Designer Craft Connection - Springtime Crafting

The crafting has begun!  Several projects are on my agenda and look forward to sharing them.  Last week I spent the week working on two gift ideas for a baby shower that I attended this week-end.  I can share them now and announce that they were well received by the parents-to-be and other guests.

It seems that I must always try to include something handmade and not expected as a gift for showers.  This time I put together a collection of music for baby and parents to enjoy.  The lullabies can be used for sleepy time or just some quiet time.  The other music in the collection is easy to listen to and fun for the entire family.

Of course I like to find ways to reuse items in my projects.  So using some old empty CD cases, leftover mat board,  scraps of fabrics and papers and odds & ends I ended up with a unique and personal gift.  With the knowledge that the new arrival, several of the songs chosen are just for "daddy's little girl".  Music always makes a wonderful gift!

The second gift was made to fit the decor of the baby's room.  A hand painted tree was painted onto one of the wall in the room.  The bedding and accessories are from Pottery Barn for Kids with images of trees, leaves, owls and birds in an array of bright pastel colors.

A branch was trimmed from an outside tree; scraps of fabrics, mat board, trims and felt from my stash and those favorite stand by tools from Sizzix, were combined to create a mobile for the room.  Each of the birds were made using Sizzix die by Eileen Hull.  The birds main shape are die cut from mat board, four for each bird, one each for the wings. Note: two body shapes were glued together - using two doubled shapes for each bird. Fabric pieces were applied to Therm-o-web PeelnStick  adhesive sheets.  The birds shapes were then applied to the the backed fabric pieces and cut out with 1/4" to 1/2" extra around the shapes.  Note: Good idea to use teflon coated scissors for this cutting.  Wrap the fabric around the edges of the bodies and wings.  Snipping and trimming fabric if necessary.  When all shapes are covered, glue the two covered bodies together.  String clear monofilament through a hole in the top edge of each bird and knot.  Glue mini white rick-rack around the edges of the birds body shape. Glue the wings onto each side of the birds.  A small purchased nest is wired onto the branch.  Snips of shredded paper was glued into the nest and then a bird.  Tie clear monofilament onto the branch in any way to make the branch hang evenly.  Form an loop at the top for hanging.  Tie each of the birds onto the branch spacing as desired and different levels. Optional: Each bird was painted with a matching glaze, using a Ranger Adirondack Acrylic and water for a slight gleamer.

Please use the button at the top right to continue hopping through the other blogs for more and more ideas.

Now onto the next project - will share it with you all as soon as complete!

UPDATE ADDED:
I received the OK to post a photo of the tree that the daddy-to-be painted on the bedroom wall.  It is just too darn cute!  Beautifully done Jim!

Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop-January-Journaling

The first challenge for the Craft Connection Group in this new year is "journaling".  I'm looking forward to seeing all the ideas the group comes up with.  With any tips that are shared and ideas for journals, my goal is to work on journaling my ideas better than in the past.

What I created is made from all scraps - cardboard, fabric, packing paper, paper & metal scraps and even paper towels used for clean up.  The only purchased element was the "ring binder" from the idea-ology collection by Tim Holtz.

Follow the general instructions given.  Any size journal can be made by just adjusting the sizes you cut the cardboards, fabrics and papers for covering and pages.  For the journal cover cut three pieces: 2 the same measurement for front and back covers, 1 for spine (the same length of covers and 1 1/2" wide).  For inside journal covers: cut 2 pieces 1/4" smaller then outside covers, 1 for spine (the same length of inside pieces and 1 1/4" wide).

Use a clear packing tape to join the outside covers to the outside spine.  NOTE: Leave approximately 1/8" space between the spine and each cover.  This will help the journal close easier.  A scrap of drapery liner was cut 1" larger on all four sides for the journal covering.  Use any type of paints or finishes to cover the fabric. Use any color combination of choice.  Allow the paint to dry completely before covering the boards. Use the same paints or finishes to also cover a large piece of brown packing paper.  If paper crinkles when dried, iron carefully between parchment paper to smooth.  Cut pieces to cover the inside boards for the journal. Again allow approximately 1" around the front and back pieces and 1/2" for the spine piece.  NOTE: Cut a piece from the packing paper about 3" to 4" wide and the same length as the outside cover.  Glue this piece to the inside center to cover the spine, gap and inside edges of the cover pieces.  Glue the painted fabric piece to the outside cover piece.  NOTE: Miter the corners in any fashion you like to use.  Glue the painted packing paper to the two inside boards and the spine.  Attach the ring binder to the paper covered spine using the paper brads.  Center and glue this spine piece in place.  Glue the two inside cover pieces in place, also centering them evenly.

Finish the front of the journal in any desired fashion.  I used a scrap of canvas and stained the edges with Distress Stains.  From a scrap of metal, I pierced it with an "M", for Madeline and then colored it with alcohol inks. I die-cut flowers and leaves from scraps and my clean up paper toweling.  All were then glued to the top cover.  I cut pages for inside from a variety left over pieces of papers.  NOTE: Jot ideas on the pages or clip or glue ideas found to the pages.  I printed some "creative" and "artistic" quotes found on Pinterest that would be inspiring to add to pages.  

Excited to see all the ideas about journals and journaling.  This blog has been a form of journaling for me.  Pinterest is a digital form with "pinboards" of inspiration.  I hope to create journals of all types and sizes this year - any form of journaling that would help me in my daily journey to continue to grow.

IDEAS:
Check out the "app" Evernote for helping to keep track of ideas.  With this app you can add notes in a variety of ways: written, photo, audio.


Make a journal the size of envelopes and use the front for journaling and slip photos or notes into the envelopes.

Cover $0.99 Composition notebooks for using as a journal.  Make one for each month if you journal a lot or make one for each season and decorate accordingly.