Blogs 1-50
Blogs 51-100
Blogs 101-150
Blog 51 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 1
"Every child needs to grow up surrounded by books and no date is too early to introduce them to the magic of books. Knowing this full well I was asked by a new mommy to make these book bag libraries for two newborn twin girls. What fun! We will combine a variety of techniques and skills in this project and turn the bags into learning opportunities for the girls while we're at it. We start by painting a modern version of Goldilocks.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 52 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 2
"In the previous blog we started making two book bag libraries for two little girls. We had great fun drawing and painting a modern take on Goldilocks and today we will explore this theme a little further by drawing and painting Papa Bear.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 53 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 3
"We are continuing where we left off with the previous two blogs. We are still preparing the panels for the book bag library we are making. In the first two blogs we drew and painted Goldilocks and Papa Bear. In this blog it is Mama Bear's turn.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 54 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 4
"In the first three blogs in this series we have been painting the characters of the fairy tale Goldilocks and the three bears. We have allowed ourselves a more modern take on the story. Today it is the turn of the last character, Baby Bear.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 55 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 5
"In the previous blogs we started making two book bag libraries for two little girls. We had loads of fun painting the faces of the characters for our theme on fabric. Today we lay the paint brushes aside to sew the bags together. Is it possible that this could be even more fun? You be the judge! We start with the sewing, but first we add some elements to aid in the fine motor skill development of the children.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 56 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 6
We are nearing the finish line with book bag libraries that we are making. Today we will put the finishing touches on the remaining two characters, Mama Bear and Baby Bear, when we add some interesting elements to develop fine motor skills among other things. Tomorrow we will finish the bags by sewing the panels onto the backgrounds and making the actual pockets for the bags.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 57 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 7
"In the previous blogs we started making two book bag libraries for two little girls. We had loads of fun painting the faces of the characters for our theme on fabric. We then laid the paint brushes aside to sew the bags together. We continue with the sewing today and finally put the finishing touches on the book bags.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
"Every child needs to grow up surrounded by books and no date is too early to introduce them to the magic of books. Knowing this full well I was asked by a new mommy to make these book bag libraries for two newborn twin girls. What fun! We will combine a variety of techniques and skills in this project and turn the bags into learning opportunities for the girls while we're at it. We start by painting a modern version of Goldilocks.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 52 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 2
"In the previous blog we started making two book bag libraries for two little girls. We had great fun drawing and painting a modern take on Goldilocks and today we will explore this theme a little further by drawing and painting Papa Bear.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 53 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 3
"We are continuing where we left off with the previous two blogs. We are still preparing the panels for the book bag library we are making. In the first two blogs we drew and painted Goldilocks and Papa Bear. In this blog it is Mama Bear's turn.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 54 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 4
"In the first three blogs in this series we have been painting the characters of the fairy tale Goldilocks and the three bears. We have allowed ourselves a more modern take on the story. Today it is the turn of the last character, Baby Bear.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 55 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 5
"In the previous blogs we started making two book bag libraries for two little girls. We had loads of fun painting the faces of the characters for our theme on fabric. Today we lay the paint brushes aside to sew the bags together. Is it possible that this could be even more fun? You be the judge! We start with the sewing, but first we add some elements to aid in the fine motor skill development of the children.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 56 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 6
We are nearing the finish line with book bag libraries that we are making. Today we will put the finishing touches on the remaining two characters, Mama Bear and Baby Bear, when we add some interesting elements to develop fine motor skills among other things. Tomorrow we will finish the bags by sewing the panels onto the backgrounds and making the actual pockets for the bags.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 57 - Sewing and Painting a Book Bag Library Part 7
"In the previous blogs we started making two book bag libraries for two little girls. We had loads of fun painting the faces of the characters for our theme on fabric. We then laid the paint brushes aside to sew the bags together. We continue with the sewing today and finally put the finishing touches on the book bags.
Here are the links to the parts of the blog series:
Part 1 - Drawing and painting Goldilocks
Part 2 - Drawing and painting Papa Bear
Part 3 - Drawing and painting Mama Bear
Part 4 - Drawing and painting Baby Bear
Part 5 - Adding educational items to Goldilocks and Papa Bear
Part 6 - Adding educational items to Mama Bear and Baby Bear
Part 7 - Sewing the actual book bags"
Blog 58 - Make your own Silicone Molds
"I recently had a client who asked me to find her some specific molds. I became increasingly frustrated when nobody seemed to stock what I was looking for. I had to reply in the negative to the client, but remained dissatisfied with the result. I decided to search for ways to make my own molds. The results were encouraging. Then I started looking for the products used in the articles. I could not find a single one of them in South Africa. I could import, but by this time I was growing increasingly irritated with not being able to achieve success. I then decided to experiment with making my own silicone molds from widely available materials. Explore and experiment with me. Please feel free to give me advice and assistance at the end as I had no idea what I was doing here and went at it blindly."
"I recently had a client who asked me to find her some specific molds. I became increasingly frustrated when nobody seemed to stock what I was looking for. I had to reply in the negative to the client, but remained dissatisfied with the result. I decided to search for ways to make my own molds. The results were encouraging. Then I started looking for the products used in the articles. I could not find a single one of them in South Africa. I could import, but by this time I was growing increasingly irritated with not being able to achieve success. I then decided to experiment with making my own silicone molds from widely available materials. Explore and experiment with me. Please feel free to give me advice and assistance at the end as I had no idea what I was doing here and went at it blindly."
Blog 59 - Make a Cast Rubber Mold
"Dala has a great product on the market for making your own molds. It is a liquid rubber that sets very quickly into the consistency we are familiar with for rubber. It is not unlike masking fluid used by water colorists either. Sadly I have dropped my bottle and it broke so that I had to very quickly transfer the contents to another bottle. This means that I can not show you the product, but I know your suppliers will be able to find it for you if you ask them for it. Let me show you how to use it."
Blog 60 - Casting Plaster of Paris in Various Molds
"We have been making molds and it is time to cast something in them. I decided to use some Plaster of Paris that I had on hand. If you have never done this, you will be amazed at how easy it is to do."
"Dala has a great product on the market for making your own molds. It is a liquid rubber that sets very quickly into the consistency we are familiar with for rubber. It is not unlike masking fluid used by water colorists either. Sadly I have dropped my bottle and it broke so that I had to very quickly transfer the contents to another bottle. This means that I can not show you the product, but I know your suppliers will be able to find it for you if you ask them for it. Let me show you how to use it."
Blog 60 - Casting Plaster of Paris in Various Molds
"We have been making molds and it is time to cast something in them. I decided to use some Plaster of Paris that I had on hand. If you have never done this, you will be amazed at how easy it is to do."
Blog 61 - Designing a Doll's House
"My brother, who is a carpenter by trade, decided that he wanted to get a doll's house for his little girl. He was a little out of his depth though when it came to what needed to go into a doll's house. It did not help that he was continuing his studies at varsity either. This meant he was pressed for time and finding it difficult to focus on the project. When I heard that he was looking at buying one, I jumped in. I designed a house for him and volunteered to build it if he did not have time to do so himself. It makes it a trifle difficult for me to know where the blog series will go to and if it will even turn into a series, but I will keep you posted. You already know that if it turns out that I will be building it, you will get step by step directions. In the meantime, I will share the plans with you so that you can get started on building your own, if you are familiar with carpentry."
"My brother, who is a carpenter by trade, decided that he wanted to get a doll's house for his little girl. He was a little out of his depth though when it came to what needed to go into a doll's house. It did not help that he was continuing his studies at varsity either. This meant he was pressed for time and finding it difficult to focus on the project. When I heard that he was looking at buying one, I jumped in. I designed a house for him and volunteered to build it if he did not have time to do so himself. It makes it a trifle difficult for me to know where the blog series will go to and if it will even turn into a series, but I will keep you posted. You already know that if it turns out that I will be building it, you will get step by step directions. In the meantime, I will share the plans with you so that you can get started on building your own, if you are familiar with carpentry."
Blog 62 - Turning your Adult Coloring Pages into beautiful Gift Boxes
"There are so many adults rediscovering the charm and restorative powers of coloring these days, that it has led to a boom in the publishing market and suddenly you find the shelves stocked with a selection of great coloring books all aimed at adults. The question arises though, what do we do with those beautiful creations after spending all that time coloring them? It seems a shame to leave them hidden away in a book on a shelf somewhere. Yesterday I showed you how to turn the smaller pictures into cards. Today I use a full A4 page and turn it into a beautiful gift box."
"There are so many adults rediscovering the charm and restorative powers of coloring these days, that it has led to a boom in the publishing market and suddenly you find the shelves stocked with a selection of great coloring books all aimed at adults. The question arises though, what do we do with those beautiful creations after spending all that time coloring them? It seems a shame to leave them hidden away in a book on a shelf somewhere. Yesterday I showed you how to turn the smaller pictures into cards. Today I use a full A4 page and turn it into a beautiful gift box."
Blog 63 - Turning your Adult Coloring Pages into beautiful Gift Bags 1
"We are fast approaching the season of gifting and for those of us who choose to give handmade items it is time to start getting our ideas together. In today's blog I show you how to turn your adult coloring pages into colorful gift bags."
Blog 64 - Turning your Adult Coloring Page into a beautiful Heart Gift Box
"In the course of the past couple of blogs I have been showing you how to turn your adult coloring pages into useful and practical items that you could use in your gift giving. I show you yet another of these ideas in today's blog, but I want you to bear in mind that you could use any pretty paper to make these boxes, cards and bags from, as long as they are sturdy. Try these ideas for a festive season of gifting."
Blog 65 - Turning your Adult Coloring Pages into beautiful Gift Boxes 2
"We are still designing boxes, bags and cards from our adult coloring pages and in today's blog I show you how to make this handy and simple flat box. This is ideal for jewelry and can make a very pretty container for those handmade items that you've spent so much time creating with love."
"We are fast approaching the season of gifting and for those of us who choose to give handmade items it is time to start getting our ideas together. In today's blog I show you how to turn your adult coloring pages into colorful gift bags."
Blog 64 - Turning your Adult Coloring Page into a beautiful Heart Gift Box
"In the course of the past couple of blogs I have been showing you how to turn your adult coloring pages into useful and practical items that you could use in your gift giving. I show you yet another of these ideas in today's blog, but I want you to bear in mind that you could use any pretty paper to make these boxes, cards and bags from, as long as they are sturdy. Try these ideas for a festive season of gifting."
Blog 65 - Turning your Adult Coloring Pages into beautiful Gift Boxes 2
"We are still designing boxes, bags and cards from our adult coloring pages and in today's blog I show you how to make this handy and simple flat box. This is ideal for jewelry and can make a very pretty container for those handmade items that you've spent so much time creating with love."
Blog 66 - Turning your Adult Coloring Pages into beautiful Sliding Gift Boxes
"I love giving special handmade gifts for Christmas and this Christmas I intend to put these special gifts in handmade boxes and bags as well. I have been showing you how to turn your coloring pages into cute gift bags and boxes, but you can also use any decorative paper to achieve similar results. I will once again use one of my colored pages in today's project and turn it into a decorative sliding box."
"I love giving special handmade gifts for Christmas and this Christmas I intend to put these special gifts in handmade boxes and bags as well. I have been showing you how to turn your coloring pages into cute gift bags and boxes, but you can also use any decorative paper to achieve similar results. I will once again use one of my colored pages in today's project and turn it into a decorative sliding box."
Blog 67 - Painting Cute Cows on Fabric
"I've had a request by someone to design some cows for a farm themed kitchen they were decorating. A couple of blogs ago I showed you how to draw two cute cows step by step. I transferred these drawings onto fabric before painting them in some mad bright colors. Let me show you how to make your own version of this in today's blog."
"I've had a request by someone to design some cows for a farm themed kitchen they were decorating. A couple of blogs ago I showed you how to draw two cute cows step by step. I transferred these drawings onto fabric before painting them in some mad bright colors. Let me show you how to make your own version of this in today's blog."
Blog 68 - Folding a Box Frame
"Have you ever made something that you would love to see in a frame, but it simply did not warrant the expense of a professional frame. Today I show you how to fold a box frame from cardboard. These are brilliant to display the kids' art or your own crafts. On a smaller scale they can also be used with great success on the outside of cards. You can even lay them down flat, attach a bottom, and use them as discard-able servers for sweets and chips. The possibilities are endless!"
Blog 69 - Mounting and Framing your Adult Coloring Pages in a Box Frame
"In the previous blog I showed you how to fold a smallish box frame. Today I will show you how to fold one that will hold an A3 sized work of art. I will then mount one of my A4 Adult Coloring pages inside it and show you how to utilize the space available to focus the attention on the picture."
Blog 70 - Adding Fun Drawings to your Adult Coloring Pages - step by step dinosaurs
"Today's blog is all about having fun with those coloring pages you've been working so hard on. I found this color by number page in one of my adult coloring books. I am not a fan of color by number, but I immediately saw the potential that this one had and dutifully proceeded to color it with Derwent Coloursoft Pencils. Once it was done, I took great pains in framing and mounting it in a sturdy box frame (see the previous blog). With this done it was finally time to do what I envisioned right from the start; to draw some dinosaurs and add them to the scene. I show you step by step how to draw and color these dinosaurs in today's blog, before showing you how to add them to the scene so that they are interactive and FUN!"
"Have you ever made something that you would love to see in a frame, but it simply did not warrant the expense of a professional frame. Today I show you how to fold a box frame from cardboard. These are brilliant to display the kids' art or your own crafts. On a smaller scale they can also be used with great success on the outside of cards. You can even lay them down flat, attach a bottom, and use them as discard-able servers for sweets and chips. The possibilities are endless!"
Blog 69 - Mounting and Framing your Adult Coloring Pages in a Box Frame
"In the previous blog I showed you how to fold a smallish box frame. Today I will show you how to fold one that will hold an A3 sized work of art. I will then mount one of my A4 Adult Coloring pages inside it and show you how to utilize the space available to focus the attention on the picture."
Blog 70 - Adding Fun Drawings to your Adult Coloring Pages - step by step dinosaurs
"Today's blog is all about having fun with those coloring pages you've been working so hard on. I found this color by number page in one of my adult coloring books. I am not a fan of color by number, but I immediately saw the potential that this one had and dutifully proceeded to color it with Derwent Coloursoft Pencils. Once it was done, I took great pains in framing and mounting it in a sturdy box frame (see the previous blog). With this done it was finally time to do what I envisioned right from the start; to draw some dinosaurs and add them to the scene. I show you step by step how to draw and color these dinosaurs in today's blog, before showing you how to add them to the scene so that they are interactive and FUN!"
Blog 71 - Decorating Gift Buckets
"I bought a few seedlings for the vegetable garden and they came in the most gorgeous purple pots. As soon as the seedlings had been transplanted, I knew I would drag those pots into the studio and turn them into something useful. In today's blog I do exactly that when I use Washi tape and a couple of home made embellishments to turn them into beautiful and versatile gift buckets."
Blog 72 - Making Embellishments with Hot Glue
"Have you ever been frustrated by not having the right embellishment for the job? I may just be able to offer you a solution. I recently found an article on Pinterest where someone used hot glue to make their own embellishments. I simply had to put it to the test. I share the results of the experiment with you in today's blog."
Blog 73 - Making Christmas Decorations from Hot Glue
"We will be using the Hot Glue Gun to make our own Christmas decorations in today's blog. Those of you who follow the blog regularly will remember that I have discovered how to make embellishments with hot glue in silicone molds. It occurred to me that I could adapt the same technique to make my own Christmas decorations. It became the first thing I turned my hand to when I awoke. Let me show you what I did, hoping you will share your own attempts in the comments when you try your hand at it."
Blog 74 - Developing Craft Designs
"In today's blog I will show you how to go about developing designs for craft projects. APrettyTalent.com will be carrying these and more designs in the shop as a new line of products, in answer to requests made by followers and clients. Buy the design at minimal cost from the section for Digital Downloads. A code will be sent to your inbox as soon as the transaction is complete. You can then download the design onto your computer from where it can be printed on paper. Alternatively, you can use a projector to project the image onto a surface of your choice, e.g. canvas, cloth, wall, etc. You can then trace the image onto the surface using the best medium for the surface. Today's blog is aimed at providing you with tips to developing your own range of designs."
"I bought a few seedlings for the vegetable garden and they came in the most gorgeous purple pots. As soon as the seedlings had been transplanted, I knew I would drag those pots into the studio and turn them into something useful. In today's blog I do exactly that when I use Washi tape and a couple of home made embellishments to turn them into beautiful and versatile gift buckets."
Blog 72 - Making Embellishments with Hot Glue
"Have you ever been frustrated by not having the right embellishment for the job? I may just be able to offer you a solution. I recently found an article on Pinterest where someone used hot glue to make their own embellishments. I simply had to put it to the test. I share the results of the experiment with you in today's blog."
Blog 73 - Making Christmas Decorations from Hot Glue
"We will be using the Hot Glue Gun to make our own Christmas decorations in today's blog. Those of you who follow the blog regularly will remember that I have discovered how to make embellishments with hot glue in silicone molds. It occurred to me that I could adapt the same technique to make my own Christmas decorations. It became the first thing I turned my hand to when I awoke. Let me show you what I did, hoping you will share your own attempts in the comments when you try your hand at it."
Blog 74 - Developing Craft Designs
"In today's blog I will show you how to go about developing designs for craft projects. APrettyTalent.com will be carrying these and more designs in the shop as a new line of products, in answer to requests made by followers and clients. Buy the design at minimal cost from the section for Digital Downloads. A code will be sent to your inbox as soon as the transaction is complete. You can then download the design onto your computer from where it can be printed on paper. Alternatively, you can use a projector to project the image onto a surface of your choice, e.g. canvas, cloth, wall, etc. You can then trace the image onto the surface using the best medium for the surface. Today's blog is aimed at providing you with tips to developing your own range of designs."
Blog 75 - Turning your Adult Coloring Page into a Place Mat - Tea Set
"There are so many adults who have rediscovered the joy and therapeutic value of coloring that it has become a booming business! I am no exception to this rule. Only thing is that I like to turn my colored pages into crafts when I am done with them. Today I use one of the designs that are available for download in the store, APrettyTalent.com, for my project. You can head to Digital Downloads to see what is available or click here if you like the Tea Set. I designed this drawing when I wondered what a tea set would look like when invited to the Mad Hatter's tea party. I set out a Royal Dalton tea set and drew my inspiration from there. You would not believe it, would you?! Let me show you how I colored this design before I turn it into a very practical place mat."
"There are so many adults who have rediscovered the joy and therapeutic value of coloring that it has become a booming business! I am no exception to this rule. Only thing is that I like to turn my colored pages into crafts when I am done with them. Today I use one of the designs that are available for download in the store, APrettyTalent.com, for my project. You can head to Digital Downloads to see what is available or click here if you like the Tea Set. I designed this drawing when I wondered what a tea set would look like when invited to the Mad Hatter's tea party. I set out a Royal Dalton tea set and drew my inspiration from there. You would not believe it, would you?! Let me show you how I colored this design before I turn it into a very practical place mat."
Blog 76 - Flower Pots Fabric Painting Part 1 of 2
"I use the three designs for the sets of lopsided flower pots in today's blog. I show you how to use a projector to enlarge the designs. I then transfer the designs to fabric and give you one of many ideas for painting the designs. In the next blog I will paint the last of the three designs before turning the trio into a practical and decorative item for the home."
Blog 77 - Flower Pots Fabric Painting Part 2 of 2
"Who does not like a pretty table to wine and dine friends and family at? Today we will be making a pretty runner from the Lopsided Flower Pot Trio Designs that we have painted on fabric, to decorate your table with. In the previous blog we have used a projector to enlarge the images so we could trace them onto fabric. We then painted the first two designs and it is now time to paint the last of the three. Afterwards, we will turn the set of three into a table runner and I will show you step by step how to do this effortlessly."
"I use the three designs for the sets of lopsided flower pots in today's blog. I show you how to use a projector to enlarge the designs. I then transfer the designs to fabric and give you one of many ideas for painting the designs. In the next blog I will paint the last of the three designs before turning the trio into a practical and decorative item for the home."
Blog 77 - Flower Pots Fabric Painting Part 2 of 2
"Who does not like a pretty table to wine and dine friends and family at? Today we will be making a pretty runner from the Lopsided Flower Pot Trio Designs that we have painted on fabric, to decorate your table with. In the previous blog we have used a projector to enlarge the images so we could trace them onto fabric. We then painted the first two designs and it is now time to paint the last of the three. Afterwards, we will turn the set of three into a table runner and I will show you step by step how to do this effortlessly."
Blog 78 - Sewing a Cute Cow Table Protector
"Not too long ago I posted a blog where I showed you how to paint some cute cows.The designs for the Cute Cows are available for download in digital format from APrettyTalent.com. In today's blog I take this painting and turn it into a practical, but pretty, item for the home when I sew a table protector. A table protector is almost like a pot stand as it is padded and can withstand heat. It is however, not intended to withstand extreme heat, and it is much larger. This makes it the ideal item to place on the table when you have lukewarm dishes. Scalding hot ones can rather go on the buffet."
"Not too long ago I posted a blog where I showed you how to paint some cute cows.The designs for the Cute Cows are available for download in digital format from APrettyTalent.com. In today's blog I take this painting and turn it into a practical, but pretty, item for the home when I sew a table protector. A table protector is almost like a pot stand as it is padded and can withstand heat. It is however, not intended to withstand extreme heat, and it is much larger. This makes it the ideal item to place on the table when you have lukewarm dishes. Scalding hot ones can rather go on the buffet."
Blog 79 - Glue Gun Angel on Glass
"Since rediscovering the Glue Gun, I have been thinking of more ways to put it to good use. That gave me the idea of testing it on glass. It worked beautifully! Being hard at work on Christmas preparation, I decided to try my hand at window decorations. As windows do not make good backdrops for a blog, I had to do an angel on a piece of broken glass I had on hand, but you can feel free to work directly on a window. I discuss cleaning up at the end of the blog."
"Since rediscovering the Glue Gun, I have been thinking of more ways to put it to good use. That gave me the idea of testing it on glass. It worked beautifully! Being hard at work on Christmas preparation, I decided to try my hand at window decorations. As windows do not make good backdrops for a blog, I had to do an angel on a piece of broken glass I had on hand, but you can feel free to work directly on a window. I discuss cleaning up at the end of the blog."
Blog 80 - Painting a Fish Tails Tablecloth
"I love the swanky fish that are available in the Fishy Four collection on APrettyTalent.com. Ever since drawing the designs I have known that I would like to enlarge them and paint them on a table cloth that I would like to use at a beach house, or on holiday somewhere on the coast, or possibly simply at the pool for a pool party. Let me show you how I used two of the designs in the collection to paint a vibrant and happy scene for a table setting."
"I love the swanky fish that are available in the Fishy Four collection on APrettyTalent.com. Ever since drawing the designs I have known that I would like to enlarge them and paint them on a table cloth that I would like to use at a beach house, or on holiday somewhere on the coast, or possibly simply at the pool for a pool party. Let me show you how I used two of the designs in the collection to paint a vibrant and happy scene for a table setting."
Blog 81 - Glue & Chalk Paint Mason Jar
"My mom was looking for a container to store her coffee creamer in, and not finding anything suitable, she wanted to pour it into a re-purposed glass bottle. I stopped her and beg for a little time to turn it into something decorative as well as practical. Let me show you how I used glue and chalk paint to turn an ordinary glass bottle into something special."
"My mom was looking for a container to store her coffee creamer in, and not finding anything suitable, she wanted to pour it into a re-purposed glass bottle. I stopped her and beg for a little time to turn it into something decorative as well as practical. Let me show you how I used glue and chalk paint to turn an ordinary glass bottle into something special."
Blog 82 - Using your Adult Coloring Pages to fold an Envelope Box
"I love those nifty and ever useful envelope boxes, but they cost an arm and a leg to buy. So why not make your own. They are real easy to fold. I use one of the patterns from the Geometric Foursome collection to fold this box. The design is available from APrettyTalent.com as a Digital Download. I show you how to color the design, but you can skip over this part and do your own thing. Once the design is colored, we fold the box. Fun, fun, fun all the way!"
Blog 83 - Using your Adult Coloring Pages to fold a Milk Carton
"Today I am going to show you how to fold a milk carton. I would strongly advise against storing liquids in it, but I do think it could be fun packaging for a quirky gift. I use one of the patterns from the Geometric Foursome collection to fold this box. The design is available from APrettyTalent.com as a Digital Download. I show you how to color the design, but you can skip over this part and do your own thing. Once the design is colored, we'll fold the box. "
"I love those nifty and ever useful envelope boxes, but they cost an arm and a leg to buy. So why not make your own. They are real easy to fold. I use one of the patterns from the Geometric Foursome collection to fold this box. The design is available from APrettyTalent.com as a Digital Download. I show you how to color the design, but you can skip over this part and do your own thing. Once the design is colored, we fold the box. Fun, fun, fun all the way!"
Blog 83 - Using your Adult Coloring Pages to fold a Milk Carton
"Today I am going to show you how to fold a milk carton. I would strongly advise against storing liquids in it, but I do think it could be fun packaging for a quirky gift. I use one of the patterns from the Geometric Foursome collection to fold this box. The design is available from APrettyTalent.com as a Digital Download. I show you how to color the design, but you can skip over this part and do your own thing. Once the design is colored, we'll fold the box. "
Blog 84 - Using your Adult Coloring Pages to fold a Wedge-shaped Box
"In today's blog we will be folding a wedge-shaped box. Fold a couple of these and you will have a full circle of boxes. That should make for some very interesting storage. Or how about arranging the gifts for your guests like in this shape at a wedding? There are a range of clever uses for this one. I use one of the patterns from the Geometric Foursome collection to fold this box. The design is available from APrettyTalent.com as a Digital Download. I show you how to color the design, but you can skip over this part and do your own thing. Once the design is colored, we'll fold the box."
Blog 85 - Using your Adult Coloring Pages to Create a 'Bouquet of Freshly Sharpened Pencils
"In the movie You've Got Mail, Tom Hanks' character sends an email to the character played by Meg Ryan in which he expresses the wish to send her a 'bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils'. This line has stuck with me since the first time I saw the movie all those years ago. Today I will show you how to turn your adult coloring page into a 'pencil pot' to make present just such a fabulous bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils to someone as passionate about coloring as yourself. I use one of the patterns from the Geometric Foursome collection to fold this box. The design is available from APrettyTalent.com as a Digital Download. I show you how to color the design, but you can skip over this part and do your own thing. Once the design is colored, we'll fold the container."
"In today's blog we will be folding a wedge-shaped box. Fold a couple of these and you will have a full circle of boxes. That should make for some very interesting storage. Or how about arranging the gifts for your guests like in this shape at a wedding? There are a range of clever uses for this one. I use one of the patterns from the Geometric Foursome collection to fold this box. The design is available from APrettyTalent.com as a Digital Download. I show you how to color the design, but you can skip over this part and do your own thing. Once the design is colored, we'll fold the box."
Blog 85 - Using your Adult Coloring Pages to Create a 'Bouquet of Freshly Sharpened Pencils
"In the movie You've Got Mail, Tom Hanks' character sends an email to the character played by Meg Ryan in which he expresses the wish to send her a 'bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils'. This line has stuck with me since the first time I saw the movie all those years ago. Today I will show you how to turn your adult coloring page into a 'pencil pot' to make present just such a fabulous bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils to someone as passionate about coloring as yourself. I use one of the patterns from the Geometric Foursome collection to fold this box. The design is available from APrettyTalent.com as a Digital Download. I show you how to color the design, but you can skip over this part and do your own thing. Once the design is colored, we'll fold the container."
Blog 86 - Paving the Road to a Little Boy's Dreams
"My little nephew has been eyeing all the dress fittings with dubious pleasure. Finally, he could hold it no longer. He sidled up to me, looked me seriously in the eye and asked what I was going to make him an outfit for Christmas as well. I looked at him with a grave expression and asked if he really wanted an outfit for Christmas. He said it would be okay, but his enthusiasm was not exactly overflowing. I bent down and whispered that I should perhaps rather make him something from wood. This had him bubbling with excitement, making all sorts of plans and suggestions. I decided that what would be best was a network of roads for his set of miniature cars. This was done in one afternoon from off-cut wood I had around the house. Quick, easy and cheap. Let me show you how."
"My little nephew has been eyeing all the dress fittings with dubious pleasure. Finally, he could hold it no longer. He sidled up to me, looked me seriously in the eye and asked what I was going to make him an outfit for Christmas as well. I looked at him with a grave expression and asked if he really wanted an outfit for Christmas. He said it would be okay, but his enthusiasm was not exactly overflowing. I bent down and whispered that I should perhaps rather make him something from wood. This had him bubbling with excitement, making all sorts of plans and suggestions. I decided that what would be best was a network of roads for his set of miniature cars. This was done in one afternoon from off-cut wood I had around the house. Quick, easy and cheap. Let me show you how."
Blog 87 - Putting up a No-Hassle Tree, etc.
"It is two days before Christmas and it is getting high time to put up the Christmas decorations. We left it late on purpose this year as most of it is edible! This year we are going for a no-hassle Christmas tree. I should explain, we do something different every year. We had a tree die in the front garden and this was brought down. We use a branch from this tree as a Christmas tree and decorate it with ... Wait, I am getting ahead of myself. Let me show you how to decorate Christmas with things that do not need taking down and putting away."
"It is two days before Christmas and it is getting high time to put up the Christmas decorations. We left it late on purpose this year as most of it is edible! This year we are going for a no-hassle Christmas tree. I should explain, we do something different every year. We had a tree die in the front garden and this was brought down. We use a branch from this tree as a Christmas tree and decorate it with ... Wait, I am getting ahead of myself. Let me show you how to decorate Christmas with things that do not need taking down and putting away."
Blog 88 - Mixing Non-Drying Clay
"I get very frustrated by how quickly the salt-based clay dries out. The kinds are too young to remember to return the dough to the bags and then it dries out before the adults notice it. That is why I went in search of recipes for non-drying clay. This recipe has glycerine added to the mix which presumably will prevent it from drying out. It also has a substantial quantity of cooking oil mixed in there. No cooking required."
"I get very frustrated by how quickly the salt-based clay dries out. The kinds are too young to remember to return the dough to the bags and then it dries out before the adults notice it. That is why I went in search of recipes for non-drying clay. This recipe has glycerine added to the mix which presumably will prevent it from drying out. It also has a substantial quantity of cooking oil mixed in there. No cooking required."
Blog 89 - Bathroom Kist Makeover
"My mom has had this chest in the bathroom for ages. It is very handy for storing extra toilet rolls and other bathroom knickknacks in. Aside from its obvious uses, all of the grandchildren also used it as a handy stepladder to reach the basin as they grew. The result is that it has become quite worn and tatty. In a casual conversation, I told my mom that I wanted to do a blog on giving your furniture a makeover and she immediately suggested the kist. And so it came that I did a makeover on my mom's bathroom kist."
Blog 90 - Turning a Shoebox into a Mock Suitcase
"In today's blog we are going to have a whole lot of fun with an old shoebox when we turn it into a mock suitcase. A little bit of paint, some embossing, etc. and we have the perfect 'box' to present a special gift for a special person. Or perhaps you want to keep your stash of keepsaked in it? Whatever purpose you have for it, this old shoebox will be sure to enchant by the time we are done with it."
"My mom has had this chest in the bathroom for ages. It is very handy for storing extra toilet rolls and other bathroom knickknacks in. Aside from its obvious uses, all of the grandchildren also used it as a handy stepladder to reach the basin as they grew. The result is that it has become quite worn and tatty. In a casual conversation, I told my mom that I wanted to do a blog on giving your furniture a makeover and she immediately suggested the kist. And so it came that I did a makeover on my mom's bathroom kist."
Blog 90 - Turning a Shoebox into a Mock Suitcase
"In today's blog we are going to have a whole lot of fun with an old shoebox when we turn it into a mock suitcase. A little bit of paint, some embossing, etc. and we have the perfect 'box' to present a special gift for a special person. Or perhaps you want to keep your stash of keepsaked in it? Whatever purpose you have for it, this old shoebox will be sure to enchant by the time we are done with it."
Blog 91 - Making an Art Cart Box
"Time has come for me to rearrange and reorganize my art and craft materials. Particularly the pens, markers and so on. These are scattered in different bags and bottles throughout the studio, making it a bit of a schlep to work with a combination of them. This too often results in me grabbing whichever is closest rather than the best for the job. With this in mind, I realized that by repurposing some discarded boxes and toilet roll inners, I could make myself the perfect organizer at almost no cost at all. If my coloring pencils weren't already perfectly arranged, I would be tempted to put those in this organizer as well."
"Time has come for me to rearrange and reorganize my art and craft materials. Particularly the pens, markers and so on. These are scattered in different bags and bottles throughout the studio, making it a bit of a schlep to work with a combination of them. This too often results in me grabbing whichever is closest rather than the best for the job. With this in mind, I realized that by repurposing some discarded boxes and toilet roll inners, I could make myself the perfect organizer at almost no cost at all. If my coloring pencils weren't already perfectly arranged, I would be tempted to put those in this organizer as well."
Blog 92 - Making a Jewellery Tube
"An empty Pringles tube was floating around the house during the school holidays. I kept putting off throwing it in the rubbish as I kept thinking what a nice strong container it was. I also loved its shape. But I could not think of anything to do with it. Then someone shared a picture on Pinterest and it sparked this idea for jewellery tube to keep all those lovely things of yours in. My niece, who is 4, believes I should keep sweets in it. Not a bad idea either, especially if you are looking for a nice way to present something sweet to a loved one on Valentine's Day."
"An empty Pringles tube was floating around the house during the school holidays. I kept putting off throwing it in the rubbish as I kept thinking what a nice strong container it was. I also loved its shape. But I could not think of anything to do with it. Then someone shared a picture on Pinterest and it sparked this idea for jewellery tube to keep all those lovely things of yours in. My niece, who is 4, believes I should keep sweets in it. Not a bad idea either, especially if you are looking for a nice way to present something sweet to a loved one on Valentine's Day."
Blog 93 - Mixed Media Impasto Work
"Do you love thick layers of paint with loads of texture and body? Normally this is associated with oil colours, but I will show you how to turn your acrylic paintings into thick impasto works of art as well. I make a quick art journaling page in today's blog to illustrate the technique, but the same thing can be done on canvas as well."
"Do you love thick layers of paint with loads of texture and body? Normally this is associated with oil colours, but I will show you how to turn your acrylic paintings into thick impasto works of art as well. I make a quick art journaling page in today's blog to illustrate the technique, but the same thing can be done on canvas as well."
Blog 94 - Giving an Old Shelf a New Life with Chalk Paint
"I inherited this old corner shelf from my grandmother when she gave up her house. It has been traveling with me and has taken quite a beating. It was badly in need of sanding down and a fresh coat of varnish. And then it occurred to me that it could look quite fabulous if I treated it to a few layers of chalk paint. That is exactly what I did and I share the steps with you in today's blog."
"I inherited this old corner shelf from my grandmother when she gave up her house. It has been traveling with me and has taken quite a beating. It was badly in need of sanding down and a fresh coat of varnish. And then it occurred to me that it could look quite fabulous if I treated it to a few layers of chalk paint. That is exactly what I did and I share the steps with you in today's blog."
Blog 95 - Making Your Own Decorative Sticky Tapes; Washi, Fabric, Ribbon, etc.
"I love the many different versions of pretty decorative tapes that are available on the market these days. Yet, they are so easy to make yourself, that it hardly seems worth the money spent on buying them. In today's blog I share a couple of ideas with you for making your own tape. Basically, I want to share a concept with you rather than an actual project, because the options are certainly as endless as your own creativity."
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things."I love the many different versions of pretty decorative tapes that are available on the market these days. Yet, they are so easy to make yourself, that it hardly seems worth the money spent on buying them. In today's blog I share a couple of ideas with you for making your own tape. Basically, I want to share a concept with you rather than an actual project, because the options are certainly as endless as your own creativity."
Blog 96 - Giving a File a Make-Over ... with PAINT!
"After my granny died, I scanned her recipe book onto digital format and distributed copies of this among all of the children and grandchildren. My mom wanted hers printed out and I did so. But then she stuck it in this awfully ugly old file. I did not understand this and offered her one of my brand new ones in its place. She declined, stating firmly that the old file was far better than any of the new stuff on the market. A couple of years have passed and I have come to see that she was right, as usual. However, there was a lot I could do to make the file prettier and in today's blog I finally grabbed that file and gave it a long overdue makeover using chalk paint and decoupage."
Blog 100 - Decoupage a 'Frozen' Serviette
"My niece arrived home from preschool the other day with a Frozen serviette that she had saved from a party box that was handed out by a birthday girl in her class. She had carefully folded it and put it away in her bag, until she could hand it to me. She handed it over and very solemnly declared that I had to make something pretty for her room with it. Who could possibly deny such a request? I made her this decoupaged wall hanging to put against the wall. This means that today's blog gives step by step guides for decoupaging with serviette/tissue paper. I also show you how to paint a couple of decorative flowers and borders in a few quick strokes."
"After my granny died, I scanned her recipe book onto digital format and distributed copies of this among all of the children and grandchildren. My mom wanted hers printed out and I did so. But then she stuck it in this awfully ugly old file. I did not understand this and offered her one of my brand new ones in its place. She declined, stating firmly that the old file was far better than any of the new stuff on the market. A couple of years have passed and I have come to see that she was right, as usual. However, there was a lot I could do to make the file prettier and in today's blog I finally grabbed that file and gave it a long overdue makeover using chalk paint and decoupage."
Blog 97 - Giving a Makeover to a Tablet PC Cover
"Those of us who have Tablet PC's know that they travel everywhere with us and that they have virtually infiltrated every aspect of our lives. Mine certainly has! And so has my mom's. The grandchildren also basically has free reign on hers and the result is that her cover has become quite tatty and worn. She was all set on replacing it with a new one when I gave her recipe file a makeover. She decided there and then that I needed to do something similar to the iPad cover. Who am I to shy away from a challenge? I accepted and share the my experiment with you."
Blog 98 - Saving a Discarded Cutting Board
"I am uncertain about the origins of the discarded cutting board I found floating around the garden, but the plot is big and there are lots of people passing through. All I know is that one day I went outside and found this old cutting board on the burn pile. I did not hesitate, but salvaged it then and there. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but I knew it had great potential. Today I finally got around to turning someone else's discarded junk into my own treasure."
Blog 98 - Saving a Discarded Cutting Board
"I am uncertain about the origins of the discarded cutting board I found floating around the garden, but the plot is big and there are lots of people passing through. All I know is that one day I went outside and found this old cutting board on the burn pile. I did not hesitate, but salvaged it then and there. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but I knew it had great potential. Today I finally got around to turning someone else's discarded junk into my own treasure."
Blog 99 - Making a Mixed Media Cross
"I had a very special person's birthday coming up and wanted to make something special for her. As she is a deeply religious person, I knew that giving her a pretty cross to decorate her walls would be welcomed. I show you how to make this pretty little distressed mixed media cross in today's blog."
"I had a very special person's birthday coming up and wanted to make something special for her. As she is a deeply religious person, I knew that giving her a pretty cross to decorate her walls would be welcomed. I show you how to make this pretty little distressed mixed media cross in today's blog."
Blog 100 - Decoupage a 'Frozen' Serviette
"My niece arrived home from preschool the other day with a Frozen serviette that she had saved from a party box that was handed out by a birthday girl in her class. She had carefully folded it and put it away in her bag, until she could hand it to me. She handed it over and very solemnly declared that I had to make something pretty for her room with it. Who could possibly deny such a request? I made her this decoupaged wall hanging to put against the wall. This means that today's blog gives step by step guides for decoupaging with serviette/tissue paper. I also show you how to paint a couple of decorative flowers and borders in a few quick strokes."
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