Grasshopper Lane

Vintage Footstool

I have an old Victorian Settee sitting in my studio.  It’s perfect for taking a break from working on a project, lounging with the latest issue of Where Women Cook or sneaking a nap in when the hubby isn’t looking. 

 

The only problem is it is narrow and I’m a sprawler so I needed something to prop my tootsies upon.  After purging the workroom I ended up with a crate of odds and ends including an old drawer.  I picked it up for a song ($8.00) at an adorable vintage store in Tipton.  Perfect for a little stool – when I’m not bestowing my fuzzy sock covered toes upon it, it’s perfect for my pile of magazines or a tray with tea and cookies.    Here’s the how-to –

Drawer	Four Candle Cups
Two Travel Pillows	½ yard of your favorite fabric.
Paint	Screw Driver, Paint Brush, Paper Towels

 

Stool

• Remove hardware and set aside for later
• Clean the drawer thoroughly.  Just a damp rag will work.  Because it had been in the back corner of my closet – I grabbed the vacuum and gave the corners a good cleaning.

• Apply a coat of paint if you’d like.  I love chippie and scarred up but this poor drawer had seen some troubled times so I grabbed the Annie Sloan that was sitting on my counter and gave it a quick touch up.  Any paint will do but remember if you are using Chalk or Milk paint, you must seal it with something.  A coat of antique wax was applied here.  Let it thoroughly dry…..trust me on this.
• While you have the paint out – go ahead and give the candle cups a quick once over.  I found these in the wood crafts section of JoAnn’s but any craft store and/or Walmart will have them.  Since I’m a bit on the height challenged side, these are perfect.  You may want to use something else.  Let your imagination run wild! 

• Once they’ve dried – a good coat of adhesive or gorilla glue will keep them in place.

• Re-apply the hardware.  My drawer had a wood handle – not at all vintage looking so I rummaged around in my junk drawer and pulled out an old Graphic 45 door knob.  Since the prongs were not long enough to go all the way through the hole – I filled it with hot adhesive.

Pillow

• Depending on the size of your drawer – one travel pillow may work but I’m going for fluff.
• Lay your fabric out flat.  Lay the pillow(s) in the center and then measure so that the fabric just fits around the pillows and allows for a ½” seam.
• Now…..I don’t sew (okay, I do but?!?)  and since I’m using fuzzy, patterned fleece I just ran a seam around the outside of the pillows rather than doing the proper “Turn & Flip” method
• Put it all together

Total Time was about 30 minutes – a bit longer if actually take the time to let the paint dry.  Total cost was less than $20.00 with fabric and candle cup feet.  It would be perfect except I keep having to hunt for it in other rooms.  Hubby borrowed it for puppy sitting and #MrMMoo thinks it’s his new perch.  Go now and make one then come back and share with me.

 

Enjoy!

jen

Five

(5)

Evvie-Lou must have come directly from her shift at the diner – still sporting her tie-dye and that blonde pony that followed her in the door.  Before she could speak the pony tail started talking.

“I came to help.”  Evvie-Lou started, “I figure you for a very stubborn sort but truth of the matter is you need help.” 

Still unable to apply her voice to the conversation she watched as Evvie-Lou shoved the cardboard box of cleaning supplies to the side and dropped a brown paper bag on the table in its place.   She then held out a bright green tissue wrapped bouquet of flowers.  Lilacs, some of her favorite blooms, in the most marvelous shade of purple.  She once worked with a lady that had given her some starts off of her lilac bush.  “An Heirloom Lilac” she was reminded every time Ms. E passed her in the hallway.  She would never forget the time she went up to see the “gardens”.  Over an acre patch filled with ancient old walnut trees and a house just as old.  The land held plants scattered with no rhyme or reason, all in bloom.  Ms. E. would point to a particular plant and say that it just felt right to put it there that day so she pulled up her lawn chair and there she planted.  That visit had left her a bit envious because she could only hope for the faith in knowing that something would bloom just where you planted it.

“My momma always said never show up empty-handed and you should always have fresh flowers for the table” Evvie-Lou said. 

“Moms are generally right about those things.  Very thoughtful.  Thank you.”  She sat the spray bottle she had been using on the counter under the window sill, wiped her hands off on the legs of her jeans and then took the flowers from Evvie-Lou.  “Uhm….”  She replied.  Feeling a bit shy, she quickly turned and began searching the cabinets in search of something to hold them.  There, in the cabinet next to the sink was a beautiful, white, ironstone pitcher.  There was a tiny chip in the pour spot.  Just enough of a chip to cause the pitcher to splatter when poured.   She guessed it had been left behind because of its flawed appearance.  To her it was perfect, chippiness made her feel right at home. She filled the pitcher full of water and set it on the counter.  She would let it sit for just a bit before adding the flowers.  Water too cold or too hot would shock them and they wouldn’t last very long.  She made another mental note to grab an aspirin from her purse to add as well.  She could hear her new friend behind her rummaging in the paper sack and just ask she turned back around Evvie-Lou pulled out a can of spray paint.  She smiled.  The can sported a very bright pink top.  She could see the look of determination in Evvie-Lou’s face. 

“This place needs brightening up if you want people to stay here.  I still say the picnic tables need to be bright pink.”  She put her hand up to stop her from commenting.  “Now, I’ve been marinating on this whole campground business.  You need a catchy name like “The Pink Flamingo” and each site needs some kind of theme and color scheme to match.  Just think, when a reservation comes in, you could assign them ……”

Evvie-Lou rambled on and on and on and when she finally came up for air, she replied “No Flamingoes.”  Images of another time suddenly flood back to her leaving her somewhere between hysterics and nausea.  Oh, she could totally rock a good flamingo bash.  But those were times when things done out of silliness suddenly became the backwards talk of others and often reminded you that you would never truly fit in.  “Ugh!”  She quickly pushed those images out of the way.  She grinned and shook her head in amusement at Evvie-Lou.  “All good ideas.  But, the cabin needs to be cleaned up before I can think about the other stuff.”  Taking advantage of Evvie-Lou’s determination to help she asked, “How do you feel about cleaning bathrooms?”

Without missing a beat Evvie-Lou shot her a dead pan look and quickly volleyed back “Where’s the toilet brush?”

They worked together the rest of the afternoon getting the kitchen in order and the bathroom free from any critters.  Questions and answers from each other battered back and forth between the rooms.  Casual getting to know you time, with each of them offering just a tiny glimpse of their story.  She had been giving the old stove a healthy dose of Comet and elbow grease when she heard the screech and a loud stomp followed by “Oh! Don’t you worry. It wasn’t a very big one.”  Curling her toes up in her sneakers and grimacing a bit, she offered up a silent prayer of thanks for the help that her new friend had offered. 

Later in the evening, after Evvie-Lou had left, she sat quietly out on the sea wall watching the sunset.   She looked back over the day’s events – from her determination to keep to herself to suddenly having a new friend.  “Friend”, she thought surprisingly.  How had that happened? 

 

(I wrote this early last week but hadn't had time to proof and post.  Puttering around in one of my favorite antique stores - I found  the treasured ironstone pitcher....complete with the chippie pour spout.  Fate?  Definitely out of my budget - I walked away twice and then I discovered the blue/white enamel serving platter that made it all perfect.  It just had to come home with me.  It will be filled with Lilacs as soon as mine bloom.)

enjoy!

jen

Four

(4)

The hand-written note on the cabin door read – “You have water & power – try not to enjoy them together.  Signed, you’re friendly utility person.”  The graphic on the card showed a charred, grinning stick person.  She chuckled.   She wished she’d have been here to put a face with that witty prose.  Balancing the cardboard box of supplies on her hip, she grabbed the note, stuck it under her chin and nudged the door open.  She threw a cursory glance over her shoulder at the powder room.  Channeling a message to any creepy critter within hearing distance she let them know they had another day of reprieve.  This afternoon she would focus her attention on the tiny kitchen.  She couldn’t help but be excited having utilities meant real food and not just something questionable warmed from a can.  Thinking back to her meal the day before, bacon does NOT make everything better.  Fixing a meal on that old stove almost made her giddy with anticipation.  Nudging the red vinyl chair out of her way, she sat the box down on the well-loved enamel table.  Very much like the one she had tried to talk her mom out of, it was white with a red stripe around the edge.  She looked around for the fourth chair but it was not to be found.  She would add that to her list making a mental reminder to find out where all the good junk stores were.  Before she forgot, she tucked the note into the back pocket of her worn, holey jeans.  She would put that away in her journal later sure that it would bring as much of a smile then as it had when she found it. 

One of the perks to purchasing this old cabin was that the previous owner had left behind numerous vintage items. Each time she opened a cabinet or a drawer, she found a new treasure.  She turned the handle on the old faucet. It sputtered to life and spit the rusty contents from years of disuse out. As she waited for it to run clear, she pulled an old wash basin from the shelf above the sink – Robin’s Egg blue with a thin red stripe around the rim.  The sight of that old basin transported her to another kitchen, when she was younger, filled with these old treasures.  She relished the time her then BFF and her spent at her grandfather’s farm. Hours and hours spent walking the creek line and catching crawdads.  Such ornery little creatures.  Of course there were never enough for a meal and she couldn’t imagine either mother being excited about a bag of mudbugs brought home to the kitchen sink.  She could remember helping buck hay and being distracted by the idea of finding the big black snake up in the hay loft.  They never found anything other than hints that he’d been there and looking back at it now, she was pretty sure the two of them would have run willie-nillie if it poked its head out.  Her favorite memory though was after the hay had been cut.  They would climb to the top of the biggest hill in front of the little house, lay on their sides and race to see who could roll the fastest.  Each of them looked like little round bales by the time they got to the bottom.  BFF’s aunt would call them in, admonish them for getting all messed up and then present them with a store bought treat (She was not the domestic sort, if you know what I mean). But a treat was a treat!  We ate from a paper napkin because it wouldn’t do to break a piece of Great Grandma’s china.  Her memory today focused on the old wash basin, much like this one, sitting on a little tea towel at the side of the old white farm sink.  She could still picture that little white house and the old red barn.  She had always dreamed of having a little parlor with a fireplace and a beautiful, homey kitchen.  She had that in this little cabin.  Well, no walls other than “that bathroom” but still.  It would be her own little white house.  Maybe she would even paint the old cement building Barn Red.

She was wiping down the kitchen window with old newspapers and some vinegar, dreaming about apple pie and curtain panels blowing in the breeze, when the screen door slammed behind her.  She jumped and quickly turned around.  There, standing in her kitchen grinning like a Cheshire Cat was Evvie-Lou.  She backed up and glanced up the hill wondering how she hadn’t heard someone pull in.  There, parked just up the lane from the cabin, sat a sunshine yellow Volkswagen Beetle….complete with a set of eyelashes….closed now because the engine had been turned off.  She grinned and shook her head.  She wouldn’t imagine that Evvie-Lou drove anything but. 

 

(I must laugh at some of the questions that have come from this little deal.....my answer remains.....it's all in my head.....where it really probably should have stayed -)

enjoy!

jen

Three

(3)

Breakfast had been amazing though she had eaten less than half.  After a few bites and some random sketching her imagination had taken over and, as her friends would say, “She-gone.”  Her plate had been pushed to the edge of the table.  Her tea cup, less than half full, had been pushed to the side.  There were a few paint samples spread over the top of her open sketch book.  She had been twirling her tooth-marked pencil between her fingers and starring out the window when the incessant tapping of a long, neon green polka-dotted fingernail on the scarred Formica brought her back from the land she had been lost in.   She put the pencil down and quickly hid her nail-bitten fingers beneath the table, “What?” she asked, just in case there had been words to go with the tapping nail.

Evvie-Lou smiled at her, popped the top off of her pop bottle, quickly caught the metal cap in her hand, and plopped it down on the scarred Formica.  She scooted into the booth across from her.   “Pink” she bubbled excitedly.  “Whatever you are fixing to paint should be pink.  And,” she grinned again “…. a bright, happy pink at that.” 

That ponytail on the back of Evvie-Lou’s head seemed to have a life of its own,  rocking side to side, dancing to its own music as she scooched around getting herself settled for what was apparently going to be that “I Want To Know Everything” conversation.

She couldn’t help it, it was almost as if the pony had hypnotized her.  “Picnic Tables” she said quietly.

Evvie-Lou leaned forward, pony bouncing, and arched her eyebrow, “Do what, huh?”

No longer able to ignore the bubbly enthusiasm of the gal sitting across the booth from her, she gave in….just a little.   “I said” smiling shyly, “I’m painting picnic tables.”

Evie-Lou gave her a long, curious look and then pointed and wiggled a finger at her.  “You must be the little gal that bought the old campground property out west of town.”

She nodded her head in a “yes, believe it it’s true” fashion, smiled just a little more and answered “Yes.”

The wagging finger pointed at her suddenly turned to a hand reaching out towards her.  “Eugenia Louise Broadwater.  Folks call me Evvie-Lou.  You want to know what’s what around here, you come find me.”  Waiting expectantly, she finally prompted “You are?”

She reached to shake the hand that had been extended towards her, trying hard to remember the drill, and replied.  “Joe.”

“Joe??”  Evvie-Lou, eye-brow again raised, questioned. 

She gave a vague tilt of her head and nodded.  “Yes…Joe.”  It was funny how that name had come about.  Of course, her name wasn’t really Joe but she rarely used that except to sign checks and such.  She had inherited the name with an old, over-sized fleece jacket that, with her small stature, just about swallowed her up when she wore it.  It was warm.  The way it covered everything was perfect for those days when she craved invisibility from the world.  The jacket came with a patch sewn over the left breast proclaiming, in flowy cursive, the mechanic’s name to be “Joe”.  Her co-workers, always commenting on how she “fixed” things, quickly adopted it as her nickname and she’d been “Joe” ever since.

“Well…Joe”, Evvie-Lou said loudly, “Folks are wondering what you’re planning on doing with that fine property you’ve purchased.”

She could feel the silence.  The eyes of the other diners were all on her.  She could feel them lean in towards her …”I’m turning it back into a campground.”  She replied.  The buzz immediately started around her.  The gerbil’s in the gossip mill running just as fast as they could.  Well, she sighed, that should give them something to talk about. 

Slightly taken back by what she heard, Evvie-Lou lowered her voice enough so that folks couldn’t hear her, “That’s been sitting vacant for a while.  Not much left is there?  Last time I was by that way there was just a ridiculously old building and a cabin.  It’s going to take a lot of work to get that up and going.  It’s not just you, is it?  You have help, right?  Are you sure about this?”

Shuffling the pages of her sketchbook to avoid eye-contact, “I like old things, it has good bones and yes…..I’m doing it on my own.” She replied. 

Again with the eyebrow, Evvie-Lou replied “Ok….if you say so…..I still say you’re going to need a lot of help!”

“No,” she stubbornly replied “I can do it on my own” By then she had noticed that the dynamics in the room had changed.  No longer was there waiting silence.  She looked around – folks seemed to be hurriedly finishing up their coffee and heading to the register.  Apparently she had given them enough to send them on their way.

Evie-Lou, eyed her closely, “Oh, don’t mind them.” as she brushed her hand in the air.  “They’ll make up the rest of it.”  Giggling, she continued “I can’t wait to hear what they all come up with.  By the end of the day you’ll have had your five minutes of fame and your little spot will be the new home to a colony of Martian rabbits that you’re training to drive tractors and backhoes or some such thing.  Wait?”  She exclaimed “You aren’t planning on building a colony of Martian rabbits are you?” 

She couldn’t help but chuckle.  “No,” she assured her.  “No Martian Rabbits.”  But, she thought to herself, she had bitten off a lot with this project, she certainly wouldn’t say no to a little inter-galactic help getting the campground back up and running.  She would have to write about this in her journal later.  They spent the rest of the morning chatting.  Well, Evie-Lou mostly chatted…almost as if they’d been friends for life.  She had learned more than she probably wanted to like the fact that Evvie-Lou had moved here after her third attempt at love –“Men!”, she had exclaimed, “Who needs them?” 

She had also learned that Evvie-Lou, after bouncing over to the counter to grab a colorfully iced cupcake, had a secret dream to open up her own bakery.  The admitted town gossip filled her in on all the comings and goings of town and the who’s who.  An interesting trip to town this morning to say the least.  On the drive back to the campground she again thought to herself – that gal certainly had herself a little adventure going.  She had to chuckle….craziness.  Some days she missed those kinds of friendships – silly girls chattering about everything.  Nothing was secret or sacred.  You could always count on each other.   There had been a few like that at one time….they rarely kept in touch these days…..busy schedules, family, better offers always seemed to get in the way.   She found, with each new season that passed, sometimes talking things over with dresser she was distressing or giving needed praise of handsomeness to the door she was trying to coax in place was easier than actually chatting it up with a real person.  There were no assumptions to be had when you chatted with inanimate objects.  But…..her visit with Evvie-Lou this morning had left her craving just a bit of……well, something.

 

 

(just a reminder....it's fiction....and before you call the writing police on me....it's been a long time since I've written diaglogue.  Just read the story and skip through the poopie formatting.)

enjoy!

jen

Two

(2)

Crawling out of her little home on wheels (a 1967 Shasta w/wings) at day break, she watched the purples merge into oranges with bright yellow rays just peeking over the top.  She could definitely get used to the sunrises here.  Later she would venture into town for supplies.  But first, a steaming mug of tea in her hand, she wandered down towards the lake.  The water was gently slapping against the shoreline…..she was reminded of a long ago family outing, one where she was playing with her brother on the beach.  Much like a puppy craving attention, she followed him everywhere and was usually involved somehow in the mischief of the day, mischief that was generally aimed at her rather than with her.  That day involved bottle rockets and an old glass soda bottle.  She still sported a tiny scar on her shin.   Silly boy, she could still hear him re-assuring here that everything was totally cool.  Goodness she missed him and those mischievous moments.  She wished there had more of them.  But, enough of times past, the loud rumbling of her stomach snapped her back to the present – time to head into town, grab a bite and pick up supplies.

 

She pulled the truck into an empty spot in front of the town diner – the bright pink neon sign flashed “Breakfast All Day” – her tummy roared with anticipation.    The place was tiny, just four or five booths and seating at the counter.  Being the newbie in town, curious eyes followed her as she entered and made her way to the booth in the back.   No stranger to being on her own, she had brought her planner and sketchbook to make eating alone a little less awkward.    Glancing at the faded menu, she noted a favorite from her childhood….cream of tuna on white bread….nothing could beat that salty, creamy deliciousness except, maybe,  an exceptional order of biscuits and gravy.  Glancing around the room, it was  like she had been transported back in time.  The tables, with their vintage turquoise Formica, sported the stains of the past, perhaps coffee or tea bumped over by an excited child reaching for a bite off mom’s plate.  She assumed her waitress would be sporting the old time mustard colored polyester dress, support hose and sensible shoes…much like those in the beloved sitcom her parents used to watch.  She quickly masked the look of surprise when the waitress, a gal her age, appeared wearing a tie-dyed t-shirt, jeans and sporting a very bouncy blonde pony.  The name tag pinned to her t-shirt proudly proclaimed her, in multiple colors of  glitter pen, as “Evvie-Lou”.  She quieted a chuckle and placed her order.  She would bet her breakfast that there was a story there but, she wasn’t one to get close to anyone.  Not these days anyway.  Ignoring the whispers and the curious over-the-shoulder glances, she opened up her sketchbook and began to put together the plan for her six campsites.  She would need to have the wiring checked, new gravel poured and the well loved picnic tables repaired and brightened up with a coat of paint.   She was pouring over the paint samples when Evvie-Lou appeared a few minutes later with a plate of biscuits the size of softballs smothered in sausage gravy.  The smell of sage and pepper made her mouth water in anticipation and she couldn’t wait to take her first bite.  Evvie-Lou, shifting back and forth at the side of the table, waiting for her to look up, gave her that “I want to know EVERYTHING” wink and announced loud enough that everyone could hear, that she’d be back to chat in a few.  Oh bother!  She knew the type.  A “Nosy Nellie”…..the well-intentioned, or so you’d think, in your business and spreading it to anyone that had three minutes, kind of person.  She’d been here before.  Muttering under her breath, she reminded herself of the drill…vaguely answer only what is asked, keep it simple and don’t volunteer anything.  Well, she sighed, maybe she could round up a little support for the campground.  

(note:  some memories shared could be mine....some could be a fig newton of my imagination....either way....they are in no way directed towards or about anyone so don't take it personal....or take....well, you get the idea.)

enjoy!

jen

Lemonade Crinkle Cookies

Hubby and I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary here in a few days.  The plan - a 1920's church picnic/vow renewal.  Lots of food....lots of fellowship....tons of vintage goodness.  Lots of yummy stuff to prepare including these adorable little cookies.

Most of you are familiar with the cake-mix cookies.  At Christmas time our tables here at work are filled with all sorts of varieties such as chocolate with peanut butter chips....oh goodness.  These scrumptious little bites....well, as Emeril would say, "let's kick it up a notch".  Think warm, gooey sweet tarts.  They won the hearts of a house full of teenagers last weekend.

Perfect with a glass of....well, lemonade.  I made two different versions of them.  Both lemonade and strawberry lemonade.  Try them out....or, if you're hanging out with us this weekend, they'll be on the cupcake table. Here's the recipe:  http://www.grasshopperlanedesigns.com/Lemonade%20Crinkle%20Cookies.pdf or you can find it over on the right side of the old blog.  Let me know what you think.

And don't forget - sale in the shop until 6:00 p.m. tonight.  20% off everything.  Coupon Code:  H3art

enjoy!

jen

 

 

 

Graphic 45 Design Team 2014 Audition

Sitting quietly at the dining room table, Josh Groban playing quietly in the background and a mug of my favorite tea sitting at the ready.....perfectly calm.....

Wrong!  Actually, I'm buried in the corner of the sofa, nose down in my computer editing pictures, trying to coax a finicky computer into uploading a video and getting ready to hit send on a really important email....to Graphic 45...auditioning for their 2014 Design Team.....before tomorrow's deadline.  I feel like I'm writing the most important term paper ever.  I have butterflies in my stomach....

I would love, love, love to be part of this Design Team....it's a dream!  Getting to work with a company that feeds my love of anything vintage would be pretty amazing.  But first I need to submit atleast six projects ....no pressure, right?   Here it is -

Botanical Tea Greeting Card

What a perfect place for a nest nestled in among the flowers.  Such beautiful papers, lots of fussy cutting and distressing with Vintage Photo distress ink.  

Flowers are mounted with foam tape to give it lots of dimension.

Butterflies have just a touch of Glossy Accents to make them shine and a perfect addition to the chipboard accents.  I can't wait to send this to a friend.

 Couture Train Case

 

This project was alot of fun.  I found the train case sitting alone in a corner of one of my favorite junk haunts.  All chippy and very well loved.  The Couture paper collection was perfect for bringing this treasure back to life.  I even stopped by tonight to pick up a few extra little goodies...some spectacles, a few mini scent bottles and a little black hat.

The inside of the case was pretty bare when I brought it home so I fashioned a tray from chipboard to hold all of Grandma's vintage trinkets.  It's riding on some sandwich skewers, courtesy of the Manager, from Red Robyn.  You never know where you're going to find supplies. There's room underneath to hold those postcards, pictures and love letters from your secret admirer.

These images....what can I say!  I love all the lace and feathers.  Makes me want to go back in time so I can play dress up.  Again, lots of distress, some spool legs so I can sit it on the dresser and one of my favorite art supplies - rub 'n' buff.

Here's a quick video so you can see more details:

 

Great Grandma's Necklace

There must be trinkets in your jewelry box.  I made a quick stop at another one of my favorite antique stores on the way home yesterday.  Up and down the aisles looking for the perfect necklace....then more time in the local craft store searching out just the right jewels to add to it. After punching out several images, there are too many to choose from, I let the hubby choose....I think he made the perfect choice.

 

The necklace is included in the Train Case video as well -

Sweet Sentiments Chunky Mini

 

I don't know about you but I'm ready for Spring.  Since our weather doesn't seem to be cooperating, I decided to make my own Spring.  I wanted it to look just like the garden I've always imaged so I fussy cut lots of lilacs and violets and then loaded them up with dimensionals.  Each flower has just a touch of glitter in the center.

All gardens must have butterflies....lots of them.  Mine have some glossy accents to give them a little pop and make them sturdy enough to fly.  Lots of pockets, photo mats and envelopes.

Definitely one of my favorite projects. Here's another quick video with more details - 

Play Ball

Baseball is just around the corner....have you seen the Good Ol' Sport paper collection?  Oh my!  Loving the rich colors and vintage images.  My baby is all grown up and getting ready to head off to college.  She makes me proud....she danced....we had point shoes instead of baseballs in our household.  But, this paper makes me wish I had a little mister to send out on the ball field.

I may have to borrow a kid so I can scrap their ball pictures.  Anyone wanna lend me theirs?

 My First Pencil Mini

Remember Big Chief tablets and the over-sized pencils you had in Kindergarten?  Those were the inspirations for this mini.  The Typography papers were perfect!  Lots of pockets, envies & photo mats.

 

 

 

There's even some beginning writing paper so they can write about their good days...or their bad.  The photo cards are made from coasters...as a matter of fact, it's become a game amount our group to see how many coasters they can bring back.  Needless to say, there are plenty left for my next project.

My Sister's Bohemian Journal

This belongs to my Sis-in-Law.  She requested a special book to keep her thoughts, favorite quotes and special notes in.  The Bohemian Bazaar papers are her favorite.  She loved it!

I included a little mini book for her to toss in her purse to record those road-trip memories.  The flowers are made from the Tattered Florals - such fun, bright colors. 

 

Again, lots of pockets and photo tabs.  Each page has a special quote stamped in the corner.  Such a fun journal.  It's also the project that made me cry.  After a really rough day, I opened up my Facebook to find that this project had been featured on Graphic 45's Facebook page.  Tears of shock and joy.  So many wonderful comments.  Made my day so much better.

 

Okay - that's actually seven projects.  Goodness....that was intense...but I had alot of fun working on them. Thank you's to my hubby, my biggest cheerleader, for putting up with a messy house and cereal for supper and to my other cheerleaders, you know who you are (Lots of "Craft Saturdays" to keep me focused and there were no long distrance travel threats had to be carried out).  Lots of love and luck to everyone that entered. 

enjoy!

jen

Pallet Fun

The goal.....turn these

into a nifty work bench for planting, painting and creative goodness.  Here's the plan:

You will need two pallets, a couple of 4 x 4's, a handful of wood screws, paint, stain, rubber gloves and access to the Hubsters tool bin.  Hubby picked the pallets up from the local recyling center (Thx! C).  (disclaimer:  please make sure the pallets were not used for fertilizer, chemicals or are covered in grossness). 

We'll be cutting both pallets in half so decide which pieces you want to be the top, table and shelf.  I used the roughest piece as my top.  I really like the way it looked, expecially with all of the old nails.  The remaining piece of pallet will be used as filler boards for your table and back piece.  Since the goal was "use what you have" - hubby straighted and reused the old nails from the pallets.  I loved how vintagey they turned out - especially those that bent.  Kind of looked like something that had been sitting out back of Grandma's house.  The legs were cut at 38 1/2 inches - perfect for my height.  After everything is cut....put it together.  No real pattern here.....I just went with what I thought would look good and hubby put it together the way he thought it should really be.

Distressing the bench was probably the most fun and relaxing thing I have done in awhile.  It was also the only expense to the project - about $15.00 total in paint, stain and brushes.  You will need one to two colors of paint and a can of stain.  I used a tropical green, light aqua and then Walnut stain.  If I had to do it over again, I would probably use a little lighter and redder stain color but over all - I love it! 

Just apply the lighter color of paint first - use a dry brush technique - very random. Then apply the next color - again dry brush and very random and overlapping the first color.  Let it dry for a bit.  It was a breezy afternoon so it just took a few minutes.  Apply your stain, making sure to cover over the paint, count to twenty and then remove using a dry rag.  The paint will resist most of the stain - think embossing powders and ink for you stampers.  If you'd like it to be a bit darker - just reapply the stain, again count to twenty and wipe it off.   A quick note - if your not into that creative, painty look....please remember to put on rubber gloves before you start staining.....you'll thank me.  I love the way it turned out - old and weathered.  It's sitting up next to my little potting shed. 

And as a bonus - Hubby was digging a few things out of the shed for me and unearthed my old, old planting shovel from when I was a kid.....perfect!

Enjoy!

jen

Little Darlings Keepsake Cabinet

By now you've figured out that I am passionate about turning old into new.  I spotted an adorable little doll cabinet at one of my favorite haunts, Artichoke Annie's, while hanging out with my aunts.  I made a couple of trips around the aisles and decided that I would marinate on it for awhile.  It was a little more than I usually spent when re-purposing something.  A few weeks later - I awoke at the crack of dawn with a plan.  We had to roadtrip to pick up this little diamond in the rough.  I could see it being a perfect little cabinet to use for baby's keepsakes then, when they grew older, it could again be used as a little doll cabinet.  I will be honest as adorable as it was, it required more than a little elbow grease to remove those stickers.

A good cleaning, acouple of coats of paint and a little distressing - we were back in business.

Of course, I couldn't just leave plain.....so outside it went for some another coat of paint, some sandpaper, Rub'n'Buff and of course, some Tim Holtz Distress Inks.

The end result -

After that - a little construction to add some drawers, a shelf and a cute little scrapboard to highlight babies best moments and we were in business.  Included in the cabinet is a little mini album.  I love the Graphic 45 Little Darlings paper.  The images are just perfect for this vintage cabinet. 

Lots of pictures showing all the little details and images in the video below.  This was alot of fun to make and even funner trying to get pictures at 6:30 this morning - I have a couple of squirrels that insisted that I include their nut shells.  Naughty little fur-babies!

 

Thanks to the hubster for a little re-construction work and to everyone that helped with deciding the knobs.  I have it listed in the shop -

https://www.etsy.com/listing/151295246/little-darlings-keepsake-cabinet?ref=shop_home_active

I can't wait for someone to take it home to store their keepsake memories.  Make sure to leave me some comments letting me know what you think.  Next up - the video and tutorial for our first "Let's Make Something" date.

enjoy!

jen

Junkin'

If you've traveled down Highway 50 towards St. Louis then you've been through Rosebud.  It's a charming little spot in the road with a few antique stores to browse.  After our morning of Vintage Camper Goodness, we headed into town to check them out.  The first stop was a success - I scored a metal cabinet with claw feet.  It's in great shape considering it's age.  A little elbow grease to take those silly stickers off, some primer/paint and she'll be perfect!  Now, in all fairness.....I did sort of steal this from mom but....I saw it first!  It was too good of a deal to pass up.  I gave Pop my price and he headed up front to talk business.  And the entertainment - still puny from the creeping crud, carrying a cabinet backwards with Mom out of the the store, down the sidewalk and loading it into the truck....all the while being guided by Pop?  We could have won America's Funniest Home Videos hands down!!

Our haul for the day included some oversized frames - think chalkboard and chicken wire, a fabulous old chippy window that I am going to turn into a memo board, some quilt pieces to make table runners from and a gorgeous chevron apron to wear when I'm doing shows. The chair?  Well, I'm kind of sneaking it into the picture....I actually purchased it a couple of weekends ago when my BFF and I hit a few garage sales.....I've been hiding it in the back of the truck.
We stopped for a little treat at Clancy's meat market - some homegrown tomatoes and Dark Chocolate Raspberry Muffins- definitely stop and get you one.  I wish we would have had more time to explore.  We did make a little side trip to Owensville for lunch and a quick run thru Timeless Treasures.  We will have to go back and explore when we have more time.  There were a couple of lovely young ladies waiting at home for me - hair, makeup, pictures - you know, all the girly prom primping.

enjoy!

jen