Home » Crafty » Reader Showcase: A Look Back at Summer 2015

Reader Showcase: A Look Back at Summer 2015

When my friend Heather re-shared this beautiful Instagram by Bless’er House, I couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”  -F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." -F. Scott Fitzgerald
Photo by Bless’er House

Ain’t it the truth?  And it’s just one of the many reasons why I love fall.

I have such fond fall memories from my childhood growing up in New York…of being given the “chore” of raking leaves, which was really an invitation to play in them…

The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase
{source}

…of climbing trees in the apple orchard to grab that glimmering golden delicious…

The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase
{source}

…of guzzling down hot cider in between bites of cinnamon sugar donuts…

The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase
{source}

…of hours upon hours of field hockey practice after school with my best girls.

The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase
1998 State Champs!

And while that crisp fall weather isn’t something we really experience here in Orlando until about…errrrm…January, I embrace the fresh start that comes on September 23rd, the first day of fall.  And I relish in the power of my imagination to bring me back to piles of leaves and boughs of trees and the freshly mowed grass of the field before practice.

Another activity I enjoy partaking in during the season change is The Thinking Closet Reader Showcase where I get to turn the spotlight on you, my very favorite readers.  Because y’all never cease to amaze me with how you can take an inkling of an idea you discovered on these humble blog pages and run with it, coming up with creations more magnificent and beautiful than I could ever imagine.

Bottom line: y’all have got mad skillz, yo.

So, I’m busting out the sparklers to celebrate as we look back on your creative projects from this past summer 2015.

Summer 2015 Reader Showcase

Summer 2015 Reader Showcase at The Thinking Closet | Prepare to be amazed at the creativity and inspiration in the craft and DIY tutorials found in this round-up! Reason #597 why The Thinking Closet readers are the best readers in blogland!

Note: If you’d like to pin some of these projects, please click through to the blogs from whence they came to honor the original source (if there’s a post on it).  Also, I’ll link to the original tutorials in case others would like to give some of these a try, too.  Now, let’s get this party started, aight?

DIY-ing

Might as well start things off with a bang!  Jennifer and David are a DIY-duo who were able to take our post on How to Build a Custom King Size Bed Frame and create a piece of furniture they will treasure for years to come.  Is this stained wonder not glorious?  Standing ovation time, right out of the gate!

Custom King Bed by Jennifer & David, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Custom King Bed & Headboard by Jennifer & David

You all know my obsession with Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan, right?  {Beginner’s Guide 1 & 2}  Well, I’m not the only one who adores this fantastic no-prep paint!

First up is Rachel’s desk.  I love the stained top with the painted leg combo.  So fahhhhbulous.

Desk Makeover with Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan by Boomtown Diaries, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Desk Makeover with Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan by Boomtown Diaries

This next piece turned out beautifully; it’s a bureau that incorporates two of my loves in one: Chalk Paint AND a peek-a-boo interior paint.  You’ll have to visit Brioney’s blog to see the peek-a-boo surprise!

Bureau Makeover with Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan by In Stitches, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Bureau Makeover with Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan by In Stitches

Chelsea Rae, featured last round, is on a roll (pun-intended) because she is back with another gorgeous furniture transformation inspired by our Roll-Top Desk Makeover.  The student has become the master, methinks!

Dresser Makeover by Chelsea Rae, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Dresser Makeover by Chelsea Rae

Arts & Crafting

So, I’ve been playing around with watercolors a lot over on Instagram and was delighted when I learned some inspiration rubbed off on sweet Maggie.  And of course, now I want to play around with watercolors and black marker like she did in this beautiful portrait of her house.  Visit her blog to see how well she captures the real deal!

Miniature Watercolor House by Maggie's Butterfly Kisses, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Miniature Watercolor House by Maggie’s Butterfly Kisses

I always love seeing your creative interpretations of The Menu Planner to Rules Them All…especially because I’m gearing up to re-do my original one!  How fun is Fly Lady’s owl-themed fabric?

Menu Planner by Fly Lady, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Menu Planner by Fly Lady

And here’s Sarah’s, all purdy with polka dots!

Menu Planner by Sarah, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Menu Planner by Sarah

And check out this version by Gina, who used a most adorable vintage-looking paper on her recipe boxes.

Menu Planner by The Multi-Tasking Missus, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Menu Planner by The Multi-Tasking Missus

I got chills reading about this couple’s journey to pour their hearts into growing their marriage…and was so honored that my 12 Months of Dates Printable could be a part of it.

12 Months of Dates Mini-Book by The Chatterjee-Woolmans, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
12 Months of Dates Mini-Book by The Chatterjee-Woolmans

Here’s another rendition, which is perhaps one of the most creative adaptations of the printable I’ve ever seen.  Major props to Scotty for all the time, thought, and heart he poured into this gift for his special someone.

12 Months of Dates Mini-Book by Scotty, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
12 Months of Dates Mini-Book by Scotty
12 Months of Dates Mini-Book by Scotty, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
12 Months of Dates Mini-Book by Scotty

Sewing

Carmen was able to use my Burp Cloth Tutorial for the Beginner Sewist to whip up a burp cloth for her newborn girl during nap time.  Go, girl!

Burp Cloth by Copycat Creator, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Burp Cloth by Copycat Creator

Silhouette-ing

Eff was able to make perhaps the most EPIC collection of Photo Booth Props I have ever seen using some of my free Silhouette cut files.  What a fantastic shin-dig it must have been!

Photo Booth Props by Whatcha Workin' On, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Photo Booth Props by Whatcha Workin’ On

Emme just might win the award for most features EVER in The Thinking Closet Reader Showcases…seriously, this gal is on fire!  And this is her first of two features in today’s post.  Check out these adorable onesies she made.  Her first foray into the wonderful world of freezer paper stenciling.  And I dare say it was a wild success!

Stenciled Onesies by Emme, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Stenciled Onesies by Emme

For more onesie fun, you have to check out this gem by the talented Camila.  She says I inspired her with my onesies, but I feel like she’s giving me more credit than I deserve.  This punny delight was all her!

Baby Girl Owl Onesie by The Crafting Nook, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Baby Girl Owl Onesie by The Crafting Nook

There’s truly no limit to what you can do with freezer paper stenciling…as proven by Emily with these fab stenciled pillows she made as a wedding gift!

Wedding Date Pillows by The Small Stuff Counts, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Wedding Date Pillows by The Small Stuff Counts

Back in the dizzle when I first got my Silhouette machine, I created a set of A Thousand Thanks Cards.  Well, that tutorial was the inkling of a spark that inspired these stunning business card holders that Samantha whipped up for her etsy shop.  What a genius idea!

Biz Card Holders by Stitches By Samantha, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Biz Card Holders by Stitches By Samantha

Journaling

It brings me great joy to add a brand new category to the Reader Showcase, thanks to the rapidly growing Journaling Bible movement.

I’m truly delighted to know my Permission Pages have inspired so many of you to create your own!  It is such a valuable exercise for freeing yourself of perfectionism paralysis.  Check out these inspired pages:

Permission Pages by Morgan, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Permission Pages by Morgan
Permission Pages by LunarStudios on Instagram, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Permission Pages by LunarStudios on Instagram
Permission Pages by Kathi, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Permission Pages by Kathi…who also likes to pin HERE
Permission Pages by Dolli, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Permission Page by Dolli
Permission Page by DebeRichardson on Instagram, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Permission Page by DebeRichardson on Instagram

Emme is back!  And this time, she took some inspiration from one of my Journaling Bible entries shared in my Flip-Through Video Tour to create her own beautiful two-page spread of Jeremiah 17:7-8.  Love that washi-tape tag, too.

Journaling Bible Entry by Emme, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Summer 2015 Reader Showcase.
Journaling Bible Entry by Emme

Such an amazing round of creations, ladies and gents!  I couldn’t be more proud of ya if I tried.

If You’ve Been Showcased….

…feel free to grab a “featured” button!

Featured Button for The Thinking Closet Reader Showcase
Right click to save as. Or click HERE for a larger pic.

Archived Reader Awesomeness

This marks the ninth quarterly Reader Showcase…and believe me, each and every one has been a bevy of inspiration.  So, if you want to explore more, click the images below to do some time-traveling!  Prepare to be astonished.

Reader Showcase: Spring 2013 | The Thinking Closet
Reader Showcase: Summer 2013
Reader Showcase: Fall 2013 | The Thinking Closet
The Thinking Closet Reader Showcase: Winter 2014
Spring 2014 Reader Showcase at The Thinking Closet.
Summer 2014 Reader Showcase at The Thinking Closet.
Fall 2014 Reader Showcase at The Thinking Closet.
Winter and Spring 2015 Reader Showcase at The Thinking Closet.

I Want to Feature YOU!

At the end of each season, I’ll be posting more of your projects inspired by The Thinking Closet here for the world to see.  If you’ve ever created something in the past that was inspired by something you saw on this blog or if you do so in the future, I’d love it if you’d send me a photo or two of your creation to thethinkingcloset {at} gmail.com.  And if you have a blog or are on social media, I’ll be sure to link to it!  Promoting my beloved readers is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world; and I ain’t lyin’.

Have a fantastic rest of your weekend, friends!

signature

| | | |

12 Comments

  1. So, I feel sort of weird that everyone who’s commented her so far has been a featuree (definitely a word – I just made it)(unless it was actually a word already), but I DON’T CARE, because oh man, I am just SO EXCITED! For realz! Thanks so much for adding my little picture in there! You make me happy!

    1. Ha ha. Yes, “featuree” is most definitely a word now! And it makes ME happy to make you happy, Maggie…and that’s exactly the emotion I felt when I first saw your sweet watercolor house portrait post and discovered the shout-out to my blog. So basically this is just one big HAPPY FEST! 😉 Thanks for your ever-constant support and for inspiring us all with your watercolor art. Keep on keepin’ on!

      1. Haha, yay, I love happy fests! And I love to support your site because you are just so fun!

        I was also wondering…what exactly do we do with the “featured” button?

  2. Ah, thanks so much for featuring our post! We are so touched! Of course, none of this would be possible without your generosity that flows right out of your creative spirit. Your blogposts are my weekly staple.

    1. Aw, the joy was all mine, Suravi! Thank you for the kind words of encouragement and for the link-love in your post that brought me over in the first place. Your blog is a very special corner of the interwebs.

  3. Thank you so much for featuring my bureau and blog! I would never have done it if it wasn’t for your blog ?
    Fabulous to see so many other people’s handiwork too! X

    1. You are so sweet, Brioney. I’m humbled to know I may have played a small role in encouraging you to take a leap and tackle your bureau. The finished piece is truly a work of art – – you should feel very proud!

  4. Thank you so much for this amazing feature!!!! and I have quite some posts here to check out! So much inspiration at once it’s hard to handle! I love your showcases because we get so much to add to a to-do list!

    XOXO lots and lots!!

      1. Ha ha. It truly is an inspiration-fest over here…and it’s always all the more creative when Camila is featured! (Which is so very often.) Thanks for making me smile with your double-comment-love…and for being the rockstar friend you are. XO

Your comments make my day!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *