Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Pot Holders, Chandeliers & New Projects




 An Apple A Day Keeps The Doctor Away . . .
Well, I didn't visit the doctor yesterday,
 instead I finished my kitchen pot holders.
These were so much fun to make:)



 One of the best things about making your own household items,
is that you get to pick everything from design, fabric, texture and color.
I think that these will fit my kitchen to a "tea".

Speaking of Tea . . .
 Steve helped me hang my Tea Cup Chandelier
(remember my promise about not climbing ladders when I'm alone)
It looks wonderful out in the Art Barn, I'm very pleased with it :)


Some of you may remember this project.
I built it back last year. 
Here is a link to the tutorial . . .
http://crafty-home-cottage.blogspot.com/2013/03/tea-cup-chandelier.html 


 Last but not lease, I've started to piece another quilt.
I've been looking for the perfect Sun Bonnet Sue design 
to add to some of the squares 
and I think that I've fold her.

I'll save this for my next post.

Here's wishing you all a marvelous day . . .
Go out and do something fun,
even if its just for a small part of your day.

Life is a gift to be enjoyed!

Keep Smiling!
Your blogging sister,
Connie :)

48 comments:

  1. Hi Connie, Your Tea Cup Chandy is adorable!! It's perfect for your Art Barn! You should have "classes" in your Art Barn this Winter for all sorts of projects! I'm sure there would be ladies who would love to do some crafting! You have such a talent for it.....a great teacher! My mind is going all over the place with your talent and barn...lol! I am having a nice, serene day here at the cottage.......Blessings~~~Roxie

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    1. Hi Roxie, sounds like you are having a well deserved rest . . .we need a day like that every now and then.
      Thanks for the sweet comments. You are as always a sweetheart:)

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  2. I love your pot holders. I was at a craft fair last Saturday and bought matching pot holders and an apron that fits over your detergent bottle!
    They are black gingham and cherries. I see you fancy sew design in your holders. I am a sewer wannabe and maybe I'll try recovering my old holders.
    Love your projects! Have a great week.

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    1. Hi Nancy, if you are a wannabe sewer . . . pot holders are a great place to start.
      Watch out you'll start having so much fun, that they will get bigger and turn into quilts,LOL

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  3. I love your potholders. They look so cute. A clever idea to remake your chandelier with teacups.

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    1. Hi Betty, thanks so much . . . they were both fun projects:)

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  4. Hi Connie,

    Adorable pot holders! I love the tea cup chandelier too. What nice personal touches to your home and craft barn!!!!
    I plan to do something crafty as soon as I get home from work today (shh, I'm sneaking this visit in during lunch).

    Hugs,
    Kay

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    1. Hi Kay, Hey . . .it's your lunch break . . .eat, blog, whatever you do . . . rest from work. That's what a break is for:)
      I'm happy that you are planning to have some crafting time tonight, enjoy:)

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  5. Super cute. Love the colors you chose too.
    Woolie hugs

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  6. I like making homemade pretties, rather than purchasing cookie cutter ones from the store. However...I do cheat and buy some from the dollar store if they're cheap enough but modify them with crocheted edging. :)
    I can tell you're enjoying your ART Barn
    Have a great week.

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    1. Hi Patricia, homemade is always better, but sometimes it is real hard to not shop the $1 store . . . you sure can't beat their prices, right, LOL.

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  7. Your pot holders are so sweet. The tea cup Chandler is absolutely darling. Good work!

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    1. Hi Susan, thanks so much for stopping by and for your lovely compliments:)

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  8. Your pot holders are great. I love how you did that first apple. That teacup chandelier is awesome. You are so clever

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    1. Hi Ann, these were both projects that brought a smile to my face . . . I just like unique and they when fun to make.
      Thanks so much for your sweet comments. I hope that you are having a sweet day . . . I think of you often, when I'm playing with Butchy.

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  9. Hi Connie, I have been back to work and so little time for blogging but I wanted to stop by and take a peek and I am once again amazed at your talent for taking ordinary things and turning them into beautiful works of useful art. God has indeed blessed you with great talent. Those pot holders are darling and the chandelier is wonderfully clever.

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    1. Oh my goodness . . . you are going to give me the big head. I am delighted that you like my projects . . . they are just fun things to do and little needed items for the kitchen:) Pot holders have always been fun, because you can dig through your scraps and come up with something cute and useful.
      It's great to see you back in blog-land . . . you have been missed. You know what they say about all work and no play . . . . it's time for you to play a bit:)

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  10. I sure love seeing all your projects and love the pot holders. Your kitchen looks so fun to be in. I hope you enjoy it. Super cute.

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    1. Good Morning Tete, I am enjoying my kitchen . . . I love the old vintage cabinets (that my husband wanted to gut). Now, that they are painted and the room is bright a cheery, he likes them too:) What I enjoy most of all is the view out the window . . . a big hay field with small farms in the background. After living in a neighborhood where the houses are ten feet apart, this is paradise:) Thanks so much for stopping by to visit . . . I love having company.

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  11. You are one clever and artistic lady. Your kitchen looks super.

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    1. Good Morning Diane, thank you so much, I'm delighted that you like it. There is still some more tweaking to do, but nothing that can't wait a while.
      We feel very comfortable here and love your new country life:)

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  12. Your potholders are so stinkin' cute!!! Love the use of the polka dot fabric. I love them, as well as your chandelier.

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    1. Hi Tammy . . . well, you have made my morning . . . Thank You!
      I've always been a big fan of polka dots . . . when I was a little girl they were very stylist:)

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  13. Hello Connie,
    What cute pot holders. I love the colors, and the apple design is really darling.

    Have a great day.

    Smiles :)
    Kerin

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    1. Good Morning Kerin, I am so happy that you like them.
      The apple pattern is a FREE download from Bustle & Sew.
      http://bustleandsew.com/freepatterns/AppleyDappleyCushionCover.pdf
      She used the pattern on a throw pillow that is adorable, check it out.
      Maybe you will think of something to make for your home, using it :)
      Have a happy day!

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  14. Hello Connie, every time I visit you are up to something crafty. All your projects are so bright and cheery. Love these!

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    1. Hi Rosemary, I am so happy to see you, thanks for the visit. I'm like my Mom in that way . . . always have to be doing something:)
      I'm happy that you like my projects . . . I do have a lot of fun making things and fixing up our home :)

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  15. Loving all your projects Connie. The pot holders are fabulous. P x

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    1. Hello Patricia, it is great to see you! Know that you have been missed here in blog-land. I do think that it is wonderful that you and your hubby have been enjoying retirement and I can not wait to hear about all of your adventures. I can just imagine that you have been wearing the tires off your van. I'm happy that you like my pot holders, but ever more happy just to see your smiling face again. Wishing you the very best of everything:)

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  16. Your house is coming on marvellously well, Connie, and it's a joy to follow its progress and all those gorgeous little hand-made personal touches that make it so uniquely yours. I love those apple pot holders, even down to the pips! So lovely! I've never seen a chandelier made of tea cups before - that is awesome. So glad you are being a good girl and not climbing ladders when alone!

    Thanks for your visit and your lovely comment. Today, although I've achieved quite a lot, was a wading through treacle day when nothing seemed straightforward, and it was great to escape to my felt making class tonight. My hubby, bless him, drops me off and then picks me up at the end, and carries my box, and I couldn't do it without him - he's a real love!! When we got back tonight Mum (93, and living in the annexe in 1/2 the downstairs of this house) said there had been a power cut, which didn't surprise me because there was a thunderstorm tonight. I had to go round re-setting all the electrical stuff which is a huge bore - gone are the days when all that happens is that the lights go off!!!

    I love your beautiful words at the end of your blog post - a piece of advice I really need to take. It seems that art always ends up at the bottom of the list of things to do, and it needs to be at the top so it gives full therapeutic value! I am glad you like my ARTHaven - I am determined to spend more time up there! It is made from cheap kitchen units and works very well with lots of storage - all the units are open fronted as cupboard doors would just get in the way for me. I have picked up a few storage ideas online (Pinterest is a great source) and one of my favourites is the bar suspended from the shelf supports, with the little clips for all my stamps. My main problem at the moment is how to store my distress inks because they were hopeless in the box. I have a friend who has a pattern for making a carousel for them from foam board but if I made it, I don't know where I'd put it! They need to be easily accessible because they are in constant use. The shelf above my work area is already full of carousels. The other brilliant storage idea is that I have several work "zones" around the room each with a place to sit, and it seemed to me a waste of space as I could only sit in one at a time, so I've got units on castors that pull out, and they also provide an extra surface to work on/put stuff on while working. It's a great system. I think one of the basic things about good storage is to put the things you don't use very often on high shelves and make all the stuff you use a lot easily accessible. A fluid system is best so it changes with your changing needs. I store the stuff I use most around each work zone although the whole room is pretty fluid and one discipline flows into another - this was an unexpected bonus which I only discovered after I started using it - the curving work surface around the room encourages the breakdown of boundaries between the different disciplines and encourages true mixed media work! I've never been able to have my sewing machine out at the same time as paper stuff, for instance.

    Looking back in my blog to last year, you can see the whole progress of the construction of the room. It was a collaboration between myself and the builder - I told him what I wanted and he made it for me! He threw in some helpful suggestions and we worked really well together to achieve something that works superbly well. I keep pinching myself to see if I'm really awake, and this wonderful creative space is indeed All Mine and Real lol!

    I am so glad I was invited to take part in the Creative Blog Hop a few weeks ago, because it was through that that I met you! Every time I visit, it is a blessing and a delight!

    Hugs.
    Shoshi

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    1. Good Morning Shoshi, I'm sitting here with my morning coffee and enjoying a bit of rest before I get started outside. I have a lot on my plate today so I'm getting dinner going in the crock pot. Sometimes when my day is busy, fixing dinner becomes a dreaded chore . . . Hooray for the crock pot!
      You have some great organizing ideas and I'm going to go back to your archived posts and look at your room in progress. I'm sure that there will be some things that I can learn. That's one of the great things about blogging . . . ideas, ideas, and more ideas . . . I love it.
      Here's wishing you a day with time for your art . . . we need to learn to have a good balance between work and fun and put importance on both.
      Thanks for the sweet visit . . . I treasure your friendship:)

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  17. Your pot holders are so cute. And I am in love with that teacup chandelier! My first thought was, "Wow, I wonder if she made that?!" Of course you did - you are so talented and artistic! I sincerely admire all the crafts, artwork, and creating you do. Have a beautiful day, Connie!

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    1. Good Morning Sweet Melanie, it is always a pleasure to open my comments and see your smiling face. Thanks for your sweet and encouraging words. I looked around a long time for an old chandelier to re-purpose. I found that one in a junk shop in a little town about 17 miles from here . . . I was excited when I saw it and had a lot of fun making it over:) It is not electric anymore but looks lovely with candles:) I hope that you have a lovely day today . . . mix a little fun into your busyness. God bless you, Connie:)

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  18. Love that tea cup chandelier! Enjoy! Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, it is lovely to see you . . . thanks for the visit. That chandelier was fun to make and looks wonderful with candles glowing in it. I am delighted that you like it:) Here's wishing you a wonderful weekend . . . now, I'm going to pop over to your blog and see what you have been up to:)

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  19. Girl,what a fabulous and creative idea! I love this chandelier and tea cups. You need to come by here and decorate :)

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    1. Hi Becky, That chandelier was fun to make . . . just start keep a eye out for one at thrift sales and you can make one, too :)

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  20. Hi Connie, You said you penpaled with your granddaughter. I like pen paling too. Do you have any other pen pals? Are you interested in pen paling me? Nancy

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    1. Nancy, I would be honored to be your pen pal:)

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  21. You are such a talented lady Connie! The apple pot holders are wonderful, such a fun idea! And that tea cup chandelier!!!! Brilliant idea, will check out the link to see how you made it. I have an old fashioned brass chandelier awaiting painting and a bit of extra inspiration......

    Gill xx

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    1. Dear Sweet Gill, I always feel flattered when I get a compliment for you, because the things that you make are so awesome. You have so much talent . . . when you hold a needle in your hands, it's like a magic wand.

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  22. Oh Connie, your pot holders are adorable! The detail with the apple core is so spot on. I do the same thing with the ladder, I don't think anyone should climb one with out someone around

    Carol

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    1. Hi Carol, you know I remember my husband's Mom climbing on the side of the bathtub to kill a spider, when she was about my age. She fell and broke her hip. She was home alone and laid there for many hours until we came to visit that evening. It can happen so fast and so easy.
      Happy you like my pot holders. I just came in the house for a minute . . . I am working on three more:)

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  23. I love this post Connie, so many beautiful things and your tea cup chandelier is adorable! I also went over to your Strumming and Singing blog for a look-see. Loved it and your artwork on your guitar was really special and enjoyed reading lyrics to those songs. Thank you for stopping by my peony post. They were taken at one of our favorite gardens, not in mine. I only wish :)

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    1. Good Morning Denise, whether the peonys were from your garden or not . . . your photos are lovely. The best part about having them in your garden is that you can pick them and have their amazing fragrance throughout your home:) I'm delighted that you like my chandelier:)

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  24. Hi Connie! Those potholder a are adorable! You blog is lots of fun, glad I found it.

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    1. Hi there Jennifer, the feeling is mutual . . . your blog is fabulous and thank you for the compliment and for the visit:)

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