• Art - Blog - Crafts

    T Tuesday: upcycled can project edition

    For several years I’ve had a boring tin can on the counter for a pencil holder. You’d think that I’d have made it a bit more visually appealing before now…but no….I’ve mostly just hid it behind other things.upcycled can project | Halle's Hobbies

    As I was working on a completely different project I noticed a scrap of burlap from my wreath project appeared long enough to wraparound the can. I had to trim it a bit but was very pleased with the look.  I added a torn fabric strip around the middle then used hot glue to attach some paper flowers. It looks nice enough to have out in front now.

    upcycled can project | Halle's Hobbies

    I have a mini office space on top of the recycling cabinet in our kitchen.  Keeps the essentials close for list making, homework, wine sipping… 🙂

    I also have to show you the art journal page I finished up yesterday.

    Happy bunny art journal page | Halle's Hobbies

    The orange flowers and words were cut using my Silhouette Portrait.  They were started out as sage green cardstock.

    Happy bunny art journal page | Halle's Hobbies

    I used spray mists to alter them more to fit my page. The bunny was cut from an envelope. He looks like a happy bunny to find such yummy flowers.

    Happy bunny art journal page | Halle's Hobbies

    The page used more of the green fabric used on the burlap wrapped can.

    I’m off running errands this morning but look forward to dropping by and visiting my T stands for Tuesday friends later on.

  • Art - Blog - Kitchen

    T Tuesday: waste not edition

    Here I am, once again, at dark thirty writing my T stands for Tuesday post in between getting kids up and making lunches. Perhaps of these days…weeks…years…I’ll get the habit of preplanning these things. I think it’s my personality though to wait and see where life takes me.

    T Tuesday waste not edition | Halle's hobbies

    Today I wanted to share a couple of things I did this week to repurpose items that would have been thrown away or in this first case, composted.

    I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making apple cider vinegar. I’ve read numerous posts on this old fashion technique. Usually this time of year we have apples coming out of our ears from our neighbor’s trees. This year happened to be a poor production year with their trees.

    Homemade apple cider vinegar t tuesday waste not edition | Halle's hobbies

    I did have a couple organic store bought apples that we’re definitely past their prime. Not wanting to completely waste expensive apples, I decided to experiment. The recipes or tutorials I read used peels and cores but I’m certain that using the whole apple will work just fine. I sterilized my quart mason jar in the dishwasher then filled it with the chopped apples. I used spring water to completely cover the apples. A scrap of cloth was placed under the ring to allow it to breath. I placed it in our basement storage room while it does its magic. Hopefully by Christmas, I’ll have some homemade apple cider vinegar.

    The second waste not piece of this post was using a paper scrap in an unexpected way.

    t tuesday waste not edition | Halle's hobbies

    The scrap started as a misprinted Christmas letter from last year. Then it protected my journal from paint and sprays, glues and inks.

    t tuesday waste not edition | Halle's hobbies

    Now it’s the base of a new art journal page. Who know where this page will take me.

    Do you use any “throw away” items in unexpected ways? I’d love to hear about them…

     

     

  • Art - Blog

    Without haste

    without haste art journal page| Halle's HobbiesThis journal page has been in various states of creation for, at the very least, a week. I just haven’t “felt it” every time I went to create. In addition, I was sick for a couple of days.

    without haste art journal page| Halle's Hobbies I find it amazing how quickly we can get out of a good habit, especially since picking up a new “bad” or unhealthy one is so easy. 

    Today I set my mind free of an end product and just created without constraint.

    I was impulsive and carefree…

    It was glorious!