Monday 25 April 2016

next stage...of furniture bashing/ recycling


The bottom and middle shelf removed, and the whole thing turned upside down. The original doors will form the seat base. They have the same carved motif on as the "legs". The shaped piece resting on the top was originally the bottom trim of the cupboard. I'm hoping to refit it at the top on the back. What is now the top of the side cupboards had the leg extensions removed and need a flat piece cutting to fit.
The wooden flower plaques keep moving... to the back...to the cupboard door on the side.... not decided yet where they will end up.....found some green floral material for cushions. Stuck now, waiting for two strong men to lift it into place to finish it in situ...

Wednesday 13 April 2016

Upcycling / furniture bashing

As a child I often saw ArtDeco sideboards in homes and loved the narrow cupboards on the sides... A little while ago I bought one ...I started to paint it... And wallpapered the insides with cream and red Chinese style paper...But it didn't seem to be going right...it didn't fit where I'd put it, it wasn't as useful as I thought it would be.
I still loved the side cupboards...I could take them off...but what to do with them /where to put them /how to use them...
No No it seemed to say to me...then I saw it...in the bay window of the back bedroom where the wall is covered in collaged wallpaper...
I got a friend to come and help...we dived in and got started and the top cupboard with sliding doors was off, the drawers out and the main cupboards doors off before I remembered to take a picture...
OK now when I click on photo it's not letting me access them...gerrrr.
Hopefully when I try again it will be in situ...in its finished glory. OK its letting me now...seems I have now to jump through hoops to photos now its upgraded its self...
Clever computers and simple humans like myself don't get on very well.....sigh...
I've come across some wooden plaques in my stash...l got them for something I never made...they may now have found a place to go.........
I just need two strong  bodies to carry it upstairs so I can finish it in situ...
getting excited !

Friday 8 April 2016

hidden secret

I acquired 200 ish wooden coat / clothes hangers....some vintage and hand stitched.  I wanted the fabric off this one, Look what I found hidden underneath the fabric and old tights padding ?

"Padded and covered by Olive Leonard & sold in aid of Pocklington Canal Amenity Society 1985" One of the many enthusiasts and helpers who had a vision...
The old canal was lovingly restored through lots of fundraising and hard work to turn it into the visitor attraction in the East Riding of Yorkshire, that it is today. You can go and have tea and cakes or take a trip on the canal, what could be pleasanter on a sunny afternoon.

Thursday 7 April 2016

Rag rugging

I have being giving a weekly workshop on various forms of rag rugging....to a group of women (and one man) at the local Time Bank
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
I took a variety of old tools
 after trying various tools...the Ikea pencil as a prodder was one persons choice and the blind lady liked the split dolly peg best. The huge paperclip worked well as "toothbrush" tool as did the Ikea pencil with the paperclip to thread the rag through....

 a crochet hook with a cork on the palm end was favoured here
 This lady wanted to learn as her mother who now has memory problems talked about rug making...she started by prodding but her mum said she had a metal tool so she started to work with a bodger....
 this is the blind lady doing it by feel...prodding with the dolly peg tool
and a modern latchet hook pre cut rug kit.
a proddy rug made from fleece on a hessian back.
the start of a crocheted rag rug and a toothbrush one on the right.


Monday 4 April 2016

2016

OK I'm still here but can't get photos to load... (sorted now)
My January went like this.....
Had a couple of falls...hand and knee healed nicely now...
So I will stop climbing ladders...decorating etc...just not safe at the moment.

Someone in the cover of darkness tried to steal my lead off the porch roof...but gave up..
Had to get someone quickly to flatten into place and repoint flashings.


The gusting wind blew the garage door into my face on the same day... bit stunned with a large bloody graze from hairline to eyebrow...
Bathed it just in time for friends arriving to take me to an artist talk and a veggie lunch...
Photos of the event show my forehead !