No Sanding, No Staining, Just Chalk Paint

   I have this old end table that I moved into my bedroom next to the recliner.  I love the table, I bought it new in 1991, it's heavy and it has a huge drawer, but it needed to be refinished and I wasn't looking forward to doing all that sanding and staining.

   I found some tutorials on how to use chalk paint and I was sold.  I didn't have to break out the sand paper, I just needed some time, a cool color of paint, a wax, a couple of brushes and a couple of cotton rags.  I also updated the brass drawer pulls with silver rub which was a nice plus because I had never seen silver rub before and I love it.

   I did some research and I found out you can spend a lot on chalk paint.  I did not want to buy a lot of this paint because I don't have any other paint projects other than this one table.  I ended up getting an 8 oz. bottle of Folk Art chalk paint at JoAnn's for $7.99 in the color of Spanish Moss.  There was plenty of paint in that small bottle to do two coats on this end table and I still have some left.  One thing I would say is that I used a sponge brush to apply this and I think I would have done better with a bristle brush.

    The wax I bought for this project was liquid because that was all the store had, but I originally saw a paste wax in the tutorial and I think I would have liked to use the paste better.  The wax I bought was made by Folk Art and it was labeled clear wax.  The wax went on with a brush, you let it dry and then you buff it up.   I bought 8 oz. of liquid wax  for $7.99 and I have lots of wax left over.  I bought the silver rub on Amazon and a small tube (.5 oz) was $6.21 with free shipping.

      This was a super fun project and for less than $25.00 I have a pretty table in my bedroom.

Floral Square QuiltTop Is Assembled

 

  After making all the little odds and ends that I finished in the last couple of weeks, I finally got this top together.  It's about 56" x 56", there are 100  5" floral squares framed by 1.5" green floral tone on tone fabric.  

 

I found that as random as I tried to be putting my squares together, I still had a problem putting the rows together.  I found these three pink blocks hanging out together.  I won't be taking any of this apart to separate them since this quilt is just for me.

   I've ordered the batting for this quilt and I'm going to start working on piecing my backing together in the next few days.  

Button, button, who's got the button?

  I do!   I do!

   Today I ordered buttons in bulk.  I ordered green buttons, red buttons, multicolored buttons, and heart shaped buttons.  I ordered buttons form Artist Supply Source and from Amazon.com.  I can't wait to get my buttons.  Here is the variety of green buttons I will be getting.  These are from Artist Supply Source.  I decided that I wanted green buttons to put in the center of my pink flowers so I can finish my wall decoration up.


  

  Here is one of the pink flowers (I have 16 of these little beauties) that will be enhanced with a green button in the very center.  So pretty.

Union Jack Block Is On The Wall

   I finally put this wall hanging up.  This block has been finished for about two weeks, but I have been looking for a dowel stick to use in the back for hanging and I was having trouble finding one that was longer than 12".  It's now on the wall in the bedroom and I love it.  I backed the block with solid pink and created my binding by folding the extra allowance of backing fabric to the front and machine sewed it on the front.  I have never done a binding like that before and it was hard to miter the corners, but with a little internet help I figured it out.

 

   I'm working on my Christmas quilt this weekend.  I should have pictures of something later today.

New Fabrics On The Way.

   I can't stop adding projects to my crafting to do list.  I'm always finding another pattern or some pretty fabric that has to be added to my list.  I just placed three different fabric orders in three days.   I'm starting to dig on the pre-cuts lately.  I bought that layer cake for my Christmas quilt and I just bought two sets of fat quarters.  I still buy yardage, but when I buy pre-cuts, there isn't a lot of leftover fabric, which can be a good thing, if you don't have a lot of space to store it.

   I bought these fat quarters, Roses and Chocolate by Moda from an etsy seller.  I fell in love with this line a couple of weeks ago, so I knew I was going to get some of this line at some point.

   I bought a couple of yards of this green backing fabric from Marshall's Dry Goods to go with the Roses and Chocolate fat quarters.  This is 108" backing fabric.

I found these fat quarters on sale.  This is Far Far Away by Heather Ross, purchased from an Etsy seller.  I may use this fabric to make a holder for my circular knitting needles.  My circular knitting needles need a home.

   I'm revising my crafting to do list, but it's hard to get things in the order I want to make them because I want to make everything RIGHT NOW.  

Pretty In Pink Quilt Finished

   

 I just finished hand sewing the binding on the back of the quilt and I'm calling it done.  It's not perfect, none of my projects are, but it's perfect for me.  This is the front and a close up of the back showing the blocks I pieced into the center of it.  My Bernina walking foot worked great. The stitching was easy and the stitches were very nice.

   Now on to other projects.  I have to do a few small ones before I start my Christmas quilt.  I have to make my ironing board cover, sewing machine covers, pillowcases for my bed, and the harness for the dog in blue.  I have more but I can't remember them all right now.  And I want to play with the embroidery machine next weekend.  Plenty of sewing and crafts to keep me busy in the new year.

    See you soon.

First Strip Sets For The Pink Quilt

Here is a picture of my first strip sets for the pink and green irish chain quilt I'm making just for me.  The green will be the center block in each of the 9 patch blocks.  I love, love, love the white on white fabric, it has little roses on it.  That white on white fabric will be the solid blocks as well.

I'll post again when I've made some sewing progress on this one.