Glitter eggs

Don't you just love sparkly, glittery goodness? Want some glitter eggs for Easter decor? Get out the Mod Podge and some glitter. I picked up a bag of 18 eggs at the Dollar Tree. I used glitter in shades that matched the color of the egg. I coated each egg with Mod Podge and covered in glitter. I set them on some wax paper to dry. And I have glitter eggs! So easy!

Here is another shot of them drying. I just couldn't resist the sparkles.

And here they are piled into a clear glass hurricane:

What simple Easter ideas do you have? I'd love to know.

I'll be linking these up to the parties on the side.

Linking to Get Your Craft On

On another note, I just want to say welcome to the new followers I've picked up recently. Thanks for your interest and support.

Easter egg topiary

I was inspired by THIS Hobby Lobby project to make an Easter egg topiary. However, I used different materials and made it my own. Here's my mini tutorial:

I started with a 2 7/8 x 7 7/8 inch cone from the Dollar Tree. I got mine during the Christmas season and never got around to the intended project. I also got some foam glitter egg ornaments and moss from the Dollar Tree.

I removed the ribbon hangers and cut the eggs in half.  Leave one whole for the top. It only took one package doing it this way.

I glued the halves onto the cone with the glue gun. Then I filled in with the moss. Some people cover the cone with moss first. I don't this it matters. Glue a whole egg to the top. After I did that, I glued on some butterfly/flower picks that I got from Tuesday Morning. Just randomly space them to your liking. I also added some tiny flowers from Michael's. That's it. I didn't put mine in a pot or base. It sits flat and can be displayed on any pedastal I choose.

Here's another shot:

Thanks for stopping by. I'll be linking up to:

Get Your Craft On

and






and others.

And I'm entering this at CSI's April 11 Easter challenge.

What is your preferred method...

of subscribing to a blog? I know many people like to read through Google reader, and I sometimes do, but I will more likely read a post if I'm subscribed through my email. I am going to check my email at least once a day and I don't have to go anywhere else to keep up with a blog if the posts are in my email. I've added the subscribe or follow by email option to my blog. It's just above the Google connect follow application. So I'm curious, what is your preferred method of subscribing to a blog?

Stella and Dot knock-off

Somewhere in blogland I discovered Stella and Dot jewelry. I've never been to a show but have browsed the website often. I've been wanting a long necklace for some time and their "Rachel" caught my eye, but I'm not really into paying $89 and above for a necklace.

So what's a girl to do? KNOCK IT OFF! I've been having fun learing to string beads into jewelry and decided I'd tackle this one.

This necklace is made to wear two ways. Here there's both ways:

Here is mine:

 and here is mine being worn:

Mine's a little longer in length than there's but I love it. It's so light and I had so much fun wearing it last night. All of my beads and materials came from Michael's (40-50% off)  and my investment is about $30 (you could say less because I have quite a few of some of the beads left over and could make one or two more pieces with the leftovers.)

Thanks for stopping by. I'll be linking this up to the parties on the side.

If you make jewelry, I'd love to know where you buy beads and supplies. I'd like to save some money on supplies and when I actually learn what I'm getting when I order say a 14mm nugget (at first I had no clue how to tell what size a bead would be), I'd like to branch out on my bead shopping.

The flowers are blooming

outside and inside! Some of the flowers are beginning to bloom in my yard and neighborhood and I've been busy making fabric flower brooches again, so it's blooming inside. I've listed these in my etsy shop:

Wouldn't they look sweet on an Easter outfit?

New (to me) spring wreath

New to me because I took the old wreath and made it new! My old, non seasonal wreath has been around a while, first inside, then outside for 4-5 years. I failed to take a before picture. It was a brown grapevine wreath with mauve magnolias. The flowers had faded and gotten dirty. I also kept noticing when I passed my house each day that it didn't really stand out on my door. There may as well not have been a wreath there. SO, what's a girl to do? Throw it away and buy another one? Oh no, not if that baby can be salvaged.

I took all of the flowers off. I did throw some of them away because there was no life left to them. Well, maybe some of you could have done something with them- dye them or something- if you have a solution let me know for future reference.  I saved some of the ivy pieces and cleaned them with a damp toothbrush and paper towels. I painted the form with Krylon antique white spray paint. When it was dry, I got the glue gun and went to work. I purchased a spring mix spray from Michaels and a couple of other 99 cent sprays. I have only $5-6 in the flowers. I put hydrangeas and daisies where the magnolias used to be. I put the ivy back pretty much where it was before. I didn't have a plan for this, but while I was working I noticed the felt butterflies I purchased lying there. I bought them because I love butterflies and lime green, so I had to have them. I decided to glue them on one side of the wreath. I also wanted to add a little more to them, so I glued some small paper flowers from the scrapbooking stash to the butterflies. Then I found a bow I had saved from a gift basket I received over five years ago. FIVE YEARS AGO! Yes I have saved a bow for that long and it doesn't look like an episode of hoarders around here, really! The bow has butterflies on it and I know one day I could use it- so saving it has been justified.

If you're still with me after all that, here's what you've been waiting for - my new spring wreath:

I link to these parties:

An Oldie but Goodie

Think Pink Sundays*Under the Table and Dreaming* Sundae Scoop* Craftomaniac Monday*Make the Scene Monday* Make It Pretty Monday*Masterpiece Monday* Motivate Me Monday*Market Yourself Mondays at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff* Pink Hippo Party*More The Merrier Monday* Make It Monday*Mop It Up Monday *Take a Look Tuesday* Handmade Tuesdays*  Tell Me Tuesday*Tuesday Talent Show*My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia* Tip Junkie*Get Your Craft On* Terrific Tuesday*From Dream to Reality*Whatever Goes Wednesday*Show and Share*Hooking Up with HOH*Blissful and Domestic* Handy Man, Crafty Woman*  Dragonfly Designs*My Girlish Whims*Sugar and Spice*Share It* Show and Share* Primp Your Stuff* It’s a Party*Fireflies and Jellybeans* Someswhat Simple Strut Your Stuff*Catch A Glimpse *DIY Thrifty Thursday*Creative Juice*Transformation Thursday* Handmade 52* A Crafty Soiree* At the Picket Fence* Tidy Mom*Simply Sweet Home*Simply Designing*Chic on a Shoestring Flaunt It Friday*Fingerprints on the Fridge*BFF Open House at The Answer is Chocolate* Creation Corner*Tatertots and Jello*Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special*Be Different Act Normal* Delicately Constructed Fridays*Friday Frolic**Shine On* Sweet Saturday*Pomp Party*Overflowing with Creativity*Saturday Seven*Feathered Nest

What makes you comment... or not?

I noticed on my site meter report that I had a large increase of visitors to my blog yesterday. But sadly, there were few comments left. That led me to do some thinking and a little research. According to this post by problogger, only one out of 100 readers comment. Most readers are lurkers. I have found myself at times lurking as well. Sometimes the content is just not what I was looking for or does not inspire me. Sometimes I'm just lazy. I have tried to make a bigger effort when visiting links from link parties to leave a comment- a kind word or encouragement. Admit it, it makes you feel good when people compliment your work and when they leave comments so that you know someone is actually taking the time to read what you wrote.

So, what leads you to leave a comment? Is it only when something inspires you? Or is it when the content engages you and asks you a question or for your opinion? Please let me know. I'm looking to generate some friendly discussion here.

My very first beaded necklace- Anthro inspired

I'll have to admit- I had never heard of Anthropologie until I started following link parties last year. It really is a great source of inspiration for crafting and just for colors and patterns in general. I have another admission- I'm brand new to jewelry making. Last year I started by making memory wire bracelets, then a pair of earrings. I've been collecting beads since ( I started by trying to use up old beads from another craft but now I have more- what?). I'm just clueless about how to put them together and some of the techniques and such bewilder me.

I bit the bullet and finally put a piece together. Anthro's SugarCane and Cocoa was my inspiration.

Here is there's:

Here's mine:

Mine's not a complete knock-off at all. There's is 30 inches in length. Mine's only about 20 inches. I would have loved for mine to be longer but it would have taken larger beads and I was working with what is available at my local Michael's store and within my budget. I actually added a few more beads in sections than they have to add to the length but couldn't add more or I'd lose the overall balance and look I was going for. I also used a clasp and there's doesn't have one. I didn't have thread or the patience to learn to knot just yet.  I'm still very pleased with the results.

Here are the materials I used if you want to make your own (all from Michael's and mostly Bead Gallery line beads purchased on clearance or 50% off)

Elite Better Beads filigree bead caps
Lobster clasp
crimp beads
Beadalon Satin Silver stringing wire
6 mm silver plated bicone corrogated
16 mm acrylic amber tube beads
Amber agate mix round 14mm
Crystaloloid Agate Green oval 25x18 mm
Sea Shell round 12 mm
18mm faceted acrylic

My cost (not including wire, clasps, crimps that I already had): $23
I also have some beads left over so I could make another project from this and cut the cost in half.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll be linking here:






Get Your Craft On

And to the parties on the side!

Vintage Easter treasury

I created a treasury of some vintage or vintage inspired etsy items that caught my eye. Check it out HERE, click, comment and show some love if you will.

Butterfly art... a little bit of spring

Today the hubby and I went to some yards sales. It was Peaches to Beaches, an annual event in Georgia. We stayed within our local county, but scored some great stuff. He got a fogger for $5 and some other Halloween stuff.  I got some pumpkins (4) so maybe this fall you will see some pumpkin crafts from me. I've saved links to a bunch that I saw last year. I also got two pillows for 50 cents each that I can use for forms for some of my future pillow projects that I want to try. It was a good day.

After we came home, I finished up this framed butterfly art.

The frame is from the Dollar Tree and I die cut the butterfly with a Sizzix die and cut a circle from Bazzill cardstock with a Spellbinders die. I embellished the butterfly with flowers and pearls.  Here is close up:

I got the inspiration for this from a set of butterfly towels in my guest bath. They have butterflies with flowers embroidered on them. The background paper is from K&Co. Amy Butler. I added a strip of ribbon and a bow. It goes great with my other green decor in my office/craft space.

Thanks for stopping by.
I'll be linking up here:

Share it Saturday

Think Pink Sundays at Flamingo Toes

Get Your Craft On








and to the parties on the side. Check them out.

Book page eggs

I've seen a few of these in blog land already, but I was inspired to  make these by the ones here on Inspire Co. I made my book page eggs by tearing strips from a book I got at the book exchange for less than a buck. (Book lovers don't fret, I'm not ripping up a famous novel.) I Mod Podged them onto plastic eggs from the Dollar Tree. This is a messy project, but go ahead and get messy. I found it easier to smooth down the strips if I already had Mod Podge on my hands. Once you've got all your strips down, go over them with a final coat of Mod Podge. Lay them on wax paper to dry.

I didn't glitter my eggs like the ones at Inspire Co. I did embellish them with ribbon and flowers. I used an acrylic rhinestone for the centers of the flowers in colors that coordinate with the ribbon.  I'm so excited to have some Easter decor made ahead of time.

I'll be linking these up to the parties on the side.



Edited: These have been featured at Tatertots and Jello!

Treasuries

I don't normally toot my own horn, but I had some of my etsy items make it into a couple of beautiful treasuries over the weekend. Go take a look. There are lots of great items by very creative artists there.

Hurry Springtime

Black and red

Have a great week. 

Funky fabric flowers

I've been digging into that fabric stash again to make fabric flowers. This time I used the same bright funky fabric that I used for the headband I recentley shared. The older sister of the 12 year old that I made the headband for also had a birthday, so I made her a flower pin. I put a vintage clip on earring in the center. You can find a tutorial for this type of flower here.

I  really like how this fabric looks made into flowers so I made another one - a pom pom style flower.

It's also a brooch and it's available in my shop.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a great weekend. It's been a long week. I'm about to go have wings with those fun, crazy young adults that attend our Sunday School class.

I'll be linking this up to the parties on the side and here:

Share it Saturday



Get Your Craft On.

Scripture art

I'm sharing a quick little project that I did as a Valentine's gift for my husband. It would really fit any occasion. If you are a stamper, this is a great way to use your stamps for more than cards.

I took the Our Daily Bread stamp of Isaiah 40:31, my husband's favorite Bible verse and stamped it on cardstock. I cut that out with a Nestabilities die and cut a larger mat from the same shape die. I also stamped the eagle from the stamp set, colored it with Prismacolor pencils and cut it out. I took the matted verse and adhered it to a piece of Basic Grey paper cut to 4x6 to fit the frame opening. BTW, I got this frame from Tuesday Morning and it came with the large cross. I knew that with the cross it would be perfect for a project for my husband. I adhered the eagle in the corner over this. I wanted a little something else on the frame, so I took a cross charm, cut the hanging loop off with wire cutters, and glued it to the bottom right corner. This all went very quickly.

Here's a close up of the verse ( I sponged some ink around the edges) and another shot of the whole frame.

Thanks for stopping by. Please visit the link parties on the side. I'll be linking up!