I needed two more gift bags for Christmas gifts, but then remembered that I have some white bags from 'Stamping Up'. So I got busy with my Cricut cutter and came up with these. Have a look.
( bags here )

I'm looking for some advice, ideas, inspiration. I just purchased a medium-sized black sketchbook that looks like this:

( picture )

And I wanted to decorate it. Any ideas? I'm going to use this book to write all my goals for the upcoming year and then use it to document what I actually accomplish. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

ETA: Show me your journals/sketchbooks if you'd like!

I wanted to post them as I finished them, but I was so stressed towards the end that I was BARELY finishing in time to present them for out annual Christmas Eve dinner. So now that all the Madness is over, here are all the paintings I did as gifts this year...



( Open Sesame! )

I found some really awesome silver foil damask wallpaper on sale today and wanted to use it as a wallpaper for a wall I didn't paint. Any ideas on how to attach it to a wall?

I can't use wallpaper paste as it is an apartment. I was thinking maybe staple gun? Because the pieces would have to be hung in panels, I was thinking of putting some silver ribon over the seams ...and the staples (which would only be stapled at the seams).

Do you think that would work/look nice? Or do you think it would look cheap? I would hang framed pictures up over it to break it up. Any other ideas on ways to attach it to my walls.

MAYBE spray adhesive, but I live in a city with high humidity 90% of the year, so it might not work very well.

Any ideas are welcome! Thanks!

So I saw a little tutorial and what did I do....
( I Made Buttons Into.... )

Having never worked with fleece or embroidery, having few sewing skills and no sewing machine, I have to admit, I'm pretty pleased with myself. Not that making a customized sherpa hat for friend is something I'll do again any time soon...



( Final results under here. )

This year I'm serving in an AmeriCorps program where I work as a tutor and after school teacher in an urban school. I taught a class called Amazing Animals for 2nd and 3rd graders, and after discovering that classes went much more smoothly if they got to make things, I incorporated more arts and crafts into the class. We spent quite a while on llamas in the class, partly because of the complexity of this project, and partly because I decided to show The Emperor's New Groove as a preview to the llama class. But the kids loved doing the llamas, and they had something to show off at Family Night!



It was a fun project, and since I rely heavily on the internet for ideas for game and craft ideas for my class, I thought I'd pay it forward by making a tutorial of how I made the llamas. Click here to see the tutorial on my blog"

( Click cut for more llama love and some last minute Christmas cookies and gift boxes )

Merry Christmas everyone!! (Or, Happy Day in General if you don't celebrate it!)

I dunno if anyone remembers, but a while back, I posted in here with a ring that I made out of a quarter. Many of you asked how I did it, but it's kinda one of those things that's easier to visualize than explain.

So I finally had a day off today and made y'all a video of the process :) It's highly sped up in parts but you get the idea.

Link to the Video

Enjoy!

My stepmom is impossible to get Christmas presents for. She has just about everything, and I never know what she wants. All I really know is that she loves the color pink, martinis, and Corvettes. Last Christmas I etched the Corvette logo in martini glasses, so I kind of used up all of my options for this year and just decided to go with a pink theme.

( what's inside )

Construction paper snowflakes festoon our large upstairs window! No patterns, just a stack of ordinary construction paper and lots of love.

And for scdsam who asked what to do with leftover holiday ribbons, I present our display of incoming holiday cards. This was inspired by a picture from a magazine (possibly Family Circle?) circa 2000, and this is the first year I've gotten around to making it happen. The display is 3 yards of red pom-pom ribbon. The individual cards are tied on with coordinating red and orange patterned ribbon (dots, stripes, and checks) and cheapo key chains. The materials will be reusable for following years. (Holiday card display cross-posted to organize.)

( SHOW ME THE PICS ALREADY! )

Happy Holidays!
Traceroo

I started these last night and finished them today. They took less than 2 hours from start to finish. Very easy. I was inspired by http://www.make-your-own-baby-stuff.com/baby-blocks.html, but honestly did my own thing. They are 6 x 6.



Here are photos from nearly each step, if you are interested:( Read more... )

As the presents pile up, I'm noticing a lot of really gorgeous holiday ribbons (the lovely fabric and fabric/wire kind) tied around the packages.

Anybody have any ideas as how to reuse these (other than wrapping for next year)? They're probably no longer than 1-2 ft each, varying widths, and none really matching except that they're holiday-ish in theme.

Asking in advance because I probably won't keep them if I can't think of a way to use them again. THANKS!

My recent scarves :D

( A few more )

I just finished my first attempt at crayon tinting with embroidery. I've been doing embroidery for a long time but just found out about crayon tinting. I really like it. Obviously I'm going to need to practice with it a little bit but it's a great way to add color. I used this tutorial, it's pretty easy: http://www.urbanthreads.com/pages?id=448

Something I was working on in my silversmith class for a long time, finally finished it after deciding on the mechanics of how it would be threaded and how it would sit.

( lunar necklace )

It is made from silver wire, sheet and tube and there is also some brass tubing to give it colour and more depth...

When you embroider a hankie, what happens to the backside?
Do you just leave it with all the messy back work or ???
Thanks!

I had time on my hands today and couldn't sew because my machine is busted, so I tried paper craft instead! I'm pleased with the way it turned out, being my first attempt and all. It's a card for my friend who is getting married in Vegas tonight.

It's black cardstock, white cardstock, black lace, burgundy lace and little fakey pearls.


( Pictures of the front and back of The Day of the Dead Wedding Card! )