Festival of Trees Part One

I know you are all just dying to see how I am decorating my little tree for the Festival of Lights Silent Auction. Par for the course, I committed myself to this project without really thinking it through. I have been collecting ideas for making ornaments created from old book pages. I thought this little tree decorating project would be the perfect motivation to try out these very economical pieces.

Only after picking up the tree did I really start to look at the directions for these book page ornaments. They are way too fussy for me. Believe it or not, cutting and paper is a very precise art that takes quite a bit of patience. And if you are doing several of one pattern, it’s hard to make them all look the same. Scrap that idea!

I’ve switched gears and decided to work off a snowman theme. Who doesn’t like snowmen? They are reminiscent of our childhood and bring a smile to everyone’s face. I have started the decorating with a base of shiny red, green and white glass balls evenly distributed. No, I didn’t actually measure them, but that isn’t a bad idea! I have tied them on with a red ribbon for some added texture.

That was easy, now what? Thinking snowman, little red mittens came to mind. I remember my mother knitting these tiny mittens that we used for package decorations and pinned to our coats for a little festive flair. I gave her a call and in a few days I had received the original page of directions she used from a 1966 Workbasket magazine. How sweet is that? After several faulty starts, I managed to work through the pattern and obsessively knit up five little pairs of mittens. My eyes were starting to blur as I worked feverously into the early morning hours to get them done.

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So here is ornament #1 added to the little tree and I feel that I have made a good start. Which ornament will I obsess about next?

Book Lamp

The director of my local library requested donations from local artisans for the library’s silent auction. Hmm, what could I make? I immediately went to my project board on Pinterest to see what I could find. It seemed like a book-related piece would be the most appropriate. As everyone knows, I love old books and I love the idea of upcycling. I also have experience with silent auctions and know that people are really out looking for a bargain. Many times valuable items go for a small fraction of their value. I wanted to create a quality piece that didn’t cost a lot to produce. I checked out my supply of stuff on my shelves and I think I found the perfect project.

While working on a budget, I still wanted to make sure that my project would be worthy of being amongst real artisan offerings so I decided to take it one step at a time and make my decision whether or not to proceed after each step. The first step was to paint the books. I saved money by using paint that was already on my shelves. I sanded the books and applied the paint in several layers including sponging and antiquing to give the books an interesting look. The first step worked out well so I moved on to using decoupage to apply the fancy text to the spines, adding more visual interest.

Pleased with the design of the books, it was time to move on to the real nuts and bolts of the project. A lamp isn’t much good without a light bulb that actually lights up. Tom is so generous with his time and talents. He always finds a way to help me accomplish my creative goals. Wanting to make this a true upcycle project, I used an old silver lamp that my daughter no longer wanted. It was the perfect shape and size. It did take some maneuvering on Tom’s part to drill through all three books so the silver tube could be inserted. The books got a little scuffed up and I debating about moving forward but once I calmed down, I decided that this just added to the shabby chic style of the books. A little extra paint here and there and I was back on track.

I found a little lampshade at one of my second hand shops and knew it would be the perfect size. And for $.75, the price couldn’t be beat. I painted it up using the same colors I used on the books so that it would coordinate. The trim on the lampshade was the most expensive part of the project. I found the perfect trim at Joann’s but it was a bit pricey. I took advantage of the long line at the register and pulled up a 40% off coupon on my phone. Score! I’m really pleased with how the project turned out and hope it does well at the auction. It’s one thing to give projects away but putting one up for sale is nerve wracking!

It was fun to put this project together on a budget. I’ll be curious to see how well it does at auction. If you want to make your own lamp, you can find a great tutorial here. I modified the material list a bit so that I could use what I had on the shelves to save a little money. Check out your shelves and see what’s hanging around for your next project!

Stepping Stone

My husband has been working steadily on the construction of a camp in Loon Lake which is in the Adirondacks. It’s exciting enough to see the structure rise and indoor plumbing be installed but it’s also exciting to be getting to the point of talking about finishes and finishing touches.  We aren’t quite there yet, but adding a little touch when we can gives us a little encouragement and allows us to dream of the time when our vacation home will be complete. 

 

Last year my sister and her husband gave us thisbeautiful stepping stone with the signature loon in the center  We’re a long way off from any landscaping so the stone has been just leaning up against the wall waiting for a home..

  This spring my husband and I were working away when we both looked at the stone and then each other and said, “Something special needs to be done with this stone.” 

Rustic Log Lamp

Camp decorating continues with this little project.  I’m having a good time creating pieces that refurbish flea market finds with a nod to nature. Part of my challenge is to spend as little money on the pieces as possible and I feel that I’m doing pretty well.  It’s also fun decorating a space where I can use the terms rustic and shabby chic to excuse any slip-ups.  Hey, don’t judge me I’m having fun. 

 

I was sitting outside our camp a few weeks ago enjoying the fresh air and scenery when a light bulb lit up in my head.  How about a lamp made out of a log?  It might sound crazy but lamps can be made from just about anything.  Wouldn’t a log lamp be perfect in the living room?  This was an idea I had to run by Tom because he would be the one to assemble it all.  Of course he was up for the challenge and went out to the woodpile to see what he could find.  Voila!  The perfect log was just waiting to be snapped up.  What makes a perfect log you may ask?  One that is already cut to size is handy for sure.  A nicely textured bark with a little moss growing up the side doesn’t hurt either.

 

Tom fashioned a base out of a piece of the maple we recently purchased to make up the bar.  So far the project cost is $0!  Unfortunately he couldn’t use any of the old lamp parts in my arsenal and purchased new pieces for $15. Once assembled, I sanded the base and applied several coats of polyurethane.  I started with a spray so as not to disturb any of the moss.  Once all the intriguing bits and pieces were adhered I brushed on the really durable stuff.  Nice!

 

Now for the lampshade.  If you’ve ever shopped for lampshades you know how expensive they can be.  Besides, I wanted something a little out of the ordinary.  I knew how I wanted to remake the shade but didn’t want to spend even the $10 it would cost to buy a new one to use as a base.  Hmm, which of my “junk” shops has the most potential?  The Salvation Army!  There I found a disgustingly dirty lampshade in the right size and shape for $.99.  What a find!

 

After cleaning up the lampshade, I started covering it with some jute I found in my stash.  I dabbed a bit of glue here and there to hold it all in place.  Ah, just the style I wanted.  As a little extra touch, I attached a ceramic leaf I had hanging around in my box of fall decorations. I think this will be just perfect as a woodsy accent piece in the living room.  At a cost of $16 who wouldn’t want a lamp made from a log?  Don’t all speak up at once…..

 

Mexican Pillow

 

I have just finished a really fun project!  While making the rounds through the pre-owned clothing section of one of my favorite shops, I came across this fascinating vest.  Isn’t it great? 
 

Anyone observing me walking through these stores must really get a show as I gasp and laugh out loud over some of the things I find.  And then I grab them like someone else is shadowing me just waiting to take my great find right out of my hands. This was definitely one of those pieces.  Take a peek at these adorable reptiles.  Who wouldn’t just laugh out loud?

The vest as a piece of clothing really isn’t my style but the pieced squares used to make the vest are really well done.  I felt certain that I could deconstruct the piece and turn it into a pillow for someone else’s home.  Really, what am I going to do with a Mexican reptile pillow?  It doesn’t exactly fit my traditional décor.  But I know someone down south with a lovely patio where a pillow like this would feel quite at home. Sold, for $1!

 

There was quite a bit of decorative stitching that had to be picked out along with the seams.  I situated myself out on my deck with a drink nearby and got to work.  I was proud of myself for taking my time and really thinking before I made any cuts.  Maybe the sun and the cheerful fabric had a bit to do with that.

 

 

My patience sure paid off as I was able to reuse some of the red fabric to create the fourth edge and the lining as the back of the pillow.  It was a pretty easy job to sew the back and front of the pillow together.  It all worked out so nicely. I just love it when that happens. Isn’t it a festive little piece?