OUR LIVES AS WORKS OF ART

A portrait of the - would be - artist
As a young person, I fancied myself as an artist and spent endless hours working on sketches with pencils, crayons, and water colors. Most of that artwork is long gone - from me and probably from the planet. I even have a formal background in art – at least, that, according to the undergrad degree that I obtained years ago. But I never did much with it after college, just an occasional drawing or two. Of the little I did, I kept a small part and gave away the rest to people who I hoped would value them. I was just too busy guiding my efforts in other directions, that being, caring for a family and my lifelong work in public health. 

And during all those decades that I worked and raised two children - up through their university years, I kept busy with what I saw as my priority commitments.  With the “extra” time I had, I allowed myself to do needlework and some personal journal writing. There just weren’t enough hours in the day for artwork. I always said that, someday, when I could, I’d go back to painting or drawing and perhaps do more than just write in my journal.

Luckily, since retirement, I’ve found time to dedicate a lot of time to creative outlets that I thoroughly enjoy – cooking, blogging, crafts, needlework, and drawing. The products of these activities continue to be personal in scope. My interest in these endeavors just hasn’t found any commercial outlet. I follow the SPIRIT OF LOVE AND BEAUTY– through art. This path has brought me blessings of joy, love and light, which I gladly share with others. To the extent that I can, I freely share my art with family and friends, mostly through Facebook. And, of course, the artwork in this blog serves some small part of the Internet public at large.

Creative energy abounds.
As to my drawing techniques, they are mostly done is computer graphics. Playing with colors & form is a joy for me.  It usually goes something like this. I have a feeling about a subject for a drawing and envision a theme. Occasionally, the drawings appear to me from something I've seen on Facebook or even as part of a meditation or the content of a dream. Whatever the initial motivation, I hone in on the feeling and remembering the “feeling”, I begin to elaborate on it, letting colors and shapes go where they will. The computer drawing software lets me swiftly make and erase many versions as I expand on that feeling. So, I have the freedom to enjoy each stage of the process, adding here, taking away there. The outcomes often surprise me, expressing extraordinary kinds of energy in the form of design and the color.

To date, mine’s a totally a digital project and I haven't even printed out all of my drawings. I share them on the Internet through Facebook and  greeting card apps. When I do get around to printing, I usually do an 8" X 10" or a letter-size page. Often I display them with wood or plastic frames and put them on my walls or give them to friends and family. Perhaps my most successful ventures were two sets of printed note cards of my drawings that I gifted to family members - one was of flowers and another with Christmas themes.

Drawing: WHIMSICAL FLOWERS, 2014.

Our beautiful future.
We can all foster beauty in our world by relearning some age-old, but mostly forgotten, principles about WHAT’S REALLY OUT THERE. And WHAT’S OUT THERE is ABUNDANCE. Our lives aren’t too limited or too flawed. As a matter of fact, we’re not limited or flawed in any real way. We just ARE and life just is - LIMITLESS and MAJESTIC.

When we allow ourselves to sit quietly (especially in nature among trees and gardens) - even so little as 10 or more minutes – at peace and present to our surroundings, we are released from past mental burdens and we see all around us with new eyes  And, from that vantage, we can see ourselves, standing in bright, uplifting clouds of energy. These boosts can also come from many creative endeavors.  And, for all of us, these lifts are the crayons in our very own coloring book of LOVE.

We can make our lives into works of art when we take time to expect, recognize and accentuate the beauty in our lives. What’s more, it’s all part of the immense energy available to us everyday - all the time. So, feel the glow of LOVE’S strength in the world. Meditate on beauty, harmony and peace. In those moments, we stand proudly in the band of loving souls who see astounding beauty and hear harmonious music.

Leave all those habitual worries behind and look up. There is the beauty of the world. And, with that vantage of beauty, get busy and manifest the colorful, unprecedented reality that all of us long for.  This can happen in many creative ways - through dance, drama, fine and communications arts, music, as well as through heartfelt concern and support of people and other living things. There is much joyful work to be done.

DECORATIVE REMAKE OF A SIMPLE JUTE RUG

Been keeping a few craft projects on the back burner - maybe a little too long. But I finally got around to one this past weekend.

I’ve wanted to embellish a small rug for some time. The project was a remake of the rug in the entry of the living room. It was an indoor/outdoor woven rug – a dollar store find. And as such, after the first wash, it looked wrinkled and cheap, something of an eyesore.

I knew that, with a little work, I could make that jute rug look like a prize item for my living room.  I wanted the rug to weigh more so that it would stay put and to have some colors that coordinated with the round crocheted rug (an earlier project)  in front of my sofa in blue, red, gray, and black. I found what I needed in my stash of yarns.

 

A small entryway rug with a rustic design.

The rug’s material is a natural jute fiber, not-so-thick about 2 mm. It was a monochrome dull brown weave and had tassels in the same material. Its measurements were 30X15 inches (plus tassels). After crocheting three rounds, it was just a bit larger, about 32x17 inches. Tassels were removed.

 

If you want to make a rug like this one, here’s what you’ll need:

    - Small solid colored jute rug or one of some other  natural fiber

    - A pattern in mind. (Could be super simple like what I did)

    - Several colors of medium-weight or heavier yarn (best if used doubled or tripled)

    - Crochet hook

    - Yarn needle

    - Scissors

About my design:

I did three rounds of simple crochet. The first was a heavy, fuzzy yarn in gray, white, and black. The second and third rows were doubled-up strands of blue and black.

Since the little rug already had a definite pattern in its weave, I decided to follow the existing lines for my yarn stitching.

I made four long rows of straight stitches with double blue yarn (using the yarn needle) and  four more rows in double red insides the blue rows.

The result was something I liked, and I’ve already placed it in the living room in front of the door. It's almost too nice to use as a foot-wipe.

CRAFTY, LAST MINUTE VALENTINES.

Handmade valentines are a great alternative to store-bought cards. And, if you're looking for a last minute craft for Valentines' Day, this is for you. And the simple heart-on-heart valentine card highlighted here carries your special message. And they look so pretty hung up just about anywhere or worn with your words of love to your friends and family.

Best of all, you probably have most, if not all, the materials on hand or can buy what you need in a quick rush to the dollar store. So, you can put these together on the spur of the moment, even the at the last minute - if the spirit moves you to do so. And, if you do any type of scrap booking, this craft will be super easy to do. Kids can do their version of this card, too.



Handmade hearts carry your own special messages.

All you need is some thin colored card to cut up, some bright colored yarn, and some small textured materials. I used tiny preglued felt hearts. Here, the heart on heart is given extra interest with a tiny bit of yarn that is tied in the front. The yarn I used was from my leftover stash.

Creating a small mountain of these valentines was an all day adventure and one that I truly enjoyed. And, as you'll find out, they're not at all hard to make! The possibilities are endless. No way to go wrong here!

Materials

Recycled greeting cards to cut up.
Tiny shapes - can be made from felt or other fabrics. (Preglued materials are easiest to work with.)
Bright colored yarn
Wavy cut scissors or regular ones.
Tiny or regular hole punch
Upholstery needle
Seam ripper (to perforate the cardboard for the small yarn tie).
Two permanent markers - one pink or red (medium) and one black (thin).

Instructions

Make a four-inch (or larger) heart out of heavy cardboard to serve as your stencil. Then use your stencil to cut out hearts using recycled greeting cards.  Once you have the hearts you need, stick one or more small figures on the hearts, centered on the front. Use the seam ripper and the upholstery needle to make holes for the front decorative ties.

Write or draw (black pen) your message of love to each of your friends and family members. Use the pink or red pen to make a decorative edge.

Punch a hole at the top and add the longer yarn tie that allows the valentine to be hung up somewhere.

You can also add a straight or safety pen so that the valentine can be worn.

ANYONE CAN MAKE THESE TIE-QUILTED, FLEECE COVERLETS

I am always on the look out for thoughtful homemade gifts for special occasions. Tie-fleece blankets seemed to be a good idea that could serve for all age groups. And I remembered that I had seen several  styles for these blankets on the Internet when I made tie-fleece pillows for my grandchildren. A neighbor of mine was in happy anticipation of the birth of her first grandchild, and I decided to make something for the baby. I wanted a quick coverlet design for the baby - one that wouldn't take as much time as a knitted one (up to 30 hours to complete). Confident that the tie-fleece idea would work again for me, I went to the store and bought fleece yardage, one a solid green and the other, a lilac geometric pattern.

You'll get raves on these easily made coverlets.

Finding instructions for making fleece blankets wasn't hard at all. It seemed that every craftsy blog had posted or videoed on how to make this kind of covers. And the results that I saw were very attractive and cuddly.

It seemed that there was nothing complicated about it at all, and that all the makers have been so proud to design and give them as gifts. Even kids, of ages about 10 years and older, apparently have  learned to make them. 

The version I came up with was made entirely by hand without a sewing machine. It was fairly simple to make even on the first try. On the other hand, and now with the experience of my first one, I found that there are some common mistakes left out of most instructions. I'll go over some of these later. The best news is that this kind of blanket is very forgiving to minor mistakes.

Choose your fleece fabric
One blanket uses two pieces of fleece fabric - one for each side. You can use any fleece color/pattern combination you like.  The two pieces should be the same except for the pattern. So, be sure about that when you're selecting the thicknesses and textures.  

Fleece fabric is mostly economical. I've even seen it on sale for $3 or $4 a yard, and that's a real bargain since it tends to be about 45" - 48" wide.The rule of thumb for baby blankets is a width of about 30" and length of around 50". The coverlet I made was to be a crib spread and it was 36" by 45". To be on the safe side buy one and a half yards, each, of the print and the coordinating solid.  So, for $12 to $20 dollars you can make an attractive and useful gift for a baby. 

You can ask the attendant to cut the two pieces of fabric to the size that you want. That way you'll save yourself some time and not have to deal with leftovers.  But remember that the outer ties are going to take about 7 inches from each side of the blanket.

Purchase anti-pill fleece so that the blankets can be washed and dried with the regular laundry without becoming ugly. If the fabric doesn't say it's non-shrinkable,consider it to be so and wash and dry the material before starting.

In my search, I found that there are some environmental concerns with fleece (made of polyethylene terephthalate, polyester plastic, PET). So I decided to use  the polyester fabric I found on sale for a crib coverlet/spread with rather than for a blanket that would have direct contact with the baby. This PET type of fabric would also be great for a car seat coverlet. For those who want an all-purpose baby blanket, it would be best to search about for bamboo or cotton fleece, as those natural materials are better for babies. The cost of natural fabric is likely to be greater.

Materials
pair of good, sharp scissors

2 contrasting color pieces of fleece material

table for working (or be ready to sprawl everything out on the floor)

yardstick

2 shades of worsted-weight yarn (can be, like mine, from your leftover stash)

cardboard template, 7 inches long - with half inch holes

upholstery needle

large safety pins

How to make the coverlet
Step 1- setting up the pieces of fleece

Trim the selvages of the two pieces, if there are any, and straighten out the ends. The selvage is the rough edge along two sides where the weave is a bit different. Selvages aren't usually used. Try for a perfect rectangle. That may not be so easy because the material tends to be wiggly. Don't stretch or pull it. Just smooth it out. Fleece gives a lot and can be seriously stretched out of shape. Don't be over concerned about a few wrinkles. By the time the fringes are tied, it won't be noticeable if the pieces are a little off square. 

Make sure the wrong sides face each other - that's with the more polished sides out and the duller sides inside, just as you'll want it when its tied together. Use 12 or more safety pins to hold the pieces where you want them. Pinning the fleece together helps to keep the two pieces in place while you do the yarn decoration and make the cuts.

Step 2 -  the cuts for fringe

Place the patterned fleece on the bottom, and the solid piece on the top, so you won't be distracted by the pattern. Cut 1” wide slits around the entire edge, 7 “ long with a 7” square cut out of each corner. The fringe strips are cut parallel with each side of the rectangle. Lay the yardstick on the edge of the fleece and put a tiny dot with a washable marker just where you want to make the cuts. Cut both fleece thicknesses at the same time. Sharp scissors are a must. Don't worry about each cut being exactly one inch apart. Slight differences won't be noticeable once it's tied. Lay the template at a 90 degree angle with the side to know how far deep to make each cut. 

Step 3 - yarn decoration & inner ties

Use your template to mark the dots at 1/2" apart and running about 3/4" below the tie fringe cuts.  With the upholstery needle and a double yarn, make the decorative rectangle, passing through top  and bottom. Then, do the inner quilting ties at equal intervals, making sure to go through both layers and having about a 1/4" between the entry from the top side and the exit from the bottom side. Having a repeating geometric pattern will help you determine just where to put these ties without doing a lot of measuring.

Step 4 - the outer ties

Tie the two fabrics together at the edges. The knots should be made between pieces of fringe directly one above the other. Pay attention to how you tie so you won't miss one and then have to go back, untie and tie again. Do two opposing sides first and then the other sides. That way you can keep the rectangle in better shape. Be careful with the ties on the corners because they can be tricky, as you need to keep the right angles. Ties can be done using square knots or with a simple double knot - like the ones shown. Also it's easier if you tie every other fringe, then flip the blanket over to tie the remaining strips. That gives it a cleaner look.  

As you tie, the material may bunch if you are using really tight knots. Just stretch the blanket edge as you go to remove any curling or wrinkles. Try to make the knots loose at first and tighten them up later, as needed.

The results
Luckily for me, I received raves on the results of my first try. Time involved?  It took me about eight concentrated hours of work, given that I made a few mistakes that had to be corrected.  And, now that I've learned from my initial mistakes and hoping not to make additional ones, I'm confident that I can do the next coverlet even faster. So, I may really up the ante and make bed-sized coverlets for each of my three grandchildren.

Simpler versions of the crib coverlet - without the yarn decoration - should take four hours or less, depending on the overall size of the blanket. The results are quite acceptable and the blankets are soft, warm and cuddly. And don't worry about these coverlets being perfect. People appreciate the loving work in handmade items and don’t expect them to look like their commercial counterparts.

Related Posts
LEARN TO MAKE SMART, THRIFTY AND EVER SO USEFUL TIE QUILTS
IT’S BABY BLANKET KNITTING TIME AGAIN 
MAKING HEART-SHAPED PILLOWS FOR LITTLE GIRLS

CREATE A PERSONALIZED, EMBROIDERED PICTURE FOR A CHILD
A RIBBON DECKED, TIE QUILTED PILLOWCASE AND A PILLOW HEADBOARD

MAKE A BRIGHT COLORED AND INSPIRING COLLAGE FOR A WALL

In magazines, I’d seen some gorgeous collages that were framed and put up on the wall. I decided to make an easy one. I had a set of colorful paper doves from the dollar store sitting in my closet for months on end, waiting for some inspiration to use them. It didn’t take me long to remember them just lying around gathering dust. I knew that they would be a great elements for the collage I planned to make.

I wanted my collage to be simple, bright colored and inspiring. So, I came up with the idea. Doves are evocative as heralds of peace and also of change. So, the doves were for peace – a bedroom needs that - and the placement of the doves would be in something of a circle. That would reflect my idea of change – the transformation that I looked for would bring more energy and strength into my life.

I had an old, wood picture frame that I purchased at the thrift store. So, that was the inspiration for size. I took a pre-cut mat (16" X 20") for the frame, set out four colorful doves on four contrasting sheets of poster boards, and cut the sheets just the right size to fit. So, with scissors, paste, and some design thought, the picture “produced itself” in a matter of minutes.

My wall collage turned out really nice, and it brightens up the corner of the otherwise beige wall in my bedroom. The doves continue to inspire me.

How to make your collage
Choose a frame (or frame size if you still haven’t found the one you want).

Select a background color. In my collage there was no background. There was just the surrounding off-white mat - a neutral color so that the bright poster board would stand out.

Take 4 (or more) colorful poster boards (could also be pieces of felt) in bright colors and cut them up so that they fit in the frame or mat. These pieces can be rectangular, as mine were, or a different shape, depending on your design.

Glue down the pieces.

Choose a repeating theme that fits well to go in each rectangle. Just as mine were doves, yours could be butterflies, inspiring words, or hearts, leaves, flowers, etc. The materials for your theme can be paper cut-outs, foam shapes, large decals, paint stenciled items, etc.

Glue down the theme items.

Put the collage in the picture frame and up on the wall.

Enjoy your wall decoration. This collage makes a great gift. If it's a housewarming gift, you can use words such “home,” “family,” and “love” - all in English or in a few different languages.

Related posts

A FRAMED PICTURE COLLAGE MAKES AN EYE-CATCHING WALL DISPLAY

A GIFT IDEA FOR A “CLOTHESLINE” WALL-HANGING MADE FOR A CHILD

REPURPOSE OLD & DAMAGED PLATES INTO DECORATIVE PLAQUES.

LIVING IT UP WITH LESS: DECORATION IN A SIMPLE HOME

MAKE A FAMILY MEMORY BOX

CREATE A PERSONALIZED, EMBROIDERED PICTURE FOR A CHILD

MAKE YOUR OWN JAPANESE CURTAIN 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DECORATE A T-SHIRT WITH CROCHET AND BEAD CHAINS

Even though I’m a dedicated minimalist when it comes to clothing, occasionally, I'm inspired to adorn things in my closet. Last weekend was one of those times. And, in a crafty binge, I decided to branch out from my usual (of-late) crochet bracelet-making to include a design for an embellished tee. I’d wanted such a tee for some time and spent a little time figuring out how to make one for myself. Here was my thought. I generally don’t like to wear necklaces – especially in this super hot weather. But now and again I want to wear a decorated tee-shirt with something distinctive on the front. And, in a moment of inspiration, I decided to hang strands of beads on two buttons attached to the front of the tee.

Armed with one of my favorite $5 tees, 2 buttons, some beads and heavy nylon thread from my bracelet craft stash, I crocheted three separate strands of beads, tied together in  single chain circle that allows the beads to dangle from the buttons on the either side of the neckline. So, now I have a fancy t-shirt to wear with my two gathered waist, mid-calf skirts. With this new creation, I'll feel comfortably cool but still dressed up enough to go out to a friend’s house in the evening or to a restaurant for dinner. And since the beads are easily detachable from the shirt, there will be no problem for regular machine washing.

All-in-all, the project was an easy one. It took just me a little patience to pull all three strands into one single chain “hook” just the right size. I’m pleased with the results of my efforts.

So, try this idea to spruce up an old tee and create a unique top for a special occasion. The bead chains bring color and texture to the front of the tee without going through the sewn beading process that takes a lot of planning, patience, and skill. Beyond that, if you don’t have the crochet skills to make this project, you might get something of the same effect by wiring together two or three separate chains with beads or links (that you already have) and hanging them off of sewn on buttons. Also, I’ve seen beads that were glued on a tee to form a design. So, that might be another way to get the look of chains without the work of either sewing or crocheting.

How to make the bead-chain for the tee
Materials

Two buttons. I decided on rather plain ½” wood buttons. Flatter, simple ones work better, and won't come off so easily with multiple washings.

Nylon crochet thread - whatever thickness and color(s) you like

Bunch of colorful beads. I used different colors and sizes for each chain.

#2.5 crochet hook (or size that better fits your thread)

Craft needle to thread the beads

Instructions
- Decide how long you want each chain. (Mine dangled a bit, so they were about 14, 16, and 18 inches long.) Multiple that length of each chain by 7 to be sure to have enough material to finish out your crochet. If you're doubling the thread, like I did, then you'll need about 14 times the length of each chain.

- Make your crochet chains, adding beads as you go. (I like to start by tying in the middle bead and crocheting out on both sides. That way, I can make adjustments as I go and end up precisely at the length I've chosen.)  If you’ve never crocheted with beads, there are several good Youtube instructionals for how to do this. That’s how I learned.

- Attach the last two links of each of the three strands of beads to a final short crochet chain. Knot the chain together to form a ring just big enough to go around the button. Do the same for the other side.

That done,  put on your tee, hang the beads off the buttons, and you’re ready to go out in a one-of-a-kind shirt. Also, this would make a nice gift tee for a friend. Or just make up a gift “kit” of buttons and bead chains, along with a sketch or photo of how to wear the chains. Your friend can put it on whatever shirt she chooses and do her own (minimal) handiwork.

Related posts
MAKE A BEADED BOOKMARK FOR A FAVORITE BOOK
A FRAMED PICTURE COLLAGE MAKES AN EYE-CATCHING WALL DISPLAY
MAKE A FAMILY MEMORY BOX
A GIFT IDEA FOR A “CLOTHESLINE” WALL-HANGING MADE FOR A CHILD
DOING HANDICRAFTS IS USEFUL AND FUN
MAKING HEART-SHAPED PILLOWS FOR LITTLE GIRLS
MAKE BEAUTIFUL BEADS FROM RECYCLED PAPER
CREATE A PERSONALIZED, EMBROIDERED PICTURE FOR A CHILD

A RIBBON DECKED, TIE QUILTED PILLOWCASE AND A PILLOW HEADBOARD

As we enter the early spring, at least by the warm temperature at this latitude - at the TX/MX border – I begin to think about my annual trip to the north to see my two sons, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and other relatives. And as always, I’ve got to make some handmade gifts for my dear ones. Those are usually knitted clothing items or decorations for the rooms of my grandchildren and something from the kitchen for the adults – candy, cookies, jars of jams, etc. This year I’ve come up with the idea to make my two grand daughters faux headboards for their twin beds made from pillows. So, my task - as is the subject of this post - was to come up with a design for some brightly colored, quilted pillowcases that are the focus of this project.

I decided to make two tie quilted pillowcases for each girl – one for the wall and a matching one for the bed. I’ll travel by plane or bus carrying the quilted pillowcases. It will be up to my son and daughter-in-law to provide the pillows and the decorative rods and help me put the rods on the wall. (I hope they won’t mind too much the way I get them to do extra work completing “my projects”.)

Why pillow headboards are popular
Nothing catches the attention more in a bedroom than an attractive headboard. But not all beds come with headboards, and the formal ones that can be purchased or made by a skilled carpenter are expensive. So, we have the option of creating our own informal wall treatments (faux headboards) that, colorfully done, can liven up the decor of any bedroom.

Some faux headboards include curtain rods or other horizontal tubes fixed on the wall above the bed where various attractive things can be hung. And there are several simple methods for making this type of headboard. Here, we focus on the pillow headboard. You won’t need much design talent and only rudimentary carpentry skills to make this one. And a hanging pillow headboard gives any bedroom a comfy, informal look.

More than just attractive, the hanging pillows serve an important purpose. It’s a perfect place to keep extra pillows that, otherwise, are inevitably on the floor in the morning. Beyond that, what with a longer rod, multiple hanging pillows and a round bolster, a regular twin bed can do daytime duty as a daybed.

Tie-quilted pillowcases give your bedroom a country look

About this project
With some pillowcases, ribbon, a nicely designed fabric for the quilted part, quilt backing, needle and thread and a decorative rod, you can manage to nicely display your extra pillows and find them in place (on the wall) every morning. The best part is that you may already have most of the makings for this project in or around your home.

After researching this topic on the Internet, I realized that the main problem with most of these pillow hanging projects was that they were not sturdy enough for small children and would end soon with ripped pillow cases and rods pulled off the wall. That’s why I decided to use both a top and bottom hanging rods with the hardware firmly attached to the wall by anchors or toggle bolts, along with four ribbon loops and buttons on the pillowcase.

Try out this project. You’ll be happy to know that it can be made with inexpensive materials and quickly completed with a minimum of hand sewing. According to my calculations, the approximate cost for each ribbon decked, quilted pillowcase is $20 and about $15 for the matching one for the bed. That, of course, doesn’t include rods or pillows. And you may already have extra pillowcases and fabric or find these items at the thrift store, so you might not have to spend so much at all.

Pattern for a pillow headboard and two quilted pillowcases
Materials
- 2 decorative rods - as wide or a little wider than the bed with their hardware. For economy sake, these rods could also be pipes, dowels, or even small cleaned-up tree limbs for a rustic cabin look. And, instead of commercial rod brackets, you could use industrial sized eye hooks. Open hooks might pose a hazard for children.
- 2 standard-size pillows, not the deluxe or overstuffed kind – one for the bed and the other for the wall.
- 2 standard pillowcases in a solid color
- 6 yards of 1” grosgrain ribbons in one or two colors- that’s about 42” for each of 4 ribbon rounds. (Grosgrain ribbon is relatively expensive and can be substituted with some other kind of ribbon or fabric strips that were the proper size.).
- One yard of plaid or repeating pattern cotton cloth that coordinates with the color of the pillowcases (That’s a half-yard for each pillowcase. Same for padding below.)
- One yard of fleece or other soft fabric for quilt backing. This easily could be something recycled - like an old adult-sized sweatshirt
- 8 medium-sized buttons - can be in coordinating or contrasting colors - for the wall pillow. Having buttons on a bed pillow, while perhaps attractive, isn’t a very practical option.
- Sewing needle and heavy cotton or nylon thread (for the buttons)
- Scissors
- Straight pins and large safety pins
- Measuring tape
- Drill
- Wall anchors or toggle bolts
- Crochet thread and upholstery needle
-  Soft sport-weight yarn for the ties

Instructions
Lay out the two pieces of fabric on a table. Be sure that the batting layer is slightly smaller, maybe a ¼" on all four sides, than the top fabric. Measure all sides to make sure the placement is centered correctly. Pin quilting piece in place.

Fasten safety pins where the ties are to go. It’s a lot easier to adjust the placement of safety pins than to have to try to remove a bunch of ties. Make the ties of all three layers – decorative fabric, batting, and top of pillowcase. You’ll probably need to put a piece of cardboard inside the case to make sure you don’t pin (or tie) the backside to the front side. Then make the 20 ties or the number you want to join the pieces.

Using crochet thread, blanket-stitch the quilted piece in place on the front side of the case.  (I use large, obvious blanket stitches with embroidery thread in a bright color to add even more handmade decoration.)

Put the pillowcase face side down on the worktable. Cut four pieces of 42"-long ribbon. Place each ribbon in position as shown in the picture. Fold the ribbon in such a way that the seam where the two ends meet is exactly in the back of the pillow. There should be 2 inches of ribbon, doubled, extending to accommodate the top rod and another 2 inches, doubled, at the bottom for the bottom rod. Pin the ribbon in place every 4 inches down the front and back from the side of the case. Using fabric glue, attach the ribbons to the case. Hand-sew the two ends to the backside of the case. Repeat with the other three ribbons. (The length of the ribbon extensions might have to be llonger depending on the diameter of the tube you’re using.)

Take care to sew on the buttons, as shown in the picture, through both front and back of the ribbons and pillowcase. Correctly attached buttons will help prevent ribbon slippage and case ripping.

Rod placement should be 4" more than the height of the pillow when it’s flat against the wall above the bed and centered over the bed. Attach the second rod under the first and 2" above the bed. Drill and screw the brackets or other type hooks to the wall using wall anchors or toggle bolts.

Insert a pillow into the case and hang the pillow from the curtain rod. Put the rod on the wall. Run the second rod through the ribbon at the bottom of the case and put it in place.

When your pillow creation is hung up over the bed, everyone will admire your smart handiwork. And your quilted pillow headboard can be the inspiration to do even more country–style decoration.

REPURPOSE OLD & DAMAGED PLATES INTO DECORATIVE PLAQUES.

Of the three GREEN-Rs — REDUCE, REPURPOSE, AND RECYCLE, repurposing is more fun and brings the most satisfaction. And in my opinion, it’s also the greenest of the greens – because it requiresonly a tiny bit of energy for its reprocessing and eliminates the need to buy a new product. When an item can’t really be remodeled in any way so that it can be used for its original purpose, you can sometimes use your design skills to adapt it to another need. Thus the same product can serve us for more years in different uses or serve other people a long time before becoming recycled or - please not this- be tossed as another piece of trash into our already bulging landfills.

So what’s behind the repurposing fever? First, our society is running short of many costly resources and, second, the huge volume of products being disposed of everyday is no longer sustainable. And that’s exactly where design come in – finding new solutions by transforming an original item into something else, thus extending the products’ longevity. That’s the heart of the trash-to-treasure movement. You have an everyday item that no longer is useful in its first form, but with creativity and a bit of work, you find an attractive reuse that can be useful in your home or given as a gift to someone else.

When you transform an item into something with a new purpose, you reduce the environmental impact of the product’s industrial cost and postpone its moment of disposal as trash. This allows the “repurposer” to have the satisfaction of taking no longer used items and  thrift store-finds and transforming them into original artworks packed with both futurist vision and sentimental value.

That’s the trash-to-treasure principle that GrandmaS so happily spends time thinking about and, after some trial and error, shares with her readers. So, here goes one such project. Everybody has or comes across a beautiful plate that has a great color and design but now has a fairly visible chip or crack. Those plates don’t have to be thrown away and can easily be repurposed as decorative plaques.

How to convert an old plate into a decorative plaque.

Materials
A chipped or cracked plate with a charming design
Small mosaic tiles that coordinate (or contrast) with the colors in the plate
Tile nippers
A board cut to size as a plaque (with a cut-to-size circle if an entire plate is to be displayed.)
Mosaic tile adhesive
Premixed grout
Grout trowel
Tile and grout sealer
Safety goggles
Hammer
Work gloves

Instructions
You have choices. You can fix up the crack or chip with a bit of ceramic glue and/or acrylic paint color and keep the entire plate with a mosaic tile background. Or you can break the plate into smaller pieces with a hammer and not have to worry about any chips or cracks. The pieces don’t have to be all the same size, just be sure that most are about one-inch square or larger. (It's also possible to display the whole plate, as is, and not worry about trying to fix up small cracks or chips - giving your product more of a "shabby-chic" look.)

Be sure to protect yourself when you break the plate. Wear safety goggles or place some heavy fabric on the top before hammering. Also it’s a good idea to use some gloves when handling the sharp pieces of plate and for tile cutting.

Then take your plate or plate pieces and move them to the precut board. Create the design you like with plate pieces and tiles without applying glue. You will probably have to do some tile nipping to get the right fit. The plate or plate pieces will typically be in the middle with tiles around it, but you could also make a spiral, triangle, or some other geometric pattern. Use a notched trowel to apply tile adhesive to the board and rough up the adhesive with the trowel. This will help the pieces bond to the board.

Carefully set, not slide, the broken pieces and tiles into the adhesive using a slight twisting motion. Let the plaque dry according to the adhesive instructions.

After the adhesive has dried, fill the gaps between the broken pieces with grout. Remove excess grout with a damp sponge. Let the grout dry, then wipe off the surface again with the sponge. Make sure that the plaque is clean and dry, then apply the sealer.

Display your creation on a shelf or hang it on the wall. You’ll want to make more than one. These plaques make lovely holiday gifts.

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CREATE A PERSONALIZED, EMBROIDERED PICTURE FOR A CHILD
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MAKING HEART-SHAPED PILLOWS FOR LITTLE GIRLS

A FRAMED PICTURE COLLAGE MAKES AN EYE-CATCHING WALL DISPLAY

Do you have an empty wall that really needs something to dress it up with? A picture collage display is an easy way to spruce up a wall without a total redo involving paint or wallpaper. Your picture frame collage lets you mix and match photos of your pics with family and friends pics and special moments in an organized way. And it works well for a formal living room, a hallway, a bedroom or just about anywhere is the house.

There’s always some wall in the house that could use a brightener, and a photo frame collage has the design impact you’re looking for. A collage of framed photos can also be a wonderful gift to celebrate an anniversary, birthday or any other special occasion. When planning to do any photo collage, first decide on the general theme for the display. Whether it’s to capture a moment in time or to create a visual archive, a collage of your own photos and frames will be your original creation. It’s entirely affordable and you are guaranteed a unique item for your wall or for gift giving.

Consider doing a photo collage for a dear child or multiple ones for all your special children. As parents and grandparents, we want to create a highly positive environment for our children and show them all our love and emotional support. One way to do that is by creating a “Loving Wall Display” for your children. It can contain pictures of family members, close school friends, teachers, and others interacting with the children. The pics can show special occasions or just capture the warmth of being together in an every day moment. This kind of display lets a  child know how many people believe in them, thus promoting their self-esteem.

The inspiration for my photo wall display

Just recently, I noticed that my bedroom walls were a little bare. Of course, I am (or try to be) something of a minimalist. Nevertheless, I thought that a colorful wall display would look good over my plain wood headboard. And having one or two things on the wall isn’t such a far stretch for minimalism, at least as far as I know.  But I wanted my wall decoration to have impact. That meant bigger rather than smaller. As usual, one of my concerns was how much I could possibly spend in materials. Being budget-wise is a high priority of mine – and only a little behind being Earth-friendly. So, I decided to try to make a collage of picture frames and photos that would be a bright addition to one of my bedroom walls.

Now, of course, I wanted my wall display to be something creative and personal, a bit different than most of the commercial picture collage displays and certainly more colorful. My overall design, as you can see, was a montage of four wood frames painted white and super glued together, to create the look of one “piece of art”. (See update note below.)

I’ve rather arbitrarily decided that my efforts at home accessorizing can’t be more than $25 a project. So I went to the thrift store and bought three wood picture frames with glass fronts. (I already had one at home awaiting a new project. The materials and costs of my project were: $15 total for the 3 frames, white spray paint to make all the frames white - $3 at a big box store, four colorful mats on sale at the craft store –$ 8, and black and white prints of 4 special photos that I’d been saving back. The photos were all interesting landscapes from a recent vacation trip that my husband and I made to New Mexico. To get the “look” fast and do it on-the-cheap, I just resized and ink-jet printed the photos as black and whites on good grade office paper. Later on, with a bit more money in my pocket (I’m nothing if not optimistic), I’ll upgrade my landscapes with commercial photo prints.

How to get started with your photo/frame collage

Find a few picture frames in similar or different materials. It doesn’t matter. The frames might be simple black wood frames, white frames or even colors and/or polished metal frames or some combination if you like a bold look. Different frame sizes will create more visual interest. And if your pictures are matted, you can make the display more fun by using colored mats or by writing dates or comments on them.

To get started, gather all your cherished photos and select the ones you want to display. In a minimalist or modern setting, black and white photos have dramatic appeal. Keep in mind the scale of each photo, and try to keep things similar – very small photos tend to get lost next to large ones. Stick to a color pallet for frames – all colors in a coordinated scheme (soothing feeling) or contrasting colors (dramatic mood) or black and white or monochrome (artsy look). If your photo collage is all black and white or sepia photos, you can paint the frames or use mats in vivid or muted colors. But if your mats are in different colors, it's best to have all the frames the same color.  You want the collage to feel like one art piece, not a confused collection of things that you can’t focus on, even when you try.

Once you chosen a few of your favorite photos, you’re ready to convert them into a beautiful wall display. Continue by laying out your frames and photos on the floor. Measure out the wall area that you are planning to use for your project. Your collage will have more design pizzazz if you make a tiny, almost invisible, pencil line through the middle of the collage and work your way up and down from it. By playing around with different configurations, you’ll find some arrangement that pleases you. Try to keep the frames no more than 2 inches apart so that they all "speak to each other" (or do like I did and super glue the frames together). Remember to edit your work. Less is often more - of what you’re looking for. Ask for somebody else’s opinion of what you’ve done. Once you’re sure of your selection, take a digital photo of the layout. That way you'll be sure to transfer your “perfect” arrangement” to the wall. Hang your collage frames with two nails or screws instead of just one and use a level to make lines that guide your picture hangings. You’ll be pleased to put up your collage, knowing that your unique “art work’ will be enjoyed for many months or even years. Your framed picture collage will keep some sweet memories close to your heart and give you many moments of pleasure. Update your collage by frame moves (if they're not glued together) or photo changes whenever you choose And once you start making framed collages, you’ll find plenty of reasons to make more for your home and as gifts for family and friends.

Update notes (8-20-11)

My husband really liked the collage and ask me if we could put it up in the living room. I somewhat reluctantly agreed to the venue change. As it turned out, the collage as described above, turned out to be too very heavy.  My husband said that my project could only be hung up as four separate frames, and I followed his advice (since he's the official wall display hanger at our house). I kept to the same general design but left about two inches between the frames. So, if you want to try to super glue some frames together, they probably should be somewhat smaller than those shown in the illustration and have plastic in the front instead of glass. 

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VISION BOARDS AND THE NEW MOON CYCLE.

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A GIFT IDEA FOR A “CLOTHESLINE” WALL-HANGING MADE FOR A CHILD

The inspiration
You know, grandmaS by now. I'm always looking for simple ways to make great gifts for my granddaughters, and I spend hours searching the web for ideas. But, I don't just copy something I find out there in "blogland." I like to modify the gift items I read about and make my own designs. When I draw up my needlework patterns, I have several ideas in mind. First, it has to be simple to make. I'm not a person to spend 200 hours making a gift. There just isn't enough time in my busy schedule to allow for that. Besides, I'd get bored long before the 200 hours and give up. My second idea is that I want to be creative. I want my needlework product to look, at least, slightly different than just about anything that my son and daughter-in-law might find for their girls in most department stores. Third, whenever possible, I want the handmade items to be personalized, so that the girls will appreciate and keep the gifts that their grandma made for them for a long time.

So, here's a design that I think everyone will be happy with. It's a great wall-decoration for a child's room and easy to make. In my opinion, wall-hangings are a wonderful display item because they have a lot decorative impact while taking up absolutely no floor or shelf space. So, almost any room could have space for a wall-hanging. Thus, my inspiration for this gift. It’s a personalized wall-hanging that would look nice on the wall beside a child's bed.

The pattern
Here's the simple design. Basically, it's 5 to 10 fabric rectangles folded over to form square pockets with a tiny flap. The squares are 7 inches on the side. The additions to the simple pocket are a crocheted edge and embroidery. All you have to do is find a nice piece of fabric - whatever you like or have on hand - and crochet around the bottom three sides and around the edges of the flap. The fabric should be very heavy or crisply starched to help it keep its form.  (I’ve made the pockets from fabric salvaged from old blue jeans – dark blue material for the 4-year old and lighter blue for the toddler.)

Now, you may be thinking: "Why would there be 5 to 10 pockets?" Well, it all depends on how many you want to work with. There can be fewer or more pockets, depending on your own design. Both of my wall-hangings will be just 6 squares. One will have the 2 end pockets embroidered with simple hearts and flowers and the middle 4 will be the letters of my oldest granddaughter's name - I R I S. See the drawing that I made of the wall-hanging. The other wall-hanging is also 6 squares but with a moon and stars motif on the ends and the middle 4 with the younger girl's name - M Y R A.

The pockets will be hung on a “clothesline” that is really a braided cord, made with heavy weight cotton rug yarn. Your own pattern could call for any number of squares and combination of alphabet letters and/or tiny figures. If the embroidery is more than what you want to do, you could also applique the letters along with whatever other decorative motif you want on the pockets. This project would be just as good for boys if it included elements that boys tend to find attractive – like dogs, cars, “wooden” blocks, etc.

When all the square pockets are sewn, crocheted, and embroidered, string them along the clothesline with brightly painted wooden clothes pins. Make knots in the clothesline to indicate just where each square should go. The knots are also a decorative touch, done in rug yarn in a contrasting color and tied on the line. Without the knots, the pockets would almost always be replaced on the line haphazardly and, thus, lose their orderly charm. The ends of clothesline cord are tied around small screws and fastened to the wall. You could, of course, use any kind of wall screw. But I plan to use something attractive like the kind that hold back drapery ties.


Notes
- Since the whole project is a pin-up creation, the child will be able to easily remove the pockets from the line and pin them up again. The idea, of course, is for the child to open the pockets and place some small items there. Then the pockets would be closed-up with the “treasures” inside, and and pinned up again to the line.

- You might like to include some tiny surprises already hidden in the pockets when you give the gift.

- Though not seen in the drawing, you may want to add buttons or ties to the flaps on the pockets as another decorative feature.

Related posts:
MAKING HEART-SHAPED PILLOWS FOR LITTLE GIRLS
CREATE A PERSONALIZED, EMBROIDERED PICTURE FOR A CHILD.
MAKE A FAMILY MEMORY BOX
A LOT CAN BE SAID ABOUT A GOOD SCARF.
DOING HANDICRAFTS IS USEFUL AND FUN.