From The Land of Blog Featuring "All Things Crafty"

For the Thousand Thanks Giveaway results, check the previous post HERE!

Do you see these gorgeous little recycled plastic greenhouse earrings? Aren't they sweet? They were inspired by these right here. But I did not make them. Mieljolie did.

For today's installment of From the Land of Blog (where I usually highlight other crafters' projects inspired by some of mine), I've decided to focus. I want to dig a little deeper to see what additional treasures, besides the wee greenhouses above, we can unearth over at Mieljolie's blog "All Things Crafty". I guess you could call it an "All Things Crafty" feature.

Ready? Let's delve...

Oh look, I took a half-step and already I've found something! It looks remarkably like a hat. Yes, most certainly, that is a hat. Or is it? NO. No, it's actually a cereal box expertly transformed into this dashing hat. The eyes doth deceive. Oh that Mieljolie, she's a wily one.

Oh... and feast your eyes on this... She made this scary-beautiful witch boot almost entirely out of recyclables. In fact, she has created a whole series of one-of-a-kind witch boots from cereal boxes, newspaper, toilet rolls, masking tape and 20-year-old wall-paper paste! Do witches dress this fashionably? I was grossly misinformed.

But Mieljolie isn't the only one in the family with a boot-full of talent and a penchant for recycling. She teamed up with her husband to create this steampunk time-turner necklace from broken clock parts mostly, with striking results. The fact that they can work together and still both be alive is pretty striking in itself.

Inspired by the plastic Calico Critters Manor Dollhouse, Mieljolie's husband, who's majoring in architecture, also built this breathtaking cardboard dollhouse for their 8 year-old daughter. What a lucky little girl. The dollhouse is stunning inside and out! You must check out all the details. It's cardboard... cardboard!

Is that enough to get you going? Because this little tour is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much more to discover at "All Things Crafty". Not to mention that Mieljolie has two whole other blogs on top of that! One in particular is a special treat that I will let you discover all on your own. All I'll say is that it is unbelievable what some people do with recyclables. It is genius. Click HERE to have a look!

Thank you Mieljolie for sharing your talents with us on your blogs. You are artist and an inspiration. ♥

Now YOU have a great weekend, and I'll see you Monday!

All photos are by Mieljolie and were used with permission.

From The Land of Blog

Guess who's been busy?

Well... YOU have of course, that's who!

I'm always amazed when something I've made inspires you to get crafting. It's the coolest thing ever. And I have so much fun seeing how you've put your own spin on some of these ideas of mine.

See? Now look what Nzqu from Tiukka Pipo created... Aren't they gorgeous? This dazzling mass of junk mail bows just blew me away. Isn't this the happiest photo? I love it!

Christine from Our Family of Four made her version of the paper airplane garland for her son's birthday party. You must see her photos of the party. They are stunning!

Peechee from Candy, Cake, and Crafts recycled a catalog into this charming wall flower art based on this post. Doesn't it look great against that red wall?

Dawn - and her kids too - from Where We Are, crafted their own pretty toilet roll flowers. It kinda puts me in the mood to make some more. They really are a ton of fun you know. How pretty, Dawn!

Thank you Nzqu, Christine, Peechee, and Dawn for sharing your lovely projects. You know you brighten my day, right? You do!

Now if you have crafted a craft inspired by a craft crafted by this crafter (um, that's me, btw), do let me know. I'll tell my husband, my children, my mother, my father, and my ten brothers and sisters about it. Oh, and I'll also tell the world. So email me!

Now have yourself a great weekend, and I'll see you again soon!

From the Land of Blog

Happy Friday!

It's time for another installment of "FROM THE LAND OF BLOG". This is the feature in which I show off some of YOUR projects inspired by some of mine! What do we have here? Let's see...

First up, Amy from During Quiet Time notified me of her gorgeous mod podged container shortly after I blogged this project. Look at how pretty it is? I really think her eye for detail is dead-on: the apple, the bow! Doesn't it just make you want to save that plastic container you trashed only yesterday, and mod podge away? Well go save it already. I'll wait.

The second submission comes courtesy of Lindsay from Diary of a Crafty Lady. She made these shabby chic patchwork throw pillow covers after seeing this post. What a great project Lindsay! This is the perfect craft for using up fabric scraps. Just fit the scraps together like a puzzle and make your own unique and funky-looking cushions.

And finally, NetNoe who blogs over at Art Perspective sent me this email just the other day in response to my recent butter knife post:

"Dear Michele, thank you for showing me the glory of the butter knife. I used it recently on a card I made: Coat Thank You Card. In order to get straight lines without errors (and subsequent refolding), I used a ruler to draw my fold lines, to make the folds against the pressed butter knife. Thank you. :)"

Notice I've strategically revealed only itty bits of the various projects. Conniving little me... That's to encourage you to visit the bloggers who've actually made them. I've provided all the links for you to be able to click away with ease. Do check them out, won't you?

A warm thank you to Amy, Lindsay and NetNoe for letting me know of your delightful projects. You give me a sense that I'm doing something good over here, and I'm so grateful for that.

And if you yourself have crafted a craft inspired by something you've seen on Michele Made Me, please don't be shy. Let me know. I won't have a problem shouting it from the rooftops!

Now have yourself a lovely weekend. I'll see you again soon!

A Giveaway Winner AND... AND A Fresh New Feature

GIVEAWAY WINNER

Before I go on, I want to say that the giveaway was just great great fun for me and my family! We actually took some time out over the last few evenings to read all your comments and sayings out loud to each other. And I must confess we laughed hard several times. So I'll be incorporating some or all of your everyday sayings in a craft early in the New Year. Thank you so much for your enthusiastic and heartfelt participation! It was a blast!

Now, let us find out who won Monday's Giveaway... Here's what Mr. True Random Number Generator came up with:

#132 - Sarah said: "Oh my." lol - I guess I am surprised alot.

Well I hope you'll be surprised again Sarah because YOU HAVE WON!!! I will be emailing you shortly so we can get that package on its way to you ASAP!

AND NOW FOR THAT FRESH NEW FEATURE...

Today I am introducing a new now-and-again feature here at Michele Made Me! I've actually done the feature once before under a different name (this crazy one here, tell no one...) but I came to the conclusion that the title was a teensy bit confusing, unintelligible even, since it consisted of two made-up words. This no doubt elicited questions from you like "What on Mother Earth is she talking about?" or "Who let this girl write a blog?", for example.

But we live and we learn, right? So, I've renamed the spot "FROM THE LAND OF BLOG" wherein someone (like you, for instance) takes a half-baked idea of mine and goes off with it on their own creative tangent, and then I feature it here in all its wondrous glory!

Let us begin today's little tour de crafts, shall we? Walk this way...

Below you see an amazing recycled toilet roll flower wreath-in-progress created by Suz from Suz Crochet Groove. The finished wreath can be seen on her blog so you have no choice now but to pay her a visit. She was inspired by this post.

Well, all I can say to you Suz is that the tables have turned. It is I who is inspired by YOU! Wow! So beautiful!

Next we have the work of Nadia Visheratina who, spurred on by this post, made these denim disc tree ornaments with her children. I really fancy dimensional paint so my favourite might just be the little gold one, but if I'm honest, I love them all. This is a simple and pretty craft that even children can sink their teeth into!

Next we come to a whole slew of handmade covered buttons designed by DM. While some were inspired by this tutorial, DM is quite obviously a creative soul. She has proven that the possibilities are endless when it comes to handmade covered buttons, dressing some in crochet, some in hand-embroidery and embellishing others with beads. Look at them all! I've said it before and I'll say it again, these little guys are addictive. I dare you to make only one.

The two works of loveliness below come courtesy of Goska. First is her denim tree interpreted from this post. The little apples on this tree are all her, and I think they're brilliant. Imagine adorning the little trees in beads or yarn or paint. Again, the world of denim trees is a world of options! Her second offering is the toilet roll wreath which she has made using...well... a toilet roll. She used this tutorial as her starting point. I notice that her cutting is different and less complex than mine, making her version a more accessible craft for children (and grownups too actually).

When So Knit Picky emailed me to let me know she'd made something inspired by this post, I was not expecting to see paint palettes when I visited her blog. But that's what inspiration is after all. Building on an idea, taking it in a whole new direction, running with it. I think that using the tape dispensers as a paint palette cookie cutter qualifies as darn inspired, don't you? And the photo below does NOT show the wonderful end product. For that you'll have to click this link and check it out for yourself!

And finally, we come full circle to another striking recycled wreath. This one, by Aunt Peaches is made from all manner of rescued recyclables. She collected many many plastic cups and bottles, tin cans and foam cups over the course of a few MONTHS to have enough to make her wreath! That is dedication. This is mine here, which she cites as one of her inspirations. Imagine trashing this thing of beauty now? That would be a crime in my books.

Which brings us all home safe and sound!

So if one day you, yes YOU, get the urge to make a craft inspired by something you've seen on Michele Made Me, please let me know. I would be ecstatic to feature your work (and brag about it to the world) here on "FROM THE LAND OF BLOG". Don't even think twice, just email me!

Now remember, you go have a great day!

In All This Floofy Bloggishness

I have told you before. I am having a quite a good time being here. Floating with you in the blogosphere. Making the things I make. Sharing them here on this screen, through some wires and through the air. How all of that internetty magic works, I haven't the foggiest. But, might I say? The thing that brings me the most joy in all this floofy bloggishness is when someone (like you, for instance) takes a half-baked idea of mine and goes off with it on their own creative tangent. This has happened a few times now. And if you'll forgive a girl her silly indulgence for a moment, please let me cite the examples that I know of.

Mascott, the little teddy bear at Mascottblog took this idea

and for his friend's birthday, made these. As table decor. Never thought of that!

Jenny at Jen's Inspirations took this idea...

and made this needle book. Her very own Jensters version. So pretty!

Catherine of The Sewing Attic took this idea...

and made one for this gorgeous bag! One handmade covered button from scratch. Done!

Saraccino took this nutty idea...

and made these plastic flower pins. I think her versions are so free and beautiful!

Tere from The Quilted Pug saw these little guys...

and is making a whole batch of nine (9!) of her own. These are hers. They are going to be lovely! I cannot wait to see them all done.

(N.B. The dolly idea does not originate with Michele Made Me, the above dollies are just my take on them. Find out more about Dolly Donations here.)

I am "bouche-bée", speechless. Thank you so much for these virtual gifts. They make me happy. Many hugs to you.

Have a great day!

P.S.

Floof: Term coined by the wordsmith who runs Mich L. in L.A.; verb meaning to fluff or manipulate lightly so as to bring about a natural and airy appearance (I think... but who knows really... she made it up...)

Floofy: Term coined by me; adjective or adverb meaning deceptively fluffy or airy, or having little actual mass.