Stenciled Canvas: Take Two

Friends, can I just say that I. Love. Stenciling.

Seriously.  Ever since the wonderful folks at Cutting Edge Stencils sent me the small Cassablanca Craft Stencil, I've been on a roll.  Here's the story of my latest project...a fail turned success!

You might remember from my original review post that this pretty turquoise on turquoise canvas was my first stenciling endeavor.  I absolutely love it, but since I hung it on one side of the cutout window in the dining room, I needed something to balance it out on the other side.

I wanted to use the same stencil for continuity but add some words to the second piece.  Originally I planned on spelling something out with individual wooden letters, but when I got to Michaels, they had wooden words instead.  And what did they have?  Live.  Love.  dance.  Perfect!  Well...almost.  It totally bugs me that the "d" in dance is lowercase and the "L's" are capitalized.  But, what can you do?

ANYway, here is my original creation: I used a light aqua as the base color, then put a beigy neutral on top.

Blech.

I wasn't thrilled.  It looked way better in my head.  The blues weren't right together and the whole thing lacked something.  So, I decided to ask the experts.  I posted it on Facebook and asked you all for your input, which basically confirmed what I thought.  Meh.  It needed help.  I ripped the whole thing apart {did you know that Mod Podge can actually rip canvas when you try removing it?}.  I tried to salvage that canvas, but it was hopeless.  Thank goodness they came in a 2-pack!  I got lots of great Facebook suggestions about other color schemes to try, some of which wouldn't work just because of where in the house I was hanging it.  I'm redoing the dining room with turquoise and yellow {remember my new yarn monogram?}, so I figured that would be a good choice.

I used some brand new colors and, voila!


It's like a whole different project!  Here it is in the dining room.  Ah, much better!  Meanwhile, apparently even Little Crafter and Big Elmo are intrigued by washi tape...

In case you missed it, Target has washi tape!  $4 for a 4-pack.  I'm all over it.  Now I just have to come up with a good project...

By the way, friends, the April edition of the One Artsy Mama e-newsletter goes out tomorrow, can you believe it?!  It's got a monthly blog tip, a quote from LC, a special coupon code, and a special offer that are not going to appear anywhere else, so make sure you've subscribed!  To add yourself to the list, go over on the sidebar under the follower sections where it says monthly newsletter sign-up and add your info!  ------>

You know you want to.

Shine on Fridays #21 {plus features and a giveaway}!

It's time to PARTY, friends!


Ready to see one of last week's two most popular projects?  Carol and her hubby over at Are We There Yet? made this fun name sign for their granddaughter's nursery!  I love all the different colors and patterns, don't you?

To see our other top project, hop on over to Happy Go Lucky...and don't forget to stop by Top Ten Thursdays to see some more fabulous features from last week's party!

Congratulations to Susan {crochetaddictcfs}, the winner of the Covered Porch giveaway!  Enjoy picking out your prizes!

This week's giveaway is sponsored by Jolynn's Hobby Shop.

Johannah, the heart behind Jolynn's, is a SAHM who enjoys shopping and clipping coupons, but her main love is crafting.  She loves creating and learning new things.  Today, she's offering one reader a Minnie Mouse Hair Clip from her shop.

Rafflecopter will walk you through the entry process; the giveaway is open through midnight on April 4th!  Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, let's get this party started!!

<center><a href="http://oneartmama.blogspot.com/"><img alt="One Artsy Mama" src="http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc86/dancers4life/shine3.png"/></a><center></center></center>

Show off your fabulous creations with us and be inspired by what others have created!

   

Please link up crafts, recipes, home decor, etc.

We can't wait to see what you've been up to lately!!

If you're going to play along with us, pretty please:

- follow both co-hosts

- grab a party button and put it somewhere on your blog
- have fun and visit some other friends
- no commercial sites

- send us Starbucks gift cards {just kidding...kind of!}

Linking up your photos gives us permission to use them in features on our blogs and Facebook pages.

Top Ten Thursdays

It's Thursday, friends, and you know what that means?

Time for the second-ever TOP 10 THURSDAY!

Here are ten of my favorite projects from last week's Shine on Fridays party...I think you're really going to like them too!

FOR THE HOME

Easter Wreath from Chase the Star

I love the non-traditional shape, the colors, and most of all the reminder of what we're really celebrating!  He is Risen indeed!

Salt Dough Easter Egg Garland from Desperate Craftwives

I first visited Blythe's blog when she linked a salt dough starfish garland this summer, and she continues to impress me with fabulous projects like this one!  How cute are these eggs?

Spring Wreath from Cherished Bliss

Not only is this wreath adorable, it's totally versatile too!  The bird, flowers, and pennants can be removed, leaving the bakers twine wrapped base to be redecorated for other seasons and reasons!

FOR THE TUMMY

Daffodil Pops from The Seven Year Cottage
These candy and sugar coated marshmallow pops are as tasty as they are cute and springy!



Root Beer Cookies from Silver Boxes
I'm a total cookie lover, but I confess, I've never tried {or heard of} root beer cookies before!  Don't these look good?  Check out Steph's yummy-sounding recipe!

FOR YOU

Wedding Dress Transformation from Little Ladybird
I am so amazed by this redo!  Tash asked her mom to help her turn her wedding gown into something she could wear again, this time as a wedding guest.  I don't think I'd be able to cut my dress, but I sure do love how hers turned out!!


How to Jump Start Your Car from Paint Speckled Pawprints
This post is one installment in a great Independence Week Series at Paint Speckled Pawprints, teaching us how to do practical things like how to wash and wax your car, how to replace a taillight, and how to operate a miter saw.  Good things to know!


FOR THE KIDDOS

Monster Patch from Watch Out for the Woestmans
What could be better than turning ripped jeans into a monster you can wear?!  Little Crafter would go crazy for this...I'm afraid if he knew I would do this, he'd try tearing all his pants on purpose!


Easter Pencils and Can Homespun With Love
You know I'm always looking for easy, cheap, and fun kids' crafts to do with LC, and I definitely found one here!  These are so adorable!


...and now for my favorite favorite project of the week:

April Showers Party from Inspired by Family Magazine
I am so inspired by every single thing about this awesome party...the food, the decorations, the favors, the invitations, the whole package!  I pinned it to show LC when he's choosing his next party theme.  I couldn't pick just one photo, so here are a few:  First, the umbrella/rain shower cupcakes!


Festive table runner made of boots...LC totally has those green froggy ones on the end!


Colorful decor!


To see more pictures and find out about the awesome favors each child took home, check out the original post!

Hope you enjoyed this week's features as much as I did!
Stop by Happy Go Lucky to see Kara's ten picks too.
See you tomorrow for some more party fun!

By the way, the Cutting Edge Stencils giveaway is open until Saturday, so stop by and enter.  Also, today I'm giving away a handstamped necklace over at Sunny Vanilla to help Jen celebrate her blogiversary!  Stop by to enter and wish her a happy bloggy birthday!

Yarn Wrapped Monogram

I love a good sale, don't you?  The other day, as I was hunting for jewelry making supplies in Hobby Lobby, I saw a bunch of paper mache letters on sale for 30% off...which made them less than $2 a piece!  I had to have one!  After all, I've seen so many cute yarn wrapped monograms all over blogland and Pinterest; the artsy family needed one too!

Here's a quick look at what I did with it:

YARN WRAPPED MONOGRAM

MATERIALS:

- paper mache letter

- yarn {I used the leftover yellow from my spring wreath}

- hot glue gun/glue sticks

- fabric scraps

STEP 1: Hot glue yarn to the back of the letter and begin wrapping it around {and around and around}.

Eventually you'll end up with much of the letter covered, like so.  Only the top and bottom surfaces will still be visible.

STEP 2: Wrap entire letter going the other way.  I started horizontally, so my second time was vertical.  This covered all the brown.  At this point you could stop, but I found that I much preferred the look of the horizontal wrapping down the long side of the L, so I wrapped the whole thing a third time {I'm a glutton for punishment and hand cramps, apparently!}  Glue end of yarn down on the back of the letter to secure it when you're finished.

STEP 3: Create fabric flowers to decorate your letter.  You can make whatever kind and colors you like; I decided on rosettes.  If you've never made them before, just cut your fabric in a long thin strip.  Fold it in half lengthwise, then again.  Start rolling it up to create the center, then continue rolling, twisting the fabric as you go.  You'll need to hot glue every so often to hold it in place.  Once your flowers are made, glue them where you want them on your letter.

Ta-da!  That's all there is to it!

Now we have a fun monogram!

I may eventually put a ribbon on it and use it to decorate the door for summer, but for now, it matches my dining room so well I think it will live there and add a cheerful touch!

Happy Crafting!

Spring and Easter Crafts

It's definitely spring here in Artsy Land, friends...just ask my nose!!  Aah-aah-CHOO!

But that also means it's time for some fun crafting, right?

I've already shared some of the things we've made this year, but I thought I'd give you a few links to some of the things we made last Spring since many of you weren't following along way back then!  I recently looked at an old post from April 20, 2011 and I had...are you ready for this...46 followers!  Now, less than a year later, I'm looking at more than 989!  Amazing!

Anyway, here are some of the ideas LC and I have enjoyed making together; click on any of them to see the original post and tutorial!

PAPER PLATE LAMB



NATURAL NEST {paper bag and sticks!}

EGG FRIENDS

HANDPRINT SHEEP

RESURRECTION CRAFT

MELTED CRAYON EGGS

HANDPRINT LILIES

TISSUE PAPER CROSS

Whatever you're crafting this Spring, hope you're having a wonderful time and enjoying the weather {if not the sneezes that come with it!} 

Happy Crafting!

Dinosuar Excavation for Kids

Hey friends...check out this fun idea!  Last week, Heather Smith emailed me and asked if she could share this fun activity with you and I thought you'd enjoy!  Here she is...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/10/13548614_8e96a03d62.jpg

On a sweltering summer day when kids are bored and tempers running as high as the temperature, don’t you wish you had some fun outdoor activity that could keep the kids entertained and also teach them some kind of lesson? Well, if that has ever been a problem for you, then here is the perfect, easy activity.

A dinosaur excavation, complete with archeology, geology, paleontology, erosion theory, and any other ology you’d care to throw in. Not only can you cover many lessons at once, but kids can learn the value of patience, strategy, and cooperation with this fun activity.

For parents that are just looking for an easy, fun activity, I included a simple version.

What you need:

·         Water

·         Plastic container that will fit in your freezer

·         Food coloring

·         Plastic dinosaurs and other animals

·         Leaves/plants (plastic or real)

·         Spoons or butter knives

·         A water hose or bucket of water

·         Notebooks and pencils

·         A dinosaur guide

·         A geology guide

Creation (full version):

1.      Using a plastic container that will fit in your freezer, fill one quarter full of water. To the water add a dark food coloring. You will be creating four gradual layers, so it is up to you whether to use one color and gradate it, or use multiple colors. The bottom layer should be the darkest color. If you choose to do more than four layers, plan accordingly.

2.      Using your dinosaur guide and geology guide, put the oldest dinosaurs in the bottom layer, along with representative food sources. Let sit in freezer until hardened.

3.      Continue to layer the colored water and dinosaurs according to the guides. When the top layer is finished, if desired you can add a thin layer of clear water with cows, etc, to represent the modern day.

4.      Once solidly frozen, remove the ice from the container outside, somewhere that will not be stained by the food coloring.

5.      Have the kids use the spoons and water to excavate the dinosaurs, keeping a log of their findings. Have them look up what each dinosaur is called, what they ate, and when they lived. They can also make notes on which worked best, the water (through erosion) or the spoons.

 

http://boingboing.net/2012/03/19/kids-summer-activity-frozen.html

Easy version:

1.      Using a plastic container that will fit in your freezer, fill full of water.

2.      Add plastic dinosaurs and blue dye if desired.

3.      Once frozen, remove from bucket outside.

4.      Have children excavate the dinosaurs using water and spoons.

This activity is fun for all ages, from tots to preteens. No matter what kind of kid you have, they will love getting outside and digging up their own dinosaurs. Remember to have fun and keep cool this summer with easy learning activities that everyone can enjoy.

Author Bio

Heather Smith is an ex-nanny. Passionate about thought leadership and writing, Heather regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting blogs/websites. She also provides value to nanny service by giving advice on site design as well as the features and functionality to provide more and more value to nannies and families across the U.S. and Canada. She can be available at H.smith7295 [at] gmail.com.

Biggest Treasures Printable

On the first official day of Spring, Little Crafter and I took a walk around our neighborhood while we waited for Daddy to come home.  LC was thrilled to find that his favorite "flower," the dandelion, was in abundant supply!  Last spring and summer, he developed an addiction to picking every single one he could find...

...and it looks like this year is going to be very much the same!  As we walked, he picked me a little bouquet of dandelions and some pretty little blue flowers that were growing in some of the neighbors' lawns.  Last year, I had made a special little Mama's Mini-Vase for occasions like these, and he was insistent that I needed to put my flowers in it.  I did, and every time I look at them they make me smile. 

I got to thinking about how sometimes it's not the big things in life that matter most, it's the small ones.  Know what I mean?  Sometimes being a mom, especially one who stays at home most of the time, can seem less important than the jobs other people are out there doing.  I look at others' fame and achievements and what I do seems kind of insignificant...until I see my flowers and remember that I have a treasure.  My bouquet may be small and so are the hands that picked it, but those hands belong to the biggest blessing in my life.

It inspired me to make this printable; feel free to download and print and enjoy.  Let it remind you not to overlook the small things, because sometimes they're the biggest treasures.

Download 5x7 here

Download 8x10 here

Happy Crafting,

Cutting Edge Stencils: Review and Giveaway

I am SO excited today, friends! 

Yesterday, this little blog hit a major milestone...1000 GFC followers!  {Not to mention all of you who follow via Linky, blog lovin' and email!}

I wanted to do something special to celebrate.  A few weeks ago, I got in contact with the wonderful folks at Cutting Edge Stencils and asked them if they would be willing to let me host a review and giveaway for their fabulous products...and they said YES!! 

I got to pick out what stencil I wanted to try {which was a tough decision because they're all so fun}!  I decided on the Cassablanca Craft Stencil, size small, which is the perfect size to use on canvas, pillows, and furniture.  They have the same pattern available in Medium Craft size, as well as an Allover stencil that's great for on the wall.  Last Saturday, my stencil arrived, along with a stencil brush and a small roller.  I almost immediately ran to get a 12x12 canvas I had in the craft room and got started on this...my first stencil project!

I painted the entire canvas a light turquoise, then mixed a custom darker turquoise color to stencil on top.  I used painter's tape to secure the stencil in place, then got to work.  I learned that it's important not to have too much paint on your brush when you're working {my bad!}, but otherwise I found it pretty easy.  I had to move the stencil one time in order to cover the entire surface of the canvas, but it was simple to line up and you can't tell where I did it.  If you're a stenciling novice, Cutting Edge even has helpful how-to videos to get you started.

It was perfect timing, actually, because I've been wanting to "spring-ify" my dining room.  I was looking for a cheerful tablecloth, but couldn't find what I wanted.  Instead, I found some fun turquoise placemats and a canister on clearance at Target to add a pop of color to the room.  I put some silk hydrangea in the canister for a centerpiece, and was really liking the effect, but the room still needed something.

Stenciled art, of course!  Ta-da!  A cheerful, springy dining room just in time for the new season.

Once I finished that first project, I was hooked!  I made this canvas for the front hallway.  I traced the wooden bird from my spring wreath and freehanded the branches.  Meanwhile, if you like birds and branches, check out this Cutting Edge stencil...love it!

Want to know my favorite thing about Cutting Edge Stencils?

It's not that their stencils are easy to use {which they ARE!}

Or that they have so many fun designs {which they DO!}

Or that the products arrive quickly {which they DID!}

Or that they're reasonably priced {which they ARE!}

Or that the stencils are so versatile {which they ARE!}

Or that you can reuse them forever {which you CAN!}

It's that they even thought of Little Crafter.

Yup, that's right!  Not only did they send me my stencil, brush, and roller, they included two surprise stencils {complete with smiley face stickers} just for the little man; a frog and a sea monster.  He took to it like a fish to water...look at him go!  And hey, if Little Crafter can do it, you can too!

He is obsessed.  Now he and I have the same problem...we want to stencil everything in the house that doesn't move.  I already have plans for a filing cabinet hubs brought home from work and the old yucky vanity in our master bathroom...look out, house!

Now, here's the good news for you!

Not only did Cutting Edge Stencils want to let us try their great products, one of you gets to try them for free too!  One lucky winner will get to choose your favorite stencil, up to $50 in value!  Rafflecopter will walk you through the entry process!  Good luck!

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