Monday, May 21, 2012

Patriotic Candle Holders


With Memorial Day coming up, I wanted to play a little with my mantle.  Just the right inspiration came from the Pinspired and Rewired challenge (see the button below).  The most recent theme was "Washi Tape".  I've seen various projects for this around, but never looked much into it other than to check out the tutorials on how to make it myself.  Washi Tape is basically decorative masking-style tape.  On Pinterest, I found this vase (http://alittlesomethinginthemeantime.blogspot.ca/2012/04/upcycled-washi-tape-vase.html) and these cups (http://craftandcreativity.com/blog/2012/03/02/decoratedglasses/):

Washi Tape Vase Banner Square          
I thought about my love of candles and candlescapes and went shopping ...  I came home with these:

... and went to town playing ...

        

and ended up with this:

        


This was a really quick, fun project--all for less than $15!  I love these kinds of projects.  Once I practice making my own tape, it would be so easy to  change out the designs and colors to match the holidays and birthdays and seasons and ...

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

May-day! May-day!


Well, today's another first.  Not like a milestone or anything, just, you know, a starting-again day.  I can't even really say starting over.  I just don't want to even go there.  We used to say to Sam every night, "Tomorrow's a new day."  She loved hearing that she could start over with no old problems keeping her down.  I like remembering that right about now :)


Thinking about today, I have some fun memories of May Day.  Growing up my next-door neighbor's birthday was today, so it was always anticipated at least for that reason.  Several years ago, I was sitting in my relatively new home and heard a knock on the door.  Of course the kids beat me to the door and there was a  lovely May Day posie waiting for us.  We ran out to the curb and caught some dear friends sneaking up on another neighbor's front door.  Sorry we ruined the surprise, guys.  That really brightened our day and gave my kids inspiration for the next few years.  They love to pick some bluebells that are plentiful in our yard right now and secretly deliver them.


This morning has been spent playing catch-up.  The man-cave was dismantled last night and Samantha moved into the upstairs loft area.  Now there are several piles of papers and old electronic components scattered around downstairs waiting to find a new home (hopefully not in ours :)  I got caught up on laundry that had piled around in various states of done-ness during the chaos of Sam's hospital stay.  Rhett and I went into the marble company this morning and officially gave them the go-ahead to make our shower!!  That'll be installed and completed in early June.  I'm so excited.  After that, the only thing left on our master bath is the re-vamping of the sink and vanity area.  I've got big ideas, but, well, let's not quite go there yet either.


I've also picked up a couple of sewing projects again.  I sandwiched a table topper this morning that's been calling to me.  I'll try to quilt that this evening.  I folded up Sam's quilt for now--until I can take a FMQ class and figure out what is up with the wrong-side tension and how to fix it.  I'm also plotting a scrappy crochet blanket project or two that will probably be donated.  Mom sent me a rather large box of old yarn from their basement fix-up project.  I'm very excited to see what I come up with.  I'm seeing a lot of shades of red and blue--maybe a patriotic ombre theme??  I also signed up for a patriotic blog hop for the 1st week in July.  I'll be designing a red-white-and-blue quilt square to share.  I'm already having fun with this one!