Trash 2 Treasure Tuesdays #4

Trash 2 Treasure Tuesday last week had some awesome posts.  I get so many new ideas I never know where to start, get overwhelmed, and end up doing same ole' same ole'.  Someone kick me in the pants.

 First up is the Post With The Most:

She had  a dresser but needed a book case.  Most of us would go to a local thrift store and buy a generic looking bookcase and maybe add a little paint, take a before and after and post it on our blogs.  Not Catherine, however.  Ohhh no.  Just you look and see for yourself what she did!

And then there's one of my favorites on the list, probably because I just could never manage to pull something like that off!  If the back of the chair looks to complicated to reupholster, I just yank the ugly fabric off, paint the wood underneath and call it a day!  Check out this fabulous chair makeover by Kristen and Cara over at Inspired Home.  
And last but not least, I've always had a soft spot for toile and I'm sure if she got these two table at a yard sale somewhere, they probably got passed over a few hundred times by others before she picked them up.  Yeah, us junkin' girls have an eye for potential!  Way to go with these, Kim!

Rules:

1. You MUST be a GFC follower of Kammy's Korner (click "join this site" on the right)

2. Place the Party button found on the right sidebar either on the post you are linking up or in your linky list on your blog. 

3. Your post MUST be a trash to treasure and link directly to your post, not your blog.

Now go grab two of the best things on earth: A cold Mountain Dew and a bag of Doritos and PARTAY!!

It's a purse...a duct tape purse. And it's beautiful!

I was approached by this beautiful, young lady wanting to show me her purse.  I thought it was very pretty for a leopard print purse.  Then.... she drops the bomb. She tells me she made it out of duct tape.  Wait. What?!  Hold that thought, I'm getting my camera!!!

She had a before pic on her phone, and I told her to email it to me pronto.  It was a black purse she bought from good ole' Wally world eons ago and she had gotten lots of mileage out of it.  

She told me she just covered the bag in strips, when she'd screw up, she'd just slap another piece on top.  Trista Shutt.  You're a genius.  And you've got us all googling designer duct tape!  And, you're young, beautiful and single...  Men, I will be screening all inquiries about this girl.

On a bed, in your hair

We don't really get into Halloween much.  Death and scariness.... something to celebrate?  Eh, whatever, I'll let my son dress up and march around with his class on Monday and eat some candy, but that's about as far as we go with it.  So I kind of even surprised myself when I decided to make an orange and black headband for the "holiday".

This is my new little model, Bella, who must not be much into Halloween either, since she yanked it off her head faster than I could say cheese! 

 So along the way in my thrifty crafting experience, I've learned that you can't look at things for what they are but what they can be.  Take this bed skirt:

No bed in my house needs a black and white polka dotted bedskirt.  But that doesn't mean I can't use the fabric elsewhere.    Hey if it's free, you could even use it for toilet paper! Just skidding.  Now that I've gotten a little paranoid about bedbugs though since I keep reading articles about them, I've been a little cautious...  so when I got this home from a garage sale it went straight into the wash, hot water and lots of soap, and then into the hot dryer.  No takin' chances.  

I cut off a part of the ruffle and the sewed it into a little circle.  Yes, I could handle that.  I can't handle much more than a straight seam.

It kinda looked like a doll skirt.  Probably should have used it for that since the only doll that lives in this house never seems to have any clothes on!  

Then I cut these awesome bright hairy strips of fabric my MIL bought for me into three circles and scrunched up the middle and sewed a seam across it.

Hot glued it all together, and wa la!  A Halloween Fall Festival Headband.

I also did some fall colored headbands.  They are for sale for $5 each at the awesome new little store in town - Fabulous Darling (Brooklyn, MI).  If you live in the area, you should definitely check it out!!  There are all kinds of neat treasures!

Black and White Secretary Desk

A couple months ago, I painted a big dresser white, with black handles and a big free handed design on the front.   (If you're like me and have a bad rememberer or are new to the Korner, click here for the before and after of that beast of a freebie from Craigslist!) I couldn't believe how popular it was on Craigslist, especially after a message from a sweet friend who said he normally likes everything I do, but wow NOT the black and white dresser!!  I really razzed him about gettin' with the styles after all the emails I received about it!  Anyways, someone loved the design so much she wanted to buy a peice of furniture for me to redo similar.  I was gone when she came and dropped it off, but when I opened the door to my shop the next morning I couldn't wait to get started on this adorable little secretary desk!!!

 Here she is before.  I think it was actually a "he" before.  Let's not even get into gender identities right now, okay?  The news has been killing me!

I really didn't want to take my chances with free handing this time, plus it's so challenging for my barely-there fine motor skills.  I cut out a stencil of a design I liked instead.  I'm so glad I learned how to make my own stencils - SCORE!  (No pun intended.)  nyook, nyook, nyook....  

Pardon the grainy, dark, dastardly photos.  I'm trying to learn a new camera.  Unsuccessfully.  

I used sandpaper and slightly distressed the edges for a Shabby Chic look.  Why do we pronounce "chic" as "Sheek" anyway??  I'll never forget the first time I searched for "shabby sheek" on Ebay.  Apparently a thousand other people thought the same way... or learned to read with Hooked on Phonics.

Now, hopefully the unmet Craigslist lady that sounds oh-so-sweet on the phone is just as pleased with it as I am!!

Bag Makeover GONE WRONG

Looks nice, does it not??? Well......

It started out as this nice bag that held  all those eye medications with their confusing schedules, paper work to  sign my life away, brochures about how my life would change, etc.  

I made all the rosettes out of a huge chunk of fabric I got while dumpster diving once.  I  hot glued each on on as I made them... not realizing that the hot glue was going right through to the other side! I hot glued the bag together.  I couldn't even pull it apart without it ripping off in big chunks. I'M SO MAD AT MYSELF!!!!  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Faux purse anyone?????

Just make sure you carry it on the right side, cuz the back ain't pretty. Any ideas all you creative geniuses out there on what to do with it now??

Speaking of creative geniuses, did you see all those amazing link ups yesterday at Trash 2 Treasure on the Korner?!  Be sure to click on #29 and be prepared.... it's awesome! (well, they all are!) :)

Trash 2 Treasure Tuesdays #3

All of last weeks entries were muy bien, so it was hard to choose my favorites!  However, The first one on the list is the one which earned the most clicks and is also one of my FAVORITES!!!!  She also resides in Iowa... so you know she's gotta be awesome.  And she is.

Laura from Our Prairie Home was The Post With The Most!  Her gorgeous buffet had the most clicks, and rightfully so because folks, this is an INCREDIBLE makeover and an idea that I plan to steal!  (Especially since I just happen to have a few rolls of paintable wallpaper on hand! woot woot!)  

Next up we have this bench which came from - are you ready for this - a dresser!!  This is a must-see from Freddy and Petunia!

And last but fo sho not least..... give it up for My Old Country House which really made the detail on this beautiful piece POP!  (Or was that the balloon my kid just sat on?!)

! 

1. You MUST be a GFC follower of Kammy's Korner (click "join this site" on the right)

2. Place the Party button found on the right sidebar either on the post you are linking up or in your linky list on your blog. 

3. Your post MUST be a trash to treasure and link directly to your post, not your blog.

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Stuffed Apple Halves

When it comes to food, I don't know ANYONE quite like my mother in law.  She's thin as a rail, and I've never seen anyone eat more than her (Old Country Buffet loses money when she walks in the door!).  She also wants you to eat just as much as her, and if you don't... there must be something wrong.  And when it comes to food, she is the most generous person on planet earth.  She's willing to bring you a five course meal if you sneezed that morning.  And if you tell her you loved her double chocolate cake, she'll have one all wrapped up and ready to give you the next time you see her!  So when she asked me if I wanted some apples, I shouldn't have been one bit surprised when she brought me two big paper grocery bags full from Youngs Apple Orchard!  So here's one recipe that has resulted from needing an emergency dessert for company visiting from Florida.

Stuffed Apple Halves

Ingredients:

1 stick butter or margarine (softened)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick oats

6-8 apples

cinnamon

Mix top four ingredients with a fork until all is moistened with the butter.

Placing your knife at the stem, slice each apple in half.

Scoop out the core with a spoon.  Might need the knife again to remove any extra stem.

Put a big scoop of the oatmeal mixture in the middle of each apple, place in a  baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon.  Bake at 350 for one hour.  Note: two of them didn't hold their shape and looked like they had a little meltdown, but they still tasted great!

**This recipe is Phil Sarlo approved.

Special note: Treat yourself when the kids are napping by making it for ONE!  You can make this for one or two people by just using a spoonful of each ingredient, stuffing one apple, and putting it in the microwave! 

Happy monday!!!  ~~Kammy :)


Join us for the Trash 2 Treasure PARTY tomorrow!! 

screw/nail organizer turned button organizer

A dollar at a garage sale can get you amazing things. :)

This picture proves that all the drawers were once there!!!  I have completely cleaned out my craft room before moving back in to my newly renovated one, and I am one less drawer!  Hmph.  that I am completely blind and can't count!

It makes the perfect button organizer.  I have one of those sticker-maker thingy ma bobs so all those labels were just made by sticking strips of scrapbook paper through it, peeling the back off and applying to the drawers
.   Sorry everyone, that was just plain one boring, lame post, wasn't it!  I have nothing exciting to share with ya'll tonight, but I sure do in the days ahead!!!!  Stay tuned for more exciting things than button organizers! ;) (Like hopefully the craft room reveal!)

Chevron Shelf

Plain ol' white shelf I bought for a couple bucks at a garage sale.  Just a cheap, homemade deal out of ply wood, but a nice hefty shelf none-the-less!  Good for storing/displaying the signs and other projects I'm working on.

I've seen SO much chevron out there and I LOVE IT, but never done it myself.  So I made a chevron stencil (click here for a tute).  I used leftover gray paint from my office.

My hubby secured it to the wall with three screws on top, and three on the bottom.  The signs are for sale - they're heading to Fabulous Darling in Brookyln, MI to be sold hopefully soon! :)  This shelf works as a display for what I'm working on, so you'll never see the same thing on it from week to week!

See those green hedge apples (aka osage oranges)?  I have a secret source!  They sell for at least a buck a piece in the store!  They're supposed to keep spiders away - plus they look purdy! :)

Me thinks I gotta do some more chevron, eh?!!!  

Bridesmaid Skirt Turned Purse

Now Just how did I get that.... from this gorgeous Wayne State bag?!!!!  I'm still surprised myself, actually!  Never done something like this before!  And I started out thinking I was going to make a ruffle bag! Oh well, someday I still want to try one!  I'll try my best to tell you as it played out.  I really had no plan of action, just started pulling out some scraps, then a skirt, a little of this and that and about an hour and a half later.... Jumpin' Junipers, I have a really cool bag that I actually made and want to use!!!!  The best part?!  Didn't have to buy a THING!!!  Here's how it all went down:

Hey, nothing fancy here.  But I wanted some pockets in the inside for life's necessities.  Grabbed some little scraps that my mom couldn't understand why I was saving.  This is why, mom!  I just might need them some day for pockets in an old bag!

I didn't realize how much that looks like I'm laying out an outfit for the next day.... haha!  So a while back, I got this skirt from one my friends who wore it as the bottom part of her bridesmaid dress in my wedding.  Yes, my bridesmaids looked like they were wrapped in tin foil., okay?  What of it?  I happen to like tin foil!  (Can we not talk about that anymore?! Let bygones be bygones...)

The skirt slide right on the bag and seemed to be the perfect fit.  The bag seemed to say "dang, I look gooood".  (Heather, your booty is the same size as that little Wayne State bag! ;) )  I cut it off and how EXCITED I was that I wouldn't have to do any fancy sewing around the top because the waste band was the perfect finish!!  Phew!

I did however, have to use the ole' Singer once more.  I turned the skirt inside out and sewed the bottom shut.  Then we parted ways and I ran lovingly into the arms of my hot glue gun for the rest of the project.

The straps just seemed way too.... stiff... and informal.... like they came straight from my son's back pack.  So I pizz-azzed them up with some silver braided ribbon I dug out of a box and hot glued it around each strap.  Much better.

Next.  This was a scrap of fabric leftover from my kitchen curtains.  I'm dumb, didn't measure, and cut it too short.  But what the hey diddly, I wouldn't want to waste this piece of precious textile, we can think of something to cover up where it doesn't quite come together!  I hot glued the fabric on.

So at this point, we're lookin' like this.  Guess I coulda just left it, then maybe my hubby wouldn't have been so upset that I covered up his favorite Wayne State bag.

Oops, must have forgotten to snap hot gluing the skirt on action.  Hey, can't really run the hot glue gun and take a picture of that - it was tricky business.  And my official photographer, Tobin Ba Gobin, was off playing forbidden preschool math computer games.  (Screen time and kids -  boooooo!!)  So, I hot glued along the bottom of the black bag, while holding the gun down inside the skirt because I wanted to leave it open at the top on each side to use as an extra pocket.  Clear as mud?  Wasn't the easiest thing, but it worked.

So now I need something to make the edge of my frayed curtain fabric look finished.  Thank goodness for my hoarding habits.  I had bought a HUGE bag stuffed with all kinds of ric rac and hem tape and whatever else that stuff is called, I can't remember - Mom, help me! (Bias tape, maybe?)  Anyways, I found this black iron-on hem.  I ironed it all the way around the top and bottom of the fabric.  Phew, got away with not having to sew anymore!!  (oh, and I used a strip of this over the spot where my mis-measuring self cut the fabric strip too short).

When I sat back and studied it, it didn't seem finished.  Needed a big  and black embellishment!  I had yanked this off a hat one day not long ago, cuz I was sick of the hat but the black rosettes would be awesome somewhere.  Yup, this was the perfect place.  I only used part of it however....

hot glued on these two satiny leaves... and then the rosettes.

Yes, here is the beautiful backside.  Not as beautiful as it looked on my Heather dear, but I think it's second life  will be a good life.

It's the only purse that now has the perfect book pouch -  to hold all those gigantic hard books my kids like!
Anyways, since my mom told me some of you were saying I needed more photos, I think this post has about 10 times more photos than any post that I've ever done!  Happy? :)