Vintage Elf Extreme Makeover

I found this bald, bulging-eyed, sort of scary-looking elf on a

lilypad at my local Goodwill store.  I knew I could give it

a "Darling Touch" makeover.

Step one.  Using a screwdriver and hammer, lightly tap to remove elf from lilypad.

Step two.  Wash elf and paint on hair, nicer eyes with eyebrows, and peach-colored lips to replace the bright red.

Step three.  Apply glitter on trim of elf costume. 

Step four.  Glue on a snowflake "hat" (with the best British fashion-forward inspiration) to cover chipped section.

Step five.  Give this cute little winter elf a home, using a vintage milk glass plate (that looks a lot like a snowflake), a Goodwill glass cloche with a vintage porcelain drawer pull on top, and some tiny snow-glittered trees.

A side-by-side before and after.  That's what I call an Extreme Makeover!

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Winter Pixie Cloche

When you live in a place where winter can last 

close to six months, you better embrace it.

Turn thrift-store items into 

long-lasting winter cuteness.

Plate and glass from Goodwill,
vintage drawer pull from my stash.

Broken figurine...she's missing her wings, so I gave
her a cashmere scarf (scrap from Goodwill sweater) to hide
the broken place.

Heart and pinecones from my stash, paper Christmas
gift I made to fit in the pixie's arms.

Copy vintage images and postcard backs from Google Images.
Glue them together to make your images
look like vintage postcards.

Here's the Christmas version...

Valentine's Day...

Winter...

Here is she is "plain."  I 'll probably make some early spring
scenes with her holding spring snowdrops (March) or crocus (April).
By that time, we actually get to put our scarves and mittens away!

Here are the winter scenes I used...

Your local thrift store is waiting for you!

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I Have a Thing for Old Books

The patina of certain old books is something I find very attractive.

I make them into wall art, using mirrors or painting part of the

cover with chalkboard paint to make memo boards.

Below are just some examples of the book art that I've made and sold.

You'll have to ignore the captions, since these photos were originally submissions to a juried art show.  

These have all sold, but something YOU would like to have is only an email away!

lisadarling60@gmail.com  

Let me know the theme or color you're interested in and I'll make one for you.

These make unique, thoughtful gifts that can be matched to the interests of the recipient.

Think ahead for birthdays, anniversaries, and Christmas...

who do you know that would love a piece of vintage book art?

Linked with Knick of Time's Vintage Inspiration Party

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Project Inspired at An Extraordinary Day

Thrifty Winter Decor

Wayne and I spent some time in Germany this past December, and I found myself delighted with the half-timbered buildings.

More about that below, but I need to change the subject for just a moment...

After the Christmas decor has been put away and the house feels a bit forlorn, 

I enjoy getting out my winter decorations. 

Little thrift store skiers 
look like my husband and me, 
after I painted them with the 
appropriate beard/hair colors.

Here we are, skiing through the woods!

The piano top gets some 
sweater-covered candleholders 
(buy a thrift-store sweater and cut off the sleeves) 
and the Hobby Lobby lamp gets a cashmere
 "slipcover" on the shade (you guessed it, 
a thrift-store sweater cut down).

A closer look...

A sweater pillow on the chair and a 
vintage green wicker laundry basket 
of pinecones atop the armoire I painted.

Now, back to those lovely houses in Germany.

This year, I decided to make my own little village of half-timbered buildings and put them on a large grapevine wreath I found at (where else?) the thrift store.

The wreath has little twinkling lights on it, which you can barely see in the picture below.

I'll probably add a few more trees, and maybe another building or two, but it's finished for now, and I have my own little European village, hanging in my winter-cozy living room.

Linked up with Dagmar's Home Thrifty Vintage Finds Link Party

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