Friday, August 31, 2012

~*Friday Finishes*~

Hello Friends & Happy Friday! I have a full day ahead of me today... and sadly, I don't think I'm going to make my update tonight on Early Work Mercantile... but please swing by late tonight or tomorrow morning to check out all those amazing offerings the other artists have to share.  Who knows?  I just might be able to get things done... time will tell.

Today is Friday... and I'm happy to share some beautiful ~*Friday Finishes*~ with you...

From sweet Patti...

A darling sewing box she created using the freebie ~*Best Friends*~... oh, I am just so in love with this!  I adore Patti's work and this box is amazing...
 She told me the fabric used on the inside is an older fabric that she too loves... and is low on.  Don't you just hate it when you start running short on your favorite materials?  Patti, it is lovely.  Thank you for stitching and sharing!

Patti is offering this for sale on TDIPT... CLICK HERE to visit her offering page. She will update with her new items late tonight or tomorrow  morning.

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This next finish is a little different.  You see, I re~did this rocker... but my buddy Bonnie in Massachusetts did the complete finish.  She didn't tell me who the stitch pattern came from, but she stitched up the most darling rocker cushion back to complete this piece...
 This is a little vintage rocker pincushion I found at an auction.  I re~did the finish on it & posted that it was going to my booth as inventory.  Bonnie loved it and asked to purchase it.  Thank you, Bonnie!  Then, once she received it... she quickly stitched up the beautiful backing on 48 count linen (over 2)... and backed it with wool.  This truly adds to the piece!  Beautiful work, Bonnie!
 Thank you for sending me a finished picture to share with everyone.  You do great work!

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I need to head up to the booth to meet with my dear MIL.  We are re~arranging a few things today... and getting ready for the flea market that is scheduled for next Saturday ~ September 8th.  Once I return home... back to crafting... and maybe, just maybe I can meet my deadline tonight.

Wishing you all a beautiful day with warm smiles...

Betty

Thursday, August 30, 2012

~*Hiccup!*~

Hello Dear Friends!  My thoughts and prayers are with all of you in the path of Hurricane Isaac...  I pray you all stay safe and out of harms way.
 
The weather has continued to be warm here... and dry.  We did get some rain last week that we thought might help our old well out, but it didn't make any difference in the water level.  So, we will continue to hope for more soon here.  And one of these days, it will have to cool down!
 
I've been working, but am suffering a crafty HICCUP!  You see, tomorrow night is the update for Early Work Mercantile.  Normally I have 2-3 offerings... usually needle punch.  Well, I had this doll in my head and really wanted to get her done as one of my offerings.  She, however, has taken longer than expected... well, her dressings have anyway.  If I don't get her dress figured out before tomorrow, it looks I won't have even one offering for my update.  Bummer!
 
Her body is sewn & filled... but she is naked!
 
And then... well Mizz Lori had to post up her ~*Top Hat Jack*~ challenge... and stir the fire too!  I've been trying to get the stitches in so I can get a finish for her challenge by the deadline... which is Saturday!  There are a bunch of stitches in this pattern, and I'm on a mission to get it finished!  I know how I want to finish if off too... and hope there will be enough time to get it accomplished.  If not by the deadline, then later is fine too... but I really want to make the deadline.
 
The linen is pulled for my next Prim Sister pattern... but the details aren't worked up yet.  That is something else that is in dire need of finishing!
 
You know, I read advise posted by a talented craftswomen once.  She said, "Do one thing and do it well."  I sure wish she would have been more specific on how to avoid the desire to WANT TO MAKE EVERYTHING!  I get too many ideas and want to work with too many different mediums... I could never stick to just ONE!  How about you?
 
Wishing you all a day filled with smiles... now I'm back to work...
 
Betty
 

Sunday, August 26, 2012

~*Re~Purposed for Halloween*~

Hello Dear Friends!  I've been keeping busy... and have my chair finished.  It is just too SPOOKY~CUTE to wait until later to show you...

 Of course, it wouldn't be so cute without the garland made from the wonderful pattern offered up by Maureen of Sweet Meadow Farm... (I hope I did the pattern justice.)
 

Here is the chair before... just simple and common...
The chair will be priced, the additional garland too... and offered for sale at out lil' booth downtown.  I think it would make an awesome front porch decoration.  Hmmmm... what about dressing up as a not~so~spooky witch on Halloween and sitting in it when you great your trick~or~treatstersers?  *wink*  Just an idea...

Wishing you all a blessed evening with many warm smiles...

Betty

Saturday, August 25, 2012

~*To Do Today...*`

Hello Dear Friends!  Today we are enjoying some much needed rain.  It doesn't look like we are going to get the predicted 4 inches that was estimated... but we are getting rain that we desperately need.  We are greatly thankful for that!
 
We just returned home from running a few errands and grabbing a quick bite to eat... now we are going to enjoy the cooler, damp weather... open the windows and just enjoy being home.
 
These are things on my 'To Do List' for the rest of the day...
 
Continue stitching on the third school house sampler... that I hope to release very soon...
 Do some designing!  I know what I want to work up for the next Prim Sisters Club... It has been keeping me awake at night thinking about it.  I'm not stressed... I'm excited!  *smile*
 Lori's (Notforgotten Farm) 'Top Hat Jack' Challenge has me wanting to stitch too...
 Of course, I have booth items to work on.  I painted this chair the other day.  Orange with black trim...
 This great pattern from Maureen of Sweet Meadows Farm arrived in the mail this week.  I just know that my chair needs a garland made from it!  I'm thinking I have all the supplies stocked in the studio to whip one or two up...
 Some baking will be done today too.  My little guy will officially be 10 tomorrow!  He isn't a huge cake fan... but does love a good brownie!  He has requested I bake him a Birthday Brownie for dessert with supper of his favorite Taco Salad.  We celebrated his birthday last weekend at our local Golden Corral with family... but we have to have a birthday supper at home too!

I just can't believe he is going to be 10.  It seems like just yesterday when I was in the delivery room, exhausted but falling instantly in love with this sweet, 6 pound 4 ounce, 19" long baby boy!
 Wishing you a wonderful Saturday... full of fun and warm smiles...

Betty

Thursday, August 23, 2012

~*Friday Finishes*~

Hello Sweet Friends!  T'is late on Thursday evening... tomorrow is going to be a full day... but I have some ~*Friday Finishes*~ to share & I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and post them up tonight.  That way you can see them bright and early Friday morning!
 
These darling ditties were punched up by Cindy... she always does great work...
 
 (These are both made from earlier, freebie doodles.)
 Thank you, Cindy, for working with my patterns... and for sharing!  You are a doll!
 
Pumpkins have been on my mind lately too!  For the past couple of days... I've been working on these...
 Woolly pumpkins... of all different shades and textures... with hand stitches and a bit of rust ol' bailing wire.  These will be some offerings in the booth I share with my Mother~in~Law and Sister~in~Law... and added to my table at an upcoming Flea Market.
 
Oh, I didn't tell you about that!  I added yet another deadline to my already busy schedule... Saturday, September 8th... downtown Emporia for the Great American Flea Market!  I'm going to set up a small booth (just a table or two)... to offer my wares... and meet some new friends!  I'm nervous as all get out... as this is a totally new venture for me!  Hopefully I can keep my chin up & have a good day!
 
School started here today... and the kiddo and I need to get adjusted to school hours again.  He has finally fallen asleep for the night... and I better go try.
 
Wishing you all warm smiles and a cheery Friday...
 
Betty

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

~*Making Junk New Again*~

Hello Dear Friends!  I've been having fun going to more auctions and playing with more new junk!  
 
I literally just finished this one... less than 30 minutes ago.  The finish just tickles me something silly... and I had to share it with you...
 
This is how it looks NOW... chippy and old!
 It started off looking close to this...
 I began sanding the loose paint off before snapping the pictures.  The paint color is so beautiful... a light, turquise sorta blue.  This is a child's size chair and just cute as a button!  

I sanded and washed it good.  Then applied a Polycrylic clear satin to keep the paint from falling off anymore.  The chair is sturdy, but it is missing part of the wood on the top chair-back slat.  (see in the picture above?)  I gave it a dose of glue to make sure it would stay strong.  Then... I cut a bit of old cutter quilt, added a little more stuffing, and sewed it to the slat.  A sweet, primitive CUTE fix!
 Close up of the back...
 This chair was purchased at the auction we attended Saturday morning.  No one else wanted it... so I got it for a really GOOD (translates to cheap!) price.  It was covered with cobwebs, spider eggs, dust, and dirt... plus the paint was literally falling off of it.  Most would have just put it in the trash... or a corner in the old shed... but not me!  I made it new again!  I just love playing with JUNK!
 
I'll be taking this to our lil' booth tomorrow to add to our inventory.  Well... that is if I can dare to part with it!
 
Okay... it is dark out... and I need to get some stitches done before finding my pillow for the night.  So... gotta go...
 
Wishing you all warm smiles...
 
Betty

Friday, August 17, 2012

~*Friday Finishes*~

Happy Friday Dear Friends!  Here are some sweet ~*Friday Finishes*~...

These all come from Connie... and are just as sweet as can be!
 ~*Thankful Freebie*~

 ~*Sunflowers N Crows*~ Freebie

 A sewing roll...using parts of...~*Spring Freebie*~

And check out the inside... cute as a button!
 Thank you, Connie, for stitching and sharing!  Friends, Connie has these items list for sale on Ebay if you are interested in purchasing.

I have a few other finishes I would like to share... but am unable to download them from the email.  I sent the stitcher a return message and hope to get pictures soon.  I'll share them next Friday... and even though I haven't seen them yet, I know they are great!  They always are!

Thank you to all for stitching and sharing your works.  I love to see them!

Wishing you all a great weekend ahead... and warm smiles...

Betty

Thursday, August 16, 2012

~*Primitive Handmades Mercantile Update*~

Hello Dear Friends!  Just a quick note to tell you my page on Primitive Handmades Mercantile has been updated... and the other artists will be updating tonight too.  Swing by if you get a chance!
 
Here are my wares...



 
Thank you for letting me share!
 
I'll be posting ~*Friday Finishes*~ tomorrow... and have some beautiful works to show.  Until then... sweet dreams and warm smiles...
 
Betty

~*Booth Pictures*~

Hello Friends!  I finally remembered to take my camera when I stopped by our booth this morning at Ellie Lou's Thrift Emporium!
 
If you are in or around the Emporia area... please stop by!  We have lots and lots of goodies... and the other booths do too!
 
Ellie's new ad...
 We are filled to the brim!


 
 When I found the coat, I had thought it would be cut up & made into little goodies... but it seems almost too vintage, sweet to do that!  100% wool with a fur collar!
 I just LOVE these old black, Bakelite phones!

 We have so much that we had to fill the floor too!

Tonight is the update on Primitive Handmades Mercantile... I'll post more later...
Until then... wishing you all warm smiles...
 
Betty
 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

~*Still At It*~

Hello Friends and Happy Wednesday!
I'm still working away on my junky auction treasures.  (okay... I'm really just playing!)  You might like to see.
Please ignore the backgrounds... I didn't set the pieces up for very good photo shoots.  You can clearly see that if you do look... with the junky rugs spread out to catch the fallen paint, the ripped up boards on the outside of the studio, the dried up & crispy, weedy yard, and garden hoses left out.  Remember, I told you NOT to look at the background!  Hey, we are just normal folk here.
Anyway... here ya go...
This stool re~did so fun & funky!  I just LOVE it!  It was taken up to my booth yesterday with a price tag on it.  I was really wanting to keep it, but I can't... this is inventory for my booth.
Doesn't it kind of look "Dr. Seuss"~like?
 I gave it a good coat of Fire Engine Red paint, coated the steps with some Black Latex Enamel... that I added a little fine sand to for gripper, and then decorated it with the '~15' on the seat back.  The number doesn't mean anything.  I just thought it would be kind of FUN.

Here is how it looked before I started...
 Tony helped re~strengthen these old sewing drawers for me...
 They aren't finished yet.  I plan to distress them and fabric~line the drawer bottoms... and hopefully will get to that yet today...
 
This vintage sewing rocker is all finished.  I gave it a coat of Almond paint, distressed it, and re~did the pincushion with some vintage wool fabric... and filled it with raw sheep wool...
Also in the works... Primitive Handmades Mercantile is due to update tomorrow night/Friday morning.  So I have also been getting some punches done...
Thank you for letting me share.  I'm off to go play some more!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Sunday, August 12, 2012

~*Some Junkin' Goings On*~

Happy Sunny Sunday Dear Friends!
Yesterday was a fun auction~filled day... as many recently have been.  I thought I would share some of my junky treasures with you.
When I go to auctions, I'm not afraid to bid.  I am EXCITED by it!  However, I do try to stay conservative and remember that I'm there to buy inventory for my booth... not for my home.  We are on a tight budget and I'm trying to make a little extra to help us out.  Sure, from time to time I find something that I can't dare to part with... but mostly I'm pretty good.
One of the things I LOVE to do at auctions... bid on the stuff that no one else wants.  This is often bunches boxes filled with oodles of odds and ends... and real junk too.  I try to remember that old saying... "waste not want not"... and then think that someone held onto this stuff for one reason or another.  It was important enough to them to not throw it out.  There is probably a use for it.
Last weekend I bought a lot of junky boxes for $2.  There were about 10 boxes filled with all sorts of clutter.  Immediately after I won the bid, a girl rushed over to me and asked to buy a box of polyester fabric straps for $2.  She was a nice young girl and I didn't hesitate.  I accepted her offer.  Then another woman came over and asked to buy a cell phone holder from the bunch for $1.  Of course, I sold it to her too.  I was already up a dollar on that buy!  As I was digging through the remainder of items, I found a sandwich baggie full of silver dollars and half dollars!  Good Grief!  Also in the mix, was a coffee cup full of smaller coins... mostly pennies.  The coins added up to over $8!  I made a profit on that bunch... and still had the good junk left over from my sorting too!
Also in the boxes were some used eye glasses and an old cell phone.  I didn't through them away with the true trash in my lot... they were donated.  I dropped the eyeglasses off at the vision center in our local Walmart.  There is a box for donations there sponsored by the Lions Club.  The phone was dropped in the box at Verizon.  Some junk doesn't have to be real junk/trash!
The stuff that was left was packed into my pick up and brought home.  I'm using it already... as you will see later in the post.

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 Here are some things I brought home yesterday... for just a few dollars too...
Piles of blankets to use for weaving rag rugs... or critter comforts come winter.  We have 5 kitty babies and one big brown pup that spend the cold winter nights in storage buildings.  These blankets are good for them!  In fact, Tommy looks like he is playing a part in "The Princess and the Pea" already...
 I've washed them all and have these set aside for rug making...
 Boxes of old glassware are readily available at auctions.  A quick run through the dishwasher... and they are good as new!  The drinking glasses with the white ivy design are going to my sister's home.  The other pieces will be priced and put in the booth.  In the upper right of the photo are a really nice set of six root beer mugs.  They make me really want a Root beer Float!
 This old pitcher has crazing in it and a hairline crack... but it is really cool!  Prim cool!
 Boxes of Grandma's sewing stuff, plate holders, and some baby shoes...

  
Here is what I've already 'played' with today... These pieces were sorted from my bunches.  They aren't perfect, but they are useful... to me... and hopefully to someone else too.  The finished items will be priced and put in the booth.  *smile*
 Even cracks and damage won't stop me!
 I had to look up this piece to see what it was and found it to be an infant or invalid feeder.  When I first saw it, I thought it was a Neti pot!  Go ahead... you are free to laugh! *chuckle/snort*

And now... all finished... pinkeeps...
 The feeder will hold a pair of scissors and thimble too!
 The teacup was glued to a saucer slightly off center... to make room for scissors, thimble, or even a spool of thread...
 The old milk glass dish design... will also hold scissors...

Some things to consider if you make your own pinkeeps from old glassware (silver & pewter... or oodles of other things will work well too!)...

*I don't use hot glue.  Hot glue will not react well to temperature change and could come loose too easily... making your work fall apart.  For gluing the fabric 'pillow', I use liquid nails/silicone.  I use clear.

*For the 'pillow' filler, I don't use polyester.  For these I used wool snippets.  Again... I always try to make do with what is readily available.  Plus, the polyester will dull pins & needles... that wouldn't be good.

*To glue china to china (or metal to glass), I use a great glue called E6000.  It could also be used for the 'pillow' placement... but it has a strong odor and I don't like to smell it.

 Here are a few other things I've made with my junk...
 I used the E6000 to make these... an assortment of candle sticks and plates.  They can be used to hold a candle, candy, or whatever you please.  I have one in my bathroom on the counter & use it to hold my jewelry.

Oh... and the angel... she was in boxes of junk too.

There is much more to share... and I will soon.  Right now... I have to go grab my spray paint and head out to the far building.  There is another re~do project in the works!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty