Sun, Sand, Surf

Back from surfing and playing in Westport.
We had a fun time and wish we could have stayed longer.

Its difficult to get good surfing pictures so here are a few from before and after.


Laying by the pool.

Getting a fire ready for s'mores.

Shark attack!

Watching the surfers at The Groins.  Not confident enough to surf here yet.  Some day though.  One day.

If you haven't been to Westport and you like to be near the shore, you should check it out.  It has a marina so there is fishing, crabbing, and lots of boats too.  We surf in the morning and hang out the rest of the day.  Its a great place to bring bikes or take hikes.  You can visit and climb the lighthouse.  We find neat treasure on the beaches and its an excellent place to fly kites.  Westport is kid and dog friendly and a couple places have outdoor pools for summertime swim fun.  If you want a weekend get away, check it out.  It's just three hours from our neck of the woods outside Seattle.

Off to enjoy the heat of Lake Chelan by floating around on my gator,
ttfn sweetie pies,
Jennette

Striped (vintage looking) Pants

Here are the finished Oliver + S striped pants for J.

They were made using the same pattern from this post.  Its the Oliver +S Sandbox Pants Pattern & Starfish Stencil.  This time I layed out the pattern, pinned it and cut it in one sitting. That only took about .5 hours or so.   And then did all the sewing, start to finish, in one evening.  That took about 2.5 hours.  So 3 hours or so all together.  Not bad.  It took a lot less time, this time around, since I had used the pattern once before.  Reusing patterns helps you get faster!

back view

This fabric is not near as hefty as the last fabric I used.  Its a little more flowy.  It was also curtain panels and I have a lot of this material left.  I did the pockets so that the stripes are crosswise.  I like the contrast of the vertical and horizontal lines.  Shows off the pockets a bit.

Jasper loves to model for me,

can't you tell,
he wants to be a star.

Love that boy
and he wears awesome pants!

Off to read my new Mary Oliver New and Selected Poems Volume Two,
ttfn,
Jennette


Summer Food

Summer's wild and elusive native strawberries!
 Fragaria! 
I got my sources, people!
See how tiny they are?  They taste like the best candy in the world!

Pixie berries, I like to call them.

"I wish it is a good day today"
I had to show you this new container from Maruta Shoten that I keep the berries in.

Bought some of this purple cauliflower from the Carnation Farmers Market to use in a pasta salad.

Look at the color of this cabbage!  I used it to make my FAVORITE dish from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (a fabulous book!), Cream-Braised (Green) Cabbage.  Makes my mouth water just thinking about it....

Look at all these Heirloom tomatoes from Eastern Washington.  I used my own in my pasta salad this time:

These are my cherry tomatoes.  One hanging basket of red, one hanging basket of yellow.  Lovely, sweet, delicious and

ready for pasta.

Some pasta salad ingredients.  See the bright green fava beans?  This is what they look like after you pick them from the shell but before you remove the outer bean skin:

Both the beans and the cauliflower are blanched before adding them to the salad, leaving them with just the right amount of crunch.

Yellow carrots from the market are the perfect summer snack.

Blueberries

from Blue Dog Farm.
We have several bushed here, at our house, but they are a bit shaded and so aren't ripe yet.  Soon though!

These are our raspberries though.  We combined them with fruitstand ones to make jam:

We also made strawberry jam with fruitstand berries:

My jam cupboard is jam packed!

These are our currants from our bush.  They are in the freezer now until I decide what to do with them. 

Here are some Banana Pecan Chocolate Chip Muffins.  I baked them in these sweet little silver foil cups, also from Maruta Shoten:

You know how I love shiny silver things!

What delicious things are you eating or cooking?  Make sure to enjoy the bounty while its here,  while it lasts.  Can, preserve and freeze what you can so you can have a taste of summer this coming Winter.  You'll be happy you did!

Love that girl!  Hilarious!

xoxo
Jennette

Caught on Cot!


Found this seemingly never used cot at a rummage sale last week. 
I didn't need a cot.
But I bought a cot.
Now I am caught on cots.

Here is the frame unfolded and with the mattress pad off. 
Its in excellent shape.
Looks brand new.

Here is J. modeling the cot for me.
Sweet helper boy.

Why is this something I would buy, you might ask?  I am asking myself too.  And I think it's a couple reasons. 
One: My regular readers know that I have a sickness that requires me to amass as much silvery, metal, galvanized, wiry, metal things as possible.  I don't know what to name this sickness except the crow/raven disease.  Those creatures collect and amass shiny objects like the world might end unless they do so.  That's me, I guess.  I have the crow disease.
Two: Any time I see something, in this case the cot mattress, that I think I can recover or make pretty, I have to do it.  As seen in my ever evolving home.  Things must be aesthetically pleasing.  They must induce joy, wonder, curiosity, and a hip coolness yet timelessness, if I do say so myself.  Aren't these items more lovely to look at?  For me they are.  If something can be beautified, then it must be so.  When I saw this cot I just automatically thought cot/daybed/settee/summer-lounging-place.  SimpleSimon.  So a new cover it had to have.
I had thrifted a Ralph Lauren bed sheet at Goodwill with the intention of using it for my outdoor umbrellas (more on that later)(you know, hipster beautification and all).  Anyhow, it is flowery and shabby chic-ish, and summery, and I though it would make a nice simple cover for the cot mattress.  And it did.
I forgot to take pictures of the process but essentially it's just a huge pillow case.  The back has a three foot long overlap, like on the back of a pillow sham, and you just twist and manipulate the mattress into it until it all smooths out.  Do you know what I mean?  I am trying to think of how else I can explain it.  It starts out as three pieces of material, all the same width, but you cut the back pieces extra long.  Then before you sew it all together you just hem the edges of the back opening, overlap the back pieces to make them line up with your top piece, and sew a big rectangle.  SimpleSimon. 
Looks a little flat and uninviting?  It's actually quite comfortable and relaxing.  A great place to lounge around for the summer.  Check it out...
Don't you want to take a nap?!

Off to sew some leather, Jennette

Vintage Curtain Pants!

Jasper got some new pants!  I sewed this Oliver + S pattern for him using a vintage curtain panel!

Lucky Jasper!  His nice Mama sewed him some new/old pants!  I used the Oliver + S pattern, Sandbox Pants Pattern & Starfish Stencil, bought at Ben Franklin, on sale, many many months ago.  This pattern goes up to size 8, which is great, since he is wearing size 8 in jeans, mostly for the length, since he is a tall 7 year old.    I found after cutting out the pattern that the length sizing was generous so I cut the pattern out on size 8 but folded up the bottom edge to the size 7 and still had more than enough fabric to hem.  Oliver + S rates the sewing difficulty of the patterns by number of scissors images.  They gave this a one scissor out of four, and it was super easy.  I think this pattern will be useful for a long time to come, if he continues to enjoy homemade pants!

I know he is my kid, but how cute is he in these pants?!  Uber Cute! 

This fabric is like heavy cotton canvas, almost.  Not stiff, but definitely with some heft to it.  I will show you some details of the pockets, which I think help them look not so much like pajama pants, but are hard to see in some of these photos.  You could easily make these more like pajama bottoms by leaving the pockets off and using a thinner material.  I think one reason Jasper is so fond of these pants is because people keep telling him they look like really cool camo!  Its a bit hard to tell but they are covered with all kinds of game birds!
These have become the perfect summer pants.  They can be worn with slippers, as seen here, and you can roll them up for a cropped, capri look.  The pants allow plenty of room for stretching, running, tree climbing, forest exploring, fish catching, etc.   They got a lotta give! 
This pattern would totally work for a girl too and I can just imagine them in some of my favorite Heather Ross prints!
Here is a closeup of  a front pocket.  These are fully lined and have double top stitching for an added lil' sumpin, sumpin!  I didn't change anything about the front pockets.  Just followed the pattern directions.
Here is a back pocket, fully lined and double top stitched as well.  I did change the back pocket only in that it did call for a button closure but  I left that out.  Back pocket buttons would just get in the way for my guy.  And be an added unnecessary step for me!
Trying to show you a picture of the casing here.  The elastic in the casing is just across the back, attached at the sides, and then the draw string is used to cinch up the front.  I hadn't used this method before but I am liking how it works.  Yes, those are button holes, and they were very easy to do on my new machine once I got off my lazy bum and tried!  These pants did sit unfinished for a couple weeks because I was not wanting to fuss with button holes.  It was done in less then 5 minutes when I actually just did it!  EasyPeasy! 
Upcycle, repurpose, sew, sew, sew!  I got the bug and I can't shake it!  Must craft, gotta make, will sew for food!  What are you crafting, sewing, knitting, making?  What are you reusing, repurposing, upcycling?  Do tell.  Share, share, share! 
Working on the next pair of pants for J. Vintage stripes!  Will post photos when completed.  It's cut out.  Just gotta sew it!

Off to pick blueberries with The Crafty Aunties,
xox- Jennette

Woodblock Stamps

So I have told you all now that you should be using Google Reader to gather your information, remember?  And since I follow my own advice, and I use Google Reader, I get to be bombarded with all the great goodness in blogland every. single. day.   And I love it!  I get new info and new blog posts at my fingertips without having to go check every single blog I love.  So easy.  So do it!

A few days ago in my Google Reader inbox was a post over at Design*Sponge about woodblock stamps.  I have woodblock stamps!  And I forgot all about them until I saw that post.  So I tracked mine down and took some sunny photos.

Even though these are meant to be used on fabric, with paint or dye, these remind me of the Henna designs I love to have created on me by Julie.  She is rather talented at Mehndi and when we are together I always want her to give me a henna blessing.


I bought all of these, years and years ago, before children, so over 16 years ago, from antique dealers.  Back in the day large shopping malls like Alderwood and Northgate would host antique shows.  So all the vendors would be set up in the middle of the mall and I would go to the mall just to shop these sales.  I have not been a "mall person" since junior high but boy howdy would I high tail it to the shopping mall when they were filled with antiques!

This is a large one compared to the first two.  I like the flower design.  But what I really love, and have always loved, as long as I can remember, is Paisley!

I lurve me some paisley!  Maybe it was when I was a teenager and my Auntie started collecting wool paisley shawls, that I began falling in love.  Since fine wool paisley shawls and spreads are FAR out of my reach financially, I will settle for some nice wood paisley for now.

I have used a few of these, again, years and years ago, to make some block stamped silk scarves.  I used the paisleys and fabric dye and fabric paint and long white silk scarves.  I liked how they turned out then.  Not perfect and a little primitive looking.  Love the not perfect and primitive.

Last but not least, another big block stamp.  Now that I have these all out I think I will come up with a summer project for the kids and I to do.  Maybe we can block stamp a beach blanket.  I'll report back later and let you know how that all works out. 

Stamp, sew and create!

Off to pick tomatoes,
Jennette

Altered Clothes - take 3, aka Leather Binge

FINALLY finished this leather bag I have been working on forever!  I really like how it turned out and what makes it even ten times cooler is that it is a complete and total upcycle/repurpose project!!  Uh huh!

Here's the dealio.  It was a full size Taiwanese leather trench coat.  I LOVED the color of it at the thrift store but I didn't love the price.   I asked the manager if she could do better on the price and to my utter amazement, she could!  I was actually shocked because it was Goodwill and I have begun to think of them as big corporate mucky muck and I think they usually cost too much.  I am so used to asking for the "best deal," or "is this your best price," or "can you do any better," from all the junkin' I do at yard, flea, estate, rummage sales so it just came out. And she said yes.  And she said how about $10?  Well, I gotta say, I still hesitated since I can find good leather to reuse at all these other types of sales and I never pay more than $5.  I didn't balk long though since I LOVED the color and an idea was starting to formulate.
  
Unfortunately, my photos of the intact and original trench are on the old computer that died but I was able to give you a general idea of what the thing looked like before.  Wow, right?!  I was able to cut out the mid section of the coat, on the seams, and still have the rest to do more projects with. 

I took off the plastic buttons, even though they were cool (saved em, of course), and hand sewed on two antler buttons that I had.  Then I used my machine, which didn't like any of this sewing leather business, to sew the front panel, next to the buttons, closed.

I had some left over deep blue velvet from a wrap around skirt I made myself last winter.  I really like the contrast of the blue velvet and orangey color of the leather.  This bag has a wintery feel to it but I am trying it out for a few days now!  I used the velvet to patch over the pocket openings, line the top edge and as the "belt!"  See the original belt loops, still in place?  The velvet belt slides right thru and cinches the bag closed if need be.  I think I should still add a magnetic snap. 

My machine was so unhappy about sewing leather.  Even though this isn't thick, once you add a layer of velvet, or dare to sew two layers of leather together, she gets pissed!  I went thru a whole package of leather needles and in the end I had to heed my lovely friend Suze's suggestion and take it to a shoe repair place to finish the last step of attaching the shoulder strap.  Thank goodness I did, since now its finished and I can actually use it, kinda the point of making it in the first palce!

I took it to Woodinville Shoe Repair and for $10 (I know, It ups my overall cost and defeats the purpose of bickering over the price in the first place, but it was so nice to just GET IT DONE!), they sewed my straps on for me.  Thank you shoe repair guy!  I think my friends Katie and Dianah both have kick-ass machines that would have don't the job so I will try that next time.  This time i got too impatient!
The shoulder strap is made from the original belt.  It was a thin belt so I just cut it in half, liked that length, and had him sew each piece on, side by side.
Here is the very simple but heavy duty sewing that was done at the shoe repair place.
 
Overall I am very pleased with how this turned out but I am not happy my sewing machine is such a wus.  I think I will have to trade up because I have A LOT of leather projects in mind.  Mostly bags and purses but also saddle bags for my vintage Schwinn, sword and knife sheaths for J. and various gifts and whatnots for friends and family.  I will let y'all know when I have some pieces up for sale :)

So, Sew, Sow!

Dishwasher broken so off to handwash dishes, Jennette




The Owl and the Butterfly

So last week was spent mostly hanging around Georgetown, in Seattle Washington, while J. was at Circus Camp.  Natasha and I had many little adventures and one of a few of them included visiting, and revisiting, Pacific Galleries Antique Mall.  Oh, how I love this mall.  Its like a museum.  Almost every single thing in there is TO DIE FOR but it all has a steep price tag.  If I weren't from this area and was visiting Seattle and stumbled onto this place, I would think I had died and gone to heaven.  It's that kind of place.  Its the place I always look for when I travel.  The place that has ALL THE GOODS!

So it didn't take long for Natasha and I to find many an item to drool over.  On our second trip there we found two of these:
This is a Victorian hair clip.  And this photo does not do it justice.  I don't usually go for gold but this has the most wonderful rich, old patina that makes it just right.  So they came as a set.  there were two of them.  And we both loved them.  So I said lets buy them, each have one, and make them into necklaces.  Friendship necklaces!  Like embroidery floss friendship bracelets, but only better!  We had to think on it for a day or two, they weren't cheap!, and then we had to have them since they wouldn't leave our minds!  I had an idea to attach mine to old watch fob chain, of which I have a lot, to keep it looking vintage and lovely.  I will show you in the next few photos what the back of the "clip" looks like and you will see why we did not want to continue using them as intended, for hair decorations!

You see, the wings of the butterfly are on tiny springs so that the "legs" of the butterfly open when you pinch the wings together and then you stick it to your head and let the wings go, thus closing the feet and attaching it to your hair!  Genius, those Victorians!!  EXCEPT, those feet are pointy and super sharp!  Ouch!  My hair is not nearly as thick and gorgeous as Natasha's and I knew my hair wouldn't take to holding the weight of this little clip in it for long.  Also, we didn't want to chance loosing them if we did try to wear them in our hair and they fell out from not being secured enough.  So necklaces it is!
This is a close-up of the watch fob chain I am currently using to make my necklace.  I love the big over sized spring clasp and the original lobster type clasp.  And it has the perfect old gold patina that the clip has so they look good together but not super matchy-matchy, which I abhor.
Here it is on.  I like how it hangs off to the side a bit so its not too perfect looking.  I simply pinched the wings to open the legs, stuck them thru two links on the chain with one link in between. And voila!  Done!  I have been wearing it around the house and paying attention to whether its staying clasped on like this, just pinched on the chain, as if it were in hair, and so far so good.  It did come off once when I was changing shirts so it must have come unpinched in the switch.  I will figure out a more permanent attachment before I wear it out and about.  I would cry hard if  I lost it!
 
The next little treasure is THE OWL!  Oh, how I adore and treasure this treasure!  As soon as I saw it in the case at PG I had to see what it was and find out how much it cost.  It called to me.  It needed a new home.  I did leave it behind the first day, feeling like I needed to think on it and be certain.  But when we went back to get the clips, it was a done deal.  I couldn't bare to leave without it!
Not the best photo but he is kinda awesome!  It is sterling silver and it's a pin.  It is hollowed out so its not too heavy.  It has some markings on the back that I need to research.  I wanted him to become a necklace too.  His red stone eyes just wont let me be!

Trying to show you the markings.  Its a crown, above a shield/emblem that has F N Co across it, and then it says "trademark" under the shield.  Anyone know what it means or where its from?  Anyhow, I had some silver watch fob chain and the chain and clasp from an old wrist watch so attached these to the sides of the pin back and began making my necklace.

Above you can see the two different types of chain on each side.  What you cant see is the pretty little clasp in the middle of the wrist watch chain or the detail of the watch fob chain and the amethyst and silver piece that originally was on the watch fob and now hangs down the back.  Next photo:

Here you can see the original watch fob piece and the detail of its chain.  It hangs down the back.

There.  Now you can see each side of the chains.  But you cant really tell how wonderful the purple glass in the watch fob piece is.  It is wonderful!

I love my new necklaces and I Love altering, upcycling, and repurposing these beautiful items so they continue to get use and be worn years after they originated. 

Off to pick our raspberries, currants and huckleberries.
xoxox, Jennette


Come one,Come All!

These are all items I took down to the antique mall last night!  If they call to you, go get em!  My space is #23 across from the front counter.  Enjoy!  And thanks for looking!

red plant stand, indoors or out

doll friends wooden toy
vintage kite string holders
rusty old fan.  not working.  parts? Industrial/found art project?  steampunk art? hmmm...

LOVE these!  But they don't fit me.  boo hoo.  Here is J. modeling them.  They do fit him perfectly so they are about a kids size 1-2.  I wanna move to Holland ;)
Mortar and pestle
buck bowl
bah, ram, ewe. bah, ram, ewe.  Cheese tray and wooden critter shakers. 
amazing old vintage tapestry
lovely old toll painted hanging mirror with little wall pocket and rack.  we used it it to hold keys and scarves by our garage door entrance.  Now it can be yours :)
heavy black cast iron book holder.  maybe for recipe books in the kitchen, no?

and last, but not least, oh no, two whatchamacallit molds!  You know me, easily awed and distracted by silver and shiny things!  Do what ya will with them.....

Going to read myself to sleep, Jennette

When you get home...

via Ramonsterwear.com

when asked what is your favorite part of summer:
     When you get home from the water(river, lake, pool)and its dark and they ate peanuts and carrot sticks for dinner waterside and they are wiped and smiling and you are wiped but have just enough somethin' left to sit quietly while they sleep and sip a beer and let your hair get almost dry and the record gets to the end of it's side and you curl up with a book and it's night night house.
I LOVE this quote and wanted to share it since I have had it pinned above my computer for over a month now.  Love it!  So perfect.  So telling.  So how it is.  Love, love, love!  xox, J. p.s. check out ramonster if ya love cool clothes :)

Altered Clothes - take 2

boring blue cotton dress, thrifted in Tucson, blah, blah, blah

I am not even sure why I bought this dress in the first place.  I guess I thought it would be an easy thing to throw over my swimsuit in the summer, even though I have about a hundred an one little cottony summer dresses like this.  ( just as many as the number of purse/bags now!) 
I was about to give it back to the thrift store in my weekly bag-o-thrift-store-crap-to-drop-off when I thought of putting some little front pockets on it.  I realized that my favorite summer dress have some sort of pockets and that I tend to wear them over and over instead of ones without pockets.  This idea led me to my massive and random stack of embroidered thingies: runners, doilies, hankies, aprons, etc from which to choose a pocket material.  It was becoming hard to choose because I have a ton of mediocre type pieces and I was looking for something outstanding.  Then I hit payday.  See below:
1 of 3, using two for the pockets

Tada!  Birds!  I lurve me some birds, I do, I do!  So I found these three linen doily type pieces that have a bird embroidered on them and and edged with some blue and white crochet/tatting/knitting?  Don't know ,but its lovely.  So I folded each one in half and figured out how to place them for pockets.
close-up of pockets

This will be a little difficult to explain but I pinned the right side of the oval shaped doily down first and sewed it to the dress in a half circle shape.  This created the inside of the pocket, or a pocket lining, of sorts.  Then I folded the top of the oval down, over the bottom half circle, wrong sides together now, to create the lovely pocket with bird you see above.  I just top stitched that down, over the first row  and now I have a lined pocket, no cutting involved, and doily is still in perfect shape in case I decide to ditch the dress, it gets ruined, too small, etc.  Thus I will be able to take the doilies off and reuse them.  Smartyparty!
love, love, love
finished altering
Now i just need to wear it!

Upcycle, rework, and try again!  Dance, dance, dance!  Sing, sing, sing!

Altered Clothes - take 1

thrifted strapless top turned into bag

Hello Y'all!  You will have to excuse me for just a moment while I whine, kvetch, and moan about there not being enough time in each day!!  Where do they go, these days of mine?  Monday, where are you?  You were a flash in the pan!  I actually miss you Monday.  I don't want it to be Tuesday, mostly because it means one day less this week to get "stuff" accomplished.  Oh, Tuesday, come on baby, be my day of massive "doing!"  Maybe I can stop sleeping and get it "all done."  There's an idea.  Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?!  Ha!

OK.  Enough of the complaining.  I have actually been trying to train myself lately to focus on the things I accomplish, instead of the things that are still left to do.  It's hard for me.  Being a first born, Capricorn, perfectionist and all.  But I try.  Thus, one reason I blog, is to document and convince myself that I do actually get some things accomplished!  Look!  I have some photos to prove it!  Now I just have to believe it;  That I do get enough done in one day and that the world will not go to pieces if i don't get one more thing made, one more project sewn, one more meal perfect.  Let it go, let it go, let it go....

So I made a few things!  I did get "something" done!  The above photo is of a pretty little strapless silk top I found thrifting.  It looked so sweet but I NEVER do strapless so I just kept looking at it, trying to figure out what it could become.  When all else fails, make a bag!  Like I really need another, when I have a hundred and one already.  I guess I should really consider selling some of these things!

this is what the original top looked like, bottom edge ruffle and all

In the first photo you can see the silk ribbon I used on the inside to make a drawstring type closure.  I have it hanging over the outside edge so you can see it, but it usually stays on the inside.  Since there was already a ruffle around the bottom edge of the top, I just turned it inside out, tucked in the ruffle, and sewed the bottom of the shirt closed.  Then, around the top, where there was a casing with elastic (to hold up the strapless wonder!), I seam ripped two little holes to thread the silk ribbon thru, and then I tidied up the two holes with a few stitches.  So now I can cinch the silk ribbon on the inside to close up the top of the bag.

close-up of the circle print detail and random sequins

For a strap, as you will see below, I used some left over materials.  I personally like things to look a little deconstructed so I like to use a hodgepodge of materials and textures.  I had some left over grey and dark greenish-blue silk and I had an old top that was batiked with lanterns, moons and stars, so I used a combo of these.  One side of the strap is all the batik and one side is random lengths of the silks, including the button placket from the dark greenish-blue.  May be a little hard to see here....
 
detail of strap

I love the prettiness, lightness, and effervescence of this frilly little bag.  It's not usually my style but for dress up it might be nice.  Its not super hardy and durable so I guess it is meant for once in awhile use.  What are you making, altering, upcycling, or crafting these days?  Do tell! 

Make love, do craft, and carry on! 


Long Time No See


Hello Friends!

Long time, no see!  What a fun but crazy week I have had.  J has been in circus camp all week at SANCA so I have enjoyed being in Georgetown, Washington.  So much to do, see and eat in Gtown!  If you are in the Gtown area check out the following:
Fruitcocktail for fun and funky treasures, Hangar Cafe for the BEST sweet and savory crepes around, Great Stuff and Susan Wheeler Home for TO DIE FOR art and collectibles.  I want every single thing in these stores!!! Plus Kirk and Susan are so friendly and helpful.  Check them out!
Also, go to the yellow falafal truck for the best Schwarma you have ever tasted.  It is served with pickled beets and tender meat on a bed of lettuce and pita with a wonderful garlicy but cooling tzatziki sauce.  Yummy!  And don't miss Maruta Shoten, "the working persons Uwajimaya," where you can stock up on noodles, sauces, toiletries, and snacks all while ordering a delicious lunch from the deli and take out counter. 
If you like to shop for antiques, head over to Pacific Galleries, a few blocks away, to walk into a wonderland of unusual and amazing curiosities.  There is much I love but can never afford here so I treat it as if it were a museum and just go visit all the cool stuff! I did, this time, however, get to splurge on two special treats which I will share in another post very soon!

Another place to eat is Iron Pig BBQ.  The best bbq in south Seattle!

The Foundry is another store in Georgetown that I love to search thru.  Its like a big rummage store but with only super cool stuff, crammed in here and there.  It reminds me of a New Orleans store so much, in that, its crammed with stuff, its never open the hours the sign says, its hot as Hades in there, many items aren't priced, and everything I pick out is the expensive stuff!If you go and its not open, go down to the corner coffee place and ask if the owner is there to let you in the Foundry.  He owns both and is often at one or the other.  Here are some photos from the Foundry:


slab-o-wood for a table top


galvanized vent/fan/finial thingy


Love this chair!  Turn of last century, old, perfect.


The blue on this lamp was amazing.  That's A. in the background, holding the long, large net I bought.


great green industrial(hot, hot, hot!) stool


yards and yards of ticking.  yummy!


great old toolbox.  natasha got the best one though, turquoise, perfect, and i will try to get a photo


industrial wood and metal shelving.  want, want, want

So, it's been a busy week folks.  Lots more to share but just wanted to get you one post, at least!  Typing on my new computer and loving how much faster it is.  And loving that its a lap top so I can take it along on some adventures this summer.  I will keep you posted!  Stay cool, be cool, you are cool!

Off to water my tomatoes,
jennette

Black Cabinet Makeover

Revamped Black Cabinet!

Black sliding door cabinet found at tag sale.  Glass from one panel missing. 


Grungy cabinet.  It has a hole in the back, I presume for cords, so you could use this as a media cabinet to hide your whatnots.

When I saw this I thought I could do something with the doors to make it cute and usable.  So I decided to cover some heavy duty cardboard with fabric and use that in place of the missing and broken glass.  It turned out a little shabby chic and I like it.  It's for sale down at M and M and would make a great craft, media, games, art supplies cabinet.  Come check it out if you need some new storage solutions!

Here are some photos of the process of gluing the fabric to the panels to be inserted in place of glass.

The gluing worked really well and made the panels even stiffer.  By using this method, someone could change the  fabric quite easily by covering over existing panels or just creating new panels to attach different fabric to.  Simple, simple.


View of the new and improved black cabinet.

Another view.

With doors slid open to the middle.


Got a project you've been working on?  Do share.

Create, make, do.  Be awesome, pay attention, and keep breathing.