Projects Projects Projects

I am not going to give you alot of excuses but I will give you lots of pictures. It has been a busy year. Baptisms, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, reunions, holidays, plus my Etsy shop....Lol. You get the idea and most of you are also living it. And so.... 

Look, shiny!






Restyling books to look like vintage editions...

http://makethebestofthings.blogspot.com/2014/01/how-to-restyle-books-to-look-like.html

......and in January, another big family wedding!

But you know, it is life and I'll take it!

I'll try to post more in the new year but know that I am still here and boy, do I have projects!

Faux Stacked Books Card Box

They say that necessity is the mother of invention and this is no less true than on the eve of a family wedding. 

We needed a card box, stat! 

So, I made one out of stacked boxes made to look like a pile of big books.

I had some boxes in my stash that were just the right dimensions so I proceeded to make them look like books. I used the same techniques that I show in this the link to my DIY on making vintage style editions....

http://makethebestofthings.blogspot.com/2014/01/how-to-restyle-books-to-look-like.html

I added front and back "covers" to each box using pieces of cardboard. I added spines to each book with hot glue. Then, using watered down school glue I covered each book shaped box in Dollar Store tissue paper. I used three silvery/wedding style patterns so they would complement each other.

Starting with the bottom book box, I cut a rectangular hole in the top cover. I cut holes through BOTH covers of the middle box then stacked it and secured it with hot glue on the bottom book. The top book only needed a hole in the bottom cover and a slit in the top cover so cards could be slipped inside. Don't be shy with the hot glue. Use plenty to make sure all three book boxes are secure.

I had the labels in my stash and they were perfect for these books!

I dry brushed all the edges with silvery grey paint and also a tiny bit of black to bring out all the textures in the spines and in the crinkly tissues. I faked some pages with sharpie marker then dry brushed those edges, too.

The big book stack measured 12" tall x 14" wide and looked elegant and REAL. Touch up your edges with additional glued tissue paper and a bit more paint to blend your stack together. Remember that in dry brushing, a little paint goes a long way!

Two wine corks and skewers and a handmade banner completed the project. We didn't have to run out and spend money on a card box for the wedding and the fake book stack looked great. I call that a win win, and that's my favorite kind of project!

Glittery Silvery Snowflake Chandelier DIY

Ah, time for the wintry holiday season and bright Christmas decor. Also, another restyling of the brass and glass chandelier that the Welding Man loves.

Can't get rid of it so I decorate it to a fare thee well every chance I get. Forthwith, this year's pretty snowflake chandelier project.

With many thanks to the Dollar Store, thrift shops and yard sales for a nice variety of glittery snowflakes and faux icicles.

Here's how I redid it for fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

It's even prettier when it's all lit up. 

Purty!

When it's all decorated all pretty and shiny and glittery and silvery like this, I can totally forget that it's all brass and beveled glass.

Now I have to figure out how to decorate it for Valentine's Day!!!

Tree Branches and Leaves for Bright Autumn Corner Decor

I know this is hugely late but I'm posting it anyway. Life and projects have eaten my time for months!

Here is the corner of my living room where I keep this urn and painted branches almost all year. The square corner table is perfect for the space and easy to dress up for every season. I change the table cloth and the decor with stuff I have on hand and, of course, bright silk foliage from The Dollar Store.

But first let's go back a bit when the corner was looking a bit cluttered at the end of summer. These two couches form the favorite lounging corner in our house so I try to change it up seasonally. 

Ah, Number One Son likes that spot.

And here it is again, all fluffed up with autumn decor. I added a vase of leaves in a basket on the coffee table

I added a stack of my restyled books which I've crafted to look like vintage editions.

And here's a link....

         http://makethebestofthings.blogspot.com/2014/01/how-to-restyle-books-to-look-like.html

Then I just played around with everything until I liked the design as a whole. That's the fun part!

                          

I have muslin curtains hanging over lace panels on my window wall. So I added my big coffee filter wreath (made from a Dollar Store hula hoop!) and more leafy garlands.

http://makethebestofthings.blogspot.com/2013/11/oversize-wreath-from-hula-hoop.html

Here's a link to that easy rosette and autumn leaves wreath decor....

http://makethebestofthings.blogspot.com/2014/09/quick-change-wreath-decor.html

All done fussin' and ready to start enjoying. I love how the corner decor looks with my own paintings on the wall and the ever changing pillows I made for the couches. Holiday season, bring it on!!

Autumn Garlands Styling Up a Brass and Glass Chandelier

The Welding Man LOVES this dining room chandelier so you know it's not getting replaced anytime soon. We've been married 43 years and counting.

 You have to pick your battles, ladies.

Ahem.

Back to the big, bold, BRASS chandelier. I'm always looking for ways to change it up. I saw this beauty on Martha's website and glommed onto it's creative prettiness right away.

Of course she used real leaves probably harvested by her minions and real mini pumpkins holding real candles all balanced on a real grapevine wreath. But still, pretty and clever!

Martha envy has motivated me more than once but moving on....

Our Dollar Store has these very colorful autumn leaf garlands every year at this time. I have at least a half dozen sets I use every autumn.

Here's my first gorgeous leafy chandelier in 2011. I LOVED how this looks! Almost as pretty as Martha's and it won't catch on fire or drip wax on the table PLUS it cost less than $5 for garlands.

Win win!

Here's THIS year's version in the daylight. So colorful!

I took the beveled glass off the hangers and twined the garlands around the brass hooks. It's so pretty!

Here is is all lit up during the "blue hour" at sunset. This just makes me smile and smile!

 But....those bulbs are hot and the leaves are very close to all that heat. I'm going to redo it with the glass hanging between the bulbs and the silk leaves. I hope it still looks full enough.

Hey hey! The glass hanging between the lights and the garlands actually makes it brighter and prettier! I like it!

Here it is during the day and still lovely!

Oooh aaaah! I think it's a quick and lovely and CHEAP fix to give this brass and glass light a bit of color and bling going into the holidays.

Win win!