First of all, a disclaimer. I’m not an expert. This is just a log of some crafty things I do. Read at your own risk.
But, with that said, I understand ATCs to be Artist Trading Cards. Small 2.5″ x 3.5″ cards of artwork meant for trading and not for sale. They can be almost anything. The ones I have received that I like best are embellished with stickers or brads or beads or things like that, so I like to put a little extra into mine. Since I’m not a natural artist, I like to use photos that I have taken or royalty free clipart from my collection as a starting point for my ATCs.
I have made this a little easier for myself by creating a table in Microsoft Word 2007 template where the cells of the table are the desired size of the cards. Then I insert my art work, and crop it, and center it within the cell to create the look I like. I have also created a ATC back template that looks like this.
That way I can take a random piece of cardstock (like a cut up piece of greeting card) and glue the front and back to the card. One more way to recycle and be green. Either that or how to save on buying expensive cardstock.
The trick is finding a classy way to embellish a photograph without making it cheesy. So far my favorite thing was taking a gorgeous view of the Pacific ocean and using those fancy rub-on transfer letters to spell out “oregon” on top of it. We’ll see what I can do with a few Yellowstone pictures.
Where am I trading these cards? Why, on Swap-bot.com, of course!
I kept reading about how to decorate in a woodsy theme. I am now thinking I’ll decorate the whole home in this theme, and not just the living room. I don’t want to go crazy with it. But the fact is that our house is pretty small and one idea can go a long way.
I’m ordering some prints online of pictures we took on our trip to Yellowstone last summer. I plan on using the hot springs pictures in the bedroom and the trees and wildlife pictures in the living room. Here are a couple pictures to give you an idea. I’m ordering 8 x 10 prints and plan to mat and frame them in thrift store frames. If I can’t find frames that I like, I can refinish the frames to all match eachother.
Visiting friends and family over the holidays made me realize that I want to make my home a little more comfortable and cozy. There are some things that might make it difficult to decorate my house, but I probably have enough resources to make an inviting place to live.
I currently live in a rental, so I am not going to paint the walls or do any major remodeling. I also am not going to spend a lot of money, because, frankly, I don’t have a lot of money to spend. However, I know that there are a lot of little things that make a house a home, and I figure that I can use the internet to research some inexpensive special touches to make our house more friendly. I also plan on using some of my talents (sewing, crochet, and embroidery) to help pull some kind of theme together.
Here’s my first idea that I’ve found. Click
here to go to the instructions on how to cover a light switch plate. Basically, unscrew the switch plate, cover it, and screw it back on. Now why didn’t I think of that?
Next step, wallpaper. Since I only want a teeny tiny piece, I think I’ll ask my
swap-bot friends for some. I’d like a woodsy theme for the living room, blue or books, or ocean for the bedroom, green or spa or ocean for the bathroom, green check for the kitchen, and what should I choose for the dining room? Food for thought.
Do you think contact paper would work just as well? Why not?
Sister: Come look at the waffle iron, it looks like faces in places.
Me: Oh. It looks like a little face.
Sister: Don’t you know about faces in places?
Me: No
Sister: Well then, go to facesinplaces.blogspot.com
Me: Of, course!
Ok, this is not my work! But I saw it on the internet, and I think it rocks. What a way to update crochet! There’s a great story behind the afghan. Click it to go to the storyteller and crocheter of this wonderful piece of art.
Rose Pillowcases for My Grandmother-in-law
I used the colors listed in the package this time. I think it is DMC 441 and DMC 702. At first the red seemed too bright, but then when they are all done, I like how it turns out.
I wish I knew how to make lace with a crochet hook for the edges. But I don’t have a crochet hook that small. I wonder if you can use embroidery floss to make lace.
I also wish that I had a washer and dryer in my home to wash out the pattern on these pillowcases. Usually, I give them to my friend who washes them for me. Or I hand wash them and let them dry. Unfortunately, the icy roads are preventing me from driving to my friend’s house, and the cold weather would prevent the pillowcases from drying. Fortunately, I’m going to my mom’s house before to my in-laws, so Christmas Eve, I’ll borrow her washer and dryer to finish this Christmas present.
Ho ho ho!
I think I’m pretty safe showing these as well. They are for my mother-in-law who likes everything blue. I used a pretty baby yarn. I kind of made up my own pattern.
I chained 5, did a slip-stitch in the first chain to make a circle. Then I did 20 double crochets. Then I slip-stitched those together. *Then I did 6 double crochet stitches in between one double crochet. I skipped one, slip stitched in the next double crochet, skipped one, *and repeated between the stars until I came back around. I then slip stitched it closed.
I’m not good with pattern speak, but I think that might be:
ch 5, SS in the first ch to make a loop. 20 dc. SS those together. *6 dc between dc. Skip dc, SS in the next dc, skip dc, * repeat between the stars 7 times. SS to close.
Is that right ladies? Gents?
Coasters
Even though I haven’t been writing a lot lately, I have been getting crafty. Mostly, I’ve been using yarn and my crochet hooks. Scarves are easy and practical Christmas gifts and I have made at least 8 this holiday season. However, you have not known about it because it could be that my friends and family actually read my blog and I don’t want them to see their presents before the appointed time.
I really like Christmas. I am into the whole gift giving and getting thing. I really really like presents! Why else would I do swap-bot? Anyway, the dilemna here is that I’m not sure who to give these coasters to. At first, I was thinking my in-laws. Theirs are looking a little old, and I thought I could help them update. However, her favorite color is blue, and these are brown.
What do you think? Would these coasters work for you? I know I can’t give them away to everyone that responds, but they are my first set of coasters I’ve ever crocheted, so I’d love some feedback.
Smiles,
Shauna
Ok, today I’m going to sew. Check in later to see my progress!
