OK, so when we got the trees taken down, I asked the tree guys to leave the chips for mulch.  then they asked me if I wanted more, and I said yes.  this was a good thing until I threw my back out, and I was left with scraggly gardens and a huge pile of wood chips in the driveway.  Here begins the saga of the wood chips, post-good-chiropractor-finding:

The pile. . .

Where the chips that used to be there went. . .

These are plain, ordinary plastic switchplates. I found the images online, tweaked them with Photoshop, and printed them on the inkjet printer.  After a few tries, I figured out that I needed to paint the switchplate and the back of the paper with Mod Podge, attach the image to the front of the switchplate, and let it dry.  After that, I glued the excess paper onto the back of the switchplate, mitreing the corners.  Then I cut an x into the hole for the switch from the back and pulled the paper through and back, and secured it with more Mod Podge.  I cut x’s into the screw holes and pushed the paper in with the end of a paintbrush.  For more depth, I added some liquid leaf in florentine gold, dabbed into the corner and feathered across the flower.  At that point, I raised the plates up on cans and sprayed them with a gloss acrylic, several coats for good coverage.  They’ll be dry enough to put up in 24 hours.  Try this at home, kids!!!

Besides all the other stuff. While I was waiting for hubby to finish hanging shelves in Audrey’s room, and before I started making dinner, I threw this thang together:

It’s three frames from IKEA. I bought a roll of fiberglass screen mesh from the hardware store, plus tiny hinges and 1/4″ staple gun staples. I cut the screen mesh, staple gunned it to the inside of the frame (after removing the glass, of course!) and then hot glued it into the frame for good measure. There are three little hinges at each joint. I think I’m going to find some tiny screw-in hooks for the necklaces, plus make a few hooks out of earring wire so I can hang necklaces from the mesh, too. However, I think the thing I really learned from making this project is that I need more earrings. Heh.