12 Projects: Lots of Valentine-y Things to Make

Just look at all those hearts--plus a couple of other things--like roses, champagne cocktails and gems--that put me in mind of Valentine's Day.   Those jewel-like soaps are so pretty--and so easypeasy to make, and I love those simply designed chocolate rock valentines.  Heart-shaped potato chips?  Beeper would die for those since potatoes are his most-recently declared fave food--and I will be trying my hand at making my own rose water as a valentine to me.  Oh, and I love a valentine handwarmer, especially during this artic Minnesota winter...

Projects listed from left to right, starting at the top: Red Heart Pillow from U Create; Valentine Rubberband Bracelet Bow and Arrow from All for the Boys; Glycerine Soap Gem Stones from Mr P Blog; Printable Class Valentines from One Charming Party; Make Your Own Rose Water from Roost; Leather Heart Coin Purse by Fabric Paper Glue; You Rock! Valentine from Sally J Shim; Minty Blood Orange Champagne Fizz from Leek Soup; Potato Chips for Valentine's Day from Beard and Bonnet; Handwarmer Valentine from RaeAnn Kelly; Love is in the Air Class Valentines from Eighteen 25; Valentine's Letterbox from Ada Lou

Happy Valentine's Day making and giving, friends.  Be back later this week with a little crafty Valentine-inspired design of my own from me to you...

9 Projects: Valentine-ish Things to Make

Are there enough yummy and lovely things out there to make for Valentine's Day?  It was really hard to whittle this list down to just 9 projects.  But I do love every single one of these.  I will be making some of those grapefruit bath salts, and those baked (yes, baked!) chocolate doughnuts with the blood orange glaze because what says love more than a cake doughnut?  Wish I knew how to knit because I would so be knitting some of those heart-heeled socks too (stripes + hearts = true sock love).  And that beribboned necklace made from gum balls is so sweetly pretty. Oh, and the minute-to-win-it candy valentine?  So frickin' brilliant (seriously, go to the post and read about the specifics of the challenge--uber clever)!  

You can find each of the projects here (listed clockwise from top left):  Heart Tote from Hrrthrrr; Grapefruit Bath Salts from Celebrations at Home; Kimono Robe by Atelier Joy found on Craftsy; Pink Heart Milk Cubes (will turn the milk pink!) by A Subtle Revelry; LoveSocks by Devon Clement found on Ravelry; Chocolate Doughnuts with Blood Orange Glaze from Heather Christo Cooks; Minute-to-Win-It Valentine from StacyJulian; Gumball Necklaces from Formal Fringe; Kid's Pencil Arrow Valentine Card Printable from Sweet Muffin Suite

Now go slip on your favorite pink shirt,  put on some dreamy music and get your Valentine's Day craft on because all you need is love (and a few crafting supplies).

Colorful Wooden Utensils

I had been collecting secondhand wooden utensils for the past year or so with the intent of painting the handles and giving them as holiday gifts to friends.  There have been loads of tutorials on how to make these popping up all over Pinterest for years now, so I had plenty of reference instructions before I began. These stripey ones were my initial inspiration (though I decided not to go stripey because laziness superseded the desire for stripes), but I also loved the more subtle look of these, though ultimately decided to go brighter, like these.    

Being secondhand, I did boil these for about 30 minutes just to kill off any wee beasties that may be lurking in the wood, then I just taped the top edge of the handle with masking tape, painted the handles with craft paint (anywhere from 2-3 coats depending on the color saturation desired), set them up to dry (TIP: place disposable cups placed inside glass ones, then place the utensils in the cups painted end up while drying), used a non-toxic shellac to seal the painted handles (lay down newspaper and use brushes you do not intend to keep--this stuff does not clean up easily--I managed to shellac part of a fingertip in the process), and finished them off by conditioning the unpainted portions of the utensils with a combo of beeswax and mineral oil (Stephanie has good instructions for how to make your own wood oil, found here).  That was it.  Pretty simple, really.  I mean, as long as you do not shellac any parts of your body...

9 Projects: Back-to-School-ish Things to Make

First day of school for Beeper here in Minneapolis, and I am feeling a little blah that it is already the end of summer.  How did that happen?  I kind of want to have a little tantrum--lay down and kick my feet and demand another vanilla vodka lemonade and a swim in the lake--know what I mean?  But, I am yanking up my boot straps and trying to get myself some back-to-school-ish inspiration.  How about that lovely vintage book as a retro-fitted drawing caddy?Or those pencils remade with washi-tape (hello 10-minute-project)?  Or those clever fruit stickers for a brown bag lunch-time surprise?  Or a couple of blanket-stitched felt hearts to tuck in a pocket for a bit of love throughout the day? Or those charming animal face barrettes for some elementary-school-day style?  Pretty, colorful, cool--right?  

Here are all the project links for you to get your own back-to-blah, I mean -school, groove on:

Project Links (clockwise from top left): DIY Activity Book by Cosmo Cricket; Map of the USA Jigsaw Puzzle by Mr Printables; Fruit Stickers by Oh Happy Day; Washi Tape Decorative Pencils by The Confetti Sunshine Blog; First-Day-of-School Pocket Hearts by Curly Birds; Scrappy Felt iPad Cover by My Poppet; Healthy Breakfast Cookies by Blueberry Girl; Sweet Animal Barrettes by Gingermelon Dolls;  No Sew Colored Pencil Roll from Small & Friendly

8 Projects: Pretty Things to Make for Spring

All of these projects are just so dang pretty.  That little Junebug Dress, that deliciously beautiful rabbit doll, that clever egg with a moustache and a party hat, and a jar of yummy coconut sugar scrub...I will take one each--or maybe, I will make one of each.

Project Links (clockwise from top left): Junebug Dress by Craftiness is Not Optional; Trick Up My Sleeve Coin Purse by Family Chic (photo from Upcycle Your Life); Coconut Sugar Scrub by A Pretty Life in the Suburbs; Little Egg Man from A Bit of Pilli Pilli; Hase Bunny Doll by Lieschen Mueller; Hippity Hop Easter Clutch by Sew Together; Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs by Two Men and a Little Farm; Easter Chick by Myrtle and Eunice

Sharing: A Handful Projects for the Home

I have been craving some new decor in my home for a couple of months now--I want to re-paint several rooms, bring in some new furniture, redo some existing pieces, hang new stuff on the walls...I suppose part of it is just the time of year and being in the house so much during the cold winter months of Minnesota makes one a little tired of one's four walls.  So, here are a few home projects that have caught my eye and have me imagining all the ways I could fall in love with my tired old home again (like those pipe and board bookshelves from The Brick House--I am positively obsessed with putting up a whole wall of them in our bedroom for all of our books endlessly accumulating [along with the dust bunnies] on our floor.)

Project links, clockwise from top left: Simple board and bracket desk from Kenziepoo; DIY Stencil Pillow from Wit and Whistle; IKEA hack PS Cabinet from Livet Hemma; another IKEA hack--this one with Macket document storage bins also from Livet Hemma; shelving unit from The Brick House; Puff Granny from Pickles; potato print artwork from Oh Happy Day; vintage suitcase table from Stars for Streetlights.

Sharing: A Handful of Projects with Some Color

This winter is so gray around here--dreary skies, damp chill air, yellowed grass peeking through the meager patches of dirty snow.  Blah.  All I want is some brightness, something to bring a little zing of happy color.  This is where I am at this winter.  So, these are the projects I have to offer up and share--every single one with pops of color or just outright color.  A little something I could make that would give me a little smile when I reach for it--like those stripey-handled thrifted wooden spoons, or those thumbtacks spray-painted to look like Italian tacks, or the bright patch of color on those otherwise gray tights.  Nice.  Happy.  Enjoy.

Projects links (clockwise from top-left): Painted Wooden Spoons  from By Elke; Playful Storage from House to Home; Knee-Patch Tights from 3191 Miles Apart; Rainbow Cookies from Munchkin Munchies; Felted Sweater Blanket from Recover Girl; Faux-talian Thumbtacks from Scissor Variations; Handmade Leather Shoes from BluDor Magazine; DIY Mending from Martha Stewart.

More Sharing: A Few Lovely Gifts for the Kiddies

Need a few ideas for some lovely little gifts for the kiddies?  I got some.  Fiona's Poppy Doll just makes me happy to look at it and I really cannot wait to make one myself (how can you not love a doll with a Mia Farrow haircut?).  And those wooden peg dolls from Kirsty are so colorful and sweet I could eat them--but then there wouldn't have anyone to live in Patrica's paper houses (which also come with little bed templates to put the dolls to bed in!).  I love the easy-to-assemble tent kits for simple and quick gift-giving.   And, if it all gets out of control over here and I find all of my crafting dreams of grandeur thwarted by holiday madness, I will, at a minimum, make the Chewy plushie in some brown cotton velveteen and tuck it in bed next to Beeper for a Christmas morning surprise.  

Clockwise from top left, here are the project makers and links: Poppy Doll from Hop Skip Jump; Kokeshi dolls from Ginger and George; Little Mini Doll Houses from A Little Hut; Art Tote from  H is for Handmade; Memory Game from Wild Olive; Fort Kit from Saltwater Kids; Stacking Wooden Rainbow from Shape of a Spoon; and the Chewbacca Plushie from Craftzine.

Hope you can all find some time to make some handmade happiness for the kiddies in your life.  Now, go get to work and make something because there is only a month until C-Day.

Sharing: A Handful of Some Late Autumn Projects

When I was putting this list of projects I was of two minds--I was thinking about late autumn and that feeling of wanting to begin to hunker down in your home as the weather begins to get colder--but then, I admit, I was also thinking about the holidays.  I am sorry to bring it up in early November, but it is right there smack in the middle of my own mind lately because I have already begun making and stocking my own Etsy shop for the holidays and have been thinking about all the things I want to make for my own family and friends.  And if you hand-make things for gifts, I am sure you get this--because these things do not make themselves in a few days and it can take planning to realize all the grand crafting and gift-giving plans.  So, this is what you have here in this list of projects--a bunch of projects I would love to make for myself at this time of year (that dyed plaid scarf, the feedsack bag), but also a list of projects that could just as easily translate to gift giving (the drawn-on porcelain, the whiskey and salted caramel truffles, that itty bitty walnut pincushion from Ariana that makes me want to die).

Here are the makers and the links to their projects, clockwise from top-left: Dyed Plaid Scarf from Readymade; Whale Plushie from Valaan Villapaita; Personalized Crockery from The Happy Home; Printed Photos on Old Dictionary Pages from Take-Out Photo; Feedsack Messenger Bag from The Crafty CPA; Personalized Shrug from Imagine Childhood; Salted Caramel and Whiskey Truffles from Bakers Royale; and Walnut Shell Pincushion from Crow Roosters Crow. 

As always, happy crafting--and gift-planning.

A Halloween Crafting Compulsion: Part 2

 

Pretty creepy, huh?  I love this Halloween crafting project.  I mean, who does not want their own faux cured head on their dining room buffet?  Another brilliant Martha project.  If you happen to have a styrofoam head laying around, it's ridiculously simple to make using mostly stuff you can find in your kitchen--you just dip some crumbled papertowels in old leftover coffee, let those dry, and then paste them to the head with this flour/coffee/corn syrup mixture.  Put the head on a an old silver plate tray you pick up at your local thrift store (which is also where my styrofoam head came from), arrange some similarly stained gauze around the base of the head, et voila!  Your own dismembered and unwrapped mummy head.  Sure to delight small children and horrify your adult guests--or maybe vice versa.

You can see more photos of my dead head here and find the project with Martha's full instructions here.  

Sharing: Some Halloween-Inspired Projects

I had a really, really hard time selecting the final 8 projects for this post.  There are a lot of fantastically creative Halloween projects out there--more than almost any other holiday, I think.   But I love all of these and do believe I have sufficiently regained my crafting mojo that I will likely get around to making some of these this time around--in particular, that doily turned spiderweb by Betz White, those fossil cookies from Martha, and I have been meaning to do that glow stick in a jar trick with Beeper all summer.  I also have a soft spot for those "boo" and "eeek" embroideries from Sweet Paul--they just seem so simple to make so why not just do it?  Okay, also I love that ghosty garland by Ginger and George that is endlessly customizable by you and the kiddies and it probably needs to happen one afternoon after school.

Here are the links to the projects and their clever makers, clockwise, from top left:

Bird Masks by Martha; Ghost Garlands by Ginger and George; Pumpkin Pincushion by The Long Thread via Whip Up; Fossil Cookies by Martha; Spider Web Doily by Betz White; Stars in Jars (source, sadly, unknown) via this Tumbler; Softie Owls by Moonstiches via The Craft Army; Boo and Eeek Embroidered Pictures by Sweet Paul.

Happy Halloween Crafting, my pretties.

Sharing: A Handful of Projects for September

More stuff you can make, if you have the inclination, the time, the wherewithal, and god knows, the supplies.  My wherewithal has not been so abundant lately--remember all those mid-summer projects I posted weeks ago and how I said I wanted to make several?  Well, I have managed to make nary a friendship bracelet, not even a frickin sponge bomb, which is so simple to make I could have given all the supplies to Beeper and he would have turned out a bucketful in between episodes of Wild Crats on PBS .  This blog is teetering precariously on the edge of becoming a blog about what all the other people make, I tell you.  It is a sad state of affairs over here.

But let me just say that I still have crafting dreams--some of which involve some of these very projects you see above.  Like those chemistry crayon labels, which I should be able to manage since they consist of a set of stickers you can order from Que Intersante's Etsy shop and need only slap them on a set of crayons.  But really, my heart aches to make one of the Lowly Worms like those made by Stitch/Craft for her son's Busy Town birthday party, and that sweatshirt refashioned into a little jacket is so like something I would wear that I cannot believe it is not already in my wardrobe--but apparently, I need to knuckle down and actually sew it together.  And those linen stacking pillows from Purl Bee?--I already have a spot next to the fireplace staked to place them once finished--that is, if I actually, well you know where this is going...

Anyway, for those of you interested, clockwise, from top left, here are the projects and their makers: Sweatershirt ReStyle from Dee-Construction; Three Bears Sleeping Bags from Flossie Teacakes; Tripod Camping Stool from Design Sponge; Whole Wheat Goldfish Crackers from Smitten Kitchen; Chemistry Crayon Labels from Que Intersante; Busy Town Birthday Party and Lowly Worms by Stitch/Craft; Linen Stacking Pillows from Purl Bee;  and a Cape for all Seasons by Imagine Childhood.

Lovely.  Someday, maybe inspiration will find me again but I until then I have everything everyone else is making to at least give me a little pleasure.  Right?

Sharing: Mid-Summer's Projects to Check Out

These are all the mid-summer projects I want to make--most of which I probably won't--but I think I can manage a few like those sponge bombs, and I MUST make some friendship bracelets because I have been obsessing about them for some time now.  But maybe you can manage to be more industrious than I can in the summer when all I want to do involves a cold drink and a lake and a book...

Clockwise, from top left the projects are: friendship bracelets by Honestly WTF, painted mason jars by Joy's Hope, sponge bombs by A Little Tipsy, rustic pencil holder by Strawberry Chic, A-frame tent by Cakies, corn starch sidewalk chalk by Pink and Green Mama, hanging day bed by Ana White, and the stripey socialite skirt by Elle Apparel.

If I get my butt in gear, maybe I can even get around to the little A-frame pup tent--and one of those stripey skirts for me because I love all things stripey.   But I still want to make our picnic quilt, and am in the midst of popsicle making (new recipes to come soon!), and there is our garden to tend, and grass to be laid upon, and sun tea to be drunk while sitting in the shade of a tree and reading Keith Richard's autobiography...

Sweet Paul Kids Issue

Have you seen the spring issue of Sweet Paul that came out this week?  You should.  Wow.  Again, wow.  I love this issue and am even tempted to purchase a printed copy because it is just so dang good.   Ever so happily, it is available as a FREE (yes, I said FREE) download too so you can go grab a copy right now and call it a gift to you from Sweet Paul--get your own copy right here, in the right-hand sidebar, right there near the top of the page.   It is over a 100 pages of cooking and crafting and design goodness all for kids.  I could eat the styling and photography alone they are such a feast for the eyes.

For me, this issue was like every good thing for kids rolled up into one sweet downloadable PDF--everything from applesauce cake to playing with your food to blanket forts to box crafts to fish sticks, frozen treats, cowboys and indians...need I continue?  How much more convincing do you require, people?  You might think I am being a bit superlative here, but go see for yourself and come back and tell me I am exaggerating.  Geez.

All photography and images in this post are copyright Sweet Paul.

Sharing: Projects You Should Check Out

Are you as perpetually amazed as I am at the quantity and quality of projects available to you FOR FREE out and about on the web and in blogland these days?  The amount overwhelms me--just because I want to make them--ALL of them.

But here are a few of my recent favorites (from top left, clockwise): tile coasters from The Cottage Home; make your own presidents at The Storque (from Heidi's wonderful book--check it out); penguin and lion ice box cookies from Diamonds for Dessert; Vintage Children's Book Banner from Rummey Bears; Table Sized Oilcloth Place Mat from Wren Handmade; Tin Can Organizer from Laissez-Faire; Minimalist Tote Bag from Design Sponge; Swatch Portraits from The Purl Bee

Those little-people-style presidents kill me.  And I am so in love withe simplicity of the framed Liberty of London fabrics.  And anything that uses recycled tin cans always gets me--must be my inner-billy-goat.  But go see them all for yourself.  Because you should--they are good.

The Rumpelstiltskin Challenge: Nesting Fabric Boxes Done!

Inspired by Five Green Acres' Rumpelstiltskin Challenge (which started about two weeks ago but I am just crashing the party now), I too am digging into my ample fabric stash to make some of those things I  have been meaning to make for months, or in some cases, even years.  Plus, this challenge fits so nicely with the statement on my New Year's Manifest--you know, the one where you use what you already have?

So, here I am, reporting for duty, project number one completed.  And not only did I use fabrics that came from my languishing stack of japanese print canvas fabrics and the rainbow array of Kona solids I have amassed (which I rarely use, but never can seem to resist buying more when I visit Crafty Planet--it may be a sickness for which I have not yet been diagnosed), but I also get bonus points for using the nesting fabric boxes tutorial I purchased some time ago from The Cookie Jar.  Because, you see, I also have this thing about hoarding patterns and projects and crafting books that contain more of the aforementioned--which is why my own personal Rumpelstiltskin challenge this year will be to use my existing store of fabric, as well as some of those lonely unrealized patterns and projects gathering dust on my craft room shelves.

But about the nesting boxes tutorial--I love the finished project.  Colorful,  classic and versatile.  I made it for my 2 year-old great nephew (yes, I have one of those--no, I am not that old, my niece was just that young when she decided she needed to start having babies in high school--but enough of my family's dirty laundry...).  I figure he will stack and play with it now, and use it to stow stuff in later.  For me, this project was simple to make for the most part--with two exceptions: 

1) I have my own issues with working with fusible interfacing--namely, I have a heck of a time getting it to fuse and much cussing ensures.  I am not sure why the fusible interfacing and I cannot play nice together, but I did finally iron it into relative submission, and by the time it was working its way loose from the fabric again it was supposed to be fused to it was already sewn around the edges so it had no choice but to stay put (all tips and suggestions for working with fusible interfacing are welcome, by the way--I used Pellon's Craft Fuse)

2)My other personal challenge came when I had to make the origami fold in order to form the corners of the box--I actually sewed it incorrectly before I worked out what I was doing wrong...but after that, piece of cake, and all subsequent boxes came together much more quickly, with no need for further cussing.   And yes, I would make this again--and probably will make it again now that I have this one under my belt and know how nice the final product looks.

Plus, this project fulfills another one of my New Year's manifesto statements--to make more things rainbow?  Check.

Sharing: Gifts to Make for Kiddos

Only 6 weeks until Christmas, people.  So, how are your holiday projects and gifts coming along?  Yeah, I thought so.  Me too.  Well, anyway, here's a handful of projects you could make for the kiddies in your life--if you need some ideas.  These are some of my own favorites.  Like that sweet little lavender baby from Molly Chicken.  Or that simple and colorful fabric stove cover.  Or how about those uber-sweet bookplates from Sweet Jessie--a little stack of those would make a lovely gift. Oh, and I made the felt sandwich from Myrtle and Eunice last year as a gift and it looked awesome (especially the lettuce leaf--loved that). Go here to find the links to all of the above projects.  What are you waiting for?  Go already.

Sharing: Happy Projects That Have Nothing to Do with Fall

I know, it's fall and I ought to be doing something in warm autumnal colors, projects that will keep you warm as the sun sets earlier and the days get cooler...but still, these colorful projects just spoke to me more right now--so this is what you get.  And really, look at them--how could they not make you smile a little bit?  That pompom rainbow of a garland from Honestly...WTF?  (I am thinking about how my local thrift store always has plastic bags of little leftover balls of yarn that nobody wanted and imagining all the colors I can snatch up for this project...)  Homemade polka dotted fruit roll-ups in your lunch?  Little paper thread bobbins with a happy face?  Who does not need some of that in your life?  And I am just dying to make some of those scratch foam block prints from Glitter Goods with Beeper--I am thinking monsters for that one just because Beeper would dig that.  And I have always loved Sarah's paper doll and I just want to get around to dressing some of those with Beeper as well.  So, these are what I will be up to, in between all the other things I am up to--and I hope you like some of these enough to get up to them too.  You can find the whole list of links over yonder in the sidebar--under Projects Found Elsewhere You Should See.
Have a happy colorful day.

Nuno: Forest Edition

Just do yourself a favor already and go purchase the first ever edition of Nuno post haste.  Seriously, people.  I downloaded it over the weekend while I was away at a cabin with friends (photos coming soon) and was speechless at the beauty of the photos, the grace of the designs and the sheer number of projects contained within one single issue--try over 30 projects.  Gentlemen, start your crafting engines.  The magazine is 150 pages, all ad free, loaded with said lovely photography of each project, and templates and tutorials galore.  

You can purchase a copy here at Elizabeth Abernathy's blog, or for the skeptics amongst you, there is a 28-page preview of the magazine available for free download (find that at her blog too--in the sidebar)--but trust me, that one merely gives you a taste of the loveliness that lies within the full edition.  There is something for everyone in Nuno--clothing, knitting, nature-y crafts, puppets, book-making, and almost all the projects employ sustainable resources (recycled, or natural).

And if that is not enough for you, Elizabeth's blog also happens to be chock full o' tutorial and project goodness--like all those projects you see above.  More clever loveliness than you can shake a stick at, I tell you.  What are you waiting for?  Go purchase a copy of Nuno now--$5 was never put to better use.
(all photos are courtesy of Elizabeth Abernathy and her fantastic blog)

Sharing: Some Back-to-Schoolish Projects I Love

Some little school-ish projects I have had bookmarked that I wanted to share since it almost (please don't hate me for reminding you) back to school time. I will definitely be making some of those trinket keepers from Amazing Mae for Beeper to attach to his backpack, lunch box, and wherever else he deems necessary.  And AshleyAnna Brown's snack bags have been on my to-make list for too long and the time has come, people.  And tell me, is Katie's book covering tutorial not sheer brilliance?  So, go have a look at the links over in my Projects Found Elsewhere You Should See file and get your back-to-school craft on.