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DIY Fused Glass

One of my sisters came into town to spend time with me on my birthday one weekend in March. It was SO nice to spend time doing things together - we usually just chat on the phone in the evenings as we are going about our separate lives.

So while she was in town, we decided to hit up The Mad Platter to paint some pottery. But we found out that they are also now offering DIY glass fusing! We were hooked from the moment we were informed about the process. :)

Believe it or not... it is super easy and very safe. We were provided a simple array of tools. Then we had to pick a base glass size, shape, and color. Both of us picked clear 7-inch squares.

Then... you get busy cutting glass and coming up with a design. When you have something you like, you glue the pieces down with simple Elmer's, believe it or not!

Then, you select any 3D shaping that you want your final piece to have. They can curve up the edges gently or make the final piece have a more structured look.

Then, you leave your piece behind to be put through the kiln a few times. Soon enough your final masterpieces are ready for you to take home!

We LOVED this process... so fun!

 

{ the tools and basic supplies }

 

{ my sis working away on coming up with a design }

 

 
{ our final pieces, mine to the left, my sister's to the right }

 

{ my final piece! }

 

{ my sister's final masterpiece }

 

We really had a blast... and this was a fun alternative to pottery painting. It was MUCH faster, which was good for us because we showed up with little more than an hour before they were supposed to close that night! I recommend it to craftistas in Columbia. If you have any questions, the gals at The Mad Platter are always patient and willing to answer any questions or address any concerns you might have. :)

 

xoxo!

-h-

Finished My First Quilt Top!

I finished my quilt top a few weeks ago...

...and I am SO excited at how it turned out!!!!

And I was shocked at how little time it took to put everything together...

 

{ i loved the first border as i saw it coming together }

 

{ press, press, press those seams! }

 

{ i laid everything out before running it through my sewing machine }

 

{ my finished quilt top! the final border keeps it all "square" :) }

 

I can't tell you how much I love how it turned out. Particularly since the monkey wrench block is just not my favorite at all! The next step will be to select my interfacing, cutting my backing to size, basting the layers together, and then picking a quilt pattern to stitch it all up! 

I have a Kenmore sewing machine, which has served me VERY well over the years. But I have not ever tried my hand at "free motion quilting." So I think I will leave that for another project when I have developed my quilting skills a bit more.

And perhaps in the meantime I can get my confidence up by doing more traditional quilt patterns. I think the quilt top will lend itself to geometric quilting shapes and lines... so I shouldn't have to deal with any pesty curves or anything. Woohoo!

I may not have a chance to work on this project any further for the next few weeks b/c of my work and personal schedules. It has definitely had to sit untouched since I finished the top weeks ago. But I PROMISE to keep you up to speed as it progresses.

Fingers crossed that I don't make some awful mistake and ruin the whole thing!

xoxo!

- bitten by the quilting bug -

:P

-h-

Cut, Piece, Pin, Sew...

So a couple of weeks ago, I took a Quilting 101 class (you can sign up for one of these classes at your local Jo-Ann's Fabrics store).

I was really happy to bust out my sewing machine... it hadn't really seen much daylight in the last year or so!

And I thoroughly enjoyed the class. I suspected the quilting process would be a bit too fussy for my liking. All the talk of cutting, piecing, and pressing had me thinking my impatience would get the better of me...

But, I actually enjoyed the process!

For my fabric, I selected a red scattered polka dot, a modern blue print, and an understated white-on-white striped print. I LOVED the combination. (And I realized that I'm currently obsessed with this color palette. Remember my compost pot from the Mad Platter? Same colors... but anywaaaaayz...)

The instructor, Miss Ginger, walked us through the process of creating a "monkey wrench" block...

 

{ my workspace with some of my pieces laid out... rotary cutter at the ready }

 

{ cut, piece, pin, sew, press... cut, piece, pin, sew, press... }

 

{ the block started coming together quickly }

 

 { the final block... the colors don't show up properly here (thanks to bad fluorescent lights and taking this pic on my iPhone)... I loved how it all turned out! }

 

I was encouraged by Miss Ginger to continue making more blocks... and I have done so... cutting and sewing in my spare time. I'm hoping to make more progress this weekend... and then I'll have to think about how I want to put all the blocks together.

SO excited! I'll let you know how the project goes. And I'm going to be looking for inspiration of modern quilt designs online for ideas of my finishing touches... and maybe for future quilts!

 - crafty h -

xoxo!

The Mad Platter - Before Pics

I have been wanting to drop by The Mad Platter in Columbia for quite some time now...

It's a neat little place where (for a very nominal fee), you gain access to their glazes, equipment, and friendly staff to create your own painted pottery masterpiece!

We finally put it on our calendars and dropped by this evening for a little painting fun...

 

{ this shows about half of their blank pottery pieces to choose from - there were SO many it was hard to pick just one! }

 

{ the other end of the studio housed a sink and brushes... and the pottery painting mantra of "dark on light" posted on the wall as a reminder to newbies like me }

 

I really struggled picking a piece that I wanted to paint. I was hoping to find something that could serve as a compost scrap bin for our kitchen... but nothing was jumping out at me as being the perfect size and shape.

And... I was tempted by adorable garden gnomes and garden stakes!

I finally settled on their large "wish jar":

{ he may be a little too small for my original purpose, but I fell in love with his pudgy shape and cute lid! }

 

{ meanwhile, the hubs quickly chose a guitar-shaped catch-all dish }

 

Then we got busy picking our glaze colors and planning out our respective designs.

I was originally going to put a simple leaf on the "label" of my wish jar... but I couldn't find the perfect one.

That in and of itself was fairly surprising when you consider their GIANT WALL OF STAMPS!

{ that is a LOT of stamps, people! }

 

And I wasn't up to free-handing a leaf under time pressures. So with the supportive advice from my friends, I changed my design plan from a leaf to a compost-friendly toadstool... (which had to be created freehand anyway - oh well) and this is what resulted...

 

{ the green bits are supposed to disappear after it's fired... }

 

{ here he is with his cute lid on :) }

 

The hubs worked quietly and diligently and finished his complex design before anyone else...

 

{ not bad at all! I love the whammy bar and volume knobs! }

 

We got a later start than we had intended, so it was a mad dash for me to finish before they closed up shop for the night! I was getting sloppy and throwing glaze onto my jar in the hopes that it would come out with a strong color. Hopefully they'll come out of the kiln ok!

 Here's the unfired piece our friends worked on together... they were working with different glazes than us. I have a feeling theirs is going to be INCREDIBLE!

 

{ it looks like burnt orange and rust but will come out with completely different colors - so cool! }

 

It was SO much fun... I'll definitely go back soon. (Especially since that little garden gnome that I didn't pick this time is floating around in my head now...)

Our pieces should be ready Wednesday evening. I'll share the final fired results with you all after we pick them up!

 

 {  Local flock: Head to The Mad Platter for more information  }

 

xoxo!

-h-

Tipsy Wednesday - Deconstructed Bouquets

For my "us" day this week (my hubs + I celebrate Valentine's Day one day late every year - and have done so ever since he missed the big day 5 or 6 years ago, swearing up and down that the holiday was celebrated on the 15th of February, and not the 14th - ha!), the hubs gave me a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, among other things.

While red roses are lovely and incredibly aromatic - I personally think they are so cliche for Valentine's Day (and so expensive!). So my hubby knew that going a slightly different route for me would be best. Since it is not the season to be able to get an entire bouquet of sunflowers, he selected a pretty bouquet with sunflowers, daisies, gladiolas, and irises.

I work from home. So I wanted to be able to enjoy the flowers all day long - without having to lug the vase upstairs to my studio in the morning and lug it back downstairs in the evening!!

SO! I decided to split up the bouquet into smaller arrangements that I could place around the house and enjoy in multiple rooms. LOVE that!

 

First... the stars of the show...

{ sunflower!!! }

 

 

{ bird's eye view of sunflower bloom in a mug }

 

{ simple, bright, and perfect for smaller spaces - like my desk! }

 

The sunflowers were placed in individual coffee mugs. (They are currently smiling at me from my desk in my studio!) This is a simple way to show off larger colorful flowers (like individual bloomed roses, or sunflowers). :)

 Then, the cheerful yellow daisies were grouped together in one of my favorite square glass vases (they are now sitting on our table in the front hall):

 

{ friendly yellow daisies }

 

{ so happy, they make me feel like spring is already here! }

 

Finally, I grouped together the remaining flowers. This included the purple daisies, white gladiolas, blue irises, and pink carnations. I have these sitting on our kitchen counter.

 

I really love taking apart pre-made bouquets and making them work for me and my nest!

 

Here are some tips I have learned from doing this very same exercise over the years:

FIRST...

From your arranged bouquet, pick your favorite flowers and showcase them by themselves. Sometimes the most simple flowers by themselves (like a rose or a sunflower or a stem of orchids) are all you need in a small tin or mug.

NEXT...

If you have a lot of one type of flower (daisies or carnations), select them out and group them together. Groupting together many of the same type of flower can make a bigger impact than having them dispersed throughout an arrangement.

THEN...

Finally, see what you have leftover. Don't be afraid to throw away fillers you don't like (personally, I'm not a fan of baby's breath). Take the remaining flowers and see which colors you like together.

If you're not sure, it is always best to group "cold" colors (greens, blues and purples) or "hot" colors (reds, oranges and yellows). Or separate them by how vibrant or subdued the colors are. Although I prefer brighter colors, an arrangement of all pastels can be really pleasing to the eye.

Play around with it and get creative with the vessels you can turn into temporary vases. Before you know it, you'll have several smaller, gorgeous, and unique arrangements that you can enjoy throughout your space!

xoxo!

-h-

Soda Spinners, Meet the World

World - meet the soda spinners.

I still LOVE card spinners - they are perfect for purses, pockets, and backpacks alike.

And you'll see more variations of them in the coming weeks.

The first installation?

Soda Spinners!!!

{ just a few of the new spinners available in the shop }

 

These have all the benefits of the regular spinners - but they are also made with recycled soda cans! Love that!

I currently have six "flavas" available in the shop (each with a diet version too).

I heart the cute little pop tab buckle detail...

 

{ pop tab buckles make me smile }

 

Hopefully you all will love these little guys as much as I do. You check them out in the shop. :)

xoxo!

-h-

Wedding Planning into Doing

So I have been a bit out of touch this past week or so... I have been madly trying to book appointments with all sorts of vendors... and cram them into just two days! Eek!

While that has been a little stressful... I'm excited to report that Ryan and I finished the design of our Save-The-Dates... and are finally turning planning into DOING! :) Yay!!

And I really LOVE how they turned out... here's the front side...

 

 

We based it off a design that we saw online. We snapped a bunch of pics of ourselves and ultimately chose this one. I then added the text and changed the coloring a bit. Love it!

One thing off my to-do list... only a million more to go!!! :)

xxoo!

-h-

Handmade with Love

This year I added some homemade flair to my gift-giving spirit...

I made some infused salts for my Dad. Find a course or sea salt you like, mix with herbs and allow it to sit for a week before gift-giving. If you're looking for ideas, here are a few I made:

Hungarian Paprika

Citrus (Satsuma Orange and Meyer Lemon)

Cracked Caraway Seeds

Crushed Sage & Rosemary

Provide instructions for use including information what types of food each salt would be perfect on (for example, strong herbs are good on meats, citrus-y salts are great on seafood).

Present in glass jars and embellish with pretty labels and ribbon as you see fit!

I also knitted my sister a scarf this year... with a traditional fringed edge...

 

The colors are faded in this photo... it's really vibrant in person!

So... What did your crafty gift-giving brain get up to this holiday season?

xxoo!

Special Centerpieces

Here are pics of some of the photo luminaries I put together (with assistance from my hunny + one of my sisters) for my Mum's 60th Birthday Dinner...

 

 

We were all really pleased with how they turned out. The dining area had low levels of light, so these glowing luminaries were perfect centerpieces for the evening and brought a stir of chatter from the guests as they perused all the pictures.

Want to recreate this project for your own dinner or event?

Just follow these easy steps!!

Materials

Identical photo frames

Printable vellum (either inkjet or laser, depending on your printer)

Scanner

Photo software

Votive candles and votive glasses

Bookbinding tape or colored duct tape

 

Directions

1. Scan in your old photos.

2. Use photo software to change the color of the photo to either black and white or sepia tone. I used sepia tone since we were using unfinished wooden frames.

You will need to be sure your orientation is the same for each luminary. So you need at least three portrait-oriented pictures or three landscape-oriented pictures. If your pictures aren't the same orientation, use a photo cropping tool accordingly.

3. Print your images onto vellum, following the manufacturer's instructions. You will likely need to allow the vellum to dry before moving to the next step.

4. Cut your printed photos to size so they will fit inside each frame.

5. Place the vellum inside the frame first, and THEN put the glass in. This will keep each piece of vellum snugly in place and will prevent the vellum from being burned or marred by the candle.

6. Construct your luminary by placing three frames side by side. Cut your tape of choice slightly smaller than the height of your frame and seal two of the frame "seams" together using the tape. Use a bone folder to rub the tape and ensure it is firmly affixed.

7. For the third and final corner of the luminary, you will need to fold the frames into the triangle shape. Then, place the tape inside the luminary on the third and final seam, again using a bone folder to be sure the tape is properly affixed.

AND... Tadaaaaa! Total time spent: 45 minutes to an hour.

Put candles in glass holders inside each luminary and enjoy the warm glow and fond memories!!

 

 

Here is this project on MS's website too.

Here is a list of the exact materials I used for my project:

Photo Frames from IKEA

HP Inket Printable Vellum

Apple's iPhoto software

White duct tape

(Many thanks to my sister, Ailsa, for sending these pics to me!)

xxoo!!

Little Ewes!

Howdy to the flock!
 
I am SO excited that this day has come... I have been working on this little project for quite a while now... and these little creatures have finally come to life!
 
Flock, I'd like to introduce...
 
 

Starting tomorrow, you will be able to order your own custom Little Ewes portrait from the shop... transforming your family, your softball team, your school class or any other grouping of people into Little Ewes!!
 
 

 
 
Each Little Ewes creation is made just for you - based on a picture (or a combination of pictures) you provide... we can even include pets in your Little Ewes portrait!
 
This is a custom service, so the possibilities are absolutely endless!
 
 

 
 
And in addition to prints, soon you'll be able to have your Little Ewes printed onto stationary, thank you cards and paper goods in addition to other treasures!
 
Here is a thumbnail sample based on the picture shown above:
 
 

 
 
I'm building an FAQ list that I will post here soon.
In the meantime, please feel free to email me if you have any questions.
 
Yippee!!
I hope you love these as much as I do!!

(For those of you in the Houston area, if you are looking for someone who can perfectly capture your family's personality in a photo, please contact kd loftis photography. They are friends of mine and are incredibly gifted. Please peruse their blog to see a sampling of their wondrous past work, which includes sittings with babies, children, couples and families.)

See you all in the shop tomorrow!

xxoo!!