Homemade Handmade

I wanted to share a little bit of handmade love this weekend.

First, when I want to alter something, the first thing I do is head to my local Goodwill and rummage through the back aisles, to see if someone has turned in something fun that I can work with. As you may have noticed, lately I have been attracted to the wide and narrow frames. Normally they have cheap watercolor images in them... maybe a birdhouse or a row of flowers or something. I just open up the back and tear that out, but use the framed size as a template for my project. I did that with this house frame, and for my blog hop project. I've decided to keep doing them, because I think it's fun to have a seasonal framed piece hanging somewhere in my home. I can just switch them out as the seasons change, and they aren't taking up space on a mantle or anything.

First, you need to check out this blog: Simply Handmade
Paper Trends, a Northridge Media publication, changed it's name to Simply Handmade. You must know I "Simply" adore this publication. I was first picked up in this publication under it's new name for this project:



I had originally seen this quote on the spine of a Domino magazine and immediately knew I wanted to create something for my home using it.

I had also recently inherited a huge bag full of trims from my husband's grandmother; 50 year old packages of doilies, sequins, glass buttons, buckles, ribbon trims, etc.

I decided to combine many of these elements in a wall hanging. I purchased some different fabrics in colors that i loved, and made little houses. I even used a Pink Paislee tree stamp on fabric for this project. Then I hand stitched the quote.

Soon thereafter I saw that Handmade was doing a call for windows or frames or something, so I sent in an image. When I received the request, I was a little worried. It IS a window. A bathroom window, I think. But I sent it in and when I got my issue, I couldn't believe what they had done! There were about 4 pages on my window, and they had gone out and purchased a window, fabric and trims, and gave detailed instructions on recreating that project. It was fabulous!

There were so many wonderful, inventive, and inspiring creations in that issue. And I think they have continued to improve each month. I am very inspired by it all. I have a little project in the current issue as well. I made a little purse for my daughter and her Polly Pockets out of an International Foods coffee can. It was so easy to cover the outside with patterned paper and punch two holes in the lid and thread some ribbon for a handle. And Polly fits perfectly.

Simply Handmade also has a blog, and each post is filled with a lot of artistic inspiration. And if you check out this post... they are doing a little die cut machine giveaway! I have always been curious about the Quickutz Silhouette. I'd love to win that one.

This morning the girls and I rushed out to a bare root tree sale for a couple of fruit trees. I have a lot of pine and deciduous trees on our property, and have been wanting something pretty, so I picked up a flowering crabapple, which I'm excited to plant. I also picked up two apple trees. They've been grafted to produce two kinds of apples. If anyone knows anything about growing this type of tree, let me know. At first I was told it could be planted in the grown just like your average apple tree, but as I was walking away another salesman said I should plant it near a trellis. My SIL had an apple tree with several different types growing on it, and she did have hers against a fence on a trellis. I didn't want to grow mine that way. I was hoping to be able to simply dig a hole and toss it in. Let me know if you think it will grow! It's currently in a bucket of water, waiting for Steve to come home and help me plant it. I still have a day or three to decide what to do with it.

Anyway, I hope you are enjoying your weekend! Before I go I wanted to direct you towards some Easter fun. Jello has a new spring mold out and I picked it up free with purchase at my local grocery store. We have already been testing it out and my kids are having a lot of fun with the molds. You can check it out here. I have the egg shaped jiggler mold also, and that one is also a lot of fun and offers some fun Easter table decorating ideas.

Oh, and for those who asked about my bunny project, I got the idea from a Spring fabric idea book. It had a lot of cute projects that I was inspired by to use with paper. You can check it out here.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Davinie

P.S. Remember to post here for the Blog Hop!