2016 Projects Review

I try to keep a running list of things I’m working on…partly so I don’t forget to finish things in a timely manner!  Its a good feeling to cross something off the list as ‘completed.’ Since I’m not good at photographing and doing tutorials for every project, here’s my condensed list from 2016. Feel free to ask questions or demand photos!  This list is more for my own memory as much as anything else 🙂

For 2017 I already have 3 quilts in the works, 3 pieces of furniture in our garage calling my name to make them pretty again, and a friend asking me to make some Roman shades and drapes.  Keeps me out of trouble!

Sewing Projects:

• Baby quilt + sister’s heritage quilt redo + wedding quilt
• 3 car seat wrap-around blankets
• 3 baby blankets
• Numerous baby burp cloths
• Living room chair seat covers w/cording
• Recovered dining room chairs
• Pillows and tablecloth for a dining room
• Placemats
• Baby leggings
• Corded bench cushion
• Prom dress tailoring
• Arm covers for damaged wicker chairs
• Various plaid scarves + cowl-neck poncho
• Small purse/carry bag

Painting projects:

• Restored antique desk
• Paint/distress dresser/changing table/custom shelf for nursery
• pedestal oak table paint/stain
• 2 wrought iron chairs + table paint/recover
• Huge bunk bed/desk/ladder set painted
• 2 vintage dressers painted/distressed for another nursery
• Coffee table and side table paint/stain
• Antique tv cabinet restoration
• small cabinet paint/new quartz top
• Sewing table restoration/paint
• Painted/distressed old trunk

Other:

• Repaired necklaces and bracelets for friends
• Made earrings/necklaces for gifts and myself
• Made brooch bouquet for bride
• Replicated a beloved old pair of earrings for my sister
• Turned old window into lacy altar piece for wedding
• Made 7 bridesmaid bouquets & centerpieces
• Made 7 groomsmen boutonnieres to match brooch bouquet
• Made cards for various birthdays, etc. (won a paper craft set!)

On to 2017!

 

 

Creating Gifts

I absolutely love having my own office/sewing room/craft room.  I spend a lot of time here, often soaking up sappy Hallmark movies as I finish up some Christmas gift…having a tv here is awesome!

Keeping a list of projects I’ve completed is interesting to look back on;  2016 proved to be a big one;  at 42 projects, that’s nearly 1 per week! Everything from sewing bench cushions, baby blankets and burp cloths to making a broach bouquet, jewelry and wedding decor, painting and refinishing desks, bunk beds, dressers and cabinets, and so much more.

Here are some of the things I finished in time for Christmas:

1.  A stocking for Chase, our newest grandchild.  It matches his sister Chloe’s that I made last year.  
2. Placemats for my mom, who handed me down her green thumb.  I saw this “Succulents” fabric line from Heather at CrimsonTate.com and just had to find some project to use it on.  Mom has aloe and jade plants that are 30+ years old!
   

   

   
3. After nearly two years of research, preparations and sewing, I finally got to present my sister with this quilt for her 60th birthday.  It was her childhood quilt, handmade by our great-grandmother, but overly loved and trashed. I cut out some salvageable squares (that first cut into a family quilt is HARD!), added borders, and turned it into this.  She loved it. (PS I had help from TD Quilts, who did the gorgeous! long-arm quilting.)
   

   

   
4. Its really fun for me to take something that is “past its prime” and turn it into something that is once again used and appreciated.  These old “American Heritage-style” dressers were destined for Goodwill until I painted and distressed them for family-friend Jaime’s new baby girl’s room.  Big sister Hadley might just be jealous…
   

   

   

   

Now that its 2017, I hope to keep this blog more updated 🙂 as I finish at least 2 quilts, paint more furniture, and sew some more fun things.  Send me your projects!

 

Brooch Bouquet

I don’t think I’d ever heard of a brooch bouquet until Sierra broached the subject with me (see how I did that).  But of course Pinterest came through for me and about 8 months prior to her wedding I began collecting brooches from antique shops, Shopgoodwill.com, Yerdle.com, etc. A bridesmaid also ordered a bag of knockoffs from China, which were a great help.

This is a very personal project…especially if you use vintage brooches with a story.  For me, it was something special I could provide for my “surrogate daughter” whom I’ve mentored for some 12 years.

Click each pic for captions…

The front with most significant piece.

Engineering was the hardest part!

The side facing her has a small angel that was Grammy’s. Each brooch was wired and attached through holes in a dense styrofoam disc, then hot glued.

Paper flowers, ribbons and pearls were added.

 

 

 

Reclaiming Daddy’s Desk

Before…sad, worn finish and layers of gunk.

Stripping and striping and sanding and cleaning through years of gunk.

Finally found the real wood.,,beautiful walnut.

Finished!

Polished up the original lions head knobs.

 

A friend of mine had a desk that she fondly remembered as her father’s. She wanted to give it to her daughter as she earned her Master’s degree.

I agreed to work on it, thinking it would be awesome painted, with the top remaining stained. She was adamant about keeping the wood as it was, and it turned out she was right!

Look how beautiful that walnut was under all the layers of gunk!  I also polished the cool lions head knobs and found some other vintage knobs to replace the missing ones on the cabinets.

On to the next project….

 

More Chalkpainting Projects

I always forget to take ‘before’ pics….I need to get better at that!  Here are some of the projects I’ve done recently, using furniture from thrift stores, etc. and re-loving them then selling them or giving them to family members.

I’m always open to take on your next project! 

 

Another end table, with 2 drawers.

Side table for daughter; did coffee table in same butter yellow and lined drawers in fabric.

Beautiful table, made more current. Chair is separate piece, obviously doesn’t match.

Love this little end table! Basket just completed it.

Big heavy coffee table with parquet top I kept intact.

Unusual little shelf unit.

 

Repurposed!

You know by now I enjoy painting and finding the beauty in icky old pieces of furniture.  I hunt through Goodwill stores and other thrift stores, hunting for the $10 prize that just needs some attention to be brought back to its original beauty…or a better version!

Here’s my latest…sorry I always forget to take “before” pics, but trust me when I say this was one tired piece of furniture, with wet stains, chunks of wood missing, marker marks, etc.  and a $13 price tag.  I chalk-painted and waxed bottom and sanded/stained the top.

Look at her now!

Closed, a handy little side table.

Open, its ready for entertaining!

Here’s the little shelf my friend Rob added for me, with cloth cover. Could display glassware inside, too.

 

One Vintage Sheet

Do you know someone who has never used their wedding china, saved the crystal for “a special occasion”, kept the nicer silverware in the drawer?  Well, I think such things should be brought out occasionally and enjoyed, savored and generally appreciated.

So, when my friend Karen told me about some fabric that she’d had laying around for some 50 years, I was ready for the challenge.  Her mom was gifted a fine cotton/linen flat sheet from Europe 50+ years ago, but never used it, likely because she didn’t have the full set. So it sat.  And sat. And never got used, though the material has an absolutely gorgeous feel to it with a high thread count and natural fibers.

I first cut out 2 pillow cases, utilizing the finely crocheted trim.  Then with the remainder I was able to cut out a DOZEN square napkins, just slightly larger than the 16″ standard, so there would be plenty of room for decorative folds. Since there was no trim on the napkins and I don’t have a fussy machine that does monograms, I used a decorative stitch along the edges, just for a subtle elegance.

So easy…and the sheet will be so much more appreciated now; the gift that has kept on giving.  I folded 8 of the napkins into lotus blossoms for a nice presentation…just a matter of folding the corners into center, flip it over and fold corners in again, then pull up the flap.  Find tutorials online…

2 standard pillow cases + 4 of the napkins

Herringbone stitch on napkins

Detail on corners and stitching

You can find many napkin fold tutorials online…

Fold corners into middle, then again, then flip over and do one more time. It helps to iron as you go…

Reach under each corner and pull up the bottom layer/flap.

Voila! Folded into a neat lotus blossom!

 

My First Quilt

I took a quilting class to learn the basics so that I can tackle the vintage quilt my mom gave me from my great-grandmother. I was impressed at the number of tips, etc. I picked up even though I’ve been sewing since 4th grade.

The process is not difficult; it just takes patience (okay, I admit I’m a little lacking there), precision (well, I’m usually in a hurry and not so precise either) and persistence.

The quilt is called “Just Between Friends” and I took the class with a friend, so that was fun. It is the ‘lap quilt’ size, which is nearly twin sized!

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Chalk-Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Lauren was not a fan of her 1980s pink-toned cabinets, but wasn’t able to purchase all new ones either.  She started to paint, but quickly decided she was in over her head and called me in!

Here is the process;  clean, lightly sand, paint x 3 coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, distress with power sander, 2-3 coats of clear wax, buff.  Also, removed all hardware and spray-painted some of the old handles to match the new knobs. Then replaced all cabinets and hardware….and got myself a bottle of wine! *whew* long process and good arm muscles.

BEFORE….1980s pink cabinets.

Keep track of all hardware and number the cabinets to keep it all straight.

Starting to paint boxes.

Painting coat #1, backs first. Helps to have TV going…

More painting! 20 cabinet doors x 2 sides x 3 coats + 5 drawers x 3 coats.

AFTER! Much more updated. Kitchen will soon be painted ‘asparagus green’ and white cabinets will POP much more.

Corner cabinet and distressing.

Finished with distressing and new knobs

Chalkboard inside pantry door as a bonus!

 

A Simple Chair, Updated

How many chairs like this have you seen at garage sales, Goodwill, etc.?  I think this came from a yard sale and cost less than $10. It is solid wood and has a nice figure, tho.

Well, with just a little paint, a friend who fixed the seat for me, and some fabric I already had from Crimson Tate, suddenly it is a very cute side piece.  Just because I had more fabric that happened to coordinate, I made the pillow, too.  I frequently buy fabric that I just LIKE, so when I’m bored I can make a pillow or two or cover a bulletin board or some little project like that. I know…its a disease!

Don’t you think this is much cuter now?  (and…its for sale if you like…but not the cat!)