By Alice | Published:
January 12, 2011
One of the gifts I gave my sister at Christmas was a small leather bag that I made over. I had bought it in a charity shop as although it was a little stained and scruffy it was great leather. I took it home and I sat on the edge of the bath (to contain the dust you understand) and sanded it and sanded it until the whole thing had a rawer feeling. I then over some weeks painted an intricate pattern of different coloured scales onto it using acrylic paint. Then I sat back and considered it…. it looked good but not great. It was too much, fussy. Boo!
So I went back to the bath and sat on the edge sanding off the pattern I painted on. The cats would come and watch me with a puzzled look. I left some of the marks on the leather in as I think it looks good that way. Then finally when all the paint was off I painted the bottom half of the front flap sage green and left it at that – MUCH better.
The whole thing then got a good polish several times over, buffing it until it was shiny and felt waterproof. My sister seemed to really like it which is the main thing. The lesson I learned was to remember to try to keep things simple!
Also posted in I made things |
By Alice | Published:
November 15, 2010
Also posted in Cats, I made things |
By Alice | Published:
October 27, 2010
Back in the spring I bought this bike basket and after good use all summer I thought I would cheer it up a bit for the winter. I have quite a lot of ribbon gathered from gifts, parcels, and bought here and there. For this I chose a few that looked very cheerful and wrapped them really tightly around the handle starting at one end and working over towards the other. I stitched each change of ribbon to the previous one so it’s like one long continuous ribbon. If my hot glue gun had been working I might have glued it too but as it wasn’t I didn’t. It wasn’t important in any case as it feels very secure. The idea came to me when part of the wicker handle unraveled and I tied it together with a really bright pink ribbon. This ribbon wrapping idea could be applied to other things couldn’t it, chair legs, banisters, or even a bike frame.
I have this general plan to think up things that will cheer up winter. Winter is my favourite season but sometimes leaving home in dark and getting back in dark can be gloomy. Active steps to make winter cheerful are needed. This is my first step.
By Alice | Published:
July 21, 2010
I don’t know if anyone remembers from a zillion years ago (ok actually 3 years ago) when I wrote out the tin can tutorial? I thought it worth mentioning that all the cans that I bothered to paint with acrylic back then are still going strong. I think they have weathered up nicely, there is hardly any rust. This year they are being used for nasturtiums.
Also posted in Garden, I made things |
By Alice | Published:
October 7, 2009
Before – After
Much better. The wood was not that nice so I gave it two coats of red gloss spray paint. I think it originally came from the Japan Centre. I am trying to keep my eye out for things that I already own that could be improved in some way (cushions, I am looking at you).
Also posted in I made things |
