Saturday Play Day

Ok - I got up intending to test out what I will be doing on the next segment for Everyday with Marcus and Lisa but since I couldn't locate one of the vital ingredients that didn't end up happening.  So, I played with Balsa wood and some stamps instead.

Being very inspired by this amazing artist at this site, I started on some Valentine's Day treats.  My daughter had made a Noah's Ark for a History project a while back with Balsa wood so I had some in my work room. (That's when I am happy that I don't throw my scraps away!!)  I decided to cut some tags and stamped them. They are very simple but I like them.  I also had seen her bowls.  They are absolutely stunning in their simplicity.  I found some little ceramic bowls and stamped one with Staz-On ink. I wanted to try it in red but I let my friend borrow my other inks so I only had black today.  I definitely think that Paloma's Nest are SOooo much better *as in NO comparison!* as the bowl is handmade and they are hand stamped and there is no color - Can you tell that  I just love hers!? But I really like how these came out too and with the right packaging they will be precious to give away.

Oh! I used my Making Memories magnetic stamps since they were a nice size but what I did was I put a glue dot on the back of them to put them on this little acrylic stamping block - otherwise I couldn't fit anything into the bowl.  I had my Staz-On cleaner right beside me for mistakes.  I must confess it did take quite a few (i.e. probabably 11!) tries to get it just like I wanted....not too light, not too dark, all letters appearing :) but the cleaner essentially works as an eraser so it came right off.  I don't know if it would take it off now since they have set a while and I'm not gonna try!  I'll post another picture once I figure out how I am going to present them.

I had bought this wood at Hobby Lobby in the woodworking section.  Balsa wood is very soft. I had 1/16" on hand but want to try it with 1/8".  I just cut it with an Exacto blade and a metal ruler.  The little round Valentine's Day stamps are from Michael's and were only $1!

Past-Due Christmas post

In the beginning, this was going to be an ornament - as in a tree ornament, however in the end it seemed more fitting for a doorknob  or armoire ornament.  

I started off with a 3 inch styrofoam ball. and some coordinating fabrics.  I snipped the edge of the fabric to allow me to tear the fabric into strips. They were about 1" wide and ended up being about 7" long.  I folded the strips in half and put a dab of hot glue on the ball and adhered the loops to the ball.  I did this over and over until the ball was full.  

On great thing about this project is that you can take it anywhere.  I literally took my gallon zip lock with my fabric, scissors, ball, pins and glue with me and when I had a few minutes waiting in the car or something I would work on it.  Another great thing is that it would be great for kids too - especially if you opt not to use hot glue *see below*.

On the others I made, I found that it worked better if I used no-sew fabric glue and quilting pins. By putting a dab of glue on the ball then securing it by taking a quilting pin through the fabric and sticking into the ball. After it dries you can just twist the pin out but I just left mine in - they couldn't be seen. The glue gun, after a while, got too hot and I would have to unplug it to cool it down and start over. A "too hot" glue gun and a styrofoam ball aren't a good mix :) Another thing I found was that I liked using the 2 1/2 " ball a little better....sounds small but it still ended up being a really nice size.

Wish I had thought to take pics of the other balls before I gave them away.  They ended up being hostess gifts for Christmas parties we went to.  These pics are of one I made with more whimsical fabrics. The others had fancier fabrics because some of our friends (and their homes) are pretty fancy ;)

I was thinking this would be so cute in red or pink, white and black for Valentine's Day.  Maybe I'll try to fit that in soon. 

Like Old Times

It has been FOREVER, but today I made bread. It is SO good and with bread baking our home feels all nice and cozy! I buy our wheat and other grains from BreadBeckers . If you go to their website, you will find all the info you need on milling your own wheat and why it's so healthy for us!  It does take a bit of time - of which there isn't much of around here but once you get the hang of it, it can be done pretty quickly.  My husband and my kids LOVE it - and with 3 teenagers in the family there isn't many things I can say that about! :) I hope that I can get around to making it more in 2009 (one of my goals). At this point, even an occasional baking session is ALOT more than what I have been doing of late! 

So, my encouragement to you is - Is there something you used to do around your house or for your family you haven't done in a while?  A yummy dessert you used to fix, a favorite casserole, a special b'fast? What about calling an old friend? Or touching base with a neighbor? If so, plan a day to do it! 

Is this considered Re-Gifting?!?!?

I don't know if you ever bought really nice blank artist canvases but they aren't cheap! Of course, I normally try to get them on sale or with a coupon but recently I found some great canvases (already painted) at Hobby Lobby (LOVE that place!) on clearance.  Some were long and some were square but all had 1 1/2 inch sides and were gallery canvases - meaning they didn't have staples on the edges. They also were ready to hang with wire already on them....so I bought them all.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that if and when you see canvases on sale that are already painted - don't be scared of them! Yes, you can use them! Buy them!!!  and cover up what is already there.  That is a great way to get awesome prices on canvases.  You can staple fabric on them, decoupage them, paint them - the sky's the limit!  

So, I painted this for my friend's birthday. I hope she likes it!

Here is one before I repainted it.

Here it is painted with a few thin coats of a base color, then some decorative free-handing.  The fabric next to it was the pattern inspiration. Still gotta spray some sealer on it.

Another shot of the fabric - Amy Butler, not sure of the actual name.