Fun with Junk, and more...

Edited:  I thought it would be fun to re-post this project with the wonderful Kim at Get Your Craft On Tuesday (Today's Creative Blog). Click the link or the image above to visit all the other fun, creative projects!!

(click any image to enlarge)

So, what's a girl to do with a funky 70's-era plastic coffee pot wall plaque? I've had a vision for this thing for a long time (since I bought it at a garage sale in '08!) and I finally made time in the studio to have a little fun with it...

I tried in vain to find my before picture of this routed wooden sign, but trust me when I tell you it was not pretty. I painted the coffee pot and sign with good old heirloom white spray paint and then I was ready to paint and embellish...

Here's the finished wall art! I painted a pink trim around the routed edge then painted a pink "table top" along the bottom. Next I antiqued the coffee pot and the sign with brown acrylic paint mixed with gloss medium. After everything was dry I glued down a piece of pretty crocheted lace over the pink, a half tea cup that I got from a garage sale (more on that some other time), the coffee pot, curled wire for the "coffee", ecru trim, and three vintage porcelain knobs. After the glue was set I painted the verse and roses to finish it off...

It was so good to finally get a piece done that I had planned for ages (and it was way fun to be crafting in the studio again). It may not have turned out exactly like I wanted it in every way, but it is sweet and I think it will look nice in the shop (and hopefully sell of course).

Speaking of the shop, I have some news to share. We will be taking a different smaller space in the shop beginning May 1st. We are downsizing/moving for several reasons. Although sales have been OK, they have not been as steady and consistent as we had hoped these last couple of months. Plus, we have paid a premium for being in the front room of the shop, right by the check out counter and front door, but I'm not sure it is paying off as we had hoped. I have observed each time I've worked at the shop that although people do stop and look in our space, they do not tend to linger there like they do in other sections of the shop...they move quickly to get out of the way of the front door, thus often missing the items we have featured right there, plus, because there are always one or two vendors working at the check out, the shoppers don't have a lot of privacy for looking. I know that may sound strange, but I know when I shop, I like to be able to take my time, dig around, talk freely with my shopping companion if I have one (you know, say things like "I wonder if they'll take less for this" or whatever), and I just don't see people doing that at all. Plus, having a double space in the front takes a LOT of time to keep up. In addition to the 6 work days per month, I am there probably half again that much or more staging the space, bringing in new pieces, pricing, etc.

So, when a cute sunny space with lots of wall area that was half the money and only 3 work days came available, we took it. I will share photos of the new space and what we do with it after the first of May when we get all moved in. Meanwhile, one of the big furniture pieces that I've had forever in the shop sold this week which is great news - not only will it be nice to have the sale, we really didn't have room for it in the new space. Even though our new space is smaller, most all of the things that we have left now will fit, except for our big china cabinet which we put on sale in hopes of selling it in the next week or so...

And though we are downsizing, do you think for a second that we stopped junkin' for a while...? Nope!!  :o) This is high garage sale season in Texas, before it gets really hot, and there are countless sales each weekend that are awesome, so we're still hitting the ones we can. As promised, here is some of the stuff we bought at a great estate sale this past weekend...

I really like these trays from England - they were $3, but going for half price, so just $1.50 each...

I'm loving silver, and was blessed to get all these silver plated pieces for half price too...the covered cake plate was half price as well... I'll be painting the funky green resin wastebasket, you can be sure...

I love these sweet tiny birdie plates, and the bird needlework piece is a project just waiting to happen...

I am actually really excited about the upcoming changes in the shop! I am looking forward to fewer shop work days/prep days so that I can have more time in the studio, like I had yesterday, to make more junk art pieces, painted signs, fabric collages, and SO much more that I have ideas for! Plus, my illustration work is starting to really click...my royalties this quarter went up 5 times what they were last quarter! (Yay God!!) I need to be spending more time finding new licensees and creating new art for future projects like a new calendar for 2011 and more digital clip art collections, etc. I'm happy with how things are working out, and though it may seem like a set back with the shop changes, I really see it as a plus in so many ways. It will be very interesting to see how our sales are in the new space and to see if my theory about being in the front space is true. I'll definitely keep you posted...

Meanwhile, I hope the rest of your week is wonderful, fun, productive, safe, and joyous! Thank you as always for stopping by and saying hi - I appreciate it more than you'll ever know! Oh yeah, stay tuned about a soon coming giveaway collaboration I'm having with another blogger...that's all I can say for now, but it will be a lot of fun! Hugs all around - see you soon!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11