Doodling With Embroidery Thread

Do you ever doodle with embroidery thread?  I read a book about that once.  If you aren't worrying about the finished project it can be quite relaxing to stitch on a whim.  Here is a recent doodled piece- hopefully you are welcoming spring and enjoying the sunshine and the happy, hopeful songs of the birds (truly, they sound happy it's spring too!).

Children's Artwork Into Jewelry III

charm without dimenional glaze/ easier to photograph!

As long as we are talking about changing children's artwork into jewelry I thought I'd share one more idea. 

Purchase a charm in the scrapbook section that has an inspirational word on it.  I chose "family".  Look for a charm that has a simple shape and a hole for hanging.  On the back there will be some tacky stuff.  If it is flat against the charm just leave it.  If it sticks out at all you will need to scrape it off- carefully, don't cut yourself.  You can use a solvent like "goo-b-gone" if you'd like, just make sure to clean it all off!

Now scan your child's artwork and select one small element you love- maybe his smiley face or a heart.  Place your charm over the art, being careful to center it and lightly trace around the art with a pencil.  Remove the charm.  If your traced frame actually captures the work you want then cut out the picture.  If it's not quite right you can do it again :o) 

When you have your charm and paper charm carefully modge podge them together.  Brush very gently or your ink will smear.... let this get dry and then do one more coat of modge podge let this dry (2 or 3) hours.  Then come back, turn your piece to the word side and use a pin to carefully poke a whole where the jump ring goes.  Use a cardboard or foam nail file to file off any places that paper sticks out around the charm.  Then on the art side smoothly apply your diamond glaze.  Carefully spreading the glaze to the edge and removing any bubbles.  Let dry, following your glaze directions. 

Then using a tiny, tiny drill bit (found in the wood section of your craft store) -slowly twist it into the hole of the charm and through the glazed picture on the back- you don't need a drill just use your hands.  Add a jump ring and a chain and you're done!  Now when your charm doesn't have "back" so you won't have to constantly flip it over.

Children's Artwork Into Jewelry II

I originally posted an idea about making children's artwork into jewelry or key chains 4/23/09.  For those of you who don't want to mess with modge podge and dimensional glaze you can purchase these little glass charms, called Memory Frames, made by Ranger, inc..  Simply open them up and pop in your memory glass and your scanned, cropped and miniaturized artwork- add a pretty chain and you're done!  Oh, and I added a tiny bit of scrapbook paper to the back of the artwork so that the backside of the charm was cute, too.  One reader suggested using any jewelry type frame and sealing the artwork in with the dimensional glaze- good idea!

If you are making key chains you can purchase any premade- to-hold- photo- key chains. 

Again, prepare your artwork to the size you need and slip it into the key chain.  If your child is old enough you can give them a canvas already cut to size and even if their work is slightly three dimensional it will still fit inside most frames- so cool having the actually texture visible!  (However, I noticed that giving a small piece of paper to my five year old to draw on really cramped his style- keep an eye out for that).

This next idea I've seen somewhere before- but I couldn't find the link- sorry about that!  You can purchase acrylic frames with a magnet on the back.  These come in a great variety of sizes.  It is very easy to change the artwork in these frames too.  Once again, you can scan and crop your child's artwork and slip it inside the frame.  These are great for displaying on file cabinets and refrigerators.  Grandparent's love them, too.

Your kids feel like a million bucks when they see you using and displaying their work!

Tissue Paper Easter Eggs

For our craft project on Sat. the kids decorated these white plastic Easter eggs. I cut up a bunch of tissue paper.

They painted a layer of modge podge on the egg, working in small sections at a time, then put the pieces of tissue paper in place.

After much overlapping and several layers of modge podge they came up with a fun spring decoration for our family room.

St. Ives Energizing Citrus Body Wash Review

I found St. Ives Energizing Citrus Body Wash at Albertsons- not my usual personal care stomping grounds- but I really like the scent.  It isn't too sweet.  In fact the main scent is grapefruit.  Very refreshing.

I do intend to post some craft projects in a bit.  Now that I'm feeling better I'm finding it takes awhile to get back on top of things.  Plus we have ten people in the house (Spring break visitors)!  I'm trying to control the chaos and join in the fun too!

Container Gardening

We are beginning to get the garden ready for another season.  You may remember this picture from my garden last year.  I love container gardening!  I think I had three weeds in this box during the entire growing season!  I found a new online booklet teaching how to successfully build, fill and grow container gardens.  It is a 21 page online booklet from the Benson Institute.  Check it out here.

Latest Thrifting Finds

Before the attack of the most-persistent- germs-ever I had a chance to do a little thrifting in Lubbock- much more fun then in my town.  I found these adorable little mushroom cups for 75 cents each. 

I love the shade of blue on this small ceramic tray (I think it was $2).  I use this dish to hold my watch, etc. on my "night stand". 

This super cute skirt was in perfect condition and fit my daughter wonderfully well.  I think it was $4.

I found a few other odds and ends- it was so FUN to have a successful thrifting day!  Some communities are so much more fun to shop in then others!!!  Oh, and I am finally feeling well again!