Okio B Designs

It's hard to believe another year has come and gone.  I'm welcoming 2013 with open arms as 2012 definitely had its ups and downs for me.  We survived Sandy and 12 days with no power - definitely a downer.  My 5 year old started kindergarten - both an upper and downer.  I could go on and on. My outlook for 2013 is much brighter and I've made just a few new year's resolutions that I...

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Drawing inspiration from Pinterest and Sissie from Sissie's Shabby Cottage, I made my first ever rag-tie banner last night.  I used a bunch of leftover fabric pieces that were taking up space in my craft room.  You know what they say about lemons and lemonade! I love the shabby look.  Makes me long for spring though.  Sigh! I just kind of looped and pulled each piece of fabric onto some twine.  I think there are about 50...

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Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  I play Santa in our house which means I purchase and wrap all of the presents - even those for myself (isn't my husband lucky?!).  I only picked up a few things before the holidays for myself because I knew the after-Christmas sales would be better.  Yesterday, I took a trip to the mall to hit some sales and picked up these yummy candles from Anthropologie. I love the ceramic jars...

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Wishing all of my bloggy buddies a very Merry Christmas!  Hope Santa brings you lots of cratfy goodies! Jeanine Image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy. ...

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I cannot believe Christmas eve is tomorrow night!  I've been busy cleaning and cooking for company, but I did steal a little craft time to make these Alice in Wonderland coasters. Remember, I told you I had like a gazillion of these sea salt tiles in our garage?  I hate letting them go to waste so I broke out my stamps and added these great Alice images.  Once they were dry, I gave each coasters a coat...

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I still have a bunch of peat pots left over from the summer.  Since I'm still avoiding the chaos of the stores and malls (and still working with what I already have in the house), I decided to make a couple of new embellished ones. I gave each a coat of white acrylic paint.  I tried my hand at doing a mixed media one with the little girl.  The image is from The Graphics Fairy...

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I picked up this little wood drawer at the thrift store last week.  Luckily, it was mild enough yesterday to get some spray painting done.  I gave it a few coats of white spray paint, sanded and then added some Frenchy touches: First is this little file tag.  It comes pre-packaged with several self-sticking tags and inserts for things like Family Photos, 2012, etc.  I cut out some French poetry book paper instead and added that....

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Because I refuse to do any sort of shopping these last few days before Xmas (crowds, traffic, etc. - no thanks!), I'm doing some projects with items I already have in the house.  Last night, I decided to embellish some of these apothecary bottles I pick up whenever I'm at a garage sale. I added some vintage lace on the first one using spray adhesive.  Then I wrapped some vintage French poetry book paper around...

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Jeanine ...

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These pretty petite frames are from Michael's.  I picked them up over the weekend not quite sure what I was going to do with them.  I feel like they called for something Frenchy and that's just what I did with them! Excuse the pictures - another horrible dark day here.  First, I distressed some French poetry book pages.  Then I hand-stamped the crown for one and a fleur de lis for the other. I added...

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Popped into the local thrift store this morning and found a few nice pieces.  Love this wrought iron easel. I will probably end up painting it over the summer but for now it perfectly holds our Xmas countdown tray. I also found some sheet music, a wood plaque and this wood crate drawer.  I plan on giving that a shabby makeover and some French lettering. Not bad for $5! Oh, and anyone noticing a large...

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I finally got around to Goodwill this morning.  Not exactly a banner day for me.  I feel like I need a t-shirt that says I went to Goodwill and all I got was this: Chess set and little metal urn.  I had my eye on a set of shabby chic plates but they wanted $14.99 for the set - a little more than I was looking to spend.  The chess is for my boys.  And...

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I have a ton of random fabric filed away in my craft room.  One of my new year's resolutions is to get more organized and de-clutter.  So while I was going through my fabric pieces, I realized I had a piece that was long enough for a quick farmhouse towel. This great image is from The Graphics Fairy.  I like the red and angels for the holidays but I like the sheep and Frenchy text...

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I've been very short on projects the last few days.  Haven't had a chance to pop into Goodwill or the local thrift store.  I did, however, make a few holiday candles using this pretty wrapping paper I got at Home Goods last year. I used some Dollar Store prayer candles. Really quite easy.  Just cut your paper to fit the candle and Mod Podge it on.  I used some green tea-stained seam binding for the...

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I wanted to share this beautiful wood Santa my dad made a few years ago.  They came to visit yesterday bringing me lots of homemade soup for my cold, as well as this big guy: My father hand-cut and handpainted each and every piece on it.  The mittens and star are attached to pegs in the middle. Look at his attention to detail. These photos don't do it justice as it's kind of another funky,...

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Remember these? They've been all over Pinterest and blogland.  I had made some over the summer and thought they'd look sweet randomly stuck in our tree. Clock #1. Clock #2. Clock # 3. Clock #5. No great skills needed for these.  I just kind of wedged them in there.  Just my speed as I'm on day 7 of my cold. Jeanine ...

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Sometimes I like to keep it simple.  Especially when feeling like poo thanks to my first cold of the season. My hubby and I used to collect old bottles when we were first dating.  I like to display them all year.  In the summer, they get a beachy touch.  In the winter, they get the royal treatment. Just some crown pendants tied on with twine and lace.  Simple. Jeanine ...

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Ikea has these sweet tart tin ornaments.  I forgot to take a before photo but they had a red gingham pattern in the middle and red ribbon to hang them.  I decided to give mine a Frenchy touch: I used some distressed vintage French book paper for the centers.  My Cricut didn't have the exact circle size so my circles are a little smaller than the centers.  Once I glued the paper in, I added some...

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We're pretty much finished with our Christmas decorations.  I tried to add a touch of the holidays to each room in the house.  C'mon in and take a peek: I got the inspiration for the nutcrackers on the steps from Romantic Homes. Basket of holiday goodies. This is my favorite snowman.  Got him at Home Goods a couple of years ago. Mercury glass acorns from Walmart and my little matchboxes. Snowmen!  Holiday scented soaps. A...

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