Taking the old and making it new.

There is nothing like a sweet transformation!

Ok how is it going in your life ?  I know a couple of you were inspired by one of my recent posts to give your home a little love.   Have you been able to do just that.... Take the time to give your home some TLC?   I am still working in my kitchen.

I am reporting that the Kitchen clean up  from this post  http://thegirlfriendgap.blogspot.com/2015/05/spring-farmhouse-style.html is still creating a lot of happy in me.  Since that post now the right side of the counter has a new summertime smile simply by using things I already had and  a little creativity.  

This is a lid from a broken basket

 that had been tossed a few years ago.

Of course.....

The junk master here kept the lid because you 

know it was too good to throw away.

It has been waiting for just the right project. 

I was inspired by a similar little nick-nac on the wall at the 

The Nester's barn . 

so I had a little craft time one morning. 

With  small amount of effort the flip side of the lid has been

transformed to this lovely little Ampersand. 

 I drew the shape free hand on paper first.

Cut out the shape.

 Then traced around the shape with a pencil

and used a paint marker to fill it in. 

Beautiful!

I am using it to cover this outlet that is not so beautiful.

Now experimenting with what to add to it. 

A little pot of moss?

Courtesy of the north side of my house. 

Maybe a little pot of  Basil?

Part of my Mother's Day gift. 

Which will need some outside sunshine time

 as my kitchen is on the north side of the house

I'm weighing the option here of whether this will work.

Worth a try I think....  It smells delightful.  

Maybe A little Strawberry Rhubarb American Pie ?

For now,  I think I'm going with the basil and the cutie pie.

Once again just using what I have to create some beauty in my home. 

At the moment it is not a designer kitchen. 

I'm not trying to fool anyone here,

but for now it works for me.

Farmhouse Style is easy living. 

I have been such a good girl keeping it clean :) 

All because I took some time to make a pretty space.

Yum yum in the kitchen.  I love that. 

Read about the old gate here

I have also finished piecing my Smokey Mountain Star quilt top. 

Free pattern from Bonnie Hunter found here.

Made using some of my husbands old shirts

 along with some thrifted shirts. 

inspiration found here

I added 4 extra rows to the pattern so it will be twin size. 

 I just need to figure out some borders. 

Still not absolutely in love with it but it feels good to be this far. 

I think adding some borders will help the love factor  :)  

And lastly I'm sharing my treasure I found at the thrift store last week.

Orange Creamsicle Summertime Star. 

$28  Really !

After a good long soak in the tub it is loved once again. 

It was badly stained  I'm sure that is why it was only $28

.... but most of it has come out : )  

I'm sure my method of cleaning an old quilt was not

the recommended method but 

it is clean enough to use now without being grossed out.

Too bad I don't have a hammock to enjoy it with. 

It might be seeing a little lazy day summer time 

 reading books with the grandchildren. 

Love the home you have.

because it is your dream home.

Janita

Linking up to 

http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.-upcycled-link-party

September smiles ..... Beauty takes time.

For what ever it is worth I am going to go through the process

 of what it takes for me to create a home that makes me happy. 

FIRST...

I head to the basement and pull up my tote(s) of Fall things.

Then I begin to arrange and rearrange.

It may seem effortless

 to just show you one picture of the finished space

Lets talk REALITY here..... 

It may take days or weeks to put the space together....

It is a process of 

arranging.....

and

Rearranging....

walking away.....

Coming home and walking by....

Sleeping on it....

Asking my girls what they think of the space...

Life is not fancy here....

But I want it to feel special.

This picture is Take #1

It is pretty but it doesn't make my heart sing.

Not loving the clock on the plate so much.

I start to ask, ok what do I love about the space?

I love the little pumpkins on the plate.

What seems to be to much? 

Though I always love a candle by the front door.... 

I have two in this space.

I love the wire pumpkin but it seems to be too much here.

You can  see through it but it still seems too big and too much.

You never know unless you try it.

So let the rearranging begin.

I know I am dating myself here....

The Yankee candle shade and plate are old.

But I love bittersweet.... So I'm keeping it :) 

I think this candle works better in this space.

Now that I have moved the candle.....

 I need something for the basket plates

Feeling like I want a little more orange to tie in the orange table runner.

I just happen to have an orange sweater....

Picked it up last year for a project that never happened

Perfect project for a rainy day....

And I know the plans I have for you:)

Hello Sweater Pumpkin :)

tutorial can be found here

More sweater pumpkin love here

Looking yummy....

but still don't have a good feeling for the two similar shapes of the 

gum ball machine and the Yankee candle lamp.

Little Putka Pods  come down off the picnic basket.

Love in a bowl. 

I like the texture of the sticks and the little pumpkins together.

I like something that smells good to welcome me

when I don't have a candle burning.

The wind up clock from my husbands 

childhood has been moved up.

Feeling a little too much shine.... 

need  to take something shiny away.

The wind up clock has been moved back down.

Did I tell you it is a process of rearranging :)

Still not feeling the two tall skinny shapes and

because you never know unless you try it .... 

I replaced one tall skinny shape with another.

Yes I really did think the pineapple might be kind of fun.

Because I like the unexpected to show up now and then. 

It was a NO.

This is how it stands.......  

Until the end of Fall or until

I get another creative light flash in my brain :)

Then again Real Mini Pumpkins in the house

 could change everything.

Welcome Home!

I love the homemade touch.... Fall Quilt I made

I love Creativity.....Sweater turned Pumpkin

I love Memorabilia..  Old Clock

I love White Plates:)

I'll take a picnic any season.

I love Sticks!

I love Layers of YUM!

Hope your house has a smile in it this season :)

Reading the "Nesting Place" right now. It doesn't have to be Perfect to be Beautiful

you can be encouraged here to live a beautiful life herehttp://www.thenester.com

A special welcome to all of you who are visiting from the Quilting Gallery.

Hope you will follow along by way of email. 

Janita

Sewing Sewing Sewing.... Love...Love...Love...

what ever it might take to get my daughters to catch the sewing bug i'm all for it!

I had almost given up having a daughter that would enjoy sewing  but hope has returned!

Ariann (oldest daughter) needed some help with a "little" project.

The wheels started turning after she saw  this, and this

She wanted to take some 

"un- loved" sweaters  from the good will store

and work some  sweet-love back into them.

So with a combined craftyness of mother and daughter and  day at the sewing machine

here are our new little loves that have now been passed on to create more love.



Three little pillow pals made to be donated to a charity fund raiser



wee little lamb with  floppy felted wool ears and tail
I wanted to keep him.




miss piggy  has a knotted tail and playful ears



Each one we make makes us a bit more giddy !

                                    


Alphabet pillow with felt letters and buttons


Emmy received our practice hippo (not pictured  here) and she loved her !
She named her Tulip!  Isn't that sweet .
I wonder where she came up with that!

She felt so lucky that her mommy made something just for her!
And  she gave her a great Big thank you with a Hug!
That ought to keep the sewing bug alive :o)


We didn't get a lot of time to love on those sweet  little treasures before we passed them on
I Miss them!

But we still have a whole basket of sweaters!
 I think that means we will be making some more!
they really were so cute .

TIPS:
Iron on  light  weight  fusible interfacing to back side of sweater
Shorten stitch length and raw edge applique faces on with ears under face
We added ears and tails for little fingers to play with
Cut pattern out of freezer paper and iron on to interfacing side of sweater
Cut a rectangle around pattern with some margin around pattern
Sew around pattern piece using freezer paper as your guide
Remember to leave an opening for turning inside out
Cut  around pattern ONLY after sewing around pattern is complete beause it makes life so much easier!

We went to bed that night with smiles on our faces.
My girls may or may not learn to enjoy sewing but I love it that they are trying to be creative.
It is a blessing .... a reflection of the One who created us!

Do you have a craft buddy?
It is a very good thing to have   :o)

 It felt good to be a blessing to someone in need.
It does the body good to Love One Another!

Sweet dreams!
Janita