Doodle Friday - O Christmas Tree

This week's doodle isca quivk tree made to fill a space in a publication for my day job.

What to do with old gloves

So, I happened across a pin on pinterest of glove monsters as made by Krokotak.  They looked fun and easy to make, so I started a few, changing which fingers were cut cut off to make the antennae and arms.

Helpful Hint: If you use the thumb of the glove to make the tail long enough to touch the ground, it will add stability so the monsters will stand up!

And then I got to thinking if I kept the thumb and used the fingers for legs, I could make elephants! 

I like having multiple ways to use up singles of a pair. 

Happy Crafting!

Liz

Doodle Friday - Special Guests!

In this time of thanksgiving, I'm so thankful for my family. That's why this week's doodle features artwork made by my niece and nephew! 

The snowmen were drawn by my nephew, and the great birthday drawing is by my niece.

Happy Crafting and happy family!
Liz

Weekly Doodle - Town

So this week's doodle is a little ocean-front town. I hope they don't get a hurricane! Maybe it's on a lake. Have fun with the little houses. 

I'll be taking some time this weekend to prep for two craft showd in December as well as making holiday gifts.

Happy Crafting!
Liz

Penguins Mark 2

It is always good to learn and grow. After making a few sock owls, I wondered if the same treatment could be given to some of the other critters.  I started with a penguin, who came out pretty good. He looked okay, but needed something more. A strip of fleece later, and he's hot a scarf to keep him warm.

Happy Crafting!
Liz

Old Christmas Sweater? No problem!

So, we had an old wool Christmas Sweater. Like all old sweaters I come across, mom and I abused the snot out of it. We washed and dried it on hot hot hot settings. It felted beautifully. Since it is that time of year, I repurposed it into five adorable critters!

You can do the same with a little creativity,  fiberfill, and love. Hint: mine are stabilized with dry rice on the bottom!

Happy Crafting!
Liz

Weekly Doodle - Mandala

Promotion time: I'll be at the First Lutheran Church, 501 James St. in Syracuse from 10am to 4:30pm for a craft show and upcycling fair. Stop by and see the critters in person!

Now onto the weekly doodle. It's no secret I love to draw. Give me a pad of paper and a writing utensil, and the paper will be filled with doodles. This week's theme has turned out to be mandalas. Here's my favorite one from the week:

Sock Owls - Adorable uses for mismatched pairs

I know I hate it when one of the socks I love disappears. I can't wear the pair anymore, and that means the end of the sock. Not after I stumbled across This awesome how-to article on making sock owls. It is a very easy project, and it can go faster with a sewing machine, but most of the sewing is by hand anyway.

Tips on making sock owls - since you use the toe for the head, the owl part of the sock is the foot. Turn your sock up-side-down and see if the pattern still looks cute. I have socks with cats on them that look very weird if turned into sock owls! Stripes and patterns like the argyle sock above work really well.

If you want to be even more green with your materials, some socks are large-enough to make the "bean bag" in the bottom out of the top of the sock!

I made the owls above, using my heart-shaped buttons as the beaks, giving a consistent look through all the Martin's Nest critters.

Happy Crafting!
Liz

Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes?!

So, a while back, my friends picked up a snake made from an old necktie for my good friend Tim. My first thought was rat it was adorable.  My second was that I could do that, so I did.

If you are going to make your own, remember to get a long, thin rod to help you stuff. They take more stuffing than you would think!

Still, thwy come out nicely, and are something to do with those old ties you got your dad for Father's Day years ago!

Fairy Garden

After seeing inspiration on Pinterest, receiving a beautiful bowl from my grandfather, and a small leaf table and chair set from my mother-in-law, I decided yo create my first Fairy Garden.

I chose small plants for scale, stones gor the pathway, and toothpicks for the frncing.

Before I planted and decorated, I put stones in the bottom to help with drainage since the pot does not have a drainage hole.  Enjoy!

March of the Penguins

March is here and so are these adorable penguins! Plum and Violet are two of five new penguins in the Martin's Nest critter barn.

Two close friends of mine love penguins, inspiring me to expand my cats and owls into something new.

I hope you enjoy them!

Custom Grapevine and Ivy Wreath

I was recently asked to make a custom wreath. The base was to be grapevine or twig. It was to have ivy, berries, and chickadees. And it had to look natural.

I've been making wreaths for msny years. One year, my mother and I made a new front-door wreath for every month of the year. It was a fun challenge. 

Anyway, I love making custom wreaths, do it was an enjoyable project.