Dining room painting progress

Well, I'm making progress!  I was really hoping to be finished by now, but my back had other ideas.   I am really hoping to be finished tomorrow.  Here are a few pictures of my progress.  The picture above is the before.  I am painting the walls a color called Almost Aqua and the trim an Antique White.  My house does not get a lot of natural light so I really wanted to brighten up the walls. 

Collage - Assemblage - Glass Art

I have received a request to post pictures of some of my collage - assemblage and glass art, so here goes.  I made this piece by using one of the old windows out of our 1902 house. 

I applied vintage papers and images to the back of the window using a gel medium.  I then crinkled and applied a coppery tissue paper to the back.  I added other emblishments to the front of the window. 

This next assemblage piece started with a wood box.  I used a tin can lid with a watch face on the top of the box.  I applied a clock picture inside the box and used old screws for the clock hands.  The "pendulum" is an antique drawer pull.  On the side of the box I used scrabble tiles to spell time. 

This next piece is a combination of fused glass and mosaic.  This was also created on an old window from our house.  I fused the Victorian Lady and glued her to the window.  I then used mosaic glass to create the landscape. 

A Little History

Here is a little history lesson on my adorable "little" home.  My home was built in 1902 and still has many of the original features:  Interior and exterior doors, kitchen cabinets (all 3 of them), butcher block countertops, very worn hardwood floors, and some of the windows.  I love my little house.....but....coming from a large 2200 sq feet to less than 1000 sq feet has been quite an adjustment.  Plus, when we moved in here almost 4 years ago we were supposed to start a major renovation within a year.  We managed to get the garage built and then the economy went south, along with I might add most of our money.  So, here we sit, four years later and all we have done to the house is put in a few new windows and a temporary shower stall. 

This adorable little place is on a raised foundation and has over the years kind of shifted and is not quite what you would consider level.  So, before we can do much of anything in the way of fixing up my little house, it has to be leveled.  Not an easy feat!! 

I have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting (patiently can't you tell) for this to happen so I can start fixing things up inside.  Well, this week I got tired of waiting and I bought paint for the living room and dining room.  I AM GOING TO PAINT!  I know I will probably have to do it over again after the house is leveled, because I am sure we will lose some drywall and have a few cracks here and there.  Just adds character right? 

Anyway, I will post before and after pictures, and probably some pictures along the way.  I started sanding the wood trim around the windows and doorways in preparation.  Since there are several layers of paint, and the fact that I will probably have to do this all over again, I am only scuffing them so they will hold the paint.  I made the mistake of trying to take all of the paint off of the beadboard walls in the bathroom........that's another whole story! 

Anyway, I'm excited to finally be doing SOMETHING!  After our dreary and rainy winter, I really need a little "pick me up" and nothing does that faster than a nice fresh coat of paint.  Stay tuned for pictures!

Creating A New Blog Look

Wow.  I have been working on my blog off and on all day; trying this and that.........I think I am finally happy with it.  I have learned more today about html's then I ever wanted to know!! 

I have been so afraid to change anything because I wasn't sure I would be able to fix it if I goofed it up, and I was sure I WOULD goof it up!  Today, I just decided to jump in with both feet and if I messed it up I would just start over.  Well, I DIDN'T goof it up!!

Thank you Jody from TheSmithHotel for turning me onto The Background Fairy.  It was much easier to change the appearance of my blog than I thought it would be........and it was free!  I love free! 

So, if you think you can't do it, don't listen to that pesty little voice...........you CAN do it.  Believe me, if I can do it anybody can.  Go for it and have fun!

The Hunt

People ask us all the time:  "Where do you get all of the stuff you make your jewelry out of?" 

This is one of the most enjoyable parts of our job!!  We love hunting for treasures!  We go to estate sales, yard sales, antique stores, and our favorite; "junk stores".  Our absolute favorite is a place on Hwy 273 between Redding and Anderson, Junk N Treasures.  What an experience!  It is cold in the winter, hot in the summer, dirty........and an absolute blast!  We have found so many really cool things there.  Of course cool to us might seem like trash to other people. 

We also love the antique stores on front Street in Anderson.  Unfortunately, they are dwindling in numbers.  We find a lot of "stuff" in goodie bags at Oregon Street Antique Mall.  These bags are so much fun because until you dump them out you don't know what all you have.  It's better than Christmas!

And, people just give us stuff!  So many people know what we do and they give us old keys and jewelry that they have laying around.  So, if anybody out there has any old stuff they want to get rid of we'll take it!

Art Hop

Saturday night is ArtHop, from 6-9 pm.  Be sure to print out a map from A New Cafe so you can find all of the participating businesses. 

Lorie Lynn Designs will be at the Oregon Street Antique Mall at the corner of Shasta and Oregon Streets.  We will have all of our new designs on display; Domino pendants, spoon handle pendants, crocheted jewelry, and a sample of the family necklaces!   I hope everyone can make it by to check out all of our hard work!