The Polka Dot Closet

On a Personal Note...One Proud Mom!

2013-06-18T01:32:00.000-04:00

Oh, this was so fun! Yep, this is all about bragging. I just got back to Orlando tonight from attending my son's college graduation in Maryland

The graduation was at the gorgeous Gaylord National Harbor Hotel and what a graduation it was!

This was the grand finale of a long journey. My son got his Associate of Arts degree straight out of high school, I had always hoped he would get his bachelors, but as many of you parents know, you can't make your kids do anything.

So over the years he changed majors a few times, took classes here and there, switched schools a couple times, had some great jobs and not so great jobs and well, I always hoped....One day, maybe, he would get his bachelors........Then....

Two and a half years ago when he moved to DC he found a school and a major that interested him and he went back to school full time and he started checking off the classes one by one, semester by semester and.... He was getting A's and more A's, and more A's.

This was no easy task, here he was in a new town with a new full time job and going to school full time. He had no time for friends and a social life, there was no time to play and explore his new city, no time for much needed vacations. He kept his nose to the grind stone, his whole life was work and study. The few times I visited I knew he was stressed. There was times I thought he was in over his head, but he was a man on a mission!

Then the day came!

I knew it was coming.... He called one afternoon...Well, I'll never forget it..."Mom, I'm done, I just finished my last class"...Now, I'm not generally a crier and I have no idea where it came from so I surprised myself when...I burst out crying! Then through my tears I heard him say "I got an A in the last class, Mom, I'm graduating with a 4.0

These are the buttons that popped right off my shirt as I puffed my chest with pride.....

And watched him walk across the stage to get his diploma

Yep, he graduated with honors, in the top 1.8% of his class of 3248

Forever and ever he's earned the bragging rights of saying he graduated......

Summa cum laude

National Society of Collegiate Scholars

Golden Key International Honour Society

Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society

(Wife Alicia, Brad, Me, Grandma)

I want to share some advice that I often tell friends who have adult children leaving home for the first time.

You can love, guide, and encourage them, (Beg, plead), and offer advice. But, they are adults and you will quickly find you can't live their life. You can't make them take a certain major, choose their career path, live vicariously through them, or choose their friends and interests.....But this isn't bad,

I'm proud to say I raised a strong child who is not easily swayed by parents and peers, one that has a plan and follows through, that has strong convictions, sticks to them, and charts his own life's course....... You have to let them fly and ......They may just surprise you!

...Congratulations Bradley!!!!

Ok, the bragging has officially ended, barf, barf, gag, gag......I just couldn't help myself, this was a really, really, big event in our lives!

Carol

Adding Jewels and Porcelain Flowers

2013-06-12T11:23:00.000-04:00

I know what my "regulars" that shop my antiques booth like and that's a little bling. My shelves at the shop were getting bare and I needed some "Smalls" so, I up cycled this creamer and some vanity items

All of these items started out the standard gold or silver and got a coat of Heirloom white satin spray paint

Then I spruced them up with jewels I attached with E-6000 glue

I love these hairspray holders/hiders

This one I used a porcelain flower I chipped off a damaged nik nack...Tutorial HERE

I usually price these items around $18-$20

Sometimes just a little somethin, somethin, makes all the difference

I'm off to have a few days of fun on a whirlwind getaway, I'll be back soon with pictures, have a great week!

Happy Creating!

Carol

Altering Vintage Doilies

2013-06-06T11:13:00.001-04:00

Altering Vintage Doilies

I've been saving vintage doilies to go on an altering marathon

I often find doilies that are stained and have holes in them

Time to give them new life

The full tutorial on how to alter doilies is HERE. I've previously altered them not only by changing up the center fabric but, by stamping them with rubber stamps or printing a graphic on the material before I sew it in the center, you can see those doilies HERE

You can use vintage or new fabric, it's a great way to use up small fabric scraps

This is more like a table topper...Huge!

This was a sweet rose fabric I purchased from Carousel Fabrics

So, there ya go, don't throw out those ripped or stained doilies, give them new life!

When I showed the last batch I altered, I got many emails about purchasing them and I felt bad because I had taken them all to my antiques booth.......So, this time I put a few in my online store
The Polka Dot Closet.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Creating!

Carol

Blog Reading list Is NOT Going Away, Just Blog Reader

2013-06-02T11:21:00.000-04:00

Maybe you already knew this, I ignored it as long as I could, but when I heard blog reader was going away in July and it was now June, I thought it was time to check it out.

It just did not make sense to me that Google Friends Connect was staying, but Google reader was going away...Lets think about this, why would you have a button to connect and read a blog and then no way to read the blog you connected to....I just knew something wasn't right! So, I spent an evening trying to figuring this out. Here is what I discovered

Blog reader is going away, not Blogger reading list. So, whats the difference?

Blog reader is an RSS feed (Don't ask me what that is), just know it is a way some people follow blogs.

Blogger reading list is the blog roll in our dashboard, I think it is how most of us follow the blogs that we have connected to with Google friends connect. This is not going away!

I found this information from many sources, but the best explanation was from Nathan, if you would like to read more.

So there you go, nothing is going to change for most of us. Will it in the future, maybe, but I'm not going to spend my time worrying about what might happen. I know I could use Bloglovin, Google +, Linky, etc. etc. I will cross that bridge when I have to, or maybe I won't. I blog because it's fun, but if it gets to complicated I might rethink how much fun it is.

So, in the words of Scarlett O' Hara......"I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow"

Happy Creating!
Carol

Cabinet Door + Ornate Picture Frame = Edwardian Style Mirror

2013-05-28T11:22:00.000-04:00

Many Months ago I bought an antique mirrored cabinet door at an estate sale which by itself was a great wall hanging. Then a friend gave me an Edwardian era, ornate picture frame.....Ah, I envisioned the marriage of both pieces

Here is the cabinet door with a gorgeous beveled mirror and the frame that was literally falling apart!

I cut the frame to fit the top and bottom of the mirror, then used wood glue and nailed it on with my nail gun. The ornate gesso was literally falling off the mirror

So, I glued the pieces back on with E-6000 and then used epoxy putty to fill in multiple gaps and tried to match the pattern as best I could

I sprayed the whole frame with flat black paint and then brushed on Martha's crackle effect. I don't do a lot of crackled finishes, but wanted to really age this piece

When the crackle effect dried I painted a coat of heirloom white homemade chalk paint

Then went over the whole piece with Annie Sloan dark wax

I added the coat hooks because I thought it gave the piece more purpose

Then put the mirror in my booth at Orange Tree and priced it at $95...Does that seem to high? No matter how long I do this I am always second guessing myself!

You know how I usually say in my cheery voice..."This was an easy project"...Well, this was NOT, Oh my gosh, in the end I love it but,........ I think I shall move onto an easier project lol!

Happy Creating

Carol

Bulletin Boards With Shabby Lace Pockets

2013-05-22T01:55:00.001-04:00

Shabby Bulletin Boards

Adding pockets to a bulletin board is not only useful, but you get to have fun using up bits and pieces of lace and crochet doilies in the process!

The first thing I did was gathered up all of my lace and crocheted bits and pieces, buttons, and jewels

I painted a vintage frame with heirloom white paint and used foam board from the dollar store. I cut two pieces of foam board to fit the frame then used adhesive spray to glue the two boards together, giving it a good thickness for a bulletin boare

I layered different crochet pieces and sewed the individual pieces together for the pockets

Then sewed the individual pieces onto cotton Osnaberg fabric I purchased from JoAnn's Fabric

I used spray adhesive again and glued the fabric to the poster board, then added buttons and glued buttons on top of push pins

The second one I made a little fancier with jewels, and bridal lace

I glued vintage earrings to push pins

Having pockets on the bulletin board comes in so handy for business cards and important pieces of paper that don't need to be pinned, but you don't want to lose

Just imagine how much fun you can have with this project and how many variations you can come up with....... There's no limitations to your creativity!

Happy Creating

Carol

Linking up with Debbiedoos

Lining A Picnic Basket And Using Gum paste Molds For Plaster Appliques

2013-05-16T01:13:00.002-04:00

It has been a year since I've up cycled a picnic basket. I'm tickled pink about this one lined in a Laura Ashley pink rose print

Here's the one I lined last year with a vintage blue table cloth

Before I show you my picnic basket I want to share two great giveaways I recently won. A beautiful hand painted cake server from Graceful Rose and a cute ball and button garland from Cutie Pie Cottage .....All in pink...They just scream Carol..THANK YOU!

Before I lined the picnic basket I actually had to refresh my memory by looking at the full tutorial I did last year...You can find it HERE..It's tough being blonde LOL!

I started with a thrift store picnic basket

And a $5.00 Laura Ashley plastic and flannel lined table cloth I found a while ago at TJ Max. Just as an FYI, using a floral or pattered fabric will hide a multitude of sewing errors!

A plastic table cloth is perfect for lining a picnic basket so any spills can easily be wiped out

First I spray painted it with heirloom white paint

Then used plaster appliques I made in a Wilton gum paste mold..The full tutorial on making plaster appliques in gum paste molds is HERE

After attaching the plaster appliques with E-6000 glue I went over the whole basket with Annie Sloan dark wax that I mixed with clear Minwax so it was not quite as dark. The wax gave a touch of definition to the appliques and sealed the basket

OK, on to the inside.....The full lining tutorial is HERE

Pockets for silverware, napkins, salt and pepper, or condiments

I priced last years basket for $45 and it sold within a week in my booth at Orange Tree Antiques. So I will price this years basket the same

So, there you have it Carols annual basket, doesn't it make you just want to go on a picnic?

Happy Creating!

Carol

What Sells and What Doesn't: The Downton Abbey And Great Gatsby Influence

2013-05-13T01:26:00.001-04:00

I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey and I can't wait to see The Great Gatsby next week.

How will the popularity of these 1920's shows affect what we sell?

I was excited last week to read an article in my local newspaper The "Orlando Sentinel" entitled

"Buying a bit of Downton"

The article said Gareth Neame, Executive Producer of Downton Abbey told CNBC that the show is about to put out a large line of merchandise. "We'll be working across an entire range of products coming out this year. From fashion, apparel and home ware and furniture to wallpapers, beauty products and stationary".

AND

The June 2013 issue of Romantic Homes has a drool worthy article entitled "A Downton Abbey Tea"

So, this brings me to the question, how will this affect what we sell in antique malls and other selling venues?

I am not the expert here so, I researched some decorating sites and asked a friend who is a decorator and another friend who is a decorator/antiques dealer. Last year at a design conference my friend went to, Downton Abbey was a huge topic and everyone was in agreement that we are going to see new trends in decorating. Home furnishings that have become very casual over the last decade will be trending to a more formal look inspired by Downton Abbey.

Here is some of the items that will be gaining in popularity...... Should we be looking for them as we treasure hunt to stock our booths and selling venues?

Silver plate trays, tea sets, utensils, fancy spoons, forks, and serving pieces...Many of the contributors to my "What sells and what doesn't" series are already seeing increased sales of these items

Carved ornate frames with a gold finish

Vintage Portrait pictures

Richly upholstered furniture and gilded finishes

I guess I had a jump on the gilded trend when I painted my entrance cabinet

For the dining room- Fancy china, tea cups, formal and monogramed napkins and table cloths. For about 3 years I was not able to sell tea cups, but recently they are selling again. I find they have to be priced between $10-$12

Formal center pieces, candle holders, and ornate gold light fixtures.

Now, the fun part......... Apparel

Hats, hats, and more hats..Yea! I am already seeing this, I recently did a post on Altering vintage hats and I am thrilled that all but two have sold. I would love if wearing hats came back into vogue

Large jewelry

by Marty White Designs on Etsy

And gorgeous clothes from the 1920's

Etsy by Daisy and Stella

I love Downton Abbey and I admit I'm seeing an increase in sales of some of the items listed above. I have started incorporating silver into my home, but I would hate to see the "Shabby Look" trend out in favor of a more formal decor!

So.....Let me throw this out to you...Whether you are a Seller, Decorator, or just an Avid shopper...I would love to know what you are hearing and Seeing. Is formal trending in? Is shabby trending out?

Happy Creating!

Carol

Broken China Mosaic Plant Stand

2013-05-09T01:31:00.000-04:00

I haven't done broken china mosaics forever!

I love doing mosaics, but they are really time consuming and there always seemed to be a more pressing project.

Then I was gifted two of these little stands

Now, you can't tell by the picture, but the top of this padded stand is so small there is not even room for half a butt, so what was it's purpose, you couldn't sit on it, you couldn't put a plant on the padded top???? Anyone know?

I took the padded top off

Then painted it to get rid of the bright pink roses

And did mosaic on the top

It's cute out on the patio

One down and one to go

If you are thinking of trying mosaics, I did a post HERE on getting started. You can find some of my past broken china mosaic projects HERE

OK, I think I've got mosaics out of my system...... For awhile!

Happy Creating

Carol

A Little Parlor Stool

2013-05-06T03:23:00.000-04:00

Before I tell you about my little parlor stool...

...I want to thank you for all of your kind words on the last post about my Dress Form business adventure. I was truly overwhelmed with all of the kind comments. I am so honored to be a part of the sisterhood we have in the blogging world that supports, celebrates, and encourages....Thank you.

Now, my little parlor stool

What I started with was a little blue thrift store stool yelling..."Make me pretty!"

Only I didn't start out to make over a stool... I started out to make a pillow

First I did a white stencil on tan fabric

Then added the corner of a vintage runner (The rest of it had holes), two different vintage laces, and a button. What a cute pillow this was going to make....But wait a minute....I looked over at the blue stool, put the pillow cover on it and....Oh my gosh, it fit perfect!

Yep, it was meant to be!

I painted the base heirloom white

And I had myself a little parlor stool, I priced it at $38 and put it in my booth at Orange Tree Antiques

Even I thought maybe it was a little to girlie.

I know it would sell right away without the lace, but gosh....... .....Sometimes a girl just gets bored.

Happy Creating!

Carol

A Fun Business Opportunity Has Come My Way!

2013-05-01T23:30:00.002-04:00

I've been offered a great business opportunity.

I'm sure you won't be surprised that it has something to do with dress forms! And true to my form, I will blab all of the details.

Here's a little background

I have a great working relationship with Barr Display. They sell store fixtures and displays in a large retail space here in Orlando and online.

I have shopped at Barr for years, getting display pieces for my Antiques booth...

...And a slat wall and other supplies for my craft room

Two years ago as I was wandering around the store, I saw a table top dress form. It was inexpensive, so I bought one and later transformed it with sheet music.

I did a blog post on it entitled "Where To Buy Dress Forms And How To Transform Them". In the post I said "Barr Display does not even know I exist".....Until.....

I went into Barr Display a week later to purchase another form and they said "We are completely sold out". I said "Shoot, I bet that's because I did a blog post and told people where to buy them". The guy at the counter said "Are you The Polka Dot Closet?"......Let me get my Marketing Manager!

That's when I met Julia, the Marketing Manager, she's young, forward thinking, smart, and ....Oh cripes, she's even pretty! She understands the impact of social media and thanked me for all the business I sent her way. She then offered a dress form as a giveaway on my blog. Since then I have had many dress form giveaways, and transformed more table top forms, like this lace one.

I've had it in my head for awhile that I wanted to make a new dress form look old. So, in January I was back to Barr and shared the idea with Julia, she was all for it and sent me home with a form to try and make my vision a reality.

So, here's the business opportunity

Julia liked my transformed dress form so much that she offered to display it in the store......

......To sell,

But wait it gets better....

They are also going to put it in Barr's online store!

Here is the link to the dress forms at Barr Display

Customers will have 3 purchase options

A fully altered dress form with a crackle paint finished base and vintage look body for $165.00

A transformed vintage look body only with a natural base for $119 or with a dark walnut base for $139

Only the base and neck block transformed with a crackle paint finish and unaltered jersey knit body is $119

The back of each form will be personalized with a name.

Now, neither Julia or I know where this will go

............But I figure, if I'm going to dream...Dream big...Throw it out to the universe.

Here goes, I'm throwing it out...

...I think every clothing store, boutique, lingerie store, Ann Taylor Loft.....Oh, and Anthropologie....Should have this form.

There, I did it....I threw it out to the universe!

I'll keep you posted and let you know Josettes' journey......Right now she is standing proudly at Barr Display surrounded by a bunch of plain DUMMIES!

I hope you all Dream...Dream big...Then throw it out to the universe. What do you have to lose??

Happy Creating!

Carol

Vintage Wedding Veils

2013-04-28T22:08:00.002-04:00

I love vintage wedding gowns and veils

So imagine this heart stopping moment.... A few weeks ago I went to a Girlie, girl, Estate Sale and as I was checking out with tons of vintage slips and clothes

There.... Right by the cashier, was a pile of vintage wedding veils. Ah...Ah..."Are those veils for sale"? "Yes, they are"! "I'll take them all"! The price was so great that I got in my car and sped away before the estate sale police got me!

This one has a beaded headband with a gorgeous lace trim

There is an elastic headband on this one with little flowers on the side.

When I showed it to my Mom she said

"It's not exactly my style" lol.... I agree!

This was a straw like cap with vintage flowers

I love this beaded cap..1940's?

Oh, the stories they could tell

But WAIT, this story is not over! Three special blogging friends are also showing off there vintage wedding veils

Lynn at The Vintage Nest

Maggie at Little Miss Maggie

Francie at The Scented Cottage

You can never see to many veils. So, please stop by, say hi and make a new friend.

Happy Creating!

Carol

Joining
Ivy and Elephants

Tussie Mussies In Bed Spring Holders

2013-04-24T22:59:00.002-04:00

Tussie Mussies and bed springs

Only Me... "Miss Fluffy" Would buy rusty bedsprings and then decided to fill them with lace and flowers

A while back I was at this big antique extravaganza and bought some old bed springs

I had no idea what I was going to do with them, I thought maybe something rusty and industrial....Who am I kidding, I can't help it, I'm just all about fluff!

So I made up some Tussie Mussies and added my fabric flower ...Tutorial HERE

Nothing better than a little rust and lace.....

.....And white roses

I thought with Mothers Day coming up I would put some in my booth at Orange Tree and a few in my online store The Polka Dot Closet

I don't know if you sense it or not, but all I do is play everyday and nothing makes a better play day than lace, flowers, and ribbon.

Happy Creating!

Carol

Covering A Lamp Shade With Lace

2013-04-22T01:40:00.003-04:00

I love the look of lace covered lamp shades

I started with a thrift store pole lamp table

Then sprayed it with Heirloom white paint

I actually thought this is all I would have to do since it had a really nice shade, but....No, that would be to easy!

So, I took the fabric off the shade and started covering it with lace.

To get the lace tight I only covered 3 sections at a time using Fabri-Tac glue and clips (You could use clothespins) to hold it while it dried. Lace is very forgiving, you can't see where the seams overlap.

After it dried I trimmed the lace close to the wire of the shade then glued a vintage lace trim around the top and bottom

And I was done

I put the lamp in my booth at Orange Tree and priced it at $95

The shade was not difficult to do, it just had to be done in stages, glue and wait, glue and wait.... I'm good with the glue part just not good with the wait part!

Happy Creating!

Carol

Altered Bottles and Mirror trays

2013-04-18T10:16:00.000-04:00

Last month I sold 10 of my altered bottles in my antiques booth at Orange Tree

I love vintage bottles and they are really good sellers right now. I say "Right now" because a lot of my customers are "Regulars" and I find that something that is hot now, might not be in a couple of months, because all of my "Regulars" may have already bought one.

I added a waterslide decal to each of them. You can purchase the decals at The Polka Dot Closet Store, or you can make them yourself, the tutorial is HERE. My new sheets of decals have graphics from antique calling cards I purchased at an antique store and from Free Vintage Digi Stamps

I added some ribbon, lace, and sometimes a little bling

I get the corks at the craft store and dye them with Rit brown dye to give them a little age

Here they are all sitting on a mirror tray that I spray painted with heirloom white and then added a porcelain rose I chipped off a damaged nick knack..The tutorial is HERE

I sold 5 trays last month with porcelain roses on them for $25 each. If I do not add a rose I price them from $16-18

In the picture below you can see that I also added a porcelain leaf, I usually add one or two leaves with the rose

So there you go kids...

....Just passing on what's selling in my neck of the woods. I have a few vintage bottles for sale at The Polka Dot Closet

Happy Creating!

Carol

Transforming A Toy Box

2013-04-15T00:17:00.000-04:00

I use a toy box in front of my couch as an ottoman, of course it is filled with magazines, blankets and cat toys. They are great storage coffee tables too!

I found this one for my booth and did a quick transformation

Here is how it started, it looked fine but, I know what will sell in my booth at Orange Tree...So, I painted it with Heirloom white

Then enlarged two different graphics from Graphics Fairy and transferred the graphic with the blender pen method explained HERE.

I think I priced it around $55.00

I wanted to show you another quick transformation...It's two for one today!

An ugly little desk got a coat of white paint.....

.....But still needed a little something so, I used a frame graphic from Graphics fairy and applied it with a blender pen around the knob

Just throwing out an easy quick idea if you have a transformation needing a little something!

Happy Creating!

Carol

The Perfect Shabby Cabinet

2013-04-11T00:14:00.000-04:00

I love, love, love, this!!! As a matter of fact, when I finished transforming this little cabinet..... I knew I had to keep it.

My daughter in law was visiting for a week and we had sooo much fun thifting, junking, and antique store shopping....Oh my, we got tons of great stuff!

I couldn't wait to start on this little cabinet we found for $20 in a junk yard

It was a little plain so I added, plaster beads down the side, they were made in a gum paste mold, tutorial HERE. Then I added two plaster roses, tutorial HERE. And finished with spackle cake decorating on the outside of the roses, tutorial HERE.

Now's when it comes to life!!!

I used homemade chalk paint which was a mixture of plaster of paris, a touch of water, and heirloom white paint.

Then finished with dark wax to bring out the flower and bead detail. I used Annie Sloan dark wax which I mix with clear Minwax. I find the AS wax too dark on it's own, so I lighten it a little with the clear wax.

Almost done.........For the finishing touch I added wallpaper to the interior

Then stood back and fell in love!

Now, where to put it? My house is so small that I can't add anything unless I get rid of something......Hum...How about here? Ugg on the air vent, a necessary ugly?

This wine rack was a gift from my son many years ago so, I'm not getting rid of it, just storing it in the attic for awhile.

I think the cabinet looks perfect here under my teapot picture. I saw that picture on my friend Sissies' blog a couple years ago. I loved it so much I ran right out and bought it.

Guess what.......The wine fits perfect in my little cabinet!

Momma's got her wine!!!

Actually, I don't like the taste of wine lol! But, every time someone comes for dinner they bring a bottle, how sweet is that!

I'm in love!

Yep, I'm keeping it! I seldom keep furniture pieces that I buy with the intention to flip and sell

Those of you that sell, how often do you finish a project and decide to keep it?

Happy Creating!

Carol

PS: I am going to do a post on vintage wedding veils on 4/29. If you have vintage wedding veils and would like to do a post on the 29th email me and we could all link our posts to each other.

A Girlie, Girl, Estate Sale

2013-04-08T03:22:00.000-04:00

Do you ever go to an estate sale and think This is a lady after my own heart...Or...This is what MY estate sale is going to look like?

Oh yea...This sale was loaded! Look at all the vintage lingerie, linens, and other girlie stuff

This is a 1950's Gotham slip

Love this blue lace shrug

A few goodies including a vintage plastic Este Lauder "Gift with purchase" box

Hello "Mad Men" called and they want to borrow this gorgeous blue brocade dress

If I was a size 4, I would soooo wear this!

Oh, and did I happen to mention I also bought a few vintage wedding veils.....That's another post!! Yep, keeping you on the edge of your seats! Have a great week.

Happy Creating

Carol

A Trio of Shabby Chairs

2013-04-04T10:53:00.000-04:00

I found three perfect little chairs at the thrift store........ Perfect for transformations!

First up

I know, I know...I hated to paint it, but...

...I know what will sell in my booth at Orange Tree, and that is: anything sweet and shabby. I purchased this--oh so sweet--floral fabric from Carousel Designs for $8.40 a yard

Next up, this little vanity chair

I used a stencil with white paint on this chair and the next one. I saw this white paint/ tan fabric combo at Little Miss Maggie, and loved it! I have made quite a few stools and chairs with this paint and fabric combo and they sell immediately....I priced them between $32-$36
Give it a try, it appears to be a hot seller!

And last up this dining chair, you've seen them with the raised rose on the back

There...You've officially had your chair fix for the day!

Once again I want you to know how much I appreciate you stopping by...I know it is a few minutes of your day that you will never get back, and my heart soars with the fact that you decided to spend those few minutes with me!

Happy Creating!

Carol

Cake Decorating Furniture With Spackle

2013-03-31T23:49:00.001-04:00

I just recently redid my craft room and found tons of stuff including my cake decorating supplies. About 100 years ago I did a lot of cake decorating, but I was pretty rusty when I tried my hand at decorating a cake for my brother in laws birthday last week.

Here's the fun part....I was standing there with my decorating bag filled with butter creme frosting and It came to me....

......Spackle and Furniture!!!

I decided to try it on this table I had just picked up at the thrift store

I filled my cake decorating bag with vinyl spackle, but I think you could use any form of spackle. I put 2 plaster flowers in the middle. How to make the plaster flower tutorial is HERE and HERE .

I used spackle to adhere the plaster flowers, then drew scrolls out to the side (I am really out of practice!)

After I let the spackle dry (It dries rock hard!) I painted the whole piece and finished with a coat of clear wax followed by dark wax to give the flowers dimension

It looks like a hot mess up close lol! But, stand back ....

I used vintage wallpaper on the inside shelf.....

And there you have it...Adding just a little Somethin...Somethin, makes all the difference!

I priced this little side table at $63.00 and it sold in 2 days.......Hum, I think I see more cake decorated furniture in my future!

Happy Creating!

Carol

Partying with
Coastal Charm Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Miss mustard Seed

Altering Vintage Hats

2013-03-27T23:32:00.001-04:00

Do you have your Easter Bonnet picked out?

I love altering vintage hats....Anyone can be a hat milliner!

I Pick up hats anywhere I can, estate sales, antique stores, thrift stores etc. I look for the totally unadorned ugly ducklings that are in good shape. These are the hats that can be picked up really inexpensively.

Then with old millinery flowers, netting, feathers and jewels, along with trims and lace.... I get to work playing milliner

I added a vintage flower, leaves, and netting to this pretty pink hat

I use a combination of hot glue and a needle and thread to attach everything

The hat below I added a little pin with flowers, sometimes it is just a little detail that makes all the difference

I added a couple big pink vintage flowers to this black hat

For this hat I switched the bright flowers to softer pinks and blues....Psst.... Can you tell by the pictures which were taken on a sunny day and which were taken on a cloudy day lol!

This is one of my fabric flowers (tutorial HERE), netting and feathers

Another fabric flower, feathers and netting

I get most of my flowers from vintage hats that are a total wreck, I look past the mess they are in and look for great flowers. This hat was full of great flowers....Even though it was a hot mess!

Now, don't let a whole bunch of old smashed flowers scare you away! You can fluff them up and make them as good as new by setting your iron to the steam setting, then putting your flowers on the ironing board and giving them a big puff of steam. Set the iron down and quickly start reshaping the flower, you will probably have to repeat this 2-3 times.

These flowers were totally flat until I steamed and reshaped them

I get my netting at JoAnn's Fabric, you will probably have to ask where it is, because it's usually hidden. I use vintage netting from old hats any time I can .

I sell these in my antiques booth at Orange Tree and price them between $14.00 and $24.00. I always sell out, I guess there is a lot of ladies like me that use them for decorating and college kids who buy them to wear.

If you would like more ideas on altering vintage hats you might enjoy THIS previous post I did

Are you going to wear an Easter Bonnet?

Blessings and Wishing you and your families a wonderful Easter weekend.

Happy Creating

Carol

My French Market Bags Were Published

2013-03-25T00:08:00.000-04:00

I'm not bragging, just tooting....Tooting my own horn that is!

You never know who's reading your blog. Well, in December it was the Editor of the Stampington Magazine

"Haute Handbags"

Yep, last December right there in an email..."Hi, I'm the editor of Haute handbags, I saw your French Market bags on your blog and we would like to publish them in our spring issue. Please let us know if you are interested"....Oh yes, yes, yes, I would be interested!

I did a blog tutorial on these French Market bags HERE in November of 2011 and it is still one of my most viewed posts. The graphics are from Graphics Fairy.

Of course the editor wanted the bags I pictured on the post, but they had long been sold so, I hung a late night recreating them and then shiped them off to the magazine.....

It was pretty darn fun getting the mail last Friday because there was my preview issue!

Oh look...There's my name!

And they hung my bag on a pink bike....How'd they know I love pink?

Just remember...You never know who's reading...I was just minding my own business blogging away!

I blog because I love it, but all of you reading and encouraging me with your friendship and kind comments .....Makes it incredibly fun!

SO, THANK YOU for listening to me TOOT!

Happy Creating!

Carol

How To Sell And Ship Furniture Online

2013-03-20T22:15:00.000-04:00

This is another installment of "What Sells and What Doesn't" but this time with a twist!

I am so excited to have Sue from Uniquely Chic as my guest blogger today! I have always wondered how people sell and ship furniture online. I think it could be of use to so many people that don't have access to sell at an antique mall or market.

Hi...I'm Sue from Uniquely Chic.

Carol, my first blog follower, has asked me to add to her series of "What sells and what doesn't". Mine's a bit of a twist on the topic because I sell furniture and home decor in my Etsy shop, Uniquely Chic Furniture . I live in NJ and antique malls are pretty scarce here. The ones I have visited seem to bring no traffic at all. I envy those of you who sell in popular antique malls. I would love to have a small space to arrange my pieces in rather than a cluttered basement and garage.

However, selling on Etsy is great because it doesn't limit you to a specific geographic area. I ship everything and on occasion someone local will come by and pick up out of my lovely garage showroom. Honestly shipping is a bit of a drag...packing and lifting heavy boxes then hauling them down to the post office is the only part of being able to sell nationally I don't care for. Okay and dealing with untimely freight shippers is up there too. But, don't let that discourage you. Here are some tips on shipping I've learned over the last two years.

LET"S TALK SHIPPING

You need to find a good box supplier and I'm not talking Staples or big box stores. They are ridiculously expensive. I'm extremely lucky. I have a box company about five minutes from me and over the last couple of years my box guys have become good friends. They are my friends with benefits :) I call them with dimensions of a piece and they tell me the size of the box best suited. They will even cut them down for me if necessary (You can find a box company in your town by goggling "Box company"). Every inch of box matters ladies because every inch means more money to ship. More money to ship can sometimes mean squashed sale. I also hoard boxes and packing material from the holidays. I use the box dimensions and run the numbers and zip code of the potential buyer through the USPS postage calculator which you can find on the USPS web site ((The combined length and girth cannot be more than 130"). This is how I get an accurate shipping quote. You'll also need the weight of what you're shipping (USPS maximum weight is 70#). I just guesstimate this. I ship standard post which used to be called parcel post because this is the least expensive way to go. But, I've shipped nightstands and small tables this way so it's not terribly limiting. On a rare occasion when my size exceeds USPS then I'll use UPS but they are quite pricey so avoid them if you can.

The rocking chair, is a tough sell because it has to go UPS due to its size and UPS prices are ridiculous.

When I started shipping really large items like dressers, I used Uship.com. It's the Ebay of shipping. You list your shipment and independent shippers bid on delivering the piece. There's a small fee involved only if a bid is accepted which gets passed onto the buyer. I have been able to get some really good numbers this way. I don't use that site as much anymore. I now turn to the shippers I've met through uship for quotes first. I have several guys I use regularly and know what areas of the country they cover. The furthest I've ever freight shipped was a large dresser to Texas. The beauty of freight shipping is they handle wrapping your items. The downside, some are very unreliable. Freight shipping cost depends on distance mainly.

The dresser I shipped to TX cost 350.00 to ship, ouch, I know. I think if someone truly loves something though and they can afford it then they will buy it. I ship dressers to NYC for 150.00 and down to FL for about 250.00. Boston runs about 200.00. It's really about making calls and getting the best number. It takes time. Sometimes you'll get lucky and the shipper you call just so happens to be heading where your piece is going then they'll give you a low number because they're going that way anyway

WHAT SELLS ON ETSY

Painted mirrors and small pedestal tables move quick as do those metal ice cream parlor chairs. You know the ones that look all crappy upholstered in plastic. With a little spray paint and new fabric they clean up super nice. Gray dressers never hang around too long. Nightstands and small cabinets are big sellers too. Colors that are hot right now for furniture are gray, blues, turquoise, apple green and gray/blue. Vintage dressers with stained tops and painted bodies tend to go quickly. French Provincial and farmhouse style furniture are pretty hot too.

THE SQUATTERS

Squatters are the ones that are not welcome because they've been taking up space for far too long. Pink dressers.... I'll do pink now only if it's a custom order. End tables, upholstered benches and desks tend to linger. Anything that is too big to ship USPS standard and doesn't make sense price wise to ship freight. Coffee tables and end tables fall into this category. Now I carry a small tape measure on my key chain when I go "shopping". If it exceeds the USPS maximum, I walk away. Loser colors...pink, baby blue, red. Fun colored dressers although I love them you're narrowing down the potential buyer. Save the fun and whimsical for custom orders.

HERE'S A COUPLE SQUATTERS

HERE IS A COUPLE DETAILS I WOULD LIKE TO ADD

Typically boxes for me run 3.00 per box. But keep in mind I deal with these guys weekly and they are friends now. Plus I bring them donuts, ha. I wrap legs in bubble wrap and cover tops and sides with bubble wrap as well. I try to make sure there is no wiggle room in the box. The tighter the fit the better off you are. Bubble wrap runs about 25.00 for a big roll. Buy this from your box supplier. It goes a long way. I don't use peanuts because they are messy. When I pick up foam for upholstering I buy scrap pieces on the cheap and will use that as well to create a tight fit in the box.

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE: THE TOTAL COST OF SHIPPING THIS ICE CREAM CHAIR

The pink Ice cream chair went to Virginia and cost 17.39 to ship. The box cost 3.00 and I used a small amount of bubble wrap on the legs and back of the chair. Roughly it cost 21.00 to ship including packing material.

Well, that's my two cents on Etsy selling. Thanks Carol for inviting me over!

Thank you Sue!!! This was soooo GOOD! If you ever thought about selling furniture online, this should answer all of your questions! Please visit Sue At Uniquely Chic

Happy Creating

Carol

Highlights Of The Dress Form ball

2013-03-18T00:26:00.001-04:00

What a Ball We Had!

I'm sure by now the carriages have delivered all of your girls home safe, sound, and exhausted! As they left they were all chattering about plans for next years ball and even discussing what they were going to wear!

I found Belle "Resting" on a garden bench after everyone left!

Belle and Lady Anita Man met so many new friends.....

.......The Gorgeous Miss Begonia was dressed to the nine's and everyone was envious of her figure!

And Maybel in her stunning Paris inspired attire

And of course it wouldn't be a party if the.....Err...."Fun girls" didn't show up.....

.....Susan...And...

......The younger sister

And just when I thought I was in over my head some extra help arrived.....

....Judy sent over Mabel her head house maid for My Ladies Service....

.......And Sherry sent "Gigi" her proper French maid

So many guests generously shared tutorials on making their forms....

.....Deneen shared her chicken wire dress form tutorial

....And Beansie shared her dish soap bottle tutorial

Yes, they were big

Meggie

And they were small.....

Adele and Josette

And fun was had by all!

The Dress form ball is still available for viewing HERE

My Sincerest thank you to all who attended. I know the time it takes to plan, dress, photograph, write a post, and link up to the ball......Thank you for making it a success!

It's never to early to start planning for the 3rd annual dress form ball in 2014!

Keep your eyes open for a vintage form and if that fails HERE is info on transforming or purchasing a new one

Happy Creating!

Carol

Welcome To The Polka Dot Closet 2nd Annual Dress Form Ball

2013-03-10T22:47:00.000-04:00

Belle....The "Belle of the ball" and Lady Anita Man cordially invite you to

Please grab a glass of bubbly and join Belle, Lady Anita Man, and the rest of the guests in the gardens

Everyone is welcome! Link up as many dress forms as you like. The party is open for linking all week

If you want to continue to have a ball, I would love for you to follow The Polka Dot Closet

Please link back to the party so your readers can join in the fun!

Purchasing and transforming dress form tutorials HERE, HERE, and HERE

For my email readers, I don't want you to miss the ball! When you receive this emailed post, click on the title "Dress Form Ball", this will take you to my blog to see all of the dress forms. Once there you will see dress form thumbnail pictures, when you click on a picture, you will be taken to that guests blog to read and see more pictures of her dress form. The party will be going on all week so, be sure to check back later in the week to see those that have arrived fashionably late

Have a Ball!

Carol