Old Deck Gate - Great Curbside Find!

I have the biggest passion for curbside wood.
Usually, the wood I find is leftover from renovation projects.  Sometimes the wood is new, sometimes it is weather beaten.
Whatever the case, the price is right for me because it's free!
If the wood is damp from the morning dew, I will let it dry in the sun for a few days while deciding what I will do with it.
I pondered my latest find for at least a week before deciding how I was going to turn this weather beaten gate door into something amazing.
I wished I had taken before pictures to show you just how gray the wood was.  Oh, and not to mention the dried mud that had to be painstakingly removed.
I sanded down the wood, stained with Espresso stain, added some chicken wire and hung this masterpiece in my living room behind the couch.
This is a heavy piece and really adds depth to the living room.  Because I added chicken wire, I can change the decorative accessories whenever I like to give it a new appearance.  I can't wait to decorate this for the Christmas Holidays!

Book Page Wreath

I found some ideas similar to my latest project on Pinterest.
Since I have a tonne of books that are garage sale "left overs", I realized that I actually have use for them.
I made a wreath for my front entranceway out of pages that I tore out of a book, rolled into cone shapes and glued to a 10 inch round piece of cardboard.
Since I love the aged look, I used a misting bottle and sprayed brewed tea on the pages.
I added some adornments and finished the whole thing off with a sparkle spray paint.
Here is the finished look.  Love it!

Mantle Clock Makeover for 0.25 Cents!

Yes everyone, it's TRUE....
I revamped a tarnished little mantle clock for a mere 0.25 cents today!!!  

There are many clocks in my house, I suppose I have a "Clock Addiction".  I collect them and have a hard time turning down even the most beat up of clocks.  As long as it works and has a simple design, I've got to have it.  I even bought a big clock from the Thrift Store and hang it outside so I can keep my eye on the time while I am in the garden.

I have been on this whole Vintage and Shabby Chic thing for quite some time and can't help but look around the house for my next victim...bwahahahaha

Today, I decided that it was time to give the latest addition to my clock collection a little extra attention - the little brass clock.  Well, I think it was brass.  It had hues of silver in the metal, but I couldn't tell as the finish was pretty tarnished.

In order to achieve the finish I wanted on the clock, I used Modge Podge, tissue paper, acrylic paint (antique white and black) and a can of spray varnish (satin finish).
There was an old rectangular piece of green felt on the bottom of the clock to prevent scratching on furniture surfaces so and I pulled it off and replaced with a new piece of black felt.
The end result?  I LOOOOVVVVE IT!!!!!!!!

I will share some of the pics of what the poor clock went through today at The Maison d'Ava Spa...ooops, I mean Design Room...

                                                                 (Before)

                                           Drum Roll Please...  What a Makeover!

ReVamping a Cherry Cabinet Insert

Thanks so much to our wonderful and dear friend Mark.  He is always on the lookout for great curbside finds that can be turned around into something amazing.
Recently, Mark brought me a solid cherry cabinet insert that was lying by the side of the road and destined for the trash.  It was in excellent condition and had zero water damage.

I knew instantly that this wooden insert was destined for one of my fabulous makeovers.  Shabby Chic came to mind because of the gorgeous corners and edging.

I sanded down the insert and painted 2 coats of black, then 4 coats of light antique white before handpainting the lettering.  I let everything dry overnight before sanding down the edges to create a distressed look.
For the final touch, I sprayed a coat of satin varnish to seal the paint.
I was so pleased with the way this turned out once it was finished.
I have turned a great piece of wood into a fantastic Vintage Sign for our main bathroom...

Bentley Turned 9 Years Old!

Yesterday was our Golden Retriever Bentley's 9th Birthday!
Ava wanted to make a special cake to celebrate, so I went online and found a recipe to make a cake specifically for a dog to eat.
I set Ava up at her little table and chairs and she set to work.  This recipe was so easy, even a 5 year old could do it!
I cut a letter B out of a piece of cheese and set it on top.
Let's just say that Bentley made quick work of his piece!  He even licked up every little crumb off of the floor.

Here's the recipe we used (we added dried cranberries and blueberries for extra nutrition):

Homemade Doggy Birthday Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil 

• 1 cup shredded carrots 

• 1 tsp vanilla 
1/3 cup honey 

• 1 egg
• 1 cup white or whole wheat flour 

• 1 tsp baking soda 

• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• Dog biscuits for decoration
• Optional: Banana, more peanut butter, frankfurter hot dogs for ‘candles’ 

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
Mix together flour and baking soda and add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour all of it into a ring mold sprayed with a nonstick spray, and leave in the oven for 40 minutes.
If you’re feeling brave, you can slice the cake into two layers and add more peanut butter and sliced or mushed bananas. Or simply go to the next step.
Frost the cake with low fat cottage cheese or cream cheese and decorate with dog biscuit treats. Stick in some halved Frankfurter hot dogs as ‘candles’. Store in refrigerator.

Monogrammed Initials

What a busy week around the house!
One of the reasons was due to the fact that we had 3 Birthday's to celebrate this week amongst our friends (or shall I say, Ava's friends!)...I didn't realize that February was such a popular month for Birthdays...I thought it was November (you know, the 9 months after Valentine's Day thing?).

I tapped into my creative mind and came up with the fantastic idea of making personalized gifts for each child.  I had a lot of fun with these and will continue to gift others with this simple and elegant Monogrammed Initial.  Who wouldn't want one?  These work great for Last Names too!

"Happy" The Snowman!

It's been years since I actually made a snowman.  Ava has been looking forward to building one ever since I found a box of wooden spools and pieces tucked away in my craft stash.
We picked out round pieces for the eyes, mouth and buttons.  In between snow flurries the other day, I took the wood outside and sprayed them with a couple of coats of black paint.

This evening before dinner, we went outside and made our little snowman.  He looks like a night watchman standing guard in our front yard!  Ava named him "Happy".

Hey, I forgot his corncob pipe! But I did remember a fresh carrot for his nose! Can't get twigs for his arms as they are buried 10 feet under the snow right now...tee hee

 

Burlap Snowflake Hanging

With all of the snow we've had in Southern Ontario this week, I couldn't resist making one more Winter Craft with Ava before we welcome the new month of March tomorrow.

This fun craft was very easy to make and I love the finished product!  Who knew my little miss would be interested in Home Decor at the age of 5?  It adds a nice touch to the door handle of my China Cabinet.

  
Here's how we made this Burlap Snowflake Hanging:
 
1.  I cut out a 4 inch x 4 inch piece of burlap.
2.  I then used my Cricut machine to cut out a snowflake stencil measuring 3.5 inches x 3.5 inches.
3.  Carefully, I taped the stencil onto the burlap, centering it the best I could.
4.  Ava used a sponge brush with Light Antique White acrylic paint and sponged paint onto the burlap through the stencil.
(I put a piece of paper under the burlap to catch any paint that seeped through).
5.  Let dry completely and thread a piece of twine for hanging.

Simple and Beautiful!  Now that's Whimsical Elegance!

Classy Rope Cuff Bracelet with Vintage Button (but of course!)

I went thrifting with a girlfriend yesterday and picked up a couple of yards of wool blend fabric.  I had planned to use it for a certain project, but decided to kick things up a notch.
I made this fabulous Rope Cuff Bracelet this morning and glammed it up with a Vintage button from my growing collection.
This bracelet is super comfortable to wear, easy to care for - just handwash and lay flat to dry.  I can either wear this with jeans or to the office.  It's unique and something I am definitely proud to wear!

Wooden Typewriter Key Bracelets - So Vintage!

I am feeling a little like the  "Queen of Vintage these days"...

I purchased several antique manual typewriters along with a rotary tool and have begun cutting off the keys (makes me want to cry, the typewriters are beautiful!) to use in making bracelets.  I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about using the rotary tool to cut through metal.  My brother demonstrated how to use it and I jumped as soon as the sparks started flying.  I finally got the nerve to do it myself, shaking like a leaf through the first few keys.  The bracelets are gorgeous, but are pricey given the cost of the typewriters and the amount of work involved in making a bracelet.

I discovered an alternative, Wooden Typewriter Keys!  I have connected with a gentleman from the States who laser cuts and burns through birch wood.  The result?  Gorgeous replicas of the antique metal and glass tyepwriter keys.  These bracelets are more affordable and so fun!  I cover the wooden keys with gloss and add vintage buttons and glass crystals to add some bling...

Here's a little sneak preview of a few I have made so far:

                                                                          "Nicole"

Beautiful Bentley Royce

I love my blonde Golden Retriever.  His fur is almost a champagne colour.
I rescued him from a puppy mill at the age of 11 1/2 weeks.  He was in poor shape when I got him, he was sick and weighed in at a mere 6.8 pounds (the vet told me he should have weighed 16 pounds for his age). 
After a many vet expenses and lots and lots of love and care, Bentley has thrived - now weighing about 85 pounds.  The vet didn't think he would live beyond the age of 18 months.  Well, we sure fooled everyone because Bentley is going to have a very special birthday this year.  He will be 9 years old on the 9th of April! 
I took this close up of him yesterday and just had to post it because he has such beautiful doe-like eyes and I also thought this was a great pic!  Sometimes his eyes remind me of Alaskan Diamonds (he does kind of look like a polar bear with a long nose!)

Ava's Pink and Purple Vintage Button Bracelet

I should know better by now....

Whenever I come up with a new design, Ava wants at least one for herself (I find that she wants 2 or 3 of whatever I am making!).  I am flattered as she is my biggest fan.

So, I worked very hard last night and made a special Pink and Purple Vintage Button Bracelet and surprised her when she woke up this morning!
 

Vintage Button Cuff Bracelet - What a Beauty!

I love everything Vintage!  Especially Vintage Buttons!  I include them in a variety of my designs - necklaces, headbands, sewn items and especially these gorgeous bracelets.  For me, each vintage button is like a foreign coin.  They all have a story.  I always find myself wondering what the history of each button is...where it was made, the type of garment they were made for and where it may have traveled when it was worn. 

"Cuff bracelets are so versatile and can be worn with a variety of outfits - casual or elegant attire." 

One of my personal favourite designs are my Vintage Button Bracelets.  I make them in a variety of widths, colours and themes.  

My latest creation is this Vintage Button Cuff Bracelet was made using 1 1/3 inch black elastic banding and a large assortment of silver vintage buttons.  Each button is individually sewn onto this bracelet using heavy duty upholstery thread to ensure durability.  I have these available in antique brass, brass or silver and they retail for $65.00 CAD each. 

Happy Family Day!

Audrey Hepburn Pendant

I can't tell you how much I admire the late Audrey Hepburn.  My husband bought me the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's" a few months ago for my birthday.  I have to honestly admit that I have a picture of this Hollywood Icon in every room of my house. 
I purchased some Audrey Hepburn digital graphics online and made them into Pendant Necklaces.  Ava and I are going over to one of my girlfriend's tonight for dinner and she is going to be so surprised when she opens up my newest creation.....

A Great Sign for a Great Teacher

Ava's kindergarten teacher is named "Mrs. B." who always draws a little heart after her signature.
Mrs. B. has a hyphenated last name which can be difficult for the children to pronounce, so she keeps it short and sweet - I am with her on that one!
Since Ava is celebrating Valentine's Day today with her class (she does not attend school on Tuesdays or Thursdays), I decided to make a very special gift for her to give to Mrs. B.
I made a handpainted wooden sign and even included the heart symbol after her name.  I added pink sparkles to the heart to give it a special touch.  I can't wait to find out how surprised Mrs. B. is when she opens up her gift!

Handmade Valentine Necklace

I have a girlfriend who is very in touch with nature and loves birds.
I found a neat black and white graphic online that had a bird and a tree in the picture.  I printed it off and glued to a wooden heart that I had painted black.  I added a little red flower embellishment then covered the entire surface in Glossy Accents.
I attached a bail then hung from a black leather necklace...the result?  Gorgeous!

My girlfriend loved this gift.  It is simply stunning.  How's that for Whimsical Elegance?

Thrift Store Find! Wooden Tic Tac Toe Blocks for Valentines!

Sometimes on a Saturday, my daughter and I love to visit this little Thrift Store that's a few blocks away from our home.
We always get excited and wonder what type of "treasure" we will find that day.  We always find something pretty special.
Our mission for this particular trip was to think outside of the box and find things that we could use for Valentine's Day decorating and gift giving.
I went through the toy section and found these wooden Tic Tac Toe blocks.  There were 5 of the Xs and 4 of the Os and the total cost for all was just $1.00!  I snapped them up quickly.
Once home, I spray painted the blocks White (the blocks were a good size and I put a scrabble tile down so you could get a better idea). 
I then let the first coat dry, then sprayed them with 2 coats of Red Paint.
Once dried, I sanded down the edges to give a distressed look.  These XO sets made perfect little gifts to give for Valentine's Day!