Things we find Pinteresting Thursday

Repurposed drawer front to coat rack

I picked up this old drawer front on a recent trip to the local Re-Store Habitat for humanity for $1.

I first thought I would use it to make a sign for my gallery wall in the family room then decided it would be more useful with hooks for our master bath and will work right into my bedroom makeover (more to come on that later).

I am sure I could have found some hooks at Re-Store as well but, when I found these beauties at Home Depot I fell in love. The crystals and the brushed nickel finish really pop off the black. They where not the cheapest though - costing around $5 each. Sometimes it's OK to spend a couple  bucks more than you had planned - right?

I was expecting that the screws would be too long but wanted to see how the  hooks looked first (didn't know if I would be bringing them back for a refund). Turns out I was right - the screws were too long but I love the way the hooks look.

So I'll need to make another trip to Home Depot to get shorter screws and one more hook,

 I bought three but think it will look better with four.

Yay! my DH needed something from Home Depot so I had him pick me up some shorter screws and another hook. I love when I can delegate!

Now to deal with this crevice and the screw holes from the previous drawer handle.

Some wood filler and a disposable rubber glove. I always have both on hand.

Making sure to overfill the holes just a little will ensure a flat surface later.

Let dry completely.

Now dry, it's time to sand off the excess wood filler.

Using fine sand paper, I sanded down until smooth then wiped of the dust.

Another chance to delegate - I had my DH add some keyholes with a router to the back for hanging.

Now a fresh coat of black paint to make the finish cohesive. But first a great tip I found on Pinterest is to use thumb tacks to raise your paint project for painting, making it easy to paint the edges and eliminate it from sticking to whatever you use under your painting.

I sanded the finish to give it an aged look and then measured for hook placement and pre-drilled the holes and installed the hooks.

It's now ready to hang and enjoy!

This would also work great for coats in an entryway.

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, I look forward to hearing from you.

Holly

Creative Corner Blog Hop

Holly's Chunky Salsa

It's that time of year and tomatoes are taking over my kitchen. I always plant two tomato plants, eat them all summer and still end up canning more than enough to last throughout the year. The bell peppers and jalapenos are also from my garden.

Over the years I've tried different recipes and variations and ended up with my own modified salsa recipe.

Holly's Chunky Salsa

12  lbs. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3    Medium  onions, chopped
2    Green bell peppers, chopped
20  Jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (leave some seeds for heat)
6    Cloves garlic, minced
2    Cups tomato sauce
2    Cups red wine vinegar
1/2 Cup dried parsley (or 1 Cup fresh, chopped)
2    tsp Pickling salt
2    tsp ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring  frequently.

Remove hot jars from caner and ladle salsa into jars to with in 1/2 inch of rim. Process 20 minutes for half-pint and pint jars.

yield: 10 pint jars.

This is a Med-Hot salsa. Heat can be adjusted by using more or less jalapenos.

To peel tomatoes - blanch in boiling water until the skins split, let cool, peel and chop.

 Add remaining ingredients.
 (I've had this huge pot for 20+ years and use it often - It looks the same as when I got it. Prior to that it belonged to my grandmother - I figure it must be close to 100 years old).

 Notice nothing is finely chopped - This is chunky salsa.

Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered for 25 minutes.

Mmmm... chunky goodness.

Ladle into hot jars.

  

Process in hot water bath for 20 minutes.



Remove jars and let cool out of draft.

Enjoy!

My DH said the house smells heavenly.

Now all I need is a grilled cheese sandwich - Especially good when dipped in salsa.

 Thanks for stopping by, please leave a comment - I'd love to hear from you.

Holly

Things we find Pinteresting Thursday

Creative Corner Blog Hop

Creative Corner Blog Hop

Things we find Pinteresting Thursday

Creative Corner Blog Hop

Beautiful Fabric Fans

A few years ago while at the Stampin' Up! convention a few hundred demonstrators and I were standing in line to enter the shopping mall. It was getting pretty warm so, I pulled from my purse a fan I keep handy for just such an emergency. Really, I'm known for being prepared - That's me! I got lots of envious looks and comments like - That's Genius!

 So for this years convention I made these fans for my 3-D swaps.

Something they could really use - right?

Here is what I started with:

Paper fans (I purchased at Asian Ideas.com item #PF9WT for .90 each)

Cotton fabric

Stiffy fabric stiffener

foam brush

Wood glue

Sticky Strip

Rosette Die

Flower Die

Baker's Twine

Buttons

needle

Carefully tear the paper from the fan - this is really easy it is only attached to the ends and will slip off the blades easily. Clean off any paper that might show after fabric is attached (I used a wet one it worked great for this).

You don't have to get all the paper off - just 1/2" at the top and bottom so it won't show once the fabric is attached.

Cut 2 fabric strips to fit the die.

Apply Stiffy fabric stiffener and spread over entire fabric, just enough to saturate it. I used plastic bags to protect my work surface.

Let dry completely. This may take a few hours. I had several spread out at once.

When completely dry, run through the Big Shot with the Rosette Bigz die one at a time.



Save the scraps for other projects - they are stiff enough to punch.
This is the new Elegant Butterfly Punch - So Cute! Wouldn't this be so cute on a card? (that will have to be another tutorial).

Back to the Fabric Fans..

Fold accordion style (mountains and valleys). This is super easy because the die scores/creases the fabric. Then glue the two pieces end to end with wood glue.

Glue the left end of the fabric to the fan end piece with wood glue.

 Flip the fabric over face down.

Lay the first fan blade on top and add glue - as little as possible and only to the top of the bamboo blade.

fold the fabric onto the glue, place the next fan blade on the fold and glue only the blade.

Continue folding and gluing using as little glue as possible so the fan will open when completed.

When you get to the end cut the extra fabric away (keeping it for the band).

Glue the end of the fabric to the fan end piece.

Place a rubber band or a scrap piece of ribbon to hold it while it dries.

While the fan is drying assemble the band.

Cut a strip (about three and a half of the folds) from the leftover die cut.

Cut the ends of the rosette off and fold the sides under using a piece of sticky strip to hold down the edge.

Make a loop and tuck one end into the other about a 1/4 inch.

Using the remaining fabric cut two small flowers using the Blossom Party die.

Sew the flower and button onto the band with Baker's Twine where it comes together securing the band and tie a bow in the Baker's Twine. You may want to use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull the needle through - it's a little tough.

I went through the button, both flowers then the band where it crosses securing it together.

Then back through the band, the two flowers and the remaining hole in the button.

Tie a bow in the Baker's Twine.

Add a dab of Crystal Effects to keep the bow from unravelling.

Trim the Baker's Twine.

Take a piece of Baker's Twine 12" long open the fan (this may take a bit of prying depending on how much glue you used (a fingernail or bone folder works well for this).

Secure Baker's Twine to band by treading it and tying a double knot at the end - Thread through the back of the band from the inside.

Then back through to the inside.

Secure the other end of the Baker's Twine to base of fan by running it through the center blades.

Then tie in a knot close to fan.

Now complete - the band slips onto the fan to secure and will not get lost. 

Sit back, relax and enjoy your fan!

Especially if you can coax someone into fanning you :)

Supplies:

 Timeless Portrait fabric #122337
Comfort Cafe fabric #126894
Summer Smooches Fabric #125411
Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine #113439
Designer Rosette Bigz XL Die #125594
Extended Cutting Pads #113478
Blossom Party Originals Die #115971
Whisper White Baker's Twine #124262
Sticky Strip #104294
Crystal Effects #101055
Neutrals Designer Buttons #119743
Brights Designer Buttons #119747
Regals Designer Buttons #119744
Elegant Butterfly Punch #127526
Bone Folder #102300
Needle
Wood glue
Needle nose pliers
Click here to purchase these and other Stampin' Up! products!

Thanks for stopping by! Comments welcome - I would love to hear from you.

Holly