Super Easy Primitive Key Hanger

I still haven’t unpacked my craft stuff yet, so I had to improvise for this Pinterest-inspired key hanger I wanted to make. I started out with this shallow crate / shelf thingy that I already had. Any shallow wood crate or tray would work!

I bought these little screw in hooks at Wally world…4 for $.97!

Making sure they won’t be too long…these are perfect! If they are too long, you could file down the excess, or put some felt dots / tape over the little protruding screws. These are a great small size and will probably work fine  for most crates / trays out there.

Just screw them in by hand. No tools necessary.

There she is, one hook short (oops). I figure I can get more hooks the next time I go, or just set a small figurine or decoration in that space.

This is where the improvising came in. Since all my hardware is packed, including all my hangers and wall hooks, I used two pop tabs nailed on either end. They are surprisingly strong. I simply nailed them down, nailing right through the small, flat metal part of the tab. Another Pinterest idea to the test, and it works great!

I love it!!!

Not only did I work on my first craft project in a while, but I also hit up my first great barn sale of the season. I got a super deal on some primitives that have already made their way to my booth at The Carriage Place. I got these two 10 foot antique shutters for….wait for it….$3!!! That means $1.50 each. Probably the best deal EVER, in the history of the world!

I also got this old ladder back chair and big blue swirly enamel tub. I thought they’d both make great garden pieces.

Two small unfinished shutters and an old tool carrier, both which I plan to eventually paint & distress.

And lastly, I got this old wooden army trunk from the 40′s. Great army green color and original hardware. Trunks always seem to sell well in my co-op.

Along with all my thrift store / garage sale “smalls”, I like to sprinkle in some really nice antiques and quality pieces here and there. This improves the overall quality of my my booth and shows dealers that come through, as well as customers, that I am “legit”. LOL. I got this beautiful antique cabinet on Craigslist. My personal rule is: only buy a piece if I know I can double my money. I know I’ll have no problem selling this beautiful cabinet for more than twice what I paid.

The same goes for this other Craigslist find; an antique oak ice box. These go for BIG money around here, so when you see one at a decent price, you gotta get it! It’s in excellent condition and was a real steal!

I am headed to the co-op for a massive over-haul on Wednesday night, so I will get some updated pics and share them with you soon. If you try out the key hanger, or any variation of it, I’d love to see a pic! Hope everyone has a super-duper week, and Happy Crafting!

My Trip to the Netherlands!

I am so sorry for the lack of crafty posts over the last month; I am in the process of moving and ALL of my craft supplies are packed away and buried in my father-in-law’s basement! My Etsy store is also currently closed, but once we are settled I will re-open it, hopefully with the addition of some new vintage treasures. On top of all the moving chaos, we also just got home from a trip across seas to Holland! Greg and I  have some friends there who invited us over and gave us the most fantastic tour of this small, beautiful country! I thought I’d share some the pictures I took during our travels!

One of our first stops was the small village of Kinderdijk to see their historic windmills (19 to be exact); all of which were built in the mid-1700′s. They were just amazing to see against the crisp blue skies!

A small outbuilding which reminded me of a Van Gogh painting…

And then on to the Keukenhof, the world’s largest flower garden.

The gardens consisted mostly of tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. They must have had every color and species of tulip imaginable!

Surrounding the gardens were fields full of tulips, ready to be cut and shipped around the world!

The smells were absolutely incredible!

We stayed at our friends’ daughters house, who lived one block from the school attended by Anne Frank. The building is still a functioning school, and is painted with a selection from her diary, along with her signature.

We visited the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam, which has just re-opened after 10 years of renovations. It is home to many famous pieces including Rembrandt’s famous “Nightwatch.” The building itself is a stunning work of art!

As if the week wasn’t already perfect with the tulips in bloom, we were fortunate to be in Amsterdam for a truly special and once-in-a-generation event – Queen Beatrix stepped down from the throne to named her son, Willem Alexander, and his wife Maxima, the new King and Queen of the Netherlands. We watched the ceremony on jumbo screens, along with hundreds of thousands of people from across the world, as it took place less than a half mile from where we stood!

We spent the rest of the week on the other side of the country, in Enschede, where our friends live. We visited many beautiful landmarks including this beautiful estate built in the 1600′s.

And I couldn’t leave Holland without some wooden shoes…hand carved and painted!

The farmers still wear these today. Once I get used to them, maybe I will learn to do a wooden clog dance!

Of course one of the main reasons we went was for the DOGS! Greg trains and sells police dogs, and we spent a few days watching the KNPV Trials (Dutch police dog competition). Greg bought this dog, Laser, who has traveled home with us to be a police K-9 in the states!

I met a few cute puppies, like this little guy…none of which could come home with me. Bummer.

Hope you enjoyed my pics! Unfortunately I won’t be posting any crafty stuff for a while, until we are settled in the new house and I can unpack all my supplies and get to work. I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful Spring weather and getting in some good “junkin” now that garage sales and flea markets are picking up! I am getting that “pickin” itch, and will be scouting new treasures for my booth at the co-op soon!

The Redneck Wine Glass

I have been wanting to do this project forever! It’s the one and only “Redneck Wine Glass”! I’ve seen them everywhere from Etsy to Bass Pro Shops to our very own Finger Lakes Wineries, and they sell anywhere from $10-$20 a piece! This leaves a lot of room for profit if you decide to make them yourself! I have always thought they’d be a great item to sell at my co-op considering we are kinda out in the country. I love how they came out and am so excited to share them with you!!!

Start out with mason jars and clear candle sticks. I got all of these at The Dollar Tree, but I am sure you could get them even cheaper if you did some thrifting!

My glue of choice was E-6000, as many other tutorials had suggested. I have seen mixed feedback on using E-6000 for this particular project. Some people say that it does not hold. Others have never had a problem, even after multiple (hand) washings. My glasses seem quite sturdy and I could not pull them apart, even with great force. On the tags I made, I recommended hand washing to prevent breakage (many reports of them falling apart were only after they went through a dish washer!)

The E-6000 dries crystal clear. Use a good amount of glue to ensure a good seal!

I let mine sit like this, undisturbed for 4 days. Those who had problems with them falling apart mentioned they had only let them dry for 24 hours. I’d definitely recommend letting them dry for at least 48-36 hours or more before handling them!

Next, for the tags, I used this brown kraft paper I got at the craft store. It’s a thin card stock and was perfect for these tags!

I made up some a little blurb for the tags: “The Official Redneck Wine Glass ~ Hey y’all – You don’t have to be a hillbilly to enjoy this one of a kind glass, but you do have to have a sense of humor! Fill ‘er up with your favorite wine, beer, or moonshine, kick up your heels, and GIT-R-DONE! Care instructions: Hand wash in warm soapy water & air dry.” This text is a combo of tags I found online with my own twist. Feel free to use this wording if you are thinking of making your own tags!

I used Microsoft Powerpoint to lay out the text, saved the file as a PDF, and kept making test prints to get the size right. I kept shrinking the font size til the blurb fit perfectly into my tag hole-punch! This tag punch is a large one – 3.5″ tall by 2″ wide.

To add some color, I traced the lids onto some scrapbook paper to make little lid covers. I used gingham and stars – but you could customize your glasses for any occasion by using different lid designs and themes!

And here they are! I tied a small strip of burlap on the stem of the glass (you could use raffia or torn homespun too) and then tied on my little tags with some twine.

Woohoo! I looooove them! I only made 6 for now but am totally making more! I’ll let ya know if they do well at the co-op! Hope everyone has a Happy St. Patty’s Day!

Etsy Coupon For My Blog Peeps!

Just wanted to let my crafty friends / readers know that I am selling off some of the country word blocks / shelf sitters I had stocked up on for my booth. They are now in my Etsy store at a wholesale price. I have created a special coupon for free shipping on orders over $20, especially for readers and friends of my blog. When you check out, enter craftypeeps (no space, all one word) in the coupon code section. The coupon will be active for probably a month or so and applies to anything in the shop, not just these word blocks. Anyone can use it. Spread the word!

Thanks so much for your continued support and I will be back soon with some fun craftiness!

 

Dollar Store Salt Shakers + Vintage Buttons = Button Flower Bouquets

It’s me again! I am on a crafting BINGE! I don’t know what’s gotten into me! Maybe because it’s been sunny and “Spring” feeling these last few days? I don’t know, but I’m going with it!

I have a fun “dollar store craft” for you! I made these cute little vintage button bouquets using Dollar Tree salt shakers (you can also find some at the thrift store for super cheap, like the ones here on the left) and some buttons and wire that I had on hand. So easy and a perfect Spring craft!

I also used twine for a bow accent, and shredded paper (also found at Dollar Tree) to stuff inside the shakers and help hold wire stems in place. I suggest using a pair of pliers that have a cutting edge on them, so you don’t jack up your scissors while cutting the wire.

To make the stems, you are going to twist the two sides of the wire together. Fold the wire piece over and cut it roughly the length you want the stem to be – keeping in mind it will be a tad shorter after twisting it together.

Layer your buttons to make fun, colorful little “flowers.” Slide the ends of the wire through your button flower and start twisting them together tightly, to create a sturdy stem. Cut off the excess wire.

Stuff a small amount of shredded paper down in the salt shaker to help hold the stems in place. You could use more buttons, beads, floral foam, or nothing at all…whatever you want!

Make as many flowers as you’d like! They are fun to make!

My first bouquet is a red and brown theme

And my second bouquet was a blue and black theme

I photographed them for Etsy but decided at the last-minute to bring them to the co-op. They are currently in my booth at The Carriage Place. I can’t wait to make more!

Last night I photographed a ton of new stuff I am putting in my Etsy store, and I wanted to let all my fellow crafters, that have booths or small shops, know that I am going to be selling these word blocks in groups of 6 at a wholesale price. I ordered way too many of them, so they’ll be in my shop this week at some point. They would be a great little item to resell, if you’re into country/prim decor like me!

  

I also wanted to share a few great thrift store finds from today! A great enamelware tin pan, an apothecary style jar (these sell like hot cakes in my booth!) some wooden plaques for future craft projects, vintage tin molds, and a small wooden platter with a glass cloche. I am going to paint the wooden base – probably black with a yellow prim star in the middle.

I was also sooooooooo excited to find some unique Scrabble tiles from a “Deluxe” edition of the game; 100 tiles for only $4! Best of all, they are maroon colored! I love that they are different from the regular Scrabble tiles, yet are a great color for country crafting!

And lastly, I had to share this find…..these brown kraft boxes were only $1 for a bag of 6!!! If you have an A.C. Moore’s, go grab some before they are discontinued!!! I was “that person” who depleted their inventory. Hehe. I am going to stamp them eventually. Love the variety of shapes!

That’s all for today! Have a great weekend and Happy Crafting!!!

A Successful Pinterest Project! Cupcake Themed Baby Gift

Though this does not fall into my normal theme of country/primitive crafting, I was excited at the ridiculously cute results of this Pinterest project I made for a friend. This friend is my official cupcake-making buddy so this was a perfect gift ~ cupcake onesies! Here is the original link: http://www.diyandcraftideas.com/cupcake-baby-gift/ for this project!

I started with 4 little onesies for my “cupcakes” – I tried to get mostly plain colors so they weren’t too busy. The pink socks and pink mittens became the “cherries” on top!

I got a cute cupcake box and fancy wrappers at Joann Fabrics. I did not end up using the teal cupcake wrappers because the rolled-up onesies were a little too fat!

Start by folding the onesies, and rolling in the sock “cherry”!

I used clear scotch tape to hold it together.

Awww, aren’t they cute enough to eat?!

Put them in your cupcake box, and voila!

I don’t have a pic but I did add a small purple bow and a little tag! I just love how freakin’ cute they are!

I just had to share!!! I shall be back with our regularly scheduled crafting soon! Have a great day!

Scrabble Tile Wall Art

I am finally starting to get my crafting mojo back after a few months of the winter blahs, thanks to some of my fellow crafters and friends who have been sharing some great ideas and projects lately! My friend Sara made this awesome wall plaque using burlap and Scrabble tiles, which I would LOVE to recreate for my booth at The Carriage Place!

I just adore the burlap and scrabble tiles together, so I decided to make a shadow box for my friend with the names of her expanding family. She is due in a few months to add a little boy named Henry to the crew!

So here are the supplies I used! An 8″ x 10″ shadow box from Joann’s, some Scrabble tiles that I found at Goodwill (bought the whole game for $2 and now have 100 letters to work with! Great deal!), some burlap, rusty tin shapes to accent the final project, and my trusty glue gun!

I would recommend laying out your names/words ahead of time to make sure they fit properly in your frame or shadow box. As you can see from my drawing, the names fit nicely on an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper, but I couldn’t find a shadow box in that size. Now that I am done, I would have liked to get one a little bigger than 8″ x 10″, as it was cutting it a bit close to the edges. I think it would have been more visually appealing to have some space around the names – see the final product and let me know what you think!

I laid the names out on the cardboard insert to make sure they fit!

I then hot glued the pieces together, to make it easier to line them up on the background.

Cut the burlap to the size of the cardboard insert of the frame or shadow box. It was easy to cut it straight using the lines of the burlap as guides.

Warning: the burlap gets everywhere when you cut it! If you have an anal-retentive significant other like I do, I would suggest laying down some newspaper or else you’d be cleaning up all the little burlap fuzzies that cling to EVERYTHING! hehehe…

I used small dots of hot glue on the corners and around the edges to hold the burlap background in place.

Lay down the puzzle-pieces and glue the names together! Make sure they are straight!

I tried many different rusty tin accents, from little salt box houses, to hearts, to stars. I decided to go with one large star in the corner; I didn’t want it too “busy”.

Tip: Use a blow dryer on the hot setting to dissolve any hot glue string that may be on your project. After a few seconds they just disappear!

And here’s the final product! Again, I wish there was more space above the “M” in Melanie and below the “Y” in Henry. Because of my mild OCD tendencies, I may just have to go back and get a 12″ x 12″ shadow box and replace the 8″ x 10″. It’s really bugging me! lol.

UPDATE! I got a slightly larger shadow box (10″ x 10″) to create a little more space above and below the names. It was bothering me how scrunched they looked. This new shadow box is perfect! I also corrected Christine’s name…it was spelled wrong, in case anyone noticed!

I also thought I would share some updated photos of my booth at the co-op after a little re-organizing! I like to just move stuff around once in a while to keep it looking “fresh” and different. There are not a lot of crafts in there; more antiques and vintage items. I hope to get some more hand made stuff in there this Spring!

Thanks for stoppin’ by! Happy crafting!

P.S. I apologize for the random links in my post(s), that when you hover over them with your mouse, says “coupon drop down” or something like that. I am not making those links  -  it’s must be a virus or spam type action that’s automatically appearing here and there. Don’t click them. Sorry!