Okio B Designs: July 2012

Today is my mom's birthday so I treated her to her local Goodwill this morning. Of course, she picked out one thing while I, on the otherhand, went a little crazy:

The Target shelves will look great in my 7 year old's room. I never pass up faux eggs and vase fillers (also from Target). The little frames were a steal! I will be adding those to my Etsy shop once I add the perfect French images. I also couldn't pass up the cloche.

Don't you love the blue mason jar glasses?! The little chairs were quite intriguing to me. They are definitely first on the list for a makeover. I don't love the red and black - although Mom did. The wood crate is definitely getting painted too! The craft paper says it's actually book cover paper. Not sure what I'm going to do with that yet.

I'm pretty happy with my haul and Mom is happy with her crystal pitcher.

Jeanine

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This weekend is my boys' birthday party so the last few days have been tough in terms of crafty time. I did manage to whip up some quick numbered, burlap lavender sachets, though.

I used a black fabric pen to trace each number onto my burlap bags. Then I colored each one in. I like that the ink isn't dark-dark; kind of gives them a more aged look, don't you think?!

I filled each one about halfway with dried lavender buds.

I couldn't decide whether or not to cut the drawstrings off so I just left them on for now. I stitched up the top of each bag to keep the lavender from dumping out.

Super easy and so yummy to smell!

Jeanine

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I used to be quite the organized person. I am a Virgo, afterall. However, once I had kids, my life sort of resembles the picture below:

Yes, that is a drawer in my craft room holding my tea-stained seam binding. It ain't pretty. In my quest to get more organized, I did a copycat of Creative Carmelina and my sister, Kathy from Creative Home Expressions. They both made sweet little cards to add their ribbon to:

I used this French woman image from the Graphics Fairy. The basket is from the estate sale I went to on Friday. I'm hoping to be able to prop as many of these into it as possible!

I have a lot more to go - including a second drawer of random ribbon and trimmings. Yikes!

Jeanine

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I didn't participate in the Where Bloggers Create party - even though I really, really wanted to. You see, my craft room also doubles as my office for my day job. Still, I wanted to give a small peek inside where I do most of my crafting:

When you enter, you walk past two big cabinets. I just got this frame at an estate sale. I was going to paint it until I noticed it matches perfectly with this French calendar page. I hung it between the two cabinets. Mind you, the photo is not crooked. I am!

I have this gorgeous French tote hanging from one my many bulletin boards.

This is a filing cabinet with a wood laminate finish. I use the top to store some crafting goodies.

For a small space, I have shelves galore!

See what I mean?! And of course, my boys' artwork is hung all about.

This giant bulletin board holds a little bit of this and that: photos (old and new), fabric, thank you notes, etc.

It's still a work in progress and I'm hoping to have it more dolled up for the next Where Bloggers Create party - so I can actually join!

Jeanine

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I get to enjoy summer Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. And even though today was a rainy mess, I ventured out to an estate sale not too far from my parent's house. As luck would have it, it was held by a woman who is a mixed media artist and shabby chic collector. I could hardly contain myself!

The two painted wood frames were $1 each. I plan on painting the memory box/letter box white and hanging it in my craft room. It was $5. The wire basket was the most expensive at $15 but well worth it.

I'm a sucker for little baskets!

And I could not resist the boxes of pastel easter eggs for $1 each.

It's hard to tell what the above photo is but it's actually, two little vintage wire baskets and one tall one that holds a test tube sized vase. Cute, cute, cute! I'll be adding those to my Etsy shop after I jazz them up a little. Not pictured is another great stack of sheet music.

There is another local estate sale here tomorrow and I can't wait! Hoping it will be as fruitful as today's!

Jeanine

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I've been dying to try the Mod Podge transfer method for months now. I finally took the plunge last night using a pail duo that I got at Goodwill yesterday.

First I painted over the floral pattern with white spray paint. Once that was dry, I used ASCP in Antoinette for a pretty, pale pink color.

I printed off this great French grain image (be sure to mirror the image first) on plain white paper. Then I coated both pieces with Mod Podge and stuck them to each side. I let them dry overnight.

This morning, I used a folded, wet paper towel to remove the paper. You can probably see a little bit of paper left that I still have to scrape off. My arm was getting tired - doh!

I'm pretty happy with my first try. Hopefully, I'll have it nailed down for my next attempt.

Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday.

Jeanine

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I popped into our local Goodwill this morning. The last few times I was there, I left empty-handed. Not today. Lookie at my latest finds:

I've been searching for these very pyrex dishes at every garage sale I've been to this year. The set of three was $5.99 - a steal! I also picked up the little pumpkin candleholder, peat pots and pretty blue glass dishes.

Aren't they a gorgeous shade of blue?

Lastly, I picked up this pail duo. I think I'm going to work on transforming it first. While, I like the floral pattern, I think something Frenchy would better fit my style.

Overall, I spent $20 there this morning and I'm quite happy with my haul!

Jeanine

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Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend. I didn't have much crafting time this week due to some wholesale Etsy orders, but I did manage to pop into Michael's and pick up these incredibly cute mini chalkboards:

I added some magnet stickers to some of them so I could hang them on the fridge. I love the color! I even used some to hang these great old family photos my parents gave me this week.

The black and white one is of my grandfather and his family on my dad's side. The color one is my grandfather from my mom's side. I miss them both! =(

I didn't have time to paint this little guy. And of course I noticed the smudgy thing on the right after I altered it with some French poetry pages. Doh!

Here's a closer look. I just distressed the book page and mod podged them on the top and the bottom. I think the French perks it up a bit, don't you?

Both the mini chalkboard clips and the one on the stand were in the dollar bins at Michael's. Sweet!

Jeanine

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I went to my local Michael's over the weekend and nearly died laughing when I saw what they were calling a redneck wine glass! They glued a mason jar to a candlestick:

They added some red paint and affectionately called it a redneck wine glass. As luck would have it, I had a dollar store candlestick and a mason jar available, so I made one.

I'm using mine to hold my hydrangeas - not wine.

So simple to make. You just need a candlestick, mason jar and E6000 or similar glue. And some wine...=)

Jeanine

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This is another redo of a redo project. We had this slate plaque for years. It had some horrible "welcome" design on it originally. I had painted it white and then added a vintage coffee label sticker from the Graphics Fairy. Unfortunately, the label peeled off due to the heat so I had to start over from square one:

I gave it a few more coats of white spray paint.

Then I printed out this great French address from the Graphics Fairy. I used graphite paper to stencil it on. Then I sanded down the wording to give it an aged look.

I gave it a coat of clear spray paint to protect it, and added the twine so I could hang it up. It's right over a basket of lavender in the tearoom. Yum!

Linking to The Graphics Fairy: Brag Monday.

Jeanine

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I'm melting. I'm melting...No kidding. It is seriously hot as you know what here. I have a bunch of makeovers planned but I just can't spray paint in this heat. =( So I've been doing some indoor projects. I made these French hotel pillowcases yesterday. Excuse the awful photos:

Ignore the paint on my bedroom wall. My husband has exactly three weeks to paint it before my sons' birthday party. Anywho back to the pillowcases. I printed this great French hotel image I bought off of Etsy onto transfer paper. I was desperate so I used the Target brand. Not the best but it will do.

I just ironed them onto each pillowcase (which I got at Walmart). I wish now that I had done a better job cutting around the graphic. Too late now and I have absolutely no shame in sharing some imperfect projects. And there is always next time.

This cost me about $10 for the pillowcases and transfer paper. A quick, easy way to update a boring white case.

Jeanine

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Hope everyone had a safe and happy July 4th! Now that I can upload photos again, I wanted to share some random projects.

This is the dress form I got from Home Goods earlier this week. Ain't she pretty?

I also picked up this birdcage while I was there. I loved the one my sister Kathy (CreativeHomeExpressions.Blogspot.com) did last week. I gave mine a quick birdy makeover. I added some faux dollar store moss, hand-stamped muslin ribbon and this crown bird from Michael's. And of course the pink butterfly.

This frame is a redo of a redo. I originally spray painted it pink but I gave it a quick ASCP makeover using Antoinette - a softer pink. The egg images are from The Graphics Fairy.

Last up is another redo of a redo. This was a Goodwill find. I had painted it white originally and hand-stamped some French images and such on it. It got a bit dirty being outside, so I gave it a fresh coat of white paint and then added this image from The Graphics Fairy on both sides. I added some tea-stained seam binding to both handles. I have it in my craft room/office holding some supplies.

Jeanine

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I was in need of a little retail therapy yesterday, so I popped into our local Home Goods. Here's what I found:

I'm not sure if this crown is a candleholder but I added it to my French tray. I put one of these petite cloches inside.

The religious tag I picked up at the local church thrift store on Friday.

They also had quite a few dress forms. However, Blogger is telling me I've reached my photo quota (?). So until I figure out what is going on with that, I can't load anymore photos.

Has that happened to anyone else?????

Jeanine

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A girl can never have too many tea towels...even if she doesn't drink a whole lotta tea. =) I made this quick Marie Antoinette tea towel over the weekend: