Fun with Watercolors

Last week I did a little experimenting with watercolors and straws.... and it was so much fun!

I got the idea when I saw a video on how to use a medium called ecoline, which is basically a liquid watercolor kind of paint.  Since I didn't have any ecoline, I tried out the technique with my watercolors. 

This is a great way to have fun with paint and it's something the kids can do with you!  Stay tuned for the tutorial :)

Easy Infinity Scarf

I found a great tutorial at The Cottage Home a while ago for an infinity scarf.  It only involves cutting two long rectangles of fabric and sewing them together.  Finally- a sewing project a beginner like me can handle!

Everything went smoothly until the end.  I think the tutorial forgets to mention that you need to turn the scarf inside out again in order to sew one of the ends, or maybe I just made it weird.   But I figured it out eventually and I'm starting to get into scarves.....a first for me.

This one is perfect for a novice-scarf-wearer like me because there are only two ways to wear it- not too confusing :)

Simple Ribbon Flower Tutorial

Brrr! The snow is here in Utah. I may be staying indoors and crafting a bit more now.  This is good and bad- I love making stuff, but geez, I miss my sunny fall weather already!

I've been experimenting with my ribbon and have come up with a way to make some super easy flowers!  Keep reading to find out how I made them. 

Materials: small strip of ribbon, thread, needle, and scissors

Step1.  Sew wide up and down stitches along the edge of the length of the ribbon.

Step 2.  Gently pull thread to gather ribbon.

Step 3.  Join both sides of the ribbon

Have fun and try different ribbons!  You can even layer several lengths of ribbon on top of each other to make a puffier flower.

This red lacy one here I may be using for something for Christmas!

Watercolor Geraniums, #3 & #4

My geraniums on my patio have somehow miraculously survived the fall in Utah so far.  Yay! We had the most absolute perfect fall weather last week and I had to paint my geraniums one last time before the snow starts.

Make sure to check these out in my Etsy shop! Just click on the links above each image.

Geraniums #3

Geraniums #4

PS. 733 is featuring my lid magnets today!

Modge Podged Halloween Sign

My paper Happy Halloween sign was transformed yesterday into a modge-podged sign on canvas board- just in time too!  The process is really simple.  Just modge podge your paper to the canvas, sponge some ink around the edges, and finalize with more modge podge.  

Check out my Modge Podge Canvas Tutorial for more details!

What I've learned about blogging

 (Here's my photo of the week, in case you need something pretty to look at!)

#1.  Too much of a good thing, can actually be bad.  Yes, I do love to blog.  My little blog here has been a help to me in so many ways.  It connects me with people with my same interests.  It has helped build up my confidence in myself and what I love to do tremendously.  But, alas, there is such a thing as too much blogging.  Does anyone else out there ever feel totally saturated with the craft blog world?  I get so much inspiration from all the other craft blogs out there, but when I spend too much time looking, I get saturated.

Plus I have vowed to never let myself get carried away and throw my life out of balance for my blog.  I love it, but I still have to make time for the most important things.

#2.  There are a lot of really nice people out there.  Seriously, I have yet to come in contact with anyone who was not nice!  It has restored my faith in the good people out there.  I have heard of some kind of blog bullies going around and making mean comments on some blogs, but I have yet to have that happen to me.  Maybe my blog is too small to get the attention of those meanies- I hope it stays that way.

#3.  Blogging is a good way to connect with people if you be yourself.  I've had chances to get to know a few people and a little about them through blogging.  I've even had some chances to bear my testimony of what I know is true and what is important to me.  It feels good to be able to do that.

#4.  You can't follow everyone!  I struggle with this because I see so many great blogs out there and I want to follow them all, but that brings me back to point #1.  I could never possibly keep up with all of that.  So, as much as I don't like it, I have to pick and choose.  

So those are my thoughts about blogging for the moment.  What have you learned about blogging? 

I'm Addicted to Pears

You may very well have noticed the fact that I can't stop painting pears.  I try lots of things in watercolor, but in the end, I always come back to my pears.  They are so lovely!  

These two paintings are of the exact same pear, I just interpreted it differently in each painting.  Which one do you like best?  #1- more true to life   OR   #2- a little abstract ?

#1

#2