Pondered Primed Perfected

10/13/12

Inspiration Cafe Is Undergoing a Makeover!!

Hello!

Yep, you read that right...

We are opening up a BRAND NEW and IMPROVED CAFE

...and we can't wait to have all of you come visit!

We've got our GRAND OPENING coming SOON!!!

*A huge shout out to the talented Jana at Little Web Writing Hood!

Definitely worth a visit for stylish custom graphic design needs.

(blog packages, etsy shops, facebook headers, etc.)

Follow IC on Facebook to get all of our updates!

So this week we're sharing our Contributors' favorite posts from the past, while we get things all finished up at the New Inspiration Cafe.

Finally, here's a peak at some of our personal favorites. Just click each photo to be taken to the actual post. Enjoy browsing...hey, feel free to spend some time checking out each of our Contributors and see what else we've been up to!

Don't forget to leave a comment saying you stopped by.

We're gearing up for Inspiration Cafe to be a much more open and interactive place, and we want to get to know each and every one of you.

Have a wonderful week! ;)

Thanks for the visit and please, come back again!

The Ladies at Inspiration Cafe

10/9/12

Halloween Decorating ~ Easy Inexpensive Skull Plate

I like the freaky creepy feel of Halloween.

I found the skull graphic at the Graphics Fairy and printed it out.

The glass plate came from the Dollar Tree.

Using a washable marker I put ink on the rim on the bottom of the plate and pressed it onto the skull print to create a cutting template.

I cut just inside the marked line to create the circle above.

It fits perfectly inside the bottom circle of the plate.

I mixed 1 part white glue with 1 part water and with my craft brush applied it to the bottom of the plate, just inside the bottom circle.

I pressed my skull graphic onto the plate and smoothed it with my fingertips...making sure to work out any air bubbles.

I added another layer of homemade mod podge to the back of the paper and then I let it dry completely and added another coat.

I'm thinking about adding some Krylon Looking Glass spray to the back...maybe. There's a plate on the Graphics Fairy blog with a worn mirrored background. It looks really antique~like.

It looks good with my other bargain Halloween decor. Most of this came from the dollar store. I had the wooden bottle crates and the "TREAT" jar already.

It's not a very gorry, scary Halloween display.

We don't want the little kids scared out of their britches.

The "TREAT" canister usually holds treats for our dog.

But for this month it will hold Halloween candy for the kiddos. :)

The candle is "flameless" (battery operated~love these!).

Black crow trapped under the wire basket.

I bought two but can't find the other....I guess it flew away...

I found the black wire pumpkin at Goodwill. Cute, right?

Dollar Tree silver frame.

I added the phrase "TRICK OR TREAT" with a crow graphic,

also from the Graphic Fairy website.

CREEPY IS COOL!

Sherry :)

Sharing At:

10/7/12

Welcome to Inspiration Cafe ~ Distressed Donna Down Home

Natalie - NorthShore Days

Mary - Sweet Little Bluebird

Danni - Silo Hill Farm

Sherry - Pondered Primed Perfected

Heather - The Beating Hearth

I am so excited to be invited as guest host here at The Inspiration Cafe. I have been following them for a while and love their Monday features.

I am Distressed Donna Down Home. I am a retired middle school English teacher. I haul and refinish rusty, crusty stuff to resell in my booth at a local antiques mall. I started blogging back in April and have written at the speed of light ever since.

My posts are as scattered with ideas and projects as my brain is. I love photos, but am chronically bad at taking them.

Hang onto your coffee cups or iced sweet tea. It's going to be a bumpy ride!

For this post I chose three unsuspecting little benches. I love to stack these in vignettes. I have chosen a bird theme for these and some painting and some distressing and some stenciling and some stamping and some torn cotton and some tags.

Well, you'll see - I just go too far sometimes.

I bought some sample pots of Valspar in (from the left) Summer Sky, Rain, and Prairie.

Very close in shades of blue-gray. They turned out beautifully and most would stop here.

Not me!

I hopped over to The Graphics Fairy and chose a nest for the round bench, a dove for the small bench, and two black and white images - a bird and a nest - for the large bench.

On the two colored images, I used the regular Mod Podge method. Thin coat on the back of the image and placed carefully on the surface and let dry.

On the large blue bench I decided on the placement of the bird and the nest. I carefully cut the images out so that there was just a small border of the white paper. When you are placing the image, remember you will be reversing it so it will actually be on the opposite side.

I put a coat of Mod Podge on the top of the bench and placed the images face down. After gently smoothing them out, I let them dry overnight.

The next morning I wet the back of the image with water. When the paper soaks up the water, you gently rub the paper backing to release it from the ink.

This takes practice!!!

Here the bird image is revealed with the nest yet to go.

The results are really worth the effort. If you mess up, you can:
A. Leave it and say it was on purpose.
B. Sand it off and start again.

Finished - finally. After rubbing the image off, let it dry and then sand with a cheap rough paper towel or a knee-high stocking or if you are fancy, super-fine sand paper.

If you would like, you may go commit a crime - you have probably rubbed your fingerprint off!

Yes, I know, most would be happy and stop here.

Not me!

I took the benches outside and gave them a distressing using a heavy grit sanding block followed by a fine grit one.

The round bench got a heavy distressing.

The small one got a medium distressing.

And the large bench got a light distressing around the edges.

Most would stop here.

Not me!

This next part is Danni's favorite thing to do!

STENCILING!!!

I decided the round bench with the nest needed a bird on either side of the legs.

First stencil in Folk Art Barnwood.

Move the stencil about an eighth of an inch to the upper right.

Stencil the bird in Sea Mist and the leaves in Clover.

Using a fine liner brush and Linen paint lightly create highlights where natural light would hit the object.

I also gave some details to the bird and the leaves to make them pop.

The small bench did not need much extra - the distressing really brought out all the different coats of paint it had endured during its life.

The name of this print is "A Dove At Sea" so guess what? I pulled out my stamps and put the title on it!

I thought of something special for the big bench - a skirt!

I love tearing up cotton calico. I purchased this fabric because it went with all three benches. My sewing machine is hiding somewhere in the house so after ripping and fraying one edge, I ironed down an inch. Using Peel 'n Stick tape, I taped that down. Simply slip a piece of elastic through there and you have a skirt for your bench that can be removed when necessary.

Here it is a skirt for a bench!

Most would be happy and stop now.

Not me!

I made a small copy of the black and white nest, colored with with pencils, Mod Podged it to a distressed blue shipping tag, made a torn cotton tassel, and attached them to the skirt.

Whew!

All three benches received three coats of satin varnish - I forgot that step somewhere along the way.

Most people would be happy and stop here.

And I am definitely happy!

THE BIG REVEAL

Baby bench in blue with a dove.

The round bench in summer sky paint with stenciled birds.

What's that I see?

I know I said I was happy, but I could not resist adding a nest of eggs underneath.

The shy bench with a skirt covering her legs.

If she gets frisky, she can just strip that skirt off!

All three sit outside to pose for a picture. I must admit to being slightly attached to these three. I hope you don't regret coming for a visit. I am sure the ladies at Inspiration Cafe wondered if I would ever shut up, but I am Southern - when we have something to say, we just talk and talk and talk and . . .

Well, you get the picture. If you ever have the time, come over and visit.

See y'all!

Thanks Donna!

Happy Monday Everyone,

Sherry

10/1/12

Happiness Agenda ~ Where do you rank?

Pondered Primed Perfected is embarking on a journey. It's been titled The Happiness Agenda.

This journey will examine what factors may help each of us as individuals flourish and feel content.

(I'm not a Psychologist, Doctor, Scientist, or Scholar. I'm just curious, aren't you?)

Wanna see what I've been up to?

I have been taking some interesting Happiness Tests at *Positive Psychology's website **Authentic Happiness

Go register and take the tests that interest you! Just click the Authentic Happiness link above to get started.

I would love for you to share your results or ideas in the comments section at the bottom of this post if you feel comfortable doing so.

And some recent images from my life....

A friend once told me that I could post about anything, even if it was just about my grass growing, and she would be happy. Well, I don't think she meant it literally, but it certainly made me feel good to hear it!

*Have positive people in your life, they certainly up the "happiness factor".

Our dog, Sadie, has enriched our lives in more ways than we can count. She's sunbathing here. She looks so sweet and innocent. You'd never guess she dumped me on my face recently at football practice, would you!? It definitely brought a laugh! OMG, I love her.

*Having a pet can enrich daily life and diminish feelings of loneliness.

Watching my children go all out and succeed at something is definitely one of my biggest happiness triggers, and it's just as rewarding for them to work hard at something and succeed.

*Do something you're good at and enjoy; that is a reliable happiness inducer.

Our son being congratulated *briskly* by his teammates for running a touchdown!

*Be part of something that serves a purpose higher than your individual needs and desires. Kind of like team sports...do it for the team! If you aren't athletic you could volunteer for a cause that you find important.
So many ways to go here, if you think about it.

I'm using these mini pumpkins as fall decor. Their color alone brings a smile to my face, they are adorable. Eventually the little kids will decorate them and take them home with a smile on their faces! (The pumpkins AND the kids! lol)

*Surround yourself with things that make you happy.

I like to bring some Nature inside for decorating. Isn't this fall foliage pretty in my little green creamer?

*Enjoy Nature. It's free! And it comes loaded with fresh air, inspiring colors and natural wonders.

Two things: A sweet gesture from a friend, and a sweet magazine to get lost in.

*Appreciate the "little things" in life.

Vitamin C...I changed the chalkboard tag on this canister when I added our Immunity C for cold and flu season. These little chalkboard tags I made make me smile. :)

*Take care of yourself.

I may feel some trepidation that Summer has ended but that won't stop me from appreciating the magic that is Autumn. Nature is amazing! This is the tree in my yard!

*Enjoy the now. Appreciate the moment.