"The Girl with the Blue Bow" Restoration of a painting owned by Firmin Janssens - http://www.stedelijkonderwijs.be/academie-wilrijk/restauratie-schilderkunst

This is a past project I absolutely wanted to share, quite frankly because I'm really proud of the work.

I went to evening classes in Wilrijk near Antwerp and this was my project.

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This is the painting as I received it before the Restoration.

It has no title, so I named it "Girl with the blue bow".

The painter is unknown. The medium is oil on canvas.

The following photo's are of the painting's condition,

 before the restoration started.

Next come pictures of the work done 

to stabilise the the painted surface

 and the wooden frame

And then finally the restoration of the painted surface to the finished result.

A lamp for my bedroom and other doily projects

This is one of the projects I'm working on at the moment.

 

I found this photo on Pinterest and had an immediate Aha-moment.

My great-grandma was a prolific art crocheter and knitter, and I always admired the intricate little works of art she produced.

Unfortunately, all her doilies and table cloths got lost or were given away over the years. Hey, I have to admit I did not find them particularly fashionable either. More's the pity now. 

I started looking out for doilies at second hand market and in thrift shops, but it seems that everybody got rid of them at some point or other, and the crop is disappointingly meager.

Next step ... make them myself!

Here are some of the ones I have made in the last weeks.

And I need a lot more, so I will keep crocheting.

I'm also going to try and knit one.

And when I have enough of them, I'll keep you posted on the construction of the lamp. 

I have found some more projects to do with doilies. 

They are the perfect decoration for the family dinner on Christmas Eve !

http://craftsbyamanda.com/2011/01/burlap-doily-luminaries-rustic-meets.html

I think I'm going all out and make this wreath for the front door too

http://thecharitywedding.com/2011/08/15/diy-doily-wreath/

I finally have enough doilies to start making my lamp. Keep an eye on this blog: I am going to post step by step photos.

Getting my blog started

As I roam the web looking for ideas, I keep reading the most interesting things on other people's blogs, 
So it should not be to much of a surprise that I'm going to start my own blog.

It's going to be a lifestyle blog with focus on Home Improvement, DIY, Art, Cooking and much much more.
My friends keep telling me that I'm sooooo handy and creative, so here goes, I'm going to start sharing projects I'm working on.

Keep me informed if you want to see particular content or if I can help you with tips about projects you are working on.

Love Marjan