Thrifted Treasures

Man, I have had so much fun this summer, haunting thrift stores from here to Tacoma, looking for AWESOME FINDS!
We all know the story of the octopus chest (here ).

He was not a thrift store find, but some of his companions are. The antique fan on the left was a thrift store find from several years ago, and the painting propped up there on his back is a recent find from one of the thrift stores in downtown Shelton.

This painting has really grown on me, to the point where I really love it. 

The artist, identified in a red signature only as 'Moreno,' probably painted it back in the 50's or 60's, when oil painting was a popular hobby. 

And this got me thinking about people today. 

How many folks these days say to themselves;

       "Boy, I need a hobby to fill up some of my free time!" 

or

       "I sure would like to learn a skill or an art to enhance my quality of life!"

Darn few, I would guess. Most of us have the means to fill up countless hours literally right at our fingertips (she says as she types away on her computer.) 

Would I be willing to invest the time and effort it would take to learn how to paint as well as  Mr. or Ms. 'Moreno' did? 

What will future generations do with their free time?

My husband and I tried to find Mr./Ms. Moreno on the internet (how would we ever find anything now without it?!) And though we could not find a definite match, I did find this on Ebay (click on the link, then click on the tiny little purple phrase "see original listing" just to the right of the 'L' in "Beautiful.") Scroll down to see the original listing - there are pictures of the painting (also a seascape) which has a similar signature, also in red paint, and also in the lower left corner. Though it is not a famous artist, the $650 price tag is still well above the $7.99 I paid for mine.

The Octopus Chest

Hi!
Remember this?

It was several years ago when I first posted a picture of this sad chest of drawers. I got it and another (painted to "match") from a mom I used to be acquainted with when my (now 15 year old) son was in second grade. Back then he was attending a privately run school that held an anual auction to help pay for playground equipment. The idea was to do a cool, creative decorative treatment - really make a "statement piece," you know? Never mind that the dresser is cheaply made, poorly painted and, well, more than a little homely to begin with. Then the school folded, we transferred back to public school, the mom did not have anywhere to store the dressers and did not want them back, so I was left with this guy (and his equally homely sister) which we stored in the well-pump house at our former home. When we moved to our current home, we brought the two dressers  - and stored them. Again.  *sigh*

I'm pretty sure I posted back in August of 2014 that I was inspired by the octopus chest that  Stefanie, blogger at Brooklyn Limestone, shared way back in 2012. It took me a long time to commit to a design, and an even longer time to figure out colors, but here is what I finally came up with:

Ta-Da!!

Getting the chest to this point was quite a process! First I started stripping the gunky, poorly applied brown paint off, only to find laminated, faux wood printed paper (the original "finish"). Some of this was in fair enough shape that I could leave it alone, since I was painting the whole piece anyway, but much of it was damaged (probably why the brown paint?) and had to be scraped off, down to the bare (actual) wood underneath.

There were lots of things that needed to be filled, sanded, filled again, sanded again, and then primed before transferring the octopus design, a drawing I free-handed from a coloring book page. Then; 

much agonizing over the colors. 

I finally decided to just use paint I already owned (hey, I bought it because I like the colors, so...) I used Devine Colors paint from Target in Twig (the octopus) and Compass (the background). I found the composite brass and shell knobs (no longer available) on sale from the Anthropologie web site. They have some very cool hardware, it's worth a look-see!

This is only my second attempt at re-finishing a piece of furniture, and my first at painting. I have learned things during and since that will make the next project (a buffet for our dining room nook) go a little smoother, I hope. This project ranged over five years - from inception to completion. It's not flawless, but overall, I'm happy with the results, and that I can move this piece out of storage and put it to use in the house!
SaveSave

Not even going to discuss how long it's been...

     There is only one week left until school/work starts and I am scurrying to get projects done. The first six weeks of summer were spent desk-bound due to my lack of foresight in enrolling in 3 online classes (Never. Again.) towards a special ed endorsement. Then there was a week and a half spent with family vacationing in Florida (and here for 4 nights!). Finally back home to a lawn badly in need of weeding and watering and a dog exhausted from spending 10 days at the local "pet lodge" : (
     All of the things I had planned to do during my summer off got crammed into the remaining 4 weeks. The neglected yard was first in line; many broad leaved weeds were extracted from the front and back lawns (with the assistance of my recently TEEN-AGED son *sigh*).
The next project that I had been itching to complete was an office chair makeover. Last year I was allowed to claim two old, ugly office chairs from work as my own. They were (as stated) ugly, no one wanted them in their offices and they kept getting shuttled from one over-crowded storage area to the next. So I took them.
To prove that they were ugly, I submit this for your consideration

Exhibit a: "before"

     My plan was to make a cute chair to go in the Mom Cave for crafting and computering. I decided to have it powder coated after seeing the amazing transformation of two old institution style bed frames we inherited (sorry, no pictures have yet been taken of those...) so the chair and I made a little trip to Forever Powder Coating in Tumwater, WA. I can not recommend these guys highly enough - they are just amazing. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of colors and finishes to choose from. I chose a bright, orangey, poppy color for the frame, and found a coordinating fabric (on sale!) at JoAnne's.
Here is the finished product

Exhibit a: "after"

     I absolutely love it. In fact I am seated upon it right this minute! You may notice that the legs are bare (see the holes?) The caps that were on there were that hideous office beige colored plastic, and one broke as the guys were removing it. I opted for no caps and am fine with how it looks, however I think I could find replacements on line if I so desire in the future.

     

     The next project is an old, cheap 70's dresser that I want to paint. 

I really love the octopus dresser from Brooklyn Limestone, but am not a hundred percent sure that I want to do that design on this dresser. Anyone have any suggestions?

Here Are Some Cold Hard Facts:

1. Holy Crap it's been a long time since I blogged!
2. I can't do anything with the "TV" room until we finish the kitchen.
3. We just started on the kitchen.
4. Kitchen remodels have been known to go looooooong.
5. My creative space (crafty corner) is in the "TV" room.
6. I want LOVE to make gift tags!
7.I feel better, happy, when my crafts table is clear enough to actually do crafts on.
8. I need to let go of more stuff.
9. I have a few (ahem) "unfinished" projects. Just a few.
10. I have ~several~ kits that I have not started. Some have not even been opened. Ever.
11. I am a creative person.

Link Love

Appropriate, no? This being the month of Valentine's and all.

Ever since I started working at the Preschool, I am hyper-aware of all things Preschool-y. I recently joined - er excuse me; was invited to join - Pinterest which has provided me with an excellent way to organize and keep track of all of the amazing ideas that are popping up all over the internet. (They were probably always there. It's just this new awareness of mine, I'm sure...) One blogger in particular, LiEr of "Ikat Bag," is charming the dickens out of me with her incredible style and creativity. She's a sewer seamstress, but also posts truly inspiring paper and cardboard crafts that are perfect for the Preschool-set. I would love to post pictures of some of her stuff that is blowing my mind right now, but I need to ask permission before I post any, so I will instead provide links and you can scoot on over to see for yourself why I am so gushy about her.

felt sugar cookies activity (OH how I love working with felt!)
home made "Happy Families" card game (based on the old one, apparently no longer being made)
home-made (custom-made) board game "Bak To School"
home-made stationery sets (using all the unused stickers from her surplus of coloring books... )

Miss LiEr is truly a talented mama, don't you think? I will most definitely be visiting her more often.

snow day

an opportunity for me to clean the house...

Minor Set-Backs

So, after 10 weeks on WW, I had lost 18 pounds!!! Soooooo close to that 20 lb mark... And then... Christmas. And New Years. Cookies. And Champagne. And CHOCOLATE (don't forget the chocolate!)
But it turned out to not be as bad as I thought. Less than 2 lbs were gained, and while that is a minor set-back, I am back on track this week.
Of course it helps to be motivated, and to be motivated, you have to have a positive attitude. For me, positive thinking needs to be linked to something good, and I am happy to report that a very GOOD thing has happened! I am now a part-time Para-educator at the school districts special needs preschool! I am training to use the STAR program to work with three students with autism that are in the afternoon classes. This is a terrific opportunity for me as, of all the kids, I am most intrigued by those affected by autism. I have witnessed the progress of some of the kids who were students of this program last year, and it is absolutely one of the most gratifying experiences.
All of this has brought me back to my commitment to lose weight. And this year, I plan to add a little exercise into the mix, tone up those core muscles.
Looking forward to a very happy and healthy new year!

Shake Up Your Sugar

I think it was at the home of a German friend where I first saw colored sugar crystals mixed into the sugar bowl.  

I really like these large, rainbow hued sprinkles, but if you want to celebrate a certain season, Wilton has an extensive inventory - I can find them at JoAnne's or Wal-Mart.

I don't drink my coffee with sugar, I just really love this mug.

*:)

week 2 and week 3

Week 2 saw a loss of another 2 lbs! And the Chicken piccata was delicious. Week three I lost another 3 - I have lost a total of 8.6 pounds! Snacking is sometimes still an issue. I think it has just become a habit - the trick is finding plan-friendly snack options. I am allowed unlimited fruits and vegetables, but I sometimes want something more substantial, so I am using the sites online "recipe builder" to develop diet friendly soups. I made a lean Lima bean soup last week, and found that a quarter cup of that with a tablespoon of fat-free plain yogurt a a chopped up Roma tomato made a VERY satisfying nosh, that didn't waste any calories (points.) So far I am happy. And not feeling deprived in the least. And NEVER hungry, unless it's mealtime.

Last Friday was my birthday and I used the recipe builder to find out the points for Magnolia Bakery's Vanilla/Vanilla cupcakes. One frosted cupcake is nearly half of a day's points - but careful management and food choices allowed me to have one on my birthday and another one on Saturday. I only ate half of one on Sunday, but Ohhhhhh, they are yummy!

Week 1

3.2  pounds. It's working!

Wate Wotchers

Some how or other, I've picked up a few more pounds than I really want or need. So yesterday, I signed up for an online program to help me lose the extra weight. Not something I would normally enter into, but a friend was using it last summer, and when I saw her after she had been on the program for two months, I could tell she had lost weight! My current short-term goal is to just lose 10 pounds. But I'd eventually like to lose an additional 35...
My biggest hangup is snacking. Don't need to be hungry, just bored, or angry or...
Anyway.
Poking around the site, I was very happy to find a number of really tasty sounding recipes, this is definitely NOT your grandma's "WW."
Next week I will prepare for my family; Chicken Picata (the recipe calls for veal, but I don't eat that so I'll sub boneless, skinless chicken breasts) and maybe try the Coconut Millet...

Book Fair Goodness

School is finally out!

Due to snow days we didn't get out until the 24th of June. And during that last week, the school hosted it's final book fair of the year. I think this is a privately run fair (as opposed to one by Scholastic or some other publisher) and most of the books are used, if only gently. I'm not sure if they are surplus library books or what, but I managed to find a few treasures.

The prices were nice and low, my priciest choice was $3.00. I think the picture books are all Caldecott award winners. I checked out and read one of the novels - "The Wheel on the School" by Meindert DeJong - from the library fairly recently and loved it, so I was excited to find and purchase it. And I remember when "I Heard the Owl Call My Name" came out in the 70's though I have yet to read it.
But that's what summer is for, right?

Queen for a Day

One of my very best friends will hit the mid-century mark this week. I am going to surprise her by flying across the country to wish her a "bon anniversaire" and present her with this crown. Hopefully it will distract her from the whole mid-century thing...

Measuring the Day

Growth

It's hard to believe that this

is now this.

snarled up in a terrible snerl

Due to wind storms and an enthusiastic 9 year old.











Sure looks stormy today.











Why did I wait to pull this down?













Why didn't I do this yesterday, or Wednesday? When it was 65 degrees. In Washington. IN NOVEMBER!










I still can't believe I extracted all those spiders.












The trick is not to think about what you are doing.










Because if you do, you will actually go
insane.

Earning yourself the whispered neighborhood nickname "Crazy Spider Lady."

Soft Dog Treat Recipe

I'm just going to post this because I tried to find a recipe online and while I found out that tons of other people are too, I did not find the kind of recipe I was looking for; a soft, pea-sized yummy treat for use in training of our puppy. I have purchased a similar treat at the Mud Bay Granary in Olympia, but for a premium price. These can be made for a fraction of the cost.


Soft Peanut Butter and Molasses Training Bits


makes about 2 cups of bits

1 c oat flour
1/4 c peanut butter
2 T unsulphured molasses
1 T honey
2T carob powder
olive oil and/or water to adjust consistency of dough

Mix all of the above ingredients in a bowl with a fork or spatula or in a food processor. Add water and/or olive oil by teaspoonfuls for desired consistency. You want a fairly stiff dough, kind of like molasses cookie dough. Ideally it should be squishy enough to form into little pea-sized tidbits, but firm enough to hold its shape. You can either roll into ropy snakes and then cut into nuggets, or (easier) pinch into appropriately sized bits and place on a cookie sheet. Dehydrate the bits at 140 degrees for one hour, or leave them out on a cookie sheet overnight to dry out a bit. They can be stored in the freezer.

It's feeling very fall-ish lately.

I view this with mixed emotions; on the one hand, my garden has barely had a chance - the tomatoes are still hanging greenly on their vines.

On the other hand, I really love fall weather. All the drizzle and half-light makes me want to sit in a cozy chair by a window with a mug of hot something.

Since I haven't posted here in quite a while, I'll try to bring you up to speed. Just days after school let out, we began an earnest search for a  Labrador Retriever puppy. My 9 year old son had been asking for one for almost a year and while initially I thought it would make a wonderful Christmas surprise, the fact that we left for a week of vacation a few days after the holiday made me give up that idea. Instead we decided to wait until summer when Ben (our son) would be home all day and able to fully appreciate the responsibility of taking care of "his" puppy. I hope he will think long and hard before asking for another gift that requires so much care and attention (thinking 8 years ahead to "car"...). After we had viewed 7 litters in as many days, we settled on a little chocolate brown male that Ben promptly christened Gage.

His name has grown with him and he now goes by the more formal title of 'Gager von Pupperdoodle.'

Today I took Gagers for a nice walk around our neighborhood. We live in a rural community outside city limits and most people have at least an acre of property, if not more. So I was kinda surprised to see how many folks were dumping their yard waste on empty lots and public park land. We have a compost heap that is the envy of many friends, family and acquaintances, and it requires little to no maintenance (until you are ready to use it in the garden...) so it really baffles me that anyone with property to spare would choose to haul their lawn clippings, garden detritus and leaves out of their own yards to dump elsewhere. I just don't get it, but maybe that's me.

I have been really delinquent with my etsy shop this summer. While items still occasionally sell, I haven't added anything new in months. I'd like to rectify that, but I'll be substitute teaching again this year so I have no idea when that might happen.

The up-side of all this is that I need to learn how to balance all these chairs, or juggle all of these balls, or any other circus-metaphor you can think of, and it sure sounds like opportunity is a-knockin' on my front door.

but for now...

SALE SALE SALE!

Heads' up:
I have cut the prices on 18 gift tag sets in my shop.

Most of the tags have been hanging around since last year - like I said, they just don't move well on-line.
Anyhoo, I'm pricing them right about at cost (and some below cost, like the ones with vintage spun cotton fruits or mushrooms...) and while the relative shipping cost may seem high, I can combine shipping on multiple purchases. I know that I can fit about 10 tags in one box, so for a mere $15.00, ($17.00 Canadian) you could have ten tags to suit any occasion!
So go!
Please!
Shop!
Oh, and thank you, you're the best. Really!

The Tags

I did promise a while back that I'd talk about the gift tags that I make and sell. I don't know what inspired me to start making these floral tags, I think they started out as Valentine's, which I wrote about on a different blog a few years ago. Anyway I had all these little velvet leaves, and little paper roses just laying around and decided that I could make something other than valentines with them. The problem with trying to make a card with 3-D elements is that they don't really fit into an envelope. So that is how I came upon the idea of gift tags! These are so fun and totally addictive to make. I can spend a whole day slicing up cardstock, gluing on leaves and flowers and attaching ribbons. Really.

The leaves and flowers used to be readily available in the wedding aisle of any craft store. In fact the first supplies I ever bought I got at my local Walmart. Sadly, they don't carry them anymore, and I now have to buy the velvet leaves online. I can still find some paper roses at Michaels, but they are less expensive bought in bulk online.

I haven't really made any tags recently, not since before Valentines day. I listed those tags in my Etsy shop, but none sold. In fact, though my tags see a lot of traffic (a lot of folks like to LOOK at them) I've only ever sold two sets from my Etsy shop. Two nearly identical sets. To a mycology librarian. The tags had mushrooms on them. (they are the ones you can see up there on my banner - they were totally cute, and sort of my favorites, so I'm really gald that someone else liked them and bought them!)

I also sell some of my covered journals and gift tags at a little shop in the town where I live. The proprietor is trying to buy only US made wares for her shop and happily lets me and a few other crafty townfolk sell our items there. The tags sell waaaaaay better in person than they do online. Just a few days after taking my first batch down to the shop, the owner called to tell me she had sold a dozen of them to one customer!

Most things improve with time and this is true also of my tags. I now feel that my product is looking a little more polished than my initial efforts. tag progression:

And hey, things can only get better - practice makes perfect, right? So today I pulled out all of my supplies again. I remembered buying some little plastic eggs with the idea of using them in some nest-themed tags. A little slicing, a little gluing, and wahlah! The nest tag!

I am hoping to get some more of these made and listed in my shop. It's a half-day school week due to spring conferences and I really doubt that I'll get called to sub, so I'll at least have a few hours in the mornings, yay!

Happy Spring!