Chill Out

As the days begin to heat up, a tasty way to cool down is with an icy popsicle.

These treats are easy enough to make at home. 

If you do not have popsicle trays, try paper cups, or ice cube trays.

The best part of making your own popsicles is you can use any type of fruit juice you like.

I happen to LOVE tart black cherry juice.

 If you are feeling patient it is fun to mix flavors.

 Black cherry and coconut was an awesome combination!

There are so many flavor combinations you can create making your own juice popsicles. 

I hope this idea helps you to keep cool this summer.

Simple Wildflower Arrangements

Spring rain has arrived and delivered a wave of buttercups & daises. 

A relaxing way to bring a bit of spring into the home is with a wildflower arrangement.

A few tips to keep in mind while preparing flowers for arrangement.

1. Cut stems as long as possible at an angle

2. Trim off all lower leaves

3. Place cut stems in water immediately

Wildflowers easily lend themselves to a simple casual arrangements.

Design elements to keep in mind are color, texture, and silhouette.

Pick one color to showcase, then add a secondary color to complement the pallet. 

Grass stalks that has gone to seed offer hight and texture variety 

to the arrangement.

A gathering of smaller blossoms make a big impression when grouped 

in dozens. A cuff of variegated hosta leaves add a finished look to the 
arrangement while reinforcing the color pallet.

The silhouette of these wildflower arrangements are slightly symmetrical 

as it offers more structure to the loose natural form. 

I have found the more structured the flower, the more asymmetrical the 

arrangement should become.

I hope these tips encourage you to attempt a wildflower arrangement of your own.

DIY Fruit Crate Makeover

Photo Source

One of my favorite winter treats are tangerines. The fresh citrus sent and bright color of tangerines bring a smile to my face on cold gray winter days. I have acquired a small collection of wooden fruit crates from my winter treats. 

In an attempt to get organized this spring, I started looking closer at the fruit crates. I noticed the shape and size of these fruit crates are perfect for organizing craft supplies, or creative projects that are in the works, and best of all they stack together nicely.

                                 

                         

Before                                                                                    After 

Get your paint out. It is time to get crafty.

 I found that the original pigment used by the manufacture to paint the fruit crates was quite vivid. After two coats of acrylic paint the original underlaying image could still be seen. A top coat of spray paint was needed to completely cover up the outside. The spray paint also left the outside of the crate with a nice glossy finish.

To dress up the fruit crates a little metallic copper paint was hand panted onto the outside of the four supports,

 and brushed along the top edges to add a bit of contrast. A little bit of glimmer goes a long way.

The end result is a stack of nicely colored wooden crates that will help to keep projects organized.

 I hope this idea encourages you to get crafty and organized. 

First Day Of Spring

                   

The official first day of spring is March 20th. I for one could not be more excited. 

This spring I actually have yard space to start a vegetable garden.

Starting a garden from seed takes time but it is easy and rewarding. 

An easy way to start your spring seeds is using biodegradable seed pots. 

This makes later transplanting of the grown seeds into the ground simple, 

the seed pots decompose as the plant grows.

These biodegradable seed pots are simple to make. 

All you need is an empty bathroom tissue roll, and a pair of scissors. 

Using the scissors snip the cardboard roll the in half.

Place the sniped cardboard tube into a plastic bowl. Add soil to the inside of the cardboard tubes, this forms a biodegradable seed pot. If needed add a rubber band around the outside of the cardboard tube for extra reinforcement. Add seeds, and place in a well lit windowsill. Remember to keep the soil moist. 

In a week or so your seeds should begin to sprout.  

I hope this encourages you to start a few seeds for a garden of your own.

Get Moody

Mood boards are a great tool to visually convey a message without saying a word.

While everyone has a unique way to develop a mood board, I have found it is best to keep it super simple. 

My Mood boards focus on three main subjects:

 1. Color pallet 2. Font  3. A few basic images. 

I have been working on an illustration design recently that will be used for a wine bottle label. The mood board above inspired the final design. Mood boards are not just for clients, as a designer I find it useful to have as a reference to go back to during the design process. 

I hope this inspires you to use the power of visual messages, and create a mood board 
after your own creative vision. 

Sweet Treat

Over the last few days winter has made it clear that spring is not yet here. 

On chilly days nothing is more comforting than something warm and sweet. 

For this banana cherry bread you will need the following ingredients:

        1    cup Sugar

        2    cups Flour

        1/2 cup Butter

        1/4 teaspoon Salt

        1    teaspoon Baking Soda

        1    teaspoon Cinnamon 

        1    teaspoon Vanilla

        2    Large Eggs

        1    cup Bananas

        1    cup Dried Cherries

Mix butter and sugar together until creamy.

In a separate mixing bowl sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. 

Blend together the butter mixture with the dry sifted ingredients.

Combine eggs, bananas, dried cherries, and vanilla with the the previously blended ingredients.  

Pour the combined ingredients into a buttered 9x5 loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for about 70 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. 

Remove from pan, slice, and enjoy with someone who needs a smile.

Let's Get Crafty!

Nothing says "I Like You" more than a handmade gift. 

Friendship bracelets are  fun to make and even more fun to give away. 

For this striped bracelet you will need:

Two colors of embroidery thread.

Cut four strands of each colored thread about 24 inches long.

Arrange the thread in an alternating pattern as seen above.

Starting on the left hand side, make two knots per thread, continue across the eight strings.

Working left to right, start the same two knot sequence on the next colored string in the group.

 This alternating striped pattern will be the end result. The whole process takes little time, and will deliver big smiles to those you care most for this Valentine's day.

Go Get Crafty!

DIY Makeover

I have been trying to spend more time in the kitchen, attempting to learn how to cook. 

I started looking closer at the tools I used most often. My knife and a plain wooden spoon are usually the first tools I grab. I wanted to dress up my wooden spoons to create something more visually appealing and came up with this wooden spoon makeover idea.

For This Makeover You Will Need:

* Wooden Spoons

* Scotch Blue Painter's Tape For Multi-Surfaces

 * Scotch Blue Painter's Tape For Delicate Surfaces

* Gold Spray Paint

* White Acrylic Paint

* Acrylic Clear Coat Spray

Using Scotch Blue Painter's Tape For Multi-Surfaces, 

mask off the wooden spoon handles creating a striped design. 

Lightly spray the wooden spoon handles with gold paint. After they have dried, seal the handles with a spray of acrylic clear coat. Allow to dry, then remove the tape from the handles of the wooden spoons.

As a finishing touch, mask off the gold stripes on the wooden spoon handles with Scotch Blue Painter's Tape For Delicate Surfaces so not to harm the newly painted surface. Then paint in white stripes on the handels with white acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry, then seal the handles with another spray of acrylic clear coat. Allow to dry again, and then remove the tape from the wooden spoon handles.

Now - What's for dinner?

It Is True What They Say..

The first week of January has flown by, and I have returned to my new house to start the new year. 

The topic "what makes a house, a home" is resting in my mind. 

It seems Winter is the fitting season to ponder this, as we spend more of our time inside our domiciles. 

A home to me is a place of comfort, and inspiration. A place to recharge, and relax with those we love. 

Creating a space to accomplish this is always easier said then done.

 I look forward to tackling this task and sharing my discoveries along the way. 

With this in mind, I wish you a productive and positive week!

DIY Holiday Sparkle

There is no stopping it - The holiday season is in full swing. 

I am not a big holiday person, however a little sparkle and shine always helps me to get into the festive sprit. 

These hair pins are easy to make, and would would make a great gift to brighten any girls holiday.

All you need is:

I am a collector of vintage rhinestone jewelry. While I love wearing bracelets and necklaces I never seem to wear bold earrings. This is how I put those cool earrings to good use.

First...

Then carefully....

Voila! 

Give these hair pins away to your friends and family, or wear them to brighten your day.