Still enjoying summer...

 Really, I am not ready for all the posts excited about fall.  We finally got summer rolling about the first of July here.  And fall in North Dakota means cold weather, freezing rain or snow, and everything quickly turns grey.  We get about 4 pretty fall days before the trees are all bare branches.  So I am officially diggingin my heels and holding onto summer for awhile yet.  LOL!  I will read the blogs all excited about fall and file ideas away but not gonna go there yet.  I'll catch up to y'all somewhere in the middle of September or maybe even after the first of October.  Okay, now carry on if you must.  ;)

I am going to continue enjoying summer flowers...

 

And I am okay if there are a few more sunrises that come with thunderstorms.

Shabby Chic Tray

Here is more on the teaser from my last post.  Gotta love that a cheap tray can be turned into a chic tray thanks to trying out techniques collected across blogland.

My spiffed up tray now has a new home on my dining room table showing off an assortment of favorite things.  The print is from Graphics Fairy and I used the Modge Podge transfer method.

The tray was an inexpensive pine tray from Michaels.  I used Annie Sloan's Chalk paints in Cream as an undercoat and Ducks Egg Blue as the topcoat.  Then messed around with walnut stain and paste wax to finish it after some sanding and rubbing.

Roses should always be dried and saved.  You never know when you will need a pretty dried rose to finish off a vignette.

I like the very strong contrasts on this tray but suspect that some might say it is a bit much.  

This is a sweet moment in my house.  I love those spots that just make me smile when I see them.

I will definitely keep playing around with typography transfers, paints and waxes. 



Wall art inspired by ?

I know that at some point I saw a Livery Stable sign that I liked,  I have been saving the idea for some time and finally got it done.

My husband removed some old cabinets that were in the garage.  The cabinet doors were perfect for painting a faux vintage sign.  It gave me a chance to play around with chalk paint a bit more also.

Right now it is sitting in our sun room on top of a bookcase.  This room is where most of my horse things are displayed.

I wish that Cuts a Lot still worked for Cricut Machines. I should have bought the program when I looked at it a year or so ago.   It would make sign making and other word graphics so much easier.  I might have to put a Silhoutte on my wish list. 

Definitely need practice  with this type of graphics but it did turn out much like I wanted it to do.  (Do you know how much it costs to keep a horse?  They are an expensive hobby when you can't keep them at home.  But they aren't really a hobby, they are a central part of my life.  I really can't imagine not having them.  Teacher, therapist, pet, partner, entertainment, and more.)

and just for fun, a sneak peek at another project I am finishing....

A beautiful sunrise thunderstorm