SMILE :)

I have been working on the wall space above my desk every since we moved in six months ago.  Well, not really working on it... but thinking, designing and planning it.  Then, due to the Incredible heat we've been experiencing here in Central Virginia, I had the perfect excuse to stay in my Craft Cave (which is in the basement) and finish up a bunch of projects I had started over the last couple of weeks.  I'm so glad I did, because after I got it all hung yesterday, I just LOVE it!!

One of the projects was the magnetic bulletin boards.  

There are two of them, and they started out looking like this...

I found, what I'm assuming are cookie trays, at Goodwill for $.50 each, a couple of months ago.  I loved their textured pattern, so I bought them not really knowing, at first, what I would do with them.  Then it dawned on me that they would make great magnetic bulletin boards for my "Office" Collage.  I spray painted them white, and then took some old magnets, I had from Ikea, and either covered them with fabric or added fabric/felt flower embellishments.  They work perfect!

Another project was inspired by something I had seen a Long time ago in a craft blog Linky party.  I had seen this cute way of displaying pictures, and the idea really stuck with me. I just had to find the perfect frame.

Then, I was lucky enough to find this one at Goodwill.

After a couple heavy coats of white spray paint, and a roll of way cute contact paper from the Dollar Tree, I had what I had envisioned from the original inspiration.

Now, I'm not usually one for Inspirational sayings, but when I saw this one on Pinterest, it really struck a chord with me.  I used an old photo canvas, primed and painted it, and then using my trusty Cricut, cut out the letters.  Now if only I can follow it's advice.

This cute little initial is actually from a friend's wedding invitation from back in 2000.  I've saved it for 12 years, knowing someday, I would eventually do something with it.  The frame, I made probably 15 or so years ago.  It's made out of miniature bricks, which when I decided to use it as part of my collage, I spray painted white.

This funky artwork is also from a wedding.  It was actually the envelope for their invitation to their wedding in Hawaii.  I think I've been saving it for about 3 years.  I just loved the design.

This artwork is a pencil drawing I did the summer after I graduated college some 20+ years ago.  It was from a black & white magazine ad, but I can't remember what it was advertising.  The paper is starting to yellow, but it's one of my most favorite things I've ever drawn.  It also hung in both my boy's nurseries.

And finally, my new Lamp!  I found the lamp, back in February, at a garage sale for $10.  I LOVE the big chunky base and the over sized shade.  I think the whole thing overall, stands like 3' tall.  In this picture, it is sitting on a filing cabinet next to the desk, which is 8" shorter.  When I got it, I knew eventually, I wanted to try my hand at covering the shade, I just had to find the right fabric first.  And I think I did!  It's fun, funky, graphic and colorful!!

I just LOVE how everything turned out, and how nothing matches.

Every time I come upstairs, I have to stop and look at it all.  It just makes me SMILE :)

FARMER'S MARKET

This past Saturday, I participated in my first Farmer's Market. Our little rural town holds a Farmer's Market every Saturday from 8:00 to 1:00 that runs from the beginning of May through the end of October.

This is my booth.

I took my St. Patrick's Day wreath, and modified it a little so it could be used as part of my display. I added the burlap bunting and the paper dragonfly.

All of the items I used for displaying purposes, I found at local thrift stores. This tray I found for $1.29. I spray painted it and added the little white vinyl scroll embellishments. I am using it to hold some wood bead / fabric bracelets and felt Dahlia brooches.

I'm selling Cookie Sheet Perpetual Calendars. They're lined up in a file organizer.

I'm also selling Mod Podge Frames and my Purses.

This green plastic tray was also found at the thrift store... I just added the white vinyl polka dots.

I spray painted this thrift store bowl.

Other than the wreath, I wanted to showcase my company's acronym one other way, so using black vinyl, I put it on a Target white melamine plate, and then added some rolled fabric flowers.

And of course, there's the White Paper Flower Bouquet that I had posted about previously.

So this is why, as of late, my posts have been so few and far between. I was getting everything ready for my Farmer's Market Debut.

THRIFT STORE SCORE!!!

I FINALLY DID IT!!! I found something REALLY AWESOME at a Thrift Store. All over Blogland, I'm always seeing posts about Incredibly Cool things that people find while they're thrifting, and I'm so jealous. Well yesterday, I got my first SCORE!!!

And here she is...

Isn't she Beautiful? And she was only...

wait for it...

$6.99!!!!

(I don't know why I'm calling it a "she")

She has hanging brackets so I can hang her on a wall if I want.

She is perfectly Distressed and has adorable little wood knobs.

She has a shelf behind the doors...

and the drawers are cedar boxes.

Love the molding details at the top and bottom...

and I love the little scroll design on the sides.

I'm really not sure what I'm going to with her, but for seven bucks, how could I pass her up.

My boys think she should be a Car Garage.

Well maybe.....

but I think she will find a nice little home in my Craft Space.