Craft Serenity

Sometimes crafts are not just for fun they are actually really good for you.

Feeling stressed? Life thrown you a lemon?
Turn down that internal chatter channel and grab some knitting needles.

No, not for eye-gouging, although sometimes that may be your first instinct. Instead go find some great yarn (or cheap yarn to make mistakes with) and get started.The soothing quality of knitting combined with the end result of something cozy for you or someone you like - is pure crafting serenity. 

If you haven't knit before, find yourself a friend that does and ask for a lesson. Don't get discouraged if you forget everything they taught you as soon as they leave your house. With YouTube all that was learned can be learned again. I recommend the Good Knit Kisses.  channel for the slow and wide yarn instruction.

I first started knitting circle scarfs by simply knitting a scarf and then attaching the ends with a darning needle. I am now looking into transitioning into toques. We will see how that goes, but to be quite honest I am still not tired of knitting the same scarf pattern. The results look great and my tension keeps getting better. A slow and steady improvement that has been gained from lots of repetition while curled up in my chair.

PS.

For my loyal readers in Vegas working on the 'craft of gamble'. I would like for nostalgia a moneyline Oilers bet placed in my name ($10) and from my research on ESPN FC and my winning intuition - I would like some kind of a parlay (bookie's choice) with some or all of the following - the Saints (who are going to murder), the Panthers, the Buccaneers, and the usual Go Hawks!

Luck be a lady!

Name your Herbs

Here is a little craft I have been meaning to post. This was my second experiment with polymer clay (Sculpey brand). They were such fun to make and quite a few of these little guys have been gifted to date.

These were made after reading the excellent tutorial found on Wit and Whistle. As the clay heats up quickly in your hands, the worse your circulation the better your results! After baking the clay and letting them cool, I filled in the stamp indentations with permanent marker. Happy Crafting:).

Sisters and Terrariums

Shrooms in a Jar

My sister Kelsey has been really interested in making terrariums for the past year and we finally made this dream a reality. Full disclosure, we have no idea how to ensure succulents stay alive, but after watching videos of experienced gardeners ripping these plants apart and shoving them into the soil - we suspect they are hardy.

The process of creating these fun little worlds was actually really simple, but requires a few supplies;

• Glass container you like
• Charcoal
• Potting soil mixed with sand
• Plants
• Figurines ( not optional - without them your terrarium is just a plant steaming up a glass container)
• Moss (Optional)

Kelsey's Rhino and Rock Cacti Terrarium

After layering the sand charcoal and potting soil (mixed with sand) we were ready to plant these cacti. Finally we added the pièce de résistance these gorgeous litte mushrooms which we created with FIMO baked and then painted. If we make them again (and we will) we would make the mushroom stems a bit longer to ensure they sit above the soil.
 

Pysanky

All things worth celebrating deserve at least one craft. Spring is no exception. In fact it deserves more than one craft but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

I recently had a lovely evening with Rebecca, Katherine and Paul. The event was titled "Pysanky and Polenta". After chowing down on dinner (polenta attempt number one was a success) we got out the Pysanky supplies and got to work. To be clear, this was nobody's maiden voyage. The group gathered were all experienced in the art of Pysanky. A tradition that we didnt fully understand the importance of until Katherine's 2012 Wikipedia search.

To repeat, "The Hutsuls––Ukrainians who live in the Carpathian Mountains of western Ukraine––believe that the fate of the world depends upon the pysanka. As long as the egg decorating custom continues, the world will exist. If, for any reason, this custom is abandoned, evil––in the shape of a horrible serpent who is forever chained to a cliff–– will overrun the world. Each year the serpent sends out his minions to see how many pysanky have been created. If the number is low the serpent's chains are loosened and he is free to wander the earth causing havoc and destruction. If, on the other hand, the number of pysanky has increased, the chains are tightened and good triumphs over evil for yet another year."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pysanka

Needless to say, this craft is serious business. To begin a Pysanky adventure of your own we recommend Baba's Beeswax - great dyes and kits to get you started.  
http://www.babasbeeswax.com/

Hearts

Both literally and figuratively, hearts are great.

From a crafty perspective, the heart shape provides the advantages of symmetry (ease of replication), and nicely incorporates both curves and lines. Also hearts look like hugs. I have always loved the heart shape and have some really fond memories of hearts as crafts and edibles.

To name a few; Maria Adamic's personalized (with our names) heart cookies that were cherished and then devoured at Paula's birthday parties, a heart ceramic necklace I made for my mom in kindergarten that she still wears on V-Day, Purdy's chocolates around the house from Dad before boyfriends, placing two cinnamon hearts into each valentines day card - for both the kids I liked and the kids I didn't like. All of these things fill my heart with feelings of hearts.

The Valentines Day craft shown here is a simple one, just a few rustic looking heart felt ornaments stitched with a blanket stitch and some simple embroidery. Once complete, they were  hung on my very dried out berry branch left over from a Christmas flower arrangement - the best $3.00 ever spent.

XOXO

January Flowers

It is the time of year where I most miss my garden -  too early for daffodils and too late for anything else. Perhaps this is why I have been obsessed with these darling felt flowers.

It all started with a brief research project (check out the excellent tutorial here from Paper and Stitch) and ended with a nice little bowl of grey and white blooms. I think I will try to fix these to barrets or headbands, but have also seen some amazing wreaths.

These are a perfect 'instant gratification' craft, they are quick and easy to make and have a tendency to multiply. The color choice seemed appropriate for January.

The real star of the picture is the gorgeous bowl made by my talented Uncle Rob - you can see more of his exceptional pottery at Circle Craft .

Tea with Kenneth

Happy New Year! I am pleased to introduce Kenneth, our latest softy. I say ours because he is a household softy and not a personal creation. Paul started this little guy many years ago, and poor Kenneth has sat half stuffed in my craft suitcase for about two years. Tonight in a fury of crafting inspiration - Paul put the final stitches on Kenneth, and voila craft completion. Kenneth joined us for tea this evening, and seems to be settling in quite nicely outside of the suitcase.

Here is to a year of turning crafts incomplete to complete!