Penpals, Scrapbookers, Postcard Artists and Other Creative Types

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Mine are on their way! But I don't think I quite made it before the pick-up deadline, so they will probably really enter the mail system tomorrow.

[randomnotes]

I know it’s too late to join this time. But I would loved to be involved in a future exchange. I love participating in the NANOWRIMO post card exchanges!

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Mine got there today! The USPS says it was delivered at 2:24 PM.

I'm so excited, I can't wait to see what everyone has done!

[nycfem]

Oh my gosh, so far the three packages of post secrets I have received are GREAT! And can i just say JUICYYYYYY

1. nycfem / Jennifer (wrangler)
2. GeorgiaMa'am (RECEIVED)
3. CCB
4. Besame (RECEIVED)
5. JustLovelyJenn
6. Tommi
7. TS_Kaijira
8. easygoingfemme (RECEIVED)
9. girl_dee

Looking forward to receiving the rest!

[Bèsame*]

Originally Posted by nycfem

Oh my gosh, so far the three packages of post secrets I have received are GREAT! And can i just say JUICYYYYYY

1. nycfem / Jennifer (wrangler)
2. GeorgiaMa'am (RECEIVED)
3. CCB
4. Besame (RECEIVED)
5. JustLovelyJenn
6. Tommi
7. TS_Kaijira
8. easygoingfemme (RECEIVED)
9. girl_dee

Looking forward to receiving the rest!

yay!
I need a little juicy in my life. I'll be looking forward to these...

[nycfem]

Hi, everyone's packages not yet received are confirmed as EN ROUTE to me, and I think we all could use a fun mailing with everything going on! So, sit tight, and I'll let you know when they are received and sent out!

[nycfem]

Hi, everyone, I have everyone's completed packages (minus JustLovelyJenn who let me know she could not do them due to personal things going on in her life that came up). They are FABULOUS! Everyone's package has been made but will be mailed at an unknown date since I'm not going out beyond necessities. I will of course post when I do mail them but that may not be for months. Thanks for doing a great job, everybody! Be safe, and look forward to receiving a super fun package with everyone's "post secret' cards eventually! Be safe and craft away!

[Tommi]

Originally Posted by nycfem

Hi, everyone, I have everyone's completed packages (minus JustLovelyJenn who let me know she could not do them due to personal things going on in her life that came up). They are FABULOUS! Everyone's package has been made but will be mailed at an unknown date since I'm not going out beyond necessities. I will of course post when I do mail them but that may not be for months. Thanks for doing a great job, everybody! Be safe, and look forward to receiving a super fun package with everyone's "post secret' cards eventually! Be safe and craft away!

Jen,
it's unreal, it is surreal , this plague that hit. I watch Gov. Cuomo and am blown away by what is going on. Staying self quarantined here in Southern Calif. Cats love it.
Hope you and BB can stay in dooors till Dec or January.
Much love, Tommi

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Hi Crafty Peeps,

I know now is probably not a good time to be mailing germ-infested packages hither and yon, but I thought maybe we could post what crafty things we are doing while we are sheltering in place. I know you folks can't resist doing something crafty when you have a little extra time on your hands!

I have been mostly coloring with color pencils. I'm trying to get better at adding light sources. I've also done some poster-type things with magic markers, just for fun. I've done a little bit of Zentangle too.

Some of my creativity is going into cooking. It's been a long time since I had to cook almost every night. I've been pulling out the old cookbooks and going through them.

So what are you all working on?

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaMa'am

Hi Crafty Peeps,

I know now is probably not a good time to be mailing germ-infested packages hither and yon, but I thought maybe we could post what crafty things we are doing while we are sheltering in place. I know you folks can't resist doing something crafty when you have a little extra time on your hands!

I have been mostly coloring with color pencils. I'm trying to get better at adding light sources. I've also done some poster-type things with magic markers, just for fun. I've done a little bit of Zentangle too.

Some of my creativity is going into cooking. It's been a long time since I had to cook almost every night. I've been pulling out the old cookbooks and going through them.

So what are you all working on?

Hello Georgia, what a great idea to share about what craft projects we might be working on.


My mom sent a couple of links to me on how to make soft cotton face masks, similar to the disposable ones you might see offered in a doctor's office/clinic. So that is what I am working on. I'm going to make 28 of them (four weeks worth).

Just today, she also gave me another idea to go with making the soft cotton face masks. You can use filter material for the filtering material that you would put inside the pocket area of the face mask.

Filter suggestions:

A) Active Carbon Filter Sheets
B) Hepa Vacuum bag filters (any brand of filters that filters dust and allergens should be okay)

Also, if you don't have any elastic on hand, you can make your own ties out the same material or use shoe strings, fresh from a package of shoe strings you might buy for tennis shoes. Also, if you don't have wire on hand, but you have pipe cleaners? You can insert a pipe cleaner into the area of the face mask to help bend it over your nose, which helps the mask to stay secure on your face.

I don't have a sewing machine at home (my mom has mine), so I am stitching them by hand, with small basting stitches and also use a reverse baste stitch, right over the original stitch, so the stitching is secure and will withstand laundering and frequent use.

Here's the two links my mom sent to me:



(1) Face Mask from Craft Passion dot Com

(2) DIY face mask with Filter Pocket

My mom ordered several yards of material for me from JoAnn's Fabrics in cute patterns (flamingos, watermelons, etc), just like some of the material that her nursing uniforms are made of (soft, cotton blend fabric).

[Bèsame*]

Well it's not really a craft project per say, but I lined all my kitchen shelves. I don't know why I do this, but every time I line shelves, I use red patterns. Never have I decorated my kitchen in red though. No reason??

Anyways...after xmas I found a giant roll of red check wrapping paper. The really good thick kind with cutting lines on the back. Those lines and the check on the front made it super easy. I'm not to thrilled with the edges of the shelves,
so I used a solid red wasabi tape on the edges. Sooooo that is what I have been working on. Looks really good I might add..lol

Tomorrow, I'm going to make a few face masks. It is time for all essential employees to cover up! I don't know how much elastic I have. I did see a homemade mask today using those covered ponytail holders. I might find those easier than elastic these days??!!

[Gemme]

You can use rubber bands too, although covered bands or an elastic loop might be more comfortable.



This is the most simple video I've found and very adaptable to anyone's situation. The one thing I would change is sliding in a cut piece of filter, be it batting or an actual piece cut from a HEPA vacuum filter, but that's also super easy to do and requires no sewing. These masks are washable so you can change up the materials and patterns to bring a teensy bit of joy to a generally joyless situation.

On a related note, I saw a gentleman at Walmart that gets points for creativity. He used one of his wife's cloth headbands. It had scrunched elastic at the back and was wide enough at the crown that it covered his nose and mouth. Inspired, I went to the hair care aisle and found one that works for me and is a dark gray snake skin pattern.

Job Lot is also giving away free large cotton napkins so people can make their own masks.

For work, I've ordered black masks that are going to make me look like the winter solider when I wear them.

I found one here but I feel drawn to the one of the giraffe riding the shark. Not sure what that's saying but I'm listening.

[Kätzchen]

How's everybody doing lately? Happy Saturday to all of you.

I thought I would share about a personal arts & crafts project that I am going to work on over the next few months.

Pebble Craft Project (LINK)

I sometimes come across uniquely sized and colorful rocks and pebbles and I began to start a collection of them, so I can make something crafty. Not only for myself, but for little craft presents I can share with family and friends, here at home (birthday prezzies, thoughtful "Thank You" prezzies, etc).

I actually want to make a frameable picture to place in a particular location in my studio apartment and I want to make my own welcome mat art, for inside my front door, by using pebbles too. That project depends on finding the right type of wood, maybe repurposed wood or maybe I will find some nice wood to use when I walk along the river front, on one of the many exercise ventures I go out on.

[Bèsame*]

Now what? Masks are made. All boxes unpacked. Pictures hung. Shelf papered every shelf! Tick tock.Tick tock. I need a project!!

So.....

I placed a curbside order at JoAnn's. I selected some silk geraniums, lilacs and peonies. I have a basket on the floor for geraniums and a heart shaped twig wall hanging. The heart needs a new coat of white paint. The lilacs and peonies are going there. Alas, JoAnn's is doing a busy business curbside..so I'm still waiting to start those projects. The ribbon for the heart already arrived from Etsy.
And then....

I ordered stretcher bars from Amazon. I have this sea glass color quilt wall hanging. I'm going to put it on the stretcher bars. That will be turned in to a hanging headboard. I made it a few years ago, even stitched some wave scrolls around the edges. I had no idea what I was going to do with it. My Mom once said, hang onto it. You will find the perfect place for it one day. I'm awaiting the Amazon delivery for that project.

Tick tock. Tick tock. I'm waiting.
I get another idea!!😃😃

Today I curbside ordered stuff to make homemade soap. Score! I have that stuff now!!
Lavender soap awaits. Raise your hand if you want soap!! Lol

[Stone-Butch]

Throws both hands up in the air for soup, more soup, LOL

[homoe]

Originally Posted by Stone-Butch

Throws both hands up in the air for soup, more soup, LOL

Stone, I believe the lady said soap..........

Lavender soap at that!

[Kätzchen]

Can ya all stand another post about how to make a great mask?

I hope so.

So, my mom (The 80 year old RN) showed me the mask that she recently was gifted. It was made from a bra. So, today, I have an strapless bra I have not worn in years and it's in good condition. Guess what I did?

No bra burning here. I put my strapless, underwire bra to good use. It only took ten minutes to make two excellent masks.

And for those of you who know me really well, lol, it's gotta have bling too.

Directions on how to make the Strapless Bra Mask:

1) cut the two bra cups free, by cutting along the sides of each cup.
2) carefully take the elastic ear pieces from a used mask that you can no longer wear and set them free from the paper mask they sit on.
3) stitch the elastic ear pieces along the outside of the cup.
4) the underwire part of the bra cup goes under your chin. The top of the cup gives excellent coverage over your nose and mouth.
5) I don't think one needs to use a filter if your bra cups have padding in them already, which mine did.
6) Doll up your bra cup mask with all kinds of bling. I used sparkly gems from my craft box. So I have rainbow gems that travel across the entire bra cup.

Cheers + germ free air smoochies to all you crafters,

[Kätzchen]

How's everybody holding up, lately?

I always like to have some sort of crafting project to work on and I've been working on Pointillism craft projects. I recently drew up some artful renditions of certain things I find beautiful in nature. Like, for example, I drew a sunflower using the pointillism technique. It's not exactly like the picture I found below, but the picture gives you a good idea of how a pointillism rendition of art can look as a finished project.





I bought a few packages of cream colored cards with matching envelopes (the wedding invitation type of stationery), a couple of years ago, and I only use these blank cards and envelopes for special occasion types of art work.

I'm actually going to attempt to draw a creative rendition of the name my dear friend is going to name her new baby girl. The little girls' name will have 3 M's (first, middle and last name all begin with M). But I have to do the background art first, then carefully emboss the baby's full name under the backdrop of the art work I intend to use. I plan to make it as gender neutral as possible, so it will be Keep-Sake quality for the newborn's baby book. I'm going to crochet some tiny baby booties too and make a tiny baby cap, the knitted kind, and put some pretty bows and ribbons on both the booties and baby cap.

Hopefully I can find a light weight receiving blanket, that matches the booties and baby cap, since she is expected to deliver tiny Madilyn by the end of June.

Wishing everyone a wonderful summer ahead,

~K.

[Bèsame*]

I wish I could post my own private pictures to this site. I'd show you all my little stool. I reupholstered it. It came out to darn cute! Some have seen a pic already.

I've ordered some pillow inserts. I happen to have two extra quilt blocks from my king quilt I made, many years ago. I'm going to use those blocks for pillows on my bed.

And since I think masks are going to be the trend right now, I'm going to be a little more creative on my next batch. I've made up 3 different styles. Made mostly of left over fabrics from other quilts. My mind is a wandering with a bit more of a fashion statement. Perhaps some stitching??


For the most part I'm giving my hand and thumb a rest. I am ready for our next project though!!! Zentangle??? I'm up for some doodling.

[GeorgiaMa'am]

Originally Posted by Bèsame*

. . . For the most part I'm giving my hand and thumb a rest. I am ready for our next project though!!! Zentangle??? I'm up for some doodling.

Zentangle sounds good to me. Maybe Zentangle Art?