Halloween

 

So, what do you do with some paper mache boxes you have stored, a paint brush and acrylic paints?  Of course, you make Halloween goodies!!

 

 

My first project was to paint these little 3" boxes.  I painted the bottoms all black and the tops - one burnt orange, one icky green and one off white.  Then I proceeded to paint the tops in various Halloween characters - Frankenstein, a jack-o-lantern and a skeleton.  I just free-handed these and then went around the edges with the black "stitching". 

These are the tops with a better view of the faces I painted.  I then took the bottom of the boxes which I had painted black and polka dotted them.  I use the rounded, wooden end of my paintbrush to make the dots.  You just need to make sure you have fresh paint because if it has sit out very long, it has a tendency to get thick and you can't make the pretty polka dots.  I used the burnt orange color for the dots.

My next project was using a larger paper mache round box and making a treat container. I painted the top and bottom in a flat black acrylic and polka dotted it just like I did the smaller ones. I then used a black felt witches hat that I purchased at Hobby Lobby for $1.99. I hot glued it to the top of the container. I figured it was worth my time to not have to make one.  

I then added a black tulle and checked trim that I also purchased at HL. I cut a small buckle out of orange felt and glued it on to the hat and added a black pom pom to the tip of the hat. Thinking it needed a little something else, I added the orange and white checked gingham ribbon around the band of the top.

When I finished, I sprayed the boxes with a clear acrylic spray.  (Not the top with the witch's hat on it). 

Two suggestions:  

1) The paper mache takes 2-3 coats of paint to cover. It really absorbs the paint.

2)  If you get hot glue "strings", use your hair dryer and it will melt them quickly.

Enjoy!

Till next time, Judy

Chair (char) n. Angel

Definition of Chair (char) n.

A piece of furniture consisting of a seat, legs, back and often has arms, designed to accommodate one person.

Not all chairs end up being suitable for decorative painting.  This one was beyond repair - so said John.  So, we took it all apart and I decided to make an angel out of it.  Crazy, eh?

Okay, let's try to show you how we did this.  I started with an old porch railing as the body.  See it?  It forms the body and the head. We nailed it to a scrap board for stability.  The top back part of the chair is her wings - got it?  The spindles in the back of the chair became her arms.

The arms were attached with a nail making them
moveable.  Then the chair back became her wings by nailing into the old porch railing from the back.  I added a grapevine wreath on her hands and a very loose grapevine for her halo.  I change her decor for the seasons. 

So, there you have it - an angel made out of a chair that was hardly worth bringing home.  Not too bad, eh?

Oh, and by the way, the old concrete bench sitting by her was my Mom and Dad's and now it sits in my yard in front of my tree.  Brings back so many good memories.

Till next time, Judy

Highchair for Laynee

This is my precious great granddaughter, Laynee.  Isn't she about the cutest thing you have ever seen?  She is almost 15 months old and the joy of our lives.  If you have read the Dedication to Landen, this is his little sister.  So, she is a real blessing to us. 

I decided that she needed a chair for JuJu's house but she really doesn't like high chairs - you know the regular kind with the tray.  At 15 months, she already has a mind of her own.  Don't know where she got that!

I found this youth highchair at a thrift store for $5.00 and instantly knew it was to be for her.  I painted it in bright, cheerful colors because that's what she is to our lives - bright and cheerful.

I cleaned and sanded it down. I then applied Walmart's flat white 99 cent spray paint on it.  Then I sanded it again.

Then I put two coats of craft acrylic paint  on each section. And let dry thoroughly.

 

Then I added all the detail free hand.

I put two to three coats of polyurethane on it. Let dry thoroughly. Now it's ready for Laynee.

Till Next Time, Judy 

Saturday Treasures

My Saturday morning ritual is to get up, have a Diet Coke, eat breakfast and to to the Tulsa Flea Market at the Fair Grounds.  I do this every Saturday morning,  Sometimes I hit Garage Sales and/or Estate Sales on my way, but I always do the Flea Market.

So, on Saturdays, my blog will be posted a little later because of my "schedule".

This morning I found some really interesting items.

My first find was an old black Ledger.  It was in pretty good shape and was only $2.00.  

Look at the beautiful handwriting in it and the prices.  It was from 1944 and on one page, it shows the income from wages, eggs sold, hogs sold, cream sold, chickens sold and rent income.

The expenses shown are on another page.  They bought feed, chickens, and cows along with the residential expenses.  I think they must have been fairly "well to do" because of the telephone and rental expenses.

  

My second item - I don't know what it is!!  I just thought it was kind of interesting.  It looks like something you could hang prisms or something from.  I'll have to figure out what to do with it.

Got a precious set of nesting dolls.

The mustache book is not real old, but I thought with all of the interest today in mustaches, it would be a fun book to have.

  
I got a bag of all cream and white buttons and a bag full of all kinds of belt buckles.  They were $5.00 each.

 

Do you have any idea what old thimbles are selling for these days?  I got this whole fruit jar full for $4.00.  I was excited.  Do I know what I am going to do with them?  No, do you have to have a plan?

Last, but not least, I got a crocheted doily and a piece of vintage lace.  I always have to find something in this category for my "stash".

So, I would say, all in all, I had a very good morning.

Till next time, Judy

Oklahoma Wildfires Effect Sun

A couple of weeks ago, there were massive wildfires in the Mannford, Oklahoma area, right outside of Tulsa. 

What you see above is it's effects on the sky and sun. 

The chink out of the sun at the top right edge is the result of the density of the smoke. I had never seen anything quite like it. 

The color is the result of the smoke and ashes. 

It was quite an incredible sight.

Till Next Time, Judy

Caring For Vintage Linens

When looking for vintage linens, check carefully for stains and tears. Some stains can be removed, but don't buy a piece if you think you can't live with the stain.

Stain Remedies: 

An old favorite is to rub with raw sliced lemon and sprinkle with salt. Lay in the sunshine for a couple of hours. Then gently wash. 

I'm a big user of Oxi-Clean. I make a paste of Oxi-Clean and water and rub on the stain. Let it set for awhile, and then put in a solution of water and diluted Oxi-Clean. Again let set for awhile. Rinse thoroughly. 

Remember you take a chance any time you attempt to get a stain out. 

Washing:

Use a small amount of mild liquid detergent and lukewarm water. Stir until detergent is dissolved. Carefully wash fabric. Rinse in clear water. Repeat if necessary. 

Vintage pieces should be washed by hand. Do not use bleach. Bleach will slowly but surely break down fibers of old fabrics. 

There are a lot of commercial solutions you can purchase that are available for vintage fabrics.

I'm linking up this post to Debra's Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Till Next Time, Judy

Chairs Of A Certain Age

My name is Judy and I am a painter. If it can be painted, I will paint it. I scavenge garage and estate sales for things to apply my paint brush to.

This chair was so old that I couldn't just apply paint as I normally would. So I Googled "Old Age." And these quotes you see written on the chair are what I came up with. 

They are hand-painted words about a certain age.

One I used, as you can see, is "Old Age Comes At A Bad Time." But then, I've learned that we get better as we get older. So that doesn't necessarily apply to life. 

Old age can be a rugged, worn chair that teaches us that wisdom comes with age.

Till Next Time, Judy

A New Adventure


My name is Judy and I have an Etsy shop called 20 North Ora.  Today I am starting a blog of the same name.

Do you want to know where I got the name for my shop? It was my parents' address at my only childhood home. Good memories there.

My mother was the quintessential homemaker. When we came home from school, she had hot homemade cookies awaiting me and my three sisters. 

Fast forward many years later. First thing, I am not my mother. 

And I not only allow my beloved Bella on the bed, she also sleeps there.

So now you know a little bit about me, and I want to get to know a lot about all of you. I'll end this first post with a few of my favorite things.

Till next time, Judy