Moved! 9 October 2010

Well, I made a change.  I moved this blog and the Definitive Designs blog over to Blogger, and combined them.  Makes life much easier.  Go check it out! http://definitivedesignsbyrwilson.blogspot.com/

See you there!

RLW

Dollar Tree… the untapped crafty resource 25 September 2010

Seriously, it is… I cannot tell you how many things I have found at the Dollar Tree that have, eventually, made their way into a craft of some kind (including a pair of earrings that I have gotten more compliments on!  Pics in a minute…)

I’ve bought scrapbooking papers there, jewelry findings, stickers, weird knicky-knacks, frames, flowers, clear pumpkins (one of the latest purchases!) I even found adhesive there once (okay, it wasn’t great, and either the Stampin’ Up! Adhesive or Glue Dots work WAAAAAAAAAYYY better, but it’s perfect for testing stuff and then ripping it apart again!)

I’ve seen several discussions recently about craft stores and whatnot, and thought it was time someone came out and said it–sometimes the cheapest supplies help you create the niftiest things.  With that in mind, I thought it might be nice to post pics of some of the things I’ve made, and have gotten complements on, that I’ve used Dollar Tree supplies in.  Hope you like them!

Okay, so ages ago, I decided I wanted some blingy earrings.  This is what I came up with:

The Carousel Earrings--made possible by the bead cap there, which came from Dollar Tree. The rest of it--sterling chain and swarovski crystals!

So, I found the end clips, where the card hangs, for these lanyards at the Dollar Tree, in a mix with key chain loops:

The hooks came from Dollar Tree, everything else from a craft / bead store.

So I mentioned key chains? Yeah, here they are:

The key rings, and possibly the tiger tail, all from Dollar Tree...

And papers!  They have awesome scrapbooking papers (sometimes; admittedly it can be hit or miss). In fact, I’ve never used the more expensive papers I have, but I’ve used Dollar Tree papers in every major decoupaging project I’ve done:

the tea tray... The base was from Michaels, the papers are Dollar Tree...

All the papers used in this project came from the Dollar Tree...

Again, the box came from Michaels, but all that beautiful bright paper came from the Dollar Tree... and maybe the ribbon, too... I can't remember...

So you see?  It’s a wonderful resource!  If you haven’t been, you should go wander. And don’t feel discouraged if you don’t find anything.  Maybe they’re just having an off day! (and don’t get me started on the storage possibilities for all your crafting stuff from the Dollar Tree…)

RLW

The awesomeness that is the Hive 23 September 2010

So, a few weeks ago, I joined this new online crafting community called Creating the Hive. It’s a wonderful site, and I’ve met many really wonderful people.  It’s such a positive influence, and it’s bringing together crafters of vastly different experience and genre, to trade ideas, pump each other’s egos, challenge ourselves, and just generally have fun. So far, I’ve had one of my projects featured (the table I redid a few weeks ago), I’ve won a contest and received an awesome mystery art grab bag (see the adventures of Boxie) and I’ve been inspired to try to craft something (even if it’s just a blog post) everyday. Admittedly, with 8 classes, that’s been a bit hard.  But I’m working it out.

Anyways, I just found another very cool benefit to having joined the Hive–seeing someone’s work that I may not have ever run across any other way, and scoring a BEAUTIFUL piece of jewelry out of it for a very good price!  It’s a brooch, made of copper, with beads in fall colours and some gorgeous leaves, and the minute I saw it in Faye’s post, I knew it had to be mine.  Now, had I not become acquainted with Faye through the Hive, I doubt I would have thought to ask about the shipping.  ‘Cause, see, Faye lives in Britain, while I live in Florida… But I did!  And so now, it is mine…. muwahhhahhhhahhhahhhh!!!!!!!! 😀  I can’t wait till it gets here!!!!

I have to go buy a hat….

RLW

The brief adventures … of Boxie

So, I found a box in my mail today.  She asked if she could come home with me, and told me her name was Boxie.  I told her yes, and here she is in my truck:

When we finally made it inside, she was so happy, she jumped for joy!  I had to catch her:

Here’s Boxie getting to know the kittehs, Dobby and Buttercup.  They’re not too sure they’re pleased about another member in the household…

Here she is hanging out in the craft room, inspecting the paper and the Forest o’ upside-down punkins…

Ah, waiting for dinner to warm up!  Boxie is really enjoying that Black Cherry cola!

So cute! All snuggled up on the couch!

Boxie stole the kitteh perch.  Dobby was not much pleased…

That Boxie is trubble, I tell you!  She’s whispering to me about the presents she’s hiding!

No help for it!  Gotta find the presents!

Look what Boxie was hiding!  A little package all wrapped up so pretty!

Ready to discover the presents!

What a good Boxie!  She brought me a star!

And what’s this? An envelope?

It’s a pretty, pretty picture!  What a sly Boxie to be hiding such treasures!

Here’s Boxie proudly displaying her gifts!

Boxie told me she came from Ms. Alyice, the Dabbling Mum, and the Grab Bag Project.  And she said to spread the word that she has lots of friends who want to come visit! Boxie and I think you should go check it out! 😀

Thanks very much to the Dabbling Mum herself, Alyice Edrich!  I had so much fun discovering the art!  That Boxie is a sly one to hide such treasures!

RLW

I got my vanity URL!!! WOOT!!!!! 22 September 2010

Okay, so last weekend, I started a Facebook page to help promote Definitive Designs.  I thought long and hard about it, and decided the time was right.  So, I set it all up, and managed to get a wee bit confused several times, and changed my picture a couple of times, but finally it was all ready to go.  And then I went to grab the link to tell people about it, and that silly thing was huge.  So I managed to stumble upon another page that was talking about vanity URLs, but you had to have 25 fans before you could get it.  So I just checked my page a little bit ago, and WOO-HOO I got 25 fans!  Yay!!!!!!!! So now, I have my vanity URL in Facebook!  Yippee!!!!!!!!!

Here’s the page: http://www.facebook.com/definitivedesignsbyrwilson Stop on by and leave me a note!  Looking forward to seeing you there!!!

RLW

Lazy-Crafty Saturday Meanderings 18 September 2010

So, I didn’t do much today.  Okay, I take that back–I got most of that pesky prep work done for the class I have that starts Monday.  So, you know, there’s that.  And I requested an invitation to Meylah.com, which I received, so I’ll have that to work on, too.  And I made 4 more punkin tealights.  And I worked on the planning stages of a necklace for an action figure that a friend requested (she makes them–so cool!) And I planned the colors for the 5 African Helix bracelets I’ve had ordered.

But for some reason, I don’t feel like I did much.  Maybe because it was mostly enjoyable, and I didn’t feel too much pressure and when I tired of one thing I moved on to another?  Maybe.

Anyway, here are some pics of the very few things I took pics of (I’m really liking the photo-blogging idea.  Now I just need to get some easy-to-use photo-editing software… iPhoto is a bit odd to me in that way…)

it's the FolkArt forest of drying punkins...

Oh, one other nifty thing I did.  You know those measuring tapes they have at Ikea?  The paper ones they give you ‘cuz no one ever thinks to bring an actual tape measure to the store?  Well, yeah, last time I was there I stole a handful.  So I could do this:

theft! for a good crafty cause...

I podged it on the table....

And there's the forest of dryin' punkins in the background...

Cool, huh!

Hope you have a great Sunday!

RLW

Per Jess’s request, for “Pictures nao!!!!! :D”

It has been brought to my attention that I was an unintentional tease a wee bit ago, so in deference to the “Pictures nao!!!!! :D” command from Ms. Jessie, here’s some pics.  Some of them are even of things I’m working on! LOL!

I hate dry time…

Paint mixing is fun! And ice cube trays are perfect for it!

punkin! Although, he’s starting to look vaguely cat-like to me….

and thar’s his buddy inthe background…

Sparklies!

I don’t think they like each other…

Oh! there we go, they’re comin’ around!

What will I use these for?

RLW

Don’t wanna do it no more… 17 September 2010

…and so I’m not.  At least for now.  See, I’ve spent the last 3 hours trying to do the schedule for the class that starts Monday.  And it’s not hard (in fact, it’s mostly done, I just have to condense a few weeks from the full-session schedule) but I just don’t wanna do it.  And since it’s Friday night, I’m not.  Instead, I’m going to ponder my latest project(s)for a bit, while I watch The Proposal (very cute so far.) I watched The Ugly Truth earlier.  Also cute!  This is probably contributing to my inability to concentrate on school.  And really, it’s Friday night, so why was I trying to work? Oh yeah, I remember, I panicked for a moment! I have another class starting Monday! eek!!! Eh, I’ll get it all worked out. I always do.

But anyways!  Back to my crafties!!!  So, I’m working on an entry for Plaid’s Trick Your Pumpkin contest.  So I took an exacto knife to the Michaels pumpkin I bought yesterday.  It was fun. Now, I need to figure out what else to do.  I have some ideas… we’ll see!  And, I found a stack of Ikea tealight holders I bought ages ago, and decided to play with them, too!  I made a punkin!  It’s cute.  Pics later.  And I bought a bird house that I started painting earlier today. Not sure exactly how that’s going to end up, but I’m sure it’ll be cute.

So I think I’m going to play a bit more in my craft room. I can’t wait to see what I come up with!  hee hee hee…

RLW

Craftin’ Cards! 14 September 2010

So, after I decorated my cute lil’ jewelry box the other day, I gathered up all my shtuff to take it back up to the craft room… which was, not to put too fine a point on it, an utter mess… In some respects it still is… But, I decided I could do something about the table, which is, after all, my main craft area. So I started gathering, and tossing things that had no use (bits of plastic string from beads mostly.  No fear–I kept all the good stuff!) and organizing the left-over beading stuff from the other stuff.  See, a few months ago, I felt it necessary to move all my jewelry making stuff down to the coffee table.  I was getting overwhelmed.  And there it has stayed since.  But, it has gotten used!!! So the craft room is now a bit more focused on mostly paper crafts and painting/Mod Podge projects.

As I gathered, I ran across lots of random bits of cardstock, mostly of the small-but-I-can’t-throw-it-out-because-I-might-find-a-use-for-it-one-day variety.  So, I started organizing all my paper bits.  4 folders and one box later, I can actually find things. woo-hoo!!!! And in with the smallish bits, I found 13 pieces of card-ish sized cardstock.  So, there was nothing for it but that I play (although, I did finish organizing the table first–after all, gotta have a work space!)

Here’s the newly organized table:

Imagine this as a huge heaping mess, and you'll have the before picture....

So after I cleaned it all up and found all my stamp pads and got organized again, I creased all the paper, made the cuts I needed to square things up, and set to work.  I actually set myself a little challenge–I would not, under any circumstances, touch another full-sized piece of paper.  The goal was to try to use up as much of the bitsy bits as possible (sad to say, I still have loads of them left…)  I am happy to report–I succeeded!!  13 cards in all, with varying degrees of difficulty, and using all manner of fun bits. I really had a blast with this, and I think I will definitely set myself another task like this in the future.

Here’s a smallish list of what I used: mostly Stampin’ Up! stamps (I primarily stuck to just one set of sayings I have); the plain cardstock was mainly Stampin’ Up! as well, and all the patterned bits were things I’ve been gathering over the years, mostly from Michaels and the Dollar Tree (in fact, you’ll recognize some from the patchwork table and the jewelry box I decorated over the past two weeks.)   Likewise, all my accent pieces are things I’ve been gathering, from all manner of craft store.  Oh, but I did make rat use of the Creative Memories circle cutter I got from my friend Sara (I love my friends who want to be crafty but just don’t carry through–I get their stuff, usually! yay!!!) Oh, and I used Mod Podge on one!

Here are the pics:

the 'montage' shot!

This first one has the Mod Podge.  I actually based the bird on a pic I saw over at The Dabbling Mum, whom I found through Creating the Hive.

after I ink'd him & blend'd him, I m'podge'd him!

girly!

I love the colors!!!

hi...

I maybe should have stopped while I was ahead with this one, but it's still cute!

a pretty thanks!

yeah, I had bit of purple floating around...

You never know when you'll need a Get Well card...

These are supplies mostly from a Card-making club I briefly joined...

Friends Forever!

I love the cat heads!

Chipboard buttons! and Embroidery thread! woot!!!

Circling...

Super Crafty Fun Weekend!!!! 13 September 2010

Yup, I had a super-crafty-fun-weekend! and it was grrrrrreeeeeeeeaaaaat!!!!! (insert Tony-the-Tiger voice here…)

Okay, so, first, I decoupaged a box that that I’m using as a jewelry box for the pieces I want to sell (you know, rather than the cardboard box I had them in).  I even put a little handle on it and mirror inside it! It’s really cute.  Here it is:

All finished!

Now, of course, getting to this point, what with the Mod Podge and the cutting and the mess (you should see my sweat pants–covered in modgy fingerprints.  Oh yeah–and I used paint, too!) was quite a bit of chaotic fun!

I started with all my shtuff…

Like how I laid it all out so nicely for a pic? 🙂

And then, of course, about half-way through, I realized I needed more shtuff. No pics of that, though… So then I got to painting the inside.  Also, no pics.  There was far too much mess going on to pick up the camera. I’m gonna wait a few more months before I get paint on it.

And then I had to measure.  Well, sort of.  I did measure the sides so I wouldn’t waste too much paper, cause it was all pretty and stuff! But of course, I only measured the one time, and so my measurements aren’t all spot on. My father would be so disappointed (he’s a pro at the measuring thing…) But in the end, I did find a use for most of those left-over paper bits I did end up with (more on that in another post. Tomorrow, maybe…)  So, after all the measuring and the cutting and the modgin’ and the podgin’ was done, I ended up with this:

kinda cool, if I do say so myself....

So then, for the finishing touches.  I really wanted a handle on it, and I had visions of a suitcase like handle, but I have no spare suitcases, so I had to improvise something else.  I also wanted it to have a bit more interest goin’ on up top there, and I have these large chip-board butterflies.  I have no clue where they came from, but they’ve been in my stash for awhile. So I took some of that paper and ‘podged it up, and painted the ugly cardboard sides.  While I was at it, I took a length of pink ribbon and raided my bead stash for some large hole beads.  I found some great wooden ones, and strung those on the ribbon.  Then, to the toolbox I wandered!  With the help of my trusty staple gun, I attached the ribbon, and then used my E-6000 epoxy to attach the butterfly on top.  And wah-lah! A handle and some interest!!!

gotta love E-6000!!!!!!!

As the glue dried, I was pondering the inside.  Okay, truth be told, the glue wasn’t so much dried as still very glue-y when I thought “Hey, a mirror would be cool!”  And it just so happens, I had a perfect mirror to use!  Back to the E-6000, slapped some dollops on the back of the mirror, press it into the inside top, prop it open, and then a few minutes later, discover that the glue from the butterfly is now dripping onto the coffee table.  Oops!!!  So I flipped the whole mess upside-down! Eventually, it dried.  well, the butterfly bit did.  I discovered the next day, after I closed the  lid for a few minutes, that the mirror bit was still oozing.  So, back open it went!  Finally, that all dried.

Then, I realized, there’s no easy way to see yourself in the mirror if you’re playing with jewelry, since it just flipped all the way open… so, I had to add some catcher-thingies… I’m sure they have an actual name, but I know not what it is.  Anyway, I used more ribbon, E-6000, and eyelets.  And let me say, I need a punch that will punch a hole in ribbon… that was not fun… and in retrospect, this part should get done BEFORE the mirror goes in… But I made it work:

Just hammer those eyelets in there! And use the E-6000 to make sure they stay!

And that was it!  Here’s some more close up shots, after the fact:

And finally, filled with stuff!

You know, I’m really tempted to make another one to use as a purse. It’s too cute!! And more on the rest of my crafty weekend soon!

RLW