One more time!

I painted this BIG vintage suitcase quite a while ago.

I was just learning to stencil, and, as you can see, I did NOT  do a very good stenciling job on this suitcase.

Between the bad stenciling job and the black paint so easily getting scratched up; I’m not surprised that it didn’t sell.

But it’s a really NICE old suitcase; big and with pristine ‘innards’.  ( It still has the original key to lock the suitcase!) I decided to hang onto it until I figured out something else to do with it.

After ‘over thinking’ about what to do with it for FAR too long; I decided to go with my ‘go to’ color.  Combined a couple of different stencils to decorate it with, and added a big decorative key, tied on with a tulle bow.

It’s available for purchase for $65.00, in my booth at Stars.

What is the DEAL with me and computers!?!?!

You’ve heard of people with green thumbs who are good with growing plants?  And if you KILL plants, they say you have a black thumb.  I must have black HANDS, because I kill computers!!!

YEP!  My computer os broken yet again!  sigh.  And this time I really did NOT even touch it!  Went to check email in the morning and had no power.  Checked the breakers because we HAD had a stormy night that night.  Breakers were fine.  Looked at the back of my CPU (not that I knew WHAT I was looking for?!?!) but thought maybe the cat had pulled a wire out.  All power lights are ON.  But my computer won’t power up. 

I think maybe I should have been born in the days before technology!

So now I’m debating getting it fixed ar getting a new one.  Guess I’ll HAVE top at least ‘take it in’ to find out IF it’s even fixable or WORTH fixing.  I’d already told myself that ‘next time’ I had computer issues it was time to get a new one.  Just gotta decide what I want.  And if maybe waiting for the Christmas sales I could get a better deal.  For now I’m having to share Michael’s computer; so posts will be minimal until I have my own again.

Had a gorgeous warm sunny fall weekend and was able to work outside both days. Got lots of sign boards prepped, and prettied up an ugly black cabinet that Michael dragged home.

If it looks like the top part of this has been hacked, it has!  I had to ‘put it back together’ for a before picture since the original pic is on the broken computer! 

The top of this cabinet was really ‘chewed up’; no real way to repair it, so we just cut it off and made a new top.

 

The ‘innards’ were in surprisingly good shape.  The shelf came loose though and had to be replaced.

 

Michael ‘be-headed’ it (getting in the Halloween spirit!  hehe!)  Had to leave a bit of the sides in place and couldn’t cut flush with the top, so we left a bit of a ‘cubby’.

With the new shelf in place, I first freshened up the interior white paint.  Then painted the outside in aqua.

See the little cubby at the top?  I just got this new ‘French script’ stencil and I’ve been dying to use it!!!  Thought the front of this cabinet was perfect for it!

Fun little wrought iron pull, that I later attached a big old repro skeleton key to.

Perfect, no?

Very cool one piece wrought iron base with legs.

This little lovely will soon be in my booth at Curiosities in Beaverton.

Recent projects

Cute little faux snake-skin bag I found on clearance at Ross (on Senior discount day of course!)

Really a perfect size for toting scrapbook supplies in!

 I stenciled on PARIS and attached the felt chandelier tag.  Took me about 5 minutes.

BIG ole basket!  I think this one came to me via a friend wha had picked it up at a garage sale because it was filled with all kinds of sewing trims and lace.  The basket WAS covered with floral fabric.  I took the fabric off ages ago, kept the trim I could use, and tossed the rest in the donate pile.  Then the basket was just a ‘catch all’ in my craft room for a while.

I’ve been starting to ‘think spring’ as far as my projects go, so I just dry brushed it white.  I think I have another old white wicker basket with a lid that this one will stack nicely on top of in my booth.  Maybe fill it with throw pillows?

Know what this is????  It’s an old calendar holder!  Been seeing a LOT of these at thrift stores lately and passed them up for lack of knowing what the neck to DO with them.  Michael brought this one home so I decided to experiment.

Looking at it laying on a table, it reminded me of a TRAY.  So I set about to turning it into a tray.  First I painted and distressed it; then added handles to the ends.

While I had my PARIS stencil out for the snake-skin case, I used it for this too; then also added a little fleur de lis emblem.

Distressed a little bit again and varnished.  Trays always seem to sell well for me in my booth.

Forgot the before picture for this one.  It was a brick red with paint spilled on it.   Gave it a good sanding, painted it my beachy blue color.

Then stenciled on this diamond pattern, and a quick coat of varnish on the top.  This one did NOT get distressed because I didn’t care for the red paint showing through.  I could have sanded more of the red paint off and/or painted on a primer.  But sometimes ‘time is money’ and when you are making things to sell you need to be careful how much time you spend on a ‘small ticket’ item.  Besides, not everyone loves the distressed look!

Another little step stool that I didn’t get a ‘before’ photo of.  It had purple legs and a white top with some kiddie pictures on it.  Sanded the top, painted the whole thing white.

And I had this chandelier stencil out using it to make some plaques, it was a perfect fit for the top of this stool.  Again, I varnished the top only.

Here are the chandelier plaques I made using the same stencil.  I took one of these to Stars, and the rest are in my etsy shop.