Chaos

“Our real discoveries come from chaos,

from going to the place

that looks wrong

and stupid

and foolish.”

- Chuck Palahniuk

Pretty Useful

I purchased this chest of drawers because I needed the top surface to place things on and because it fit the tight space where I wanted it to go. I liked the look of the small drawers but thought they would be pretty useless...because they were an odd shape and for me, out of sight is out of mind.

Then, laying in bed one night, I had an idea.

I could use the small drawers to store and organize our tools that we use on a regular basis.

Hammer, screw drivers, random nails and screws, washers, zip-ties, tape measure, garden gloves, etc...

It worked perfect!

Then I made little tags from some glitter, scrapbook paper leftovers and tied them with surplus, exotic yarn from my stash.

Now a functional...and pretty piece.

Movement

“The dance is a poem

of which each movement is a world.”

- Mata Hari

An Angel on My Shoulder

This is a favorite little treasure of mine.

I picked it up many years ago at a Renaissance faire.

It was just hanging there...magical!

Small and hand sculpted out of clay...

so feminine.

June

What is one to say about June,

the time of perfect young summer,

the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months,

and with as yet no sign to remind one

that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.

 ~Gertrude Jekyll

Happy Summer!

Well, it's official...

today is the first day of summer!

Yea!

Because I feel summertime should be family time

I am going to be creating blog posts on a "summer" schedule.

It's just too nice to be inside...or even outside if I am on the computer.

I will probably post about once a week...I still have lots of stuff to share.

Enjoy your summer

Enjoy your family

Enjoy yourself!

Paired Up Tiles

These are some fun decoupaged tiles I made using my daughter's artwork.

I chose these to show how I might pair them up to make earrings.

I like when things coordinate and don't match exactly.

Se how they "go" but aren't the same?

New "TEA" Bags!

Click here to see my new handmade zippered Tea Cup purses!

An Industrial Solution

I needed a place to hang my scarves that I use on a daily basis...

but I didn't want something ordinary.

I decided to use some metal pipe for a more edgy look.

They come in lots of lengths and widths and are super easy to install.

Check out your national big box home improvement store

for other decorating options!

Leftovers - Necklace

A pretty showcase for random, surplus beads

from my stash.

Kind of gypsy-like, I think.

Purse Inspiration

So amazing and funky on it's own,

I think this sea urchin type thing would make

a wonderful inspiration for a purse.

Maybe marabou feathers on top?

LOVE the pink, polka dot, slouchy base...

wheels are turning!

Jewlery Supplies

I think that sometimes, 

basic jewelry supplies

can be pretty enough on their own.

Check Out my New Food Blog!

Creative Potential Food Options

Discovering healthy, safe and delicious food options for my family and others with multiple food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities or just those exploring special diets.

Tips, Ideas, Recipes, Products, Restaurants, Markets, etc...

"Raw-Vegan" is Not Just About Salads!

Check out these beauties.

Pie, ice cream and mmmm...caramel sauce.

All Raw,

All Vegan.

All Amazing!

My new food blog is in the works...take a peek!

Click below

Creative Potential Food Options

I wanted a place

where I could share

our tasty, healthy food finds, recipes, etc..

Fun with Findings

I glued tiny jump rings, metal spacers and some wire scraps

to small wood tiles.

I coated them with a thick, clear finish for protection.

These small, three-dimensional, sculptures

can be used to make jewelry, keyrings, book marks, etc...

Click here to view my Mini Tiles Blog Post

Painted Garden

A painted garden...out of necessity.

We had some paint chips on our wall

and I didn't feel like repainting the entire wall.

What to do, what to do...

I know,

Paint random flowers to cover the chips!

Instant garden.

Studio Help - Wire Holder

I wanted an easy, convenient way to store my wire spools.

I found that if I removed the top off of a plastic craft storage box...

(the kind that has the partitions that could be used for beads or needlepoint floss)

the small spools would fit perfectly and I could see what I have.

It is easily transported or stored on a shelf.

Simplicity

Life is really simple,

but we insist on making it complicated.

~Confucius

Sitting Pretty

My mom needed some colorful ottomans

so I created these for her, many years ago.

The base is made from a ready-made, sturdy, unfinished wood cube.

I primed and painted it with different patterns on each side.

I pulled pattern ideas and colors from some of the fabrics in my mom's house.

We used a round plywood disc for the top,

that my mom had upholstered and tufted.

I trimmed the base with some navy grosgrain ribbon as a finishing touch.

They were all coated with a water based polyurethane for protection.

You could easily accomplish the same idea using

wall paper, decoupage or even photographs.

Fun, whimsical and useful!

Cooking Tools for Clay

I just really like to look at these little shapes.

I think they are pretty.

They are also very useful.

I purchased them from an online restaurant supply site.

I think they are actualy used for making candy...not sure.

I use them for cutting my PMC (silver clay).

They are small and come in a wide variety of shapes...sold in sets.

By pulling the edges with pliers,

I was even able to alter

some of the shapes I didn't care for

into custom shapes!

Red

“Red is the ultimate cure for sadness.”

- Bill Blass

Mini Tiles

Anything can be a fun backdrop for art.

These are little tiles,

cut from a wood place mat.

You can pick the place mats up for a couple of dollars

at most big box or import stores.

They come in a variety of colors/finishes/shapes.

I simply cut the string holding the tiles together

and was left with dozens of small, square canvases.

I painted them, decoupaged them, collaged them...

Pretty much, anything goes.

The tiles can be made into

custom jewelry, key rings, book marks, etc... 

These were decoupaged with my daughter's artwork

that I copied, edited and reduced on the computer.

I finished the edges with a silver metallic paint pen

and coated the top with a gloss varnish.

Imagine, Will, Create

“Imagination is the beginning of creation.

You imagine what you desire,

you will what you imagine

and at last

you create what you will.”

- George Bernard Shaw

The Right Light

These little lights came with my light box.

Before purchasing this set,

to help make my product photographs better,

I didn't realize how important the right light is.

They have made a huge difference.

Click here to view my post on The Light Box

Clever Imposter

This looks like a rug, right?

ah, but it is just an illusion.

It is a tile inset on a vertical wall...behind a restaurant

in Palm Desert, California.

Clever.

Nilak's Bed

We have an Mini American Eskimo...that we love...

but anyone that knows anything about this bread

knows that they must be with you at all times.

Literally. It's like it's her job...life or death.

She has to have us in her view.

I bought her a special pillow for our bedroom,

but she was not happy that it was on the floor and she couldn't see us.

She continued to drag it to the door and then get on our bed.

When we didn't take the hint,

she peed on it...lovely.

I had a small antique bench that my mom gave me

so I had an idea.

I made a protective pillow...

lined with a water resistant lining and removable cover.

I added ribbons to the corners and attached the pillow to the bench.

Voila'

A custom pet bed...

and she can see us.

She loves it!

Light

When you possess light within,

you see it externally.

 ~Anaïs Nin

Scrap Happy Pillow

I have a hard time parting with fabric...

even little scraps.

This was one of the last pillows I made

for my son's school fundraiser.

Fabric was getting low

but I was able to piece this together.

All of the fabrics just worked.

It took a little maneuvering

but it actually became one of my favorites!

Bird and Bunny Pillows

A pillow set I made

to display these adorable fabric animals

made by some students.

I loved the swirl pattern of the trim fabric

and while it didn't really "match" exactly

I thought it coordinated well

and gave the pillows a fun feeling.

The expression in the bunny's eyes

looked silly -  in a cute way

and I thought the swirls echoed that.

I think that trimming the edge in this way

made the overall pillow a bit more sophisticated

and finished looking.

They were also part of the fundraiser raffle

for my son's school.

I wanted to win these...

even though I made them!

Polka Dots and Animals Pillows

Another pillow I made

to showcase cute fabric animals

made by students at my son's school. 

They were all so different...it was inspiring!