Dresden Design project #3 - Lovely Lampshade

Dresden lampshade

This is a fun project that anyone can do in a short amount of time.
I had an old lampshade that I wanted to dress-up with SU's new Dresden Design die.
(If you do not have the Dresden Design, you can cut out your own Dresden pattern. 
Go to http://www.patternsfromhistory.com/colonial_revival/dresden-pattern.htm to print out the pattern.)


My lampshade is covered in SU Designer scrapbooking paper.  
It is a 2-sided paper, so I was able to use both sides 
(isn't it great that they are made to coordinate with eachother!).

To make your lampshade - 
1. cut dresden pieces using 2- 12x12 pieces of scrapbook paper.
    (You could also use a fabric instead.  I made two sizes. 
2. lay your paper pieces on the lampshade with smaller ones on top of large.
3. when you know that you have enough pieces, just pin them in place 
    (I did this so I can change it later, but you may want to glue it down if it is to be permanent.)

Since I am not a "pink" person, I made this one for display. 
After I take it off display, I will recover it with my colors.

For more ideas for the Dresden plate design search this blog 
and stay tuned for a few more amazing things you can do with this pattern.


Linking up with:
Jenny Matlock: Alphabe-Thursday

Sweet Little Baby Boy

This Thursday, a friend asked me to do some painting in her baby's nursery.

She is having a boy and wanted a baby room theme that can be used as he grows.

picture they found online for an idea

They chose the travel/nautical theme'

Using some ideas from the (above) picture 

and the colors in the curtains they purchased (below),

we talked about what they wanted on the walls of the nursery.

A compass will go over the crib and a boat will go on the wall facing the door.

Curtains for the nursery

One of my favorite things to do is paint.

I love making an empty space have character.

For years I have been painting on walls for buisnesses, ministries, 

at friends homes, and at my house.  

I was so blessed to be asked to do something special 

in the baby room at my friends' new home.

I brought along my supplies and looked at the bare walls.

This is where the baby crib will go.

Usually, I do my painting freehand, from a picture someone liked 

or I use a stencil and then add to the painting.  

This time I brought my laptop and projector.

It is hard to freehand draw a compass and I wanted to get it just right.

(It is a humbling experience to start painting on someone's wall.)

After finding a similar image online, I measured out where it should go on the wall.

A few tips on centering an object came to mind as I started this project.

Take a good look at your room overall.

There is a ceiling fan in the room and a closet door on the left wall.

If I center the image according to the wall measurement, 

then it is off center with the ceiling fan.

If I center it with the fan, then it is off center a few inches with the wall.

I chose to center it with the ceiling fan, 

since that seems to be what we would consider the center of the room.

This puts the image a few inches to the right, which leaves a few inches more for clearance of the closet door.

Honestly, you can't tell it is off center.

After centering the object, I begin tracing the parts I want to go on the wall.

With a pop-point pencil (you know the kind we used in school that are full of points.  when the point gets dull you take it off the front and put it on the back and it pushes a new point forward.) and a clear ruler I carefully traced the points of the compass.

You will see that I did not use all of the image, only what I wanted.

As I traced, I was sure to mark which of the parts get the darker paint 

and which get the light.

After the design is on the wall, I make sure it is what we wanted, 

then I go to town with the paint.

Dark color only

Light color added

Starting to paint the center

Verse added

As you can see, the center looks squished and kind of rounded.

I did this so that it looks 3-D and pops out instead of looking like a flat center.

I finished off the points by brushing a little grey on each point 

for a little depth of shading.

We had also talked about a verse, but were not sure where to put it.

It seemed very fitting to put the verse in the center of the compass.

Finished Compass
The compass lettering was done in Apple Barrel Barn Red, 
with my favorite letting stencil. I traced the stencil and then painted.

Next, came the boat.

This time, I did not trace the edges, but went straight to the wall with the brush.

As you can see, I started with an outline in the lighter blue, 

and then did the inside of the sails in a darker blue.

When the dark blue was finished I went back over it and dabbed my paint brush in lighter paint over the darker.  I dabbed alot in places where I wanted more shadow.

This gave the sail a different, dimensional look.

For the boat, I outlined in the dark brown used on the circle of the compass.

Then I colored it in with a creamy brown (also used in the center of the compass).

To make the boat boards I slowly slid my brush across the boat in that darker brown, 

leaving gaps between each stroke.

For an added touch, I put a few stripes on the sails to match the stripes in the curtains, and added a name plate to the boat (the letters were done with a black Sharpie).

Finished boat

The sail was painted in the same red as the compass letters 

and the same grey was used to shade it.

This is what the nursery looks like so far.

I can't wait to see it when the crib is up 

and the Sweet Little Baby Boy is asleep in his room!

To read about what the Lord reminded me of,

while I painted this project click here.

Painting the Barn

I am a very sentimental person. 

 It seems that wherever I go I collect little remembrances 

(coffee cup warmers, empty sugar packets, rocks, dried flowers, ticket stubs for museum exhibits... Yes, it seems that I keep alot.)  Those little things were adding up. 

 I was getting so busy going from one State, event, or ministry to the next.  

All of that busyness kept me from rehearsing after one of those things all that the Lord had done.  I wanted to remember all that the Lord has done in my life  

and all that He has used me to do in others lives.  

The Bible says, 

 Ps 77:11 " I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.", and 

 Ps 143:5 "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands."

Remembering what God has done in our lives is very important.

Sometimes during deputation, as I am raising support to go to South Africa, I feel alone in this journey to the mission field.  I know that I am never alone with the Lord, but I am also never alone because of all of the people who are praying for me and take the time to write to me.  With all of this in mind I decided to make a remembrance wall.  This is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time.  Finally, this Summer (between all of the meetings, camp, and VBS) I was able to put that desire into action.  I decided to create a wall that fits into the rest of my wall decor, but will be functional for all of my remembrance needs.

This was the wall I chose. 

 It is a medium sized empty wall that you can see as soon as you come in the front door.  

I can look at it from the couch, kitchen table, as I work in the kitchen, and as I go busily in and out.  It is the perfect wall to place things that remind me of what God has and is doing in my life.

The only problem is the thermostat positioned oddly on the wall.  

After asking some of the men if it could be moved or removed,

I came to the conclusion that there was nothing to do about it.  

I'll just have to be creative.

First thing I did was go to my favorite store - LOWES!!!!  

Some girls get excited about clothing stores, but I love LOWES!

For a while I have wanted to use this magnetic primer.

Finally, a project that I could use it for.

This is the border and wall paper on the other walls in my living room 

(the border was free and the wall paper I bought at the Salvation Army.  

It was only enough supplies to do the other three walls, so I left the wall I am working on bare).  

After looking at the wall paper border, I decided to paint a large barn on the wall.

First step when painting something on a wall is to first draw it on with pencil.  I do this to make sure the size of an object is in proper perspective.  It is also great because when you paint, you cannot see the pencil marks.

Once the barn was drawn on the wall, I decided where to put the Rustoleum Magnetic Primer.  

The paint is around $20 for a 30fl.oz can.  

Because it is so pricey and I need to apply a number of coats, I only painted the wall in certain sections.  Two important things you need to know about using this paint - 

1) The paint has a very strong odor. 

 If you have birds or other pets that are sensitive to fumes, I would suggest that you remove them from your house for a few days.  I live in a small trailer and had all of the windows open with a fan running and the smell still was very strong for a few days.  

2) Be sure to apply the paint in thin even coats. 

 In order to get a good metalic prime for a magnet to stick, you need to apply a thin even coat.  

Then let that dry and paint again.  I applied 4 or 5 coats.  Most magnets easily stick to my wall.  

Remember, after applying the metalic primer, another coat of decorative paint goes over top.

To make the barn boards, I used a well-worn flat paint brush. 

By painting with the brush in an up and down motion, 

I was able to make the paint texture look like barn boards.

You can see the texture that this technique adds to my barn.  

After painting the red barn boards, I painted the black roof.  

Using your brush again without dipping it back in the black paint, 

you can paint the roof shadow. 

 I also used an almost dry brush to paint the markings on my silo.

The silo and grass at the bottom of the barn were done with paints that I mixed together to match the green on the wall paper in the rest of the room. 

The barn boards were outlined in black with one of my favorite tools - a black Sharpie marker!

Aren't Sharpies amazing!

Notice that I even drew nails on the boards.  

 After drawing the barn board outlines, I painted the window frame and doors.

Again I used the Sharpie to add handles and a hook.

On the window frame, I used the Sharpie just to make a little detail on the frame.  

After that, I again used some black paint on a dry brush to add a little shadow on the frame.

The barn looked so bare until I added the shelf 

(which I bought unfinished years ago at a thrift store for $1.95 and was using in my kitchen).  

The shelf adds the extra space I need 

to put things that cannot be placed on the wall with a magnet.  

As you see, I painted it with the same colors that I painted the barn with.  

Placing it just below the thermostat, helps to hide the eyesore.

It also has a bar across the bottom for hanging things.

I usually lay my cards over it, like this.

I almost forgot to mention the grass.

As I said before, I mixed a green paint that matched the wallpaper in the rest of the room.  

After painting the green grass, I added some brown to add a little depth. 

Notice the picture on the wall.  Yes, it is hanging on by a magnet. 

 I have found that it is best to use one of those clear refrigerator frames to hold the larger items. I actually used one made for a 4x6 picture, but you can hardly tell.

This item is one of the heaviest I have placed on my wall because it is made of 8 1/2x11 cardstock that has been laminated, has a thank you card, and my team button attached. 

If you follow the painting instructions the magnetic paint will work great!

I love my remembrance wall!

Right now I just cleaned it off for Thanksgiving, 

because I know I will have alot to add to it this week.

Hope you enjoyed this.  

If you have any comments or questions please feel free to email me.

only1life2offer@juno.com