All that Glitters!

For the past couple of years I have been collecting old jewelry. Pieces from thrift stores and garage sales, antique stores and things given to me by family, have all found their way into my collection. The goal of the collection was to make a wall hanging out of the jewelry.

This project has been sitting in bits and pieces on my desk for about 2 years, and since I had some extra time the last few days so I  decided to finish it and just in time for Christmas!

After cleaning the pieces, I removed the pin backs and post if necessary, some of the pieces came to broken, so a little E-6000 was used to replace the gems. 

Try to remove pins and backings as close to the piece as possible, this will help the jewelry to adhere flat to the fabric.

Using a piece of black velvet for the background, I outlined a basic shape with masking tape on the velvet. I also used masking tape to secure the fabric to my cutting mat, because the fabric was slippery this just helped keep things in place. After figuring out the basic placement, I used hot glue to attach the jewelry to the fabric. 

Looking at all the pieces is like a game of "i-spy" 

The fabric was then attached to a board. I originally wanted to add lights to the piece, tucking them in from behind, but due to my Facebook opinion poll, decided against it. (26 to 11 in favor of no lights and three suggestions of gallery lights and one vote for a disco ball from my daughter. )  After the fabric was attached I used glazier points from MD Hobby and Craft to secure the wood into the frame. 

Insert the points parallel to the piece using a flathead screwdriver to wiggle into place, if you are having trouble a slight tap with the hammer helps. 

Because of the weight of not only the jewelry but the wood I attached the fabric too, I didn't want the frame to carry all the weight, so I attached a simple wood support frame to the decorative frame. 

You can see the holes originally drilled for lighting.

I love the finished project!

 I do agree it needs light to bounce off the jewelry to give it some added sparkle, but am glad I didn't embed lights as I think it might detract from the beauty of the jewelry itself. I still might add some type of gallery light but probably not the disco ball my daughter had in mind ;)

I pray all of you have a wonderful holiday season, and a very Merry Christmas!!!

Supplies used: Vintage jewelry, Velvet fabric, wood,  E-6000, MD Hobby and Craft Glaizer Points, Screwdriver, Hammer, Drill, Screws, AdTech multi temp glue gun, pliers, cutters, button shank remover

2nd Place!

Remember my shelf turned pie safe??

 The talent in this contest was amazing! It was an honor to be a part of it and even more so to see my name and project up on the Winner's List! Thank you to everyone that voted for me! Plus a special thanks to Fave Crafts, for sponsoring the contest and to  Plaid Crafts and MD Hobby and Craft for having amazing products to work with.

For the full announcement http://www.favecrafts.com/contest/Blogger-Contest

and for instructions on my project: http://www.favecrafts.com/Painting-on-Wood/Restyled-Red-Shelf-Home-Decor-Craft

Be sure to look for the blogger ebook featuring projects from the contest coming April 1st!

Vintage Pie Safe Inspired Shelf Restyle

My kitchen is getting a "makeover" but unlike the TV show...I'm on a very limited budget! This being the case imaging my excitement when I was at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show this past January and was given some amazing supplies to create with at the Fave Crafts/Prime Publishing Blogger Event and they "just so happened" to be perfect for this project.

Twenty years ago, my husband made me this wood shelf for my canned goods. It has served us well, never complaining as we double stacked soup, or fit more on the shelf by turning cans on their side so they would fit. It's time though had passed and it's new home was the basement. It was stained, and a back piece was loose, the side was even splitting a bit and needed repair. The shelf was good enough for the basement cause no one looked there.

But then inspiration hit! I wondered if I could spruce it up with some paint, and add doors, maybe with some tin panel and make a pie safe? After cleaning it up, repairing some parts, and using some 1"x 2" pieces to create a frame I started to think this just might work!  I collect red and white enamelware and thought it would be fun to have a RED cabinet as a focal point in the kitchen.

I talked to my friends from Plaid Crafts and asked about their Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Ultra Matte Paint. I had worked with this at the show and loved the finish it gave, they were good enough to send me some to use. This paint has a nice creamy texture and is super easy to work with. I started with a base coat of Cottage White, and then allowed that to cure and topped with Imperial Red. I then sanded the top coat, to reveal some of the white underneath. I used the Folk Art Home Decor Clear Wax to seal the surface.

Then it was time to add "metal to the doors." Most pie safes have tin punched metal covering the front, this allowed for the pies to cool, while keeping bugs and other creatures away from the baked goods. I didn't want another heavy closed piece of furniture so decided chicken wire was the way to go! My friends over at MD Hobby and Craft had some chicken wire designed for crafting. It came in smaller more manageable pieces. After grabbing my electric staple gun and suiting up with metal working gloves, I attached a double layer of chicken wire to the door frames, I offset the second layer from the first to give me a "3-D" look with the honeycombs of the wire.

All that was left was to install the hinges and handles. These I easily picked up at a local hardware store.

I LOVED the look of the finished piece and it looks even more adorable FILLED

 

Fave Crafts, challenged Bloggers at their event to come up with a craft from the goodie box items we were sent. These crafts could then be submitted to their "Fave Crafts, Best Blogger Craft Contest." I am entered, and would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE,  your vote! But there are lots of amazing entries! The top prize is $1000 cash!!!  

 

My entry is called "Restyled Red Shelf " by Betsy Burnett.

To vote in the contest and find further instructions....please visit -----> http://www.favecrafts.com/contest/Blogger-Contest