Sunday, September 16, 2012

Upcoming class ideas


Just a few little snipits of some things I am working on.  I have been asked to be an instructor at Whitworth Ranch for a weekend of crafting for the upcoming holidays. I have been brainstorming like a mad woman and think I've came up some pretty things that are actually pretty easy to make as well.
A small envelope goodie bag




Embossed Gift Tag




Gingerbread Favor Box, made from a bridal favor box
The original bridal favor box

Another small goodie envelope
Small Tag using the two tags die from Stampin UP
Pillow box favor
 I'm not completely satisfied with how the gingerbread house turned out, so I'm working on another version.  I have also placed on order for some more Christmas stamps that I'm really excited about and hopefully be making another post soon. Until then, keep crafting everyone!

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Saturday, September 1, 2012

Ink Pad Storage

I've been looking for a way to store my ink pads because the storage options for them are few and far between, and are pretty expensive. Most costing around $50 and up. Ridiculous if you ask me.  I've had them in a small cassette holder that was given to me years ago.  I knew I wanted another one, only bigger. Unfortunately, I was having a bit of trouble finding a wood one. Most of them were plastic and let's be honest, that just wouldn't work for me. Then I stumbled across this at an antique store for a whopping $5! I felt like I was stealing it at that price.

A few coats of primer and a few coats of spray paint and you get this

I added new molding around the frame, which I can proudly say, I cut myself with the miter saw and actually got it right without making a bunch of wrong cuts.  The molding my sister had lying around and the spray paint was left over from the hutch, so basically I got a "new to me" ink pad holder for around $5! Now, I will say that some of the ink pads are a snug fit, but I still think it's pretty great! I just need more ink to fill it up!


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Thrift Store Hutch Refinish

You have no idea how glad I am to finally be making this post.It's been a few months in the making and thank goodness it's complete. It was a ton of work, but so worth it in the end.
 

 I was having a visit with my cousin and we had been talking about all the local thrift stores in the area. She and her husband are also into refinishing furniture and also into constructing their own as well. I was bragging about one thrift store in particular, because the people are great and they have no problems with haggling. So we hop in the car and go check it out. That's where I saw this hutch, with great lines and great potential. I immediately thought I needed it for my Studio. I knew it would be a beautiful AND functional addition. I was worried that my cousin would snatch it up before I had a chance, but she had to run it by her husband first, since it needed some TLC and he was the carpenter in their operation. So we headed back and I sat back and waited to see what they decided. In the mean time I was envisioning that hutch refinished and in my studio. Thankfully, my cousin and her hubby passed and so she was mine! WooHoo! Off to my sister's building she went. And then she sat there, and sat there. I had some other projects going on, so I had to put off this one for another time. I don't know if you're aware of this, but in Texas in June, July and August, it's hotter than a two dollar pistol (random old country song reference there). Therefore, I wasn't in a huge hurry to be in an building with no air conditioning for hours on end. Finally, the time had come a couple weeks ago, while my girls were visiting their Dad. With the help of my amazing sister and her equally amazing husband my studio hutch refinish was underway. The hutch had glass shelves and panels on the side as well as a mirrored back and some drawers on the bottom. It was missing the doors on the top and the bottom, but that worked for me, because I wanted open shelving anyway. We had to cut new inserts for the side panels out of luan as well as the shelves and the replacement shelves in place of the drawers. Basically we deconstructed the poor thing and then put it back together.
Before.....










During.....














Love the pattern on the fabric
After....
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