Celebrating Independence Day ~ the 4th of July!

I've been wanting to make a door decoration to celebrate the 4th of July for quite some time.  I love some of the patriotic crafts I see on Pinterest, but I wanted to make something bold and summery for our front door, and hopeful something that would use materials I had on hand.

I started with a simple flag design, created using pickets made from scrap wood.  I painted these pickets with a stylized star and stripes pattern.  Then I added some artificial blooms to the top edge for a touch of summer.

You can find all the direction on my blog on Hubpages!  Enjoy!!

Recycled/Repurposed Crafts for Kids - Great Ideas for Summer!

http://www.savvysassymoms.com/blog/recycled-crafts-roundup/

 

I was thrilled to be contacted by Angela Anman from SavvySassyMoms.com to have my Crayon Covered Gift Jars included in her summer article 8 Recycled Crafts to Try With Kids.

Along with my Crayon Covered Gift Jars, there are some wonderful craft projects included here.  I definitely want to try the Folded Paper Bracelets by Picklebums and I love the little Hula Dolls made from toilet paper rolls by MollyMoo Crafts.  I think once I show my husband the Cardboard Box Lap Tray from A Centsible Life, he's going to want one so he can lounge about in bed  :)

Please check out this recycled craft roundup and see all these great craft ideas!

Geometric Bead Necklace Tutorial: Yea or Nay?

I've really been enjoying making these painted bead necklaces.  This is my latest, but also may be my favorite.  With this necklace, I used geometric wooden beads to add a bright impact to my necklace.

You can find my tutorial on how to paint these wooden beads on my Hubpages.  For the geometric beads, I painted each bead in a different color, with two sides painted in a darker shade and two sides painted in a lighter shade.  When I wear this necklace, these beads turn and show different shades of color as I move.

Though I love this necklace, my husband isn't a fan.  He seems "geometrically opposed" to it. 

Crayon Covered Gift Jars: Great for Teacher Appreciation Gifts, Party Favors or Table Decor

Just posted a fun and easy tutorial for these colorful crayon covered gift jars on my Hubpages.  This recycled/repurposed jar project makes great gifts for:

•  a teacher appreciation present
• favors for a child's birthday or baby shower
• art activity for a children's party or family celebration
• table decorations for a family picnic, baby shower, or school funraiser
• or a colorful gift for anyone you choose!

These jars can be filled with so many things: flowers, candy, plants, school or art supplies.  I made a few of these for a friend's "girls get-together/art party".  They were a big hit and I really loved how they came out.  For more photos and complete directions, visit my blog. 

New Obsession: Cupcake-Style Embroidered Pincushion Tutorial

Not sure what is happening to me, but I've developed a bit of an obsession with little vintage-styled handmade pincushions.  I have a Pinterest board just loaded with them.  After seeing all those charming pincushions, I couldn't help but create my own and post the tutorial.

My tutorial makes a cupcake-styled pincushion.  I'm not great at sewing, so I used buttons to decorate my needle holder, then just  added a little bit of embroidery to make it special.  I topped off my pincushion with a lace doily and vintage button, but you could also use a coordinating piece of fabric or more buttons, beads, or trim.

Find all the directions for this tutorial on my Hubpages! 

DIY Spring Necklaces

I'm really enjoying making these hand painted bead necklaces.  I've taken repurposed beads and painted them in a mix of colors using Q-tips to apply the paint.  I love this green and yellow necklace that I made last week to wear with a new blouse.

I put a step-by-step tutorial up on my Hubpages.

This is my latest creation.  I painted some wooden beads to look like silver, and added some turquoise accents.  I've been wearing this with a lot of outfits and loving it :)  Check out the tutorial here.

April is National Public Library Month - Celebrate by Making Some Watercolor Bookmarks!!

I love visiting my local library.  And in celebration of National Public Library month, Spring, and all good things - I decided to make some colorful watercolor bookmarks to use in my favorite books!

These bookmarks are surprisingly easy to make and decorate using a few fun watercolor techniques.  I used a mixture of crayons, sequin, salt, and yarn to make the lovelies you see above.  For the full details and directions, visit my tutorial on Hubpages!