feeling crafty?

I am always looking for clever ideas and things to make (actually, to make me rich).  Not that I have been very busy making stuff of late (except food).  I have about 12 boxed canvas photo prints which need to be put up on the wall in my passage.  I have been wanting to hang them for ages but they sit at my front door (winking at me every time I happen to walk past).  I have a whole file of pictures that I print out that when I see clever things and things I like and think "that is so clever, wonder if I could make that? (or get it made)".   I never thought to share these ideas because they were the simple ideas and the ones that were going to make me money, which, in turn, would enable me to stop work and spend time at home, in the garden, in the kitchen, at my table making stuff and just watch the dollars roll in.  However, I now know my limitations.  I am a terrible sales person and some of these crafty things, although very clever, take time and it is difficult to put a price on your time.  Mosaics were a perfect example.  I went off to an evening class (where we had lots of fun and drank wine), bought heaps of equipment and glass and mirrors.  Spent hours (good hours) having fun with cutting glass (and fingers), sticking and learning how to use silicone.  I made some lovely gifts and mirrors but as soon as I tried to put a price on my work I got cold feet.  Fine to give away as a present but could I sell it to my friends?  I even received a couple of orders (from faithful friends trying to encourage me).   I made them up but they never looked good enough so I gave them away or they are hidden in the garage under a pile of neglected glass.

Listening to Cape Talk this morning I heard Aden Thomas speaking to a woman who runs a laminating and printing company in Fish Hoek.  She told him that she also does printing on to fabric and can print photographs on to cushion covers or materials for quilts.  This got me thinking about these cushion covers that I saw and thought were brilliant and fun:-

how many words can you make?

"me is wider than u"

And what about these puzzle hearts?  It comes from this website.  What a great idea for all those puzzles that are missing a piece or six.



I love these cushions as well

Then wrapping presents.  This can be turned into an art.  I still love plain white tissue paper with a ribbon, string or raffia but there are so many wonderful papers and ideas that you can use.

And making use of a punch

Love following the theme through on the card

Christmas will be here before we know it!!

At my favourite gift shop at Palmyra Junction

they sell tape measure ribbon to be used as ribbon on gifts:-

A great idea - have not used it yet but did tie it around a bunch of flowers the other day

Then the old fashioned blackboard or blackboard paint.  I bought a tin of the paint for the wedding decor we did earlier in the year (Bielle did the blackboards) - remember these pictures?

(Photographs - Faye Turnbull)

Lately I have the paint used on walls or cupboards:-

Then Dalene gave me the idea of painting your small terracotta pots with the paint to use it for herbs. 
She had painted tin cans with the paint to use to plant herbs for a school fete.

Aren't these carvings on the pencils incredible?  Take a look at Dalton Ghetti's other stuff.  So Michael is keeping his little pencils for a reason (silly me)!!!

So there is a bit of pretty crafty stuff for you to look at on this lovely sunny Tuesday in winter in Cape Town.  If anyone can make or source those scrabble scatter cushions, I would like to put in my order.  I much prefer spending time at my keyboard clicking away.  By the way, I am going to try to hang the canvasses tonight - maybe I will post a picture of my new wall tomorrow? (Unless I decide to paint the wall with blackboard paint first) 

Our mountain from my front door to your eyes - in Kelly's words "sharing is caring"