Like Mother Like Son

Ok, so I have a feeling I have been watching too many how to videos on mixed media lately.  My son decided to make his own.

He truely does make me smile. Love him!

As always, 

Karie

Finally

Well it has been quite a week.  Last week we had 3 days off for "winter break" a.k.a. Iowa High school wrestling tournament...  That is when our school district schedules our break since most of the kids take off anyway to go watch our wrestlers. So anyway, I got a lot of crafting, cleaning and organizing done last week.  I was even able to take my computer to a person from my church who said he would look at it to see what was wrong. (please insert the sound of "taps" playing in the background now)  It was toast, fired gonzo, kaput...  that means all the pictures for the past 4 years are gone, or at least I thought.  When he told me this I ran home and dug through my desk drawers and came across a flash drive that I tried backing up the computer on last year and they were there all (or most) of my pictures that I thought had been lost. Yeah!!! Oh and Mr Computer Fixer had an extra hard drive that he didn't need anymore so he put it in my computer and I am back in business.  I will be able to blog much easier with my computer fixed and the nifty new camera I got myself for Christmas this year.  Yeah again!
Another exciting thing that is happening this coming week is that we are getting Internet again!!!  We have been without for over 2 weeks! This is what happens when you change services in a small town, things get done at a different pace than when I lived in the big city.
Today we had a snow day from school so my husband and son decided they wanted to go to the movies.  I am not much of a movie goer.  I can't seem to sit long enough to just watch a movie.  I feel the need to multitask every minute of the waking day. I opted out and went to Wal Mart.  My husband was concerned that I would not be able to waste enough time while they were in the movie and tried to talk me in to going with them.  Well no sirree Bob, I will be just fine by myself :) I went to Walmart and spent my time walking up and down every aisle, looking at everything on the shelves.  It was wonderful.  When you have 2 kids in tow you NEVER get to do this.

This is what you buy when you wander around a big box store for an hour by yourself. 

I can't wait to show you what I am going to do with the fabric!

See those CUTE alphabet stamps.  Wally World sells them for $.97.  I have a total of 3 sets now!

The line art canvases are for the kids (or me if I feel like doodling) and the pickles I bought just because I thought the jar was so cute!

Here is the sad part of my story though.  I went into the movie theater to wait for the guys to get done with the show.  There was a sofa in there (small town theater) so I brought my brand new Flea Market Finds magazine in with me to pass the time.  Well I left my magazine on that sofa in the theater and now I am sad.  I was really looking forward to reading it tonight :( Oh well...

As Always, 

Karie

So here is what happens with New Years resolutions...  you forget about them...  I had BIG plans at the beginning of the year (yes I know we are only 41 days into this year) to blog, blog blog...  Well life got in my way.  I suffer from Fibromyalgia and have not been having a good go of it lately.  It has finally caught up to me and I have basically been sleeping for the past 3 days.  I also decided to embrase the gluten-free lifestyle.  I have heard this will help me feel better and at this point I will try anything.  Oh, by the way, the sun could shine a little more and that would help too. 

I have been doing a few projects here and there when I have felt like it and even did a vendor show last weekend.

Here was my little set up.  I need to work on my displays but since I didn't sell anything so all was not lost.

Here is a cute little number I made and here is a picture of the outside.

My next step this year is to make an Etsy page.  I will have to do something with all these things I am creating ;-)

Here is to sunshine and better health!

As Always, 

Karie

Where has the time gone...

I can't believe it has been over a year since I have written a blog post.  I have not felt well enough physically or mentally to keep up with my blog and that makes me sad.  It has been a very hard time for me and my kids and I are still not through the rough patch that has consumed my life.  I am going in to this new year with a new attitude and a feeling that this will be our year to pull through this. 

 I have been doing a bit of painting and even did a little mini craft show right before Christmas.  It was great fun and I would love to do more this coming year.  I guess that could be on my New Years resolution list.

See I told you it was small but it was kind of last minute and I didn't have a lot of room to paint.  It was a great day none-the-less and got me started on my way to doing shows.

Now I would like to introduce you to my new obsession...



Hello Mixed Media!

 To say I am obsessed would be an understatement!

I loved doing these projects and will start adding them to my line up.

So here is to the New Year and happy and prosperous times ahead. 

As Always, Karie 



Another piece of the storage puzzle

It truly does pay to frequent Goodwills and thrift stores in your area.  I scored again and only spent $34.00 on 2 major pieces that I have been needing. Here it the first one.

She is a little flimsy but for $14.50 she will hold my daughter's undies and t-shirts just fine.

I scrubbed her up well and gave her a coat of white paint.

Oh, I also painted the handles chrome.

I have been seeing this technique of applying decals to furniture and I thought I would give it a try.

First you start out with an image. I found most of mine at
The Graphics Fairy
She has a great selection.
Make sure if you have writing on the image that you mirror it. 

I had a heck of a time with that since my printer doesn't have a mirror setting but I figured it out with the copier at school.

Here is where I messed up on this one. See the big glops of glue that I left.  I was thinking the old adage that the more the merrier would work here but it doesn't...

Make sure you have a thin layer of Mod Pog and make sure it is smooth, no big glops.

You then want to apply it to your furniture piece.  you will need wait until it dries.  This is usually overnight, but make sure it it fully dry. Then comes the fun part...

You wet the paper with a damp rag and go to town rubbing the paper off.

This is how it looks now.

Not sure how I am feeling about it but my daughter loves it and that's all that matter!

And we are one step closer to organization in the Painted Palace.

Stay tuned to see the other piece of furniture I bought the same day for only $19.50 and the cool idea I have for it...

As Always,

Karie

Linking to:
The Graphic Fairy

New Kitchen table

I have finished my $3.70 kitchen table that I scored a while back.

I love the way it turned out.  I now just need to finish the chairs.  I have found my sewing machine in our storage shed so I now have no excuse not to get them done.

cute little detail on the edge.

Love the legs.  Reminds me of the Eiffel tower.

Well now I need to be off and do those chairs. (been saying that for 3 months now)

As Always, Karie



Chalk paint give away.

She is at it again! Robyn at Robyn Story Designs and Boutique is giving away more chalk paint.  I have not used this yet but I so want to!  It sounds like a GREAT paint for furniture. 
Check her out and sign up to win.