crafts

Tweak It Tuesday #34

April 1, 2013 By Brenda

That Anita sure can do slipcovers and turn a bench into a beauty at Cedar Hill Ranch.

Picked And Painted did this dresser up in style. Love the different shades of pink!

Lavender Dreams sewed up a denim pocket for her bunnies.

Eating In The Shower perked up these stools to create an inviting and cozy kitchen space.

Days At Buttermilk Cottage sure sewed some gorgeous sweater pillows for her couch.

Queen B Creative Me put together a gorgeous pennant with embroidery pieces.

A Cultivated Nest added some cheery yellow to her space.

Town And Country Living has her porch tweaked and spruced up for spring.

Hickory Trail got her living space decked out with a pretty trunk for a coffee table.

Common Ground has her sun porch tweaked for spring gatherings with friends.

Okay, master tweakers, let’s see what you’ve got this week…

Filed Under: Cozy Kitchens, crafts, decorating, outdoor decorating, sewing, Tweak It Tuesday Tagged With: crafts, decorating, Tweak It Tuesday #34 34 Comments

Tweak It Tuesday #31

March 11, 2013 By Brenda

A Cultivated Nest worked her usual magic and had me drooling over her succulent specimens.

Priscillas made this pretty subway art runner for her table.

Crafts A La Mode brings us a touch of springtime with these colorful butterflies.

The Charm Of Home creates gorgeous vignettes, and this is one of them.

Kirsty Girl found this charming 1930′s kitchen dresser. And the black cat sitting beside it makes it even more enchanting, with yellow eyes that match it perfectly.

Life On Lakeshore Drive put together this whimsical fun rabbit wreath. Isn’t it a beauty?

Living And Learning With Luisa created a perfectly organized craft room that’s pretty as well.

Creating A life put together a magnificent room. It’s so cheerful.

Just look how Forever Decorating has transformed a chair. I don’t think I’d ever have the patience to upholster a chair like this. Gorgeous!

Mod Vintage Life has brought St. Patrick’s Day into her home with this cute shamrock garland.

I have a favor to ask. Could you take more vertical photos? It is easier for me to arrange on the page in a bigger format, so we can see all the details.

Okay, you tweakers are experts at what you do best. Let’s see what you’ve tweaked this week.

Filed Under: crafts, decorating, Tweak It Tuesday Tagged With: crafts, decorating, Tweak It Tuesday #31 46 Comments

Oh Yes, I Do Love Color

February 11, 2013 By Brenda

I think it’s clear to anyone who knows me that I absolutely love color.

Just looking at a colorful stack of wool felt makes me smile.

I like to be able to look in any mirror in this house and see color mirrored back at me.

I spend hours on Pinterest drooling over the color combinations.

Spray paint, oh my! There are so many colors to choose from.

What would crafts be without all the colors to choose from to make them? Yarn and thread and paper and fabric. I could go on and on…

I think white spaces are very pretty and elegant. But for me, they are like coloring book pages waiting for my crayons to fill them.

I even have colorful decorative pins. So Pinterest isn’t the only place you’ll find me pinning!

Are you a color lover?

Filed Under: crafts, decorating, Using Color Tagged With: color, crafts, decorating 15 Comments

When I was a child, we had chickens. I was the one sent to the hen house much of the time to gather the eggs. There was an irascible old rooster that stayed close to the gate. I’d have to open the gate and make a run for the hen house, or he’d peck at my legs.

(Source: Pinterest)

I really enjoyed those chickens. I’d shut the door once I was safely inside. I’d stand and watch the hens in their little nest bins. I loved their soft feathers. They’d cluck and make racket, as hens do.

I recall that the sun’s rays came through the slatted roof in places and drew stripes across the wooden nest bins. I’d stand there in the midst of the dust motes as I waited for my hands to warm up. Then I would gently lift the hens and gather their eggs.

(Source: Pinterest)

These eggs of course did not look like what you buy in the store. And they tasted much better too.

I have such fond memories of the chickens that I decided to make a little hen and rooster scenario in a jar.

I had this jar that had been full of marshmallows. And for some reason I could just envision chickens in it. {I’d love to live somewhere I could have chickens.}

I had everything at hand. The graphics I printed off the internet. I’ve got a Pinterest Board for graphics and love to find ones I think I might like to use for an impromptu project. If you need graphics, I’ve got lots to share.

(Source: Pinterest)

Like this little cutie-patootie above. Guess she’s headed out to gather eggs. (Watch out for that mean old rooster!)

The Jumbo Eggs was part of the graphic with the chicken. I cut the chicken out and glued card stock behind it to make it thicker where it would stand up better in the jar. Then I looked through my stash and found the rooster and did the same. I didn’t have feathers, so I “made do” with some cream colored leaves I had.

So I don’t really know what to call this except for: My Chickens In A Jar Project. Maybe Memories In A Jar would be even better.

Filed Under: crafts Tagged With: crafts, graphics, jar project 36 Comments

A Craft Celebrating The Past

January 17, 2013 By Brenda

Yesterday I finished four hoops. I kind of do them on an assembly line. One day I cut out all the fabric, and next I choose what elements I want to use. And so it goes.

I’ve changed my strategy of gluing the vintage images to the back fabric. Now I use pretty decorative pins and pin them on. Then you could take them off and use your own photos of family and such.

I love delving into the big jar of buttons. There’s something so childlike and fun about buttons.

I started a button board on my Pinterest. (I am really loving Pinterest these days! So much inspiration in one place.)

I think of this craft, embroidery hoop art, as something from yesteryear. The embroidery hoops, the doilies I use to create pockets, the vintage ephemera, and of course the buttons and lace I use to hang these up.

What fun it is to create! And with my new setup where I have everything in one small area, it is easy to put all the elements together.

Filed Under: crafts, embroidery hoop art Tagged With: crafts, embroidery hoop art 31 Comments

Embroidery Hoop Art

January 2, 2013 By Brenda

Lately I’ve become intriqued with embroidery hoop art. Judy has made some beautiful ones. So I thought I’d try my hand at it.

I tried sewing with my Singer Featherweight the day before, and aggravated some tendon above my ankle. So I hand sewed this. The only hand sewing I did was the script material pocket to the Osnaberg background, the brown trim to the pocket, and the felt flower and button.

I will hang it on the wall some place, most likely. I can do that with the bow at the top I worked into the screw that tightens the hoop.

I hot glued the vintage images, the doily, and the buttons on. Does everyone burn the tips of their fingers with a hot glue gun? There must be a strategy to avoid this.

This was a fun project. I may make some to sell. I like collage art on any medium. In the coming year, I’ve decided I want to dabble more in creating things. Judy is rubbing off on me.

Have you tried embroidery hoop art yet?