Summercrafter

When we first moved into this house and rummaged through the shed out back, I saw this beat up, old sled and got really excited! Now I must confess, I have never been sledding nor do I know anything about sleds. After all, we don't sled down here in these parts, this is due entirely to the lack of snow and hills for that matter . Nevertheless, when I saw it, I thought it would make a great decoration piece! So since then, I have been waiting to get my hands on it and give it a coat of red paint add some pine sprigs and a great big bow, that's easy enough.  I immediately bought the sand paper to get started. Fast forward two and a half years...last week, I had my son take it out of the shed. And my husband, the darling, acquiesced to my request, and took me to the Large Hardware Warehouse and bought me the red paint, water based latex for easy clean up (he knows me so well!) He also got me the tack cloth to clean up the sand ...

RUNNERS.   And I am not talking athletes.   I mean Table Runners.   I always wonder if they should run off the table, go to the end of the table or stop just shy of the end of the table.   They are available in various designs: plain, or fancy, with tassels, lace, quilted and/or bound. They also come in various sizes and widths, see here . I started researching runners because I wanted a festive one for my dining room table that is extra long now, thanks to the 2 leaves that stay attached the whole year.   My mom gave me this really pretty ceramic house to put tea lights in for Christmas. It’s has trees and snowmen standing outside, it was last year’s “HOUSE FOR SALE” at Bath and Body Works . (The previous year, they had a Gingerbread House and I missed it!)   The house looks great on the dining room table but it didn’t “show” enough. It needed to sit on a runner. While my dining room is formal, I always like a little whimsy in my décor. Elegant ...

No matter how large or small the craft or project, how complicated or involved it is, how much or little time it takes, how much planning or spontaneity it requires; making it still gives me a warm feeling. 1) I am feeding my soul doing what makes me happy & using my talents and 2) Giving/making something for someone else also lends to having "warm fuzzies." It's a  double whammy of goodness for all!! These happen to be 2 of the  Laws of Happiness , found in the book by Dr.Henry Cloud. He was the only male speaker at the Women of Faith conference last month and he really spoke volumes to my heart as did the extraordinary women who shared the word of God and their testimonies. WOW! Here is a 10 minute craft. Get a large pre-painted white letter (or any color you fancy). This letter is about 9 inches tall. Wrap two ribbons (wide & narrow) around it and accent it with buttons, jewels, felt or paper flower, anything at all!! See mine? ...

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks ; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Since we can't see what's on the other side of our problem, give thanks to God for what he is working in you and for you and keep moving forward. This too shall pass! He already knows how it ends... As for me, I am thankful for the abundant blessings in my life, of which I have nothing to gripe or moan about; the simple pleasures.  And, I am happy to have an extra couple of days to craft, I mean, put up the tree, which is crafty right?  My crafting for Thanksgiving is cooking, since the Monday before! I always want to make place cards, but they are generally disregarded. I think about decorating, but after eating, everything gets trashed. What really irks me is after days and hours of cooking and preparing, it's all over in 20 minutes. So there you go! If I make a craft, at least I can look at for as long as I want and don't have to suffer the discarding!...

These pictures are no fun to look at, simply mechanics, but the best is saved for last!! Here are some of the little details. I do not have pictures of how long it took me to assemble, but of course as you play with your letters, you will figure it out. It doesn't have to be straight!  Don't forget to paint the back of the letters first, makes things easier! Here  is a great place to buy letters online, if the craft store doesn't have the amount or the kind you want. The assembling of the letters is the trickiest part. Overlapping the letters depends on the design of each and which one should be showcased, (in my case the Rag Doll letters.) I assembled the letters and hot glued the ones that went in the center, top to bottom and reinforced them with miniature popsicle sticks on the back. Once I laid them out how I wanted, I traced the part of the letter that went "over" so I could put hot glue in the right place. Then I marked the 2 places in the midd...

First you take the R and you paint it, (paint it). Remember to do back and sides first! Two coats for best coverage. Trace the letter on paper, I used tracing paper. I "presented" the head on the paper letter and drew out her apron dress. I had to add a neck to her head. I cut out the apron and traced it onto the back of textured white cardstock so it would look like linen or fabric. Next, after laying it out how I liked it, I hot glued the head onto the letter and I used Mod Podge to stick the apron to the R. If you'll notice on the final photo, I left the "skirted" look short so you could still tell it was the letter "R." Details!! The Original Raggedy Ann , has a flower pattern on her blue blouse. So I dipped the point of a pencil in pink acrylic paint and dotted these little flowers on the "blouse" part of the letter. In the final picture I re-did her apron and left the full skirt,  but you can still see the "R" legs. S...

This was so much fun to make. Take a look. I took the rings off of these key tags and cut circle shapes in peach to make little faces. For hair, I split the yarn so it would look like wavy hair. Then I glued the eyes and drew their faces, guess who?