Spring Fever!!!

I has it!!!  I like winter and cold weather(ok-stop throwing snowballs at me) but I am officially DONE after a week where we got 5+ FEET of snow. It's still cold, dreary and spitting snow showers.

I'm itching to redecorate the house. I'm bored with everything. It's time for a change. What? YOU don't redecorate your house for the different seasons? SLACKER!! No, I'm probably the insane one, but I do redecorate for the seasons. Spring and Fall are major changeovers- with smaller (well except the extravaganza that is Christmas at The Stone Fence Cottage) tweaking for Summer and Winter/January.

I am so looking forward to lighter and brighter colors and less clutter. My Fall/Winter decor tends to be more "cluttered" and layered for a cozy feeling. I find putting some of my "stuff" away for a bit helps me appreciate more. When I unpack it it's like getting all new stuff!! And thank God for Rubbermaid totes to keep all this stuff organized. As the pictures of my "Craft Palace" show--I do love me my organization.

I unpacked my spring container this weekend to refresh my mind what was in it. I forgot I had some of the things in there. There were a few things that I decided didn't fit with my decor so they went in the yard-sale box. I decided I needed a few more spring flowers to refresh some that have gotten mangy through the years. Kinda planned where the stuff was going to go. I'm always searching out stuff at yard sales/thrifts so I added the new things to the stash.  I SERIOUSLY do not need any more but you know how it is when you see it for a STEAL!!!  Now I'm picking up things for my daughter-because she loves to redecorate too. (I trained her well...LOLOL)

I won't even discuss in this posting how I'm itching to get in the GARDEN. Those seed catalogs are like porn!!

Anyone else redecorate seasonally??

Love,
Tamera @ The Stone Fence Cottage (The snow has melted enough I can see the top of the stone fence!)

I'm a Hooker

Not THAT kind of hooker-get your minds out of the gutter!  I'm a RUG hooker. I got "hooked" on primitive rug-hooking about 10+ years ago. I enjoy scavenging for 100% wool clothing at the thrifts to recycle. Rug hooking is eco-friendly!!!

I recently taught myself how to Rug Punch-using yarn. It's very similar to needle-punching but on a larger scale. After ripping it out more times then I care to mention, it started to go pretty easily. I use a variety of wool and acrylic yarns-I look more for the color. I got the punch needle at Joanns-I'm going to invest in a nice Oxford punch needle later.
Here's my first finished project- a table/chair mat.

I drew the circle using a large bowl! The design is one I adapted from a picture of an appliqued quilt--it's pomegrantes. Below is a picture of it's new home:

It's on a table I made from a crock that used to belong to my great-great grandmother. The top is an old lazy susan I picked up at a yard sale. It fit perfectly!!! The little chair was a thrift store find for $3. It's hand-painted with a figure in the style of the folk artist Peter Ompir.

This is a locker-hooked pillow I made from a kit. I LOVE locker hooking-very similar to primitive rug hooking but with fabric!! It's super easy! I'm working on another locker hooked project I'll share below:

Since locker-hooking works off a grid pattern very similar to cross-stitch-I thought why not adapt a cross stitch pattern to hook. This pattern of the bunny was picked up at a thrift for 50 cents. I decided to make my bunny as a figure like the one pictured on the left.

The first thing I did was photo-copy the pattern as original and mirror image. I then marked out the grid pattern in pink like the grid pattern on the locker hooking fabric--10 squares per grid. I'm using the smaller squares fabric-it comes in a larger scale-which I used for the pillow.

I transferred the pattern to the fabric using colored sharpies so I wouldn't get confused-well at least not more then I usually am. I repeated for the mirror image.

I cut my fabric into 3/4 inch strips using a mat & rotary cutter. If I had used a one-sided fabric I would have cut them 1 1/2 inches wide and folded them in half. Yardage wise--I just guesstimated. I want to have more then I need -I'll save the left-over strips for another project.

You basically hook just like you do with wool-except in rows. The difference is, you keep a few loops on the hook and then pull the string through them-locking them in. Once you get the rhythm it goes really fast. I keep the un-hooked portions rolled up and secured with chip-clips!

If you're looking for an easy introduction to rug-hooking-try locker hooking!! I'll post updates as I progress on this project!!

Hooking Away!!!

Tamera

Makeover Monday!!!

It's Makeover Monday at The Stone Fence Cottage!!! Today I'm going to share re-done 70's era Home Interiors pictures. I'm sure you all are familiar with Home interiors--I used to have a ton of their stuff in the 80's. You can still pick it up cheap at thrift stores (but why would you???)

Anyone remember this Home Interiors picture- looked like windows with pictures of farm stuff and pumpkins in a rustic frame?  It was a fairly large square picture-no glass. The picture itself was smooth. You can find this at thrifts and yard sales cheap!! Often it's faded to a lovely pinkish and aqua blue.

These make the most AWESOME canvas's to paint on-sturdy, frame removes easily. I try to snatch them up when I see them and have recommended them to other artists-one friend used it as the base for a collage.

Here are some pictures I've painted on these(please excuse the flash!):

This painting was inspired by one I saw in The Country House catalog that was EXPENSIVE!!! It hangs over our bed. It's hard to tell but the background is a crackled sage green and the doily is a real one I decoupaged on. I just cleaned the frame up on this one.

For this one I painted the frame black and distressed it. the painting is from a painting book by the folk artist John Sliney--LOVE him. He does lot's of saltbox houses. If you enjoy folk art painting check him out!! This was originally supposed to be done on an old wooden ironing board so I adapted it. This hangs in my living room.

This hangs on my front porch. It's from a pattern book that I for the life of me can not find at the moment!

I changed it up a bit and made the background in a crackled finish. There are old square nails along the bottom to hang stuff on (come spring). It hangs over this old shelf I got for a $1 at an auction years ago. It's chippy and rustic, I keep some of my bean pots and such on it. I have an old soda crate with mason jars, some re-done wooden bowls and other old bowls in it. The wooden house I found at the Goodwill for $3. It had some candy-canes and gingerbread men on it (christmasy) that I took off. I want to add a star in the bare space at the top and maybe wrap it in some grapevine wreath and lights.

Now what to do with some of that other Home Interiors stuff I see is a challenge!  Anyone remember the picture of the deer head? Or the burnt metal geese and leaves?? I'm thinking the leaves might look good painted black.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tamera

Inspirational thought for the day:

God is more powerful than any of your worries!!

Confessions of a serial crafter.

I admit it. I'm a serial crafter and I need a 12-step program. It's sad when you know the layout and inventory of your local craft stores better then the employees. You know you have a problem when you have enough stuff in your stash to STOCK a craft store...or two. You need an intervention.

I've been "making" stuff as long as I can remember. I'd fashion little houses out of leaves and sticks, make dolls out of clothespins and paper. I learned to crochet from a neighbor lady at 6 and learned handsewing at age 4. We had another neighbor who was an artist who encouraged me (painting on velvet...macrame-it WAS the 70's!!) I've always been "artsy". (Is that code for flaky???)

I'm often asked what kind of crafts do I do now. It would be easier to tell you what I DON'T do. I think I've tried almost everything at one time or another. I definitely have C-ADD---crafter attention deficet disorder. I'm always-OOOOOO shiny new craft stuff at the store!!

I don't knit. I love yarn. I have knitting needles. I made a scarf- well, I STARTED a scarf. For some reason I am just spazzy about it. I do, however, crochet. anyone remember those Granny square vests popular in the early 70's?? I made several of them.

I don't scrapbook--but I've got a TON of paper and stuff. I rubberstamp and used to do altered art/books, collage and assemblage. I still LOVE old emphemera and vintage paper. I just need to stop collecting (um...hoarding) it and use the stuff. I recently went through my stash and passed a TON of stuff to a dear friend. I also set my daughter up with rubber stamps and all the things she needed. And I still have a ridiculous amount of rubberstamps, paper and things.

Let's see-had a jewelry making phase and was into polymer clay for a while. Oh yeah, candlemaking, floral arranging, basket-making.

And then there was art-doll making, candle-wicking, cross-stitch, needlepoint, crewel, plastic canvas.
I made soap from scratch for a while, tole painting, acrylic painting, oil painting, watercolors, charcoaols
& pastels. It hasn't helped that I am an art major and was exposed to all kinds of techniques.

Currently I'm into primitive rug hooking, punch needle rug hooking, primitive cross-stitch, quilting, locker-hooking (LOVE), vintage needlework (remember those days of the week dishtowels and such?),
repurposing thrift store finds, paper mache, and sewing of all kinds. I just read this and I need a nap!!

And to top it off I've been collecting old craft patterns and books for some new inspiration. Ever heard of Chicken Scratch embroidery?  It's a vintage style and evidently it was briefly popular againin the early 80's. Watch for a later post detailing this.

I guess I've taken to heart the old proverb (my ggreat-grandmother used to say this)  "Idle hands are the devil's playground". I like to keep busy in the evenings. It keeps me from EATING-which is a good thing!!!

Any other serial crafters out there??? Stand up and be counted!!!

Tamera

Trash to treasures in my kitchen

Hello all!! Since the last few days have had me spending quality time in my bathroom,  I thought I would share some pictures of my kitchen.

I've been wanting a dough board for my stove. I found this at the TS for $2!! I think it's actually a lap tray of some sort but with a bit of paint and sanding it became the perfect dough board. I found the little round cutting board and the wooden bowl at the TS for $1 EACH!!

This is a 50 cent bread box I primmed up. Yep-my counters are a dark green! I actually like them..they go with anything.

Little shelf I found that hangs over my stove. The saltware with the blue was a QUARTER!! On the back it says something about loving auctions 2004.  Turn it to the back-no problemo!!

My utensil holder--It's actually a cd holder I got for a quarter. Cleaned it up, turned it on the side, glued on some stars and Viola!!..More room in my drawers!

Basket lamp I got for 50 cents. It had hideous pink flowers in it so I ditched them and added some pip berries with stars. I found the shade at another TS for $1.  The wallpaper was from the Cracker Barrell Collection---it looks like old handwritten copies of recipes. It's subtle yet interesting.

My cutting board collection-none more then $1. The holder is a $1wall shelf that had this fake stained glass heart thing in it--took that out and it holds the cutting boards!!

Found this cookbook holder at TS for $3--didn't need to do a thing to it except hang a textile on back and accessorize. The doll is a vintage toaster cover that I snagged at a yard sale for 25 cents!!!  I made the stack-box lamp. They were the unfinished ones from the craft store. I first painted them and stenciled them. I then cut a hole in the smallest box lid to fit candle. I then cut holes in the lids and bottoms to feed the cord through. After the cord was through I added a ziplock bag of kitty litter for stability to the large box. I glued the lids on--then glued the stack together. I glued a bit of spanish moss around the opening the candle light comes out of and added a silicon bulb and a berry ring.

This is a view of the top of my refrigerator. We have cathedral ceilings in livingroom, dining room and kitchen so I have space to DECORATE on top of my cabinets. It's where I have my basket collection. The clock on the left is from Burpee's and belonged to my grandfather. I have some of  my collection of brown and cream pottery displayed here. And there is the home of my redone bread box. I found the checkerboard game board at the TS for $1.

This is the top of my pantry. The red tins are made from those popcorn and such tinms you see at the thrift store--I just painted the bottoms red and the tops black. I antiqued them a bit and printed up labels from my graphics program. I wanted something large in this area and saw a bunch of tins similar to this in a magazine that cost the big bucks. Usually the thrift store has these tins for 25 cents to a $1-add the cost of some spraypaint and there you go.

I found this little shelf at the TS for $2- it was missing the door but otherwise was perfect as -is. I display my small  beanpots in it. The candle-light was found at a yard sale for 25 cents. I just added the nest and bird. It's paper mache over one of those dollar store candles. I'm thinking I will have to figure out how to make this and do a tutorial.

I hope you enjoyed the tour!

Tamera

Whatcha workin' on Wednesday???

Unfortunately, I've been working on getting up close and personal with my toilet. Ugh- a stomach virus of some sort has me laid low today. Hung out in the recliner and worked on my rug punchneedle mat--pictures to follow when done!

I thought I would share pictures of my "Craft Palace". Before we moved into this house my space was in the semi-finished walk-up attic and then the semi-finished basement. Now that we are empty-nesters I got a room of my own!!  And as you can see, Stampington is lining me up for the next cover of their "Where Women Create" magazine...NOT!!

This is looking in from the doorway. I utilize lots of those photo boxes to organize my stuff. Yes, I'm slightly OCD!!  The rug I'm now punching is by the sewing machine. Molly the cat is in her box on her stool surveying the snow.

This is another view of my shelves and the closet. Yes, the markers are in color coordinated bins! I try to categorize and corral all the odds & ends in the parts bins. They are great for all those little things you can lose so easily.

This is the wall opposite the sewing machine. I keep my wool, monks cloth, and other hooking stuff in the baskets. The cupboard on the left was given me by my step-mom.It holds all of my fabric (in bins sorted by color-LOL) The little red step stool is a treasure that belonged to my Great-grandmother annie. she passed away in 1994 at the age of 104 1/2. she had it in the kitchen of her little apartment and I have fond memories of her sitting on it next to her sink. The blanket is where my chi's Billy & KaeKae hang out when I'm creating.

This is looking towards the doorway. The shelves came el-cheapo from IKEA. The hoosier cupboard has a porcelain top and came in two separate pieces from 2 different yard sales YEARS ago. They fit together well and I used it for storage at our old house in the kitchen. Now it holds glues and other stuff.

All of my painting stuff is in the basement in my "Craft Palace Annex". I've corralled my magazines and such in magazine holders-- they are great for plastic templates ans such, too.

Hope you enjoyed the tour while you coulkd see the floor...LOLOL

Tamera

Tutorial Tuesday: How NOT to....

.....Recover an old lampshade.  I went thrift shopping with a couple of friends last Friday and snagged a nice old lampshade for $1.50. It had the metal framework and I figured I could use the old panels as templates. I've recovered lampshades before-not the metal frame however, so I thought "How could I screw this up?"  Oh, yeah.   Let me recount the ways.

This is the lampshade-nice structure but the paper panels were shot.

Here's the "nekkid" frame-so far, so good.  What could go wrong?? This is EASY!!!

I planned on using some recycled Waverly valances for the material.

Traced the panels, added 1/4 seam allowance, cut them out and sewed them together. Piece of cake!

Fit it onto the frame. This is where it began to go south.  I decided to use a glue gun to attach the cover to the frame.

I am in glueing hell--burning my fingers and it's LUMPY!!  This is turning into a trainwreck. Blisters and all I soldier on.

To try and hide the craptastic glue job I've done, I decide to make a contrasting bias tape and attach to the top and bottom. Problem solved??  NOT!! I did such a crummy job on the bias tape I decided to add ribbon to hide that edge. The corners were a bit hinky so I glued on buttons. Yeah, big improvement! Note the subtle hint of sarcasm.

The finished product. I absolutely HATE it. I put it on the lamp I intended it for and it looked even worse.  So, I just ripped everything off to the bare frame. I'll do it again..only I've learned not to use the glue gun, among a few other pointers. Oh well, it's not the first project that turned out a disaster--I've learned from them. Mostly how NOT to do a project. Or often an easier way then the one I took.

I always liked what Bob Ross, that painter guy used to say:"There are no mistakes...only happy accidents."

Molly doesn't have opposable thumbs and I think she couldv'e done a better job!!

Hopin' the skin on MY thumbs grows back....

Tamera

x

Everything hurts.....

A bit of a rant.....
The last few days have been a circus of crapitude on the pain front. The elbow I dislocated a few weeks ago has been completely pain-free since the healing a couple of weeks ago. However, it seems like my overall pain level has ramped up.  It feels like fire-ants are crawling all over me, charlie-horses everywhere, nasty headaches,  and my coordination/clumsiness level is ridiculous. I mean, I have an electric toothbrush to make it easier for me to brush my teeth (grip problems). NOW I'm having trouble turning the stupid thing on. I spent 10 minutes trying to take a lid off one of those zip-lock containers only to finally BREAK it.

Since the Fibromyalgia came along I've learned-sometimes the hard way-how to manage the pain and make the adjustments I need to get along in day to day life. The rheumatologist keeps harping on my going on "pain management therapy" which essentially means taking vicodin every day. Not gonna happen-I refuse to take any pain meds stronger then aleve or such. Don't want to go there. I've been on amitryptolin-worked for a bit but then stopped working. I gained 20 lbs-not cool. Tried Lyrica for 60 days- and gained 25 lbs with no lessening of pain levels.  Next was Cymbalta...the pain didn't ease but I just didn't care-- made me kinda emotionally "numb".

Most of the time you'd never know how I'm feeling...I don't say much about it and just go about my life.  If anything, this has taught me alot about patience and what's really important in life. I don't take anything for granted anymore. Some days I struggle to take a shower and comb my hair.  The corporate rat-race is so far beyond me now. 

The pain can not define me, it can not destroy me, and it can not deter me.

I'm gonna need some Depends......

I love thrift shops, yard sales, flea markets, and auctions. I love the thrill of the hunt, picking through the junk to find the treasures and the possibilities. I know and frequent weekly every Goodwill, Salvation Army, and random thrift store in the Frederick/Hagerstown MD area.  I am itching for yard sale season to begin!!!  The hubster thinks I am crazy and his rule is...if you can't get it in you car you can't have it. You would be AMAZED what you can stuff in a Plymouth Neon!!

Occasionally in my travels I will stumble across an item that causes a PMP moment. What is a PMP moment you ask???  PMP stands for Pee My Pants-hence the need for Depends. That moment when you unearth an item that you can not BELIEVE is in the thrift shop for THAT price!!!

Let me share a couple of my recent PMP finds.

This is a picture of a woven blanket/throw I snagged at the Goodwill for $3.00!!  It's commemorating the 135th anniversary of the Civil War battle of  Antietam. For you history buffs out there, Antietam still stands today as the bloodiest one day battle in American history. The 150th anniversary will be in 2012. The Union's defeat of the Confederate Army led to Abraham Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves. It was also where Clara Barton, who later founded the Red Cross, started to minister to the casualties on the battlefield.  A very pivotal and important battle. This took place in the small Western Maryland town of Sharpsburg, where I happen to live.  The throw is in perfect condition!!!  I unrolled it and it was PMP time!!

This is a reproduction woven blanket I scored at the Salvation Army for $3.00. I have seen these in catalogs for $150. Pulled it off the shelf, unrolled it, almost PMP and it was MINE!!

This is a framed print by the folk artist Warren Kimble. I spotted it hanging on the wall at the Salvation Army. I usually don't pay any attention to framed pictures at thrift stores unless I'm hunting for frames because most of the time they are ugly or old home interiors stuff. Not my thang at all.  I pulled it down, trembling when I saw Warren Kimble's name on it. And it was framed really, really nice.  I turned it over and saw the $5.00. Had to look twice to make sure it wasn't $50--which would've been a bargain. I've seen his framed prints go for $100 plus bucks. Checked again,  nope, it was $5!! Now it's hanging in my guest bathroom.

You just never know what you are gonna find. One man's trash is another man's treasure!!

Whatcha doin' Wednesday?

Aside from watching it snow AGAIN today......I've been spending my snow-days refinishing and restoring an old trunk.  My great-great grandfather made this as a wedding gift for my great-great grandmother around 1868 in montgomery county, MD.  It sat in our basement when I was growing up. My mom gave it to me when she moved into her condo 10 years ago and I finally decided to do something with it.

The old shellac finish  was literally almost black. Structurally it was in really good shape.
First thing was to spread a coat of citrus stripper on it (LOVE this stuff). It took about 1/2 hour to bubble the old finish up. Then it was scrape, scrape, scrape and more scrape. Talk about GROSS. The old finish was like sticky tar or chewing tobacco.  After I got it all off, I wiped it down and sanded it.

The wood is somewhat distressed--it appears to be wormy chestnut or walnut-the wood is naturally dark. I finished it with a good rubbing (2 coats) of tung oil.

It's now in a place of honor in my dining room holding my placemats and tablecloths.