alright so I found this old, beaten-up metal hi-chair in my favorite hole-in-the-wall thrift store at the beginning of the summer. I had always wanted to take on more ambitious projects and this was my first stab at furniture. Since I picked this up, I've rehabbed 2 vintage kitchen tables and I'm hooked. And I think my right arm is twice as big as my left from all that sanding and polishing.

the BEFORE pics:


(not pictured: me taking it apart and exclaiming "Ugh! WHY is this STICKY!??! EWW!")

painting in progress:


and the AFTER pics:





I sealed all the painted metal to bajeezus & it's alot lighter than it looks.
let me know what you think!
-L

so I dug up a book of sailor jerry stencils at the shop a few weeks ago and I found a TON of inspiration for some new pieces!

here's the vintage flatware caddy:


and a close-up


and here's an art journal, I wanted to keep it for myself but you know how it is...


here's the inside, this used to be an old cash log book but I think it's much cooler and better served for poignant thoughts and introspective sketching


let me know what you think!

[I didn't look at one reference picture NOR DID I google 'peg' or 'bundy' through this whole process]

first of all I would like to give mad, mad, mad props to all the entries in this month's craft challenge, there is some completely amazing work on this thread. If my heart and soul weren't in my own home-made costume I assure you I wouldn't touch the hem of these ghouly, kooky garments.
and PLEASE oh PLEASE excuse the party pics, my camera broke on wednesday so I've had to rely on the kindness of my friend's flickr accounts

things I made:
- the v-neck shirt
- the leopard leggings

things I pimped:
- the wig (it looked NOTHING like Peggy Bundy when I started), my VERY FIRST EVER attempt at wig cutting and styling
- my face with that sweet, sweet blue eyeshadow & pink lipstick
- my boobs (2 bras & chicken cutlet inserts, yowza!)

I would like to note that I didn't look at one reference picture NOR DID I google 'peg' or 'bundy' through this whole process, I just watched and loved that show so effing much that I knew what she looked like by heart.
SO HERE SHE IS!!!


and here I am with one of my roller derby teammates, Suri O'Killer, and a very freaked-out-looking saw puppet


and here at the Way Out Club with my boyfriend pulling a weird face in the background


here's a link to the original mistress of distress herself for a little refresher: http://www.bundyology.com/bpeg.html

thanks for looking and happy halloweenie!!!

alright so I'm branching out from the old school tattoo stuff, but I can't completely let it go, tell me what you think!

my dad had sheets that remind me of this design, oh so 70s:



japanese chrysanthemums (omg so fun & purty)


leopard print (is really really really fun)


I've got some really boring grey Nike Dunks that I'm thinking of painting leopard & pink, I dunno I'm debating...

this image is based on some vintage sailor jerry flash I found lying around the shop


aaaaaand more japanese flowers (I like 'em!)


a custom ordered birdy purse


thar she blows! any input is much appreciated!

alright, I wasn't sure where to put this but I guess since I had to use Pebeo Ceramic Paint and the item was originally ceramic, it goes here?
p.s. omg that paint is a serious pain in my butt.

my idea: I had a customer who wanted a "Mom" tattooed heart mug. Rather than buying new, I always try to repurpose things. So how many of us have seen a ga-zillion perfectly happy and functional ceramics in thrift stores with something stupid on them that makes people get rid of an otherwise perfectly good liquid receptacle?
I figured I would apply my tattoo skills to the mug and treat it like a tattoo cover-up, by tracing the original design and drawing a design over that one (yep, that's how we do it. Not rocket science)
here is the finished product:


and here's the tracing w/original mug (from World Market, apparently. I bought it for like  $0.30 USD)

frankly, if my mug was instructing me to drink only tea, I might have gotten rid of it too. Demanding ceramics are a drag.

Once I got the design worked out, I drew straight on the mug, making sure that the black parts of the banner lined up with the biggest letter parts.
here's some close-ups, can you spot the tea? it's the same mug!


thanks for looking! if you have any success stories for re-using ceramic mugs, let me know! I'd like to find paint that is more opaque, then I'll start painting mugs like this all the time

Well I've ventured into housewares again, I LOVE this stuff.


the inside (SO cool)




my boyfriend approves whole heartedly of this pun:



and my first upside-down glass painting venture, I'll have to do this more often, it was really fun. the picture has a weird line on it from the divider in the middle of the dish, I promise the artwork is clean


thanks for looking! let me know what you think

Kind of my favorite thing right now...
a local vintage shop was having a moving sale to there will be more train cases where this came from!

front:

roses close up:



thanks for looking! more coming soon...

Alright so I painted some wedges like a million years ago http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=212696.msg2284167#msg2284167
and I finally got it together to make some more, here we go!


seize the day! with shoes!



cherry blossoms, I LOVE making these:



and the piece de resistance:

saint (my fave, I love that blue):

sinner:

so I'm really not a seamstress, my skills start and stop with... well... measuring.
I finally decided to make something look really nice when my friend Brett scrounged up a new phone that I could lose or break very easily. I'm pretty happy with the finished product & now that I've made a presentable sewing project, the sky's the limit!

I used the scraps from some reconstructed leopard tights & some houndstooth fabric I thrifted last Christmas. I lucked out by having the carabiner laying around that matched, target dollar bin!

(SIDENOTE) I had been using it for about 2 weeks when I took these pics so my sewing stood up to wear & tear quite nicely



thanks for looking! let me know what you think
I've got more vintage fabric, I might make a camera case next

Fixing up old stuff to make it new again really gets my rocks off, here's some more of my recently healed patients from the sad old bag hospital:

rose mirror compact- this was an awesome find & I was especially glad to bring this back to life


green razorblade pouch


pretty swallow handbag


Mi Vida Loca sugar skull goodness (oh how I love making script, mmmmm...)




this one was fun, and the purse was to die for. I would keep it but I never wear anything brown



sah-weeeeet vintage poker set, yet another thing I would love to keep if it wouldn't get shoved away in a drawer, me & the b/f are far too busy to play card games 

here's the inside (oh it's neat), does anyone know what game uses dice with face cards on?


next time I'll take before pics, I promise!! I already got a new batch of patients & I've got some befores, but I need to start taking pics before I clean & repair them too

thanks so much for looking!