Thursday productivity

Thursday was a very productive day for me!  I painted the alcove outside my studio and started on the one outside our bedroom.  Here are before and after photos of the one by my studio...

 I think this color is called cashmere or putty or something like that.  To Ornery and me it looked dead and desolate. Some people really like the neutral colors, but we aren't in that number.

Here is the same wall newly painted with a couple of my art projects on it.  I am planning to put a few of my favorite cards from Ornery in frames on the little side wall on the left in this photo.  I can see that wall from my table and keep thinking it needs some dressing up and it seems a shame to leave those cute cards stashed away out of sight!  I was pleased with the start I made, though.

I didn't work on painting exclusively, I also finished several ornaments --four or five I think-- and made this cute wall hanging for a niece who just moved into a new apartment.  I thought it might be fun to send her a little fall decor...

I bought the wooden letter at Hobby Lobby. I used Mod Podge to affix the paper, then put a coat over the top to give it some sheen.  I cut circles out of coordinating papers and crinkled them up.  I stacked them at odd angles and punched a hole to accommodate a brad, which holds the whole stack together.  Then I further distressed them with some ink and glued them down on top of some rubberized leaves. I put a coat of Mod Podge on them and added distress Stickles to the orange brads in the center.  A few feathers and a twine bow completed the project.

The most time consuming part was deciding what papers to use, but it took me about an hour from start to finish and cost hardly anything to make since the only thing I had to buy was the letter ($1.50 on sale)  The papers were in my scrap drawer and I had everything else from other projects.  It will cost more to send it than it is worth, but I will also send her Christmas ornament at the same time.

In the evening, Ornery covered some grass in the back yard with black plastic to prepare the area for our garden, then worked out in the man cave on the basket/bowls he started the night before. In all it was a really productive day!

Today I hope to finish the other alcove and take care of a few housekeeping chores. I took all the rugs out of the kitchen because they collected so much dirt, but now the floor is collecting it!  At least I don't have the rug lint to contend with as well.  I was worried it would get sucked in under the refrigerator and cause problems there. Happy Weekend!