The Crafty Bag Lady

Footed Serving Plate Fun!

2010-01-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Whipped this up the other day, just because I was tired of the plain wooden Lazy Susan on my dining table. I wanted something with feet so it would stand out a bit and not just sit flat. The rule was that, in true Crafty Bag Lady style, I had to have everything on hand or find it. I started with a cool decorative plate:

Now for feet...small pegs? Corks? Drawer pulls? I remembered the box of odd brand threads that had been Freecycled to me and had an AHA! moment.

After choosing four identical spools in colors I liked and gluing the loose thread ends to keep them from unraveling, I marked the bottom of the plate with white-out for gluing them in place. (Note: Do as I say and not as I did. First put down a towel before dripping the white-out on your nice tablecloth! Siiiigh.) Then I hot glued each spool into place.

So now it's OUT, boring server and IN, cute new one that cost me exactly zip! And hey, it hides the white-out stain, too. ;-)

Come back swinging!

2010-01-22T23:40:00.000-08:00

This last hiatus included emergency surgery for a pacemaker implant--and I never even knew I needed one! Now that I'm bionic and healed up from it (mostly) and actually receiving oxygen to my formerly addled brain, caught up on all the stuff I couldn't get done during my recuperation, and got the out-of-control materials hoard whipped into shape so that I don't lose 20 minutes looking for a pink flower or a card stack of just the right color, I'll catch up on all my blogs again. Cool ideas are keeping me awake nights!

Shrinky Stinks: The sequel

2009-06-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows (BWAHAHAHAHAHA!) I don't mind making fun of myself, especially when it's so easy to do. But a normal person learns from her mistakes--or at least, learns not to replicate the same gigantic FAIL as last time. Pas moi, mes amis. I barge on, leaving ever more crafty humiliation in my wake.

To pour salt in my wounds, 6-year-olds can do homemade Shrinky Dinks successfully. However, I and I alone can go from this:

to this:

in under 90 seconds.

Yes, I used #6 plastic and permanent markers in a 350F-degree oven. Yes, I watched it carefully. In fact, I was witness as it curled itself into its now locked and deformed position...mocking me all the way, no doubt.

My Shrinky quest continues. I will someday make nice shrunken plastic foofies, even though what works for others apparently does not wish to cooperate with me.

Still, hope springs eternal. Or something.

"Tempis Fugit" - mixed media collage

2009-05-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

100% hunted and gathered materials. Too bad you can't read the text--it says "Time is given wings".

DO. NOT. DO. THIS.

2009-05-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me this nifty photo last night (now how could she evah have been reminded of little ol' me?) It beautifully illustrates the time-honored wisdom of "You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose--but there are just some crafty ideas you should definitely not pick up on!"

CBL was MIA

2009-05-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

I've been icky-sicky-poo and definitely not up to crafting or blogging. However, I'm much better now, thanks very much! Let the games resume!

Kindred Spirits: SCAVENGING makes credit card jewelry!

2009-05-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to find another amazing blog, Scavenging--now here are people most definitely cut out of the same recycled and upcycled cloth as the Crafty Bag Lady! I absolutely loved their ideas on transforming credit cards into a funky, fun jewelry. Click here for the tutorial on making the bracelet shown above. As soon as I can get hold of a drill, I'm so making these!

Really now, is there a good excuse for just tossing stuff out???

Mixed Media Doll: Magda

2009-05-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

I may have found my art niche! In my last Slash Sale Bonanza, I scored a Petaloo paper doll form for 25 cents. I took it apart and used it as a template for Magda, my first mixed media doll. She's dressed in junk and other old mail, along with scraps on hand. I sure did have fun making her and can't wait to explore more in this category!

(Note: After this weekend things will slow down for a while--I hope--so I can spend more time doing what I enjoy so much. Lately it's been all grandkids, almost all the time, while their mother has been occupied with all the festivities of a wedding she is in.)

Sock puppet electronics cozy tutorial (pic heavy)

2009-05-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

Another motto of mine: NEED FEEDS. My hubby, whom I fondly call Irish, just bought the cutiest-patootiest mini-notebook ever! He's not much of a touch pad guy, though, so he also got a wireless mouse. Because the mouse is about 1/5 the size of the computer, it will hardly fit in the case; and since he daily transports all his study accouterments in his leather backpack, he didn't want the mouse just banging around in there. But the CBL, buy a mouse cover? You jest--of course you do!

I thought of a fast fix which not only enables the mouse/phone/camera/iPod/whatever protection program, but also provides another use for those ubiquitous odd socks.

Start with a sock. A hefty, thick one like this is best for padding.

Put it on like a puppet.

Squeeze the "puppet's" head together.

Turn inside out while holding the squeezed part tightly inside.

Keep going till the former inside is now outside.

Carefully remove your hand and pat the inside (which used to be the outside) into a pocket shape. There will be a double padding now which is great for your electronics.

Stitch the bottom (which used to be the elasticized top of the sock) closed. I happen to dig the blanket stitch.

Sew on a button and ribbon closure and VIOLA! (Yes, VIOLA!)

I liked this one so I pinched it for my cell and am doing another for my digital camera. Irish is using the original prototype which hasn't been sewn together yet. The elastic in that is so good that it holds the mouse in without any further help. I do plan to finish his when I can get it back!

Slash sale BONANZA!

2009-05-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

I heart art materials. I also hoard them. What I can't do is buy them at full price. This past week my local craft store had a clearance sale on old scrapbooking and other such items. I waited a few days, and found the markdown had gone right to my comfort zone: Everything originally over $5 was now $1, and everything originally under that was down to 25 cents. So here's my haul for that day:

I know it's hard to tell from here just how much stuff I got, but it's a lot. That's a big basket in the photo, and the cache covered my dining table. I added up my total if I had bought everything at full price (yeah, like that would've ever happened!): $187.59! Ready for my grand total? $22.00 even! Yeah, baby! Now that's what I call a sale. Nope, that's what I call a windfall! I can't wait to start in on it. Especially the art dolls!

P.S. I don't always hoard for hoarding's sake. Sometime soon I will be cleaning out a bunch of stuff, bagging it up, and sharing with my arty companions...maybe you! Stay tuned!

MSCE May: Mona's Memories

2009-05-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

I made this card as an ATC but am still unsure if it will stay such. It just may end up as part of a larger piece. That's been happening lately as I see my fledgling artwork evolve as do many of my poems, becoming something quite different from what I had in mind when I began.

The lady's face intrigues me. Who is she and why is she holding a hunting rifle? Why is she looking down? I find a Mona Lisa-like mystery in her. Not sure why I tagged this with the word Memories...it just seemed right at the time. Memories of someone I never knew and a time I never lived: "Mona" looks so contemporary, yet the photo is from the 20's or 30's. Wish I could've hung out with her.

Used: All on hand: Recycled cereal box cardboard and junk mail; scrap fabric; salvaged raffia; slash-sale brads. Cost, including the picture found at an antique store, about a buck.

MSCE April: Wrapup

2009-05-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

I put that pic up just because it's one of my all-time favorites. It represents how I feel about making art in life.

Bubbly, glittery, craftadelic thanks to Dot at Dabbled for starting up the MSCE April idea, and to Heather at Dollar Store Crafts and Craft Fail for telling me about it! Some days all I could do was write blog posts or read other people's, but every day I strove to have that Something Cool attitude going. I found out that I really enjoy blogging my goofy efforts. I'm so not concerned with being an Artiste or Author or whatever...it's finding and making art in the life all around me that's important. Also, I met some very cool folks and have been greatly enriched by them already. Win-win-WIN, ding-ding-DING!

Now on to May and every other day!

WhooHoo! Altered Altoids box completed

2009-04-29T21:14:00.000-07:00

And here it is! I call it "Gulls Just Wanna Have Fun".

It was a real blast to do. I started out with the three bathing beauties picture, from my ephemera and old photos collection. The design kept morphing as the ideas kept swarming. When I saw those little beachy buttons at a local craft store, I grabbed them so fast I left little whirlwinds in my wake! The other papers were junk mail, and the big starfish on top came from my Home for Abandoned Jewelry Orphans AKA "Sharon's big stash of broken stuff that might be useful someday".

This is for a swap on Altered StART, so I don't get to keep it. Sure does stoke me to do some more themed tins, though.

Creating in tiny spaces: Pt. 3

2009-04-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

Or, "All I ever needed to know on the subject I learned at kindergarten."

Many years of working with kids via church, VBS, and the like, not to mention raising my own, taught me one of the best ways to win over space crunch--a trick every teacher knows: Set up work/play stations. In our little nest, I have several spaces set up outside my main crafting area that I can use when the mood hits, or when working on various projects at once.

Once again, the secret to living happily with a non-artist type is the ability to camouflage these areas.

Our common room is set up for three distinct living functions: eating, office, and relaxing. Thanks to my upbringing as eldest daughter in a family of 12 kids and never having much personal stuff or space, I have developed a keen eye for making every corner count. And thanks to SuziBlu, I like to fool around with drawing. Over here in the relaxing/viewing portion of the room, I keep all my drawing pads and accessories available yet hidden inside this cheapo ottoman I picked up on clearance at a discount store. Since I can never just sit there and watch a movie, I grab a pad and pencils and doodle to my heart's content.

Or I can take out cross stitch, hand sewing or embroidery, which I keep next to the couch in these nifty baskets. (The red one was Freecycled.)

Or I can pull out these trays which I keep under the sofa, and piece together backgrounds for ATCs or cut out pics and magazine letters for collages.

My next "sandbox" is a tray table set up in a corner. Once again, this is mobile and ready to move around. A vintage linen keeps it looking neater (or it would, if I'd iron it).

I like to peruse craft magazines and books for ideas while sitting up in bed. Once again, my tote fetish comes in handy.

I also keep small projects in another bag which can fit into my purse when I go out.

Thanks, Mrs. Shannon! Class dismissed, and don't forget your lunchboxes.

Creating in tiny spaces: Pt. 2 UPDATED

2009-04-24T09:40:00.000-07:00

When space is limited, storage becomes at once a priority and a pain in the tush. A single person can have their space any way that suits them. But what about the artist who shares living quarters with a neat freak left-brainer who doesn't enjoy seeing craft clutter spread out all over the place? Ah, there's the rub, as The Bard once said. It's time for the delicacy of diplomacy and compromise.

In our case, it came down to moving the dining table to our large common room from the eat-in kitchen, which then became my main crafting area. Christmas before last I got a nice adjustable art table. You really don't want to see the top of it right now...it's a bloomin' mess with about 6 projects happening and the debris of a few others still to be put away. My compromise is to cover it with a gorgeous tablecloth some friends sent from Ireland. Hey--why shouldn't even my cover ups be beautiful and inspiring?

No, really...you don't want to look under there! You don't!! Trust me!

All right, if you insist...but remember, you were warned.

Told you so! Okay, moving on.

I started gathering (read: scrounging) plastic storage bins and stacked them on one side, with baskets and more on top. Nearby I tacked up a makeup travel kit bag with see-through compartments, wherein I store ATCs in progress, small cutout pics I want handy, and the like. Next to that I hung my paint shirt.

Over to the left is a great little unit I found at Costco on closeout. Above that is my favorite all-time embellishment "file"--a fishing tackle box. What a wonder! I have separate compartments for different colored buttons, beads, shells, broken jewelry, and whatnot--all within reaching and, more importantly, remembering distance. (Isn't it annoying to forget what you have because you can't see it?)

Speaking of which, down under is where I keep folders containing stickers, vintage photos, ephemera, and such. Old pickle and pasta jars keep trims and miscellany handy. A castoff tote holds my Quick-Kutz die cutter and accessories (got those on slash-and-burn sales, too!) and a hanging bag contains my glue guns and sticks.

Amazing what you can store in a small area!

Check back for Pt. 3: Take a tip from pre-school

Creating in tiny spaces: Pt. 1

2009-04-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

So you don't have the art studio of your dreams. In fact, you don't have a studio at all--you live in a dorm or cramped apartment; or with your parents; or share space with a spouse, kids, two cats and a dog. That doesn't mean you can't make art. In my square-footage-challenged domain, I work with what I've got. Today and continuing through the next segments of this series, I'll show you some of my ideas.

First, let me introduce you to my Porta-ArtSpot:

Yup, my new "BFF", an old picnic basket I picked up at a garage sale. It can go room to room or in the car to wherever I might want to create--such as my friend's house for our monthly "art play date" or even to the local coffeehouse. I can change out the contents easily, and even close it and use the top as a footstool while I'm working on something.

Think of your lack as a positive rather than a negative. It's a challenge! Look around at what you've got, and find creative solutions. It can actually be fun, and stir your imagination in other ways.

Back tomorrow for Pt. 2.

Brighten those corners--pay it forward!!

2009-04-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do
Don not wait to shed your light afar
To the many duties ever near you now be true
Brighten the corner where you are.

~Ina D. Ogdon, 1913

I love that old hymn because of its message: Don't wait till you're "rich and famous" to make a difference, even with your art! The only time we have is right now.

This fabulous idea is from Diane Evans via Dot/Dabbled via Piggy in the Puddle, and I'm adding my own stuff at the end (out of italics):

Then I headed over to one of my friends blogs and found this wonderful idea of paying it forward....this is all with something creative.....

Here's how it works....

The first five (5) people to respond to this post will get something made by me.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations so please read carefully:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. Whatcha get is whatcha get.
2. What I create will be just for you, with love.
3. It’ll be done this year (2009).
4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. Or it may be monstrous and annoying. Heck, I might bake something for you and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!
5. I reserve the right to do something strange.
6. In return, all you need to do is post this text on your blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to your blog post.
7. Send your mailing address - after I contact you.

IMPORTANT: This offer is null and void if I do not see you post your own blog to pay this forward. This text was used from http://piggyinthepuddle.blogspot.com/

***
So then--everyone clear on how this works? Hope to hear from you! And yes, I will gladly send outside the USA.

MSCE 4/21: Altered Altoids tin, in progress

2009-04-21T17:47:00.000-07:00

I'm doing this for the current swap at my very favorite Yahoo Group of all time, Altered StART. The assigned theme is "By the Sea", and I finished the inside lid today. That's real German glass glitter in there--oh, Ilove that stuff!

Still tweaking the rest of the tin, and will post as it gets done. I have to have it mailed off before a week from this Thursday, so stay tuned!

CBL featured at Polymer Clay Tutor!

2009-04-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

This certainly was a pleasant surprise at the end of my day! Cindy Lietz is a very accomplished polymer clay artist and instructor who might even get unwieldy me to try again (if indeed I can be trusted! HA!) Her site is incredibly interesting and jam-packed with helpful information and artful inspiration. You don't have to be into clays or beading to get a lot out of it--evidenced by her April 9 post about my favorite art form, mixed media--but if you are, I guarantee you'll be in Polymer Paradise! She even has some free introductory videos to get you going.

Many thanks for the thumbs-up, Cindy! I'll be spreadin' the word to all my crafty friends about your great site.

MSCE 4/20: 2-minute paper clip recipe holder

2009-04-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

Today's idea was inspired by my two favorite muses: excess and need. I inherited three huge boxes of colored paper clips from a kind Freecycler and since I'm not really going to clip thousands of papers together, am always looking for ways to use them. I also like to tear out interesting recipes from magazines. Trouble is, if I then stick them in a box or drawer, I completely forget about them. I thought it'd be fun to have a cute and colorful paper clip chain hanging on the side of my microwave, with my latest finds displayed where I can see them when I'm making up my grocery list. A couple of magnet clips from my Dollar Store stash and it was good to go.

Gee, ya think?

2009-04-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Your rainbow is shaded red.

What is says about you: You are a passionate person. You appreciate energetic people. You get bored easily and want friends who will keep up with you.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

This was amusing...I am definitely a Red.

Free is better! --Public domain images for collage on Flickr

2009-04-19T23:04:00.000-07:00

You absolutely must not miss this! Thanks to Robin on Altered StART, I have discovered Free Collage Images on Flickr and may not ever come up for air again. I might have to get another hard drive just to hold the ones I want...and want...and want...nope, just kidding! The idea is to save lots of money on materials so I can get the tools I really want.

*Note to self: Hold out for the laser printer and the Dremel instead of that cheaper handheld drill!

Cool beans!

2009-04-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

My jewelry disaster post of last Tuesday was picked up by the wonderful new blog Craft Fail, and also merited a comment by none other than The Crafty Chica herself, Kathy Cano Murillo! Me so happy!

MSCE 4/17: Photo Fun

2009-04-17T23:32:00.000-07:00

I don't have Photoshop and my knowledge of such things would fit into Thumbelina's thimble. However, I do have a basic photo editor, (the apparently now-defunct) Microsoft Picture It; and Google's wonderful Picasa--both CBL-certified 100% FREE of charge and idiot-proof--so I decided to play around with one of my own pics and see where it landed. My Cool Thing today is this (drumroll):

I dunno...you might find it a little on the edge of creepy. I kind of like the misty, foggy look and the way my eyes pop. My husband liked it, too...he actually used the word "dreamy". (Thanks, Honey! I think you're a keeper!)

Next time, I'm gonna try Paint.net because I read on Kim Komando's excellent site that it has an easier learning curve than Photoshop or Gimp, which I tried once but gave up after weeks of staring at in bewilderment.

MCSE 4/16: Yay goody! A new toy!

2009-04-16T22:34:00.001-07:00

This one is just way too much fun and, best of all, free! Next time you feel like escaping, instead of playing MahJohngg or Free Cell till your brain turns to limp cabbage, go on over to Wordle and make something COOL!

Here's the thumbnail of mine:

There's also a clickable image over in the sidebar--scroll down a bit and you'll see it. In case you wonder, it says, "I am creative and no one can take that from me."

Wordle lets you put whatever words you choose together in all sorts of configurations; just upload to their public gallery, or print out your new work of word art and use any way you wish. Cloud computing is coming, so let's mount those creative flying ponies and get on up into the atmosphere!

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to make bad jewelry

2009-04-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

It's refreshing to find crafty gallows humor like the ones listed over there in the sidebar of that name to the right. One of my new favorites is Craft Fail, a sort of True Confessions of creative attempts that should just never have been unleashed.

In the spirit of that and of, well, just laughing at myself because I need to today, here is where I spill on...ME! I now present three projects, each with potential in the conception phase, but woefully lacking in execution. (Hmmm...execution...gallows humor...pattern here?)

EXHIBIT A, Filed under "WTH": Plastic bead that just ate it, but not before exacting bloody revenge

Who in the world could mess up these? I mean, how easy-peasy can something get? I followed the instructions. Don't ask me how, but I ended up with what appears to be a green inner ear bone. No, wait--it's a deformed miniature coffee mug! No, wait--it's The Leaning Tower of Teeny Tiny Plastic, with two micro-ropes attached to keep it from hitting the ground!

Okay...so I have no idea what it is, but it sure the heck is not a bead.

Being the ~~optimist~~ Queen of Denial I am, I thought hmmmmm...maybe I could wear it as a funky ring!
Yay! Cool idea...until I put it on my finger and promptly impaled myself with the sharp point inside. Yeeowch! As if that weren't enough, I then realized I hadn't even taken all the stupid soda bottle label off. Tacky, tacky!

EXHIBIT B: The absurdly impractical cuff bracelet--now with random EXTRA glitter!

Happy, happy! A castoff leather cuff bracelet, just begging for a Crafty Bag Lady makeover...all mine! All I had to do was find a new embellishment for it. There were dozens, if not hundreds of possibilities in my stash. Inexplicably, I chose a green pottery rose--not for a moment considering its complete unsuitability for the purpose.

My next hurdle: an adhesive to stick ceramic to leather. Because of the rose's dimensions, I couldn't clamp or put anything heavy on it, so I reached for my good friend Gorilla Glue and thought the problem was licked. Not until it dried did I notice the unsightly yellowish glue halo all around the rose. Ever tried to peel that stuff off of leather? Ever tried peeling concrete off a sidewalk with a spatula?

OK, so I was stuck with it (sorry; corny pun genes in my family.) So then I thought, What's cuter and covers more crafty sins than glitter? Aha! A very Crafty Chica solution! I am so clever! Except that the glitter didn't hide the glue halo as much as draw attention to it like a flashing neon CRAFT DORK sign.

Oh, but I'm stubborn. I would hold my head up and wear my glitter-enhanced gluey green rose and leather cuff and wear it proudly! Except that the weight of the rose constantly pulls the cuff down, snap side up. I am always having to watch that the delicate rose doesn't get chipped, and I can't get the rose off without busting it up. I can't wear it anywhere. It's sad...it's lonely...it haunts my jewelry rack as a reminder that all that glitters is not crafty gold.

EXHIBIT C: Cheerios, pepperoni, and mouse droppings necklace

This is my most infamous handmade-gone-toxic. And like brown eyes, big feet, and a funny-shaped thumb, it is with me till the day I die.

It was the 90's and Fimo was all the rage! Everybody who was anybody was buying the stuff and churning out mountains of intricately designed beads and other gorgeous adornments. Me too! Me too! Can I come into your playhouse? See, I bought some clay of my very own! Cinnamon and beige and black--isn't that an interesting and fun combination? Hey, I'm an artist, just like you! And just look at this classy polyester string! Cool, huh? Huh? And I'll even do nice little knots between the beads as spacers...'cuz I'm so artsy...

Ba da DUMB.

The beads are misshapen and not funky enough to be cool but not nice enough to be acceptable. The knots are tied too far away from the beads. This necklace is so bad that it's been through three garage sales and I haven't been able to unload it for 25 cents. I tried to give it away once; the erstwhile recipient declined. I even put it in a Freecycle box and I swear, the thing actually came back to me! Accckkk!

Thus it is destiny, the necklace and me: together forever, forever together, till death do us part. And I've never touched Fimo again.

MSCE 4/12 FAIL

2009-04-13T23:53:00.000-07:00

I was so proud of the Facebook application I made. Carefully chosen graphics enhanced witty, sparkling text. Following every instruction to the iota, I took an extra half hour just to tweak it to perfection. I couldn't wait to post it here--I was that proud of my very first such effort!

Finally! The click of submission into the aether! Now it was just awaiting the fruit of my efforts. Whoooo--creative me!

Except...the gremlins, obviously bored with their usual routine of causing world upheaval and head lice outbreaks, decided on a course of action: Now wouldn't it be soooooooo funny to eat up Sharon's project! She's such a dork! Wheeeeeeeeee!

Crash, bang, freeze...DANG!

And the worst part was, I'd already eaten all the chocolate.

MSCE 4/11: Recycled paper Easter basket

2009-04-11T23:42:00.000-07:00

Considering I was making this between errands, coloring my hair, and getting ready for a combination Easter/first birthday party for my grandson, it's not half bad. Every bit came from the recycle bin (shopping bag, bottom of card box, used paper plate for the cutouts, tissue paper for the grass) except the green bow, which I snagged from a cookie tin. Anyhow, the kids liked it.

MSCE 4/10: A writing and reuniting kind of day

2009-04-10T21:31:00.001-07:00

This was one of those very busy-busy days in which I had lots of great ideas and no time to implement them--for instance, a beloved niece with whom I've been out of touch for way too long (not by choice) found me online and we had a fantastic reunion. She and I share a birthday, and I've missed her keenly. Naturally, I spent the time with her that I would have given to making some foofie or other for MSCE--and happily so!

However, I did create something this morning before the day got away from me: a Good Friday poem which I shared on my other blog and will reprint here. It's a contemplative expression of my faith, but also of the hope of new life that Spring represents. Tomorrow I'm doing some cool Easter things for my darlin' little grandboys, and I'll be sure to post them. Happy Easter, everyone! Life is beautiful!

BEFORE THE GLORY

Before the Glory is revealed
There is suffering and scourging
Spitting and cursing and untold shame
Bloody betrayal and no companions who remain
Not overcome by presumption of misspent faith
And terror of complicity.

Before the Glory can be seen
Before lilies can burst open, rejoicing
And transformed men forget their own lives
And disconsolate women see past their own pain--
One being no less miraculous than the other--
Life must turn its face away
And disinherit all hope.

A grave-lust must be satisfied
The seed fallen in darkness and forgotten
And shadows, prematurely triumphant,
Swallow Light alive
And crow in celebration
At the presumed victory.

Before the Glory sunrise brings,
First comes the stone
Of Reckoning.

© 2009 Sharon L. Shannon All rights reserved

Floral divider courtesy of Webweaver's Free Clipart

MSCE 4/9: Cutie-patootie card earrings

2009-04-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

Using the 7 of Diamonds from that 50-cent teeny deck of cards I mentioned before, I whipped up today's offering. I just cut the card diagonally, then covered all sides with clear packing tape. A few jump rings, earring hooks, and seed beads later, I got these:

Aren't they just the cutest?

Free is better: Dover samples

2009-04-09T12:14:00.000-07:00

Sign up for the Dover email newsletter and get beautiful sample images every week! I've built up quite a collection of these. The Dover folks are legendary for their vast pool of vintage and other images. Their books are amazingly affordable--and we all know, cheap is great!

Welcome to my kitchen

2009-04-09T00:16:00.000-07:00

It's a galley, too small for more than one person to fit in at a time...a happy little nook of clutter. Yep, those are dirty dishes in and around the sink, and clean ones in the drainer that need to be put away. I'm too busy writing in blogs, updating on Facebook, soaking in grandbaby love, and fiddling around making stuff. Who's got time for spotlessness? I do love to cook, though--meaning, seeing what's in the cupboard and putting it together. The fun is in the challenge. Plan ahead? Not much. Whatever ingredients are on sale/in season in any given week end up in some humble but (I like to think) tasty dinner presentation at Castle Shannon. In 34 years, I've only had one memorable failure: As a newlywed, I tried mixing sauerkraut, hot dogs, and mushroom soup. Not recommended!

Tonight I think it's chicken thighs with soy sauce, peanuts, and and peaches. The King will have a nice baked potato and my side will be a yam with pumpkin pie spices. A simple salad will tie it together.

Here's what hangs over my stove:

Words to live by!

MSCE 4/8: Button & tassel hair clip

2009-04-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

I found this wonderful blog and this one, too, last night and signed up right away for Make Something Cool Every Day. Here's my first entry:

Hair clip: On hand
Tassel: Salvaged off an old fridge magnet
Button: From collection

A little hot glue and (as we say around here) VIOLA! Simple but fun. I'm wearing it right now:

Latest gleanings

2009-03-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

*COOLNESS! A pile of old wooden alphabet blocks, circa 70's. Are these ever gonna get a lot of use!

*FABULOSO! An artist friend casually asked me if I could take a half stack of 12x12 scrapbook papers, all in zany blacks/reds/greens/abstract florals/wild stripes off her hands. Well, DUHHHH! Thank you, Tanja!

*REPURPOSE MADNESS! Hit the rummage sales this weekend! Little gift books from the 60's to alter/take apart and reuse...several odd sized picture frames with no glass...4 National Geographics from 1952-'53...a teeny, tiny deck of cards...20 die cut game cards, 2" square with rounded corners...a children's book in French...

Remember the Crafty Bag Lady motto: "Cheap is great; free is better!"

Next set of goals

2009-03-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

The flowers? They're from me, for me, when I get this list accomplished.

In progress for Altered StART:
*April Fools ATC
*"By the Sea" altered mints tin

Get a grip, woman:
*Clean out papers! I really mean it this time!
*Come on, you're not really going to use all those stickers.
*File, file, file.
*All that glitters does not have to be hoarded (...does it?)

We'll see how far I get.

Stuff I did recently

2009-03-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

First, my 2009 Valentine's mixed media collage:

This was way cool because I found the neatest LED chandelier embellishment--no kidding, it really lights up! Everything else was begged, borrowed, or scraped up off a floor; so I really didn't mind that I actually paid full price for the chandelier. Sometimes a girl just has to spoil herself, doncha think?

Next up, a mermaid theme ATC I did for the Altered StART Yahoo group:

I was very pleased with this one as well. I used junk mail, a freebie image I found online, packaging scraps, two old cards glued together, a random little rhinestone, and some microbeads bought at the last 90% off sale at Beverly's to form the "stars shot madly". The quote, of course is The Bard's, from A Midsummer Night's Dream. You can't see the back because I forgot to take the shot before mailing it off to its new owner, but I really liked it too. I had spackled sea colors of all kinds mingling together making a nice backdrop for my info card, and up in the corner there's a really cute fishy-swishy just watching over it all. Hope Kim likes it.

Final comment 'cuz the allergy meds are really making me woozy. The pics are way out of proportion, The real ATC measures 3.5" by 2.5" and the Valentine collage is much, much bigger at 12"x6", not counting the gold rope around it.

All right, I am officially in Woooozzville now so we'll have to pick up where we left off next time.,

Hey, remember me?

2009-03-29T00:18:00.000-07:00

I'm still alive. The longer I let this thing lapse, the more difficult it is to get back into it. Not wasting time on explanations...those who know me, already know; those who don't, don't care. So without further ado...

...Crafty Bag Lady is back in town!

Scrap plastic and fabric bracelet--in progress

2008-09-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

Got this piece of plastic from I forgot where, and noticed right away it was begging for a new life as a cuff bracelet:

I had some lovely brocade scraps I scarfed in a friend's cleanup last week which are just the thing for the project:

So far I've measured, cut and ironed the fabric, and just need to get out my machine to sew up the seam. I could do this by hand, but I really want it to stay. I plan to gather the fabric around the plastic and sew it up. Not sure what I'll embellish it with yet, but I'm going through my collection to see what works best. Finally I'll attach ribbon to the the underside so it doesn't irritate my wrist and looks more finished.

In between helping take care of my DH this week, who had shoulder surgery yesterday, I'll work on it more tonight.

Art Journeybook Cover

2008-09-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

Here's the cover (ta-DA) of my Art Journeybook. I know better than to call anything I do a journal or diary, as that word implies something that happens day-by-day. My journeybook details my art journey as I'm learning, especially while taking Suzi Blu's "Les Petite Dolls" class.

I rather like the way this turned out. Everything, from the book itself to the papers and embellishments, was salvaged and/or scraped from a clearance bin: true Crafty Bag Lady style!

How's your crafty life?

2008-09-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

Mine's been MIA for a while, but I'm getting back in the thick! I saw The Crafty Chica, Kathy Cano-Murillo, on her Spread the Sparkle Tour in San Jose a couple of weeks ago. She and her very cool hubby Patrick were there to demonstrate her new line of Crafty Chica products now sold at Michael's. Although I'm not into skulls 'n' skeletons at all, I just love Kathy's bounce and glittery enthusiasm.

The second one down is yours truly, the CBL, posing with Her Glitteriness holding the double-autographed copy of her Crafty Chica Collection book which I won in a competition from her Web site a while back. The bottom one is my now-famous right leg, adorned with Crafty Chica fabric markers and glitter paint.:

ATC: Tweet

2008-06-01T20:21:00.000-07:00

In a Birdie state of mind.

Sick, lazy, distracted, sick, depressed, sick, lazy

2008-03-06T00:22:00.000-08:00

Water pouring out of ceiling over studio area, right on top of craft table. Everything moved out and piled around the house for the week and a half it took for roof and ceiling to get fixed. Sick, lazy, busy, tired, distracted, sick, lazy, depressed, playing with grandbaby, procraftinating, house in chaos, sick, distracted. Lazy.

Okay, I'm done now. Time to get back to Art.

Thera-P

2008-01-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

I was really bummed about getting stuck in my art life this week, so I did this as therapy. It was a lot of fun, and now I feel like I'm getting back on track. Whee!

Journeybook page with White-out tape

2008-01-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

Having just learned this phenomenal trick with white-out tape, I of course had to incorporate it into my Journeybook.

(BTW, "Journeybook" is what I call my arts/prayer/doodles/whatever altered journal.)

So take a peek at the page:

Everything used is scrap or bought from the Last Chance bin. The image is from an old calendar.

I enjoyed using this method and will definitely employ it often in my work.

A new ATC

2008-01-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

Artist trading cards are all the rage, and it's one I heartily approve of. I've just hopped aboard the wagon myself and received my first trades. Here's one I made in the last few days. Entitled "Not Old", it is going to the current Mingle at Altered StART. I love "Harold", which is, of course, my Vintage Guy's name. I'm just gonna have to recreate it because, dad burn it, it was just so much fun! (I just had to say "Dad burn it", 'cuz Harold would.)

Let me be the last to say

2008-01-03T10:52:00.001-08:00

Happy, happy 2008!

Well, Christmas is all packed up and put away; now, "1, 2, 3, back to reality."

I've sorely neglected posting lately, but creativity, and cleaning up after same, has kept me away from the keyboard. See what I got for Christmas:

No, that's not my personal table; it's one I found on the Web. Mine, and the space it's in, are much more happily disheveled. However, this pic is better than my camera phone can take.

Also, I got this. YAY ME!!! No more hunching over a light bulb!

And my DH filled my stocking with bottles of glass glitter. What a guy!

Aside from transforming my erstwhile kitchen eating area into a studio, I've been working on some things for my Altered Start (Yahoo) group, which I will proceed to post about in days to come. In the meantime, here's a zillion ways to reuse and repurpose old books, courtesy of The Bookshop Blog. Click on over and get insanely inspired!

The all-scrounged wall display

2007-12-18T23:50:00.000-08:00

Like my little tree, the other decorations in our tiny habitat are also developing and morphing as the days tick away. I keep finding things to add. For instance, no room for a mantelpiece here, so I have a small-scale resin wall shelf got at a ridiculous closeout--$2, I think. On it I've surrounded a vintage tree topper with various castoffs picked up from the floor of the craft store, and outside the entrance. Pic 1 was taken last week:

I just took this one about 5 minutes ago:

Maybe there'll be some trailing ivy on it before The Day. The rule is, whatever I put up this year has to be free.

Nothing whatsoever to do with Christmas

2007-12-18T23:42:00.000-08:00

But it's fun! HGTV has a What's Your Style? quiz wherein you actually can't see the results coming a mile away. Click here to amuse yourself for a few minutes. No one should be surprised that my style, according to the test, is Eccentric. (Somebody must be stalking me!)

Tree redux

2007-12-18T17:11:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I think I'm on my final draft now. My trees often end up as works in progress during the season, and this year is no different. I took it all apart to add some cool LED lights and then a final touch with a paper chain made from scrapbook remnants. Then around the bottom I stacked up some of my Christmas bear collection. This one is my favorite, as the little angel outfit was handmade by a young friend from a hanky and scrap fabrics, with a little moss halo.

Merry Week Before Christmas!

Christmas Card '07

2007-12-15T22:32:00.000-08:00

Here's my design for this year. It demonstrates why I never throw anything away. The big star at the top is an old button; the smaller stars came off an old mini garland I've kept from years ago; the backdrop to the Christ Child is cut from a coffee cup sleeve discarded at my local coffeehouse. I found the tube of gold glitter paint in the alley behind the craft store--that was a great find!

May the Prince of Peace shine His everlasting love and light into your heart this Christmas!

One of those great finds

2007-12-14T23:52:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the Altered StART Yahoo group, I came across this great resource: Artist How-To. I'll be spending a bit too much time there, I think.

Just too cool. Merry Christmas to me!

Thursday with the CBL

2007-12-13T12:33:00.000-08:00

No more posting yesterday--computer problems! Arrgghh! But that, as they say, was then and this is now. There's fresh coffee in my big Santa mug and I'm rested up from the stress. So, back to the Christmas spirit and more from Crafty Bag Lady-land!

We got a cutie-patootie little Charlie Brown tree from Beverly's, as our collective allergies don't permit any more cut trees and we don't have space to store a big faux one anymore. It's on our coffee table, which works great until we want to watch a movie and we have to move it. (We only lost one ornament--the cost of glass hitting stone.) The ornaments are all handmade, salvaged, or vintage. I inherited a box of these from the former building manager, who had them since the 50's, I think. They're my faves!

Closeup of said favored ornaments:

Actually, I think having the little tree makes them stand out even more.

Hope your Christmas season is a blessed,happy, and crafty one!

Christmas with The Crafty Bag Lady

2007-12-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

What have I been up to all week? Remaking and decorating with salvage, of course! The next few posts will show you a little of Christmas at our home, and how I scarfed most of the sparkles.

First off, the kitchen table. Nothing spectacular here, just an arrangement of three electric candles I got at a last-chance sale last New Year's Eve for 25 cents apiece. I think they're lovely with my dish towel curtains and tablecloth.

Now for the living room/office/sewing room/craft room/studio/whatever.

Except the table, everything in the photo above was rescued from some toss-out bag or another...and that makes the Bag Lady happy!

Here's something I made many years ago, when my kids were small:

It's just sequins and straight pins on a foam ball that cost about 10 cents. I have it atop a salvaged mirror tile with a votive holder (leftover from my Lord of the Rings phase) and a sparkly red foam dot that fell off something.

I dressed up the curtains that line my doorways with vintage ornaments and bits of an old garland, tied up with grosgrain ribbon I got for $.99 a spool.

I'll post more later, after I get 5 more cards ready to mail and have my afternoon coffee.

Salvaged Santa tag

2007-12-05T13:23:00.000-08:00

It's all his fault. Every time I get around this little chunk of giggling sweetness (the baby, I mean), half-glued projects get momentarily forgotten on the table and dishes pile up in the sink. Okay, well, dishes are piled in the sink anyway, but I did forgo working on stuff yesterday because of Baby Boo-Boo. Do you blame me?

Okay, so here's what I did today:

Materials I used: Manila cardstock, tag template, St. Nicholas image, small piece of clear plastic, scrap corrugated cardboard, tissue bits, ribbon, plastic reinforcer, Podge, a tad of embroidery floss. Tools: Scissors, hole and scalloped circle punches, rubber stamp, green and gold ink pads, watercolor, felt tip marker.

Salvaged: The scalloped cardboard circles are cut from a piece I got from a dumpster behind the craft store, and a hot cup sleeve from the local coffeehouse. The ribbons are left over from various shopping bags, as is the tissue. The blue plastic reinforcer happened to get stuck to my blouse while I attended a local art show tonight (no, really; I just looked down and there it was) and so of course it had to go on! I Podged a piece of plastic over the printed St. Nick to laminate it, and attached the plaid bow with a little bit of embroidery floss.

Bought: The St. Nick is another from the set I bought on eBay The ink pads were on sale at Beverly's and already really cheap, so I picked up a few.

Everything else was from my ~~vast array~~ under-table jumble. I admit the tag was supposed to have red glass glitter on the edges, but I couldn't find where I'd put it, so oh well.

(Sigh. I have really got to get a better camera! Maybe one will show up on Freecycle soon.)

Cost: Except for the $6 I splurged for the ink pads, the tag was entirely free.
Satisfaction level: I like it so much I don't want to give it away, so I might not unless a very special friend wants it (you know who you are.)

The great glasses case makeover

2007-12-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

I had to give up contacts in my late 40's as my aging eyes couldn't stand the feel of them anymore, so it's back to glasses when I'm away from home. Trouble is, the free cases the optometrist gives me are 1) blah and boring (not me at all!) and 2) prone to disappearing in the bottom of whatever huge bag I'm carrying at the moment. Since the Law of UIUWIOMIDODW (see my first post) demand I not even consider buying something to remedy the situation, it was Podge time again in the old corral.

Everything I used for this project--tissue papers, lace and ribbon, glitter--was from my stash. Apologies for the indistinct and badly done photos. I am, after all, the Bag Lady, so my humble phone camera has to do for now.

Too bad you can't see the bronze glass glitter on the top, which gives it a subtle shine. There's also a narrow satin ribbon outlining the bottom of the lace, which doesn't show up too well in the pics, either. Overall, though, I think this turned out rather nicely, don't you? In fact, I'm not too proud to beg my friends for their old hinged cases so I can make more of these in different colors and styles, as gifts.

Now I don't have to spend two and a half minutes rummaging for my glasses.

Cost: Coupla dimes' worth of Podge. That's it.
Satisfaction factor: Yee-HA!

Life and times of old St. Nick

2007-12-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

So I downloaded a set of vintage sepia-toned St. Nicholas images from my favorite eBay purveyor of such, phenomenon1859. (Go there! You can download beautiful images for very little money, and print them out as you need them!) Then I was wondering what to do with it. Card? Collage art? Not this time; I wanted to wear Nicholas. After all, he is one of the greatest icons of the season and I wanted to honor the historical him. Hmmmm...yes, badge! But where to find the right size backing? Of course--the kitchen! There was a jar of Chinese mustard that I don't even want to think about how long it's been part of the fridge furniture; I knew it was time to let go. The lid was just the perfect size for my use.

Some hoarded tissue paper for the base, an application of Mod Podge, and my Nicholas was taking form. I needed some felt and embroidery floss anyway, so did a run to our neighborhood Beverly's, and spent a whole 68 cents. While there I found some discarded sequins on the floor and a castoff silk leaf in the wastebasket next to their wreath making station. Whooo! Not too proud to beg! One of the sequins ended up in the collage, on the Believe tag. A snipped tiny edge of the leaf gave me just the right little touch of greenery. The snowflake is part of a piece of paper doily someone discarded on the front porch of our apartment building. I just dropped some glitter on it and sprinkled a little more on the edge of the badge. A smattering of Stardust Stickles, another layer of Podge on top of the paper items, and I was done.

Now for the fastener. I could've spent more $ on pin backs, but that wouldn't be very Bag Lady, now would it? Instead I hot glued a safety pin onto the back, and covered it with a little strip of green felt.

Here's how it turned out:

I wore it to church yesterday and to a Christmas party last night. What holly, jolly fun!

Cost: 25 cents for the felt, of which I used maybe a penny's worth; the ink for the printouts; $1.85 for the image sheets, which I will use in dozens of ways since I got many images for the price and it works out to maybe a nickel apiece in the end; a dab of Podge and hot glue. Altogether, less than a buck.

Santa-sfaction factor: Oh please, who can measure the Christmas spirit?

Slice 'n' Dice Sweater

2007-12-02T22:24:00.000-08:00

First, The Victim, AKA the world's softest, coziest chenille sweater with the biggest elbow holes:

It was a freebie I got from my local Freecycle which I'm dissecting and piecing together again; the challenge being to see how many new things I can get out of it. I began with the turtleneck. It was like love for my neck on a chilly night, so right off I thought "neckwarmer". After cutting it out, I inverted and hemmed it under. Then I took some of the banding from the bottom of the sweater and fashioned a rose embellishment, like so:

Now I can just throw it on under a jacket or even on top, instead of a scarf; or wear it around the house.

Cool! First piece down; now how many more to go?

Next I lavished some decoration on a pair of my signature black socks. I'll wear these all through the holidays (my book club Christmas party tomorrow night! Yay!) but also any time of the year. It was just a matter of snipping off the sweater wrists and stitching them inside the sock tops, then doing some quick cross stitch.

Everything is handstitched, of course, since old chenille doesn't take kindly to machines! The rest of the pieced sweater is under my craft table, awaiting my ADD-addled brain to flit back. I plan to get at least a hat, purse, marble necklace, cell phone cozy, and teddy bear out of it before I'm done.

Cost? Practically nada; maybe a quarter's worth of thread and embroidery floss. Also, I got a nice episode of Hercule Poirot out of the way while I worked.

Satisfaction factor: Moderately high; will go up when I make more stuff.

Reclamation Arts and Nifty Thrifties

2007-12-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

The Welcome mat, made from repurposed big-box bags and leftover jute twine, is out for any kindred pennypinching souls who happen to be in the neighborhood looking for stuff for that next attempt at appeasing the recreative urge within.

Okay, so the mat hasn't been actually made yet...but it's there in my head, waiting for the day I get all jazzed up enough to actually make it. And I will, I promise...I will! In the meantime, for your amusement, here's one of the best I've ever seen:

I'll be blogging my scrips 'n' scraps, thisses and thats, throwaway treasures rescued from underfoot and out of recycle boxes, and the dazzling (or at least, hopefully, pleasant) goodies that result from my efforts to reclaim the world. Or on behalf of the world. Or in spite of the world. Or something like that.

Reclamation is the metaphor for my life. It's mercy and rebirth and renewed purpose and not being ready for the junk heap just yet. It's also common sense thriftiness, not being wasteful just because we can but rather, as my mother used to put it rather wistfully, leaving the place better than we found it.

Now before the schmaltzy Disney soundtrack is cued and little doves come twittering from the rafters with olive branches in their beaks (made from castoff silk Christmas poinsettia leaves, naturally) let me state that I have nothing against buying stuff. Buying stuff is fun, and I do so whenever the need to, the time to, and the funds to do so coincide. However, this blog is about UIUWIOMIDODW. Aside from being the world's most cumbersome acronym, it also shortcuts the old-timey gem that serves as my life motto:

"Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
Or do without."

Being thrifty not only stretches one's money, it stretches one's creativity. I love the challenge of seeing what I can create, or recreate, from what may have appeared pretty useless.

Kind of the way Father God reclaimed my own life. Yeah.