Category Archives: DIY

The Handmade Beauty of Dulcinea

Several years ago my hubs found a great deal on 42 acres near our area and purchased it with a vision to build a #handmade house. When we first walked the property, the creek could only be crossed by walking on a 2″ by 4″ piece of wood because the woods were so thick and dense. Over the years he has worked hard and turned this property into a stunning beauty. What makes it most beautiful is that 95% percent of what you see has been done by hand, found in the trash, and salvaged….even the house. I have been amazed and mystified at the things he finds thrown away or in the trash. Such waste, but he has an eye for creativity and conservation, which is one of the qualities I love about him. We now have horses, a lake, 7 ponds, and the house is 3/4ths of the way built. I look forward to seeing what new elements he will find thrown away, and what beauty he will find within them. You can read the picture captions to learn which elements are handmade as well.

By Ardith Goodwin

In album The Beautiful Dulcinea (14 photos)

When we first got our property both sides of this creek were thick, wooded areas. We had to cross this creek walking on a
2 by 4 believe it or not. The driveway you see was created after clearing, then my hubs brought in masonry blocks and brick by the bucket and built the road. (all found in the trash)

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Thrift Store Denim Apron

As an artist, I go through aprons rather quickly. There are a few that I will ask to be buried with I am sure, but working with acrylics and glue can wear an apron out so I had to figure out a way to find the type of apron I loved, without breaking the bank. Denim is my favorite material to wear in an apron, as long as it is soft. It holds up well to glue, paint, inks, and just about anything I can wipe on it and it washes up nicely. Back in the day, the denim “moo moo” dress or jumper was quite the trend, but not so much. That makes for great pickings at the local thrift store. The denim dress you see her is a Levi’s Jumper that I scored for three bucks! 

There are pretty aprons, which I make as gifts, then there are working aprons that I make for myself. This is a working apron, requires no sewing, and I am not particular about seams etc. 

Step One: Make a straight cut up the back of the dress/jumper. Depending on which type you get, you might want to leave a few inches to the left and right in case you wish to sew or fuse a seam. For this one, I noticed there was a thicker ‘band’ across the back, so I decided to cut up to it and use it as part of my tie back. 

Step Two: Cut Around the Waist Band. I liked the sturdiness of this waist band so I cut around it. 

Step Three: Cut the back panel out, but leave the neckline to go around your head. This part will need about of ‘trying’ out so that you get a pretty good fit around the neck. Great thing about jumpers/overalls is that the brackets give you the option to shorten or lengthen the apron as you need. 

Step Four: Cut Tie Holes. I cut a small slit in each waist band for my tie strips. I use an old pair of pajamas that are soft. I don’t worry about whether or not the cut is straight, I simply cut a length of about two feet for each strip and tie them through the slit and knot them. Because they are not sewn in, I can change them as I need to. 

Step Five: Try On and Adjust. Pretty much, the apron is ready to wear and use, but this stage is where I ‘tweak’ it. If it is too long, I can mark it and trim it. If there are a few pieces I need to cut  back, I can do that now. The beauty of this working apron is that I am not worried about straight lines, setting stitches, or looking pretty. I spent $3.00, now have a sturdy denim apron, and am good to go until I wear it out. 

If I chose to I could sew and hem this, sew some straps on, add ruffles etc, but the beauty of this apron is that it’s cheap, sturdy, requires no sewing, and serves its function well. In my busy life, those qualities are all I need in a working apron. These make great ‘class’ aprons as well if you teach art students and need aprons that are a bit more durable than the traditional canvas ones. 

Abstract Series- What is Discarded, Remains

Loving finding new life for things that would ordinarily be thrown away.

In album Collage Artwork (40 photos)

Scraps of Fortune, 6″ by 6″ collage on canvas

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Handmade

Are you into all things Handmade these days? +Handmade is a page that showcases artists and users here on Google+ that share handmade items and content. As a mixed media and collage artist, not to mention a trash picker, handmade items are near and dear to my way of life so I was thrilled to find this page here on Google+. Some of you might be as well!

Reshared post from +Handmade

Create an Upcycled Lamp From Plastic Bottles
googley eyes are where it's at

Found via +Victoria Moore – originally created by ABYU Lighting in New York.

#handmade #creative #DIY #inspiring #make

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I Love Mail Art

#2, I absolutely love the mad skills of artist Mark Powell. He creates these stunning portraits using a standard Bic Biro???? Holy Wow!

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Envelope Drawings by Mark Powell | Colossal
Envelope Drawings by Mark Powell. Envelope Drawings by Mark Powell illustration envelopes art. Envelope Drawings. Artist Mark Powell has chosen the backs of old envelopes as a canvas for these delicat…

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How To Decorate Cake Balls

For all my friends who have been wondering how to make cakeballs like the pro's, here is a wonderful tutorial by Yuki Cake Pops that demonstrate how to pipe icing beautifully!

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Peppermint Bark Snowflakes

This time of year peppermint calls my name. I put it in my coffee, my cocoa, my ice cream, but what I most love to do with it is to make peppermint bark and share it with as many folks as I can over the holidays. In fact, if I could, I would beam each of you up some just to say Merry Christmas and spread a little high living with all of you. There are tons of ways to make it, but this year I have found the recipe and steps that Rachel uses on Baked By Rachel the ones I embraced because I fell in love with the silicone snowflake mold. As always you can just make it and bust it up, but I am finding that sharing a little beauty with my foods this holiday season seems to add a bit of something extra special. If you have never made it I encourage you to try it, and if you hate peppermint switch to nuts or fruit. It makes one of the easiest and best gifts ever!

Here are the steps on Rachels' website! http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/2010/11/peppermint-bark

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Simple Gifts For Kids

I absolutely love finding simple gifts for kids that I know they will love. It takes me back to the days where a rake and pile of pine straw was the best way ever to build forts. This toy caught my eye on the website Haute Nature and it was created by designer Małgosia Wesolowska out of an old tire, plywood, and paint etc. I can imagine if I had this when I was growing up it would have been so much fun. I am on the hunt this year to share ideas like this. Reuse, Reduce, Recylce in our gifts! My kind of gift giving!

http://hautenature.com/malgorzata-wesolowska-retyred-see-saw

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Paper Pinwheel Ornament

I am totally into making hand made ornaments during Christmas time and this one, which I saw on the How About Orange Website is gorgeous, but very simple….which is what I love about it. Kids could do these as well as artist who choose to create them with hand painted papers. I also considered writing certain special events that occurred during the year on them and making one each year to remember them by. Using text papers or ones with a little bling would be pretty swell too. If you are an ornament fiend like me, you will want to check out the step by step instructions. Way cool, way simple, and lovely.

http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2010/12/diy-striped-paper-ornament.html

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Mr. Spooner's Crocheted Panteralls

Oh…..My…..Word….. I came across this picture of Mr. Spooner on Pinterest and immediately pinned it to my "What The Holy Hay?" board, but his eclectic sense of fashion style had me hooked and I simply HAD to find out the story behind these pants…I mean…overalls…I mean….panteralls? After visiting the ugly sweater blog I then found the link to Mr. Spooner's website and I sit amazed and mystified. Mr. Spooner is one way cool beans kind of dude. He has crocheted his "works of art" for years and has an eclectic, unique look on life that says, "I am who I am, and love it!" Some of his pieces are gorgeous, I may not wear the panteralls, but the artist in me gives total props to someone who embraces who he is, his gifts, and shares them with the world. I hope when I grow up I have the same mindset and outlook as Mr. Spooner, what a refreshing slice of pie he is, deliciously odd but grand I would say! His works sell for a pretty penny too, imagine that.

"Better to crochet for yourself and lose the public than to crochet for the public and lose yourself." Mr. Spooner
Here is his website:
http://www.thesecurityblanketco.com/id55.html

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