I saw a tutorial for these really cute snowman wreaths so I gave it a try. I was unable to get all the supplies but I think they turned out well. I put a couple in my shop to see what happens. I hope they can get some views in the massive wreath overload on Etsy!
This past year we've had a lot of people coming to the door to sell this and that. I hate getting stuck talking to them and a couple I've had to almost argue with to get them to realize NO means NO. NO also means GO AWAY. I've seen No Solicitation stickers on people's front doors and they look so unattractive. But I need something to get these sales people to stop coming to our home. So I decided to make something Bex style.
Here is what I made to advertise our "no solicitation" policy. I need to get an appropriate frame and hang it on the front door. The biggest problem with displaying this on my door is that the front of the house faces west. In the summer, the heat and light is very intense on that side of the house. It would only take one season for the fabric and threads to fade considerably. So I guess I'll keep it by the front door and if someone rings the bell, I'll just shove it in their face. Maybe bare my teeth too.
I hope you like it! I put it in my Etsy shop just in case anyone wants one. I'll make them to order instead of creating several to have on hand. Thanks for stopping by!
Hello friends! Sorry I haven't been posting or creating lately. Galaga took a lot out of me, but I'm back in the game again! I made something pretty today which is not my normal type of creating. However I am really excited that it's looking more like fall outside these days. I'm tired of the damn heat.
So in my zeal for fall weather, I got my meager fall decorations out and put them in the house. I have a little decoration in the front yard but the front door is bare and boring. I got a wild hair up my ass to decorate a wreath with some fall colors. I packed up the bambino and off to Hobby Lobby we went!
Let me start by saying I've never made a wreath in my life. But after looking at the pre-decorated ones at the store (which cost $100!), I figured even a beginner like me could make at least something presentable. I really liked the look of the grape vine wreaths but had no idea how messy they were. I will have to get a plastic wreath storage box eventually because if this thing gets tossed around in the basement too much, it's not going to last long. Also, the grape vine wreaths are really inexpensive.
Since I live in the Sunflower State, I felt it fitting to use some artificial sunflowers in muted fall hues. Sticking to the same range of colors (orange and yellow), I picked out pretty flowers of different varieties. I had no idea what kinds of tools I needed so I made sure to get my first glue gun (yay!), ribbon and some floral wire. The floral wire wasn't needed for this project but it was inexpensive and I'm sure I can use it for something else later.
First I loosely twisted some ribbon around the wreath and glued the ends to the back. Then I snipped the stems of the flowers and the other do-dads, experimented with the placement and finally, applied glue to the stems and stuck them into the wreath. I hope everything stays in place!
Here it is on the door. I could probably find a more attractive wreath hook. For now I'm really happy with how my first, spur-of-the-moment wreath turned out.
Thanks for putting up with my country-esque crafting! Back to weird things with skulls and another video game cross-stitch! Tschus!
Finally! I worked like crazy on this piece and it turned out so well! The pattern took me days to fine tune and my gamer husband critiqued the details. Stitching took a while but it was worth it. What do you think? I am not sure what I'll do with it right now, but eventually it will be for sale. I'm already working on another gamer pattern so stay tuned!
I can't believe I forgot to post the ROFL Copter! I made one of these a long time ago and gave it away. I just made a new one recently, but made it with glow-in-the-dark floss to make it more fun. It's in the Etsy store if you want to purchase it. I can always make more if needed. I love me a good ROFL.
I'd love to know what everyone in the blogosphere is cookin' up right now. Food? Embroidery? Soaps? I have this huge urge to create and not enough baby-free time. I stitched up a cute cross stitch on a book mark for a friend but forgot to take a picture first. Dang. Now I'm working on an 11 x 14 inch Galaga piece. I plan to make at least 4 of these, which are all spoken for already. What a popular game! I remember fondly braving the dark arcade in the mall to play this one. What video games did you play as a kid? Or what are you playing now as an adult?
This piece is a big deal because my husband and I are working on a blog about gaming. Stay tuned for its debut in July!
I'd like to hear from all the crafters that make their own soaps, bath salts and bath bombs. I have a lavender plant addiction. It's the only plant I've been able to consistently grow in our unforgiving soil. While I was pregnant, I took a lot of Epsom salt baths to help with muscle pains. I'm not pregnant anymore but lately have been suffering terrible back pains. I bet it would be even nicer in the tub if I had some lavender mixed in with the Epsom salts. I've been reading up on how to add lavender to the salts and I think that's my next non-stitchy project for the summer. Let me know if you've ever worked with essential oils and/or made bath salts or bath bombs. Well I better get crackin'!
I have finally finished my gaudy, glittery unicorn piece. This has been in my head for several months but I had to muster the energy and time to work on it. So what the hell is this about?
In our culture it is normal to greet someone with "Hello, how are you?" It's a very innocent question, usually asked out of politeness, not because anyone really wants to hear an honest answer. So regardless of how I'm feeling at any given day, I've learned to say "I'm fine" or "Great! How are you?" because it's easier that way. No one wants to hear that I'm in a lot of pain or that I'm feeling depressed because I haven't been able to leave the house in several days. I understand that it makes people uncomfortable or makes them feel like they need to fix me. So instead of revealing honest emotions, I like to joke that my life is all glitter and unicorns and rainbows!!
This is my interpretation of what goes through my mind when I have to slip into the role of Pollyanna and spout glittery unicorns.
To do this piece, I first found an open source image of a unicorn. (And don't argue with me that this is a pegasus because I will beat you with your 12-sided die, +6 for damage.) It took a while to find the perfect, crazy fabric to serve as the background. Thank you Etsy! I had to color the muslin twice with crayons and set with the iron to get the colors dark enough. Then I embroidered the details and cut the unicorn and turd out, tried out some Fray Stop and then played with the glitter fabric paints. The text was added last. I still need to finish the back of the hoop but I wanted to go ahead and share it now. What do you think?
Thanks for stopping by! I'm working on some new things so stay tuned for the next project! I'm excited to get going on it. Have a wonderful, rainbow-laden evening. Tschus.
I am FINALLY doing something with my stitching again. I have had the worst case of creative block that I've ever experienced. It's like the baby sucked all motivation and creativity from my brain. So here are a couple of shots of what I've done so far. I will explain the meaning behind it when I finish it.
Even though I only get to work on this a few minutes here and there, it feels good to be doing SOMETHING again. Well, I did subvert the baby's bib but other than that, it's been months since I picked up a needle. I have a running list on my iPad of ideas and even if they never come to fruition, at least I am brainstorming. Thanks for stopping by and have a good 'un.
