an old belt and a pink tray

Posted on December 2, 2012 by zefiart

I don’t know what it is about trays. I don’t really use them, not in the way my grandmother did to serve greek coffee and sweets to visitors. I just love them as decoration, on a table to hold objects or displays of interesting objects.

So when I find an abused and abandoned tray in an op shop I can’t help but rescue it.

Before:

After:

The softest pale pink, some distressing, some glazing to add age, and an old belt for handles.

I love this baby! If it doesn’t sell at the market this weekend I’m keeping it!

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hearts of wire and lace

Posted on December 2, 2012 by zefiart

I’ve been having a love affair with hearts lately. And wire. And lace. And burlap for that matter, but more on that later.

Here are some wire hearts I’ve made recently.

One day I found myself feeling a bit bored and there was some wire in my hands. I ended up making a few wire hearts.

So I grabbed some odds and ends and decorated the hearts. I used anything I had on hand: lace ribbon, satin ribbon, tulle, pearl beads, doilies, whatever.

Every one is different of course, cause I use whatever I have and cause I am easily bored of doing the same thing repeatedly.

When I ran out of the wire hearts I went on to the rusty coat hanger hearts I’d made a few months ago (when I’d found some rusty coat hangers in a pile of rubbish in our back paddock).

The rusty coat hanger hearts are much bigger than the wire hearts, but they are just as gorgeous.

The smaller hearts might make fantastic christmas decorations, or just as embellishments for any shabby decor, don’t you think?

I know I’m sold on them.

I’ll be including these in my market stall next weekend!

Don’t forget to come to the market!

the op shop rooster

Posted on November 28, 2012 by zefiart

Nothing says “country living more” than a rooster.

Chickens, of course. Rabbits. Cows. Sheep… and pigs….

But we’re talking about a rooster, so for the purposes of this post, a rooster is the most country-fying item you can have in your home.

So, what do you think of this little guy?

When I found him in an op shop this is what he looked like:

Ok for some I guess, but definitely not my cup of tea. However the size and shape appealed to me. He just needed some minor surgery and a facelift.

Can you spot the surgery?

Look here:

And now look here:

Did you see it?

The comb! The way it was before he looked more like a cassowary than a rooster. I had to get out the new Rennovator tool Wayne bought me, put on the appropriate attachment, and alter the shape of the comb.

Much better even if I do say so myself!

He then had to undergo several stages of painting – undercoat, white, pink, then white again. Another of my home-made mixes: ceiling paint with some artist acrylic to tint it to a soft creamy antique white.

A little sanding, a little glaze to bring out the details and give him that old ‘much loved’ look, and voila.

A new rooster!

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it started as a square twig wreath

Posted on November 27, 2012 by zefiart

It all started when I was making wedding decorations for a friend’s wedding. I thought a lovely square wreath, with a sign inside it (their names and wedding date) would be a nice decoration for the church and for them to keep.

But somewhere along the way something just didn’t work. This is what it looked like back then – willow twigs as the main frame, smaller eucalyptus twigs as the decoration, twisted willow twigs with beads wired around them… wire hearts and jute twine.

I wasn’t happy with it. Even when I added the rusty coat hanger and crystal heart, it lacked something. So I did what any self respecting artist does when something isn’t working – I set it aside.

Then the other day I was inspired. I’d been cutting and painting chalkboards for other projects when I thought a chalkboard would finish this little beauty and make her practical as well as pretty!

I apologise for the photos. The lighting wasn’t the best and the sharpness factor just isn’t up to scratch. However, you get the idea. Lets just say I’ve used a filter to create softness… Yeah, lets say that!

This is what it looks like now, a pretty and unusual chalkboard.

Something you could put on the front door or in the entry to welcome visitors.

Or maybe write messages of love. I don’t think this pretty little thing is the shopping list type of chalkboard. Not that there’s anything wrong with that… I’m just saying.

This wreath was sold at the Shabby Market I took part in. It went to a great home… a young lady bought it for her wedding. Ideal! 🙂

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the pink shelves

Posted on November 25, 2012 by zefiart

Do you remember this little thing? I found it at an op shop crying out for some TLC.

It was painted white (badly) over a blue wash. I liked the idea of white, and I loved the blue (pity they painted over it), but I decided to do something different and painted it pink!

The pink is a colour I mixed up myself using paints I had on hand. It turned out to be the softest, sweetest pale pink. When I distressed it I varied the depth so that you could see both the original wood and the previous paint layers.

I just wish I had space in my kitchen for it! If it doesn’t sell at the market I’ll find a spot for it!

I’m still busy as ever. Running around finishing projects for the aforementioned market, organising what I’ll need and restraining myself from starting any new projects at this point…

“Just finish what you’ve started Zefi…”

I leave you with this photo of me and my beautiful Romeo, taken at the work garage sale about a month ago. Isn’t he beautiful? Our clients loved him, as did just about everyone who met him.

Better go. Things to do, dogs to groom.

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tiny birdcage revolution

Posted on November 25, 2012 by zefiart

So… what have I been doing in the evening while watching TV?

Well, I’ve been keeping my hands busy!

I started making teeny tiny birdcages out of old bottle tops and wire. Only this time around I’ve sprayed them and added some glitter to make them sparkle.

The teeny birdcages now come in white, black, silver and gold. I think they’d make cute Christmas ornaments.

I’ll be taking a collection of these little cuties to the market with me. Hope people find them as adorable as I do.

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the old yellow tray

Posted on November 23, 2012 by zefiart

I love old trays. I love them as trays and I love them as just about anything else, as my letter holder/photo display of a few months ago will show.

This old tray had been used and abused by the look of it, but with a bit of paint and some elbow grease… it looks just as old and abused! 🙂

The before:

The after:

A better class of abused perhaps. Like an old dowager who’s gone to seed.

I like it better my way!

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framed coffee pots

Posted on November 22, 2012 by zefiart

This cute triple frame is another tip shop find. It was green when I found it so I painted it then sanded it back in areas to expose the original colour and the timber in spots.

Then, using dictionary pages and some graphics from The Graphics Fairy, I created a triptych of coffee pots & kettle which would look brilliant in any country kitchen.

I am loving the dictionary pages! I’ve made more of these little beauties to take to the Shabby Market on December 8th.

See you there!

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decorative grinders

Posted on November 22, 2012 by zefiart

Somewhere along the line I picked up a few broken salt and pepper grinders cause I just liked the shape of them. I mixed up some pretty pastel colours to try out then roughed them up a bit.

Not too bad for something someone tossed out.

I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t had much time to write and I have a ton of things to finish, photograph and share. As the end of the year approaches I feel more tired than ever. Its gotta be psychological. I mean, how on earth can the end of a calendar year make you feel more tired?

Maybe its the anticipation of three weeks off work.

Time to relax…

…Time to recoup.

Time to paint the house.

Ahhhh.

No rest for the wicked!

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