commissioned: backpack hanger

I had a commission request from a good friend's husband and decided to share it with you! It's one of my favorite pieces from the fall - the patina is LOVELY and completely authentic. Not one ounce of fake distressing - although I do love myself some good faux distressing.

Remember the old chippy barn door from this pic?

My FIL helped saw off the top (the above is going to be made into a queen size headboard. Next year's Market maybe?) so I had this piece laying around.

As soon as he proposed the project I thought this would be the perfect piece for her backpack hanger.

The three faux antiqued "door knobs" came from the hobby store purchased for me ... so all I had to do was attach, right?

Not so fast.

First, the door piece fell apart at the joints. It wasn't glued just jointed together, so when we cut it apart ... yikes! So I glued it together with wood glue and hoped it would stay. It sturdied it right up. 

The knobs only had one screw hanger on the back, so hanging backpacks on it day in and day out wasn't feasible unless they were better fastened to the board.

I whipped out my trusty internet search engine and found that only a 2-part epoxy would work. I got some JB Weld original epoxy and mixed that baby up. It worked like a charm and is still holding (as far as I know).

However, I'd use gloves next time. What was I thinking anyway? I got the tiniest smear on my hand and my mouth tasted like metal for a few hours. Yikes! Not the healthiest stuff to be touching. Or using for that matter.

Finally, I attached a cleat to the back because it was HEAVY - and backpacks would make it even heavier! - and I wanted it to hold up.

Maybe I can snag a picture of it hung up. I'll update if I do.

I love it. What do you think? 

the weekend Market

After a crazy day last Thursday (complete with rain and 3 hours at the pediatrician/x-ray lab/pharmacy for Ladybug), I finally got to my space at the Market at set up.

Oh, did I mention I got the spot right by the door? Chilly but SOOOO worth it! I sold more than I was hoping for!

I would've planned differently if I would've know how big my space was (bigger than the allotted 9'x9' I paid for!) but I made do with what I had. I arranged it so people might very well want to walk right through the center of my booth. And, they did. Some also got confused if one of the tables was my stuff, but I assured them it was.

Some kiddos walked a little too close to some of the signs on the floor and knocked a few over, but I made sure nothing super precious was down there. That's the good thing about rustic and distressed ... a little bit of kid or klutzy adult (a.k.a. me) won't hurt a thing. It'll just add to the charm.

my spot at the Market (main entrance to the right of the pic)

(sorry, Sharla, Jeremy didn't tell me that my collar was curled up!)

Christmas wreath plaques and barnwood frames

table runners

my clocks were the first to go!

this one didn't sell, so it's staying in the family. :-)

handmade lumberyard receipt box from the 1940s...

...turned chalkboard message center. (Didn't sell either but I love it!)

My mason jars looked super cute but only sold 1. Out of 30. Oops.

German bakery sign!

isn't the mint green ricer so cute?

love this old kitchen scale

signs and hangers (and pearls)

paper wreaths went over well too! Made 6, sold 4.

Overall, the Market was a great experience. I was surprised that my cards and lavender sachets got a lot of thumbing through but no takers ... and my signs in French and German weren't taken until later the 2nd day! But just because I love something doesn't mean someone else will.

I got lots of compliments from friends and strangers, so that made me feel good, of course. I was already pleased with the set-up job and my work, so the compliments and my spot sealed the deal! Thanks to everyone who came, who bought, encouraged me through the process, helped with the projects, gave me ideas ... for all of your support! I couldn't have done it without you all. Seriously.

(And, in case you are wondering, I wore the thrifted striped gray and blue shirt dress the first day and my vintage navy polka dot dress the next. I loved that I had something to dress up for... )

Market Sneak Peeks!

Finally, I dragged several Market items upstairs to photograph. I snapped these quickly, so please don't judge the photograph quality. I'll get some better photos once I have everything set up this weekend ... especially for those who can't come see it in person. (But I wish you all could!)

Everything has at least one element of vintage, upcycled, recycled or reused material. (Well, everything except my cards, but I made an exception to see if they would sell.) 

I have a few clocks.

 And lots of handpainted signs.

Pretty hangers.

French (and German!) signs.

 
Linen lavender sachels with pretty vintage buttons.

And a few holiday items, of course.

Come if you can!! I have lots more.

This Friday and Saturday. More info here.

More Christmas Market Upcycles

A few random home decor pieces that will go in my market booth...

Loved this 70s print found at a garage sale for $1. Hated the frame.

My original idea was to disassemble the frame and just reframe the butterflies in a modern oval shaped frame. (Still looking for that frame! Any ideas?)

Then I got to thinking that I should try painting the frame and using it too! (Duh!) So I painted it with black acrylic and used the heavy cardboard backing to decoupage some old sheet music to. Here's a peek:

A couple of grapevine wreathes I thrifted are going to be a sweet and simple little decor piece with white flowers and burlap "ribbon" strings.

Then I've upcycled some coffee bags into coasters. Definitely for the pretty factor, not for waterproof coaster protection. :-) I weaved in some vintage sewing notions for some fun, color and personality.

Finally, I'm using some vintage fabric (from my Grandma's stash) to make table runners. I love ruffles!

And I spent a couple hours (mostly in front of Project Runway) in several different stages, cutting and punching out these recycled cardboard tags. Lemme tell ya, my hands HURT after I was done!

But I love 'em. And I got 110 for only about $6! (Plus the stamps are reusable.)

Tell me what you think! Any other ideas just popping out that you have to share?! I'm open!

our Labor Day

Last weekend we had a full holiday. The Shunks came to visit and to bring me lots and lots and lots of stuff - everything we couldn't fit into the back of our car when we left a few weeks ago! Most of it was from thrifting and then lots from their basement. An old barn door, chunky wooden spindles, old piano keys and more corn crib wood (to be specific).

Grandma came to help around the house and to enjoy the girl.

Pretty sure she did.

"Pap" came to help with some muscle work and enjoy her.

Pretty sure he did.

Ladybug couldn't get enough of Grandpa last weekend! It was hilarious. Every minute she couldn't see him she was calling his name or finding his belly. She was so excited with extra energy. Loved it.

We celebrated Grandpa's upcoming birthday with another apple pie. And lemme tell you folks, it was beautiful! (And yummy, a la mode.) Thanks to my best friend's suggestion to freeze and grate the butter into the flour for the crust, I'm pretty sure my pie crust has never been better. (Thanks, E!) I won't be looking back from my crisco days, it's 2 sticks of real butter crust all the way.

 ********

Okay, okay, besides food, this birthday man gave me so much of his time to help with my upcoming Christmas market - I'm so grateful. He had much patience with my only-in-my-head ideas and spent a couple of hours on his knees hammering frames together for my corn crib slat signs. He cut the barn door, piano pieces, and nine 8-feet long boards into 8", 10", 12", etc pieces and helped drive alotta nails. We (well, he with my "support") washed and put hinges on their (turned MY!) antique house shutters to make a decorative screen. Can't wait to set it up!

Here is a sample of the corn crib slat signs (still to be painted). Some will be red and some will be aged plain wood.

front:

back:

Most of the muscle work is over ... now I need to get painting, distressing, staining, waxing, shellacking, gluing, sewing ... so much to do! But I never would've been in this spot without them.

Happy!

Thanks Janet for spending so much quality time with the girl - having her occupied and happy was as important as the muscle work! And thanks George for all your hard work helping me put together my frames, shutters and other little things!! I am really, really happy and really, really grateful.

some antique finds ... and a fun announcement!

So when we were in Ohio, we went thrifting. And along the way stopped at an antique store. I found four blue glass Ball jars with zinc lids for $4 a piece! The only booth in the place that had good prices and I wanted to support it.

Here they are featured in my newly shabby-chic-ed wooden wine rack.

And speaking of vintage, antique, rustic, shabby chic, distressed, handmade ... I not only opened up a new shop this month, next month I'm going to be a vendor at a two day Christmas market!! I'm super excited, working really hard and scared no one will buy a thing, but I'm going to go for it anyway!

So up until the last weekend of October, I'm going to find myself up to my ears in old wood and paint, but I'm so happy I get this chance.

Jeremy suggested that I go "thrifting" in his parents' basement and whaddayaknow? I found some amazing stuff.  I'll feature some of it individually when it's fixed up (before and afters) but look at this amazing pile of antique goodness! Some would call it junk, but it's treasure to me.

Can't wait to show you my creations!

Oh, and I found this clutch for $1.

It even had matching gloves inside!! They are way too small for my big hands, but I love it. Muah!

More on the Christmas market soon!