Images to share...............

Happy Monday my creative friends.  Found these images bopping around the internet and thought you might like them for something....Print them out, decoupage with them, turn them into cards!

 I love the old yellowed look of this butterfly page.

 Something magical about seahorses.

 Just wonderful.

Not sure about this one, but I thought I'd toss it in anyway.

I think these images would be fun to use in a variety of ways.

Check out Pulp Fiction Perfect Paper Projects 2nd Edition!

Things here and there that catch my eye...........

Inspiration is hard to come by sometimes.  Lately I've been enjoying the genius of other people and giving shout outs where I can.  I'm glad the world is embracing creativity and recycling.

 Wow, this is pretty and could be done with almost any frame.  A flat pincushion on your sewing table might be just the thing!

Swirling paint inside those flower vases that everyone gets rid of looks quite chic.  These are by Charlotte Trusty and they are truly inspired.

Milk cartons used as storage from SewManyWays.blogspot.com  Just Brilliant!

I love things made from scraps and I thought this choker was quite beautiful.  It reminded me of my trip to Africa for some reason.

These are printed melanin plates, but you could easily make these with book pages and glass plates from the dollar store.  Pick any image and you're half way there.  Always finish the back with Minwax Polycrylic and carefully hand wash.  Instructions for making these is in
THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS! 

I love hearts and crowns but only get my fix with rubber stamps.  I thought this was a terrific 3-D version of my favorite images.

INSPIRATION.................

These are a few things I saw this week while hopping around the internet.  I thought you might like them for inspiration.  Happy Saturday everyone. Thank you for all of your support and for all of your wonderful comments this past year.  I truly appreciate you.

The best use of plastic spoons I have ever seen.  Doesn't this make you want to start gluing spoons on a plastic jug? 

How about keeping the flies out of your drinks this summer?   

Crystal chain, pearls and antique brooches would make an amazing chandelier 

 Any object covered in text looks amazing to me.  Copy calligraphy pages and go to town!

Kind of an amazing lampshade made with an assortment of buttons.  My hot glue gun is already warmed up!

Have you thought about............

Amazing pattern on pattern dining room.

 This is something you want to do in a room that has tons of light.  Pattern on pattern, dark woods, and check out the plates lined across the top of the room.  Wonderful!  I'm a fan of over the top rooms with lots going on.  

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT.......wallpapering your door with an amazing pattern?

What about lining the upper part of your dining room or kitchen walls with plates?

Might be a good time to hit the flea markets!

I love that every square inch of the wall space is covered with art in this room and that the tables are low.  Next time you hit a yard sale, look for old drawings someone did in a life class.  I've found stacks of them many times!

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT............filling every square inch of a wall with artwork?  

What about very low tables and super huge lamps?

Now get out there and get creative with your space!

Martha Graham Lycra Lamp......House Beautiful

 

Since the dawn of time wire hangers and stretchy fabric have
gone together like Romeo and Juliet, like peanut butter and chocolate, like
Crayons and coloring books. You get my point.  I think this lamp looks a lot like what Martha Graham would
have in her home.  I love it with
all of it’s twists and turns.  One
word of caution, yours will be totally different from mine because there is no way two of these can be the same.

YOU’LL NEED

1 yard of super stretchy Lycra of Spandex fabric

Sewing machine

3 wire hangers

6’ Socket and cord set

1 energy saving cool light bulb

Needle and thread

Pliers

Straight pins

 HERE’S HOW

 1.    Unwind the 3 wire hanger and bend them into loops like shown.  Don't worry if they aren't perfect. Leave the excess wire bent toward the inside (like on the white hanger above)

  

Cut your Lycra/Spandex 20” by 36”

 3.  Fold it in half, right sides together, and sew a 36” long tube
out of your Lycra/Spandex. Use a zigzag stitch, it's easier. 

  4. Smoosh one wire circle and spiral inside the middle of the
tube and the other two at each end with the circle part of the wire toward the
mouth of each end of the tube.

5.   Use your straight pins to keep all the wires in place.

 6.    Flip the 1” excess inside each mouth of your lamp and tack it down with the needle and thread. This hides the wire and gives it a nice finished feel.  

 7. With your needle and thread, stitch around the circle part of
each wire only to keep in place so it doesn’t move inside of the tube.

 8.     Bend the excess of one of the end wires toward the top of the lamp
so that it can wrap around the socket part of your socket and cord set and so
that it keeps it in the center of your lamp and so the light bulb is not near
the fabric at all and you're done!

 *Since this lamp is so light it can easily hang from the
socket and cord set.  Just install
a small hook and hang it up.

 This and 100 more projects in THE BIG ASS BOOK OF HOME DECOR

Photo of the day.......Abstract painted lampshade

I'm digging this painted lampshade today!  You don't actually have to paint your lampshade if you want to do something like this.  Trace your shade pattern on paper and then paint on the paper!  When you're done, just tape it over the shade.......Now that was easy!

Just roll and trace your shade over some paper to create your pattern and use that as the canvas.

Something different........and a little weird

GOTTA HAND IT TO YOU MIRROR

There are a couple of things I like about this photo.  First, I love the white table! How many times do we pass up furniture that would look amazing coated in white or black paint?

I also love those weird little hands sticking out of the mirror!

Seems to me it might be time for a little interpretation. 

Just a thought!

A little heads up, there is a terrific project using a mannequin arm and hand in The Big Ass Book of Crafts 2!

WOW-Butterfly Chandelier

Imagine your little girl or boy (remember, I made this) looking up at night right before bed and seeing sparkling butterflies hovering above her head.  This chandelier is perfect for any little kid who loves sparkles, flowers and butterflies.  I’m pretty sure that includes them all.  In fact, you don’t even need to install a light.  Remember to make magic, add sparkle and always 

Make Your Mark!

Imagine your little girl looking up at night right before bed and seeing sparkling butterflies hovering above her head.  This chandelier is perfect for any little girl who loves sparkles, flowers and butterflies.  I’m pretty sure that includes them all.  In fact, you don’t even need to install a light.

YOU’LL NEED:

Tomato cage with 3-5 rings from a garden store

Sandpaper or sanding block

Krylon Silver Crafter's Metallic spray paint

50 feet of cheap plastic pearls (Got mine at the 99c store!)

12 Feather butterflies

12 Faux flowers

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

E-6000 glue

Toothpicks

Scissors

Wire cutters or heavy duty pliers that can snip wire

HERE’S HOW:

1. Clip the larger rings off of the tomato cage with your wire cutters leaving 2 rings connected by extending wires.

2. Sand the wires to remove any dirt, rust or oil.

3. Curl the wires sticking out from the smallest ring of the cage like you see in the picture.

4. Bend the wires sticking out from the large ring toward the center so they meet.

5. Glue the wires together at where they meet with a big gob of E-6000 glue.

6. Hot glue your strings of pearls all around each wire of the now bent cage.

7. Once these strands are attached, take your E-6000 and carefully dab the glue all along the pearls so they are permanently attached.

8. Cut 6 strands of pearls in 12” lengths and attach each end of the top ring so that you have two drapes in between each wire.

DON’T WORRY! This is the fun part.  Just start draping any way you want to and you’ll see how beautiful it will be.

9. After you’ve attached about 6 drapes, dab on more E-6000 with a toothpick being very neat, but making sure to attach the pearl to the wire with the glue.  

WARNING! Hot glue and metal don’t work well together, so you are just using this to tack the pearls in place while the other glue dries.)

10. Once all of the pearls are in place, spray paint your chandelier with Krylon Crafter's Metallic.

11. When it dries, attach your butterflies and flowers evenly all the way around first with hot glue and then with the E-6000.  I only used 12 butterflies and 12 flowers, but go crazy if you want to and use a ton.

12. OPTIONAL:  Wrap your 6’ Snap-in Socket and Cord set around the top where the wires meet and hang from a hook in your ceiling.  Sweet dreams.

This and 100 more projects in THE BIG ASS BOOK OF HOME DECOR!

  

Photo of the day.......Amazing fireplace!

I don't have a fireplace, but if I did, I'm thinking it would look something like this!

A LITTLE INSPIRATION.....

PHOTO OF THE DAY..........Have you ever thought about..........

FRAMING SCARVES?

How about just really interesting pieces of fabric or squares of wallpaper?  The art on your walls can be anything as long as you enjoy looking at it. 

That's it, just a small thought for Saturday.

INSPIRATION! Dark Brown Walls......Blue Accents.

Dark brown walls mixed with vibrant blue.  Wonderful!

 I have a very tiny living room off of my main living room and I'm seriously considering painting it dark brown.  I'm pretty sure the cozy factor will be kicked up a notch if I do.

Did you know you can buy these Cobalt Chinese Foo Dogs on Amazon!  

And how about that beautiful antique mirror?  I'm pretty sure you can find that almost anywhere.

For some reason, I think this mirror I made for THE BIG ASS BOOK OF HOME DECOR, may actually work in my new dark brown living room.  

What do you think?