Playing with Decoupage

I have wanted to decoupage some things for awhile now.  The idea of it is interesting, and there are so many items out there that are just beautifully done.  I put some things on the counter--two keys and a perfume bottle--to decoupage "when I got around to it".  Well, needless to say, they sat there for quite awhile (there is always something else to do, right?).  Finally, there was a bit of free time, and, seriously?...there were only three things to experiment with!  Seems like the hardest thing for me to do is to just sit and DO it...whatever "it" might be.  It ended up not taking that terribly long to do after all, and it was such fun.

I have some napkins that are just beautiful and decided to place pieces on a blank perfume bottle.  I ripped them up and with Mod Podge placed the pieces on.  How one side is all one color and the other all another is just how it turned out.

I sealed the bottle with a different decoupage sealer and added some wire and complimentary beads. They almost look like two separate bottles--but that just adds to the interest.
Next, I did the keys.

The paper on these is still from the same napkin used on the perfume bottle.  It's amazing the color differences and looks to all three pieces.  I added some wire and beads to these too.

I really wanted to try some vintage jewelry bits on these, but the bling took away from the beauty of the patterns in the napkin.  These are in my Etsy shop and haven't sold yet, but it was great fun to try something different.  If you're interested in playing with decoupage, I'd highly recommend giving it a try.  No doubt you will enjoy doing it as much as I did.

Time to Blog

To be honest with you...I'm finding it difficult to find time to blog!  I'm sure many others are having the same problem.  There is my Etsy shop to constantly work on including networking there, Pinterest to peek at, emails to catch up with...then of course, housework, kids, homeschooling, and creating for my shop.  Ugh!  It seems like I set there at the end of a day all the time and wonder just where exactly time went. 

I have been putting on the screws as far as creating goes.  I have been working on some new ideas...some things are done and others are still in the works.  Mom and I had a "craft day" last Saturday while Hubby worked.  It was fun, and we got a lot done.  We are actually going to be in a craft show this year.  She has been in them for years...and years.  This will be my first, so I'm glad we will be in this one together.  I'm going to put some of my bigger and hard to ship things to see if they go.  It is the Saturday before Thanksgiving, so at least I have a little bit of time to work some more things up. 

One thing I've started doing is embellishing beautiful keys.  The key first of all has to have design and be pretty.  They have been fun to do.  Of course, you know me and embellishing--can't help myself.  A few have sold (the one above is one of my favorites but hasn't sold yet). 

Also, Mom found at a thrift shop out West a box full of these tiny pink plastic figures--figures from cereal promos in the 1950's.  There are some that I won't use, but the pretty ladies/dancers inspired me to make little shadowbox ornaments.  I tried to make little embellished--true to size, the hard part--scenes.  I made them in colors of ornaments that can be used year round as home décor.  Of course they have lots of glitter.  They are pretty small since they are made out of small cardboard jewelry boxes. 

I had some other little vintage bits that I made into shadowboxes/dioramas...this little winter scene dog is probably my favorite. 
I'll blog about the other "new things" I'm working on, but those probably won't be done until the end of the week or so.