Modern Living Room Design: crafts

Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts

Weekend Floral Illustrations: Here Comes Spring!

Hi friends! Wow, what a busy week we had here last week! It seemed like we had important events and things to do every day and evening, and I was so glad when the weekend finally rolled around! I was so looking forward to doing something to help me unwind...something artsy of course!

I had a lot of fun doodling around with some watercolor flower illustrations. I painted them up with my watercolors and then inked them with some pigment ink pens. These were nothing stiff and formal, just loose and fun— and they were so relaxing to do!

I love how they turned out so I scanned a few of them into my computer and turned them into transparencies, cleaned them up, and then created some cool products with them in my POD (print on demand) shops on Society6, Redbubble, and DBH (DesignbyHumans.)

These really got me in the mood for spring! I love how the products turned out - especially the bedding and pillows. I think I will be turning these into cards that will be available in my Zazzle shop. I think they'd make great Thank You note cards and Wedding Invitations!

Peachy watercolor bouquet

Peachy watercolor bouquet pillow at Society6

Watercolor pink roses

Watercolor pink roses comforter from Society6

Bridesmaid Wedding Unique Beautiful Pink Rose Top

Bridesmaid and wedding party tops in my Zazzle shop

Yellow and blue spring floral

Yellow and blue spring floral relaxed fit t-shirt on Redbubble

I finished up these two last night

Which do you like the best?

Have a great week!

Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

How To Cut Flatware For Crafts And Jewelry

Hi friends! I just uploaded a new video to my YouTube channel. It's a short one, but while I was working I thought I'd use the opportunity to record for you and share what I was doing.

I have a few jewelry projects in my first book, Boho Chic Jewelry, that use vintage cast off pieces of silverware—forks, spoons and butter knives—and turn them into unique pieces of jewelry. Each project in the book has detailed instructions with great photos to teach you how to do it all, but still, there's nothing like being there and seeing firsthand how something is done!

Enter my messy workbench and a handful of vintage silver plated butter knives—a recent thrift store find at only 10 cents each!

To turn these vintage finds into usable components, all you need are a few simple tools, the know-how, and a little elbow grease. Really, anyone can do it!

Here's the prize that you end up with in the end - a beautiful, vintage component that you can use for jewelry or in your craft creations. How sweet is that?

And of course at the end of the video, I always offer suggestions for how you can reuse every last bit.

I use these components to create my necklaces (shown above), and like I said, you can find the complete step by step instructions for this particular project in my book, but check out the video for a behind the scenes sneak peek!

You can watch the new video here, and while you're there, don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel to be the first to get updates when I post new videos!

Here's an entire bowl full of these beauties. I love just sifting through them and admiring their beautiful patterns.

Want one but don't want to make your own? I have just a few available here in my Etsy Shop, so be sure to check them out!

Check out the video here!

Have a great week!

Laura

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs

Book Page Cat Art & Waiting For Spring

Is it spring yet?

I think most of us (on the east coast at least) are ready for some warmer weather. I'm working on a new Upcycled Garden blog post - the first of the season is always fun to do - and looking forward to cleaning up my own yard to rake away the last of winter's mess.

Will you be planting this year? If yes, what?

Have a great week!

Laura

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs

Creative Uses For Old Lace Remnants & Crochet Doilies

A few years ago I wrote Vintage Lace & Doilies: Upcycled & Repurposed and today I'm going to share a whole new slew of ideas for what you can do with old remnants of lace and crochet doilies.

They're easy to find, inexpensive, and fun and easy to work with. They make great crafts to do with kids, and if you love a vintage or feminine look, they've got you covered. So check out these creative ideas and maybe you'll be inspired to create your own lacy masterpiece!

Vintage crochet doily curtain from Victorias Passion

Black lace candles from Cfabbridesigns

Doily dreamcatcher from Roots and Feathers

Frame lace and doilies, and then use eye hooks to create a hanging wall divider

Sew a quick doily and lace window curtain

Lacy earrings from Stitchfromtheheart via Etsy

How to make your own stick and doily dreamcatcher DIY

Crochet lace doily in a frame as an earring holder from Sunkissedcottage via Etsy

Tree branch + doily runner + ribbon from Betterhomeliving via Etsy

Vintage doily bunting from buntingboutique via Etsy

Use a mix of different colored crocheted lace doilies

Frame individual crocheted lace doilies

Make a delicate bowl with decoupage medium

Pillar candle with lace

What do you think?

Have you done any crochet or lace crafts?

Be sure to visit part 1 of this post:

Have a great week!

Laura

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs

Creative Things You Can Make With Old Baby & Children's Clothes

Recently when blogging about Valentine's Day-themed and love-inspired craft and upcycle projects I featured this Heart Quilt made from old baby clothes. I also admitted that I did stash away a special piece of my daughter's clothing here and there when packing up carloads of outgrown old kids clothes to send to Goodwill. What would I make with them? I wasn't sure, but once I started to look around for some ideas to use as springboards, I knew I had to share all of these cute ideas that I came across.

In the past I've written about What To Do With Those Old Baby Shoes, and Creative Upcycled Baby Cribs. Now check out these cute and creative ideas for what to do with old baby clothes!

Now of course, the best thing to do with old baby and children's clothes is to send them off to someone who can use them, or donate them to Goodwill. These projects are about saving one or two special pieces as mementos and having them transformed into something that is both old and new.

The obvious choices are sewing projects, and if you don't sew yourself, there are plenty of people who can create these projects for you on Etsy or elsewhere on the internet. But aside from sewing, check out the wall art made with fabric scraps below and be inspired - no sewing experience is needed for this project, just some glue!