Junie Moon: Creative Every Day 2010

Showing posts with label Creative Every Day 2010. Show all posts

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Bill on a Stick

My brother Bill couldn’t join us on our Hawaiian trip in February to celebrate my sister Connie’s 50^th birthday. While sitting on the beach our first day in Oahu, we pondered ways to include him in our adventures.

We wrote “Hi Bill” in the sand and photographed it to send him, but our little greeting seemed a tad inadequate. We ordered a few more drinks to encourage creative thinking whilst lounging on the sand and pondered the issue for awhile.

A plan was eventually formed and off we went to the nearest Target and bought a piece of poster board. I had brought everyone gifts of journals and colored pencils, so the latter came in handy for making a drawing of Bill’s head.

Back on the beach, I found a piece of a coconut stem that had fallen. We didn’t have any tape, but Connie had bandaids in her suitcase which we confiscated to attach Bill’s head to the stick.

And thus was born “Bill on a Stick”—complete with clear hair on the top of his head and two differently colored eyes—we were going for verisimilitude. The lips are a bit off, but our endeavors fairly represent our beloved brother.

I sent our photos to Snapfish and they created a little pictorial storybook which I’ve mailed to Bill.

I’ll just share a couple of the pictures. Whatever we did, Bill did, including getting in the hot tub…

… making friends with our friendly bartender whilst wearing the Hawaiian outfit Carolyn got for him…

…and enjoying the luau.

Aloha, Bill!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

BronteAlong: Jane Eyre

Don’t forget about my giveaway which ends April 12. Go here to enter.

I’m reading an old favorite. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. It was one of my Christmas stocking gifts, one of Penguin Classic’s beautiful reissues. I do so love the story of Jane, Mr. Rochester, and the other characters.

There’s nothing like holding an old classic in your hands engaging all your senses as though the words inside have an actual fragrance, emotions appear more realistic, and so on. The important story enclosed within a beautifully-bound printed book seems more substantial somehow. Although I thoroughly enjoy my Kindle, reading Jane Eyre as an e-book doesn’t really thrill me.

Happily I’ve discovered there’s a BronteAlong project, a springtime read-along (more information found here).

It’s fun to know other women (and hopefully men) are also enjoying this classic.

Naturally I started thinking about what I could make (as in sew, knit, embroidery and so on) to enhance my reading experience. But something Jane said near the beginning of the book gave me immediate pause for thought.

“You think I have no feelings, and that I can do without one bit of love or kindness; but I cannot live so…”

While Jane is confronting Mrs. Reed concerning her aunt’s abominable behavior, the words can be applied to ourselves. We have to also give ourselves bits of love and kindness.

And I realized some things are just fine as they are—so I’m simply going to enjoy a cup of tea and lose myself in the book. Sometimes just relishing such bits of time out of life is the most creatively loving thing we can do.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Black & White Gifts for a Cook Part 2

Don’t forget about my giveaway which ends April 12. Go here to enter.
.

To add to the gift set I’m putting together for my son Brent as he teaches himself new cooking skills, I sewed a pair of oven hand mitts using the tutorial at The Idea Room blog.

Since he’s trying out Asian dishes, a cookbook about it seems like a good addition. I also tried Martha Stewart’s Painted Bamboo Cutlery project on some wood kitchen utensils. I painted the handles black and then edged one end of the black with a deep, dark red.

Here’s part of my little gift offering tucked in a lined basket I figure he can use for storing something or other. I photographed it under the massive wall of my Tombstone Roses which are in full bloom around my pool.

Along with the items above and those I shared in yesterday’s post, I’m also tucking in a stack of white terrycloth kitchen towels, a glass measuring cup, and a vegetable peeler.

Man gifts are such a challenge. I want to make, sew, knit or whatever in creating things for the men in my life, but want to keep things somewhat manly and not girly. I’m hoping the Japanese kanji print and color scheme works to resolve this for Brent’s little kitchen gift.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Black & White Gifts for a Cook

Don’t forget about my giveaway which ends April 12. Go here to enter.

My son is teaching himself how to cook Asian dishes, influenced no doubt by his martial arts classes and our family’s general interest in the Japanese culture.

I’ve been working here and there over the last few months making things to send to him. There are knitted Ballband dishcloths and embellished hand towels for the inevitable clean-up associated with food preparation.

Not related at all to Japanese cuisine but may be useful for Brent is a baked potato bag I sewed. I made an instruction card to go with it. The fabric I used for the bag and to trim one of the dishtowels is a Kanji print found at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics.

Today I’m using one of Martha Stewart’s ideas to do a bit of painting on some items to accompany the other gift items I’m collecting and/or making. I’ll share those tomorrow.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Spring Cleaning Using Only One Tool

Surgery on my leg and ankle on St. Patrick’s Day left me trying to figure out how in the world to get my spring cleaning done.

Although my husband assures me life won’t end if I don’t do spring cleaning, I’m internally programmed to make sure it gets done.

After giving my worry over the challenge some thought, I realized I have one tool that can ensure all is well in Junie Moon world…

…my cell phone.

While I work on my Stash Mountain projects while sitting in my favorite chair with my leg propped up, my house, yard, and even my car were given a most excellent spring cleaning. All it involved was my making calls to the following professionals:

Housecleaning company
Heating/air conditioning maintenance (checkup and duct cleaning)
Carpet cleaner
Window washer
Chimney sweep
Landscape crew
Car detailer

My cell phone was my creative solution to a problem and now I can relax and heal without the extra stress. My work here is done.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Climbing Stash Mountain

The snows have melted on Stash Mountain and I’m ready for a springtime hike to enjoy the flowers.

Okay, there really wasn’t any winter snow on the huge amount of craft stash I own, but it feels as though my UFO good intentions have grown to mountainous proportions.

Something must be done or archaeologists will be digging up my old bones 500 years from now and wondering what the hell I was doing.

Just in time to rescue me from myself is the April is Stash Bust effort. Go here for more information and the prizes involved if you submit (not required) a winning project. They’ll also be offering tutorials specifically targeting stash busting.

Along with catching up on some scrapbooking, making more crochet-edged pillowcases, trying out the pile of new recipes I’ve collected, and numerous other activities, the following are a few of my UFO projects I plan to finish in April.

Knitting and sewing—I’m my own craft and fabric store; if you need something, I probably have it.

Cross-stitch and other embroidery projects galore could keep me occupied for years.

More knitting (I have a huge Rubbermaid bin chockfull of yarn, patterns, and books)

Flowers to enjoy—well, this one isn’t a stash project, but I’ll have to emerge from all my enthusiastic endeavors to just enjoy life.

Can I make it up and over Stash Mountain? I’ll report my progress at the end of April.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Resting My Weary Head

A beautifully made bed with fresh line-dried sheets and comfy pillows is my reward at the end of the day.

When I joined Cassie’s month-long On the Edge Pillowcase Crochet Along at the You Go Girl blog, I was somewhat apprehensive about the crochet assignment for the final week. But I’ve wanted to learn to crochet for some time now and felt this would be the perfect project with which to begin.

The sewing of the pillowcases and the blanket stitch embroidery along the edges were easily accomplished. My first effort at crocheting one of my four pillowcases was pretty slow and terribly messy. After viewing Anna's (Thimbleanna) finished beauties, I removed my offending crochet work and tried again.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

My crocheted edges are not perfect, but I think they’re great for my first venture into this technique. I’m so appreciative of the way Cassie planned this whole Crochet Along venture, each week was a pleasant delight and I did indeed learn something new—you can’t go wrong with that.

O bed! O bed! delicious bed!

That heaven upon earth to the weary head.
~Thomas Hood, Miss Kilmansegg - Her Dream

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Greetings from Knit Café: Keyboard Cover

Now that I have my new zoomie desktop computer, I thought I’d make something for it—sooo not techie, but oh well.

For the last 15 years, I’ve been using strictly laptops, so having a keyboard not integrated into a comprehensive system is relatively new to me. Since I can’t close the lid like I used to do with my laptop, I figured the new keyboard is going to need a dust cover. My yarn is one skein of Plymouth Yarn Co.’s Jeanee (color #33) purchased at Purl’s in Tucson.

The pattern I used comes from Greetings from Knit Café.

I found this moon/star embroidered patch at JoAnn’s and thought it would be great for putting on my new keyboard cover—just a bit of fun for me.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Giving Myself a Little Sugar

Although it’s lovely to enjoy professional beauty treatments now and then, the costs involved are increasing relative to rising economic challenges. Such extravagances don’t make me feel truly relaxed when later I’m thinking I spent too much money as I walk out the spa door.

Recently, a wonderful sugar scrub recipe was posted on the French Larkspur blog. I made a double batch to slather on my legs.

Lately I’m interested in doing quiet projects, things that invoke a feeling of mindful gentleness but aren’t expensive. To add to Tracey’s projects at the French Larkspur blog, I’m also trying Amy Karol’s (Angry Chicken blog) Mailorder #11 booklet’s 16 recipes for health and beauty.

Resources

Angry Chicken blog
French Larkspur blog
Mailorder #11 booklet at Kingpod
Sugar Scrub recipe

Monday, March 22, 2010

On the Edge: A Firm Foundation

My homework for Week 3 of the On the Edge Pillowcase Crochet-along is done.

We were tasked to create a firm foundation to set the stage for the soon-to-come crochet component by blanket stitching around the edge of the pillowcase (4 pillowcases for me).

Today starts Week 4 and the actual crochet effort which is going to really start earning the chocolates-necessary rating for me as this is the part where I’ve no experience. But that’s the fun of it, learning something new.

Source: Dove^® Chocolate

Last week’s difficulty rating was 3 chocolates; here’s my Dove chocolate choice for that aspect of the project—ever so yummy.

Dear Dove Chocolate:

This week requires more chocolate, so please get your kettles going.

Love,

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig

I wish you all the blessings of St Patrick's Day and the "luck of the Irish" with it!

Source: Wikipedia (permission to use via GNU Free Documentation License)

Since the shamrock symbol is a popular one for today, I’ve knit a dishcloth using Kris Knit’s free pattern. Even while washing dishes, I can still hope for lucky blessings.

I have to be away for a few days, so I’ll not post again until Monday. May the rest of your week be full of blessings.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Hammering It Out

My friends Paula and Dee were interested in trying a washer stamping tutorial I saw on A Little Tipsy blog. We gave it a try yesterday.

I put together kits for us with all the supplies needed, including a 40-piece 1/8" Letter/Number Stamping Set I bought at Harbor Freight for each of us as well as the printed instructions.

The workshop echoed with our hammering as we imprinted various words meaningful to us on numerous washers. We worked on a huge slab of granite Paula’s husband Sam put on the workbench for us. The tutorial was easy to follow and we quickly conquered the process.

Then we moved on to fancier treatments. Sam taught us how to use a drill press and various tools so we could make holes in some of the washers to add jump rings.

Here I’m holding one of the washers with a clamp and using a drill to smooth the edges in the hole made by the drill press.

Dee contributed Tim Holtz products and inks, so we tried those on the washers which made for some really great effects.

Paula added bling using Swarovski crystals. We ended up with a pile of fun washers (not all are seen here) and lots of plans for their use.

Although we started with a great tutorial, I love how each of us extended it to include our own personalities and creative concepts. It was such a fun day we decided to try new projects together more often.