It's your right....

Unless you have been living under a rock you are all too well aware that the 2012 Election is underway.  Despite the negative ads, disgraceful mud-slinging and flat-out embarrassing behavior displayed by the Presidential candidates during the debates we still need to take full advantage of our right to vote.

Election Day is Tuesday November 6th; however, early voting is now available.  I like to take advantage of early voting.  It allows me to avoid the crowds and make certain nothing comes up to prevent me from voting by the first Tuesday in November.

I cast my ballot last week and left the polling location with my head held a little higher.  It feels good to know I live in a country where my vote counts (I'll refrain from sharing my opinion on the electoral college and it's terrifying ability to override the popular vote in some cases.)

I hope everyone who is registered to vote will get out and do so.  Make your voice heard. Take advantage of the right given to you as a US citizen. It is a right millions of people across the world can only dream of.

Transformation...

I'm still plugging along.  Today is "weigh day".  I'm down 12.9 pounds.  Yep, it's still slow, slow, slow.  Oh well, at least the number is going down rather than up!  I must confess that I haven't made it to the gym yet.  Hopefully soon.  This craft bug I have seems to be taking up all my time!

I've done a couple of more jewelry frames since my last post.  Both are painted with Annie Sloan chalk paint and distressed to hopefully look "shabby chic".  Both currently appear in my Etsy shop but I plan to show them at a craft fair I am participating in on November 10th if they don't sale before.  I am excited about the craft fair.  I've never done anything like that and I think it sounds fun (although it also sounds like a lot of work!).

This frame is painted what Annie Sloan calls Emperor's Silk.  The original frame had some very light blue in it and can be seen in some of the distressed areas.  It really gives it a cool look.  I left the back of these frames open to allow the wall paint to show through.

This next frame is painted Napolecnic Blue.  The original frame was gold and I love how distressing it allowed the gold to peak through in the detailed areas of the frame.

I just love turning something dirty and beat-up into a newly repurposed, pretty something.  Transformation is a good thing.  I need to remember that when trying to get myself to the gym!

Happy Friday everyone - we're off to Lubbock this weekend to spend time with some most precious faces.

The craftiness continues...

I came across another old frame and decided it needed to be repurposed.  Wallah!

I had some of the mesh screen left from the first jewelry frame and decided it would be perfect with the Annie Sloan graphite chalk paint I used on this one.

As you can see I distressed it a bit but not much.

I decided to leave the fabric backing off of this one so that the wall paint from where it is hung will show through.  This should allow it to be right at home wherever it ends up.

Another item for the Etsy store.  Or who knows, someone I know may end up with it for Christmas!

Craft kick...

As I mentioned I've been on this craft kick.

I discovered the joy of making fabric covered buttons and have been trying out all kinds of methods for using them.

So far I've made push pins, magnets and hair pins!  I have this thing for pretty fabrics, papers, crayons, and markers - Anything colorful and fun - so this fits in perfectly!

Here's a few pics of a few of my creations!  You can also see them in my Etsy shop.  I think they would make really fun little every day gifts or stocking stuffers.

My creative bug...

The last few weeks I've been feeling, for lack of a better word, crafty. Or maybe a better way of putting is that I've been needing a creative outlet.

In an effort to satisfy my creative bug I dug out some fall flowers from my foliage stash and designed a (if you could call it that!) a fall arrangement (see previous post!).  That didn't do the trick.

Something about the fall always seems to bring out this need in me to go junk shopping.  I know, I know. I'm weird like that.  Anyway, the Señor was out of town so I put on some comfortable (i.e. ugly) shoes and hit the local junk store circuit. And yes siree, some treasures were found!

I'm mad at myself because I didn't take any before pictures but the short of it is I bought a filthy old beat up antique frame and turned it in to a pretty jewelry frame. (Of course, pretty is in the eye of the beholder!)

Ta Da!

First things first, I had to clean it up real good.  Once that was done I broke out the Annie Sloan Old White chalk paint and gave it a first coat.  After allowing it to dry I gave the frame a light sanding and went back over it with a second coat, allowed it to dry and gave it a second sanding.  Since I was going for the "shabby chic" look I went over some areas more than others allowing much of the original finish to show through.

Next I took a piece of project board from the craft store, cut it to fit the back of the frame and covered it with what I call a "french-looking" fabric.  The fabric is a dark taupe color and has a lovely script handwriting in black scrawled across it (in French of course!).

I then cut a piece of mesh screen to fit the inside of the frame (where the glass would normally fit).  This screen is what some call radiator screen and can be purchased at Lowe's or other hardware stores.  This particular screen has small cut outs in the shape of clovers.

After inserting the mesh screen (I used a staple gun to secure it to the frame) I took the fabric covered project board and stapled the board to the back of the frame as well.  The fun thing about the mesh screen is it allows small glimpses of the fabric while also providing ample places to hang earrings or hooks for hanging necklaces, bracelets or any other accessories of your choosing.

I am pleased with how it turned out and believe I will try my hand at a few more.  This frame is for sale in my Etsy shop along with a few other little trinkets.  If you think you might enjoy a jewelry frame pop over and take a look.  My shop is BRAND NEW and would love some traffic.  There are just a few little items there now but keep checking back as I plan to continue to nourish this creative bug of mine!

Happy Fall!

Happy Fall!

This little guy gives a great big Fall welcome to our back door guests this season.  After all, back door guests are best!

Don't you just adore this time of year? What with the scarecrows and the pumpkins and the hay bales scattered throughout our humble little town - Fall is definitely in the air.

The weatherman is predicting a weekend of temperatures in the fifty to sixty degree range.

Yippee - my favorite time of the year is upon us!