Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls

I love the look and thought behind Day of the Dead (Dia de Muertos). This celebration occurs on November 1 and 2 in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saint's and All Soul's Days.  The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and honor friends and family members who have passed.

I grew up in Southern California and was influenced by the beauty of Mexican culture. During my visit there last year I was inspired by my trip to Olvera Street by all the beauty and colorfulness of the sugar skulls. Since this is my summer of reusing and repurposing (and cleaning out old stuff), I uncovered some long forgotten masks in my basement. These African masks were left over from previous décor from another house.

Armed with white spray paint and temporary tattoos from Michael's, I transformed those old masks into something new and updated (for me anyway). Sorry, I can't find my before pictures. The original masks were all brown or grey. I didn't do anything to them structurally, just went wild with the spray paint.

These are the tattoos I got from Michael's. They were about $2.50 per pack. I just mixed and matched to create my own designs.



Here they all are hanging on the wall of my craft room. I just love them!  Sorry for the quality of the photo. It's not the best but you get the idea. After I put on the tattoos (the same way you would on your skin - with water), I let them dry well. Then I sprayed with several light coats of acrylic to make sure they will stay on.
 

Another Super Simple craft!  And I get to reuse and repurpose something I would have otherwise donated. I'm on a mission to decorate my craft room in a cool and eclectic style of things that bring me joy. I think I am on my way!

 

And if you don't have any masks hanging around your house, look at thrift shops and yard sales. Once you decide what you are looking for, you'll be surprised how things will jump out at you!

 

Happy Crafting!

 

 

Succulent Wreath How To

6/17 UPDATE:  I've had the succulent wreath laying flat on the patio table for weeks now. This was done to give the plants a chance to develop roots and latch on to the moss.  This week I finally hung it up. I LOVE the way it turned out!

Even though some of the plants started to root, I reinforced their latching by wrapping the entire thing with floral tape. As this close up shows, the tape isn't noticeable but it really does keep the cuttings in place.

 

For several months I've seen beautiful succulent wreaths online. It was one of those things that looked pretty easy to do but things are not always as they seem. Thankfully, this was another super simple craft that just took a bit of time to complete.

You will need the following supplies:

• Sphagnum moss
• Wire wreath (I used 12" but they have all different sizes)
• Fishing wire
• Floral pins
• Roottone
• Succulent soil
• Variety of succulent pieces

Here is the how to.  First, gather up a bunch of various succulents.  Unfortunately, I don't live in an area where there are a lot of succulents growing wild right now (it is early spring). This would be really easy and cost efficient if you live in a place that has succulents growing in park and planters. I had some (the long skinny ones) but bought the others. 

 

You need to take snippets of the succulents and let them dry out for a few days before planting. They need to scab over before planting, so make a pile of them and just let them site on a tray to dry out for a few days.

 

You will need a bag of sphagnum moss.  For this 12" wreath I used about half of a bag.  Soak the moss in a bucket for at least half an hour.  You want it to be completely soaked.  You also need a wire wreath frame. I got mine at Joann Fabrics for less than $5. 

Below are the scabbed over succulents, floral pins and Rootone to give the plants a little booster to develop their roots. (It is a great product if you haven't ever used it).

 

You start by laying down the soaked moss on the wreath frame. Lay it down and wrap it in place with fishing line. I recommend fishing line over plastic thread because I think the fishing line is stronger and will hold up better. Don't over stuff this first layer of moss because you will be putting a layer of cactus soil and top again with another layer of moss.  It's like a soil sandwich!

Here is the final wrapped wreath. This was pretty easy to do but it was really messy!  Sometimes you have to get messy to make beauty!

Now you dip the tips of the succulents into water first and then the Roottone. Use the floral pins to keep the pieces in place on the wreath.

I started by placing the long skinny snippets because that is what I had the most of. I was concerned that I wouldn't have enough of the pretty flowerlike pieces. (Sorry, I'm not up on the names of succulents. I just know what I like and what is pretty).  Make sure you don't overstuff the wreath. Succulents will grow once they take root. I chose to use put them close together but left plenty of room for growth. 

The instructions I found said to keep the wreath horizontal for about 6 weeks so they clippings can take hold and grow roots. For now, it will sit on my outdoor table as a decoration. 




What I also like about this project is that succulents don't require a lot of water so maintenance of this should be relatively easy. It will only need watered once a month (by submerging into water for 10 minutes; I'm thinking this would be easy to do using a kiddie pool).

Also, any of the succulent pieces that fall off, you can just stick in the ground and they will eventually grow. I put mine in the planters on my shed, which seems like a perfect place for them. These planters are rain protected because of the roof overhang. This way I don't have to remember to water them but once a month.

 I will post additional pictures later in the summer when the wreath fills in.  I think it is pretty and yet another Super Simple craft.

If you have any questions on the how to, please let me know. Happy to share and/or clarify.

Happy Crafting!



Craft A Week #33 Upcycled Table

I was highly motivated today and got my craft on! I had an old table that's been collecting dust in my garage for a few years and decided to repaint and repurpose it. I have my granddaughter Jasmine with me this summer and she loves to play on the computer. I have two laptops but I really wanted her to have a designated computer area. As part of my effort to have my new living room comprised of crafty things, I decided to transform the table.

Here's what it looked like before:

(That's Natalie cleaning the underside of the table)!

Then we spray painted the heck out of it!

It took almost two entire cans of paint.

I liked this color but wanted to try a different technique to finish it.  A few weeks ago I found a lace shirt at The Salvation Army for $1.50.  I deconstructed the shirt so it could be layed flat on the table.

I had one good size piece (the back) and several smaller (the breast pieces and sleeves).  I then layed them out on the table and lightly spray painted a butter yellow over them.

Because of their odd sizes, I had to lay the pieces so try and cover as much as possible in one spray. I only did one light coat of paint because I really wanted it to be subtle.

As you can see, this technique gave a real vintage look to the table.  Here's a close-up:

Isn't it pretty? I love this look. 

I finished off the table with a few spray coats of shellac to protect it. 

This was a Super Simple craft! From start to finish it took me less than 2 hours. If I do this again I will use one solid piece of lace rather than the pieces. It would give it a much cleaner look, sort of like a lace tablecloth effect.

Here is the table in it's new home:

I love this table because it has leaves in it. When Jas is not playing on the computer, the table can just hold the printer and monitor.  But the leaf flips up to create an added workspace.

And finally, here's Jasmine and Natalie putting the table to good use!

They were very proud of their accomplishment! (They helped spray paint). I love showing a new generation about repurposing!

Happy Crafting!

Craft A Week #25 Crocheted Monster Hats

One of the beauties of having small children in your life is the ability to dress them up in fun ways. You only have a short window of time to influence their clothing choices and I take great delight in playing with that. (David Sedaris, in Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim writes a very funny story about how they dressed up his little brother when he was an infant. If you aren't familar with David's work, I highly recommend you exploring it. I listen to his books on cd while driving - guaranteed to make me laugh out loud).

I had a request from Breanna, my youngest, to make this hat for her yet to be created babies. (Bre is 23, not married, not pregnant, and not planning it anytime soon). She just loveed this hat and wanted one to tuck away for future use. I must admit, they are really cute and funny.  It was easy to fill her request.

This is the toddler hat without flaps. Isn't it cute?!

I think this red and brown hat will be the perfect compliment to the red Ugg-like slippers I made last week. This hat is said to fit a 9-12 month old.

I found this idea on Pinterest (of course).  The link for all the instructions can be found at Repeat Crafter Me. I took Sarah's advice and used the basic ear flap hat instructions located on Alli Crafts. This pattern is really straightforward and works up quick.

This is my favorite. I love the brown and green combo. Reminds me of a chocolate mint cookie (monster).  Bre says these hats remind her of the one eyed monster from Monsters, Inc.

In absence of any little people, I enlisted Pooh Bear to be a model.  These hats are so cute and simple to make. They are a great way to use up stash yarn.  Another Super Simple craft!

UPDATE:  Here's the monster hat on a real live (and adorable baby). Thanks little man for being my hat model!  I plan to post these on my etsy shop later this week. I haven't had time to create the write up.

Update: Here's more cuteness for your day....puppy in a hat! Isn't she adorable?  This is a puppy, named Penelope, that my daughter Breanna is fostering. Bre works at an animal rescue organization and fosters puppies til they are ready to be adopted. Such a great cause.

Happy Crafting!

Necklace from Ear Rings

I am gearing up for Yard Sale Season. Here in the Mid-Atlantic Region, yard sales are abundant from April through August. We have some amazing sales in my area; entire neighborhoods have sales on the same day. It is a fun, community based event and an absolute blast. (Hot dogs for breakfast, anyone)?!  My oldest daughter Shana and I tend to spend our Saturdays together yard saling...and treasure hunting.

Because you never know what you will find when you go saling, I start the season out by making a list. I write down the grandkid's sizes, ask people I know if there's anything in particular they are looking for, and make my own personal list. I love most things vintage....purses, household goods, decore and, of course, jewelry.

One of my favorite things to look for are clip-on earrings. I don't use them as earrings though. I use them as necklaces.  Take a look:

This is just a clip-on earring hung on a chain.

Isn't it pretty?

See how the earring has the clip? This allows you to clip the earring onto a chain and you don't have to worry about it falling off.  Sometimes I also clip them onto a lapel and use as a pin.

This is one of my favorites. The flower petals are enamel.

This is actually a pin but I like it better as a necklace. Again, all you do is clip the chain through the fastener on the back of the pin and you are good to go.

I got this pair of earrings at the end of last season. Aren't they adorable? I need to pick up some gold chains to hang them from. The best part of findng earrings in a set is that you have a ready made gift for a friend. I have a dear friend (Denise) and I love to find a sest of earrings. I keep one for myself and give one to her. How perfect is that?

You can usually find clip on earrings for super cheap because people don't use them anymore. I don't think I've ever spent more than $1 on a pair. Can't beat that bargain!

Craft A Week #19 Lost Sock Area

Like other  people, I have an issue with lost socks in the laundry. Most every time I do wash, I end up with a lone sock or two. The mate usually turns up but that's only good if I can locate the first sock (which I usually cannot). I have a bin in the laundry room that I toss random socks, but it's just not an efficient system. I end up with a big pile of socks that I need to sort through.

I got this idea from a pin on Pinterest but, of course, I changed it.  The original post looked like the wording was painted on the wall, which was just too much work for me. My way was much more simple.

I'm not sure what the original wording was but I like my version better. I had some cloud paper and a 5" x 7" frame. All I did was print this off and I was good to go.

I had clothesline cord and clothespins left over from my son's baby shower last week. I just hammered in a few nails and hung the cord.  See, I told you it was simple.

Now the single socks can be hung up and will be so much easier to pair up with their mate.  Since it's just me, I didn't need to use a whole lot of cord. I'm making one for my daughter that will be longer (or maybe do several layers).

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things (Crafting Websites)

My friends and family ask me where I come up with my creative craft ideas. While I am pretty crafty in my own right, I get ALOT of ideas from other craft websites.  I can spend hours upon hours trolling the net seeking out innovative inspiration.  The following are some of my favorites:

Design*Sponge

Design*Sponge is a design blog run by Brooklyn-based writer, Grace Bonney. My favorite sections of this blog are the DIY and the Before/After sections.  Many of the projects listed here are definately for the more advanced crafter (who has carpentary skills). But they are also the most spectacular projects I've seen. Given my limited experiece with power tools, most of these projects go in my "some day" folder. It's not that they are hard; I just don't really know what I'm doing with that kind of equipment.  Definately worth exploring.  Design Sponge

I LOVE this site!  Ravelry is a free, member generated site dedicated to fiber arts (crocheting, knitting, etc.). They have many free patterns, instructions, and how to's (both video and print). This is one of the first sites I go to when trying to find a new crochet idea.  Ravelry

This is another free, member generated craft site. Members can post on any craft topic. As with Ravelry, alot of the projects include instructions (or links to them. We crafters are an unselfish bunch, aren't we?!). They also have articles relating to crafting, as well as periodic crafting contests.  The only downside with this site is that signing up for membership seems to be a bit of a challenging process.  In any case, it is a very fun site!  In fact, I entered their toy making contest solely on the hopes of winning something with their logo on!  I love their humor.  Craftster

Another free, member generated site. Amazing ideas here!  I am just so amazed at the creativy and innovation that crafters have. Most have instructions. A great way to waste time and get inspired.  Craftgawker

I just found this site, thanks to my dear friend Denise. This place is amazing!  They have a whole host of topics that people post under but my favorite is the DIY  & Crafts section. Many of the postings include instructions (which is always a plus). You can find ANYTHING here!  Guaranteed to give you inspiration for whatever you are in the mood to do!  Pinterest

I'm sure there are many more crafting sites out there. If you have any favorites, please share them in the comments section.  Happy crafting!

Dresser ReDo

You know I love to reuse and repurpose. I found this great idea for redoing an old dresser on "Design Spounge" (one of my favorite sites for design inspiration.  I love how just adding the legs really makes this totally new piece. Amazing!

Before and After Cabinet