Santa napkin holder

So here we are, the time is speeding by. Christmas is right around the corner, and we are frantically trying to get everything done.
STOP and take a breath. We need to enjoy this time of year. Instead of getting crazy, get happy!
Make a list, check it twice. Not to see who is naughty or nice, but to check that we are not forgetting anything. Then sleep peacefully and wake to another fun day of getting ready for the most fun time of the year!
I made these cute napkin holders that I told my guests that they were welcome to take home as gifts. Simple and easy and quick. You can make a ton and give away. My mom gave me the pattern and the supplies which I just found hidden amongs my other Christmas stuff this year as I was searching for something else. Thanks mom, we love you and miss you, but are carrying on many of your traditions for this time of year. xoxoxoox

Today project is:
Santa Napkin Holder
you will need:
white felt
pink felt
red pompons
green sequines
red napkins
tacky  glue

(Again, I'm very frustrated about my pictures getting tipped over.

ArG!)

Anyway, The strip across the top is 7 inches. and the bottom of the beard to the top of the strip is about 6 inches.

So make your own pattern, the beard is not an exact science. Then cut a hole for the eyes and nose.

You will glue the pink square behind the 'hole' for the eyes. Use Tacky Glue, it works best.

Then glue eyes and nose onto the front.

Then when dried, bring the flaps together in the back and staple it together.

Slip a red napkin into the back and VOILA you have a cute santa napkin holder.

 

tip of the day:

When you get Christmas cards, rip off the return address label from the envelope, that way you have a record of who sent you cards. You can then make sure those people get a card from you.

 

Happy Christmas preps....

:D

 

 

 

Post Thanksgiving

What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had...
Driving up to Seattle is a long way, but so worth it.
Having my girls together and their guys, and us was so much fun.

Justin outdid himself on the cooking.
And Betsy outdid herself on the decorations. Here are only a few of the fun things she made:

a nice card using real feathers

A Mayflower nut holder and feather mobile. Unfortunately, my pix are sideways!

 (Can't figure out why flipped over. So just turn your head to the right...)

 

So you can see how adding those special little creations around make a big impact on your holiday entertaining. And it's fun to do !!

 

Now we are all getting ready for Christmas. Hopefully that holiday will be as much fun as this one was!

Tip of the day:

Think about recycling your Kleenex boxes for those gifts like cookies and sweets.

Just cut off the tops and put tissue paper inside, and fill with yummies. The pretty designs on the boxes won't need any more wrappings.

:D

happy Thanksgiving

Well, it's that time again...
The year has zipped by, where were we?? So many things have happened this past year.
Life has brought us to the holidays, and are we ready? I am! (hee hee)
Sorry, not to gloat, but I've been stashing away gifts and looking forward to this time of year, for 11 months.

I love Christmas...everything about it (except snow and cold).
I love thinking about others, what they might like, I see things throughout the year, and buy goodies or better yet...make things (when I hear a hint about what my dear ones might like).
I love to looke forward to the look on their faces when they open a gift that is especially made for them.
And the funny thing is, I end up with more than I thought (sort of life's 'lay away').
But that's okay. Here it is Thanksgiving. So many activities surrounding the holidays, and so many crafts to try. Every magazine has tons of ideas, recipes and things to do.

Today's project is a simple one that focuses on the Thanksgiving table. A simple napkin holder. But creating an addition to the festivities is always fun. This picture is just plain cardboard. YOU have to find that special paper with special prints to accent your table.

LEAF NAPKIN HOLDER

Find double sided card stock, or use a gift box (you get from the dollar store) and glue decorative paper on the plain side.

Draw and cut out the  1/2 leaf shape onto each end of a long rectangle. Make sure you cut the two slits (on opposite sides) to connect the ends together. When you attach the ends, it will make a maple leaf. (right now, it looks like a spiky dachshund with two heads, ha ha)

This is a fun, quick and funtional craft that adds a handmade touch to the holiday dinner.
That way you are contributing to the day, even if you are not the chef!

IF you are traveling, be safe! Have fun and stop every once in a while, breathe and enjoy!!!!

tip of the day:
Soup is great this time of year. And most of the leftovers you have from dinner, can be combined into a great soup. V-8 is a great base for soup, add some chicken broth and throw in the veggies and turkey pieces.  Freeze it for future frosty days. (remember to leave 1/2" space in the container for freezing bloat.). We might not eat so much, knowing that our yummy leftovers will be enjoyed later.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
:D

What's cookin' Good Lookin?

Thanksgiving is coming. That means cooking. The only holiday that is solely centered around FOOD. And what we are thankful for. And I guess that's food and our loved ones to share it with us. We are planning our menus, our shopping, our guest list, our activities. It seems to be the forgotten holiday, between Halloween, that has become so huge and people don't take the skeletons down til February, and Christmas, which starts in the stores the day after Halloween. Sheesh.

At any rate....

The project of the day is~

A Manly Manly apron, from a man's shirt for our favorite man who is cooking for Thanksgiving!

 

You will need:

 a man's shirt (large or X large is best) Get a nice one from the local thrift shop.

scissors, and sewing machine

 

You will be cutting the back off the shirt, leaving the collar. From the extra fabric you will cut two straps for the waist ties.

 

Hem the edges, fold and sew the two side ties and attach to the side of the apron.

And voila, you have a cool apron any guy will be happy to wear. A hawaiian shirt would be fun to use, or any funky 'guy' print.

You can use the extra fabric from the back of the shirt for future (or past) projects.

 

Tip of the day:

If you eat too much on Thanksgiving, and have that "way too full" feeling...sleep on your right side. Because that eases the stomach, not stresses it.

 

That's all for now!

:D

 

 

 

Rainy Day Art

Hey,
My apologies to my loyal readers for my absence lately.
So many things have been happening that I neglected you, and I am sorry for that.

After a big wedding, and traveling back to the Midwest, and various visitors, and then we visiting, and then the death of my beloved little cat, several craft fairs and just day to day stuff, I'm feeling like time has zipped by, and I want to get back into my routine. 

Does that happen to you? Time seems to speed by when you sit back and take a breath and tell yourself  "don't worry about it, relax, don't stress about keeping on a schedule".  And before you know it...
not just days, but WEEKS have passed and you kick yourself in your butt (yes, you can do this), and you take the time (and it REALLY doesn't take that long) to do what you need to do.... you fill in the blanks (whatever YOU need to do)...write, create, compute, communicate, relate, interact, organize.

I want to encourage you to take 1/2 hour a day to do those chores you don't want to do, but need to do. Then smile, and take on the rest of your day. You can do it, and I will be there with you doing it, too.

My project for today is:
PAINTED UMBRELLAS

You will need:
an umbrella
acrylic paint
brush
hair dryer

First, get online and look up your favorite artist. I have used 3 artists: Matisse, Van Gogh and Monet.

If you are not confident in your artistic ability, pick an artist whose art is not precise. Such as impressionists, abstract, etc.

Paint onto the umbrella, and when it is dried, blow the hair dryer onto it to set the paint. This will make it waterproof. Nothing like having your umbrella drip paint in a rain storm, ugh.

This is not only pretty, one of a kind, handmade, recycled, but functional. EVERYONE can use an umbrella, right? And if it doesn't turn out just right, who cares? Art should be fun, instead of signing the artist's name, sign your own...That way...it's yours, and will always be just RIGHT!
Did you ever see a Jackson Pollock? He splattered, dripped and blobbed paint on. Go for it!

Hey, how about getting a kid to paint it? What a great gift for a parent to use something their child did.

tip of the day:
Winter is coming and with that comes dry skin. Try using Vaseline instead of expensive lotions. If you wear running shoes or gym shoes, and get dry feet, slather on the Vaseline, then white cotton socks. After your workout, or walk, you'll have softer tootsies. Also a little on your hands will help with dry, chapped fingers. Spas use stuff like this, then slap on mittens and sockies and let it soak in. So why not you?

That's all for now...
:D

Cat-titude

 

I have a cat. It was my daughter's cat that she rescued back in 2002. We never knew how old she was. But Dana discovered that her landlord said "no pets". Sooooo, I ended up with her. Her name is Taavi. Which is a name that Dana learned from a book of Estonia tales, that her grammy gave her. But as it turned out, this female cat ended up with a 'boy' name. Because Taavi means David.

 

Anyway...we had several cats at the time, and she did not get along with any of them. So she ended up inside, and the others were exiled outside. This princess attitude (Cat-titude) fit her perfectly, and she has been the one and only ever since.

 

Now Taavi is getting very old. She is our only pet now. She's lost weight and when you pet this 'purr machine', you can feel every rib. It's becoming clear that her life is coming to an end. She wants attention constantly, doesn't have much energy, and hides in corners. This makes us very sad, but she has had a good life. But saying goodbye to 'ANYONE OR ANYBODY' has been a tearful, terribly sad situation for me and I am crying now just thinking about it.

 

So this post is for our sweet kitty, with an attitude.

Today's project is:

 

SOCK KITTIES with attitudes.

 

You will need: kid socks, stuffing, needle and thread, and embroidery floss.



As you see in the picture, the cat's muzzles are the 'heels' of the socks. and their legs are the 'opening' of the socks.  You will need to machine stitch or hand stitch legs.

 

Turn the sock inside out. Cut a curve shape above the 'heel'. Sew two leg shapes from the opening. Cut the legs apart. Then stitch the top (head and ear) closed.  Now cut a small slit under the muzzle to allow you to turn the sock right side out.

Stuff the sock and stitch closed the opening. This part I embroider over with pink thread in a heart shape. Thus you have no obvious stitched closure.

Now is the fun part. Making the attitude of the kitty by sewing arms that will end up in pockets.
Take white thread, and stitch through the sides of the kitty. Each one will end up differently. That's the great thing. They have their own personalities. Stitch black embroidery thread for a face. and any color for pockets.

I use an extra long needle for easier sewing through the bodies.

tip of the day:
While I was facing painting at our local community picnic, I got three spots of green paint on my white linen shirt. Egads, I tried everything to get it out. But to no avail. So I resorted to my secret weapon...White Out.  Yes, I put a drop of white out on the spots, and it covered them beautifully. I have washed this shirt several times, and this crazy stuff has never come off. (So what does that tell you if you accidentally get it on other stuff...don't!)

That's it for now...
:D

computer blues

Eeeeegads!
Our computer was fried in a recent lightning storm. I am so sad, frustrated, upset, and broke!

Our surge protector obviously wasn't strong enough, or something else went wrong, and my beloved computer and all her programs (and my business contacts, logos, etc.) are gone. So now we have to start again. I know this isn't the end of the world, but I sure hate this whole process of trying to figure out a new machine, loss of data, precious pictures, etc.

I just want things to run the way they should. When I turn the key in my car, I want it to go.
When I push the buttons on my appliances, they work. When I sit down at my computer, I want it to be the same way it always is. Is that too much to ask?   I HATE CHANGE!  Wahhhhh

Plus to add to my computer blues, my Kodak program which is my "right hand"  has switched to Shutterfly AAAK! Not sure how I can use/switch/change/print/store my pix.
And then my printer has decided to quit working!! AAAK! So now gotta go for a new printer. ($$)
So as life goes, I have to dig down deep, take a big breath and carry on.  Our new computer (expensive $$) has new programs, no programs, updated, and I am feeling OUT dated. ugh.

So enough of my woes. I like to vent, but not wallow.  And you did not come to this site to hear moaning and groaning (but please let me know if you want more, cuz I can deliver!) hee hee    :)

PROJECT OF THE DAY:
Beer Bread

I know this project isn't recycled or renewed but since I can't show you any pictures, I can't give you a project that is too elaborate.

You need:
3 cups self rising flour
3 TBL. sugar
1 can of beer

mix together all ingredients in a big bowl, put on greased cookie sheet or greased bread pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

This bread will be a 'break off a piece' loaf, instead of a 'slicing off a nice piece' loaf. But it's quick, easy and yummy!!!! You make some stew, soup or crock pot meal, this will be a great addition. Hot out of the oven with butter melting on it.

Store any leftover (ha, like that's happenin') in a zip loc bag in the fridge.

tip of the day:
keep your fresh berries...FRESH~
When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider works best)
and ten parts water. Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want.
(tho the mix is so diluted, you won't taste the vinegar).
Pop the berries in the fridge. the vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit.
Raspberries will last a week longer. Strawberries go almost 2 weeks.

That's all for now...
:D

Wind Chimes

I bought a bottle cutter on Ebay last year. And I've been having fun using it. I make glasses out of beer bottles, windchimes, candle holders.
It brings back memories of my teenage years back in the 70's. I had the exact same cutter and made lots of things back in the day of hippie/recycling/macrame/candles. But this time when I bought it on Ebay, it cost $50.00! yikes. I wish I would have kept my old one (along with my original Barbie doll in her zebra bathing suit).

My first entrepreneurial venture was making candles and macarame hangers & wooden candle sticks. My dad let me use his lathe, and from a 4x4" block of wood I turned it (literally) into a candle holder. He was always instructing me on the 'safe' use of his tools, and he never thought I was not capable of using them. I used a band saw at 16 years old. And still have one today.

I would schlepp my goods to the 'head' shops around town and sell my stuff. Now that was 40 years ago and I'm still making stuff and hauling it around selling it. Now it's in my local shops or craft fairs.  We creative folk are like sharks, we gotta make stuff or we die!
I am so happy that I grew up in a home that hand made things were treasured.

So if you have a bottle cutter, this project is for you. If not, try a technique I heard of using a wire wrapped tightly around the bottle and heat it and cool it. You would turn the bottle over a candle flame, then rub it over an ice cube. Repeat process until it cracks. Then use a rough sand paper grade under running water until the edges are smooth.

Today's project is:

Bottle Windchimes

left one is a wine bottle, right one are two beer bottles.  You need a chain, keyrings, and beads.  There is key ring inside the bottle to stop the chain from sliding all the way up. And then a keyring on the bottom of the chain (which you can get a hardware store) to hang the 'clinking' stuff.  I used a shower curtain/metal ring on the beer bottle one. And for the wine bottle one, I used glass beads and a piece of fused glass the clanging parts.

I was kind of experimenting and the windchimes I see have all kinds of stuff hanging from them. Use cord and shells, or beads and metal pieces like washers. The hardware store has loads of fun stuff to use.
I made chimes using a wooden dowel with stuff hanging off of it. Be creative, even if you don't use a bottle, you can just hang a bunch of stuff that will clink together.
The main thing is, that you are creating! Remember, you can't mess up, have fun!

tip of the day:
summer time has bugs, but this tip came from a landscape artist friend. (I'm not sure if I've used this before, so excuse me if I did)  She suggested that using 'bounce' fabric softener sheets tucked into the cushions of your outdoor furniture helps keep the skeeters away.  It's worth a try. If nothing else, it will make your stuff smell fresh! Hey, stick one down your cleevage, and hopefully the bugs won't follow! :)

That's all for now...
Dee

Bluegrass wedding

Well, we had an AWESOME wedding last Saturday.
My daughter got married to her soul mate in the presence of family and friends
It was a HOT day, but besides that it, it couldn't have been nicer.
Smiles abounded, as well as many happy tears (mostly from me)  :)

I made 'redneck wine glasses' for wedding favors.

They were great because this was a casual wedding and fit right into the barefoot, bluegrass theme.
And no one picked up the wrong glass because I sprayed chalkboard paint on their bases (before assembling them). So as the guests arrived we chalked in everyone's names. And after the wedding they could take them home.
So fun and functional!

We made chicken and salmon on the grill, and all the guests brought a dish to share. So we had lots of yummy food.
The bride and groom even made their own beer and cucumber soda!

Today's project is:

glass and wire serving spoons

You will need-
-stainless steel utensils- spoons, forks or cake servers
   (the handles should be as flat as possible)
-glass pieces (you can find these at the Dollar Store)
  ...I use my own fused glass pieces, but the kind of glass bubbles that people
     use in aquariums work well also
-E6000 glue
-20 gauge wire (optional)

Using the E6000, adhere the glass pieces onto the utensil handle.
Let dry for 24 hours. Then if you wish take about a yard of wire, and starting from the back, wind this around and over and in between the glass pieces, ending in the back. Take some needle nose pliers and tuck the end under and around another part of the wire and put a blob of glue over this.

I have also made serving utensils using beads strung onto the wire and wrapped around the handles. This would be pretty also. Just make sure you secure the ends of the wire in the back firmly and tightly. And a glob of E600 is good insurance. If you want to buy some, see my website: arttowearbydee.etsy.com

Hand wash please, no dishwashers.

tip of the day:
If you are invited to a pot-luck wedding, buy a nice bowl or platter to bring your food in, then leave it for the newlyweds as a wedding gift. Include a nice serving spoon like the one in today's project.

That's all for now...
Dee

ribbon roses

My oldest daughter (by 1/2 hour of her twin sister) is getting married in 2 weeks.
We are all so excited, it's hard to contain the happy atmosphere that surrounds her right now.
You can't help but smile when you see her face.

I did a lot for her sister's wedding back in 2004 (happy anniversary Bets!, eight years, whoa!)
from bouquets to table decorations, etc., but this time I am living 4 hours away. And it's not MY show.
It's tough to let other people take over, and I feel like I'm in the "outer" circle for the first time and being the mother of the bride, I have learned to just let it go.  Hard? yes.   Impossible? no.
Danzy, this effort is for you!

I did snag the flower job: bouquets, boutonnieres & corsages. So I have to revisit my previous job of choosing flowers, buying flowers, wiring flowers, preparing flowers, making flowers, then cooling off flowers three days ahead of time so they don't wilt and all my effort is for naught! Ah, the pressure!

Well, Dana showed me a quick and easy way to make little ribbon flowers. So this week's project is:

Ribbon Flowers

You will need:
satin ribbon, 3/4" - 1" wide
needle and thread

I used a different width of ribbon for demo to make it easier to view:

take about 24" of ribbon and toward the middle make a right angle fold. You will then fold the 'bottom' ribbon over this fold. You will continue with the other side until you have folded about 10 times.

You will be folding (at right angles) over the previous fold.

When you have your ten folds, pinch the corner of the bundle and let go of the top side (right hand side)

The ribbon bundle will pop out, but just keep pinching tightly so the whole thing doesn't fall apart, and with your free (right) hand pull gently the ribbon that is hanging down.

The rose should start to bunch up and start forming a flower shape. If this doesn't work to your satisfaction, just unravel and start again.

Some ribbons work better than others, and some widths work better than others. We tried with the 2" demo ribbon in the beginning, and it was too big to form a nice rose.

Once you have a nice rose shape, take your needle and thread and sew the bottom ribbon part together so it doesn't unravel.

tip of the day:
If you want to keep your towels as dry as possible, (perhaps you live a moist climate and have trouble drying things out)  try this tip:
Use a small washcloth in the shower (or bath) after you are finished and wipe off with this small towel first. After you have blotted down you will be surpised how much water you can squeeze out of this little washcloth. So think of all this moisture going into your bath towels that have to struggle to dry out.
My hubby gave me this tip, cuz in the army they gave the guys a little washcloth and one SMALL towel.

That's all for this week!
:D

Mirror Mirror on the wall

Lately it seems like the fairy tale of Snow White is making a comeback. I love the original movie by Walt Disney. He invented an innovative technique using 7 cameras and shooting down vertically from above to get a wonderful 3 dimensional look that was missing in the early animations.
There are two movies out: Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman. The first one I saw, and was pretty disappointed. The second looks very dark and spooky, and I'm not sure I want to see it.

At any rate, today's project is a mirror, so I figured I'd tie it in with the "mirror mirror" trend. Of course this mirror will not talk to you, or have magic powers, but it sure will look nice hanging on your wall.

Today's project is:
Mosaic Mirror

You will need:
a mirror (if it has a frame around it, that much the better)
tile adhesive
grout (it comes in many colors)
old dishes (find a garage sales, or thrift shops)

You will have to break the plates into usable pieces. I did this outside, using a hammer.
I wrapped the plate in newspaper, then wrapped this into an old towel. On a hard surface (driveway, or sidewalk) gently but firmly hit the plate in several places to crack it up. 

After you have enough pieces, lay them out in a way that they are close to each other, but not touching. You want a gap between the glass. I used brown glass pieces in the photo to 'frame' the mirror. But the beauty of this project is that you don't need any artistic talent, the designs are already done for you on the plates.

Lift each piece in turn, using a popsicle stick, slap on some tile adhesive and press onto mirror.
Continue until the mirror perimeter is filled with glass pieces. I like to use the edges of the plates facing into the center of the mirror. In other words, so the glass not grouted on the inner edge, has a nice smooth finish, and not the sharp broken part. Keep those inside where they will be embedded with grout and not exposed to cut you).

Wait 24 hours and  mask off the inside of the mirror to keep it clean while grouting.
Then apply the grout. You will probably have to mix this up yourself. Get an old bucket or old bowl, pour the grout in and A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME add water while you are mixing it in.

When the grout is the consistency of bread dough, spread it around the pieces. After you have all the spaces filled in, take an old damp rag and gently wipe the grout off the glass pieces. This does not have to be perfect, but the more you take off now, the less you will have to scrape off later when it dries.
Then use a wet sponge and go over the mosaic pieces and grout to smooth it out. Let dry overnight and go back with a damp rag to clean off any grout from the pieces. But be careful not to gouge out any of the grout between the pieces.

This mirror will be heavy, so before you hang it up, make sure you have a strong fastener in the wall (a molly bolt is good to use).  Once you get this technique 'down', you'll be covering all kinds of things.
(I showed you how to cover a clay flower pot in an earlier post.)

tip of the day:
Pick up a couple of plastic silverware organizers at the thrift shop when you are looking for those plates. These work great in your bathroom drawer to organize makeup, hair accessories or any of those goodies we have in our drawers.

That's all for now!
:D

Lavender Bottles

Spring has sprung, and it makes me happy. Some days are warmer than others, sometimes it rains. But I'm very glad winter is over, and I will take all unexpected weather I get. As long as it's warm.

A wonderful part of warmer weather is flowers. And when things start to bloom, so do ideas.
I love to press flowers for future use (use a phone book) or make sachets. Which is what this post is about.

Today's project is:

Lavender Bottles

What you need:
fresh lavender stalks
ribbon
string

First gather some lavender, cutting the stalks at least a foot long.
If you have to do this when it is fresh, because you bend it. And if the lavender is dried out or old, it will crack and break instead of bend.

Take about twenty stalks and tie a string around the whole bouquet, under the blossoms.
Then, one by one, bend the stems backwards downward. You will be encasing the blossoms in a 'bottle'.
This is an old fashioned craft.

Tie a ribbon around the stems about half way down. And use as a room air freshener (wave it around and it is a natural way to scent the air).
Or put it in a glass tray or place a few in a vase to keep the air smelling like wonderful lavender.

Now I have discovered as it dries out, the blossoms tend to fall out. So if I do this again, I will wrap the blossoms in netting BEFORE encasing them in their own stems.

Tip of the day:
This has nothing to do with lavender, except this tip smells good too, in a different way...BACON.
I find that a pack of bacon is too much for my hubby and I at one sitting. So when I buy bacon at the store, (especially when they are on sale then I buy several packages), I cut the whole package in half. Put each one in a ziploc bag and throw in the freezer. So when I need some yummy bacon, I take the half pack out, defrost in the micro, and fry up in the pan. It turns out to be just the right amount, with maybe a few left over for future use (bacon bits on salad, or BLT's).

That's all for this week...
:D

Talent

I am surrounded by talented people, and I LOVE IT!
My family is talented, my friends are talented, my neighbors are talented.
Many can create art, some write, or dance, some craft, some sing.
And believe it or not, EVERYONE is talented at something. Whether you cook, or are good with people, perhaps you have a way with animals, or you can sew or knit, or you might be a great organizer, a photographer, etc., there is a special talent in you.

I just visited my future son-in-law, Yori's website. He's getting ready for an upcoming museum gallery show Feb. 2012. He has been working hard in his newly built home studio besides working full time at the junior college. Check out his site for a behind the scenes look at a sculptor at work.
http://www.yoriseeger.wordpress.com/

My daughter Dana has been driving up to Berkely these past few months on the weekends for a residency in print making. So besides planning their wedding, and working full time, these two have been super busy. She's making some great new prints, and actually is going to be teaching a class there in the future. Check out her website and blog.
http://www.dana.danabetsy.com/  and  http://www.apairofneedles.blogspot.com/

My younger daughter (by 1/2 hour) Betsy is in Nebraska right now. She took a leave of absence from her full time job at the University for a two week residency painting and creating at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center in Nebraska City. She is making some incredible new paintings. Check out her sites.
http://www.betsy.danabetsy.com/ plus you can go to Google+  and search for Betsy Barnum.
http://www.melittaberze.blogspot.com/  is her blog.

My husband also has a blog. He focuses on his travels, mostly with the BMW motorcycle club.
You can see some of his adventures at: http://www.tomtuco.blogspot.com/

So I hope you can find some inspiration today and bring out the talent in you. Today is a good day to look inside and do what you do best, whatever that may be! Perhaps you can start a blog of your own. It's easy, go to http://www.blogger.com/ and share your special talent.
If you have a blog already, I'd love to see it
Leave a comment below with your blog site.

tip of the day:
Take a second and let people know you appreciate them and their special talents.
A kind word from you sure can make someone's day!
I appreciate YOU!!! Thanks for reading.

That's it for this week...
:D

May Flowers

Time to recycle. Time to renew. Time to plant some seeds to watch flowers grow.

My neighbor has an awesome garden. She is always on top of the planting times, fertilizers, etc. I often go there and gaze longingly at her bounty. Then I come home and make my own flower garden.

No fertilizer, no dirt, no planting, no weeding. Just get a colorful soda can and a pair of scissors and watch a flower bloom.

Today's project is:

Aluminum can flower clip

you will need
a can (the more colorful the better)
scissors
E600 glue
hair clip
embellishment
emery board

The more colorful can you can get the better (Arizona Ice Tea has really good ones). Rinse out the can and let dry.
Take your scissors and cut off the top and bottom of the can. Be careful not to cut yourself at this stage. So now you have a semi flat area to work with. Cut 3 or 4 layers of big petal flowers freehand or you can use a paper punch if you have it.
Cut each one getting smaller in size, so you can layer them.
You may a couple of cans, if you are making a large clip.

File the edges with the emery board so they are not sharp.
You can use a charm or button or some embellishment for the center, or just cut a little circle to use.

Using the E600, glue each layer on top of each other. Weigh it down with something heavy and let set overnight. Then glue the clip (or pin back) to the bottom of the flower.  Make sure you put some wax paper or small crumpled up tin foil into the middle of the clip so it is open (or you will glue the two parts of the clip shut along with gluing it onto the flower. Let set several hours.

Now you can use this in your hair, or on your scarf, or lapel, etc.  Very cute, very recycled, very unique.
These make great gifts for teenagers. Recycled and colorful, you can't go wrong.

Happy Spring!

tip of the day...
We are going to think ahead for a future project and take any small flower blossoms and press them.
Take a sheet of wax paper and fold it in half. Take flower petals and put them on one side of this. Fold the other side over enclosing the petals. Place this in a phone book, or under heavy books. The petals will dry flat and then we can use them for a project in the future. Just don't forget where you put them. :)

That's all for this week.
:D

Red leather Yellow leather

I was an art teacher for 15 years. 11 of those years was at a Christian School. Which translates into "we have no budget for art, so do the best you can"...
So this played into my natural inclination for 'saving' things.  Since I was a kid, my mom was always 'saving' stuff.

She was the original recycler...she reused Saran Wrap, tin foil, old clothes, etc.
We spent many days at rummage sales. She could turn an old XXL dress into a cute blouse. She was crafty, and creative and a war survivor. This woman knew how to get by on nothing. And it was always fun hunting for things to recycle.

So when I had to come up with supplies for my K-8 art classes, I was always scrounging around for stuff. Many students' parents donated things from their businesses: yarn and fabric, cardboard, vinyl material (from a boat upholstery shop), and lots more.  You give me "30" of something, I'll make a project out of it.  (I DID get too many empty paper towel rolls to use up, ha ha. But everything else was utilized)

So when I get a nice supply of something, I stash it away until the creative juices start flowing. When my sister (who is an awesome artist and crafter herself) gave my daugher a box of leather samples years ago, I told her I would store it until she needed them. Well, as my kids have small houses, they have no extra room to keep stuff, so I end up with many of their old goodies. Btw...Dana when you picking up your cat? No, just kidding, we can't give her up now after 9 years.

I found this little box the other day when I was cleaning out my fabric closet and came up with this idea...

Today's project is:

Leather Flower Pins

You need:
pin backs
leather or suede scraps
E600 glue

If you don't have an old leather hat or coat to cut up, you can go to the thrift shop. Or fabric store and see what they have. Shopping online is always a possiblity too. There may be some leather manufacturers who have scraps for sale for cheap.

Usually the underside of leather is nice soft suede. So you can have two different looks and textures from one piece. I cut a flower shape from one scrap, then a smaller flower shape, and finally a third smaller shape.
Then I flipped the middle shape (so it was the leather side) so it stood out from the suede sides. When the light hits it, the different surface textures really show up.

Using E600 glue, I layered these pieces together to form a flower. I had a piece of fused glass for the center. But you can use a button, bottle cap, charm, etc. for this part. Put a glob of glue in the middle and plop the embellishment down.

Glue a pin back to the back, vertically. Take a small square of leather and glue over the pin base (with the sharp open) to reinforce the pin.

If you want to wear this as a pendant, pull a cord through the pin top and let it hang down as a necklace.
If you use a hairclip instead of a pin, this can be an awesome hair adornment.

tip of the week:
The title of this post is Red leather Yellow leather. And you may be thinking why...
Well, when my kids were in high school, they had some friends who played a little tongue twister game. Try saying R.L.Y.L. as many times as you can. The one who can say it the longest wins.
Try it, it's silly but fun!

That's all for now...
:D

Easter Bunny

Hey,
     I had a great Easter, and hope you did too.
I became a Godmother, to my neighbor's little girl. I'm soooo thrilled. It was a nice baptism on a very special day. My own daughters were christened on Easter Sunday. So this was a special day.
I am a Godmother to 3 girls now, and each one is very special to me!
     We had an awesome brunch at our friend's house, and I think the whole neighborhood came. The weather was great and the food and company was fantastic. The weather cleared up and was bright and sunny and warm. A nice respite from the cold and rain we have been having. There was an Easter egg hunt outside and the kids sure had a great time.
     The night before, the Easter Bunny (me) visited a couple of homes and left 'footprints'.
I made a stencil from butcher paper of paw prints and using a flour sifter and flour I left bunny prints for the little ones to find in the morning.
     I did this with my own little darlings down the hall of our house when they were small. The looks on their faces was priceless.
     Hope some of you tried out the egg decorating tips I posted last week. They were a hit this year as always. :)

tip of the day:
You can use your hard boiled eggs in lots of ways. Add them to salads, make egg salad (chop up and add mayo, chopped up pickles), egg salad and potato salad together make an awesome side dish. Peel the eggs, and put them in a jar with the juice of pickled beets. (either eat the beets right away, or put them in another container). After a week or so, the eggs will have a wonderful pickled flavored, AND be purple around the edges when you cut them up. Pretty!

That's all for this week...
Dee
  

Easy Easter Eggs

      Every April Fool's Day my mom would always call me up and try to 'fool' me. This usually involved some kind of unlikely pregnancy or unexpected marriage of someone we knew.
Needless to say, I usually was NOT fooled. But we carry on this silly tradition, with my girls, and friends and husband.  Every new year is a challenge, because my daughters are pretty saavy about this day.
     But, I got EVERYONE this time. hee hee... I guess that makes the Queen of the April Fools (not sure I like that title) but it was fun anyway.
     ...But onto our project for today. Easter is only 2 days away, so get your eggs ready...

Today's project is:    EASY colored EASTER eggs

You will need:
scarves or ties that are 100% silk
    (look in thrift shops)
onion skins (dry)
     save throughout the year, if you can
eggs (not boiled yet)
thin material (like old cotton pillowcases),
or nylon stockings
twist ties (or string)

Now there are two projects of eggs. The traditional eggs I've always made since childhood was a project I did with my mom every year. You start saving the onion skins throughout the year. I always wondered what that paper bag under the kitchen sink held, til one day I peeked and found the skins.

Then of course, she saved her knee high nylons, or old cotton pillowcases for this project, too. She was my original "recycler".

You take an egg, wrap the onion skins around it (the best you can) and slip it into the toe of the nylon stocking, or into the center of a cotton rag. Then you twist tie it shut. If you are using a stocking, you can stack several into one. see photo ->

Then you boil them as usual for 10 minutes (I put them into a pot of water, then get it boiling and start timing. I don't like to drop them into boiling water, because they tend to crack). Unwrap when cool, and you will find wonderfully marbelized brownish colored eggs. (I tried using red onion skins hoping for pink or red eggs, but no, they just are powerful enough to dye).

Now the second Easy Easter Egg dying project is using silk ties or scarves.
If you wrap the egg tightly against the fabric, twist tie it and boil for 10 min.  When you unwrap these eggs, you will be amazed that the pattern on the silk scarf or tie comes off onto the eggs.

When ever I make and give these as gifts, people are so amazed and totally confounded about how I got the color onto them. But it's soooo easy, I hate to tell them that, so I just smile and say "it's my secret".

tip of the day:
Today's tip is more of a suggestion of yet again, one of our Easter traditions.
We would have 'egg wars' on Easter morning. It was usually before we went to church, so we would have a little something to eat to hold us over until the big Easter brunch later.
Everyone would select an egg from our collection, and holding it in your fist with only the end showing, we would clunk them against each other. Then we would turn it over and hit the other end. The one whose egg did not crack was the winner! (of course this all a matter of where the air bubble is when you boil the egg, but it's fun and a nice tradition to pass on)

That's all for this week... HAPPY EASTER!!
:D

Purse revamp: book it

I was visiting a cool gallery in Wisconsin last year, the FLYING PIG, and  found these "intellectual" purses. I "booked" a ride on this craft trip, and "read" up on sewing techniques. This project might "turn a page" on your recycling urges.

You'll need:
an old book, with a cloth cover (hunt them out in thrift shops, or even your own library)
glue gun
fabric
scissors
handles (bamboo or fabric or chain)
D rings or split rings (used for key rings)
needle and thread

Now this is my idea of how this might work...

This is the view from the front. As you can see the artist used an book with a cloth cover and then a added a bamboo handle attached to the book with metal rings.

I'm thinking they used wire or key rings to attach the handles to the bag. But we can use whatever we want, as far as handles.

If you pull out all the pages and left the cover you will get the base for this purse. You would have to use a glue gun and fabric to add to the inside of this purse.
Remember, if you mess up, it's only an old book. Use a less desirable one to practice on. Then graduate up to a vintage book with a cool title or color.

This is the end view of the purse. So all you creative peeps check it out and see how you can figure this out.  This is NOT for the novice, but perhaps for the creative, "let's give it a try" and see what I CAN do crafters.
I know the shape, when the purse is open is wider at the top, to allow you to get into the purse easier.

 I, myself, could not tell you how to do this, because I have not tried. But I'm dying to. So perhaps in a future blog, I may get this down to a science.

I totally adore the idea that you can take a cigar box, or book or whatever and make it into a purse/bag. Cuz I LOVE those.  I will be searching for fun stuff to make totes and fun stuff make bags in a way we didn't expect!!!!

tip of the day:

I picked up some great veggies at the grocery the other day. But I think I might have gotten tooooo many. So to keep them the freshest I can, I placed a couple of brand new sponges into the vegetable bin to absorb the excess moisture. Be sure to check these every couple of days, and wring them out. You'll be surprised to see how much moisture is absorbed by these that would have made your food soggy.

That's all for this week...
:D

April Showers

This has been a wet, dry, cool, warm, let's just say a ~crazy winter. The 20th of March was the first day of Spring. And it tends to be pretty rainy around here. So I needed a bag that was waterproof, fast and easy to make, and recycled.

So when I changed my shower curtain liner, I had to perfect material for this tote bag.

Today's Project is:

shower curtain bag

The top of the shower curtain was perfectly clean (we won't disuss the bottom part, ugh) so I cut off about 18" from the top. And cut the width big enough to get two grommets on either side (for the handles).

I had some cotton cord (that I think came off a gift bag) that made perfect handles.

I folded up the curtain (side to side) and sewed up the one side and bottom. The vinyl material was a bit hard to shove through the sewing machine, but I did it slowly and it seemed to work okay.

Then to make the bottom flat, I laid out the bag with the side seam up. I folded up the corner inward (forming a triangle) and used duct tape to fasten it down. I did the same thing on the other side. Now it stands up on its own. I used camophlage duct tape (just because I had it). I didn't think I would be able to sew through so many layers of this heavy vinyl, thus the duct tape.

Turn the bag right side out, thread the cord through the grommets and make a knot. This will keep the cord from coming out.

I have a book by: Jodi Kahn (simply sublime bags) that talks about making a similar bag, but she used staples and duct tape. So it would be a no-sew bag. She stapled the seams, instead of sewing, and then covered up those staples with duct tape.  So for those of you without a sewing machine, go for it!  YOU too can make cool stuff! And you can find duct tape in all kinds of cool designs. That would add lots of fun to this bag.

I have used this bag as an "emergency snow/rain bag" in my car. I have my snow boots, rain poncho, hat, scarf, socks, gloves, umbrella, and granola bar (I get hungry putting on those chains on my tires) I will use this tote for a beach bag when summer comes (I'm already dreaming about the hot weather :) ahhhh

You can use a cloth shower curtain also, the grommets are the things that make this bag easy. It wouldn't be waterproof, but water resistant at any rate. And nice strong material.

I know the Dollar Store sells liners (for $1) so it's a cheap way to start. And you'll have the rest of the plastic left over for lots of other stuff.  More ideas to follow...:)

tip of the day:

Don't let the winter doldrums get you down.  Spice up it up a bit... Let your loved one know you are thinking of them by using a bar of soap and writing a sexy, fun message on the mirror. So when they get up they get a little surprise...hey...it couldn't hurt!!!! And you can wash it off easily, and add something new later....Keep smiling~

That's all for this week...

:D



hearts to clovers

February has Valentine's Day, and March has St. Patrick's Day.
This project can be used for both.
Cuz you see, I'm always trying to figure out themes for 'get-togethers', cards, gifts, etc.  Because...that's just the way I am! :)

And I hope that's the way you are too. Because it's fun to make things, and I think most people really appreciate handmade items.
Hope you are planning on some fun events this year. And I hope I can help jazz up your celebrations.
Today we are folding paper, which in Japanese is called Origami. And a little bit of cutting paper, which is called Kirigami.

today's project is:

Origami folded card

You will need:
paper (cut into squares), scissors, glue, ribbon

1. Fold the paper point to point (diagonally). Then flip it over and fold edge to edge. And then rotate and fold it edge to edge again.

2. Then gently guiding it with your fingers, close it so that you will have the (unfolded) square shape on the outside of it.
3. You will make four of these.

4. With the folded corners on the bottom, you will cut a heart shape out of the 'open' top side. Then you will trace this shape on to the rest of the folded papers, so your hearts are all the same shape.
5. Trace this heart shape onto 2 other papers. I used a different color of green, and the paper is stiffer card stock. This will be the outside covers.
6. Stack two hearts and glue together.  Continue stacking and gluing until you have all four shapes glued together.
7. Tape one end of a ribbon onto the last side, put glue on it, and glue the lighter green card stock heart onto this. Do with the other end also.
8. Now you can fold up the hearts, tie the ribbon and it is flat (for mailing or putting in an envelope). When the recipient gets it, they will untie the ribbon, open up and re-tie.

If you want to make a necklace out of this, cut a ribbon (long enough to get over your head). You will need a pony bead large enough to thread through both ends of the necklace. Then glue the ribbon ends onto the hearts, as shown in red ------>
I glued little words from a magazine, but you can write messages inside, too.
Instead of tying the ribbon, now you will slide the bead to fasten the folded shape.

tip of the day:
you can take one of these clover shapes, cut a small X with an exacto knive in the center, and push a straw through it, and use for your next party for sippin' in style.

That's all for this week!
:D




The paper I used to demonstrate is purple on one side, and orange on the other. To make seeing the folds easier. But I used green paper for the final project.

Sew what what now?

Well, the Valentine/hearts/flowers/love stuff is over. Fun while it lasted.

Everyone was screaming for the earrings I make out of recycled aluminum cans for Valentine's Day. So I was making tons of pink and red heart earrings.
I ran around to the shops that carry my stuff, to make sure they were stocked up on the Valentine/hearts/flowers/love stuff. I sold some, but...
Now, I have a bunch of these pink and red hearts leftover. That's okay, I'll put them away for next Valentine's Day.
And guess what...next holiday is St. Patrick's Day. So I have to get revved up for that.

And now we are all drinking sodas out of cans that have green on them...
Except my husband who opts for beer out of green cans.
We're all trying to get into the shamrock groove.

So while I'm transitioning, this week I'm highlighting my daughters' blogs:
Dana's blog:
http://www.apairofneedles.blogspot.com/
Betsy's blog:
http://melittaberze.blogspot.com/

Please check them out, they are clever crafters/sewers/knitters/artists!
I'll be working on the leprechaun stuff.

tip of the day:
I went shopping today, and bacon was on sale, buy one get one free.
So of course I bought 4! But I know I can't use all that bacon at once. So what I did was cut the package in half, and froze the individual packs in quart size zip loc bags. So now when I need bacon, I can thaw out 1/2 a package, which is just the right size for the two of us. (what we don't use at breakfast, I make BLT's or bacon crumbles for salad.) Plus, the 1/2 pieces fit into the pan a lot easier than larger pieces.

That's all for this week.
:D

Wine Bottle Vases

We had an awesome party to celebrate the twins' 30th birthday last month.
We had great food and wine. And with wine, of course, comes wine bottles.
So with this great collection of different shapes and shades of wine bottles left over, I made some great stone vases.  And, of course, we are recycling...
today's project is:


bottles using a flash

 Wine Bottle Vases

You will need:
~an empty wine bottle, with the labels removed
~Granite/Stone textured spray paint
~Painter's tape
~scissors

natural light through the bottles


To get the labels
off, you can put them
in an oven on low heat.
Most glues will come off with heat. Afterward, you might want to use GooGone to get any residue off.

I put my bottles in a pot of boiling water to loosen the glue. It worked pretty well. I put water inside of them, so they would not float.
Still had to use a straight edge razor blade to scrape off some pesky pieces.

Then you will need to 'mask' off a design with the painter's tape (which is blue and easily removed, unlike regular masking tape which can be toooooo sticky).

Take scissors and cut shapes (or use strips if you want stripes) and place on the clean bottle. Remember these masked shapes will show the bottle color through.

I found the lighter green bottles were a bit nicer, because they let the light show through better.

You can find the Stone spray paint at the hardware store. I used the brown color on three of them, and a white color on one.  The brown color looks more natural, more grainy------->

After you have the bottle taped off, take it outside and spray. This will take a few coats, with 20 min. in between drying time. To spray this stuff, you have to 'spritz' it on a little bit at a time, moving around the bottle.  One thing I found, especially with the darker color, is that if it goes on too thick, you can't see the blue tape under it, and that makes it difficult to peel off later. Because you can't see the tape. So don't put more than 3 coats on.

After it has dried, peel off the tape pieces carefully. The paint will chip off if you pick at it. So no unnecessary scratching.
I used silk flowers in them, but fresh baby's breath or big sunflowers would be stunning in these as well.

tip of the day:
Sometimes I use a recipe that calls for just a bit of lemon or lime zest. And then I have the rest of it leftover. Now, I cut it up into slices, and put them in an ice cube tray, fill up with water and freeze. So when I need an ice cube for water or ice tea or a special drink, I can have ice and a citrus slice all in one.  This is great for punches too. (you can find ice cube trays at resale shops, cheap. Handy to have for lots of stuff).

That's all for this week...
:D

Circle of Hearts

Well that special time of year is here.

Fighting the pounds we put on at Christmas and New Year's parties just in time for another hurdle.

Valentine Chocolates!!! eek...

But this week's project is totally guilt free, and you can have as many of these around to celebrate this heartfelt holiday without gaining an ounce.

Paper Heart Rings

You will need:

~napkins (square)

~scissors

~freezer paper (optional)

Look at the napkin. See the way it's folded? It has an 'open' corner and a 'folded' corner.

You will be folding this napkin into an ice cream cone shape, with the open end always up. Fold 2 times.

Take your scissors and cut two curve shapes (like the top of a heart) off the top. This will cause all the folds to turn into a heart shape, when opened.

Then you need to cut the bottom off so you leave a point.
Open up for your heart ring! If you use large napkins, you can also use the bottom cut out for a coaster. (See photo at top.)
You can scatter these heart rings all over your Valentine table. Under clear plates, under cookies or chocolates, under glass vases, votive candles, etc.

Now if you want to have these delicate napkins a bit stronger ~ iron on some freezer paper (the waxy side to the napkin) BEFORE you cut the heart shapes out. This works with delicate fabric also.

You can use either large or small napkins, or both.
These are real cute and easy, so make a bunch!
IF you don't have napkins, you can use wrapping paper, origami paper, etc.

tip of the day:
My dad gave me this tip a long time ago. If you get something in your eye, such as an eyelash, take a kleenex, fold up a few times to create a pointy end (like the ice cream cone shape we made above).
Gently touch this onto the irritant, and it will be absorbed onto the kleenex. If it doesn't work the first time, refold and use a new, dry end, and try again.

That's all for this week...
:D