The Times They Are A Changing

I love all kinds of arts and crafts. So, it’s not surprising that I’m excited about this month, March, being National Craft Month. I’d like to share a tiled piece of artwork made from polymer clay

Step 1

Purchase or gather your supplies.

* White polymer clay (enough to fit your picture frame)
* Picture frame
* All-purpose glue
* Spray matt sealer
* Assorted acrylic paints
* Rolling Pin
* 1/8-inch dowel
* Waxed paper
* Non-serrated knife or clay cutter

Step 2

Condition your clay (one package at a time). You can do this by hand kneading it until it is pliable or you can use a pasta machine. Cut your dowel in half. On a piece of waxed paper, place your dowels on both sides and the clay in the middle, roll out the clay using the dowels as a guide so that the clay is 1/8-inch thick.

Step 3

Cut rectangles and squares of different sizes. Use anything that will make an interesting indentation on the surface such as rubber stamps. You may also push into any of the tiles metal trinkets. Place all the tiles onto a cookie sheet and bake per the clay package instructions.

Step 4

When the clay tiles are completely cooled, paint them with acrylic paints, you may need more than one coat. Let dry.

Step 5

Arrange the tile pieces directly onto the glass of the picture frame. Glue each piece to the glass. Fill in open spots with beads to work as a grout.

Step 6

Spray the entire piece with the matt finish sealer. Again, you may need more than one spray. If you wish your picture frame to remain without the sealer cover it with paper first.

Resources

Clay Tile Ideas

So often we take our friends for granted. Now is the opportunity to really do something nice for each one of your friends, on International Friendship Month, to let them know how much you appreciate them. Take time to consider how a particular friend would know you thought just of them when choosing a special gift, or getter yet making one for them. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Take them to lunch at their favorite restaurant. Better yet, take them someplace new that offers their favorite food. Tell them it is a no-calorie-counting day and take them to have a hot fudge Sunday or just an ice cream cone. We are watching our weight and nutrition all the time and sometimes you just need to throw it all out the window for the sake of friendship.

2. Create a basket full of their favorite things or at least items you believe they would enjoy. Give it a theme such as:

*Bath Basket: shower jell, bubble bath or all-natural beauty products.

*Office Basket: fun shaped paperclips, coffee/tea cup, coffee cup warmer, snacks, teas and/or flavored coffee, coffee drive-thru gift certificate, a slew of colored markers, fun colored and shaped post-its.

* Garden Basket: hand garden tools, seeds, garden gloves, put it all in a clay pot instead of a basket.

3. Books: A reader will always appreciate books to read. If their a mystery or romance fan, purchase three books and tie them with a thick satin ribbon, bow on top with a little note of appreciation.

4. Kitchen treats: What do they love, brownies, chocolate chip cookies - there’s nothing like homemade baked goods. Buy a decorative dish and cover the goodies with cellophane and a nice bow. How about a cookie bouquet - fun to make and fun to give.

5. Scrapbook-photo album: If you don’t have a bunch of photos with the two of your or a group of your friends, start snapping them. Purchase a journal or photo album and you’ll be ready for next year with a year full of friendship stories and photos.

6. Tote Bag: If you have even just basic sewing skills you can create a tote bag with some wild patterned fabric. Fill it like you would a gift basket with things she’ll love. Later she can still use it as a tote or for a reusable grocery bag.

7. Scented Candles: There are so many choices and almost everyone enjoys them, but seldom purchase them for ourselves. Get a really nice candle holder while you are at it.

8. Make a special handmade card. It’s not difficult with a rubber stamp and a fun saying found on the internet, a little cardstock and decorative paper.

9. A Photo Puzzle: You can find blank cut out puzzles in scrap booking and paper shops or on the internet. Glue a photo of the two of you onto it and following the directions cut the photo to match the puzzle pieces. Put it all in a colorful envelope and a nice saying on the outside.

10. A Class Gift Certificate: Has she talked about something she’d like to learn or a class she’s wanted to take. Even if she hasn’t, you may have notice an interest that could grow with a class. If you can’t find it locally you certainly can find an online class.

Further Resources

Gift Basket Themes and Ideas

How to Make a Tote Bag

Card Making Techniques

I love making homemade cards, mostly for the response they get from the receiving person. My cards can get pretty intricate and detailed. However, for the beginner a simple card can be made easily with just a few items.

Envelope

Items needed: Scissors, old newspaper ads, glue

In an effort to work towards a greener way of living, make your envelope from newspaper ads. They are black and white which is perfect for a valentine color pallet. All you need is an envelope the right size for your card. In fact, a used envelope is even better. Take it apart carefully and use it as your template. Now, trace around it onto the newspaper and cut it out. The back side of your cutout will be the outside of the envelope so none of your tracing lines will show.

Place the cutout on top of the template and fold up the template, pressing hard to make crease folds for the new envelope. Remove the newspaper envelope and press on creases to make them permanent. Using a paper glue that dries clear, glue your envelope together. After the card is made, you will glue the flap shut. If you need to mail your card, use a white mailing label on the front.

Note: Sunday funnies make a great envelope for other cards.

Card

Items needed: 1 sheet red cardstock, 2 piece white cardstock, 1 piece of white paper, length of ribbon, glue, decorative scissors and regular scissors, single hole punch.

Measure your finished envelope. Mark the sheet of red card stock for the base of the card. It should be slightly shorter than the envelope from top to bottom. And, twice as wide, minus just a tad so it will fit in the envelope. After cutting your red cardstock, fold it in half.

Make a heart template with one of the white cardstock sheets. This is easy to do by folding the paper in half and cutting half a heart shape. Practice on a piece of printer paper, if needed. Using the heat template trace a red heart, slightly inside the lines, from the remainder of the red cardstock paper. Punch a hole on each side of the heart. Cut a length of ribbon (satin or printed) and run it through both sides of the heart and tie a bow in the front. Remember you want any lines on the heart to face downwards.

Trace the heart onto the white cardstock with your template. Using the decorative scissors cut along the outside of the lines. Glue the deco heart to the center of the front of the card.

Now, glue the red heart on top of the white deco heart. It should show as lace on the outside of the red heart.

Print a valentine sentiment on white paper in your computer. Cut it out to fit on the inside of the card and glue it in.