Rainy Day Crafts

The weather has been weathering, mixing up rain, snow, fog and general muddiness. I keep waiting for winter to break but he seems to be holding on with more snow and ice on the way in the next couple of days. In past years we were already outside and planting the garden, but it will be a late garden this year apparently. Which is not so bad, since later means less chance of frost and freeze.

We are keeping busy inside with a lot of different projects, like this little box. Made of cedar but just not looking pretty with it's tarnished hardware, it called to me for paint. So paint it I did, with an undercoat of butter yellow, then a dry-brushed aqua and dark glaze. I finished if off with a decoupaged vintage image from The Graphics Fairy; I used a match to lightly burn the edges of the graphic to give it an old look. Last step was topcoating with General Finishes High Performance Topcoat. It sounds more complicated than it really was. The whole process took less than an hour, and isn't she pretty now?

This picnic basket already had its padded vinyl gingham liner but the lid lust looked sad--unfinished wood that had a mix of stains and marks on it. So I got out my General Finished Holiday Red paint and my can of Topcoat and gave it a fresh look. I'm debating putting a decoupage graphic on top. What do you think--does it need one or not?

Third project yesterday was this little plaque. It started as one of those brass frames with a flower print inside; the glass was long gone. A coat of GF Antique White paint, some burlap and old keys, and now...

next step is to put some paper backing in this frame (and repaint the frame--I was too tired when I stopped last night and messed it up big time) and mount the little key picture in it. What do you think? It was fun to do, but I'm not sure if it will sell.

More painting! I painted this telephone table yellow first. It had been a tired and beaten up white, and I thought yellow would brighten it up. When it was done, I didn't like it, so I went even brighter with GF Patina Green. I'm lovin' it now! I considered using dark glaze and distressing it, but decided to leave it as is.

I finally finished the black end table too. At one point I was ready to throw it off the porch, I was so frustrated with it. It has imperfections in the top so I can't ask a lot for it, but the black finish came out well and I will just be glad to get it out of my way so I can move on to other projects.

Today I painted the big pantry cupboard; tomorrow I will put the polyurethane topcoat on it. Larry has finished stripping and staining the doors so I will seal those as well and then we can put them on and be done. Can't wait to see how it looks.

 This primitive stand had a dark varnish on it; I used a white wash on it, and then added a transfer of an old advertisement.

Tomorrow I will glaze it, then seal it and it will be done. Oh, and in the photo above is a Larry project: lamps to be rewired!

Larry has so many projects on the fire right now I doubt he knows which way to turn! Those lamps, for example. I am a lamp fanatic, apparently; I can't seem to pass them up. These were so cheap, and for a reason. They all need rewiring. Like he didn't have enough to do already. Larry's getting pretty good at multi-tasking, out or self preservation, I think.

He's also stripping and repainting a Cosco kitchen cart, replacing the back on a chimney cupboard, and about a dozen other projects.

The snow has started this evening and I hear we're in for a few inches. I doubt it will disturb us much. I will be working on an upcoming ballads program at WVU and on the storytelling and workshop for ESL students next week, if I can lay down the paintbrushes long enough. So many hobbies, so little time! Stay warm and safe, friends.


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