Up-Cycled Magic!
I restored this old cabinet, it was originally an ugly black and gray piece. I painted it with left over paints from Lowe's: coconut white and a light salmon pink. I choose to paint the inside the coconut white.

The top right corner was missing a ledge corner, the center was missing 2 medallions and had no knobs.

I molded the left corner edge of the piece, then poured with plaster, and attached to the right corner using wood putty and a few layers of spackle, once dried I sanded it!

Next I made another mold of the 2 medallions, poured it w/plaster and attached to the center doors with clear caulk, then I sanded some parts of the whole piece to show the original black paint that was underneath.

Finally I went to Lowe's and grabbed 2 crystal cabinet knobs, then attached them to the top drawer of the cabinet and to the center door. Now it plays host to my jewelry boxes and jeweled treasures.

This is actually a simple project you can finish in a weeked with in-expensive materials. I bought the cabinet for $5 because it was damaged. The paint was $3 a can since it was left over paint, the knobs were $2 each, the mold compound was $10 with a coupon, the plaster of paris was $3, Spackle, wood putty and clear caulk were left overs from another project, total for finished fabulous chic piece: $25 including the tax for everything!

This is a project you can do to old bathroom or kitchen cabinets, visit a dumpster, local junk/salvage yard, surplus store, thrift store, rummage/garage sale, etc. for furniture to re-do!

Happy Weekend!
XO
Lisa!

Up-cycled Furniture!

A passion of mine is saving old discarded furniture and giving it an up-do or what is now labeled: Up-cycle. Before I opened Piddlestixs my task was trying to find in-expensive furniture to fill the store with, but now a days even thrift stores and Good Will Stores are raising their prices on items due to dealers, which hurts those of us who really could use a good bargain. However with some extreme treasure hunting you can find some good deals for instance this 1970's style china cabinet I purchased for $10. Loved the frame but hated the wood color, so I picked up discount paint for $5 a gallon, a primer and paint in one, the color, Shabby Bubblegum. Then I bought a creamy white enamel paint on sale for $1.25 to fill in the hard ware and accents.

Here is the piece in its original state:

Here is the piece sanded and getting painted:

Here it is painted:

Now with the accents painted:

This next piece was a child's bed headboard/hutch which was an ugly 60s'/70s' brown, which I painted with more of the bargain paints:


The following piece was again an ugly cheap wood color, which I sanded and painted w/more bargain paint in a pastel Robin's egg blue color:



Stay tuned for more painted pieces!
xoxo
Lisa!

Doll Land Inside Piddlestixs!

Since I was a little girl I was always excited to get a doll whether it was old or new, a doll always allowed my imagination to soar. Dolls have inspired me to write, draw and create, its this childhood fantasy that I carried over into my adult world which allows me to keep the magic inside me and to see things differently then others.

An old doll in a grungy condition might be turned away from some, but to me, its a doll waiting to be given life again. I might turn that doll into a new one, mold it, add to an assemblage, draw it, tell a story about it or comprise it of other parts to become something new such as a wand, jar topper or embellishment.


At Piddlestixs I wanted to dedicate a whole section for the whimsy of childhood, complete with dolls and toys, a blend of vintage, modern, broken and artful, a place I call Doll Land and the Circus Follies. There is a magic hidden in these items which can bring back our childhood spirit.

Many of these dolls sit in the hand painted pink glass cabinet, which I created especially for them. Along side is a pink child's storybook hutch, white shelves filled w/vignettes, 2 castle like pillars and doll house curtains. Everyday I plan to add to the collection with furniture, toys and more dolls.

When you visit Piddlestixs in Historic Lafayette, NJ, you will escape to a world of magic. Come stay and play for a while, take a class and make a doll, buy enchanted goodies to bring some magic to your day!

See you at the store!
12 Morris Farm Rd, Historic Lafayette, NJ 07848