Repurpose Chocolate Boxes into Envelopes

Hooray, you're here!

I love boxed chocolate bars even when they're empty. I know it's not a delicious option as the chocolate but the boxes are always worth keeping.

Just like my previous post where I repurposed empty food boxes, I'm using these empty chocolate boxes for crafting, turning them from blah to TADA!

I like that this particular box resembles an envelope.

With some acrylic paint and a wide brush, I painted the inside.

I also painted the outside. It took about five coats to fully cover the labels. 

After I let the paint dry, I added these pink areas to add color. 

Then I took out my rubber stamps and ink pad.

They're an easy way to add decorations.

Stamp on the butterflies liberally around the envelope.

Don't forget to stamp on the inside of the envelope, too.

Look how much space it has for handmade postcards, letters, and little gifts like friendship bracelets, pins or stickers...TADA! 

This area is for the addresses and postage stamp.  

Here is the front -- ready with encouragement.

Not only do I have a sturdy envelope to mail to a dear friend, I was able to turn an empty chocolate box from blah to TADA!  

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A Sketchbook Practice: "Draw Your Day for Kids" by Samantha Dion Baker

Hi there!

Today, I'm featuring the book, "Draw Your Day for Kids" by Samantha Dion Baker. It's a reliable resource if you are just starting a sketchbook practice or already have a full-fledged one which I'm trying to do. 

 

I borrowed this one from the library and even if it's a book for kids, I like how the process of "how to sketch and paint your amazing life" is made simple. Keeping a journal is proof that we showed up daily and there are many ways to maintain one, not just the kind filled with written thoughts. 

"When we think of a journal, we usually think of just writing, but this book is all about keeping a visual journal filled with drawings that you create to show the things you do, see, and eat during your days. Drawing your daily life helps you learn so much about yourself and the world around you. From the biggest events, like getting braces, to the smallest stuff, like tasting a new food for the first time, tracking it all in one place is so much fun." - SMD                                                                                            

To start we'll need the following materials:

A sketchbook, pencils, a plastic eraser, sharpener, fine-line pens, colored pencils, crayons, markers, a watercolor palette, paint brushes or waterbrushes, a glue stick and a small pair of scissors. These will all go into your artist's tool kit and it can be anything from a canvas pouch, pencil case or empty box that you can take with you when the sketching mood arises. 

To get us started, let's warm up with a few drawing exercises:

We can make lines, circles and scribbles.

We can practice drawing light and shadow. This can be achieved by shading techniques like crosshatching (lines in the same direction) or stippling (dots) to add depth and shadows to the sketch. The drawing can remain this way or can be finished with color (make sure the fine-liner pen you use is waterproof). 

We can try out "blind contour drawing" or drawing the subject without looking at your paper, sketching only the outlines and avoiding lifting your pencil off the page.

Here are a few prompts to help us draw our day: Daily Rituals, Your Mood, the Weather, Nature, Animals, Everyday Activities and Items, Special Events, Travel, Home, Food and Drink, and People.

And speaking of drawing people, I love this guide on how to draw faces and bodies:

Now, it's time to put all of these elements together. Let me show you the pages that I made:

This one is all about food and drink. The coffee and the pastries are the heroes of the page and I used the negative space to write out a description. I experimented with different kinds of lettering, too.

This is a combination of nature and weather highlighting a spring day on the Boston Harbor. Samantha suggests, "Think of your page like a photograph; use the edges of the page."

This page details a day at the shore during the Fourth of July. I was able to check off some items on my "Summer List" like eating really yummy barbecue, having some ice cream, collecting sea shells and spending the day at the beach.

Wasn't that fun? A few parting thoughts from the book:

Samantha says, "Creating an illustrated journal is a practice you can continue your whole life, from age eight to eighty." All we have to do is start...no matter what age we are. 

And that is how I turned a blank sketchbook page from blah to TADA!

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In My Tool Box: Googly Eyes

I appreciate your visit today!

My craft tool box has eyes. Googly eyes.

These googly eyes are some of the fun things I have in there. I got them at the dollar store. They're made of plastic, look like a flattened snow globe, and the pupil moves around when you shake it.

Below are some of the ways I've incorporated them in my crafts:  

Are you familiar with bread tags? They're used to seal commercially-produced bags of bread. Instead of throwing it away, I turned it from blah to TADA! by giving it a face. I used googly eyes (attached with glue) and a permanent marker to draw the mouth.

I now use it to seal small packages like gift bags and treat sacks...TADA!

This next idea is inspired by the Commes De Garcons Play line, specifically its logo -- a heart with eyes. 

I made my version of the logo with card stock and googly eyes. I used it to embellish this gift...TADA!

And finally, I made a greeting card using a blank card, honeycomb paper, colored card stock, glue, paint, and googly eyes. 

A butterfly graces the cover. And when you open it...

There's a dragonfly inside...TADA!

It's a card that's perfect for a child's birthday or to say "Good Job" after they successfully complete a recital, big game, or Spelling Bee.

Without a doubt, googly eyes instantly transforms "blah to TADA!"

Do you have googly eyes in your craft arsenal? How do you like to use them?

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Souvenirs from the Shore

I hope you are all doing well!

At this time of year, we always hit the beach. The sun, ocean breezes, and the sound of the waves are energizing and relaxing at the same time. If I could, I would live at the beach all summer long.

Let me show you a few scenes from Spring Lake, New Jersey:

These photos really turn my day from "blah to TADA!"

A trip to the beach is never complete without some souvenirs. I collect them as I walk the shore. 

Here are the shells up close. I love the different textures and colors of each one. These will be part of my craft stash and I'll use them when inspiration strikes.

But for now, here are some simple pieces of jewelry that I made: 

A bracelet made of elastic string, vintage beads, and a seashell attached like a pendant using a jump ring.

I was deliberate in choosing these bead colors that remind me of the sky and the puffy clouds...TADA!

Similar to these earrings, I made another set using these ready made jewelry findings, seed beads, and a pair of sea shells...TADA! I'll be sending this to a friend who now lives in California (to remind her of the Jersey Shore).

 

A summer souvenir that's handmade using materials that I already had on hand...TADA!

I hope you'll find some time to relax this month. It's always helpful to take care of ourselves. 

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Embroidered Shoe Bags

Thank you for keeping me company today! 

This week, I am inspired by these embroidered shoe bags:

I got these embroidered shoe bags at a craft fair. They are very practical to use at home or for travel. I thought, why not make my own?

I found some plain white fabric in my craft stash. I sewed the two edges together to form this bag. The side with the open end was folded to itself and sewn to keep the fabric ends from fraying. I also left a small opening where I would later on add a ribbon. 

But this bag is looking a little blah, don't you think? 

I'm using a stencil to add a design. I just traced it onto the fabric with a pencil.

Time to embroider! I follow the pattern using a needle and embroidery thread. I'm using simple stitches like the back stitch, satin stitch, detached chain stitch, and french knot. 

Even with just two colors, this shoe bag has turned from blah to TADA!

I inserted a ribbon that will allow me to tighten and close the bag. A neat trick is to put a paper clip on one end of the ribbon (loosely sew in place) and use the paper clip as a needle to "thread" the ribbon through the opening until it comes out on the other end. Cut off the thread, remove the paper clip, and trim the frayed ends of the ribbon.

Presenting my embroidered shoe bag...TADA!

Experiment with different designs and embroidery stitches. You can even give these away as personalized presents...TADA!

Here are a few more shoe bag DIYs: one is made from an old t-shirt and another uses a handmade stencil for added flair.

Here's to shoes and embroidered shoe bags to put them in! Happy crafting and just so you don't miss new crafty ideas, please subscribe here. 

Mason Jars and Dried Flowers

What a pleasure to see you!

We're finding new uses for mason jars and dried flowers.

Anthropologie

This photo is the inspiration for today's "blah to TADA!" transformation. They are essentially candle jars but look at the dried flowers and leaves pressed between the glass lid. Aren't they darling?

I've made it a habit to collect flowers and leaves wherever I go. It's my form of nature appreciation and these make good materials for arts and crafts.

I usually put them in between pages of a book or in my flower press. I let them sit there for weeks until they are flat and dry.

I also save all kinds of bottles like this mason jar. Then I thought, "I can use this to show off the pressed flowers I collected!"

Apart from the mason jar, I found some card stock or thick paper and an acetate sheet. I used the lid of the mason jar as a template to cut the card stock and acetate. 

Now for the assembly: place the metal lid on the mason jar.

Then put the card stock/paper circle on top of the lid. 

Add a pressed flower that fits inside the paper circle with just enough margin. You may attach the pressed flower to the paper with white glue and a small paintbrush and let this dry.

Top with the acetate circle that acts like the glass top of a picture frame.

The metal screw band will secure everything. But to keep all these layers in place (they will unravel when the mason jar is opened), it might be a good idea to glue the edges of the layers together.

Here are the different pressed flowers I used:

Experiment with dried flowers, too:

This is a dried up hydrangea flower I foraged in winter.

Off it went into the flower press.

I left it to flatten for a few weeks.

And here's what they look like all flat. It's a good idea to press a full flower and also separate petals.

Just follow the layering process to decorate the mason jar lid. In the end we'll have these unique jars that can be used for packaging or gift wrapping...TADA!

And that is how I turned some mason jars and pressed flowers from "blah to TADA!"

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