Tales From a Craft-Head - Quick and Easy DIY Organizer

I have a home office and there are always papers and odds and ends that I need easy access to without digging in a drawer.   

With that in mind I decided to make a cute organizer to keep those items contained in a way that has a little style to it.  I am a serious craft head so I decided to make my own.

 I took a nice and sturdy box and covered it with burlap.

I am not a gal who measures everything so I just guess-timated it all and let my hot glue do the rest.

Once I had covered the box completely on the outside I needed a trim so hmmmmmmmm, what do I use?  I could have used ribbon but decided to use an old belt I no longer wore.  I cut the belt in half and buckled it in the front.  It was not long enough to go all the way around but it did extend down both of the sides and that was good enough for me.

I think it adds an element of surprise and if I must say so this came out rather nicely.  Hope this inspires you to try one of your own.  If you do, let me know how it turns out.

Cherio!

Done And Done!

http://static.tmag.tas.gov.au/tayenebe/workshops/bicheno.html

A few weeks ago in my post Are You Ready For This! I shared with you how I had won the opportunity to showcase some of my work in a design challenge.  I had entered the contest on a whim so when I got confirmation that I had made the cut I was really surprised and so excited.

The challenge was to create original pieces/Art from indigenous plant fibers.  I did just that with palm leaves, sisal, burlap and hemp.  I also accented my pieces with feathers, shells and seeds.

Well, today I am happy to report that my work is completed and presently being viewed in the prestigious New Providence Art gallery in Nassau, Bahamas. It has come a long way from this conceptual sketch.  Many thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement.  It means a lot to me.

Hmmmm, I wonder what I should I do next............

Cherio!

Are You Ready For This!

About a month ago I on a whim entered a major gallery showing.  It was competition based so my sketches/ideas had to beat out numerous competitors to qualify. I sent the sketches and forgot about....that is until I got an email saying I had made the cut!  O. M. G!!!!  

And so, just like that I had a life changing opportunity in my hands.  I was so happy to finally have a major platform to express my heart through something that I love so much.  Art.   But then, I starting looking at the formidable competitors and envisioning what they might be bringing to the table and the more I did that, the more nervous and apprehensive I got.  My ideas were not coming together properly and the ones I did like soon became "not good enough".  I was second guessing myself and it was getting me nowhere.

The back and forth and vacillation between excited and overwhelmed continued until my son put an end to it.  He looked me dead in the eye and informed me "you gat this mom!".......gave me a big hug and and walked off.  Well, turns out that was all I needed.  After that I had fire in my eyes.   No matter what happened I was going to create something amazing. Something I can be proud of. 

 The first piece I made took a whole day to make but it was a little off so I scrapped it and started over from scratch.  I did not let it get me down, I just knew I could do better....... and I will.  At the moment I am working on two of the three pieces required for the show and everything is coming together quite nicely.  I am started to get excited now because I can envision/see the final product......the finish line.  I will probably have a Steve Urkel moment at the end, like "Did I do that???!" but in a really good way.  I am going to make sure of that.  

Well, back to work I go but I will be posting the pictures here when everything is finished.  Have a beautiful weekend everyone.

Cherio!

Its A Wrap! Chic Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping Ideas

 

 I adore brown paper and burlap.......like you have no idea how much.   By themselves they are the humblest of materials but paired with the right accessories, they are the belle of the ball!  So with this in mind I am totally siked to "go green" this year with my gift wrapping. What could be better?........I get to save money, and preserve the planet while creating something beautiful.  Something that my friends and family will love and appreciate.  Win. Win!

Burlap and brown paper are the perfect canvas to create the most fabulous creations.  From Rhinestones, ribbons, stencils and stamps to feathers and pretty much anything else you can imagine, these materials are perfect to dress up.  I personally love using small pieces of burlap/ brown paper as an accent (like you see here) and using handmade bows and other crafty knick nacks to bring my packages alive. Who wouldn't want to receive a gift like this?  Just make sure though that the contents of your package lives up to the presentation ...... lol, just sayin.

I really like the idea of this doily on brown paper. (You can find paper doilies like this

 one at most party favor stores, and even at dollar shops.)  Sweet!

Cherio

D.I.Y Headboards Gone Wild!

It is no secret that I am a certified D.I.Y fanatic.  No delusions here, am owning it!  Show me a "how to" project and my happy quotient goes way up.  Don't know why that is but hey, thats how the good Lord wired me.

One of my favorite things to experiment with is headboards.  It is such a splendid opportunity to unleash your creativity and infuse your own personality into your bedroom.  And this my friend is what makes your home uniquely yours so go for it!

Creating A new head board could be as simple as draping fabric over your old one or it could be so complex that it may take many months, even years to complete.  The great thing about it is, you decide what you want.

I have a queen bed that needs a head board so of course I decided to make my own.  I found so many beautiful options.....    These are my favorites so far.  What do you think?

Decorative fabric 

Salvage wood 

A paint job and a strategically placed mirror

A large framed piece of Art

Salvage doors

Antique mirror

Burlap 

Multiple framed photos

And finally tapestry.  

This is going to be so hard to choose but since these are all so gorgeous, I cant go wrong with any of them.  Well, am of to marinate on my choices but I will post a picture of my new head board once I decide and "git er done!"  Cherio!

Am Baaaaaaaaak!

So its been quite a while since I blogged. I had so much going on that unfortunately writing took a back seat for a while. Well, I am back again and this time I am determined to enjoy the journey, wherever this takes me. I realize now that I never started this for any other reason but to have fun, explore and meet people from all walks of life. With this in mind, I am throwing myself into this with wild abandon, bring it on!


Now on to something I just have to share with you! First of all let me just say how much I love burlap, I know its not something most people announce to anyone but hey what can I say, burlap rocks if you know what to do with it! Check out these beauties that I found when I was browsing Etsy merchandise. By the way make sure you check out all the other fab merchandise from this seller, heres the link. Lol, this is so cute I almost want to eat it.

www.etsy.com/listing/60206598/burlap-and-rhinestone-cuff