How sweet and simple is this tree made from copper pipe?!?! The link below has the how to, both video and in step by step.
http://www.lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Copper_Tree_1207.aspx
August 1, 2008 ~ Here’s what’s new in the store.
FALL AND HALLOWEEN HAVE ARRIVED AT SOPHIE’S COTTAGE!
And of course, a Halloween tree! (sorry about the bad photo!)
Some new gift baskets filled with bath/body products:
Ane even some gifts for your four legged friends!
These are the COOLEST things ever! A doggie water bottle (with a clip even) and a flip down BOWL so they can easily drink! Perfect for the dog on the go!
Mini alphabet rubber stamps sets make a great gift for the crafter, scrapbooker or cardmaker. There are a DOZEN different font styles! Fun to mix and match!
NEW CALENDARS ARE IN! 16 month 2009 calendars.
Gifts for baby:
AWESOME vintage white chest of drawers
.
OUR WEBSITE: www.cscrafts.com/aj.html
VISIT OUR ETSY STORE: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5876981
~ primitives ~ trash to treasure ~ shabby chic ~ cottage ~ Paris apartment ~ repurposed home goods ~ repaired ~ restyled home decor ~ reused ~ recycled art ~ handcrafted gifts ~ one of a kind ~ artist originals ~ second hand style ~ junk market style ~ flea market style ~ beautiful junk ~ beach cottage décor ~ unique home décor ~ vintage home décor ~ unique gifts ~ custom made gifts ~ custom made home décor ~ personalized signs ~ Sophie’s Cottage ~ grubby candles ~ how to craft books ~
Make your own primitive grubby flag!
I just used an inexpensive 4×6 nylon flag.
Sprayed it with my grubby grungy stain recipe (sold via the blog and our Esty shop). This is what it looks like while still wet with the stain.
This is what it dries to look like. Can be mdae darker by adding a second application of the stian.
Close up of watermarks.
Hanging in the store:
This stain is NOT waterproof and will wash out if washed or hung outside in the rain.
OUR WEBSITE: www.cscrafts.com/aj.html
OUR ETSY STORE: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5876981
Feeling ‘floral’
I don’t do flowers much. Not that I don’t like them (because I do!). I just don’t feel like I have the ‘knack’. But of course I’m always BUYING silk flowers that catch my eye when I’m at the craft store. They pile up in a basket in the back room until one day I finally pull them out and DO SOMETHING with them. Usually something VERY simple. Here’s yesterday’s foray into putting together some floral accents for the store:
Artificial rosehips tucked around a grapevine wreath. This was originally a rosehips SWAG that ‘got beat up’ traveling to the spring shows. So I took it apart, cut out the ‘owies’ and reused the good stuff. Even had enough left to do another small wreath:
This next one I used three ‘mixed picks’ and one candle ring (cut in two):
Very simple pink peony wreath made from two bunches, cut apart and attached individually:
Gerbera bouquet made from two bunches, again just cut apart; and tied together with some pretty ribbon:
More often thatn not, THIS is how I end up using the florals I buy! Just tuck them into a basket!
Quick and easy Valentine wreath
My best wreath making tip is to NOT ‘permanently attach’ your decorations to your wreath. Why, you ask??? Well, by leaving your wreath embellishments easily ’removable’ , you gain a LOT of flexibility!
You can take ONE grapevine wreath and re-decorate it for different seasons and holidays, instead of having several different wreaths to pack up and store.
Here is a Valentine wreath I just made for the store:
I simply took this purchased glittery ‘love’ garland and cut the pieces apart and tied them onto the wreath!
BAM! Done in 60 seconds!
After Valentines day, just untie these embellishments and pack them away and add on something for spring or Easter. Berry picks and pips are very easy to do. Just ‘tuck them in’.
You can also use your grapevine wreath ‘as a frame’ of sorts. First hang something like one of these hearts and hang it on from your nail; on the wall or your door:
Then hang your plain grapevine wreath so that it ‘frames’ the heart.
You can also wrap the wire hanger around the wreath to have the heart hanging form the top of the wreath. I use ‘rebar tie wire’ on all my hanging things, and it’s VERY durable and can be bent and un-bent and re-bent many, many times.
Got punch????
No, not fruit punch! Not a punch in the nose either. And not punch as in you are so tired you are getting silly and ‘punchy’.
COLOR PUNCH!!
You hear the designers on TV shows mention ‘adding a punch of color’ all the time. Meaning adding something that is dramatic or REALLY catches your eye.
I tend to be quite ‘matchey matchey’ in how I create my store displays. With as much product as I cram into a small space, I feel like I need a sense of ‘unity’ to each vignette to keep it from feeling ‘too busy’. I have certain colors that I like to mix together in grouping and tend to not venture far from that.
But after putting out all the Valentine stuff, I was feeling like the red section was just TOO RED. (dies that make any sense at all???) Like so much red together made it feel a bit bland. Like I wanted more CONTRAST.
I didn’t change up the red section, but I ’sprinkled’ red stuff throughout the store in somewhat unexpected places. For a ‘punch of color’.
Here on top of a stack of tan suitcases.
And on the table filled with mostly black items that is right next to the stack of suitcases
And right in the middle of a yellow and white display:
THEN, in the beachy blues and green section:
OUR WEBSITE: www.cscrafts.com/aj.html
Handmade hearts
These grubby felt heart bowl fillers are individually cut free hand, so no two are exactly alike. Grubby tags are handcrafted too.
The hearts were cut, stitched with a ‘blanket stitch’ (leaving enough room to stuff), stuffed then stitched closed. Stained with my grubby stain. Also stained some strips of muslin colored denim for the stamped words. Stamped the words onto the fabric, cut the word sections and pinned them to the hearts!
And don’t forget the ‘love potion no. 9′!!
Sweet handmade raggedy doll with her own little dolly.
More PINK!!
Pins, frames and journals.
Flowers and frills.
Sparkly pink garland.
Fun pink bead garland.
More Valentine trees!
A PINK one, of course!
And another green Alpine tree decorated with red stuff.
How cute are these little ‘love monkeys’!?!?!
And here is what I ended up doing for the topper on the red metallic tree with the white hearts. The small white angel seemed a little too small. And the big angel was too big. So, I just added some glittery feather thingys behind the small angel to make it appear bigger.
OUR WEBSITE: www.cscrafts.com/aj.html
Primitive stocking ornaments
THE SUPPLIES:
Toddler size red crew socks. I ‘tea stained’ them trying to make them look aged and grubby, but it didn’t make a lot of difference since the red was so dark. I think if I do these again, I’ll use some watered down dark brown paint or gel stain to grubby up the socks. I just folded over the cuff of the sock before stuffing in the rest of the stuff.
Little Debbie Iced Gingerbread. Dried to ‘rock hard’ in a food dryer, then dipped in grungy cinnamon scented wax for durability. (too brittle to use them just dried)
Foam candy cane ornament. Got these at the craft store last year. They already had a string hanger on them and because they were so soft and squishy I didn’t need to use anything to ‘attach’ them to the stocking. The gingerbread stayed in place because it stretched the sock ‘just enough’
Artificial greens. From the craft store. I cut the bunches apart and got 6-8 pieces per bunch. Just shoved them in!
A rusty jingle bell would be cute added to the toe, or a grubby tag at the top.
OUR WEBSITE: www.cscrafts.com/aj.html
