hanging in for the holidays.
November 24, 2009 at 12:21 pm | In Holidays!, feather my nest | Leave a Comment
There are always so many cherished keepsakes to display during the holidays. I’m turning those ugly ordinary hanging nails into part of the display. I used a fabric covered button kit to jazz up mine. All I did was cover the button with coordinating fabric, remove the shank in the back(with pliers) and glue it to the nailhead. You could also glue a vintage button or any other decorative embellishment.
Ball of Fall Fun
September 15, 2009 at 3:54 pm | In Holidays!, feather my nest | 1 Comment
To the untrained eye this may seem like a jar full of yarn balls. Okay, yeah it is…but let me tell you how to make this fun Fall display for less than $2.
Start winding the yarn around a handful of stuffing. Keep the yarn moving in various directions. It may look a mess at first, but as the yarn builds it will come together.
After the yarn ball is the desired size, cut the yarn and secure the end down with hot glue.
Make as many that you need. Personally, I love displays in odd numbers.
I filled one of my favorite glass canisters with 5 yarn balls in various sizes. To top it off I stuck a pair of wooden knitting needles into one of the balls. Honestly, they were too long for the lid so I had my hubby saw them down. You know, I don’t knit anyway!
an affair with the secretary.
February 12, 2009 at 12:12 pm | In feather my nest, reincarnate::giving old things new life:: | 2 CommentsYes, I am in love with my “not so new” secretary.
Sorry to disappoint, but it’s the wooden kind. I bought this fixer-upper at a garage sale for $20. It was 70’s wooden panel brown, but she sure cleans up nicely.
I was originally planning on a porcelain crackle finishbut just decided to keep it simple. Primed with gesso, painted with satin wall paint, sanded, an antique glaze, and varnish.
It now houses all of the kids’ craft supplies. And just look at the flip down desk. Hoping to resuscitate old fashioned letter writing.
And to hold all of the letters and cards they are constantly creating, we jazzed up this old mailbox. It was beautiful in black, but bolder in the same yellow spraypaint from here.
tutorial:: etching a mirror.
January 15, 2009 at 3:51 pm | In feather my nest, reincarnate::giving old things new life::, whichcraft? | 8 CommentsIt was just the beginning of redecorating the downstairs bathroom and I already hit a snag. I was planning on replacing the run of the mill mirror with a framed ornate mirror. Well… the mirror is glued to the wall! I don’t want to risk damage to the wall, just yet, so I’m going to try and make it work. And if it doesn’t… I guess there’s always the sledge hammer!
Nothing special about this beveled mirror.
Cover the intended area with clear contact paper.
Draw your design directly onto the contact paper with permanent marker. If you are not comfortable freehand, you could trace an image onto the contact paper before applying it to the mirror. Simply place the design on a window with the sunlight shining through. Place the contact paper ,with backing still intact ,on top of the design and tape it down. This will allow you to see what you are tracing.
Cut out your design with a craft knife. It is much easier than it sounds. The knife glides so much smoother on the glass than it does on paper. After you are happy with your design, gather your remaining materials. I can’t stress enough how important safety is with this project. This cream eats glass! Don’t take any chances. Latex rubber gloves are no defense against this acid based cream. I used my husband’s work gloves. Don’t forget about eye safety gear!! I also kept regular baking soda handy. It will neutralize the acid if it gets on anything. ( I had to put some on the faucet handles because I dripped!)
Use your manufacturer’s instructions to apply the cream to your design. I used a simple paintbrush to apply. Make sure to evenly coat the design. After this step there is no going back! Watch for drips! After the indicated amount of time, rinse the mirror with water. Leave the contact paper on until it is all rinsed. I kept my gloves on to rinse the mirror using a washcloth. And then I threw all materials into a grocery sack and into the trash. PLEASE BE CAREFUL! I don’t mean to be a freak about it. Nothing happened to me, but these are harsh chemicals we’re dealing with.
Ta Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! What do you think?
A Space of My Own
October 4, 2007 at 12:12 am | In feather my nest, sewing, whichcraft? | 6 Comments
I am finally starting to get my sewing room in order. David and I painted it this weekend and put up some shelves. It is a beautiful color from Martha Stewart @ Lowe’s called Blue Agave. It is very reminiscent of a robin’s egg. Although my husband said that it looks like a giant Tiffany & Co box. How the heck would he know? I wanted a little something on the walls that was very subtle. Something with an organic feel. I originally wanted silhouettes of branches and maybe a bird. I started doing it in chalk first, then decided that maybe it was a little too trendy for this purpose. After all, I probably won’t get a chance to paint over it any time soon. So I decided on peacock feathers.
I love them!! Despite what David says. They remind him of fish bones. That’s the problem and solution with us. He works in the corporate world and can be so commercial at times, where as my taste is sort of eclectic. But the good thing is that we balance each other out very well. He keeps me from going off the deep end. Anyway, I love my room and love to be in there. Still more work to do. Shelves, shelves, and more shelves!
This is a bag that has been on my to do list for quite awhile. It’s a laptop messenger bag for my little sister in NYC. I love and am surprised atthe way it turned out. After all, this is the 3rd bag that I have made in my life! I made my own quilted fabric from brown corduroy and a great geometric print from the Fall Back in Time line from Moda. I put her initial on the front inspired by the one and only Sally Shim. My sister is going to love it! There are so many things I would have done differently. It was way too thick to sew through. I have a new record for the number of needles I broke on a single project. Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday…. you get the idea!
I’m also sending her this mini patchfolio, and one of my new dog towels. The newest member to the Revel family. All wrapped up in the Urban Shopper, which I constructed using a rice sack. Jen, you get the cookies when you come for Christmas!
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