Wreaths from Old Books

Old books are works of art on their own and we have shelves lined with them. Pick up a few extras during your next trip to the thrift shop or antique store and spend 30 minutes making this beautiful wreath. See it. Create it.

1. Here are the supplies you will need. Two books of with different discoloration works best, and of varied size. We used two paper plates, hot glue, and ribbon.

2. Cut out the centers of two paper plates and then glue them together.

3. Carefully remove pages from the two books then use hot glue to secure them around the perimeter of the plates as shown, staggering the heights slightly.

4. Fold the paper, without creasing it, and glue the other side of each sheet as shown, working your way around the circle.

5. This is what the wreath should look like at this point.

6. Glue your ribbon to the paper plate.

7. Allow glue to set then hang and enjoy!

Here is one with more exaggerated variation in page length.

This smaller version was made with scrap card-stock. Tacky glue was applied and then Epson Salt was sprinkled on to look like snow and ice.

We hope you will enjoy making these.

Pebble Mat

Welcome to our latest project! This is EASY and makes a GREAT gift. If you can see it, you can create it!

You need:
- an exterior mat
- silicone caulk
- a caulk gun
- a spatula or something similar (don't re-use the spatula with food)
- polished stones
- a knife to open the caulk/bag of stones


1. The supplies are simple.


2. Wash the rocks well and allow to dry completely.


3. Apply caulk to mat and spread to thickness of approximately 1/2 inch.


4. Nestle stones in caulk.


5. Allow to dry completely.


6. Enjoy or give as a gift!

An Invitation to Recycle

Sometimes we have to wait on art, and it is frustrating. I have a chandelier waiting to be born from recycled plastic water bottles. One crucial piece has not yet come to me from the great recycle-o-sphere.  So, I wait.  After reading today's newspaper, I thought I would spend no more than 30 minutes making something entirely from scrap materials I already had around the house and incorporate something from the newspaper.  This is what the 30 minutes produced. Mine is penned as an Invitation but could just as easily be a greeting or post card.  The point is, recycle and be creative.  I already had left over supplies from other projects, thus the snazzy paper and envelope.  I have made my own textured paper and I started to make the envelope from a brown shopping bag, however, I gave myself a 30 minute timeline and so I used left over supplies I had on hand.

As always, See it.  Create it.

Today's paper and some left over project paper and an envelope

I tore an interesting picture from the paper.

I cut a piece of left over project paper to fit my envelope then glued the picture on the resulting card, allowing the paper to overlap to the back so that part of the image and interesting visual lines are on both sides of the card.

Finally, using a chisel-tip marker, I wrote You're Invited on the front. The back, of course, includes all the necessary information.

Stay Tuned

We are working on a chandelier made from water bottles. It is taking a bit longer than expected to cut the plastic bottles into the shapes we need, however, it is going to be AWESOME!

Check back soon!!

Rubber Floor Tile Coasters

Not much explanation needed here.  What was a rubber floor tile at a discount supply store is now a set of 12 coasters for around a buck!   See it.  Create it.

1.  The tile.  When I walked past this I grabbed it up because of the cool geometric pattern.

2.  Clean it and cut it to the sizes you wish.

Stack them up in sets of six or eight, tied together with a piece of twine, makes a handsome house/apartment warming gift along with some ceramic mugs and maybe a few boxes of organic teas or coffee.  

Gum Wrapper Art Box

I admit it. I'm the crazy person at work asking people to save plastic bottles, soda can tabs, bottle caps, and yes, even gum wrappers! I can't help myself! The guy in the office next to me chews gum - a lot of it. He had several of the wrappers on the low file cabinet next to his desk one day when I walked in and I was immediately drawn to their potential. Copper, silver, gold, and green. The colors and textures were like a lure to a fresh-water fish. "Will you save those for me?" Without batting an eye, he replied, "Sure!" He has faithfully done so for weeks as I have pondered what to do with these little strips of shimmering possibility. As I began collecting them in my drawer at work, I also used the last tea bag from my wooden tea box. I placed it in the same drawer as the gum wrappers and as they met, an idea was born. A gum wrapper covered tea box. Why not?

Here is what you will need to complete this project:

• foil gum wrappers
• an empty wooden tea box or container of your choosing
• adhesive spray or glue
• sandpaper
• stamp and ink
• spray fixative
  

I take great joy in turning what would be trash into something useful or art that brings me or someone else joy.  I hope you enjoy this project.  

See it.  Create it.

For my project, I folded the sides of the gum wrappers along their original folds and glued them to the front, sides, back, and bottom of the empty wooden tea box, overlapping the top edge.  One one side,  I used a contrasting color for a single strip - just for the heck of it.

Below is a picture of the box with the gum wrappers in all in place.

Next I stamped one of the sides for added interest.  Be careful as the ink will smudge.  Allow to dry (I waited several hours) and then lightly spray with a fixative.

Gently sand the lid and the sides of the lid so that when removed, the lid will not rip the foil.

There you have it.  A creative and interesting looking box.  Now, what will you create?

Clip Art - Literally

So today I needed a clip for a packet I was compiling for a client and as I pulled the container of clips from the cabinet I saw the black and silver gems in an entirely new light.  Even the most mundane things, such as metal clips, can take on symmetry and grace.   I decided to do an exercise, dumping the clips onto my worktop and letting art happen.  I snapped pictures along the way, taking advantage of two different lighting sources.

I encourage you to try this exercise.  Make it a point to look at everything today in a new light. Seek out ways to make the ordinary, well, extraordinary.  What was just a simple pile of clips this morning became much more.  Try the exercise with just anything you encounter during your day.  Rely on as few different components as possible.  For example, I didn't use anything other than clips.  

What may seem like a simple exercise may just open your eyes to the amazing possibilities around you.  See it.  Create it.

Here they are, the clips that inspired.

I began clipping them end to end.

Their utility as clips begins to fade and the grace in their form begins to appear.

Another perspective.

 

Other shapes.

Vintage Newsprint - Art as Promotion

So, you have finally realized that you are an artist and you want to get the word out about the awesome work that you do. How do you afford the printing cost of business cards and promotional material without selling your mom's Buick without her permission (never advised)? Think outside the box and do the unexpected. I was rummaging around in our utility area and I came across old newspaper clippings that my wife's grand parents and great aunt had saved. Names and faces that meant something to them. Articles about when to clean your percolator, what to do if your cattle seemed sluggish, and the latest straw hats available for just $3.00. Marriages, deaths, and updates from the front lines of WW II. These yellowed and brittle glimpses into the past sparked my imagination. I cut a few articles and placed them on various papers I had around from other projects. I began to do some stamping and distressing and soon realized I could make some pretty amazing art and slices of history which could server two purposes. First, the vintage newsprint is re-purposed and can live free from the box in the utility room. Second, I can promote the blog by creating unique bookmarks. I could just as easily have made postcards.  I made a few business cards just to see what they would look like. See for yourself. See it. Create it.

As always, hover of the slideshow and click to stop it and then use the arrows to move at your own pace if it moves too quickly. It generally does (and is beyond my control - my apologies).

Art is Where you Find it

Today's entry was to have been how to make a pillow from old jeans.  However, one member of this dynamic duo deleted the instructions and took off for a day trip to Ikea!  May she have a safe and enjoyable adventure.  So we interrupt today's programming to bring you this special report.

Art is Where you Find it.

You know us.  I look at an old rusted wrench and I see an amazing piece of history with stories to tell.  I feel that it deserves a place in our home just as I would make room for a painting by one of my favorite artists (such as this AMAZING artist www.tomgirlstudio.com).

And so we come to this simple piece of art which is making a statement about art.  It is more than sticks on the wall.  It is memories of a warm afternoon, of laughs and time shared together.  Of time spent with friends.  Make art something you do, not just something you walk past.

Falling Leaf Scarf

Don't know what to do with that extra felt, muslin, scraps of fabric?  In under an hour, you can make this fashion forward scarf.  All you need is:

• felt
• scrap fabric with a pattern you like such as leaves
• muslin
• scissors
• a sewing machine
• thread

See it.  Create it.  

1. Using scraps of fabric, in this case a leaf pattern, and scrap felt, place felt behind fabric, pin into place, and sew around shapes
2. Cut 2 lengths of muslin 6 1/2 inches by 46 inches
3. Place right sides together and sew around seam allowing 3" to turn right side out
4. Turn right-side out and press flat
5. Top stitch near outer edge
6. Cut out fabric shapes
7. Position and sew in place

 

 Next time we make pillows from jeans.  Hurry back!