A Hot Air Balloon Festival

Hi there! I promised you this post late last week but things have been a little hectic. My apologies!

Anyway, here are some photos from the Festival of Ballooning, an annual summer event held in Readington, New Jersey. 

Inside the Solberg Airport grounds, lots of craft stalls, food booths, free samples, and entertainment for the young and old.

It was the perfect day to be out. Crowds brought chairs, blankets and umbrellas, and just had a picnic.

A little before 7 pm, the balloons were ready to be inflated.

The first balloon to fly! The song "Up, up and Away" played on the speakers. It got everyone so excited.

More balloons followed.

It was my first time to see hot air balloons up close.

This guy was my favorite.

 Up he goes.

No one should ever tell a seahorse that he can't fly.

Spread some happiness.

Even Darth Vader and Yoda were there in balloon form. 

I loved the drama of the balloons once day turned into evening. I can't wait to go again next year and maybe even ride one!

Here's to Adventure!

Hi everyone! This photo is a souvenir from my weekend. I'll tell you more about it and share more pictures later this week. Meanwhile, I wish you a week full of fun and adventure! 

"Be delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, 

one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic 

waiting somewhere behind the morning."

- Joseph Priestly 

A Framed Memento

Happy Monday ya'all!

Here's a cute idea I got from an afternoon at Anthropologie:

It's a book lovingly put inside a frame! I would love to use this idea to frame a favorite childhood book or a significant tome given as a present (ex. my first Bible, a book about success I received on my graduation, or a book of love quotes given to me for my bridal shower). 

Like a shadow box, it's instant art for the room with lots of memories attached to it. TADA!

Home for Tea

Hello! Thanks for stopping by today. As promised, I'm showing you what I bought at my shopping trip to Flying Tiger.

I got myself this cute little house. 

It's printed on both sides, it's made of fabric, and is padded with foam. What's it for?

It's a tea cosy. It helps keep a pot of tea warm longer.It's not popular in the US but I've seen a lot of this in London. I found the ones there a little too pricey. This one, I got for only $4.00. What a steal!

It serves a practical and whimsical purpose. TADA!

Enjoy the rest of the week!

A Short Shopping Trip

How was your weekend my dears? I hope you all did something fun and relaxing.

I stumbled upon an adorable store in New York City's Flat Iron district.

It's called Flying Tiger. It finds its origins in Copenhagen. This is their first store in the US but they've got many branches all over the world.

They carry the cutest things at very affordable prices. I think of it like a curated dollar store. Here, take a look:

Who doesn't love a heart-shaped pail? And toilet paper with hearts on it!

It's easier to tidy up if you have a pretty broom and dustpan.

Greeting cards and gift wrap

Bicycle accessories like bells and seat covers!

Stationery, office supplies and coloring books for adults.

I wanted to take home all their kitchen items!

Storage containers that have a sense of humor.

I love this carrot sharpener!

Room decorations and closet organizers

The strawberry theme is just darling!

I went absolutely crazy in this store! Tomorrow, I'll show you what I bought. See you then.

Watercolor-Inspired

I hope you had a delicious Fourth of July weekend!

Lately, I've been practicing my watercolor. My projects include a wedding present, tropical fruits like mangoes and dragon fruit, and just washes of cheery colors.

I came across some products with a watercolor theme: 

Aren't they pretty? I hope to extend my crafting to applications like these.

I wish you all a colorful week ahead!

Red, White and Blue

It's the fourth of July today! What are your fun plans?

Wishing you a Happy Independence Day and a long summer filled with good weather and exciting adventures!

Summer Dressing

Today, instead of the traditional crafting I'm used to do, I decided to craft a summer outfit. Here is what it looks like:

It's something I'd wear for a morning at the farmer's market, lunch with the girls, an afternoon of thrifting for treasures, and shopping for craft supplies. Oh summer, I'm glad you've arrived!

Fancy Paper Cuts

I hope, like me, you're getting the hang of paper cutting.

I'm learning a lot from this book.

Today I'll teach you a type of layered fold called the quadruple fold. 

Using a square sheet of paper (this one is 5 inches by 5 inches), fold the paper in half so each end meets and forms a triangle.

Fold this in half.

And fold again a third time.

I drew a pattern based from the book.

Then I cut on the lines using scissors or an Xacto knife and unfolded the paper to reveal this star. TADA!

This other one is a wreath of autumn leaves. Aren't they pretty?

Now that we have learned the basics of paper cutting, we can be more experimental with types of paper like old envelopes or book pages. We can then turn these into greeting cards or party decorations. TADA!

Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!

A Paper Cutting Tutorial

Thanks for visiting today!

This week is all about paper cutting, the techniques of which come from this book.

After learning about the single fold and the double fold, let's learn about the layered fold. 

Start with a sheet of paper cut into a square. You can use origami paper or regular paper cut down to size. This one measures 5 inches by 5 inches.

Fold the paper in half and crease the center.

Fold again in half to make a smaller square; crease the folds.

Draw a pattern with a pencil.

Cut on the lines with precision scissors, then unfold.

This double layered fold produces a doily-like design.

Here's another one with flowers. TADA!

There's another technique of you come over tomorrow. See you then!

More Paper Cuts

I'm trying my hand at paper cutting!

I'm using this book to help me out.

Yesterday, we learned about the single fold that produces two images on a sheet of paper.

Today, let's try the double fold.

We'll start with a square sheet of paper. This one is 5 inches by 5 inches.

Fold vertically in half and make a crease.

 Unfold, then fold each side in half toward the center crease. 

 Reverse the direction of the centerfold.

Fold again and crease all the edges.

Draw on a design on the outer panel. 

Cut and unfold. TADA! -- four repeating designs!

Here's another version with a candelabra.

Please stop by tomorrow for a new technique!