Monday...

I trust you all survived the heat wave and storms this past week.  We came away unscathed other than me complaining how hot it was.  It was even worse when I was at work in long pants, boots, and 2 short sleeved shirts.  uggghhh... The one day my partner and I went to Columbus and the thermometer said 100!!! It was like walking into a wall of heat.  Of course I don't have to tell most of you because you either experienced it or had worse. 

I've been so busy working that I haven't had much time to do anything.  OK anything but shop that is. lol.  Steve and I were going to go to a flea market in Hartville on Saturday, but it was too stinking hot!  So, we settled on IHOP for breakfast then a thrift store, indoor flea market, an antique store, and a prim shop.

 First stop was the thrift store.  This one was huge!!! This store was in in a smaller store, but moved to this HUGE store a couple months ago.  It was air conditioned so I took my time searching high and low.  It is a good thing I did because I found this brown crock beauty for $.80!!!!! Yes you are reading it right.  The tag actually said $1.00.  I was willing to pay that but when the guy rang it up he said $.80!!!! 

I also got some Yankee Candle tealights pumpkin spice for FREE!!!! There were maybe 7 or eight of them in a box that said $2.25.  I took it up to pay for it and the guy looks at me and says "I've never seen candles go for $2.25." So he yells to the store manager and says how much are these? The manager says oh free today. Just give them to her.  WOOHOO!!!!!

Next we went this antique store I had never been too.  Every time I've driven by it was either closed or I was in my work truck and couldn't stop.  It was not air conditioned and man was it hot!  However, my keen sense of picking kicked in and took over.  There was a deal to be found here.  Sure enough on the second floor before I almost passed out from the heat there they were...

 I got all 4 jugs for $55!!!!! Seriously!!!! I just need to clean them out today.  There are some cob webs and dirt, but heck I'll scrub them all day for this price.  I have no idea where they are going to go, but you know me I'll find a place.  I really like the the second one from the left because it is actually a lighter brown and is more rounded at the the top.

The flea market was not air conditioned so let me say I have never walked so quickly through there.  Ughhhh... it was HOT!!! Needless to say I came out empty handed. I also found nothing at the prim shop I went to.  OK I found stuff, but nothing I couldn't live without.  However, I did see a good idea where someone took mint leaves and dried them broke them up a little and was selling them in bags for potpourri.  They smelled awesome!!!!

I also got some new stitching books :-)  Two of them are from Amazon, which I've never used before.  The other one in the lower right corner is the one I have been searching high and low for.  I finally won it on Ebay.  But now I have to tell you a secret.  I actually have 2 of these books now.   The reason being is I wasn't sure I would win the book on Ebay, so I finally found another one someone had for sale on their website and bought it before the auction was over. For some reason, probably because it is out of print, this book is very hard to find.  That being said I have one for sale! lol  It is chocked full of of beautiful motifs and things for stitching.  The Historic Sampler book has charts recreating old stitcheries as well as explanations on each chart where and why it was done in the fashion it was.  The book on top is also a Brenda Keyes book and she has recreation charts as well as her own charts in it.  I bought it mainly for her motifs to use in my patterns.

Today is my only day off until Thursday.  It started by my son, who I haven't seen since last Tuesday as he was at his Dad's, bouncing on the bed and crawling under the covers next to me.  (Sigh) this will soon come to an end as he will be 13 in a few weeks.  I will so miss these days. Now I just need to finish my coffee, get my massage, and maybe move some furniture around today.  I'm ready for a change plus I need to find a home for my new finds :-)

Crafting

I'm guessing you wondered where I was this week.  Well, as you can tell from the title...crafting.  I promised myself I would not come and visit with everyone until I had some more projects done.  I don't want you all to come over and get bored with the same old stuff.  You want to see some new things.

So, do you want to see what I've been up too?

First, I bought this left over fabric (I'm thinking it's more upholestry type.) awhile back on one of my visits to a prim shop this Spring.  They were left over odds and end pieces.  So I made what I could...

A throw... I know the stripes are going the wrong way, but it's longer this way. lol

 I have something special planned for one of these pillows... stay tuned.

 Sorry for the blurriness but a table runner. Perfect size!!!!

I also said I was taking a break from stitching and that lasted a day. LOL.  These are some free patterns found HERE .  I still have another one to stitch and then add some of my own stitching to them. These are some great Quaker inspired trees.

Last but not least... I said I was going to make some mice.  So, yesterday while Steve was gone I dove in and made my own pattern.  And now we are infested!!!!!! LOL  I made 6 of them.  Some of them are brown, and some are gray.  I think they came out cute.

Hope you enjoyed your visit.  I'll try to be back this week with another post. :-)

Updates...

Let's see where should I start?  First, I must apologize to everyone who has been leaving kind comments recently.  I have been a bad blogger and not replied back.  I have let myself get overwhelmed recently with a lot of things.  I'm not back on track, but I'm working on it.  It's no excuse but I just want to say I'm sorry.  Also a big Thank You to all of you who have purchased my newest patterns.  I really appreciate your feedback!!!!

Ok, that being said I had a HUGE weight lifted off of my shoulders today... It finally came.  The final discharge for my bankruptcy.

 Now, to get back on track and rebuild my credit.  My goal is to save for a down payment on a house I can call my own in the next few years.  Though recently I've been thinking... do I really want to buy a house seeing as though I'm closing in on 40 and to think about a 30 year loan.  Uggghhh I don't want to be 70 and still paying on my house.  I'm sure a different car will be in the future before the house, so I need to more than likely get one of those.  Fingers crossed it won't be soon.  My car is doing just fine knock on wood. 

I also wanted to show you the final pictures for now of newest decorating I showed you awhile back. The original post was here.  I only made a few changes, but I like it for now.

 I hung one of my stitcheries on the cupboard door.  This was a huge first for me.  Putting holes in it. lol

 I added one of my wax eagles to the sifter.

 The picture under the shelf was a flea market find for $6.00!!!!!!

Added one of Steve's candle shelves instead of the candle on a pan.

Saturday we had a graduation party to attend and I finally talked Steve into leaving early and taking me to some antiques stores that are along the way.  I haven't been to these stores in a very long time.  I found this next treasure at the Seville Antique store.  Let me tell you this IS the best store for early American antiques.  Anyway, I found this HUGE bowl that's about 18" across and 5 inches deep.  It still has the old patina and has been untouched.  I just LOVE the cracks!!!!  I got this at a very good price!!!!  Now I will be selling some of my repro bowls soon.  I've decided to slowly change over to real wood bowls and every time I buy one I have to sell 2 repros.

The next treasure was from my Mom.  This shelf was made by my Grandpa for my Grandma.  I'm not sure when he made it because I remember my Grandpa being mostly blind for a lot of my life.  I just LOVE it, but I'm still trying to decide where to put it.

I work the next 2 days and will be off for Thursday through Sunday.  I have some crafting to do, but I'm also meeting up with Rhonda from My Glory Stars as she finished my barter goodie.  I can't wait to get it!!!!  I will be in the Ashland Ohio area to get it.  I plan on visiting some good fabric or prim stores while I'm there.  If you know of any please give me a holler. :-)  The Gleaner Antique store is on my list already. lol.

Another Pattern Now Available...

Happy Weekend everyone!!!! I have finally finished my last pattern for awhile.  No worries I'm sure I'll be back at it soon. :-)  I have a few other projects I need to get busy on.  I have a few pattern ideas rolling around, but I've been asked to make a few decorative mice to sell, sooooo... I need to get cracking on a pattern for that. lol

So here it is...

"Life At Sea"

This pattern is available in PDF or hard copy by mail.  PDF downloads allow you to receive your patterns much quicker than regular mail.  The patterns are $7.50 for PDF and $10.00 for a mailed copy which includes shipping.  Patterns include a color photo, chart, and legend. If you purchase a pattern and are having a hard time seeing it please ask for a bigger chart version.  This is of course no extra charge.  I'm happy to help :-) As always please email me to order.  My email address can be found in my side bar.

In case you missed I released two other patterns ("In God We Trust" and "Lizzie Klapp 1825")  a few days ago.  Just scroll down to my last post to take a look!

Now Available...

I just wanted to announce the release of my two newest cross stitch patterns.  They are both available in PDF or hard copy by mail.  PDF downloads allow you to receive your patterns much quicker than regular mail.  The patterns are $7.50 for PDF and $10.00 for a mailed copy which includes shipping.  Patterns include a color photo, chart, and legend.

Please email me to order.  I prefer payment by Paypal, but will take money orders or cashier checks.

"In God We Trust"

I also decided to make this next one available by an overwhelming response on Facebook.

Lizzie Klapp 1825

Wax Covered Faux Fruit Tutorial....Well Sort Of...

I was asked by a friend on Facebook whether I had a tutorial on how to prim faux fruit.  I told her I did not, but that there were several tutorials on the web that might help.  This tutorial (click on the word to be taken there) is done by another great blogger... I told her that wax covered grubbied with coffee grounds and cinnamon was a great option though.  This was a really dumb option to give out since I personally have never done it. LOL.  I told her that I had some pears that I would try to get too on my days off last weekend.  I thought Sunday was the perfect day since it was rainy and nasty out.  This is how they turned out.

First things first....

I got out my trusty wax melting pot (you could also use the double broiler method), a box of thrift store pears, and a thrift store candle.  You will also need coffee grounds and ground cinnamon.  I normally go to Family Dollar, Save a Lot or wherever to buy really cheap coffee grounds. IMPORTANT: Do not buy instant coffee this is regular coffee grounds.  You could also save money by drying out your coffee grounds from your coffee pot by putting them on paper towels to dry out for a few days.  This candle did not smell too much, but since this was a "I have no idea what I'm doing craft" it didn't matter to me.  I would guess you could have strong smelling wax or you could scent your wax.  Now from what I've read many candles, when melted down, become clear wax.  This one in particular did. Either way didn't matter to me whether it stayed tan or not.  I decided I wanted to try this with it clear.  You could add old crayons to change the color if you choose to black or brown or whatever color you want. If you'd like a quick "blackened faux fruit"tutorial try HERE. Let your wax melt completely to liquid. Hint: You will need to turn the pot onto high if you want it to melt.  Those floaties are coffee grounds.  I'll explain this in a minute why they're there.

These pears were a little tricky due to their shape when you dip and roll.  Apples would be easy peasy to do.  Anyway, as I told you I like to share my mistakes with you because when you try new things it's bound to happen.  Don't think it never happens to me because it happens a lot!!! LOL.  That is why the coffee grounds are in the wax a learning curve.

With these pears I dunked them in two steps... top and then bottom or vice versa.  The point is I dunked half at a time.  They are easier to hold onto to.  Once they fall completely in they're hard to get out. 

Alright, so dunk your half in then pull it out and go quickly to your awaiting paper plate of coffee grounds and cinnamon mix.  Just mix it however you like.

Take your fruit and roll it around a little while the wax is still hot and liquidy. I also like to sprinkle the mixture on too if the coverage isn't that great.

Now dunk the other half and do the same thing.  This is where some of your coffee grounds and cinnamon may come off into the wax that you previously put on. Then set them on either wax paper or aluminum foil to set up.

Truth be told this is where my theory started to break down that I thought I knew what I was doing. LOL.  I know that the coffee and cinnamon would not stay on there if left alone.  The slightest of handling would knock it off and make a mess.  So, how was I going to fix this.  The light bulb went off and I thought let's redunk it in the wax. Yeah that'll work. NOT!!!! If the wax is still hot it will totally melt off everything you just did. Lesson number one.  OK  redo that pear.  Alright maybe if I let the wax cool a little it won't melt the original wax.  Let's try that.  Nope that's not going to work either.  The wax became white! Grrrrr.... now what?!?!?!

Please stand by we are having technical difficulties. LOL.  What do I have on hand that I can use to set these stupid pears that I shouldn't have said I knew how to do.  Me and my big mouth. I don't want to let my friends down.  I know they'd LOVE to make these at home.  Walk away Mary Walk Away....

OK a few hours later the light bulb went off.  Somewhere around this house I have a matte sealer in a spray can.  That would work perfect!!!! Ummmm ok I don't have any after I looked. Now what ?!?!?!? hmmmm... as I'm rummaging around I found some spray adhesive in a can.  hmmmm.... should work like glue right?  So with short little blasts of spray on the pears I covered them with spray adhesive then sprinkled some extra cinnamon on them. Warning: don't do it without gloves.  That adhesive is horrible to get off your skin!!!! I did find that nail polish remover worked though other than it messed up my painted nails. :-/ Ahhh the price to pay to craft.

The ones on the left were original... the ones on the right were sprayed and cinnamon dusted.

You could achieve the same look with watered down modge podge or white glue since both dry clear.  Just brush it on lightly with an old small paintbrush and sprinkle with cinnamon.  This is where the wax fruit sort of comes into play. lol.  Yes we used wax originally, but we didn't end with it.  I'm sure there is a way to do it, but I didn't figure it out.

I let them dry overnight.  Tapped them off so any extra coffee or cinnamon would come off and put them in a bowl.  They still smell pretty good like cinnamon since the adhesive set it on but didn't cover the scent.  You could probably spray each one with prim potpourri spray or room freshener if you have it on hand for a wonderful scent.

So, here you go.  My rendition of wax covered fruit.  As always questions, suggestions, or expertise are always welcome.  I will post any insights some of you may have to help all of us out. :-)

Have a great day!!!!

Decorating Again...

Happy Weekend my friends!!!!  I know I said I was going to craft this weekend since I had 4 days off in a row, but instead I got the decorating bug.  Although yesterday I put a couple of things in the yard sale my neighbor was having since they are moving out at the end of the month.  They have been some of the best duplex neighbors I could have.  Anyway, I sold absolutely nothing so today I decided not to set up.  Instead what do I do??? Yep pull some of the things I was going to sell and start using them again. LOL.  I have also discovered while decorating that I just can't let go of my "clutter ways." I was trying to simplify, but today ummmm not so much. :/  OH well most of it isn't permanent so I can move it around if I need.

Sooo... here's a sneak peek at what I've done so far....

The chicken wire shelf was the trash pick I found a month ago. This is the only permanent thing I've done so far. I finally got Steve to fix it it and hang it. The pineapple cutting board was a Goodwill find (I just had to restain it), you remember the tote, and the red box (silverwear box) was a flea market find.  The courting candle was a yard sale reuse.  I already sold one of them off Facebook. lol.  The pantry cakes were a yard sale resuse too.

The candle holder was a yard sale reject. lol.  No one wanted it so I'm reusing. This is my stairway going upstairs.  That glass on my stitchery is suppose to be no glare. :-/

Please ignore the mess in the background.  This is what I do when I redecorate.  I just put stuff wherever til I decide what I'm going to do. LOL  This is the wall where the above rake was.  The table is my neighbors yard sale good. The cupboard I already had and was sitting in the basement. The three boxes to the left on the cupboard were flea market finds as was the wood lathe "rack."  I'm reusing the pantry cake the coffee stained muslin runner from my yard sale and the whisk broom was a Goodwill find.  The only thing I can't decide is whether to leave the shelf on the bottom of the table empty or not. I just want you all to see that you can achieve prim decorating from cheap odd finds with next to nothing money.  

So as you can see I'm back to my cluttery old self. LOL.  Oh well, I like it!!!!  Now if only I can get Steve to hang his flat screen TV back on the wall so I can redecorate the top of the cabinet. 

I think I may do a little bit of crafting here in a bit.  I have some fake pears just screaming for some attention.  I'm going to wax dip them.... I think.... LOL.  Hop you all have a wonderful Father's Day weekend.