• Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    T Tuesday: renewed frame edition

    The weather is definitely turning here in the upper mid-west. I’m drinking more hot tea than iced tea. They are saying snow possible on Friday and Saturday. Not that it will be much or even stay around long at this point.

    tea season

    Enough about the weather. I wanted to share what I did to make my abstract paint complete. Let me backtrack by saying that after initially hanging it on our room we kept hear this weird clicking noise in the night. When the fan would hit the light weight canvas it would make noise!!! UGH! I took it down in the middle of the night and had to reevaluate.

    I remembered that I hadn’t donated the old print yet and had an idea of how I could use it. Out to the minivan I went to retrieve the framed print.

    reclaimed and renew frame

    I tore random chunks and strips of kraft paper and soaked them in water while I got out my vinyl table protector(aka old ugly tablecloth). I used Golden polymer medium as adhesive to cover the chrome frame. This is the same stuff I used to renew my fridge and recycle cabinet with dictionary pages and it’s the same bottle I got for free at the recycle center!

    reclaimed and renew frame

    I slipped the edges between the frame and matte for a nice crisp edge. I then painted the matte black a few inches in all the way around. I poked holes through the print and attached the canvas using zip ties around the wooden cross bars and back through the holes in the canvas. I used a little dab of hot glue in each corner for a bit of extra security.

    reclaimed and renew frame

    Ta-da! Worked like a charm.

    reclaimed and renew frame

    The piece is substantial now and makes a statement.  I like it even more now…and total cost…nothing!!!! We’d even gotten that print for free about 20 years ago from Mr. G’s work. The glass had been broken on the print so they were throwing it out. He brought it home since the colors matched our old bedroom decor. It had hung over our bed ever since.

    I’m waiting on a call from a friend as me might meet up today so my day is still a bit up in the air.

    What are you doing today?

  • Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    Cards and more cards

    It seems I’ve fallen into my card making phase again. Every fall I tend to start making cards. I’m not sure what exactly triggers this but I do have fun with it. I don’t do a dozen of the same design…heck I hardly even do two of the same. I know it would make it much easier on myself to make them in volume but wheres the challenge in that.

    group of cards

    I like using scrappy bits from other projects and my sewing machine. Stitching just gives such great texture to the cards.  I’ve got a half dozen more waiting for words. Those are actually more of a series. I’ll share as soon as I finish them. Hopefully I won’t get too distracted between now and then.

  • Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    T Tuesday: quilt top complete edition

    I’m happy to say my quilt top is complete! I’ve set my sewing aside for a little bit…I’m sure it won’t last too long but it is nice to have my sewing table free of clutter again.

    scrap quilt top complete

    It’s a throw quilt not a bed size. We are a family who likes to curl up on the couch or chairs. There are always the couple favorite blankets such as this flannel one I made a gazillion years ago and the least favorite one, a small crochet throw made with acrylic yarn. It was made by my great aunt and I haven’t had the heart to get rid of it even though it matches nothing, isn’t that warm and no one really likes it.  I’m staking claim to this new one as soon I finish it…at least for the first few snuggles.

    quilt label perhaps

    I ended up with 2 extra blocks that I cut and resewed to make this small block that I’m thinking I want to use as a quilt label. I’ve never labeled any of my quilts in the past and now kind of wish I had. I have a hard time remembering exactly when I created most of them. I’m not sure what sort of pen I should use to write along the white fabric. Obviously I know it needs to be a fabric marker but I also need to make sure it doesn’t bleed or fade. Any suggestions?

    dark coffee or coffee in the dark

    I was contemplating the backing for the quilt this morning while having my coffee and making lunches. I have a bedsheet that I dyed long ago as a tablecloth in our first house. My folks had given us a large table to use but it was not very pretty and was extra wide. A bedsheet seemed the most affordable option of a tablecloth at the time. I also am thinking about the binding…I’m thinking scrappy might be fun for that as well but only if I sew a plain border all the way around the outside to give some rest to the eyes. Oh well…it’s not like I have to decide yet but Winter is coming.  🙂

    I’ve got a few pesky household chores on the list for today but first I’m going to go for a walk…got to enjoy these warm Fall days while I can!

    What are you doing today?