we're back!

Oh my, so last weekend the hard drive in our computer completely croaked. I mean dead, no nothing. I lost a ton of pictures and files and such, this is what I get for not backing up my things. Boy did I ever learn the lesson now, that's the second time. But the computer is back from surgery, we are getting back to normal. Lots to do to catch up. We just got back in town this afternoon and there is nothing like being home. Details to come... right now to worn out to explain. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK!!!

Abilene...

So here we are in Abilene, Texas. We've had a long day, we left Dallas about 8 this morning and drove to San Angelo to secret shop a furniture store and then onto Abilene to secret shop another store. We stopped along the way a few places but by far my favorite was Buffalo Gap, TX. We ate at this fabulous BBQ place called the Barbecue Barn and then stopped at this pottery shop that just took my breath away. Totally inspired by an artist who has made a living his entire life off of selling his art, it's beautiful. He does the pottery and his wife does the glazing, what a combo!! So following this wonderful mans advice we headed to the little town square and checked out the museum. I am a sucker for museums, I love history. The guy in there was about to close in 30 min and said well I can't really sell you a ticket but go ahead and check out what you want to. SCORE!!!! So I notice the print shop, guess who went running to it??!?! Yes, especially after mentioning my post last night... here's a few things we saw....

LINOTYPE MACHINE
Can you imagine sitting at this machine to write an entire newspaper or book daily...
wow, unbelievable piece of machinery.

this is the entire machine....

the beautiful little chapel, I loved the smell... it smelled OLD

I was mesmerized by the Linotype machine and gave Marcus a huge break down of how, and what and why this machine was used. (Someone paid attention in history of graphic arts class) To see one in person in full working order that you could touch, smell, use, and appreciate I was just over the moon. It was a beautiful place I wish we had more time to stay and enjoy it.

Tomorrow morning we head out, we will be leaving and driving to Oklahoma to do ANOTHER secret shop for the furniture store. So 3 hours there, and about 3 hours to get home. I am just itching to get home and work on my type tray. Of course along the way I have been looking for scrapbook stores or art stores, NOTHING!! It's so sad so many of these great places have gone under in the last few years.

I look forward to next weekend when we head to Houston and get to go to the store in Friendswood that I have always wanted to go to. Even though I made the pact with myself, NO MORE CRAFT SUPPLIES!!! The only thing I will bend the rule for is adhesive.

Let's hope we get home at a good time tomorrow so we can head to Plano for the annual hot air balloon launch! Good times!!

I love type trays...

I got this beauty at a yard sale for $1! It has a bruises but I do believe they will work in my favor. I learned my lesson on a smaller type tray a while back, plan plan plan. I have a particular love for these things, I grew up with them in my moms studio. The one in particular I always loved now hangs in my studio. She has given me many little trinkets, it's hard to photograph right now but I did my best...

And this is just a snipet close up ( my favorite button is in it though, my dad played football for the Naval Academy, this pin got stored away for probably 30+ years before I found it. The irony is, Marcus is a GIANT Notre Dame fan) Irony at it's best!



It's a treasure to me. So when I see these empty little shelves my brain thinks of all the little trinkets yet to find a home. So I came up with this idea... this is the layout of my next type tray collage...



As much as I love to travel part of me is bummed we are heading out in the morning. We are going to be secret shoppers tomorrow!! More to come, should be a good story with all the stuff involved!

How to create textured painting...

This is a slight repeat but with how to steps to create this painting for Tutorial Tuesday. I've learned so much fun stuff from these ideas, I am honored to share mine!

1

step 1. Spray Paint your canvas, or paint spray paint was just quicker for me.

step 2. Cut out harlequin pattern out of anaglyptic wallpaper, so I didn't make any mistakes I made a mark on the parts to cut out.

step 3. paint your desired color, for this step I mixed my greens. Very randomly applied the paint, used my heat gun to warp it dry. I also used some copper embossing powder to really punch it up.

step 4. using mod podge, apply paper to canvas. (This is the worst part) Now leave it alone and let it dry.

step 5. mix a glaze medium, I used 2 parts glaze to 1 part paint and a bit of water. Mix well, apply with brush into all the nooks and cranies and then wipe off with a damp towel.

step 6. allow to dry and then hang!

Here's a close up on the details...


If you are interested in purchasing some of the anaglyptic wallpaper leave a comment, email me, whatever and we'll work something out. Trade even?? It's a fun product to use!

Tin Panels...

So finally, here are the tin panels I’ve been talking about. I bought 12 panels all together, I used 4 for my headboard. That’s where the green spray paint came into play. So here is a picture of my headboard that I so love.





This is what they look like to start, completely silver- which I think is neat looking in itself.




The next step is painting them whatever color you choose. I chose white for this set.




Next sand and clean, then apply second layer of paint and you get something like this. There are a few more steps before I call this project done. Do you like tin panels? I love them, I have them all over the place. My mind just flutters with the possibilities.



If you are interested in purchasing any panels, send me an email. I still have 4 that can be custom painted or sold as is for you to paint them yourself. I have not put them in my Etsy store so you will have first dibs.

Have you seen these...

I posted these in my etsy shop but I haven't mentioned them at all. This is my quirky little recycling project that is always a hit with my friends. They really are so much more fun in person... I love them.




Here's a sneak peek but check out my store!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/lindseybanner

PS- Guess who's on a roll catching up with my posts?! :)

Fall Decorations...

So I have the fall decorating bug. Even though it's 100 degrees outside. I pulled out some scrap fabric and came up with this little number. I shredded and shredded fabric, made a wire loop and put on my favorite tv show and tied knot after knot. So once I got it done I loved it but realized it needed some "jewelry" I dug through a box of wood cut outs, found a pumpkin-jazzed up the pumpkin and VOILA!!



I consider this project a free project because I have owned the supplies used to make this for over 3 years... that qualifies in my book. So my free little door wreath, I was thinking about selling it in my etsy store but I think it's just too cute. I heart it.



I love the pumpkin, I painted it, embossed it and used distress inks. I added the curly-que with some copper wire and a paint brush to get the shape right. I made 2 other wreaths, I may sell those. The colors are way more Halloween-ie.

Memory Books...

I love to make memory books. I could call them mini-scrapbooks but I don't know I guess in my head the vibe is different than a scrapbook. So that being said, I can finally post the pictures of this album I just made for a dear friend who's father passed away a month ago. The pictures are not great, with all the time I had to take the pictures go figure I wait until 5 minutes before I walk out the door... typical.




























Tada!

I also got a request for 2 other books. I love making them, if you ever want one made just send me an email and we'll chat.

Thanks for checking out my little book.

Any ideas...

So this poor canvas has been painted on and painted on... by now it must have 3 under paintings. I had a vision for it but it just never turned out as planned. So once again, the green spray paint and I partnered up and came up with a completely green canvas with lots of lumps and bumps from all the gesso. It sat in my studio for about 6 weeks now just asking to be finished. Well nothing like a clear, clean desk to splatter paint all over! So I got some anaglypta wallpaper and tediously cut sections out of it. My inspiration comes from tin panels. I just love them. In fact, I will post the tin panels I refinished asap...that's where the green spray paint started.

So anyway... I got the color like I like it. It has oregano green, grass green, Victorian green, turquoise, copper and a brown glaze. (Guess what my favorite color is...ha) Now my question friends.... does it need something else? I am taking suggestions... I had ideas like a quote, a flower on a branch, I don't know... am I over thinking it?



And a close up....


I have 2 quotes that I have been itching to use on something... The first one is "The most important things in life aren't things"-- though that seems more fitting on a picture frame. The other is "home is wherever you are". Once again totally open to ideas.

Studio Unearthing

So this is the semi-before picture of my desk this morning. To be honest is was worse... scary I know. So I always have these grandiose ideas to do before and after pictures but never get around to it. So here it is before and after of my studio. The cable was out due to the rain the majority of the day....fascinating how much you can get done without the tube as a distraction!! This is my studio on a typical day. ( Disclaimer: My home does not look like this, just my studio)

After about 7 hours I finally got it to look like this!!

So another little project I did about 2 months ago I made sure to take a close up of. I have had this desk since like 2004 and always had plans to do something "neat" to it. It only took me 6 years, countless ideas to finally do something to it. I had some left over spray paint from another project I will share eventually. Went after it and then spent the rest of the evening creating patterns and filling them in. I am pleased at the way it looks, I think it's a lot of fun. This desk has a top over it and I had to paint it in place so that was tricky. But VOILA!!