Crafting Home

Last year, after some good, relief-inducing news, I treated myself by picking up this kit from Paisleys and Polka Dots.  She has quite a few things I'd love to grab up, hug to myself and run down to to my craft table to assemble.  Her wood decor is adorable, and if you're looking for a card kit to replace Apron Strings, she has a good one.

The kit includes all the wood pieces, papers and embellishments, along with basic instructions.  This kit is a 12-month "HOME" set, where I have the all the letters to spell "home" and then 12 seaonal shapes to either use in place of the "O" or in some other fashion.  I've used the shapes on my mantle with other seasonal decor, but usually I put them with the rest of the letters.

I had managed to get September, October, November and December's shapes assembled to use during those various seasons/holidays, but fell behind and didn't get January's done, or February's for that matter - though I managed to get February done and out for a week before February was over.  But hey, it's ready to go for next year.  As part of my huge to-do list in 2018, I included finishing these shapes.  One weekend I sat down and did just that.  Or, well, almost did that.  I have three months left.

I sort of follow the instructions.  I glanced at the first couple sets and they all say basically the same thing.  I don't customize the paint on individual pieces (to match to papers), instead I paint almost everything white, and then it's just the sides of the pieces.  Nobody is going to see the backs, so I don't bother.  The only other thing I don't paint white are dark-colored pressed board pieces.  I like the look of the dark sides against whatever paper I'm using.

You can see the dark-colored edge of the pressed board on the egg above - in the band and the flower.

Finished January's.  It's ready to go for next year.  He has a lot of thick layers up on the brim of his hat, but the recommended Aleen's Craft Glue and a Wood Glue are doing great jobs of holding it all.

I stopped with May, so I'll have to get back on the ball again and complete the remaining pieces.  I have to say, I'm enjoying a different kind of paper crafting.  I'm enjoying changing up what I'm doing.  The only downside is I have several works-in-progress.

Happy Thursday,

Lori