Angelic Friday

Just a quick post and I am off to the doctor.  I finished up some more of my flower angels and  they look so cute:

Have fun with these.  Personalize each one, making it a bit different, special:

Make their hairstyles different.   I used ribbon for some of the wings, but you could also use hearts, stars, grapevine, etc.  Some of my angels have ribbons or pearls at the neckline, some don't.  Thi will make a great item for gifts or for your craft shows. 

Have a great weekend......and happy crafting!

What 'cha workin' on Wednesday???

After making the first snowmen out of ping pong balls from the dollar store, I knew I had to make more.  I just know that these will be great sellers this year at my shows.  So when I was at the dollar store a couple of weeks ago, I bought up 10 packages of 8.  I bought 5 packages of the small hooks at Walmart at $.97 each.  I also bought 5 packages of ribbon at Hobby Lobby, on sale for $1 ea.  Total cost: $20.  This will make 80 ornaments at a total cost of $.25 ea.  I will sell them for $1, a great bargain for the customer, a good profit for me.

Now the trick to doing this many of anything is to do them production line style.  First I attached all the hangers.  Next the ribbon.  Then to paint the faces, with this many, you have to be able to hang them up to dry.  I paint eyes on all first....then all the noses....then the mouths, and finally I blush them.  So here is what the craft room looks like, in process:

I simply stick dowels in the paint caddy and slide them on to dry.  You could use a wire or clothesline and hold in place with clothespins, safety pins, or binder clips.  This prevents bleed over from the paint and speeds up the drying process. 

So, try a production line for your next project.  You will save so much time!

Sewing Kits

I was in my neighborhood Alco store on Friday and found the cutest blue mason jars.  They are really retro looking and I just knew they would be perfect for my little sewing kits:

These are so simple and sold really well for me at my craft shows last year.  They make great shower gifts.  Simply fill the mason jar with sewing supplies.  I cheat a little and buy sewing kits at the dollar store.  Then I add some buttons, or elastic, or trim, etc.  If you are making this for someone special, you might add antique buttons, embroidery floss, lace, etc.  I slightly stuff the lid....this can be tricky so experiment with the way that works the best for you.  This can be used as a pin cushion.  I always add a few pins to the top before I display them.  I add a tag that I have printed to read "Sewing Kit" and tie it and some little spool trims on with jute.  Isn't it just the cutest????

Its a beautiful day out today, so I think I will go out pretty soon and play in the dirt!

Garden Spot

Weekends are always busy here at the house.  I have been working frantically on getting my garden ready.  Here at 9000 feet elevation, gardening can be so trying.....but can also be very rewarding.  Finally my taters and onions, radishes and beets are poking through the soil, but now what I need is a peaceful place to sit and relax.  But on my budget, there are just no funds to go out and buy outdoor furniture.  Then  I remembered this old bench that I moved that went with a dining room set that I had years ago.

Yep, pretty ugly and dated.  So I gave it a light all over sanding and found some Ooops paint that I had.  (Ooops paint is paint that has been returned to the hardware store because of being the wrong shade, not matching, etc and is sold at a very deep discount.)

Better, yes....But it still needs a little more......

So I painted the spindles with some more oops paint that I had on hand.....but.....it kinda looked like a nursery bench, not a garden bench.  So I added some critter tracks....

I had a stencil for this, but you could do it free-handed as well.  I put a couple of coats of spray sealer over the entire bench.......now, if I just had a nice cold drink......

Snowman Vases

I don't know where I got these little vases, and I have had them for years...but I think they turned out really sweet.  The first pic that has my hand in it, I took just so you could see the size.

They were clear glass vases, two styles.  Simply paint and draw on the face.   I painted on the nose and drew on the eyes and mouth with a micro marker.  I glued the ribbon on (primarily to hide my crooked paint lines) and added a bit of greenery.  I also painted the inside of the top.  I love the way they look.  They would be perfect at each holiday place setting.

Well, I am off to spray these with sealer.  No rain today....xxxxxxx

Quickie Angel Ornie

Its a cool and drizzly day here in the Rockies and I can't think of a better way to pass the time than working in the studio.   I have been working on some of my bottlecap tags, wooden spoon snowmen, and this new ornie:

I know the pics are a little dark, but Mr. Smokey (my cat) was snoozing in the area of the studio were I normally take my pics.  When I get a few more done, I will get some better ones. 

Anyway, I saw this idea on Pinterest so I thought I had better give it a try.  I bought a bouquet of white flowers (maybe gardenias??), 5 to a bunch at the dollar store.  That's $.20 for each ornie.  I cut off the green plastic base but left about 3/4" on the stem.  I had the round head that I use for my salt shaker angels already painted.  These have a flat side with a hole in it.  I simply stuck some hot glue in the hole and inserted the head.  I had the little wings (I told you I am like my in house Michael's store)and glued them on the back of the head.  I had a small screw hook which I screwed into the top of the head, added some hair, some pink organza ribbon......and drum roll please....Here you have it!

Okay, I wanted you to see this a bit better.....but don't worry, it was easier to move the ornie than the cat.  As with any of the crafts I show you, make it your own.  Change up the hair, the flower, add different trim.  Any little girl would love to have this for her very own....

New ornie and wooden spoons

Hello, my peeps.  I know, I should be posting more, but it just hasn't been in the cards...hehe....Here is another dollar store craft for your Christmas gift giving.  Wooden spoons!  I cheated a bit and bought these at Wally World (4 for $.88)  It is so simple!  Simply paint them white, front and back and add faces and a bit of homespun as a tie.  These are really cute given with kitchen towels or hot pads.  You could also put together some recipes and tie this on.

I also was cutting out some "Santa's Clotheslines" from red felt and I had some rather large scraps left over.  I decided to make Santa's hats as ornies.  I simply measured around the outside of a battery operated tea light (dollar store buy, 3/$1) and drew out the shape of a hat.  I had to experiment with the trim a little, but another good way to use up scraps.  I poked holes in the top and cut a piece of rusty wire (about 8" long)  I curled the ends of the wire and hung on a little tag that says, "He's making a list and checking it twice."  Then I glued a rusty bell on the bottom.  I think these will be a great seller at craft shows!  Total cost to make is less than fifty cents!

Well, my bloggie friends, off to water the garden.  Maybe it will rain......