Friday, May 31, 2013

Orange Richmond

I'd like to take the time to introduce you to my newest creative endeavor....Orange Richmond.
 
It's a new home goods store in Richmond VA that was recently opened my friend Cathy (the one on the left) who I know from high school.

She contacted me about me sending her some of my hand towels on consignment and I said "yes"!

It's such a cool looking store. She's found such unique, handmade items. I wish I go see it in person.
Check out my towels on the 3rd shelf from the top.

And on this wall.

Like I said before...such cool items that are handmade by such talented artisans. 

Thanks for the opportunity Cathy!
Go visit Orange Richmond  on Facebook and "LIKE" her store so you can get updates on all of her incoming home goods!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Lifestyle Crafts

Don't forget, if you want to order from Lifestyle Crafts, you can get 20% off if you use my affiliate code button on the side (KAMINSKI). 
Here's the link.
Happy shopping!

The Washi Tape Round.....

Well, Round 2 of One Crafty Contest is over. And I made it to the next round. Thank you to all of those that took the time to vote!
 


The material for Round 2 was washi tape. What is washi tape you may ask?
 
Here's a definition I googled.
 
 "The best way we can describe washi tape is that it feels like masking tape — very, very pretty masking tape. It's made of paper, but is not as delicate as you would expect. Plus, it comes in patterns and designs that will make even the most dedicated crafters swoon and varying widths to allow you to create some fun and intricate washi tape designs.
Washi tape is typically made from natural fibers, such as bamboo or hemp, but most commonly from the bark of trees that are native to Japan — the mulberry, the mitsumata shrub or the gampi tree. Most washi tapes are strong (as strong as duct tape in some cases!) and functional as well as pretty, making them wonderful for both everyday and decorative use".
 

When I heard the next challenge material was washi tape, I’ll admit I was a little intimidated. I have very little experience with it. As I began to brainstorm for ideas, I remembered a birdhouse that I purchased a while back and have been waiting to embellish. It was plain white and just plain boring. But I added the reddish geometric, teal damask and black polka washi tapes to add a lot of contrast and now it just “pops” with character. My birdhouse is no longer plain boring.
So here is my washi tape birdhouse.
 





You just have to make sure you line up the patterns (much like sewing).






Our next material is glitter. Not sure I'm ready for glitter or rather....not sure Russell is ready for Erin and glitter.
Linking Up With These Great Blogs:

Alderberry Hill,      Tutus and Tea Parties,      The Rustic Pig Designs,      Or So She Says,      My 1929 Charmer,      Super Handmade Sunday @ A Cat- Like Curiosity,      Lil' Luna          Craft Geek,      Simple As That,       House on the Way,      Sassy Sites,      Mindy May's Market,   Skip To My Lou,        Sugar Bee Crafts,      Cheap Crafty Mama,      Be Different, Act Normal,   Homemaker In Heels,     The Busy Bee's,      Fireflies and Jellybeans,    The Shabby Creek Cottage,     30 Handmade Days,     52 Mantels,     The Shabby Nest,     Lovely Crafty Home,  See Vanessa Craft,     Blissful Bucket List,     Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo,     Lena B, Actually,     Pocket Full of Pink,     Family Ever After,      I Heart Naptime,     Six Sisters Stuff,  Nifty Thrifty Things,     Homemaker on a Dime,     Under The Table and Dreaming,     Flamingo Toes,    It's Overflowing,    Ivy And Elephants,    Clean and Scentsible,    Creations by Kara,     Tip Junkie,      Love and Laundry,      Create. Craft. Love.,     Sarah Dawn Designs,     One Artsy Mama,      Tatertots and Jello,     The Grant Life,     The Hubby Made Me,     Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons,       The Chiffon Diary,     Manic Mother,     The Thriftiness Miss,     Say Not Sweet Anne,     Becoming Martha,     Too Much Time On My Hands,     Destination Craft,     The Dedicated House,      Katherine's Corner,   C.R.A.F.T.,    Fluster Buster,     Nap Time CreationsThe Mandatory MoochLamberts Lately


Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Magnetic Photo Holder Tutorial

My back up plan for the One Crafty Contest entry was to make a magnetic photo display using a cardboard block letter. I got this K because it can stand by itself.
 
I painted it with the magnetic paint 2 times.

While that was drying, I made my magnets. I used these Tim Holtz numbers, very strong magnets from Hobby Lobby, and a hot glue gun to attach them.

I chose three numbers, the year each of us was born (69, 74, 08).

I painted two layers of turquoise acrylic paint.

I stenciled a design on the vertical part of the letter K using red. Not perfectly stenciled but it just adds a little character.

Don't worry. I moved the 69 magnet off of Sophia's head. :)

My back up plan was way easier than the magnetic art display so I could work on it while I was waiting for paint to dry on the wall display.
Linking Up With These Great Blogs:

Alderberry Hill,      Tutus and Tea Parties,      The Rustic Pig Designs,      Or So She Says,      My 1929 Charmer,      Super Handmade Sunday @ A Cat- Like Curiosity,      Lil' Luna          Craft Geek,      Simple As That,       House on the Way,      Sassy Sites,      Mindy May's Market,   Skip To My Lou,        Sugar Bee Crafts,      Cheap Crafty Mama,      Be Different, Act Normal,   Homemaker In Heels,     The Busy Bee's,      Fireflies and Jellybeans,    The Shabby Creek Cottage,     30 Handmade Days,     52 Mantels,     The Shabby Nest,     Lovely Crafty Home,  See Vanessa Craft,     Blissful Bucket List,     Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo,     Lena B, Actually,     Pocket Full of Pink,     Family Ever After,      I Heart Naptime,     Six Sisters Stuff,  Nifty Thrifty Things,     Homemaker on a Dime,     Under The Table and Dreaming,     Flamingo Toes,    It's Overflowing,    Ivy And Elephants,    Clean and Scentsible,    Creations by Kara,     Tip Junkie,      Love and Laundry,      Create. Craft. Love.,     Sarah Dawn Designs,     One Artsy Mama,      Tatertots and Jello,     The Grant Life,     The Hubby Made Me,     Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons,       The Chiffon Diary,     Manic Mother,     The Thriftiness Miss,     Say Not Sweet Anne,     Becoming Martha,     Too Much Time On My Hands,     Destination Craft,     The Dedicated House,      Katherine's Corner,   C.R.A.F.T.,    Fluster Buster,     Nap Time CreationsThe Mandatory MoochLamberts Lately


A Child's Magnetic Art Display Tutorial

My most recent project was one I did for One Crafty Contest over at One Artsy Mama. They wanted us to use paint in some way. As soon as I heard it was paint, I was ecstatic. I love to paint and I knew exactly what I wanted to paint......
 
Sophia's Wall!
 
It has scene better days. She's been hanging her art and certificates up with tape and leaving tape remnants on the wall. She's also been adding her drawings on the wall (what was she thinking??).





 
 
 
 
She even wrote her name on the wall!!!!


So since she loves to hang her artwork on the wall, and she likes doing it herself, I decided to create an art display using magnetic paint (so she can hang them any way she wants).

To start with I taped off a rectangle using a tape measure and a yardstick. I already had the magnetic paint from a previous project so I got started with a layer of magnetic paint.

My previous project was flat so I didn't realize how drippy and runny the magnetic paint was. So just a heads up on a few things you need to know before you start.
 
1. It's very drippy so lay down a drop cloth and tape off anything you don't want paint on.
 
2. Use disposable sponge brushes so you don't have to clean them.
 
3. Use disposable gloves to paint with because it was very tough getting the paint off of  hands.
 
4. Do this at a time when you can ventilate the area because it was very smelly (my previous project I did outside so I didn't realize this).
 
5. Before you leave the store make sure you get the paint department to mix up the paint because the magnetic parts sink to the bottom.
 

I painted 4 layers. It says at least 2 so I figured more is better and mine works great.

Notice all my drips....looks like the wall was crying....made me want to cry. At this point I began to doubt my vision and came up with a back up project just in case this was a big disaster (which I'll share later).
 
And yep...I stained her carpet.


Here's the paint I used. It comes in a can, inside a box. I've tried the Martha Stewart brand and spray paint versions on my previous project, but they didn't work as well as this Rust-Oleum kind.

After I applied 4 layers of magnetic paint, I applied about 3 layers of pink that Sophia chose.

After the pink was dry, I used a stencil and white paint to add a little character and make it look a little more "princessy". For the stencil, I measured to find the middle and started there. I just eyeballed most of it.

After that, I made a frame using purple paint.



I had saved the can of paint from when I painted the room a lime green about 8 years ago and they were able to match the color so I could touch up the wall.





For my magnets, I used small ones I found at Hobby Lobby that were the strongest you could buy and used a hot glue gun to attach beads. The lighter the beads the better.



 


Sophia loves it!!! But I think her favorite part of this process was realizing her bed could be turned into a fort. I used a set of white sheets to hang on her bed to reflect the light better to get a decent pic. and then she decided to use them to make her fort. And it hasn't come down since.

 
Linking Up With These Great Blogs:

Alderberry Hill,      Tutus and Tea Parties,      The Rustic Pig Designs,      Or So She Says,      My 1929 Charmer,      Super Handmade Sunday @ A Cat- Like Curiosity,      Lil' Luna          Craft Geek,      Simple As That,       House on the Way,      Sassy Sites,      Mindy May's Market,   Skip To My Lou,        Sugar Bee Crafts,      Cheap Crafty Mama,      Be Different, Act Normal,   Homemaker In Heels,     The Busy Bee's,      Fireflies and Jellybeans,    The Shabby Creek Cottage,     30 Handmade Days,     52 Mantels,     The Shabby Nest,     Lovely Crafty Home,  See Vanessa Craft,     Blissful Bucket List,     Bacon Time With The Hungry Hypo,     Lena B, Actually,     Pocket Full of Pink,     Family Ever After,      I Heart Naptime,     Six Sisters Stuff,  Nifty Thrifty Things,     Homemaker on a Dime,     Under The Table and Dreaming,     Flamingo Toes,    It's Overflowing,    Ivy And Elephants,    Clean and Scentsible,    Creations by Kara,     Tip Junkie,      Love and Laundry,      Create. Craft. Love.,     Sarah Dawn Designs,     One Artsy Mama,      Tatertots and Jello,     The Grant Life,     The Hubby Made Me,     Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons,       The Chiffon Diary,     Manic Mother,     The Thriftiness Miss,     Say Not Sweet Anne,     Becoming Martha,     Too Much Time On My Hands,     Destination Craft,     The Dedicated House,      Katherine's Corner,   C.R.A.F.T.,    Fluster Buster,     Nap Time CreationsThe Mandatory MoochLamberts Lately