Make a frame, make some art!

I know some girls get things like clothes and makeup for Christmas, but for the past few years, my Dad has been stocking me up with awesome tools! It started with a basic tool kit, but as the years have gone on, I guess I have proven myself worthy of the big stuff!

This year I received my very own Compound Miter Saw! Isn't it lovely?

I'll admit, that blade is a little scary, but it sure does make this project I have been working on so much easier!

I have been making a lot of these fabric wall hangings and I need frames for them to wrap around. Theses are so cheap, and take no time at all now that I don't have to manually saw each of the boards!

Just take a 1X2 piece of wood, figure out the size you want your frame to be and make 45 degree cuts. Once you have your 4 edges, just staple them together at the corners. I used 2 staples on each corner, then flip it over and put 2 more staples again at each corner. Pretty simple and very sturdy.

Now, on to the fun stuff!

These fabric wall hangings are so much fun and the possibilities are endless. What I love about this is that you don't have to use a lot of fabric so you can raid the remnant section at Hobby Lobby and find all sorts of fun fabric without paying a ton and having a lot left over.

I just cut out whatever shape I want, lay that over a contrasting fabric, sew around the edges and then add some detail! Once everything is sewn on, just stretch it across your frame and staple it to the back.

Here are some examples. I really love them and they make great gifts!

Here are some up close

And here are some others I did ...

More Metal art

For Christmas, my Mom asked me to make something she could give to her co-workers and a couple of close friends.

We settled on one of my past projects. These are made from soft metal, pressed in with an embossing tool and then filled in with a paint marker.

I think she was happy with the way they turned out.

For more examples of this you can check out this post!

Random

* This is a post I previously had on my personal blog. I thought it fit better here.

********************************

It all started when I got the urge to re-arrange my bedroom and add some fun accessories…

The curtains were hand-me-downs from Emily and the tie backs were made from a wooden block and some kind of knob I found at Hobby Lobby.

These are just fabric covered canvases. The fabric was from the as-is section of Ikea and the canvases came from my neighbors trash!

The new arrangement also created some space for a much needed extra dresser!!

The search led me to this awesome thrift store…Where I found a dresser

and with a little paint…

Went from this…

To this…

I also got this fun lamp

and after only one minor electrical shock,

I was able to re-wire and hang to use as a bed-side light!
People either love it or hate it, I LOVE IT!

A few weeks later, I went back to the thrift store and got this cool chair…..

After a few coats of spray paint and some fabric from an old pillow, it now looks like this…

I put it in an empty corner of our living room and then had to paint this mirror to match…

I decided that doing stuff like this is a release for me. Some people have sports, others have TV-I have crafts!

Oh, somewhere in the middle of all this I made this picture frame for a wedding shower gift… cute huh!

Metal Art

This project can be time consuming, but it is easy and really makes a great gift.
All you need is a roll of soft metal found at Hobby Lobby and comes in sliver, copper and gold (I like the copper myself), a paint pen (the thin ones usually work best for script) and an embossing tool- not sure on the technical name for this

Begin by cutting your metal to fit a chosen frame, then print out a copy of a favorite scripture, quote or picture that would fit on the metal.

Tape the copy over the metal and then use the embossing tool to trace over the letters. You have to press down pretty hard. Depending on the font you use, it can take awhile! I also put a piece or 2 of craft foam behind the metal to give it some cushion.

Once you have traced the letters, remove the paper. You should be able to see the writing pressed into the metal. At this point, go over the letters with your paint pen. If you mess up, you can use paint thinner or mineral spirits to erase the paint, it shoudn't stain the metal.

I then place the metal in a frame. This is a great way to use those frames that are oddly sized or too overpowering for an actual picture. Most of the time I put the glass behind the metal before I put the back on to give the metal some stability.

Here are a few examples of other ones I have done. Sorry about the poor quality of the pictures. One day I will have an awesome camera!