty in them, I have been thinking I want to create a photoshoot using books in some way as the only material in the background. I feel that there is so much beauty in old books. Let's face the facts who has time nowadays to read old books. It takes a lot of time, and in todays world we dont have a lot of time.

I am obsessed with book art, what you can do with old books etc!! Here are some of my favorites!!

Side Table Chic

Here comes another posting, this table I created today. Unfortunately I became so inspired by the project that I forgot to take a before pic. It wasn't pretty let's just say that...okayy. Anyways I was originally going to paint the whole table black but after sanding the legs, I loved the modern/rustic/french look it gave. Once again it's the recombination thing that I love so much.

I am working on two more dining room tables currently, those will be finished closer to the end of the week. I must remind myself of one thing to wear a dust mask, because I finally understand why people who start cleaning and use chemicals can keep going for hours. They have inhaled so much, that their heart races and they are unable to slow down.

First Lesson learned: Always wear a dust mask.
Second Lesson: Always sand before painting.
Third Lesson: Do not start painting furniture until you have listened to Lady Gaga remixed.

And ACTION!!!

Well it is official, my first blog posting. I have been putting this off for quite sometime because I wanted to ensure that I created something that represented me and what I am hoping to achieve in the best way possible.

This whole thing began because I have an obsession with thrifting. If you are unsure as to what thrifting is, well I would say that it going to consignment shops, garage sales and thrift stores and look for fashions and home goods that can be modified to fit into todays world without looking old or outdated.

I have a sense of being able to see something and look at the silhouette or the fabric, and see the potential that lies within it. It takes a bit of vision, and definitely quite a lot of elbow grease and trial and error to make something old look new. That is the beauty in the whole process. Of course I love how something looks when I am finished, but the best part of the whole thing for me is the transformation.

Here is my first official piece, pictured below. I found this at a thrift store and knew that with a fresh coat of paint and a little work this would be a treasure.

before

after

I decided it would be fun to try a great little treatment on the top as well, I want to create something that I would call a combination of French and Modern. Here was the result.