For the Love of Thrift

One of my favorite places to work is the Cedar Chest Thrift Shop at Lambs Farm.  When I have a bit of free time, I run on over and whip up any signs they need.  I love the fact that nothing goes to waste here.  To make these signs, I use old scraps of paper, manila envelopes, bits of cardboard.  Even their large chalkboard is made from an re-purposed tabletop.

 Lambs Farm provides an amazing community for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities-- check them out here: http://www.lambsfarm.org/

Some genius took a legless restaurant table and slathered
a thick coat of chalkboard paint over the top-- voila!

Some fun fonts...

Even during winter-- which is a slow time for donations--
there is quite the clothing selection at the Cedar Chest.
I swear my entire wardrobe is from here.

Thanks for stopping by!  

Free Time Fun

Sometimes I enjoy playing around with thrift shop craft supplies.  And my Canuck has to put up with paper bits and thread ends scattered through the house for a week or so.  Here are a few I've worked up recently.

Custom-made adventure cards-- bundled together with striped cord and a blank gift tag.

Honestly, this is mostly a chance to show off my new grey duvet cover-- soft slate-colored linen, with that lovely, naturally messy look.  It makes me want to stay in bed all day.  Notice the backdrop of each craft pic...

I love gift tags... especially with different types of string.

Seasonal gift tags

Bookworm Tags-- crafted from old novels
and dictionaries found in my favorite thrift shop.

I love old lace, and especially love making old lace
 into gift tags.  Did I mention I love gift tags?

Thanks for stopping by.  I'll continue to post craft pics as I find more thrift shop materials and have free time to craft.

Spring in SC

 My intimidatingly talented sister decorates for weddings in South Carolina.  She also refurbishes fantastic furniture (hazelnutsdiy.blogspot.com), works as a nurse, and is raising two adorable daughters.  Superwoman, yes.
While I visited family in Greenville last week, she recruited me for a fun, light, spring-wedding project.  Very simple, very enjoyable:

The wedding guests will place their cards in this adorable chest.

Giving Thanks

Sometimes life gets very busy, and thankfulness falls by the way.  Here are some pictures of a board I drew to warm myself up with happy thoughts in the cold winter months.

A re-purposed tabletop is now one of my favorite chalkboards.  I used sticks of real chalk, which I adore for their organic look. 

Just look at that texture.  

Have a thankful week!

Rita Pia's Pizzeria (Say that five times fast...)

My favorite chalkboards and signs are designed for small businesses around the northern Illinois area.  I'm thrilled local businesses can have access to unique, custom-made menu boards that showcase their particular style.  I had a lot of fun working with Rita Pia's Pizzeria in Libertyville recently.

My mouth watered extensively while lettering these menus.  If you ever drop by to try their delicious pizzas or lunch items, my personal favorite is the thin crust SOB.  The prices are pretty tasty too! 

These boards are the most beautiful I've ever worked on.  I appreciated the manager's desire to go for quality on his menus.

Can you tell how short I am?  Even with the help of a ladder...

I made an important discovery: I LOVE drawing garlic.

Thanks for dropping by, and be sure to pay a friendly visit to Libertyville's new pizzeria! You will not be disappointed.