Wrapping up the Holidays

Looking for a simple, non-traditional way to decorate your holiday packages this year?

Try adorning your packages with hand-cut and hand-painted, paper feathers. This idea was inspired by Lia Griffith, who's gold-tipped feather wrapping is absolutely gorgeous and elegant. 

It took me about an hour to create 2 dozen feathers. I choose a set of feathers from Google images, cut from my selected paper—vintage sheet music for White Christmas—and then painted a variety of color accents. 

Paired with clean lines and solid kraft wrapping, the feathers add a whimsical and non-conventional touch to holiday gifts!

Like your feathers too much to give them away? Take another Lia Griffith suggestion and hang clusters for beautiful wall art!

DIY: Santa Bottle Decor

It's just a few weeks before Christmas, which means Santa's Elves are hard at work. If you're feeling a little crafty and looking for a DIY project of your own, here's a very simple way to transform a bottle into a Santa decoration. 

Basic Instructions:
1. Paint a bottle red (I used spray paint as it provides the smoothest coverage)
2. Use a piece of black ribbon as a belt.
3. Cut a square of felt to make the buckle. Cover with silver glitter if you have it.
4. Glue on white buttons
Extra Details: on the tall bottle I wrapped white macrame string around the neck. On the small bottle I painted the cap black. 

A super easy project that has a great effect. I imagine paint colors and details could be altered to be elves or gnomes too!

Note: these look extra festive with my elf wine caps on top!!

Spike Gets Socked

A custom request from the site last week, led to this....

Sock Dinos—something of a crossbreed of a stegosaurus and a brontosaurus—soft, plush and lovable. 

Normally I'm a maker of monkeys, but I'm always up for a challenge. So when this request came in, I was happy to oblige. I particularly enjoy working with socks, adapting the traditional sock monkey, and unleashing the potential of a whole circus. 

Expect more dinos to show up on Etsy in the future. In the meantime, if you have a special request, or a unique idea, send me a note, we'll see if I can figure it out!

Clay Class 101

Clay class was always my favorite, but as an adult, clay doesn't come into play much in the day-to-day. The last time I used clay was during our Weekminds creative experiment in 2009 when I replaced Little Jerry's head with a polymor monkey head.
But a Spring issue of Better Homes and Gardens had me digging out the polymor once again. All you really need is a bit of clay and perhaps a simple rubber stamp to create simple, yet fetching trinket bowls.

My attempt was a bit more freehand, adding a pinched edge and higher lip.

But really, it was a remarkable quick and simple project, and if you have kids to entertain, it's a trick that may really impress them and leave them with excellent gifts for Auntie and Gram.  

See the full instructions and article, pinned here.

Give Monday a Beating

It's February. It's Cold. It's Monday. And we're all Tired. Here's some appropriate advice for this Monday morning.

Wise Sentiments. Coming soon to Etsy.

DIY: Easy Afternoon Stamping

This is a Pinterest find that I just think is so brilliant in it's simplicity. A quick craft that anyone can do with items they  have around the house–a rubber stamp made from a pencil eraser!

This blogger over at Cut & Paste used the stamp to make simple and adorable stationary, tags and wrapping paper.

If you're looking for a bigger cutting surface or different texture, try a cork! Another reason to drink more wine!

Just Another Snow Day

Sick of the snow yet? If you're like me, you've officially given up and succumbed to full on hibernation. So instead of going outside, where our faces freeze off, let's bring a little bit of the outdoors, snow day fun inside.

Check out these fun and creative paper snowflake templates I found on Pinterest. Time to get sassy with your scissors. 

Star Wars Snowflakes - Matters of Grey

Bear and Owl Flakes - Imagine Gnats

Ballerina Snow Dancer - Modish Space

Elaborate Traditional Snowflakes - DIY Creating

This is a great craft for a snowy afternoon by the fire watching movie. Or if you just need the kids to sush-up for a few minutes. 

(Let's Go) Exploring Embroidery

Over my extended Christmas break, I turned to a new project...a twist on traditional samplers... pop culture embroidery (surely no copyright violation here....!).
Inspired by a card I'd receive a while back, I suddenly began stitching out my pals Sophia, Rose, Dorothy and Blanche one afternoon. And then while watching the Dear Mr. Watterson documentary I was inspired and began on Calvin and Hobbes. I'm quite smitten with how each of these turned out—it's a simple combination of embroidery thread and acrylic paint, displayed in an 8 inch hoop.


I was going to post this on Etsy but I posted it on Instagram while I was working on it and someone purchased it via the comments there. Well that's a good sign, I guess I'll be making more of these! 

Oh Snap! I Found Cute Cards

In a Christmastime cleaning binge, we found these decks of old playing cards—Animal Snap, Snap and Donkey. I was so smitten with the size and sketches on each card, that I immediately began making them into greeting cards.

The cards vary from cute little animals, motivational sayings and nursery rhymes. I've made some of them available on Etsy here.

Chop and Revive: T-Shirt Restyle

As the sun descends earlier, and we're faced with more time in the dark and indoors, it's becomes time to tackle the piling pile of To-Do List items. 

First up for me, a little T-Shirt Restyling I'd been meaning to try, as suggested by Nic Howard on her blog, It's been one of those days. 

I took her basic idea and turned a favorite tee that I wanted to refit, into a halter top. I used an old drawstring as the tie instead of the sleeve edges. And I also made the shirt tie in the back center like a halter, rather than attaching at each shoulder. You can follow the original How-To here.

This is a great way to put new life into pieces of your wardrobe that you may have abandoned or forgotten. Click here for more "Trash to Couture" ideas.

DIY: Wearable Stripes

We're all looking forward to the upcoming holiday weekend. And it's time to look the part!

Here's a holiday suggestion from the most recent Martha Stewart Living. I'm delighted by the possibilities this simple design could yield. 

Create festive stripes on a top using painters tape to help you out. Simple process, charming results!

Let them Bake Cakes

In effort to improve my sewing skills, I did a little handmade giving this holiday season. I decided to purchase a pattern, and interpret it—without the guidance and sewing wisdom of my mother!

So, to incorporate my love of cooking and desserts, with an full-hearted attempt at sewing, I found this awesome Hot Cakes Oven Mitt Pattern from UnderCoverQuilts on Etsy. 

It was a great choice for a first attempt. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, the steps were not overly complicated, and the piece was overall easy to assemble and replicate in assembly line fashion. 

In all, I made over a dozen cupcake potholders, the first three being practice before I was willing to gift them! Several went to coworkers, family and friends while others were paired with hand-painted wooden spoons for "themed" gifts. And as it turns out, they are transitioning seasons nicely, and I'm continuing to produce them for sweet Valentine's day gifts. 

I consider this a successful attempt at taking my sewing skills to the next level. And I'm eager to find an opportunity soon to step it up a little more with another sewing project!

Tied up and Delicious

Back in June of 2011 on one of my very early Burger of the Weeks (#7), I showcased Ed Bing Lee's macrame burger which is part of his delectable series.

But it wasn't until recently that I actually saw this video which showcases Lee's knotting process. The artistic details and patience required in his work is both admirable and beautiful. I like how he compares his technique of combining multicolor knots to Seurot's pointillism.
The way Lee explores the design and concept of 3D form is intriguing in this overrun computer age. I love the idea of creating something simply with your hands. Maybe it's time to try a little macrame myself. I did make a macrame owl once as a teenager—if i recall it looked a little bit like one of these.

Want to try macrame yourself? Pinterest has lots of resources for beginning macrameers. 

Wine Drank. Wine Painted.

Earlier this year, Brush Studio opened in East Grand Rapids, at the heart of Gaslight Village. The studio offers a unique chance to express yourself creatively with paint—all under the helpful eye of an instructor. 

With a little coercion, I convince a few friends that we could, in fact, do this. Not being painters, with prepped ourselves with wine (which they sell at the studio) and then, coincidently enough, we painted wine. 

It was the most fantastic girls night. The most amazing thing about it was, that although we were all painting the same picture and following instruction from the same advisor, all four of paintings turned out extraordinarily different—but all fabulous. And each one is quite representative of the girl who painted it.

So in the end, painting is not scary. And in fact it's a lot of fun. Before the night was over, there was already much talk about planning a second evening at Brush.

Foldable Cheer

It's holiday time and it's likely you've got that crafting itch! Now I haven't had time to get to my holiday crafting yet, but no worries— Martha has your back. 

Here's some simple, foldable charming decorations from December's Martha Stewart Living. Download the template here!

Feeling Crafty?

If you've got the bug, and you're itching to channel you're inner Martha, here's a project that is so simple, yet looks so impressive, you'd fool even Martha herself. 

Adapted from this project found here on Pinterest, where they took rubber bands, wrapped a vase and then spray painted it. It's the same basic concept, except with a etched glass effect. 

I used a plain vase, created a pattern using tape, then generously applied Armor Etch (purchased at Hobby Lobby). Wait 5 minutes and wash off. The design is completely permanent and washable – dishwasher and everything!

It's that simple. 

Five Inspiring Pins

Pinterest went fully mobile this week launching apps for iPad and Android. Pinterest is officially the third most visited U.S. social network and is no longer by invite only, and is open to all.  

In  honor of the app debut, here's 5 Pinworthy Pins for the week.

An Inspiring Pyrex Collection

Kevin & Robin's – Pyrex Obsession

An Inspiring Library 
Christine Martinez – Interiors I Dream Of

An Inspiring DIY
Bright.Bazaar – Crafting & DIY Ideas

An Inspiring Smoothie Palette
Josie Goldberg – food glorious food

Some Design Inspiration

Jamie Wagnor – Design Inspiration

Got time to kill? Join Pinterest and consider it killed (or pinned).
Follow my personal pinning habits here.