Whimsical Christman Ornament #2

We are sure enjoying sharing our talents with you.  It is time for our Second Free Whimsical Christmas Ornament . . . you will find it on our website . . .Enjoy

Happy Quilting,
Nancy

A Little Finish

Here is the before and after for the Shabby Hutch.  Good bones on a piece makes everything easier.  Painting stationary panels top and bottom is a pain but the over all look is great.  Let me know what you think.  Be brave and just paint it.

I started with this

and ended up with this.

Interior color is Zen, Behr paint and primer all in one.

The Egg and Dart moulding is so beautiful on this hutch.

Original knobs painted black

The center drawer pull was broken so this was used in it's place.  The drawer opens fine with the two outer handles.

Pretty top door pulls with knob painted black.

I found a color I like better than the one shown here.  It is Glidden, Swiss Coffee, from Home Depot.

Happy Quilting,
Nancy

A Work in Progress

I started with this, dark beautiful china hutch with egg and dart molding.

I am working on this look.  Off white on the outside and Zen from Behr on the inside.  I love this Zen color and thought I might take a chance that someone else would love it too!  I will have this finished tonight and then it will be off to Main Street Antique Mall in Mesa, AZ tomorrow.  It is just beautiful.  Let me know what you think.

Happy Quilting,
 Nancy

Maurice the Mouse

Grace Jewell has made Maurice the Sewing Mouse for your stitching pleasure.  He is of wool felt and is firm and weighted.  He is designed to hold you pins, needles, thread, thimble and of couse a smile for you.  He is about 5" tall.

You can purchase him from our website, click on the Quilting Accessories page. 

Happy Quilting,
Nancy

Little Pieces of My Life: 150th Post Give Away!

Karen is having a giveaway of Snowbound blocks throughout the end of the year.  Skip on over and enter to win.  Leave a comment and good luck!

Little Pieces of My Life: 150th Post Give Away!

Happy Quilting,Nancy

1890's China Cabinet

My daughter and I came across this beautiful China Cabinet from the 1800-to early 1900's.  It is just so beautiful and the cutwork behind the glass is still in one original piece.  We just had to get it.  It is polished up now and looks loved instead of neglected. 

Check out the original knobs and details.  It is just lovely and now for sale.  Let me know if you are interested in having this in your home.

This beautiful table is very old and has been sold to a lovely lady for her home.  I enjoy finding lovely pieces and matching them with new homes that will love them.

Happy Quilting,
Nancy

Bunny Hill Snowbound

I hope everyone is doing Snowbound with me.  Anne at Bunny Hill is such a great person.  She smiles all the time and is just so very kind and talented.  I met her at Fall Quilt Market a year ago and she just lights up the room.  I made A Tisket A Tasket and now I am on Block 7 of Snowbound.  I embroider them in Redwork and just love the look.  I think supporting others in their endeavors is so important.

Are you working on this as well?  Are you doing applique or embroidery?  Let me know.

A Tisket A Tasket Finished.

Be sure to download our free patterns for the Whimsical Flowers and Whimsical 12 Christmas Ornaments from our website.

Happy Quilting,
Nancy

Finishing Furniture

As you can see, I perfer to paint in a white tone. 

Hint One: Buy furniture with all the handles.  Handles are expensive and can cost $4.00 each or more.

Hint Two:  Use good paint brushes, not the one dollar throw away brush or roller.  The marks from rollers and brush strokes are hard to remove.

Hint Three:  Wash out your brush if it is a hot day, every 30 minutes or so and dry, start again.

Hint Four:  Wipe the piece until it is clean and fresh.  Remove all dust completely or it will be in the paint and try to fix that one . . .

Hint Five: Paint in one direction only, not back and forth

Hint Six:  Use 120 grade sandpaper inbetween coats.

Hint Seven:  Rinse out your painting rag after each wiping episode.

Hint Eight:  Keep away from web paint

First, don't by painted furniture, if it is painted, sand it with a sander. Don't buy furniture from someone who smokes unless you want to leave the furniture outside for a month and then scrub it throurghly with a very strong cleaner, inside and outside and then let it sit some more. All residue from smoking must be removed and then put two Bounce in each drawer daily for a week, changes these everyday, spray with Fabreeze and hope for the best. It is easier to just donate furniture from a smoker than clean it.


I use Home Depot paint. I apply one to two coats of Gripper (like Kilz but will stick to any surface without sanding. I use a eggshell finish, custom mix Spice Delight BEHR paint. I am changing that to a bit more Ivory as for Shabby it is just a bit too white. I do one coat of this paint, sand the edges or wherever I think I am going to finish sanding, wipe with damp cloth to collect all dust between each coat. Do one more coat. Sometimes a third is needed to be sure it looks good. I sand light between coats. Allow 2 hours or more dry time between coats. Sand the edges one more time and wipe with a damp cloth. Apply one light coat of POLYACRYLIC varnish, allow to dry for one day. I have yet me master the matte finish that is so popular. I sell a lot of furniture doing just this.

I have a booth in Main Street Antique Mall, Mesa, AZ, that is currently 8' x 12" but is growing to 12" x 12" on the first of August.  I am dong very well with this adventure since the patterns are a bit slow right now.

Let me know what you think of my change of direction.  I do still sew but this makes money for my family.  That was why I was doing Applique patterns.  I really enjoy this and was not brave for a long time.  Finally one too many things we are doing without and here I am on this fun adventure of painting and selling furniture.  I would have dreamed this for myself.  I have done a lot of things over the years but this is really fun!

Please continue to enjoy the Free Pattern that Grace Jewell has graciously done for us.  Check out our website to see what other fun thing we have there.

Happy Quilting, Nancy

Something New

The table is from the1890'x and the China Cabinet is from the early 1900's.  These will not be painted but loved for who they are.

Happy Quilting, Nancy

China Cabinet

I have to share, I found this great china cabinet from the 1890's.  The knobs are original and the cabinet still locks with the original lock.  It is beautiful and is in wonderful condition.  It has been cleaned and polished till it shines.  The cutwork for the glass in unbroken, unbelieveable for a piece this age.  Now that it is presentable, it will be ready for sale but I want to keep this one.

Happy Quilting,
Nancy

New Free Whimsical Ornaments

Grace Jewell along with Homestead Station Designs present

Whimsical Ornaments

12 Ornaments

Here is Block One for your enjoyment.  

  

We will release a block on the 5th and the 18th of each month.

Visit our Website to obtain the pattern on 5th and 18th of each month thru the end of December.

Happy Quilting,
Nancy

Block Two of our Free BOM

It is the 12th and time for another Block of the Month.  Please click the flower on the side bar and lets all join in on the FUN!!!


Happy Quilting,
Nancy

Whimsical Flowers Button

Join in the fun of Whimsical Flowers Block of the Month . . . only one more day till block two is released.

Happy Quilting,
Nancy

I just loved this little footstool that has a box in it.  It had been broken but we took care of that and gave it a nice off white paint coat, took off the really ugly cover someone had stapled on top of this, the original cover and here it is.  Let me know what you think of it.

This is my shabby sofa table that was too new to put in the booth.  We used Gripper to prime it and cover the shinny surface, perhaps it was a laminate.  It was then painted off white and then varnished.  The original knobs were gold so I sprayed them black.  I love the legs, ever so shabby.

This is my metal stool, I just gave it a quick spray paint job and sanded it a bit.  And this is my lovely round table for four.  It was in bad shape but we just loved it a bit and now it is just as cute as can be. 

I have always wanted to make furniture shabby but was not brave enough.  Now I just trudge ahead and it seems to work out just fine.

Walk boldly in the direction of your future!

Happy Quilting,

 Nancy

Pedestal Tutorial

 I have a few China plates that I just love and do not want to part with.  I have found a way to enjoy them everyday.  Now they bring me a bit of sunshine everytime I see them.  I am using them in my Sewing Room, Bathroom, Entry, and for my plants.  I am also going to use them when I have company to vary the heights of food, on the buffet.  I can't wait to put fruit, cookies or finger foods on them. 

China Pedestal

You will need:
One china plate

One candlestick

E6000 glue

Instructions
Hand wash plate and candlestick, towel dry.  Mark center back of plate.  If the plate is heavy, be sure to use a larger candlestick.  Place glue all the way around the rim of the candlestick.  With plate upside down, place top of candlestick in the center of plate back.  Allow to dry for 24-48 hours. 

You now have a unique pedestal for serving fruit, cookies, treats anytime you want.  You can also place a plant on it.  If done with bowls, you can use for food, as well.  e6000 glue is very good.  Nothing will be as cute as these on your table.

Happy Quilting,
Nancy