Lampshade project

I always have lamps in my booth at Merchant Square.  They seem to sell well.  Lately I have been constructing burlap shades for the lamps.  The one I am going to share today I think is particularly cute!  A bunch of ideas came together and the result is a little lamp with a cute shade.

My good friend, Joy, told me about this burlap ribbon she found at Ruffler's Roost in Chandler.  Ruffler's Roost is a great place to look for ribbon in all colors and sizes.  They also have a lot of pretty flowers made from ribbon.  So I bought a roll of this burlap ribbon, put it in the sewing machine and proceeded to pleat/ruffle some of it.

At Melrose Vintage last week I found two small clip-on lampshades that were perfect for two small lamps I also found there.  Melrose Vintage was having a warehouse sale and these were great finds -- among many other items!!

So, I covered the shade with a piece of burlap from my stash.  Then I glued the ruffled burlap ribbon on the top and bottom edges of the little lampshade.  I think this little lamp turned out great!  It will be in my booth at Merchant Square next week.

Working on more gift bags

I made a couple of gift bags about a month ago and they flew out of my booth at Merchant Square.  So, I decided yesterday to make two more plus another, simpler one.

This was the first one I finished (approx. 8 1/2" x 11").  The lady in this image has the most beautiful dress and I love the long hair in the braid down her back tied with two big bows.  Lots of old lace bits, a velveteen fabric piece behind the image set the color scheme for this tote bag.

I finished this one this morning.  I kept the palette to whites and just added the pink ribbon for a bit of color.  This image is one of my favorites!

The inspiration for this one came from the most recent issue of Sew Somerset magazine.  I made this Paris tote bag (approx. 7" x 8 1/2" not including the strap) out of scraps from my stash and pieces from my Collage Camp creations.  It is really soft and  I think it would make a great hostess gift!  I'm on a roll today and will be making more this afternoon.  Right now it's lunch time!

This burlap bag was garnered from the produce department of my local grocery store.  I asked the department manager if he would save this bag for me after he used it in the display of chestnuts.  Earlier this week I collected this bag and asked to have any others saved for me.   I think these can be repurposed into something else!  Will be working on that for later.

Recovered bench

This bench has been in my booth at Merchant Square for some time.  People remarked that is was nice, but no one seemed to like it enough to take it home.  So I decided to give it a new, updated look.

It was covered with a nice floral fabric.  When I took the floral fabric off, the top of the bench piece was covered with muslin.  Perfect!!  I didn't have to line it to finish it.

Here's the finished bench.  I covered it with ivory burlap and gave it a cotton ruffled edge.  The ruffled edge was from a skirt I found at a thrift store.  Bought that skirt because I have plans to use all the ruffles on in.  I would have loved to stamp a fleur de lis on this burlap, but it is too coarse to take a good imprint.  Anyway, now it will fit in anyone's decor.  It's neutral and up-to-date.

Lampshade redo

I had found two old lampshades earlier this year at a yard sale.  Still covered with plastic wrap (don't people take that stuff off?) and the silk was in tatters.  It has wonderful wire bones.  Thought I could cover it with burlap.

Taking off the fabric and then the tape took the most time.  But I got it done.

Next I covered it with wide burlap ribbon.  Gives it added direction and texture.

Finished shade on my lamp!  I think I am very happy with this!  Next I have to find a kit in order to turn the second lampshade covered in burlap ribbon (yet to do) into a hanging lamp.

Pillow redo

I bought this plain pillow several weeks ago for several reasons.  One, it is a great color for my couch; two, it is in dark brown burlap with a muslin ruffle; and, three, it was on sale for a great price.  Here is the pillow.

I thought yesterday that it needed something to give it a better look.  After a search through my box of lace and doilies I came up with this:

Much better!!!  Now I won't be covering up its plain-ness any more!

More pretty room settings

More of the lovely rooms in the Lucketts Design House.

I love this dresser.  The lamps are pretty and I especially like all the polar bears.

 That sunburst mirror on the wall was gorgeous!  I see lots of gray and silver -- shiny as well as dull.

A gray coffee table complete with fake cups of coffee.  Also love the fabric on the couch.  I know it's Waverly because I found scraps of it while thrifting one day.

Purple and deep gold!  How royal.  And wouldn't it be the royal treatment to have a bedroom like this to retreat to every day??

This chair upholstery is really shabby!  Too much so for me.  But I liked the gray wood and the big pillow with the ampersand printed on it.

Lastly, these chairs had slipcovers made of canvas and burlap.  I love the burlap fabric, but I don't think it is actually burlap.  It is much smoother and a better choice for something you are actually going to sit on or use.  I am going to do some investigating into what this fabric actually is called -- unless one of you already know what it is called.  Perhaps it is actually unbleached canvas -- like a painter's drop cloth??

I'm headed home soon.  Hope you enjoyed this pictoral trip to Lucketts Design House.  Back to reality soon!

Lucketts Design House

Well, here I am in Virginia and just got back from the Design House at Lucketts General Store in Lucketts, VA.  Swell place, believe me!  Here are a few pics I took this morning while there.

 Loved this white bedroom!  Nice bedding and yummy pillows!

 The headboard is covered with burlap.  Loved the burlap pillows, too.  Note the lamp at the side.  Kim, click on the picture and tell me what the shade is made of.

 Gray is the new neutral and these cabinets fall into the industrial chic category.  Love them!!  But I don't think I will ever find these in Arizona.

Loved this display which is actually in the General Store.  Plenty of gold crowns, gothic style mirrors and windows, and lots of turquoise accents.

More pics in a day or two.  Had a couple turn out blurry which upset me, because it was a beautiful, fluffy bed that was done in gray.