Week 5: Making Snow Cream

I was never told about snow cream.  When I finally tried it, I couldn't figure out why.  It's so tasty, and it costs next to nothing to make.  Frozen dessert.  For free.  Just walk outside.  Really?  Yep, really.  Many thanks to my uncle David, who posted the idea along with a photo when his wife, my aunt Charlene, made snow cream.

What you'll need:

*1/2 cup sugar 
*1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/2 cup milk
*Lots of snow (about a gallon)

Now, I admit, this is not the recipe I used.  I didn't really use a recipe.  I guess I feel a kind of freedom making something that has snow as the base ingredient.  Just...put in stuff til it tastes good!

What I used (approximately):

*1/2 cup-ish melted honey (I used local Cantrell honey)
*Splash of vanilla extract
*1/2 cup or so half & half (I used local Snowville Creamery half & half)
*Enough snow to make it thick

Pour milk & vanilla extract into a bowl & stir.  Melt honey & add to the bowl, stir all three ingredients well.  Add snow until it's thick.

Eat it.

The honey was a little weird.  I used melted honey that had crystallized.  A few of the crystals didn't melt completely, so there were bits of honey in the snow cream.  Not a terrible problem. It was really tasty.  Maybe not as good as real ice cream, but will it do in a pinch?  Oh yes.  And I'm guessing adding more to it, like walnuts or chocolate syrup (um, both!) would be even better! 

Now I just have to wait for the next snowfall...

Week 4: Peanut Butter Jar Bird Feeder

 Okay.  So, I stopped at the store to pick up a few things on my way home from work.  I had already picked up the toilet paper and dish washing liquid, and I was happily on my way to the checkout, when I noticed the shelf of wild bird seed.  Ah yes, I had been planning on buying some for the birds, but we didn't have something important for the purpose: a bird feeder.  As I picked up the bag of seed, I decided that it was a good excuse to go next door to the hardware store, where I was sure they would carry bird feeders.  A plan was hatched.  I had seen bird feeders at Big Lots just last week for $3.  I could certainly afford that.  So if I didn't find an affordable option at the hardware store, I knew I had another option.  I made my purchases and headed out the door, originally planning to just drop off my bags in the car before continuing on my shopping adventure.  But between the time that I stepped outside the store and actually placed the bags in the back seat (about 10 seconds), my plan had suddenly changed. 
I found a Pin on Pinterest a few weeks ago for a beautiful DIY bird feeder.  Oh, it was lovely.  Here's the link to that:

http://pinterest.com/pin/159174168051944371/

The problem with this idea is that I didn't feel I had the proper materials for the job.  I'd like to make a fancy bird feeder, but I didn't have a pretty candy dish on hand.  If I did, I would probably be averse to turning it into a bird feeder.  Well...unless I purchased it second-hand for that specific purpose.  But I can't buy things for these crafts.

I then thought of some of the other bird feeder crafts I had seen on Pinterest.  Surely I could find something at home that would work.  Maybe not for a decorative feeder, but certainly for a functional one.  

So I did a bit of searching, and found one I liked.  The idea originally came from the following site:

http://q-made.blogspot.com/2011/05/diy-bird-feeder.html

 I liked the design.  She made a feeder that was very practical.  I decided to make one that  used her idea, with a few personal tweaks.  

The supplies I used:
*Exacto Knife
*Empty, clean plastic peanut butter jar with lid
*E-6000 glue
*Lid from a disposable plastic food storage container
*Craft wire (I used 20 or 22 gauge, I think) 

You'll notice in the picture that there is a clear glass plate instead of a plastic lid.  I originally had planned to use that for this project.  So, the photo is not totally accurate.  You CAN use a glass or ceramic plate if you choose.  I ultimately decided that it would be less disastrous if a fully plastic bird feeder fell to the ground.  And I'm sure at some point it WILL fall to the ground.   

I began by cutting off the bottom of the jar.  I chose this rather than the top of the jar from the original craft, for practicality's sake.  The harder it is for me to refill the bird feeder, the less likely it is to happen in a timely fashion.  Unscrewing a lid and dumping it in?  I can do that.  Getting seed from a bag into a cork hole?  I'll put it off because it's a pain.

So I cut the bottom off of the jar with an Exacto knife, trying to keep it as straight as possible, using an indentation already in the plastic as a guide.

You'll want to use 2 hands, one to steady the top. My other hand was taking the photo.

 I then used the knife to cut triangular notches out of the open bottom of the jar.  This gives a place for the seed to come out.  I made four at equal intervals around the jar.  How big?  Eh, big enough to fit a finger tip through, maybe.  I wasn't precise.  

To hang the bird feeder, I wrapped craft wire around the base of the top of the jar (does that even make sense?).  In other words, at the bottom of the threads where the lid screws on.

 
 I used two separate wires of the same length, about 2 ft each.  I wrapped it around the jar then twisted it several times to secure it.  Then I did the same with the second piece of wire on the other side. 

Once that was done, I glued along the open bottom of the jar. I didn't glue over the notches, just the flat parts between.  Then I attached the lid to the bottom and let it dry.  Note: E-6000 glue is very toxic stuff.  I made sure I used it in a well-ventilated area, and let it dry completely before using the feeder.

It was harder to see on a black background.

 
 Voila! Bird feeder.  I filled it with bird seed and hung it outside. 

So how did this craft turn out?  Well, I am currently watching the birds come to the feeder.  So it does work!  However, I don't think they really like it.  The Cardinals look a little cramped when they perch, because there's not quite enough room between the edge of the feeder and the jar.  I've seen mainly Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse visitors, with other birds preferring to land on the ground to find stray seeds that have fallen.  It's not terribly stable, so when a bird flies away, the feeder rocks back & forth quite a bit.  They're still trying to figure the thing out, I think, but they're hungry, so they decide to deal with it.  

What will I do with this information?  I'm probably going to work on the design.  Make the base larger and heavier, perhaps by using the glass plate I planned to initially.  I may add two more wire pieces, so that there are four perpendicular wires instead of two, and/or add a roof to thread the wires through, to stabilize it.  I'll probably look at more ideas online to figure this all out.  In the meantime, the birds are at least marginally happy and eating at their makeshift buffet.

 

Week 2: Funky Sharpie Socks

Although this craft was finished on time, the blog was not completed until today.  I had a side project that took precedence.  I made a card box and flowered headbands for my sister's wedding, which was yesterday.  Neither of these crafts qualify for my official craft project, because I had to purchase specific supplies to complete them.  I did use many things that I had on hand, but not all.  They turned out beautifully, and I may post them in a separate blog at a later date.

With all crafts I attempt for the first time, there are almost invariably some snags, some unforeseen problems and adjustments that I take note of for future attempts.  It's part of the process for me.  Making mistakes is the best way for me to learn.  This craft had a few issues.  But I had fun doing it, and have learned from it, and that was the point! 

My wonderful husband, who has been my wonderful husband for two months now, gave me a colorful array of Sharpies as one of my birthday gifts this year.  I was excited to be able to put them to use right away!

Supplies needed: 1 pair of white socks, 1 bottle of rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol,  Sharpies in assorted colors.

Helpful to have: disposable gloves, large plastic bowl (to catch alcohol drips).  Plastic cups and rubber bands were used in the original craft (see link below).

Here is the Pin the idea originally came from:

http://pinterest.com/pin/159174168051571987/

I decided that I really wanted to try out this technique.  But I didn't want to waste a lot of ink & time on something large or expensive when I'm still getting the hang of the nuances involved in printing on fabric with Sharpies.  I'm cheap that way.  So my solution?  A pair of white socks (that I already own, of course).  My theory going in was that if it didn't work out, I still got practice, and I could still wear the socks around the house, anyway! 

This is really a very straightforward idea.  Draw a design on the fabric. Make it reasonably simple, keeping in mind that the colors will spread when the alcohol is applied.  Don't use the alcohol until  you're finished with the entire design, or you'll have to wait until the alcohol is dry before continuing to draw.  

About halfway there. This is pre-alcohol.

Drip or squirt a small amount of alcohol onto the fabric.  Let it air dry for a while.  Toss it in the dryer to set the colors.  And you're done!

Kinda cool.  The designs faded & bled too much though.

 
This craft turned out differently than I expected.  The colors bled unevenly and irregularly, but I think that has more to do with my alcohol application technique and the irregular fabric than anything.  I didn't use a dropper, and I didn't stretch the fabric over a cup with a rubber band, as instructed in the tutorial where I got the idea.  The craft it was based on used a cotton t-shirt, which has a very even weave and is not made to absorb moisture the way socks are.  I may go back over them in some places to fill in the gaps that resulted.  I also noticed that the colors did still run a bit after drying, washing, and drying again.  I didn't think that would happen at all.  But my feet got damp in the rain the day I wore them out, which may explain some of the problem there.  Perhaps socks aren't the best idea for Sharpie designs.  

But as stated before, this is the way I learn!  Trial and error.  Attempting something new followed by analysis.  What worked?  What didn't?  Why?  And if I can make these mistakes, maybe others who attempt it will see how and why things turned out or didn't.  

In any case, I'm ready to start with this week's project, and hopefully have the next blog up in a day or two. Maybe earlier.  Eh, we'll see how it goes.

Week 1: Making a fuzzy hat

Here we are, the first week in January!  I decided to make my first craft useful and simple.  I've made a fuzzy hat using my knifty knitter circle loom.  I just love this thing!  It gives me the satisfaction of making an attractive an useful object, and it's SO easy to use!  I've never been able to knit or crochet, despite being taught how on more than one occasion.  There are certain things that don't seem to stick in my brain.  Math, the rules of euchre, and knitting and/or crocheting seem to all fall in that category.  Teach me all day long.  It won't make a dent. 

I started with this wonderfully fuzzy, soft, pale lilac yarn.  I don't know what it's called, or what it's made of (disorganized, remember?), but it seems to resemble twinkle yarn that I found on Amazon when trying to figure out what it is.  Then I added a darker purple yarn.  I used the smaller red knitter for this project.  Technically it's for a child's hat, but I like how snugly the smaller size fits my head, and I like the look & style of the smaller hat.  I love the rolly brim look, and I was so excited to be able to make one myself!

I should say that this is not the first hat of this kind that I've made.  It may be number 7 or 8.  I was on a hat-making kick for a while last winter too.  But with this time of year, it feels especially cozy to sit and make something warm.  Sit with a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate and just get comfy on the couch with some yarn.  Ahh, what a lovely idea.

Nif's eye view of hat in progress.

Does this still count in my crafting project?  Yes, absolutely!  I never said I had to make something I'd never made before.  In fact, if I decide to make 52 fuzzy hats, that's still acceptable (although perhaps not as interesting to blog about). And at some point I would have to start using something other than yarn, as I don't have enough on hand to make that many hats.  Old t-shirts, maybe?  Sheets?  Maybe that's an idea for a future project.

Now, maybe you're asking yourself how you could make one of these snazzy head ornaments for yourself.  I highly recommend loom knitting if you have problems with the more traditional methods, and there are tutorials  all over youtube if you need help (like I did) in learning to master this skill.  Here is one that I found very helpful:

I successfully finished my fuzzy hat, but I haven't managed yet to take a cute picture of it.  They all look...well, fuzzy.  I'll try to get that up later today. 

Since finishing my first project, I've already started on a future project.  This is also using the loom knitter, but now I'm practicing with the wonders of plarn.  More to come on that!
 

Recycled Art Beginnings

My interest in making something new out of something old is not a new one.
When I was little, I didn't have many coloring books, and I didn't usually ask for them.  Instead, I had a seemingly endless supply of Ladies' Home Journals.  My Grandma Jacobs had a subscription to the magazine for years.  I was between the ages of five and ten, 1983-1988, and some of the magazines were from the 70s.  I have many memories of sitting for hours at a time, reading the articles (you learn some fascinating things from this stuff as a kid!), then using different colors of markers I found laying around to improve the pictures I saw.  Most often I would alter the images of women's faces.  I gave them a decidedly more dramatic look.  a pink highlighter served as blush.  A wide black magic marker provided them with gorgeous manes of wild curls.  A black rolling ball or narrow felt-tip for mascara & eyeliner, and most often, red Sharpie lips.  

6 yr-old Nif thinks Cristina needs blue eyeshadow & red eyes!

Admittedly, my personal taste in makeup and hair was still developing at that age, as were my artistic sensibilities.  

Eventually, I began using blank paper.  But the idea of taking something old (like that outdated fuchsia lip color!), and turning it into something new (a black-eyed demon wearing a furrowed brow and Bette Midler's wicked smile!) never faded.

Or, Bette Midler wearing a Fraggle...Ok...I'll stick with the demon idea.

   .
 

Before the Beginning

Hello to one and all who have stumbled across this, my 2013 Arts & Crafts blog!  Designed to light a much-needed fire under my arse to stop planning and to start creating on a regular basis. The challenge? To create a piece of artwork or craft during each week of 2013.  52 weeks, 52 crafts.  The catch?  I cannot purchase ANYTHING to assist in the creation of these works.  I can reuse things that have been bought before or during that time for other purposes (a cereal box is fair game, for instance), but I must not spend a single dime.  This will force me to come up with more creative ways to accomplish my goal, and it appeals to my sense of practicality and thriftiness.  Not to mention the fact that we can't really afford my habit.  Crafting can be expensive!

Now, as any person who has a love of arts & crafts will surely know, this does not leave me with nothing with which to work.  

Current state of my crafting station: Utter disaster!

 
Nope, not by a long shot. I have yarn, fabric, glue, beads, buttons, clay, paint, stickers, etc., etc...TONS of crafty crap that I've accumulated over the years.  Not to mention stuff that I have just lying around that I've been itching to upcycle or beautify.

What is fueling this challenge?  Many things, actually. 

1. I've been inspired by recycled artwork I've discovered by artists such as Aurora Robson, who is featured at the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio. 
This links directly to her site, so you can see the amazing work she does:
 
http://aurorarobson.com/sculpture_oleum.html

(c) Aurora Robson

 
She uses soda bottles, discarded plastic tubs, junk mail, cardboard tubes, and debris washed up on the beach to create her pieces. There are many other artists out there using pencils, toothpicks, CDs and CD cases, and any number of obsolete objects to make something new and often beautiful. 
Why does this (recycled materials & no new purchases for the project) matter?  Well, I personally believe that we buy and throw away too much.  
We've become a world of super consumers, caught in an endless cycle of buying, using, and tossing at a rate that Earth can't accommodate without some severe consequences.  Instead of throwing away everything, finding a new use for it seems like a practical solution.  And not just in the art world.  Simply by changing a few habits, such as using glass instead of disposable plastic (and reusing the glass containers we buy), buying in bulk when feasible, canceling our junk mail, etc., we could significantly reduce the amount we consume.  I won't give you figures, and I'm not going to calculate them because I don't do math.  Let's just say "a lot".  Every little bit helps when it comes to becoming more ecologically friendly.

(removes self from soap box)...

The other reason it matters:  I'm a recovering hoarder.  Not to the extreme you see on television, but I was moving slowly in that direction when I started re-examining the purpose behind purchases I made.  I didn't always have good reasons.  Sometimes I realized "it's cheap" or "it's pretty" was enough.  And my justification for hanging on to things was often lacking in logic.  To avoid spiraling into that destructive tendency, it's best that I eliminate the potential as much as possible.  The fact that I am limited to materials I already have on hand will force me to USE the things I've accumulated to use in this-or-that project, that I tell myself I'll get around to someday.  Someday is now.

2. I've seen dozens of Pinterest pins that I've wanted to try, but often I haven't followed through to the actual execution of said craft because of my 3 enemies: Time, Disorganization and Procrastination.  My hope is that this project will help me to better manage those demons by giving me an attainable goal that requires a little time management and some basic organizational skills. 

A close-up of a Pinterest Pin I DID follow up on!

The idea for this blog was a result of combing through Pinterest, in fact.  I found a blogger who was posting 52 weeks of crafts, and decided that may be a good way for me to maintain focus.  The name of the blog and the blogger sadly escapes me, but with some digging I should be able to locate it and give her some props for the inspiration!

3. This will also give me an opportunity to hone skills that I feel have somewhat atrophied or have simply never been developed to their potential.  The only way to improve something you know how to do is to practice (and look for online hints & tips), and the only way to do something you've never done before is to learn how. 

From the time I was very small, I have been an art fan.  The first painting I fell in love with was when I was about four.  It was John William Waterhouse's "The Mermaid", found in my mother's school textbook about myths and legends. I enjoyed drawing, painting, taking photographs, and making objects for my dolls (I recall making a lamp out of a toothpaste cap and clay, for instance).  So this is just an expansion on that interest.

"The Mermaid" by John William Waterhouse

  I do have a long-term dream and goal underlying this project.  Besides all of the ways this will help me to be a better me, it's also a stepping stone to something larger. I'd like to make things that I can look at with more pride than scrutiny, and that others can enjoy as well.  This will be a self-study course in crafting for me.  An opportunity to grow and improve.  And if along the way I'm able to inspire someone else, all the better! 

So, that's it for the first post.  The challenge doesn't start until January 1st, 2012.  But it's best to start before the beginning, so I don't fall behind too fast.