Hats Away

I think this post covers all of the Thursday Blog Party topics.

I used thrifty hats, the rack is vintage, I did it myself and I had to transform a pile of hats to a "okay again" hat display.

If you aren't interested in any of that you can just skip to my almost 50th post giveaway at the end....

It was a supposed to be easy "how to". It turned out not to be that easy.




This should be easy. Hats on a rack, right?



These thrift shop hats have been hanging on this thrift shop rack for at least 5 years until someone decided they wanted to try one on...then ALL the hats came tumbling down.



Recently I decided I to put them back up and post about how easy this display is to make. Ha. Don't try it with a camera on a bouncy old bed...



Use wire on the insides of the hats so you have something to keep the hats on the hooks. Don't start this project if you are hungry, tired, cranky, or impatient.




Pretend that they are all neatly lined up like you would do it, and just imagine how cute they would look over your bed, doorway, or on your front porch.

Ridiculously Easy: Ruler becomes a Star

Project difficulty: VVE {Very, very easy}



Most of you probably don't have this many folding rulers, but it only takes one to become a STAR!



I only wish I had thought to share this project before the 4th of July. Always a day late and a dollar short (as my mom used to say).




Well, here it is. Fold out the ruler sections to form a 5 pointed star.

You'll have a few sections extra. You could cut the extra off... but why ruin a perfectly good ruler.

Just keep the extra folded. Wire or glue the last section together to finish.



I made about a dozen of these for the flea market last weekend. I hung them from a market umbrella in the center of my booth.



Wouldn't they be fun to decorate with during the Christmas holidays? Or for you Texas girls---everyday of the year!!!

Cabinet Door to Chalkboard

Project difficulty level: CBE {couldn't Be Easier}



As a flea market vendor, I have seen many picture frame chalkboards. I think this is a very good upcycle use of vintage frames.

But, I always like to come up with something a bit different.




This spring I found a huge pile of discarded cabinet doors...very nice, already painted white and antique glazed!

I didn't know what I was going to do with them, but home they came...waiting for inspiration to hit.




A couple of days ago I bought my first can of blackboard paint and went to work on one of my stash. The knob was already gone, but I took off the hinges. I taped off everything except the raised center panel. I sprayed that with two thin coats of blackboard paint letting it dry in between each coat.

Tip: Tape off tightly because the blackboard paint can get through tiny gaps onto your outside frame. I know from experience.

Then per the paint directions, I broke-in the blackboard surface by rubbing it with the side of chalk, and wiping it off.




That still left me with the hole where the cabinet door handle had been. I thought about putting hooks along the bottom.

Then, I thought about lining the bottom edge with buttons (In fact, I had already glued one on) when I looked around my studio and spied a jar of dominoes. That was it!!! I love the dominoes color with the white paint of the cabinet doors.




Then all that was left to do was to add a hanger on the back. Or I could have used an easel for displaying it like the picture below..





I like to say, "Keep it simple, sister." Use what you have, make something from nothing, and have fun with your stuff!!

How to: A Picture Easel

PROJECT SKILL LEVEL: CBE {Couldn't be Easier}

Are you looking for a fun and casual new way to display your photos and pictures?

Today I will be showing you how make a picture/photo easel from an vintage hem measurer.



These "flashes from the past" often show up at garage and estate sales, or the thrifts. This one cost 50 cents at a local thrift shop.



That bottom part held a pin cushion which I removed. Its cover was dirty, red and full of holes.




I took the bottom apart easily by unscrewing two small screws. I am lazy, I used a knife blade instead of looking for my little screw driver.



I decided not to recover the pad. I liked how the gray felt underpad looked. I screwed it back into place. I used the knife again.

Don't tell my husband.



I flipped the metal arm part over. I just loosened the wing nut (What a phrase!) and slipped the metal arm over the ruler part upside down. This gave me a way to hold the picture in place.



Now I have an interesting easel to display things I sell at the flea market. I hope you have another idea about how you can have fun with your stuff.