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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Ballard Design Knock Off Ticket Sign




You can now order this sign HERE!!!!





I have to give Carrie over at Dittle Dattle the credit for this inspiration! She did one and got me thinking that this would be perfect for my theatre girl. Being a sign painter I usually don't make them for myself. Kinda like a mechanic that don't work on his car or a doctor that doesn't go to one when sick!

But I had to do this one! If you have access to a vinyl cutter it is so easy! If not go to a sign shop and ask them to cut some for you and you can apply it yourself.

I started with the Ballard inspiration.......

 Vintage Ticket Plaque
I got the dimensions from them 12"hx24"wx1/4"d and cut a piece of finished wood to look like a ticket.







I love the way it turned out! This is for my theatre girl! She is gonna love this! It will go with the whole Hollywood/Broadway theme she has all over!





I left some of the vinyl off to make it look older. 

Thanks Carrie for the inspiration!

Now to go pop some popcorn!

YOU CAN NOW PURCHASE A TICKET IN MY ETSY SHOP ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THIS BLOG!



Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Baby Chicks in the Coop

You are gonna fall in love with this!

I love the little baby chicks. All fluffy and new!

Baby birds are our little musical introduction to spring.

But lets face it they can be loud and dirty and those feathers can get everywhere!
Not these little ones!

As I was shopping at Pier I this weekend I came across something similar. I was wanting to challenge myself with something different.

I get tired of seeing the same old things. I was ready for a change.

I started with twigs from outside, cardboard, a dollar tree basket, moss and two little feathered chicks.





I bought this pink basket at the dollar store and began to strip it!




This will become our chicken coop. The white has to go so I lightly sanded it and started to paint so it could look rusty.



I used orange brown and black paint to give it the effect of rusting.





I then began to cut my chicken wire to wrap around the basket. The basket needs to be upside down when covering the outside of it

I think if I was to do more I would get the wire that looks like tiny squares but this works fine and you only need a little. The cost is pennies. A whole role was $3 and some people can find this at the dollar store. I wasn't that lucky.





I cut a piece of cardboard around the bottom of the piece and hot glued some moss.Then add chicks.




Isn't he adorable?!!!! I got them at Michaels for $2.99 but you probably can find them cheaper. I had a coupon for 25% off so it was cheaper than the 2.99 regular price. They are just too stinking cute!
Hot glue them to the moss and push cardboard into the bottom of the basket. Hot glue! Watch those fingers!





Start adding twigs around the structure of basket by hot gluing or wiring. I also bent a twig to make a handle. This doesn't have to be perfect. It looks better when it is not!

The chicks should look all caged up now. Don't worry they like their new home!




I just love tweet'l dum and tweet'l dee!


linking to
http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/2011/03/whatever-goes-wednesday-59.html
giveaways

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

It was a Mod Podge kinda day

I have been doing all kinds of project but I keep going back to Mod Podge! Probably because it is so much fun and it is easy to work with.

I tried something different. Have you ever heard of Mod Podge Dimensional Magic? Well, I think we have a future together!





I bought some fun charms.....




Then cut out some pictures......
one of my daughters fav right now Darren Criss from Glee
another a butterfly with the word faith....
Pour in some of this magic and got an adorable charm. The pictures did not come out very good though sorry.

I made another plate........



I needed one more to fill my plate hanger!


and remember the stamps from yesterdays post?

I found some clear vase fillers and Mod Podged the stamps behind them and added a magnet.

I know it is small but they came out cute and I have thousands of stamps for other projects. I choose the birds because of spring.


There you have it!
 
A Mod Podge kinda day!


Monday, March 28, 2011

Stamps and More Stamps

Ok I need your help. I have found my bag of stamps for my mixed media projects. I have thought of a few ideas to create with these but I want your input. Some of these are really old. I don't know if these are worth anything. I love the artwork on them and the fact the postage was so low!

So put on your thinking caps and help a girl out!










Aren't these great! I have a few ideas but I want to see what you come up with. Please comment below! Thanks!

Drum Roll Please!

DADADADADAA!


I have to say that my fist giveaway was a huge success. I am so excited to talk to all of my new followers and look forward to many more comments and posts! Thank you for linking up to my blog or if you just stopped by for a visit!

And now......what you have been waiting for........

The winner is...........






                                     Number 53 Liz from Quiltz'n'Hoez Congratulations!
                                    Please contact me within 48 hours to claim your prize!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Moving Things Around

LAST DAY FOR GIVEAWAY! ENDS TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT CENTRAL TIME! CLICK HERE to enter!

After I painted the wardrobe this weekend I decided to move things around a little bit. I was taking advantage of having my daughter home to help me. I decided to move my kitchen table to my craft room.
I really don't need it because I have a table in my sun room and my dining room. I wanted to do a more relaxing coffee shop area.

I have an old couch that needs to be reupholstered and I want that to be one of my projects if I ever get the nerve to tackle it. I might need you guys to help me! So right now it has a sheet covering it. I tried to make it look presentable for the time being.

This is the way it looks with the table. I took things off of it so it looks bare but you'll get the point.





I added a half table and a coffee table to the mix. Threw on a sheet and pillows to hide the couch lol and here it is finished.




That's one of my paintings. I might have to paint the table too!





It is hard to get good pictures shooting into the light. I like this much better and it is a great little nook to read my magazines and drink my coffee. I added a lamp on the side of couch. I also moved the wardrobe to the hall at the back door and my painted dresser is near my couch in the sun room. That will be another post. Till then Good Luck on the giveaway I will post the winner tomorrow!

A special thank you to storiesofa2z for the Shabby Apple dress! It arrived this weekend!
Also to Not Just a Housewife for feature #5!!!! I really appreciate it! I hope there will be more!
More than anything thank you all who are following me now. I hope I live up to your expectations and you enjoy what you see here!

Have a wonderful day!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Painted Wardrobe Closet




I am being featured today for my Spring Nest Tutorial at Not Just A Housewife



This project all started with the knobs! I know that's crazy but its true. I have to admit I had the wardrobe sitting in the garage for quite sometime. It was almost sent to Goodwill several times if my family had anything to do with it! Once again I knew it had potential but there is a time for everything. I purchased the knobs before I even knew where they would go. They have a beautiful home now.


Before:


Laying on its side .......

Heres an old picture....


I had the red paint left over from the Hutch Redo. So red it is again! This piece was in pretty bad shape and I am really not done with it. I still have to replace the bottom and back panels and finish painting the inside. I couldn't resist showing the outside!





The inside will be painted in a light grey.




It is hard to see the distressing in the pictures because it is so subtle.

OLD KNOBS YUK!


The knobs!........Did I tell you about the knobs? I love them!




I didn't realize till I put them on that they are hearts. Even better! Remember the wooden ones in the before picture?

Before:




After:

I love the mirrors on this too! (except you can see my mess through them)


This is not in its permanent space because I am still working on it. It always amazes me how much better these pieces look with a coat of paint. It becomes an addiction. I am looking through the house wondering if I should paint something else! I need to start selling this stuff in a store so my house won't look like one!

Did I tell you I love the knobs?













Friday, March 25, 2011

Painting Day!

Don't forget about the GIVEAWAY!!! 

It is Spring Break here this week and everyone is home enjoying each other. It has been hard getting things done but we had a productive day yesterday.

I finished my oil painting....I think. Oils have a way of sitting to dry and then after looking at them awhile you want to change it up. I am my own worst critic!

My friend Barbara had a picture of the beautiful bowl from her shop. I just had to paint it!


Orange Still Life

It is still sitting on the easel. I didn't even sign it yet! I also painted on the old wardrobe closet. Today I will distress it! Hopefully I will have pictures soon of it finished!






My niece came over and she painted with me! She has never painted before and I think she did a good job.







This is her finished product! I can't wait to see what else she does. She is a budding artist!

Hope your day is full of sunshine! Gotta get to work! Don't forget to sign up for the giveaway at the top of page!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Cannoli Cupcakes



I found the blog foodfolksandfun looking for a different recipe. They had Cannoli Cupcakes MMMMM! Being from up north I sure so miss the real things!
I thought I would give them a try. I didn't think they tasted a lot like cannolis but they were tasty and good. The icing was to die for! You might want to give them a try.


I started with this recipe
Cake:
2 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 3/4 C sugar
1/2 C butter, softened
3 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 C milk
1 C ricotta cheese
1 t orange zest
2 T powdered sugar



 Combine all of the dry cake ingredients together in a medium bowl.







 In a different, larger bowl, mix together the butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Add in the ricotta cheese, orange zest, and powdered sugar to the wet ingredients and then add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.Pour the batter into cupcake liners, 24 in total. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin pans to a cooling rack.

 While the cupcakes are cooling, make the cannoli filling.
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/4 C confectioners' sugar
1 T orange zest
1/2 C mini chocolate chips








 To make the cannoli filling, stir together the ricotta cheese and confectioners' sugar using a spoon. Fold in the orange zest and chopped chocolate. 









 When the cupcakes are cool, cut out the middles of each cupcake and using a pastry bag, pipe the cannoli filling into each cupcake, about 1 heaping tablespoon.













 After all the cupcakes have been filled, make the buttercream frosting.
20 T unsalted butter, softened
1/3 C ricotta cheese
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
2 1/2 C confectioners’ sugar
Pinch salt
1 t vanilla extract
1-2 T heavy cream (for thinning)
1 C pistachios, chopped for garnish

In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add in the ricotta cheese and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Using a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter and beat mixture at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds.
Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 20 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Pipe the filling into a pastry bag and frost the filled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with chopped pistachios.

 


Cannoli Cupcakes
Cake:
2 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 3/4 C sugar
1/2 C butter, softened
3 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 C milk
1 C ricotta cheese
1 t orange zest
2 T powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line two muffin pans with cupcake wrappers; set aside.
Combine all of the dry cake ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a different, larger bowl, mix together the butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Add in the ricotta cheese, orange zest, and powdered sugar to the wet ingredients and then add in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined.
Pour the batter into cupcake liners, 24 in total. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin pans to a cooling rack. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the cannoli filling.
Cannoli filling:
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/4 C confectioners' sugar
1 T orange zest
1/2 C mini chocolate chips
To make the cannoli filling, stir together the ricotta cheese and confectioners' sugar using a spoon. Fold in the orange zest and chopped chocolate.
When the cupcakes are cool, cut out the middles of each cupcake and using a pastry bag, pipe the cannoli filling into each cupcake, about 1 heaping tablespoon. After all the cupcakes have been filled, make the buttercream frosting.
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting:
20 T unsalted butter, softened
1/3 C ricotta cheese
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
2 1/2 C confectioners’ sugar
Pinch salt
1 t vanilla extract
1-2 T heavy cream (for thinning)
1 C pistachios, chopped for garnish
In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add in the ricotta cheese and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Using a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into butter and beat mixture at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds.
Add confectioners’ sugar and salt; beat at medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully incorporated, about 30 seconds; scrape bowl, add vanilla and heavy cream, and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 20 seconds, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice. Pipe the filling into a pastry bag and frost the filled cupcakes as desired. Garnish with chopped pistachios.
Yields: 24 cupcakes