My Crafty Weekend : New Year, New Projects!

I hope your holidays were as amazing, full of food, laughter and family as our were. Happy it is all over though. Today I am packing up the last of the decorations and relegating the seasonal boxes to their rightful places in storage. The first few days of the new year are always bittersweet yes? I am excited too though, for all the decorations dissappearing, my things like books and craft supplies are slowly starting to surface after more than a year of being stored. Slowly. Almost too slow but necessarily slow. More of that at another time though...

Right now I wanted to share with you a couple of super projects from last week! (Also, my apologies for not sharing last week, it had been so long since I had done a My Crafty Weekend I had forgotten!)

Lori of Paisley Passions never fails to deliver and deliver she did with these fabulous wood and vinyl growth charts. Check out her super easy (and adaptable for those without a Cricut) tutorial here.

These gorgeous snowflakes are made by Maleah of Little Eme. In her very first tutorial she shows how simple these are to make.

This stunning piece of canvas and photos was made by The Spangler of The Quick Unpick and you can make one too with her super easy tutorial.

And now it is your turn to share again! What have you been up to? Sewing, baking or painting? Knitting, crocheting or scrapbooking? I have some great ideas for some up coming projects but until things get a bit closer to normal around here and/or I get my camera situation sorted it is all about you guys! Here are some buttons you are welcomed and encourage to share but not required to. The only rule I have is that I ask you to visit the link before you and leave a note of encouragement. Think of it as comment karma. :)


     
<a href="http://untilwednesdaycalls.blogspot.com/search/label/my%20crafty%20weekend"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4843128219_973a9796bf_o.jpg"></a>            <a href="http://untilwednesdaycalls.blogspot.com/search/label/my%20crafty%20weekend"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4857490807_b522563c65_o.jpg" /></a>
/

New Year and New Giveaway!

Happy new year!! Wow, what a wonderful year 2010 was! It is so hard to believe that it has already been a year and yet only a year has passed! I thought a giveaway would be a great way to celebrate.
You may remember that back in September I did a giveaway for a thirty five dollar CSN giftcard. Well, it is time for another one, this time it is a forty dollar gift card.

You have surely heard of CSN stores by now? They have everything from adjustable bar stools to toys and toy storage and everything in between, heck I even found trade show displays yesterday! Although the gift certificate does not cover shipping, taxes or duty it can be used towards any items in any one of their 200+ stores.

Sounds pretty sweet yes?! How do you get in on this giveaway action? There are three simple ways you can enter for your chance to win:

• The first is be a follower and leave a comment telling me.
• The second is to tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment with your twitter handle.
• The third way is to blog about it and leave a comment with a link to the post.

You have until 9pm Saturday January 8th to enter. I will choose a winner via Random.org and post it Sunday January 9th. Draw closed! Thanks for playing along! See you next time!

Good luck and happy new year!

Nuno Magazine : Shades of Gray

With the imminent new year upon us, I thought I would sneak in a fitting review. What is your new year's resolution? Excercise more? Quit smoking (Been there)? Go vegetarian (Done that)? How about something less intense, just as ethical and lots more fun? How about, you (and by you I mean we) resolve to craft with more recycled resources? Sound good? I thought so. And, to help you with both inspiration and instruction I present the second edition of Nuno magazine.

You may remember the glowing review I gave the gorgeous autumnal premiere issue. Well this review will be just as adoring. I am in love with the simplicity of the projects, the love and detail put into the magazine and of course, it is a gorgeous resource for any environmentally conscious crafter.

In this issue full of gorgeously photographed projects, there is something for every skill level...

Feeling particularly crafty? Try your hand at these beautiful "kokeshi doll inspired finger puppets".

 Can you knit? I envy you because you can make this lovely knitted clutch.

 For those last minute, quick but wonderful crafts, you can always create some wonderful newspaper bunting.

Elizabeth Abernathy & Co. have pulled out all the stops yet again in this 125 page volume. (Always ad free!) This  is but a sample of the projects you will find in Nuno: Shades of Gray. If you would like a larger sample, complete with four projects you can view the preview below.

Open publication - Free publishing - More tutorials

If that preview has you wanting more, you can purchase the full 125 page issue for the low price of five dollars at both ElizabethAbernathy.com and NunoMagazine.com All for the incredibly low price of five dollars. Buying this magazine is supporting many movements in one, self publishing, paperless publishing, green-crafting, and of course the independent artist. That is a lot of bang for one's buck oui?!

Tonight may be full of champagne and sequins, but tomorrow when the new year is upon us you will want to grab a mug of coffee, your fresh new copy of Nuno magazine and a pad of [recycled]paper for the ideas that will ebb and flow as you read.

Have a very safe and incredibly happy new years! Cheers!

My Crafty Weekend - Post Holiday Wind Down

     
<a href="http://untilwednesdaycalls.blogspot.com/search/label/my%20crafty%20weekend"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4843128219_973a9796bf_o.jpg"></a>            <a href="http://untilwednesdaycalls.blogspot.com/search/label/my%20crafty%20weekend"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4857490807_b522563c65_o.jpg" /></a>
Happy Holidays! Oh what a whirlwind weekend that was yes?! We were all ridiculously spoiled and Wednesday got so much stuff I can't even tell you because I am sure it violates environmental laws in other countries! Anyone have any great Barbie organizing tips? Besides a shoe organizer I am stumped! Anyhoo..! What I am interested in your handmade stuff! Those projects you had been keeping on the down low for the surprise factor, are you ready to show them off?! Ooh and organizing tips, I would love some of those! I know this week is all about the cleaning and purging, and hopefully relaxing! What about you? What are your plans for this week?

OK! Show me what you have been making, sewing, painting and baking! OOOh and we cannot forget the golden rule! Visit the link before yours and leave a note of encouragement! ♥ Happy Monday

Wednesday on Wednesday

Wishing you a holiday filled with angels, 

heavenly and snow alike.

Love & Hugs,

Melissa, Ron & Wednesday

My Crafty Weekend : Holiday Round Up

It is Monday again my fellow lovelies. And if you are reading this you are fabulous reader who has stuck with me through my unscheduled hiatus. I want to thank you from the bottom of my coffee and craft loving heart. I am still living in a reno, and I really haven't a craft space (much less a sewing room) but I am hoping the new year will bring some amazing changes both for my home but also for the blog. So for my crafty weekend, I haven't any new projects to share (Trust me, a small piece of me dies each day that I get closer to Christmas without any creating.) But, I have been filling my think pads with scores of ideas for the blog and projects. I even think I might try my hand at self publishing, we'll see.

Because I haven't anything new to share, and truthfully I have no idea how many links we'll get today after such a long break between link ups (The last one was a pre Halloween edition.) so instead you get long run on sentences and all the tutes that i think would make up super fast for great last minute gifts. Oh and some party food thrown in for good measure. So I guess you can think of this as my first holiday round up.

So without further ado, i present to you all of my last minute gift ideas and recipes and I encourage you to share with us as well. Show us your masterpieces that you have finished in time for Christmas. Have any projects that can be made in a day? Or better yet a few short hours? Share those too! Oh and appetizer and desert recipes, what is the holidays if not a green light for feasting until we need turkey pants? Here are some buttons that make me just giddy when I see them on your posts and/or sidebars but not necessary to play the game.

     
<a href="http://untilwednesdaycalls.blogspot.com/search/label/my%20crafty%20weekend"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4843128219_973a9796bf_o.jpg"></a>            <a href="http://untilwednesdaycalls.blogspot.com/search/label/my%20crafty%20weekend"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4857490807_b522563c65_o.jpg" /></a>

Sew What! Holidays Challenge Three Reveal!

This is going to be super fast! I am in the middle of moving and due to being sick last week I didn't get any scheduled posts done up. But I did get my stocking done and photographed weeks ago, thank goodness! Wanna see it? Here we go!

The challenge was a stocking and a toy if you had the time. Well, I ran out of time for the toy but I finished the stocking!I made it from recycled denim! The white jeans I turned into a skirt for  week one challenge plus some black denim from a pair of jeans I was given for the fabric. I could not be happier! Seriously, with every stage I was more and more impressed with how it all came together.

I lined it with black felt and added a vintage brooch I bought at a yardsale for a dollar. Pretty yes?

I'm sorry if the pictures are not awesome, I just didn't have time tweak the levels in Photoshop.

I hope you love it though. And if you want to make your own, stick around, sometime this week I will have the tutorial posted!

If you would like to see what Cynthia created click the button!


Okay, thanks for your patience guys! I'll be back as soon as I have internet access, or access to the internet! ♥

Wednesday on Wednesday

Recently we went to a corn maze. Not our first but our first big one! With three preschoolers and an elderly grandpa, we didn't quite know what we were getting into. Next time we'll go earlier in the day and pack snacks! But, I managed a few cute shots and Wednesday is even smiling for a couple!












I cannot save or link to the photo of the maze but for those of you interested here is the link. I can't wait to try it again next year!

Thanks for all the well wishes, I visit the doctor on Friday and hopefully I'll be on the mend soon thereafter!

Quick PSA

Hey guys, I have been fighting some serious jaw pain due to a sinus infection left to long because I thought it was allergies. It has kind of sucked the life right out of me and so I'm going to take a couple days off I think. I might post some simple stuff but My Crafty Weekend will be on haitus until next Monday. Thanks for understanding!

The Management

Channelling Our Inner Judy Garland

Happy First of November everyone!~ Wasn't October just the craziest? Wow. I am still kind of reeling from all the hustle and bustle! But, I thought I would pop in and show off my gorgeous little girl in her Halloween costume!



I made the dress for her birthday party in the summer. It was my (super simplified, ) version of Alice's dress. The fabric is a vintage bed sheet!


I actually checked ahead of time to make sure her curly hair was long enough for some low pigtails a la Dorothy.


I found the basket and dog at a local charity shop. I sprayed the dog down with a coat of Tulip Spray dye for the dusty prairie dog look that Toto has.


Wal-mart carried these shoes this year which was incredible convenient (and look fabulous with the blue socks!) but I have a pair of pink sparkly converse running shoes I was going to use! I bought some pink bamboo tights for warmth under the dress and you couldn't even tell it wasn't her bare legs.


All in all I think it came together so well it was almost too-good-to-be-true. But it held up and looked wonderful. For those of you Canadian Moms wondering, I put her winter coat right over the costume for trick-or-treating. I figured if the shoes and blue dress didn't give it away, nothing would!

For the rest of you wondering why a three year old is dressed as Dorothy, Wednesday loves this movie. She watches it at least twice a week and can do many of the routines and sing the songs...for instance...

The sound is a bit rough but Wednesday sings that song every single time I put a pair of blue jeans on her. (It is the pockets that trigger the memory of the Munchkins).
So, naturally after she had been watching the movie an almost unbarable amount of times it occured to me that we had allt he fixins (minus Toto) to be Dorothy. When I asked she agreed and instantly my Halloween was stress free. (Well, it was until she came down with a cold the day before!)

We all had a great time with close friends before and after trick or treating. And have to say the tradition is growing to be a wonderful one. I hope your weekend was just as safe and happy as ours!