Let's Play Decorator... with an unlimited budget.

by Devonia

Creating the above layout was such fun - like going shopping without spending a dime. Polyvore.com makes it possible to go shopping all over the web, import your own photos or photos you find online by doing a search right there and then , after which you can move it all around until you have something you love. I had painted the portrait of my grandmother and I wanted to see what would look good with it if I could have anything I found and liked online. With exception of the gilt framed portrait, everything in the layout, including the sunglasses, is available online.

Once I "published" my choices, the items on my shopping list popped up with the prices. I tallied it all up and the cost would be - 3700.00 dollars. Yikes! I bet I could beat that price to pieces by using trash to treasure substitutes. But still it was a fun project even though the painting is not mine. You have to be sure to click on the photo to see how neat this feature is -Terrific! It was a fun way to play decorator.

I'm thinking it would be awesome for project previews. For instance, my hubby is considering some new landscaping. It would be a big surprise if I were to take a photo of our home and yard, go shopping for plants, shrubs, trees, and flowers, cyber-plant 'em online so we can preview what might work for us with a cost-estimate for us to budget shop and beat. Wow! I'm loving it!

Next I'm making a Hint! card for my birthday this month. I know it would be appreciated because I must be very hard to buy for, since I can't even think of anything I want. I'll probably post it on the frig so my family can't miss it. Can't wait!

To run on over and give it a try - CLICK HERE.

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Tooo Neat!

Confetti Scissors? I love these! Available at the Container Store (and coming to a Michael's near me, soon, I hope!)



Wall Street Journal Market Watch: Princess is the Crowning Style in Japan Fashion ~ Marie Antoinette~ Roses, Frou-frou, Fifi, & More! You gotta see this video~



Kale? Twinkling Topiaries Suspended for Christmas I've always loved kale; but I've never thought of hanging it. Makes a lovely front porch appeal focal point from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Does this remind you of hanging mistletoe balls? Complete photo how-to here.




Decorating Cream Walls with A Sharpie: Pretty Sharp ( Why didn't I think of this?) Although I would never do this, I have to admit it caught my eye and popped both wide open. WOW! On second thought, if I had a basement family area, I really might! You have to check out the WHOLE basement play room to really appreciate how much decor impact this fellow managed with only ten dollars spent on Sharpies. An amazing pan view can be seen here.

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Easy Painting Projects Fit For Royalty: A Royal Tee, Crowned Pillow, and Game Tote with a Crown on One Side That Flips to Checkers-2-Go

I designed patterns for years and years for the arts and crafts industry. I tried hard to create versatile patterns, patterns I loved myself. The best part about creating the patterns was hearing from customers how much they enjoyed them; whether for gifts or for creating things they could sell at craft fairs, or just for their own home and personal use.

I've been working on some patterns to offer on my Many Shades of Shabby Catablog. I'm working on several at a time, and hope to fill it up soon.

I just added this first one that I had so much fun creating. It's for fabric painting, but of course, it's easy to see that the design might go on many surfaces.

This pattern begins with a glitzy crown loaded with sparkling gems. It's really simple to use the pattern - on most medium or light weight fabrics, all you have to do is slip it beneath the pattern and trace it before you paint it. Above, I'm marking off the squares for the pillow cover and you can see the design beneath the satin fabric.

I made the pillow out of scraps of an old vintage wedding gown I purchased at a thrift store. It really turned out elegant and I love it. But the pillow is just as elegant made of plain old muslin.

What I really find a delight to do was the Game Tote.

I thought the game tote would make a great place to store all those little things it takes to play a game. I couldn't help but think what a sweet gift this could make as a set for a little princess-who could sleep in the tee, pack overnight things in the tote, and she and her friends could play checkers right on the bag. How much fun would that be?

These look lovely in different colors. Now why does pink and silver glitter come to mind?
The crown is shown on a tee and a hooded sweat here, but wouldn't it be sweet on a night tee, the long ones?

Pretty, Practical & Fun to Make: Wearable Coasters

This holiday season my wineglasses are going to wear their coasters on their feet - no more nasty tabletop circles for me. These wearable coasters can be made from recycled holiday greeting cards, comic strips, newspapers, old cds, gift wrapping or even plain brown paper. The coasters are a fun, rewarding project - pretty and practical for your holiday entertaining.

In fact, relying mostly on my old holiday trims, I made dozens of the coasters in different designs, and the only thing I had to buy was the dimensional paint to finish the scalloped edges and add sparkle. I used FolkArt Dimensional Fabric Paint by Plaid, available online. Sigh.. take a look at these eight designs and maybe you'll agree - Recycling is sooo satisfying.

Wearable Coasters ePacket Templates & Instruction Available

You can add see-through pockets to old cds for a WOW! wearable coaster, filled with confetti . Trim the wine glass with curled ribbons and tuck in a fun tag and you'll be ready to say you were "Born To Be Merry!"

See eight fabulous designs for holiday and casual party events following

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Transform Your Family Photo Into A WOW Painting

Do you have a great family photo that you would love to turn into a huge personal painting for your home? Maybe that super shot of your hubby breaking the finish line in first place in the marathon, or granddad hammering together a wood rocking horse, or even a family shot eating hot dogs that you just love? Could be your rec room would be the perfect place for paintings of your little girl going through drill team exercises and your little boy hitting that homer- maybe your office would lighten-up if you had a painting of your baby in the tub splashing water up to the ceiling or your toddlers making wishes as they blow away dandelions. Would this make a perfect gift for someone special?

You could never paint something like this? Well, maybe you could... I did. It was like "coloring".

I'm so very excited about the potential of this paint - HD High Definition by Plaid. My artist's heart wept when I realized how much was possible with it. The paint is being touted as an alternative for oils and demonstrated used for traditional art. It is sooooo fine in its own right that I wanted to design to take full advantage of the dimension and texture it offers - plus take advantage of how easy it is to use. Amazing stuff...

It was so easy to completely convert this family photo of my grandson on playday to an art painting for his room.

I just tweaked my photo, sized it, printed out the numbered pattern, transferred the pattern with graphite transfer paper, selected my colors and started painting.



I had the " mdf canvas" cut at Home Depot, 24 x 36 . I primed it with shake and rattle Kilz, worked on printing the patterns while the primer dryed, and once the pattern was transferred, knocked it right out that afternoon. Though I blocked in some of it with Plaid acrylic matching paint, most was straight from the bottle HD paint. The squeeze bottles have a tip that can be used for fine detailing and effects or you can brush or apply this paint with a pallette knife. I did a little of all of it.

I let it cure for a few days and then sprayed it with a matte sealer cuz I don't like shiny - but, wow, I love this texture! Check out the beaded bracelet & dimensional sunglasses. Who could imagine paint could do that? I love it!

Instead of a frame, I've chosen to hang this with exposed industrial hardware clips that can be painted bright colors or left silver. I'm going to leave these silver, I think.

My grandson is the little fellow in the center. I think this will be great for his room. Hope he likes it.





NOTE: I'm receiving many questions about transferring the pattern so I'm following up with additional pattern information.

I sized the " photo pattern" and converted it into actual inches that would work for the art piece. With a software ruler snapped to the resized and tweaked image (now grayscale, more than a line drawing but less detail than the photo) , I sectioned the big pattern into appx blocks of 8 x 10 so my printer could print them out. I numbered the pages so I wouldn't get lost. Printed each page of the pattern out, taped the pieces together so that all of my lines met, covered my board with sheets of graphite paper, placed the pattern over it and traced over it with a ballpoint pen, pressing pretty hard, to transfer it.

It took longer to transfer the pattern than to paint it, I think. And I could have done a better job if I had been precise in my transferring of the pattern.

Hope this helps. If not, it's really ok if you use the email link below to contact me. I'll try to help.

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My Privacy Window: Lets Light & Color IN & Keeps Curious Eyes OUT

Click on Photo to Enlarge

For years, as much as I wanted to open the blinds to my sliding glass door and let the beauty of morning light fill the room, I didn't. And I didn't, primarily, because though the back yard was a wonder in the morning with filtered sunlight through the trees and birds that I wanted to watch - it also offered a straight view, from the alley, right to the table where I was having my coffee. The trash men rode high enough to see right over the fence, into my room - and who knows, I might not be decent. Sooo those blinds remained closed.

This morning when I flung the blinds wide open, I examined my solution and realized that ten years later it has proven to be one of my better projects - it still looks great, in fact the colors have faded a little on the leaves making them even prettier and for years it has continued providing me with both privacy and all the morning wonders of my back yard .

The project was quick and easy . I went off to my fave craft store, purchased faux stained glass paint, created leaves and vines. Then on the lower half only, I filled in the clear gaps with frosted clear - just took my fingers and rubbed it straight on in a back and forth overlapping pattern. It created the effect of frosted crackled glass, beautiful in itself, and also kept anyone from seeing anything but a blur within the room. The upper clear part lets all of the light inside and altogether, the effect is much like a kaleidoscope of color that changes with the seasons and weather - but is always, always beautiful. It's easier to clean than just plain glass doors too - I love it.

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Seeking The Perfect French Finish...

Click on Photo To Enlarge:

I've been working feverishly trying to nail down a finish that would work for my coffee table and several other pieces; I wanted it to be a finish I could live with for a long time. Unhappy with my results- I started over so often - I was ready to pull my hair out. When I thought I had "hit" it, I did several pieces (that were all in dark stained fruit wood finishes) just to make sure I could duplicate it repeatedly because it is a very painstaking finish. Finally, I nailed it. (See some pieces I finished in above photo)

Please forgive me the conceit but I'm so happy with this I'm going to name it - "French Perfection" . It is everything I wanted it to be and more - an elegant antiqued and distressed finish in blended whispers of ivory, natural wood, and zinc that can be shimmered with the silver of mercury and gilded with gold.

This "French Perfection" for all my vintage French Country furniture pieces
will work "perfectly" with antiqued weathered architectural elements, tumbled stone, zinc, mercury, glass and marble. There are too many shades and hues to simply call it cream. ;)

Whew... my shoulders are aching and I'm creatively drained from working non-stop on this finish - but I'm glad I did it.

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