Graphics Galore

I so love vintage graphics and ephemera.  The Graphics Fairy is one of my favorite places to visit.  If you sign up for their emails you get new graphics every day. The one I used for the metal box below however is not from them this one is from Pinterest if you visit me there you can snag if for yourself.  The other projects do use clip art from The Graphics Fairy so you can get those as well. 

 I found this metal box with a glass lid in my stash of wonderful treasures.  I had it for a long time and was waiting for just the right picture to place under that special glass.  I love the look on the little girl's face. She is precious.  The picture isn't very good I am still learning to use my camera, the glass is beveled and it really doesn't have any imperfections as the photos may present. 

This box is a copper colored metal with green velvet lining.  Once again I rummaged through my favorite saved graphics and made a collage of these to make up the top design all from The Graphics Fairy.

 This is a free vase I got at a tag sale last year.  It has sat under my work bench for over a year now.  It was free okay I didn't need it but it was free for heaven's sake I couldn't walk away..........no just couldn't.

 After much thought about "waste not want" not I came up with this design. I spray painted it first with a gray primer and then painted it with the blue.  The gray paint does show through in places so it does look worn.

 I found this wonderful bird picture on The Graphics Fairy and printed it out 2 weeks ago to use on a dresser I was working on. Well the bird didn't seem to work out for the dresser so it was just sitting there next to the painted vase...hmmmmm.....I wondered could it be, would it work?  Aha it did work I plastered that little birdie on with some home made Modge Podge (recipe also found on Pinterest on one of my boards) and there you have it, my free vase has finally become an object of my affections.

This week just seemed to be the week to work on small projects. I had this reproduction fishing creel for some time and decided this was the week to get it painted too. As you can see I choose a white paint and filled it with silk red roses.  I thought it needed just a little something to make it extra special so I found a tag shaped wood piece and decoupaged an old post card graphic (once again from TGF) on it.  I don't really want to sell this but duty calls or should I say my bills....anyways I love it . Old post cards art is so cool, maybe next week I do something more with them. 

Sign of the Times

I must hear this saying 10 times a day! I had so many requests to make this sign over and over again. So if you are going to sell at any fairs this year be sure and make a few-any style will do.  This particular one is painted on a door panel.  Door panels make great signs! Garage sales are super places to pick them up. People update their kitchens all the time by simply changing the doors on their cabinets and sell the old ones for as little as .50 a piece.  I have quite a collection of doors,  I buy them and stand them in a corner where I can see them (you never know when inspiration will hit! and they work for some many things.  Well it is what it is and I guess that means I must get back to work if I am ever to get done. Have a wonderful day and hug someone you love!

Gift Box Remake

Every year at Christmas time people give gifts that come in wooden boxes.  Sometimes they are filled with fancy teas or coffees.  I found a discarded wooden gift box for 2.99 at GW one day with a drawer and everything! I painted it off white and grunged it up with some dark brown glaze. 

I added some graphics that I found on The Graphics Fairy.  I used Citra Solv to transfer them onto the drawer.  I think the blue knob sets off the whole piece nicely.   Christmas is 9 months away and I can't wait that long for more boxes so I guess in the mean while I will watch at garage sales for some more cast aways that held holiday treasure!

Painted Goods

Here is a sign I made from some scraps in my work room.  I love the subway art look.  I nailed some wooden strips on the back to hold them together and put some d-ring hangers on the back too.

 I bought this shabby little make-do stool from a tag sale several years ago that needed the legs reattached. Whoever made it drove 4 nails into each hole to hold it instead of using one large screw. You use what you have -my motto too,  so I was not surprised.  The legs had gotten a little shaky over the years so it needed to be secured and repainted.  I set my surround sound speaker on this and now I don't have to worry that it is going to topple over.  I sacrifice for style personally -but my family well I must make some concessions now and then so they don't think I am totally crazy, a little crazy is good, too crazy and well they might not let me out of the house and I do love to treasure hunt!

This cute little handmade milking stool was painted brown and needed some TLC. I love the color now, it is one that I mixed up in my shop and use frequently as you know if you read my posts.  Vintage handmade things are so cool because whatever was laying around in the work shop became something useful. Going green wasn't an option years ago it was a way of life.

I saw a tote on Pinterest painted with a drawer pull like this one. I pinned it and vowed to make one like it and here it is. I paid 3.99 for this piece unfinished. Someone handmade it probably in shop class. I love shop class projects they are made with such care and so solid after all they are being graded on the outcome. I sure am glad people don't grade my work, hopefully I would pass the test!

 I already posted my blue lazy Susan that is by the way upside down in the this picture (told you I am just a wee bit crazy-harmless though).  The tote you have seen too but I liked the grouping with the two new signs I made.  I already sold one of the "Imagine" signs, the gal snapped it up as soon as I set in down. Love that reaction!

Here is one last shot of the tote. I love the back round it reminds me of something out of Country Living. It was my first week to work outside and I guess I got  carried away in the moment, thank you for stopping by for a visit. Come back again I have some new things to post and stories to share!