French Feed Sack Lamp

I found this lamp quite sometime ago and always planned on covering it with burlap and putting some lettering on it.  As with my No Sew Ottoman project this week, I already had this feed sack stencil that I purchased through Maison de Stencils.  I absolutely love this one.  The shade was an off white shade and the more I pondered it, I thought why make more work for myself than I already have.  I applied the stencil to the shade as it was in its original condition.  Sometimes we crafters over think our projects and make more of something than it needs to be (at least that's the way I usually do things).  I used painter's tape to attach the stencil to the shade, otherwise it would have been a little difficult to work on the curved surface.  I think the lettered shade makes all the difference in the world.  It's not a plain Jane anymore.

It's all in the details, isn't it?

Sweet Heart Table

I picked up this table last weekend at a local sale and fell in love with it.  It's perfect for Valentine's Day, however, I am saving it to take to the shop in March.  I want to do a potting shed theme and I'm sort of hoarding all my garden goodies until I have enough to do a whole display.  This little gem is perfect for a garden motif.

 It's a perfect wooden heart with little planks that are not very visible in the photograph, but the color is perfect and it has a small shelf on the bottom for plants.

 Cute as bug's ears.  Do bugs have ears?  Well, if they do, that is how cute this is.

Beatiful Valentine's Gift Box

This isn't exactly a candy box because it would hold a whole lot of candy.  Too many calories to count, that's for sure.  It does, however, make the perfect gift box. The top of the box is covered with sheet music and rimmed with silver glitter.  It's adorned with a charming sweet cherub and a beautiful  heart.  The box is held closed with a pretty satin ribbon.

 The ribbon runs through little slits.  Untie the box and slide the top up.

 Fill it with beautiful tissue paper and enclose your gift.  Beautiful indeed.

No Sew Ottoman with Stencil

 This is a postscript to this morning's blog post.  I just couldn't stand the blank canvas from my no sew ottoman so I used a stencil I purchased several months ago from Maison de Stencils.  I love this stencil and it was easy to use.  I poured a glob of pewter gray and a glob of gray taupe next to each other on my palette and instead of mixing them, I simply dabbed the stencil brush kind of in both colors using different parts of my brush.  I thought it would give it more of a worn faded look.  It's still pretty neutral, just not blank.

No Sew Ottoman Makeover

I purchased this little ottoman last weekend at a neighborhood sale.  It was black faux leather and had a tear in the bottom and the corners had been scratched by a cat.  Nonetheless, I saw some potential there and customers come into the shop all the time looking for ottomans and small stools so I figured I would attempt to give it a makeover.  First I picked up some drop cloth from Lowe's and washed it.  I didn't want to do a large investment in fabric and I wanted to keep things neutral.  I made a loose slipcover and really did not care for it.  I felt like the little ottoman was wearing a hand-me-down slipcover.  So I cut the slipcover up and started over.

 Original ottoman below with tear in lower left corner.

 Cut a new square for the top, took upholstery tacks and tacked it tightly.  I had to find the cross pieces of wood in the construction to nail to.  The top was all foam.

 I tacked the fabric all the way around and then tacked the corners.

 Now I took the skirt that I had used on the original slip cover.  I had cut the drop cloth so the hemmed part would be on the bottom so I would not have to hem anything.  I took the top cut edge and folded it down so it would be concealed and started putting in the little tacks with a hammer.  I started tacking in the center of the side.  You will see why later.

 I tacked the little nails all the way around.  My husband helped me.  We found that if he held the upholstery nails in place with the needle nose pliers and then I hammered, the nails went in nice and straight and did not bend.

 Now see how this has kind of a little kick pleat on the one side.  This was the end of the drop cloth that came already stitched.  So not only my hem was done for me but so was the final tacked corner.  I hope that makes sense.  No sewing at all, inexpensive and it took no more than an hour to complete.  If I wanted to, I could stencil something on the top and I might do that.  If I decide to do that, I will be sure to share with you.  Right now it is plain and totally neutral.

Toile Mirror in Frame

I am not sure what to call this other than Toile Mirror in Frame.  I think it's very sweet and very feminine.  It's simply a larger sized frame with the back entirely covered in fabric.  Any frame, any fabric with a smaller similar framed mirror mounted to the inside.  Primitive chippy frames with burlap, flour sacks and all types of mediums.  Let your imagination run wild.

Dyed Coffee Filters

I have seen an awful lot of coffee filter flowers through Blogland lately including my own projects.  I saw a fabulous wreath on a link party the other day that had the dyed coffee filter roses so I decided to attempt to color some of my own.  Mind you, I have not done a project with them yet and this was just a cursory attempt to see if they would take color and guess what?  The did.  I used food coloring.  I think for spring the colors will be great.  Adjust your color by how much water you add.  These were colored with one drop (yes, only one) to a third of a cup of water.  I think I will go more pale when I do an actual project.  Below I laid them next to a gauzy scarf I picked up at a yard sale today.  They fit right in with the color tones of the scarf.  Can't wait to try this for real.