Make - up-cycled vintage furniture

Hello Wednesday, it's nice to see you looking so well! Today I am sharing a little project I undertook yesterday, I had a couple of hours spare and this has been waiting to be done for an age. When I was the in-store VM at Cath Kidston I had so many amazing vintage props to work with, many of which were also for sale and over the 3 years I was there I became very fond of this tatty old milking stool. I could see that with a little love and attention this insignificant piece of 'furniture' could have a whole new lease of life. The stool was handed over in to my care and now sits as a side table and occasional prop at craft markets, it has also finally had the make-over it deserves. Here's what I did...

I have seen lots of two tone furniture on Pinterest of late and thought this would work well on the stool so I grabbed 2 tester pots of paint from the local DIY store and a couple of cheap brushes. The paint I used was Cuprinol garden shades as it is meant for wood. I chose to use Daisy White for the bottom half and Coastal Mist for the top (I am always drawn to blue shades), and to highlight the small band around the leg I used a light gold acrylic art paint. If you decide to have a go at this on something yourself you may find a primer is needed, I didn't use one but I did sand the wood thoroughly before I started. It did take several coats to get the look I wanted but I am so pleased with the result. What do you think?

Have you rescued anything unloved before?

Make - mood board makeover

I recently read this great 5 minute DIY post on the craft blog creme de la craft on how to pretty up your bulletin board with a glue gun, pins/tacks and some artificial flowers, so simple but incredibly beautiful. I am intending to do this as my studio walls are covered in pins that would be much improved with some spring flowers.
However, I haven't yet found any flowers to use but I did find these cute little crochet bits at my local haberdashers, The Makery Emporium in Bath, which I felt would make a nice starting point for this project.

Take a look at the post for yourself and see what you can do too.

Make... An Order Board

Hello friends, sorry about the quality of photo's in this post but I only had my phone camera and poor lighting available to record my make today.
I am very excited that I am writing this on my brand new MacBook Pro, but this wondrous machine has highlighted how much I need improve my photography skills!

For my first make of 2013 I am bringing together functionality with the fun and frivolous. I was given these stag pegs (below) for Christmas and I am going these on a design memo board that I have in my workspace, but they have also inspired me to make another board for my order list (I do like my space to be organised).

So, what is needed to make a clothes peg memo board? Well clothes pegs are a good start!

6 wooden pegs

selection of washi tape

vintage buttons

piece of wood

white emulsion paint

ink stamps

staze-on ink

hot glue gun

nails/hooks and string for hanging

The first thing you need to do is give the wooden board a wash of the paint and put it to one side to dry.

Whilst this drying you can decorate the pegs, do this by sticking your tape to the flat edge of one side of the pegs and trimming to a neat flush finish. You can then use the hot glue gun to stick on your buttons,  layering smaller ones on to larger ones to give some nice detail.

Once your paint is dry you can ink stamp whatever you want written across the top of the board, I chose the word orders with some added detail of a button image I have on a stamp. Staze-On ink really is the strongest you can buy, so be confident of your design as it's not coming off once you have stamped it!

Finally hot glue gun your pegs along the bottom edge of your board, tap your pins or hooks for hanging on to the back, attach your string and voila, you are done.

Have fun xx

Birds, Butterfies & Baubles

I have been making some little stocking fillers this week using some oven bake clay and ink stamps. Have a go at making some holiday ornaments yourself, just grab some clay and impress your favourite images in to it with permanent ink. Make a hole using a straw, bake according to the instructions and hang with pretty ribbon or twine... Or if you are able, come along to the Bath Artisan Market this Sunday where I will have some of these brooches for you to purchase.

What decorations have you been making this week? xx

Fireworks, Flea Markets & Fabric Labels

Over the last week I have been a little miserable as a vicious cold took hold, but we can't let these things stop us can we! I didn't manage to get to the big bonfire party in Bath, but there was plenty to see from the garden and I lit a sparkler or two to feel a part of it. I do love fireworks, it's the wrapping up all cosy and warm and being with lots of others all enjoying the same experience.

I have also managed to do some flea market shopping of late, picking up some brilliant finds to decorate a few spaces and to use as props for my Silver Shed booth (remember to come along to The Bath Artisan Market this Sunday at Green Park Station 9.30-4pm). I am particularly in love with the 1930's German sleigh I found in pretty Malmesbury. The enamel bowls are perfect for holding my jewellery goods, there is a song sheet which will be framed and a mini milking stool and shoe last for... um, well... well for no reason, but why not hey!

Lastly I need to share with you my new love... printing on fabric at home. Looking for some way to label my silver quote rings I started thinking about printable fabric sheets, these little gems enable you to design and print your own fabric with an ink jet printer. Perfect for text too, but just remember to mirror image!

It is quite pricey but looking on line I came across many people raving about freezer paper and how it allows you to make your own sheets by ironing it to the fabric and giving it enough structure for the printer. Sadly I soon realised this is an American product and tricky to find in the UK, but look on line and in quilting shops (it's popular for applique work) and you will eventually find it, and plenty of tutorials (here is one on the Instuctables website). Have some fun with it!

xx

After the Birthdays and Bunting Came the Crafting

OK so I have been really lapse at posting anything recently, life has been just too exciting so I've had no time to turn on the old laptop. What with Olympic torches, Jubilee celebrations and a birthday or two I have been up to my ears in bunting, flags and cake. However, here I am with a cup of tea by my side contemplating what to do with all of those greetings cards that my friends and family have lovingly sent me. They are so pretty and the notes written inside don't deserve to be discarded lightly, a few even have drawings and greetings by the little people I know practising their handwriting.
Right, what to do with them? All too often they end up in a shoebox and forgotten about, so I was looking for some ideas on line and found a blog or two with some great ideas.

simplemom.net

Turn them into a book, simply punch holes and bind them together. It doesn't have to be just cards, you could keep bits that remind you of a particular person, like letters and ticket stubs. Add little notes and dates if you want and use it as a kind of picture diary for the year.

The Pink Sewing Machine

Grab a tag shaped punch from your local craft store and make beautiful gift tags from old greetings cards.

Atypical Type A

Frame it! Add your fave or sentimental cards to your gallery wall. Make them pieces of art, even the greetings on the inside can look beautiful framed in the right way.

Let me know if you have any ideas yourself.

Have fun x