Faux leather tutorial~

I found this box at a thrift store for $4 bucks (I know-- highway robbery!) anywho, I thought I could make it into a lovely leather covered pirate chest for my yearly pirate party (for my grandson's birthday) Here is a tutorial on how I did it. Faux leather tutorial~

Supplies: Tissue paper, foam or paint brush, modge podge (or glue & water) and an object to cover and of course some paint.Firstly, I spray painted the box as I couldn't stand looking at it the way it was any longer. You do not have to paint or seal the object your going to give the faux leather treatment too... this was just a personal choice. Now lets get started!

1.) Crumple several pieces of tissue paper, taking care not to tear it. Smooth the crumpled tissue paper out into a full sheet again and set aside.

2.) Working on one small section at a time, apply the glue to the surface to be covered. Lay the smoothed-out, crumpled tissue paper over the glued area and press into place. Dab the area with your fingers and then take a brayer and run it across a few times to smooth out any air bubbles. If you have applied to much glue the tissue paper will start to stick to your fingers & brayer and tear-- if this happens, tear a piece of tissue paper making sure all edges are torn (so that there is no straight edges) and patch the area that was torn. Once your object is covered, let it dry. Here is the top of the box finished, I folded and glued the paper over each edge and made mitered edges at the corners and cut away the excess tissue paper. 3.) Continue covering all areas in the same manor until everything is covered that your wanting covered. Let dry~4.) Re-apply another layer of glue same as before only this time lay a piece of un-crumpled tissue over the area. Once your object is covered allow it to dry thoroughly, trim edges with a razor to get a nice clean edge. Go over the entire object with a layer of Modge Podge or glue/water mixture. Here is my box covered twice with tissue paper. The first layer was crumpled, the second was a smooth sheet of tissue paper. Now, comes the fun part. Painting! I just grabbed several different half empty bottles of brown paint and started painting the box. You have to keep in mind that you are rewetting this tissue paper - even though it has modge podge on it...so it might tear, so be gentle with your brush strokes and let it dry between coats. I am a firm believer in "more is better" so I just kept adding more & more paint to get it to look like a dirty old leather pirate chest that has been around for ages! The first "layer" of paint consisted of 2 different colors of brown paint and some watered down black paint that I patted on around the edges with my finger tip. The second layer I used 3 different brown paints to add depth to the chest. I darkened around all the edges where you would expect to see dirt-- I hear those pirates were a dirty bunch of scoundrals~ Once your happy with your paint and it has dried, apply another coat of Modge Podge or spray varnish to really make the faux leather pop.I puchased two door handles (Home Depot $1.27 each) that have a look of forged metal....and just screwed those into the sides of the chest to help carry all the heavy loot.

As you can see...I have not added the faux leather treatment to the bottom of this pirate chest. I am going to keep this pirate chest indoors for my grandson to play with-- so I am going to add felt to the bottom. I spray painted the clasp (that was on the box when I bought it) black...and reattached it. Taaaaaaaa daaaaaaaaa all finished!Well, I am pretty darn happy with how this turned out. But... I can't leave well enough alone! Even though the inside is finished in a beautiful black velvet I'm eager to start making over the inside to match the outside!

Here is a link to the tutorial on how I have made over the inside of the pirate chest.

Boutiques~

Today I hit my usual haunts... picked up some fun things: I am always curious as to what people pay for things...so I've listed what I've paid for all this stuff~2 antique spools-$3 for both, 3 round stacking trays-$2 for the set, a pink vintage apron-$2, cook books- stack for .50cents, 2 metal/floral square tins-$4, small black floral tin-.10cents, acrylic paint & brushes-.50cents, old glass bottle-.5cents, silk flowers-.25cents, zippers & trim & ric rac-.50cents, tiny trays-.50cents, a box of 36 tart molds and 24 cookie cutters-$2...Lastly, these two stitched pieces and an egg wreath, all for $6. Also, a small box/trunk (that is not pictued) that is going to be made-over into a pirate chest. I'm going to do a tutorial on how to do an easy-peasy faux leather treatment :-)

Boutiques~

I always buy super things when I go to the boutiques (thrift stores) most of the time I rush to put things away-- not today! Alright, I put away about half of it.... lol

Here are some photos of the things I got today~

8 yards of pink chenille fabric -12 bucks

an old pillow doll wearing a red velvet outfit -1 buck

Vintage lighted/musical church -6 bucks

3 brass horns -3bucks

huge bag of Christmas ornaments -4 bucks

2 angels with pink flocked capes -50cents

a small Christmas tree in a black pot -4 bucks

and finally the "best buy" of the day taaaaaaaaaadaaaaaaaaaaa an ostrich egg nativity/musical thingy-ma-jigger!!

Here is the egg with the doors open showing the nativity. The music box is inside the bottom of the egg...pretty cool. It cost 8 bucks~
(Several photos above is a photo of the back of it...)

Trash to Treasure

Tuesday....

Here are two matching hand painted pictures I picked up this past week at a local thrift store for only $7.50 each. Are they not fabulous? The photo doesn't do it justice, the flash washed some of the color out of the painting--- these are cute, I'm talking super cute!I was needing two larger pictures to go on either side of my $10 dollar antique hutch that I picked up long ago. The two paintings fit perfectly with my shabby chic style! I shop at thrift stores (I call them boutiques lol) allllll the time and I have a house full of treasures that others have discarded as "junk"....hooray for me! Diane over at A picture is worth a 1,000 words is hosting this Trash to Treasure Tuesday~

Here are a couple more things I recently purchased from one of our local boutiques. (thrift store)

A huge bag of antique stamps which includes the alphabet (upper & lower case) shapes, common objects and lots and lots of "words" I think it was a set used by a teacher. (The rubber on the stamps smells like a car tire lol) The huge bag was only $10 buckeroos~

Here is a sweet wall angel. This one surprised me because it is made out of wood :-) It cost me all of .45cents~

Boutiques~

I picked up these treasures today:I've wanted this book titled "Where Women Create" FoReVeR..... and I picked it up for $6 bucks :-) Look at the cute gum ball machine, that was only $3 bucks :-)Also, a bag full of these plastic pieces (total of 54) for only
$2 bucks......

Lastly, here is a chandelier that I picked up for $4 bucks :-)

It was brass-- until I painted it white and baked it in the sun for a few days. I am needing to replace the pvc "candles" on the piece as they are not as white as I'd like them! Not a bad score!

Still goofing around~

Still aimlessy goofing around... I painted this clock (with scissors as the hands... neat huh)pink-- it was a bright-bright gold color, I think the pink toned it down nicely~ It was a $2 dollar boutique find, I had it shoved in with my fabric stash for about a year. I do that, buy stuff and then just shove it in drawers/cabinets for years & years sometimes. I guess that means I'm a pack-rat? It didn't photograph all that well, it is super cute in person!I added ribbon & buttons to my bulletin board-- looks much better now. All I have to do is add stuff to the boards, but hey, I'm in the "lazy" mode so who knows when I'll get around to doing that lolHere is the "whole picture"Next, I'm going to tackle painting the little bookshelf that sits under these bulletin boards.

I started a couple more projects-- I'm crocheting a little childs sweater (for the fair) I've never crocheted clothing before :-P I've also starting making yo-yo's. I tend to make yo-yo's when I just want to give my hands something to do~ kinda mindless cutting & sewing. Still plugging away at the baby blanket I'm crocheting. The pattern is driving me buggy so I've had to distract myself with other projects~

Goofing around~

Look at this huge box of cards I picked up from a boutique for only $3 buckeroos~ coolio huh~Well, I've been goofing around trying hard not to "clean" my studio like I've been wanting to.... so with the "clean & cute it up" attitude, it was all I could do to cover this little box thingy which houses some of my scissors. I'm going to show only 3 sides as the 4th doesn't look all that cute :-P ohhhhhhhhhh and I did paint my lazy susan pink~ I love it now!!! I've still got to cute-up my two spinny thingies that house my paint brushes & other supplies~ All of which sit on the lazy susan on my work table. Anywho-- here is my scissor container in all its glory :-) Here is Pete...

Here is my father in law when he was a toddler...

The third side has my hubbies great-grandmother on it...The fourth side needs some work :-P

Saturday finds~

Here are some fun things I picked up this Saturday from the boutiques. An oval frame <$2 dollars> (sooooooo needing some white paint!) a 3 tiered wire etagere <$2 dollars> The huge shell... <$1 dollar> a huge basket filled with polished rocks <$1 dollar> some are pictured in the etagere and I've got some in the backyard as well. More clutter..... I just can't help myself :-P

We're having a

heat wave.... Whats a girl to do? but go shopping early in the morning to avoid the extreme temps! The news said something about the temperatures ranging from 100-112. Soooooooooo I just had to go out today and pick up some supplies so I don't have to go out & about when the heat really picks up. I am going to start working on the mosaic bird feeder s-o-o-n so I was needing some grout & tile snips. Not that anything on the bird feeder is going to be getting "snipped" it was just that they were ON SALE for $15 bucks....so, now I've got them :-) and now I can snip tile or plates to make even more mosaics (if the mood hits me!)

I also hit two boutiques~ Lookie at my treasures :-) I got 4 bunny statues for $1.95 each~ and the white metal tray (which I love) for $1.95.... and the tiny hand painted blue plate .95cents and the embroidered piece for .65 cents...and the metal standing piece in the back with the bird on top for $3 bucks. Cute stuff huh~I got the two matching hat boxes for $4 bucks~Lastly a photo of the lovely wreath I got for $3 bucks. The colors are very muted and understated...its very "romantic" looking~

I also got several pieces of vintage fabric which are all in the wash as I type :-) good shopping!

Been paintin'...

my new clock~ this beaut cost me all of $10 bucks. I purchased it from one of my many haunts~ I am eventually going to shabby it up a bit-- but for now I'm enjoying the clean look of it. When I bought it, it was a dark brown color. Three coats of white paint later I have a nice looking clock. I have it hanging up on the side of my brick fireplace next to my computer.... I replaced a small mirror I had hanging there. Looks all formal.... until you look down~
I've got my vintage little shelf unit housing my grandson's ever growing book collection next to an adorable pink rocking chair I snagged for $6 bucks (if I remember correctly!) That huge brown thing is my soon to be painted WHITE computer desk with my lovely new metal lamp ($7 buck steal) which was at the time I bought it, silver. Sooooo thats what I've been up to--- goofing around!!

Shop-ping!

I haven't been doing to much art or crafts lately, it seems all I've been doing is working around the house...so here is some things I'm currently working on :-)

I picked up this adorable baby high chair for $3 bucks. It is a better match to my dining chairs with the rounded high back-- it just needs to be painted white (of course!) and the little doll high chair I got at the same yard sale for $3 bucks as well. cute-cute-cute!I also picked up this LoVeLy mirror for $10 bucks---

and the two solid wood/carved picture frames with flowers that match very closely to the Waverly fabrics I'm using in my dining/den area... I haven't decided to paint it all white-- yet. *insert snicker here*

I purchased tons more, but it is all tucked away so as the house looks "clean" just don't open any cabinet or some treasure is likely to fall on your head!!

Soooooooo cute~

Here is a little something that I put together that I thought turned out kinda cute...thought I'd share it.

I purchased a bag of 8 little tole trays for $2 from a local "boutique" (thrift store) months ago.... I've had them stashed in a drawer all this time. Half of them have painted roses on a black background and the other half are painted on a green background.I picked up this 3 tiered silver plated piece for $2...You see it coming don't you?Yep, I married the two together and now I have this LoVeLy little piece sitting on my dresser. The fit wasn't perfect, so I took some needle-nosed pliers and pulled up the sides of the tole trays so they fit snuggly within the frame of the 3 tiered piece. Simply charming!

Show & Tell Friday~

This week for show & tell I'm showing off something I purchased at a second hand store for $3 buckeroooooooooooooos~ *insert smile here* This is why I call second hand stores "boutiques" because you get such unusual/beautiful things there! Well, I do anyway!

This beautiful work of art is a handmade cut-out of the Hail Mary prayer. At first glance from across the store I was drawn to it because it looked "lacey" and I loved the old frame it was in as well. When I spotted it the old frame it was glued to was HUGE and gold.... soooo I cut the frame (mitered the corners) and made it smaller so the piece fit inside it better. The piece was also not painted.... you see, this piece of art is actually cut out of WOOD. Yes, tis true! It is made out of 3/16th inch wood. So I sprayed it white (my friend said once that if anyone sits to long at my house, they get sprayed white lol...)
Here is a close up of the beautiful cut work....remember this is super thin wood. What a work of art huh?Anywho, I placed it atop of some black velvet and since there is no glass to this old frame, and I wanted to keep the dust off of it, I purchased some heavy plastic and just layed it over the top and glued it to the back of the frame.

Not knowing the history behind it at all, I am pretty confident that the person who made this has passed onto his/her great rewards. Why else would they part with it? I could tell that it had been hanging on a wall for ages.... I just bet that someone didn't see, didn't "feel" the immense love of God that this piece brought the artist who made this. Well.... I'm lucky that I found it.

This show & tell is hosted by Kelli.

Show & Tell Friday~

This week, I'm going to share my collection of buttons. I have a lot of buttons and I'm always on the hunt for more :-) I buy them at boutiques, yard sales...and I even pick them up off the ground lol If you want to make me happy....give me buttons! I house my buttons in all kinds of containers. Here is my collection of gumball machines which I filled with buttons. Each machine holds a different color...cute huh.Here is something I got at the auction I recently went to. It was in the lot of sewing items I bought for $2.50. It came along with a tag that reads: "Fresh water mother of pearl , from Button Factory, Muskatine Iowa -1910-There is a large shell with circles cut in it...along with long tubes of shells that I guess were put into some kind of slicing machine that cut it into buttons. I LOVE this... super neat for someone like me who just LOVES buttons! Mother of pearl buttons are my all time favorites...sigh... you just never can have to many of those!!Here are some jars that I have lined up on a shelf in my studio..... I have a fairy sitting amongst some pink buttons, and there is a small photo sitting in another which I used the tape transfer method on and it gives it a nice vintage look.Here are two flags in frames I made out of buttons~ The larger one isn't finished, I'm waiting on getting some more red/white buttons...almost there!and this I made using an old wire heart garden form... it reads "Angel of lost buttons" Ohhhhhhhhhh and this is a little tote I made using some yo-yo's and some of my favorite tiny buttons....(not finished.....) Lastly, here is a vintage glove form (bought for $5 buckeroos) holding 3 button necklaces...cute stuff~

This show & tell Friday was hosted by Kelli :-)