• Blog - Crafts

    Kraft cards

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    I absolutely love kraft paper but don’t use it very often.

    Today I made my kraft series of cards.

    Well…I’m not sure you can call them a series but every card had kraft paper as the base.

    Truth be told…it’s a grocery bag.

    I had forgotten to bring my reusable bags to the store this week, so I had an abundance of paper bags.

    I found a pretty way to recycle them.

    Or maybe that would be upcycling.

    I did a lot of sewing on my card bases this time. Much in part to my sewing machine nagging me to use her…well, more like screaming at me… wondering why it’s sitting out if it’s not being used.

    After adhering the sewn base to the folded card stock, I go on to add additional embellishment.

    Sometimes a sentiment.

    Sometimes random bits that speak to me.

    Collage cards are my favorite to make if you hadn’t noticed.

    Making 25 of the same thing is so hard and mind numbing for me. Partially because that involves measuring and partially because I’d need to purchase enough material to make 25 identical cards.  That takes forethought, pre-planning and again, that pesky measuring business.

    I like to mix things up. That’s why I own Fiestaware! I never set a table with all the same color at a place setting. The salad dish may not match the plate on my table. Quirky, I know.

    Quirky maybe a way to describe my card making process. Or perhaps some would say, random.

    Either way…making cards one at a time is the way I prefer.

     

     

  • Blog - Crafts

    Soap day 2

    soap blocks barsI was able to remove the blocks or loaves of soap from the molds today.

    The oatmeal topped one smells so good!!

    I cut them into bars and set them to cure for the next month.

    I have to say that they already felt “soap-like”.

    The next thing I need is a better way to cut the blocks into bars to get a more even, consistent bar. They are all approx the same weight but they are definitely not even.

    Can’t wait to do the next batch! I have to make room in the storage room before I do more. Space…it always seems to be an issue.

     

  • Blog - Crafts

    Soaping today

    The garage is finally a comfortable temperature again so I got my soap making supplies out and made two batches this morning. The first was an unscented batch that I felt comfortable making again as it turned out well the first time around.  soap

    Next I decided to branch out a bit with new recipe, fragrance and an inclusion. I’d observed this soap being made by my friend Patty so I had a clue before starting.

    The inclusion is oatmeal ground in my coffee grinder. I sprinkled a few oats on top of the mold so I’d be able to tell the two batches apart very soap moldseasily.  The oatmeal acts as a wonderful exfoliant and general grime fighter.

    The molds are tucked away in the storage room waiting to be released from the molds in 24 hrs or so. I lifted the wool blanket a wee to show you the two batches. There was a lot of heat under there.