Published!

I’m back from Ohio and my dad’s 91^st Birthday celebration.  I had a great time and  I was given more embarrassing pictures from my childhood!

And now it’s back to work.

Ipad Mini Giveaway via Mod Podge Rocks!

The amazing and generous Amy of Mod Podge Rocks is giving away an ipad mini! If you haven’t been there already head on over and check it out!

Make Decorative Street Numbers Tutorial with Mod Podge

I honestly can’t tell you what I’ve been doing of late.

I don’t mean I can’t tell you like “it’s a secret and I’d have to kill you” I mean I’m not quite sure what I’ve been doing.

I know I’ve been doing my usual coaster-making, candle –drilling HOME sign designing but the time has just slipped away and I feel a bit like I fell in a hole.

For instance I failed to realize that the always awesome Amy over at Mod Podge Rocks had posted my latest tutorial. for making some decorative house numbers.

What’s next? Make your own knobs part II

Whenever I arrive at Angelo HOME hauling some stock of coasters or, perhaps a giant LA sign, they say “Great!  What are you doing next?”

Easy Little Wall Organizer

As you are well aware, organizing is my mantra these days (or it would be if I could find my mantra – I think it’s under a pile of papers somewhere)

So, when my friend Aimee requested a small, decorative wall organizer for her desk I was up for it.

Also, because “organized” means using time wisely, I thought I’d combine two projects and make her wall organizer my latest Mod Pod Rocks project!

See?  I’m getting really good at this!

I took some inexpensive (dollar bin!) boxes from Michaels, some scrapbook paper, a bit of scrap wood and, of course some poor, innocent candle and got to work. It’s a very easy project although quite specific to Aimee so I think of this as more of  a “jumping off point” idea.

Although I’m pretty sure you can intuit the various steps of this project you can, if you’d like, see the full tutorial at MPR.

Honey I Shrunk the Dresser

My mom, among her other amazing hobbies and skills is waaay into miniatures.

She has a large, very cool, and elaborate dollhouse complete with electrical wiring, tiny wallpaper, real wood floors etc.

Unfortunately, a few years ago the doll family experienced nature’s wrath when a pipe leaked and flooded it (an actual pipe not a dollhouse pipe…the dollhouse isn’t plumbed although I’m sure that’s on the to-do list).  Since then she and my dad have been putting it all back together.

When I was at home recently my sister Phebe spotted a miniature dresser and had the terrific idea that I could do one of my furniture make-overs on it and give it to my mom for Christmas.

Genius, right?!

So I bought it and immediately…..didn’t do it.

But now I’ve done it!  Merry Christmas mom!

Here is how it started out.I decided to do a mini-version of my postcard dresser.  So here is the grown up versionAnd here is the shrunken take:I think she’ll like it!

As soon as I mail it!

And for those of you who are worried – she doesn’t read the blog unless my dad shows it to her (mom is not a computer gal) so AS LONG AS DAD DOESN’T SHOW THIS POST TO HER I’m fine.

Speaking of Christmas gifts…….

My sister Paula is a sweet, kind, patient and very funny person.  She is not particularly snarky however.

Each year she gives calendars with a carefully thought out theme – tailored to the gift receiver.

Previously, I’ve gotten funny ones, furniture repair related ones, acting/theatre related ones.

This year she gave me this:

It took me a minute to get it but then I did. …..

She’s being snarky isn’t she? This is a snarky gift, correct?

OK….

Sad.  My older sister is becoming snarky in her dotage.

Happy Holidays!

Vintage Holiday Card Wreath

My apologies.

I’ve been treating my blog like I treat the gym:  a really awesome idea that I never seem to get around to.

Life has been crazy hectic trying to make enough product to stock the stores and the shows that I’m doing and I am… (huge surprise I know)……behind!

 And, in addition there have been a series of unfortunate (not life threatening) events outside my control.  I do have blog post planned about it which I intend to call:

 Stay tuned for another exciting episode.

In the meantime, however, Amy over at Mod Podge Rocks has posted my latest tutorial using vintage Christmas Cards and, of course, Mod Podge to create a cheerful, vintagy wreath.

Make an easy, vintage Christmas Card Wreath

I must confess, this is Mod Podge Christmas Project attempt #3.

When I was home my sister Paula and I hatched a terrific idea but it proved to be too expensive to be practical.  So I came up with Plan B and toiled and toiled and managed to create several somethings that looked less like the sophisticated work of a Man-Podger and more like the cast-off of a demented 5 year old.

But I’m pleased with the festive possibilities of this wreath and, if you have moment – head on over to Mod Podge Rocks to check out the full tutorial.

Captain Frazzled signing off!

Karma?

Is it because I sold my niece into white slavery?  Or perhaps because I toyed with the idea of trying to trick my 90 year old father into making more lazy susans for me to sell?

Whatever the reason I seem to be experiencing some negative karma.

Or perhaps Car-ma.

I took the trusty Fit to Honda for it’s checkup where it passed with flying colors!

Until a few weeks later whe it dumped all it’s oil out.

While it was being driven…..

Turns out the shop had failed to properly reinstall the plug.

So, that fixed I went on my merry way.

Then last week I had a show.

An outdoor show here in sunny southern California!  Where the weather has been in the 80s and 90s.

It rained.  Hard.  All day.My friend Nicki who had lured poor, innocent, me into participating in this waterworld charming market assured me that they had never had rain before so naturally, she felt the inclement weather was my fault.  Surprisingly this made me like her more as it seemed like something I would say.

And finally, just before a big show this weekend, the faithful Fit fritzed.  Again.  I was driving when suddenly the DANGER WILL ROBINSON!! lights went on and it ceased to move forward.  On a freeway.  On Thanksgiving.

The cause is still unknown and she sits in the shop as I type.

On the flip side though I must be doing something right because I’m terribly lucky.

The first car failure happened after a show and this last one happened before I was on the road to the show.

And I’m supremely lucky to be surrounded by such good people.  Cars were offered and borrowed, rides were given.  Karla came and cut coasters out.  The awesome Suzanne showed up (post rain storm- she’s not a fool) and helped pack up all my damp supplies.  And people bought things despite the deluge.

And, all this not-running-around gave me time to work on a new Mod Podge Rocks project.  I wanted to come up with a semi-permanent wreath using blown up version of some terrific vintage Christmas cards.

The tutorial hasn’t posted yet but I’ll keep you up to date.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Unique LA is next for me!

The Danger of Thrifting While Traveling

I’m just back from a quick trip up to Tacoma WA to visit my sister Sally.

It is truly beautiful up there and I had a great time but I also experienced the danger of thrifting while traveling.

It turns out that very near my sister is a HUGE antique mall filled with amazing things at incredible prices!  Big things!  Will-not-fit-in-the-overhead-bin things.  Why do I only find these places far away from my home?  Ohio also seems to be populated exclusively by people who posses astonishingly cool vintage items that they are happy to sell very cheaply.

I restrained myself to paper items that were easy to pack but I’m developing a dream that revolves around a truck, the open road and low gas prices.

But for now I’m back home and happy to report that my latest project is up over at Mod Podge Rocks.

This one manages to combine my wonderful grandmother’s love of donuts, my wonderful mother’s ability to make delicious donuts* and my need to clean out the garage.  A Trifecta!

I was inspired by the mind-bogglingly (not a word) cool recipe wall that KariAnne did over at Thistlwood farm.  But I needed to work on a smaller scale.

I took some  of my grandmother’s old kitchen tools (can you tell I was going through some boxes recently), a blown up copy of my mom’s recipe for donuts and an old shadow box to create this:You can read all the details over at MPR but it’s pretty dang easy.Aaaand now I’m going to go make some donuts!

*yes, I grew up eating home made donuts.  Even I’d be jealous of me if I weren’t, conveniently, already me.

 

Another Anniversary!

My new tutorial has just been posted over at Mod Podge Rocks and it marks another anniversary for me – my one year ManPodgerVersary.

A little over a year ago Amy (the Mod Podge Rocks Grand Poo-bah and master of all things podgy) put out a call asking if there were any guys who used Mod Podge.  The talented Walter Silva and I responded and she asked us to come up with projects and it has been an amazing opportunity.

Amy is a constant source of encouragement and positive energy and incredibly patient (I keep turning in my tutorials late or just-on-time-but-not-really-on-time-enough).  And being pleasantly “forced” to come up with ideas has been the best imagination-stretching opportunity ever!

In addition it has lead me to meet most if not all of you who read this blog and for that I am very grateful!

Here is a brief anniversary tour of some of the projects that never would have happened without Ms. Anderson’s encouragement (and my friends who help me brainstorm when I’m stuck):

(If you click on the pictures it will take you to the tutorial on Mod Podge Rocks)

A cocktail table made from a shadow box frame and a porch rail:Chalkboard Paint place card holders:Reversible Chalkboard Bunting (I was going through a chalkboard phase)

Some more of my blocks themed for Halloween :Comic Book Coasters made from hardware store wall plates:

Luminaries made with more hardware store odds and ends:

And there are tons more.  It’s been great!

Anyway, the new project is up.

As you know from my previous post I (sort of) recently found out about Anaglypta Paper and have been looking for ways to use it.  I’ve put it under glass on some tables but this time around I thought I’d try using it on some of my letters.

I thought these could make for cool centerpieces or wedding….things?  I’m not sure but they seem potentially very weddingy (it’s a word!) to meIf you like the look head on over to MPR for the full tutorial.