A Labor of Love - A Work in Progress

   For several years I have wanted to make a large Noah's Ark. I wanted it to be somewhat patterned after the Noah's Ark toys that were made in the 1800's that people made or purchased for their children to play with on Sundays. Their children were not allowed to play on Sundays, in what they thought were foolish ways, as they might play on other days, but must play more quietly and reverently on the Lord's day. You can see some examples of these antique Arks here...http://www.oldwoodtoys.com/noah%27s_arks.htm
   This summer has been the perfect time for me to get at projects I've wanted to do, because I'm on lay off from my "regular job". But the more important reason to make my Noah's Ark now is my grandson Isaac. He's going to be 4 in October, and he's at just the age to really enjoy playing with it. And since he moved far away from Grammy last year I wanted to make him something really special. So I thought he also might like to look at some pictures of how grammy made his Noah's Ark, and maybe some of you would too. While I was at it I also made one to put in my Etsy shop. My Noah's Ark bank is 1 foot long so I decided I wanted this ark 2 feet long and basically doubled all the measurements on the small ark.

I cut the 24" board and made the end pattern and the cut the base on the band saw...

Then I cut the "house" ends and sides, cut the door, and assembled them...

 Then I started drawing and making patterns for the animals and Mr and Mrs. Noah...

I  made thin plywood templates to mark my animals and cut them on the scroll saw.




I filed and sanded all the edges ...

I base coated the ark and all the animals, and detail painted the animals.

                                                                                                              

I detail painted the rest of the ark, went back out to the garage and attached it to the base, and put on the roof. I painted the roof, then sanded the animals and ark to give them the "time worn "look.Then I added the dove to the top and gave it all a hand rubbed wax stain.

The finished Noah's Ark! I hope you like it Isaac!,

                 And I hope someone will want the other Ark I made to sell in my Etsy shop too!
                                                              My ark collection...

More Garage Sale Treasures

Here are some of my recent garage sale finds I've been turning into someone's  treasure. You may remember the box with the rounded side. I got 3 of them and finished one  that I put in my shop last week.
I might do one in black with red hearts and gold outline strokes. Any ideas?

                        Here's the basket I finished today! I thought it just needed tulips!
I'm still working on the other box. It's a playing card box with a divider inside to hold 2 decks of cards.

Here are 2 other things
I made this week from
my garage sale finds!
 I have old fence boards I used for these.
Do you think that old rusty hook on the chipped paint is too shabby for shabby chic? I thought the scroll sawed ends might give it a little class. You can be honest- it won't hurt my feelings!
  I better get back to work! You all  have a great day!
P.S.The other news I have today is that I joined the Team-Christian Artists and Crafters on Etsy! To view the teams items on Etsy type TeamCAC in the search bar!

My Fun and My Favorites!

                This week I made a new Noah's Ark Birdhouse for my etsy shop. 
 My pictures of  the old one were not very good, and I had sold that one awhile back to a friend. Anyway, I added this fun sign to it! Of course some people might not know that Noah's Ark landed on Mt. Ararat, and of course dear old Noah didn't know where in the world he was going to land. He just trusted God, and obeyed. I still like my little sign tho!
   Some people may not have heard the term "or bust." I googled it...The term began in the 1930s when many dust bowl farmers left drought stricken Oklahoma for California with the phrase "California or bust" written on signs attached to their trucks. Due to the drought and the Great Depression, these farmers were literally financially bankrupt and using the last of their few dollars to make the trek west.(Wiki Answers)
  I listed  my ark twice--with or without additional animals, and put in the option of  making it as just an ark, without the birdhouse hole. Here are the links:
  http://www.etsy.com/listing/34333139/noahs-ark-birdhouse-with-ramp-door-and
http://www.etsy.com/listing/52132098/noahs-ark-birdhouse
  Here is my item I listed today!          I cut out 2 little hens and made them into a basket...

I sanded them after I painted to make them look
  'Time worn", and nailed on the slats and stained it. Here's the link...
http://www.etsy.com/listing/52236699/chicken-basket






















 Here are a few of my favorite sellers items on Etsy! Click on them and have a closer look!. 
You can view more of my favorites here-http://www.etsy.com/people/mulberrylanefolkart/favorites?page=3

Fancy That! Some of my Latest Endeavors on Mulberry Lane

This past week I've made a couple of my Noah's Ark Banks. I designed this in 1994 when I was wholesale marketing, doing business as Country Folk Artworks. I think it's a sort of timeless piece, because it is styled after early American Noah's Arks, and they are still a fun folk art collectible, or decor for kid's rooms.

As you can see it has 2 elephants, 2 bunnies, 2 llamas, and 2 prairie dogs, and the dove on top. There's a coin slot in the center of the roof, and I've lettered Saving For A Rainy Day, and waves around the base. I really want to make a larger Ark-toy or collectible, with a ramp door, and more animals.

         Here's my other piece I listed in my Etsy shop this week. It is one of the boxes I got at a garage sale, that I wrote about in my last post. I had painted one similar to this for my daughter for Christmas, and she loved it. I'm hoping someone will love this one too! It would make a nice gift. I love the paint that I used to basecoat this. It's DecoArt Elegant Finish Metallic Paint--Rich Espresso (acrylic). I got it at Micheal's Crafts. I used Folk Art Metallic Gold for the hearts. I hand cut my own stencils for the hearts.  I'm thinking of doing the other 2 boxes the same, with different color schemes. Any Ideas?
 I got an order for my Folk Art Painting with Sheep under the Moon and Stars- Psalm 19:1 Here it is Painted.

     And here's the finished piece - lightly distressed and with the wax stain finish ......

                                  This is painted on a pine board. It's about 11" X 16"
                               Here's a grouping some of my work I've done this past month...

       In my next post I will share some other artisans I admire. Y'all have a great week! ♥ Jennifer

I Love Garage Sales!

I can't sit around here blogging too long. There's a bunch of garage sales out there waiting for no one. The early bird catches the worm you know. Here's a little treasure box I got last week!

There were 10 beautiful old rusty horseshoes in there for 50 cents! I couldn't believe it. I took 'em home and my daughter said "Are you crazy" or something to that effect. Anyway here's a start on what I'm doing with them....

                                       I gotta go now...I'll be back with more in a little while!
                                  I'm Back! Here's are some of the treasures I found this morning...

 This beautiful little copper piece (does anyone out there know what you call these?)-50 cents. I got the candle awhile back at another sale for 50 cents also, and it's never been used. Also...

 These vintage cookie cutters for 10 cents. I found a set on ebay for $12! I love the old green handles! And..

    these came along  in the box too! At that sale I also got a nice Bass Pro 2 man camping tent for $1 and it was just used by a little boy to play in inside the house.  And...

                           Three unfinished wooden boxes to paint and decorate--$1 each

This metal shelf sitter. I put it on my kitchen window ledge. It has 5 votive candle holders which will make it pretty at night.  And...

                              These Chicken salt & Pepper and toothpick holder for 25 cents!  And...

 A horseshoe hanger! I paid $2 for this, and I plan to put it on some kind of board and put it in my etsy shop.
                         Here's my best treasure I got about 5 years ago...

This is a Victorian era 5 leg oak dining table. When I got it it was painted white, and I stripped and refinished the top, and sanded back the rest and stained it. Here's the top...

It also has a leaf . I researched these a little and they were about $800-$1000! My garage sale price--$20.00! I found 6 pressed back chairs on sale at a local furniture store. Their color really matches the table.  Here's my side board here in my dining area---more bargains...

The top piece with the Lions, I got about 38 years ago. I painted a landscape for it. I used it for a hall table for years. It is a top piece for a Victorian Sideboard.  The bottom dresser part I got at a yard sale last year for $20! Garage sales can be lots of fun! Some days you can find lots of great treasures! I have a lot more I could tell you about. Let me know if you're interested!


 

Love my Lilies!

This is my project this week: Love my lillies! They were hanging all over the sidewalk so I fenced 'em in. I made these little picket fences. It took me almost a whole day to saw the wood, assemble and paint them; but I think it was worth it!...

( I showed this on my Facebook, so sorry to be repetitive if you have seen it.)

P.S. I just added more pictures of my Aunt's art work to the Post below if you would like to have a look!