My Initial Welcome Sign

I collect scraps of wood.  Nothing makes my heart beat faster than driving by a new build in the neighborhood and seeing a dumpster filled with wood scraps.  I'm a lucky girl because my hubby has not problem diving in and grabbing me the wood scraps I need want.  This scrappy gem has been sitting in the corner of the garage waiting to be made into a welcome sign for our front door.

I painted the background during a craft night I hosted with my friends (see previous post) and set it aside until I had time to add my personal touch.  Thanks to National Take Your Child To Work Day, also known as Free Labor Day in my house, I had extra time to work on my welcome sign. (There will be a post about that wonderful day coming soon)  After Greta got bored painting backgrounds for me, I asked her to pick out a collection of papers that I could use for my sign.  She did a great job, I love the colors!  It was all quick and easy...  I cut out petals for the flowers and printed positive words for the sign, distressed everything and glued it all into place.  I then did  a little shading, applied a  good coat of outdoor sealer and I glued on my initial, Like magic, I have the happiest welcome sign to place at my front door.

Reusing Spiral Notebooks

Are you at the part of the school year when you child comes home and tells you that she/he needs a new notebook the very next day, so you run to the grocery store and pay twice the normal amount for a sad little notebook?  No one wants to be the bad parent who sends their child to school without supplies.  And then do you repeat the exact same thing the next week?   I know I can't be the only one.  Right?!?!  Please tell me I'm right.


Do you have a stack of partially used spiral notebooks stashed away in a closet that came home from school at the end of the year?  Do you try to talk your little angel into using one of those old notebooks before you pawn your wedding ring (okay, I may be exaggerating a bit) to buy the overpriced notebook at the grocery store down the street?

Do you have a box of odd and end scrap booking supplies that you can't get rid of but you probably won't use?  Or, are you like me and buy scrap booking supplies but never scrapbook?

If you answered yes to these questions then grab your Mod Podge because I have the solution for you!

This little gem was the result of  "Mom!!!  I need a new Science notebook for school tomorrow!!"  I wasn't about to leave the house without my bra on and I wasn't putting on a bra to go get another stinkin' notebook. Don't judge... the sun was down and my jammies were on.  I checked the old notebook stash and remembered that when we moved I painstakingly dismantled all the old spiral notebooks so they could be recycled... but I found an survivor.  I located a vintage notebook from when my husband was in college about ten years ago.  JACKPOT!  Take a look at what we made with a paper bag, scrapbook supplies, and Mod Podge.  She loves it.

steampunk/military messenger bag for the tomboy

We are still using those steampunk inspired pendants.  They were so much fun to make and I have set a few aside to use in my mixed media paintings.  I have so much "stuff"collected for paintings.  My previous post shows how we made them and then turned them into a banner Steampunk Banner.

Gigi is a tomboy.  She doesn't get why girls like to spend time fixing their hair, putting on make-up or worrying about accessories.  (I love all those things.)  I was so excited when I found out that her friends talked her into using a purse.  She refused to carry any type of bag that looked girly or pink or had flowers or had anything that indicated she could possible be a girly-girl.  I showed her a few of the Kavu bags, which are functional, durable, and fun.  I carry one.   She didn't really love any of them so off we went to look through my fabric scraps.

Gigi designed her own small messenger tote by using left over pieces of an Army uniform, chevron canvas, left over military patches and pins from her Dad's collection and some of her steampunk charms and pendants.  It turned out so cool.  Or should I say epic?  I can never keep up.   Now she's not walking around school with her pockets full of her phone, chapstick, pens and pencils, papers... her new steampunk/military inspired bag holds it all.

Singing Forest - recycled pallet painting

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

let the sea resound, and all that is in it.

Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;

let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for He comes,

He comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Psalms 96:11-13

 

 

 

 

 There is an art show coming up in March and the theme is recycled art.  Recycling is close to my heart.  I feel a deep responsibility to take care of the natural beauty that God created for us.  My heart aches at times when I think about the lack of respect we show the earth and although I frequently fail, I try to avoid the "more" trap.  It doesn't take a ton of energy to recycle or cut down on waste.  Plus, it saves money. I can find an hour a week to take my trash to the recycling center.  

 

 

 

 Gene was sweet enough to scavenge a pallet tossed to the side at one of the construction sights in our neighborhood, tear is down, and put it together as a canvas.  I'm so thankful for his willingness to support my passion.

 

 

 

I had the idea for this painting for several months.  God has gifted me with this ability and my inspirations usually come from my sermon notes during church.  I have a notebook that I take notes in during church.  On the right side of the page is the actual sermon notes and the left side of the page is sketch after sketch of inspiration based on what spoke to me during the service.  It is fun to browse through my notebook.

 

 

 

I tried to incorporate additional materials that would normally end out in the garbage.  The wings of the moth are made from a world map that was heading to the dumpster and the circle of the large flower is made from a scrap of waxed paper.  There are also bits of paper from a credit card mailer worked into the picture.

This was a fun piece to make.  It is definitely different from what I usually do and  I will absolutely do it again.

  

 

Something for myself - a new purse

Hard to believe, but I finally made something for little ol' me.

I bought this fabric months ago with the intention of making something for myself.  I love all the colors and the floral suggestion of the pattern.  When I want to shake things up with my sewing I go to Goodwill to look for items that I can upcycle.  A few months ago, this great military inspired green belt caught my eye.  My waist is not in any shape to draw attention to it by wearing a cool clunky belt but I thought it might make a neat shoulder strap for a purse.

A month or so ago I found the time and inspiration to create a new purse pattern.  I only cut out the body of the purse because... well, that is all I had come up with.  I didn't know how I would finish the purse, I just knew what size and shape I wanted.  Now that I have carried to purse for a few days I know that when I make this style again that the side pockets and the purse body would work better for me if they were deeper.  I carry around a lot of big stuff like books and water bottles.

This past week, Greta was sick and missed a week of school.  You might think that I had an entire week at home to create but not so... I was needed every couple of minutes to sooth and comfort a sick child.  That's my job.  On day five of being homebound, and Greta starting to feel better, I had an hour or so of uninterrupted time.  As a result, I am enjoying my new purse!

On a side note, I work in spurts.  I might sew for a week and then paint for a week.  Then I get bogged down with other distractions.  I like to jump from partially finished project to partially finished project.  Right now, I have an art journal page sitting open on the desk waiting for the last touches of paint and details.  Maybe I'll get to that today.

My next sewing project for myself is going to be a big weekend travel bag.  I have been snapping pics at the stores whenever I see one I like.  I want to remember all the little details.  Hmmmm, I wonder how long it will take to complete the travel bag?

Waste Not, Want Not

It is all my Mom's fault!  Growing up I always heard the phrase "Waste Not, Want Not" or something similar to that.  As an adult, I have somehow won the battle of not keeping every margarine or cool whip container that goes to recycling but I can't pass up any unwanted crafts or art supplies.  They call out to me.  It may just be a piece of ribbon off of a package or a piece of shiny wadded up tissue paper, I snag it and think that it can be used for something. 

My need to rescue art supplies is at war with my need for organization.  I try to follow a strict guideline of if I don't use it in a year then it has to go.  Yikes!  What about the paper maker that I held onto for five years but didn't use?  What about the adorable box of scrapbook paper and cardboard animals that I found at a scrapbook store that was unwanted?  Their year (or two) was coming up quickly and if I didn't find a use for them then I would have to find them a good home.

Then I had an idea!  An amazing idea that just might work.  When the owners of the house we rent moved out they left this atrocious  curious shelf in the hall bathroom.  It has several 8X8 squares, which wouldn't be so bad if they were deep enough to hold things, but the squares are shallow.  This shelf needs a new home - anywhere but mine.  Unfortunately, removing things from a house that an owner has left behind makes me nervous.  I am concerned that if they move back to their home after we are stationed someplace else they will want their shelf, or curtains, or old dry paint, or the five gallon bucket of Spackle... the list goes on, and I don't want to have to pay for the missing item out of our deposit.  So, the shelf has been hanging on the wall empty since the day we moved in.

 Nothing would really fit safely on that stinkin' shelf.  If I tried to put pretty containers on it they would hang over the edge and one slam of the door would send them plunging into the toilet below.  You can guess who would have to fish them out.  Yuck!  I needed something small and flat.  So, I picked up some 5X5 canvases and decided to make little mixed media pictures that the girls would enjoy, would fit on the crazy shelf, and use the supplies that were marked for donation.

 Step one:  pick out my paper and modge podge it on.

Step two:  add paint, rub ons, scribbles, the animals, and anything else that I think might work.

Step three:  I wanted to give each animal a purpose so they were all assigned a word. 
Finished...  It was a quick project and I like them.  Smile!

Re-usable Sandwich Bags for Christmas Gifts

Christmas Gifts!

Each year I try to come up with something fun and inexpensive to make the girls' teachers for Christmas that involves the Three R's (reduce, reuse, and recycle).  This year it is the Lunch Kit which includes two re-usable sandwich bags and a lunch sized napkin.  I started making the sandwich bags after volunteering in the lunchroom a few years ago.  I was horrified by all the plastic bags and containers that went in the trash after each lunch.  Where is all this trash going to go in another decade or two?  Now the girls use the re-usable sandwich bags for everything - not just sandwiches.  They are lined with a food safe material and can be wiped out or tossed in with the laundry.  We also use them for car rides or just holding little collections of " kid stuff".   Greta is always wanting me to make her new ones so she can show her friends.  Little does she know that they get examples.  ha ha

Gigi's piano teacher received one after the Christmas Recital  filled with chocolate as a thank you for her hard work and patience.  I can't tell you how many times Gigi went to practice pretending like she had practiced all week.  I am sure Carly could tell the difference but she always give Gigi encouraging remarks after practice (even if I am tattling on Gigi).

This collection of newly finished re-usable sandwich bags ready for new homes. They are $6 each or the Lunch Kit is $15 (two bags and a coordinating lunch sized napkin).  If you aren't local I would be happy to mail them to you with just the cost of shipping.  They are also sold in Ms Effie's Summer Kitchen, along with all kinds of other handmade items from fabulous women.

New Totes and Bags

I haven't been able to sew since July.  My simple old Singer died right before we moved and couldn't be repaired.  I thought I would go big and bought a fancy schmancy Viking that had every stitch available. By the time all the layers are together, this stuff is as durable as leather and as difficult to sew through.  My new fancy schmancy machine said "no can do" when I tried to sew a re-usable sandwich bag.

ARGHHHH!!!!!

I came to my senses and bought a new machine with a giant motor and zero computerized parts.  It sews wonderfully!  Look at what's going to Ms. Effie's Summer Kitchen.

 I love the silvery blue of this tote bag and polka dots are always fun.  These bags hold library books, groceries, or anything you need to carry.  I regularly use mine for groceries and tell the cashiers to fill it to the top.  If I can lift it the bag can hold it.

A new stack of re-usable sandwich bags.  They are the same size of a traditional zip closure sandwich bag and lined with a food safe material.  We use them everyday in the girls' lunch then wipe them out or put them in the wash when they get dirty.  The kids enjoy the patterns and I feel great knowing that we are being kind to the earth.

Reusable Lunch Stuff

What to do with some leftover fabric? How about reusable lunch bags?

I made these lunch baggies in a jiffy. The liner is waterproof and food safe (it is the lining used for making diaper covers). It has a Velcro closure so it is easy for the kids to open and close. Now I don't have to add more plastic baggies to the landfill. If you start out with an 8x8 square it will end out the exact size of a sandwich bag.

Guess what a couple of dishtowels can make? Reusable napkins for the lunch box. One dish towel makes about six 5x6 napkins. The girls love them.