I'm not sure where all this inspiration to create has come from. Probably due to a mother that was an artist and encouraged even our weakest and most pitiful attempts at creation. With having to budget my time so well these last few months with all the activities we've had going on, I find it hard to just sit down and relax. Add to this the fact that I keep getting all these crazy ideas of things I should try to make in my head and I've had a major two months of production.
All my creating has Jake terrified. I can understand why when you look at the picture below. This was my first attempt last spring to create artwork for our walls. Although it looks like an angry death scene on the canvas, I actually had a lot of fun slapping paint down. However, Jake took one look at my artwork and ordered an actual print for our living room wall. These poor canvases were regulated to the back of a closet and I was told to hang up my paint brushes.
I learned something from that experiment though. Before starting a project, have a plan in mind first. If you jump into something without a lot of thought, it looks like someone died on your canvas. If you do some research and put a little effort into your creation, you can end up with the redone canvases below. Jake still says they aren't living room material but once we repaint the stairwell, I'm hanging them there. I think they turned out pretty well, especially in comparison to what they started as! The beauty of canvas: it is repaintable!
The next thing I created in October was trick-or-treat bags for the twins. My mom made the one in the middle for Ellie about five years ago. She didn't have the time to get two more made before Halloween this year, so I took the initiative myself.
They were pretty simple to make. As you can tell, the twins' bags aren't completely finished yet. I couldn't decide how to decorate the pumpkins, ghost, and bat. I know I won't be using lots of glitter glue since Ellie's bag sheds on everything. Anyway, they worked for this year and I will get them jazzed up for next year. I also couldn't think of enough Halloween objects for everyone to have a different image on each side of their bag so everyone gets a pumpkin and then something else. I still need an idea for Finito's bag. Frankenstein?
Since we finally got the wall between our bedroom and the twins' finished, I needed some more artwork for their walls. I decided to create that as well. Pretty cute if I say so myself!
My November projects haven't been as plentiful as I'm wrapping up the semester of school. I did however create myself some new coasters. These were what they originally looked like. They are supposed to hold a picture and at one time had wedding photos in them. Carter decided to rip the photos off and this is what I was left with.
I decided they needed a jazzing up. Some scrapbook paper and several coats of Mod Podge (my new best friend!) later, here's our new coasters.
This is a cross my Grandma Mary gave us for a shower gift. I love the simplicity of the cross but it was brown. Grandma tried to find something black as she knew that was more my style but didn't find anything by the shower date. I decided to make the cross black to tie it in with the rest of our decor. A few coats of black paint and I love it even more!
My final project to date was the decoration of these boxes on Wednesday. My mom made the middle one for me. It was just a photo box that she decoupaged paper onto. I've been reorganizing my office area and had two white DVD boxes from IKEA that weren't being used for movies. I decided to reuse them in my office area to hold supplies but first I made them pretty. I totally ripped off my mom's design, but I think they are so cool! The best part was I already had all the scrapbook paper and the bottle of Mod Podge so the project cost me nothing!
Anyway, that is what I've spent October and November doing with my "free time." Michael's and Joann Fabrics love me. Jake comes home at least once a week now, takes a look at either the kitchen table or counters, and asks what I'm up to now. But I love it. I'm finally finding my stride in creating. It doesn't help that I keep finding more creative blogs and websites. I have a few more ideas up my sleeve for my month break from school. One idea includes transforming this yarn into a hat for the baby to wear home from the hospital. It might be a stretch but the baby will wear a hat made from this yarn. It just may not be made by me!
The only area I haven't been able to explore yet is the photography. I can't stop lusting for a digital SLR camera. I already have it picked out. I just need the means to purchase said camera. Jake has some weird opposition to spending $500 on a camera. I can't figure out why. The store sells used ones too, so as soon as I can find some cash, I'm taking the plunge. I may have to go back to giving plasma twice a week or sell a kidney, but I will have a fancy camera by summer! I will post any new pictures of my break creations just as soon as I survive the rest of this semester. Two weeks and counting!
My November projects haven't been as plentiful as I'm wrapping up the semester of school. I did however create myself some new coasters. These were what they originally looked like. They are supposed to hold a picture and at one time had wedding photos in them. Carter decided to rip the photos off and this is what I was left with.
I decided they needed a jazzing up. Some scrapbook paper and several coats of Mod Podge (my new best friend!) later, here's our new coasters.
This is a cross my Grandma Mary gave us for a shower gift. I love the simplicity of the cross but it was brown. Grandma tried to find something black as she knew that was more my style but didn't find anything by the shower date. I decided to make the cross black to tie it in with the rest of our decor. A few coats of black paint and I love it even more!
My final project to date was the decoration of these boxes on Wednesday. My mom made the middle one for me. It was just a photo box that she decoupaged paper onto. I've been reorganizing my office area and had two white DVD boxes from IKEA that weren't being used for movies. I decided to reuse them in my office area to hold supplies but first I made them pretty. I totally ripped off my mom's design, but I think they are so cool! The best part was I already had all the scrapbook paper and the bottle of Mod Podge so the project cost me nothing!
Anyway, that is what I've spent October and November doing with my "free time." Michael's and Joann Fabrics love me. Jake comes home at least once a week now, takes a look at either the kitchen table or counters, and asks what I'm up to now. But I love it. I'm finally finding my stride in creating. It doesn't help that I keep finding more creative blogs and websites. I have a few more ideas up my sleeve for my month break from school. One idea includes transforming this yarn into a hat for the baby to wear home from the hospital. It might be a stretch but the baby will wear a hat made from this yarn. It just may not be made by me!
The only area I haven't been able to explore yet is the photography. I can't stop lusting for a digital SLR camera. I already have it picked out. I just need the means to purchase said camera. Jake has some weird opposition to spending $500 on a camera. I can't figure out why. The store sells used ones too, so as soon as I can find some cash, I'm taking the plunge. I may have to go back to giving plasma twice a week or sell a kidney, but I will have a fancy camera by summer! I will post any new pictures of my break creations just as soon as I survive the rest of this semester. Two weeks and counting!
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