Thrifty Tiny Trees

Just taking a little break from the holiday madness to show you a little tree display I whipped up a week or so back.  I saw these expensive mini potted trees in a catalog that shall remain nameless (hint- rhymes with bundt cake).

You are reading it right- just under $100.  I wonder if they will throw in some free shipping??  

I spotted a group of mini trees at Hobby Lobby this season for 50% off of $3 each.  Now you're talkin'.....

I used a few cans I had cleaned and saved- a soup can, a large size bean can, and an International Coffee can.  I covered them with black and white damask wrapping paper and finished them off with some ribbon I liked.  I did have red velvet ribbon and the crystal buckles but for my vignette I decided on something a little different.  

It took less than an hour and total cost was conservatively less than $10.

I think they turned out cute!  

Merry Christmas!

Vintage Rocking Horse Redo

vintage rocking horse, originally uploaded by ticklish_moose.

Latest upcycle- this vintage rocking horse was found in pieces in a barn set for demolition. Since I found all of the pieces the owner let me have her!

My husband put it back together for me, and I refinished it using Annie Sloan chalk paints and chipping creme. It was my first experience using the chalk paint and I have to say I'm sold!! Currently for sale in my space @ The Antique Gallery.

Trash to Treasure!

Trash to Treasure!, originally uploaded by ticklish_moose.

Seems I can't get enough of upcycling chairs!

Like a lot of things over 50 yrs old, this pair of Danish Modern chairs had some creaky joints and were a little rough on the surface. We gave them a complete overhaul (original finish was not salvageable) and instead of being headed for the landfill, they are now headed for my space @ The Antique Gallery of Lewisville!

walnut chair refurbish

walnut chair refurbish, originally uploaded by ticklish_moose.

picked up this well worn walnut burl chair for $10 at a garage sale. The seat was covered in some darn ugly green fabric, which I removed and recovered with my own embellished design. I painted the seat frame black and just refreshed the rest of the chair with some Old English.

I think it turned out great!

Grammatically Different Plates- Fresh Ideas Tutorial

Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.

Albert Einstein

'Live-Laugh-Love'

'I Hope You Dance'

'Believe'

OMG! I am LOL because it has all just gotten so ridiculous, IMHO....

Is that what life has become- someone else's catch phrase?  Does it really reflect your thoughts and wishes for the day?  I am thinking "we can do better than this".  

By now you know I love quotes and Bible verses.  I find great inspiration and comfort in many of them.  I think words hold great meaning.  You probably know someone that has a favorite verse as well.  So wouldn't it be great to give someone (or yourself!) the gift of a word phrase that actually has some deeper meaning?  I'm going to show you how with just an inkjet printer and a few inexpensive supplies.

For this project you will need:

• A few ceramic plates (or tiles)

I pick them up all over.  You may have a few lying around, but each of these were purchased for anywhere from .49-$2.00 ea.

• Denatured Alcohol* (find it @ the hardware store)

*flammable- please use in well ventilated area away from flame

  

• Lazertran Inkjet

(click on above link to see where to buy)

 Lazertran has a TON of applications, but for this project we are applying it to a ceramic surface.  I used black type, but you can print colored images if you choose. Don't worry- We'll have more fun with it another day.

•  Spray Polyurethane* (gloss or satin/matte)

* note: MUST be a urethane- acrylics will not dissolve film! 

• a few cotton balls
• a pan of water about 1" deep large enough to hold transfer
• inkjet printer

There are basic instructions that come with the Lazertran, but believe me- it is nothing compared to the voice of experience here.  A few things to consider:

Choose a plate with a specific rim/edge detail to ease the transition from the Lazertran to the edge.  You can see a faint line of the transfer on some types of plates more than others, especially with a curved inner edge.

 Try to make your image a large enough size to come close to the transition line.  It just looks neater.

I thought the gloss urethane gave a better result on my ceramic plates, but consider the original sheen of your item to give it a authentic look.

If you need to sand out any imperfections in your urethane finish- be sure it is fully cured and use a scotchbrite style sanding pad (fine grit) and lightly sand the surface without putting any real pressure on the pad.  Then apply a light final coat. You may also need a sharp pin/needle to prick air bubbles in the transfer.  

Measure your plate ahead of time to determine the size of your phrase.  I like to use Publisher because it has a handy ruler on the side of the page, but use whichever program you are familiar with.  You do not need to "mirror" or flip your image!  Also, I do at least one 'test' sheet on regular paper to be sure I have things the correct size before I print on the Lazertran sheet.  I would much rather waste a cheap piece of copy paper getting things right.

When you have things the way you want it- print on the white side of the Lazertran.  I'm cheap, so I try to get 2 or more projects per sheet.  Allow it to fully dry- 30 mins or so.  If you are impatient you can try a heat gun, but no promises- OK?

I like to find a circle 'template' to use to get the size/centering correct.  You may have a circle cutter.  I do.....somewhere!  If your plate is square, measure twice, cut once ;-)

Use a pencil to mark your cutting line- then cut just inside the line.

Gather your materials on a covered surface

It's good to check the back of the plate so if there is a logo you get it orientated correctly with what will be your finished product.