Bookmarks That Say Thank You

I celebrated my birthday in April, my second one in quarantine, but I didn't really mind because I feel more connected to old friends from across the globe because of technology. I get text greetings and we are able to hang out on video conferencing platforms. 

This year, a group of my dearest friends surprised me with a virtual birthday card. The theme was "arts and crafts" (they know me so well)! 

Each one of them made a craft, showed it off in a photo, and they wrote me wishes that really lifted me up and are giving me a boost of confidence. The crafts ranged from hand lettering, painting on canvas, coloring pages, poetry, drawing, decorating gift bags, and flower arranging. I hope that as they created they felt a sense of calm and a feeling of pride when they finished. 

I got so tickled with their masterpieces! As a thank you, I made them these bookmarks:

They are hand-painted and hand lettered with watercolors and the concept is a like a jigsaw puzzle where each person perfectly fits into a bigger picture. 

I started with a blank watercolor sheet, a paint brush, and my reliable watercolor palette.

I decided on a repeating pattern, choosing happy colors like yellow.

Two kinds of yellow! Because these friends are sunshine and positivity. We always have a good time. We laugh at the corniest jokes. We also offer encouragement when some of us are having a rough season. We pray for each other.

A blue moon because real friends are rare and must be treasured. 

Some tears, both happy and sad, that we've all shared together.

And a final touch of rosy pink. This is the backdrop I painted, symbolic of our friendship...TADA!

According to an article I read recently, this is what is described as meditative painting: "being mindful and present while putting paint on paper."

I marked the painting into 12 equal parts.

Then cut out the pieces.

I painted the name of each friend, saying a prayer for them as I did it: "Dear God, thank you for Lisa and our years of friendship. Please give her good health and strength, bless her family, and please meet her needs."

I did the same for each name that I wrote. I sent a photo of their bookmark to the recipient and promised to give it to them personally when it's safe to see each other.

We're scattered all over the world and yet our bond remains strong.  We are different but we've proven that we go so well together. 

That's why today, I celebrate friendship and all the rewards that come with it, including receiving the most thoughtful birthday surprise. Friends definitely transform life from "blah to TADA!"

Floral Embroidery

I hope you had some nice weather this weekend! It's starting to feel like summer here in the East Coast. But whatever the season, crafting is always on my agenda.

Last Wednesday, I joined the Makerie Community for "A Playful Pause," a virtual crafting session. 

We started out with some hand yoga led by Heidi Parkes. I've never done hand yoga before and I think I should do it every morning or when I need to relax my hands.

Then master quilter Zak Foster introduced the activity:

We had to sew without looking! It was hard! But we relied on our fingertips to be our eyes. We tried it out by sewing a straight line, then sewing a shape (my attempt at a heart), and finally a word. My word was "leap" -- a reminder that I should just go for it without overthinking. But the "P" looks like a "D" so the word can be "lead" (as in "leadership" and not "lead" the chemical).  This activity made me extra grateful for the sense of sight and that I should be open to new techniques that challenge my creativity.

*****

It's all about sewing today. Personally, I am very drawn to handicrafts with floral embroidery. It reminds me of my childhood. We had tablecloths and pillow covers decorated with embroidery. I also learned embroidery in school -- we made a bag and a layette (linen for baby) for Practical Arts. Embroidery is one of my first forays into crafting. Embroidery also makes me feel safe.   

Here is a bag that I purchased in a Bangkok market many, many years ago:

The cloth is linen and the handles are made out of wood.

Lazy-daisy flowers and small seashells are sewn on it.

I love that it doesn't look like the mass produced bags of today and I can imagine an artisan leisurely working on this while humming her favorite song.

I hardly use this bag now but I've kept it as a souvenir from that memorable trip (maybe I should frame it).

This is a pencil skirt that I've owned for more than a decade. 

I fell in love with the colors and the floral stitching.

Taking a cue from these items, I applied some embroidery to turn some items in my closet from blah to TADA!: 

This is an old wallet that has been hiding in a box in my closet.

To give it life, I added some 3-dimensional stitching that I learned on Pinterest...TADA!

I also embroidered a pair of shoes that developed a small hole. I thought that was a sneaky solution to cover it up. Apart from the hole, it was still in good shape.

I drew the flowers with white pencil.

Then I slowly made the stitches.

Now, I am able to wear the shoes again (and the compliments aren't so bad either)...TADA!

I used the same floral embroidery technique to decorate this handmade face mask...TADA! Always good to keep it handy even if mask mandates are being lifted.

And finally here is a shawl that was looking blah. Sewing was a bit of a challenge because of the thin material but the flowers embroidered on it gives it more personality...TADA!

How about you, are you a fan of embroidery?

Crafts Inspired by a Floral Arrangement

Hey guys, I'm glad to see you today!

Not too long ago, a dear friend sent over this floral arrangement:

 

I am smitten by her thoughtfulness and how this generous gesture says, "I'm here, I'm thinking of you, and I wish you well." The flowers definitely brightened my day and turned it from "blah" to TADA!"

Here is it in a different angle. I always take a photo so that I'll forever remember it. There are roses, hydrangeas, tulips, orchids, eucalyptus, and some leaves.

Of course, this floral arrangement has inspired me to make some crafts.

First, I made two paintings (these are watercolor paper remnants that I did not want to waste).  

The size is ideal to turn into a bookmark or it can also be framed. I mailed one together with a thank you card to my friend who sent the flowers. 

Roses dry well so I hung them upside down (tie a bundle with a rubber band and use a hook to hang on a cabinet handle). Notice that these roses are still in fresh shape? The petals remain intact and the color keeps a lighter shade when hung to dry at this stage. 

Here's what they look like after leaving them to dry for a week. The petals are crisp and any moisture has evaporated.

I put them inside my bunny vase...TADA!

I also left the eucalyptus stems to dry (same process as the roses) and even when dry, they have a faint minty scent.

I made another arrangement using an empty bottle for a vase...TADA!

Flowers fade and wither but through these simple crafts, I was able to extend their life. I am able to hold on to their beauty a little longer and turn even their dried versions from "blah" to "TADA!"

I wish you all an exciting week ahead!

A Do-It-Yourself Recipe Box

Hey guys, I'm happy you were able to stop by! This is today's crafty inspiration:

It's a recipe box made by Rifle Paper Co. and they've got other designs like this and this. Aren't they beautiful? Designer and owner Anna Bond really does a great job with her floral and botanical gouache paintings. 

I'm using this idea to turn blah to TADA!

I'm a big tea drinker and a recent acquaintance had recommended this British brand to me. 

I bought it and I liked that this special edition came in a reusable tin.  

The tin provided an air-tight seal and kept my tea fresh until I consumed every single bag. 

Now that it's empty, I would love to reuse it as storage.

Here's what I did:

I cleaned the tin inside and out with a dry cloth (moisture will cause it to rust). Then I painted the outside with acrylic paint.

I painted on several coats, allowing the paint to dry in between coats.

This is my painted tin...TADA!

Because I love flowers, I drew some, too. 

I opted for flowers that traditionally grow in an English garden: roses, peonies, Japanese anemone, hollyhocks, and bell flowers.

To make it my own, I used watercolor (instead of acrylic or gouache).

 I let the paint dry for a few minutes...

...before putting more layers, definition, and details.

Then I added this adhesive metal bookplate that I got at an office supply store many years ago. If you can't find it, a sticker label can be a good replacement.

By the way, I got to practice my hand lettering to make the label...TADA!

Here are just a few ways I can use my spruced-up tin box as storage:

As a recipe box -- though most of the recipes I use are stored on Pinterest.

To store packets of food mixes like gravy, dips and sauces...that way they stay neat inside the pantry or cupboard.

As a box to store receipts for a small business. Inside, you can add monthly/quarterly dividers made from card stock.

I hope you liked this tea tin transformation. Have a good week ahead!