New Things

So just updating what we have been up too lately. Sarah has been super busy teaching classes on mosaics, soap making and other cool crafts. She has also been making these beautiful mosaic pieces (soon to be for sale on Etsy!) You will want to rush to get those, they really are beautiful. We will update in another post with all the information to her shop, and link to her classes if you in the Chicago area you can join in.

 I have been taking a pottery class and making just tons of stuff! I took classes in college but more for figure sculpting, this is just free and whatever I can come up with and I love it! I am sharing all of that work on my blog Not Too Pink Here is just a few images of what I have been working on;

Above and below, some "Lady Head" vases. 

These 2 (maybe sort of weird?) brooches went to my mom.

This raining cloud mobile

And a work in progress mobile, starring these guys!

I am also taking this amazing illustration class I will post about over there as well, much to share!

Quick PomPom Bulletin Board Makeover

I am making my kids a new art area, having finally decided to eliminate the dress up loft that gets heavy use only around once a week. So I do not want to buy any new stuff for their area but would like for it to look cheerful and creative. I found an old bulletin board and a bag of pompoms from Joann Fabric and decided to jazz it up a bit.

Tiny Tibetan Prayer Flags

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I often hang a strand of Tibetan Prayer flags on my back porch. They are made of untreated cotton, block-printed with prayers and images.They weather in the sun and wind so they start out as vivid primary-colored flags and wind up shredded and faded. Here is what they look like, taken at the Field Museum Tibetan exhibit in Chicago yesterday. There are also a bunch of gorgeous shots of them in action on Google Images, cascading down mountaintops and off temples.

 I have always believed that the flags are supposed to be directing good vibes to my home: peace, kindness, strength, and wisdom. Or are they acting to protect my family? There are many interpretations of these Buddhist talismans.The five colors represent the five elements (water, air, fire, earth and wind.) They can be displayed vertically (Darchor) or horizontally. (Lung ta) I urge you to read further on the topic if you want to create your own mini flags, perhaps at The Peace Flag Project.

But I am digressing. If you want to know how to make your own flags please read on.

First you need to download the flag template. It is located at Google Docs. Print it out on fabric transfer paper. You can find this at office supply stores. You print onto the transfer paper then wait a 1/2 hour (yes, you do need to do this. I speak from experience.) You then iron it onto thin cotton. Your second choice is to use the imminently more excellent printable cotton and fabric that you can buy at Dharma Trading Company and possibly other places. I used the fabric transfer paper and it worked well but was pretty stiff. I wish that I had exercised some patience and ordered the softer, printable fabric. Maybe next time!

After you have ironed on the flags you are ready to cut them out.

Now you can glue them onto thread or embroidery floss or onto a toothpick if you want the vertical kind.

I built a simple triangular stand out of balsa wood.  My balsa wood stands were so light I wound up having to glue some sea glass onto them so they could stand up. You can probably think of other stands. you could use twigs or simply tie your flags between two objects. If anyone comes up with a better stand please share it with me.

Now you are ready to display your flags. You can bring some tranquility and prosperity to your desk, situate some in various window sills around the house, make a really long strand and run it up a banister, and so on. Happy New Year!

Day 17 - Three Clothespin Kings

Little Beaded Lamps

You can make a really fancy little lamp using beads and beading wire.  Basically you take a straight stick and add whatever beads you want.  The bottom bead should be wide and flat so that the lamp will stand up. Near the top is one that is shaped like a flower or lampshade. Above the lamp shade bead put one or two beads to top things off, then see if you like the arrangement. Once you have the lamp you want, you can take the beads off and put them back on the wire. This time put a dot of super glue between each bead. Snip off any extra wire at the top when it is all dry and you have made a pretty lamp in just minutes! Once we figure out what to do with the big bamboo piece that my son insisted was perfect for his farmhouse lamp I will add more photos!

Miniature Greenhouse

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I have always wanted a greenhouse of my own. Until that day comes,

this miniature greenhouse is keeping me pretty happy.

I finally found a good use for all these old thimbles. They make

perfect planters for tiny succulent plants.

For the greenhouse,  I used a glass terrarium that was no longer, housing any plants.

Look around for terrariums terrariums and glass domes). there are lots of options out there

for creating a small greenhouse.

Besides thimbles, I used plastic bottle lids, for planters. They also sell very tiny little terracotta

pots, you can use. Be creative, any small waterproof container, that can hold dirt

should work.

A view from the top.

I just took snippets from plants already in our garden.

I used some old wooden bobbins, and wood block for tables.

                                            The kids helped to build the rock table in the back. 

They loved stacking the rocks so much, they came up with

their own little project,.

Throw in some tiny tools, (we had from other toys), and your greenhouse is ready!

Set it outside, and if you're lucky, you may have some little visitors!

If you like what you see subscribe to our blog, over on the right sidebar, or by email. 

We are posting new ideas all the time!

***If you enjoyed this post and like tiny things, check our latest post

And you can make a cute and tiny scout sash. like this one.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Pinterest, and we love comments, suggestions and

 ideas from you guys!

Crafts for the Dollhouse Family- part 2

This is a continuation of Dollhouse Family Craft ideas, a follow up from

our previous post; Crafts For the Dollhouse Family

This time we offer some needlework for the dollhouse people

to work on.

Embroidered flower

Cotton embroidery thread on muslin.

Cross stitch clover

Cotton embroidery thread on linen.

I made these images on a 1 1/4" circle, then pressed the
form on my 1" Button Maker, model 100 (which I bought
years ago off of ebay).  If you do not have
a button maker, you can also make these by buying an aluminum button cover kit
 at the craft/fabric store, and pressing the fabric by hand.
I then glued the "button" onto a small circle of felt to
display on your dollhouse wall.