A Watercolor Project for Ink-Tober

Hello everyone and Hello November!

I participated in a month-long drawing project last October called Ink-tober. I did something similar a few years ago and this year, I was ready for a new challenge. 

 

I used the prompts provided by They Draw, also known as @theydrawandcook on Instagram. 

My ink of choice was watercolors (my favorite). I used watercolor paper and blank postcards. Colored pencils also came in handy for shading and highlights. Here, let me show you what I made:

Donuts and Dahlias

Mushrooms and Marigolds

Coffee and Chrysanthemums

Artichokes and Asters

Wine and Wisteria

Apples and Amaryllis

Soup and Sunflowers

Tea and Tiger Lily

Pomegranates and Poppies

Cake and Calendula

Pumpkin and Pansies

If you'll notice, I tried to do a raised or 3-D effect. I did this by gluing small pieces of foam board in between the watercolor sketches and the base background. I like that the sketches look like they're floating...TADA!

If you flip the artwork, they are mounted on postcards. I can use them as greeting cards for dear friends but I'll enclose them inside envelopes to protect the sketches.

It was a very fun challenge that encouraged making time in the day for mindfulness and creativity. I highly recommend that you do something similar!

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Happy Halloween

A spooky hello to all of you!

Do you celebrate Halloween? I enjoy dressing up, watching Halloween parades, and exploring the neighborhood for over-the-top Halloween decorations. One of the best places for decorations is New York City. Here, let me show you: 

There is a graveyard in front of this townhouse. I bet it looks even scarier at night!

If you move your eyes upwards, you'll see these spiders and the web that they're spinning.

Dungeon-like feels for this apartment.

How would you feel seeing these frightening characters right at your front door?

The skeletons are out of the closet and hanging out on the stoop. I think these black and white pumpkins are tres chic!

Here's another classy one using a black, white and red color combination.

Day of the Dead costumes on mannequins...they look so life-like!

Surely there will be a lot of tricks...

...as well as treats!

I hope you liked this tour of Manhattan during Halloween. You know where I'll be this Tuesday night -- checking out more homes and how the owners transform them from blah to TADA!

Have a fun and safe Halloween! If you'd like new crafty ideas delivered directly to your inbox, please subscribe here. 

Confetti Gift Tags

Hey, hey, I hope you're feeling swell today!

I've been repurposing different kinds of paper and making them into envelopes. Some of the materials I've used include a supermarket flyer, brown paper bags, empty chocolate boxes, tea packaging and scrapbook paper remnants. I use them to house greeting cards or to package little presents.

Let me add this to the list:

I found this at the Target Dollar Spot many years ago and I kept it with my gift wrapping supplies. It was unopened, of course, because I do that a lot. I stash things away to be used as craft inspiration. 

All they really are: glassine envelopes with confetti inside. The top section is punched with a cord detail to serve as closure and accent. Aren't they cute?

It's easy to tuck in a small card that can be personalized or you can write directly on the envelope and attach this to a gift.

I happened to have some white wrapping tissue that I rescued from a gift. Instead of tossing this, let's turn it from blah to TADA! 

I trimmed the paper into a rectangle measuring 7 inches by 5 inches. I eyeballed the shape of an envelope and trimmed the edges so that the paper looks like this.

Glue the two open edges of the paper to make the envelope, leaving the top side as the flap. Fold the top flap, find the center and punch a hole.

Make some confetti using paper scraps and a hole punch. Experiment with other shapes if you have other craft punches in your collection.

Put the confetti inside the envelope.

Since this paper isn't transparent like the glassine envelope, why not extend the confetti outside by gluing some on the envelope. We can even enclose a card with a power quote...TADA!

Thread cord or ribbon (this is a good way to use up any ribbon remnants you might have) through the hole as a finishing touch.

Look what we've made -- our own version of the confetti gift tag...TADA! Attach it on a gift so that even a plainly-wrapped package can transform from blah to TADA! 

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Cards with Windows

Hello and thank you for your visit today!

I regularly make birthday cards that I send out to the people I love. In previous posts, I made a greeting card with a food theme, a balloon theme, a butterfly theme, and floral theme. 

I crafted new birthday cards and let me share with you how I made them.

It all started with these plastic "windows" that I saved from various packages like make-up and sewing notions. I peeled off the cardboard backing and any loose paper on the sides.

I like how they are raised. Instantly I thought, "Let's put something inside!"

I took some cardstock.

I chose a spot on the cardstock and traced around the plastic "window." Then I cut that part of the cardstock to fit my "window."

With glue, I attached the "window" to the inner part of the card.

I found an excuse to bring out the chunky glitter!

I put about a teaspoon-worth of glitter.

Then I added some confetti hearts, made with a heart-shaped craft punch and cardstock.

I prepared this card that contains a greeting and also works to seal the "window."

I attached the cardboard backing to the cardstock with more glue.

Then I embellished the card with paint and more confetti.

The words *magically* disappear when you shake around the confetti. It's almost like a snow globe but without the liquid...TADA! 

Here's another version. I can't wait to write in them and send them out!

I didn't forget a stamp and signature to show it's handmade!

That is how I transformed discarded packaging and blank cards from blah to TADA! 

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Treasures from the Trash: A Low Bookshelf

In the past, I've written about furniture that I see on the curb like this chalkboard, these shelves, this door, this bar cart, and more shelves. If only I had room to hold them temporarily, I would have taken all of these home so I can turn them from blah to TADA!

But I found an exception with this low bookshelf:

It's not heavy, has a small footprint, and serendipitously, I do need more shelves for new books. 

I'm not a big fan of the gray sections, though.

But nothing that paint can't solve!

I covered my work space with newspaper.

And I painted the gray areas black, adding several more coats in between drying.

This salvaged shelf now looks more streamlined...TADA!

Here are a few ways I can use it at home:

via Pinterest

A bookshelf to house my growing collection and a place to display some art...TADA!

via Pinterest

A greenery shelf because plants make us happy and help purify the air...TADA!

via The Grey Edit

An accent table for the foyer...TADA!

via Pinterest

Or as a place to organize my husband's coffee-brewing accessories...TADA!

If you come across old furniture, find a way to turn them from blah to TADA! Otherwise, you can donate them to The Salvation Army, Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity ReStore or thrift store near you. Also, please subscribe here if you want to receive my newsletter. Have a good week!