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I had just brought my daughter to college and went through all the emotions of leaving my best friend and soulmate off for her new life, when I received a text from her that she’d be coming home.
Hurricane Irene was coming up the coast and threatening to slam into the coastal towns in Ct. The college was closed. I had mixed emotions about having her back and starting the whole difficult process over for both of us, but I knew 3 days of having her home was a gift.
So I am not bragging, but who wouldn’t want to see what this blossoming artist comes up with in a day in the studio.
First she asked me for some old magazines and an hour later had created these beautiful bowls to put her jewelry in at school.
Them empty tin cans were turned into small treasure to hold pens and pencils.
Scraps of cardboard were decoupaged and turned into storage boxes.
“Ya got any yarn, mom?”
This container was literally made out of yarn, cut up tin cans and fabric. My first thought was that it would make an awsome lampshade! As I struggled to get my one assignment complete, she continued to wow me with her imaginative creations.
Next came hand made frames and cards from watercolors, acrylics and anything found on the table. I secretly hoped to receive one sent from her while at school.
After 2 days, creative overload hit and she took off to visit her brother in Boston. Before she left she made sure to remind me to save the messy craft paper she had used as a palette on the table. I don’t need to ask why. I am sure it will become someone’s birthday card….or maybe a letter to her at school.
Don’t throw away your old buttons, especially those shiny and translucent ones. Although this finish is not quick or inexpensive, it is DROP DEAD GORGEOUS for a small backsplash or panel area. Start by creating a dragged texture on the surface using plaster and dragging it both horizontally and vertically with a wallpaper brush. Once dry, trowel plaster through Wallovers Ethnic Grid stencil. While the plaster is still wet adhere small shells to create the pattern. Shells can be ordered from US Shell Company on line.
Once the shells are thoroughly dried into the plaster, adhere flat, antique, mother of pearl buttons using a craft adhesive. Alternate the pearl color with the silver inside open areas. You can purchase just about any antique embellishments from Sandy Schor bead company.
Continue to fill in the empty spaces or use just one color leaving the plaster background as a contrast. Here I am filling in all the space.
Once the buttons are fully applied and dry, use a tile grout to fill in the gaps.
Grout the entire surface, let set and then wipe away the excess to reveal the sheen of the buttons.
I am definitely getting ready to do a bathroom backsplash in this one!!!!!!!! But remember when applying those buttons and shells……..Patience is a virtue!
In this next decorating post I want to focus on things you might not think are worthy of saving…like parts to an old piece of furniture or an old picture frame that’s a color that no longer matches your room.
Don’t get rid of it! Architectural pieces, even if broken or uneven, can make for an interesting decorating accessory.
This carved wood piece, once the top to a walnut sideboard, hangs over a door creating a dramatic entry.
Once the top to a dresser with a mirror in the center, this piece (with a little revamping) now acts as a beautiful frame with custom painted artwork.
Not sure what this hand carved wood was originally but I flipped for it and just hung it over the door as art. Imagine all the work that went into carving it? Most likely its original home was on a headboard or large armoire.
I probably get the most compliments over these old shutters used for cornice boards that I found in someone’s pile of trash on the street. Oh, street trash is always the best. Don’t ever drive by a pile of furniture or pieces of a house on the side of the road. But try not to cause an accident!
I caught my builder in “mid hammer” with this piece. He did a great job building it into the door frame. I’m really not even sure what it was in its former life!
Top to an old Mirror… repainted and hung as an ornament.
Lastly, this could be its own blog post. Take an old frame, get rid of the glass, replace with cork. Paint the frame copper or gold. Then you’ll need a creative teen or the scrapbooker in the family to make it look like this!!!
My daughter has 5 of these on her walls. Buy the squares of cork at Staples and apply to a piece of pressboard cut to the size of your frame.
