Product Challenge: Buckets

Our product challenge this month was buckets! (I can't lie to you, I was super excited because I already had a project done with buckets that I hadn't posted yet). So all I had to do was take a picture. Do you love the dollar section at Target as much as I do? Well, they often have buckets. So, awhile back I bought several buckets at Target to keep my ribbon in. I made a template out of paper for the bucket, then used my scraps of scrapbook paper and covered the buckets with every color of the rainbow... and then some! I then tied little scraps of ribbon on the handle of each bucket. This helped organize my obsession with ribbon (well, at least the smaller pieces. I have the full rolls of ribbon just in a cupboard... I really like ribbon). Hey, let me know if you want to see pics of my whole craft room sometime and I'll try to clean it up to make a post!!! Just leave me a comment.

So, the ribbon ones are totally cute, but you can't forget my favorite bucket of all..... my thread bucket. I love this thing. I keep it next to my sewing machine so when I clip off the thread I have a quick place to throw it!!! -Anisa:)

My bucket project ended up not being a craft but an organizational project. I had been reading Pretty Organized Palace's blog and one post in particular caught my attention. She was sharing some fun ways to cozy up the home for fall and winter. With my inspiration starting there, I headed to my local Hobby Lobby and purchased this large bucket/basket. At home I filled it with all my yummy yarn for crocheting (and one day hopefully knitting) and placed it by the fireplace. I love how it makes my family room just that much more comfy cozy with the bonus I have yarn storage in plain sight.

-Ang

Check out these darling buckets that one of our readers... Shellie... sent into us. Super cute storage. Here's what she says about them,

"Here is what I have been doing with buckets. I only have 3 done. I still want a ribbon one and thread etc… I just bought some for a couple of dollars and spray painted them, cut out vinyl on my Cricut for the letter."

Way to go Shellie!

A little bit of decor in my master bath

So I have this fun little alcove in my master bath where the bathtub is. Kinda boring, right?

I started with this window that I had purchased for $1 at a yard sale. It was white and I spray painted it black. Kind of a little boring by itself.

I was over visiting Trey and Lucy awhile back and saw this cute idea. And what do you know.... a few weeks later, I found this wreath at a yard sale for $2! I totally knew what to do with that!

On the wall above the towel rack, I was thinking of doing some vinyl of some sort. But you know how much I love wood and all of my wood crafts.... So what I did instead, was I used my Cricut and the Storybook cartridge (which I borrowed from a friend in July and really need to return). I cut the little bird swirly thing out as big as I could do it.... 12x24. Used that as a pattern and cut it out of wood. It's fun to have a nice black silhouette but actually have some dimension to it. By the way, I will be selling these at the Seedlings boutique coming up in a couple of weeks!!! Or, you could buy one from me directly if you're interested, just send me an email at anisascholes@gmail.com

And here's the semi-final product. I'm thinking it needs a little color, so I'll probably get some ribbon to add to the wreath and what-not. Leave a comment and let me know what you think!

-Anisa

1 Craft 3 Ways: Little Monsters

I was a little nervous doing something with monsters for October. Not that I'm scared of them. ;) I couldn't think of anything to make that had to do with monsters. Until this morning. My kids and I were hurrying home from running errands so we could play with a little friend of ours. A playdate....hmmmm....(Can you hear the wheels starting to turn?) The light bulb went on-a way to get my craft done and entertain the kids. They would do my monsters for me! Brilliant!

First I had my son and his buddy each draw me a fairly large and simple monster. This is what I got:

Next, I opened my overflowing box of felt scraps and started cutting, sewing, and adjusting as needed.

Let me introduce you to Fire Dragon and Hem:

And Fire Dragon with Hah (Hem's other side):

The boys loved them. Using the kids art work to create crafts was such a fun way to capture their little imaginations for a long time!

Ang

I was so excited to do Monsters. I just recently bought monster bedding from Target for my little boy's room. But I hadn't gotten to the decorating part yet. So, I thought I'd do a little paper piecing.... It's not like I haven't done it before!

-Anisa

I've got a couple of monster projects going on at the moment, but this is what was done in time for our post today.

Do you remember those ATC cards I mentioned a bit ago, checking for interest? Well I found an excellent site that regularly does card swaps and I joined a few of them. This is my first card for the theme of Monsters. It's a baby monster's first portait. How nice it is to kill two birds with one stone!

I might toss another one of my monster-themed crafts onto the blog later this month, but in the mean time, come up with your own! October is an awesome month to immerse yourself in creepy-crawliness.

--C

Cupcake Hotpad

I had so much fun with my "name the dress form" contest last month!!! It was fun watching Brown Sugar and Poly Ester so close the whole contest. I felt bad when Brown Sugar only lost by 5 votes. So, I came up with this cute little hot pad for a consolation prize.

It turned out really cute and how fun to have a cupcake hotpad! I sent it in the mail a couple of days ago, so I hope you get it soon!

1 Craft-3 Ways: The Essie Doll

One day, I was just thinking about my little girl and how nice it would be to make something sweet and simple just for her. I folded a piece of printer paper in half length-wise and drew one half of a doll shape. I cut, I tweaked, I reformed and THEN I used my new pattern to cut out the form in muslin and gave a set to Anisa, Angie and myself and we each made it our own.



I made the doll, keeping open a side seam (thanks, Angie), made her dress separately and used acrylic paint for her hair and lips. I used a fine Sharpie pen for her face.

Putting her all together, I realize that there's a lot more tweaking and enlarging to do, but she's sweet anyway. Very June Cleaver-ish as opposed to the little girl look I thought I'd captured.

- Cami

I took my fabric and chopped her limbs off to make a dress form... big surprise! I made her a tiny apron and I'm using her as a pin cushion. (she looks a little weird.. I probably should have cut the skirt shape off of her too.... sometimes crafting is such a learning process).

-Anisa

What started as one idea quickly turned into another completely unexpected idea with this sweet little thing. Originally, I thought of making the doll into a little elf that would show up around Christmas and "spy" on my kids. A few sample dresses later and I realized something. This doll was not meant to be an elf. She was meant to sit on top of my Christmas Tree!

Her leggings were fused on to the muslin cutout with some wonder under. The dress is a separate piece, but hot glued around the neck. The red trim around the neck is also hot glued. I used some curly doll hair that you can get at most any crafting store for the hair. Her face is drawn on with a fine tip Sharpie, and her heart shaped mouth is painted on in a deep red. She was looking a little drab still, so I added some of my own eye shadow and blush to perk up her face a little. I love her to pieces now and can't wait to see her on top of my "mommy" tree. (Anyone want to come decorate the rest of the tree for me though?)

Ang

Swiss Days in Midway, Utah

I went with a friend to Swiss Days in Midway, Utah over the weekend. It is a HUGE craft fair with lots of fun stuff. We went for crafting ideas:) Anyway, I just thought I would highlight a few of my favorite boutiques at Swiss Days...

Cale & Company Design

Sweet and Shabby Designs

Vinylicious Designs
Me and Mom's Hats

We have some talented crafters out there!!! -Anisa

I'm a little obsessed with Owls!!!

Okay, so after last month's wood craft workshops at my home, I got such a huge response to owls, that I went a little crazy.... I made a cute yard stake for my little boy's silent auction at his school (sorry, I donated it before I thought to take a picture....I guess I'll have to make another one). And my sister-in-law and I made this adorable wreath! I just love it. It's already on my front door weather it's fall or not!!!

I have been having fun designing a lot of my own wood crafts. You can find some of them finished or unfinished in my Etsy shop The Craft Menagerie (link is in our side bar). I will gradually be adding finished and unfinished products to my shop. If you are local, stay tuned for my October-themed crafts which I will be doing at the end of September.

-Anisa