The inspiration is in your bathroom: Holiday Wreath

I'm addicted to Pinterest these days and I especially love the DIY section.  I was inspired to save many toilet paper rolls because I wanted to make a holiday wreath inspired by the shape of a beautiful wreath on the now defunct, "See You There" blog. Directions on how to make it are very simple.  The best things about this project were 1. that it was recycling something I'd normally toss and 2. that it was practically free. I had the paint, the glue gun and the paper rolls. All I needed were the berries which I got 60% off at Michael's. So the whole thing cost about $2.

I saved about 15 toilet paper rolls and cut about 4 pieces per toilet paper roll. You may need less, you may want more depending on your design. Then I laid out the pieces around a salad plate for the roundness how I'd like the finished wreath to look. I used a combination of crimson red and bronze acrylic paint. I brushed it on cut up toilet paper roll pieces. Spray paint would have been easier, but it's not what I had on hand. So I painted the inside and outside of each piece with a wide brush. After they dried I used a glue gun to assemble the wreath parts. Last I glued on the berries. I'm pretty pleased with the final result. What do you think?

The OC Handmade Brigade Craft Show

I love to shop and I love talking about other peoples stuff. On Saturday I went to the OC Handmade Brigade Craft Fair. That in itself is truly exciting for to have Indie Craft shows in our county is new and exciting; and oh what a showing it was. And I did a little shopping.

I currently have this project going on in my toilet room. You see, it’s empty. When you sit there and forget a magazine you look at nothing. So after 6 years I started to think of how to spruce it up and make it something to look at if the magazine is forgotten. Here’s where my indie art friends come in. So yesterday, Steph Calvert of Hearts and Laserbeams sold us a very funny and suitable bathroom print that my husband chose. I believe this will be the only one of a “going to the bathroom” theme in the bathroom but we love it and we love Steph! Oh I also got a keychain that says “Suck It”! Hee Hee.

As for the rest of the bathroom that will come in another blog post. I will complete this post with the remainder of my fun finds at the Handmade Brigade show

I’ve been sewing lately and I really wanted to have a nice wrist pin cushion by the very talented Polly Danger (love her name). This one is especially cool because the pin cushion part is a pin and comes off and you can pin it to your self if you don’t want it on your wrist for instance. Love the colors.

Knitting is another distraction for me and frustration ensues when following a pattern and thinking I’m somewhere when I’m actually somewhere else on the page. So to save me, I finally purchased some pattern magnets but these are the coolest designed ribbon ones by Slipped Stitch Studios and come in 3 sizes in a pack for only $8. They can also be used for marking recipe books and as bookmarks. I know I will keep them in use constantly!

Aren’t roses lovely? Pretty Paris has an abundance of them in the form of earrings, rings, hair pins, necklaces, you name it. I purchased a pair of earrings for a possible gift. I have to figure out first though if the recipient has pierced ears. Darn. I may have to keep them for myself.

So next is Renegade Craft LA July 11-12. I need to save up my pennies and get more prints….and whatever else.

Indie Designers Have a New Home in Santa Ana

Indie designers do exist in Orange County. And this exciting development is long overdue. Believe it and now you can see for yourself. The Craft Kitchen, an indie designer boutique and craft workshop has opened in Santa Ana right on Main Street at the 5 freeway. Nicole of Random Nicole is the owner and many of her wonderful designs are available at The Craft Kitchen as well.

I was swooning over her little appliquéd tops for babies. But not having a baby, I can only hope to have to buy one for a friend. I also loved her silk screened ties and bags. The prints are vibrant and exciting. There’s so much to choose from for everyone. There are several designers represented here but they were trying to get ready for the grand opening when I snuck in to take these pics, so I'll get back to you on which designers have their work here besides Nicole.

The Craft Kitchen will also be offering workshops starting this week in everything from sewing, bath and body, bookmaking, screenprinting and much more.

Who Knew?

Well, well, look who got "promoted" to 7th grade. You see, the principal was adamant in the word 'promotion' and not 'graduation' from 6th grade which I do agree with. Either way, Ethan passed and will be headed to jr. high in the fall. Watch out, time flies when you're having fun.

With my mom in town for graduation and my husband home on Friday we thought we'd take a trip to the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace. Something to do. Truly. Kids stayed home to hang out, they weren't interested. The place is like 10 min from our house and it was such a beautiful day. The gardens were flowering and full with butterflies and bees. The museum itself was really interesting for me because of all of the gifts that were given to the family during their 'reign'. From the common US citizens to rulers of other countries. I'm talking crafts, people; pottery, sculptures, jewelry, folk art, you name it. Jewelry like you wouldn't believe too. There was one piece that was such ornate what had to be 18k gold from a middle eastern country. Also, needlepoints that were ginormous and looked like photographs. The one in perticular of the great wall through rolling fields had to be studied for a while for me to realize it was needlepoint.
Then there was this! An crocheted afghan laying over a chair in Nixon's birthplace home. It was so interesting. It appears to be individual squares crocheted together. I must find this design. It's really got potential. Just think....

Creativity All Around

When my son decided to grow tomatoes from seeds. I was thrilled. I love his commitment when he goes outside every day to water or make sure now all of our potted plants out back are growing nicely. On Sunday, we decided to get soil and a few herbs to put in our herb planter with a couple of the tomato plants. There are several nurseries around, but one in particular brings out creative inspiration in me and most likely anyone that goes there. It’s magical.
The woman that owns it does acting on the side. She makes Fairy Gardens and sells all the accessories and plants needed for anyone to make one. They are like fantasy worlds with fairies, and antique looking furniture and fencing with mini plants. My daughter had one in a planter bed at our home a couple of years ago but quickly grew tired of the responsibility of keeping it up so now we have a nice groundcover from the plantings. So as my son gathered the herbs, I ran around and probably like some weirdo was taking all kinds of pictures.
Later that day I went to my elderly neighbor’s home to say hi and she told me about a crafting group that she and other ladies had formed years ago. “Some have moved, some have died” she reported. She said they used to meet once a month to sew, do knitting and crochet projects and learn a new craft each time. Sounds so familiar (not the died part, but the getting together part).

It was later that day as I sat under a tarp at my son’s swim meet crocheting granny squares that a dad of a swimmer began telling me of his craftiness many years back. He used to crochet, sew, upholster car seats, etc. He called himself the Renaissance Man. I said half joking (but only half) that we should all sit around and crochet or knit since all we do is sit around. That got a few other suggestions of bringing games like chess, cards, or dominoes. At least they wouldn’t just be sitting around and eating like everyone tends to do all day. Great ideas.