DESK WITH MAP DECOUPAGE

                                     
                This desk needed something!  It was blue with white streaking, not for me!
                I loved all the dove tail drawers and great knobs!  It was old, hugh and in need
                of a redo!

I wanted to do Blue and I wanted to try decoupage, yes for the first time!! So maps came to me and I said, why not??  AAA maps have a blue background?  Don't turn me in to AAA, I am a member but I don't think they knew I was not going to London, and Europe, ha ha!! 







  I got rid of the glass top, well saved it for possible creation!  You can see I used more blue and stain for the desk, distressed it some and decoupaged the drawer fronts with 4  to 5 coats of lacquer, I thought I would never get done with that lacquer!!   The best part of this redo is that a University Student bought the desk and she was so happy to have it, boy does it make you feel good to have someone really like your work.  I hope she is enjoying her desk!  

THANK YOU FOR LOOKING!

 linking to:
http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/

http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com


http://modvintagelife.blogspot.com/

Linking For Best of 2011 TO:

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/























Featured and Wanting to express my Thanks!

I was so happy for my first Redo Furniture Feature April the 17th on West Furniture Revival, and too new to blogging that I  feel I did not give a proper Thank you by linking back to West Furniture Revival in a Post.  Lauren is great and I love her blog! If you have not been on her blog yet, you must check it out! Definitely one to follow!  So Thank you Lauren, for the Monday feature!
http://westfurniturerevival.blogspot.com/2011/04/revival-monday-features-8.html

Shabby Vintage Country Hutch - New Redo!!

BEFORE

                                                                      AFTER

VINTAGE GREEN WAS CALLING ME ON THIS CUTE COUNTRY HUTCH!
SO CUTE, AND COULD BE USED FOR A CHILD' S ROOM, SEWING ROOM, KITCHEN,
OR WHERE EVER YOUR IMAGINATION TAKES IT!

OF COURSE,  I DID ALTER THE ORIGINAL PIECE TO SHABBY CHIC IT FOR TODAY'S LOOK!
IF ONLY THE PIECE COULD TALK, THE STORIES IT COULD TELL!

I WILL BE ADDING THIS TO MY AVAILABLE REDO'S AND WILL HAVE MORE
SHABBY REDO'S TO COME, THANKS FOR LOOKING!

SHABBY HELP! PLEASE!

Ok, I do need help and advise!  I purchased this 1924-1925 Crocker Chair Company true antique set.  My husband talked me into it, it is beautiful, but I did not want to Shabby it, Hell I didn't even want to buy it deal or not!  He has been so good coming alone my buying trips, that I agreed with him knowing my body could not handle such a big piece, my back is bad and his is worse!

We were not made to stand up this way, possible we should be on all 4's, who doesn't have a bad back??  So this is the Before, picture which was taken after I sanded the top to death, removed ugly dirty seat covers only to find original ugly seat covers.

Now the After!

You don't even know how many times I stained the top and not to mention doing the chairs, plus covering the seats.  Fine, if it would have sold, but NO, I have reduced, reduced, reduced, no sale, I NEED ROOM IN MY GARAGE  to work.  Oh, I forgot this monster came with 3 leafs, also that I refinished!!!!!!
Now what do you think is wrong:
Color choice on seats??
Should  I Shabby the table legs white and chairs?
What is your ideas??

If you have time please help???
Thanks for listening!

Shabby Stitched

Welcome,
I just wanted to say that I started the blog with my Redo of Furniture in mind, however, since sewing, quilting, or anything related to vintage is a favorite way I find peace and pleasure I want to share my quilting and vintage ideas with others.  I soooo have spent hours surfing the web for quilt ideas, shabby chic inspiration and looking at all things vintage and related.
When I have the time I plan to show-off my quilts which I have given away for gifts, I always take a picture before releasing them, of course they are not organized in that cute quilt photo book that I have had for years!!!  Maybe they can inspire you and who better to show them off to than other quilt lovers?
Do check on me once in a while to see what I am up to?  Who knows what I will do or say on the blog?  I would love to discover your blog,  please let me know in a comment or email.
I myself need to comment more on blogs and sign up to follow.  I am still in the habit of clicking "save to my favorites" oh how I want to go through them!  I don't know which is worse all my magazines or Internet favorites???  Enough rambling..........

Being Featured!

Hello, Just wanted to say that I was featured on Quilt Story, Heather and Megan have a wonderful blog, for those who enjoy sewing and quilting, check it out!!    Quiltstory: Shabby redo vintage pillowcase tutorial..
 It was fun to see my Vintage Pillowcase Quilt on their blog, I hope this quilt does inspire others, as I am inspired by so many in the blog world.  I have so many ideas for quilting, sewing, and painting my redo furniture and decor, but as we all know "it's the time we all need!"

I'm Not Complaining, I'm Just Saying!

Wow, I was featured today and that was the one good thing that happen, thank you Lauren @ West Furniture Revival.

 I wanted to post my just finished Redo Furniture, but I am fried, my back is killing me and my brain does not seem to work properly.  To be on the safe side, posting furniture will have to wait.
 I had just accidentally added myself as a follower ON my own blog!  OMG!  It took me a while, but I did remove it, I am quite sure before anyone noticed, being new and all!  I am anxious for followers, but not that desperate!!
I must have inhaled too much paint, which is hard to do since I paint by brush and roller?  I just may have to get a paint GUN sprayer, that so many are using?  I  really do like to paint  the hard way, I could be wrong but I thought it came out better?  Any advice?  I have some fear of the paint GUN sprayer,  I imagine getting paint on everything, picturing our garage and yard to look like graffiti at its worse!
 Or  maybe the reason my fingers and brain are not coordinated , could  be the wind  blowing so hard last night  that it woke me at 3am and I could not go back to sleep?
 I will return with better capabilities for my revealing of new items,  I hope you will check back to see them!
Thank you for listening, going for a hot bath!

Shabby Do!

Hello, I am doing this background in Blue due to it is cloudy and cold today!  When is the true spring coming?
Yesterday I was outside painting new Redo Furniture to post and working with White paint, it was so sunny and warm I peeled off my winter wear to put on some old summer paint clothes, skimpy but what the heck, paint and get some tan at the same time, why not?  I don't know who was whiter me or the paint?  Oh well if neighbors look over or through the fence they will not try that again!

Today, I just put my winter painting gear in the dryer to warm it up before going in the garage to work, good idea, feels so good, now I just want to go lay around and watch TV! 

Better get out there while I am still warm, trying to get more posted soon, have a good day!

Vintage Pillowcase Quilt--------Finished!!

Yea!  I have finished the vintage pillow case quilt.  It measures 48x72 and the following is how I put it together:

1. Cut 24    8 1/2 x 8 1/2 squares from vintage pillowcases
2. Cut 48    2 1/2 x 8 1/2 border strips from white cotton material
3. Cut 48    2 1/2 x 12 1/2 border strips also from white material
4. batting-- I used extra loft
5. 1 twin vintage flat sheet for backing
6. 252 inches for binding -- a little extra to be safe
7. 2 1/2 yards of 100% cotton material for border strips

This quilt is what I consider Shabby due to using reused vintage material except for the white cotton borders that I chose to use. You could do  a variety of patchwork squares all in vintage pillowcases or I know you girls have your  own clever ideas.  Using a vintage sheet for the backing just is a great finishing touch.

Each vintage pillow case gives you two fat quarters.  One fat quarter gives you 4 8 1/2 squares for the quilt I did.  I have put together bundles of 7 fat quarters, all vintage from pillowcases for $18.00 from my stash

all ready for you, they are clean and ready.  For this quilt I did you will  need 6 fat quarters, I did cut some of the fat quarters larger than the 18x22 which is the true fat quarter size, none are smaller than 18x22 inches.

I used scrap from the top of the pillowcases for my binding, attaching for the length I needed, it gave it a very colorful binding and useful way to use the top border of each pillowcase.  I had strip pieced binding before from various 100% cottons in my quilting  and love the look.  So this was a must for me!

Here are 4 fat quarter bundles (7 fat quarters all vintage in each)     $18.00 each
Also I have one bundle of 30 cut and ready 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 squares             $20.00

30 8 1/2 squares
all vintage

linking to:
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ Best of 2011
http://sistersofthewildwest.blogspot.com/



http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com

Easter Craft -------Not too Shabby!



THIS EASTER TOPIARY I made was in the " Woman's Day" Magazine for the month of April with instructions,  I loved it, and had to try



I have to tell you, I have not bought a Woman's Day Magazine in a long time and if it was not for the long line at the grocery store check out,  I would not have thumbed through magazines.    Inspiration comes at the oddest times!  I had to buy this issue and quite happy with my Easter Center piece for the Dining Table.

I will give you a few tips that I learned the hard way.

1. Hot glue the eggs on the Styrofoam cone first, then apply grass! 
2. When using adhesive spray don't mix drinking wine and working in an unventilated area!!
3. Keep all Kitty's out of the project area!!
4. I cut odd shape pieces of Easter Wrapping Tissue and it worked just fine instead of the trillions of small diamond shapes they give for directions.

If I can be of any help please let me know, and I would love to see how your Topiary came out!
HAPPY EASTER!