Peppy's Dream Crafts Blog

FEBRUARY 8, 2008

My new business cards arrived today!  My friend, LESLIE CABARGA, who designed my logo and my original business cards, re-designed and updated them for me.  He thought I should use more "California colors" so he made it really colorful and bright.  I just love them!  I hope you do, too!

Tomorrow I will go visit GILI ANNA and give her more jewelry mosaic frames to sell in her shop.  I am hoping that they will be a big hit in La Jolla!

FEBRUARY 10, 2008 

I had two friends over for a decoupage class today.  I tidied up the apartment and got everything ready for the class.  There are a lot of tools and supplies needed to do decoupage – Mod Podge (the glue you use), scissors, a sponge brush, paper (to glue), drop cloths to protect the chairs, table and carpet, and old magazines, which you use as a work space to glue.

The girls arrived at around 1:30pm and we got right to work.  Bonnie was decoupaging the top of two stools and Nicole had a small box.  I showed them the techniques and they both did a beautiful job.  Nicole is only 9-½, but she’s very artistic.  I had a big white plastic tray which I covered with pictures of clocks.  I thought the round on round look would be pretty and I think it came out great!

Nicole and her beautiful trinket box!

After the girls were finished they took some pictures with their digital camera and sent them to me so I can show their work.  They did a great job and we had a really fun day!

One of Bonnie's beautiful stools, which both have an animal print theme!

Here's Bonnie's other stool.  Fabulous!

Here's my tray!

Bonnie emailed me and said she and Nicole had a great time and they'd like to do it again.  I'm not surprised.  Everybody loves decoupage!

FEBRUARY 17, 2008

GILI ANNA now has about 8 pieces of my work in her shop!  Last weekend I brought her four more jewelry mosaic mirrors and a small jewelry mosaic picture frame.  I am hoping that they will start to sell, as she sold my first piece in less than 24 hours!

The pieces look so beautiful surrounded by all the gorgeous pieces of jewelry and decorative pieces she has in the shop.  They fit in very well!

Gili told me that a customer was interested in having me make one that was all pink, so I'm going to try to get more small mirrors, so I can do that for her.  That should be really beautiful.  I love pink, too! 

FEBRUARY 23, 2008

I started my commissioned mirror – all pinks – and I was a little nervous about it, because I really didn’t have that much material to work with that was ALL pink.  I had pinks – mixed with purples, or blues, or greens.  I thought it would be kind of boring to have an ALL pink mirror anyway, so I just started working with what I had.

Here's a close-up of my decoupaged "clock" tray.

While I was working on the mirror, I also varnished my “clock tray.”  I just put it outside  on the balcony sitting on top of a vase and I sprayed it.  Then, I sprayed the other side.  It dries so fast here.  It’s the perfect temperature and not very windy, so it’s easy to do.  In NY, sometimes I’d be standing outside the back of the shop in the winter, spraying a piece.  Or it would be 90 degrees outside, which also isn’t the best situation.  San Diego has perfect varnishing weather!

I finished the mirror and went to La Jolla to bring the pink mirror (which turned out great) to GILI ANNA.  Unfortunately, she wasn’t working.  Her friend was working for her, so that Gili could have a day off.  She works seven days a week, so she really needs some time to herself every once in a while.  I know working six days a week was hard for me, so it must be really hard to do seven!

Here's a picture of some of the treasures in GILI ANNA.

Here are some of my small jewelry mosaic mirrors:

FEBRUARY 25, 2008

I was looking for a place to "sell my wares" and found the NORTH PARK CRAFT MAFIA.  What a thrill.  First of all, I love the name.  Kind of tough, like they're all bad girls.  Then, I saw their logo, which is just adorable!  What could be better than pink and black -- my favorite color combination!  Then, I saw their motto: "Keeping San Diego Crafty."  I knew immediately that this was the group for me!

I read every word on their website, and found out there was going to be a craft fair this very Sunday at a place called THE OTHER SIDE COFFEE HOUSE, 4096 30th Street, San Diego, CA  92104.

FEBRUARY 26, 2008 

I had this vintage metal purse -- the little compact kind that holds your powder, lipstick, has a mirror, a space for your money and that's about it.  It had seen better days.  It had a beautiful jeweled applique on the lid, but the rest of the cover was kind of beat up.  The silver metal had dulled and was scratched.  I had it for a while and loved it, but knew I couldn't wear it or sell it unless I did something to make it better.  I decided to cover the lid with vintage costume jewelry and make it ready for the Red Carpet!  Voila!  Just a few hours and some old jewels and now it's fabulous!

I'm tempted to keep it for myself, but think that some diva will love to carry this to her next "big event" -- a black tie gala, a wedding, or even just a Saturday night at a chic restaurant in town!

As you can see, this purse had seen better days!

Inside there's room for everything a gal needs for a night on the town!

Now, it's fit for a queen!

I used a rhinestone necklace, clip-on earrings, and loose vintage stones of all shapes and colors!This would also be fabulous sitting on a vanity, dresser, or even your desk, to hold business cards!

I also had a gold-framed wooden vanity tray with a mirror in the center.  It stood on four gold ball feet.  Adorable, but it was all chipped.  Something had to be done to bring it back to life!  Aha!  More jewels!

Wouldn't this be fabulous with some cut glass perfume bottles on it?

Eric really loves it, which makes me so happy.  I can just imagine this in a lovely lady's boudoir.  If I had a dresser I might be tempted to keep it for myself, so it’s a good thing I don’t!