Repurposed paper towel holder

Turned my Moms old Coca-Cola paper towel holder into a 45's holder! Neet way to store your old 45's! And, yes, I have been listening to quite a few of them after finding them packed away! 😉

BUSY....BUSY....BUSY BEES!!!!!

June is over today??? WTH?? Where did it go?

Oh well, guessing we have been just overly involved in everything, as usual, that this month has totally flown by!
July is going to be just as busy for us, I am afraid to say. But, with me being on summer break as well as the kiddos are, it serves little time for us to accomplish everything we have put off the first half of 2013.

I just had to share my "hideaway" find!! We bought our house a little over 10 years ago. The property came with a 12 x 10 ready built shed in the backyard. Now, I had no interest in the shed or anything to do with it. The previous owner told us to 'keep or throw out anything you find in there", because he wasn't interested in anything he left behind (had already contacted him about the ......ummmmm... box of love letters in the attic, which he said to just throw away so his new wife wouldn't find out......RIGHT!!!)

Now, I barely remember hearing my husband say something about an 'old bookcase with paint cans on it', way back then......but, since it was in the shed............and not ours.........it didn't interest me. So, there it was left and our stuff was eventually stacked on it and in front of it. Buried again for 10 more years. A couple of weeks ago, during my MAJOR June cleaning that we've been busy doing, we finally tackled our storage shed. WOW, was that a day. How did we acquire so much JUNK??? And I MEAN JUNK. The majority of it was either thrown out or donated.

However, from inside the shed I heard my husband say "What do you want to do with this old bookcase....it looks kind of RUSTIC?"    RUSTIC?? Did he say RUSTIC???
I nearly fainted.....at the thought of something rustic actually being in that shed and WTH didn't I know it was there??

Anyway, he was referring to the bookcase that the previous owner had left. When he brought it out I was in LOVE!!! With him and the bookcase (so he doesn't feel left out...lol)!! With a good cleaning and a little light sanding, this is going to be MEGA GREAT!!

This is it right after he brought it out...................

I can see so much potential in this!!! I have no clue where I will put it, but that is for later.

Just thought this was great and I had to share!! I'll repost a follow up when I finish it and have it in it's new home!! ;)

Another day in Paradise......well, Texas....close enough!

Goal: Organization
Term: less than 3 months
Purpose: so I don't go insane!

I start back to college classes on August 26th. That means I have less than 3 months to DO what I haven't DONE in the last 20+ years. Here and there I have attempted to organize our family photos. More of an attempt with little results showing. So, I have made it my goal to right all the wrongs that I have put off over these last 20+ years and get ALL THIS STUFF ORGANIZED! And we aren't just talking about photos....oh no! There are newpaper clippings, programs (sports, band, etc.,etc), ticket stubs and the list goes on and on, the photos are just the starting point!

But, I am holding out hope that I will actually make a dent in this and start scrapbooking yet once again. My mojo for scrapbooking has been off for a couple of years now, only to return with a vengance! I have learned (on my own) that scrapbooking is nearly impossible if everything isn't organized first. Sure, I can do a page with any old photo, but then I'm going to run across something that goes with that photo, and ...., well....., it all goes straight to, you know. So, before any double sided tape is used, or even one shred of scrapbook paper is cut, I WILL PREVAIL AND GET THIS ORGANIZED! Even if it means locking myself in my room and only coming out long enough to see why everyone is being so quite(that's when I get concerned). My first daunting task is to get all portraits (family, school, etc) organized and grouped before I do anything else. Ahhhhh, wish me luck! 20+ years is quite a bit to get organized and grouped. Math wise, that's 2 marriages, 4 kids and 1 grandchild ago! So, I shall tune into Pandora( YES PANDORA! I'M STILL LISTENING!!) and shut the door and ORGANIZE till August 26th. Maybe, just maybe I can break free a few times and enjoy the beautiful summer. Hopefully. Maybe. ;)

I started this blog last August with the hopes of continually posting different craft/sewing/scrapbooking, etc., etc., etc...... on here, but I changed courses and went a different direction. I returned to school and received my GED in November of 2012 and today marks the completion of my first semester of college (hold your applause till the end, you know, GRADUATION!! -- LOL). Unfortunately, I am taking the summer off from classes (LORD help me I'm missing it already) and I am in hopes of finding and/or completing some projects during my time off......8 week old grandbaby permitting. ;) So, for the remainder of this week (holy skittle's-----tomorrow is Friday!!) I'm going to draw up a plan of things to accomplish, craft wise of course. I might even sprinkle in a few outside projects as well, as I keep eyeballing all the Pinterest projects for outdoor firepits! ;) Anywhoooo, I'm off to find the sandman and see if I can get him to whallup me upside my head and knock me out for the night! Nighty-night!!!

Rustic Wooden Bowls

Shopping at the SA (Salvation Army) store last week, I found these 2 old wooden salad bowls...maybe circa. 1970's...?? I paid $.50 a piece for them and was thinking 'these might make really cute destressed flower pot holders (or keys, change, CANDLE HOLDER, POTPOURRI, etc., etc...). I mean, after all....WOODEN, SANDABLE....win, win!!

Time to start..........




 I took  this plain, worn out old bowl and I painted a coat of acrylic paint on the outside in Aqua color (love the Turquoise look this made!!)


After one light coat of the Aqua acrylic paint....already looks better!! Now, I needed a darker color to go over this Aqua color......a nice 'barn red' color. And, of course, I'll have to make it. None on hand. (Note to self: HOBBY LOBBY this week to get MORE acrylic paint!!!) So, after mixing a Bright Red with a little Black to darken the Red to more of a Barn Red color, ready for a nice overlay of Barn Red(or close to that color).

Looks good already with just the overlay of Barn Red color letting just a bit of the Aqua peek through!

Since the two bowls are different shapes, I wanted them to be similar but different..... A crafter's ultimate challenge!! LOVE it!! So, with that comes the dilemma of ..... HOW?? GOT IT!! ;)

So, with the bowl that has ring/ridges going around it...a black overlay and then to make it "Rustc" looking by sanding around the edges to let the natural wood show through.




 

THAT'S IT!!!! LOVE IT!!

And for the flat sided bowl.....??.... What can I do to you.....??

THINKING>>>>>THINKING>>>>

And then the light bulb came on!!!

VOILA!!!

Not perfect on there with the stamp, but that's what Rustic, Shabby Chic and every other term used to desribe the 'not perfect, but perfect to me and those who appreciate this WORN look', means!! LMBO!

But, when talking Rustic, it's still not perfect to me!  A little sanding will do just fine......

That's more like it!! All the elements I could want!!

Oh....and one final feature that just SCREAMS old - rustic. And I didn't do this....



That small crack, at the top, just adds to the rustic feel of it! Glad the lady at the SA didn't see that! She would of thought it was a antique and probably charged me more......lol ;)

Well, that is my first (of many I hope) blog post and I hope you enjoyed looking at the pictures and reading along!! Who knows?? Maybe it will give you a creative boost to get out and find a project that you can make your own!! There are a BUNCH of $.50 projects out there just waiting to be claimed!! Jump in with both feet, errr, I mean hands!! Toodles for now!!!!!!!