Hi Guys-

Here we go again by saying that we are back.  Life has been a series of huge changes for me and my family and we are trying to get back on our feet.  We have lost our main stay in the family along with weddings and births.  Many happy and one that has left us reeling.  We have had blessings and sorrows and are trying to keep one foot in front of the other.  So in other words here we go again. 
Still have been painting and keeping our little booth open with it and decided to paint a banged up metal tool box with a handle and give it a little pizzazz. Here is a picture of before and what I had to work with:

 It had been spray painted by me and thought it would look cute and cheery as maybe a plant holder.  Needless to say it didn't sell so I thought I would try again.  I bought some molds at a vintage store in Holly and thought I would add some of the cute designs to a re-painted box.  Easy to make and it was done with an air drying clay.

 Made these swirls and flowers and decided to paint the box and I wanted to glue these on the outside of the box but before I did I had to paint it all over again and this time I did it with chalk paint. Started painting with a sponge all over with a dark gray and white paint and at the same time left some of the yellow coming thru until I got the look I wanted.

 

 Than I started gluing the plaster pieces on.  Started painting them a dark gray to show up.

 

I decided they need to show up a little more so I brushed white chalk paint just over the top of them and this was my new revamped piece with some plaster pieces on it.  Love it.  It's a little bit more shabby and pretty than before.

So what do you think? Love or not?

How about some hydrangea's in it?  Fun little arrangement.

So until next time.......Dianne

We're Back!!!!!

Hi everyone!
It's been sooo long since we've updated anything here on this 'ole blog of ours....I don't know where time has gone:)  We've had some ups and downs over the last six months...and now here I sit thinking about how close we are to Thanksgiving!  I am hosting my in-laws this year...and am a little hesitant how my meal will turn out!  I've never hosted Thanksgiving in my eleven years of marriage!  This will be a first.  We are, however, officially in our new home so we have so much more room to work with....including ample room to cook and seat people.  I'm looking forward to that for sure!!!

Just a quick project to share with you that I completed awhile back...even though I didn't blog, I made sure to document my projects!  Here is a cute little key hook that I found at a flea market.

So with a little minty green paint and some added gold highlights in the nooks and crannies....this little key holder came back to life!!

I put the key holder in our Shabby Gals booth and saw someone walking out with it the other day!  It's so rewarding to see people enjoy your hard work and appreciate your vision!!
Until next time....
I look forward to updating you more on what has life has brought to my family the last few months!  Enjoy the last few hours of your weekend!  Annnnd of course if you're reading this....We Thank You!

Shabby Mushrooms

Good Afternoon everyone.  It's been a little while since I have blogged but that doesn't mean that I haven't done projects.  I just really haven't had the time to blog because our family has had a long hard winter but we are now on the road to recovery and things are getting back to normal.  Anyways, here is my first project to blog about and we (my daughter Jessica and I) had some fun doing this together.  We had gone to a flea market last spring and found these teak wooden salad bowls and she said she had seen somewhere how they had made mushrooms out of them.  We bought them and decided to craft together.  Well, we jumped right in and started projecting and forget to take before pictures but we forgot about one bowl, so here is the before picture before it got any paint:

We starting paint with acrylic paint just out of the small tubes and decided to pick fun and bright colors for the outdoor mushrooms, so they would stand out if one decided to put in their flower garden.  Colors we picked were red, orange, lime green and of course, pink.

We found old ends of table legs and turned pieces of wood to use for the stems because of course, mushrooms need stems.  We left some of the pieces how we found them and painted some and sanded them to look old and shabby.

Sanding like crazy.

When they were all painted, the spots had to come on and we decided to use a large marshmallow to dab the assorted color spots on.  Some of the spots were first painted on in white and than a 2nd color on top.  The tops were than all sanded to try to match their stems and of course to look a little shabby.

And these are our shabby mushrooms.  What do you think?  Would you put them in your spring garden or how about your patio for some color and fun?

So until next time, Dianne.........................


Linked to these Parties:

Shabby Lamp into Candlestick

Good Morning everyone.  It's been a long time since I have blogged or shown any of my projects.  I have been busy even with the holidays but just haven't been able to sit down and share my thoughts and projects with you.  It has been a nice holiday and it was busy just like everyone else.   Anyways, here is one of my latest projects and it was a fun one.  I had this old standing lamp that didn't work and I didn't want to spend the time and rewire it and it could have been done.  I decided to make it into a large standing candlestick and I'm bad because I forgot to take a before picture of how rough and rusty this lamp was, but try to imagine rust all over it and no shades.  Here is an after picture of this lamp:

 I had to paint everything on it and clipped out the electrical wires so that I could put candles into the lamp.  I started painting the stem of the lamp with a soft ivory acrylic paint.

 I painted the metal parts with a burnt umber paint and than highlighted the parts with a gold acrylic paint.  I rubbed gold onto the ivory parts also and even the fake candlestick base.  I also had to add a little shabbiness by adding an old rhinestone necklace around the top of the lamp for a little glitter.

Everywhere the was a stand out part on the lamp it was rubbed with gold.

 This is the bottom part of the lamp that was so pretty and it was also painted and rubbed with gold.

 This base was so rusty that I had to sand some of the rust off and than paint with the brown and that highlight with gold and I think it came out so pretty.  It also had a marble base which I think it was highlighted when the base was painted.

 So here is my lamp turned into a large free standing candlestick. 

So, what do you think.  Better or worse?

So, until next time Dianne........one of the Shabby Gals.....

Linked to these Parties:
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/preparing-for-the-installation-of-underground-downspout-extensions/
http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-42/#more-17363
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2015/01/show-and-share-no244.html
http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2015/01/the-sunday-showcase-no-271.html
http://thecraftyblogstalker.com/create-link-inspire-linky-party-59/
http://www.domestically-speaking.com/2015/01/inspire-monday-42.html
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2015/01/show-and-share-no244.html#more
 http://elizabethjoandesigns.com/
 http://www.bddesignblog.com/
 http://cupcakesandcrinoline.com/2015/01/12/project-inspired-link-party-week-101/
 http://upcycledtreasures.com/2015/01/the-makers-link-party-48/
 http://www.carolynshomework.com/2015/01/the-inspiration-board-creative-link-party.html#more
 http://thediydreamer.com/from-dream-to-reality/share-your-diy-projects-150/
 http://www.cozylittlehouse.com/search?updated-max=2015-01-13T14:50:00-06:00&max-results=4
 http://elizabethandco.blogspot.com/
 http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2015/01/251st-inspire-me-tuesday.html#more
 http://thehappyhousie.com/work-wednesday-features-11/
 http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/
 http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/
 http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2015/01/wow-me-wednesday-188.html#more
 http://knickoftime.net/2015/01/vintage-decor-at-the-vip.html
 http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/
 http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/
 http://bloomdesignsonline.com/2015/01/lovely-little-link-party-12.html
 http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/2015/01/treasure-hunt-thursday-188-highlights.html
 http://www.glitterglueandpaint.com/project-pin-53/
 http://www.lambertslately.com/2015/01/create-it-thursday-89-plus-features.html#more
 http://igottacreate.blogspot.com/2015/01/wildly-original-link-party-138.html#more
 http://www.fromgardners2bergers.com/2015/01/the-handmade-hangout-31.html#more
 http://www.craftsalamode.com/
 http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
 http://missmustardseed.com/2015/01/furniture-feature-friday-favorites-link-party-51/
 http://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/2015/01/feathered-nest-friday_15.html#more
 http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
 http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/
 http://www.myturnforus.com/2015/01/our-favorite-things-pinterest-party-6.html
 http://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2015/01/catch-as-catch-can-196.html
 http://thecottagemarket.com/2015/01/diy-project-features-junkin-joe-linky-party-2.html
 http://shabbyartboutique.com/2015/01/shabbilicious-friday-link-party-77.html
 http://tatertotsandjello.com/2015/01/link-party-palooza-75-real-salt-giveaway.html
 http://www.iheartnaptime.net/link-party-palooza-76/
 http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/

With Just a Little Spray Paint......

Happy Monday everyone.  It was quite chilly and snowy last week here in Michigan.....and today it is a balmy fifty.  In fact I'm enjoying a cup of coffee while sitting by an open window.  Our new house is coming along....although the weather last week killed the momentum.  The next big step is putting on the roof!!!  Then hopefully the siding will start going up and then the brick.  I cannot wait to see how everything will look together!  I am crossing my fingers that our decisions about color and texture will coordinate nicely with each other:)  There are a lot of decisions.....:)  Big decisions:)  But in the end, whether we've made mistakes or not, it will be our house that we created together and that makes me smile:)

I just wanted to share a few quick spray paint make-overs.  I do love spray paint....I love how quickly it transforms something.  It's fun and easy!!

I found both of these items this summer...a little stool that could be used to hold a plant and a key holder.  Not big ticket items by any stretch, however cute in their own way.

With just some spray paint and a bit of antiquing....they both look more appealing!

A new key holder.....I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for those darn keys!

Enjoy the rest of your day!
If you're reading....ThAnKs!

Linked to these Parties:
 http://www.keepingitsimplecrafts.com/
http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/2014/11/christmas-at-rogers-gardens-and-linky.html
http://www.bystephanielynn.com/2014/11/sunday-showcase-no-268.html
 http://diyshowoff.com/2014/11/30/diy-party-time-14/
 http://www.flamingotoes.com/2014/11/think-pink-sunday-no-193/
 http://www.vmg206.com/2014/11/diy-sunday-showcase-vmg206_29.html#more
 http://www.natashainoz.com/2014/11/say-gday-linky-party-115-share-your.html#more
 http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/2014/11/anything-goes-linky-181-features-and.html#more
 http://betweennapsontheporch.net/decorating-with-preserved-boxwood-wreaths-2/
 http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-36/#more-17087
 http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2014/12/make-it-pretty-monday-week-122-and.html
 http://thecraftyblogstalker.com/create-link-inspire-53-linky-party/
 http://elizabethjoandesigns.com/
 http://www.domestically-speaking.com/2014/12/inspire-monday-36.html
 http://www.cozylittlehouse.com/
 http://cupcakesandcrinoline.com/2014/12/01/project-inspired-link-party-week-95/
 http://upcycledtreasures.com/2014/12/makers-link-party-45/
 http://www.carolynshomework.com/
 http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/
 http://www.cedarhillfarmhouse.com/2014/12/scoop-147.html
 http://www.cedarhillfarmhouse.com/2014/12/scoop-147.html
 http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/
 http://www.sowderingabout.com/2014/12/awesome-things-tuesday.html#more
 http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com/
 http://knickoftime.net/2014/12/vintage-inspiration-party-166-even-grinch-inspired.html
 http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/
 http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/
 http://thehappyhousie.com/work-wednesday-features-2-giveaways/
 http://www.bddesignblog.com/
 http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2014/12/wow-me-wednesday-183.html#more
 http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/
 http://bloomdesignsonline.com/2014/12/lovely-little-link-party-8.html
 http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/2014/12/treasure-hunt-thursday-184-highlights.html
 http://www.glitterglueandpaint.com/project-pin-50/
 http://www.lambertslately.com/2014/12/create-it-thursday-83-plus-features.html#more
 http://igottacreate.blogspot.com/2014/12/wildly-original-link-party-132.html#more
 http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/2014/12/vintage-inspiration-party.html#more
 http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/2014/12/treasure-hunt-thursday-184-highlights.html#more
 http://www.jannolson.blogspot.com/
 http://mysalvagedtreasures.blogspot.com/2014/12/vintage-inspiration-party.html#more