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Friday, November 23, 2012

Tech Problems

Obviously I am not a techie type person, but when I did a little internet research, it occurred to me I was trying to upload one image that I didn't bother to re-size and once re-sized it allowed me to upload the photograph.  Supposedly the smaller images do not count toward the 1GB of storage space.  So if you encounter the problem I have had for the last two days, try changing the dimensions of your photographs.

That said, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  My daughter and son-in-law are down for the long weekend and brought us great news.  They have purchased their first home in Northern California and if all goes well, they will be moving the middle of December.  We are decorating for Christmas, and I am starting to play with two new rose patterns that I hope to be sharing in the next couple of days.

In the meantime I wish you a happy Black Friday.  We are staying tucked in at home away from the hustle and bustle.  I'll share the one photo I decided to keep from our Thanksgiving table.  It looked so much prettier in person.  I'm really bummed the photos didn't come out better.  We are all still in our food coma and are so grateful for our wonderful day yesterday.  Thanks for your visit.
 
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Technical Difficulties


For some reason Blogger will not allow me to upload any photos to my blog because I have "used" my 1Gb of free space.  Yet when I go to see about purchasing more space, it says the limits for my current plan, and it says I have used none of what I get for free.  Has anyone had this problem?  I'll start posting again once I solve this problem.  Thanks for any help you can give me.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Steampunk Ornaments

What is the saying?  Imitation is the best flattery?  I saw these ornaments on the Graphics Fairy Brag Monday last week and instantly fell in love.  The originator of these ornaments is Sandra from Stone House Designs.  Aren't they adorable?  I immediately took a trip to Joann's Crafts and found the wooden blank ornaments and saved the graphics from the Graphics Fairy's website. 

I used the reverse mod podge transfer method just because it is the most economical method I know of (or that I know how to do) and I made five sets of ornaments.
For the black ornaments, I used the white graphite tracing paper and a paint pen for the chalkboard paint effect.  Then I strung some jewelry hemp from Walmart and voila, I have some trendy new ornaments.  For some of the graphics, here are the links.  Eyeglass image, Christmas Sheet Music, and bicycle, and I'm sorry but I can't find the other images.  They are both optometry images so maybe you can search that way.  Have a great week and thanks for stopping by.
By the way, I am very behind on responding to comments.  I love your comments and will be getting back to you very soon.  Just know that I appreciate each and every one of you.

I'm partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           My 1928 Charmer Sunday's Best


Sunday, November 18, 2012

Little French Flea Market

Yesterday I visited a quarterly flea market called the Little French Flea Market.  It is one of my favorite niche flea markets because they have all the pink and pretty stuff I love, and it is held in a park-like setting which makes it all the more special.  At the last market, I forgot my camera (dang!) and then yesterday I had my camera, but it was raining hard.  I can personally tell you when it rains in Southern California, it is sadly a cause of panic especially when it is the first rain of the season.  So because of the rain a lot of the vendors were not completely set up, but just so happens my favorite vendor there was all ready for us.   

Fran had her Easy Up sheltering her wonderful wares and she was happy for me to take photos.  She had tons of these coffee filter roses and she was kind enough to tell me how to make them, so I will be sharing a tutorial this week, and check out her adorable clock ornaments.  She actually took an old vintage clock and copied the face to do these.  Aren't they fun?
I love to share my ideas and she loved to share hers too.  I have been criticized at times for being so open about how I make my things, but just think where Martha Stewart would be if she hadn't been willing to share her secrets too!  That woman built an empire, after all, and became a household name.
Fran had several of these little glittered bird houses for sale and a pretty glittered tree.
I love this canvas with the bee, and here is a close up of one of those beautiful roses.
I did end up purchasing this pretty lampshade.  I couldn't resist it.  Fran used it here as a tree topper.
One of the other things I like about Fran's space is that she always has fresh plants and flowers.   I hope to be a vendor at this flea market next year, and as soon as I have the dates I will be posting them.  I just wish I could have shared more with you, but I'm thankful that Fran loves to share her ideas as much as I do.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

I'm partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           My 1928 Charmer Sunday's Best


Friday, November 16, 2012

Mold Making Progress

Yesterday I shared with you that I made a mold out of an antique metal applique.  Today I tried to make two castings that are drying at this very moment.  I'm not sure they are going to work though.  I used paper clay, and I'm not sure that will be any better than plaster of Paris.  The appliques I have been using are durable enough to hold up outdoors.  The mold is good, but maybe I will try some Sculpey to create another casting.

 If any of you have some ideas, please let me know.  I will not give up on this process and will keep you posted.  The paper clay takes one to three days to cure.
The top of my casting has some nice detail, but I think the applique I was trying to duplicate is warped and the bottom did not turn out well at all.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Mold Making 1

I love to use appliques on my signs and furniture because I love French inspired pieces.  My usual source for purchasing my appliques is drying up and although I can find them on line, they are much more expensive than I usually want to pay and since my items are for sale, and I need to watch my cost of goods.

 I've been searching and searching for a way to make my own molds, then finally, this week I found a product made by Sculpey that claims to make molds in minutes so I thought I would give it a try.
 I have this metal applique that is heavy and beautiful so I thought I would start with that. 
I rolled out the clay and pressed the applique into it. 
 I baked it in a toaster oven according to the directions.  The white powder you see on it is the talc that I poured over the applique so it would not stick to the clay.  I'm sure that won't bother my end product.  My next step is to attempt to mold clay into this and make a casting.  I'll let you know how it comes out in another post.

Thanks for stopping by.  I'll keep you posted on my progress.

I'm partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           My 1928 Charmer Sunday's Best


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Glitterfest Roses

This is a reprint of a tutorial I did last year when I was an itty bitty blogger, but I thought I would share it once again.  These are roses made from coffee filters and book pages with a splash of glitter.  
 At the time I made these roses I was using whatever I had on hand.  White paper plates would have worked better, but the base is a quartered paper plate used as a base for the rose petals.  The rest of the tutorial is as it was printed in the previous post.
I used the coffee filters to come up with a pattern for the book page. The coffee filters are cut into quarters so I tried to make the width of the book petal as wide as the widest part of the quartered coffee filter. Then instead of making it a triangular shape like the coffee filter section, I made a wider base as shown in the photo. I cut a little dip in the shape because rose petals are not perfectly straight across. I outlined one side of the page petal with Tacky Glue and dipped it in silver glitter. I used German glitter I bought from an Etsy shop. It has a slight antique tarnished silver look.

Each rose needs 5 of these glittered petals.
I used white and brown coffee filters and cut them in quarters. You can cut a whole bunch at one time and separate them into a pile of white and brown petals. I started with 5 pieces of the white slightly overlapping the edges of each petal as I went in a circle. I used one of the quarter pieces of the paper plate as my base for this project. Now figure out how high you can count and that's how many hot glue sticks I used. Seriously. I used one after another after another and so on. So lay down 5 white petals in a circle using a hot glue gun. It just takes too long to use Tacky Glue for this part.
Now on top of that use 5 brown quarters and do exactly the same thing.
When that was done, I took 3 white petals and placed them in a circle on top of the brown layer. Then I took 3 brown petals and placed them on top of the 3 white petals kind of placing them in between. So now you have the plate quarter as your base and 4 layers of coffee filter petals. Understand? Now take the book page petals and fold just the base of the petal and sort of pleat from each side in. If you saw my poinsettia project it is very similar except we are not using tape. I pleated or gathered the base of the petal scrunching it in at the bottom of the petal. I stuck a glob of hot glue down and then using a thick wood skewer, I took the flat end and tamped it down after I placed the petal in place. Put down 4 book petals for this layer.
On top of that layer, I put 3 more brown petals always working in a circle. On top of the brown layer place 3 white petals. When I am saying petals, I mean the coffee filter quarters.
Now take your fifth book page petal and roll it up with the glitter side on the inside of the roll. Scrunch the bottom and make a little fold. Use the folded part to make your flower center stand straight up in the center of the flower. In other words, your flower center will have an L-shaped base. Glue that flat part of the L-shape into the center of the flower. Put another glob of glue in the middle of your flower petals and tamp your rolled up page petal into the center.




When that has been placed, take 3 more brown petals and drizzle some glue down into the base around the page petal and stuff the brown petals in. Then do this again with 3 white petals. DO NOT put the glue on the petal before you place it. You will mess up the layers you have already done. Just drizzle glue into the flower aiming for the inside base of your last completed layer. Tamp it down with the wood skewer. As you get to the last layers it is getting tighter and tighter in the center so as you place the glue and stuff the petals in you are not going to see the glue spots. They are hidden by the stuffing procedure you are doing. But the glue will hold the petal in place. Here is one of my finished roses. Believe me, it takes longer to read this tutorial than it did to make a rose. Once you start moving on this project it goes very fast.
I'm working on a new rose for this year, also made from coffee filters and I will be sharing it soon.  These flowers are great for gifts, wedding decor, tree ornaments, etc.  Just to add a little postscript, the book pages were from Reader's Digest pages.  Each page made two petals, and as for the green paper plate, you can't even see the green when the flower is finished.  Happy crafting everyone.


I'm partying at...


Mondays          Le Chateau des Fleurs       The Graphics Fairy    
                                      Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday
Tuesdays          Knick of Time       Coastal Charm  
                                      Boogie Board Cottage    A Stroll Thru Life   
                                     Cozy Little House Tweak it Tuesday
Wednesdays     Savvy Southern Style
                                           
Thursdays        The Shabby Creek Cottage    No Minimalist Here 
                                     Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday    
                                     Rustic Restorations Homespun Happenings
Fridays            French Country Cottage       My Romantic Home        Miss Mustard Seed
                                    Potpourri Friday     Common Ground
                                    The Charm of Home    Rooted in Thyme
Saturdays        Funky Junk Interiors

Sundays           My 1928 Charmer Sunday's Best