One craft down...

I love our house.  I really do.  We were super fortunate to come across this find.  It's roomy and bright and our landlord allows us to make it our home.  Our last house, in our last town, was still on the market when we rented it and therefor, we were unable to hang anything up on the walls.  I have a lot of walls here and I sure am enjoying getting to unpack my belongings and find a new home for them.  In our living area we have a large wall that needed something substantial to hang on it.  Nothing we had really worked there.  During my daily perusings of the internet I came across this tutorial on how to turn an old frame into a display for several photos.  I thought to myself, "Now here's an easy craft I feel pretty confident in doing."

I sent out the word that I was on the lookout for a large wooden frame in any condition.  My wonderful mother was able to find one at an auction and picked it up for a whopping $2.50.

What $2.50 can get you...

I sanded it down and painted it.  Spray paint would have been easier and faster, but it also costs money and I'm not all for that.  Instead, I used left-over wall paint and gave it a couple of coats.  After it dried I sanded it again to give it a slightly aged look.

I bought some natural jute at Hobby Lobby and used thumb tacks to string it on the frame.  The original tutorial used upholstery tacks and pinned it on the front of the frame but I preferred to do mine on the back.

I had ordered some pictures to hang on the jute but I wasn't sure what size to get.  I opted for 4x6 but next time I may order 5x7.  I didn't want to use full size clothespins and couldn't find the small ones anywhere.  Instead, I used some binder clips that I picked up at the dollar store and found I like the look better than the clothespins.

I may add another line of jute and more pictures or I may order larger sized pictures, I haven't decided yet.  I thought of taking off the hanging line but I actually don't mind that you can see it.  All in all, it was a cheap and easy project and I am loving how it looks on my wall.

P.S. I have 400 feet left of Jute if anyone can suggest crafts that use it. ; -)

Nothing but time...

Sad thing about wanting to be crafty is that you need a little coin to buy the materials.  Sigh.  I have a project I am really wanting to do but until our finances even out a little bit it will have to wait.  Until then, I have spent some time scrapbooking and making bows with my box-o-ribbon that my mother sent me.  Here's some pictures of the bows I have made recently:

There are a couple more that I have made but they have mysteriously disappeared somehow... ;)

This Christmas will be a homemade Christmas for many.  I wont post pictures of those projects though until after the holidays. Don't want to ruin the surprise you know ;).

Happy crafting my friends!

Evidence

I am in the process of cleaning, purging and packing for an across state move that we are making next week and came upon a cache of old pictures.  Attached is photographic evidence of the drug store plastic costumes of my childhood that was discussed in a previous post.  I couldn't help but to share!   My sister and I pose in our hopelessly generic costumes. I am the one crying. Apparently I didn't want to dress as...well, who knows what that's supposed to be...

 (sorry the image is blurry - Ah, the times before digital...)

I have recently discovered the joys of Stumbleupon and have bookmarked a number of nifty crafts to try out once we get settled in to our new home.  Until then, adieu!

Where there's a will...

I have come to the belief that some people are born with the ability to "craft." I have also come to the belief that I was not born with said ability.  My mother was also not blessed with the crafting gene.  Birthdays are usually celebrated with a store bought cake and gift bags.  We were the kids on the block with the plastic Halloween costumes that you bought at the drug store.  You know the kind.  We never once won a costume contest at school...

I remember once as a teenager going to my grandmother (who somehow got the crafty gene) and asking her to teach me to sew.  We started simple, I wanted to make a plain a-line skirt.  After about an hour or three of  trying to get one seam sewn my grandmother deemed me unable to sew and finished the skirt for me.  

Surely though certain levels of craftiness can be learned, right???  That's what I aim to find out.  I have already tried my hand at a couple of crafts.  After the birth of my first child I wanted to have a scrapbook of her first year.  My sister volunteered to do it for me but I wanted it to have my own touch so I tried scrapbooking, and lo and behold I actually enjoyed it.  I'm not going to say I am particularly great at it...yet.  I will post some pictures of my efforts at another time.  I've also tried my hand at making a couple of hair bows.  They aren't totally disastrous but I don't think anyone would shell out any dough for them.

So, here's my list of things I am going to give an earnest attempt:

Sewing, cake decorating, bow making, photography, flower arrangements and anything else that comes to mind or is suggested to me.  I will keep you all posted...wish me luck!