DYI Surprise Card

I was looking through some old letters yesterday and I happened to find a birthday card that I made for my husband many years ago, when we were still just friends. Alright, he was also already the love of my life, and has been since the day we met, but we weren't so open about it just yet. ; )

'You & I' High Contrast Pillowcase

Finding the perfect Valentine's Day gift can be a challenge. Ideally, we want something romantic, unique, creative, useful and long-lasting! Not an easy task! So, here is an idea that in my opinion fulfills all these requirements: a 'You & I' Pillowcase! If you have the time and are feeling inspired, you can paint a different picture on each side of the pillowcase for versatility. ; )

It's a pretty fun project. First, choose a few close-up pictures, and using your photo editing tool make the pictures black and white. Then, increase the contrast level until all the grey is gone and there are really only black and white on the picture. While doing this, you will notice that some of the details will disappear, so make sure you still like how the pictures looks! That's why I suggest choosing a few photos to experiment with. Once you have prepared and chosen your picture, it's time to print the high contrast image. You might want to split it into two sheets of paper for a larger image, and tape them together. Next, use carbon or wax paper to transfer the outlines of image to the pillowcase, remembering that every little details, every black dash and dot is important to keep the picture looking accurate. Now, all that is left to do is paint! Use any color of fabric paint to fill in the image (black areas only!), always referencing the high contrast image for accuracy. If you are painting a small area, with lots of details, I recommend using a fabric pen (just make sure it matches the color that you are using in the larger areas).

So, this year's gift is covered! Should we start thinking about next year's already?

It's Your Lucky Day - Scratch Cards!

This week was the birthday of my always wonderful husband!!! We usually try to keep it simple and personal. Over the years we've learned that the right gift for each other is the planning of a special moment or adventure, rather than the purchase of a needed or wanted object.

Heart-Shaped Book-Marker

My father always says that a good book has to be thick enough to stand on its own. My father is a wise man, and before I became his best arguer, as a kid I was always eager to agree with him. However, I couldn't on this point. I had read plenty of wonderful books that perhaps had the inner strength to stand straight, but no physical robustness to match it. And I loved these books too much to agree with my dad.

A Kissing Hummingbird

"Don't be surprised if one day
A hummingbird invades
Through the door of your home
Gives you a kiss and leaves...
It was I who sent the kiss
To kill this desire
It's been too long since I saw you
And ah! how I miss you..." 

My project this week was a needle felted hummingbird, inspired by one of my favorite songs from back home. I should explain, too, that in Portuguese, a hummingbird is called "beija-flor" (flower-kisser). This was super fun to make! Choose a combination of bright colors and let your hands play until you get satisfactory results. See Needle Felted Gnome for more details on how to sculpt with felt.

Fabric Origami Wallet

I was so pleased with the result from my Fabric Origami Card Holder that I decided to try something a little bolder today. Most paper wallets you see cannot be considered origami, because they use scissors. The true origami art does not use scissors or glue, just creases. So, I found this really nice design online of a true origami wallet and I decided to try it with fabric! 

Fabric Origami Card Holder

I’ve always been fascinated by origami; this timeless technique of folding paper into something admirable, elegant and unique. So much so, that my wedding invitations and decorations were made of origami (more about that in a later post). And had I known then, that I could do the same on fabric, maybe my wedding dress would have been origami-styled as well. ; )

So, this week’s project was the suggestion of a dear friend who got me very excited to try origami on fabric! The project is a little, versatile card holder. You can use it to store your business cards, or as a wallet that will fit anywhere from coat and pant pockets to that tiny party purse you love.

Yoga/Pilates Mat Shoulder Strap

I have decided, 2013 will be my year to pursue new craft skills! I am creative and crafty enough, but it's time to finally build some skills. That being said, I am committing myself to completing a craft-related project every week. It can be anything, really, as long as it requires me to explore and learn something new. This will be an adventure and I'll try to keep it as varied and fun as possible! If you find yourself inspired to try some of these projects with me, please do and let me know how it goes!

So, my craft adventure is beginning with something practical that I have been in need of for a long time: a strap for my yoga/pilates mat. After going through several rubber bands (I know, I'm frugal) that snapped on my fingers every time, it is time for a more permanent and pretty solution. Here we go!

All-Purpose Drawstring Bag

I was one of these crafty kids that would take every opportunity to start a little project and let creativity flow. I was convinced that birthdays, X-mas, Eastern and every other special occasional existed just so that I could hand-make something for someone. And I always did. Whether I did it for the pleasure of creating it, for the smile on the recipient's face, or simply because I was seeking for compliments, I still don't know. One day, I will probably discover it's all of the above.