I took a nap and got seven, or so, hours of sleep yesterday after Wednesday's all-nighter with my 17 y.o., who finished his architecture class with a B. He didn't say what he got on the project, though. I am going to have to ask, or look it up myself, because I'm personally vested in it now, so I need to know.
Because it's been busy lately, I've had my studio torn apart, and frankly, because I've been lazy, I've not crafted anything in a long while - unless you count the quilt squares I'm embroidering. (psst . . . and I've just gotten 12 more. Cha-ching, yikes, so sshh!) Anyway, the quilt squares have me thinking alternative uses, because, cough, I don't quilt. I actually don't really sew. I know, you're thinking "WTH is she doing with quilt squares?" Well, that is the $10,000 question. They are Christmas themed, so I might be able to pull off a table runner, or two. Towels. Throw pillows for the couches. Placemats - which I use all the time. Maybe an apron, because I'm old school and wear them. I might be able to pull off a super simple quilt throw. I don't know. We'll see.
Anyway, all that has me thinking alternatives. So today, we're throwing back to past kits and alternative uses.
This little altered can - like the kind you'd find bulk pencils, pens or hair do-dads in, also used the Lily Bee Buttercup from the April '12 Bigger kit. Create a savings place for a movie night, or when the ice cream man makes his rounds in the neighborhood. Make it a bigger jar for that family vacation. I have a mason jar that's filled with slips of things to do during the summer - nothing big - water fights, popsicles after dinner, etc. Make it a simple savings jar for a child's allowance when he/she's wanting a specific toy.
This was just one of several frames (from the Dollar Store) on the table to let diners know what was being served. The designer used the Basic Grey Aspen Frost line from the Bigger December 2012 kit. Use a larger frame to list out the menu, with smaller frames denoting the dishes. Decorate jars or buckets with wide-cut strips of paper to hold utensils. Wrap utensils up in napkins and secure them with paper napkin rings. You could even get a larger fram, keep the glass in, and add a seasonal paper behind the glass, using a dry-erase marker make a note board - weekly menus, chores, daily activity, etc.
We Re Memory Keepers' Be My Valentine line, found in the February 2011 Bigger kit was used to decorate this cute little mailbox. Kristin was the Queen of altered projects, and this, along with the ones above are all hers. This would also be a good year-end teacher gift, filled with a thank you note from the child and other small goodies. You could use one to pass sweet notes to your kids over the summer.
It's so easy to find alterable items in stores. These coat pegs were altered using the We R Memory Keepers Cottontail line from the Smaller March 2012 kit. Cute. Easy. Summer project?
The Fancy Pants Rough & Tough line from the Bigger March '2010 line was used to alter this birdhouse. The "Wish Upon..." is a rub-on, if memory serves. This, too, is a fun little project to decorate an outdoor space, a mantle, counter, whatever. I've seen smaller versions, probably when Christmas stuff hits the craft stores, that you could do more than one to put on your Christmas Tree, but check the "wood" aisle at your local store.
Whether you're using current kits, past kits or scraps, think way off-the-page and have some fun.
Go. Create.
No comments:
Post a Comment