Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Christmas Cards

Christmas is gone for another year! It seems we spend so much time preparing for it and it's over in a flash, which is probably why I leave my tree up so long. Five weeks this Christmas, the longest yet!

I made Christmas cards this year for my close friends and family. Even though I love making things, cards in particular, it kinda freaks me out to give a gift of something that I've made. So this is the first year that I actually did it. I surprised myself, it was way too much fun and I can't wait to do it again. However, Christmas eve I started to slightly panic...wondering if I had made the right choice. What if no one likes the cards and gifts? Maybe I should have bought something rather than making them. I am always so full of self doubt, I don't know how I get through my day, to be honest.

But I'm glad I did this. I wouldn't say I've overcome my fear...there's always the next holiday or birthday to panic about...but I got through the hurdle this Christmas. Only good things can come of it. Right?! lol

These are all my own designs...based loosely on many cards that I've drawn inspiration from all over Pinterest. I don't really have any tutorials. You won't need any, they are pretty easy to figure out. Cut some paper, glue some paper. ;) However, if you have questions, feel free to leave a message below.








I made all my envelopes too :)

And yes, picture quality is crap. Still using my phone as a camera! As I see it, I'm lucky to even remember to take any photos at all. :P

Sunday, January 27, 2013

'Gumball Machine' Candy Dish

I made many of my gifts for Christmas this year. Some of the recipients actually find time to read the nonsense I write on my blog. So now that Christmas is over I can finally get those posted on here.

So this post will deal with something that is very popular on Pinterest, in which I get many of my ideas from. I actually received one of these as a birthday gift last year from a friend. So I used that as my inspiration.

'Gumball Machine' Candy Dish

As per usual, I got so involved in the project that I forgot to take pictures. Sorry. I'll try to make up for that with detailed instructions...but it really is just painting and glueing, for the most part.

The most difficult part of this project was finding the glass bowl, flower pot and base that fit together properly. Once you've got that, you're golden.

You'll need:
clay flower pot
2 flower pot  bases, different sizes
glass bowl
wooden decorative knob
paint and paintbrush
epoxy glue
clear sealant spray
ribbon (optional)
silicone (optional)


As I said earlier, the hardest part is getting the pieces that are the proper sizes to fit and enable you to achieve the look you're going for. It's easier to do this in a store that sells all these items (craft supply stores, dollar stores, etc.) so you can try them together before you buy.
Paint the flower pot, both bases and the knob. I ended up doing three coats of paint. Next, add a coat or two of clear sealant spray to all of these pieces.


Now you can start assembling. Using your epoxy glue, follow the directions on the package carefully. Apply it on the bottom of the flower pot and lay the glass bowl on top of that. If the bowl doesn't seem to be touching the pot, you can just add more glue until it does. Just make sure to keep the glue spread evenly across the surface. Now apply some pressure for a few seconds to ensure the pot and the bowl bond together.

Using the same glue, attach the knob to the center of the smallest flower pot base. Attach that base onto the center of the larger base. The only problem I ran into with this project was getting the lid (the bases you just glued together) to stop slipping over the glass. So I applied a layer of clear silicone inside the lid. When it dries it is very non slip and has a sort of cushioning effect. This is just regular silicone that you would use around the bathroom or kitchen. Be sure to get the clear and not the white though...unless of course you want to see the silicone. :P

Next, I added a ribbon. But you could do whatever you like with it now. I originally wanted to etch the glass but decided on the ribbon instead.

And that's it, you're done. ;)


Monday, January 21, 2013

The Much Hated Message Board

The boyfriend picked up a message board about a year ago at a thrift store. I think he paid about $3 for it or somewhere thereabouts. Never really needed one and thought this was the ugliest thing to ever come out of the 80s...aside from the stirrup pants, of course. But the 80s are just that...memorable for the music, much of the rest remains somewhat questionable.

So, much like anything else, over time it became ugly and dated. But for some reason he seemed to need it...and felt the urge to actually use it (in which hiding it under the bed wasn't looking like a plausible option). So with a losing battle on my end ..and in the spirit of compromise, I pouted a little and whined a lot. Then I grabbed some supplies and got to work. :)


I pulled out all the hooks and the metal grapes (yes, you read that correctly), filled all the holes with wood filler and sanded it all down.



I taped off the cork and chalk boards and started painting. I spray painted with a primer and then an ivory color (I was all outta white). It took about 3 coats and then I roughed up the edges a little with some fine grit sandpaper. 







As a last touch I decided to paint the corkboard black to match the chalkboard.




I hung it, I stared at it for about 10 minutes, I cleaned the kitchen, fed the cat, grocery shopped, came back and stared at it for another while...then decided I absolutely hated it.

So I mixed up a bunch of colors until I got a color I loved and voila!



The color is a mix of something in between teal and turquoise. I grabbed some scrapbooking paper and covered the backs of the mail slots. It made a nice contrast I think. I'm still using the old hooks but painted them white until I find something else.



I think I can live with this for now...I kinda love it. :)