Brush Lettering and Uppercase Magazine

Hello everyone!

Lately, as a creative practice, I've been doing a lot of brush lettering. 

Peggy Dean of The Pigeon Letters has been running online workshops called the Creative Retreat Live. It's been very informative, introducing me to different ways to create art. During one session taught by Alyssa of Lyssa's Letters, I painted along to make this piece...TADA! I learned some new techniques like the importance of planning, making a draft, and adding flourishes.

*****

Lent has also arrived. I practice my faith and one of the Catholic teachings is to abstain from meat every Friday and fast (eat only one full meal) on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Doing so allows us to go through and appreciate Jesus's suffering. But man, fasting is difficult. Yo, I was hangry (a combination of hunger + angry, making me irritable as a result of hunger)!

Then I read my devotional and it said:

"Want to try something different this Lent? Instead of denying yourself sweets, deny your false self. The self apart from Christ. The self that still feels unworthy. Shameful. A failure. Ugly. Unwanted. Stupid. Undisciplined. Unloved. Put a rubber band on your wrist and snap it every time the "false self" starts to talk."

Then it prompted me to write this quote:

I used brush lettering and painted poppies (they symbolize eternal life). This is currently displayed on my desk and I read it every morning to remind me to deny my false self.

Even if you're not Catholic, I thought it was important to share because many of us carry this false self in the form of insecurity and impostor syndrome. 

*****

A brush lettering project I started last year appears in the latest issue of Uppercase Magazine:

Uppercase Magazine is independently published in Canada and it's for "the creative and curious." It's one of my favorite sources of inspiration and I am thrilled to find my work in its pages!

It's part of the article "Imagine Something Better" on page 72.

This is the brief: to illustrate a solution to a problem.

My work appears on page 79.

It's entitled "A Prayer Wrapped in Penmanship."

When I say, "I'll pray for you," I really do. And this artwork is proof -- every letter, line and stroke is offered in prayer and infused with positive thoughts.

It's a loving act of friendship and how I turn paper and paint from blah to TADA! 

I did the same for Ukraine. I think about the people who had to flee their country, the families that had to be separated, the young and old, sick and afraid who are still there and hide in basements, and the brave souls facing the Russian army. Let's pray for peace and give if we are able.  

Like you, I look forward to better days ahead.

If you'd like more blah to TADA! ideas delivered to your inbox, please subscribe here. 

Bible Journaling Revisited

How are you today?

Are you looking to begin a craft that's small scale and can be done all throughout 2022? It's part scrapbook, part life coach.

In this previous post, I wrote about my version of Bible Journaling. Instead of using an actual Bible, I used punched cards gathered on a chain.

These cards are made from empty food and tissue boxes...TADA!

By the way, is it weird that my choice of tissues is based on how cute the box is? That way I can use them for crafty purposes!

I also used scrapbook paper remnants and stickers to embellish each card, as well as alphabet stamps and an ink pad to do the journaling part. 

Since I started this Bible Journal, I continue adding new pages. The phrases are from my daily prayer time reading my devotional.

Even if you aren't Catholic, or if you practice a different religion or none at all, you can still do this kind of journaling using words that empower you.

They can be a mantra or phrases that help you move forward.

Collect these on a chain, metal ring or ribbon. Read them daily. Breathe in these words so that you'll turn your day, and your life, from "blah to TADA!"

 

If you want more ideas on crafty recycling, please subscribe here. A new blog post will be delivered to your inbox each week. 

Dainty Print Keychains

Hello everyone!

Today, let's do a quick and easy craft. 

Let's turn this plastic frame keychain (that you can get at the craft store) from "blah to TADA!"  

I'm also using this catalog. I've been keeping it for inspiration and inside its pages are products in their signature floral prints:

There's even pages with recipes!

I love this print on the back page.

So I cut it to fit the inside of the keychain (make sure to cut a pair for both sides).

Just slip in the paper and lock the plastic frame in place to make this adorable keychain...TADA!

Here's a whimsical kitchen print from another page.

I cut it to size, choosing the yummy cake and the adorable teapot.

Here's what it looks like all assembled...TADA!

I now have these cute keychains with pretty prints. As an alternative, you can add photos, kid's drawings, sentimental fabric, and even cool chocolate wrappers. They make thoughtful tokens to friends or prizes for contests.

Wasn't that fun? As always, thank you for your regular visits to my blog. I appreciate your presence and you're welcome to subscribe here if you want my posts delivered straight to your inbox.

Have a delightful week ahead!

 

Handmade Paperweights

Hey guys, how ya doing?

via shine

The Winter Olympics are on-going in Beijing and I found out that instead of fresh bouquets, the winners receive hand-knit flowers created by Shanghai grannies. The bouquet includes roses, Chinese roses, lilies of the valley, hydrangeas, laurel and olive branches. These flowers symbolize friendship, tenacity, happiness, unity, victory, and peace. Apart from the medals, I think these are such nice (hooray handmade!) and long lasting souvenirs.

Now, on to our craft for the day. 

I found these paperweights at a store many years ago and I took a photo for inspiration. "Maybe I can craft something similar?" I told myself.  

The paperweights are gold-plated and have a bit of heft. One spells "love" and another spells "cheers"...very celebratory don't you agree?

In my head, I was planning to use alphabet cookie cutters to spell them out and find a way to connect the letters together.

But then I found this at a home store and what's even better, it was on clearance! I just love a good bargain. The universe was conspiring with me to bring this craft project alive!

 

This "love" cookie cutter measures 9 inches by 3.5 inches, making for a big cookie. I can't wait to make that with shortbread or sugar cookie dough, but for now let's use the cookie cutter for crafting.

First, I made some salt dough. All you need are: 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup salt, and 1/2 cup water.  Mix these together in a bowl with a wooden spoon or with your bare hands until it comes together in a ball. If it's too wet, add a little flour and if it's too dry, add a little water. Remember: small amounts. The goal is to get the consistency of Play Dough or pliable clay. 

I took about two handfuls of salt dough (and kept the remaining salt dough inside an air tight container to keep it from drying out). I rolled out the salt dough using a small rolling pin until it was flat and about 1/4 inch in thickness (you can go thicker if you like).

I rolled directly on the baking tray lined with a silicone baking sheet (or parchment paper). I did this to avoid unnecessary transferring of the dough that can cause it to lose its intended shape.

Then I pressed the cookie cutter into the salt dough.

I removed the excess dough that formed on the sides of the cookie cutter. I used a cake tester (a skewer would work, too) to get into the corners.

Bake this in a pre-heated oven (250 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 2 hours.

 

Once cool, apply acrylic paint in your preferred color. Use three to five coats while letting it dry in between each coat.

And here it is, my handmade LOVE paperweight...TADA! It doesn't have the gloss and sheen of the original design but this matte gold works for me.

Use it to decorate the dinner table for a special feast at home.

Or for engagement parties, bridal showers, weddings, baby showers and other LOVE-ly parties you plan to throw. 

Don't you LOVE how we turned some plain salt dough from "blah" to "TADA?"

And if you LOVE these crafty ideas and want them delivered to your inbox every week, you can subscribe here.

Little Love Pouches

How's it going everyone?

Today, let's transform fabric scraps from "blah to TADA!"

Before deciding that fabric is "trash" let's use our imagination to give it new life. We can add embroidery to it, use block printing, and even decorate with brush lettering...TADA!

For these sheets of fabric, I sewed them into little pouches and attached some iron-on patches. I also added a ribbon for color and as a closure mechanism...TADA!

I can use it to wrap handmade jewelry, friendship bracelets, crochet brooches, or keychains. 

I can also fill it with candy or chocolate.

It will please both kids and adults alike.

The hearts on these pouches are just right for Valentine's Day but can be used any time of the year because isn't gifting always a love language?

May you be thought of kindly this week and may you express some thoughtfulness, too!

By the way, you may subscribe here so that you don't miss any "blah to TADA!" blog posts.

 

A Butterfly Wall Hanging

Hello there!

Around this time of year, I always make a butterfly-themed craft in honor of my Mom who passed away on January 31, 2017. 

Whenever I see a butterfly, specifically a Monarch, I know my Mom is making her presence felt, assuring me that she's okay and that everything will be okay.

There is a quote that goes, "Being proactive about remembering is essential to healing." Both crafting and seeing butterflies have definitely helped my healing process. 

 

I have a wide collection of craft stamps and I knew I had to add a set of butterfly stamps to the mix. 

Here's what else we'll need for today's project: craft stamps, an ink pad, and an acrylic stamp block to support the clear stamps. 

Let's also include a twig (foraged from the backyard), twine, and pendants made from salt dough. You'll find the tutorial here. 

I'm using the stamps to decorate these pendants made from salt dough.  

Attach the clear stamp onto the acrylic stamp block and dab this on the ink pad, picking up an even and generous amount of ink. Do an initial test on a sheet of paper before inking again and applying the design onto a blank salt dough pendant. Press firmly for about 30 seconds and peel gently, making sure the butterfly print registers well. 

One side has my butterfly-print salt dough pendants and the other side has the test prints that I can use later on for making greeting cards or for scrapbooking...TADA!

Allow the ink to dry and string on the twine on each of the salt dough pendants, tightly knotting the ends.

Attach the other end of the twine on the twig. Do this for all pendants, arranging them in graduating heights. 

Then add another strip of twine on the twig as a hanging device.

I now present our handmade butterfly wall hanging...TADA!

In this craft, very simple materials were transformed from "blah to TADA!" Plus the butterflies hold so much meaning for me. May this inspire you to make something similar...and please share what you've made!

If you don't want to miss any of my weekly blog posts, you're very welcome to subscribe here.