A Farmer's Market-inspired Gift Bag

What a pleasure to see you!

Today, I am inspired by the farmer's market:

Produce of every kind and color

Plants, flowers and little potted succulents

Fresh ingredients to turn into meals

Apples to eat as is or put into a pie

Tiny tomatoes to add to a salad

Peaches to grill or make into jam

A trip to the farmer's market brings me so much joy! That is why I'm using what I've seen in today's craft.

 

This is an empty bag of cookies. As you've seen in my past projects such as biscuit and mint tins, tea and pasta boxes, I like to save the packaging and turn them from blah to TADA! 

Just by painting the bag and gluing on balloon cutouts, it now has new life as a gift bag...TADA!

I used the same technique on another bag -- I covered it with three coats of yellow acrylic paint (allowing the paint to dry in between). 

Then I sketched some fruits and veggies, the same ones I saw at the farmer's market.

I used a mix of watercolor and gouache to add color, light and shade.

A handmade gift bag that I can fill with baked treats or hostess gifts -- that's how I turned an empty cookie bag from blah to TADA!

I hope your day trips will inspire you to make something for you and for all you love. If you'd like more ideas like this, please subscribe here. 

Origami Greeting Cards

Thank you for dropping by! Extreme weather has been the common theme lately and I hope you are all safe and staying comfortable wherever you are in the world. Over the weekend, we had high temperatures and then some rain. But look at the reward:

A most glorious rainbow that was on display for more than twenty minutes. It definitely turned my weekend from blah to TADA!

Our crafty inspiration for today comes from this photo:

It was a class offered by one of my favorite paper stores a few years ago. I didn't attend the class but I saved the photo because it's such a clever use for origami projects -- turn them into all occasion greeting cards...TADA!

I've had this stack of origami paper for the longest time and I welcome any new opportunity to use them. If you don't have origami paper, you can use anything: construction paper, gift wrapper, scrapbook paper or chocolate packaging. Just cut the paper into a square (six inches all around is a typical size).

I folded the paper into a bird (here's a tutorial for an origami crane) and I attached it to cardstock with white glue. I added an encouraging phrase using brush lettering and watercolors. 

Here's a closer look.

I made another one by with a butterfly (you can find the origami butterfly tutorial here).

You can make your own envelopes with matching envelope liners, too.

This is just the beginning of my origami greeting cards series. They are easy to make and whoever receives them is guaranteed lots of smiles.

That is how I turned origami paper and cardstock from blah to TADA!

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Transforming Old Boxes

Happy new week everyone!

I'm pretty sure you know my love for crafty recycling. I'll always look at an item's potential before I categorize it as "trash." After all, everyone and everything deserves a second chance.

Take this box for example. Now that the contents (screen protectors for mobile phones) have all been used, what purpose does it have?

Time to turn it from blah to TADA! 

Paint is one of my favorite solutions for giving things new life.

I painted the outside of the box with several coats and put it aside to dry.

Once the paint was dry, I decided to add some hand lettering. First, I outlined with a white pencil.

Then filled the letters in with paint.

I also added a polka-dot border on the other side of the box, the area where I'll write the recipient's name and address (if it will be mailed). 

Here are some flowers achieved by a rubber stamp and ink pad. Instead of cardstock, I recycled the blank side of food packaging...TADA!  

Cut out the flowers and glue them to the inside of the box. Stickers are another fun alternative.

Fill the box with little surprises, cards and letters...just some of life's simple joys.

You can secure the box with a ribbon before handing it to your loved one or seal the edges with packing tape and mail like a regular envelope. 

And that is how I turned this box from blah to TADA!

I used a similar technique to transform this cookie tin, lip balm tin and clementine crate.

If you'd like more crafty recycling suggestions, please subscribe here. 

Turn Candle Wax into Wax Seals

What's up guys! Are you ready for some crafty recycling?

In a previous post, I tried my hand at making some wax seals.

What made them unique was the wax I used -- instead of using ready-made wax sticks, I recycled some candle wax...TADA!

The candle wax was a little tricky to work with (compared to wax sticks) because it had a more runny consistency when melted and a more transparent finish when the wax set. It took me several experiments to get it right. The wax seals I made are perfectly imperfect but I had the best intentions -- to recycle old candle wax.

Let me show you a few ideas on how to put these wax seals to good use: 

The first is how they are traditionally used -- to seal an envelope. The design stamped on the wax is usually the family crest or an identifying mark of the sender. If the wax is broken that means the envelope has been opened and the contents read.

I glued on a pressed flower in addition to the wax seal...TADA!

This is an envelope that I made using a supermarket flyer. I addressed it with calligraphy and a dainty wax seal...TADA!

I love sending out Thank You cards to thoughtful friends. It's a kind gesture and the expression of appreciation never goes out of style. Sometimes I even make my own Thank You cards. This one is made of different kinds of scrapbook paper with a wax seal as an added detail...TADA!

Finally, here is a gift box dressed up with scrapbook paper, a message created with rubber stamps and an ink pad, and a wax seal.

It's a simple way to wrap a present yet is full of sweet sentiments.

These are just some of the ways I transformed wax seals (made from old candle wax) from blah to TADA!

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Dried Flowers: Hydrangea

I hope you are feeling great!

I've been doing a lot of projects involving dried flowers and flower pressing. These treasures from nature are quite inspiring and don't cost anything if you already have the materials on hand. I also like to do it because it preserves a moment in time that I will never get back. 

 

During the summer, I pick up hydrangeas from the park. I flatten it in the flower press and frame it afterwards. I like that the lilac colors of the petals are still vibrant. 

In the winter, you'll still see some hydrangea bushes around but the flowers turn into these petrified specimens. Their color and soul seem to have disintegrated with the cold. But hey, let's give them a chance.

 

I took some dried hydrangeas home and put them in my flower press.

I also separated the petals in smaller clusters. 

I sandwiched the flowers in between layers of paper and cardboard.

I screwed the lid on and tightened it every day for a week. 

This is what the flowers look like after pressing...TADA! 

Let me show you some crafty ways to use these dried hydrangea flowers:

I got this clear locket from the craft store. I gently placed the pressed hydrangea petal inside the locket and closed the hinge.

A necklace charm with antique and sentimental feels...TADA!

For the next craft, let's use dried hydrangea flowers to add flourish to our cards and letters.

I've seen calligraphers do this trick. They add dried flowers like baby's breath at the center of the envelope.

Pour a bit of melted wax and emboss a wax seal to keep the pressed hydrangea in place.  

Such a romantic touch! But these should be hand-delivered because the dried flowers will never survive the mail. But if you'd like to mail them, put these inside a padded mailer envelope.

For the final craft idea, here's what we'll need: pressed hydrangea flowers, a mason jar with removable two-piece lid, scrapbook paper and acetate (both cut in the size of the mason jar lid).

Sandwich the elements in this order: (1)flat bottom of mason jar lid, (2)scrapbook paper, (3)dried hydrangea flowers, (4)acetate, (5)screw-on mason jar lid. Use one finger to hold the elements in place while you screw the lid onto the jar.

It makes for a nice memory jar. Fill it with souvenirs from a trip (ex. small rocks and shells) or use it to wrap small gifts like jewelry.

Note that even without a flower press, you can still press flowers using heavy books (just position the flowers in between layers of paper and cardboard to protect the pages of the books).

These are just a few ways I turned dried hydrangea flowers from blah to TADA!

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