Snowman kind of Day...

Here in the Colorado Rockies, we have had a very cool and wet summer.  My cool weather crops have exploded.  Its hard to tell how large this cabbage is, but you can see my arm under it.  With these four heads, I made 15 pints of freezer slaw and a half dozen packages of cabbage for soup.

 I've never gotten this many peas before and there are still more in the garden, not quite ready.  I will probably pull my beets and dig potatoes this weekend.  I love this time of year!

So with  camping over the weekend, harvesting my veggies, I have neglected my time in the studio. But today, I made up for it!  I had several snowmen in process, so I managed to finish them up as well as some of the centerpieces.

I have this thing about these little tart pans.  I think that's what they are.....anyway, when I see them, I buy them and turn them into, what else?, SNOWMEN!  First I drilled a small hole in each one and added baker's twine for a hanger.  I used chalk paint, but any type acrylic paint will do.  It takes more than one coat.  After the paint is dry, I used a sharpie to add the eyes and mouth, burnt orange acrylic paint for the nose, and a little blush for cheek color.  When everything is dry, I painted a bit of ModPodge around the edges and added some silver glitter.  I just love these little guys!

I don't know what exactly this is, but its some kind of spindle that I found in a mark down bin at Michael's.  I thought it looked like a snowman totem pole.  I simply added a base, painted, and used some ribbon as scarves.

A blank that I painted after drilling a hole for a hanger.  I love this gingham ribbon from Hobby Lobby.  Can you tell?

 I have to confess, I did not make this little snowman.  I bought it in a grab bag from the thrift store.  I have had the little red pitcher forever, so I just added some greenery, berries and glitter stars.  Wouldn't this look adorable on your desk or kitchen counter?

 This little ginger was in my odds and ends box.  Stuffed him in this little rusty pitcher and added some homespun.

 I made these for the first time last year and they were a hit.  I made 9 pairs today.  Easy peasy.  Just buy sunglasses from the dollar store and paint the lenses.  I add a hanger and some foliage.

 Finally, I found this rusty container at the thrift store and stuffed it full of floral.  I added a big red organza bow.  Wouldn't this look amazing on your front door?

On a side note, I usually don't say a lot about my sponsors, but this time, I just could not pass it up.  Have you ever used Craftsy?  They offer classes on just about any topic that you can think of.....quilting, sewing, fashion, cake decorating, etc.  Well, the reason I am touting this to you today is that on Monday, Labor Day, Craftsy is teaming up with Cricut and is offering an All-You-Can-Watch day.  And its free!  Over 1200 classes for free....on that day only.  If you are interested, you can use your email address to sign up.  Just click here to get started!

Well, I am off to finish up my laundry and quickly mop up the kitchen floor (during Dr. Phil commercials.  lol)  Have a great holiday weekend, my peeps!

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

I know it is still August but in this house, it IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  This is the bed in my guest room.

I made a few things since my last post. I had this pallet type unpainted tree.  I screwed on a hanger to the back, painted and glued on some clothespins for a great photo/card holder.  What 'cha think?

Then there are a couple of ornie wreaths....always a good seller!

 Remember this little caddy from Michaels?

 Ornie filled lantern.  Lincoln logs and barbie car not included...lol

And I even had time to make salsa, relish, and sweet pickles!  

Back at it!  My first show is next month so I want to be prepared!

Sunshine and Candy Canes

This is a reposted tutorial.  I love making these every year and I know that you will too!

I love me some candy canes at Christmas, but I also like them in the summer.....I can explain. Summertime is the perfect time to make my sell-out favorite candy canes.  You start with these ugly plastic candy canes.

 I was going to edit out my shoe, but I thought you could better gauge the size of the cane (approx 32 inches)  You can find these in the Dollar Store and in Walmart.  However, the catch is that they are only available in the fall.  You can also buy them on line through Amazon, (see sidebar for link)

To cover these canes, I cut bias strips of white flannel, approximately 1" wide and as long as your fabric permits.  Starting at the crook end, wrap the cane, covering completely.  I secure the start with hot glue to hold in place and sporadically glue all the way to the bottom.  If your strip runs out, just add another and secure it with glue, slightly overlapping.  Secure at the end.

Cut one inch wide strips of the red fabric.  I used red fleece.  I like the fleece because it is stretchy and gives it dimension.  Wrap in the opposite direction that you wrapped the flannel, leaving a space between the "stripes".  Secure at both ends.

Now here is where the sunshine comes in.  I like to add glitter to my canes.  You can omit this step if you aren't a fan, but then I would ask.....What is wrong with you????  Just kidding. But glitter is a bit like Christmas icicles and Easter grass, once its in your house, it is everywhere!  Thus, outdoors in the sunshine....

I take the canes outside and using a sponge, coat each with ModPodge.  Do these one at a time. This can get messy!  Once the cane is painted with ModPodge, shake some sparkly white glue on it!  This is kinda fun.  I have a great tool I use for this:

 This is actually a parts sorter that I bought at Harbor Freight.  I sprinkle the glitter on the canes over this tray and then dump the glitter back into a large ice cream bucket so I never have to waste any glitter.  You have to work fast so that the glue will adhere to the modpodge  Let dry.  I hang them up on a makeshift clothesline so that they can dry evenly.

Once they are dry, they will have a hard, kind of sugary coating.  Take them in and embellish.  You can do it however you want.  I use jute to tie on some greenery and either a pine cone, rusty bell or pip berries.  Leave a loop in the back for hanging.  Then tie on a bow.  I always spot glue just to keep in place.  You can also add a tag.  Get creative!  If you want a more prim look, omit the glitter and tea stain.  Or wrap in homespun.  The sky is the limit!

August has arrived!

Where has the summer gone?  Earlier today, I was in the garden harvesting cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, radishes and peas.  Guess what I am having for dinner?  I just love taking all the fresh veggies and putting them in the steamer.  Yum!

Its really cool here today, kinda feels a bit like fall.  I had an errand to run this morning so I am getting a late start.  But I have been busy!  I have crafts sitting all over the guest room.

I found these red cowbells while thrifting.  I thought they turned out really cute with the little snowmen on them!

My best seller, the Crescent Santa, take a while to make, but I have always sold out each year.  These four are waiting for hangers to be sewn on the back and tags to be stamped.

 I love this sleigh that I picked up at a thrift store.  I added the foliage and bow.  The perfect centerpiece!

 Two bears in a little red wagon....can't get much cuter than that!

 This snowman is perched inside a shiny silver toolbox.  I don't think you can get much more festive!

 Can you guess what this container is?  It is a charcoal carrier.  My sister picked this up for me.  I filled it full of Christmas balls, greenery, and a fuzzy snowman.  Set off by a wide burlap bow.  Too sweet!

I was in Michaels this weekend and their spring/summer merchandise was 80% off.  I don't buy a lot of spring and summer stuff, but I found this red wooden tool caddy for $5!  Winner, winner, Chicken Dinner!

I am working on candy canes this week.  I will try to get the tutorial posted this week.  Those large plastic candy canes are fun to do and sell like crazy!  I have about 20 of them in process.  To finish them, I have to take them outside to glitter.  It has got to stop raining to do that!

Tomorrow I have some things to do in Denver but hope to get some posts lined up for later in the week!  Have a great week, my peeps!

PS.  Squishy Grandma down 36 1/2#!!!