Post Halloween Idea...

I found this idea on Pinterest, but was hesitant to try it because quite honestly, most of what I have attempted craft wise that was inspired by Pinterest has ended in tears and hot glue gun burns.

I saw this one well before Halloween and decided to give it a try, because sometimes I am just that delusional...

First you take toilet paper rolls.  We got lucky this past month with five people sharing one bathroom, there was no shortage of toilet paper rolls.

Then you draw some eyes on them...get creative, but remember you have to go back and cut those eyes out with a very sharp exacto knife...

Once you have cut out the eyes you just pop in a glow stick to illuminate it.  I found mine at the Dollar Store...

Then you sit back and see the spookiness...

Halloween night you put these little TP creatures into your bushes so it looks like eyes are staring out of them.

Via Pinterest

So start stocking up now.  Next Halloween is only a year away!

Limited craftiness...

I am craft challenged.  I've said that before, usually after attempting to make something and having it turn out as an epic fail.

 I bought an issue of Romantic Country and was gathering all my supplies to make some of these...

I even went so far as to buy cinnamon sticks...

But in the end I chickened out because I know good and well how most of my craft projects end up looking...

via

I did attempt one craft project for an industrial pumpkin after seeing Molly's post over at The Poor Sophisticate.  It looked easy enough and was minimal on glue usage, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Happily for me- it turned out super cute!  Just some canning rings, a bit of string, moss and a wine cork with a teensy amount of glue and it all came together.

If you'd like to give one of these a try just pop on over to The Poor Sophisticate to learn how!

Making a sign & a winner...

Jennifer at Pieces of Me....you won the Feather Hen Give-Away!  Send me an email and I will pass along Heather's contact info so that you can get your fabulous pillows soon!

Making a sign...

I am a huge fan of Miss.Mustard Seed (as a lot of us are!)  and I have admired her signs for a long time now.  I do not consider myself a "fine artist".  I cannot do murals or freehand a bird- or even an egg for that matter, but Marian did a wonderful sign tutorial and I thought I would attempt it.

I had an old table top laying around at the shop.  It had been exposed to the elements, so as a table top it was not great, but broken apart it was perfect for making a few signs.

I started off by painting the piece in an off white colour, then went back over it using an apple green colour.  (no specifics for the colours as I tend to mix my own with what I have in the shop)

Then I printed off the letters I wanted to use, in this case 'Dairy'.

Picking up a fine brush, I painted the letters in using the off white, then went back and highlighted the letters- imagining the light was shining to the right of them.  Highlight where the "light" would hit the letters if it was shining on them.

After that dried I covered the entire piece in dark stain and wiped it back off.  I took a sander to the piece using 100 grit paper, then hand sanded parts using a 120 grit sand block.

 I did the same technique on the second sign, but this time I used a stencil...

Stencil

before antiquing wax or distressing...

after waxing & distressing

I can take custom orders on signs- or if you are feeling crafty you can make one yourself :)

Both signs are available for purchase at I Spy....The Perfect Piece, or just e-mail me and I can ship.

I'm off to do a design consult today- y'all have a wonderful Friday!

Crafty hand sanitizer....

As an ex-classroom teacher I know how much hand sanitizer means- especially since we are entering the official cold & flu season.  This is a cute idea I picked up from the Internet using inexpensive Target  brand hand sanitizer.  

1. Soak the labels off the hand sanitizer
2. Sigh when after soaking the only thing that comes off is the top layer- leaving a sticky residue
3. Grab your Goo-Gone aka Miracle in a bottle
4. Rub Goo- Gone on the bottles and watch that sticky residue disappear!
5. Find some cute stickers to apply to the bottles
6. Coordinate with some matching ribbon tied at the tops
7. Deliver to teachers and thank them for all the hard work they do!