Prim and Proper: September 2012

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Waiting to exhale!

I have literally been MIA, we are in the process of moving to a bigger building, and to say we have been busy is an understatement! We have been painting, cleaning, remodeling, and so much stuff! Well needless to say we are ready to move in but, we are going to take a well needed break and us girls are heading to Canton, TX. If you have never been, it's the nations largest flea market. We are heading out tomorrow and staying until Sunday and rain or shine we will have a blast! I am going not needing or looking for anything so everything I find will be a treasure. I haven't been for about 20 years and I am so thrilled to go and to go with a group of friends I adore, I just can't wait! Starting next week we will start packing up the shop and moving over to the new place and are wanting to be set up the following Monday, October 8th. I am so excited, the new place is three building in one. One end is a log cabin, the middle looks like an old mercantile, and the third (my part) is an old train depot. They moved it from Benson, LA. It's such a great location and I have been so busy I haven't really taken any pictures but, it has two huge sliding barn doors that open onto the platform/deck. The back barn door was converted into a huge window and the front actually opens to the platform/deck. It's all one room and has wide plank floors, some built in shelves and I can't wait to get in and get settled. I will be posting pictures for sure really soon! Well, I have a few things to do before we head out tomorrow so here hoping we find lots of treasure! Primitive blessings~ Tandra

How to grubby paper or coffe stain

You can use any kinds of paper, candstock, printer paper.
I like printer paper, it's easier to use in the printer than cardstock.
1. Pre heat oven to 200 and line both racks with crinkled tinfoil
2.Take a rectangle cake pan and put a little bit of water, it doesn't have to cover the whole pan.
3. sprinkle instant coffee down, now spay the coffee with a water bottle to moisten the coffee, leaving some areas wetter then others.
4.Dip one side of the paper then the next and put into oven to dry. You can flip paper in the oven to make sure it has dryed.
5. if you will be printing on the paper you might have to iron it, set iron on the lowest setting and iron one side then the next.
6.Now you can print on the paper or stamp and not worry about coffee staining running the ink

Grubby candles

This project can be messy, when I do this i do a large amount at a time. I have read tutorials about this and have found the easiest way for me. I buy cheap candles, at the dollar store or walmart you can also grubby up other things I have done old fashioned clothes pins and made bowl fillers with and added old buttons.
1. You'll need wax, I use left over tarts or candles or i buy the cheap candles at AC Moore, I use the spicey ones like cinnabon or banana nut bread. When they are on sale you can get a large candle for a few bucks.
2. Create a double boiler with a small pot with water boiling and put glass canle in boiling water and once it melts, I also sometimes use and old coffee can.
3.Create a work area with parchement or wax paper close to stove. You'll need an area to put the candles to set up on paper or parchment.
4. Remove wax and dip candle into the melted wax a few times to get it soft.
5.Sprinkle cinnamon,(I do this on a paper plate so I can reuse the cinnamon) and dip it into the wax holding the wick or use a paint brush. Repeat until lumppy and bumpy.
6.Sprinkle with cinnamon and let dry.

Cinnamon bowl fillers

I love cinnamon bowl fillers or ornaments. They are cheap to do and people really love them.This can be a messy project and when I make this I make a lot( Like 3 cups of each.)
1.Mix equal parts cinnamon to equal parts apple sauce.
2.Roll dough out onto parch ment paper to desired thickness.
3.Cut out with cookie cutters.( I have a crow and a star that's really cute)
4. Lay out on parchment or wax paper and let dry, you can also speed up the process by baking at 200 but, this can take a while.
5.Optional you can sprinkle with cinnamon while wet.
6. If you are going to make ornaments you'll have to put a hole in them while they are wet, I use a straw and add twine once it has dried.
They are cute as bowl fillers or with potpouri or as ornaments. You can use any smell good spice like pumkin.

Coffee stain fabric

I really like my projects to look really prim or grubby so I like to use instant coffee for my projects.
1. Wet fabric.
2. Remove as much water as possible.
3. Lay flat, do this outside if possible, it's messy. and spinkle with instant coffee, do it heavier in areas you want darker, Spay water with a water bottle to moisten coffee.
4. Let dry in the sun.
5. Rinse out or leave it depending on prefrence.
6. you can also put in the dryer to try and heat set it, I usually only do this if by chance someone might wash it. But, most of my projects aren't to be washed.