Day 54

This was just a crazy day, and I can honestly say that I almost decided to skip tonight's craft, even stop forever because it was just one of those days where I didn't want to deal with anything, let alone trying to figure out what kind of craft to do!  But then I remembered that life has good days and bad days and you have to take it for what it is, and keep going.  So that's what I did.

I didn't get to even think about a craft until 8:30pm, which is pretty darn close to my bed time, so I rushed around looking for something and decided on a Origami Suncatcher.  I did a two colored one this time and I had help from our cat Cody!  All in all, I'm really glad I took the time to do it, though I did rush and it's a bit sloppy.  But it grounded my thoughts and Cody had me laughing so it was really a great stress reliever for me.

I started with a sheet of orange and a sheet of red origami paper:

I folded each and was left with 8 rectangles for each color, but I only used four of each color:

I started folding each one, and Cody supervised, he licked the paper accordingly and at one point walked over them, getting them stuck to his feet, and freaked out.  I was laughing to hard to be mad:

Here is the finished suncatcher, notice Cody's paw of approval on the left:

Another shot of the finished suncatcher:

Day 53

I stayed home from work today, I was just feeling run down both physically and mentally and I needed to just take today for myself.  I did a lot of thinking today, about things going on around me, with family and friends.  About things that I want the future to bring, trying to learn from the past, what to do to make tomorrow all it can be.  I won't bore you with details, let's just leave it at "I thought a lot today"...okay!  :)  

Because of all the thinking, it inspired me to do a Haiku.  I just realized that I'm doing a lot of Japanese crafts lately, I'm not sure why that is!  

What is Haiku?  Haiku is one of the most important form of traditional Japanese poetry. Haiku is, today, a 17-syllable verse form consisting of three metrical units of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. 

So with that, here is my Haiku titled "Food for thought":

Full of emotion
Triggers thoughts, many feelings
Good or bad, it’s there

Day 52

I don't even really know what I made today!  I just looked around to see what I had and thought this would look nice...I was right!  It came out cute.  I might look for a wallet sized frame for it next time I'm out and about.

I took a wood square that Stan had painted black a week or so ago.  I stamped it with a butterfly stamp using tinted embossing ink and put red embossing powder over it.  I then went back and stamped "Live, Laugh, Love" and used embossing powder on it as well.  The pictures don't show how pretty it really looks, but take my word for it, it's nice!

Supplies I used:

Finished piece:

Day 51

I decided today that we needed coasters for Spring, and then the more I thought about it, I decided that we need coasters for all four seasons, SO this is part 1 of a 4 part seasonal craft!  When Summer gets a bit closer I'll do a set for that season, then Fall and then Winter!

Here is Spring.  I took four ceramic tiles, two pages from my spring scrapbook paper and my trusty stinky Mod Podge.  I cut down the paper to just under 4".  I cleaned the tiles with rubbing alcohol, smeared them with Mod Podge and then smeared the back of the paper with some more Mod Podge.  I centered the paper on the tile and then smeared more Mod Podge over the paper.  I have to do 5 coats, waiting 20 minutes in between each application.  So I don't have a finished picture, but you get the idea!  I'll add a picture of the dried coasters tomorrow so can get a real view of them.

UPDATE 3/29/11: ADDED FINISHED PICTURE AT THE END!

Here are the four tiles pre-paper application:

Here is the Spring paper I chose, two sheets:

 The paper cut down and the Mod Podge ready to be applied:

Here they are with two coats of Mod Podge, only 3 more to go!:

 Here is what the bottom will look like once they are done, felt dots:

 

 

Here they are all dry and ready to go!

 

Day 50

For today's craft I decided to do the envelope that goes with yesterday's origami note.  It's very similar folding as the note, but you change it up a little near the end so it will fold into itself and "latch". 

I really want to mail it to someone!

I chose a paper similar to yesterdays so they would sort of match:

Here is the envelope almost completed:

The left origami is the envelope opened up, and the origami on the right is the note I did yesterday:

Put the note inside the envelope and do a few more folds:

And here it is, all folded and ready to be sent out to it's recipient!:

Day 49

Since I'm still getting over the drama of last nights bookmark (*wink*) I decided to try some more origami.  This time I used a kit I had purchased called "Origami Stationery".  It teaches you how to make "elegant folded note cards and envelopes for a personal touch".  It's actually pretty great, and it makes me want to make a bunch of these and mail everyone a note!

I chose a pretty origami paper, the kit came with a bunch of beautiful paper.  Then I chose the "Trapezoid Note".  I'm not going to get into details on the folds I did, but here is a basic picture breakdown of what I did...

Here is the book, paper and bone folder:

First few folds got me here:

A little further:

A little further still....:

All done!!:

And here it is back open, ready for me to write a note:

Day 48

So I was thinking all day that I just wanted to come home, do a simple craft and relax.  My first thought...bookmark.  I realized today that I had contact paper for a wedding craft I had planned and could use it as a laminate.  I mention all this to Stan and he helps me find a bookmark template online to make it even easier, just need to insert a photo and quote.  BONUS!  I tell him I want a picture of a moon, and he starts searching while I go to my trusty book of quotes to find something relevant.  I figure this will be done in no time...

Not so much...

Stan finds a nice picture, I find a good quote, we insert, print...and realize I had regular paper in the printer, so we print again, on white card stock.  Alright, no big deal.  I pull out my paper cutter, and the stupid thing is of course not cutting straight, so I try to fix it with regular scissors and I'm not straight.  I have a minor temper tantrum and have Stan trim for me.  Okay, I'm alright now, so I get out the hole punch and punch the hole at the top of the bookmark for the fringe string I want to add.  Low and behold I'm too close to the top, and end up splitting the hole open at the tippy top!  O..M..G...I fall to the ground and start slamming my head against the floor.  (Don't worry, we have carpet!)  I beg Stan to go downstairs and pop open a bottle of wine while I try to now cover the bookmark in contact paper to salvage the hole for the string.  I'm starting to hate bookmarks.  Alright, contact paper....I've never used it before, I cut a nice big square, put the bookmark face down close to the left side and fold the right side over to sandwich the bookmark.  Guess what??  I'm not straight, so the contact paper buckles and sticks...I toss the bookmark across the desk, and start swearing like a sailor.  Stan comes with wine...after a long silent gulp...yes, I admit it, a gulp...I feel better.  Stan takes over and trims it up for me.  Wine slowly goes through my body, I'm now feeling better.  I get the string and start stringing it through the now complete hole and can't get the knot to tie.  I keep trying while silently laughing manically in my head.  After about 5 attempts, I get it, I cut trim, I'm DONE!!!!

YAY!!!

And then I try to take pictures....sigh...our cat Cody decides he needs to help....sigh....I send Stan down for another glass of wine....here are the pictures..../headdesk

Bookmark with Cody trying to get the camera strap:

Close up or bookmark:

Another closeup and Cody:

Cody willing to rip my face off for the camera strap:

Day 47

I don't remember what grade I was in, but it had to be maybe 6th or maybe 7th, our class took a field trip to the Springfield History/Art Museum, or the "Quadrangle" as it was known.  I remember it pretty vividly, I know I had a lot of fun, but one thing that really sticks out in my mind was the Japanese artifacts.  There was all kinds of cool things, and we had two activities.  One was doing the Japanese Signature Stamps, or Hanko Signature Seals, that was pretty cool, but the thing I really really enjoyed was the origami we did.  We all made an origami cup, and actually were able to put water in it from the water fountain and drink from it!!  Since then I've always enjoyed dabbling in origami, it's just so great how you can make so many fascinating things just by folding paper.

When I saw this book "Origami Suncatchers" I was intrigued.  The folding is pretty simple and they designs in a window will be very pretty.  I plan on covering all the bedroom windows in them, just because I can.  And from outside, it will probably look fun.  Or crazy, I guess it depends on who's looking at it!

Here are the supplies I used:

First you take 2 pieces of origami paper, fold them in half horizontally and then in half vertically.  Then you cut along the folds to create 8 smaller squares.

 

Then you take each square, turn it so it's a diamond, then fold the left corner to the right corner like so:

 

Unfold it, then take each corner and fold it in toward the center like so and glue them down:

 

Keep going until they are all done and look like this (only glued, forgot to glue this one before the picture!):

 

Next you put glue on the lower right triangle and glue another triangle to it, then the left triangle as seen here:

 

 Keep going until they are all glued, and then hang in the window!!  (It's dark out, so would be pointless if I do that now!):

 

Day 46

Today's craft is from a kit I had purchased from Barnes & Noble.  It's called "Traditional Japanese Egg Decorating".  It came with a wooden egg, a wood stand, paper, brush and glaze.  Once you get the hang of it, it tells you how to do it on real eggs.  Since bunny season is here (aka Easter) I decided this would be a fun and relevant craft!

Here is the egg and paper I had Stan choose:

 

You take the paper, fold it in half, make cuts every 1/4" leaving about 3/8" at the top crease, so as to not cut all the way through.  Then you go back and cut each piece to a point:

 

 Put white Elmer's glue on the inside center of the paper and roll around the egg, starting at the top of the egg glue each point to the egg, one at a time, overlapping as you go, then do the bottom paper:

Let it dry:

Paint the stand and let it dry:

Apply the glaze, let it dry and your done!:

 

Day 45

When I got home from work tonight one of the first things Stan said was "I have a craft you can do tonight!".  And my first thought was "YAY!!!" because I wasn't too sure what I was going to do!  

His computer came with a bunch of craft software and he was checking it out today.  There was a template for a photo cube, you just add your pictures, print it out, cut it, score the folding lines, fold and glue!  That's it!  It was easy and fun and now I have an adorable photo cube of the 6 loves of my life to adorn my desk at work!!!

Printed on card stock:

All cut out and ready to be scored, folded and glued:

Folded, a little flimsy looking but it's holding up well:

Top view:

Another side view:

Day 44

Today's craft is pretty funny.  Well the outcome is anyway. 

I have this picture of a field of sunflowers that I enjoy and decided to make it into a Shrinky Dink magnet.  I printed it onto the Shrinky Dink paper with no problem.  It started going down hill when I cut it out.  The cutter I used skipped on the edges, so I had to use regular scissors to trim it.  Apparently while I was cutting I must have had a seizure or something because I went all over the place and though it didn't look to bad at first, I then baked it!  ugh  And on top of the not so straight cutting job, while it was baking, the Shrinky Dink curled and got stuck in a sausage like roll.  I had to use two steak knifes to pry it apart!  Steak knifes and Shrinky Dinks, not a good mix.

So the good news, I got it to lay flat.  Bad news, it looks a mess!  I still slapped some magnet tape on the back and called it a day because the picture is still pretty, and it's currently holding up a picture, so hey, mission accomplished!

Printed on Shrinky Dink paper:

After baking - cringe worthy edges:

 

Another cringe worthy edge picture:

 

And here is the back: