Photo of the Week

One of my favorite places to visit in the Wasatch Mountains........ Silver Lake!  Every time I go there I get this urge to paint.  It's so beautiful, calm, and relaxing.  I feel like I can really breathe there!

Watercolored Business Cards

So, I haven't sold much from my Etsy shop for the past year it's been open, but I still like to have cards to send with stuff when I do sell something.  So..... I printed out some cards and then splashed some watercolors on them... so fun!

The only problem is that I printed the info a bit too small.  People may need to get out their magnifying glasses to read them, but at least they're pretty :)

A Look at my Sketchbook

I've missed having geraniums to draw and paint this year.  Luckily my parents have some at their house!

Here's a little watercolor sketch (I call it a sketch because it's really not finished).  It rained on me before I could get it done.

And then I have a little pencil sketch.  Happy little red geraniums... I need to paint more of these :)

Photo of the Week

We just got home last night from our trip, so the photo of the week is late... oh well.  This is one of the sunsets I got to enjoy in rural Arizona last week :)  I love going home to see them.  I don't see sunsets like this anywhere else.

Little Guy Work Badge

My son loves to play with his dad's work badge, so we decided to make him his very own...

Nothing too complicated... just a photo copy of his face with a space for him to write his name, laminated with some packing tape and hung on a string.

Seeing my son with it on brought a smile to my face!  He wants to be like his dad :)

Photo of the Week

Don't you just love summer?  You can hang out in your jammies and blow bubbles out on the deck..... life is good :)

P.S. I'm off on vacation this week!  Time to visit some family in sunny Arizona!  I have one post scheduled, so I won't leave you hangin'.

Tin Can Lanterns Tutorial

I love summer and I love that I finally have a backyard to have parties in!  I made these tin can lanterns for a 4th of July party and they looked so lovely that I thought I would write a tutorial to share with you all.  

So follow the tutorial below to get started making your own lanterns for your own outdoor summer party!

Materials:
recycled tin cans
hammer
nail
bailing wire
pliers
spray paint
tea light candle



Step 1:  Remove labels and glue from the cans.  I've found WD-40 to be very helpful with removing the glue.

Step 2:  Fill cans with water and stick them in the freezer.  Leave them in until the ice is solid.  This helps the can hold its shape for the next steps.

Step 3:  Take your frozen can out of the freezer. Using a hammer and nail, pound a hole near the top of the can.  Flip the can over and make another hole straight across from the first hole.  These will be used for the handle later on.

Step 4:  Make your design.  Use the hammer and nail to start punching out a design in your can.  You can draw it our before hand or wing it.  Either way, they turn out nicely.

Step 5:  Once your design is all finished, let the ice melt out of the can and dry it out.

Step 6:  Upon turning the can over, you'll notice a big bulge in the bottom.  This comes from freezing water in it.  But, it can be fixed!  Just pound it down with a hammer so that it sits flat.

Step 7:  Time to make a handle.  Cut a 12 inch strip of bailing wire and curve the end of it to form a hook.  Stick the hook through one of the top side holes.

Step 8:  Twist the hook around to secure it.  Make a hook on the other end of the wire.  Stick it in the side hole on the other side and twist it around.  There's your handle!

Step 9: Time for some spray paint!  Paint several coats on to cover the entire can and handle. I used Krylon Indoor/ Outdoor paint and it worked great.

Step 10:  Once the paint is dry, insert tea light candles and light them up! You're all ready to go!

Reader Tips:  

• Azirkah said...To keep the bottom of the can from bulging out, put 2 or 3 inches of water in the can and let that freeze, then top off the can and freeze again.
• Esther en Calou said...... avoid to make holes in the bottom inch of the can. When your candle melts and the holes are made too close to the bottom, the wax will pour out.
• E C Ballard ஃ said...If you have a dremel tool or any kind of flexible shaft, you can use a burr or a very small metal drillbit and you will not need the ice.
• Nicole said...fill your can with sand prior to adding the water and placing in the freezer! It will prevent your can from bulging during the water expansion process :0)

Kiwis Anyone?

Have you ever looked at kiwis up close?  They really are beautiful fruits on the inside.  The outside...not so much, but I guess that's what makes them interesting. I sliced up a few last week and tried my hand a painting a few.  I think I will have to do more of these, they're such happy fruits!

They're up for sale in my shop now.  There aren't as many paintings of kiwis out there, so I hope that gives me a better shot at selling them :)

Bright Kiwis Original Watercolor, 5x7

Kiwi Fruit Painting, 8x10

Photo of the Week

I once tried painting one of these beautiful shells in watercolor, but alas, it didn't work out.  I decided to take a photo of it instead.... much easier and still quite pretty :)

Thrifted Dress= Skirt

Hey everyone!  I hope you all had a great Independence Day yesterday!  Mine was a little different this year.  I didn't end up doing much celebrating on account of a bad migraine, but I still got to see a few fireworks :)

So, last week I finally got around to some sewing.  I've had this ugly thrifted dress in my closet for about a year now and it was time to do something with it.

I've seen so many wonderful things done with ugly thrifted dresses and I've always wanted to try my hand at it.  But, as it turns out, you need a bit more sewing experience under your belt than I have to do a complete dress make-over.  So I opted to focus on the bottom half and make a skirt.  I tried out a simple skirt tutorial from One Pearl Button.   And this is how mine turned out...

Definitely not perfect, but I think it's wearable as long as you don't look too close.. hehe!  

Photo of the Week

A view from one of the beautiful canyons of Northern Utah.  

I feel blessed to live near such awesome beauty and to live in this country.  Even with all of the problems the people of America face, I love this land.  So, I wish an early Happy Independence Day to you readers!  May we remember our heritage and be grateful for this country!