Gold Fish Block

This is a quilt block piece I put together with scraps of fabric saved from other projects.  Just a tiny piece of orange I saved and so glad I did.  I hate to throw away any bit of scrapes I have left over. They always come in handy someday.  I made the eyes out of black sequins and the air bubbles out of tiny pearl beads, which you can see better in the close up photo below.

Lady Bug

I got this cute pattern for a pin cushion, from Craft nThings magazine.  You can go to their website craftnthings.com and get the free pattern.  Just click on the February 2011 magazine, then free pattern , Lovely Ladybug.  I modified the pattern to suit my taste, and ease of construction such as using felt instead of fabric. I left one piece of the pattern out, because I could not figure out where it went, LOL

Goblet Glass or Cup Charms Tutorial

These little charms are great to put on any glass with a stem to help your guest  identify their glass. Can even be used on coffee mugs. It only takes a few minutes to make and they make much appreciated hostess gifts.

All thats needed, are a small pair of plyers with a cutting edge and round on the end, as shown in photo above, 4 inch piece of memory wire,  8-7mm beads and a charms of your choice.  I chose a small leaf for mine,

Step 1.  Cut a four inch piece of memory wire.  Using your plyers, make a small round turn on one end of the wire.  This keeps your beads from fall off.

Step 2.  Place 4 beads on the wire, then place your charm.  This will be the center of the ring as shown below.

Step 4.  Place remaining 4 beads on the wire.  Next, take your plyers as before, and make a small turn on the wire to hold your beads in place.
Step 5.  With your fingers manipulate the wire into a round circle and, wala... you now have a charm that eaisly slips onto the glass stem.

Flower Earrings

Antique looking, they resemble a Morning Glory flower, one of my favorites.  I make then in different colors.

Memories Box

I wanted to show you this unpainted box I bought at Hobby Lobby.  I  painted it with acrylic paints and added two coats of varnish.  Everyone knows I love sheet music soooo, I lined the  inside of the drawers with sheet music, using mod podge, as a glue and finish over the paper.

If you happen upon my blog, please encourage me and leave a comment.  I promise to read each and everyone.  Thank you.

Cleome Flowers

                                                              CLEOME  FLOWER

This beautuful flower is know to have grown on the plantation of Thomas Jefferson.  It is also know as,  Spider Flower.  It is a delicate lavender, pink and white in color.  It can grow up to 5 foot, but mine usually grows about 4 feet and is in part shade.  You can winter sow them or plant in early spring.  Once you get a start, you can let them self sow.  They bloom for a long time in the summer.. 

I have already collected some seed and would like to share them with other gardeners.  I am offering them for $1.00, plus a stamped, self addressed envelope.  You will get about 100 seeds.  Supplies are limited, so please email me first.

Tissue Flowers

These facial tissue flowers make up quickly, and look soft and silky in a vase. Use 2 ply tissues and the color of your choice.  I used white here because that's the color I had on hand.  They look pretty alone, but you can use an opitional felt leaf glued to the back.  Your imagination can go wild making these things but they are so much fun, and make quick flowers for any room of the house.

                                          
                                                    Some materials you will need

You will need 2 ply facial tissue, thin wire, floral stem, floral tape, glue gun, sicissors and Opitional green felt for leaves if you decide to use them. 

Step one:  Take a tissue and fold it acordian style.

Step 2  Fold the folded tissue in half.

Step 3,  Cut half folded tissue in a V shape on each side, being careful not to cut all the way through the tissue fold.

Step 4, Cut a piece of thin wire, and wrap tightly around the V cut.   Leave a long tail on the wire to wrap around the floral stem later.

Step 5,  Next, cut the other end of the tissue in order to seperate the petals.

Step 6, Now, gently pull the tissue plies apart.

Step 7,  After you gently pull apart all the tissue, fluff gently upward, and presto!  Your flower is now ready to attach to the floral stem. You can now glue the opitional green felt leaf to the flower, or proceed to wrap the thin wire around the floral stem.  Make a loop on the end of the floral stem after you wrap the thin wire to it.  This helps the flower to stay in place. Then continue to wrap wire around the stem.  You can cover the thin wire and floral stem with floral tape for a uniform look.

You can add two or three flowers together to make a pretty arrangement.  

Step 8,  Place flower arrangement into a pretty vase.  I set mine on my bedroom night stand.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.