Crochet Flower Pins For Sale

I've still got some crochet flower pins for sale if anyone is interested.

Lots of colours to choose from!

Email me mkirkwood2002@yahoo.com for more info

On to the next Project!

I thought I'd get back to paper crafting once things settled down at home but I was wrong!

I started painting again...artsy painting not house painting!

This painting is 11 x 14 and I've got another canvas primed and ready to go - just waiting on some inspiration but it will probably be another seascape.

This all came about when I decided I wanted a large piece of artwork for my bedroom.  When I couldn't find exactly what I wanted I decided I would make something myself.

I bought a larger canvas - 30 x 40 inches - but before I get to that I thought I'd warm up with a few smaller pieces first.

I apologize to those of you who come here to check out my cards and paper projects not my home deocr and thrifting.  I hope to get back to that soon....

In the mean time I'm just going with the flow and seeing where inspiration leads me!

More DIY and Thrifting...

May 19, 2012

Sorry I haven't posted much lately....I have been very busy doing "stuff".

After I helped my DD move into her student rental house I got caught up with all the little jobs that needed to be done there.

First off she needed to paint her room.  The walls were red and the closet had been used as a canvas by the previous tenant - an art student!

 The walls were covered in thumb tacks and those holes needed to be filled.  It took 3 coats of primer to cover the closet walls and 1 coat of primer sealer to cover the red walls!

 Here's what it looks like now - the colour is by Dulux and it's called Sanctuary.

After we painted we got her some furniture - Ikea - and organized her new room.

It still felt so bare so we started looking for other furniture and other little pieces to make it feel like a home and not a squatter's hovel.

Checking out the local Thrift Stores I found some living room chairs for her as well as frames, and artwork.

I must admit that I have become addicted to thrifting and find myself at a Thrift Store at lease once a week.

I'm not much into old clothes but I have found a lot of cool stuff.

Here's a couple of my latest finds:

I found this cool Van Gogh portrait that is actually a mosaic.

The bedroom doors all had chalkboard squares painted on them 

so we used a $1 frame and some foam tape to make it look a bit nicer.

I picked up this oval frame with glass and we're going to make it into a dry erase board.  

It doesn't even need to be paint - it just needs some neutral fabric or canvas to put behind the glass.

Doing all this stuff for DD and thrifting has really motivated me to do some things around my own home.

Since I was shopping for curtains for DD's new room (at the rental) I picked up some curtains for her room at home (on the to do list for over 1 year now) and for my living room and dining room.  I got some curtains that are a lighter colour and lighter weight - I had corduroy and velvet curtains in these rooms before..

 As well I finally got around to putting up a curtain rod in my bedroom and putting up the curtain panels I've had for 6 years.  This job was on my to do list for almost 8 years now - where does the time go???

And I finished turning my "found" picture frames into cork boards.

Click HERE for the BEFORE and now this is the FINISHED.

 These frames were not in very good shape but spray paint hides a lot!
And they are big!  This one is 14 x 16 and the other one is 20 x 24.

 I used foam core board as my base, glued on the cork sheet (with white glue) and then used these mounting clips to secure the cork to the board.

Well that's enough for this post..

I've got more projects planned - both papercrafts and DIY - so check back if you like!

Getting there...

April 17, 2012

Last night I loaded up my thrift store spinning thingy with my technique swap samples. 

Now all I need to do is give it a spin to be inspired to try a new technique!

Over the weekend I made a quick dash out to IKEA and picked up a couple of kitchen racks to accomodate more punches.  See the new longer rack on the very bottom?

I added a smaller one here for more punches and I found a space for my flat SU! punches too!

I was a bit bummed that they didn't have the same kind of rack as what I started with but this style is ok and with all the punches you can't really see the rack!

I also finished my mother-in-law's birthday gift - I made her a bronze and gunmetal chainmaille bracelet. 

Until Next Time!
Marie

Wooden Desk Chair

April 16, 2012

Today I had to take my car in for service and there happened to be a thrift store on my way home.  Luckily I had my Pathfinder with me because I scored this great wooden desk chair for $10!!

I'm thinking about spray painting it - black?


UPDATE - here is the finished chair



Until next time...
Marie

Thrifting...

April 13., 2012

Today I did a little shopping at a couple of local thrift stores and I even hit a consignment furniture store.  I'm getting in the habit of checking in at these places at least once a week.

My daughter is moving out to a house she'll share with 3 other poor university students. So I'm looking for specific items and I'm being very choosey.

That's an empty house so that means she'll need pretty much everything from can opener to couch!

You already saw the chairs that I'm spray painting for her - yep I found those at a thrift store!

Today I saw lots of cool items but I only bought 2 things - and one of them was for me!

First I found this vacuum for the DD's new place.  We've got central vac at home so I can't bring our vacuum to help her clean up on moving day.  This little guy should do the trick.

Then I bought this for me....

it's one of those spinning alpha thingys.  I plan on using it to organize my technique samples.

I'm also a Freecycle member and this morning I picked up a table to go with the chairs - that is after I spray paint the white parts black and stain/seal the top. 

This table seats 6 and it was Free!  Thanks to Donna!

The girls would really like a farmhouse style table like this one for $700 but they'll just have to be happy with the FREE one!

Consignment Canada (on Pemberton in North Vancouver) is an awesome place to go if you are looking for good quality second hand furniture - a big step up from the thrift stores - and they are jam packed with tables, chairs, couches, and more.

I've got some more painting to do this weekend and maybe a trip to IKEA.

So I'll finish off this post with a few photos of some interesting things I saw at the thrift store....

Old luggage for $15 each...

 this one had a purple satin lining!

This dresser/sideboard was solid wood and only $50!

I would have loved to have picked this one up and spray painted it a fun colour like this one from Pinterest.



But it's too big for DD and I have no space for it at my house! Darn!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Until Next Time!
Marie

Keeping me from my craft room....

This is what's keeping me from my craft room!

I picked up some cheap wood chairs and I've been spray painting them.  Black of course!

Don't they look nice?

I also got 2 ornate frames spray painted - Heirloom White - can you believe someone just left this out with the garbage!!

I'm going to add a burlap or cork backing and my daughter can use it to display her jewellery.

Have you seen the new trend for Starburst/Sunburst Mirrors?


photo from Pinterest


I have my eye on this one but I just don't have anywhere to put it!

Click HERE to see how you can make your own out of wood shims.

Until Next Time!
Marie