Art and Trash?

This weekend I didn’t get to do anything to creative.  I spent the weekend at bridal shows with my sister who is getting married next year.  I did see tons of cool stuff we would like to make for her wedding.  We are going to try to do a lot of it on our own.  I will probably start posting quite a few of “wedding on a budget” posts in the upcoming months.

Anyway, I didn’t do a whole else this weekend except look for examples of art made from soda and beer cans online.  I have seen all types of can art displayed in museums and online.  I think it’s really cute and fun.  Etsy sells a lot of cans that are cut into new items like jewelry shaped like animals and flowers, etc.  My sister has a beautiful flower on her wall that is made from many different cans that have been cut into petals and then painted various shades and designs.

I keep coming across this Charles Kaufman who does paintings on crushed soda cans.  I find them to be very fun and whimsical.  Check him out here at www.ToonToonz.com.

Isn’t this cute?  His can painting are mostly all cartoonish characters.  I adore them and decided I would try my hand at painting some cans a few weeks ago. I have a few more that I am working on, but here are two I did…

My tree is a little too fat on the one, but that was my first one and I got a little too crazy.  The other one is a design of my little girls.  She drew this picture on a piece of paper and I copied it onto the can. It is really funny and cute.  Now we have something fun to put on our fridge since I attached magnets to the back.  I am working on some new ones, but haven’t finished them yet.  I will post those later.

Here are some cute soda can flowers found over at Naptime Crafts - www.naptimecrafts.blogspot.com

I love all of the different found objects that can be used as a backdrop for art.  If you like to paint or create new things, try looking around at your trash.  It’s amazing what can be done with some junk.  I have written about furniture trash that shouldn’t be overlooked, but there are a lot of other items that shouldn’t be overlooked either. Just let your imagination run wild!!!

Some other fun websites:

www.greenopolis.com – make a pinwheel or flower out of soda can

www.weburbanist.com

www.funkytrash.blogspot.com

www.craftstylish.com – how to turn a soda can into a spring flower brooch – One of my FAVORITE websites!!

Cheap Art

My husband and I just painted several walls in our house.  I originally had two canvases hanging on my wall with one of my first attempts at abstract art (I am giggling to myself because this was nothing near abstract art).  I also had some paint samples leftover from painting our bedroom and great room.  We had purchased several samples in the attempt to get the color just right.  Glad we did because it saved us a lot of money, time and headaches.  The old paintings didn’t match the new wall color and I have had a few snow days with my little one who wants to do art on her days off.  I took two sketches I had done awhile back of a butterfly and of a flower.  I painted over the old art with another paint color we had leftover from another project. These are my attempts to create inexpensive art for my walls.  I think they are pretty fun and incredibly easy since I was doing more of an abstract version of my sketches.  Plus, I had a good time doing them.  Anyone can create their own fun art on a tight budget if they are so inclined.  I took my sketches and tried to imagine how they would look if I simplified them.  I think they turned out well.

Curbside Treasure

Sorry for taking so long to post again.  Life has gotten away from me and I am just about sick of snow!!!!  I thought I would just share this desk that I found a few years ago on the side of the road in the pouring rain with a free sign on it.  It was a hideous piece of junk when I found it.  It had a laminate that was peeling up.  I usually follow a rule of never bringing home anything with laminate because it is so difficult to remove or repair.  In this case, I decided to bring it home anyway.

This is NOT the best photo, but I can not seem to get a better one.  Anyway, I was with a few of my co-workers and I made them stop to check it out.  We ended up grabbing all of the drawers and throwing them in the back of the van we were in to discourage anyone else from picking it up.  I then went back with my poor father who brought it home for me.  My husband was saddled with the fix up, but he took off all of the laminate, gave it a good cleaning, refinished it and it is now a great desk for our basement computer.  I think he did a great job.  Just wish I could show a better photo of it.

The point of this post is simply not to overlook items that others have thrown out.  You never know what a handy husband or father can do with a piece of junk.

Should We Paint the Kitchen Black?

These are my current kitchen cabinets.  Layout is fine, but I hate absolutely LOATHE my cabinets.  They are the same inexpensive cabinets used in every single solitary house on my street!  In fact, my parents live next door and they (of course) have the same cabinets!!!  I hate them.

I tend to paint everything black these days so I thought…why not paint the cabinets black?  I mean seriously!  I came home with this in mind and it was only a day or two later that my husband exclaims that he has found his ideal kitchen on television.  He had recorded it for me and lo and behold…it was a black kitchen!  It was gorgeous.  So, we went to our favorite place for tips and advice – YouTube and found an instructional video on painting cabinets.  My husband did a test and painted the island and then distressed it slightly to go with the rest of our home.

I LOVE IT!!!!  But now, he is freaking out about painting the rest of them!!

I figure we have already done the island so why not go all the way!  I should also mention that we have a great room and it is very light and bright during the day so black wold not be overwhelming in my opinion.

To top it all off, he thinks he can get white tile for our backsplash for FREE from a family member.  The only thing we would eventually have to change out for any cost would be our flooring.  If anyone has any suggestions on how to change the floors for next to nothing, I would love to hear from you.  I would love to have wood floors, but not sure this is in our budget for a long while.

Anyway, what’s the verdict?  I say we go black.  How about you?

Another Use for Old Fabric

Okay, the bedspread has found yet another use.  I made this little fabric pumpkin from the bedspread from my last post and the stem is from denim fabric that I found at the same thrift store.  I am still learning how to make these little pumpkins.  They are SUPER cute and simple.  I realize they are more suitable for fall being a pumpkin and all, but they are too cute not to keep out.

Here is a tutorial for making these pumpkins found at Thompson Family-Life -  http://thompsonfamily.typepad.com/thompson_familylife/2009/11/fabric-pumpkin-tutorial.html Her’s are funky and fun.  The fabric she used is for some of her pumpkins are vintage retro fabric.  Use your imagination.

Now check these little beauties out.  Fabric tomatoes!!! Aren’t they cute?  I love, love, love them!!  I found them over at Vand Co – http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2009/10/tutorial-garden-fresh-fabric-tomatoes.html.  Head over there and see all of the other cute stuff she has listed.  I will be trying to make some of these tomatoes later on.  Too freakin’ cute.

What else can be done with an old bedspread, clothing or old fabric you might have lying around?  Try cutting it up and turning it into a pillow, skirt, apron, placemat, purse, etc.  I will be on the lookout for great new projects for old fabric and I will share them as they come along.  I hope to eventually have enough visitors to this site to get people to leave their ideas here.  I would love to hear how other people are reusing their old stuff.  I work with a lot of college students and I am certain they would love to learn this stuff too.  I want to find more ways to spread the knowledge.  So if you are on here and have a great idea – PLEASE share it!  Thanks a million!

From Shutter to Headboard

I have mentioned that my dad is super-creative when it comes to old junk.  Everyone gives him stuff they want to throw away.  Stuff they consider to be absolutely worthless (In a future post, I will go around my house and photograph some of that worthless stuff).  My husband is no slouch in the creative department either.  My aunt had some old shutters in her barn that she offered up to my my husband and father.  My mom and I had been wanting new headboards, but we have different tastes.  My parent’s style is more cottage country.  My style is more of a mix of french country and modern.  Two different headboards were called for and this is what they came up with…sorry for the poor picture quality.  I have got to get a new camera!

The first photo is my dad’s version.  It is a really tall headboard.  I will have to go back and photograph the footboard to show you as well.  It is just a smaller version of the headboard.  Isn’t it lovely?  It seemed really high to me when he first made it, but I really like it now.  It’s beautiful in the plum colored guest room.

This is my husband’s version.  He painted our’s black, didn’t add any trim to the top and even added a lighting feature in the back.  I loved it.  Unfortunately, he made it right before we decided to buy a larger bed.  So, he is planning on adding trim and/or columns to the sides to enlarge it.  Please ignore my oversized bed!

These headboards were not overly complicated to make.  You can easily do a search on the internet about how to make shutter headboards.  You can do something different with them.  Turn them sideways, upholster part of it, put a shelf on top, do whatever you want with them.  Let your imagination run wild.  When painting, use any color that strikes your fancy.  Try painting them red, blue, brown, grey or any color you can imagine in your room or any color that would bring you joy.  These shutters were free so we could have done anything with them.  The rest of the shutters are going to be turned into some other projects.  I will post those another day.

I you have some old shutters needing new life and don’t need a headboard, head over to RoboJunker.com – http://www.robomargo.com/shutters.html  They have an endless supply of shutter project ideas.  Check it out!

Table Transformation

I had this sofa table that didn’t quite go with anything else in my house and then there were the letters that my child scratched into it when she was 4.  We tried covering it with table runners and other items, but it was just about to be thrown into storage. I didn’t want to totally get rid of the table.  I purchased this from a furniture dealer at a flea market when my husband and I first moved in together (memories) and I absolutely hate wasting good furniture!  So a makeover was in order.

My house has more of a french country feel and so I tried painting and distressing it.

I just love how it turned out.  I started out only lightly distressing it, but then I just couldn’t seem to stop!  Some may think I overdid it, but I love it.   It really pulls my great room together now (although the great room still needs a lot of help).

You don’t have to get rid of something because it no longer fits your style.  Try freshening it up.  You could paint and leave it alone or you could paint it and distress it, stencil it, or apply contact paper to the top.  Add fun new knobs and maybe a skirt to an old table.  Let your imagination run wild and save that old piece of furniture from the landfill.  There are times when no matter what you do the piece just isn’t going to work in your home.  Don’t keep it, but don’t toss it.  If you live in town, set it out by the curb on a nice day.  I guarantee someone will grab it in no time.  I have gotten some really cool pieces from curb shopping.  If you don’t want to do that, stick it in a yard sale, give it to a friend, put it on Craig’s List or freecycle.org, but don’t throw it out.  It will work great for someone else.

Upcycled Bedspread

I bought this lovely bedspread at a thrift store a few months ago.

I tried throwing it on the bottom of my bed as an accent, but that’s when I found that it had a few holes and some paint spots.  I threw it in my closet hoping I would someday be inspired to use the fabric in other ways.  I am not the best seamstress, but I am handy with the sewing machine and I thought this fabric could be used elsewhere.  Then I forgot about it until this weekend.  I was looking at a chair that has been sitting in my bedroom begging to be recovered.  Great chair, but the fabric doesn’t match anything in my room.  This was a gift from an old friend.  She and I were both heavily into auctioning at the time.  She bought this for a few dollars at an auction.  Awesome gift!

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And then I remembered the bedspread in my closet and voila!  New cover.  Isn’t it fancy now?  I am thinking about painting the chair either an off-white, black or maybe even green.

The fun didn’t stop there.  I had to make pillows out of the fabric too.

This envelope pillow case is covering a throw pillow purchased at a thrift store for about $1.  I washed the pillow in hot water when I brought it home.  The little pillow in the photo below is sitting in the wingback chair that I bought at an auction as one of a pair for one dollar.  Yup, I bought two wingback chairs for a dollar.  That included a footstool that my silly husband got rid of without my knowing about it or it would look like the pillows right now.  I covered both chairs with slipcovers that I purchased at Big Lots for less than $10 each.  Not a bad deal at all.

Isn’t it amazing what can be done for very little money?  I paid less than $2 for the bedspread, about a dollar for the throw pillow and the chair above was a gift.  I love thrift stores and auctions.  They have some amazing things that are just waiting to be loved again.    You may even have things you have purchased over the years in storage that could just use a little face lift.  If you still cannot think of a way to re-use it, give it to a friend, family member or thrift store.  There is always someone who would enjoy your trash.

Tips for Better Thrift-ing

I love, love, love thrift store shopping.  I have gone thrifting since I was in college.  Everyone was into vintage clothes at that time, but many of my friends stopped shopping at thrift stores while my trips continued.  Many of the people who have never been thrifting think of thrift stores as dirty or not having anything with any kind of style.  Once I get them to set foot into a thrift store, I normally can’t get them to leave.  One of my co-workers has started wearing a lot of thrift store finds and she looks amazing!  It’s really smart to visit thrift stores while you are on vacation.  Often, people with a little more money to spend on clothes drop their designer duds off at Goodwill and Salvation Army.  Thanks!   I really appreciate your generosity.

I just recently found this post on Get Rich Slowly – http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2008/12/14/embracing-the-thrift-store-ethic-18-top-tips-for-buying-used-clothes/ There are 18 tips about shopping at thrift stores.  I have added my own tips to the bottom (19-23).   I hope these tips help

1. Set a budget. This is difficult at first — you don’t know how much things cost. But eventually you’ll be able to tell yourself, “I’m going spend $20 today”. It becomes a game to see how much you can buy for $20.
2. Discard your prejudices. Some people consider thrift stores and used clothing shops nasty dirty places. Some are. Most aren’t. Explore your neighborhood. Find a shop or two that you like, and you’ll be hooked.
3. Go with a friend. It’s good to have a second opinion. Your friend may have an eye for what looks good on you — and vice versa.
4. Try things on. Sizes vary widely between manufacturers and even by eras. (Today’s clothes have looser fits.) But go in knowing your general size and measurements. Note that some places don’t have dressing rooms, so it’s smart to wear a modest thin layer in case you need to strip down in the aisle.
5. Examine each item thoroughly. It sucks to get home to find your new shirt has a hole in the pocket. Or that the slacks you thought were a steal actually have a broken zipper.
6. Check washing instructions. You don’t want to pay $3 for a silk blouse if you’ll never dry-clean it.
7. Use the tags as a guide to find quality brands you like, but don’t limit yourself. Sometimes a brand you’ve never heard of can yield a favorite piece of clothing.
8. Think layers. Maybe that shirt with a stain on the sleeve has a great collar for wearing under a sweater. For $3, you can afford to buy a single-purpose shirt.
9. Use thrift stores as a way to diversify your wardrobe. Buy colors and styles on which you normally wouldn’t spend much. Wear the new clothes a few times to see how you like them, and to gauge the reaction of others.
10. Used clothing stores are great for certain accessories. Why pay $30 for a new belt in a department store when you can get a better belt in your size for just $2? I like to shop at second-hand stores for hats. (Nice hats.)
11. Look for clothes new with tags. Sometimes unsold department store inventory finds its way to used clothing stores and thrift shops. You’ll generally pay more for these items, but not much.
12. If you won’t wear it, don’t buy it. You don’t save money buying a $3 shirt if it just sits in your closet for two years.
13. Wash clothes when you get them home.
14. Watch for sales. Used clothing stores (and thrift stores) run periodic specials. Our favorite local store just ran a half-off sale. The local thrift stores often have specials on certain items.
15. If you go to the same store often, ask when they rotate stock. Stores get new shipments regularly. Most also have extra stock in storage. If you become familiar with the owners, you might even ask them to keep an eye out for particular items.
16. Take your time. At normal clothing shops, everything is neatly organized. Not so at most thrift stores. When thrifting, it’s more important to be patient, to browse the racks methodically.
17. If buying used clothes becomes a habit, institute a “one in-one out policy”. Every time you bring home something new, get rid of something old. (Give it away, take it to a thrift store, or save it for a garage sale.)
18. Have fun! Buying used clothing can save you money. It’s also a fun way to kill a Saturday afternoon. At $3 an item, you can afford to be adventurous sometimes.
19. Keep an open mind. If you go into a thrift store with one particular item in mind, you are not going to find it.  If you go thinking that you need shirts, sweaters, pants or children’s clothing, you are more likely to find items you like.
20. Tag team with friends or family. My  We tag team by looking for what the other person is looking for.  It makes it much quicker and we have a lot of fun finding things.
21. Know your designers.  When you can’t try clothes on at a thrift store, I find it much easier to know which designer fits me best.  I know that a certain size or style in a particular brand will fit better than most.  I also know what types of style look better on my frame.
22. Wear light clothes that will allow you to try things on. I wear a light t-shirt or tank top in the summer to try shirts and sweaters over.  I know some people who wear bike shorts or something to try pants on over.  It helps when you can’t find a dressing room.
23. Don’t forget to check out the appliances and furniture. You never know when you are going to find that really great deal you weren’t even looking for.

Scrap Wood Mirror

Okay, so I have been making a lot of things lately.  So has my Dad.  I just have to share what my Dad has been making lately.  He has been taking scrap wood and wood found in my grandpa’s garage and making the most beautiful items with it lately.  It all started when I saw a Pottery Barn inspired mirror featured on A Soft Place to Land.  It was a guest blog by Living with Lindsay - http://asoftplace.net/2009/08/pottery-barn-inspired-mirror/ This mirror is super cool and she uses salved wood to make it.

Here is the mirror that Pottery Barn was selling…

Here is my Dad’s interpretation…

Isn’t this incredible?  Please excuse the photo of my messy fridge.  Because of Lindsay’s cool post, my Dad has gone completely mirror crazy.  This is the mirror that I received for a Christmas present.

He had to purchase the mirror, but the wood was scrap wood he had in his basement.  He has since started purchasing scraps of Purpleheart and other exotic woods to use along with the scrap.  It’s amazing what can be made out of things that others might call junk or firewood.  I had been after my Dad for some time to utilize the wood that was lying around in buckets in his basement.  He had been giving some of it to my husband to burn in our bonfire and it made me crazy!  Now he thinks every little scrap is valuable.  I will be posting more of his beautiful work in the near future.