Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Getting Creative

Don't let that smile fool you. I've needed a good dose of creativity lately to handle more than a little stress at work and elsewhere.

Fortunately, my friend Dusty has been organizing creative workshops here. This week the topic was making fabric flowers.

I loved doing this -- it was simple and no sewing was involved. Here's a pin I did with three felt flowers glued together. (Gotta love the hot glue gun.) In the two hour workshop, I did six flowers altogether. Never did master the larger flat roses or the fabric ones, but I was rather pleased with the bud-sized felt ones and will make some more!

Last weekend I finished a sample of the collaged recipe book I'll be teaching next month.

This one has several dividers and I did it as simply as possible so that it would be doable and easy to explain in a two hour session to people who may (or may not) have done collage.

These dividers were made with 4x6 recipe cards. That way they are the same size or a little larger than most of the standard cards one would put in them.

After I finished, I punched holes in some of my older recipes. I was rather pleased with the diner-floor background, images from Vintage Workshop and using red grosgrain ribbon adhered by running it through the Xyron stickermaker. I kept the theme of black and red but added to the vintage style with black buttons.

I'll offer participants the opportunity to make either the recipe-card size or the tag book size, which I've shown here before.

Really looking forward to it! Wonder what next weekend's project will be?

27 comments:

Linda Jo said...

What fun! Love the flowers...you did great. And the recipe book is darling. Great job!

Janet said...

Love the flower pin you made! And the recipe book is fantastic....the diner floor paper is perfect.

Marilyn Miller said...

If I lived closer to you I would have been sitting next to you in the creative workshop. I have made ribbon roses in a time long, long ago and the glue gun is definitely the secret. Love, love your recipe book.

beth said...

crafty is good....i used to be. but now with a camera in my hands all the time it's hard to use scissors :)

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Oh fun! I am doing a crafting night with some girlfriends next month and we are going to make headbands w/ these cloth flowers on them. Tough to describe, but I am sure I will post pics of the finished product on my blog!

Love thoses recipe collections!!

Bella Rum said...

Love the recipe book. How cute is that? Very cute! They'll love it.

BECKY said...

You are so talented, Jeanie! Lovely items!!

anno said...

So glad you had this chance for a creative release... a chance to bloom? Beautiful pin! And charming recipe book, too! Those workshop participants are in for a wonderful experience!

Sugar Bear said...

Love the pin and the outfit you are wearing it with all combine to make a great color combo. Very springy and happy.
Karla

Arti said...

These are beautiful stuff! No wonder the delightful smile. I love the variations for the recipe book, and what a great idea with the tags. I used to do a lot of mix media and paper crafts, and still have lots of materials left. But after my home reno two years ago, I haven't taken them out from those boxes still in the basement. Looking at your photos makes me excited all over again!

Dogwood said...

Very sweet pin. Love those little flowers. And, don't we all LOVE our glue guns! I have made some cute little flower pins using the needle felting technique. Lots of fun.

Great recipe books. Really fun idea.

Have a stress-free day.

Hugs, Dogwood

Anya said...

Soooooooooooooooo nice to see you
you are looking GREAT:-)
Cute flowers very creative ....

Many hugs from

Kareltje =^.^= ♥ Betsie >^.^<
Anya :)

Beth said...

Wow,,Jeanie,,Love the flower pin and recipe book is fab. I have been drawing and painting some when I have a spare moment. We were having a wonderful spring until today and now it's cloudy and cold.
Miss You!
xoxoxo

Karen Owen said...

So glad you took time to be creative - isn't it the best medicine for stress? Where are you teaching the recipe book? I treasure! the tag version you made for me.

Joanne Huffman said...

Love your felt flowers.And, your collaged recipe book looks like great fun

Annie Jeffries said...

Your flower pins are delightful. If those don't brighten up a cloudy day, I don't know what would.

Paris hotel said...

ohh fun, Love your felt flowers. great job ... warmly

Dusty said...

What a treat! Can't wait for the workshop!

~*~Patty S said...

Such fun to see what you've been up to..the healing properties of creating are awesome...aren't they

your roses turned out beautifully!

Take Care Dear Jeanie!
oxo

Relyn Lawson said...

I'd say you've got your juices flowing again. I especially love the 50s kitchen goddesses.

jet1960 said...

Love the flowers! Those are so cute! Holly and I made some fabric ones for a necklace for her when she was home at Christmas. I've been wanting to make something for me like that.

How wonderful you will be teaching a class! Wish I lived closer, I would be there! I like both of these!

Glad you are finding ways to create in spite of stress! Hugs!

Tamara said...

I'm loving the recipe book - the retro look, buttons and clip outs... I think this might be worth a try for a gift idea... Thanks. Also love the gift cards - might need to think about that for Christmas.

Vagabonde said...

You are very creative indeed. The flowers are so pretty and the cookbook has the vintage look that is so popular now.

Ruth said...

Nothing like having to teach something to motivate you to master it. I just love crafts, and doing them with other women is even better. Your taste in all things vintage is way fun!

Anonymous said...

INSPIRATIONAL!!

ForgedinPaper said...

I love that retro look with the black and white squares. Well done on teaching and your students will love it.

Becca said...

What a fun project...those would make great gifts, too. You could get started on your Christmas list! lol

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