Creative Dawn

Got this little side table for a few dollars at a thrift store.  The top was really badly worn, but once painted it looks great!  The legs are easy to remove so painting them was a snap.  Each one is painted differently.  Not sure where I am going to put this, but it is just so fun!  Used painters tape to make the checkered pattern and a dinner plate for the circle. In another trip to the thrift store, I found this great wine rack for 4.99.  The only part that I painted was the top.  My favorite types of wine in fun lettering.  LOVE my new wine rack and it holds a lot too!  One other thing, the top is removable and works as a serving tray.

I have the ability to paint just about anything, but patterns are so fun to do.  It is relaxing to just doodle with the paint and create interesting designs.  Here are a few of my latest. This is a small cabinet that was 2.50 at the Goodwill.  It is heavy for it's size and very sturdy.  I added new knobs in addition to the fresh paint job.  Cabinet before This is the top for one of the inexpensive side tables.  It has been in my basement collecting dust until I recently decided to give it new life Sometimes scraps of wood work for a canvas.  This was free and used to stabilize a shipping box.   Now it is a brightly patterned wall hanging. This is yet another Goodwill find for next to nothing.  It was probably used to display fruit or some kind of other decorative items and was originally bright yellow.  The new pattern is fun and the color scheme works well in my living room.    ...

I got this great shade for 1.99 at Savers.  The fabric was torn, but that just made it easier to tear it off.  The yarn was on clearance at Joann Fabric for .97 a skein.  I wasn't sure how must it would take to cover the shade so I bought 4.  It only took one and a half!  Now there has to be a project for the remaining yarn, oh bummer... Basically the fabric was torn off and I wrapped the entire frame with the purple fuzzy yarn.  It is a fun lampshade that is definitely a conversation piece.

What I need to do is give myself a goal so that I post more often.  I have a lot of things painted and a few other things made so it is really time!  Lately, I have been on a chair and lampshade kick.  If it's a good deal, it is difficult to pass it up!  Currently there are 3 chairs that need some updating and a few lampshades.  My brain is chugging away trying to come up with some good ideas.  Once that happens it will be blog mania for me.  Here are a few of my painting projects and believe me there are definitely more to come very soon.  Have a great day and keeps creating!  Yet another pig cutting board   Paper mache pig and cow Nothing fancy just a fun design

BEFORE AFTER On 1/27/2011, I posted a lamp that I repainted.  This is that same lamp now updated again.  Sometimes an idea comes along and it is better than the original.  This is inspired from a Pinterest posting that used old jewelry.  Well, that can get expensive so this is made from wooden beads that are painted gold.  The beads came from a thrift store and cost 3.50 for the bag.  I still have some leftover for a future project.  The beads are just glued onto the lamp and painted over with gold and pearl acrylic paint.  I got some jewel-like buttons and added them for accent.  The perfect lampshade was on another lamp in the house, so I just switched them up. How much did this cost?  The lamp was 1.49 originally, the beads 3.50, jewel buttons about 5.00.  What a bargain for a one of a kind home accent!

2nd Cutting board painted Until I started blogging and trying to find thrifty items to paint, I never realized that cutting boards were available in so many shapes.  Of course there is the basic paddle board style, but there are also many animal shapes.  This is the second cat one that I have found.  There is a small area in my home that had a black and white theme so like the past cat that was posted this one is also B & W.  The design is a variety of patterns, kind of a signature of my style. Oops!  Thought I posted the first cat, but didn't. Here it is.  1st Cutting board painted

I kind of dropped the ball around Christmas time.  As usual I made many gifts, but forgot to take pictures before giving them.  Some of the ideas came from pinterest, others from my imagination.  My sister in laws all got glass block decorations, my nephew got a framed cross made from an old baseball and my niece got a painted cookie tray.  If I can talk my family into sending me pictures, these items may be posted in the future. For today's posting here is a very unique lampshade.  The shade had a cool structure, but the fabric and trim were not in the best condition.  I used my stockpile of yo-yos and sewed them to the frame of the shade.  Next I used some old bits of lace and added the fabric to it. It is very different and not everyone will like it, but it goes with my eclectic and colorful decor.

Every time I go to a thrift store or garage sale, I cannot help myself when it comes to wooden cutting boards.  They are a great size, a sturdy material and are fun to paint.  Besides, what else do you do with a used cutting board?    The first one is a rooster design.  This was inspired from a book of painted designs that is from the library.  The second is an endless flower design and is just a pattern that I made up.  Both are going to look great added to my kitchen collection.

Can you believe it?  Another post this soon!  I have been making stuff, but the posting has gotten slower, sorry.  These two wooden plaques were bought at a thrift store for less than $2.00 each.  They had some premade botanical pictures on them.  I decided to just paint some random designs on them.  They are about 12 inches square and they turned out great but now what I really want to do is some more paintings in this style only much larger.  The designs would make such a statement on a larger scale.  That may require a trip to Menards or Home Depot.   Sorry for the picture quality, my camera in not working the best right now.    

Hello all, hope that the new year brings you lots of creative ideas! So, since I currently work at a fabric store, I see lots of cool fabrics and get inspired almost daily.  About a month or so ago this awesome jungle fabric came in and I decided that it was a must have.  My first idea was to use it for painting inspiration and that is exactly what it was used for.  This coffee table was a purchase from a thrift store for 2.99 and it had seen better days.  The top was scuffed and scratched so it was perfect for the Creative Dawn touch.  It only needed a bit of light sanding before painting.  I did not trace or make stencils for this project.  It is all free hand.  :)  I turned out great and it is a wonder whimsical piece to add to my decor.  Now to figure out what to do with the fabric...maybe pillows...hmm.  But that will probably be another post.

Another discovery with the blog, I really enjoy making things with an owl theme.  Today, the owl is painted on a cutting board.  This is from my favorite thrift store and was 1.91.  The simple shape and the big eyes are just so fun!  This owl is painted in a muted citrus palette and is a great addition to my kitchen decor.  So far there are pigs, owls and coffee cups adorning the walls of the kitchen what an interesting mix.  All of these items do look good together if you can believe it.  I'll post pictures of my walls after the 365 days are over so that you can see how it all works together. Have a great day!  The sun is shining and the weather is perfect for a walk by the lake, until tomorrow!

Hello all!  Here is part two of my coaster post.  Makes you want to have a fruity umbrella drink doesn't it?  All that I really have to do is add a coat of sealant so that they don't get ruined.  I also couldn't decide whether or not to add the drink names on the coasters.  It is nice that they are simple but after looking at them, something is missing.  Suggestions are welcome!  Unless an idea strikes, they will remain as is.  

  What a beautiful day!  Read the Sunday paper, went for a walk, relaxed and painted.  I actually painted outside to fully take advantage of the weather.  Since tropical things are on my mind because of yesterday, the project for this post is featuring refreshing summer beverages.  This set of coasters is from a great thrift store and cost 1.91, what a bargain.  The original style is definitely from the seventies.  At first the plan was to make each coaster a different color, but that just didn't work.  A neutral color worked much better with the colorful cocktails.  With the distraction of the weather only three and the holder were finished today.  The others should be done for tomorrow. Hmm...why does a margarita sound good right now?

Last week, I went to my local thrift store to see what they had.  I found this set of four pictures for 1.61 each.  They are not actual paintings just pictures that were printed on the canvas.  So, I had this idea that all of the canvases together could make one large picture.  My only dilemma right now is what order to put them in.  Do I hang them straight down in one long row or put them all together in a big square.  Once they are all finished both options will be posted.  Comments on the order would be appreciated! The first step was to paint them all in one color.  I started with dark green and them came up with the rest of the color pallet.  It consists of cream, burnt orange, light blue and a pale green.  Like some posts in the past the design idea was to tape off squares and do different patterns in each.  Here is the first two paintings.  The others will be done tomorrow.  

I had planned a different post for today, but it didn't work out so I had a change in plans.  I two things for today bread and painting. First item beer bread, YUMMY!  At my local liquor store you can pick your six pack of beer from a variety of micro brews.  They provide an empty holder for you.  After the first time that I purchased some great beers for my husband (he loves to sample different styles), I noticed a recipe on the side of the box.  It sounded easy so yesterday I made it to go with the jambalaya that was simmering in the crock pot.  The aromas in my home were awesome!  The recipe calls for 12 oz. of beer, 3/4 cups of brown sugar and three cups of self rising flour.  You start by greasing a loaf pan and preheating the oven to 375.  Next, beat together the beer and sugar then gradually stir in the flour.  Pour it into the pan and brush the top with melted butter.  Bake for about 55 minutes and serve....

What a dreary day, it's cold, rainy and grey, but the birds outside are chirping like crazy.  If the birds are singing then it makes you want to be cheerful!  Speaking of birds, here is a drawing that I made for my mother in law.  Some people are easy to make things for and she is one of those people.  She likes gardening, cardinals and bird houses.  As you saw in a Christmas post I painted a floral themed chair, here is a bird house drawing that I did for here.  The frame was a second hand store find for less than five dollars and it is one that probably originally cost about $25.00.  This was a fun picture to draw.  Each house has it's own personality.  On occasion there are some drawing that you don't have to redo a gazillion times to get it right, this was one of those times.  It just came together!  

Sometimes I come across an object that I have no idea for but there is potential in it.  This is one of those finds, the metal sides appealed to me because it was different.  Right away I painted it yellow and then it sat for a few weeks collecting dust.  Until today I didn't have a plan for it and then this  idea came to me while I was doodling.  A tulip shape was what inspired this design.  Each side is different because not all things need to be symmetrical.  The handle with the awful raffia had to go so I just took it off.  Just a side note, I hate raffia!  It is not something that I would ever use in a project.  GROSS!