My Girls Are Making Bracelets

I can't wait to see what the finished products look like!

I Miss Crafting

This is supposed to be my craft blog, but I have not been doing anything crafty lately.  The other night, the kids and I sat and painted some Christmas ornaments, but that has been about it.  I remember when I used to crochet all the time, and make my signs.  In fact, I still have to make room name signs for three of my nieces, and for the baby my sister has in January.  I just can not find the time lately to do any of it.

I think it was almost two years ago that I opened my etsy store.  I closed it a month or two later, because I never did get the hang of it.  I never needed product packaging services because I hardly sold anything.   My store was filled with my "welcome" and "name" signs, and they were really cute.  I just didn't know then that you shouldn't list everything at one time, and that you had to re-list every couple of days to stay current in the listings.  I know these things now, but I don't have the time now.  Or the product.  I sold every last sign at a yard sale last summer.  All of my signs were hand carved and painted, so making more would be very time consuming.  It's not like I can hire a vietnam manufacturing company to make them for me.  

I am hoping that once the kids go back to school, I will find the time to be crafty again.  I miss it.  It relaxes me.  And maybe once I get a few made, I can order custom plastic printing shipping supplies to ship my signs in.

That's assuming, of course, that I sell some this time.

Hearts Of Clay

My girls got gift certificates for Christmas to a pottery place, and up until a week ago, I had completely forgotten about them. Bad mom, I know. I convinced my mom to take the girls and I today, and they had so much fun. Kasi painted a fairy, complete with black wings. Weird, I know. Brandi painted a back, shaped as a moon with a fairy sleeping on it. They both did great jobs. We had to leave them at the place to be glazed and fired. We'll go back next week to pick up the finished pieces.

I hinted to Junior (okay, I straight out told him) that he should take the kids to make me a Mother's Day gift.

I hope he listens.

Easter Eggs From My Childhood

I was at my mom's house last week, and she had just put out all her Easter decorations. It has been many, many years since she has, and it was great seeing everything again.


I especially loved seeing these eggs. (for some reason, my sister Tami's egg is missing) They are ceramic, and they have to be more than 25 years old. My mom used to have a ceramic studio in our basement, and was always making beautiful decorations.

As you can see, my egg says "Jenny". It has been a long, long time since someone has called me that. Now if you do, I will not answer.

:p

Brandi's Pony Bank

Brandi got this cute little back for her birthday. It came with a few paint colors, but since we were planning the move back then, I had her put it up. While unpacking a couple of weeks ago, she found it, and was really excited to be able to paint it. I think it looks great. She has two other little figurines that need to be painted, too, but she is saving those for a rainy day.

Maybe when that rainy day comes I can paint with her. It's been a while since I have done anything creative...

Knotting

My dad and his wife got Brandi this "knot a blanket" kit for her birthday, and yesterday she started making it. It is pretty simple...you just take the squares of material, and knot them together. Each square has fringe on the edges, and that is what she knots together. The directions say to tie eight together in a line, and when you have two lines of eight, to tie those together. Well, she was almost done with the first eight when I realized that there were two different textures, and that we were not paying attention, and they were going in every direction. So...I had to un-knot and then re-knot the whole thing, and now we are on the right track. I can not wait to see it when it is done.

A Little Ladybug

I painted this one...

For some reason, when I edited the pictures, it turned all the white a little yellow. Trust me when I tell you her face is actually white.

I made a set of these little critters for myself a while back, and thought they would make good Christmas gifts. This guy has a clip between his head and body that can hold papers on the fridge.

Ohm, and he does have a right side...I don't know why it's black in the picture...

Brandi's Butterfly

I love the way this little guy looks with the goolgy eyes!

I was debating putting them on, because the head is so small, but I am glad I did. They gives this green butterfly some personality!

I bought these critters at Walmart, and they came in a four pack for under $4. I was looking for Christmas crafts to do with the girls, and they had NOTHING! I remember when they used to have more than Michael's did. The only things they had were the foam crafts, and I really don't like those. I think painting shows more of the kids personality.

Maybe next weekend i can make a trip to Hobby Lobby and see if they have any ornaments the kids can paint. I am looking for a baby's first Christmas one for Lylah...

Brandi's Flower Magnet

I love this little flower!

Brandi has been bugging me for weeks to buy her some things to paint, and today I gave in. I have been thinking about what I can get a certain member of my family for Christmas, and decided that hand painted magnets from the kids would be perfect.

I even painted a few myself...I'll post those later.

For now, enjoy Brandi's handywork!

How Creative Is This?

Those of you who read my main blog can skip this, because I posted about this over there lasy night. BUT...it most definitely needs to be seen over here, too, because this is one of the most creative things I have seen in a long time.

See, I entered a picture of Brandi and her bff in their Halloween costumes...the pink fairy and the angel...and it won a Halloween costume contest! How cool is that? I got my prize in the mail yesterday...this awesome pumpkin! The girl who made it cut the front off of one of those foamy pumpkins they sell in craft stores and decorated in this awesome witch scene. I have never seen anything like it before!

I am so excited to display it next year for our annual Halloween party.

All Done!

I love this! I had so much fun with it. I am glad it is finished, because I want to try something else. It's really not crooked like it look in the picture...I think it was because I took the picture with it laying on a chair. I wish I had bought all the kits they had at that yard sale.

I am assuming this is the same general way that beaders make all their beautiful jewelry. I am excited to draw out a pattern and try my hand at a bracelet. It might have to wait until after Christmas, though, because i found so many other projects that were packed away when I started packing the other day. It's amazing how many things I have started and never finished.

It's time to finish...

Christmas Ideas

Walmart has their Christmas stuff out already. I needed to get toothpaste today, so while we were in there, I decided to walk through their Holiday aisle. They had so many cute things.

I wish I had money to spend, because they had a nice selection of $1 stuff for the girls stockings, like makeup and bath stuff. They also had $3 bath sets that will work great for teacher gifts.

I also checked out some of their Christmas crafts, trying to get some ideas. They didn't have a lot of stuff...it was mostly foam sticker crafts, which to be honest, I hate. I have to go to Hobby Lobby and Michaels the next time Junior gets paid, so hopefully they will have a better selection.

Snowman Angel

I have a bunch of Christmas stuff that needs to be painted, so the other day while Brandi was painting her zoo, I painted this little snowman angel.

The picture isn't the best, but trust me, it came out really cute.

I used a glitter paint on top of the white to make the "snow" shine, and gave him gold a gold halo and wings.

I am thinking of giving it as a gift, and I know the perfect person to give it to.

Or maybe I'll just keep it for myself. It really is cute...

Doing Craft Shows

Do you do craft shows? My mom and I have talked about it in the past, but have never actually done one. I have a huge fear of failure, and would be afraid no one would like what I have to offer. I was thinking that maybe my mom and I could get some custom tote bags to promote our "crafty business", and use them to get the word out about our offerings. My mom makes the most beautiful jewelry, and I do a bunch of things, but mostly crochet and wood work. My specialty, if you will, is making signs with kids names on them, and then I paint them to match whatever room they will go in. I think people would buy them.

It's worth a shot, right?

Brandi's Ponies

Brandi painted these a couple of weeks ago, and I forgot to post a picture. She likes to see her things on my blog, so who am I to say no? I think they came out beautiful. She is one talented seven year old. I think she gets it from me. :)

Un~Crafty

I have not been doing too many crafty things lately. I think it's the season. I find myself doing more crafts when it's cold outside. I really need to make some wood signs, and that is actually something that is better done outside. I just need to go buy some wood.

I have a drawer full of Christmas decorations that need to be painted, and I'm thinking of letting the kids do some to give as Christmas gifts this year. I am saving them for a rainy day, though, when they are stuck in the house.

Elephant

I finished painting the last two frames, but they aren't for my generosity stuff. I need to go get some more. I have two special occasions this weekend, a graduation and a dedication, that I needed gifts for. They came out really cute, but because my sis-in-law reads this sometimes, you will have to wait until next week to see pictures. I know, you can't wait, right?

Maybe a picture of my elephant will hold you over....he really came out cuter in person.

My Little Critter

This is the little critter I painted. You can't really tell, but the little bow tie, rose, and wings have glitter on them. I had so much fun sitting with the kids and letting them be creative. I know I loved doing crafty things with my mom.

What's your favorite craft to do with your kids?

My Kids Bugs

Saturday morning, the kids and I painted up some cute little bugs.
Here's Brandi hard at work...

...and Kasi...

...and Ryan

These are the finished products.

The first two are Brandi's, the middle one is Ryan's, and the last two are Kasi's.

Didn't they come out adorable?
I'll post a picture of mine later.

Brandi's Monkeys

These are Brandi's creations from the other day. I love the green/pink/orange monkey. It's more her personality. She had fun painting them, and I love letting her be creative. I bought some magnets we're going to do next...