30 Days of Creative Practice Day 5 Flowers

My flowers creative practice started with an idea that didn't quite work out. But, that is ok and part of the practicing creativity--changing one idea into another and problem solving.

I started with a light colored, pine, new cutting board from the thrift store. 

I wanted to try flower pounding to stain the back of the cutting board. I have seen it done on fabric, but not wood. I don't have many perennials blooming yet, but grabbed some annuals, laid them out, covered them with a towel and started pounding.

I am not sure if it was the wood or the flowers used, but I got some faint color blobs that looked like I had been cutting up colorful fruit on the cutting board. 

Hmm, now what to do? I decided to add some watered down paint to make the blobs look more like flowers.

The lavender and African violets worked well. The red petunias okay and the iris left mostly a yellow stain. After the paint was dry, I taped on the cutting side of the cutting board letting the tape overlap the edges.

This tape job allowed me to clear cut the front flowers without getting it on the food side of the cutting board. I used coconut oil on the cutting side to help protect the food.

This cutting board adds a touch of summer to my cutting boards hanging on the cupboard side of my fridge.

And here it is styled with a little cheese, although yes, it is just styled because the flower side is not the cutting side.

Here are the upcoming words for the Creativity Practice 3o Day Challenge and if you have no idea what I am talking about, see this POST HERE.

June 6th: METAL

June 7th:  LIGHT

June 8th: MUSIC

30 Days of Creative Practice Day 4 Time

Ok, so I am a day late on sharing my TIME creative practice project--that is because I ran out of time yesterday. I am not going to do a blog post for every project, but I am sharing them on my facebook and instagram pages. For opposites I chose sweet and sour and used photography as my art medium.

For the word TIME for Day 4 I wanted to create something around a quote I had recently heard: "Time flies, but we are the pilots." I started with a small thrifted clock and a foam airplane from the dollar store.

A little paint and hot glue and I had a fun a and playful representation of TIME FLIES.

I spray painted the plane a mossy green color. I then used Antique Gold Rub-n-Buff on it to make it look like a brass airplane model.

The little flower spots on the foam plane gave it extra texture. I took apart the clock and hot glued the face to the clock front piece. I cut a propeller out of a plastic lid and used the gold Rub-n-Buff on it. I glued the head of a brass brad to the middle and hot glued the propeller to the clock front and then glued the clock to the nose of the plane.

I used the gold on a dowel piece and simply poked it into the foam plane.

I cut a small wood block, drilled a hole in it, and inserted the dowel into the block.

It's a fun piece that I think most people will get after they look at it for a minute or two.

It's a great shelf display piece and looks good sitting among a few of my antique alarm clocks. 

Today's word is FLOWER and I will be showing that on Facebook. 

June 6th: METAL

June 7th: LIGHT

June 8th: MUSIC

30 Days Of Creative Practice Day 2 Breakfast

I am having fun (so far) with my self-imposed, thirty day, practicing creativity challenge. Today's word is BREAKFAST. What I am learning so far is that one word can sure conjure up a lot of ideas, which I love and is hopefully one of the outcomes--the ability to think of LOTS of different ideas. 

For today's challenge I started with this Norwegian wood tray that honestly, I have had for years. The saying on it means, "Here you go".  My idea was to paint breakfast on the wood tray in a cartoon style rather than a tromp l'oeil style.

After painting the wood tray blue, I chalked out a design and then painted it white.

I then played with colors and shading, painting in an exaggerated manner.

I finished the piece with a heavy coat of Minwax Polyacrylic. This piece would be great hanging on a wall or use it to serve up croissants or pastries. It also would be playful sitting on a dining room table that is often used.

If you want to read more about the creativity challenge go to THIS blog post.

 The word for June 3rd is OPPOSITE, June 4th is TIME, and JUNE 5th is FLOWERS.

30 Days of Creative Practice Day 1 Rain

I have challenged myself and you to create for 30 days. Each day I am choosing a word and creating something around that word. The goal is to play, experiment, think outside of the box. See details in the post below if you want to play along. 

The first word I chose was RAIN. I decided to play with freeform embroidery. I have not embroidered for years and wanted to try it again.

I started with a chunky frame from the thrift store, a box of embroidery floss (that my daughter used in HS for friendship bracelets) and a piece of muslin.

I sketched a quick idea of what I wanted the embroidered art to look like.

I chose a variety of golds and yellows because I wanted to play with unconventional rain colors. One thing I remember from my embroidery and stitching days is that keeping your canvas or fabric tight in an embroidery hoop is crucial.

I traced around the frame back or insert to know my parameters, but did not draw the rain design on the fabric--I just went for it and started stitching.

I like the ombre effect I created with the different shades of floss.

I framed the embroidery and propped it on my windowsill alongside a vintage, chalkware, mushroom piece that shares the same color scheme of the rain embroidery. Plus, rain helps mushrooms so I liked the two pieces together.

I didn't think too much about the design of this embroidery art, but just went for it. It took me about 90 minutes of work, start to finish. I enjoyed working with a medium that I don't typically play with.

The word for June 2nd is BREAKFAST and June 3rd's word is OPPOSITE. Ley me know if you are playing along!

30 Days of Creative Practice

I have decide to challenge myself to "practice" creativity for 30 days. I believe EVERYONE is creative, just in different ways. Some people are creative with a paintbrush, others a pen, while others with a computer. People use creativity when they problem solve, or work with numbers, or invent something. I also believe we can expand and enhance or creative brains if we regularly practice it, thus the idea for this challenge. 

Each day I will choose a word to create around. I will share the words a day or two ahead of time. 

The first word is RAIN.

Brainstorm, have fun, PLAY!

Perfection is not the goal, stretching and building our creative thinking muscle is.

I will be sharing my creations daily. If you are playing along, share with me! I am aiming for 30 consecutive days, but I may skip a day here and there.

Spiral Italian Library Steps

Attending yard and garage sales can certainly be an adventure. You never know where you might be digging for treasures or what you might find. When a community garage sale was recently listed in a local area known for being, well shall I say "anti-government", I was intrigued. However, there was no way I was going to attend solely so I convinced hubby to go with me. It turned out not to be much of a sale at all, but rather a few people selling some things in an open field. I did get a free table or bench base (I will share that soon) and this piece for $5.

I bought this piece thinking that it was a plant stand or that it could be used as a plant stand. My daughter has 150+ plants and I thought she might like it. 

But, after doing a Google visual search I discovered my $5 buy was quite a find.

It is stamped made in Italy. It is vintage, but not an antique. I can't find reproductions currently selling on Wayfair or Amazon. Now, I know I couldn't sell it for these prices, I know the prices listed online are often unrealistic. In the antique business we say something is worth what someone is willing to pay. But, I do think I found something special. I was willing to pay $5 for it and I I think I did fairly well with this purchase. 

Oh, and dear daughter is not getting it as of now because I have a library and the perfect place for this spiral step ladder.

I've been sharing our lofted library lately as I've been working to restyle it. This narrow area is on the right side of the library with the steps to the lofted space below this narrow space.

After cleaning up the wood, spiral steps with Wise Owl Furniture Salve (buy it HERE), I decided this corner was the perfect spot for these steps. We are a tall family (I am the shortest at 5'9") so we really don't need a boost to reach the top bookshelf, but shorter friends and family might.

These steps provided the perfect spot for a little styling so of course I had to add a few fun, thrifted finds. 

The plants were sitting on a chippy. wood bench sitting in front of the window. the bench got moved to the sunroom and I set the small spider plant on the top shelf. I few small books are held against the pole and the planter. A vintage crewel of a bird sits on the outside of the next step.

A couple brass swans (geese?) sit on the inside of another step.

The other plant that was sitting on the bench now sits on a thrifted brass plant stand roller. My sons ukuleles--one purchased, one he made, and couple vintage children's books sit in the window now.

I must say, when I looked up this item I couldn't really believe the prices I was seeing. Did I really just pay only $5 for this I wondered. But, as my friend Tina said, maybe it was meant to be as not too many people have libraries in their homes. Happy adventuring!

Have Fun with Farmhouse Furnishings

When you hear farmhouse decor do you think white, and more white, maybe some cream with brown or wood touches, and black lettering and edges? This style of farmhouse decor became very popular in 2012. Farmhouses are a classic and will never go out of style, however all white home interiors hit the trail out of town a few years ago. I don't want to offend anyone (or at least not too many folks). If you love an all white home and you find it soothing and relaxing, carry on.

 But, if you are still decorating your house that way because you are clinging to an outdated farmhouse look, I urge you to update your space and to have a little fun with it. Add color, modern farmhouse style definitely includes many different colors. Look outside to nature, see all of the amazing color combinations and choices. Unless the dead of winter with its white snow and white skies and brown, bare branches warms your heart and inspires you, include some color in your home. Mix and match styles of furniture and decorative items. Simply play and don't take yourself too seriously.

I recently purchased this very classic, enamel topped kitchen work table from a thrift store. The top is in excellent condition and the table is very sturdy. But, the cream colored legs and apron with the white top were a very classic yawn fest that I could not keep as is. A sunny, bright yellow gave this farmhouse table a fresh and mood-lifting update. I also added an old, oversized, black knob to the drawer for a new and fresh look.

This little table is perfect for small spaced dining. 

I set a fun tablescape with thrifted, mix and match dishes and items.

I love these thrifted, vintage dinner plates.

Food doesn't have to be homemade or fancy when you serve it up on a cute and happy table.

This work table also makes a great desk and work space. 

I styled it with thrifted finds--a bright yellow lamp, floral art, a cigar box to hold pens. 

Surround yourself with items that inspire you and your work.

If you ask a child what is their favorite color or which color makes them feel good and happy, fewer than 1% will say white. Take a risk my neutral loving friends and invite some color into your home spaces. Sit with it for awhile and see how it feels. Look to nature for inspiration--what is your favorite flower, tree, rock?