funky rings!

okay... maybe i'll be the first one to say this... but aren't these rings just a lil' too much??

they're definitely clever designs, but can't you "hurt" someone if you forget that you're wearing one of these..

i have to say that i'll be the one walking up to the random people wearing them, just to get a closer look..

=p

you can see more HERE..

nice paper!

some people are just good with color...

check these out...

i like collages.. & i find this particular artist's choices in medium and texture combinations to be pretty creative.

once again, i'm inspired.

=)

you can see more of her work HERE..

inspiration!!

call me inspired! i can appreciate this article... it's pretty amaZing to hear a success story of someone who's still doin' it the "old fashioned" way! according to the article, she still does ALL of her crafting by hand.. unless of course, i missed something..

makes me wanna go "make" something..

=)

you can see more of her work HERE..

Merry Christmas!!

haha! sO.. i'm late, big deal.. no one REALLY knows the day Christ was born, sO.. i figure i'm safe saying it any day of the year! ;-)

anyway.. i thought i might share some of the goodies that i made for gifts this year..

if you're interested in any of the items, post a comment.. i'll see what i can do!

;-)

sorry about picture quality.. i'm new at this..

the *REASON* for the SEASON!!

this isn't my writing, but i sure think it's an awesome one! very well put..

isn't it safe to say that it's a good thing to be reminded of the TRUE

"reason for the season"?

enjoy.

Consider where that Holiest King of all Kings was placed on earth--someone who was true Royalty, who should have chosen and been given the finest hospital with the best surgeons money could buy, the best luxuries afforded to man--yet this Holy God CHOSE the dirt-laden floors of a stable. A place that was meant for animals, not even men, to be brought forth to the men of this earth, most of whom were probably born in better places than that lowly stable. I was humbled and asked myself why Holiness would choose dirt, why Royalty would choose poverty, why the Great Provider would choose lack, and ultimately, why God would choose my ugly heart as His dwelling place.

When I thought back to when Christ was born in my heart, and likewise, into the heart of every man, it indeed was a place of stench. A place where only animal instincts dwelt--humanity at its lowest form, humiliation and shame at its highest. And, I have no gifts worthy of a King, let alone another person, nothing at all to offer anyone. Why would a holy God choose to not only be born in, but to dwell in, a heart like mine? The scriptures say He is changing me into His likeness. He is changing His surroundings--the place He dwells in my heart--into a holy place fit for His Royalty. He not only chose to be born in my filth, but He also chooses to clean it, even to transform it into a place of grandeur and holiness. Me? Yes, and even you. The wonder of it all is beyond understanding.

Just as I have a lot to do in making my surroundings fit for my family, so He has a lot of work to do in me to make me a holy place fit for Him. I can't even begin to tackle that project on my own, so He gifted me with His righteousness and wrapped it in swaddling clothes and laid it in my manger. And, as I worship Him and as I lift Him up, He will draw all men unto Himself. Lowly men (like shepherds) and royal kings (like wise men) wonder what it is in this heart of mine that shines so brightly and brings such peace. I know that it is the gift of Jesus within the stable of my heart.

I don't want the house of my heart to be that fancy inn that had no place for a Savior. I desire to find a spot to celebrate Him and let Him dwell in my lowly heart and watch Him transform it into a holy place. And as He clears out the dirty pen, may I say, as that woman long ago said, "Be it unto me according to Thy Word."

I don't merely need cleaner surroundings. I need a clean heart. There is no room in the fancy inn of my human desires, and gladly so. But there is room in the dirty stable of my heart where He is needed most. And there, I bow in the musty hay, before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and worship His Holiness and praise Him for His desire to live within me. I now have peace because I am one on whom His favor rests. And I sing with that heavenly host, in sincere humility and joyous celebration: Glory to God in the Highest!


"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)

you can read more from this writer HERE..

do i have TIME!?

i wanna make some snowflakes!! and not the cute paper ones that tear before you can paste them to your windows!.. i wanna make these babies!! they're VERY mature! heh heh..

and apparently a LOT of gluing! which means they're gonna take a LOT of time.. we'll see what happens..

no cutting, though! hooray! LOL =)

you can find the tutorial here..

felt fun!

OMGness!! i wanna make a WHOLE bunch of felt goodies! it's amaZing how many things you can create with this awesome fabric!

i'm really considering some fun felt creations.. & maybe these beauties will be my inspiration!

Christmas is in FIVE days!! O_O

haha!

i'll make it! =)

you can see more here.. here. here.. AND here! =)

funky dolls!

call me crazy, but i think this doll is pretty swanky! what a mature face! LOL.. only question is.. WHO do you give a doll like this to?? i mean.. she's gotta be at LEAST 21!

haha!

anyway.. i think the artist is pretty creative! =)

you can see more of her work here..

Christmas Crackers!!

OH MY GOODNESS!! do we really have ONLY 8 days left 'til Christmas!?

i am sO in deep doo-doo..

umm.. anyway.. i thought you might have time for a few more crafts.. i'm considering making some of these babies for my kiddos' stockings..

you can find the tutorial here.. enjoy! =)

a garden for my finger!!

i really, reaLLy like these rings! i think that they're absOLuteLy amaZing!

.. all i really need is a garden for my finger..

you can buy me one *HERE*

heh heh..

**snowflakes**

it already snowed here once.. but the snowflakes looked nothing like these!! can you imagine, waking in the morning & seeing these beauties.. ALL over your yard.. or goin' outside.. and they're ALL over your hair & jacket!? AwESomE! =)

you can see more HERE..

gift wrapping??

i don't know anymore..

this looks like sO much more fun! call me crazy, but i may just be a papier mache'ing fool this Christmas..

so much to do, so little time.. but aren't these stinkin' adorable!? =)

you can see the tutorial HERE!

*whimsy stuff*

i don't know why i got the idea of calling this *whimsy stuff*.. it just seemed fitting for such unique treasures grouped together for wonderfully creative photos! check these out..

i'm very fond of hodge-podge delights that cause the senses to purr like a dreamy kitty! ^_^

you can see more here..

enjoy!

embroidery!!

it's one of those things that i've ALWAYS wanted to learn how to do... and i'm pretty sure that one day i'll give it a try! ... hopefully one day soon. what with all of this Christmas present making! check out these cute lil' embroidered patches.. i'd LOVE to do stuff like this! i'd probably embroider everything.. =)

my one downfall is that i count the "costs" a bit too much before crafting.. a lot of times i end up discouraging myself before i even begin.. gotta get past that lil' monster called "discouragement"..

i find that we often make "him" a LOT bigger than "he" really is.. as one of my pastors said once.. many years ago, and i paraphrase.. in toshanese.. "just as in using a magnifying glass.. so it is with the things of God.. you put it on the problem.. and it seems a LOT bigger than it really is.."

i have to seek to MAgNiFy Jesus! He's in me.. ready to get my creative "juices" flowing! LOL

(boy am i a lil' long-winded.. heh heh)

btw.. you can see more here..

i HONESTLY thought 3 was the "magic" number..

not anymore..

is she CRAZY??

there are a couple of interviews on the cat lady.. who has 130 cats living in her 3-room apartment..

i think i'm gonna be sick.

a new take on the 12 days of Christmas..

okay.. i don't know if you EVER visit woot.com but they have to have some of the most hiLaRiOuS write-ups for their products i've ever seen..

this one caught my eye, and definitely made me LOL..

you can see more HERE..

funky furniture!!

if i had my way, i'd have furniture ALL over my house JUST LIKE THIS! i'm craZy... i'm pretty sure that the cat in the hat is my cousin.. anyway.. don't u love it!? you can see more HERE! enjoy! =)

i NEED modpodge!!

or something like it.. i feel sO deprived! LOL

apparently this stuff is GOLD.. and i'm missin' out! i mean.. look how amaZing this frame turned out.. you can see more here..

i bought the "spray" kind of acrylic stuff..

i get the heebie-jeebies just thinkin' of sprayin' that stuff and breathing in all of the noxious fumes..

sO.. why didn't anyone tell me sooner that i could just use modpodge and a sponge brush.. to decoupage my ENTIRE world!? is it that you just don't know... or are you like me, holding out so people don't steal your ideas?? :P

either way, i want a BIG container for Christmas.. the stuff that GOLD is made of.. ;-)

handmade wreath!

i would abSoLuTeLy LOVE to make this wreath.. i REALLY wonder if i'll have time to make all of the holiday goodies that i desire to! only time will tell..

there's such an excitement inside of me... i'm really trying to make all or most of my gifts this year, so finding neat ideas here and there to inspire me REALLY keep me motivated..

you can find this wreath project HERE... have fun! =)

something cute to make!

i LOVE finding new ideas for crafting projects... esPeCiaLLy when i'm in a slump myself..

i found this awesome idea on this website..

you simply use butcher paper which i haven't seen since i was a kid.. i tOtaLLy forgot that the stuff existed..

turns out it's PERFECT for stenciling! WHO knew that stuff doubled as an iron-on!?

i'm sure it'd be pretty interesting to see this HUGE dude in the back, with blood on his apron from cutting cuts of beef all day, saying to his colleague, "hey, Joe.. hand me that iron! this is gonna make such a cute design for our aprons!"

ha!

can't wait to try this one!... ONE day. ;-)

happy BELATED thanksgiving!!

wow.. i'm late in wishing you a happy thanksgiving! didn't mean to be.. but, i DID spend the entire day cooking, cleaning, hosting, and.. well... cleaning! =)

anyway.. if you recall... a couple weeks ago, i found a neat craft with paper cups used to make turkeys.. i thought i'd try the craft with my kids.. and i'm glad to say that our turkeys were amaZingly adorable!! ^_^

my kids insisted on making non-conventional turkeys.. i think they're wonderful!! .. oh yea, the turkeys are, too! ;-)

i hope your Thanksgiving was awesome! =)

copycats..

i've had my own issue with hoarded designs that never "do" anything for anyone but myself, because, i didn't want anyone to "steal" my ideas..

what a joke.

oddly enough, as King Solomon would say, "there's nothing new under the sun"

this, i dare say, is VERY true. most things that i've designed or created, i've found that someone else made it famous or, available.. heh heh..

sO.. i'm pretty proud of this particular "copycat"

the artist himself may not agree, but i think that her "knock-off" is much more enjoyable!

check out the texture of the second pic.. and the actual painting (the first).. colors are much more brilliant, but i like the fact that the copycat used fabric remnants.. i'm all about repurposing fabrics to create new art.. =)

if you wanna see more click HERE.. and here..

original"knock-off"

crafts for kids!

another fun one to do with the special little people in your lives.. my daughter LOVES "sewing".. at least what she knows of the craft.. she's seven. she made a cube once.. and i'm proud of her..

and she's proud of her cube! =)

anyway.. maybe you'll wanna try this one with your kids.. sO many crafts so little time..

*sigh*

check it out HERE..

records?

you mean... the basically obsolete pieces of plastic that can fill a landfill and destroy the environment all at the same time??

i have TONS of those.. and you probably do, too...

sO.. now you have something funky to do with them..

weird. but definitely funky..

think more.. conversation piece. think.. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!

and have fun doin' it with your Boy George album from ninth grade..

=)

put yO snacks in THIS!

ONE Lego® is all it takes...

YES.. there's only ONE Lego® balancing that whole... umm.. thing.

:P
check THIS out...

crafting with kids!

i LOVE to craft with my kids! it's fun to see how excited they get about their own creations!

sO.. that being said, i think it ONLY necessary to try these paper cup turkeys.. i think that they're just adorable!

you and i can get "instructions" HERE..

art!

"A sincere artist is not one who makes a faithful attempt to put on to canvas what is in front of him, but one who tries to create something which is, in itself, a living thing." ~William Dobell~

i agree with this guy!.. i mean.. ART should come alive! =)

and this guy... Guido Daniele

has a very unique understanding of this "philosophy"

amazing paintings, totally created on hands as canvas..

enjoy a video HERE.

annoy me.

this has to be one of the most annoying youtube videos i've EVER seen.. LOL

funny.. but annoying. you can watch it here.. if you don't believe me.

but don't say that i didn't warn you. O_o

aprons.

sO.. i've decided that i need a couple of cute aprons! these make cooking seem sO fashionable.

they really are pretty enough to wear!

just what i need to make cooking for my four favorite people a little more enjoyable..

maybe. =)

buy these cuties here and here

cute apron HERE

and another one HERE