Washi + Crochet Hemp Ornament Tutorial

To me, the best ornaments aren't bought. They're handmade. Here's an easy one that I made with just a few tools and materials.

Attach washi tape to the edges of a 4-inch square canvas board.

Punch holes along the edges with a crop-a-dial and use Crochet Hemp (3-ply natural) and a crochet hook (size B) to single crochet along the edges. Here's a similar tutorial with a bit more deatils, including how to turn corners.

Adhere a photo to the center of the crocheted canvas board. I used a 3-inch square photo that I got from Kanvess. I also used spray adhesive, which makes the photo adhere nice and neatly.


Super fun project.

Happy crochet.

Happy holidays. :)

Sketching Faces

Ever since the class with Dina Wakley last weekend, I've gotten a bit obsessed with sketching faces. I can't stop! There are many artists whose faces I've admired and I think they all inspire me as I experiment with my sketched faces. Dina Wakley, Teesha Moore, Klai Brown, Cori Dantini, Julie Balzer, and Danita to name a few. Thought I'd show you some of my latest.

So fun.

Altered Anthropologie Catalog Art Journaling + Doodling Tutorial

I just about flipped out when the latest Anthropologie catalog arrived, didn't you? So, so beautifully styled and shot. I loved it so much and I felt that the cover and interior pages were just begging to be altered and turned into a journal. And that's exactly what I did. Here's how I embellished the cover.

The cover really didn't need much to cover up but I wanted to cover the catalog name so I used some white gesso to do that.

The paper frame that they used in this catalog is one that just opens up so much in terms of journaling possiblities so I ended up adding lyrics to one of my favorite songs in the middle of the frame and then added dit dots. I love how it looks like the frame is dimensional and popping off the page.


The apple in the photo inspired me to get one of my favorite stencils and add more red circles. And a bit of washi tape to balance things out.

And seeing all that red inspired me to add red to my earlier text and doodles.


I'm gonna use the entire catalog as a journal. Love it.

Happy creating. :)

Dyed Crochet Hemp Hearts Tutorial

Check out my crocheted hearts that I dyed ... some in red and some in blue.

I started by crocheting hearts with the 3-ply bleached Crochet Hemp.


Then I prepared a dye bath with red Rit dye. About 3 cups of hot water and a capful of dye in a bowl.

For these light-red hearts, I dipped the hearts in the dye bath for about 1 second and then rinsed them with cold water.
For the light blue hearts, I prepared a dye bath using the denim Rit dye and dipped them for about 1 second.


For these darker red hearts, I dipped them in the dye bath for about 1 minute and then rinsed them with cold water.

Oh the possibilities.


NOTE ABOUT THIS DAY
I hope you vote today. And I hope that whoever you vote for and whoever you campaigned for prior to today, you'll count blessings that we live in a country where we have the freedom to champion the candidates and propositions that we believe in with all our might. But after the votes are cast, it is America's fine tradition that when the results become clear in a presidential election, the losing side makes a concession call to the winning side, followed by a concession speech. Transitions of power then take place in the most civil and peaceful manner that is the envy of the world. This is very different from other parts of the world where concession speeches are not made, and where power is held onto, frequently with force and violence. This is a tradition that should make all of us proud and one that we should work hard to preserve for future generations.

Happy voting.
Happy crocheting.

:)

I Heart Kanvess

Check out my cute little photos. They're all photos from my Instagram feed, printed out into the cutest little 3" x 3" prints. So cute, right?

I ordered them through a service called Kanvess. Each print costs 25 cents and the process is super intuitive and user-friendly. Once I placed my order, the prints were here lickity split. Love that.

One of my all-time favorite Instagram photos is of me and Pam. And I love that I'll be able to put it into one of the pages I made in her art journaling class. I'm so excited about how these little photos open up new possibilities with my art journals and my cards, and other paper arts.

Yippee for Kanvess!

Chalk Doodling Tutorial

I've been doing lots of doodles with chalk. So fun.

But sometimes, I've wished that I could make the points of the chalk a bit sharper, to aid me in the smaller details of my chalk doodles.
Well, I'm so happy to have found the perfect tool to do just that. It's this little yellow sharpener that can sharpen chalk, crayons, and thick pencils. So easy to use.


Just put the chalk in, and turn, turn turn it until you get just the point you want.

Happy chalk doodling. :)

Security Envelope Tutorial :: 10 Reasons Why I Love You

My friend Kerri inspires me. She has a special knack at making ordinary things super special—especially anything that has to do with paper. So every time I get a piece of mail from her, I smile and do the happy dance. She recently sent me a piece of mail that inspired this project.

First, doodle 10 Reasons Why I Love You onto a piece of paper.

Make sure that the doodle will fit within the window space of a security envelope. This envelope is one that my Macy's bill recently came in.
Adhere the doodled piece to the outside of the opened envelope, which will now become the inside of the envelope. You can use a glue stick or some washi tape.
Fold the envelope so that the security lines are on the outside of the envelope and use washi tape to secure the sides.

Write and doodle messages onto shipping tags, and insert them into the envelope.

Secure the top flap with more washi tape.

Doodle a little something cute for the left hand corner and adhere.

This project is meant to be hand-delivered to the recipient but if you write the person's address in the window and attach a stamp, it can be delivered through the mail system.

Happy crafting. :)

Mixed Media Tags with Crochet, Free Motion Stitching & Doodles

Crochet. Free motion sttiching. Doodling. What could be better?
Here's how I did it.

Crochet 3 small rings. (Here's the pattern for the rings.)

Adhere them with spray adhesive onto shipping tags. Free motion stitch the tails to the bottom edge of tags.


Free motion stitch flower shapes around the crochet.

Add doodling with markers.


Super cute and unique gift tags ready to be personalized and attached to gifts.

Easy peasy.

Happy creating!

Crocheted, Doodled & Free Motion Stitched Brown Paper Bag Gift Tutorial

For me, the best part of getting a gift ready to give is packaging it in new and unique ways. Here's how I wrapped this gift for a friend.

To start crochet ring: With pink cotton yarn and size F crochet hook ch 3, join with sl st in first ch to make a ring
Round 1: Ch 1, 10 sc in ring, join with sl st in first sc.
Fasten off. With tapestry needle, weave in starting tail.
Cut a brown grocery bag into two square pieces.
Adhere the crochet to the paper with a small amount of spray adhesive.
Free motion stitch around the edge of the crochet and add stitched petals. (To free motion stitch, lower feed dogs and use a daring foot on your machine.)

Free motion stitch words with brown thread.
Add doodling with black marker and white gel pen.

Place the stitched piece on top of the other piece of brown paper and stitch the sides and bottom.
Insert gift into the bag and stitch the top closed.

Cello Doodle Carved Rubber Art Journal Tutorial

Check out my new cello rubber stamp that I carved. So cool, right?

As you may know, I love to carve rubber without too much fuss. I just like to take my pen to the rubber and doodle what I want. No transferring, no fussing ... just going for it ... and embracing all the imperfections.


I did however practice doodling cellos first. Basically, a few scribbly vertical lines, then a two lines to make the cello's silhouette. Then nobs at the top and mirrored "f" shapes on the cello's body.


So once the rubber was carved, I inked it with a brown inkpad and stamped it onto a piece of German music paper. I used some black markers to outline it and add some doodles.

I also used the eraser of a pencil to stamp dots and doodle more lines.
I also added a paper cutout that I made from this tutorial. And then I attached it to an art journal page with black photo corners.