Quarantine Creativity

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How are you handling your lockdown? Sorry…quarantine. I imagine this is what house arrest feels like. Forced purging, cleaning, cooking, drinking related pursuits.

If you’re like me, you have emptied lots of cans, jars and unearthed some unique household treasures. With Mother’s Day literally right around the corner, let me share some super easy craft ideas you can create for yourself or give as gifts.

A while back, I produced this video for Rodales Organic Life. All you’ll need are empty cans, fabric (for the cans), plant gravel, soil, and succulents. Remember, most plant nurseries have made it convenient by offering curbside pickup so getting your hands on a bag of soil, plant gravel and succulents shouldn’t be a challenge.

Stay safe, healthy and happy quarantine crafting!

Tillandsias – It’s All About Air

Photo by Tom MacDonald

Hello Crafters!  Here’s a ‘sneak peek’ of a tillandsias (also known as air plant) story I worked on for Organic Gardening Magazine. The story and all the projects I created will be featured in the December/January 2015 issue of Organic Gardening Magazine which goes on sale November 4th.

Check back after November 4th for all the project details and how-to’s!

Birds & Blooms Magazine, Creative Garden Ideas

This gallery contains 2 photos.

Hello crafters!  Check out the August/September issue of Birds & Blooms Magazine. In the issue is a feature story titled, 28 Thrifty, Unique and Creative Garden Ideas. My Garden Hose Doormat project is one of the projects….cool! Thank you Birds & Blooms … Continue reading →

Men’s Necktie Holiday Tags

 

Making your own holiday gift tags is super easy and fun!  Especially when you use unexpected materials like necktie fabric. This tired old tie, for example, has seen its share of holiday parties and I felt it was time for a refresh and reinvention.  Here’s how you can make holiday gift tags that will stand out from all those store-bought doozies.

You’ll need:

• Men’s neckties
• Shipping tags (4 3/4″ X 2 3/8″)
• Pencil
• Sharp scissor
• Card stock paper
• Spray adhesive
• Iron
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Decorative cord (optional)

If you don’t want to part with your cherished ties, you can find some really cool neckties at your local thrift store. Old flannel shirts would work fine as well. As for the shipping tags, you can pick up a box of 100 at Staples Office Supplies. The rest of the project ingredients you can gather at any craft store.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Draw some holiday silhouettes onto card stock paper. Be sure to keep them appropriately sized so they fit onto the tags. I kept mine simple so I wouldn’t have any intricate cutting to do. If you don’t want to draw the silhouettes free-hand, you can find some great holiday templates on-line.
2. Make card stock templates by cutting out the silhouettes then place them aside.
3. Use scissor to dissect the necktie by separating the fabric from all of the tie liners and backing. Then iron.
4. Spray a fine coat of spray adhesive onto a card stock template and place it onto the back of the tie fabric. Press firmly and let dry.
5. Using the template as your guide, carefully cut the tie fabric around the shape of the template.
6. Spray the back of the shape you just cut out with spay adhesive and affix it onto the tag pressing hard to be sure it is secure.
7. To give your tags a little more character, run the tags through your sewing machine.
8. Add some holiday ribbon or cord and your done!

Note to crafters, this project may seem time-consuming but honestly I completed six tags in about 1/2 hour. Also by affixing the fabric onto the card stock prevents the tie from fraying.

Happy crafting and happy holidays!

Repurposed Pantry Jars As Party Favors

Hello crafters! A while back I posted a project titled, Repurposed Jars for the Holidays. It was a big hit on my blog so I decided to repurpose MORE jars but this time as tiny terrariums. I think they’d be awesome as wedding favors!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Jars from your pantry
• Craft store acrylic paint
• Tiny succulents
• Potting soil
• Small pebbles
• 18 gauge aluminum wire
• Card stock paper
• Tiny spoon or twig
• Wire cutter
• Pencil

With the exception of the jars, succulents and potting soil, you can pick up all project ingredients from your craft store. The succulents and potting soil can be purchased at your local plant nursery.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Empty, clean and remove label from the jar.
2. Paint jar lid your favorite color.
3. Add about 1/2 inch of soil to the bottom of the jar.
4. Remove the succulent from the store container and remove any excess soil that is around the root system. Don’t worry about hurting these little guys, they’re super resilient.
5. Insert the succulent into jar and secure the roots of the succulent in the soil using a small spoon or twig.
6. Add a layer of pebbles.
7. Cut a section of wire to wrap and twist around the neck of the jar.
8. Using a pencil, curl the other end of the wire around the pencil to create a coil – this will hold the name tag.
9. Create a name tag with card stock paper, slip it in the coiled end of the wire and your done!

This project is super easy and inexpensive to make. And best of all, it makes a super and unique gift. Oh, and caring for these little lovelies is a breeze:

Check every couple of days to see if your terrarium needs water. If it is dry add a tiny bit of water.

If your terrarium is closed, take off the top every couple of days to air it out. If you see lots of condensation or have added too much water, leave the top off until it has had a chance to dry out.

Pull off any leaves that show signs of yellowing or damage and prune plants if they grow too large.

Don’t fertilize your terrarium because you don’t want to encourage growth.

Happy crafting!

 

 

Repurposed Vintage Spigot Handles

My friend Kate and I found these cool vintage spigot handles at our local antique store. The shapes are so unique that I had to have them — they were inexpensive and the sale was made.

With E-6000 adhesive, I reinvented them as magnets by simply gluing round hardware store magnets on the back of the spigot.

And voila’!

Happy crafting!

‘The Art of Patron’ Contest Submission

The Art of Patron challenge … check! I submitted my creation, Snow Globe, Patron Style, by contest deadline but let me tell ya crafters, it wasn’t without some disasters and minor meltdowns, some involving cussing. Yes I like to do that occasionally and it feels good – sorry mom!  Anywho there were hot messes far too many to yammer on about. But the best was AFTER I inserted the trees, glitter, liquid, and sealed the cork I stepped back to admire my work … there it was, floating gently around the bottle with glitter swirling around its lifeless body, a tequila loving spider…&#%!@?!!!! Fast forward to a moment of silence for Mr Spider, more cussing, and a project do-over, I finished my creations. Phew!

After I simmer down, I’ll share the ‘how-to’ for making YOUR own spider-free snow globe. All conflama aside, it was a fun challenge and thank you Patron for the opportunity to participate!

Happy &#%!@?! crafting 🙂

 

Chalkboard Flower Pot Easter Gifts

Chalkboard paint is so much fun to work with and it allows you countless ways to produce unique and functional pieces like this project, Birch Log Table Numbers.

I have a giant pile of unused terra-cotta flower pots so putting them to good use, I cracked open a can of chalkboard paint and created these simple gifts for the upcoming Easter holiday.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Terra Cotta containers (any paintable container will do)
• Chalkboard paint
• Foam paint brush
• Chalk
• Small plant or flower of your choosing (I used Baby’s Tears)
• Egg (optional)

You can find all of the project ingredients, including terra-cotta pots, at any craft store. Oh, with the exception of live plants and real eggs but you could substitute with artificial. For live plants, visit your local nursery and for eggs, visit your fridge.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Clean the surface of the container and paint away!
2. After the paint dries completely, with chalk write or draw anything you want on the surface.
3. Insert plant or flower.
4. Your done!

For an added surprise, I placed a simple brown egg that I blew out then glued twine into the hole to hang.

Here’s how you blow-out an egg:

1. Using a long stick pin, poke a hole in the top and bottom of the egg and move the pin around to break op the yolk. Make one of the holes a little larger than the other. That’s the hole you’ll insert and glue twine.
2. Holding the egg in one hand, force the egg contents out by gently blowing into the smaller hole in the egg. The egg insides will come out the other side. Note to crafters – save the insides and make a scrambled egg for yourself – no waste!
3. After the insides are empty, insert the egg in warm soapy water to clean the inside of the egg. Rinse and let dry on a paper towel.
4. When dry, insert twine into the larger hole, glue in place and your done!

Happy Crafting and Happy Easter!

 

Road Atlas Placemats

My niece, Samantha, is a super artistic nine year-old. Her latest medium is duct tape and she’s cooking up all sorts of clever crafts. Inspired by Samantha I decided to give duct tape a whirl.

I’m always on the lookout for unique objects at sales and flea markets and recently I found a few outdated road atlas books. The individual pages are the perfect size for placemats. Using duct tape and Mod Podge, I easily and quickly created these placemats.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Road Atlas maps
• Duct tape
• Mod Podge (Outdoor) glue
• Foam brush
• X Acto knife
• Straight edge ruler
• Cutting mat

Here’s how you do it:

1. Select pages from the Road Atlas and remove them from the book using an X Acto knife.
2. Completely cover the back of map with duct tape, place the map on a cutting mat then cut any excess tape using a ruler and X Acto knife.

3. Flip the map over and brush a coat of Mod Podge (Outdoor) on the top of the placemat. This will seal and protect the placemat.

4. This next step is optional — after the Mod Podge glue is dry, place a border of tape around the map (see photo of placemat grouping above). This simply gives it a more framed and finished look but it’s not necessary.

5. You’re done!

Oh, we’re not done yet….sorry. If you’re feeling super crafty, you can make a Duct Tape napkin ring too! Simply roll out a piece of tape about 10 inches, fold the tape in half (sticky side to sticky side).  Form a loop by curling one end over and stapling it to the other end. Cut the excess and you’ve got yourself a pretty cool napkin ring.

Happy crafting!

Tiny Twig Trees

 

We’re on the holiday home stretch right now and if you’re looking for ideas for a super cute gift or party favor, you’ve come to the right place. These tiny twig trees are fun, easy, and sure to please.

You’ll need:

• Twigs
• Hot glue gun
• Tiny containers to compliment your tiny trees
• Moss
• Dry floral foam

Here’s how to do it:

1. Create the tree by laying out five pieces of twigs on a flat surface; one is the trunk, second is the base of the tree, the third and fourth are the sides and the fifth is the center.
2. After you have the shape desired, place a dab of hot glue where the twigs touch each other.
3. When the glue is dry insert dry floral foam into the container then insert the tree into the foam (trunk first).
4. Glue some moss to cover the foam and you are done!

Happy Holidays and Happy Crafting!