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    T Tuesday: It’s beginning to look like Christmas edition

    Now that we’ve had a bit of snow that stuck for a few days…although it’s mostly gone again…I’ve been getting into a festive mood.

    Christmas tree at night

    The tree looks so pretty even with a meager amount of ornaments this year. The ones that are on the tree are not breakable just in case.

    Marvin enjoying the lights

    Marvin enjoys lounging on the tree skirt and so far has only knocked two ornaments down.

    tea for wrapping duty

    I enjoyed a cup of tea yesterday morning while wrapping a few presents.

    crochet

    And even my crochet is a festive green color. I know I have tons of flaws, mistakes and goofy stitches in this one. I did it while watching TV, basically in the dark with Mini-me. It doesn’t matter though since this will just be a dish cloth. My stemware really doesn’t care if the stitches are right.

    Mr. G is on vacation again this week so I have no idea what the day has in store. It’s kind of fun to have a blank slate once the kids are off to school.

    What are you doing today?

  • Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    T Tuesday: renewed frame edition

    The weather is definitely turning here in the upper mid-west. I’m drinking more hot tea than iced tea. They are saying snow possible on Friday and Saturday. Not that it will be much or even stay around long at this point.

    tea season

    Enough about the weather. I wanted to share what I did to make my abstract paint complete. Let me backtrack by saying that after initially hanging it on our room we kept hear this weird clicking noise in the night. When the fan would hit the light weight canvas it would make noise!!! UGH! I took it down in the middle of the night and had to reevaluate.

    I remembered that I hadn’t donated the old print yet and had an idea of how I could use it. Out to the minivan I went to retrieve the framed print.

    reclaimed and renew frame

    I tore random chunks and strips of kraft paper and soaked them in water while I got out my vinyl table protector(aka old ugly tablecloth). I used Golden polymer medium as adhesive to cover the chrome frame. This is the same stuff I used to renew my fridge and recycle cabinet with dictionary pages and it’s the same bottle I got for free at the recycle center!

    reclaimed and renew frame

    I slipped the edges between the frame and matte for a nice crisp edge. I then painted the matte black a few inches in all the way around. I poked holes through the print and attached the canvas using zip ties around the wooden cross bars and back through the holes in the canvas. I used a little dab of hot glue in each corner for a bit of extra security.

    reclaimed and renew frame

    Ta-da! Worked like a charm.

    reclaimed and renew frame

    The piece is substantial now and makes a statement.  I like it even more now…and total cost…nothing!!!! We’d even gotten that print for free about 20 years ago from Mr. G’s work. The glass had been broken on the print so they were throwing it out. He brought it home since the colors matched our old bedroom decor. It had hung over our bed ever since.

    I’m waiting on a call from a friend as me might meet up today so my day is still a bit up in the air.

    What are you doing today?

  • Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    Cards and more cards

    It seems I’ve fallen into my card making phase again. Every fall I tend to start making cards. I’m not sure what exactly triggers this but I do have fun with it. I don’t do a dozen of the same design…heck I hardly even do two of the same. I know it would make it much easier on myself to make them in volume but wheres the challenge in that.

    group of cards

    I like using scrappy bits from other projects and my sewing machine. Stitching just gives such great texture to the cards.  I’ve got a half dozen more waiting for words. Those are actually more of a series. I’ll share as soon as I finish them. Hopefully I won’t get too distracted between now and then.