I've Been Away

Be sure and visit Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage to see "buckets" of transformations.

Transformation Thursday and a thank you...

Our household suffered another shock two weeks ago when our older doggie, Sophie died.  She was preceded in death just six weeks earlier by her best friend Elle - our other little doggie.  We placed Elle's ashes in Sophie's little casket and they were buried together in our herb garden.   Sophie was my husband's special little girl and, since he lost his son the day after Thanksgiving, it has been very hard on him. With just the two kitties in the house it is very quiet. 

Please know that even though I wasn't posting, all of your wonderful blogs were still on my reading list every day and managed to bring some sunshine and fun into my life during this difficult time and I thank you.

Read Sophie's story

During this time I decided it was time to do some major work on my daily schedule starting with getting back to doing my morning pages and prayer time first thing in the morning.  My morning pages journal is just an ordinary spiral notebook although the cover is made of nice vinyl.  Was it pretty?  Ummmm, not so much.

A few months ago I found my wallpaper sample books in the back of my hubby's office closet.  Oh boy - talk about beautiful paper!  I wouldn't put 90% on my walls (lots of shiny metallic), but it's perfect for journal covers. So a few weeks ago I started on transforming my journal.

The front was done with solid paper first, then the corners,  the flowers (cut from a piece of wallpaper), and finally the trim was added.  I used a brush to apply Mod Podge.  (I love Mod Podge)

 Next I did the back the same way.

The last step was to cover the inside of the front and back covers and add the paper over the spine.  A pretty silk ribbon became a page marker.

Isn't that much prettier??  I don't hide it my basket anymore, but instead keep it handy on the buffet in the dining room where I do my morning pages and my prayers.

Some other journals to inspire:

Kelly Kilmer - Artist and Instructor

Teesha's Circus Journal in Pictures - too cool!

Daisy Yellow has mega info on art and journaling

Transformation Thursday

New ebook released today at The Shabby Chic Cottage

I'm so excited!  I had the honor of purchasing Gina's very first ebook, Christmas Cheats: a frugal & fabulous guide to great gifts, so I can attest to the fact it's great.

Even with all the work Gina has put into her book she still managed to post Transformation Thursday.  I know everyone has been busy, so I think if you have an older post that some of your newer readers (such as moi) haven't seen yet, it would be ok to link to it.  Don't forget to link back to The Shabby Chic Cottage so everyone can enjoy the fun.

I must run off now and put my baby back ribs in to marinate overnight.  Yep - that's right - we're having baby back ribs instead of turkey.  I know, I know - that's almost un-American.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

It's Thursday...

Transformation Thursday

and 

Boardwalk Bragfest

 Don't forget to head over to The Shabby Chic Cottage and check all the other transformations... 

And check out the seriously outstanding Twig wall decoration that Jan over at Bobby Pins Boardwalk made. Outstanding!!!  And don't forget to check out all her "bragging" friends participating in Boardwalk Bragfest ....

I can't believe it's Thursday again.  And I also can't believe I'm doing another lampshade.  Last week I hopped on ebay and found an auction getting ready to close for a wall lamp (I am so into wall lamps lately).  It was a vintage lamp with crystals.  Opening bid was $4.99 and not one person had bid on it.  I jumped on it and left an opening bid.  Two hours later I won it.  It puzzled me that no one else had bid on this charming little lamp until I re-read the description.  I'll tell you the reason later.

I didn't want the shade and told the seller to just send the lamp.  I grabbed a shade I had  but it was too short and covered in the wrong fabric.  Here it is after I ripped off the old fabric. Hmmmmmmmmm, what to do!

Here's a picture of the old fabric right after it was ripped off...

I opened up a drawer and discovered some wired ribbon I purchased about a year ago that was the perfect colors for my living room.  I gathered it slightly and started gluing it on the shade with the first row on the very bottom making the shade appear larger. I also slopped a coat of gold paint on the candle part.

And here it is finished.

 

For a quick and simple cord cover I grabbed some beige wired ribbon, gathered it up, wrapped it around the cord, and put a few stitches down the back.  One thing I highly doubt I will ever do is dismantle a lamp to put on a cord cover.  

 

Looking pretty glamorous at night...

Ok - so why was it so cheap?  Because - ta da - it's plastic.  If I had read the description more carefully I would have known that (and I also wouldn't have bid on it.)  But I got lucky 'cause it doesn't look plastic at all.  I showed it to a girlfriend today. When I finally told her it was plastic she did a cartoon worthy double take and had to lean over and grab one of the "crystals".

Shhhhhh! Let's keep that our little secret...


Now head over to The Shabby Chic Cottage and check out all the other transformations...

Transformation Thursday 

Head over to Shabby Chic Cottage and check out all the great transformations...

Lamp Shade Re-Do

The candlestick lamp in my bedroom is very pretty but the light coming through the white shade was not the best with the new bedroom colors.

So the other night I grabbed a bag full of fabric I had bought to make a different lampshade, my scissors, and my glue gun. In no time at all it was done.  I had some bead trim on the lamp so first I ripped that off.

It quickly became apparent that my original idea of just wrapping the fabric and gluing as I progressed was not going to work. Not to worry. I cut pieces that were slightly larger than each section, glued them, and trimmed off the excess. 

 

I glued trim over the seams and around the top. There were two more packages of the same beads hiding in the bag so I glued a row of beads on the bottom.  The old beads were still attached to the white trim so I glued those right on top of the first row.  Why have one row of beads when you can have two?

 

When the light is on at night it is much softer than the white lamp shade...

Don't forget to head over to Shabby Chic Cottage....

Transformation Thursday

Transformation Thursday at Shabby Chic Cottage

Thursday has become one of my all time favorite days due to The Shabby Chic Cottage hosting Transformation Thursday.  I have gotten so many great ideas from all the wonderful ladies that have posted their links.

Here's a new use for a thrift shop find.  These little shelves were designed as paper towel holders.  I don't have a before picture but, trust me on this one, it was ugly.  It has a dark avocado green crackle finish with the ugliest rooster evah where the rose is now.  The good part was the underneath finish was gold.  

I slapped some primer on it and then painted it a creamy country white.  After gently sanding the edges to reveal the gold, I applied a rose decal on the back and sealed the entire shelf.  Each end has a delicate little rose, too. This piece was intended for ebay but I ended up keeping it 'cause it's so cute.

It lives in my bathroom with an antique piece of lace on the paper towel bar.  I use the bar as a sort of movable art display. Sometimes I have vintage gloves on the bar, other times some vintage embroidered pieces.

On the left side is my Dollar Store wooden star that says "One Day at a Time."  As an almost 20 year veteran of A.A., it reminds me to keep my priorities straight. Good advice for everyone. On the other side is a vintage necklace that gets changed around depending on the season or my mood.  Right now the shelf has a little brass bath tub with a shell and some vintage silver manicure files and a pretty painted salt shaker that I use for powder. 

  

 

Don't forget to head over to The Shabby Chic Cottage to check out all the folks that signed up for Transformation Thursday.  I get so many great ideas by seeing what other people have done and its a great way to meet other bloggers.

Transformation Thursday at Shabby Chic Cottage

Thursday has become one of my all time favorite days due to The Shabby Chic Cottage hosting Transformation Thursday.  I have gotten so many great ideas from all the wonderful ladies that have posted their links.

Head on over and see what's up...and while you're there add your project.

Transformation Thursday at Shabby Chic Cottage

Head over to Shabby Chic Cottage and check out her fabulous makeover of a dresser.  Three cheers for paint and inspiration.

Gina is also hosting a link around for transformation Thursday.  Wow!  There are over 40 links already  to fabulous make-overs and great ideas.