Menu Board

So I know I promised a tutorial on the pop pouch with the owl.  I will get to it, really really!  I have a slight ADD problem, and I always seem to be working on a least 3 things at once.  Like today--I have really been coveting the menu boards I have seen on so many blogs, pinterest, and etsy.  So, I made myself one.  It isn't as super fancy as some of the pricy ones, and I am sure any self-respecting crafter would be horrified at my lack of brads, distressed inking, or burlap.

I did go buy a new picture frame for this project, but Kohl's had them Buy One, Get One for $1, and I had 15% off, so I didn't feel too bad.  Also, it is an eco-friendly frame.  So it's justified, right? :)

I used muslin for my background, and I just wrapped it around the piece of paper from the center of my frame.  I cut it 1" larger in all directions, folded, ironed (turn the steam off, trust me), and dabbed a little craft glue to hold it down.

The lovely ribbon is from Michael's.  I probably bought it after Christmas for $1 a piece several years ago.  Again, eyeballed it--laid it where I wanted it, cut a couple extra inches on either end, and ran a bead of glue down the center and stuck it on, wrapping around to the back.  I did lay the MENU letters down first to decide where to put the horizontal ribbon.

I am sure scrap booker people know some vastly better method for sticking paper down, but I just used my craft glue again for the letters and the days.  I made this loveliness on my computer using Power Point.  I saved it as a PDF just for you guys!  Feel free to make your own menu, and for goodness sakes doll it up more than I did.

I didn't even wait for the glue to dry before I stuck the whole works back in the frame, closed it up, and wrote out next week's menu!  I'll update this post when it makes it to the wall and get rid of this crap-tastic picture of it laying on my cutting table.

I had to share this picture of my darlin' Priss "helping" with another project.  It's what she does.

The Best Sound in the World

Is the tink tink of cans sealing.  Happiness in a jar.

Also, for those doubters out there saying you can't can on a flat-top range.  I have news for you: you can can!  (And also do the can-can if you so desire!)

Craftaholics Gift Part 2

I am not sure how I feel about trying to make things for people I don't know super well.  Sometimes it feels like such a shot in the dark that I feel like I'll never get it right.  Sometimes I use the opportunity to create something I would not normally make.  This is one of those times.  I decided to create a piece of art for my partner to hang in her daughter's nursery.  I have never seen this nursery.  I have never seen this little girl.  Going on the basis of a sage green room in which lavender and rose look nice,  I went for it.

This is what I got:

Hopefully I'll get a picture of it on a wall to replace this.  Ugh.  I know that one of the first things I am going to HAVE to do as a blogger is get better at taking pictures.  And maybe use an actual camera instead of my phone.  Sshhhh...don't tell. :)

I have seen several projects around the www using doilies as stencils.  "Ha," I thought.  "I can do that, no problem," I thought.  I should know better by now.  Whatever.  Anyway, this is what I started with:

Materials:
1.  Large 11 x 14 canvas (from Michaels, on sale in a two pack!)
2.  Paper doilies (Massive package of 24 from Walmart.  Overkill, yes?)
3.  Basting Spray
4.  Scissors

I started by placing some doilies on the white canvas, lightly spraying the back of the doilies with spray starch to stick them down while I was painting.

Then, I painted the entire canvas a nice rosy pink.  I don't even want to talk about the fact that the brush and paint are from when I took art lessons in ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!  I was just impressed that I could find my paint brushes after two moves and several years of non-use. 

I didn't bother to paint in the middle of the doilies, since the canvas was covered up under them.  Save myself some time and paint!  Now for a difficult part: wait for the paint to dry.  At least most of the way.  I am terrible at this part.

I put some more doilies on next, WITHOUT taking off the first doilies.  Same process.  No need for another picture yet, okay?

Then, I painted the whole works lavender.   I left one doily pink around the edges.  I thought it might look cool.  Some of the doilies are overlapped.  And again, the waiting game...

Eventually I couldn't stand it any longer and started peeling my doilies off.  That was MUCH harder than I thought it would be.  If anyone has suggestions for a better temporary glue, please let me know. 

This process took a while, and involved picking lots of tiny pieces of paper off the canvas.  Not much fun.

Eventually, it looked like it does above.  I think I like this look!  So did Miss Priss, my crafty sabotager helper.

Last, I painted on the initials, following the basic design of a font I like.  Very broadly defined following.

And, bam!  There we are.  Something cutesy to hang on the wall.  I don't know quite what to do with the edges of the canvas.  It would probably look sweet if the whole works was framed in a nice white frame.

I just hope my partner likes it!

Handmade Gift Exchange: Gift Part 1

I am proudly participating in Craftaholics Anonymous' handmade gift exchange.  This is my second round of participation!  I will admit that I sat out a couple and just watched, but then I decided to take the plunge.  It is so much fun to share your craftiness with someone else who has like-minded views.  Not everyone appreciates the work that goes into a handcrafted gift, and I have been disappointed before by someone's lack of enthusiasm about something I labored over for hours.  That is not the case here!  I am excited to share the first part of my gift--an owl pop pouch with a cute wood grain background and leaf accents.

Pop pouches are great for two main reasons:
1.  No zippers!  Can I get a whoot-whoot?!
2.  They upcycle something that would otherwise be trashed.  

The closure in a pop pouch is part of a tape measure that has seen better days.  Mine is from my dear ol' dad, and the locking mechanism was not working properly any more.  Now, I cut pieces off to use in my pouches!

There will be more details and a tutorial for this to come very soon.  I love these little bags!  They are great for carrying your phone, putting your jewelery in to travel, or even corralling spare change.  I haven't had any problems with things falling out, even though there is no zipper.  

The Beginning

Welcome to my little corner of the interwebs!  My name is Stacy, and I am...well, honestly, fairly nervous about putting myself out there like this.  I'm not sure that I'm really ready, but here goes a leap of faith.

I am a fifth grade school teacher, but since it is summer, I am currently having a love affair with my sewing machine and trying VERY hard not to think about August 13th, what with 29 students, no assistant, and an entirely new curriculum.  So far, I'm in pretty decent denial, and I'm try to get as many crafty projects in as humanly possible.  So--that is where this little blog comes in.  I can share my ideas and thoughts, and maybe some shameless self-plugs as I start trying to sell my items.  That's okay, right?!  

There will probably be some random school-related posts as well, especially as the school year starts.  Maybe some useful ideas for parents or fellow teachers will pop up.  And I can tell you now, they probably won't be cutsie-wonderful.  I have big kids.  Big kids don't do cutsie.  They are way too old and cool.  If you are the parent of a ten-year-old boy, I'm sure you know that.

Well, here it goes.  Pressing that orange Publish button.  At least I can say I've started.  Now to go back and figure out how to make this all pretty and nice...