...framed {love}!

Fancy Pants "love story" line is so sweet!! This black and white words in heart shapes sheet is my favorite. I just {love} it!

This is the most quick, simple project.
Cut your pp to fit the frame.
Adhere some AC thickers.
Place paper into frame and display.

That's it!
For my project I used some Alene's glue on the back of each thicker because my package was old and they weren't sticking well.

I'm linking up to Paper Issues. There's a whole lotta love over there. :)
Also linking up to Every Creative Endeavor.

Thanks for stopping by! hugs, patti

{stamped Valentine table runner}

Yesterday was such a stressful day. I'm so glad that I can come home to the solitude of my craft room. This table runner was such an easy project!! I love the simplicity of it and I love that it didn't cost me a dime! Yay!!! :)

With right sides together, I stitched the long sides of the duck fabric (left-overs from altered bedroom drapes) together. After ironing the fabric well, I wrote down "Be My Valentine." to refer to, so that I wouldn't screw up my stamping. :) The MM stamps were one of the first things I purchased, all those years ago...when I started scrapbooking. Red paint is also by MM. Once my stamping was completely dry, I measured the edges, determined my equal distance hem lines, and top stitched the table runner together.

To add some color to the hurricane dish w/candle, I poured red sprinkles {left-over from Christmas} around the perimeter of the candle. Sweet, easy & cheap. :) :) :)
Linking up at Chic on a Shoestring...'cause seriously, this was zero cost. Yay!!!


Also linking up to Look What I Made!
Thanks for stopping by! Hope your day is stress-free! ;)
hugs, patti

...a painted bench for "free for all Friday"!!

Hey there! We're having our first snow day of the winter here in upstate NY - and honestly, it's just plain weird that we haven't had any snow 'til now!! We've probably got about 8" so far today.

This week, I painted a wooden bench that I've owned for well over twenty years. I bought it back when we lived in a little house that had knotty pine on 3/4's of the walls. It was a charming, cozy house, really. :) It was in a corner in the basement, not being used. I'm glad the hubs didn't chop it up for kindling!

Fast foward to some brown Glidden paint, some Annie Sloan country gray chalk paint and some Annie Sloan clear wax. I didn't have a definite plan for this piece when I started...just sort of let it speak to me. :) I thought I'd stencil the top and front...but I didn't like it. Not at all.This was my first time working with Annie Sloan paint and I loved it!! The top of this bench was uneven and pretty banged up. The AS helped to give me a smooth surface on which to stencil. As for the wax...well, maybe this wasn't the perfect piece to use it on. I like the finish well enough, but I'm not wowed by it. I think the wax would be much nicer used on an ornate furniture piece - and I've even got something in mind for a future project.

This little stenciled bench (stencil by Stencil ease, purchased at Hob Lob) is by no means a show piece, but it's at least usable now....and I can say I like it next to my chair in the livingroom. :)
Linking up to Sassy Sites Free for All Friday. I really like Marni's site...there's always something new and different going on. :)

Thanks for stopping by and stay warm! hugs, patti

fUnkY JuNk junk drawer!!

Marni, at Sassy Sites is having a party in a junk drawer. Well, once she sees mine, she's going to change it up to "there's a riot in a junk drawer"...'cause people, this is total foolishness.

On Monday, my oldest son (Thomas) asked me "mom, do you have a rubber band?" Hmmm. I said "there's probably one in the junk drawer". He went to it and said, "but do you think I'll find one that actually still stretches and will work?" Now, that's just wrong. Right??

This has been our catch all junk drawer for 17 years. Honestly, I've cleaned it out during those years...but it never seems to last. And another honestly...it's {mostly} because of me that it doesn't last. Time for a change!! :) :)

A quick stop at The Dollar Store after work today, and I was headed home with some white plastic pieces that were going to help hold my junk in order. A DYMO label maker came in handy for identifying items.

-closer look at all this awesome organization-

Thanks, Marnie, for this fun challenge! I have another drawer that is messy in my kitchen and am psyched to get to it. It feels sooo good to have this drawer under control.

Check out Sassy Sites for more fun!!
hugs, patti

look what $4.57 got me!

A beautiful new-to-me sofa table! Some Minwax dark walnut stain purchased from Lowe's helped me with the transformation. I sanded, cleaned, stained, and applied two coats of satin poly.

Here's a before shot I took from the front porch. A stained, chipped and generally in pretty poor shape table - just beggin' for some attention. {Yesterday was a gloomy day of about 20 degrees. I crack myself up that I was out there with the palm sander. Can't let a little bit of winter get in the way of progress!}
This table's been in my basement for a few years. It came from my MIL's attic when one of the boys needed to use it in their apartment kitchen. Fast forward to this week. I rearranged our living room furniture and was sick and completely tired of the blank wall behind the sofa. {yes, I painted this past Fall and never got it together w/wall art.}

I love that this table is the same height as the back of my couch. With it being 15" deep, it fits nicely behind the couch. I wish it were a little bit wider, but hey...it'll do. :)

I think this is where the table will stay for a bit. After rearranging the furniture for a second time, the hubs and I are happy with the new lay-out.

I'm linking this post up to the Twice Owned Tuesday challenge, Kara's Look What I Made!, and Sassy Site's Trash to Treasure Tuesday. Also linking for the first time to My Repurposed Life's Catch as Catch Can. :)

Thanks for stopping by! hugs, patti

...a jewelry holder!

Hey everyone! Happy New Year's Eve!!
Citrus Tree Studio is having a New Year's crop...and they have got some kick-a$$ challenges going on!! Lay-outs, cards, altered items - it's all covered!
Melonie has a challenge to get organized for 2012.
For Mel's challenge, I made a trip to Hobby Lobby where I purchased three knobs (50% off). I had a plan to create a jewelry holder for our niece, Elly, who will turn 11 yo this next week.

After the board was lightly sanded, I painted it w/MM coral paint and then dabbed it with TH vintage photo ink. Using one piece of Lily bean pp, I cut, inked and mod podged each piece to the pine wood board (just under 8x10"). Next, using a sponge brush (sponge brushes give you a nicer finish when the mod podge dries), I applied a top coat of matte mod podge.

Once the piece was dry, I screwed in each sparkly knob. {Note - the knob screws were really long and needed to be cut so that they didn't poke through the back of the plaque. The hubs did this part for me.}

Don't hesitate to come by Citrus Tree to participate in the fun. I was away for months and months...no matter! The girls there are sweet and welcome everyone. :)
Thanks for coming by and I hope you all have a wonderful night tonight...welcoming in 2012!!!
I'm also linking up to Creations by Kara, Look what I made!
hugs, patti

bathroom cupboard make-over!

Seriously, this cupboard was so grungy and awful that I didn't even think to take a before photo. Now I really wish I had because I love the way this fresh cupboard looks. :) I bought this pine cupboard over 20 years ago, at a Country Folk Art Show. Here are the doors and center divider that I removed. I scrubbed, sanded and then spray painted it a glossy dark chocolate brown. Using Elmer's spray glue, I then applied some fabric to the back of the shelf spaces. This cupboard was meant to primarily hold my face cloths and hand towels.
This is our second bathroom. The one that guests don't use...some people don't even know it exists. ;) haha! We all shower in here every day though because we like this shower best. :)

Some fresh ceiling paint (and ceiling repair done by yours truly - I am getting so good at mudding!), bold green (I know, it's not for everybody!) wall paint, cute new curtains (2 rod pocket panels, material purchased at jo-ann's), new light & faucet and it feels like an updated bathroom.I'm linking up to The House of Grace Blog, Twice Owned Tuesday challenge and to Look What I Made! I really appreciate seeing old pieces get new life!

Thanks for stopping by! hugs, patti