Helena c studios

From Placemats To Cottage Window Treatments

Hey buddies,

It's funny how after weeks and months of searching in handmade shops online and in stores, you just never know when inspiration will strike.

The master bathroom redo was still needing a window treatment. I found amazing but expensive vintage fabric only to lose the auction at the last second on ebay. I looked and looked everywhere, and then last Saturday while Matt and I were out shopping at Kmart for a coffee maker, what do I see? Martha Stewart Everyday placemats, quilted no less!!!
 Matt looked at me confused as I snatched them off of the shelf with a triumphant grin. Maybe he was secretly cringing at the thought of more crooked valances in the house but, I am pleased to say that they came out rather well.
All I did was sew a pocket for the curtain rod and viola!!
Thanks to Martha and her placemat assortment, there will no longer be naked windows in this house!!

Tomorrow is my last pottery class for this session and hopefully I will have goodies to show you.
have a great day!
hugs,
Helena

Extreme Tween Room Makeover

Hey buddies,

All I can say is holy moly Hope's room is finished!!
After Matt painted the walls, he insisted on making her a new desk/art studio, which I protested strongly. He promised it wouldn't cost alot, and he promised that he would put it all back together. Well one out of two I guess occurred
Matt ended up putting Hope's old desk in Michael's room and helping him organize. (2 garbage bags later...ha ha )
Matt took the top from our old dining room table that was sitting in the garage since we couldn't part with it due to all of the memories. He cut it smaller and painted it white and attached it to these Closetmaid  shelves found at Lowes and Walmart as the base. We then attached a similar one on top to hold her papers and stationary supplies. It was so much cheaper than the desks that we had been looking at and sturdier also.
Of course it took Hope and I 5 hours to sort and organize the supplies from the old desk, and hang everything on the walls. The poster you see above the desk, is one of 3 advertising posters that Matthew got for her when he used to work at Block Buster in New York. Her room was still pretty girly at the time and I wasn't ready for posters yet, but now with the colors they go perfectly.
Now all I need to do is paint her dresser and her peg rack and the room redo will be finished.
hooray!!
I now hear the couch calling my name,
Hugs,
Helena

Winter Marsh

Hey buddies,

Did you miss me? You didn't even know I was gone.
Matt and I snuck away for a night when Hope was invited to a sleep over.

This was a zoomed in view from our hotel room at the Hilton Garden Inn. It would have been a lot prettier in the summer when the marsh is the most beautiful green, but there may be condos like these obscuring the view soon since this lot is for sale.
The hotel is brand new and very pretty with my favorite light blue and green color scheme in the lobby, delicious buffet breakfast and our favorite seafood restaurant, Gilligans right down the street. We stopped at one of our favorite antique shops too. It was so much fun and way too long since we had been away alone 7 years ago!!
Below are some more marsh pictures in winter and summer.
Have a great night,
Hugs
Helena

Bird Jars

Hey buddies,
Ahhhh another Thursday pottery class to put a big smile on my face.
For some reason this session has been more of a challenge for me, but today with Trevor's help I made a medium sized bowl and I can't wait to glaze it! I am tempted to try the hand building class next session instead of the wheel. I'm just so torn.
Here is the lid with  my sculpted bird that needs to be glazed. Somehow I couldn't find the lid last week, but the leaves and vines on the jar were glazed in the metal glazes. The real name escapes me, but I used real copper for the green. Funny I even tied in bird week with my pottery:)

And last week when I showed my mini chip and dip, sorry but I steered you wrong:) It is the floating blue glaze, not the mystery glaze that I used. Forgive me?
Well hope is busy sewing and I need to remind her that it's a school night.
Hugs,
Helena

HGTV Dream Home

Hey buddies, I just received a reminder from HGTV that tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the Dream Home. Since I reminded you, if you win to thank me we will be on your door step for a visit:) Just thought I should warn you. ha ha xoxoxox

Bird Week

Hey buddies,

(Cue ringing phone) ha
I was just about to say that since working from home has it's many rewards but many challenges and interruptions, which I have been struggling with ALOT lately, I came up with a plan to keep my scattered mind on track.
Over the weekend I will decide what the topic of the week will be and I will get creating in whatever medium that inspires me.
Along the lines of what Glenda and I used to do on our old blog

This week is "bird week." Since I just came up with this plan today, it will be next week also.
I feel less scatter brained already and won't Matt be thrilled. There are watercolors in progress in the bedroom, carved bunnies in the kitchen (I paint or carve while supper is cooking) jewelry to be photographed on the table and my first mosaic project that needs a good scraping because I grouted and then got so distracted that I forgot about it until the next day!!
I could go on and on, but I won't because It's bird week and I must get creating!!
Below are some of my carved sparkly birds. I'll let you know when I add them to my site.
Some will have wire feet, some perched, you'll see:)

Have a great day,
Hugs,
Helena

Drenched In Color

hey buddies,
before I head off to Hope's class to grade math quizzes, I wanted to show you her very colorful walls. Matt worked very hard with anxious onlookers taking a peek every few minutes.

Matt used cheapy Walmart paint and noticed a huge difference between the Valspar paint from Lowes that we usually use, it could actually use a 3rd coat in places, but for now with Matt looking cross eyed at me, it is just fine lol.
Speaking of Walmart, I had to grab these baskets in this gorgeous color. They are fabric covered wire, 2 for $10.00. I got these for Hope's studio/desk redo but think they may not look right. I'm sure I can find a place in my closet for them.
well off I go,
Hugs
Helena

Fresh from The Kiln

Hey buddies,

I wanted to show you the results of the mini chip and dip plate I showed a week or so ago, and below.. I love this glaze that Trevor the instructor calls the "mystery glaze." It goes on looking like chocolate milk and ends up like this. Glazing is such a cool process. Unlike the Acrylic and watercolor paints that I use, what you see is what you get, but with pottery, it is such a surprise when it comes from the kiln.
 This last picture I used the  metallic glaze in Copper and it should come out like the Vertigris green once fired. I can't wait to see.
Matt is busy painting Hope's room now. The lime green color looks more like the yellow highlighter markers, but it is only the first coat. Hope loves it, but will need to go to bed with sunglasses on.ha ha
Have a good night
Hugs,
Helena

Happy Valentines Day

Hey buddies,

Sorry I haven't been around. I was sick all week and then Teddy had surgery Thursday and I have been trying to keep him calm, which is impossible:) but we are thankful that he is healthy and so bouncy.
We will be painting Hope's room a lime green and a sherberty orange over the weekend so I'll be back with pictures to share. This will be quite the task:)
I wanted to say Happy Valentines Day and please keep the victims and families of flight 3407 in your thoughts. We lived in that area for 8 years before moving south and it is just so tragic.
Hugs,
Helena

Coastal Treasure Box

Hey buddies,

I was looking at this empty shadow box that I had painted in my favorite beachy shades when I redid my old studio 2 years ago in Summerville, SC and all of a sudden this idea came to me.
 I gathered all of my favorite beach treasures and memories and viola. Instant art for the wall in the bathroom!
 It had really been bothering Matt, so much that he hopped a plane to Oregon~just kidding.

I had figured I would paint something to go on the wall, but this goes perfectly with the new shower curtain and the wall color. Who knew 2 years later it would all come together.
(And that dear Matt is why I don't throw anything away:)
Check out my shower curtain bling.
I almost returned these thinking it wouldn't really make a difference but I love it. Goodbye Dollar Tree plastic curtain rings, Teddy plays with them now.
Off to clean up my mess and go get Hope from school.
Hugs,
Helena

*If you see any fabric that would make for a good valance, please let me know.thanks~xoxox