A Little Imagination and a Pile of Junk

intricate

More experiments with spray paint and pattern. I love layering patterns & colors until you can't tell where one stops and the next one starts.

 

 

 

 

 

in the line of flying paint

 

plastic thrift store frames... As you can see, we're in the process of doing some remodeling. This section has been textured and sanded but not painted or cleaned up, but I had to put up a few pretty little things just to bring some color to the corner while we wait....

 

discount store bird cages... This set up is temporary, as is everything in my living room until we finish the remodeling and get around to the painting. The dirty yellowy walls will be the first thing to go. 'Neutral' is now considered a 4-letter-word in our house.

 

Speaking of the 'N' word, I've been dying to bring more color into the still-in-process living room and got the great idea from an incredibly creative friend to start a in-house clothes line for drying papers. I crocheted a line, painted some clothes pins and call them 'curtains'.

 

more bird cages... And still a work in progress: I dug this treasure out of a neighbor's garbage can years ago and it's sat in our garage awaiting its time in the sun. Actually, it looked fabulous in it's original little black dress but since I've become obsessed with the spray paint, it started asking for an updo. Next will come gaudy beaded danglies hanging from the rings of its curly locks all around. And if my patient husband has any say in it, a pair of colorful love birds will be the finishing touch. To be continued....

fun in a can

I've taken to seeing how many things we have sitting around the house that can be transformed with a bright shiny coat of spray paint. Nothing is off limits but I've been especially fascinated with birdcages, wire baskets, plastic picture frames, and old lamps. Wow. Spray paint is some seriously addictive stuff--and I'm not even talking about sniffing it. Now, patience. Pictures will be forthcoming, but what I want to show you first is...paper...pretty patterned paper....

 

 

 

 

 

Yeahhhh, see what I'm talking about?? My pretties--oh, the places you'll go! Straight into a couple of new journals just as soon as I finish this itty bitty project that has me only slightly more excited and staying up way too late at night:

 

Crochet flowers from Attic24 in all their flowing fringy glory. Squeal!!! I've heard I'm supposed to cut those stringy halos off and throw them away?? Say it isn't so....

handmade: a review

Is it just me or does January always seem like a wasteland? By the time I finish playing catch up, it's March already. Anyway. We didn't have a completely handmade Christmas but I did manage to squeeze in a few things. A 5-CD case for a special friend. Just the right size to keep your favorite songs within easy reach in the studio.

 

 

 

Some patchwork potholders, coasters, and crochet dishcloths for my mom:

 

 

A simple garter stitch scarf for my littlest girl. She got to pick out her own yarn. So grown up....

 

And birds in trees for the 12 Days of Xmas swap:

 

I also made t-shirts for some guy friends but forgot to take pictures. They've asked me to make more so I'll post the next batch when they're ready. I actually still have two more gifts to go but I'm not getting too stressed about it. I figure a handmade Valentine gift is just as good as a Christmas one, right? Next up: playing with spray paint!

living creatively

 

 

 

 

 

"...a Christian, above all people, should live artistically, aesthetically, and creatively....If we have been created in the image of an Artist, then we should look for expressions of artistry, and be sensitive to what has been created for our appreciation....We are all in danger of thinking, "Some day I shall be fulfilled. Some day I shall have the courage to start another life which will develop my talent", without ever considering the very practical use of that talent today in a way which will enrich other people's lives, develop the talent, and express the fact of being a creative creature."   --from The Hidden Art of Homemaking by Edith Schaeffer (italics in the original text)

clinging to the sparkly a little longer

Well, sick children have put the breaks on my productivity around here but I'm still trudging along. Nothing finished as of yet, but did I show you my Christmas wreathes? I put together this first one from clearance decor I picked up after last year's Christmas. I love the delicate hint of color (pink, red, green) peeking out from the gold, silver and copper. A nice change from my usual over-the-top color choices.

 

Speaking of over-the-top color...

 

I managed to thrift tons of vintage ornaments with the most beautiful patina, aka dirt and corrosion. I had this wreath in mind last year and made it using Sweet Jessie's sparkly wreath tutorial. She made it look so easy but it was anything but easy for me. Just balancing all of those balls intoa wreath-ish sort of shape requires some kind of advanced math degree. I started out intending to make several. I'm lucky I finished this one. We'll see if this insanely delicate thing makes it to next year. Outlook not so good.

carelessly slinging on my destiny

After 8 days or so of lazying around the house, I'm ready to get busy again. Or at least feel slightly productive. Despite the tepid temperature outside, I'm determined to move my body around and get some energy. Except for a few stray blasts of cold, the weather has been downright obnoxious: damp, sunless and warm. The perfect environment for growing bacteria (and a bad attitude), but not much else. Blech. But I complain enough about that around here as it is....

 

Something colorful that cheers me up: my Christmas presents! My Betsy Johnson handbag from John and the kids. I don't even have to tell you how much I love it. And the crochet strawberries--it came with those--sweet!

 

And a cutie-pie Oililyhandbag! Which was really a pre-Christmas gift to myself. The funny story that goes along with it is that we were Christmas shopping at a local outlet mall and I spied this bag in the window of the Oilily store and immediately fell in love. (Yes, we don't have 6 restaurants within a 100 miles with decent food, but we have Betsy Johnson and Oilily outlet stores. I'll take what I can get.) Of course, I rushed in leaving the kids and husband pacing outside while I tried on the entire sale rack and came out with a $7 shirt, this purse and a big grin. Once we got in the car, I tore into the package and realized my new purse is actually a diaper bag. Soren thought it  was hilariously funny and practiced telling the story over and over to his friends all the way home, except he added a bit about finding a dirty diaper inside. Boys! After I let Maisey have the, ahem, changing pad for her baby dolls, she defended me at least, telling her cracking up older brother that girls don't care if their purse is actually a diaper bag. If we like it, it doesn't matter what it is supposed to be! That's what I say.

   

And John got me this very cool painting by local artist Gabriel Trevino. I love the painting, that we're supporting local independent artists, and that the colors go so well with my blue wall. Art to hang and art to wear--what more could a girl want?