Project 23: Bug Report & Soft Sculpture

One of the things that I love about my kids going to a small school is that they often have the same teachers that their siblings had before. My son, Charlie is very bonded to his first grade teacher and has come to love school this year. Because of his developmental delays he has been in a school setting since he was 2 years old. But this is the year that things opened up for him. He is excited about learning new things and doing educational projects.

The kids have 2 or 3 big projects a year and I typically help them with the visual part of the project and my wife helps with the written part of the project. It works out well because it relies on both of our strengths so we don't get to a point where we are pulling our hair out. For this project Charlie had to choose a bug or insect to do a report and create a project. He chose a black widow spider. We've had fun learning about the specific anatomy of spiders. I never realized that the legs of a spider are attached to the small part- the cephalothorax if you're interested.

Here he is with his finished soft sculpture. He did all of the sewing except for the legs- I went back and resewed over his part because they were giving us lots of trouble staying in place.

Project 22: Garden Chandelier

I've been in the garden quite a bit. I found a quote I love in a garden book I've been reading:

 "All gardens begin in winter dreams."

 Isn't that so beautiful and spot on. I love spring when all those winter dreams begin to take shape. Our local Ben Franklin had signs up the last time that I was there that said Don't just Pin it, do it. This is one of those projects that I put on my garden pinterest board this winter.

The first thing I did with my ten dollar thrift store find is strip the wiring out. This involved dismantling the candelabras and taking the bottom off to access the wiring. The hardest part was unscrewing the nuts on the candelabra. I used a screwdriver as a pry bar to loosen it. 

Most of the pinterest chandeliers were spray painted. I knew I didn't want to do that because my style is more Grandma chic than Ikea hip. I wanted an antique finish that would weather and look better with time. I used chalk paint and didn't clean, sand or do any prep work at all. 

PS. One of the perks of using what you have: The paint matches my beachy outdoor set. If it dripped it didn't matter because this color is already in the table finish. I used a sponge brush because I wasn't concerned with coverage. I like the spots where the brass shows through. I didn't want brush marks to show though so I sponge painted it. This technique is something I mastered in 1980-something when my mother had me help her sponge paint the entire living room. I painted the chandelier and the metal parts of the solar lights. These lights are the second set I purchased for this project. I returned the first set because the size was too big and it made it look out of proportion. 

Glueing them into the candelabra cups proved more difficult. I ended up using a long set and quick set glue. 

I can't wait to see it lit up tonight. 

Project 21: Garden Art

I recently found this beautiful rusty watering can at a yard sale. It was a great find at only $2. I would have haggled but I was so giddy to find it and the little garden box beside it that I didn't even think to. I shoved money at them and hugged it all the way back to my messy minivan. I love the colors of both items. I have to remember this "white wash" over my favorite pastels. It makes it look so romantic. The color is almost a perfect match to my jadeite. I should have known. I like what I like. 

The black pouch in the photo is a bag full of chandelier crystals. Many of my craft supplies are my mother's items. She kept everything because it might be useful. I shook my head at her when she was alive, now I use so many of her items in my projects. 

I added one of the largest chandelier crystals hanging like a large water droplet from the spout. I used more crystals but I like the simplicity of just one. I haven't found a great spot to hang it yet. I think it needs a shepard's hook. But, for now I love to look at it outside my kitchen window. The crystal really sparkles in person. It's hard to capture in a photo.

It's not much of a project, but:


"To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it." - Kurt Vonnegut

Project 20: Veggie Garden

I have a vegetable garden every year. This year is a little different though. I usually plant starts purchased at our local home store. I may plant some easy things from seed, like peas or green beans, but mostly everything is purchased as plants from the store. Not this year. My greenhouse set up worked out so well I am growing my entire vegetable garden from seeds I started this year. 

6 flats of plants! I had to do some serious planning on paper to figure out where I was going to fit everything into the garden. 30+ tomato plants, 30+ tomatillo plants, corn, beans, peppers, squash, herbs. I've already planted my brocolli, cauliflower, radishes, peas and lettuce. Planting day 2014 is done! 

Project 19: A gift for a friend

I might be a little vague in this post because this gift is a secret. Shhhh.

Last year, we tore down an old cedar privacy fence in the back yard. This left me with a huge pile of beautiful weathered wood.

I mean, isn't that beautiful? It reminds me of a long walk down a country gravel road. I can't get rid of this huge pile of wood because I love it so. Back to the project at hand though. 

It started like this: 

I ended up taking it into the garage to cut because it was getting everywhere. 

I sanded off a lot of the texture since I was going to paint it and I didn't want all the paint to flake off. I still left the grain of the wood showing through. 

I picked out the design I wanted and printed out, sizing it according to my project. 

Using transfer paper I lightly traced the design and then "painted" it in. I use quotes because I actually used sharpies here since the grain of the wood is so pronounced. 

I think it looks great just like this, but I had something else in mind.....you know something with words. I love word art. P.S. That pink thing is a bunny tail. I'm painting on one of my kids old towels, it used to have bunny ears too. Then we got a dog. Ha! 

Here is the finished project. I added a little white paint to make it seem more worn. It is a gift for a friend that was there for me during one of the most difficult times of my life. We met on an online forum and realized that we lived in the same city.  Another friend is helping to make sure she feels her echo of love coming back to her. 

Project 18: Fairy Furniture

We have an ever evolving fairy garden. It used to be contained to one small area, but, that was before the dog. Our fairy garden is now outside the fence because of our curious, energetic puppy. It takes over a much larger area than it previously did so we needed some more furniture and accessories. My daughter, Josie, was very excited to try her hand at building a few things. Like many kids her age she's obsessed with the video game Minecraft. She liked making the fairy furniture with me because "It's like real life Minecraft Mom, I have to figure out how to build it!"

Project 17: Haint Blue Porch Ceiling

Let me start off by saying, I LOVE Pinterest! My degree is in Interior Design and one of my favorite parts was presentation boards. Collecting materials and photos to have a visual representation of your design. I'm a visual person and if I try to explain something I typically draw it for you. Having an online (clutter free) space to collect design ideas is really amazing to me.

This next project was inspired by a Pin that an old friend put on her Pinterest board (shout out to Meegan) for her new home. It was a Haint blue porch ceiling. It reminded me of my mom telling me why they had blue porch ceilings in Arkansas. So the ghosts and spirits couldn't enter your home and haunt (haint) you. Although my mom grew up just at the Mason Dixon line she was a southern girl through and through. This was a perfect quick project to spruce up our home and to connect me to my roots.

Project 16: Bath in progress

So by now this should have been an entire post. Things don't always go as planned.

This is the new sink for our hall bathroom. Rather, this is the defective sink that we are getting replaced so we can install it in our bathroom. This one has a lopsided bottom drain. Not so good for draining water. This project is so I remember that sometimes keeping a project on track is a project in and of itself. Amirite?

Soon maybe I'll have a better before and after for you......

Project 15: Garden Nook

While I've been working on the flower beds surrounding my kitchen garden I've also been mentally catagorizing the different areas in the garden. This part is a shade garden, this part is the kids play area, this part ....needs something. Then I found this beautiful old worn arbor on Craigslist. When I got it into the garden it was so big and beautiful it made me sooo happy. This was exactly what I needed in the garden. A little magical nook to rest and appreciate all my hard work.

This photo was taken through my craft room window. All I had done here was brush on a little chalk paint to change the grey worn wood into something a little more "cottage". My daughter Lili snuck outside and was playing her leapster. I knew I had a winner, if the kids are already stealing it from me.

I wanted to add a few more touches to really make this a destination that called to me.

Some pillows, some fabric and a few planters. It's coming along. I still have my eye out for a few things ( a chandelier maybe?) but I'm having fun adding some whimsical touches.

This is a project that feeds my soul.