Thursday 24 October 2013

Ikea and 99c Only Store Makeover - Glass Cake Stand and Stemmed Dish

I have waited a long time to do this post! 
Recycled Ikea plate standWhen I was in Las Vegas last summer I was able to tick off one of the (sad) things on my bucket list by visiting a Dollar Store ………
Picture31…… well, I didn’t quite manage a Dollar Store ….. but  a 99c Only Store was just as brilliant!!!
99c storeWell, Lucy thought I was mad when I bought these two glass candlesticks, but at 61p each they were to good to leave behind, and believe me I had to leave so much behind because of weight and luggage space! 
las vegas scrapbookIn my mind I already knew what I wanted to do with them, but I had to wait until a recent trip to Ikea to complete it.
99c store candlesticksThe candlesticks were fairly light, so I wanted a light glass plate and bowl to go with them, I’d looked in charity shops but nothing I saw was quite right …. then I found this Frodig bowl and side plate in Ikea for just £1.50 each.  Well, it was a done deal!
ikea glass platesAll I needed was some E600 glue, as recommended by Marc, because it sticks like glue to absolutely anything!!!
ikea plate standI am so pleased with the finished results  …. they are light and delicate …. made for just £2.11 each and a couple of dabs of glue, perfect for one of my exclusive soirees……..
ikea plate stand recycled
……. and exactly what I had in mind, all those thousands of miles from home in the most unbelievable heat!!
fiddle faddleOne regret of my visit? I wish I had bought a box of this popcorn, instead of just taking a photo of it!!!
However,  I have just found the 99c Only Store blog, which is well worth a look for some very ingenious craft ideas - http://www.99only.com/blog

Playing With Marc’s Melting Pot and Utee.

I have been sooooooo slow at getting things blogged recently,  I stayed with Marc back in August and only now am I showing you what we got up to, how rude!
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Firstly …… Marc introduced me to the art of cooking chicken in the “London Style”, you can imagine all childish giggling that ensued,  especially when I asked innocently how/where I should insert the onion (for flavour) and the accompanying stuffing, after giving it a good buttery massage, while being closely scrutinised by Marc …….. we are sooooo bad together!  And then, naturally I had to introduce Marc to drinking vodka and coke Las Vegas style ……. Picture42
I digress …… so,  back in August we decided to get Marc’s Melting Pot out, something I have always been curious about,  but never quite managed to get in my online shopping basket …..
Ranger Melting Pot 1Ranger Melting Pot
We both wanted to experiment with using it with coloured UTEE to faux solder  simple microscope slides decorations, especially as Marc had every colour under the sun to colour the UTEE, that’s so Marc!!!!
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The idea was to sandwich a piece of decorative paper between two microscope slides and then dip each side into the UTEE to create a faux solder all the way round.
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However, Marc and I are both very good at getting distracted by other things along the way and going off on tangents, we  are also TOTALLY undisciplined when it comes to getting things out when we are crafting ….. and before we knew it Marc’s lounge was covered with all the things he wanted to show me and that we oooowed and ahhhed over as only crafters do!!!!
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There was stuff everywhere!!!! 
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I was very impressed at our very first attempts , the UTEE was easy to use and the effect pleasingly “rough/rustic” …..
Picture52…… with more practice I know I could improve my “technique”. Once the “solder”  was set (almost instantly),  I fiddlefarted with embellishing the glass and wrapping coloured wire round the slides …. all very amateur …but this really was “playing on the hoof”, with both of us firing ideas at each other, ten to the dozen.
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Since I have come home Marc and I have talked/planned a lot about what we want to try next time with Marc’s Melt Pot. I especially want to try making UTEE cubes that contain little treasures using an ice cube tray ….. so I think my suitcase will be full of purposeful bits and pieces now that I have a clearer idea about what I can do with UTEE, rather than clothes ….. but since we spend most of our time lounging in our pyjamas anyway …… I don’t think I will miss them!
And now,  going off on a tangent ….these are just a few of the decorative pins Marc has made, they are soooooo beautiful, and each one different ….. I have a few that I keep on my treasure shelf in my dining room in little bottles …… I love them so much.
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And this is a card that Marc ‘just’ knocked up on his first attempt of using his new Karen Burniston  Sizzix Album, Accordion Flip 3-D die  Item # 658035.  Marc is very into his 3D and pop up dies/cards.  I am afraid they are a little beyond me ….. and too much work, all those sides to fill!!!!!!! I tell Marc that his need to construct is a “man thing”!!!
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Oh, and how was the chicken?  …….. Nom, nom, nom …… although Marc didn’t actually have any as he is a veggie!!!  Happy, happy days!