Patio Table and Firepit Makeover!

Let the Summer Vacation Begin!
The best part about working for a school  (besides enriching the lives of our youth) is SUMMER VACATION! I am so lucky to have 5 long (unpaid) weeks of staying up late, sleeping in later, and CRAFTING! Have a look at what I completed so far.

Project #1: Patio Table and Chairs:

  We have this amazingly large patio on the side of my house that we never use.

 Now that the rain has passed, I plan on adding some plants, Xmas lights, a table, our massive BBQ, a fire pit, and this beautiful table that I found on Craigslist!

Unfortunately, I am horrible at taking before pictures. This is the picture from the actual Craiglist ad. It is hard to see, but the table is OLIVE GREEN with a horrible blue top. YIKES!!

 I started painting this bad boy ASAP! I used paint that was in the garage, which ended up being indoor paint, so I had to add 4 or 5 coats of spray on sealant. It actually took a ton of primer and 4 or so coats of paint for each chair.

 The yellow and lime chairs are actually indoor/outdoor spray paint, which  covered very well. I am  really happy with the way it turned out.

                                                           (Sorry for the rainy day pictures)
 I also painted one of the the yucky  plastic chairs we had outside (I originally rescued it from the dumpster at school). I think the red  gave it a whole new life.

Project #2 Free Fire Pit

  This is another Craiglist find, it was a free garage sale left over. I didn't take a before picture of it, but it was pretty horrible. It was black in some places, but was mostly just a pile of rust and spiders. Bear sprayed it off with the hose and was freaked out  by all of the spiders. He made it stay outside for a few nights, and made me inspect the back of his truck...what a baby.

 Anyhow, I found some high-temp black spray paint at Walmart for 3.77, and I ordered some red high temp paint from Amazon. I dont know how often we will use it, but it is just one more awesome thing to add to our empty patio. There is a black tray that slides under the bottom, but it was in the garage when I took this picture (in the rain).

Recycled Fabric

My friend Anna makes the coolest totes from recycled bags! I already bought a few, but I left a few good ones for everyone else!

Anna uses regular plastic grocery bags to create these beauties. Did you know that you can carefully cut plastic bags and iron several layers of them together to make fabric? You can then use any pattern and sew your own bag. I have seen several with fabric lined insides, but none of them are as cool as Anna's clever designs!

 I purchased Bender and R2. I wanted them all, but I had to save a few for her other friends!!

Featured Zibbeter

Being the Featured Zibbeter is probably the highest honor they can provide.... and guess who gets it all week long?! ME!!
 Over a month ago Jonathon Peacock the CEO of Zibbet sent me an email telling me that he LOVES my shop, and would like to offer me the interview for the week of 12/13.  I have been trying to keep this a surprise (and believe me it was difficult to keep my big mouth shut), but here it is and I am still jumping in circles!!

So feel free to visit Zibbet, scroll down to the bottom and take as many screen shots of my face on the HOME PAGE of Zibbet. Feel free to purchase some of my items...or just spead the love!

I am biting my nails, it must be the holiday season

 These last few weeks have been super busy. I am trying to prepare a holiday inventory, but it seems to be vanishing just as quickly as it is made. I am not signed up for any holiday craft fairs, which is probably a good thing. I am hoping to get into the Brookings Oregon Bazaar again this year, I hope it goes better than it did last year! I am on the waiting list. I also just got a call back from  a Botique in Trinidad...(ahhh, Trinidad!) so we will see if they work out.
 I am now selling my items at Many Hands Gallery, in Eureka as well as Eureka Natural Foods. I am trying to get my smaller sterling silver earrings into the Plaza Design (super fancy shop) and a few other cutsie stores on the Plaza here in Arcata. I ***really*** need to work on my sales pitch. I also need a nice glass topped display case or something so I can bring a few examples to different shops. Right now I am using a clear plastic chocolate box from last Valentines Day (gheetttoo!). The girl at ENF says that it doesnt matter what I say when my items look as good as they do! I dont know is that is a good thing or a bad thing.
Bear and I will be going to Monterey for Thanksgiving. I would really like ot get some earrings out around there, or possibly in Santa Cruz! They would sell really well in Santa Cruz! Unfornatully I need to work on building my inventory first!

Here are somethings I made today:

My new brooch design

Wish me luck!!

Fantastic Five: Feathers

Fantastic Five: Feathers

I am featured in this week's Fantastic Five on Zibbet!! 







 


I am offering 15% off all $10.00 purchases for all my Blogger fans! Just enter coupon code VE0AUX during check out!






If you live in Humboldt County, you can find me Halloween weekend at the Pumpkin Patch on the way to Mad River Beach! 

Long Feather Earrings

Bad News: About 3 weeks after  I opened my 1000markets shop, they announced that they were being sold to Bonanza. Just my luck! Now I have 500 business cards, stamps, and a ton of earring cards with the old web address.

Good News: I have opened a new shop on Zibbet and I am finally adding items to my etsy earring shop. I also have expanded my earring line to inclue SUPER long feather earrings...I am talking 10-16 inches long! There is no way you won't get noticed with those bad boys on!!

I also have a hand-tied line. I use fly tying materials, thread, cement etc, and create smaller and more inexpensive earrings that still look great!

www.BirdStuff.1000markets.com

I just opened my new feather jewelry shop! My shop features awesome handmade feather earrings, necklaces, and hair clips. I just opened, so check back frequently for more designs!

FEATHERS: My premium feathers are from cruelty free sources. All of my parrot feathers are from friends who own beautiful macaws and smaller parrots. These friends hand collect the feathers after they have been naturally molted, and pass them along to me.

HAIR CLIPS My hair clips are attached to a piece of recycled leather and can be mounted onto a small easy to open and close hair clip, small or large barrette, or a clear plastic comb. Most of my earrings can be made into a small hair clip, and cost 3/4 the price as a pair of earrings! If you would like a matching set of earrings/hair clip, but the clip is not listed, just send me an email and we can work it out!

EARRINGS You will love my awesome earrings! Most of my earrings are between 1.5-2.5 inches long, which is a very conservative length for feather earrings. They will sit nicely above your shoulder, and will provide wonderful color to your outfit. You will receive tons of compliments. I also have some longer earrings that hang just below your shoulder, you'll have to keep an eye out for them because I don't make them very often.

NECKLACES My simple necklaces look beautiful with any outfit. You can wear them to a wedding, a night out, or just out shopping, they are perfect for all occasions! I make my pendants in two different ways. Feathers are either attached to a thin piece of wood that has been painted black, or they are attached to a piece of cut leather. If you see a design of feathers on one medium, but you would prefer it on the other chances are I can create it for you. Necklaces are hung on a 18' piece of elastic cord. I really like the elastic, it is easy to put on and take off, and it doesn't tangle easily. If you do not like the cord, it will be easy to switch out for your favorite chain.

PILLOW BOX All of my small items (not the large feather combs) will arrive wrapped in a handmade pillow box. These boxes are made with thick recycled paper, and have been cut and assembled by me!!

1000 Markets

Birdstuff

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