Summer Projects

This summer I found myself planting flowers and creating garden themed projects. Here is a little potting shed I made from a wood box and some mini furniture I use to collect. I actually started this project some years back, but it came together this summer.

This chair is on the balcony now. I got this little gem at the thrift store. There are actually 3 sections to it and this one I dressed in white. The other two pieces I still have to strip and stain or paint.

The next project I undertook was making soldered tags for baskets. My sister Cindy does beautiful stained glass and she taught me how to solder. Her stuff is much prettier, but I'm trying!



That's enough for today. Stay happy and healthy!

Treasured Buttons

I have been collecting buttons for about 25 years. I started collecting them when I made sewing boxes. I would buy them at yard sales and antique stores, wherever I could find them.

Then one day, my neighbor Mrs. Wadlow, had a sale. She was an elderly woman who had collected buttons all her life. She belonged to a button club. Well, she decided to get rid of many of her buttons. I bought a couple of jars and went on my merry way. I got home and started going through them. They were so pretty I went back and bought a couple of frames with buttons in them. I started talking to Mrs. Wadlow and we hit it off. She wrote down my name and number and told me when she wanted to sell more of her buttons she would call me. She said she had a son and when she was gone he probably wouldn't want her buttons. I have one son and I'm sure he feels the same way! Anyway, she started calling me and I would go to her house and she would tell me about her different buttons. Each time I went I came home with a few more buttons. What was more important was I made a new friend. Mrs. Wadlow passed away a few years ago, and each day when I pass her house I think of her. I treasure my buttons, and I hope some day I will pass them onto someone who will love them as much as I do. Here are a couple more shots of my buttons.

Collections

I thought it would be fun to share some of my collections today. Until I started taking photographs of them, I didn't realize how many I have. I'll put half of them up today and the rest next week. Maybe that will motivate me to do a new blog a little sooner than I have been.


Old dishes.


Old sewing stuff.


Glass bottles.


Old linens.

All Decked Up For Summer

I have decided to take advantage of our balcony deck this summer. I planted a bunch of flowers in pots and turned an old fish tank stand into a planter. All it took was a little paint and ta-dah!

Then I made some pretty pillows and threw a comforter down on the hammock.

Last but not least...a tray with breakfast and my favorite magazines.
Life is good!!

This and That

I decided to make some new projects out of stuff I already have. I use to paint a lot and I had some little wood houses left over and so I collaged some family pictures and pretty paper on them and used them up.


Then I made a large album out of collaged materials.

Mother's Day Pouches

In the latest issue of Somerset Life there were the cutest pouches made out of toilet paper rolls. You just press down on the cardboard roll and then glue one end closed. In the magazine they had used a wax technique on them. I thought these pouches would be cute for Mother's Day gifts. The older kids painted the rolls with acrylic paints, made tags, and attached elastic string to hang them up. They also embellished them with lace and little flowers. My little guys drew self portraits on paper and glued them on the rolls. I attached light weight wire to hang them up. Sooooo... easy!

Tin Containers

I had a bunch of Altoid containers and I read once that you could burn them in a fireplace and it takes the paint off and makes them look old. We have a fireplace outside and so of course I had to try it! I let them burn and cool down and then I washed them out. Then I took pretty paper and ran it through my Xyron machine to give it an adhesive backing. I applied the paper to the cover of the boxes and then embellished them.

I made this little set by taking an old playing cards box, an embellished tin box and a little journal, and attached them all together.

Here is what it looks like opened.

Here is one made for sewing. I made a tiny needle & thread holder on the left and filled the box with little scraps of fabric, lace, buttons and what-not. I like to carry it in my purse (I really carry a back-pack)so I can do little projects whenever I have a spare moment.

Tiny Journals

I thought it would be cute to have little journals in the pockets of my big journal.
I keep one in my purse so I can jot down little ideas, events or make small sketches of things I see.

Highly Qualified

I have spent three of the last six months becoming a "Highly Qualified" art teacher.
I had to take 2 methods classes and pass the Arizona Profeciency Art Exam. Needless to say, I was very busy studying and a little stressed out! On top of that I had our
school art show to do two days before my test and I had to make 100 cow horns for our Gold Rush Day's Parade 10 days after that. The next three weeks I was waiting for the results of my exam.

Yes, I passed! Miricles really do happen!!
Now I needed to play, so I ran a relay marathon with some teachers from school.

I was a minute slower than last year, but I only ran 4 times to prepare for it, so that's what I get.
Then my birthday came in March so I made myself a new journal for the upcoming year.
This journal is like a mini keepsake for important or fun things that come up. (Like passing my test!)

Here is one of my March journal entries.

Now life is getting back to normal. Time to sew and stitch. Here are some recycled bags I made with bits of whatever I could find.


This was a Trader Joe bag. Front and back.

This was a Saks Fifth Avenue bag my friend gave me for camping. Now I can put all kinds of stuff in it!
That's it for today! I really hope things stay quiet for awhile because I have so
many projects to do. Check back soon!