Christmas Cash Giveaway Event {$1650.00}

CONGRATULATIONS

TAMMY N.

 OUR LUCKY WINNER

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Thanks to some amazing bloggers we were able to come collectively together with a

 CASH PRIZE of $1650.  

Yes, you read it correctly, $1650!   

What could you do with a little extra cash 

this holiday season? 

 Enter our giveaway and good luck. 

Giveaway to run November 1st - November 22nd  with the winner receiving their cash on Black Friday so they can start shopping for the Christmas Holiday.

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Please read the rules of sweepstakes and contests held at Sew Crafty Angel.

Giveaway is open worldwide to participants with a verified PayPal account.

All entries will be verified. In the event an entry can not be verified participant chooses to forfeit that entry and another winner will be chosen.

Winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email.

Giveaway will run from October 31st 11:59 PM CST to November 22nd, 12 AM CST

Any taxes or fees associated with the winnings of this contest are the sole responsibility of the winner according to their county, state and/or country laws.

Prize money to be distributed by Angel Allen from Sew Crafty Angel.

CASH prize is in US Dollars and will not be converted to any foreign currency.

Void where prohibited by law.

Good Luck Everyone!  I'm keeping my finger's crossed that one of my awesome readers wins this.

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Old Violet {The Dining Chairs} Makeover

Remember Old Violet the Vintage Sideboard Makeover and Old Violet's Sidekick the Vintage Dining Table Makeover?  Well I just finished giving her siblings Old Violet {The Dining Chairs} a makeover.  Sadly only four survived after 70 years and they were hanging on for dear life.  Giving these guys some TLC would be an understatement but with determination stubbornness, like Humpty Dumpty, we were able to put them back together again,

Here is what they looked like before. The second chair from the left was missing the stretchers on the bottom so we used some from another chair as our template and rebuilt new ones. Some of the dowel joints had to be replaced and all the dowel joints were re-glued and clamped. The chair on the far right used to be an arm chair by the looks of it. We tightened the corner braces on all four chairs and replaced any stripped screws. Using a mouse sander I stripped the chairs down to the natural wood and then repaired numerous nicks and scratches.

The chairs were painted with three coats of Old White chalk paint and lightly distressed.

The splats were painted in French Linen chalk paint and dark waxed but of course I couldn't stop there.  I wanted to continue the French theme and so I stenciled a Fleur-de-lis on the back of each splat and lightly distressed them.

Wanting to upholster the seats with the same fabric I used to line Old Violet's drawers I went back to Fabricland (two different stores) in search of more of the fabric.  A gal on a mission I spent hours searching through what felt like hundreds of heavy bolts of fabric to find it.  I swear at one point I was ready to strip in the middle of the aisle because I was drenched in menopausal sweat!  After all that work there wasn't a metre to be had at either store.

I was doing the happy dance when I came across a bolt of this gorgeous striped fabric with colors that matched perfectly.  Exhausted by this point I plopped that fabric down on the cutting table, asked for 2 metres and joyously headed to the cashier.  "That'll be $95.00 please".  I can't repeat what spontaneously came blurting out of my mouth.

I'm really pleased with the transformation of this 70 year old Vintage Dining Room Table and Chair ensemble.

It was a lot of work but I'm thrilled that I was able to give Old Violet and her siblings a new lease on life!

Here's a sneak peak at what's next on the workbench queue...

THIS PROJECT WAS FEATURED AT:

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Hardcover Books Become Shabby Chic Props!

During a project photo shoot recently I realized this girl is in serious need of some props!  Not in my budget too cheap to buy some, I was inspired by a few cool ideas I saw on Pinterest.

For those of you active on Pinterest you may have already seen these and been there-done that-got the t-shirt.  For those of you who haven't, we're going to have some fun painting hardcover books into shabby chic home décor props!

I pulled some hard cover books out of the basement storage archives.  I read these many years ago and loved them.  Having no intention of getting rid of them I thought they'd be perfect for this project.  We're not talking Tolstoy here but ones from the personal growth/self help genre.  Not exactly coffee table books nor the subject matter you want to display to your guests.

So here's what I used for this fun and easy project.  Notice I already applied a coat of Graphite chalk paint to the outside of each book?  Let's face it, some neurosis just need to be kept private!

I applied two thinned coats of Graphite to completely cover the titles as well as the exposed pages followed by a thin coat of Old White. After it dried I sanded the books to reveal the Graphite underneath. Next I attached the self-adhesive stencils that I purchased at Michaels to each spine and cover and pounced Graphite over them. Once dry I carefully (using tweezers) removed the stencils and lightly sanded over the graphics to give them a worn look.

When I applied the clear wax they took on a wooden box appearance and I just love it!  Using a lint free cloth I rubbed dark wax on the spines, edges, corners, and exposed pages where they would naturally age over time.

And there you have it - an easy peasy way to decorate your table tops, book cases or in my case to use as photo props!

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Old Violet's Side Kick {The Dining Table}

Remember a couple of weeks ago I introduced you to Old Violet?  Well Old Violet came with siblings and I just finished giving one of them a matching makeover.

This is what IT (I didn't name this piece) looked like before the makeover. It also was a little rough around the edges, had a few scars, and was showing it's age. A testament again, like Old Violet, that they lived life to the fullest!

This baby needed some orbital sander treatment and some scratch and nick repair.  Like the sideboard I painted the base and skirt with Old White chalk paint and then lightly distressed it.

The casters were all intact and working fine but they looked pretty beat up and rusty.  After giving them a scrub I rubbed them with silver buff, letting some of the rusty goodness seep through.

The top was painted in French Linen chalk paint. Table tops get so much wear and tear that rather than using a clear wax finish I applied a couple of layers of Tough Coat. Once dry I brushed on some dark wax and removed the excess.

Of course I couldn't stop there.  I decided to add an element of surprise when the extension leaf was flipped open.  I transferred and hand painted the same graphic that I used on Old Violet.

With the drop extension leaf the table comfortably seats six to eight people.

Without the drop leaf extension the table comfortably seats four people.

Next on the workbench queue is the last of Old Violet's siblings.  Sadly only four survived!

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The winds of change came with a melt down!

Well guys, the plan was to have another pretty piece of furniture fresh off the workshop floor to share with you today.  Lord knows I tried but God, the Universe, my Higher Power decided I needed to learn a lesson instead and it came in the form of a complete melt down.

voguepatterns.mccall.com

Yesterday I woke up with a plan.  I jumped out of bed, enveloped with super human powers, lined up the phone booth with Frugalista aprons, brewed some extra bold, and was ready to fly.  As I went about my mad dashes to and from the phone booth changing from Workshop Apron to Sewing Apron, to Cooking Apron, to Blogging Apron, to Painting Apron, and back to Workshop Apron panic started to set in.  The Cleaning Apron and Laundry Apron were still hanging untouched and the day was breezing by.  By the time Mr. Frugalista got home from work I was a force to be reckoned with.

becuo.com

"Supper, I don't have time for supper can't you see I'm up to my @$ in alligators here! In case you haven't noticed I don't run on a 9 - 5 schedule. I'll eat when I have time". The poor man, more often than not he comes home to no supper on the table and quietly goes about preparing our evening meal without complaint.

At twelve midnight all the lights are off in the house but the usual glow from my office.  He cautiously peers inside to see what all the racket is about.  I'm hunched over my sewing machine ripping the seam I tore apart three times before, stripped down to my bra with menopausal sweat dripping down my neck, and a glass of Chardonnay, he asks if I'm alright.

Let me preface this by saying I'm so lucky to have a patient, kind, empathetic, devoted husband who has willingly stuck it out for 27 years.  To say I had a moment would be an understatement.

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As uncomfortable as it is to admit and share with you all, I've got to keep it real!

What was the impetus for my break down?  That I didn't have a blog post to share with you this week.  My head was racing with thoughts like;  I'm going to loose readers if I don't have at least two posts per week.  Who's going to want to come to my corner of the blogosphere if I have nothing to share? All the other bloggers are producing beautiful project posts multiple times per week so why can't I?  All the other bloggers are actively engaged in social media so why can't I seem to find the time?  Yadda yadda yadda

So what did my melt down come to teach me?  Besides bursting the delusion that I'm 30 someth'n.

1. Comparing myself to others is a dangerous and No Win path to walk down.
2. I can't work 7 days per week and come out sane.
3. Existing behind my four walls, most day in my pajamas, is malnourishing my spirit.
4. My body can't survive on coffee and grazing. 
5. I need to regain balance by spending some time outdoors with nature.
6. "Real time" relationships aren't going to wait around until I have time.
7. Admitting that I'm struggling with recently becoming an empty nester - I miss my babies!
8. Not being 150% engaged in my social media platforms isn't a mortal sin.
9. The world won't end if I don't have at least 1 blog post per week.
10. And that multi-tasking isn't my thang!

I also learned...

1. I am blessed and grateful for being able to earn a living doing what I love!
2. I am blessed to be actively engaged in my creative passion.
3. I am blessed to have a husband that supports my blogging and furniture refinishing business.
4. I am blessed to have two beautiful children who have become fine young adults who I adore and am so proud of.
5. I am blessed to have wonderful loving and supportive people in my life.

I appreciate each and every one of my readers and I hope you understand those weeks when I'm only posting once that I'm probably off somewhere recharging my batteries!  I'll most likely be spending it enjoying the seasonal views from my back yard.

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Old Violet - A 1940's Art Deco Waterfall Buffet Sideboard

A friend so kindly thought of me when she decided to part with a 1940's Art Deco Waterfall Buffet Sideboard that had been in her family for over 70 years. If only it could talk, I would imagine it would have so many stories to tell of family gatherings, Sunday suppers, Christmas Dinners and so many family celebrations. One thing is for certain, knowing my friend, it witnessed a lot of love.

As I went about its makeover we got well acquainted, she and I. Every time I opened one of the drawers I got a waft of apple and spice from candles long since removed. The scent reminded me of Christmas and sent my mind down memory lane as I went about my work. I decided she needed a name and so I called her Old Violet, after the paint color I used on her interior.

1940's Art Deco Waterfall Buffet Sideboard Makeover

This is what Old Violet looked like when I got her. Like any 70-year-old gal, she had a few scars and was showing her age, a testament that she lived life to the fullest.

You can see from the photos below she needed a lot of TLC...

Prepping the sideboard for paint

Dynamic Dyna Patch was my friend during this makeover. It's my go-to filler because it doesn't shrink.

Painting The Sideboard Interior

I called this sideboard Old Violet because of the paint color I used in its interior, it reminds me of denim. Which I think is a fitting color because this gal is a casual simple kinda gal and now her personality radiates that from the inside out.

Painting The Sideboard Exterior

Here is where you'll notice it's looking a little different from the photo at the top of this post. More about that later.

I removed the middle door to have open shelving - why hide your favorite serving platters and bowls.

I was torn between chalk painting the entire exterior Old White or staining the top in dark walnut. Painting the exterior Old White and the doors and top in French Linen won.

Painting the sideboard cast iron hardware

Don't you just love the cast iron fleur-de-lis hardware? The knobs I found last winter at a quaint shop in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. The pulls I found in the Spring at another quaint shop at Village-At-Pigeon-Lake, Alberta. To unify them I brushed a coat of Old Violet followed by a dry brush of French Linen, so pretty!

Adding a French graphic onto the sideboard top

Though Violet is an English name I decided she was going to have some Parisian flair. I found the perfect French graphic fitting for a dining room sideboard at the Graphics Fairy.

Next, I enlarged the graphic to the size I needed at Block Posters. It printed on four sheets of letter-sized bond paper and I taped the pieces together.

I placed the graphic in the center of the top and held it in place with a strip of painters tape. Using graphite paper placed behind the graphic, I traced the image onto the sideboard.

Using a script liner art brush and thinned old white chalk paint, I went into ""the zone" for a few hours painting over the traced graphic. Some people may find this tedious but I find it quite relaxing.

Lining the sideboard drawers with fabric

The drawers were lined with green felt but I decided Old Violet needed something much prettier. I found fabric at Fabricland (Canadian retailer) that matched perfectly with the Old White and French Linen chalk paint.

Note: When you line furniture with the fabric it is suggested you use Fabric Mod Podge to attach it to the bottom of the drawers.

Too lazy to get out of my paint encrusted yoga pants and head over to Michaels to buy some, I used regular matte Mod Podge that I had on hand. I thinned it a little with water and it worked fine.

The first thing I did was iron the fabric nice and flat. With a foam brush, I applied a thin layer of mod podge to the good side of the fabric. After a couple of hours drying time, the fabric was rigid enough to prevent it from fraying when cut with a rotary cutter to the size of each drawer.

Next, I applied thinned Mod Podge directly to the bottom of the drawers and the back of the fabric, which made it more pliable to move around and adjust.

Old Violet and I spent three weeks together on and off. It's going to be hard to part with her and if I had room in my dining room, she'd be staying with us. She needs to find the perfect home to share new memories over the next 70 years.

I'm not parting with her just yet because she has a matching table and chairs that are next on the workbench queue.

But before I get to that, how many lumps of sugar do you take in your tea?

UPDATE: August 20, 2015
As I pointed out at the top of this post that the first photo looks much different than the one here at the bottom of this post. That's because poor Old Violet sat for many months without an interested buyer. Sometimes we have to tweak before these pieces speak and so I changed it up a little in hopes it would appeal more to potential buyers. You can see that transformation here at Art Deco Waterfall Buffet Sideboard REmakeover.

You will find this project linked to these fabulous Link Parties.

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