Painted Clothespins

Painted Clothespins

Yup, pained Clothespins. And painted with quite cute pictures. What in the world do you do with painted clothespins you ask? Well, several things!

The clothespins are painted for my Gkids. The clothespins have a magnet glued on the backside and they adhere to the refrigerator and the kids important papers; drawings, excellent school work, schedules etc can hang there. Who doesn't like to see their artwork displayed and very few fridges with school aged kids in the household don't have pic's on the refrigerator.
They close chip/snack bags nicely.
You can keep clipped mittens together between wearing.

Instructions

I bought a 36 count pack wooden clothespins at the dollar store. Cheap. That's a price I love!

Next I took them apart

Then I painted each side. I put them back together. Then I painted on design.
When dry, I sprayed with clear gloss.
Next, glue magnet on back,. I use a magnetic roll for crafts which comes with one side gluey. I add glue to this. Let dry.

Here ya go!

Snowman Coasters

Snowman Coasters

I love to paint, sew, bake, cook, and read. Life has given me the opportunity to do more of these things and I am taking advantage of the time available. I'm also always on the look out for things that make a home a home, warm, inviting, colorful and fun. With out a bit of whimsy, what fun is life?
As I was making my Autumn Leaf Coasters my mind was moving ahead to other holidays. Here are felt coasters for Christmas. I'm designing some for Halloween, I jumped the gun a little anxious to see these snowmen take shape.OH, the possibilities - Valentines Day, St. Patty's Day, Easter, Summer, and Fourth of July!!!!
I'll be giving these as presents to my kids for their homes, as my daughter said "I need that warmth here!"


Supplies

Paper for template
Measuring tape

Felt 1/4 yrd of white
       1/8 or one 8 x 10 craft sheet of felt, black
       1/8 or one 8 x 10 craft sheet of felt, orange
(I use wool off the bolt. It repels water better. I also buy more felt than needed because I don't like that felt in 8 x 10 sq's - it's cheap and shows it. Having extra felt tucked around is always a good thing).

Heavy weight thread or embroidery floss.

Mid sized needle.

First make your templates. I used a saucer, you can use a dvd disk etc, the gaol is to have your snowman circle face wider by at least 1/2" than your widest glass or mug bottom. Mine are generous, they measure 5" x 5".
My eye template is 1" x 34".
My nose template is 2 5/8" and I cut it with knobbies in it like a real carrot would have.

Here are my templates. I use paper to cut the first one then use the first felt one as templates from then on, just my preference.

Then you will cut from colored felt

Then the sewing starts. I know you could do these by machine, I choose to do by hand because it relaxes me and keeps me busy even at rest!!

Assembly goes as follows;

Two round pieces of felt make the head and they are hand sewn with a hem stitch on the outside of fabric. One side serves as face up and that side is the side where the stitch is prettier.

Mine are stitched with black because I like the contrast, however, my next ones will be done around the edges with white just to see if the effect grows on me!

.

Pictured above are the "wrong" side of completed coaster, the other shows the "right" side, oopsy, eyes already attached!!!

Attache eyes with either hidden hem stitch or regular stitch. Attach nose too!

Form mouth with black thread and straight stitch and voila!!! Snowman!

Orange Clove Pomander

Orange Clove Pomanders

Who doesn't love their home to smell wonderful? And seasonal? I certainly do! We often times associate smells with seasons and holidays. Spicy smells fit the bill for  Fall; Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Allspice. Reminds me of Pumpkin Pie and Apple Cider.
But care should be taken with how we scent our home, so many chemicals in candles, sprays, and oils. Pure candle ingredients are a must and pure oils, too. And that, much of the time, equals greater costs. 

Here's a healthy was to add a Fall and Winter seasonal smell to your home, a lot less expensively and very healthily. 

Orange and Clove Pomander.

Supplies

Oranges
Whole Cloves
Straight pin
Ribbon


Take each orange and tie ribbon around it. You are going to have to wrap around orange  cross ribbon on opposite end you started from and then turn ribbon and rotate orange back to starting position - in effect you have wrapped ribbon and have visual divided orange into four parts with it - like tying a bow on a package. That was the hardest part.
Next decide on a design you want on your orange. Not to definite or intricate, it's just for placement of cloves on orange - you don't even have to have a design - you can go willy nilly on it! Poke holes in orange where you want to insert cloves.
Final step is putting whole cloves in holes you poked in orange. 
Viola!

Hints;
Buy several jars whole cloves as sometimes stems snap off - not to worry though, you can use then in a dish potpourri, a sachet, or boiled. 

The orange will dry naturally and will keep several weeks.