Something for the Curious Guest

When you have guests stay at your house, you want everything to be perfect.  You go around the house and dust, and clean, and plump your pillows.  Sometimes, you even quickly jam things into drawers where they don't even belong have to tuck things neatly away and out of sight at the last minute.  You just want it to look welcoming and fresh.

Well, I was going through some of the beautiful graphics on the Graphics Fairy, and came across this sweet little clip art piece of a bundle of love letters.  I had to find a place to use it!  So, I went up to the pink guest room and looked around.  This is a very romantic room and it would be the perfect place for a bundle of love letters . . . 

I thought about this little table I recently painted and absentmindedly opened the drawer.

 Ah-ha!  Very, very ugly.  What if a guest got curious and opened that drawer?  It's still the same old yellow color it was when I bought it at an antique store.  So . . . why not paint the inside and make it a pleasant surprise for a curious guest?  

What a pretty little surprise!

Sharing this on:

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Funky Junk's
Saturday Night Special

From a graphics transfer to a purse!

Okay, this project started out with the whole grain sack idea and kind of morphed into something a little different.  The grain sack piece will be down the road a bit.  For now, I found a graphic I loved at the Graphics Fairy.  The words are in French and look so romantic - but don't be deceived.  It's actually an advertisement for window hardware of some sort.  Humorous.  I have an ad for hardware on my purse.  I guess not too many people will catch that . . . but in case you're interested, it says,
"CASEMENT WINDOW
HINGES CROSSETTE
PULL HANDLES
ALL STYLES IN ALL GENRE"
Not so romantic after all . . .

 I just kind of made this up as I went, and learned a lot along the way.  Next time I'll change a few things.  I took the 8 1/2 x 11 printed piece that went through the printer and cut an identically sized piece for the back of the purse - then two side pieces.  I sewed them all together to make a tube.

 Then I searched through my fabric piles of which I have many.  Only my best friend has seen my fabric stash.  I don't think my husband even knows how much I have - but he probably does now since he reads every post!  I found a nice canvas-weight black and white piece that was perfect.  I added a tube of that onto the bottom of the purse - about 7" wide.  After sewing it all together and putting a nice stiff piece of heavyweight mat board in the bottom of the purse (for shaping), I sewed on some store bought handles and a loop and toggle for the closing.

And it's done!  I like it!

Linked to French Cupboard and:


and
Freckled Laundry's
Air Your Laundry Friday

Transferring graphics to fabric

Yesterday was so productive.  I really got a lot done.  

Today - I just couldn't get myself motivated.  It was Mother's Day, after all.  After spending a relaxing day with the family, I tried to settle in but got only as far as doing some printing onto fabric for a few projects.  But at least they're ready to go when I get a chunk of time to work on things . . .

 These were printed on canvas with clip art from the Graphics Fairy, using freezer paper to send it through the printer.  Canvas is bulky, which is good because the thickness gives it body.  But it can also leave some smudge marks on the fabric.  In this case, I think it's okay because I want it to look a little worn.  

This was also printed on canvas just using letters and three rectangles in the center (made skinny) on my word processing program.  I guess I need some new printer ink - the yellow was supposed to be a lime green color.  Both of the above designs will be made into purses . . . hopefully in the next couple days.

French Rose Labeled Pillows

Today I designed a pillow using an old french rose label from the Graphics Fairy.  To make your own, you'll need to pull your chosen graphic into a word processing program - I used "Pages" on my mac.  Then, bring in a text box and pick a font you like to add whatever text suits your fancy.  I have a favorite font for things like this - it's called "Jane Austen".  (How can you go wrong with a name like that?)  It's feminine and old fashioned looking.  You can download it free here.  The oval on the bottom of the graphic seemed fitting for a monogram . . . I put in ours.

So, once you have your design just the way you like it, you need to get it ready for the printer.  Cut a piece of freezer paper and your fabric, to 8 1/2 x 11 inches.   The freezer paper gives the fabric body so that it can go through the printer.  Iron the shiny side of the freezer paper onto your fabric.  It will adhere very quickly using a dry iron on the cotton setting.  I used a thin cotton fabric and even with the freezer paper my printer would not recognize the fact that there was paper there, so I had to use spray adhesive to add a piece of cardstock to the freezer paper side.  That gave a nice, heavy backing to the fabric and then it worked just fine.  If you use something like canvas, the freezer paper will be enough.

Since you're already limited to the size of a sheet of paper due to what the average printer will accept, I think it's a good idea to enlarge the clip art to the size of a full sheet of paper in order to get the biggest pillow possible.

 It printed out great - the first time I tried!

 Then, just pull the freezer paper off the back of the fabric.

You'll have a piece of printed fabric ready to create whatever your little heart desires!  I'm making my printed fabric into pillows for the guest room with twin beds - one for each bed.  Both pillows have French script.  One reads, "Good Night", and the other reads "Dream Away"!  I'm going to try spraying some sample printed fabric with a fabric protector.  I doubt that printer ink is washable, so you'll want to avoid getting it wet etc.  Tonight I finished the one that says "Good Night" - and I'm going to take that advice and finish the other one tomorrow.  

Bonne Nuit!

Linking to:

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and

Air Your Laundry Friday

and

Frugalicious Friday

and

Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage

and

Funky Junk Interiors

Tangents and Freezer Paper . . .

Tangent: digressing suddenly from one course of action or thought, and turning to another.

A grain sack "something" was the plan for the day.  And then I started looking at a few blogs.  One thing led to another and the next thing I knew I was looking at tutorials for using freezer paper to transfer print images onto fabric.

 I just had to try it.

I did.

It worked.

It's supposed to be a rainy day.  I think I can accomplish both.

Here's a peek at what came out of the printer.  This really opens the door to all kinds of possibilities!  Hopefully it will be going through the sewing machine later today.  It's going to be a busy day!

Grain Sacks!

Furniture, purses, chair pads, stool covers, pillows, even gift tags!  The weekend is coming, a rainy one, and something "grainsack" is going to happen!  I'm not sure what it will be, I just know that I really like each of these, and I love the challenge of trying to duplicate one of them.  Or two of them . . . or . . .

So pretty, from Miss Mustard Seed.

                       

                                          An incredible chair!    

   

How do you choose?

Miss Gillyflower is born!

Sitting on the beach on Captiva a month ago, little Miss Gillyflower was born, as was Lloyd, a very kind toad.  Who are they?  Well, they are two little creatures that I have some special plans for.  

My husband and I have decided that the timing is perfect for me to wrap up my teaching career - after almost 20 years.  I feel time slipping away and I have so many things to do . . . and try . . .  and learn.  So, here goes!  This spring when I walk out of the school building, I'll also hand in my key.  A teeny bit scary, but very, very exciting!

One of the projects I have in mind, is to try my hand at writing a children's book.  I know a book can take a long time to publish, so I'll be practicing patience.   Anyway, in all this time, I've learned a few things about children and what amuses them.  Animal adventures are on many a child's list of stories they go back to again and again.  A draft of the text is done and now I'm going to attempt to make the characters come to life. 

Miss Gillyflower

 The main character is Miss Gillyflower, a very young mouse, and this is my first attempt at sitting down to figure out just who she is!  Her very good friend, Lloyd, is a helpful, elderly, and kind toad who will see her through some scary scrapes.  So, here you go - a preview of two of the creatures I'll soon be spending a lot of time with!  I have big plans for these two, since they will be involved in much more than a story! 

And THAT is a hint at an entirely different matter . . .

Lloyd - he may look grumpy, but looks are deceiving.

 There are other creatures in the garden, just waiting to appear.  

They will be coming along soon . . .

One guest room done!

In thinking that I had a long weekend ahead (four days), my goal was to get enough done that I could post both guest rooms.  That didn't happen.  But one of them did get done.  

It's frothy.  

And feminine.  

And pink! 

 

 

When summer comes, and I have more time, I have plans for a headboard for the bed . . . 

This is a little framed piece matted in pink velvet showing an ad for my great-grandfather's shoe store!

  And a lacy potpourri bag I got with my mother while in Ireland.

I repainted the little table.  It was way too pink for me.  You can see the pink coming through the white on the table now - instead of the white coming through the pink!  

Here is the chandelier that came from the flea market in McKinney.

A comfy place to sit . . . slipcover is compliments of my mom, a master seamstress!

We are ready for guests!

This post is linked up with Furniture Feature Friday, and A Bowl Full Of Lemons home tour.

A Blessed Easter

We are ready for the kids!  

Eight of our grandchildren will arrive today and we're ready to celebrate Easter with them.

 Eggs in a nest are ready.

 A resting rabbit . . .

 Signs of spring are everywhere . . .

 Easter treats for each one . . .

Another rabbit . . .

And the Easter egg tree . . .

But there, in the background, is the real reason for our celebration. 

 The cross.  

We take time today to remember.

The tomb is empty.

Wishing you a Blessed Easter!!!