Rag Quilt Insert

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope you are well.  And don't forget to give Thanks to those military personnel who have sacrificed and who have fought for the freedoms we enjoy today!  {a moment of silence to say 'thanks' and say a prayer}

I have been working on my 'bed spring light' over the weekend.   I have the frame, which was shown earlier this month.  But, I was struggling with what to put behind the bed springs.  And I believe that I have it figured out!  (yeah!)  I recently purchased this gorgeous Rachel Ashwell shabby chic fabric, and some linen in a light kraft color and a dark brown-copper color.  I believe that I will be mixing all of them.  {smile}

I took the shabby chic fabric, and the light kraft linen fabrics, and cut them into scallop squares.  I also added some cream colored battling between the two fabric pieces.  Made little 'sandwiches' and sewn them together.  

shabby chic fabric squares

I sewn a simple X across each scallop square 'sandwich'.  Then I sewn the squares together in each row.  And then, the rows were sewn together.

Finally, I used super sharp scissors to cut snips in the fabric between the blocks, and machine washed this piece again, to help 'fluff' the snipped fabric between the squares.

Yes, the finally piece has the blocks in a different order. {frown}  Unfortunately, I was doing other 'things' while putting the rows together, and didn't realize I had the bottom two rows switched. {frown}  And now, that I am looking at this photo, I realize that I have two of the same blocks in the same row.  What the heck!  Well, this is the final piece.  I will not be making any changes.  Remember (or at least, this is what I am telling myself) a section of rusty bed springs, with lights will be sitting right on top of this piece.  I created this rag quilt piece to help give the 'bed spring light' a shabby chic, feminine look.  Hopefully, (fingers crossed) that with the bed springs, lights, drag chain, and chandelier crystals on top of this  piece, will distract your eye, and you won't notice the two pink ruffled squares in the same row.

Please stay tuned.  I will be going into town today, to pick up some globe lights for this piece.  The chandelier crystals should arrive around the middle of June; so a few weeks away.  But, I am planning on adding the chandelier crystals after the bed springs and lights are 'attached'.  I'm getting closer to being done!

Thank you for stopping by!  Have a great day, be safe, and take some time to craft something!

    

Repurpose into Art ?

Howdy.  I wanted to share with you, a little progress I have made on an altered art project.   Now, it is by no means, complete.  Still trying to figure out a few things.  But, I have a friend who assures me that folks would love to see 'what's going on'.  So, here it is:

pre-wash

I purchased these rusty bed springs while junking @ Sweet Salvage (in Phoenix) last month.  And I have a 'vision' for them.  You know the mantra: repurpose, reuse, recycle.  Great idea, and it goes sweetly with my little saying, 'use what you have'.  So, this 'art' piece is the marriage of the two.  {smile}  It can't get any sweeter than that!

I digress.  Once I saw the bed springs, I 'saw' art.  And I just had to get them.  So, I made my purchase, and yes, they went on the air plane with me.  This is the start of my 'art' project.

I distressed a frame I had.  I wanted the frame to look worn, so I did some simple distressing, nothing crazy of labor intensive.   I wanted to add burlap to the inside of the frame.  But the smell of burlap is nauseating, to say the least.  Instead, I purchased this natural linen.  I laundered the material, to help accentuate the weave, and assist in bringing out the 'weathered' look.  I cut the fabric to fit inside the frame.  Now, the technical part.  I want to add lights to the springs, and attach some chandelier crystals to hang off the bottom of the springs.  But, I can't decide if I want battery operated lights or an electrical card coming down from the back of the frame.  At this point my thought process is to use spray adhesive (E6000) on a piece of matt board, and adhere the material to the matt board.  Attach the bed springs to the matt board with a staple gun.  I'm thinking, create a small hole through the matt board, and a slit in the fabric to run the lights through.  But, I haven't made my final decision, yet.  [I like everything laid out, and arranged before I start cutting, gluing, and final assembly.]

If you are wondering where this 'art' piece is going to go?  Well, in my granddaughter's bedroom, here, at our house.  I would love to make a larger version, for my bedroom, but let me finish this one, before I try to convince my husband.  {smile}

Thank you for stopping by.  I hope I have given you a new vision when looking at 'junk'.  {smile}

Blessings

The holidays are quickly approaching! and I have been a little busy getting some crafts complete.  To be efficient, I have combined some challenges.  I know, I could probably make more stuff if I separated the challenges, but I am in a pinch for time.

We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year.  And, well, I always do more than I have to, and I really like everything to 'belong'.  So, I do a place setting, a Thanksgiving trivia card, and of course a little 'party' favor.  So, I sent out to find some inspiration to get my decorations in order.

I went to some favorite challenge sites, and found some great inspiration!  First stop:  the Shabby Tea Room.  They have a great fall inspired photo to help get those creative juices flowing! oh, and a requirement: burlap and/or twine.  How country/shabby is that?  Awesome!

Here is their inspiration photo:

and then I headed over to Word Art Wednesday.  Their challenge this week is: Anything Goes!  They always include a wonderful scripture, and this week, it fits perfectly with the above inspiration photo.

here is what I made:

I needed to make 5 cards,  and well, the only 'thanksgiving' pattern paper I had, that had colors in it like the inspirational photo, were only scraps (Authentique).  So, that is what dictated the card layout.  I used Scarlet card stock for the card base, by Paper Trey Ink.  I matted the two pattern papers onto Linen card stock, by Paper Trey Ink.  [it is very close to River Rock card stock by Stampin' Up!]

I machine stitched a purposeful 'sloppy' border stitch around the card twice.  I just love how random, and home-y it looks. {smile}

I cut a large scallop trim piece from kraft card stock, by Recollections.  I used this piece to hide the seam where the two pattern papers meet.  

I wrapped a piece of Scarlet satin ribbon, by Paper Trey Ink around the scallop trim.  Then I wrapped kraft twine by Paper Trey Ink, around the ribbon and tied on a wooden button.  (I used glue dots to hold the button in place, so it wouldn't flop around.)

I printed the scripture onto very vanilla card stock, by Stampin' Up!.  Then I did a double matt: scarlet and kraft.

Easy peasy, and pretty plain for me.  But, I do love it!  

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you have been inspired to play along with both of these fabulous challenge sites!

Vintage Blue Clock

~ photo heavy post ~

Yahoo!  I have finally finished my altered assemblage clock!  For some odd, crazy reason, it is super easy for me to start a project.  But, finishing is sometimes a whole different story!  One of my very close crafting girl fiends says that's because I am a perfectionist.  Ok, is that a bad thing?  I love balance, and repetitiveness.    Now I can finish writing my tutorial on altering one of these clocks. (whew)

here is a front view

a few different angels:

I used several different stamps and stamped directionally onto the clock.  I added a variety of paper blossoms, rhinestones, and pearls.  The banner is made from taupe linen.  I started the fabric to make it stiff, and machine stitched the pattern paper pennants to the fabric.  

Thank you for stopping by.  This clock will be for sale in my Etsy shop HERE.  It if doesn't sell by craft fair time, it will be at the fairs.

I hope you have been inspired to alter, decorate, or simply repurpose an unused household item!