Whimseybox Mother's Day Gifts

Mini canvas gifts

April's Whimseybox included one 4" x 4" mini canvas—and as Mother's Day was staring me down from the calendar, I realized this would make a perfect small gift. I just needed two more. Off to the local art store—where, of course, they only had one left, so I went with a 4" x 5" as well.

Since most of my crafting involves yarn or fabric, my mind tends to go blank when looking at a blank canvas. I also don't have a huge stash of crafty goodies to work with, since all the crafty goodness in an art or craft stores makes me want everything—so I buy nothing.

So, with my Whimseyboxes (and looming deadline) as inspiration,  set to work. Two grandmas, 1 great-grandma, and 2 kids and 1 husband who must also be involved in some way.


The Flowers

Made with two colors of Sculpey (from the January box). The pink flower was cut with a Pampered Chef cookie/cheese cutter thing I have never used for its intended purpose. The leaf and stem were made using one of the stencils in the April box. We all put our fingerprints in the pink flowers. After baking the prints did not seem as obvious, I think the shininess of the unbaked clay threw better shadows. Bummer!

Leaf and stem from the stencil

Flowers ready for baking

Can you see the fingerprints?

The Canvas

With two colors of paint from the January (yellow) and April (turquoise) boxes, I decided to try out both colors. I painted the outside of the frame with the pure color, then painted the front with watered down paint, and blotted with a paper napkin. This worked great with the turquoise, but only so-so with the yellow.

Painting—(cat food can is perfect for watered down paint!)

Blotting

The Writing

I wrote "Happy Mother's Day" with my awesome ballpoint glue pen, then poured glitter (February box) over it. When I came back to it, I simply dumped the extra glitter into the trash, and used one of the stencil brushes (April) to brush away the glitter I couldn't blow off.

Glittering

After dumping, blowing, brushing the extra glitter away

Finishing

I glued the Sculpey pieces on with GS Hypo Cement. And then we all signed with the magenta skinny Sharpie that came in the March box. I also wrote a small note around the back of each piece. Then I wrapped each in a piece of tissue paper (from various boxes), packed them up with notes, and off to the post office was I!

Ready!

Linking up: Sew Darn Crafty

Happy Halloween!

In May!

Witches Workshop Sampler pattern, F&P Sept/Oct 2005

It's finally, finally done. I think I started it in...2005. Maybe 2006. I originally intended to do the neat spider-y edge in the magazine, but you know what? I have a certain boy who loves curling up under any sort of blanket or quilt. And a curvy edge is not practical for a lap quilt. And a straight edge is much easier too ;)

Now I get to start something new! First I have to decide what. So many choices...

Saving the Garden from the Hens

Geesh it has been a month. A busy month of volunteering at school and for scouts. And a friend hooked me up with a small freelance writing job, which is sucking up most of my crafting time. That's not bad, it just shows I still need to adjust--and I am getting used to the research and how to best do it.

Anyhoo! The veggie garden is pretty much nonexistent this year. Due to some ladies deciding it is the best place for dust baths.

Whadda ya looking at?

With just one ancient overgrown chard having survived this assault, we have not planted anything new. And it's May. Not good.

After some poking around on pinterest, online reading, a trip to Home Depot, another trip to Home Depot for more chicken wire, and two stalls due to rain, we finally have a solution.

Garden bed cover

I hinged the cover, since it is to large and awkward for one person to lift up and over to get it off or on the bed—the bed is 8 feet x 3.5 feet. An empty cat-litter bucket provides a nice support.

Open

Next yard project? Building another raised bed. And another cover.

Doubles as a time-out cage ;)