Handmade Mother's Day Project

With everyone's busy lives, I'm glad the calendar tells us to take one day to celebrate Mom.  However, my Mom says "everyday is Mother's Day," and I tend to agree with her.  Hopefully, your kids tell you how much they love you more than just one day a year!

However, next Sunday, go ahead and lavish your Mother with more than a hug and kiss--give her several! And if you still feel like you want to give her a gift, make a handmade one that she will treasure always.

Here is an art canvas I made for my Mom several years ago.  It's still one of my most favorite projects ever. Even though I've posted this before, I'd like to share it again in case you missed it the first time.

 8" x 8" and 8" x 4" canvasses tied together with ribbon;

each canvas painted and then decoupaged with designer papers;

Photos added.

Yes, that's really me, just minutes after I was born.

Note the year:  1956

(Ohhhhh!  Am I THAT old?)

Scrabble tiles spell out "DAUGHTERS"

Chipboard used to spell "LOVE" 

Additional embellishments:  chipboard scroll, button and

silver heart charm tied to "E"

Then added ribbon, brads and flower

Finally, current year of bottom photo:  2010

I had so much fun creating this wall hanging canvas for my Mom.  It still hangs in her kitchen so she sees ii everyday.  

Every few years, I update the bottom photo of my daughters and me and change the date.  So this year, when my daughters are home, we'll snap a few new photos, and decoupage it to the canvas when we visit my Mom.  

Sharing at these parties. and

Moonlight & Mason Jars

Coffee Notes [Altered Chalkboard]

                          



You can never have too much of a good thing.  Like good friends.  Good coffee.  And a good place for notes.  Combine these three, and you get a Coffee Notes Chalkboard! 

While casually strolling the clearance bins at "T" last week, I spotted large chalkboards at 70% off the regular price of $2.50.  A quick calculation told me that is only 75 cents each!  At that price, I quickly pounced on picked up the seven that were left in the bin, and raced made my way to the checkout line.

Since I wasn't planning to use this as a scoreboard, I gathered crafting goodness from my stash with a coffee theme including chipboard letters, stickers, scrapbook paper, ribbon, ric rac, buttons and twine.

With Mod Podge [don't leave home without it], I adhered paper and ribbon to the top of the chalkboard and added two coffee stickers to the board as well.

Since this is, after all, a chalkboard, I needed a place to hold chalk.  This mint tin container was the perfect size.

I Mod Podged the tin container with paper, ribbon and ric rac. Typed out the word "chalk" using my handy label maker [which I've owned since the 3rd grade].  Using the chipboard, spelled out "notes" and, just for fun, placed the "s" onto the altered tin container.  Using adhesive squares, I adhered the container to the chalkboard.  And, of course, included a few pieces of chalk.

I tied twine around the chalkboard, finishing it into a bow, and added two buttons (a coffee pot and a cup) to complete the altered project.

So, where do "good friends" come into this project? 

[Good] friends don't let friends drink decaf!

Partying with my blogging friends:
Creative Capital B
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Crafty Scrappy Happy Make-it-Link Party


CSI chalkboard-paint-party


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Blackberry Vine Tuesday To Do

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Romance on a Dime Take it on Tuesday

Our Delightful Home Show me What you Got

Today's Creative Blog

Project Queen

Rook No 17 A Little Birdie Told Me

Be My Valentine

You look so familiar.  Do we know each other?  

Oh yes, I recognize you now. 

We frequently run into each other in the $1 aisle at Tar-che[z]!

Well in that case, you probably bought a few of these tin mailboxes. 

Did you get one in red, white or pink? Oh, one of each color! Me, too...

Most probably you will use this cute little box to "mail" Valentine goodies to your special someone[s].  That's exactly what I'm going to do. 

But first, I must alter the mailbox...

Materials: 

• one tin mailbox (your choice of color)
• Decorative scrapbook papers
• Three coordinating Ribbons
• Metal Charms (lockets, keys, hearts, etc.)
• Flowers
• Buttons
• Mini tag
• Mod Podge
• Dymo label maker          

Measure and cut one piece of decorative paper to cover the main piece of the box. I cut it 4" wide x 12" long. The 12" just barely covers the entire body of the box. Adhere paper to mailbox using Mod Podge, starting at the bottom center of the box.

Carefully move the flag out of the way as you adhere the paper.  If the area around the flag anchor tears, you can cover it with a flower later, and no one will be the wiser. Let paper dry with flag in up position. 

 

Cut additional piece of paper 1" wide x 3" long. 

Adhere to one of the open sides. 

You can, of course, cut two pieces of paper, and embellish both sides.

Let dry.

Using Dymo label maker, type "Be My Valentine"

or other phrase of your choosing, and stick label below paper. 

Apply another coat of Mod Podge over the entire mailbox.

Cut 5" lengths from three different ribbons. 

Tie together all three ribbons into a knot,

catching charm locket in knot as well. 

Tape ribbon ends of one ribbon to inside of mailbox.

Trim additional ribbon ends.

 

Embellish flag with flowers, buttons, key charm, and mini tag. 

 

Add contents.  For the chocoholic, use kisses.

Or fill mail box with stationery, tissue pack, key chain and a candle.

You can also add a gift card and coupons.

Done.

Don't forget to place the flag in the up position!

Partying with these lovely bloggers:

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x

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fun in the sun

College Graduation - check!  So both girls have now graduated, one from high school, and one from college.  It's been a busy week full of smiles and photo ops.  What now you ask?  SUMMERTIME!

What better way to kick off summer than with May Arts' Back to the Beach contest.  [This is a re-post from June 2011.]

May Arts provided the ribbon, and I chose an aqua, yellow and tan color combination as the basis of my project.  Here is the finished plaque:

And here are photos of the creative process with a brief tutorial.

Paint outside edge of the plaque with "Bahama Blue" acrylic paint [by  Americana].

Let dry.  Cover area with painter's tape. 

Paint inner edge with "Bleached Sand", creating a picture mat effect.

While paint is still wet, CAREFULLY remove painter's tape. 

[Ignore the messy center because that will be covered with paper.]

Mod Podge paper to inside portion of the plaque.  [photo not available] 

My favorite part:  Embellishments!

 Ruched flower using two different May Arts ribbon

Looped ribbon, adhered to back of acrylic photo frame; 

Chipboard letters, ribbon

 More ribbon tied to hanging wire

 Ribbon and sand dollar attached to letter "n"

 Close-up of ribbon combo

 A lot more ribbon, flip flops,

suntan lotion and seahorse charms pocketed in loops

 Flowers made with ribbon and buttons

Insert photo and Voila!

Now grab your towel and meet us at the beach

so you can create your own beach memories.

Sharing here:

Positively Splendid

THE CSI Project Life at the Beach Challenge

Katherine's Blog Hop

Paisley Passions

the36thAvenue

Someday Crafts

Whatever-goes-wednesday

Tin Can Alley

 



 

 

In order to stay grounded, it is important to reflect on where you come from.  In my case, creatively speaking anyway, one of the very first crafty things I did was altering used food cans with pretty paper.  As "scrapbook paper" wasn't around in the 60's, I used wrapping paper and wallpaper book samples.  

I carefully measured the can's perimeter and length, and then cut (with scissors, no paper cutters then either)the paper to the appropriate size.   To make it stick, stay stuck and protect it from tearing, I used Mod Podge.  I think I was MP's very first Facebook fan.  And because I've always been good at multi-tasking (a girl can dream, can't she?), this project probably also fulfilled one of my Girl Scout badges!  

So, here is today's take on one of my earliest altered artwork projects.  Sure wish I had a photo of the ones I made a mere few decades ago. 

Coordinating paper to mix & match



The cans covered with beautiful patterned paper



Bright acrylic paint to coordinate perfectly with the paper



Painted wooden clothespins

Altered painted clothespins with paper, ribbon and matching tags



Finished can embellished with flower, button, ribbon, and rhinestones.
And clipped clothespin with attached tag.  This one is for brushes.



And this one for my scraps of ribbon.




For my markers.



This tiny can was added to the mix to house my pink button collection.



My new colorful cans to help me stay organized.

Now to organize the rest of my life...       





Linking to these fun parties:






 Nifty Thrifty Things

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