I’m So excited….
I have two projects in the latest issue of Craft Ideas magazine.
A Back to School Announcement Board on page 11 and a simple Back to School Card on page 53.
You can see the instructions for the Back to School Announcement board here on Craft Ideas.
Make sure to pick up your copy.
A simple paint and stencil project, fun for kids or grown ups.
I decided to finish painting this colorful Rustic Pallet Frame*
yesterday evening. As the name suggests, the frame is rustic and somewhat rough.
Because I was planning on stenciling on it… I sanded the front of the frame to make it smoother.
I wasn’t worried about making it completely smooth.
The Colorful Chalkboard Frame would be a great project to make with the kiddos.
Directions to make the Colorful Chalkboard Frame:
Supplies Used: (*affiliate link)
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**Thanks to Walnut Hollow and DecoArt for providing the materials used on this frame.
For more Summer fun with the kids…click on SIime Ad below.
Disclaimer: This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!
Sue’s Creative Workshop is now on Instragram.
It always seems like it takes me a little longer to catch up with the rest of the world.
But… now you actually can follow me on Instragram. (really you can!)
If you’re on Instagram, would you please follow me?
(Did you notice my numbers? I need help.)
I almost passed on this plain 8 drawer cabinet last April while visiting my daughter in Madison.
I didn’t really need it, I have too much stuff, would there be room in the car? (geez!)
It was sitting there in the Thrift Store for only $8. They had just put it out that day.
I had to take it home. (I just had too.)
As soon as I got it home, I painted it with a couple coats of black paint and gave
it a clear wax coat. It sat in my office that way for the next four months.
(I’m starting to notice a pattern here.) Anyway…. I decided that the cabinet needed more.
After receiving these cool number stencil,
Deco Art Americana Decor Stencil, Old World Numbers* (*affiliate link)
and Whisper Chalky Finish Paint* from DecoArt as part of their Blogger Outreach Program,
I stenciled each drawer 1-8.
To keep the numbers from looking too new or bright, I lightly sanded over the letters with a
extra fine sanding block and applied another coat of clear wax.
My hubby helped me put on these vintage looking drawer pulls I’d found on Etsy.
I spent more than twice as much on the drawer pulls than I did the cabinet.
I’m so happy with the way it turned out. Doesn’t it look beautiful?
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Disclaimer: This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!
Today I’ve been working on finishing up a couple of projects that I’ve had in the works for awhile.
Putting on the finishing touches. Taking pictures. (Lots of love goes into these projects.)
It got me thinking…
So many ideas for a paintbrush and a little jar of paint.
Come back tomorrow for the finished projects.
I’ve always wanted to use resin in a project but have always felt somewhat intimidated.
Thanks to an opportunity with Environmental Technology Inc., the makers of
jewelry resin and much more, I finally got my chance.
And… after watching this video. I felt confident to start.
I couldn’t believe how easy it was and how happy I was with the results.
The hardest part was deciding what to make and what to fill.
For my Projects:
The original plan was to add a hanger on the back, and use them as a decoration.
But… I had a better idea and decided to add a magnet to the back instead.
I really, really like them.
Now that I’ve seen how easy it is, I’ve got a few more things in the works.
Shop Amazon Scrapbooking Supplies*
*Disclaimer: This post uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!
When the Jimmy Buffett tune came across the radio…
I was immediately filled with a combination of jealousy and sadness.
My husband’s vacation was just a few days away and we had no plans.
I mean none other than work in the garage and scrape and paint the deck. (yay!)
Every other summer we try to plan a “beach vacation” and this was that summer.
For months, I’ve endured everyone’s Facebook vacation pictures while longing for the beach.
(Insert dramatic sigh!)
But…being practical people, this summer, we’d opted for a “Garage Make-Over” instead.
Don’t get me wrong… I love our new garage. (another post for another day)
I just love the beach too.
Truth is… I have a teen-ager.
The thought of him being stuck with two boring parents away from his friends,
his music and games for a whole week sounded like torture to him.
He was not interested in the least.
I know we should of made him go.
But… I wasn’t sure that I wanted to spend all that money to take a sulky teen.
So, we opted for practical instead.
But… when I heard the song on the radio, it reminded me of our favorite Mini Golf place
the one on Myrtle Beach where they play nothing but Jimmy Buffett songs.
I told my husband when I got home, and…being the good man that he is…
he checked for last minute cheap airfare and hotels. (what a guy!)
But… practicality won out again and we decided for something closer.
A trip to Lake of the Ozarks. (romantic I know)
When we opened the door to our room, on the Marina, we were struck by the amazing view.
Our son, who’d refused to bring his swim trunks was now having second thoughts.
Seriously, you could fish off the patio. (Which he immediately did.)
Neither one of the guys had been in a cave before. So we did that.
The real highlight of the trip was when we rented the boat and took it out on the lake.
Driving a boat for the first time, girls waving from the other boats, actually brought a smile
to his face. I didn’t catch it on camera, but it was definitely there.
It was a great trip, a great memory and I’m so glad we went even if it was for just a few days.
With all this new Home Décor chalk paint out on the market…
with it’s claims of being able to paint on most anything. I decided to give it a test.
I’ve used it on wood, old frames, stuff like that.
Acrylic frames? It was worth a try.
I created a mask using blue painters tape and applied it onto the front of a
Mini 3″ x 4″ Sign Holder*
Make sure to burnish the edges of the tape.
I painted the surface of the frame with:
FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Furniture & Craft Paint in Imperial*
I used 3 coats of paint. Make sure to allow good drying time in between coats.
After allowing plenty of time for the red paint to dry and cure.
I gave the frame an aged look by applying a layer of Tattered Angels Decor and DIY Paint*
I wiped it off with a damp paper towel. Leaving bits of the black streaks.
I stamped around the edges of the frame with a crackle background stamp
and Tsukineko StazOn Ink Pad, Jet Black*
Carefully remove the blue painter’s tape mask.
At this point, I stopped and admired my frame for almost a month.
Just waiting for inspiration….
Meet Rachael Cunningham Parr.
I found Rachel, a tin type, years ago while hunting for treasures.
If Rachael is your relative, I’m pretty sure she wasn’t really a gypsy.
(She really is a beautiful woman.)
I embellished the frame with some vintage rickrack, key, and a tiny flower.
“R is for Racheal” was made with Metal Type Charms by Tim Holtz*
Once inspired… I created a couple more frames.
The frames uses charms and hardware from Canvas Corps Brands
and Chitchat Word Stickers by Tim Holtz*
Now to try this on a bigger frame!
“This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.”
*Disclaimer: This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!
My project started as a Memo Board and…
While I was looking for some push pins I stumbled across a collection of little pretties.
Tucked away in a cabinet along with a lot of other embellishments were these little
metal frames. Something that I’d been hoarding since my K & Company days.
I added those frames along with some other little pretties onto my board. (Love!)
To make my Memo/Display Board I used: (*amazon affiliate link)
Directions:
*My little pretties are stuck into the display board with decorative garment pins.
A really fast and easy project.
This project was created for and sponsored by Smoothfoam.
Shop Amazon Scrapbooking Supplies*
Disclaimer: This blog uses ads and affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog. Thanks for your support!
Last week, I got the opportunity to attend CHA Paper Arts in Schaumburg, IL.
I hadn’t been able to attend a CHA Show (Craft Hobby Association) since the last time
it was in Chicago a few years ago.
As you can imagine I was excited to go. (any excuse for a get-a-way)
I knew going in that it was going to be a small show.
But…by being a small show, it gave me the opportunity to mix, mingle and really get to know people.
I got to meet, in person, a few online friends, was able to make a few more and make some really
great connections. All in all I was satisfied.
Back in it’s hey day, when I had my store, I remember spending three days walking the show
and still not being able to see everything. (those were the days…)
On the first day of the two day show, I did remember to take a few pictures.
I wish I had taken more. Enjoy!
First off in the Sizzix Booth was dies from Stephanie Ackerman.
I’ve been following Stephanie’s blog, Homegrown Hospitality, for years.
She’s a real Superstar in my books.
New House Dies from Tim Holtz and Sizzix
I love the little house dies from the always popular Tim Holtz.
Tim Holtz Holiday Canvas
Ken Oliver of Ken Oliver Crafts
Ken’s another one of my Favorite Superstars. Here I am with Ken and The Paper Forest girls.
They had just taken a picture with Ken and was rubbing it in my face.
So… I made them take another.
I finally got the opportunity to play with Ken’s Color Bursts.
It only took a few minutes to create this masterpiece.
Eileen Hull’s Vintage Camper, Scotty on The Paper Trail at CHA.
Such a cute little camper. You can read about Eileen and Scotty’s Adventure here.
Eileen Hull’s Samples made using Sizzix Dies.
More samples from Eileen.
I met Eileen a few years back and she’s such a sweet and personable lady.
You can’t help but love her. And her dies… they are just too cute.
If I had her camper, I just might enjoy camping. (well maybe)
Another picture with The Paper Forest girls at the Graphic 45 booth.
Graphic 45 World’s Fair
Graphic 45 Mon Amour
Ready for Christmas Crafting? I am!
More Kaisercraft Christmas…
Kaisercraft
Little B LLC Christmas
I fell in love with Little B’s New Christmas Washi Tape.
This is another one of those booths where I got talking and forgot to take more pictures.
As a reward for all my work (aka…having fun).
I ended my adventure with a trip to my favorite Big Blue Store, IKEA.
Sue's Creative Workshop 