Celebrate the 4th of July With this Patriotic Pinwheel

Hello Friends!

The 4th of July is a week from Friday!. I don't have any idea what we're doing but I plan to take some of these pinwheels along to wave around in celebration. They're pretty festive looking,

 

I began work on this design awhile ago and just 'found' the file again - so timely considering all of the stars and stripes! The first thing I made from this pattern was this banner.

 

 For the pinwheel, I printed the design two sided so the stars pattern backed the stripes pattern. I printed the center circles next and then cut all of the shapes with my Silhouette.

 

They're very easy to put together, just bend the outer corners (with the holes) over the center, aligning with the hole there.. Place the round centerpiece over the top, aligning it's center hole with the others. Place a brad through, from the front to back, and open the brad to secure all layers. Glue - with hot glue - the back of the pinwheel to your stick of choice, making sure to hold the stick in place long enough for the glue to dry quite a bit and the stick to be stable. Put a sticker over the back of the stick/glue area to cover it and provide further stabilization.

 

I'd like to give you the cut file today but I actually need to make the size a little smaller. It'll be much more manageable that way. Check back tomorrow because I'm working on a few other things to pump up the volume of your 4th of July celebration. I owe you a bunch of files, too. I need to get back to work!

 

Stay tuned.

 

~ M ~

Glassy

Hello Friends!

 

Have I ever told you that I'm a little obsessed with glass storage for creative supplies?

 

 

I've had so many storage mediums over the years including plastic boxes, modular cubes, file cabinets, and dresser drawers. I've been back and forth between storing everything behind doors and keeping everything in the open, easily accessible.

 

The truth is, after years of trying to organize a creative space, I've found that if I can't see something, I'm likely unaware that it exists. That can lead to either un-started projects or unfinished ones because I end up looking for something I'm sure I've purchased before but now have no idea where it's gone to...and I don't want to buy more because I know I already have some.

Somewhere.

That's why the answer for me is glass. It's transparent so I can see what I've got on hand and it keeps my supplies nice and free from dust, lint, glitter and/or flying paper bits.

 

I've acquired lots of glass storage over time - in all kinds of shapes and sizes: pickle jars, peanut butter jars, jam jars, food storage jars, and jars that are made specifically for craft storage.

 

When I save glass containers from the recycle bin, I just strip them of their labels and glue residue and then throw them in the dishwasher. Once out of the dishwasher, they're filled with supplies and go up on the shelf for future use.

The only problem with recycling glass jars was the unattractive and mismatched lids...looking at them was making me a little creative crazy. So I painted them - at least a few of them. Just three coats of spray paint and those old, mismatched lids are history.

And I liked them so much that I decided all of the mismatched lids needed to be painted. Which is now on my to-do list.

4 down, 30ish more to go.
I refuse to count.

Stay tuned!

 

~ M ~

Washi Tape Candle - Version 2.0

Hello Friends!

 

 Another glorious day here in our corner of California. Blue skies, sunshine, and breezy. It's great walking weather so I took advantage of it and got out there early this morning. Now I'm 'good' tired.

Is anyone tired of washi tape yet? Are you asking yourself "Washi thinking?" (Ha.). I hope not because I'm still a little obsessed (as evidenced by the gallon of goodness above) and I've got another project to share with you today.  

 

It's the same basic candle as the one from this post but I used a black and white set of tapes and ran them in horizontal and vertical stripes around the candle. I tied a coordinating length of black and white grosgrain ribbon around it (where horizontal meets vertical) to disguise any little bit of unevenness and called it done.

 

Using a different color scheme makes a huge difference in the way the candle looks. This black and white one, although not terribly formal, could be a fun addition to a wedding table centerpiece or even a candlelit dinner in your very own dining room.

 

With a quick swap out of the ribbon, you can, again, completely change the way the candle looks. The pink ribbon makes it look more feminine and contemporary; the simple black velvet ribbon in the picture above creates a simple, formal look.

 

These candles are so easy to make, like most everything I do, and inexpensive enough to gather yourself quite a colorful collection. You should make some now!

 

More to come.

 

~ M ~

Shape Share - Cute Cottage

Hello Friends!

 

Here I am.

 

I went on a trip last week, visiting my people in Southern California. I had every intention of blogging while traveling but those intentions flew right out the window. When it came to visiting with people I love or typing on my laptop for a few hours, the choice was clear - my peeps'll win out every time!

 

Now that I'm back and in bloggy mode, I have a new Silhouette shape to share with you. It's a cute little cottage - that's what I call it - and I've made three different projects from the one shape. The first is a washi tape cottage, just something cute for spring decor; the second is a congratulations card for a new home; the last is a small garland, cut from scrapbook cardstock and hung with my beloved baker's twine.

 

Using one shape in multiple ways is one of the best things, to me, about having an electronic die cutter. With a little imagination and shape manipulation, I've got new ideas for friends and home and new designs to add to my library!

 

 

I hope you all can find something fun to do with this (.studio) cut file. It's here for you to download. Share pictures if you make something!

 

More to come.

 

~ M ~

Wednesday With Washi Tape

Hello Friends!

 

As predicted, the rain has come! Along with the rain comes the gray, no sunshine today. Our power has been out for about 5 hours for repairs. Just now back on, I'm happy to have electronic capability at my fingertips again.

While the power was out, I worked on a quick project that'll brighten up our home, especially when the sun isn't performing quite as I think it should. Do you remember the washi tape-covered box I made a few weeks ago? This project, too, uses washi tape and this project, too, is a quick and easy one.

 

Washi Tape Candles:

- pillar candles

- washi tape (as many colors/designs as you want)

- scissors

 

Starting at the bottom, wrap one line of tape around the candle. Cut to length, overlapping ends a bit.  

 

Using the rest of your tapes, alternate stripes up the candle. Place each row of tape as close as possible to the previous one, making sure no candle glass shows through. Line up the starting points so that overlapping tape will be in the same spot on the candle (preferably the back).

 

 

Keep going until no more rows of tape are needed and your candle is covered. There may be a gap between the top of the candle and the tape. I don't mind the gap but if you do, a length of tape can be trimmed to fit the remaining space. I suggest starting at the bottom because the top has a slight curve in the glass that distorts the tape a smidge.

 

For this project, I used pillar candles from the 99 cent store; the washi tape is from my collection. The cost in total, is a little more than $2.50 for both candles. That's a small price to pay to add some personality to a room!

These candles would also make a great gift. Just wrap the candles with tape and present with a cute tag and a coordinating box of matches (maybe another opportunity for using washi tape?!). Handmade, easy, quick, cute, inexpensive...it ticks all of the gift-giving boxes!

 

More to come!

 

~ M~

Springiness!

Hello Friends!

  

 Boy, the weekend flew by! We got to spend time with family; it turned out to be a lovely time, very fun.

 

Every day it gets springier here, brighter and warmer. I have to admit I'm partial to sunny weather; not tropical weather but sunny weather. Anywhere. We're supposed to have some rain later this week but that should be the last gasp of winter around these parts.

 

Along with all of this springiness comes the promise of Easter. It's my favorite holiday, followed closely by Christmas, and there are no end of ways to decorate for the occasion. This is an idea that came to mind the other day so I thought I'd give it a try. I think it turned out well enough to share with you.

 

These are the eggs I bought on my craft bounty trip last week and this is exactly what I had in mind for them. They were so easy, another 'busy hands' craft that you can do when you need to ponder the great mysteries of the world...or watch TV. It does require some attention to watch that the lines of the baker's twine stay in some sort of order - straightish, preferably.

 

Baker's Twine Eggs:

- wooden eggs

- mod podge

- baker's twine

- craft paint brush

 

Glue the starting end of the twine at the bottom center of the egg with a drop of glue. Make sure it's stable before you start winding the twine around the center.

 

 

Once the center starting point is stable, cover the bottom of the egg with a light layer of glue and start winding the twine in a circular motion around the center. Make sure to keep the twine close as you go so there are no gaps where the egg shows through.

 

 

 

Once you've covered the bottom of the egg, wait a few minutes to let the glue dry and stabilize a bit. After the egg has dried for a few minutes, press the bottom on a plastic bag (wax paper, parchment paper, or anything non-stick would work) for a few seconds and then let it dry for awhile longer. This levels the bottom of the egg before the glue has completely hardened.

 

 

 

After the bottom has dried a bit longer, go ahead and wind the twine around the rest of the egg, covering about a half an inch (at most) with glue and then wind, glue and then wind, repeating the process until the egg is covered.

 

 

At the top, keep winding until the entire egg is complete. Trim twine close to egg and tuck end in to complete the wrapping. After it has dried for a few minutes, press a plastic bag onto the top of the egg to ensure twine is glued tightly and bound to top.

 

 

The wooden eggs were only 99 cents each so these 3 eggs probably cost about $4 in materials. You don't have to be a hugely skilled crafter to make them and you should be able to make these eggs in less than a day. I hope you try to make a few for your Easter celebration. They're perfect for adding a small, sweet accent to your home.

 

More to come!

 

~ M ~