Chalked up a treasure!

I went out treasure hunting to several antique malls this week.  I brought home a four tiered lazy susan that was all brown wood.  From what I researched, it's a Hawaiin monkey pod product.  I had seen a similar one to it in another antique mall and wanted to buy it but it was way out of my cheap price range!
The one I brought home was  a 10th of the price!  It is actually five individual pieces.  I was not sure what I would do with it but I knew it had potential!  I sanded each part, sprayed them with flat white spray paint, distressed with a fine sponge sanding block, and then used a spray wax.  I let the wax soak in 3 minutes and then buffed them with a clean cloth.  After I saw the finished product, I thought it might work in a the bathroom!  Here are the pics so far.  It needs a few more things to flesh it out.

Patriotic Finish #2

Patriotic Heart 2010
Quaker Style by Aury Torres
Freebie

I finished my second patriotic piece this weekend!  I love the way the heart shape sewed out. The 4th of July week has always been a special time of year for me.  John and I got married on June 30th and spent our honeymoon over the week of the fourth (21 years ago!).  Because John works in Textiles, and the mills typically close down for the week of the fourth, our family vacations have always been this time of year as well.  I really just started stitching about 6 months ago.  My neighbor, fellow teacher, and best friend Clara got me started, mainly to have something to do on Thursday nights at a local shop's stitch night (knitting and stitching).  Clara is the designer for The Stitching Parlor and does beautiful work!  It did not take long to get bit by the stitching bug!  I am now hunting out stitching sites on the internet, looking for stitch stores in other towns, and yes, starting a blog to show off my finishes!  The best shop for supplies closest to Clara and I is The Stitch and Frame in Rock Hill, SC.  We frequent it often!  I also joined a sampler guild after attending a meeting with Clara.  One of the best results of starting to stitch is that my hands are so busy ...busy hands don't put as much food in my mouth!  I also have enjoyed the flexibility to stitch anywhere.  Most of the art that I do requires a lot of messy supplies and access to the kitchen sink for clean up.  My stitching projects and my Kindle are the two most important things that are going with me to Bald Head Island next week....I can't wait for this vacation!  Happy 4th everyone!

Lampshade

The lamp and decorated lampshade is finished!  It will illuminate dorm room 217 in August.  The inspiration came from a lampshade sold at an Anthropology Store.  It would have cost $160 dollars if we had bought it.  Everything used on our version came from my stash of craft supplies.   I am posting to Wow Us Wednesday over at Savvy Southern Style.

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

Funky Junk Interiors

Red, White, and Blue!

I love patriotic colors and the 4th of July!  Here is a finish for my first patriotic stitching!  It started off as a top for an Altoid tin but it didn't look too hot ...rounded corners give me a fit!  I like the little pin cushion redo much better.

Here it is nestled among a few new toys from Paper Source.  I am having a friend over for a stamping session here at my house tomorrow.  I recently purchased a new large art table so I can get multiple people around a table close to all the supplies. My daughter picked out these three new stamps to do some red, white, and blue nautical notecards.

Dorm room decorating

Maddie

Here is "my girl" that is now graduated and will be going off to Salem College in August!  We have been planning and buying things for her dorm room for months now.  It is starting to come together with the flare she had in mind!  Girls are much different in regards to their dorm room decorating than boys are.... I am having lots more fun helping her than when my son was gearing up for his first dorm room!

Here is the bedding.  We laid it all out on Jesse's bed, the only twin bed in the house, to see how it would look all together.  The bright colors should brighten a small dorm room and be a happy place to rest her head at the end of the day!

I made this mixed media collage piece after she found the quote.  It represents her so well!  I would take a Raggedy Ann over a Barbie any day!  She is going to use it over the bed.

Is that not the cutest little fan?  I need to take a picture of the lampshade that we created based off one that we had seen at Anthropology.  We couldn't afford to buy the one in the store, so Maddie said,"You could make that mom!"  That was all I needed to hear....the challenge was on!  I will post on the lamp soon!

Big Weekend

We have had a milestone weekend!  My oldest Jesse turned 20 on Friday and Maddie graduated from high school Saturday morning!  I am so proud of both of them!

I learned how to add pages to a blog!  Although several are still in need of photos and text, I did get several pieces added into my Art Gallery page.

How exciting to get added as a "blog to follow" by Donna on her "By the Bay"blog.  I love By the Bay Needleart cross stitch designs.  I just bought "Blue Hawaiian Garden" for my beach vacation project! Thank you Donna for the nice comment!

Blogging

I have been thinking and working on my blog tonight.  I was able to add a few gadgets and pictures of my mixed media artwork.  I really need to look at some other blogs more closely now, not just for project ideas but for blog design ideas. How does time pass so quickly when you are on the computer?  My husband is already a little upset that I have cut into his computer time the last two nights and he hasn't gotten to communicate on his drum building forum! Sorry honey! School will be out tomorrow and I will do my blogging during the day this summer!  I am having fun!

Two Days!

Just two days left of school!  Two days until I get to spend the summer as a full time artist!  Two days until my youngest graduates high school!  Two days until my oldest is 20!  Two days until transitions from full house to empty nest.  Just how much joyful anticipation, and nervous apprehension can one heart withstand?  In two days, I am going to need this space to give the things in my head and my heart a place to land... because they are surely going to overflow!