"FIRSTS" Memory Cork Board.

Hand-written memory cards with each "FIRSTS" photo.

It frustrates me when a project is finished, but the results didn't equal what you expected.  Take an old antique window I repurposed earlier this year (link here).  I made it for my office, but because of the color, or the size - it just wasn't serving it's original purpose.  Finally, after a moment of pure brilliance (insert laughing) I realized I could turn the frame and it would fit perfectly on my entryway wall.  I am disappointed it took so long to figure this out - but every good thing takes time - right?! 



"FIRSTS" cork board



I thought of putting random photos up, but this was what people saw first.  It had to be something really special.  So the first thing people see, are our family's "FIRSTS"; from kisses to first dates to first haircuts to first guitar solos to first trips and the list goes on.  I'm really excited about this!



Repurposing an Antique Window.

Antique Window turned office Cork Board.

 My internet is up and working after a massive hail and thunder/lightening storm last week.  Both our cable and our internet failed during the storm at the same time - so we assume that it was the storm.  Either way, we are have both!  I am lucky to finally have finished my window repurposing project.  I found this baby up in our barn's third floor with about 20 other windows.  This was the coolest and the largest and the one I felt would allow for the most message and sticking pin space!  It took a lot of scraping, sanding, priming, and painting, but I am happy with how it turned out.  The before photo was taken in the office where it will hang.  The old red and white wallpaper will come down in the next year and be replaced with a color similar to the color in the fabric I used on the material part of the cork board.  All things in time!



before



after



What do you think?

Antique Mantle Silhouette decoration.

New to our fireplace!  The family in silhouettes. Created using a profile photo of each of our family members and edited them in photoshop.  I printed each one and decoupaged them onto an old antique painted board I found in our corn crib.  I took out each of our names that were printed right below each silhouette for publishing.

Do you like silhouettes?

Chair Ottomans: Chairs converted into Ottomans.

Chair Ottoman finished work.

Convert an old chair into an ottoman!  It took me less than two hours to change these old chairs we found in our barn into a perfect addition to our living room.  Not only does it allow for extra seating, but you can put your feet up on it too! 



Materials:  Scissors, hammer, staple gun with foam
padding, material,  felt, ribbon, and antique tacks.

I started with having Mr. C take off the the back of the chair.  To keep the vintage appeal, I left the finish on both chairs - as is, but cleaned them up with a damp cloth.  I used 1" thick foam that I purchased from Michael's and cut it slightly larger then the top.  The material I cut almost 3 inches longer folding it under the bottom of the chair and stapling it with a staple gun.  I repeated this all the way around and then covered the underneath with black felt, so no Little's would get hurt from any staples.  I then used black ribbon around the outside of the now chair ottoman and hammered antique black short nails all around to secure the ribbon in place.  This was my first time ever upholstering something like this, so there may be better ways of doing this!

An old fabric shower curtain for the material.

What is the craziest thing you've upholstered?

Would you do this?