Today's Projects

I have so much going on, and am having difficulty focusing, admittedly.  However, this morning I completed this piece ... finally!  You may remember this piece from a previous post.  I was totally happy with the front of it, but the back side of it was a mess, as the frame had such a shallow area for the artwork, that there wasn't room to properly secure it, neatly.  So, I took it to work, where it's been for a few weeks, with a bit of interest...until they turned the piece over and saw the ugly back side.  My boss suggested that it would make an AWESOME serving tray ... and voila, that it is now, with a decent backside too!

I intended to fill the back "ugly portion" with felt, but then found Fun Foam and it worked great!  Then I attached four small eye screws for the "feet!"  Now it's ready for a small party!

Next, I took the suggestion my my "Big Sister," and used the Minwax "Paste Finishing Wax" on my recently acquired sewing drawers ... and look at the difference in made!

I think you can tell wish ones are the "before" and which ones are the "afters" here, ;).  I'm loving this paste wax stuff!!!  Now I'm ready for a "handy man" to turn them into the cabinet I invision!

Next, I'll share a couple of pieces that I'm not so proud of, but nonetheless, they are works in progress.  First is an end table that I've been working on this week that didn't work so well with the first attempt.

I was trying to use supplies that I had on hand ~~ purple paint for the base, and crackle finish using glue and water, and it didn't work out so well.  Because this piece is meant to go in the shop for sale, I realized quickly that most people cannot use purple in their decor, ;).  So ... it's in the process of another transformation, using gray tones (not pictured), and we'll see where that takes it.  It may end up in a third transformation!  Its top lifts up to provide storage, and will be a really neat piece ... if I can get a good look with the finish.  (Please don't point out the white paint on my studio decking floor here to my DH, lol!  Nothing that a huge rain storm won't fix, right?)

Next, I've had a request for a "twin" of my first Suzi Goddess ... on a canvas, instead of a board.  This is my first attempt at doing a face on a canvas, with no collaging, and admittedly, it's a challenge, but one I'm prepared to take.  Chandra was able to get a great deal on some 9x12 gallery wrapped canvases on her trip last weekend, and I knew I may have to use a couple of them before I got what I wanted for this piece.  This is the mid-stage of my first attempt, still in need of mucho embellishment.

Her eyes are HUGE, lol ~~ the rest of it, I know I can "fix."  But the humongous eyes, I'm not so sure I can repair!  I hope you can see past the beginnings here, imagining all the background embellishments and completion of her hair and its highlights.  But even so, her eyes are way too big!  I keep telling myself, Suzi says "anything can be fixed," but I'm just not feeling this one, ;).  I think she will become a gesso'ed canvas for another project!

Lastly, I've completed a few more textbook rosettes that I'm LOVING!  I truly have no purpose for a wreath of these, and thus am thinking that I will use them to embellish my holiday gift tags.  They are just too pretty not to share in some way!  130 pages of an old Reader's Digest and 17 rosettes later, and this is where I'm at, ;).  Okay, so there were a few that weren't usable, but I'm loving these beauties!

So that's what is "on my desk" today, and whom knows what will be on it for tomorrow.  With arts and crafts, admittedly, I have ADD, but enjoy every minute of it!

Wishing each of you a happy weekend of creating, and life in general.  The Holiday Season is approaching ever so quickly, and I feel certain that I'm not the only one in "full steam ahead" mode.  May we all enjoy every minute of it!