Around The House and How Make Your Own Chalk Paint

I know many of you have lists of 'to do's inside and outside and I sure do.  Recently I decided to start with the cabinets in my studio.  I scored these at a flea market for $45 and thought it was a great find.

They were originally a very mustardy yellow and they just didn't go in my hot pink studio.

 

 So I grabbed a can of "kilz" and covered the yellow with one coat.

 I had some hot pink outdoor paint for our little clubhouse/workshop(depending on who is in there---the   grand 'kidlets'  or myself)  so threw that in a plastic tub.

                        It was a little intense, so I toned it down with some white acrylic paint.

                                     I then pulled some plaster of paris out of the cupboard.

                                                I threw a cupful into the paint mixture.

 Gave it a good whisking to get the lumps out........ and VOILA   my own 'chalk paint'

                             I applied it to the cabinets and this is what it looks like now!!

 

 I had extra paint and also this little  thing I picked up at the Goodwill for $3.  I knew what I wanted to do so painted it a few coats and here it is now..............

 

I loved the little bottles and knew right away I wanted to turn this into a flower holder and put it on our dining room table.  So here it is with tulips from the garden.  I will be able to put other types of flowers in there from now until winter.

What all are you working  on?

 

I LOVE Mail

I was so surprised when I received an unexpected package in the mail last week.  I didn't recognize the return address and had no idea who was sending me anything.

So I opened the package and then this box to reveal a pair of very pretty handmade earrings.

 

 The card inside was from Blue Finch Jewelry  and then I remembered.  A few months ago, I was involved in a "GROW YOUR BLOG HOP"  over at Vicki's site and visited   Rachel's Blog.  She is a jewelry artist and said she would make a pair of earrings for everyone who had stopped by.  I never gave it a second thought.

And now, "VOILA"  I own a very special pair of earrings.  Thank You so much Rachel! It was such a sweet and unexpected gift.  I have been working in the yard and decided to put them on immediately.

I told Rachel it is never inappropriate to look and feel like a Diva, even when you are weeding!

Please go visit Rachel, check out her jewelry and give her a shout out!

 

 

 

Two Birthday Girls And Two Birthday Lamps!

So I am the kind of Oma who wants to interact with her grandchildren.  Every opportunity I get, I want to sit down and make anything with my kidlets.

 

Seven year Old Nai'a needed and wanted a lamp for her bedroom.  They rent so aren't able to put holes in the walls or ceilings so we opted for a table top lamp.

 We picked a pretty, but very plain and non colored lamp.  This says boring to me, unlike many of you, who would take one look and drool over its simplicity and the fact it would be sweet in any little girls bedroom, no matter the decor.

Nai'a had the choice to remove the shade , paint it, or embellish it with beads.  She opted to keep the lamp shade, but agreed with her Oma it needed COLOR.  Her favorite colors are lavendar, pink and 'turquoloise"..that is how she  pronounces it.  So we picked those colored beads at the local craft store.

 Nai'a readied all of her beads and then strung lenghts of wire with her beads.

                                            She picked her own 'patterns' and away she went.

 We covered the lamp shade with the wired pretties, added a few rows of lace and bead garland and some pink hearts  She also wanted lace around the bottom.

 She decorated the sheer bow with little pink hearts and a swag of beaded ribbon.

                               All finished just before bed time!  Happy Birthday sweetie!!

Nai'as 6 year old cousin Lauryn requested a birdcage hanging lamp for her birthday!!

                                                    It started out very plain green like this.

               With some added strips of lace and bead garland it now looks like this.

                                                      Here Lauryn is hard at work.

She also beaded lengths of wire to embellish the sides of the cage.  She picked green, pink and purple for her beads. Oma also had some clear , pink and green 'baubles' she liked.

                                                              It ended up like this

                           Opa is hard at work wiring it for lighting and also for hanging from the ceiling in her shared bedroom.

 

TADA!!  another(two) happy face(s) and a beautiful result!!