I found this little tree with birds in it at a thrift store. It was painted black (yuck) and lacked personality. I took it home and repainted it (above) and added a bit of t-shirt yarn that resembles both a nest and a scarf. Love it!
Tag: adaptive reuse
Halloween Party Time!
Halloween craft idea #1: paper skeletons >>
Halloween craft idea #2: R.I.P. votive holder >>
Halloween craft idea #3: puffball spiders >>
Halloween craft idea #4: torture-tilla chips >>
Halloween craft idea #5: head on a stick marshmallows >>
Halloween craft idea #6: paint a pumpkin >>
Halloween craft idea #7: screen print a table runner >>
Halloween craft idea #8: spiderweb mobile >>
Halloween craft idea #9: pumpkin cupcakes >>
Halloween craft idea #10: decorate existing bowls with vinyl >>
Halloween craft idea #11: candy and cupcake tier >>
Halloween craft idea #12: tombstone candy holder >>
Halloween craft idea #13: monsters memory game >>
Halloween craft idea #14: trick-or-treat bag >>
Halloween craft idea #15: blackbird butterfly tree >>
Halloween craft idea #16: YUDU screen printed bat placemats>>
Halloween craft idea #17: YUDU screen printed bat napkins
Halloween craft idea #18: Black bean soup >>
Halloween craft idea #19: trick-or-treat bucket >>
Halloween craft idea #20: hot glue spiderweb for the window >>
Holiday sale time is here!
I was recently invited to sell my work at “Fall Fling In the Garden”, an exclusive arts and crafts sale at a private home in the Pointe Hilton Community. This garden has been featured in Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine and this time of year it will be stunningly beautiful.
I am please to be included in this event and I hope all of you in the Phoenix area will come by. Here is the information:
When: Saturday October 30th, 9am-4pm
Where: The Pemberton Garden, 7846 N. Dreamy Draw Ln. Phoenix, AZ 85020
Needle felted Eiffel Tower
I was sitting shop for a friend the other day and had my Felt Kit with me (I take it everywhere like people carry around books to pass the time). Low on supplies~having only a felted wool sweater sleeve and white roving~I simply started working to see what would happen.
Now I am not one for overused icons, but there was something in me that said this dark, blank canvas~a little sleeve end sewn up to make a phone protector~was Paris at night. I thought, "Okay now, what is in Paris at night?" Well, the Eiffel Tower, of course. It’s lit up from tip to toe.
I needle felted this version of the so-famous-martians-know-what-it-is tower. Turns out the stab holes from the needle do a pretty good job of simulating the look of the lights. Finally, I embroidered "Bonsoir" ("Good evening") on the back. I intended to give it to a friend, but my phone is so comfortable in it, I may keep it for myself and make her another one.
Wool sweater sleeve covers a flower pot
September is a busy month for birthdays. That means I am extra crafty this time of year. My awesome mother-in-law’s birthday is today and I whipped out this cute little thing in under an hour. She loves to have herbs on her sill for easy picking, so I think she’ll be thrilled.
I used a wool sweater that didn’t end up felting in the wash. What you see here is the end of the sleeve (the cuff is at the bottom of the pot.) It’s easy to do. Find a pot that fits into the arm hole of the sweater. It could be any sweater, actually, not just wool. Slip the pot in, and cut the arm high enough so it tucks in but doesn’t hit the bottom. Then, drop in a small potted plant. This Sage plant was purchased at a local nursery.
I had to add a little something special, of course, so I needle felted two mushrooms in her favorite colors.
Handmade African Teak tray for a birthday gift
Recently, I needed an extra special gift, so I enlisted the woodworking skills of my most excellent husband to help me make this serving tray. I bought the wood at Woodworkers Source, and my friends at Modern Manor (a mid-century modern furniture store on the Melrose Curve in Phoenix) gifted me the handles. The pictures below illustrate the process…hover your mouse over the images for descriptions.
Now I want to make one for myself!
Until tomorrow~Sarah
Hand woven bird nest
I found an egg…it needed a nest.
(Pine needles soaked overnight~then lovingly woven)
DIY 347: Embossed Metal Belt Buckle
I used the Cuttlebug to emboss a plain piece of tin purchased at a hardware store. It was really easy to bend over the sharp edges then wrap it around 2 “D” rings from another (old) belt. After sewing in a length of double-faced ribbon from SAS Fabrics, I was ready to go!
DIY 349: Turn a Drop Cloth into a Cool Dust Cover
The time has come when it’s just too hot to sit outside~and that means covering the outdoor furniture with drop cloths to keep it clean. I recently reupholstered my patio furniture and was sad to not be able to see it anymore, so I drizzled a design on the existing cover.
Make your own pretty furniture covers:
- Buy a painter’s drop cloth large enough to fit each piece of outdoor furniture you plan to cover
- Also, while you’re at the paint store, buy a quart of color you love
- Lay the cloth(es) out in the grass or on a protected part of the patio
- Scoop two cups of paint into a Zip-Loc bag
- Breath into the bag and close it to trap enough air in it so it is easy to hold on to
- With some sense of what you will be “drawing” (like, words or just swirls) grab a pair of scissors and position yourself over your starting point.
- Clip the corner of the bag (best to start out smaller and see how you like it). I usually have a piece of scrap fabric or newspaper nearby to test on before I start.
- Gently squirt out the paint. To stop the flow, simply tip the bag back so the paint runs away from the opening.
- Good luck. Once you get the hang of it you’ll want to use this process on everything~I did!
Until Tomorrow~Sarah
Personal Space Featured in New Times
I am pleased to have had my home and studio featured in the Jackalope Blog of the New Times Phoenix. Big thanks go out to Spring Eselgroth for her great write up!
