Small Design Quandary

We're sprucing up our tiny side entrance. This weekend I painted the walls and ceiling, and Lo and I added a few bits of trim which still need a final coat of paint. We're also waiting on the cute light fixture we ordered online. We haven't had an actual fixture there for ages, just a cold and lonely compact fluorescent. The change will be ever so nice!

But the final touch will be a small "Welcome" scene painted directly on the wall adjacent the door. I'm working on that design right now. I'm going for a colourful, and hopefully warm, folk-arty feel. Here's what I've got so far...

Can I ask your opinion about it? I love the birds and the "welcome" but I'm wondering about the flowers... Are they too much? Should I move them around? Do I need more? Should I nix them altogether? What does your excellent brain think?

Thanks so much for any help!

♥M

Ducky Denim Pouch

Do you recall the "Denim Tree Pencil Case Tutorial" from way back when? Like, way back in August (the 20th of August 2010 to be exact). Hey, that's a whole month ago! Well, if you do not recall, never fear! Here is the link.

I wanted to give a friend of mine one of these little pencil case/bags as a gift. The original two tree pencil cases were gifted to my two university-bound daughters. That meant making a WHOLE NEW ONE for my friend. I love the trees and will eventually make a tree-one for myself but I thought I'd create a different design on my friend's little denim bag. Just to make it... different I guess.

So last night, I concocted this new little denim design using all the same techniques as for the tree. I wanted a two-toned design. That's when my tiny brain suddenly remembered. I've had this dark teal denim in my stash since like 1983. Well gee-willikers, time to break it out!

So I used some teal pieces and some regular used denim pieces for my two tones. And then I mashed them together to make the Ducky Denim Pouch.

Unfortunately this little ducky cannot swim. He is earthbound just like me. Don't worry little ducky, you'll be well cared for. My friend will make certain of that. And besides, the world is a wonderful place.

Wouldn't you agree?

Well, I hope you have a lovely day!

Tutorial: Hand Painted Wooden Knobs

My basement workspace is a mess. Still. I tidy it up. I make some headway in the organization department, and 2 nanoseconds after getting some crazy notion in my tiny brain, the place looks not unlike the epicentre of some horrific crafting disaster. Why do I let this happen? SIGH.

So much needs to be done down here. I need working doors for my closet. I need to organize my yarn. Again. I MUST gain control over the ever-growing pile of recyclables that I simply CANNOT part with! I need knobs on my credenza drawers so that I don't have to stoop down and desperately grip the drawer-bottoms with the very tips of my fingers in order to get to the craft supplies and tools trapped inside! I NEED KNOBS!!!!!!

Okay, Okay... Get a grip, Michele. Don't get your knickers in a twist. Don't I have knobs? Somewhere in this mess. Is there NOT a stash of wooden knobs SOMEwhere down here?! Think Michele, think! There is?!!! Oh yes... There is... Pardon the outburst. Here is that little knob stash!

Okay, well, I'm sorry. These knobs are lovely and all, but they just won't do. They are boring. Ordinary. Sad little knobs. We need something better.

Let's do something about it! Let's paint these babies!

Shall we begin?

Tutorial: Hand Painted Wooden Knobs

Draw circles on a sheet of paper, a little smaller than the top area of your knobs. Make some designs. Whatever you like. I happen to be partial to plants and animals. So here I go.

Once you are satisfied with your designs, gently transfer them in pencil onto some fine tissue paper (you know the kind you stuff in gift bags). Cut them out.

Now give your knobs a few coats of paint. I used liquid acrylic craft paint and put on 2 coats. Some knobs I left as is. Allow the painted knobs to dry.

Once the paint is dry, take a knob and coat the top surface with Mod Podge using a small paint brush.

Take one of your little tissue paper circle designs and, drawing side down, place it on the Mod Podged knob.

Gently smooth the tissue paper onto the knob surface with your brush. You will see the drawing appear very clearly on the knob. The drawing is protected by a fine layer of paper and therefore won't smudge.

Repeat for all your knobs.

Now your knobs are ready for painting! Yippee! Paint away to your heart's delight!

A few things:

• You will need a couple of fine brushes as this is tiny work.
• Once you are done painting, you can (optionally) distress your knobs with some fine sandpaper.
• You will then need to apply a few coats of varnish to protect your itty-bitty works of art.
• Wait a few days to allow the paint and varnish to cure before installing the knobs.

Here are some of my finished knobs! Yay for knobs! I have knobs! Woo-hoo!!!

Have a terrific day!

P.S. Linking here!

Tutorial - Handmade Wooden Buttons Stash-Bust

Don't know if you know, but it is September and I've joined a group of crazy craft bloggers in a quest to "bust some stash". I know it sounds violent and conjures up images of hairy-faced goons going at it in dark alleys. But I assure you, it is quite peaceful and good.

It is called Stashbusting September and it is being run by the lovely Robin over at The T-Shirt Diaries. The goal is to craft using stuff we already own. In other words: NO shopping for new craft supplies. NO thrifting. NO getting other people to buy stuff for us. NO combination or permutation of craft purchase for the WHOLE of September on pain of death (okay I made that "death" part up). But you get the picture.

And seriously, it is ridiculous how much of a delicious piece of cake this is going to be. I laugh in the face of this challenge. Hee hee hee. And that is because I have SO MUCH CRAFT STUFF! I have been hoarding things since 1968 in preparation for this very moment. Scads, gobs, reams, hillocks, heaps, piles, oodles, stacks and yes, plenty o' stuff with which to make glorious crafts. No problem. Easy peasy. BRING IT ON BABY!!!!!!!!!!!

Shall I begin?...

First up: Handmade Wooden Buttons!

Break out your electric miter saw AND an old dowel from that closet you ripped out and re-did last year.

Cut the dowel up into small 1/4 inch discs. I cut out a whole whack of them. See?

Take the power sander and sand down all those little discs nice and smooth. Don't sand off your hands. You will need those later.

Also, wear a skirt while doing this so the neighbours can titter at you from their driveway.

Clamp a disc.

With a small bit, drill 2 tiny holes through your disc.

Voila! Button! Repeat this hole drilling process for all your discs.

Now you could leave it at that. That would do nicely.

But I wanted some fancy buttons so I took a sheet of paper and created several designs.

I scanned my finished designs into the computer. I brought them into Photoshop, copy/pasted the designs to my heart's delight, and made a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet full of button designs. So pretty.

The next part I did not photograph.

To make a transfer of button designs:

To make a transfer of my designs, I used freezer paper and white tissue paper. I ironed a piece of white tissue paper to the shiny side of the freezer paper. No steam. I cut this combined paper to exactly 8 1/2 x 11 and put it in my printer. I printed off the designs on the tissue paper side. I carefully separated the freezer paper from the white tissue paper and put aside the freezer paper. The white tissue paper is a transfer of designs that when Mod Podged onto my buttons will dry clear; only the design will be visible. (This process is inspired by this post of Sarah's at Dolls and Daydreams. Thanks Sarah!).

So I took my white tissue paper transfer, and some other colourful tissue papers and cut out several circles slightly smaller than the size of my buttons.

I took out the Mod Podge, and a little paint brush.

With the paintbrush, I applied some Mod Podge to the button surface and placed my little tissue paper transfer onto the button. And applied more Mod Podge on top of the transfer.

I allowed it to dry (mostly) and then traced the design with an indelible marker.

And then painted it with liquid acrylic paint! The fun part. I did this with some of my buttons.

Onto other buttons, I simply Mod Podged the pretty circles of tissue paper that I had cut out earlier.

And here are the many buttons I made! Yippee!

Have a superb stash-busting day!

P.S. Linkin' here.