Baby Girl Rag Garland

I'm so excited for my cousin Mary's upcoming baby shower. She's having the first girl in her family (she and her brother both have all boys). I decided to throw a baby shower with the theme simply being PINK.

My mind has been brimming with ideas for decorations, gifts and food. I decided to begin with this sweet baby-girl rag garland, which could also double as a gift to hang up in Baby Amelia's room.

I went to a thrift store today, and lucky for me it was our town's "Ridiculous Days" event, so everything in the store was half off. (I also stocked up on onesies, baby socks and shoes!) I bought lace curtains in white, palest pink sheer curtains, and patterned curtains in pink and white... but I really wanted some more pop. I couldn't find anything suitable in a dark pink until I was in the sleepwear section and THERE it was! A flowy pink nightgown with a sheer over-layer. It worked perfectly! The fabric was so light and flowy, but also a nice, darker pink. Perfect for POP!

I cut all my fabric into long strips and proceeded to tie it onto a long rope (sort of slip knot style, more about that HERE) which I had stretched across my bedroom from my armoire to my dressing mirror. I think the result is beautiful! Just right for a baby girl.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

Sofa Table Makeover

I recently got my hands on this cutie-patootie sofa table! A client told me her daughter was on the lookout for just such a table, and when I saw this pretty thing, I just had to pick it up!

Unfortunately, it didn't work for my client's daughter. However, I LOVE the way it turned out. This is another one of those pieces that I would have kept for myself if only I had the space!

Alas, it was not meant to be. I had a LOT of interest in this pretty gal, and she is going home with someone else tonight. <wistful sigh> Ah well... I guess it means I get to fall in love with something new now. :)

 

 

Shabby Breadbox Makeover

Have you ever had an epiphany? One of those ah-ha! moments? That was me a few days ago. I have been thinking long and hard about selling our house. This has led me to evaluate every room, trying to understand my design style and weeding out anything that doesn't go with that style so if/when we move, I won't take a bunch of unwanted junk with us.

I'm transitioning from a traditional style (dark woods & fabrics) to a more vintage/shabby/French Farmhouse style (shades of white and gray, worn & weathered woods). So, in my quest to weed out the uglies, I found myself in the kitchen cleaning out a corner cabinet. When I was finished, the cabinet was organized, and the counter that had once held cleaning supplies, a toaster, a blender, a mixer, a fruit basket, a bread box, and two knife blocks now had one knife block, a bread basket, and cleaning supplies. I felt SO cool.

But then I took another look. Eeek! That breadbasket is a blonde wood. I hate blonde wood. And Eeek! again! That knife block is covered in 18 years of grossness dripping down the sides. What to do? If only they were a shabby, distressed white with some cute little gray graphics on them.

Enter EPIPHANY! I can paint ginormous hutches and dining tables. Why not paint the most basic wood items in my kitchen, too?

So, I did. 

I love, love, love how they turned out. I just did a coat of Zinsser primer (no sanding! yay!). Then a coat of satin country white Walmart brand interior paint. After they were dry, I sanded here and there for a lovely distressed look. Then I found a graphic I wanted for the breadbox. (I just free-handed the graphic on the knife block.) I sized the graphic and printed it, colored on the back with willow charcoal (Walmart art supply section) and then traced it onto the breadbox using a dull pencil. Finally, I filled it in with gray paint and when it was dry, sanded the words for a shabby look.

Now my breadbox and knife block match my style. I guess they can come along to the new house. Unless my style changes again between now and the move. :)

Markets & Shows: A How-To Guide for your Booth

I just finished doing my second ever market booth/stall. And while it is fresh in my mind, I wanted to share my experience with all the first-timers out there who are thinking of selling their wares at a market or show.

First of all, a little background: What's On My Porch is my part-time, home-based business. I spend the warmer months junking for items to fix up and sell - mainly furniture and home decor. As I was growing this business, I received an offer from a nearby shop asking if I'd like to be part of their Spring Market - a gathering of vendors selling everything from furniture to jewelry and goat's milk soap to alpaca rugs. Yes, seriously.

I thought, "This is a great opportunity!" So I junked like I'd never junked before, went into a furniture-refinishing frenzy and ended up with LOTS of items to sell. Along the way, I made lots of mistakes but also had lots of triumphs. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I have to pass on to you:

1. Get Ready

You will need plenty of inventory, yes. Whether you're selling handmade jewelry or candles or big ole furniture, you  need stuff to sell. But you also need ways to DISPLAY those items. Think outside the box. Pinterest is chock-full of ideas for this. For instance, hang your jewelry on a potted tree-branch. Use vintage furniture (wink, nudge) - like a chippy dresser to display your cupcakes. Price tags are also a good idea. If you sell beauty accessories, bring a MIRROR. Or buy one from me. :)

2. Get Ready Some More

You have items and a way to show them off, now you need a few more things. If your show is outside, you NEED a canopy. Yes, need. The sun is merciless and so is the rain. Wind can END you. So, anchor your canopy with a couple cinder blocks or bricks. Be prepared for the weather. You also need a cash drawer or pouch. I keep my prices in dollar increments. No messing around with a roll of quarters for me! Also: calculator, blankets, chairs, SNACKS, more snacks, water, sunscreen, a book or i-pad, etc. If you have access to electricity, bring a string of white lights. Paper/Markers. You want to make "Sold" signs and mark whether or not that person paid. (Hint, if you mark it SOLD, they should have paid.) Nobody wants to haul a dresser around while they're shopping. Save it. Mark it as sold. And write that person's contact info down.

3. Haggle Happens

People expect a little haggling at a fair. Often they will bring a pile of items up to you and offer $___ for the whole pile. I'm usually a little flexible, especially if someone is buying a pile.

Hint: Don't shout at people. I let people peruse at their leisure. No pressure. If someone seems interested I might say, "Feel free to make me an offer on that." But that's all. I don't like to be badgered when I'm buying items. If I want it, I buy it. If not, then being harassed by a seller is not going to change my mind.

4. Decorate Your Booth

Make it pretty and keep in theme with what you are selling as well as the season. My market had a "spring" theme. I came with pots of flowers with little signs saying "for display only." Also, I made a pretty lace garland to draw attention and decorate my red Nebraska Cornhuskers canopy which brings me to...

5. Disasters Happen, Don't Freak Out

We could not find our regular canopy and were forced to use alternative options: mainly a big red one advertising a sports team from a rival state. Yay. We got a little flack for it, but we laughed it off, and hey... It kept the rain and sun off, so I was happy. If you face similar dire circumstances, remember it's only STUFF. If the wind blows over your glass display, it will suck. You will want to cry. But try to keep a smile on. People will think you are brave, and that's better than hearing you blurt out a nasty word in front of a soccer mom and her brood of little ears.

6. Pricing

This is so tricky. I usually keep my prices pretty reasonable. You can get an idea by walking around the fair and seeing what others are pricing their items for. Also, keep in mind the market. Mine was in smalltown Iowa. These are quilting ladies, moms, farmers... We don't usually sell $8,000 coffee tables here. It's more like sixty bucks, max.

7. Bring a Buddy

Help is invaluable. I was lucky enough to have my kiddos and hubby to help me through. This could not have happened without them. I can't lift furniture alone. I can't load and unload a truck myself. And when you have to go to the little girls' room... you really need someone to watch your money drawer for you.

8. Finally, Have Fun

Bad things will happen. Good things will happen. But your attitude makes all the difference. Try to relax. Hopefully you'll make a little cash and have some stories to share. Like I did. :)

Shabby Scrap Cloth Garland

You can make this shabby scrap cloth garland! It's easy and fun and gorgeous. I used mine to decorate a booth for a vintage market, but I might just have to re-use it as a window valance!



















First, you find some scraps of fabric. You might already have some, but if you're like me, they are fairly useless and in a knot in the bottom of the sewing drawer. So, I went to a local thrift shop and bought some inexpensive lace curtains to mix in with my scraps. Then I just cut them into strips of varying lengths.

Here it is hanging up at my sale booth!

I used a pretty white rope to string them up. My scraps are spaced out, but you could really bunch these together for a fuller look!

Don't tie them in knots. Rather, use a kind of slip knot. (I'm sure it has a name, but I don't know what it is and even if I did you probably wouldn't know what it meant.) You fold the scrap in half to make a loop, then you place it over the rope and pull the two loose ends through the loop to hook it on. Repeat about seven gazillion times and voila! A pretty shabby garland for your home... or, in my case, to try to cover up the fact that you couldn't find your regular canopy for your booth and had to substitute with a bright red sports-themed canopy.

I love the way this garland turned out, don't you? :)

Desk Makeover With French Wreath Graphic

Hubby picked up this desk for me. It was a Craigslist find. I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to do with it. I only knew that it was abused and needed love. :)

I began by sanding the top down to the bare wood. It wasn't hard. The finish was practically begging to come off. I didn't sand out all the imperfections though. I like them. Next, I primed/painted the bottom portion of the desk (hardware, too!), then sanded the edges for a rough/chippy look. Finally, I stained the bottom (over the paint), wiping it away to leave behind an antique sheen.

On top, I did a white wash of watered-down latex paint. When it was dry, I also stained over that. It gives the top that driftwood look.Then I traced the graphic on and painted it. 

Thank you Graphics Fairy (see link in sidebar).

 

Here it is with the left side "distressed" so you can see the difference.

 

I think it turned out gorgeous. Could be used as a desk, vanity or even a TV stand! Lots of shabby-chic, cottage loveliness!

Chair & Foot Stool

Pretty chair and stool makeover! I found both of these beauties at the thrift store. They don't exactly match, but the color and grain sack theme tie them together.

For the stool, all I had to do was tighten the legs with some wood glue and sew this pretty, shabby tuft for the top. I basically sewed a rectangular pillow (adding some pre-made graphic patches). Then I stuffed it and tufted it by sewing on buttons. I attached it to the stool using a few upholstery tacks.

 The chair I primed/painted and distressed with a sanding block. Then I sewed some graphic pillows, even adding a pretty graphic to an existing cushion.

 

 They make a fine pair! Don't you think? :)

Headboard Coat Rack

I love Pinterest. Without it, I would have to come up with creative stuff all on my own. Which I could do, but half the time my ideas never turn out the way I picture them in my mind. That's where Pinterest really shines! You can look at the "after" photo of a project and decide if it's worth the time. That's how I discovered this idea to take an old twin bed headboard and turn it into a beautiful coat rack. 

The first step was to find a headboard that would work. Not all headboards are suitable for this. I really wanted something pretty with lots of mouldings and curves, but unfortunately our local thrift store didn't have any headboards like that. Instead, I bought a plain old wood headboard with hopes that I could pretty it up later.

I had Hubby cut off the legs, then I primed it with Zinsser primer--a favorite of mine. It means I don't have to sand a piece to get the paint to stick. Next, I did a few coats of satin Walmart brand country white interior latex paint. 

 

After it was all dry, I used a sanding block and wallpaper scraper to give the headboard a chippy, vintage feel. I love all things chippy! Finally, I brushed on some Minwax Walnut Stain/Sealer and wiped it off with one of Hubby's old shirts. It leaves just enough stain behind to give an antique finish while also adding a layer of sealant for protection.

The most inspired part of this makeover was embellishing the painted piece. I added a wood applique to the top (actually Hubby did, using a nail gun). I also decided to fill in the open space with a chalkboard (just a piece of cut wood and some chalkboard paint). Finally, I bought a few inexpensive hooks and BOOM! This pretty piece was done! Now, who's going to try this?

Apple Basket, Table, Bins

Here are a few projects I've been working on lately.

First up, is an apple basket. I decided to spruce up this vintage basket with a cute little French graphic from the Graphics Fairy (see link in sidebar).

Next, was a drop leaf table. I had already given it a makeover, but wanted to add just a little something more. So, using another Graphics Fairy graphic, I painted the image in a light, subtle buttery yellow, then sanded it away to give it a faded, shabby look.

Finally, during our town spring clean-up day, hubby and I found a bunch of old drawers. Hubby used a few to build me these fabulous junk bins. I LOVE them!