Happy Happy Friday---Just finished up 3 fun projects and I am now admiring the results

I am happy to report that I took the day off.  I have patient boards this weekend and I didn't want to go into things too overwhelmed sooooo today I crafted and had such a nice time finishing some ongoing projects and even coming up with some new ideas...Hopefully this blog post isn't too overwhelming (3 projects in one post might be too much)!  And if you think about it, any thoughts or prayers on Sunday would be SO SO SO welcome, hopefully things will go wonderfully and I will be only 7 short weeks for being a real live dentist---ahhh what a LOT of work!

On to the fun stuff!  

Project #1 Up-cycled old frame:

Here is the result!

And here is how I got there:

I started with a very old and amazingly intracitly carved wooden GOLD frame (which was hard to tell when I found it because it was SO covered in dust and grime!)  

After some TLC and some white paint the frame really became a fun decoration....  I like the empty frame look but I decided to add to this one.

Step 1-go to home depot and have helpful guys cut me a board that fits in the frame

Step 2-cut some fabric slightly larger than the board (I ironed the fabric once it was cut)

Step 3-pick images that you love-I got my from the graphic fairy and print them on your laser printer or copy them....(I don't want to go into how to do the transferring too much since I already did a post on it this week---click here if you want to see my technique!)

Step 4-have fun transfering

Step 5 wrap the fabric around the board and secure (I was real fancy and used tape).  

I thought about being done at this point, but I have these cute skeleton keys that I am in love with but not sure what to do with that I found at TJ Maxx a few weeks ago sooo I added a small piece of scrapbook paper behind them (secured with pins) and hung them with a pretty ribbon

I must say this defiantly turned the dirty frame into a fun decoration-mission accomplished :o)

Project #2 Up-cycled shutters:

Here is the result! 

And here is how I got there:

I found these unfinished little shutters at a thrift store for $.50 each, I have seen them all over antique shops for a lot more than that and most of them were a bit larger than I was wishing for sooo I was excited to have found these

Step 1-I painted these green first as my base coat of paint

Step 2-I painted my second coat in a seafoam color by Martha (I have found it less expensive to buy tester paint samples from home depot for crafty purposes rather than the acrylic paints that craft stores sell)

Step 3-distress!  I LOVE this part!  Just get out the most gritty sand paper you have and have some fun!  I did some lighter distressing as well because I wanted some of the green base color to come through.

Step 3-attach vintage apothecary jar, I did this by using jewelry making wire and clamps but if you don't have that regular wire would also work

 Fun and spring like-I would really love to pick flowers and put them in the little jar this spring---sigh---hurry up spring!!!

Project #3 Empty ikea frames to white board lists:

Here is the result!

And here is how I got there:

So I have aproximately 1 million ikea frames all in a light oak color....I am so so so over light oak so they now sit in a Good-Will-Bound-Pile-O-Junk butt I was inspired by this web page ahhh-design.com , and all of her free downloads so I decided to revamp my frames!  

Step 1-I started with a few coats of gray-ish white paint

Step 2-I cut my scrapbook paper to printer paper size and then picked my graphic and printed them right on the paper.

Step 3-(I know you probibly don't need instructions for this but hey I am on a roll) pick and cut your matte paper

Step 4 assemble and get list making!

Super cute and functional-now that is right up my ally!