Odds’n’Ends

Sometimes I make things and either forget to post about them, or get too busy doing other things to post about them. 😉 Especially during Covid times! That’s life, what can you do? Well… you create a “catch all” post for posterity, of course. 😛

A while back, I found this awesome printed linen fabric from Doviles Boutique on Etsy. One… it’s foxes! And two… it’s linen from Lithuania, where some of my ancestors are from! Score!! 🙂 I was needing to replace my old, worn out bag and thought this would make for a fun way to decorate a new one. I even added some leather (that I salvaged from our old couch) to protect the bottom of a plain canvas tote to create this. Pretty sweet, huh?

We also had an invitation last year to participate in a locally organized Fish on Fences effort… and the boys and I had loads of fun creating these colourful ichthyological wonders for an outdoor public art installation. 😉 Just keep swimming… as they say.

Speaking of outdoors, we decided that since it was time to stain our two-year-old boardwalk (you have to let the “pressure treating chemicals” settle out first)… that we would also paint them creatively. Inspired by the beachy vibes at one of our favourite (and greatly missed) restaurants, Costa Vida, we went with the random addition of some pastel boards along the walkway. Bonus: it totally compliments our cabana-themed deck!

With all of the mask making I was doing last year, I also did a lot of fabric shopping. I found some really cute animal panels at Along Came Quilting, and as I adore foxes, I used them to spice up a couple of my more plain clothing items. 😉 They make me smile every time I wear them!

I also spruced up a couple of our sun-bleached flower BED frames with spray paint (pink and purple), while my husband bought some nice cedar (before it cost an arm and a leg) and replaced the wood on an old bench (which I also brightened up with teal).

This led to the painting of an old chair that got retrofitted into a flower planter! Talk about lucking out when I found a pot that fit the chair PERFECTLY at Golden Acre!!! Old boards from the raised veggie beds got repurposed into a sign and voila – instant mini garden! (I have a second chair, pot, and sign that says either “blossom” or “garden” that I plan on working on this summer – 2021. Message me if you are interested in purchasing…)

In late fall, I also got a custom order for a pair of my cozy polar fleece overalls. I sent the client fabric options from the store, and together we came up with this for her daughter. I’m sure she spent our cold, prairie winter snug as a bug!

I also found an amazing “end of the season” clearance deal on succulent sprigs at Michael’s. I drilled holes into a wooden canvas and stuck them in, securing with hot glue and created this for less than $25! Score!!!

I also totally got my “woo” on and crafted a delicious smelling spray to assist with grounding, clearing, and fortifying. The ladies in my circle seem to love it as much as I do. Huzzah!

Before Christmas, I also received a custom order for an embroidery piece that had “NARF” (something that Pinky, from Pinky and the Brain, would say). I decided to take it up a notch and craft the letters into things that pertained to the show: flowers, the world, cheeses, and even Acme Labs. 😉

I also finally found the time to finish my beaded dream catcher (that I started at a full moon circle event, but then totally forgot about)… and it led me to the idea of using my crocheted rock cozies in a different way. I even managed to attach a couple lock-and-key charms, and a piece of rose quartz to it! How cute is that?!

Then another custom order came in the form of baby blankets. With the ridiculous cost of minky fabric ($30+/m!!!) I was SO grateful to have my own stash (that I got on sale previously) to work from to help keep costs down! The client and I worked together to find coordinating flannel fabric, and I added a couple hearts for decoration. Aww… spring time and babies!

And finally, another “fambily” project: paint-your-own pottery from Fire Escape. With the help of their “CPR kits”, we had the luxury of adding colourful glazes to our pieces in the comfort of our very own home, and at our own paces! Special cereal bowls for everyone… and new house numbers! (Or a strange way to call 9-1-1… hahaha!)

I’m sure I’ve forgotten a bunch of stuff… but at least you get the idea. There’s always some-thing to do or make or create around here: it keeps me young! 😉 Anyhow. Hope you are keeping busy yourself. Happy creating!!! ♥