Cobblestones & Ivy

Monday, October 31, 2011

candy dish

I have been inspired by all the things other people have made out of dollar or thrift store candlesticks and jars, so of course I had to copy them and make one of my own! My thrift store didn't have any good jars when I went though, so I bought a bowl instead and made a candy dish!

The bowl and candlestick were $1 each at DI (which by the way is comparable to Walmart on a Saturday. I almost suffocated) and the wood base was $1.27 with a 20% coupon at Jo Ann. The E-6000 was $3.99 with the coupon, but I only used a little bit and have tons left over for other projects. The spray paint I already had.

So first I glued the candlestick to the base. And almost died from inhaling the E-6000. That stuff is brutal. The rest of this little project was completed outside.

I forgot to take a picture, but I spray painted the bottom part before I glued the bowl on.

When I got to this point I decided it needed something to fill in some of the space on the wood base, so I added some beads.

Easy!

I love the simplicity of something like this. So far I have had different kinds of candy in it, but after the holidays I might fill it with something other than candy. Something like this would also be a cute gift idea. The possibilities are endless!

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What's in the Gunny Sack?

Thursday, October 27, 2011

runner for tv console

Earlier this year I went to China, and while we were in Shanghai we took a day trip out to a town called Suzhou (soo-joe) where 70% of the world's silk is made. We toured a silk factory where we saw how silk is taken from silk worms and made into fabric. It's gross. Mostly because they don't get rid of the worms after they take their silk. They boil them and then sell them to restaurants. See? Gross.

I bought 3 different styles of silk fabric and until now had only used one of them to make a skirt. The other 2 have been waiting for just the right project.

I wanted a runner for the TV console I showed you here, and I decided to use this fabric to make it.

Isn't it pretty? LOVE

I bought some inexpensive black fabric for the back and tassles for the ends,

cut the fabric to the size I wanted, and pinned it together. The silk was a perfect 78 inches long so I was able to do the top without any seams, but I did have to piece together the bottom fabric. No big deal since the seam wouldn't show anyway.

As I was sewing the 2 sides together, I stuck the tassle between the right sides with the cord sticking out so all I had to do was sew over it to attach it.

I love how it turned out. It adds so much to the TV console and it's a great backdrop to anything I put on it. Plus, it has some sentimental value for me!

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