WAIT, WAIT, WAIT I did the November Craft Along

I know I'm really late posting this but...
  I found a ceramic tree at the thrift shop and snatched it up before anyone else could. It wasn't painted fancy so I had no guilt about priming over it and painting it the way I wanted.
  What it did have was it's the exact ceramic tree model that I was looking for. A few years ago I made the same ceramic tree for my sister and meant to make one for myself but never did, then the ceramic shop went out of business and shipping cost for one are crazy. I was really happy when I stumbled across it.

   I wanted to give the tree some depth and dimension. I painted the tree with different colors of green and the base with different colors of brown, to bring out the nooks and crannies I dry brushed a dark brown and wiped the excess off. I still need to add a new light to make the bulbs glow, that can wait until next Christmas.

 

  I'm real happy with the way it turned out.

TTFN,

Chris =]

December's craft along theme!

This is the last month for my craft along I hosted this year.  I can't say it was a huge success so I won't be hosting again.   I did manage to do everything though so I am happy about that.

Here is the last theme for the year.....

It's A Wrap!



Simply put, make a "wrap" for yourself or a friend.....it can be something to keep you warm, like a scarf.  It can be anything that WRAPS.....if you make cute holiday gift wrap, etc....that counts!

Enjoy and have a great month!

November's challenge, little tree.....

I had a busy Fall and just got around to doing some catch up blog posts!

Here is my challenge for November.   I made this little tree for my kitchen...isn't it cute?  I found the tree, broken at at store and bought it for 2 bucks.  I fixed the broken light and then painted this urn I had in the garage....jammed the little tree in and wala!

So, that is obviously NOT my kitchen, right?  Kaela wanted my 4 foot tree so I let her have it and I took this one to work.....it is actually the perfect size.

So far, I've managed to do ALL the challenges this year......

November's craft along theme

The craft along theme for this month is simple.

Create a holiday decoration!  ANY holiday....ANY decoration.  Large or small, keep or giveaway.  Just make it!  Re-purpose something? Sure!

Such a no brainer, right?  

Maybe it is an idea you've pinned (don't we have HUNDREDS?)  and never gotten around to making.

Maybe it is something you have for other holidays and want to re-create for a different one...like a wreath.
As for me, I have a rag garland for Fall and one for Spring...

I've been wanting to make one for Christmas....maybe this will give me the kick start I need!

Whatever IT IS, make it lovely and have fun!

October's craft along theme

A few years ago, I did a little thing on my regular blog called Spookify Saturday and I would make something and post a tutorial on it.

Remember this?


or these?



or what about these...


Cute, right?


I think that would be fun for this month's theme!

So, here we go.....

Spookify Something for October!

Then come here and show it off.   I am hoping more of you will play along since Halloween is such a fun crafting month.  I've been feeling a bit lonely.....being the only one of late to do the craft along theme!

Gold...and purple!

September's theme was gold.  I had this AMAZING thing planned to do but time and weather wouldn't behave so I went another route.

I had some fun gold and purple things that needed to be whipped up for this year's college football season....so I give you

LSU on a baker's rack!   Hahaha!



I made an apron (for a friend) and a ruffley scarf and a cute little crocheted cozy that I use everyday!

I hope someone else made something too....or this will be the second month in a row that I've played alone.....poo. 

September's craft along theme!

Each time school goes back into session, this rhyme pops into my head:

"Back to school and the Golden Rule...."

So, with that in mind, I think it would be fun to have a GOLDEN theme, afterall, FALL is just around the corner down here in Louisiana!  It is probably in full swing up north.

How easy is it to make something GOLDEN and post it here before the end of the month?   COME ONE!  I know you can do it!  I was the one and only last month (sniff, sniff)

 Whoever does a post will be put into a drawing for a prize!

My head is swimming with lots of golden things already....wreaths, painted pine cones, swags, PUMPKINS, garlands, vases......the ideas are endless!  

Just in time for fall and the holidays!




Good luck and have fun!!!!

August's theme: Altered Art

Before I get started, the winner of JULY'S  drawing is CHRIS!  I'll be send you a little goodie in the mail, thanks for playing along this month!!!

This is the perfect month to STAY INSIDE and create ALTERED ART!

Look at this idea....an old watercolor tin!

here are some other things I found on google...

It is so hot right now that all I want to do is stay inside and create.  I have to admit that little Osa is keeping my crafting ideas on hold though...she is quite the busy body!

This month I thought it would be fun to make something out of ANYTHING you can get your hands on!  

I love altered art....you can find tons of ideas online or just use your imagination!

Books, bottles, notepads, gift tags, gift bags, spools, boxes......the list is endless.  Don't forget to post your finished work of art here by the end of the month!  I'll do a drawing and send the winner a goodie!

See you on the other side!

Yay for Independance Crafting!

 Independence or in other words, doing something you've wanted to do, was a great theme for me as I have so many projects I want to do or plan to complete someday. Since it's summer I tried to take advantage of my time off and create this month. There are more details on my regular blog, which has been sitting unused, empty and lonely for the last few months. I'll try to be better about posting both here and there on a more regular basis.

This is a scarf made from neckties, inspired by a scarf that had been created by a Boston based designer. You can see her amazing work here. Creating necktie scarves was harder than I thought it would be so this sat unfinished for two years. I finished/refinished two this month.

I also created a little pillow using scraps and a little stitchery that I had finished a couple of years ago. Another unfinished project done.  :)

I created a new reversible bag using fabric from my stash. I have a bunch more cut and ready to sew.

Lastly, I made a carbage bag to harness all of the trash and wrappers that accumulate in a mom's car. It's been fun crafting, creating and completing unfinished projects!  Yay for the independance theme!

Craft Along: Christmas in July

For July's Independent Craft Along I went with Christmas in July. I don't work during the summer so July is my time to work on Christmas.
 
  My first project was making our yearly tree topper. I found this wool felt kit on etsy from the Cheswick Company. I changed things up a little bit and was able to make two with some extra felt I had.

 

  My second project was a quick ornament I made using a tiny candy box and a wooden snowman. When you hang the ornament in front of a christmas light the window with Santa will glow.

 My third project was my yearly Christmas cards.These are not quite done, I can't decide what to use as the border. They are made using old coffee cup lids. It was Ms. L idea to write xmas on the last line, it's quirky but that's the way we roll.

  My last project was finishing my vintage ornament wreath that I've been working on since last summer. I found a couple of good estate sales where I was able to acquire a large amount of bulbs. The burnt finger were worth it. It turned out much better than I anticipated. 

TTFN,

Chris =]

July's challenge: check and check and check!

For July, we could do whatever we wanted!  I had a different idea in mind but when I saw how much fabric I had in my stash, I decided to use some up!

With that in mind, I set out to make some aprons.....

Two martini aprons, one to keep and one to share:

Two canning aprons, sent to a dear friend and her mom:

and one flirty apron....maybe I'll keep this one too...not sure yet!

Happy crafting everyone!   

July's Theme!

So, WHAT in the world could THIS month's theme be?

How about INDEPENDENCE!  

After all, I'm sure there is a project YOU have been wanting to work on.  Maybe a WIP?



That works for me!  Just pick something you've been wanting to do and DO IT!

Then post it here.  I'm collecting goodies for the giveaway.....

Have a great July 4th everyone!!!

channeling June....

For this month's challenge, I decided to go with a different fabric than I originally picked.  Afterall, martinis are Mad Men, not JUNE!  (more on THAT apron later.....)

Instead I used some cute fabric someone sent me in an apron swap EONS ago.  Very cute, very Betty Crockerish....and perfect for June Cleaver.

The apron pattern I used is Mango Tango out of A is for Apron.  It is precious on...except it doesn't fit.  story of my life.  Anyway, instead of altering this one as planned, I am going to stash it away.   I've made notes on the pattern though...so hopefully, the next one will fit me!

Catching Up!

 This year has been busy! I started a graduate class in January so my crafting time was put on hold. Now with the arrival of summer vacation I'm trying to catch up on posting and crafting.

 MARCH Project: This is my Dr. Seuss project. What, where is the Seuss part you ask? Well, it's still a work in progress. The letters are finally painted and are just waiting for me to modge podge on Cat in The Hat book pages. The plan is this will decorate the top of the student bookshelf in my classroom this fall. Now I just need to find a Cat in the Hat book to cut up. So far I haven't had any luck finding a used copy and I'm not willing to cut up my personal copy as I read it to the kids at school. Plus the letters are big so I have to find a book with big pages, so it's remains a work in progress.

\

APRIL Project: Altered converse sneakers. This is a project I've wanted to do for months. I actually bought the sneakers back in August but didn't get to it until April vacation. I just used a navy blue Sharpie and went to town zentangling my sneakers. It took about two hours but I loved how they turned out. I love wearing these, actually I'm wearing them right now and I bought I black pair to draw on this summer.  :) 

MAY Project: This winter I took a class to learn wool felting.  I love to craft but it's been years since I've taken a class; I'm more of a "I can figure that out." kind of person. Half the fun is trying to figure out how to make it and learning from my mistakes. Anyway, after my wool felting class, I had some wool roving around the house so I felted this little purple mushroom. It took me three hours to create this tiny mushroom completely from scratch. Hopefully as I practice more I'll get faster at felting.

JUNE Project: Today I finished my June apron. I've been watching a couple of shows that have aprons featured in every episode and have been wanting to create a smocklike apron to wear at school when I'm helping the kids paint. I created it by altering a pattern from Out On The Town Bibs. I think it will work well in my preschool art area. Now I need to make a few kid sized aprons for my dramatic play center.

I think I'm finally caught up just in time for the new July theme. Yay!

sneak a peek

this may be channeling Mad Men more than June Clever....but right now, it is the fabric of choice!

June's theme and giveaway results!

First of all, Kerry won the giveaway for May...I'll be sending you a little goodie soon!!!!

Now for this month's craft along!

Every time I hear June, I think of June Cleaver from that old tv show "Leave it to Beaver."  I grew up thinking that is how I would look when cleaning house. (fat chance...I'm more like the Domestic Diva ladies you see making all the wise cracks.)

Well, times have changed but I still love aprons so this month's challenge is to make a June Cleaver inspired apron!  

I love to make aprons anyway and this gives me an excuse to make one without hosting an actual apron swap!



If you don't sew, try out washable fabric glue...and pinking shears for edges...or make jelly or jam...or whatever....

If you want to play along, simply post your finished picture here (or email it to me and I'll post it.)

I'll do a drawing at the end of the month.  I usually wait to see who wins and send the winner stuff I know they will like!

Now I'm off to locate Osa.  Give me strength, that puppy can get into a mess in less than 5 seconds! 

May's Challenge: Stashbuster Wreath

For May's challenge I made this Gnome and Toadstool wreath:

I had been wanting to make another little gnomey wreath for my front door.   I dug around in my stash and found everything I needed....some of the toadstools were ones I made last year for Christmas.  I made the flowers using hot glue and ribbon.

This gnome takes center stage:

Get your posts in by June 1st so I can send someone something for participating!

May's Theme!!!!!

Soooooooo.  I had so many ideas for May that I was seriously losing my mind.   That in itself isn't too uncommon.  So I gathered my brains and stuffed them back into my wee little skull and went BACK to my first idea:

 "MUSHROOMS!"



Okay, so you know I HAD to go there!  I love them too much to let an entire year go by without making something with mushrooms or toadstools!

So, make some of these cute little capped fellows and post them here by the first of June!!!!

I'll draw a name for a giveaway!!!!