TIME FOR A CHANGE

Labor Day Weekend has come and gone.  Fall is in the air.  The temperature this morning is a crisp 48 degrees!  Nothing can make me want to change things around like the breezy and cool days of fall.  

The victim.

This is a cupboard I found in the garage in our first home - 22 years ago.  It was several shades of a unique color:   

Dusty Spider Web.

The shelves were filled with old dried up paint cans, nuts and bolts etc.  I remember shuddering when I put my hands inside to pull out the contents.  It is obviously a homemade piece and looked like something that had possibilities and certainly didn't deserve to be stuck in the corner of the garage.  

I love the curvy little detail on the top.

It had no base - just sat flat on the floor.  So I made this simple little base to give it a lift and look more like a piece of furniture than a cupboard that should be wall mounted.

 Since that day it has been barn red, green, and currently, it is hand painted with flowers that represent each month.  Do you ever have a piece of furniture that you look at every day, but you never really see?  I tried to look at this piece as a visitor might see it - and all that came to mind was furniture of the 80s.

 I used this book to find beautiful little watercolors as inspiration for the monthly flora and fauna.   I love this book.  It's a copy of a hand painted diary of this young wife in England, Edith Holden.  She was born in 1801 and was a British artist and teacher.  It was a gift from my mom, which makes it a real treasure.  (Thanks again, Mom!)

 Each month has about six pages of entries that show watercolors and descriptions of what could be found in nature.  

If she were alive today . . . she would have a blog!

Edith Holden

 I took parts of the book and copied them onto my found cupboard.

This last change for my cupboard was done about 12 years ago.  I'll keep the book forever.  But the paintings on the cupboard.  No.

It's time.  

So, this is my project for the day.  After painting it with Annie Sloan's Old White, it will change places with something in our bedroom.  More on THAT later . . . meanwhile, it's time to get out the drop cloth and paintbrush!  Photos tomorrow!

THE PERFECT FRENCH MACARON

There's been a lot of discussion lately, amongst certain bibliophiles in my life, about the difference between a "macaroon" and a "macaron".  Below, the traditional macaroon.

COCONUT MACAROON

"Macarons", on the other hand, are quite different.  First of all, you need to pronounce it correctly and you can learn that here.  According to the dictionary, macarons are a confectionary, characterized by a smooth, domed top, ruffled circumference (known as the "foot"), and flat base.  It is mildly moist, and easily melts in the mouth.  It is commonly filled with buttercream or ganache filling sandwiched between two of the cookies. 

So, here is a diagram of the perfect Macaron.  This just shows you that people take this little confectionary treat very seriously!  There are diagrams! 

So.

The Perfect Parisian Macaron.  

I'm following a recipe by Martha Stewart found here which calls for whipping the egg whites into stiff peaks.

 My macarons, waiting to get "dull" so they can go in the oven.

They have feet!

So, now for the filling.  I used this recipe for Chocolate Ganache filling.  

Now to complete the Parisian Macarons with their filling.

later . . . my so-so Macaron.

A BIRD PILLOW AND SEWING KIT IN A JAR

My one and only niece has graduated from college and is now "setting the world on fire" with a new job!  Along with that new job, comes her first post-college apartment.  She saw a pillow similar to this one recently and loved it - so I made one for her - kind of an apartment-warming gift!  Along with the pillow, I'm sending a sewing-kit-in-a-jar.  Doesn't every young person in their first place need one of these??  

Happy first apartment, Betsy!

 I pulled a thread from the burlap to make it easier to cut a straight line - on the grain.

 Used a little HeatnBond . . .

 and some linen.
This is a take on the pillow Betsy chose.  I added stitching around the edge . . .

 and a blanket stitch around the applique.

 For those times when a button pops off she'll have a jar of 12 different colors of thread, scissors, safety pins, and a needle.

 The top is a pincushion!

 
 Happy Housewarming to my favorite niece!!!

:)


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AIR YOUR LAUNDRY FRIDAY
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BELLE CUISINE DE CAMPAGNE FRANCAIS

These summer days have flown by.  But, this morning I finished the sign for Kimberly who was my 200th FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY winner.  

At the end of June, I posted her "win" here:

"So, the OTHER winner of a hand-painted sign is:

Kimberly of KBUNTON0824

who would like a sign to say:

belle cuisine de campagne français"

First I painted the door in Annie Sloan's "Old White".  For a while I felt that ASCP was over-rated.  I do think that flat paint can suffice with many projects.  But the wording went onto the Annie Sloan paint beautifully and I'm back to really liking it.   

 So I transferred the chosen wording onto the sign using a printout of the saying, covering the back of the words in pencil lead, laying it on the door, going over the words, and painting with a fine brush.

 Kimberly requested red and white which matches her kitchen.

 After sanding the door here and there . . .

 I wiped on some Old English Dark Scratch cover, and Minwax Finishing Wax (also dark).

First to dry and then off to Kimberly!

Congratulations Kimberly! 

The other winner, my good friend Jan, will have her sign hand-delivered in October when we visit her in McKinney!

RABBITS AND SHEEP

Such a fun day!  This is the rabbit painting so far.  Just a few more furry touches to add . . . it looks like a character from Miss Gillyflower!

   

Below is a photo of the painting my mom really liked.

Now I'm in the mood to paint more animals.

 I've been saving this photo of Icelandic Sheep in a file for a while now.  This would be a fun photo to paint . . .

TIME TO PAINT

The weekend was busy - fun - but busy.
So, I didn't have time to make anything.

But.

Today is sunny and crisp and fall is in the air.  I'm alone in the house.  So, it's time to open the windows and pull out the paints and my sewing machine.  Several projects are on the docket today.  First and foremost, a painting for my mom.  She has requested a rabbit, so, THAT will be my day! 

There's nothing quite like time spent with your paints . . .

 and a fresh canvas . . .

followed by some time with my trusty, 50 year old Kenmore . . .

to work on one of these from Saturday's post!
All with this guy in the background . . .

Happy Monday!

A BAG AND A PAINTING

Check out these really unique bags from Anthropologie.  

I'd really like to make one!  

Anthropologie is always such a great place for inspiration and this is just one more great idea!  Put a copy of a painting or photo onto fabric, then make it into a bag!  Here are a couple from Anthro's website:

Still Life Bag, Teapot, $398

 Barn Clutch, $298
(This is so unique - it would be almost impossible
 for anyone to have one just like yours!)

Windowsill, $498

But those prices!!!!!

So . . . I got to thinking!  

I COULD MAKE THAT AND SO COULD YOU!

I have some paintings and I've taken photos of them.  Why not make my own bag for a whole lot less than $295-$495!!  All you need is an ink jet printer, some transfer artist paper, and some basic sewing skills (or a purchased plain canvas bag from Joann Fabrics)

I'll use TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) to put a photo of my artwork onto fabric.  You can find "TAP" at Michaels or online.  The great thing about this transfer paper is that it doesn't leave a shiny surface after being ironed onto your fabric - it looks like it's been silk-screened on.  You can also iron your image onto other surfaces - such as paper, wood, glass, and metal.  The fabric can then be washed, folded, and stitched, and the image won't crack or fade.

So, there's one weekend project.  Saturday is supposed to be a rainy day.
Perfect!

A TUTU AND A HEADBOARD

A couple months ago I had a post showing all the changes I had made to our pink guest room.  At that time, I still needed a headboard and some finishing touches.  Well, that room is now complete!  The bed now has a headboard made from an old door, and I did a new painting to grace the wall.  

I had a wonderful time raising two great sons and had a lot of fun decorating their rooms as babies and young boys.  I remember the blue sailboat wallpaper I had in my first son's room.  I was so proud of that - my first attempt at wallpaper (even though we could only afford enough to cover one of the walls)! Then as they got older they did their own thing.  

They never wanted a pink bedroom nor had any interest in tutus - imagine that!  However, I grew up in a pink bedroom and always wanted one in my own house someday.  So here it is, complete!

  

My oldest son and his wife just stayed in this room a few weeks ago - tutu and all!  

And even he agreed . . . it's a very romantic room!

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ONE HOUR, A STRAW BAG, AND A LITTLE WOOL FELT

I came across this straw bag recently . . . on clearance.  It's lined in hot pink cotton.  No closure.  No embellishments.  Just a plain straw bag.  So, I got out that lime green wool felt I had left over from the ring bearer pillow I recently sold in my Etsy shop,  Gillyflower Cottage, and made a few felted roses and a closure tab out of what was left.  And, voila! 

A very inexpensive, fun summer bag!

The closure is actually magnetic and the buttons are just for looks.   I put a bright pink button in the center of the green one to tie in the pink lining.

This is a teesy felted rose on the other side of the closure tab - on the back of the purse.

I'm going to a luncheon at noon with one of my favorite groups of ladies and this will be the perfect bag for today!

AUTUMN LEAVES.

Beautiful cello followed by a beautiful voice.  Who wouldn't want to learn how to play the cello after listening to THAT?!?!

Autumn.

Cello lessons.

Both are coming soon!

Tomorrow . . . an embellished straw bag in an hour!