Pieced Pastimes

Linky Party Follower Hop

2012-02-09T08:16:00.000-05:00

Reblogged from Cheri at Its So Very Cheri

Many of you have probably already heard that

GOOGLE Friend Connect will go away

on Feb 29 for any one that is not with blogspot

but rumor has it that it is being completely phased out for everyone soon

BUT

there is good news

There is a NEW awesome tool–Linky Followers

It has so many amazing features (that GFC never had). If you have not signed up you should. (yes you can have both.) I love the new tool so much and want everyone to enjoy all the new features.

…and did I tell you its super easy and FREE!

What better way to celebrate a fun new blogging tool than to have a party

so break out your poodle skirt and saddle back shoes cuz’ we’re having a LINKY FOLLOWER PARTY HOP

RULES:

1. you MUST have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool on your site to participate.

{You can have both the LINKY FOLLOWERS & GFC on your site but you must have the LINKY FOLLOWERS to participate in this party hop.}

2. You MUST follow the person who has the party on their site as a thank you.

3.Just add your blog button to the LINKY PARTY below.

4.Then grab the BLOG HOP code

You will find the code right under the Linky Party where it says CLICK HERE TO ENTER–

just under that it says: WHAT IS A BLOG HOP? GET THE CODE HERE

Click on GET THE CODE HERE and enter it into a post on your site.

You can grab the party button code in the FOOTER at Its So Very Cheri

You can grab info from my post if it helps you with your post.

5. Then you follow other bloggers–(as many as you want)
–leave each one of the blogs that you follow a comment letting them know you are following them and ask them to follow you back.

If you want to add the BLOG HOP to your own site you will get lots of new followers–(see rule #2)

…So do ya want to go Cruisin’?

I plan on HOPPING from BLOG to BLOG to follow everyone who follows me.

Every Wednesday I will rotate the Linky Follower Party Hop and my PIN tag party here at Its So Very Cheri.
This is a Blog Hop!

Simply Kindness

2012-02-02T14:07:00.002-05:00

Simply Kindness.....

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"I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness." ~ Mother Teresa

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In keeping my faith ~ Suzanne.

Linking to the following parties:

Pinning and Singing on the Weekends, Oh How Pinteresting

Pinspired 5 Minute Scarf Wreath Tutorial

2012-01-31T11:41:00.042-05:00

Sometimes I like to do a quick project, as it allows me to take a break from some of the more time consuming ones. This little wreath fits the bill perfectly.

I started off with some inspiration from Pinterest with these two lovely wreaths:

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Now onto the quick and easy tutorial.

Supplies:
- 1 Wreath Form (I used a wire one, but any other style should work as well)
- 1 Scarf
- Trim of your choice (I used some cotton lace trim)
- Elastic Bands

Begin by simply wrapping one end of the scarf around the wreath form. I left about 6" hanging to start mine.

Continue wrapping around the form (adjusting the overlapped areas, so none of the form shows) until you are back to the beginning.

Gather the two ends of the scarf with the rubber bands.

Tie your trim around the elastics to cover them.

And that's pretty much it!

It is cold and dreary here today. The sun is hidden amongst the clouds (hence, the not so great pictures).

It is a good day for a fire, a cup of hot cocoa and this simple winter wreath.

Linking up to the following parties:
G et Your Craft On Tuesday, Anti-Procrastination Tuesday, Tutorial Tuesday with Hope Studios, Take-A-Look Tuesday, The Inspiration Board at Homework, Northern Cottage Party Time Tuesday, Whatever Goes Wednesday, Show Off Your Stuff Party, Wow Us Wednesdays, Sugar and Spice, Home Decor and Organizing Link Party, Show and Tell, We Did It Wednesday, Share Your Awesomeness, Wow Me Wednesday, Wicked Awesome Wednesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday at Polkadots on Parade, White Wednesday, Create and Share, Time Travel Thursday, Weekend Show Off Party, Mingle With Us, Show and Tell Friday, Strut Your Stuff, Hookin Up With HOH, Doggone Dirty Craftin, Everything But The Kitchen Sink, Weekend Wander, Crazy Cute Thursdays, Feathered Nest Friday, Made U Look Thursday, Potpourri Friday, Home Sweet Home, Thriftin On A Thursday, Tickled Pink, Air Your Laundry Friday, Look At Me, Find Your Craft Friday, Weekend Wrap Up Party, Home and Family Friday, Delicately Constructed Friday, Friday Fun Finds, Free For All, Shine On Friday, Vintage Inspiration Friday, Friday Fun Party, Whatcha Got Weekend. Lovely Crafty Weekend, Simply Link Party, Weekend Bloggy Reading, Frugal Friday, Finished It Friday, Fridays Unfolded, Once Upon A Weekend. Sweet Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Kiss and Tell, Get Schooled Saturday, Saturday Night Special, Check Me Out Saturdays, Show and Tell Saturdays, Its So Very Creative, Sundae Scoop, DIY Project Parade, Sunday Blog Love, Sundays Best, Think Pink Sundays, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Craftastic Monday, I Made It Monday, Show Me What Ya Got, Whats In The Gunny Sack, The Pinterest Challenge, Sew Darn Crafty, Pinterest Party Challenge,

Muslin Ruffle Bag

2012-01-28T15:10:00.020-05:00

I was in need of a new bag and saw one on Katie's Rose Cottage that I have admired for some time now.
She had graciously posted the pattern information (Butterick B5449) on her blog and wouldn't you know it was a pattern that I already had.

In keeping with the art of making do, I used some muslin that I had on hand for this bag. I believe Katie used muslin on hers as well.

I made the bag per the pattern with hemmed ruffles, but if I were to make this again it would be with raw edges or a narrow rolled hem. I think they hang nicer and are not quite so 'flouncy' as with the finished hemmed edges.

A single muslin rose adds a nice decorative detail.

It is lined with a couple pockets and a magnetic snap closure.

I like the length of the strap and the size of the bag. It just seems to have nice proportions. I may have to revisit this pattern with a different fabric, as I like it that much.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linking up to the following parties:

Potpourri Friday, Once Upon A Weekend, Sweet Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Get Schooled Saturday, Saturday Night Special, Check Me Out Saturday, Whatcha Got Weekend, Lovely Crafty Weekend, Show and Tell Saturday, Weekend Bloggy Reading, Simply Link, It's Party Time, Sundae Scoop, DIY Project Parade, Sunday Blog Love, Think Pink Sundays, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Linky Party Sundays, Sunday's Best, The Sunday Showcase Party, Creative Bloggers Party, Craft Catwalk, Making Monday Marvelous, I Made It Monday, Masterpiece Monday, Metamorphosis Monday, Craftastic Monday, Market Yourself Monday, Anything Goes, Just Something I Whipped Up, Make The Scene Monday, Bedazzle Me Monday, A Round Tuit, CraftOManiac Monday, Inspire Me Monday, A Marvelous Mess Monday, Motivated Monday, Making The World Cuter Monday, Get Your Craft On Tuesday, Tuesday Treasury, Talent Tuesday, Tip Me Tuesday, Sew Cute Tuesday, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday, Create and Share

Linen and Lace Pincushion Trio

2012-01-13T15:55:00.069-05:00

Continuing on with my fixation with pincushions, I sewed up this trio of pinkeeps.

My vintage stash of linen and lace came in handy for this project.

Some of these lace scraps came from things I had sewn for my children when they were just babies. Where have the years gone.....

For this heart pinkeep, I kept it simple with some rosettes, some cotton lace and some vintage buttons.

I made two of the rosettes with linen and one with muslin to create some shading.

For this rectangular pinkeep, I used a couple different laces with a single linen rosette.

To dress up the lone flower, I aded some tulle, two buttons and 3 pearls.

It turned out that this square etui is my favorite of the three.

I overlapped different laces and embellished it with a couple rosettes, a single vintage button and some silk ribbon gently twisted and tied off with some tiny pearls.

This little trio reminds me of my children, but not only because of the materials used. They are similar in some ways and very different in others, just like the individuality of each of my children.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linking up to the following parties:

Air Your Laundry Friday, Tickled Pink Fridays, Feature Yourself Friday, Home and Family Friday, Friday Fun Finds, Look At Me I'm So Crafty, Shine on Fridays, Get Schooled Saturday, Weekend Wrap Up Party, Saturday Night Special, Weekend Show Off Party, Delicately Constructed Fridays, Free For All, Find Your Craft Friday, Check Me Out Saturdays, Weekend Wander, Once Upon A Weekend, Sweet Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Friday Flair, Farmhouse Friday, Feathered Nest Friday, Vintage Inspiration Friday, Share Awesomeness Thursdays, Its Party Time, Sunday Blog Love, Craft Catwalk, Sundae Scoop, Think Pink Sundays, DIY Project Parade, I Made It Monday, Inspire Me Monday, A Round Tuit, Make The Scene Monday, Bedazzle Me Monday, Talent Tuesday, Tuesday Treasury, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday, Whatever Goes Wednesday, Get Your Craft On, Sew Cute Tuesday, Create and Share, Wow Us Wednesdays, Sugar and Spice, Show and Tell, We Did It Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday at Gingersnap, Wicked Awesome Wednesday, What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Linkin' with Lil' Luna, Your Whims Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday at Polkadots, Kiss and Tell, Made U Look Thursday, Friday Fun Party, White Wednesday, Potpourri Friday, Home Sweet Home, Show and Tell Friday, Time Travel Thursday, Fine Craft Guild

Pure Joy and Happiness Pinning

2011-12-30T08:23:00.008-05:00

If I were the lucky recipient of a wish granted, it would be simply for JOY. It covers love, happiness, peace and all things good.

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The world could use a bit more joy and so that is my wish for 2012.

Linking up to the following parties:

Get Schooled Saturday at Too Much Time On My Hands
Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple
Everything But The Kitchen Sink at A Little Knick Knack
Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints On The Fridge
Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts
Pinning and Singing on the Weekend at 5 Minutes Just For Me

In keeping my Faith ~ Suzanne

2011 Christmas Mantel (be it a little late!)

2011-12-26T17:47:00.023-05:00

With the hustle and bustle of Christmas, I didn't have a chance to post photos of my Christmas mantel before today.

I wanted a natural, rustic look for Christmas this year. Truth be told, I am drawn towards this look most of the time.

Continuing with the theme from my 2011 Christmas Tree, I made a couple trees with vintage hymnal sheet music. Miss Mustard Seed has a nice tutorial on the HGTV website.

I wrapped another tree with jute (hot glued just enough to hold in place). Some antique dovetailed wood boxes give the trees some additional height and an old pizza peel and printers drawer serve as the backdrop for the vignette.

I gathered some evergreens from my yard (including pine, spruce and holly) and filled a long flat tray with moistened oasis and cut and tucked the greens to my hearts desire. Lastly, I added a simple burlap bow and a few silver ornaments.

For the mantel area above the firebox, I started with an old dresser mirror.

I added some more natural trees and another wood box. For the taller tree, I glued a nice texturized fabric over a tree form and added a burlap star/rosette for the top.

For this tree, I wrapped strips of burlap around a tree form and tied on a couple bells with some jute.

A wreath with a burlap bow - can't get much simpler.

Another sheet music tree placed on top of my favorite vintage scale.

We had a lovely Christmas this year and hope that yours was too.

Linking up to the following parties:

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch
Get Your Craft On Tuesday at Todays Creative Blog
The Best of 2011 at Its So Very Cheri
Masterpiece Monday at Boogieboard Cottage
DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at Coastal Charm
Made by you Monday at Skip To My Lou
Table Top Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Market Yourself Monday at Sumos Sweet Stuff
Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do
Motivated Monday at Be Colorful
I Made It Monday at Ninth Street Notions
Creative Me Monday at The Southern Institute
Making Monday Marvelous Day at C.R.A.F.T.
Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie
Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts
Sundae Scoop at I Heart Nap Time

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

2011 Christmas Tree with Handmade Ornaments

2011-12-17T15:09:00.027-05:00

I used our small tree in the family room this year but filled it to the brim with the true meaning of Christmas.

I purchased some wood crosses from AC Moore and gave them a quick coat of white paint.

I added a small burlap canvas adorned with a silver cross for the tree top cross.

White, cream, silver and gray are the colors for this years Christmas.

My 'Vintage Hymnal Roll Ornaments' were added to the tree next.

I have a love for vintage books and finding vintage hymnal books is such a treat for me.

I simply rolled some of the pages and glued them together in stacks of 3.

These book rolls were then tied with a piece of jute....

and a silver cross charm was added to the bottom.

These were so simple to make but I really love the faith filled joy that they spread.

Do you remember my 'Texturized Spring Wreath Tutorial'? I was lucky enough to have won a wonderful prize in the Canvas Corp Burlap Contest with my wreath. My prize consisted of some lovely scrapbooking papers, burlap and muslin stretched burlap canvas's, burlap shapes of all kinds, jute and so much more! I was able to utilize some of my prize winnings in my next ornament.

My 'Burlap and Muslin Roses' ornament:

Using the stretched burlap and canvas frames, I made some burlap and muslin roses (using the tutorial from The Freckled Laundry) and simply hot glued them to the frames.

A sprig of greenery was added for a touch more color and a jute hanger was added to the back.

For the tree base, I simply placed the tree stand in an old crate filled with burlap.

Last up are my 'Vintage Hymnal Fan Ornaments'.

There are several tutorials for these around blog land. They are very easy to make. Basically fan fold a sheet of paper and glue in a circle. I then dipped the edges in some modge podge and rolled them in Martha Stewart White Gold extra fine glitter.

I printed on card stock different Christmas themed phrases, songs, etc and cut them with a decorative punch and glued them to the center.

I added jute to the back for the hanger.

Our tree is small but it's message is powerful!

Linking up to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Angel Inspiration

2011-11-26T07:18:00.008-05:00

I find angel wings in home decor are a gentle reminder of what is truly important.

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In keeping my faith.

Linking up to the following parties:

In keeping my Faith ~ Suzanne.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T06:17:00.000-05:00

Did you know that Adam Sandler was raised in my beautiful state of New Hampshire? There is something about him that just makes me smile.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Christmas Tree Skirt Pinspiration

2011-11-04T10:49:00.012-04:00

I am thinking that I need a new tree skirt and have found some lovely inspiration from the Pinterest world.

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Great quilted fabric with a faux fur muff border.

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Faux sheepskin from Pottery Barn.

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This is so elegant.

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Felt Flowers with covered buttons and loop closures - love it!

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Burlap, muslin and lace ruffles.

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Linen ruffles with a no sew tutorial from Miss Mustard Seed via BHG.

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Simply wrapped gifts just add to the charm.

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Muslin flower border - perfect!

Now that I have been inspired, I look forward to creating something for our Christmas tree.

Linking to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Fall Mantel 2011

2011-11-02T16:08:00.027-04:00

The fall season has started with an early snow storm leaving us with no power for a couple of days, which meant time to dress my mantel.

A couple of old printers drawers make up the backdrop for my Fall themed vignette.

One of my favorite vintage scales came in handy to add some height to this pumpkin.

My pumpkins started out burnt orange but I wanted a more subtle look so, I painted them in shades of whites, creams and grays.

I tucked some pussy willows into a galvanized pitcher and added a rusty old license plate and a vintage pulley.

I can see a farmer from 'days gone by' using these items while harvesting his Autumn bounty.

Another love of mine - vintage hardware, chippy paint and typography!

Fall will be over before we know it, but I am enjoying it for the short time that it is here.

Linking up to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Vintage Dress Form Love

2011-10-08T08:09:00.007-04:00

I have been on the hunt for a vintage dress form for some time now. There is something about them that is just so lovely.

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I will continue on my search until I have found my own vintage beauty.

Linking up to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

My Garden Surprise Recipe

2011-09-13T12:18:00.005-04:00

A few years ago, I needed a way to use up veggies from my garden. I came up with this recipe and it has been a staple ever since. You can use whatever vegetables you like - cucumbers, zucchini, onions, scallions, squash (any kind), green peppers, potatoes, carrots, eggplant, etc....

The garden sometimes bombards me with zucchini or cucumbers, or whatever the current ripe vegetable happens to be. Because of this, my recipe uses whatever vegetables are available at the time, hence the recipe name 'Garden Surprise'. For this batch, I used onions, potatoes, zucchini, green peppers and carrots.

Peel and wash the vegetables and slice them to a size that will fit into your food processor. Shred them with a pulsing action.

There is nothing quite like fresh vegetables.

To your large shredded vegetable bowl, add:

- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Black Pepper
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Sweet Basil
- 1/2 Cup Egg Beaters (or 2 eggs)

We tend to like things on the spicy side, so you may want to adjust these amounts to your taste.

I shredded up some leftover chicken for this batch as well. You don't have to add a meat, but I had it on hand and decided to toss it in. I have used leftover turkey, roast and ham in the past as well.

Your veggie mix is now ready for the next step.

Add just enough dried instant potatoes to absorb some of the water from the vegetables. You want to be able to make patties with the veggie mix - similar to the consistency of hamburger. I used 2 cups for this large batch. Cucumbers tend to be very watery so I would probably need more dried potatoes with them.

Lightly coat a non-stick pan with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and place your patties down. Cook with a medium heat until browned on one side.

Flip with a spatula and cook the other side. You want to give them a nice browning, as they tend to stay together better and the crispiness adds to the flavor.

You can serve them as is, or with a side of ketchup, barbecue sauce or marinara sauce.

I find this is a great recipe for kids, who aren't big on eating vegetables. It has been consistently delicious, no matter what combination of vegetables that I have used.

Linking up to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Pinterest Love

2011-08-15T13:52:00.004-04:00

I am always looking for inspiration and Pinterest is such a great source. These are some lovely photots that I pinned recently.

An eclectic mix of found objects are used to create a serene guest room:

Source: thebookofsecrets.tumblr.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Character adding mirror, fabulous window treatment, painted board walls and a grouping of throw pillows - lovely:

Source: houzz.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Windows above the bed, painted board walls and ceiling add up to a great cottage feel:

Source: countryliving.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Chicken crate coffee table, exposed beams, painted board walls - warm and inviting:

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Peaceful reading nook:

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Galvanized buckets, fresh flowers and chippy paint create a character filled space:

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Lavender wrapped with linen, a single candlestick and a sprig of greens - simple and lovely:

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Fabulous gray cabinet, indoor shutters and dropcloth throw on couch spell HOME:

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White slipcovers and extra long coffee table:

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This headboard is made for dreams:

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Vintage tub filled with linens, repurposed headboard, simple white duvet - just lovely:

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Have you pinned anything lately?

Linking up to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

The True Meaning of Memorial Day.

2011-05-29T07:24:00.001-04:00

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

My Mothers' Beautiful Gardens

2011-05-21T14:48:00.014-04:00

My mother was blessed with a 'green thumb'.

My father and mother spend countless hours working on their property.

Islands of eye candy were carefully placed throughout the property.

The barn is my father's favorite place.

The corral area gives his horse 'Big Hugh' a great view of the overflowing landscape.

Flocks are in full bloom by the barn well .

The side gardens include a variety of plants with something different blooming all the time.

Holidays are always celebrated as in this 'Memorial Day' tribute.

The back yard gardens are mixed in amongst the stone walls and stepping stones.

Many of the gardens have little unexpected touches that add to the warmth and charm.

The shrubs and trees are pampered and pruned to perfection.

People driving by will turn around. They will park and stare in awe of their beautiful home.

Another gorgeous area in the backyard provides a lovely place to rest.

Different varieties of lilacs (New Hampshire's state flower) line the front lawn.

It is truly a labor of love. Their hard work shines through in this wonderful place they call home.

As much as they cherish their home, they have decided that it is time to move on and have placed their home on the market. If you know of anyone searching for paradise, let me know.

Linking up to the following parties:

Sister Sister Sunday

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

He's Alive by Dolly Parton

2011-04-24T15:07:00.002-04:00

Easter Blessings!

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Texturized Spring Wreath Tutorial

2011-04-17T17:07:00.037-04:00

Here we are half way through April and it was around 18 degrees last night. I needed something to warm up my spirit, so I created this Spring wreath.

Combining different fabrics and textures soothes me in some way..

Burlap, muslin, cotton and linen are used in the making of this multi-textured wreath.

Now for the details:

Start with a square wreath form. I cut my own from a piece of foam insulation board (available at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc...,. ). Just mark the size of the square that you want and cut with a utility knife.If necessary, sand the edges for a smoother finish.

To create the 'Bubble Wrap' fabric on the wreath, you will need a gridded cooling rack, a piece of cotton fabric - approx 3 times larger than the rack and some fusible webbing.

Begin by soaking the fabric in water and then hand ringing the material out to a dampened state.

Lay the dampened fabric face down onto the cooling rack. Starting in the center of the rack, press the fabric down into the grid. I used the end of a wooden spoon to do this.

Continue to work your way out from the center, pushing the fabric down into each individual grid.

Work with the fabric by pulling and pushing as needed, so that it does not come out of the already filled grids.

Continue to fill all the grids of the rack with the dampened fabric. Once this is completed, allow the fabric to dry. I left mine overnight.

Once the fabric has dried, apply the fusbile webbing (per manufacturer's instructions) to the wrong side of the fabric.

This is how the fabric looks from the right side of the fabric after the fusible webbing has been applied.

Starting on one side, slowly pull the fabric out of the cooling rack.

You have now created your own 'Bubble Wrap Fabric'. I have used this on other projects through the years and it always looks great.

Using scissors, cut the 'Bubble Wrap Fabric' into 2 pieces - the size needed to wrap the two smaller ends of the wreath form. Remove the paper backing from the fusible webbing and spray the wrong side of the 'Bubble Wrap Fabric' with spray adhesive and adhere the fabric to the wreath form.

Using a hot glue gun, apply fabric (I used some printed linen for my wreath) to the longest ends of the wreath form. Fold a hem onto the ends that are against the 'Bubble Wrap Fabric' to cover the raw edges and give it a nicer finish.

Being someone who does not care to reinvent the wheel, I made flowers using a great video tutorial I found on the 'Freckled Laundry' blog. Burlap and muslin were my fabrics of choice.

These were then hot glued onto the wreath with some simple greens for added visual texture.

This wreath was a quick and easy project and lifted my creative spirit. I hope you enjoy it.

Linking up to the following parties:

Entered into:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Welcoming Spring!

2011-03-25T08:33:00.017-04:00

It has been a cold and snowy winter here in New Hampshire and I am looking forward to the Spring thaw.

Mother Nature has decided to go out like a lion with snow showers falling as I write this post.

I have no fear because I have a fireplace, and I'm not afraid to use it! As a matter of fact, we use it all the time.

I found the tutorial for this wreath over at The DIY Showoff Blog and made mine with shades of whites, creams and grays.

For my factory cart coffee table, I sewed a simple white table cover with some lovely textured fabric.

A simple gathering of greens tucked into an old wood box, a vintage spool encased with an old rusty bed spring and an antique weight placed on some old books.

Several groupings of found objects complete the entertainment center.

A rusty old license plate is tucked inside a vintage wooden box. The maple syrup season is in full swing, so this old sap bucket seems appropriate and the vintage lunch pail was a gift for my husband a few Christmases ago.

More old wood boxes are the backdrop for a galvanized sifter with a handle that was perfect for propping this lovely copper weather vane with the most wonderful patina. An old lantern and a twig wreath completed this grouping.

This old box is from the 'Sunshine Juice Company' and was a recent find at a local antique shop. It is quite heavy and has metal corners with the word 'Sunshine' raised onto the metal. I added a couple of old gears and another rusty lantern. FYI - I am making another white fabric wreath and will be replacing the gears with the wreath to give it a softer look.

Vintage scales and old books are a favorite of mine and I love finding ways to show them off.

Old license plates are quite the treasured item these days. They are in the $20-$40 range at most of the shops I visit.

Another old wood box filled with some greens and a couple of antique measures I draped the Victorian ladies gloves on the box to add a touch of softness to the otherwise rustic look.

One of my simple rules of decorating is to always use things we love. It is what makes our house into our home

The fire is burning and it is warm and toasty on this cold Spring day. Hope you are enjoying your Spring as much as I am.

Linking up to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

2010 Top 10 Projects and a Glimpse into 2011

2011-01-02T07:28:00.009-05:00

I was taking a look back at my posts from 2010 and thought I would do a recap of my Top 10 favorite projects in no particular order.

#10 - Pin Keep Box

One of my favorite things is pin keeps. I just can't seem to get enough of them. I made up this 'Pin Keep Box' back in February.

#9 - Primitive DIY Bowl Rack

I try to find new ways to use old things whenever I can.

This bowl rack had some humble beginnings as an old bookshelf.

#8 - Primitive DIY Nesting Box

This newly made nesting box was made to look old. I use this aging technique quite often and it seems to work out nicely.

#7 - Primitive Whale Tail Candle Sconce

This Whale Tail Candle Sconce was another new project to reflect a time gone by.

#6 - Factory Cart Coffee Table

This re-purposing project was my favorite from 2010.With the help of my husband, we converted this old factory cart into a coffee table filled with character.

The cart is around 90 years old and has worked hard it's whole life. It now resides in our family room and is being used and loved again.

#5 - Gated Entrance Progress

My husband is a pretty smart and talented guy. He created this lovely gated entrance for our property and it is another one of my favorite things.

#4 - Favorite Places Subway Art Tutorial

I jumped on the Subway Art bandwagon and came up with an old school version - no cricut cutter for me.

#3 - Primitive Witch Hat

Halloween gave me a creative excuse for this Primitive Witch Hat.

#2 - Chair Makeover

A need for a new chair brought about this project. After some much needed refinishing, she is now enjoying a new lease on life.

#1 - Christmas Mantle for 2010

I ended the year with our Christmas Mantel for 2010 - a blending of old things with a 'Snowy Owl' theme.

With 2011 now here, I am looking forward to sharing many new projects. I am leaning towards a lighter pallet and 'all shades of white' are my color choices of the moment. Using antiques and vintage objects when I can, or recreating them when I can't. There is never enough time in the day to complete all the projects that dance through my head, but a girl can dream.

Linking up to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Flash Mob Singing Hallelujah !

2010-12-22T17:22:00.001-05:00

This is such an inspirational video - enjoy!

Until next time~Suzanne

Christmas Mantel for 2010

2010-12-04T12:34:00.010-05:00

I have been admiring the many wonderful Christmas mantels that everyone has shared in blog land and thought I would add mine to the mix.

This sweet 'Snowy Owl' caught my eye on a recent visit to a local antique shop. He was the starting inspiration for my Christmas Mantel for 2010.

Actually, my husband had built the metal doors on our fireplace many years ago including the 2 antique Owl andirons on them as a decorative detail. I suppose I will have to give him the credit for my inspiration. The vintage snow shoe was a Christmas gift from him many years ago, as well - gotta give him his props!

I must also give thanks to 'Donna' at 'Funky Junk Interiors'. She has a stone fireplace and comes up with some wonderful ways of dressing her mantel. I incorporated a couple of her ideas - the 'White Star' and the 'Branches with Ornaments' - from her lovely mantel from last Christmas.

On the dumbwaiter side of the mantel, I placed an old chippy white window. It seemed like the perfect place to hang my twig wreath using a torn piece of white muslin. Using an old board, I stenciled the 'Snowy Owl Inn c.1778' sign.

I stenciled in white first and then offset the stencil with black paint to create the raised effect. To give it some appropriate aging, I lightly sanded the letters, followed with a coat of dark stain and then wiped it down.

I love using old materials to create 'new treasures'.

I hope you have enjoyed my 'Christmas Mantel'. Maybe, it will inspire you too!

I have linked up to the following parties:

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Fall Mantel and the Colors of Autumn

2010-09-25T18:48:00.009-04:00

I made a few small changes to my mantel for the Fall season.

I wanted a simple natural look this year and this is what I came up with.

A grouping of crocks, an antique box and a dried twig wreath.

Another twig wreath simply hung on the mirror with some burlap and a basket of sweet annie that smells just wonderful. I kept my vintage spools and candles in antique boxes to complete the look.

Fall is my favorite season and each year I anxiously await the colors of the season.

The color this year is just gorgeous. This is the lake view framed in a vivid sea of color.

The mountains beyond the field are just bursting.

Nature in all its glory!

Mother Nature has come through once again. Fall in New England - such a wonderful time of year! I hope that you are enjoying this glorious season as well.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linked to: Funky Junk Interiors and The DIY Show Off and Tatertots and Jello

Primitive Witch Hat

2010-09-22T18:38:00.014-04:00

I bought the pattern for this witch hat last year and figured I better 'get her done'. The pattern is appropriately titled 'Primitive Witch Hat' and is by 'Old Road Primitives'.

The pattern called for cheesecloth for the hat band but I didn't have any on hand, so I used some tulle instead. The pattern also includes instructions for staining and grunging the hat with a nice cinnamon, vanilla and coffee mix.

The hat reminded me of the 'Wicked Witch of the West' from the 'Wizard of Oz', so I used some of her famous last words on the tag.

This jelly cupboard is in my kitchen and it's the first area you see when you come in the door. I change the display on it fairly regularly. It seemed like the perfect spot for my new/old hat and some of my other treasures. One of my favorite things is the black victorian baby boots. I had been searching and searching for some vintage baby shoes and finally found these over the summer at an antique shop. I just love them!

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linked to: The Shabby Chic Cottage and Someday Crafts and Tools Are For Women Too and Its So Very Cheri and The DIY Show Off and Sawdust and Paper Scraps and Funky Junk Interiors and Tatertots and Jello

Night Stand Makeover

2010-08-20T19:24:00.007-04:00

A friend gave this little night stand to my son but it was in need of some TLC. (Please ignore my badly worn mahogany floors. They are in need of some TLC as well, but that's a project for another day.)

After a good sanding to repair it's tattered finish, I brushed on a couple coats of some nice creamy white paint.

I decided it needed some 'character' - so, I gave it some gentle distressing with sandpaper.

For the areas that were just too hard to reach with sheets of sandpaper, I used my trusty emery board. It works like a charm.

The old tired night stand now has a new lease on life.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linked to: Tatertots and Jello

Dressing the Mantel

2010-08-17T18:02:00.014-04:00

I find decorating the mantel of our fireplace to be a challenge. The family room is above the garage of our home and my 'oh-so-clever' husband built a dumbwaiter to bring the wood up. This has worked out wonderfully, but it makes for one very long mantel! My current display is shown below:

I have had this vintage dresser mirror for many years and have always loved the graceful curved lines and warm patina. I decided to give it a try on the mantel. Much to my surprise, it blended wonderfully with DH's antique gun above it.

The reflections of the mirror give a nice depth to the arrangement and the room itself.

Continuing with the theme - some nest dwellers resting on an antique box, a ginger jar filled with a few sprigs of flowers and a picture of a lone shore bird placed in a simple frame on the dumbwaiter side of the mantel.

To balance out the remainder of the long mantel, I added a gathering of vintage wooden spools and some wood boxes with candlesticks.

I am liking this arrangement, but fall is right around the corner and I know that changes are coming soon.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linked to: Its So Very Cheri and Someday Crafts

Favorite Places Subway Art Tutorial

2010-07-28T15:35:00.019-04:00

I have been seeing a lot of 'Subway Art Tutorials' on different blogs such as 'Tatertots and Jello' and 'Lil Blue Boo'. I decided that I needed to make one for our home. For my theme, I used the names of some of our favorite places here in New Hampshire. The nice thing about this project is that is can be personalized to fit you.

My tutorial is similar to others that I have seen, but with some additional steps that I thought may help someone.

The supply list for this project is:

- Plywood cut to size (Mine is 20" x 30", but you can adjust this to a size that works for your list of words.)
- White Spray Paint
- Black Spray Paint
- Contact Paper
- Glue Stick
- 150 Grit Sandpaper
- Dark Stain (I used Minwax Dark Walnut)

Let's Begin!

Using your favorite word program, print out 2 sets of your selection of words in varying fonts and sizes (I used Arial, Arial Narrow and Arial Black) . 'Set 1' will be used for placement guides and 'Set 2' will be used for the contact paper.

Layout 'Set 1' of the printed words in an arrangement and size that you like.

Take 'Set 2' of the printed words and glue the back of them with a glue stick. Adhere them to the non-paper side of contact paper.

Using a sharp pair of scissors, cut each letter from your 'Set 2'.

Store the 'Set 2' cutout contact paper words in marked ziploc bags to keep them separated.

Cut your plywood to fit your particular layout of words. Be sure to leave space for a border. Give the plywood a light sanding (I wanted a vintage look to my sign, so I intentionally kept the nail holes and dings on the plywood) . Follow this with a coat of white spray paint and allow to dry overnight.

Arrange your 'Set 1' of printed words on the painted plywood to use as a reference for placement.
Draw light pencil lines for each line of text as placement guides.

Using your 'Set 2' of cutout contact paper letters, remove the glued paper and the paper backing from the contact paper and carefully stick the individual letters on the painted board.

Using your finger, press around each letter again to be sure that you have good contact with the painted surface.
Spray the board with Black Spray Paint, covering the entire front and sides. Allow to dry for a few hours.

Remove the contact paper letters carefully to reveal the white background. I found that serger tweezers worked out great for this.

Your board should now look like this with all the letters revealed.

I wanted my sign to look vintage. To achieve this, give the board a gentle hand sanding with some '150 Grit' sandpaper.

Next, give the entire board a coat of 'Minwax Dark Walnut' stain and using a clean paper towel, quickly wipe until you have your desired amount of aging.

This is my finished 'New/Old Subway Art'. It reminds me of some of the vintage signs I've seen along the hiking trails in New Hampshire. It is so nice to have such a personalized item in your home. I hope you have as much fun making yours as I had making mine.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linked to: Tatertots & Jello and Someday Crafts and The DIY Showoff and Today's Creative Blog

Chair Makeover

2010-07-17T16:27:00.011-04:00

Our laptop is set up on a sofa table in the family room with a wooden bench for a seat. My kids have never liked the bench and tell me their bottom side hurts when they sit on it for any length of time.
Along comes this 'well loved' chair that I found at a local antique shop. The 'gilding' really wasn't working for me and the padded seat had been badly neglected, but I figured with a little TLC it could be 'loved' once more.

Here she is now after a fresh coat of paint and a newly upholstered seat. I knew from the moment I saw her that the printed linen from my throw pillow would be perfect for the seat.

I gave it a coat of 'Mopboard Black' followed by a coat of 'Anamite'. To give it some character, I added some 'gentle distressing' with some sandpaper - just enough to let the black show through. I finished it with a couple coats of 'Minwax Polycrylic Clear Satin'.

We saw this cute little guy the other day feasting on some ferns. We watched each other for 10 minutes before he went along his merry way. I have seen more deer this year than any other - not sure why, but it's always such a nice surprise.

Linked to Someday Crafts and Tatertots and Jello and Its So Very Cheri and Funky Junk Interiors and Thrifty Decor Chick

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Throw Pillow Slip Covers and a Sampler In Progress

2010-06-29T21:03:00.007-04:00

Having 5 kids, 3 little fur balls and a husband who refuses to take off his shoes in his own home, I try to decorate in an 'easy living' style. I love a 'beach cottage, french vintage, shabby chic, white on white' style, but it is just not practical for my family (maybe someday).

On a recent trip to the fabric store, my heart skipped a beat when I saw this lovely printed linen fabric. I could hardly contain myself and hurried home to sew this 'Throw Pillow' for our family room. After finishing this, I decided that my old throw pillows needed an update as well.

I was lucky to find some coordinating fabrics in my stash that day and made up some 'Throw Pillow Slip Covers'. I am really liking the light colors with the dark leather - it's a nice change. The other nice thing is that they come off easily for washing - a must have with my crew!

In case you were wondering, I am sampling some paint colors on my wall. I am still undecided, but I know that the old wallpaper has got to go. I have been avoiding painting this room, as it has very high cathedral ceilings and I am not looking forward to the ladder work.

This is a little peak of a sampler that I've been working on and I hope to have it completed soon.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Molly Sampler and Time Pinkeep

2010-06-02T09:08:00.003-04:00

I recently started doing something I haven't done in a long time - cross stitch. It makes a wonderful take-a-long project and I believe I will be doing many more in the future.

This is a little sampler I made for one of our bathrooms. I have to remount it and give it a better pressing (it really doesn't look that wrinkled in person). The pattern is called 'Molly' and the designer is 'Linda Gillon' from 'Primitive Things'. She has plenty of other samplers that I have added to my very long 'to do' list.

I couldn't resist making this sweet pinkeep. The pattern is called 'Time' and is a free design from 'Betty Dekat aka Primitive Betty's'.

Be sure to visit her blog and check out her 'Freebie Patterns' and the other prim perfect patterns that she has for sale.

Until next time ~ Suzanne

DH's Love of Old Farm Implements

2010-05-11T06:45:00.015-04:00

My husband and I share a love for antiques. One of his passions is for old farm implements - the rustier, the better.

Old hay rakes are one of his favorite pieces of farm equipment and he has quite a few of them. He has this one sitting out in the field.

He has this one placed up on a small knoll. DH likes his old farm apparatus to appear as if a farmer had abandoned them many years before.

This one sits along the edge of the long dirt driveway.

An old 'Hay Cutter' is tucked into the woods a bit.

This old 'plow' is also along the driveway and nature has given it a proper dressing.

An old 'oxen yoke' propped up against a tree.

'Iron Wheels' are another favorite of DH's and I think they look nice wherever they are placed.

A bullet riddled 'Milk Can' - another vintage reminder of days gone by.

This is his latest find - an old horse drawn 'Manure Spreader'. It now rests along the edge of the field.

We are very fortunate that this property is quite large and we are able to display these lovely old treasures in a simple uncluttered way.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linking up to SNS#39

Firkin Makeovers and A Few Finds

2010-04-27T09:53:00.006-04:00

Yard sale and flea market season has arrived and I so enjoy finding new/old things for my home. There is something about the 'thrill of the hunt'.

This was a yard sale find from a local guy that had it marked at $25. I picked it up and he told me he would take less for it, as he was tired of bringing it back and forth from his house. He then offered it to me for $5, so I gladly accepted his offer.

The label is a winter skating scene and I ended up leaving it on there as it has a nice aged look to it.

I found this firkin at a local flea market. It was filled with cotton lace and old thread spools. The painted tulips had to go.

You may remember this smaller firkin/cookie jar from a previous post. I had been wanting to give it a makeover, as it has the brass bands and they needed to be toned down.

This is the completed makeover of the 3 Firkins. The bottom firkin is the one with the label and the top is the 'Tulip' firkin (acetone removed the tulips nicely). These were both very simple makeovers, as all I did was give them a cleaning followed by a coat of Minwax Dark Walnut Stain and a nice buffing. It really brought out the lovely age of the wood. The middle firkin is the cookie jar style with the brass bands - I gave the whole bucket a coat of blue paint, sanded in some distressing and finished with a coat of Minwax Dark Walnut Stain and a buffing.

This lovely 3 drawer wall box was a find from a local flea market. After a quick cleaning and a coat of Minwax Dark Walnut Stain it was ready for a new home.

I hung it in my bedroom with a nice square headed rusty nail. It's pretty heavy and I needed to make sure that it was nailed into a stud.

This lovely old working scale came from the same flea market. I just love the face of the scale combined with the black metal.

And lastly, this vintage pantry box - once again, found at the same flea market. The inside is stamped 'Manufactured by Gage & Co. Henniker, NH'.

I now have it displayed on my jelly cupboard with some of my other treasures.

Hope you are able to make some great 'finds' this summer too.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Gated Entrance Progress

2010-04-17T09:15:00.007-04:00

This is a very busy time of year for us. The frost is gone and we have started our work again on a piece of property we own and I thought I'd share with you some of our progress. This is the entrance to the property. It has a very long driveway and that took the majority of last summer to excavate and complete.

This is the day we arrived with the gate my husband built for the entrance. That is my youngest son standing on the bumper.

With some much needed help from his equipment, my husband placed the first side. My son is about 5'5" tall to give you an idea of the size of the gate.

He then set the other half and straightened and leveled the posts and swinging arms.

We then gave all the wood a nice coat of stain and painted all the metal hardware black.

We built a stone wall on either side of the posts using Pennsylvania Thin Field Stone.

My husband made all the hardware himself. It is all hand pounded to give it a nice 'aged' feel. The cedar posts are 18" round and are repurposed powerline poles. The power company replaced them because the woodpeckers had got to them. The holes are on the opposite side and add an interesting detail to the gate.

This is how the entrance looks at the moment. The grass is just starting to grow and we still need to plant some shrubs around the gate . We are now working at the top of the driveway making fields. I will post updated pictures once the grass comes in. It's a lot of hard work, but is so worth it in the end.

I have a few finds that I want to makeover and will post them as soon as I can.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T07:05:00.002-04:00

Makeovers and a DIY Sign

2010-03-31T14:36:00.012-04:00

I have done a couple small makeovers starting with this clock.

My Mom and Dad had given this to us about 20 years ago. I just don't care for the golden honey finish anymore.

I decided to give it a bit of a prim facelift with a coat of 'Mopboard' black and a little distressing with sandpaper followed by some 'Dark Walnut' stain. A little hint for getting in the small tight spots is to use an emery board - it works like a charm! The clock face was a very bright white. To age it some, I gave it a coat of 'Early American' stain and then wiped it down. That seemed to tone it down just enough.

Another quick makeover was this cute little Hurricane Lamp. Sorry, I forgot to take a before shot. I bought this at the 'Christmas Tree Shop' for $4.99. It was painted an odd shade of bright blue and not to my liking, so I gave it a coat of black. I like it much better now.

I bought these candle holders (and a few others) for next to nothing at the antique shop. Since I had my paint and brushes already to go, I gave them a quick makeover. Again, sorry no before shot - got to work on that. They were just stained brown before and I painted them black and sanded in a bit of distressing and a quick coat of 'Dark Walnut' stain.

This is my first DIY sign. Remember my 'Factory Cart Coffee Table' - we had replaced the wood on top with some old boards. Most of the original boards were pretty rough and not salvageable, but I was able to keep some of them and this is one of them. It is weathered so nicely. Instead of stenciling, I tried a new method of transferring a printed image directly onto the board with 'Elmers Glue' and 'Modge Podge'. There is a nice tutorial for this on the 'Matsutake Blog' .The grain on the board was raised pretty badly and I wasn't sure if it this method would work, but to my pleasant surprise it did and I am happy with the results.

This is a cute little sampler that I picked up from the 'The Wagon Shed' in 'Billerica, Mass'. The picture is not that great, but I thought it looked fitting next to my 'Whale Tail Sconce'.

And lastly, this is a cute 'Cranberry Scoop' that I picked up at the local antique shop. I purchased the prim floral spray from 'Frills and Furbelows' in Kingston, NH. The owner is a very nice lady and she always has the nicest things. Be sure to visit her shop if you are in the area.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Factory Cart Coffee Table

2010-03-25T08:58:00.011-04:00

I was able to find this lovely old gal at a local antique shop.

I think my husband thought that I had finally gone off the deep end.

I just saw character and charm in this nice old cart - and also a new coffee table for the family room.

The top of the cart was weathered beyond hope, so we had to remove all the old boards. We were able to find some similar old boards to replace them with.

After some revamping (wheel adjustments to level the table, sanding, staining, painting and stenciling) - this is how she turned out.

Think how many times these wheels have turned over the years.

The antique dealer told us the cart came from the 'Harry Stoller Company' (one of the old shoe factories in Haverhill, Mass). It just so happens that my husband had been in that old mill building 5 years ago and probably passed right by this old cart. I stenciled the name on both sides to add a bit more history.

I placed a few simple things on top and we now have a lovely 'new/old' coffee table. My husband says he likes it now that it's done. My kids don't really see the beauty of it, but maybe someday......

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Linked to: Funky Junk Interiors

My Love of Old Boxes

2010-03-19T16:37:00.007-04:00

I have a love for many old things, but lately I am really drawn to old wood boxes.

You know they are such a simple but useful object.

The more worn and used they are, the better as far as I'm concerned.

I like a less cluttered and simpler primitive style.

These old wood boxes seem to work nicely for this.

In keeping with my love for old wooden things, I was able to find these two lovely wood firkins at a local antique shop. The larger one has a wonderful patina. Sadly, there was no cover with it but I love it just the same. The smaller one has the metal bands and is not really a true firkin (probably considered a cookie jar) but I plan on giving it a nice prim paint job to make it blend better with the other.

Another small decor change was this. I had a snowman next to my box on the counter and it was time for him to go. I found this sweet prim angel at a local gift shop. Her little tag reads 'faith' and she makes me smile each time I walk past her. May 'Faith' smile on you as well.

Until next time ~ Suzanne

Primitive DIY Whale Tail Candle Sconce

2010-03-04T12:49:00.008-05:00

I love the decorative detail of the 'Whale Tail' that you see in a lot of primitive pieces. I have read that it is a symbol for 'Good Luck'. I decided to incorporate it into this 'Candle Sconce' that I built with the help of my DH.

I first drew a pattern on a 1 x 10 board. We then cut the 5 simple pieces for this project. As you can see, the bottom piece was cut to length after this photo.

All the pieces were screwed together and the edges were then sanded to remove the sharpness and give the wood a nice 'worn' feel.

This is a view from the back. The screw holes were countersunk and then filled with glue and wooden dowels, which were then sanded down to a nice smooth finish. I think that this really makes a difference in the finish of the piece.

I then gave the piece a coat of 'Sage Green' paint followed by a coat of 'Black'. After drying overnight, I sanded the edges and some other areas to show 'wear'. I then gave it a quick coat of 'Minwax Dark Walnut' Stain and wiped the piece down.

And this is the finished 'Whale Tail Candle Sconce', as it looks now hanging in my home. Perhaps it will bring us some 'Good Luck'.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Penny Rug Progress and Rustoleum

2010-03-02T18:04:00.002-05:00

I haven't got much done in the way of quilting or sewing lately, but I am trying to work a few minutes a day on this penny rug.

I am always amazed how much you can get done in just a short time. An added bonus is that sewing and quilting is a great stress reliever for me. Some people go to a spa - me, I just need a needle and thread or a sewing machine.

This pattern is called 'Pineapple Grove' by 'Threads That Bind' . I bought this as a kit last year from 'Cottage Herbs' in Berwick, Maine. The hand dyed wools are just luscious.

On a different note, I bought this 'Rustoleum' paint at 'Lowes' today and wanted to give it a try on this oil lantern that I had bought at Walmart for $5.

A quick spray of the can and this is what I ended up with.

Much better! I used this lantern in my 'Nesting Box' from a previous post mainly because it fit the space, but knew that it was not prim enough for my taste. I feel much better about it now.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Primitive DIY Nesting Box

2010-02-27T16:32:00.004-05:00

I saw an old 'Nesting Box' at the antique shop and thought it would look nice in my Primitive home, but the high price made me cringe. It looked like a simple enough thing to build, so with the help of my DH we made one.

First thing, I decided on the size and measurements for it. I wanted it to go on the kitchen counter - high enough to cover the outlets and not too wide, so as to not take up too much counter space.

It is made up of 7 pieces - 2 ends, 2 dividers, 1 back, 1 bottom and 1 front. We cut out the pieces and then put the 'Nesting Box' together with countersunk screws. We then filled each screw hole with glue and a piece of wood dowel and sanded them down till they were flush.

We sanded the sharp edges of the box to give it a nice worn feel.

I gave the completed box a beating to give it a nice primitive look and stained it with 'Minwax Dark Walnut' stain.

This is the finished 'Nesting Box' as it looks today. This was a fun project to work on.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Nice Old Footstool and a Photo Collage

2010-02-21T16:54:00.003-05:00

I was at the antique store last week and saw this little footstool. I was debating about it and couldn't think of what to do with it, so I left without it. I went back today and it was still there calling my name. I ended up buying it and I am glad I did as it has a really lovely patina to it.

It has a little bit of cream paint splatter on it, but I am working on that with some old fashioned elbow grease. It now resides on the bathroom counter and I am liking it there (at least, for now).

Another project I finished up today, was this photo collage. I edited some family photos so they have a sepia tone to them and printed them on some nice photo paper. I placed them in the frame and hung them up.

I like the overall effect - I think it ties into my primitive decorating theme a bit more, than full color photos.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Primitive DIY Bowl Rack

2010-02-16T13:58:00.004-05:00

I think a nice Bowl Rack is a must have for any Prim lover, so I decided to make one for myself (with some help from DH). My usual wood source - aka 'The Burning Pile'- is currently covered under a layer of snow, so I had to come up with another source for my wood selection. Found this 'seen better days' bookcase and decided it could be transformed into my new rack.

We took apart the bookcase and cut the top shelf into the 2 rails. We then cut an angle into the 2 sides and gave the middle shelf a cutout so that it is narrower than the bottom shelf and gives it a little more detail. We put the bowl rack together and filled the nail holes with cut pieces of dowel and then sanded them down. This is what we ended up with.

For the finish, I applied a base coat of 'Okra' and followed this with a coat of black and wiped it down to the shade you see. I filled it with some of my favorite things and really love how it came out.

An added bonus with this rack is that I was able to cover up the ugly thermostat. Now you see it.

And, now you don't.

This now hangs in our family room. My next big project is to strip the wallpaper and paint the walls in there. It has high ceilings and I have been putting it off, as the ladder work is not my favorite thing anymore.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Primitive DIY Candle Nail Board

2010-02-15T08:27:00.004-05:00

What can you make with a piece of wood and some rusty old nails? This great old Candle Nail Board!

Char over at 'The Pickled Pepper Patch' has a tutorial for this. It's a very easy project - basically, just cut the board and hammer in some nails.

I painted mine in the same colors as my 'Pin Keep Box'. My DH has a huge can of old hand forged nails that comes in handy for all my prim projects.

I did a little tweaking on my wall box. I didn't think that it was prim enough the way I had filled it, so I changed it and I like it much better now.

If you remember, I couldn't locate the stud finder so I wasn't able to hang it up. I stuck it on the counter and ended up liking it there, so there it will stay (at least for now).

Sophie is on the mend and doing quite well. She had a quiet day on Friday after her surgery, but seems to be back to her happy little self now.

These are the pretty flowers my DH gave me for Valentines Day. Gotta love them.

Until Next Time ~ Suzanne.

Pin Keep Box

2010-02-12T07:15:00.007-05:00

I have been busy with things other than sewing or quilting lately and decided to take some time to do a quick sewing project. A girl can never have too many pin keeps, so this is what I came up with.
I bought the unfinished wood box at the 'Quilted Acorn' and gave it a coat of Bronze paint followed by a coat of black, which I then wiped down to my liking.

I did a Google search for a square pin cushion and found a lovely tutorial at 'Kootoyoo'. I made the cushion with a square of fabric lined with some black wool and sewed a decorative feather stitch around the edges. I then made a smaller muslin cushion and filled it with some plastic pellets (I like these as I can adjust the shape of the things with them) and inserted it in the cushion and then added some fiberfill stuffing around it. To finish it, I stitched on a nice vintage button and pulled with all my might to draw the center in. I love the idea of having the box to keep thread spools, thimbles, needles, etc...,. in. I think this will come in very handy.

On another note, my Sophie is going in to the vet today to be spade. Poor thing!

She has no idea what the day has in store for her.

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Wall Box Makeover

2010-02-07T07:24:00.004-05:00

I have been on the hunt for a wall box and was able to find this one at the local antique shop.

After a good cleaning, I thought it was time for an update to this nice old box.

I put a coat of black paint over the green and then wiped it down to let the green show through.

I filled it with a few things and it's now waiting to get hung on the wall with some nice hand forged nails. Where's the stud finder when you need it?

Until next time ~ Suzanne.

Breadbox Makeover

2010-02-03T16:02:00.005-05:00

My breadbox was too contemporary looking for me so I decided to prim it up a bit. This is the end result. The color is darker than it shows on the picture.

This is how the breadbox looked before. I beat it up a bit and stained it with Minwax Early American. I wasn't crazy about that look, so I decided to go ahead and paint it. I started with a barn red first and then wiped on some black paint. I like it better than the stained look and will keep it this way for now.

A package arrived today with this lovely enamelware bowl and goats milk soap. It looks lovely in my bathroom that I just redid.

The soap is pumpkin apple butter scent and it smells so wonderful! I also got a nice prim looking bottle of her goats milk lotion and after one use my hands feel quite soft and supple. I bought them from Nellie's Acres. I absolutely love her candles and her scents are just heavenly. I highly recommend her.

Until next time, Suzanne.

Primitive DIY Candle Stand

2010-01-26T10:01:00.008-05:00

In my previous post, I forgot to include my 'Candle Stand'. I found a tutorial from Kris's 'Simply Prim' blog.

I went on another 'burn pile' adventure and found a lovely old shovel handle for the vertical piece and a smaller old piece of wood from something else for the base. I beat the wood up a bit more with my 'medieval torture chain' (a chain with misc nuts, bolts and metal objects attached) that my husband had made for me. For the finish, I painted it a barn red, followed by a black and then sanded in some wear spots and finished those areas with a bit of Early American Stain.

Until next time - Suzanne.

Primitive DIY Towel Rack

2010-01-26T07:54:00.009-05:00

I needed a towel rack for the bathroom that I've been working on. I love the antique blanket cranes and thought that a smaller version would work perfectly for a towel rack. This is what I came up with.

If you recall, I had used the tines from an old hay rake for the pegs on my peg board.

I used the remaining parts to make my new towel rack.

It turns back and forth just like the blanket cranes. This makes it nice to slide the towels off the end.

The hinged end is simply a nail on each end that allows the rake to pivot. I really like how it turned out.

I purchased a lovely new reed diffuser at a a local prim gift shop and it now has a new home on top of the medicine cabinet.

I ended up hot gluing it to the cabinet, to be sure it didn't get knocked off.

A view of the medicine cabinet (my husband built the medicine cabinet many years ago) and the towel rack.

This is an overall shot of the bathroom counter area, including my peg board. The bathroom is very small and it is really difficult to get a good picture. I still have to replace the faucet and the light fixture, but then this room is done and I'm off to my next project.

New/Old Peg Board

2010-01-20T07:34:00.007-05:00

I am in the middle of redoing one of my bathrooms and wanted a pegboard on the wall. I found a lovely tutorial on Kris's 'Simply Prim' blog and decided to give it a whirl - with a few small changes. My bathroom is pretty small, so I had to make my board just 24" wide and I spaced the pegs much closer than hers. The end result is below.

My husband found me scavenging through his 'burn pile' for some old wood and was tickled pink that I was doing some home dec without having to go to the store! For this, he says that I am his dream woman!

I came up with this old board, which my DH cut and drilled for me. For the pegs, we cut the tines of an old hay rake. We sanded the square ends enough to fit in the round holes with a little persuasion from a hammer.

For the finish, I did some light sanding (keeping the old blue paint), stained it with Minwax Early American and then a couple coats of tung oil. A quick buffing with a clean rag gave it a nice patina.

This was a fun project and I look forward to many more 'burn pile' adventures.

Snowy Update

2010-01-18T08:36:00.006-05:00

We have had snow for quite some time now, but this is the first chance I have had to update my blog. A fresh coat of snow came overnight and is giving our yard a nice clean coating.

I haven't been doing much sewing, but did start the quilting on my Mom's anniversary quilt. Ignore the mess - I need to tidy up my shelves.

I have been looking at pictures of inspirational craft/hobby/art studios on the internet and have been getting lots of great ideas that I would like to incorporate into my next studio. The room I have now is in the basement and it has served me well. My only complaint is the lack of windows - it has just the 1 window on the door and there is a set of stairs outside the door which block the sun.
My newest favorite gadget in the sewing room is in the photo below. It is a turning caddy with all sorts of cubbies and drawers. I found it at Home Goods, but I have seen it online through several different scrapbooking stores. I will be making labels for the drawers.

Another new favorite thing is this rag light string that my SIL made for me. It is simply homespun tied onto a string of lights. It looks much nicer than the picture shows. I laid it around some antique hammers that are in the cubby above our wood dumbwaiter for the fireplace.

Remember the vintage wooden boxes that I had my scrap fabrics stored in? I decided that the fabrics really needed to be kept out of the sun light, so I went on a search for something else to keep them in. I ended up with these lovely faux vintage suitcases that I keep stacked.

A peak inside one of the boxes finds my green scraps.

And I will end this post with a couple new pictures of 'Charlie Boy'. He has grown so much since the last photo's.
He is still a ball of fire and getting a picture of him sitting still is quite a challenge.

He is going through a 'wild hair' stage that matches his personality!

Until next time, Suzanne

Quick Update!

2009-10-24T10:36:00.005-04:00

It has been so long since I have updated this blog. I have not had time to read any of the blogs that I so enjoy. I have been very busy working. Once the snow flies, I should have more free time available to update my blog, catch up on my reading and work on my many ongoing projects.

I can tell you one quick story about another reason for my unusually busy days. As I once posted about, I have a 2 year old maltese named 'Delila'. Quite out of the blue one day, I decided that 'Delila' needed a friend. I searched online for another small dog and ended up buying a 2 1/2 year old pomeranian named 'Sophie'.

She is the nicest dog you could ask for - just as sweet as can be. She was a breeder for the woman that I bought her from and had already had 4 litters. I decided that 'Sophie' had been through enough and so I made an appointment with my vet to have her spade. I dropped her off in the morning and planned on picking her up in the afternoon. I received a call from my vet later that day to inform me that 'Sophie' was PREGNANT and was due to deliver anytime within the next 2 weeks! I took her home and 2 days later, she delivered a male puppy.

After a long deliberation (about 6 weeks worth) with the rest of the family , we have finally named him 'Charlie Boy'. He is now 8 weeks old and just as cute as could be.

He is full of the devil and just so darned fun. 'Sophie' is the adult out of the 3 of them and is very reserved and well-mannered. 'Delila' and 'Charlie Boy' on the other hand spend their days chasing each other, playing tug-of-war with their toys and generally raising hell every chance they get. We are still adjusting to going from 1 dog to suddenly 3, but it is getting easier every day. I wouldn't change a thing!

A Couple of Pincushions

2009-06-27T11:23:00.005-04:00

Don't you love pincushions! I know that I just can't make enough of them.

This first one is called 'Sweetheart Pincushion' and is from the book 'Ella's Home Place by Blackbird Designs'. I love this book and there's at least 2 or 3 more projects that I have on my 'To Do' list.

This second pincushion is called 'Lily's Pinkeep' and is from the book 'In Full Bloom by Blackbird Designs' (again). The original pattern used ric rac for the flower stem and some outlining, but I didn't have any - so in keeping with the 'makedo' theme, I used wool instead.

Basket of Flowers Wallhanging

2009-06-14T14:07:00.002-04:00

I am guilty of not posting for some time. This time of year is very busy for us. The school year is coming to an end and the garden has to be planted, etc...,. I finally got around to finish piecing this wallhanging. It is a group project from a yahoo group I belong to. The center applique is 20" square and is called "Basket of Flowers'. It was designed by Rebecca Hoffman. I added the flying geese borders.

I participated in the 'Springtime Shop Around' and was the lucky winner of the above prize from the 'Quilted Acorn'! The lovely sewing machine caddy was chock full of all kinds of yummy quilting items. The shop hop itself was fun (even without winning the prize) as it gave me an excuse to check out some new shops that I had been wanting to go to. Be sure to give your local shop hops a spin.

Golden Pear Pincushion

2009-05-04T14:33:00.008-04:00

I have been doing a lot of prep work on some miscellaneous projects and will post photos once there is something worthwhile to look at. I decided to take a short break from all the tedious work and made this pincushion.

It is called 'Golden Pear Pincushion' and is from the book 'Simply Vintage by Blackbird Designs'. I enlarged the pattern (my version is about 7" tall). I also weighted the bottom to keep it from tipping over and I used some yummy hand dyed wool that I bought from the 'Little Lamb Quilt Shop'.

This Pear Makedo Pincushion is a store bought version that I have. I keep it on my desk and it comes in quite handy.

This last photo is my version of 'rag balls'. If you are looking for a quick project, these work up really fast. I cut up some strips of fabric, tied them into longer pieces and simply wrapped them around styrofoam balls. Until next time.

A Tisket A Tasket Blocks 3 & 4

2009-04-20T14:46:00.003-04:00

I was able to sneak in some play time and get these next 2 blocks done.

Block 3 Done! Instead of using ribbon, I made an applique ribbon on the bunny. That bunny tail is one tiny little tail, but it really does make the bunny!

Block 4 Done! I turned the bunny's ears down, as I liked them better this way and opted to go without the ribbon on the chick.

And the 4 blocks that I have done so far. I still need to change the first block (replace the large center berry with 3 smaller ones). I was looking over all the different versions of these blocks on the Flicker Group and they are all wonderful! Can't wait to see what Anne comes up with next!

Easter Blessings

2009-04-12T06:33:00.000-04:00

Delila's New Haircut

2009-04-06T15:10:00.004-04:00

Delila had long hair for the winter, but was due for a good cut. Of course, now she has to wear a coat every time we bring her outside!

Trio of Saltbox Stars

2009-03-30T10:15:00.006-04:00

Life has kept me busy lately and I haven't had a chance to update this blog. I love having small hand projects to work on for those occasional quiet moments. These are some cute wool pillows that I have been wanting to make and I finally made the time. The pattern is called 'Trio of Saltbox Stars' and is from 'Buttermilk Basin'.

Red Delicous Blocks 3 and 4

2009-03-02T16:15:00.005-05:00

The block below is the 3rd block called 'Love Apple' from Esther's Red Delicious BOM.

And the 4th block called 'Peony Bloom' is below.

And below are the 4 blocks that I have done so far.

Esther should be coming out with her next block around the 15th of the month. It feels so good to be ahead of the game for a change.

Red Delicious Block 2 Done & Block 1-Take 2

2009-02-24T06:27:00.008-05:00

Esther 's quilt design has given me a challenge to think outside the box. I auditioned so many color combination's for this quilt. In the end, I decided to go ahead and mimic Esther's choice of luscious 'reds', but to compliment it with some additional colors.
That being said, I ended up redoing block 1 because the lighter background was not playing nicely with my background choice for block 2 - and I really like the darker background anyway.

Now, I feel like I have a plan and I'm ready to take on the remaining blocks.

A Tisket A Tasket Block 2 Done

2009-02-22T08:14:00.006-05:00

This months design by Anne at Bunny Hill Designs is just the sweetest! I have been admiring everyone blocks and thought it was about time that I finish my own - so here it is!

And the next shot is the first two blocks together. I need to remove the large berry on the snowman block and replace it with a cluster of a three smaller berries, as the scale looks out of proportion to the February block.

Can't wait to see what she comes up with next month.

Inspiration from a Favorite Thing

2009-01-28T07:34:00.009-05:00

About ten years ago, I was perusing the local antique shop and spotted this beauty. I scooped it up and ran to the register with it, my heart racing with anticipation. I love it just as much now as I did in that moment. I keep it draped off the end of a cabinet in my family room and it makes me smile every time I walk into the room.

It's not in perfect condition and I think that's one of the reasons I like it so much. I often wonder about who made it, when and why. Someone put lots of time and effort into each loving stitch. It has a variety of embroidered symbols (each one representing a different meaning) including a double and triple ring - so perhaps, it was made to commemorate a special wedding anniversary.

Around the time I purchased the crazy quilt, I was really into Victorian decorating. The lovely stitches on the quilt inspired me to try my hand at silk ribbon embroidery. I ended up creating this cute little guy.

I keep him in a cabinet full of some of my other 'Favorite Things'. I used fabric remnants and lace trims from things I had sewn for my children. He reminds me of my grandmother, who collected elephants - although, hers all had their trunks up in the air which she said was a sign of good luck. Perhaps, someday someone will scoop him up and wonder about the history of him as well.

Red Delicious Block One

2009-01-26T14:58:00.007-05:00

I told myself that I would finish this block today, no matter what. As I posted earlier, I was struggling with the birds tail feathers and tried several different looks. As you can see, I ended up adding an additional feather at the end of the bird and overall have learned to like it that way. I have a bad habit of 'overthinking' about things and I believe this was why I was having such a difficult time with this block.

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

2009-01-22T10:51:00.006-05:00

I read about this book 'Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day' on several blogs and was intrigued enough to order it. There is nothing like homemade bread and I have tried different recipes over the years. I made a batch of the 'Master Recipe' yesterday. To be honest, I had my doubts when I made up the batch of dough, as it just seemed too easy! There is no kneading involved - simply a quick stirring of the ingredients which creates a very moist dough. You make a batch of dough, refrigerate it (the dough will keep for 7-14 days depending on the recipe), and pull off a piece of the dough each time you want to make a loaf of bread.This morning, I baked 2 'boule's and 2 'baguette's'.

As you can see in the photo, I am missing a 'baguette'. My husband, my son and myself had to 'try it' and be sure that it was ok - it was more than ok - it was downright delicious!!! It had a nice crunchy crust on the outside and the inside was moist and full of flavor.

As quickly as I could, I stirred up another batch of dough. This time a different recipe from the book - for 'Vermont Cheddar Bread'. I have a feeling that I am going to get a lot of use out of this cookbook.

A Tisket A Tasket Block 1 Done

2009-01-12T07:50:00.006-05:00

I finally got this block done. I would have liked to have done the snowman with wool, but I didn't have any white and the cream just didn't look right.

I decided to not use the buttons (even though they look so cute on Anne's block). I am thinking that I will have an easier time to quilt this later if the buttons aren't there. This was a fun block to do - it works up really fast!

Now, to finish up the first block of 'Red Delicious'. I am struggling with the birds tails - I am not liking the embroidered look, so will try something else.

A Tisket A Tasket BOM

2009-01-07T14:07:00.005-05:00

Just what I needed - another project! I was reading Anne of Cottons'n Wool blog and saw this Free mystery BOM that Anne at Bunny Hill Designs has started and I just can't resist.

Isn't this the sweetest block!! I can't wait to see the rest of the blocks and get started on this project!

Happy New Year and Second Wholecloth Quilt

2009-01-01T08:31:00.008-05:00

I started this quilt in April of 2004 with high hopes of finishing it that year, but life took over and it was not completed until February of 2005.

This is the quilt center . It is my own design with inspiration from an antique ceiling medallion.

This is a closeup detail shot - the micro quilting took quite a while and when I started seeing double, I knew it was time to take a break!

This is the quilting start date - the picture is not so great, but I really liked how the birds looked holding up the sign.And this is an overall shot of the quilt. I named it 'Time Goes By' and it won a teachers award at MQX 2005 by Tracey Browning and Second Place in the 'Traditional Whole Cloth' category at the Machine Quilters Showcase 2005.

I really love the simple but elegant look of the traditional wholecloth quilts. With the start of a New Year, I am thinking that I should start a tradition of quilting at least one new wholecloth a year.

Pieced Pastimes

Linky Party Follower Hop

GOOGLE Friend Connect will go away

BUT

RULES:

1. you MUST have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool on your site to participate.

2. You MUST follow the person who has the party on their site as a thank you.

3.Just add your blog button to the LINKY PARTY below.

4.Then grab the BLOG HOP code

5. Then you follow other bloggers–(as many as you want)–leave each one of the blogs that you follow a comment letting them know you are following them and ask them to follow you back.

…So do ya want to go Cruisin’?

I plan on HOPPING from BLOG to BLOG to follow everyone who follows me.

Simply Kindness

Pinspired 5 Minute Scarf Wreath Tutorial

Muslin Ruffle Bag

Linen and Lace Pincushion Trio

Pure Joy and Happiness Pinning

2011 Christmas Mantel (be it a little late!)

2011 Christmas Tree with Handmade Ornaments

Angel Inspiration

Happy Thanksgiving!

Christmas Tree Skirt Pinspiration

Fall Mantel 2011

Vintage Dress Form Love

My Garden Surprise Recipe

Pinterest Love

The True Meaning of Memorial Day.

My Mothers' Beautiful Gardens

He's Alive by Dolly Parton

Texturized Spring Wreath Tutorial

Welcoming Spring!

2010 Top 10 Projects and a Glimpse into 2011

Flash Mob Singing Hallelujah !

Christmas Mantel for 2010

Fall Mantel and the Colors of Autumn

Primitive Witch Hat

Night Stand Makeover

Dressing the Mantel

Favorite Places Subway Art Tutorial

Chair Makeover

Throw Pillow Slip Covers and a Sampler In Progress

Molly Sampler and Time Pinkeep

DH's Love of Old Farm Implements

Firkin Makeovers and A Few Finds

Gated Entrance Progress

Happy Easter!

Makeovers and a DIY Sign

Factory Cart Coffee Table

My Love of Old Boxes

Primitive DIY Whale Tail Candle Sconce

Penny Rug Progress and Rustoleum

Primitive DIY Nesting Box

Nice Old Footstool and a Photo Collage

Primitive DIY Bowl Rack

Primitive DIY Candle Nail Board

Pin Keep Box

Wall Box Makeover

Breadbox Makeover

Primitive DIY Candle Stand

Primitive DIY Towel Rack

New/Old Peg Board

Snowy Update

Quick Update!

A Couple of Pincushions

Basket of Flowers Wallhanging

Golden Pear Pincushion

A Tisket A Tasket Blocks 3 & 4

Easter Blessings

Delila's New Haircut

Trio of Saltbox Stars

Red Delicous Blocks 3 and 4

Red Delicious Block 2 Done & Block 1-Take 2

A Tisket A Tasket Block 2 Done

Inspiration from a Favorite Thing

Red Delicious Block One

Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

A Tisket A Tasket Block 1 Done

A Tisket A Tasket BOM

Happy New Year and Second Wholecloth Quilt

5. Then you follow other bloggers–(as many as you want)
–leave each one of the blogs that you follow a comment letting them know you are following them and ask them to follow you back.