Shabby Chic Altered Clipboards

Here are two regular brown clipboards I altered for my craft room.

I used my favorite DCWV Primrose paper.  I just adore the colors of these papers, so shabby chic and soft without being too pastel and very vintage.  

On the long clipboard I needed to piece coordinating papers to fit the length.

I began by cutting the paper to fit and gluing to the board with Mod Podge.

When the glue was dry I sanded the edges and distress the edges with distress ink.

I  painted the clip with Martha Stewart pearl pink paint.  Then added the lace trims and Mulberry flowers with hot glue.  And added a few hot pink rhinestones for bling.

pieced papers

On the second, shorter board, I used one sheet of paper, from the 12" x 12' paper pad.

I added a couple of pink lace daisies with a clear rhinestone in the center, more lace bits from my stash and a larger mulberry lily surrounded by smaller pink flowers. When everything was dry I gave them both a coat of Mod Podge to protect the papers making them more durable.

I use these clipboards in my craft room to hold project ideas or magazines

 I want to use for reference.

Happy Crafting!

Dollar Store Candle Holders and Cloche

I have seen this idea on Pinterest many times, so thought I would make my own for my buffet.

I used 4 glass candlesticks and 

candlestick

4 glass vases from the Dollar Store.

glass vase

2 wooden finials and 4 wooden plaques.

I added a small wooden plaques that I glued with E6000.  All the wood was painted with gray and white acrylic paint to resemble zinc.  I added a black and white bow to each piece.  And on the cloche I added a finial and painted it to match.

These can be used as a votive holder.

5 flat back pearls around the edge to keep the glass from slipping off.

 With out the glass cloche I can use these for battery operated pillar candles.  On each piece I added a small clear heart under the bow.

Here is the detail of how I attached the vase to the candle holder.  I used a pimiento jar lid that I painted to match the wood.  Using E6000 the jar lid helped make the transition between the two glass pieces.

I can also use these with pillar candle in the hurricane style pair.

My buffet is under a window and these look so nice with the candles glowing at night.  I really like to use the battery operated candles, no worry about fire if I forget they are lit.

Happy Crafting!

Altered Composition Book

All our prayers are with the people of Paris.  They have had a terrible weekend.  Hopefully their will healing in their lives soon.  It is so sad when one human can take out his anger on another total stranger with no remorse or caring.  I pray for peace in the lives of all those involved is this terrible tragedy.  

My family is from France so I have always felt close the the French people. Perhaps that is why I like the Shabby Chic French decorating style.

Today's project is a shabby chic altered composition book.

The first thing I did was cruise Pinterest for a couple of images for the front and back covers.

Print out the images to fit your covers.

Glue the images to the covers.

 Next, sand the edges of the book then distressed with a light aqua distress ink.

Add three pearls, some lace and a border of Stickles  down the length of the book, where the lace and print meet, for a little bling.

front cover

Starting with the first page, I cut a piece of scrapbook paper from DCWV, Primrose pattern and glued to the first page and about every 25 pages added another page and tab.  For the tabs I drew an image on a piece of scrap card stock and traced my pattern on the different papers, then cut them out and glued along the edges at varying heights along the edge.

inside front

On the inside back cover I added a white ribbon bookmark to easily be able to fine the page I am working on.

inside back cover

The back cover I added a larger piece of paper to cover the whole area and then added my smaller picture from Pinterest along with a little glittered washi tape.

outside back cover

Happy Crafting!

The Week in Review

Here's a review of the this week's posts.

Monday

Altered gold watch case.

Tuesday

Clothes pin tree.

Wednesday

Shabby Chic birdhouses.

Thursday

Altered styrofoam head.

Friday

Framed Scrapbook Paper

Happy Weekend!

Framed Scrapbook Paper

Today's project is a pretty quick one.

I fell in love with this Stampin Up paper.  I just had to save one piece and put it in a frame.

I found the frame in a second hand store.  I painted it with white chalk paint then highlighted the raised areas with a gold marker.  On the mat I added a row of pink lace tape and a row of green check washi tape.  Added the floral paper to the frame.

I then added these 2 butterflies and a banner I ran through my Mink Machine for a little foil bling. They are attached to the glass with foam dimensional glue dots.

Happy Crafting!

Altered Styrofoam Head

While wandering through a second hand store I came across a styrofoam head.  Just what I had been looking for to hold hats and earrings.

The first thing I did was to give the head a coat of Gesso. When that was dry I drew a light pencil drawing of the features I wanted her to have. Then I got out my acrylic paints and started filling in the areas with color.

Decided on a Flapper style for her.

I highlighted her black hair with gray and white paint and along her hairline I painted a darker tan line than her skin tone to give dimension and shadow.

She has a vintage 1920's Flapper lip shape.

Before painting I bent a piece of wire into a "U" shape, glued the ends and inserted into the styrofoam so she could model a pair of earrings besides modeling my hats for me.

Around her neck I made a flowing scarf and added a few mulberry flowers for decorations.

Happy Crafting!

Little Shabby Chic Birdhouses

Today I would like to take a moment to thank all our Veterans who served their country.  No matter where they fought they are all heroes.  Mr. K is a disabled vet, so we feel this day in our house personally like many so others. Again thank you all for your service.

For today's project I painted and decorated two little unfinished bird houses to hang by my mantel.

Found these little birdhouses in the sale bin at Michael's.  I love finding a good bargain. I think I paid $1.00 a piece for them.

I  painted them with white chalk paint.

Then added pearls, bits of lace, mulberry flowers and tiny birds.  I have several dozen of these birds in a half a dozen colors I found at a second hand store for $.50 awhile back.

On this one I edged it with clear rhinestones, bits of lace, mulberry flowers  and more little birds.

back

roof

Happy Crafting!