Yesterday was my local mini club's annual show and sale. It was a blast; we had dozens of exhibits and tons of vendors and although it took a lot of work to pull the thing off, everyone had a wonderful time and my club members told me that I did extremely well for a first-timer. My only regret is that I didn't pack a lunch; the hotel charged $9 for an okay sandwich, a bag of chips and a small soda.
Anyhoo...
Every year, the club has a designated project; this year, we had a small loft kit (the kits were made by one of our members). I decided to make mine into a cozy reading nook. I made the kit exactly as intended (other members did some kit-bashing that was nothing short of fabulous) and filled it with store-bought elements, because I was trying to keep my main focus on my other project.
My other project was a bit more ambitious; a gazebo set on a serene brick courtyard.
This was a mix of store-bought and hand-made things. The gazebo was a kit, the courtyard bricks were a molded styrene sheet that I painted and grouted, the clock is a pendant from which I snipped the hanging loop and the table inside the gazebo was a mix of purchased and crafted elements.
The courtyard wall and planters are made of Styrofoam covered with dimensional paint. The trees are trimmed and painted bottle brushes, the bushes and flowers are cut-up floral picks. The tiled panel and display vase are made from air-dry clay; the clock is actually an enameled pendant and the roses are scrapbook embellishments. The central planter is made of both Styrofoam and air-dry clay and is filled with moss. The urn is a store-bought piece that I painted antique gold.
Does the sofa look familiar?
The rug is store-bought. The canopy is a reconfigured necklace kit draped with cream-colored bridal veiling. The planters are drawer-pulls embellished with an embossed strip of FIMO and painted gold. The plants are made from fabric and floral wire, set into the planters with clay and topped with sand. The table is a mix of store-bought (the tray, the teapot, the mugs and the plates) and hand-made items (the table frame and the FIMO toasted sandwiches).
Now I'm ready to start planning for next year's show. I haven't forgotten about my Newport, but there isn't any use in starting to build it until I have my hobby area set up. So while it might be a while before I can show you any pictures of the house, I'll periodically have pics of my club projects for next year.
Ciao!
