Sewing Drawers

The reason we all love transformations is because we have a vision that other people don't have

Doesn't it always amaze you that you can be at an estate sale on the last day and you find the best stuff!

We wouldn't have passed up sewing drawers on the first day, much less the last day, not for $2.50 a drawer.

I am sure people thought it was just junk and they didn't have knobs

But with a little paint and copied fabrics

Or Sheet music and old wallpaper along with some knobs I had laying around

We have the perfect storage boxes

I priced these at $10.00 each, and put them in my booth at Orange Tree, all but one has already sold. 

I would love to know whats the best treasure you found that everyone else passed up?

Carol

Ruffled Tote With Hidden Phrases

I made a tote with hidden phrases under the ruffles for a friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is embarking on the whole chemo and radiation  journey.

You know what it's like, you feel helpless and want to do something and since she is in another state I'm limited. I knew she would need a tote as she went to all of her different treatments and appointments.

To carry reading material, medical records, snacks, etc.  I used a lot of vintage fabric and added a detachable rose

It looks like a sweet little bag until you lift up it's ruffles.

My friend loves a good glass of chardonnay

She enjoys nothing more than sitting at her lake cottage

Maybe a hidden phrase that will make her smile

Before I added the ruffles I used T shirt transfer paper that I talked about in my last post.  Printed off some phrases and used my magic pen to draw lines

Ironed on my phrases, and then attached the ruffles

I added some cute little pockets

A little note from me

Wishing her an easy journey

This was so fun to make, I think there will be more hidden message bags in my future

Graduations

Wedding and baby showers

Birthdays

Christmas gifts.....HUMMM my mind is in over drive!

Happy Creating!

Carol

Parties I am linking up to

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

Show And Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Pillows made with T shirt Transfer Paper

Just a couple tips for using T shirt transfer paper.

Transfer sheets cost about $1 each so, when I make mistakes, ouch!  The most common mistake I make is not flipping the graphics on my computer before I print.....I bet I am not alone!

This is how the graphics are supposed to look when you print them off your computer, the lettering is backwards.

Not like this...... that cost me $1.  I wonder how many times I am going to repeat this mistake??

Her is my other tip, transfers are great for graphics that are contained, when you have letters and a lot of space between the letters you see the transfer paper on the fabric, not horrible, but maybe not what you wanted.

Look close, I increased the contrast of the picture so you could see the transfer out around the letters.

  Here's another example, where I did not cut close enough to the graphic, you can see the transfer paper out around the graphic.  

Cut as close as you can to the graphic, then iron it on your fabric, it's so easy.

I always have pillows in my booth, they are not a huge, hot, seller, but they do sell, and I like the way they look in my booth.

This was my first attempt at pocket pillows, they were a lot of fun to make

All of the graphics were from Graphics Fairy

The most I can charge for pillows in my booth is $20 for really fancy ones, and $10 for a basic no frills pillow, so they are not a huge source of revenue once I add in my sweat equity.  

They are so fun to make though, you can't put a price on that.

I'm looking forward to cooking Easter dinner for family and friends, my baby boy is in DC and I will miss him 

I'm wish you a blessed Easter, a celebration of everlasting life, a time to renew friendships, make new ones, and enjoy time with family and friends.

Thank you for your friendships, they have enriched my life!

Carol

Transformations for my Antiques Booth

Keeping my booth stocked is a full time job....Yea!

My Mom likes to say that I am having so much fun, I don't have time to have fun!

Pictures fly out the door, the one on the right was a door front of an old cabinet that I framed

I found these two pictures with porcelain flowers. They needed a little love.

When I was finished, I did the talk with myself, should I keep them or sell them???

My 80's chandelier from the estate sale got it's make over

I covered the shades with a light pink vintage damask fabric.

When I make chalkboards for my booth I always add chalk and eraser.

I just cut a little block of wood, add a decal, and cut a piece of upholstery foam I attach to the wood with E-6000

Sometimes it is just that little added touch that makes the sale.

OK, I'm off to have some more fun...it's pillow making day!

Carol 

Taking Photo's for The Magazine

Most people would title this post "Photo Shoot for the magazine", it sounds great, but it would imply that I know how to take photo's or shoot pictures.

My big girl camera (SLR) just got delivered on Friday.  It was great having it in time to take the pictures.  But, I have not had time to learn how to use it.....I'm trying!

So, the magazine wanted my project to have a Christmas theme.  Well, having flowers and greenery as a back drop was not going to work!

Nope, it's not looking like the holidays.

I was driving down the road thinking what could I use for a back drop.....There, on the side of the road, was a pile of old siding from a house!

I threw them in the trunk, took them home and nailed them to a couple of boards

Then painted and dark glazed them

And I had the perfect back drop for my top secret magazine photo's.  It looks like an old building

I just set the chair in front of the boards then sat on my little green chair and shot away

I took a couple hundred pictures, narrowed it down to 72 made a CD of the pictures and mailed them off to the magazine....I hope a couple are magazine worthy!

So, the magazine will be on new stands in October, Of course I will remind you when it comes out.

Now, where was I......Oh yes, I was working on transforming the 80's light fixture I found last week at the estate sale, stayed tuned.

And thank you for all of your very kind coments and congratulations.  I am sure everyone thinks this, but I know,

I have the kindest followers in all of blog land!

Carol

 

Exciting News, One of my Projects is getting Published!!!

I't been an exciting couple days!! I found out one of my projects will be published in the November issue  of ..............  Darn that blogger, it's always messing up, anyway, it will be on news stands the end of October.  Now I have to........... 

Here's the scoop, a friend called me from a garage sale and said there is some cute little chairs here, the lady says they are 100 year old choir chairs.  She wants $10.00.  I said offer her $8.00, she accepted, and I was the proud owner of this chair

I am glad I did not buy a bunch because it was pretty ordinary.  Then I picked up this metal tool box for .50 at an estate sale.

I did the same "Treatment" to both items and it turned out really neat

So, on a whim I photographed them and emailed  it to a magazine.

The email came back from the editor 

"Yes, we would love to publish this" 

 (it also said "You are as sweet as you are talented", but I didn't want you to vomit on your computer!)

Then she continued

"We have an opening for our November issue,

 will that work for you ?"

After I revived myself, I wrote back YES,YES,YES!!!

I now I have to get busy, because she also added that I should incorporate a Christmas theme

So, tomorrow I will be off to my antique store and Jo-Annes to find props.

Magazines start so far ahead, it is hard to think Christmas in April.

Now, I need to incorporate this wood into the photo shoot, I'll get to that in the next post

For now I am just going to see if I can

Carol