First Fall Project :: Vintage Pumpkin Moon Window Painting

A beautiful late summer day is the perfect scene for a craft project. The husband outside mowing, sun tea brewing on the porch, windows open, Dizzie Gillespie on the record player. Ah, yes. 

Enter today's craft: a window painting/drawing I have been planning the past couple weeks to amp up my fall porch decor. Homeownership is so fun!

I've had four single lane old windows stored on my apartment's back patio for probably almost three years. I've had several dreams for them over that time. I used one as a makeshift light box for pattern transfer for a wedding embroidery once. I have three more, so I guess maybe this will be a repeating seasonal project.

I cleaned up the window frame a bit, but not too much since I think the dirt is charming.( You should see my house it is so "charming".) 

I added a hanging wire using a couple eye hooks and some floral wire I had on hand. I don't recommend floral wire, it's just what I had. I doubled it up to make sure it would hold the weight of the window. In case you don't know the trick to winding hanging wire: it is key to DOUBLE BACK. This locks the wire and keeps it from slipping.

I found a vintage Halloween design on Pinterest that I wanted to zeros and enlarge at work for this project, but I forgot. So this also became a drawing project But for those of you who think ahead, this could be a step to skip. Still, with a gorgeous day like this and a sunlit workstation, I was happy to be drawing.

Here's the original image I was working from.

Great, right? I wanted to find something that could stay up through Thanksgiving. I figure a plump harvest moon should do the trick.

I started out sketching the ideas and shapes of the drawing then took more time to fill it in and establish the spaces that would need paint and those that would be left bare.

The paper I drew the template on was pre-sized for the window pane. I taped it to the front of the pane . I decided to paint the back of the pane for two reasons. I thought maybe having the glass in front of it would give it extra depth and I wanted to protect the paint from the outdoor elements.

Next step is to follow the template using a paint marker. (You probably have one of these lying around now because you tried to do that marker decorated mug thing.) if you need to purchase, no fear, they are only a few bucks and you can get them other places than craft stores. Menards has them as does Walmart.

Be careful as you paint to not paint anywhere where you might need to rest your wrist. I worked from the upper left corner down to the bottom right, because I'm right handed... and a bit anal. Also, the paint pen dries very quickly. Work in small sections so you can finish before it dries. When you try to paint over dry paint it acts as an eraser. Another trick is to compress the pen tip fully and refill it with paint. This helps you go over multiple times and makes a thicker line.

It is important to stand during this craft so that you are copying the drawing directly overhead. Otherwise, your drawing will be skewed. Of course, there's room for some error here. Don't agonize over every detail. Follow the paint if it flows a little. And, if you do screw up big time, you can simply scratch off what you've done and redo.

Once the image is traced, you remove the paper and VOILA! I'm super excited about the final product and looking forward to spending a fall afternoon making a winter porch painting.

I hung the flag pole today too, and did some outdoor cleaning and decorating. it was a productive and lovely day. I am so grateful for the stage of life I'm experiencing.

Come by the house soon! the Franks are open for autumnal visitors.

Boxed up for a Wedding

Our pal, Lucas, married his bride, Nina, the other weekend. It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony held in a little glen in the woods at the end of a sweet lil hike. It was a hot summer day, but the fun couldn't be stopped by just weather. S'more roasting, dancing, and sparkler exit- without fail.

I used another of my record boxes to wrap up a quick gift for the sweet Halls.

The dish towels feature the designed caricatures of the couple from their invitations. The look was too cute not to duplicate for posterity and everyday use.

The ornament was inspired by a wedding gift we received from a friend of Stan's. It has pretty curled pieces of their invitation in it (and a little bit of baby's breath from my wedding centerpieces). We just loved having a little of our wedding on our Christmas tree this past year.

We're still working on getting moved into OUR NEW HOUSE. (I still can't believe we're homeowners!) And I'm excited to share some before and after shots as the afters start happening. It sure is a process. But a super awesome one, and it's even more so with a partner along for the ride.

A Bookish Baby Gift

My sweet cousin had a books and bums (diapers) baby shower the other week. I didn't make it but sent along a themed package for the future reader. 

The bookworm applique was a bit of a rush job, so there's a crafty fringe edge to it all. I kinda like it, after all. And little Blythe Suzanne will grow into her little nerd shirt soon enough.

The scrabble pieces were leftovers from our wedding.

I also included a little crocheted, handmade spit rag and wrapped it up in a box I made from an old record box. The effect was sweet, fun, and bright, like a baby gift should be.

I've been away. For the same old reason of life life life. But, I promise, I've been busy completing projects for gifts, so I have plenty to post for y'all.

Also, we Franks are buying a house, and soon! So get ready for lots of home repair posts as well. Here goes!

Fingerpainting for a wedding

Literally. Finger painting. 

Today, after church I spent a little time doing some crafty wedding prep. I think this will be the next new nail trend. (Any one got some good tips for getting paint off hands?)

I've been collecting cheap glassware at thrift stores for this project. These cute little tea cups were less than $.50 each. I plan to have some mints or something else munchy in them at the tables.

look how pretty the details are! Like a kaleidoscope!

Gotta have the right tools. Lowes had a nicer color selection than my friendly neighbor Menards. I love the darker teal valspar. Just perfect.

The candle stands are part of another project...

I love the way the glass details show when only the inside of the cups is painted. 

Wedding planning has been a unique experience. I never expected that I would ever claim the title "Bridezilla" but some days, I really feel like a horrible monster. Sure, I only have three months to put this whole shebang together, but I don't think it needs to make me crazy. I must do a better job of being nice. I do need my-boyfriend-turned fiancee to hang around long enough to become my husband, after all.

Let's Go Bowling! : DIY Record Bowl

Yeah, okay. Cheesy title. Deal with it, I'm punny. It's just I had a day full of bowls and I'm blogging about it. You know?

Found these great vintage mixing bowls at the Troy Goodwill. I passed up on a couple other pieces, trying to be money conscious. Now, I really regret not getting them, and there's no way they are still there. I should follow my gut more often, especially when it comes to adorable vintage things that are reasonably priced. Dang-it thrifty upbringing!

But bowls don't have to cost a cent if you've got an old warped record on hand. I have seen these record bowls at stores and online for the past few years. People are crazy about records these days. It's fun to have some company in the record stores. Normally, I wouldn't condone defacing an album, but this Beach Boys record skipped so much that one side played in about 20 seconds. It was doomed to warp further, I just helped it along. Now it's useful again!

The process was really easy and super quick. Now that I know just how simple it is, I may have to make some more. Guess I gotta stock up on some really desperately scratched 25 cent records at Omega.

I loosely followed instructions from a couple sites online. Like in cooking, I think you just need to feel it out, be patient and attentive.

• Preheat oven to 200
• Put a cookie tray with an oven safe bowl on it in the oven for 5 or so minutes (the size and depth of the bowl will help determine the shape of your final product)
• Place record on top of the preheated bowl 

• Watch as your record bends over the bowl! MAGIC! (it will smell dusty and hot like the first time you turn on your heat in the fall)

• In about 5-10 minutes, you will want to take the record out of the oven and quickly finish the next step. This step will vary depending on the record type and the oven heat. You can easily test the pliability of the record with a oven-mitted hand. It should bend easily in one place without moving the whole record about.
• When it seems pliable enough- carefully remove the tray 
• Quickly flip the record and HOT bowl into a larger bowl (again, the depth and size of this bowl will determine the size/shape of the final product)
• Remove the hot bowl and shape the record with your fingers (if things don't turn out the way you like, you can always reheat and re-shape)
• Press the middle sticker down into the bowl to ensure the record has a flat bottom to sit on.

And Voila! You've got a record bowl. Of course, this isn't food safe, and it can't hold wet things. Still, it's doing a great job holding the things that clutter the table near my door.

If you love records, you should check out this really awesome art exhibit which features The Beatles' "White Album". The track near the bottom is so interesting. 

Ikea Nightstand Hack - Cheap & Easy Footstool

My boyfriend is a couch hog. He works hard all day at work. He likes to get comfy afterwards. And that means lying down on my skinny vintage couch effectively taking up the entire length and width of the couch. After many long suffering months of trying to share this space, it became necessary to get: a FOOTSTOOL.

I was kinda aching for a little stuffed box with hidden storage space, but I'm too thrifty to pay 30+ dollars for a tiny piece of furniture. I mean, I got my awesome couch off the side of the road. (One day, maybe, I'll grow up and pay full price for something that hasn't been used already.)

I found the solution at Ikea! Go figure.  I used this simple, inexpensive RAST nightstand as the premise. This was the only thing I found at Ikea that fit the bill. It needed to be short enough to be comfortable to put your legs on while sitting on the couch AND it needed to be thin enough to slide under my coffee table when not in use.

Turns out, a few other web folks have found this Ikea hack on their own- so it's not a NEW idea. But I think my final product is still bragworthy. The whole project took maybe an hour total to complete, though I finished it gradually over a week while I was gathering the necessary tools and add-ons.

What you will need:

• RAST Night Stand - $14.99
• Sturdy Material - from my craft stash
• foam padding (a pillow would work) - from my craft stash
• staple gun - borrowed
• gliding furniture tacks - $2.49
• Murphy's Oil (or other oil or stain) - from the cleaning cupboard

Making it Happen

1. Stain all pieces using oil
2. Cut some foam to fit the top of the night stand
3. Stretch fabric over the top piece and staple (I did the corners like I was making a bed) 
4. Poke holes through stretched fabric where the screws go in
5. Assemble the night stand
6. Tack on gliders

You know me, I like to get things done quickly so I can enjoy them. The unseen details aren't quite as important as the more visible parts of a project. So it doesn't matter to me that there are some salvaged edges showing when you look under the stool. I might eventually hot glue a square of fabric or covered cardboard under here for a more finished look. The glider tacks are a super addition to what was a clunky piece of furniture. they allow the stool to slide across the carpeted floor with ease.

Now I'm on the lookout for a basket or box that will fit perfectly into the open space in the footstool. I can't believe Ikea doesn't have it! 

I love my new footstool. In fact, I'm using it right now. If you're in need of a resting place for your aching dogs, try this one out. It's easily customizable to your stylish space.

The Gift of Decor (or) Window Treatment Fix

Since it's spring, I suppose it's time for a little catch up with Christmas time crafting. (Yeah, that doesn't really follow- but I'm gonna run with it anyway.) My sister is a mother of 4 (soon to be five) who lives in a rental home in Ypsilanti, MI. She's a wonder woman. She cooks, cleans, crafts and home-schools her little ones - and usually with a contented smile on her lips. I adore her and have always looked to her as a role model. One drawback to the business of her life is that she hasn't had much time (or will) to decorate her home since the family moved in last summer. Since it's a rental, it's hard to make an investment in any kind of decor decisions that might be permanent. In six months, she's put 1 nail in the wall. I can't imagine living in an undecorated home. Every apartment I've ever lived in, any home I've ever had a room has been decorated immediately. I can't feel at home until the space feels "homey". 

For her Christmas gift, I put together a low key decor kit for her tiny master bath. It's one of the only places in the house that receives more adult usage than kiddo, and I wanted for her and her husband to feel like it was a little special. Like a little oasis? I don't know if any space in that child-ridden home will ever really be relaxing. (Although, I gotta say, sitting next to the fireplace with one of my brother-in-law's homebrews is pretty magical.) But at least the room has a window treatment - and a bath mat!

A lot of the decor elements came from the Dollar Tree (oh I love that place!). I cut down a bamboo placemat to make a makeshift runner for the flat surface behind the toilet. I made a little candle feature with stones and funny moss covered rocks. The cut-off portion of the placemat had this neat suprise feature of staying in a twisted shape like a vertical pinwheel. I stuck a string on it and it hangs fromt he ceiling! Elements of the decor kit not pictured: bath mat, soap dispenser and toothbrush holder. All in a light sage shade. 

My favorite invention for the bathroom? A tricky way to hang a sheer curtain and valance on only 1 pressure curtain rod. Knowing my sister would be hesitant to put holes in the wall I wanted to take out all the work of hanging the curtains. Problem solved!

I achieved this special magic using a length of foam tubing. (That stuff people on Pinterest have been making wreaths out of!) I cut it to just shy of the width of the window and slit it down one side. Then I put it over top of the sheer on the rod. 

What's awesome about this method is that I could have two sheer panels on the rod and still be able to open and close them to adjust how much light I want to come in the room. You have to tug a little to move the bottom sheer, but it's still effective.

Sorry the pictures aren't better. It's hard to photograph a window feature during the day especially with a silly little camera. (It's so time for an upgrade!)

Making it is simple. I made a rectangular valence the width of the window and finished it on all ends. Then I HOT GLUED the sucker onto the foam tubing. Here's a picture to explain the construction.

I think maybe I might be a genius. (A super-humble genius!)

Happy spring, ya'll!

Pinterest Post - Stuffed Ninjas

About time I post about some of the Christmas crafts I made last month. My favorite project? A stuffed toy weapons project based from this popular pin on pinterest. It's a pillow fight, get it?

Since my nephews are pretty big into things like Yu-gi-oh and Pokemon, I decided to hone in on the ninja stash. So, that means ninja stars and nunchucks for all. 

For fabric, I had an old bed sheet that needed new purpose. It was a little worn through, but since I quilted the designs, that provided plenty of reinforcement so the toys will (hopefully) stand up to a solid, little-boy pummeling.

A couple quick google image searches and I had two fun ninja star designs and a simple idea for a nunchuck. I cut stencils into paper box lids, which kept the spray paint contained when I was transferring. Fun trick? I used toothpicks stuck into the corrugated cardboard to suspend the center holes on the stars.

I used regular standard cheapo black spray paint to transfer the design. This should be fine as these toys won't get a lot of washings. (Though, I imagine they are pretty machine washable.)

 

Cut matching batting for each piece (there are two matching stars/chucks per stuffed part) and machine quilt a quarter inch outside the stencil design. Initially, I tried a black thread for the quilting, but I much preferred the monochromatic look. It adds dimension and strength but doesn't make it look busy.

 

Once the quilting is done, sew the right sides together, leaving a 2 in. gap to turn the toys right sides in. Use a pen or chopstick to straighten out the seams. If the seams are too bulky, or not evening out, you might try scoring them (cutting little snips in the excess fabric) at 1/2 in intervals.

For the nunchucks, I used a heavy wool yarn. Single crochet the "chain". I did a little research on the dimensions of nunchucks. The branches (the stick part) are supposed to be about the length of the user's forearms. The chain is supposed to be about the width of the user's palm below the fingers.

Making the nunchucks is a more integral process than the stars. The chain needs a lot of reinforcement. I'd say 4-6 go-overs is probably enough. The fabric, batting and yarn will make this bulky work. If you're anywhere near as impatient as me- be prepared to break a needle. You will sew, reverse and stuff the chuck and close the whole shebang from the chain end.

 

Once you stuff the stars you can either machine stitch or hand sew to close. I stuffed the nunchucks so that they felt sturdy and kept shape when flailed around. The stars I left a little lighter, since I didn't want them to break things when they take flight. (Because, you know, they will fly across the room, ALOT.)

 

I'm not big on gender divisive toys, usually. But I also don't think my 3 year old niece stands a chance in a nunchuck battle with her 3 big brothers. She's a real girly girl. She loves princesses so much. I totally cannot relate, I was such a tomboy. Anyways, little Lily got a fairy princess wand from Aunt Sarah for Christmas. Wand of massive cuteness instead of weapons of mass destruction. I just kinda tossed it together from some sweet little scraps and some lace.

 

And it had to be well-stuffed and highly reinforced as well. Just because she's cute and girly doesn't mean that this little girl isn't going to be waving her wand around at mach speed. And I've already witnessed a battle between a ninja and a fairy and the fight wasn't so mismatched.

I got to watch the kiddos open their gifts the morning of Christmas Eve. In seconds the wrapping paper was strewn about the room. There were only a couple wide eyed and mouthed moments before the first battles began. It was a major success. Even Isaac, the 8 1/2 year-old, gave the gift rave reviews. Welp, there's nowhere to go but down from here. Guess I'm sticking to books and socks from here on out.

Bittersweet Xmas & a Pretty Red Bow

I love the happy, warm feelings of this time of year. The settling simmer of peppermint schnapps in my hot cocoa while I watch the lights twinkle. The childish grins bursting from excitement as they wait for a moment yet to come. But the songs that really get to me (now and any time of year) are those heartbreaking, bittersweet ones about longing.

There's the ones I've always loved. Like, my ultimate favorite.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" :: 

Judy Garland (from Meet Me In Saint Louis)

Also, aversion of one of my favorite older Christmas Hymns. It's got some cheesy synth in it, but his take on this song is beautiful. I love the arrangement. James Taylor's music always holds a special place in my heart since it's one of my dad's favorites. I grew up listening to him from a very early age.

  

"In the Bleak Midwinter" :: James Taylor 

And there's always something about a group of people singing Auld Lang Syne ala It's a Wonderful Life. I like to tinkle this out on the piano at a glacier pace (because I'm not very quick on the keys) and it makes me a little bit sad and happy all at once. (But Judy's version will definitely only make you cry.) 

"Auld Lang Syne" :: Cast of It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

New to the sad song list this Christmas is a tune from a localish band (Cincinnati). The whole album is great, and they've made two Christmas collections.

"All I Ever Get for Christmas Is Blue" :: Over the Rhine

Bright-colored holiday decor is necessary to balance out some of the wonderfully bittersweet dreariness, I think. Here's something I made last year for my decor bin. A bendable bow to embellish a grand old mirror I refinished. (I found it in a friend's old barn a couple years ago and he gave it to me to clear up space - isn't it gorgeous?!) 

The bow is simply doubled-up pipe-cleaner with yarn twisted tight around it. I doubled it up to give it more strength, but it still doesn't hold much shape. Maybe triple it if you're considering trying to write a word with it or something. I know. Super easy, right? Not much of a tutorial. That's the best kind of project. And I think it turned out pretty super cute. I'll be using it for years to come.

 

Got any favorite sad Holiday songs you'd care to share? I'm always open to learn new loves.