Category Archives: creativity

Bohemian, Baby!

Our new place has a partially converted garage that I want to turn into a Bohemian inspired art & music space for little miss.  Ava wants everything pink and I want it to be cozy and fun … layered rugs, floor cushions, lots of colors – organized chaos.

I am totally in love with the teepee on the left & found an easy DIY for the one on the right.  Ava and I hit some resale shops and picked out some fabrics (mostly pink, of course) and plan to start “construction” next week!

(right:  via 79 ideas)  (left:  via a cup of joe)

I’m also loving all of the plant life and natural elements in this studio space (of artist Fia Cielen):

(via moon to moon)

More inspiration pieces:

(top left:  via jayson home)  (bottom left:  via gypsy river)

(top right:  via the family love tree)  (bottom right:  via eyes of india)

Calling All Crafty People!

I should have posted this weeks ago (sorry, Nicole!), but a move to Portland and a broken foot got in the way.

IT’S CRAFTCATION TIME AGAIN!!

Four days filled with workshops, lectures, and craftastic events!

Where else can you strengthen your business acumen while learning how to pickle things, bind books, and crochet a scarf while sampling artisan beers?

Check out the press release to learn more about their stellar line up of presenters, How To’s, DIY’s, and more!

REGISTRATION CLOSES MARCH 1st, SO MAKE YOUR PLANS TODAY!

(Special thanks to Nicole & Delilah for letting me help get the word out again this year!)

We Made A Fairy House!

My almost four year old is really into fairies.

Like totally mega obsessed.

She dreams about them, she sees them when we are driving through town,

she draws pictures of them, makes up stories about them obsessed.

So the natural thing to do was to build them a home!

We started with a plain rectangular wooden crate we found at the

craft store.  We also bought a variety bag of mosses.

Then we went for a walk around the neighborhood

to collect leaves, sticks, bark, etc.

I got out the hot glue gun and we started covering the crate in

moss, twigs, and bark. (And I only burned myself once!)

We used some old fabric for the floor and sheets

& cotton balls for pillows.

The furniture is made from folded & scotch taped cardboard scraps.

It was Ava’s idea to put a fire in oven

and make little paintings for the walls.

We had a great time making it together and now every night

she sets it all up for the fairies.

And every morning, the beds are mysteriously messed up

and things are moved around.

A child’s imagination is amazing and I will feed it forever. XO!

Gettin’ Spooky

This is the first year I have decorated for Halloween.  With Ava being almost four, she is really super into it and I just had to oblige.  My memories of Halloween decor are those cardboard cut-outs of jack-o-lanterns & witches stuck to our kitchen cabinets and front door.  Not my style (sorry, mom).

Thankfully I came across Dana Willard’s amazing blog – MADE .  (She is one of those super crafty supermoms that  can make ANYTHING – including more time in the day!  How else could she get all of this done?!!)  She posted some Halloween crafts that even I could do and so I did.

Ava helped me make our spiderwebs and spiders and we were really happy with how they came out!

I started making bats too, but so far I only have about 10 so I’m not sure if they will make it into the house before the 31st.

(Check out Dana’s bats … and enviously clean house!)

And thanks to sites like MADE that give us inspiration!  Happy Halloween!

DIY Chalkboard House

Ava says she wants to be a city bus driver when she grows up (or a paleontologist) and now I think we can add interior designer to the list.  She has a recent love for her design apps that let her pick out wall coverings and furniture for little dollhouses – maybe from watching me constantly arranging and re-arranging things around the house.

She also just learned to draw an outline of a house and loves filling in the rooms – see below.

(And yes, that is someone sitting on the toilet upstairs – she also thinks p-o-o-p is quite hilarious).

And me, I’ve been wanting to do something with washi tape (paper craft tape).

I was really inspired by this cute little creation I saw on petitevanou .

I cut out chalkboard contact paper in the shape of a house, stuck it on a closet door, outlined it with washi tape & voila!

(And it doesn’t have to be a house – what does your kid la la love?)

A little house for Ava to decorate over and over again!

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Get Your Craft On!

I have always wanted to be a crafty person.  I suppose if I actually took the time to learn some crafting skills, I could make some pretty rad stuff.  Right now, I’m on par with my three year old and I figure we will learn to be crafty together. [Although I am darn good at making things look cool with spray paint - post forthcoming.]  The rest of you DIY mavens should pack up your sewing kits, letterpress blocks, scissors, glue, and glitter and head to the Craftcation Conference in Ventura, CA from March 22-25th.

This three day event was put together by the talented duo of Nicole Stevenson [of Random Nicole] and Delilah Snell [of The Road Less Traveled] [both co-produce the Patchwork indie art festival as well].  It’s a smorgasbord of workshops and lectures geared to help you start, improve, and maintain your very own indie business.

Want to make felt flowers?  You can do it at Craftcation.

Want to learn to bind books?  They’ve got a workshop for it.

Want to find out how to finance your business?  They have it covered.

Bake pies, make jewelry, learn wordpress, expand your business, make jam, take better photos, conquer social marketing, and tons more … sounds like a good time.  Wish I could make it.

Thanks to Nicole for letting me be a part of spreading the word.

Paper Bag Puppets

Yesterday I got out our giant craft box, handed Ava a bunch of supplies, and watched her create these ‘Ava & Pixie’ paper bag puppets.

I helped by cutting out a few things she requested [hair, ballet shoes, etc] and she did the rest herself.  I think they are pretty cute and wanted to see what kind of paper bag puppets other people were making.  I’d love to see some of your own creations too!

I love this pirate!  By Amanda Formaro on Kaboose

From ‘The Star Wars Craft Book‘ by Bonnie Burton, Admiral “Sackbar”! LOL [via boingboing]

Toothy Guys by Michelle M. of Isle Tri

Rrrribit!  Cute and Simple Froggie from Learning Ideas

I am crazy about this owl made by Denise Sharp.  I think I’m going to buy a pack of brown paper bags today!

Star Wars Decor

My husband has a thing for Star Wars [gee, what guy doesn't?].  He has a few tees and some little figurines [that we keep in his upstairs office - aka out of sight] and he and Ava have Star Wars battles with the lightsabers he bought her.  A little bit of novelty can be fun.

Like this print from Restyle Prints that I bought & framed and allowed into our living room.

I actually kind of like this Imperial Forces Wallpaper from Super7.

And this nursery featured on Apartment Therapy?  Almost makes me want to make another baby.

Another bedroom – by Mary of Quite Contrary.

At -At Walker lamp —- I LOVE IT!  (via Life Goods)

To The One I Love

I just came across these prints by Amanda Catherine Designs and had to share.

Perfect for Valentine’s Day … or any day.  (Love you, MS)

Postagram App! Adorable!

I love this app!  Choose a photo from your iPhone or Android [or send from the internet], specify a recipient, type a message, and Postagram will send it as a cute little postcard!

Just 99 cents to send a bit of love.  And the photo is perforated so the recipient can pop it out and keep it!  I especially love it because I don’t have to go to the post office.  XO

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