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Showing posts with label Birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birthday. Show all posts

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Life Through Frosted Glasses

It's been pretty quiet here on the blog, but I've missed sharing my creative thoughts. Trust me, they haven't stopped. I've just been busy investing in friends and family and exercising my concert junkie tendencies.

I've also been learning hard lessons about love. Like, sometimes the person you choose to love, doesn't choose to love you back. And that's all it is, choices that don't align. If anything, the person who lost is the person who did not accept being loved. This world is caught up in temporary emotions and desires, but love is an eternal action. So let's never stop choosing to love.

Through all this, I've come to realize the value of perseverance. Especially when crafting on a regular basis, this has become a common word in my vocabulary. Projects don't quite turn out how imagined. In fact, I would dare to say none of mine have ever gone as planned. Part of this could be due to my impatience and inclination to jump into projects headfirst. Oops! I originally intended this DIY for frosted wine glasses (to drink from), but food-safe glass sealants are not readily available. This is exactly where perseverance came into play. I wasn't ready to ditch these pretty glasses, so I brainstormed an alternative use... mini succulent garden! Perfect for my Mom's birthday present. So here's how to turn something gone wrong into something gone right.

Materials:
  • Frosted glass spray paint
  • Rubber bands
  • Wine glasses
  • Optional Materials: succulents and soil, candles, flower clippings

1. Start stretching the rubber bands around the tops of the wine glasses. 
2. You probably need to put at least 4 or 5 on each, but keep going until you have the design you want.
3. Turn the wine glasses over and spray on a few coats of the frosted paint, so they're fully coated.
4. Let the glasses dry completely. 
5. Remove rubberbands.
6. Unless you mark off space around the lip of the glass, these wine glasses won't be food-safe. I used them as planters for succulents. You could also turn them into candle holders or vases. Wherever your imagination takes you!

My mom loved her birthday present! 


Thursday, January 26, 2012

Fabric DIY























Recently, I inherited piles and piles of fabric samples. Crafter's dream come true! So many possibilities, it can be a little intimidating to starting creating. I started simply with the above card. (It's my Dad's birthday today, so special!) Mixing the prints and patterns was so fun and simple. Next time you have scraps, homemade cards are the perfect way to recycle!

I thought I should plunge in with something slightly more complex though. My next project was a small envelope pouch.

Here's what I did:



Materials:
  • Fabric
  • Rotary cutter
  • Cutting Mat
  • Sewing machine
  • Thread
  • Pins
  • Snaps or Velcro
  • Button (optional)

Directions:


1. Pick fabric and measure out your two pieces. Measurements will vary depending on desired size. I made mine 8" wide by 5" height and 8" by 8".
2. Cut out pieces with rotary cutter and mat.



3. Make a triangle at the top of your taller piece, pinning one side and cutting off the excess material on the other to create a point. Unpin and cut off the excess material on that side.



4. Hem the edges. First pin one side of the triangle and the top of the smaller piece of the fabric. Sew. Repeat on other side of the triangle.


5. Place the two pieces of fabric with right sides facing each other. Pin the sides and sew.

6. Turn right side out.



7. Hand sew one part of the snap at center of the overlapping triangle and the corresponding piece on the body of the pouch.
8. Sew button on top for decoration.

Perfect for all your little treasures!