Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Tissue Paper Heart Collage

A couple weekends ago daughter Jeanne stopped by for a Crafternoon. I wanted to try this neat idea I'd found on TikToc. It's a craft that's good for preschoolers, so I figured we could handle it.


We first cut 7 different heart shapes out of cardboard. Then we cut about six of each shape from tissue paper: red, yellow, blue, green, purple, and pink.


For the backing, we tried two different surfaces. One is a canvas on a board. The other is a canvas stretched on a frame. All three are 8" x 10".


We made two on the board pieces, one for each of our grandkids/nieces. We made one with the frame for me to keep. (Jeanne said she doesn't decorate for Valentine's Day).


We started by "painting" water on a spot on the canvas, then placing a heart on top. Then dab on a little more water to help it stay in place. Once the hearts are where we wanted them, we painted on some Mod Podge. Watered-down glue also works. Then let it dry on a wire rack. We speeded up the drying process by using a heat gun.


Here are the two board pieces, finished and framed for the Littles. We signed and dated the artwork on the back. Jeanne was the primary crafter on Melody's art. I was the primary crafter on Annie's. But we both worked on each other's.


This is the piece made on the canvas frame. It's hanging near our front door as our first Valentine decoration of the year.


The entire three piece project -- all the supplies, including the frames -- cost a total of $7.00!

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Camping Adventure

This is a puzzle I put together w-a-y back in early August 2021. It's different from most other jigsaw puzzles I've constructed, starting with the box.


Oooo! Fancy!


The pieces are quite unusual. The sizes vary greatly and there are very few "usual" puzzle shapes. They're all squiggly!


The colors are bright. The illustration has a lot going on in it. There are so many vignettes to enjoy. Here's what the entire puzzle looks like put together.


The cardboard is nice and thick, so the pieces lock together well. When it's done, you can pick it up in a single piece without it falling apart. Oooo! Fancy!


Enough talk. Here are several of the mini scenes. I'll point out my favorite bits ... like the flamingo.


Even the musicians are getting a kick out for the scary snake.


Yikes! A bear! (It's about the only living thing with its eyes open).


The master fisherman


This dog is looking for some s'mores.


A chicken in a mailbox? Wait. A mailbox on a camping trip?


Quick! Look behind you! A stag!!


... and a fireside rooster.

I've never been on such a unique and puzzling camping adventure.



Monday, January 24, 2022

Flash Craft: Cupid's Arrow

My primary creative intention for 2022 is to make what I call Flash Crafts. I'm continually bombarded with great crafting ideas. Last year, when I was in my creative slump, I completed very few projects. 

Now that I'm emerging from that slump, I've decided that if I see a project that catches my attention, I will drop whatever I'm doing and make that project within five days. A Flash Craft!

Here's my first. Some Cupid's Arrows for our granddaughters.


I found this idea on the Happiness is Homemade blog. Adorable! So I gathered my supplies:

  • glittery foam hearts
  • red pencils
  • red duct tape
  • a wooden heart shape


I used the wooden heart shape to cut smaller hearts from the big ones I had on hand. I used hot glue to adhere the two sides of the hearts together, leaving a hole at the top of the heart shape.


Figuring out how to make the duct tape "feathers" was a little tricky. Mine didn't come out the same, but that's OK. 

I sharpened the pencils because they fit into the point of the arrow better.


All in all, it took less than two hours from seeing the idea to having a finished craft.

Flash!


---

Inspired by Happiness is Homemade



Thursday, January 6, 2022

Eugene Park Tour -- Awbrey Park

Dale and I started out the year by visiting another city park on New Year's Day. Awbrey Park sits on the north side of town, just before River Road starts feeling like the countryside. It's named after Lane County pioneer, Milton T. Awbrey.


It's got some big moss-covered trees around the border.


This must be the north side, yes?

Spring Creek runs through the wooded northeastern corner of the park. If you're lucky, you'll see some wildlife and native plants. But watch out for the poison oak!


There's a pretty bridge on that end of the park, connecting the park to the nearby neighborhood.



A plaque show that it was an Eagle Scout project. Well done!



This is the downstream view. Picturesque!



There are two playgrounds. One is for tiny tots. The other for bigger kids. Like Dale.



We've now visited all the Eugene parks beginning with the letter "A."

Our joint goal for 2022 is to visit 22 city, county, state, and national parks. January 1st, one park -- for the Win!

Saturday, January 1, 2022

2021 Year in Review


Well, that was a year!

On January 1st last year, I had lots of plans. Unfortunately, most of the ideas and goals didn't pan out. My creativity went dormant, so trying 21 new artforms was a no-go. A  few months in, I switched things up and revised my goal to re-create 21 photographs that I found online. I got a gold star for that.

My Word of the Year was Explore. The pandemic kept me inside most of the year, so I didn't go out much to learn more about my new town and state. Two years into living in Eugene, I still am a bit confounded as I try to find my way around. Thank you, GPS!

But here are the stats for what I did manage to complete in 2021:

Word of the Year - Explore: 16 new places

Artforms: 4 tried

Books/Audiobooks: 44 consumed

Online classes: 3 completed

Crafts: 29 completed (This surprises me since I've felt so creatively depleted!)

Geocaches: 27 found

Keto recipes: 1 tried

Letters/Cards: 0 (A huge sign of my mental health status. It's so unlike me to not reach out to others.)

Minor holidays: 1 celebrated

Movies & Series: 100 watched

Podcasts: 28 series

Puzzles: 47 completed

21 Goals for 2021: 21 #tryittoosday photo recreations. Here they are:




































































Happy New Year!