Monday, February 8, 2010

Mod Podge







I love this stuff. It's so forgiving and I can coat my fingers in it and then just wash it off. It's the perfect medium for messy-fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants artists.

Valentine's Day is coming up too. The combination of Mod Podge and Valentine's Day just makes me giddy. (OK, not exactly giddy... but I do look forward to making things). Today's creation is actually a secret... I'm betting that a certain college student with whom I am well acquainted is far too busy to be blog hopping, so I think I'm safe in sharing this here while the actual creation wings its way across the country.

While I'm at it, I'll find a photo of last spring's Mod Podge creation and post that too.

Happy Crafting and sharing your love with those you love this week!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Upcycled



My word for the day. Upcycled. It's an awkward word, but nonetheless a good word when it comes to taking potentially discarded materials and creating something useful and artsy from them. A sales rep came into work showcasing upcycled hats, scarves, pillows, throws and sweater monkeys. These kind of things make me want to drop whatever I am doing at the moment, rush to the thrift store, load up on wool everythings, run the washer on HOT, and then get busy with my scissors and sewing machine.

I can hardly wait. Everytime I see this artsy stuff, I get the same response. Therefore, the time has come TO CUT UP WOOLEN ITEMS and SEW THEM BACK TOGETHER to make something NEW. I can no longer wait.

The goofy thing is I want to wear this stuff and carry these satchels and basically look like an eccentric middle aged woman. (oh.. that's who I am, isn't it?) I definitely felt that way in my new blue Keen sneakers today. They are not made for and marketed to the over 50 crowd. Tough.

Next will come the flowing, flapping, multi colored, multisensory fashion statement. I don't know when. (I have to get taxes done first) I don't know where. (But I do know that I will refrain from such attire when accompanying my 16 year old son outside of the house). Maybe I'll wait for my next trip to Seattle. ... Having returned from the city merely hours ago, this is part of the energy that spurs me on to UPCYCLE, of course. Portland Saturday Market started it all this summer... Seattle shopping continues it... and today, the hats from Colorado. (SOMEONE in OHIO needs to make stuff like this! May as well be me).

Meanwhile. I post photos of my most current attempt at Upcycling AKA: the T-Shirt Quilt. Of the four in progress, this is the only one completed. It's huge. It's heavy. It's warm. It's DONE. And, it delighted my daughter, the one who wore these t-shirts over the past 16 years or so. Upcycled Love, perhaps.

Yea. That's it. Upcycled love.
More to come.
Can't wait.