Make Time Make Art

minimalist mantel

2012-02-01T19:00:00.004-05:00

Just a dash of color to brighten the white of January. The magic wands were an autumn craft for us.

my claim to (blog) fame!

2012-01-30T19:00:00.000-05:00

I was honored to be included as a guest poster on The Artful Parent which just happens to be one of my all-time favorite blogs. Jean is taking a bit of a sabbatical from her blog this month and asked if some of her readers would be willing to submit posts. How lovely of her to share her space.

Here's my post on our valentine cards – a current work in progress.

Spoiler alert: Grandmas and aunties might get a sneak peek of their future valentine mail if they check out this post!

another quilt finished

2012-01-27T19:00:00.001-05:00

Just a bit smaller than the last one of course! But still – how amazing to dream something up and then whip it up in just a week or so!

I used scrap fabrics to make a matching doll quilt for my daughter. This is one just square patchwork. The squares didn't line up. That's ok. I have renewed appreciation for how well made prize-winning quilts!

It was a nice and speedy review of everything I learned while doing the big quilt. I did manage to mess up the binding but fortunately I had an excess of fabric strips cut from the first time around. I also quilted the entire thing on the machine. I don't have the "walking foot" that I have read about in quilting books but it seemed to go fairly well despite that. Sometimes the quilt needed some help moving along and I can certainly see how it would be difficult to do a large quilt but I don't think it would be impossible.

notable & quotable

2012-01-25T19:00:00.000-05:00

I came across this quote while reading the newspaper this past weekend:

To exist is to change. To change is to mature. To mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.
–Henri Bergson

According to the writer, columnist and rabbi Albert Lewis, Henri Bergson is a French philosopher. I can't say that I've spent much time reading his works, or that of any philosopher, but I did feel a connection with this particular quote. I feel like I am constantly in the process of evaluating myself and my life and determining how I might want to change it. I think the concept of "creating oneself endlessly" might at first sound overwhelming or tiring but I prefer to think of it as hopeful. I think it speaks to the idea that living is about creating the life that you most want to have and creating the person you most want to be.

GRPL annual report

2012-01-23T19:00:00.002-05:00

It's back from the printer! Boxes of crisply arranged books with oh-so-vivid orange (printed as a Pantone spot color). Ooh la la! Getting a delivery of a print piece I am excited about is a bit like Christmas morning. Follow this link to experience the virtual version.

the white stuff

2012-01-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

Whether you love it or hate it, snow is part of winter here in Michigan. After an unusually mild December we finally got a real dose of the white stuff. While it does make things like pushing a shopping cart out to your car more difficult, it certainly does have a magical beauty to it.

in progress

2012-01-18T19:00:00.000-05:00

I've got a few creative projects in the works. Here's a peek – proof I am keeping up on my personal art.

I have a few scrapbooks that I tend to once a year. One for Halloween pics, one for Christmas pics, and this one which I refer to as "the family scrapbook." It gathers a year's worth of refrigerator art, Christmas cards, party invitations, funny notes, and the like into one place. More like a genuine old-fashioned scrapbook before the advent of paper shapes and fancy stickers.

This is going to be a doll quilt to match my daughter's bedroom quilt. Hopefully the small size means I won't be spending 18 months on it! The new favorite doll has been named "Sweetie Love." Isn't that cute?

freedom to decorate

2012-01-16T19:00:00.006-05:00

I just finished reading about, admiring, and absorbing the visual feast presented by the homes featured in the book Undecorate: The No-Rules Approach to Interior Design. The basic premise of the book is that you don't have to be a professional interior designer or know all the "rules" to do a fabulous job decorating. The homes featured were often of people who have a creative bent or profession but I did feel like there was a bit more variety in geography and lifestyle than there were in the book Details (which I wrote about earlier on this blog). I especially noticed there were more households with children featured.

While you might be looking at the book and thinking "my house is not the big" or "not everyone lives in a New York City loft" I think there are still ideas and inspiration that can be applied to your own life. I myself was especially inspired by the items people chose to frame and hang on the wall. Not everything was official "art." Some of it was simple snapshots, art created by their children, and there was even a healthy dose of thrift store finds represented. None of it had matchy matchy frames and it looked great all together on the wall. I am going to have to take a second look next time I go thrifting. I don't often study the framed prints and art at second hand stores. Perhaps I have missed a great treasure!

party hats!

2012-01-09T21:14:00.000-05:00

When my 3-year-old daughter found out we were hosting a party at our house she insisted on making party hats. You don't have to ask this crafty mama twice to get a new project going. I especially love taking her idea and running with it.

We used the template from Jones Design Company. It neatly fit on a letter-sized piece of paper. Their instructions called for hot gluing them shut. This template from Oh Happy Day gets a little fancier with a tab that inserts into a slot. I especially admired the cool poms and fringe she made from crepe paper but we did not end up going that route.

I let my daughter choose the color paper for each hat. After I cut them out she painted them. We came back later to assemble them and choose various items to serve as pom poms and attach ribbons. I loved that we used items that we already had on hand to decorate. It was fun to be creative with the stuff I have stashed for just such a project. My favorite topper was probably the shapes we bent out of pipe cleaners. We made our ties with two pieces of ribbon. I think elastic would have been more comfortable for wearing but we did not have that on hand.

My daughter's pom was salvaged from a headband that didn't last long.

Tah dah! The hats await the guests.

sewing on paper – an experiment

2012-01-06T19:00:00.000-05:00

I was crafting up a greeting card with fabric scraps. I was about to glue them together when I took a second look at my sewing machine, threaded with magenta thread and sitting idly. Why not? I scooted over there and ran my card through. It worked rather well!

I do think a larger, more spaced apart stitch would have been better though. The small stitch my machine was set on basically ripped completely through the cardstock, as seen on the inside of the card. Everything seemed to be holding together well enough to finish it up and pop it in an envelope.

I almost feel as though I am free to sew any sort of thing now that the quilt is done. Can you believe it took me a year and a half?! Well, actually, I can believe it. I am very excited to start some new – small! – sewing projects. Hold me to it, blog friends.

Remembering a good day of design

2012-01-04T19:00:00.000-05:00

I quick snapped this photo on a sunny afternoon in December. It was late in the work day and I had just finished a particularly fulfilling afternoon of graphic design experimenting and problem solving while working on the annual report. I was tired but good tired. The tired that comes from really stretching the brain in relative solitude for hours on end.

That, and I couldn't help but notice my snack coordinated with the spreads I had been working on!

The report is in booklet form. There will be an online version for virtual page-flipping. When that comes out, I will share it with you as I am rather pleased with the design of the report.

The quilt is done!

2012-01-02T19:00:00.001-05:00

At long last, the quilt is complete. I mastered the mitered corners and figured out the binding and borrowed my mother-in-law's sewing machine for the final zigzag stitch (in the interest of completing this beast in the current decade, I declined on hand-sewing the binding to the back of the quilt).

Things aren't quite perfect but it is perfectly functional and perfectly homemade. What a wonderful way to start the year – with a crafting accomplishment!

Quilt progress!!!

2011-12-30T20:29:00.000-05:00

No photos to share at the moment but I did want to pop in and report that I have finished the hand-quilting portion of my quilt vision!

I was originally only going to do like 6 of the squares, one per column or something like that. But then I was working on it during our 6-hour car drive and having a giant quilt all wadded up in your lap doesn't exactly help you see the big picture. I had already done several before I realized I was doing more than I had originally planned. So at that point, I figured I needed to finish what I started. So all the magenta squares feature some sort of hand-quilting experiment. I don't think my speed rivals that of an expert quilter but I am definitely a more confident stitcher now. And, like I originally envisioned when I decorated for Christmas, I have basically spent the last 3 days hanging around the house, quilting, while the kids play and the laundry tumbles about. It has been a very peaceful recovery from the hectic holiday travels.

Now I am off to learn how to make and attach binding. I am always a bit nervous for the next brand-new step with this project. Wish me luck!

sweet treats

2011-12-28T19:00:00.030-05:00

Last year I participated in a cookie exchange and gave away adorable little boxes of the type of seasonal delights that one only bothers to make this time of year. This year I wasn't so much in the mood for cookie making and tried to think of an alternative. My husband, chef of the house, suggested chai tea mix. Since that is something I love to indulge my sweet tooth with during our cold winters, I thought this was a splendid idea!

He very efficiently got his part – making a zillion batches of the mix – done the very next weekend, which was still in November. So I have no one to blame but myself for completing this project at the very last minute!

To add a festive touch to the jars, I traced a circle of scrap fabric to place over the lids. I was going to glue it down but found holding a finger on top of the fabric while screwing the ring in place was all that was necessary. My favorite fabric was the fleece. It didn't wrinkle and puffed up nicely. A very cozy look. That would be my recommendation.

I also designed a tag on the computer (the graphic designer in me couldn't help myself). I used a star-shaped paper punch and a bit of ribbon. I discovered tying it to the ring instead of looping it around the jar was more secure and used less ribbon. Perfect!

We've been having fun giving them to friends and to the people who help make our lives run smoothly. I like to honor people who provide us with services – the cashier who greets us by name every Friday at the grocery store, our mail delivery lady, the young men who deliver our newspaper, the employees who pick up our garbage and recycling, our favorite librarians, and even our doctor and dentist.

first real snow of the season

2011-12-26T19:00:00.004-05:00

We had our first real snowfall mid-December but it didn't last long. Here's hoping we enjoyed a white Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

quick cushion update

2011-12-23T19:00:00.002-05:00

This fabric was originally purchased for curtains in my older daughter's room. I purposely bought extra so we could cover the cushions of her desk chair. All this was happening, oh, in the spring sometime. My mother-in-law made the curtains for me since I was about to have a baby and really wasn't going to get them done. And then I had said baby. And then the fabric sat in a closet.

Fast forward seven months and that baby needs a Christmas stocking. I want to use the fabric because it is a nice heavy home decorating weight. But it certainly doesn't seem fair to chop into the fabric intended for child one's room for child two. So, at least in my mind, the chair has to be done before the stocking gets started.

Here's a sampling of photos from this Saturday afternoon project. I am not making it a tutorial because I am not an expert and even consulted a YouTube video for some advice on the corners. It's not perfect but it is done. The original chair fabric is underneath. This new stuff is stapled on top. So it would be easy to undo or redo as the room gets changed.

The "before" shot. You will notice it is not made pretty for the blog. Just real kid clutter and kid tools and an excess of kleenex removed from the original box.

Staple gun and hammer to attach fabric to bottom cushion. You can see that my dear husband got involved in the craft action.

A pinned sleeve for the back cushion. I ran downstairs to my machine and sewed it and it fit perfectly. I was impressed with myself.

And the finished product.

As for the stocking? Well, you know, about that Christmas train wreck...

finishing touches

2011-12-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

Motivated by a couple of meals I was hosting, I had to finish my decorating and clear off the dining room table. As a general rule, your house tends to look more festive without half empty decoration bins all over the place.

In years past, I have displayed these sparkly curlicues and red berries in a vase. This year I was just going to toss them back in the closet when my eyes landed upon my fern. Why not? I jazzed it right up. Who says evergreens have all the fun at Christmastime?

I topped my table with this new-to-me antique glass dish and filled it with antique bulbs, limiting the colors to red and silver. I love the way the circles in the design of the glass and the ornaments echo each other. Perfect!

decorating with Christmas cards

2011-12-19T19:00:00.001-05:00

Dear readers, I have been dealing with what my husband has been referring to as my "Christmas train wreck." As in all those crazy tasks and crafts and such that I happily assumed would be easy to check off my list piling up into a wreck! I think I am going to have to do my Christmas cards in August next year or something. I definitely don't have it all under control this time around! Hence, the lack of attention to this blog. I've had some stuff cooking though so you can look forward to some posts this week.

I know decorating with greeting cards is a topic I have covered on this blog before but I can't help but show you what I artfully arranged this year. I think being a graphic designer and a fan of art in general makes me especially attuned to the cards I love. So I keep them from year to year for displaying and use in crafting.

This year, I have several themed areas in the living room. For example, I have a red snowman plate (so appropriate near my red couch!). He's friendly and cheerful so I arranged some equally fun snowman-themed cards near him.

I grouped these two bright, graphic cards near a family photo. (Here's a great tutorial from Maker Mama for making those paper balls if you are so inspired!)

What belongs with the book Mary: Images of the Holy Mother? Cards featuring depictions of Mary of course!

This year I tried my largest nativity set on my white shelves instead of on a table. I actually think it's a nice (safe!) spot for it. The pieces spread across several shelves. I filled in the edges with appropriate Christmas card art. Above, a gathering of stars and angels.

A shout out to CraftSanity!

2011-12-14T19:00:00.000-05:00

My sister got me the latest issue of CraftSanity Magazine for my birthday! Woo hoo! I could tell what it was so I did not wait until my official birthday to open it. Hope that's ok, sister!

I was so thrilled to finally have an issue in my itching hands. Of course I have a few other projects to tie up before I start anything fresh but man how inspiring it it to read interviews with crafty people and see pictures of gorgeous projects.

I am a super fan of Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood, the woman behind the CraftSanity empire (podcast, magazine, etsy shop, blog). I met her once upon an ArtPrize when I registered her to vote. She asked me if I did anything crafty and I kind of stumbled and mumbled something about "scrapbooking, sometimes."

It was a turning point in my artistic life. Why the heck wasn't I doing crafty things? I was certainly interested in them. From then on I have been on a quest to do the things I love to do. That sounds like a simple idea but I think a lot of us actually struggle to make that happen. "Too busy" is often the excuse. Well, if we are too busy to do the things we are passionate about then it is high time to examine what we are too busy doing!

There. There's my rant for the week. Check out CraftSanity for yourself. I think you'll become a super fan too!

love this poster

2011-12-05T19:00:00.001-05:00

Have any of my fellow Grand Rapidians seen this promotion lately? I love the colors, I love the illustrations, I love the layering, I love the playful typography. Woo hoo for good design. And for shopping local – my mom and I hit up the UICA Artist's Market, the shops at MoDiv, and a few more on Cherry Street on Saturday. We never made it to the mall and that was perfectly fine.

a seasonal mantel

2011-12-02T19:00:00.009-05:00

I was wandering my favorite blogs when I saw this entry on a beautiful and creative driftwood Christmas tree from Paint Cut Paste. I saw that cool old wood panel propped up on the mantel and was kind of jealous. "I want a distressed cupboard door" was a thought that actually crossed my mind! Then I remembered my stack of old paned windows. And then I was struck with a Christmas mantel vision!

First step: Prepping the window.
They were already painted white but some spots sported avacado of another decade and other spots were bare wood. I was mildly concerned that there might be some lead-based paint peeking out so I decided to paint the whole thing with a nice thick coat of white paint. I was kind of impatient to get the vision underway so I painted one side, flipped it over, balanced it on old flowerpots, and painted the other side and the edges.

Second step: Perfecting the window
Lucky for me, my husband peeled off the tape and scraped off any "oops" spots with a razor blade. I didn't ask him to do this, he just did. He's nice like that.

Third step: Hang the wreath
All I did was take a single piece of ribbon and staple gun it to the back of the window frame. I think a thicker ribbon might be nicer but I did not already have the classic Christmas red in that width.

Final step: Tah-dah!
I especially like how the pinecone swag matches the browns in the wreath details. Lovely!

PS I just updated my "favorites" section with all the craft blogs I am currently subscribed too. Take a peek. Maybe you'll find a new favorite of your own!

old wreath given new life

2011-11-30T19:00:00.000-05:00

This old autumn-themed grapevine wreath was easily upcycled into something fresh. I just stripped off the flowers and leaves (they were glued on) and snipped the wires holding on the corn. The vines offered easy places to tuck in evergreen branches and holly. I didn't even have to use wire or glue myself, which will make it all the easier to use this base again.

Let this be inspiration for an old wreath that might be hiding in your basement or garage!

I hung it outside on the garden gate. Now just picture a light coating of snow frosting it…

fresh and fancy

2011-11-28T19:00:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving is when I like to kick off my holiday decorating by clipping evergreen branches for a session of wreath-making. My Grandma Helen first started me on this tradition. That and a community ed class on wreath-making I took as a teenager. Yes, I was that kind of teenager – arranging dried flowers along with a bunch of ladies at least twice my age. Sometimes I have to laugh at myself.

Anyway, it has become my own personal tradition to make a Christmas wreath with fresh greens. I posted more of a step-by-step process last year for those who are interested. A nice wire base, green floral wire, layers of greens (Christmas tree leftovers put to good use!), and patience are all it takes.

I created 3 wreaths this year. A small one for a decorating vision I have for the mantel. A large one for the front door. And I upcycled a autumn-themed grapevine wreath for my garden gate.

The "before:" metal bases, old autumn grapevine wreath, floral wire, wire cutters, and a tool for trimming all the greenery.

My 3-year-old daughter joins me for some "arting" (as she calls it).

An in-progress photo taken by said daughter. Now she's my co-blogger!

The small wreath. I added fall treasures at the base to serve as the bow. There are dried alliums and bee balm, twisting seed pods, and dried fern babies. I am loving the texture. This wreath will be indoors so I know these more fragile elements will survive the season.

The large wreath for my front door. I used what was left of the Arborvitae branches (I love them for the contrast of shapes since they don't really have needles) with the holly to accent the bottom. There are spruce branches as the first layer and then some softer, longer-needled evergreens on top of that.

moss & magenta

2011-11-25T19:00:00.000-05:00

I am always thinking in terms of color combinations. On the walk home from my daughter's dance class I spied this gorgeous moss at the base of a neighbor's tree. My mind automatically paired it with the bright pink of a late-blooming rose in a nearby garden. Lovely together don't you think?

fabric scraps & homemade birthday cards

2011-11-23T19:00:00.000-05:00

Usually I craft my greeting cards with cut paper. This time I used fabric scraps. How lovely! I especially like the fact that the edges are fraying a bit. And that the fabric I used on the card is the very same fabric my dear friend and I have used for crafting and creating together. How very fitting.

Autumn pastels

2011-11-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

I think of creamy yellows and soft pinks as belonging in spring. But autumn offers surprises too!

all knotted up

2011-11-18T19:00:00.000-05:00

This blog tells no lies. I first bought fabric for this quilt in July 2010. So it has been over a year that this beast has been under construction. I am proud to report that it is fully knotted and I have moved on to my hand-quilting experiment. I was highly tempted to skip the hand-quilting but there is something so wonderfully appealing to having it cozy on my lap while I work with needle and thread. I plan to hand-quilt one block per row to add texture and mostly because I want to try it.

Or at least that is what I thought. Turns out my hand-sewing and hand-quilting skills are a bit lacking. So it started out very slooooowly. Then when I was searching for instructions on what to do with the end knot I found this great series of videos on YouTube. One of which shows a way to do the stitches which is not only faster but also more quality. Wow! Amazing what a little proper instruction will do! I must confess I am not following her instructions exactly considering I do not have a variety of quality thimbles (so fancy!) but I am indeed doing 3 to 5 stitches at a time and they are much smaller and tidier than my clumsy up and down produced. Once again this quilt has forced me to learn something new, which quite delights me.

Poufs!

2011-11-16T19:00:00.000-05:00

I saw this article in the Sunday newspaper recently. Plus, these cube ones popped up in a JoAnn's ad. I once saved these cushion making instructions from the blog Living with Punks. And a quick peek at pinterest shows a whole world of flexible seating options.

These appeal to me for several reasons. One, you can pick your own fabric. I never seem to like the colors and patterns that I can find in stores so making my own is often the best route to go. Two, these are super kid-friendly. They can be stacked and rolled and moved. Three, they're flexible. They can be tables, chairs, doll beds, or cat perches. I can just imagine these soft and friendly poufs floating about my house as needed. Perhaps a stack in my freshened sunroom?

Notice I said poufs with an "s." As in multiple. I always dream big don't I?

On the road

2011-11-14T19:00:00.000-05:00

The past few weekends have been full of family functions and travels and I just haven't been making time for art, hence the recent lack of posts. I am going to try to get back on track this week.

I love funky typography. Travel is always a good time to spy new signs of interest. Like this number 2.

Black, white, blue, green seemed to be the color theme. I do love these tennies.

easy Halloween decor

2011-10-31T19:00:00.000-04:00

I suppose this post might have been more timely on October 1 than it is on October 31 but I could think of no better way to celebrate the day than with a little Halloween festivity!

My mom sends us lovely laser-cut or layered paper greeting card creations for Halloween (among other holidays). I stash them away in the Halloween bin and pull them out every year. Display groups of cards on shelves, end tables, or your mantle for easy and instant Halloween flavor.

When your kiddos begin to acquire a collection of Halloween-themed toys and books, consider stashing those away too and pulling them out only once a year. Despite having only experienced 3 Halloweens, my daughter has quite a heap of these seasonal, and often noisy, toys. This year I piled them up in a simple wooden tray and left it out on an end table. All visiting children have found them and enjoyed them easily. And tossing them right back in the tray makes for quick clean up. I've also stacked our Halloween-themed picture books on the coffee table.

Do you have cute bags for collecting candy? Loop them over a doorknob for a quick and easy decoration.

And lastly, I will share a slightly craftier idea. As a graphic designer, I get catalogs of stock images in the mail. I saved a Halloween-themed catalog that featured illustrations. Using the creatures I found in there, some thrifted black frames, and some extra photo frames I already had, I put together some Halloween portraits that are easy to add around the house or mingle amidst the usual family pics.

Stash away these ideas along with any Halloween-themed objects you or your little ones might acquire, and enjoy some quick decorating come next October!

creative color combinations

2011-10-28T19:00:00.000-04:00

At a neighborhood park there are some picnic tables that were painted by children once upon a time. The paint has since begun to fade and to peel so the abstract art left behind can be admired for the creative color combinations alone. Take one of these images and be inspired to make a quilt or decorate a room or get crafty in some other way.

Dear IKEA

2011-10-26T19:00:00.001-04:00

Dear IKEA,

Can you please offer this super comfy overstuffed chair perfect for cozying up in for long sessions of reading, journaling, or just watching the backyard wildlife –

– in this fabulous, cheerful, awesome pink?

My sunroom thanks you.

An IKEA fan,
Amanda

PS Dear blog readers do you think it is possible for modern square loveseat and comfy overstuffed chair to coexist in the same room? Or is that just strange?

a fall walk

2011-10-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

Fresh air for my girls and me. Peace and quiet back home for Dad. Playground time for the 3-year-old. Photography time for myself. A good use of a sunny Sunday.

I spy inspiration

2011-10-21T19:00:00.000-04:00

One of the best things about the nights coming earlier is the ability to spy on your neighbor's home decorating choices while out for an evening stroll. I love sneak peeks at wall colors and covers, paintings and prints, furniture, and other bits of personality spied through windows unobstructed by curtains.

This is the very same reason why I loved feasting my eyes upon Details: A Stylist's Secrets to Creating Inspired Interiors by Lili Diallo. I had thought that the book was going to be on interior design but it's actually about styling your home, which is apparently an entirely separate thing. The author is a stylist and has worked for magazines like Real Simple . So her specialty is arranging objects and furniture and accessories just so. The book takes you into the homes of people she knows, who all seem to be interesting, and sometimes very odd, artist types living in New York City. So it's a different kind of home decoration spying than I usually see on my neighborhood jaunts! I actually appreciated seeing the apartments of these city dwellers though – there is something to be said for making the most of small spaces. Plus, most of the homes are a happy mish-mash of furniture and odds and ends and new things and old things collected over time. While the spaces are well done and beautiful (or strange) none of them seemed totally out of reach. A lot of people in this book bought shelves at IKEA!

Despite the vast array of homes and styles, many of which have little to do with my own style, there is a lot of visual inspiration packed into this book. I especially love her chit-chatty commentary. When she is name dropping furniture designers I don't know what the heck she is talking about but she still comes across as very friendly and accessible. So I read the entire book cover to cover anyway. I love the way she goes into a home and opens the cupboards and closets and makes beautiful arrangements and displays with things that people already own. Or, if the home doesn't really need her touch, she admits that and showcases what the owners have already done. Overall, it is a beautiful book to explore.

autumn leaf suncatchers

2011-10-19T19:00:00.000-04:00

A special shout out to Turtle Magazine for this craft idea!

One day last week my 3-year-old daughter ran out the door to greet me while I was still getting out of the car with this magazine in hand, very excited to show me a craft we could do together. The instructions are illustrated so non-readers can understand it so she was busy shouting out all the things we need to use ending with "and of course those scissors."

"And of course" is one of her favorite phrases these days.

The instructions call for pressing fall leaves and crayon shavings between waxed paper, placing the creation in a frame, and hanging it on a window. They used craft foam for the frame. I took a couple of pieces of cardboard (again, validation for squirreling this stuff away!) and cut out the inside leaving a rectangular frame. Then I used the inside and cut out of that. I repeated this twice more so we ended up with a total of four frames of descending sizes.

I decided to skip the crayon shavings and opted for a more natural look with just the leaves. I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful they do look with the sun shining through them.

While my older daughter (age 3) did enjoy collecting the leaves and arranging them, this was a craft that included a lot of steps only for adults. I got the frames cut out while she was napping but didn't quite get the wax paper pieces cut out. It would have been better to get that done ahead of time.

Dad stepped in offering "craft back up" when baby daughter started crying.

So much prettier than I expected!

beauty in decay

2011-10-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

This summer I posted some photos of my lush red hibiscus at the height of summer. Just recently my daughter presented me with a fallen bloom she found along the garden path. I loved it! The outer petals had fallen away to reveal the inner structure of the plant (apologies to all the biology teachers who taught me terms like "stamen" and "pistol" and such). And the color, oh how lovely and rich! The dark purple seems so appropriate for these autumn days where the night lasts longer and longer.

"color and pattern expert"

2011-10-14T19:00:00.000-04:00

In the October 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens they featured Khristian A. Howell in article about using and wearing color. They called her a "color and pattern expert." How's that for a job title?

Of course, I had to go check out her website. I've found a kindred creative spirit! She designs patterns that get used on fabric, journals, stationery, and other products. She sells her own photography and paintings and prints. She does graphic design. She writes books.

And she felt no need to narrow it down to one single focus. Her brand is herself and she shares, and sells, what it is she creates. Very intriguing to me.

Plus, I am totally in love with this Moroccan Mirage fabric. For the sunroom maybe?

magic wands

2011-10-12T19:00:00.000-04:00

What can curving, knobby sticks collected on a recent park adventure become? Magic wands of course!

We painted the sticks, let them dry, and tied on ribbons and streamers of any length requested. At last my pack rat ways with bits of ribbon have been validated!

Tah-dah!

one last ArtPrize favorite

2011-10-10T19:00:00.001-04:00

Sometimes in ArtPrize things are big just to be big. Other times, things are big and it's actually pretty cool.

Thank you, Chris Weed – for art that is big in a way that works and for art my daughter is allowed to touch and explore.

fabulous book on creativity

2011-10-07T19:00:00.000-04:00

I am reading Creative Is a Verb: If You're Alive, You're Creative by Patti Digh. It was mentioned on one of my favorite blogs, The Artful Parent, and I requested that my local library buy it and here we are now.

It doesn't teach a specific skill as much as it digs into what is holding you back and how you (yes, you, everyone) can be your most free and creative self.

My favorite passage so far:

My "ordinary" is unique to me. But because it is just how I see the world, I discount it, minimize it, believing there must be another, faster, better, more clever, quick, and funny way to see the world. We compare ourselves with others and in that single action, we are lost to our own creative spark, the one that exists outside the world of measurements against others.

There are also periodic "creative challenges." Like homework! The nerdy student in me loves it. My three-year-old was in the mood to "do some arting" so we got out the recommended index cards and some collage supplies. It was fun for both of us!

If you need a creative reboot or a nudge to discover that you are indeed creative, I would recommend checking this book out.

Thoughts on the sunroom makeover

2011-10-05T19:00:00.001-04:00

I am still building my inspiration board for the sunroom. I have found several inspiring rooms in decorating magazines.

Of course, all my inspirations are large and the sunroom most certainly is not. So where I admire a room with 5 interesting side tables and collections of interesting lamps, I might only have one of each!

I need to decide between one small couch or a pair of overstuffed comfy chairs. I need to decide between neutral furniture (tan) or funky furniture (pink couch anyone?!). I am imagining the tan might be easier to find and reuse long into the future.

I really itching to start the room, perhaps by find the perfect rug or a fabulous funky floral fabric to make some curtains from... I think this is a project that will come together slowly as I find the right pieces. I haven't been searching diligently quite yet.

I'm dreaming of a pink birdbath...

2011-10-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

...just like the ones I've never seen...

The late-summer colors in my garden seem to belong to a pinky-purple color family I quite enjoy. It got me thinking that it would be great to have a glazed ceramic birdbath in that color. Of course, I don't know if such a thing even exists. I have only seen blue, green, and red.

The morning glories seem to fade from their blue-purple shade to a pink-purple shade. And the rain seems to have made them kind of mottled.

The phlox is still blooming and still smelling lovely. How wonderful to have a long-lasting flower well into September.

This is a baby foxglove. I am not sure why it has rebloomed in late September.

This is a toad lily, one of my new plants. I was quite surprised to see it blooming. I sincerely hope it doesn't think that spring has arrived!

another ArtPrize favorite

2011-09-30T19:00:00.000-04:00

Last week Wednesday, the first day of ArtPrize, the whole family ventured downtown. This was my favorite piece from that excursion. These long tubes were suspended in a narrow gallery space that kind of reminds you of a hallway. Each of them had a living plant within them. I love it when a piece of art seems unlike anything you have ever seen or experienced before. Very cool.

It's called Nature Preserve by artist Michele Brody and you can see it at the UICA.

ArtPrize at the Meijer Gardens

2011-09-28T19:00:00.000-04:00

Grand Rapids is right in the middle of ArtPrize, a crazy, enormous, city-swallowing, circus of an art contest that takes over this town. There's so much to see that you have to admit defeat before you even start. It is pretty close to impossible to see it all – especially if you are employed and parenting children who happen need to sleep on a regular basis!

Last Tuesday (the day before the official beginning of ArtPrize) we popped over to the Meijer Gardens to check out their ArtPrize sculpture. I have to say I liked, or at least appreciated, all but a few pieces. Kudos to curators. I always figure if they've made a career out of studying and understanding and discovering art then the pieces they pick are worth considering.

Photos weren't allowed inside (boo!) but I will link to a few favorite pieces of mine. The Gardens put images on their site, which is quit helpful considering the ArtPrize site is down while I am trying to write this post!

Sleepwalking Around the Peach Garden by Jae Won Lee
This is the one they featured on the cover of the program. The paper shapes were constructed a lot like these ornamental balls I made last fall. It was the masses of them, the presence of so many, gathered together and suspended from the ceiling by colored thread that made it especially magical.

Space In Between – Saguaro by Margarita Cabrera
This cactus was made of border patrol officer's uniforms. The artist does pieces that react to the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. I liked it partly because I am interested in creating my own dimensional, stuffed objects. But I especially liked that the medium, the material used to make it, made sense. It was part of the meaning of the piece. I have been ranting and raving about this lately in light of ArtPrize because sometimes people get impressed by things made of other things (like last year's giant penny made out of pennies) because it clearly took so long to make. But sometimes, it makes the piece more of a gimmick than anything else.

Untitled (Persian Rug) by Mary Brogger
This "rug" is made out of pieces of cut metal. So intricate! I am really curious about the process behind making it. Also, there were special light bulbs lighting it from different angles to create different colored shadows beneath. I love the attention to detail.

Buttress by DeWitt Godfrey
This piece was outside. It's giant and industrial and yet ever so playful as it tumbles down the hill. I really liked it.

Castled Void by Stephen Knapp
This piece would take some careful choreographing. Different colored lights bounce off mirrors and mix with each other to "paint" the wall. Really cool to see.

Little Black Dress by Suzanne Cohan-Lange, Sherry Antonini, Nikki Nolin
I wish I had been able to spend more time studying this piece. I think there is more to it than I had time to absorb since the kiddos were heading toward bedtime. When my 3-year-old saw the miniature black dressforms in the middle of the room she said "Oh look! Silhouettes." Now, considering they were three dimensional, she wasn't exactly right but she still had the right idea. Where would she have learned the word "silhouette?!"

all pinned up

2011-09-26T19:00:00.000-04:00

The stars have miraculously aligned in my household on more than one occassion recently. By this, I mean that both daughters have been asleep at the same time in the middle of the day. The result is that I have gotten back to working on the quilt for my daughter. Now that the nights are cooling off, I am especially feeling like I need to get it done.

I had originally envisioned, and attempted to plan for, creating a quilt back that was larger than the top and could then be folded up on top and used as binding. Study this photo closely. Do you see a nice fat border of extra backing? No, you do not. I am not even going to bother rechecking my measurements and math at this point.

So the result is that I am going to need to sew and attach real binding. Just one more thing to learn on this adventure! Fortunately, I have helpful books from the library and the expertise of fellow crafters and quilters so thoughtfully shared on YouTube (husband looks up plumbing repairs and I look up quilting!). As always, this is taking longer and turning out to be more complicated than I anticipated. I am quite amused at all the things I am learning by doing on this project!

candleholders as pedestals

2011-09-19T19:00:00.000-04:00

At my house I don't really use or display the long taper style candles. I have a pair of candlestick holders in my milk glass collection. And I recently found a clear one in my basement that I mistook for a slender rectangular vase. Both have recently found new life as display pedestals.

On my mantel I have used the tall holder as is but perched a little bird's nest on top.

On my white shelves, I flipped the milk glass versions upside down and used them to display bird nests as well. I have to give my 3-year-old credit for the idea since she was the one who originally turned them upside down.

I am imagining other objects could be elevated in a similar fashion. It is an interesting decorating thought.

amazing acorns!

2011-09-16T19:00:00.002-04:00

Remember last fall when I was so thrilled to discover the acorns in my front yard sporting pinstripes? Well, this autumn I am enthused at how many different types of acorns there are! I think somewhere buried in my brain I could remember learning that there were different kinds of oak trees. So it should not be so surprising to me to discover different style acorns.

On a recent afternoon when I needed a better mood and the baby needed a nap, I went on a long walk to a nearby park. I had in mind that I had found some exceptionally large acorns there before so I thought I would look for a few to add to my collection. As I walked through my neighborhood and onto my park I kept noticing all kinds of acorns. "Ooh – fuzzy tops!" And I would carefully lower down, gather a bunch, and stuff my pockets. People driving by must have wondered what on earth I was doing. The enthusiasm I have for acorns is probably only shared by our squirrel friends!

I can see clearly now

2011-09-14T19:00:00.000-04:00

My last decorating scheme on the mantel was my milk glass collection. I appreciate the solid graphic nature of the white shapes but I was ready for something fresh.

Displaying multiples of anything tends to be visually interesting. I realized I had an accidental collection of clear glass vases in a variety of sizes, shapes, and heights and decided to go with that. My original thought was to simply layer them alone but I quickly changed my mind choosing instead to add autumn-appropriate elements from nature.

Brown has never been my first choice when it comes to colors but I think there is something pleasant about the connection to outdoors it has. I've used seed pods, acorns, driftwood, feathers, and dried flowers from the garden including the dramatic alliums. I think the dried blooms look a bit like fireworks. I will confess to nabbing a couple of extra pieces from my mom's basement to round out the collection. I have been rearranging and adding bits for a few days now but I think, with perhaps the exception of our growing acorn collection, I am done for now.

surprising succulents!

2011-09-12T19:00:00.000-04:00

Is it just me? Or has anyone else noticed that succulents are popping up everywhere? I posted about this great birdbath planted with them earlier this summer. My sister-in-law sent me a link to some instructions on making a so-called "living frame" and then my mom pointed out that very same idea in a recent Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. They've even posted the how-to instructions on their website. I think this may just fulfill my need for "new" while I maintain all my existing gardens. And of course, I couldn't help but notice and admire some impressive containers at a recent visit to the Meijer Gardens. The shapes and textures are amazing plus I hear they're a hardy bunch of plants. Bonus! Beautiful and hard to kill. They're in!

From the Better Homes And Gardens August 2011 issue

From the Better Homes and Gardens September 2011 issue
Buy these pre-made planters from artmatters.com

Succulent planters at the Meijer Gardens

Now I have to keep my eyes peeled for just the right frame next time I am out treasure hunting (thrifting!). I am going to have to think about what color I migth want to paint the frames as well. Something bright that pops? A shade of green or purple to complement the plants within? Natural and weathered? Metallic? Oh the options!

windowsill wonders

2011-09-09T19:00:00.000-04:00

I took some time cleaning and rearranging my windowsill treasures this past weekend. A lovely treat for my eyes.

Lately, we've been finding these spiky seedballs on our walks. They are lime green when fresh and are falling off of trees. I need to do some research to figure out what kind of trees they are from.

Seashells from past ocean adventures.

Fossils displayed in water to show off their interesting colors and textures.

star bright

2011-09-07T19:00:00.000-04:00

Remember my great excitement when I bought this quilt at an antique store? Well, here we are over year later and I finally got it up on the wall. My mother-in-law did the sewing and my husband did the hanging. And now I get to start my day smiling at the cheerful bright colors.

A movie about type?

2011-09-05T19:00:00.000-04:00

Yes, a movie about type!

I admit, you really have to be a design nerd to take this one off the shelf. I think it might have appeal to the curious types though!

I first read about Typeface on the Design Envy blog and then checked it out from the library. It's an hour-long documentary that originally aired on PBS. The film chronicles the history and the current state of the Hamilton Wood Type Museum in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

The Hamilton Wood Type company was producing individual letters carved out of wood up until 1985 (which was when, not coincidentally, the Mac computer came on the scene). Posters and other print pieces used to be made of individual letters carefully "set" into place and then printed. The museum is this grand collection of old machinery and heaps and heaps of old wooden type. A designer's playground!

The film shows everyone from the hip Chicago designers who have a passion for old type and printing using the letterpress, the town's historical society who are struggling to make ends meet, and the older residents who are some of the few people who know how to carve type in the way it used to be done.

I would love to visit someday when they have workshops. When the design profession has gone so far into the world of computers, there is a real appeal to doing things by hand once again.

Please take a peek at their website to see the beauty of these letterforms.

before & after & beautiful

2011-09-02T19:00:00.003-04:00

Before: an unplanned hodgepodge and a lot of weeds. Also known as "the desolation."

After: a mulch desert with plant islands! I have to remember everything will double or triple in size!

Coral bells "Marmalade." Aren't the colors awesome?

Hakone grass: A beautiful lime green ornamental grass that prefers shade!

Coral bells again: "Palace purple."

Autumn fern: The new growth comes in orange. I thought that was so interesting.

And what shade garden is complete without hostas? Giant hostas are actually the centerpieces in the two side pockets and a variety of them create repetition throughout the garden.

dirty work

2011-08-31T19:00:00.001-04:00

Thanks to the support (um, hard labor) of my husband the backyard garden project has taken off. He gets full credit for digging out the cement block border, reinstalling said border as a back edge, ripping up sod, inserting the edging, buying and hauling the dirt (I did manage to help with the this), and using the scary looking rototiller.

I removed, relocated, and replanted existing plants. I also used scrap stones from last summer's backyard project to make a path back to the rain barrel. And I very gleefully purchased new plants and arranged them in the new garden. I remember looking over my work and saying "it's just like graphic design!" as I considered how to place different textures, leaf shapes, and plant colors.

The back edge is raised, allowing the garden to slope forward

Crafting my stone path through the mud and muck

All my new plant babies!

quilt reading

2011-08-29T19:00:00.001-04:00

Over vacation, I took along a few nonfiction books on quilting. My favorite by far was the slender and inspiring book The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker by Elizabeth Hartman. As you can see, the cover art is gorgeous as are the twelve quilt projects she has compiled within.

The book starts out with a concise how-to section. For overly excited and ambitious crafters like me, it is definitely the perfect amount of information. There is just enough detail to give you the confidence that yes, you too can quilt. I was particularly inspired by the fact that she is self-taught. That seems to be the route I am going with all things sewing and quilting!

As for the patterns, I loved them all and want to make them all. The instructions very helpfully explain exactly how to cut the fabric so you efficiently end up with all the little pieces you need. The designs utilize patches, which my beginner quilt project did not. I can see a lot of possibility in working on a patchwork project patch by patch. I also enjoyed the fact that each pattern was showcased in 3 different fabric combinations.

Hartman writes in a friendly and encouraging tone:

As you work, keep in mind that every step of this process is achievable. You may need to take out some stitching and redo it. You may end up with some wrinkles or unexpected wonkiness. You're very unlikely to end up with a quilt that you can't use.

And with that encouragement, my friends, I resolve to finish my daughter's quilt (yes, it will be functional!) before winter and perhaps even embark on a brand new quilt project!

PS In the interest of full disclosure, I want to let you know that this post represents my first experiment with the Amazon Associates program. Basically if you, dear reader, happen to click my link to Amazon and then happen to buy the item I would earn some money. I hardly expect to get rich off this blog but I thought it would be worth a try!

black and sand

2011-08-19T19:00:00.000-04:00

As a child, I always found these streaks of dark sand quite mysterious. I still think it is beautiful to happen upon. Perhaps someone of more geological knowledge could pinpoint the different type of rock the two shades of sand are derived from?

my favorite place

2011-08-17T19:00:00.000-04:00

Lake Michigan!

A long walk along the shore: gentle waves on one side and cool, deeply shaded forest on the other. Such a feeling of calm and of home fills me.

paper craft greeting cards

2011-08-15T19:00:00.000-04:00

This month I needed to send a birthday card and two anniversary cards. I used the blank cards that I swear by as one of my best craft purchases (they're colored paper on the outside and blank on the inside), some paper punches, and old greeting cards and scrapbook paper I whipped out these beautiful creations. Much cheaper than purchasing cards and, at least for me, more creatively satisfying!

morning sun and new blooms

2011-08-12T19:00:00.001-04:00

One of the pleasures of getting up early in the morning is seeing the sun shine on your garden as it is rising for the day. I can't claim to have actually seen the sunrise itself, but I did enjoy the glow upon my hibiscus plant. I can't help but love the oversized blooms in a bold and brilliant red.

farmers' market treasure: sunflower

2011-08-10T19:00:00.000-04:00

My sweet husband bought me a stunning bouquet of flowers at the farmers' market. The bunch that caught my eye featured a huge sunflower. So amazingly beautiful! Summer is overflowing with visual inspiration.

design inspiration in a pea pod

2011-08-08T19:00:00.001-04:00

Call me a city slicker, but until my green thumb mother-in-law recently gifted us with some fresh peas I don't think I had ever opened up a pea pod and paid attention to what was inside. I am most impressed with the way the peas grow from each side of the pod, carefully spaced apart in such a way that each individual pea has a spot. The way the two halves fit together is genius. What a fabulous design!

a flowering field

2011-08-05T19:00:00.000-04:00

This field of flowers grows in Allegan County, Michigan, not far from a recent blueberry picking adventure. I had my husband pull over so I could stop and take some photos.

Isn't it lovely?

a roadside beauty

2011-08-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

We were driving through the county admiring the wildflowers growing alongside the road. My three-year-old daughter especially loved the Queen Anne's Lace. "When I am bigger, mom, I will go by the side of the road and pick you some white flowers."

We seized the day and picked them later that evening. Of course I couldn't help but play with the camera. Who says this lovely plant is a weed?

garden dreams and schemes

2011-08-01T19:00:00.001-04:00

Lately I have been making plans to expand and improve my backyard garden. A variety of experiments combined with my denial of the shadiness of the site has resulted in an odd mishmash of plants.

I have been doing my plant research (love the library!) and even drew up an accurate plan on graph paper. If you're feeling inspired to do some reading yourself you might consult these books that I found helpful:

The Perennial Gardener's Design Primer: The Essential Guide to Creating Simply Sensational Gardens

Stephanie Cohen & Nancy J. Ondra

Perennials for Midwestern Gardens: Proven Plants for the Heartland

Anthony W. Kahtz

Best Garden Plants for Michigan

Tim Wood & Alison Beck

Perennials for Every Purpose

Larry Hodgson

The white outline shows the new border. I have to hold off on getting started because the current plants, several of which I will be gifting to others, are still in bloom or have yet to bloom. It may be that the most I will get done in August and September is preparing the site for next spring. I am planning on building up the dirt in the back and sloping it forward. We are also going to replace the raised cement edge with simple edging. The plants that I intend to keep can be put into place as well.

I will keep you updated on this new project!

how does your garden grow?

2011-07-29T19:00:00.001-04:00

My grows with towering 8-foot weeds!

"Look, they're all growing in a little group here. Doesn't it look they're supposed to be there? Let's just let them go a while. Maybe they'll have some kind of flower… like a wildflower."

story stones – part 2

2011-07-27T19:00:00.007-04:00

I told you I was going to get back to these. And I still want to do some more! The idea originally comes from Emily Neuburger of Red Bird Crafts.

This go round the baby was content in her chair so I could make some of my own. I was trying to think about what kind of things would help my older daughter use the rocks to tell stories. I did a few of the weather. One of the beach, mostly because I wanted to use the frayed end of the blue fabric as water. Together we did a bird and a flower using a button. I did one of my daughter and grandma made another to represent her favorite blanket.

sweet embroidery!

2011-07-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

The AIGA has launched a new blog, Design Envy. One of the very first posts featured these beautiful new book covers that are done in embroidery. How awesome is that?!

Jillian Tamaki, the artist who did the covers also made this crazy monster quilt. If you needed proof that embroidery can be awesome and stylish and strange and anything but grandmotherly, well, here you go.

I love the way in which various mediums and artforms intersect. Here is an illustrator trying her hand with needle and thread which leads to the production of a book cover, which is a combination of embroidery, illustration, graphic design, and typography.

I am not there yet, but this is a craft I fully intend to experiment with someday.

treasures from nature

2011-07-22T19:00:00.000-04:00

a polka dot feather

an acorn becoming a tree, frozen in time

a smiling stone

you blogged it: paint party

2011-07-20T19:00:00.001-04:00

Painting with kids in a large-scale fashion is something I've done (inspired by The Artful Parent, one of my favorite blogs). However, the mom bloggers over at Couturier Mommy take it to a new level with their annual paint parties.

We were inspired to do a little outdoor painting ourselves. The oversize cardboard canvases came from the purchases of furniture and a television. Never let a good box go to waste!

Two halves of a box propped up together became an easel. Then it became a house to be painted inside and out. Then artist children ended up with paint in their hair!

you blogged it: story stones

2011-07-18T19:00:00.000-04:00

We recently enjoyed an extended visit from the cousins. I assisted my mom-in-law with finding some great craft inspirations for keeping the kiddos (minus the two babies) busy.

Now I get to share our "you blogged it, we did it" stories!

One activity we did was story stones. I first found the idea on one of my favorite craft sites, WhipUp. Full credit goes to Red Bird Crafts as seen on both Etsy and in the blog world.

We hand selected the best rocks from a heap at the nearest landscaping supply place. We filled up a bucket for a mere $2! The stones aren't polished or anything but they were a good size for this craft.

Ours ended up being a bit more influenced by the characters and illustrations already adorning the fabric, but that's ok. Only the adults were wielding the fabric scissors so it worked out better this way. The kids were more than happy to select the perfect rock and spread the Mod Podge out. The googly eyes were a fabulous and funny touch.

I hope to revisit this craft soon for myself and use more abstract fabrics to create shapes that could be used in storytelling. In fact, I was reminded of one of the final pages of the super-cute children's book Penguin. Everything Penguin "says" is drawn as little pictures. It's a lovely picture book that has become a favorite at our house. May it inspire your own story stone adventures!

My husband made this cute one!

fresh homemade garden art

2011-07-15T19:00:00.016-04:00

And now the great reveal! Here are my mini stepping stones on display in the garden. Ooh la la!

And my favorites:

This one is my favorite. I used seashells, coral, and other beach finds that I have saved from past trips to the ocean. At last I am validated for saving boxes of bits in the basement!

This one features buttons, beads, and a vintage clip-on earring courtesy of my great-grandmother.

This is one that my toddler daughter made. I love how free form it is!

PS I should note that the garden itself is a work in progress. Unfortunately, the part that shows up in this photo is the section that I pretty much stripped out last summer and haven't added anything new to yet!

small scale stepping stones

2011-07-13T19:00:00.003-04:00

Craft inspiration! My husband, who has been busy cleaning the garage out, let me know he had some concrete leftover from last year's patio and pergola project. I considered doing garden stepping stones but wondered where I would put them. All my secret garden paths were done in the same stone as the patio. And there's only so many you can artfully arrange amongst plants.

So my first thought was that I would make smaller stones. We'd be making our own molds from whatever we could find around the house. I tend to save things like plastic food containers for my daughter to use for mixing paints. So I raided my container bin for a lot of different sized circles: think cottage cheese, large yogurt, potato salad, ground coffee, raisins. We found plastic worked great. Cardboard only worked out if it was waxy or lined with foil. The oatmeal container was not a winner as the cardboard soaked up all the moisture. For taller containers, we sawed off just the bottom part.

We were in the midst of preparing the molds and gathering the decorations when I had another idea. Could these be hung on the fence in our garden? My brilliant scientist husband, who perhaps is also a bit crafty, created these wire and nail holders that he put through the middle of each mold. Then the hanging wire would be firmly embedded inside the cement! Woo hoo!

For decorations we sorted buttons, beads, broken jewelry, seashells, coral, marbles, tiles, and rocks into containers by color. I had also saved any of our dishes that had gotten broken. We use Fiestaware so the colors are great. My husband and daughter used a hammer and a thick plastic bag to break them into smaller mosaic-worthy pieces.

The best directions I found online, including specifics on mixing concrete, were these. Most sites recommended letting the cement sit for 30 minutes before decorating. I think that's a bit long. Some of the last ones we were working on needed to be dampened with a mist of water to keep them useful. Also, we took the precaution of covering all of them with a towel for the first day or so to prevent the surface cement from drying out faster than the middle and bottom. We were expecting them to be hard enough to cut off the molds after a few days but the first one crumbled as it was not dry yet. We ended up waiting 5 days before taking them out.

The fun part, of course, was the decorating. My 3-year-old really got into it. I think making these could be a great family activity to do with kids (and grown ups!) of all ages.

make room for treasures

2011-07-11T19:00:00.001-04:00

A final post inspired by the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood Garden Tour.

Along the wall between the house and the cement, is a special place set aside for treasures. It is filled in with pebbles and then finds get nestled in. Special bits of nature are also arranged on the exterior windowsill. As one who can't get enough of the beauty to be found in seashells, rocks, fossils, seed pods, and such this simple idea was so pleasing to me.

beautiful repurposed birdbath

2011-07-08T19:00:00.001-04:00

Still gushing about inspiration from the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood Garden Tour today!

This simple cement birdbath was repurposed as a gorgeous planter! I especially love the use of the dark pebbles around the succulents and cactus. It reminds me a bit of water, which is fitting. I want to add more sculptural elements to my own gardens and this one was very inspiring to me. I especially like that it serves double duty by adding further varieties of plant life to this garden.

mirror mirror on the garden wall

2011-07-06T19:00:00.000-04:00

Once upon a sunny Saturday the family and I adventured out on the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood Garden Tour. I am not sure my 3-year-old daughter quite understood why we were looking at other people's gardens but there was a playground session at the end so she was happy.

The neighborhood was built in the 1920s. The homes are lovely and full of the kind of character only found in older homes. The yards are on the smaller side and I adore seeing how owners transform them with multiple beds, winding paths, unique treasures, and magical nooks awaiting discovery. Between tending children and consulting the map, I only ended up taking photos of one garden that had several things that inspired me. I will be featuring the ideas I took away in this post and the next few.

One thing that I loved about this garden was the use of decorative mirrors. I like the idea of decorating the walls in your outdoor rooms just as you would in your indoor rooms. Plus, when placed thoughtfully, they reflect back a beautiful view.

This one was hidden in a remote corner that would have otherwise remained shadowy and unadorned.

I'm going to be keeping my eye out now for interesting mirrors when I am out on a thrifting or antiquing adventure!

homemade hula hoops (thanks fellow bloggers!)

2011-07-04T19:00:00.003-04:00

Once upon a summer day I was reading a blog with a list of kid activities. One was for making your own hula hoops! One click and I am reading all about it and even watching a video tutorial. My husband and older daughter happen to walk by.

Next thing you know they're out the door to the hardware store and within an hour we've put to use extra underground sprinkling hose we already had and crafted up some new summer playthings.

Woo-hoo for the world of crafty bloggers!

I can't seem to find the video I originally watched (of course!) but I did find this one by Jennifer of CraftSanity fame. To soften the ends of the tube she used a hair dryer. The video tutorial I watched suggested dipping them in hot water, which is what we did.

raindrops keep falling on my head

2011-07-01T19:00:00.000-04:00

We had a series of rainy days a few weeks ago. When I stepped outside to put out the recycling I noticed the silvery beads of water on the lily leaves. I fetched the camera and wandered the yard taking shots – a creative breather. I think the baby must have been miraculously sleeping in her chair instead of on me! I almost think it looks like I staged the drops but I promise I did not!

thoughts on creating

2011-06-29T19:00:00.000-04:00

I just finished reading Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way by Shauna Niequist. I actually think I saw her book mentioned on another blog… another great thing I find on blogs is reading suggestions!

Anyway, one of the essays was on creating and why we need to create. I was particularly struck by this passage:

The world doesn't need another band, per se. It doesn't, strictly speaking, need another book or another photograph or another album. The general world population will survive without one more stage production and one more gallery showing.

This is the thing, though: you might not. We create because we were made to create, having been made in the image of God, whose first role was Creator. He was and is a million different things, but in the beginning, he was a creator. That means something for us, I think. We were made to be the things that he is: forgiven, redeemers, second chance-givers, truth-tellers, hope-bringers. And we were certainly, absolutely, made to be creators.

If you were made to create, you won't feel whole and healthy and alive until you do.

This resonated with me for several reasons. One, I loved the connection to God it presents. I like thinking about, wondering about, the fact we were made in his image and therefore our need to create is a connection to what is holy. Two, what a beautiful thing to recognize God as an artist and as a creative being. Some of my favorite Psalms give tribute to all he has created. And lastly, I get it. This passage puts into words the why behind my need to pursue my own personal creative endeavors and not just use my creative skills as a way to earn a living.

painting outdoors

2011-06-27T19:00:00.001-04:00

The poster I recently framed was wrapped in a deliciously large piece of brown kraft paper. Right away I knew this would make a fabulous canvas for my 3-year-old daughter.

I clipped it to our fence with clothespins and let her have free reign using her brushes, her hands, and even her feet. I love watching her go for it with complete freedom. She doesn't feel constrained by the idea of making her art look like anything. Instead, she just enjoys the process. Us adults could stand a bit more freedom in our creative doings!

vine o mine – the update

2011-06-24T19:00:00.000-04:00

Here's what we bought:

The yellow one supposedly grows to 20 feet. All the red ones had significantly less height. This particular one said 8 to 12 feet. That's enough to go up the pergola wall but not up over the roof. I guess we'll be counting on the yellow to take over.

The yellow in bloom. I love the firework explosion of the flower!

Here's what the pergola is looking like these days. The nearby garden is filling out and we've added a picnic table, a gliding bench, and some other furniture. We've gotten quite a bit of use out of it already this summer!

hang it up!

2011-06-22T19:00:00.000-04:00

My Festival of the Arts poster is freshly framed and hung. I absolutely adore the work of Alynn Guerra so I was quite pleased when I found out she was creating this year's poster.

And hanging my animal collection for the nursery is finished thanks to the dear husband. The smaller pictures are actually greeting cards. The larger one was made my great-grandmother for the nursery of myself or one of my sisters (20+ years ago!). It's crewel work, which, as I understand it, is a type of embroidery that uses wool yarn. There are a lot of different textures created with the different stitches and techniques. Interestingly enough, my little baby stares at it quite contentedly while I change her diaper!

a lovely shade of carrot

2011-06-20T20:25:00.000-04:00

I was peeling carrots the other day and couldn't help but notice how fabulous the fresh orange color was against the turquoise of my cutting board.

Quilt gifts!

2011-06-15T19:13:00.001-04:00

Some of my favorite gifts received in this new-baby season have been quilts.

The first is a family-sized quilt perfect for snuggling under and watching movies. It just so happened to match my basement TV room which is already black, white, gray, and red. I also love the fact that it incorporates scrap fabrics. In fact, I had been thinking I should create a quilt for that room myself. Check that one off the list!

The woman who made it for us is very casual in her approach. I once heard her say she works on a quilt until she runs out of fabric. The exact size is not so important to her and I don't necessarily think she follows patterns. I like that attitude! No pressure for perfection, just a very functional piece of art in the end.

The other one that I am going to share is inspired by Eric Carle (check out his blog!), one of my favorite children's book illustrators. There's a line of fabric created using his distinct illustrations. This play quilt was custom created for my little one by KTjDesigns. She does beautiful, colorful quilts and other lovely baby goodies.

Martha, I love your poppies!

2011-06-13T19:42:00.000-04:00

As some of you may remember, I have a bit of an obsession with poppies and poppy-themed art. I just like them. I suppose the sassy bright red-orange is part of the attraction. So you know that I just loved the May 2011 cover of Martha Stewart's magazine.

Once I finish my current project list, those simple stamps are a must. Look at the pillow! I am also imagining pillows in my not-yet-reality update to the sunroom. And perhaps curtains with blooms – a pattern? Or growing from the bottom? In fact, the cover might inspires me to stick with warm colors (plus green, the neutral of nature) and incorporate pink.

So now where do I find the perfect couch in orange, pink, yellow, or lime green?

GR Reads 2011

2011-06-10T19:00:00.001-04:00

The last big thing I completed before my maternity leave from my job as a graphic designer at the Grand Rapids Public Library was promotional pieces for this summer's GR Reads. It's a summer reading program for adults and this year's theme is good vs. evil.

My first inclination was to do a design in stark black and white. Or perhaps using some gray to represent the so-called gray area. Maybe a fuzzy border between the black and white? Perhaps the words "good" and "evil" and reflections of each other? Linked? Grown together? Is the line between the fuzzy or solid? I had many many visions, sketches, and drafts. And nothing was pleasing me.

Then I thought some more about GR Reads, the overall program, and realized that it was supposed to be fun. Sure, some of the books are obviously going to be serious in nature, but the point is for all of us to have some fun reading and go to some interesting programs. It's summertime, not homework time.

So I switched directions, introduced some bright color (I do love our color palette), added an outsider font and created an illustration for the theme that's just a touch lighthearted (reusing and modifying characters from the font, I might add). At last, a design solution I am pleased with!

Tah-dah!

recycled kid art & paper crafting

2011-06-08T19:00:00.000-04:00

Recently I gave new life to a wrinkled, water-torn paint experiment created by my 3-year-old. I've read books about introducing your children to art and the proper way to encourage their creativity. "Destroying" their art in order to create something else is a big no-no. However, knowing this piece wasn't a keeper in my household anyway assuaged any guilt I might have had.

I used the abstract textures as the basis for some cut paper greeting card creations. I did flowers for mother's day cards and stars for graduation cards. The actual cards, a boxed set of solid colored cards with white envelopes, has been one of my most useful craft store purchases.

By the way, when my daughter emerged from her bath and saw what I had created by cutting apart her painting she was most intrigued and expressed a desire to try her hand at cutting (scissors are a new thrill). So much for being horrified at the destruction of her masterpiece!

Sunroom color palettes

2011-06-06T19:00:00.000-04:00

So after we paint the kitchen – perhaps next summer – then my next room to tackle will be the sunroom. I have actually already painted it a nice sunshiney yellow and have no intentions of changing that. Now that we are working on furnishing and accessorizing the adjoining outdoor room (the patio and pergola of last summer's labors) I am contemplating the sunroom as a parallel space. Like the patio area and the sunroom are sibling rooms.

Right now we have a couch in there but it is there by default and not design. I redid it in college with the help of a seamstress friend who was always willing to assist in making my visions reality. I have quite enjoyed it but the colors are not something I chose with this particular space in mind. Besides, we have long discussed getting a pullout couch of some kind so that we have a place for a guest to sleep if the need arose. I just read in some design magazine that you should always get neutral furniture so you can update the accessories in the room and completely change it. But I, the one who owns a red couch, may just be inspired to buy a purple or orange one for this room.

I am also pondering some bold, modern, floral pattern curtains on the two windows that face each other. Something with vines that are similar to the ones we are growing outside perhaps?

And a nice big rug for the center of the room. Perhaps an end table with a lamp? A cozy chair tucked into a corner for reading? Maybe a coffee table? I have an old cedar trunk tucked into a closet that might make a nice surface.

We have also discussed moving the rocking glider indoors during the winter so that makes me wonder if I should leave space for that.

The current room is mostly occupied by the cat. As you can see, it was added onto the exterior of the house so the brick and what was once an exterior window are a part of the room. I kind of like that uniqueness.

Here are some color palettes I have been pondering:

This was from a recent issue of Midwest Living. I can't say I've really explored using pink much in our home before now.

These are pages from a recent Crate & Barrel catalog. Of course I am attracted to all these bright colors. The warm purple is the same shade I painted our shutters and exterior doors last summer.

I am very intrigued by the combination of the ocean teal (the color I envision for the kitchen) and the warm purple. The room is from House Beautiful and the ad is for clothing by Coldwater Creek.

In the end, the decision will most likely be made by finding the perfect rug, fabric, or couch and going from there.

Any opinions anyone?

Other uses for Easter egg dyes?

2011-06-03T19:00:00.000-04:00

We got all done dying Easter eggs this year and the full cups of dye sitting there unused but for a single egg seemed like such a waste to me. A quick google search confirmed that other people had used the dye for fabric. So I cut up an old t-shirt and gave it a try.

"Now what?" you ask. Very good question.

If anyone has used the dye for something interesting or knows of a crafty blogger who has, please share with us!

Look what I made!

2011-06-01T19:00:00.001-04:00

A superhero out of my daughter! By request, she got a superhero cape for her birthday. One side pink and one side purple, as chosen by her.

I found out that sewing curves is a bit more challenging than sewing straight lines. You could call it a learning curve! I was grateful the pattern was rather forgiving. You'd have to be studying it pretty darn close to notice my difficulties!

signs of spring – May edition

2011-05-30T19:00:00.003-04:00

Beautiful uncurling and unfurling.

I am so enjoying watching the front yard garden return this year. Last year all the plants were fresh babies with lots of space between them. This year things are larger and lusher. I am so pleased with it.

polka dots!

2011-05-27T19:00:00.000-04:00

I usually think of myself as a solid-color kind of designer but I think patterns are of growing interest to me, especially as I venture more into sewing and quilting.

I love the mix of patterns and colors my daughter wore with enthusiasm on this day of puddle hopping. Big dots, little dots, stripes, on black, on white… all happily mixing.

Bonus: the polka dots of nature! Is hail usually multiple sizes like this?

signs of spring – March edition

2011-05-25T19:00:00.002-04:00

Once upon a warm March day, we dragged out the new glider, soaked up the long-missed sunshine, and marveled at little sprouts. Before spring finally arrived we had both snow and a random 85 degree day. I think the spring I so actively long for in March actually arrives in May every year. I will have to try to remember that!

The new bench: a gift from my valentine and my vision for a lovely, relaxing summer rocking my baby on it. My little one digs in the dirt (go girl!). And yes, she is indeed wearing pajamas.

So persistent as they poke through last autumn's oak leaves. It occurs to me that perhaps this is why plants come up in sharp spikes and then later unfurl into leaves. They need that sharpness to get started.

What a lovely and unexpected color when most other sprouts are green.

my latest "project"

2011-05-23T19:00:00.001-04:00

My second child, a daughter, was born two weeks ago today! Please excuse my lack of posts in the months before she was born (I was big! I was exhausted!) and now in the months after (She's trying to get big! I am the source of milk!).

Despite my lack of recent posts I am still having creative thoughts, ideas, and visions. And projects left over from the list of in-progress endeavors my dear husband had me write out last July.

I will try to get you, my dear blog friends and fans, caught up from the spring happenings and at least post occasionally this summer.

vine o mine

2011-03-09T20:34:00.000-05:00

In preparation for this summer when I won't be doing a whole lot more than nursing a baby, I have been doing research on what flowering vine I should grow up our pergola (new as of last summer). Lucky for me, I work at a Library and can just head downstairs on my lunch hour for some inspiration.

Of all the books I checked out, these three were the most helpful:

Best Garden Plants for Michigan

Tim Wood, Alison Beck

This one keeps it simple and keeps it local for sure success. If you're one who easily overwhelmed by too many options this would be a good choice. As for myself, I had to know about all those other vines too!

Armitage's Vines and Climbers: A Gardener's Guide to the Best Vertical Plants
Allan M. Armitage
This one was very amusing! I loved the author's humorous descriptions. One vine was wryly described in this way "once you plant this vine, you will probably always have this vine." Good to know! Lots of great photos too.

Ortho's All About Vines and Climbers
Equally as extensive and photo-filled as the above book, very useful as a guide.

My first leanings were toward Clematis and I even had a personal recommendation for the Snowdrift variety which blooms in the fall. However, after consulting with my dear husband, I think we have settled on Honeysuckle. There are a bunch of different varieties, lots of reds and yellows and some whites I think. I want to do a red and a yellow and I want to make sure they bloom at different times so I have flowers more of the season. They are supposed to attract hummingbirds, which is a lovely bonus!

Any vine stories to share out there? What grew for you?

Are you ready for fall?

2011-03-08T19:00:00.000-05:00

Apparently Pantone is! They've got the color forecast out already. I especially like the peacock. It's a darker form of the teal that graces my home… probably easier for people to imagine decorating with! And now that I think about it, I have been seeing more clothing in this color lately.

I heart this heart

2011-03-07T19:00:00.000-05:00

A few weekends ago we squeezed in a visit to the Meijer Gardens before closing time.

[My apologies to anyone who gets tired of my posts on the Gardens but a membership means I go there often and the art and nature found there tends to be inspiring to me!]

Anyway, the current sculpture exhibit is showcasing the work of Jim Dine. When I saw some photos of the pieces ahead of time, I found a few of them to be rather odd. But seeing them in person was an entirely different experience. The large scale of these pieces is really an essential part of their impact. That parrot just towers of you!

My favorite has to be this heart though. I love the colors. I love the assembled bits, each with a meaning or story left to be interpreted. And I love the simplicity of sculpting a very recognizable symbol. I think that would be an interesting approach to creating some art of my own – choosing a symbol or image that interests you and exploring all the ways it can be interpreted or expressed.

snow, a cozy fire, and an inspiring design book

2011-02-28T19:00:00.003-05:00

If it must snow yet again, then I suppose I should make the best of it. Friday evening and Saturday afternoon for a glorious 3-hour stretch, I lounged in front of a crackling fire (thank you, husband) and read Pattern by Orla Kiely cover to cover.

The title of the book is apt since it appears Orla considers herself first and foremost a designer of patterns. Over the course of her career she has designed hats, handbags, clothing, furniture, items for the home, notecards, and wallpaper. There are so many applications for fabulous patterns! With chapters titled Life, Inspiration, Colour, Print, Collections, and Home, Orla walks us through her creative journey and her creative process. I love nothing more than being inspired by another creative soul and the book, chock full of lush images and, of course, patterns, was a feast for the eyes.

For the curious, a quick peek at her website will give you a good feel for her style.

check out the lovliness of Vera Neumann

2011-02-23T19:00:00.000-05:00

Turns out she's not new but her work is new to me. A page of items made with her designs was in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's catalog and I was seriously intrigued. A google search later will bring you to an official website where you can shop to your heart's content and this lovely blog post on Design Sponge (with great photos) from someone who visited an exhibit of her work.

I like the bright colors. I like the casualness. I also like the more geometric designs. I like to envision this woman just playing with her art and her materials and discovering what she liked and what worked. Always inspiring to see someone who was able to make a business out of what she loved!

before there were designers and computers

2011-02-22T19:00:00.000-05:00

You might just stamp your own sale signs for your business!

Check out this wooden case of alphabet stamps I bought once upon a time at an antique store. My 2-year-old and I had fun with them. You may have noticed the stamped labels in yesterday's post. They were the result of this little craft fest.

I am especially fond of the phrase "up-to-now!"

modge podge mania

2011-02-21T20:35:00.000-05:00

In a sudden burst of energy that I will attribute to nesting, I have been devoting my energy to organization projects that will in no way affect the well-being of anyone else in the family, especially not the awaited baby.

One of those projects is the art room. It recently lost its function as the home office. After it lost its desk to the daughter's big girl room, I was left with a box of office supplies. The box is still waiting for attention, actually. With no computer down there it didn't make sense to leave the printer I haven't used in years down there. With the printer gone, it made little sense to have a dresser full of paper for said printer. And since I am going to be doing more sewing than scrapbooking, it makes sense to shift which supplies are most readily accessible and think harder about how to store and organize fabric. Plus, I have that sewing machine to locate in a new home. And so on.

So I have been quite busy moving and rearranging and re-purposing furniture. And sorting and recycling and Goodwill-ing and trashing and Freecycle-ing. I am finding it quite refreshing to purge and organize.

Part of all of this has been to attend to a project that has been on "the list" since I made it in July. And that was to modge podge some storage boxes and create labels for them. So for the past few weekends I have been working on covering those boxes with leftover posters from the Library. A fun new purpose for my old graphic design projects.

An introduction to my chaos! In my defense, the contents of the boxes had to be dumped out before I could mod podge them.

In the closet (special thanks to the husband for adding more shelving a while back!)

On the shelf (once part of the office, now for sewing supplies)