A Silk Purse Out of a Sow's Ear...

I found this old work table on one of my thrift store runs about a year ago. I paid a whole whopping dollar (yes $1) for it and they guy at the thrift store even delivered it for me at no extra charge! Please ignore the mess around the table!

It has been sitting in my garage waiting for me to prime and paint it. I am in the process of converting part of our living room into my studio and wanted to see how it would fit, so we moved it into the house last weekend. But the thought of keeping it in its current condition - "woodgrain" laminated top, and ugly 70's gold pealing paint (until the weather warms up enough to spray paint it) was depressing.

So, armed with aluminum foil, batting, fabric, ric rac, ball fringe, Velcro and a staple gun, I went to work transforming my "new" work table...

I designed the whole table to be an ironing surface to tackle those large projects or quick seam pressing while sewing, and a cutting and sewing table. The first thing I did was cover the laminate with aluminum foil . This prevents the laminate from melting and helps to reflect the heat back to the underside of the item being pressed/ironed...

Next, I covered the foil with 2 layers of cotton batting...


Some cute white and red polka dot fabric was put on top. I tried out the ironing function of the table to get all the wrinkles out - by the way it works great! It was the easiest ironing I have ever done!

I stapled the fabric and batting to the underside of the top.


Then trimmed the extra fabric and batting and tucked it between the edge of the top and the table.

It gave a nice finished edge...


I sewed up a cute skirt with some coordinating red and white and aqua and white polka dot fabrics, and the black ball fringe and ric rac I was gifted with the other day...

I Velcroed the skirt to the table.


And here you go, the finished table...

I have a custom Lucite quilting table on order, along with a transparent custom cutting mat to fit the entire left side of the table (so I don't accidentally cut my ironing pad but can still see my pretty polka dots).

I am thrilled with how it turned out!

For Me?! You Shouldn't Have!!!

I received a present yesterday from my friend Jenni V. She is "destashing" her studio, and asked if I could help her list some stuff on Etsy and Ebay. For my "help" she gifted me with some of her stash!


I love ball fringe and rick rack, so I couldn't ask for a nicer gift!


I will have to now come up with something fun to do with them! My daughter M. whoes room is done in black and pink, has been eyeing them. I'm sure I will come up with something fun for her room!

(this is the quilt I made her for her new room last year)

Jenni recentlty started her own blog. You can check it out at Point of View Lens. Go check it out!

Complete!

I finished the quilt for my niece last weekend. I am very happy with the way it turned out...

I did both striped and free motion quilting on it.

I did a pieced binding that I have been dying to try after seeing it on another quilt.


And I think the back is almost as cute as the front. I hope she will enjoy it!

Major Vintage Score!

On my way to watch my son at his swimming lessons...

(sorry about the blurriness of the photo - It was very humid in the natatorium, and my lens kept fogging up and I was in the bleachers and had to zoom and then crop photo not a really good mix, but he is so cute I had to post it anyway)

I stopped at one of my local thrift stores. I saw this cute blue double breasted all weather retro coat - with zip out red "fur" lining.


There was no tag ob it so I asked how much it was. The sales clerk said that most of the coats were $1 today!!! So of course I had to have it... and I had to see what else I could find.

So I found this spring coat... also for $1...


And this heavy winter wool coat... again for $1...


And last by not least, this spring coat... you guessed it, $1...


The last one is too small for me but one of my (skinny) friends said she would love it! She said she would pay me double as a finders fee!!! I'm making money now!!! So I will really have gotten 3 new/old coats for only $2!!! I just need to find a coupon for the dry cleaners and I am good to go in my retro outerwear!!!!

Fun "Neighborhood" Quilt!

Here is what I've been working on...

This is the quilt front...Front close up...

Quilt back....
I loved the fabric with the little houses and worked the quilt around it! I hope to start on the quilting today, but since my poor house has been neglected the past few days, it may have to wait until I clean the bathrooms, put away 3 baskets of clean laundry, and vacuum some floors.

I really should go to the grocery store too! I went to Joann's to get batting yesterday instead of going to the grocery store!! I'm sure I am the only mom in the world that choose shopping for quilting supplies over food for her children! Please don't call child protectice services on me - we have plenty of bread, milk, soup and peanut butter to last a few days!

Sneak Peak...

Just a peak at something I am working on...


It is going to be for my nieces birthday!!

Off to get batting - I think I'll just get a whole roll and not have to keep running to get batting for every project!!!

Great Weekend!

What a great weekend!

Friday, my husband and I had a special "date" night with our youngest (son - 7) and took him to the movies to see Pink Panther 2. Movie was ok, but just spending the evening with my 2 favorite guys made it great. Watching my son laugh at all the corny jokes and stunts made me laugh just as hard!

Saturday, we went to Indianapolis to the book launch of my cousins new children's book.

(Lori is front right, the author Anne is back right, our middle daughter C is front left, followed by me, oldest daughter M and hubby Dave)

As I mentioned in Friday's post, she illustrated her first kids book and we are so excited for her! We spent the night at their house and laughed and talked till late! She gave us a special signed and numbered copy and I bought several to give as gifts and donate to the kids libraries at school!

(here is the "house" of the author where the launch party was held!!)

Sunday before heading back home, Lori and I went to a few resale and antique stores in her hometown of Carmel. We always have so much fun when we do this...

This was my favorite booth - I love how all the kitchen stuff is grouped together by color!

You Go Girl!!!

I would like to give a big "shout out" to my incredibly talented cousin Lori! I know I have blogged about her before, she is the one who got me to start blogging in the first place. Lori recently finished illustrating her first book! It is being released in the Indianapolis area tomorrow and nationally on Valentines Day! I am going to the launch party tomorrow and will get my own personal autographed copy of the book.

If you have a second, pop on over to her blog and congratulate her on her success. If you want to pre-order your own copy of the book, you can click on the picture below...

Success couldn't happen to a more deserving person!!