Pizza Peel #2

I just finished this second pizza peel for Chartreuse Spring Market Days (15-17 April).

I started with this dirty rough pizza peel.  The peel was covered with baking soot. I wiped it down with bleach water to get most of it off the peel.  I weighted the board down so as it dried it would not warp.

I used the Typography Coffee Sign from The Graphics Fairy.  I used the enlargement method to get the sign big enough for my project.  The Graphics Fairy has a section on the different ways you can transfer her free graphics.  Her graphics and information are invaluable!

After enlarging the image, I taped it onto the pizza peel:

I then used a pen and pressed hard onto the paper to outline the lettering. (It's a big graphic, I had to bandage my thumb from the blister forming <hint>)

I peeled back the paper and used chalk to help see the outline from the pen markings:

After I finished tracing the sign I used chalk all over to highlight the graphics:

I used a pencil to trace over the pen engraving; then filled in the letters with a black sharpie.  I wiped down the peel with a sponge to get rid of the chalk.  After it dried, I used a rough grit sand paper to "age" the graphic.  I finished with rubbing lemon oil all over the pizza peel.

Et voila...finis!

Decoupaged Pumpkin

I love, love, love Pinterest!

Saw some decoupaged pumpkins and this is my version:

I painted a dollar store pumpkin and some faux leaves ASCP white. Tore up my old English Lit book; cut up some left over burlap ribbon; gathered some sticks and small branches from the yard. I soaked the pages in watered down coffee, then let them dry; tore the pages into small strips, dipped them in mod podge/water mixture and placed the strips all over the pumpkin...making sure to overlap the strips.  While the pumpkin was drying, I cut up pieces of the branch for the pumpkin stem; applied Elmers glue to the pieces and leaves then rolled all of them in Martha Stewart glass glitter.  Before I assembled everything, I sprayed the pumpkin with Mod Podge sealer.  Then I went to town with a hot glue gun...et finis!

Union Jack Tea Pot

It's now day 4 post-gallbladder surgery (acute pancreatitis), and I am going stir crazy!  I never realized how busy my life is until the brakes have been put on it...and frankly, I am very cranky.  So, I needed a new project.

I am a self-admitted Anglophile.  Gave Mom a list of sundries to bring home (She's on holiday; visiting friends in Woodchester, Oxford and London). I am hoping that William and Kate's baby will be born while Mom is in the UK.....ooooh, to think of all the tacky royal baby souveniers for purchase!

I knew I wanted to do a chubby teapot with the Union Jack flag.  I googled "free teapot template" and found this cute teapot.  I found the Union Jack image on The Graphics Fairy.  I combined the 2 images in Photoshop CS4; then printed the image from home.  I recommend to use a laser printer versus ink jet; less color smearing.  Then again, the smearing worked in "aging" the image.

 Ink jet image:

Cut out:
 

I used a solid side from one of the many veggie crates that I collected from Wegmans. I stained the wood first.

First coat of Mod Podge:

 

Sanded the image to rough it up:
 

Second heavy coat of Mod Podge:

I waxed the dried image with Annie Sloan Clear Wax, then antiqued the plaque with Annie Sloan Dark Wax:

 

Magnolia Box

Hi, I'm Liz, and I can't throw unique containers away....ahhh, so cathartic! 

It's true; I can't throw boxes, containers, etc. that I think I can reuse.  Case in point, this cute little box that held an expensive candle.  

I went to The Graphics Fairy and found this great magnolia image.  I painted the box with ASCP old white, then used Mod Podge to decoupage the box.  Don't know what I'm going to do with it; maybe use it as a hostess gift with some candies, soaps, etc.

Un Franc

I went thrifting last week and picked up a very ugly little stool for $4.  

So, I went to The Graphics Fairy and found this 1 franc image:

I used this great transfer paper (Lesley Riley's TAP Transfer Artist Paper) and after printing it on the paper, I followed the directions and ironed the image onto some burlap.  Amazon had the best price.


Now to take this thing apart:

Off with the first layer of fabric:

And another layer!

And another layer!!

Finally, foam:

Too nasty to keep; so, I removed the foam and used batting and adhesive spray:

               (That's Josie wearing her "Cone of Shame")

The board is underneath all that fluff!

(That's Luke...soaking wet)

Et Finis! 

I used Annie Sloan Old White for the wood; and used clear and dark wax to age the paint.

 Not bad for my first time.  :-)

Keys

When one has a teenager it is not cool for them to have a parent within 50 feet of them and their friends!  So, I have been banished to house whilst they play in the pool.  2 hours later I created this:

Once again, I went to The Graphics Fairy...I think this is starting into an obsession...

<still trying to get a photo of the girls in the pool>

Flower Can

Well, we've gone from excessive heat to monsoon season here in Northern Virginia.  Stuck in the house and refusing to acknowledge the precarious state of the linen closet upstairs, I went back to The Graphics Fairy to check out another printable for a project.

 

This flower can was bright yellow.  With some Annie Sloan old white paint, Mod Podge, sand paper, and Annie Sloan clear wax...Et voila!

Silverware Decoupage Project

My first blog posting...ack!

We had July weather here in Northern Virginia and Brood 2 cicadas are everywhere; perfect reason to stay indoors and try to get creative.

About a month ago, I was in Wegmans and saw a bunch of these veggie crates that were going to be thrown away. So, I started taking one apart; decided to use one of the sides.

I selected a spoon/fork/knife graphic from The Graphics Fairy. This is a fantastic site that I discovered searching through Pinterest.

I cut out the spoon and tried the "citra-solv" method:

epic fail:

so, maybe a sharpie would help?  Nope.

Mod Podge?

Yes!

 Now all 3:

 After the Mod Podge dried, I painted with watered down silver paint to the "silverware":

I then applied Annie Sloan clear wax to the slats/decoupage. Then darkened with Annie Sloan dark wax; then a final layer of clear wax.

Et voila!

I like it vertical; but it looks great horizontal, too. :-)