Spotted Canary Blog

When thinking of Easter, eggs play a very significant role in the thought for me! Sure, yellow chicks, ham dinner, pretty dresses and rabbits are all a part of it, and now that I am an adult, the religious aspect of it is very important to me; however, from childhood until now, eggs have always had an important place in the celebration of Easter. Whether it was begging my mom to purchase the Paas dye decorating kit, or hunting for the colored plastic eggs that the Easter Bunny had hidden, there was something exciting about EGGS!

One of my favorite memories is when I learned the technique of Resist by using a white crayon on a white egg! How mysterious it was to place it in the colored dye and then seeing the word or decoration on the egg after removing it from the cup! It was Magic! I still love doing that around Easter time with my kids!

Besides dying eggs and hunting for them, I challenged myself to come up with some new ways to decorate them this year. Here’s a list of some possibilities, and a look into my crafting window:

• Decoupage

• Paper Mache

• Styrofoam

• Wooden Eggs

(All of these are available at your local craft store)

My first attempt was to decoupage paper mache eggs. I used a variety of pastel colored papers and a mess of decoupage glue. I like the look, even though it was a very sticky process. They are textured, yet shiny! I did learn that the smaller the paper is torn, the cuter the egg seemed to turn out.

 

 
My second attempt was with Styrofoam eggs. I purchased a bulk package of sequins and a box of tack pins and pinned each sequin onto the eggs. I love the outcome, but it was a little treacherous poking my fingers constantly with the small pins, and very time consuming… thus, I give you only two examples! I like how they are unique and don’t resemble an ordinary Easter egg. I think they would be adorable hanging from a little egg tree to help decorate the house for the holiday.

My third attempt was gluing buttons on the surface of a wooden egg. Not hard to do, and Oh, so cute! This technique was really fun and I love the results! These are my favorite and were a great way to uses up some of the masses of buttons that are part of my embellishments collection!

If you have the patience and the knack, painting on eggs can also be quite nice. The eggs can be made of paper mache, plastic, or wood, and from experience, acrylic paint dries the fastest. I painted several eggs and used some adhesive gems to create a little sparkle. I look at painting as therapeutic, so this is one of my favorite techniques.

 

What will I do with these lovely differently decorated eggs, you ask? I will fill a lovely basket with them (possibly one that I get from my talented friend, Kara who does the Nifty Thrifty Blog and made beautiful baskets for her current post) and use them as a table accent at Easter dinner this year! If nothing else, I will stare at them with great delight and take pride in trying new techniques!

 

Have a Blessed Easter~

Karen (Kabby)

 

 Dye-ing to try something new this Easter?

 

 

 

How about making your own Easter basket instead of purchasing pre-made baskets? 

With a few clever tips and not many supplies, your basket can be made from things you already have at home.

 

 

Join me for some quick, easy, and “cheap” crafts that will make your Easter “eggs-tra” special.

 

 

Are you hosting Easter dinner this Sunday?  Do you want to have something cute and special for your guests but not break the bank to do so? 

Here is a sweet and easy craft -- so simple that my kindergarten students would make them each spring. 

 

You will need 1 ½ sheets of 12 x 12 cardstock.

 

 

Follow the pictures to fold your origami bunny:

Step 1:

 

 

Step 2:

 

Step3:

 

Step4:

 

Step 5:

 

 When finished, your rabbit will have a small pocket in which to place candy, a dyed Easter egg, or a special note to your guest.  You may need to add a rock or something heavy to the bottom of the bunny’s pocket so your bunny will stand on its own.

 

 

 

I love these little rabbits all lined up in a row on a fireplace with each person’s name on the bunny’s carrot.  It is such a simple and inexpensive way to show that you love some “bunny!” 

 

 

 

After doing a little Easter candy shopping, I was shocked at the prices of Easter baskets.  It made me think about items I had at home and how they would make “dandy” candy baskets.  As I was getting ready to toss the empty cereal container into the recycle bin, I thought to myself … this would make an “egg-cellent’ basket.

 

 

 

 I snipped the box as shown and covered it with patterned paper.

 

 

 

It is super cute, and as the baby chick says, “Cheap, cheap, cheap.”  For that special teenage girl, this basket idea would make such a cute purse.  Cover the cereal box to look like a purse and fill the small basket with a teen magazine, lip gloss, a CD, and some favorite candy.  I always feel like I can spend a little more on the goods I put in the basket when I don’t have $5.00 to $20.00 invested in the basket itself. 

 

 

 

I like having a little something special for my guests on Easter.  Use planting containers to create little table top treats.  These are the containers that you find in the garden section and in which you grow seeds.

They are super “in-egg-spensive” and can be made so festive.  Cut four sections apart and leave them in their natural color or place some favorite pattern paper on them.  Add a wire handle, and a scrap of fabric.  Fill the basket with real dyed eggs or candy treats.  Just for fun, tie a seed packet to the handle to remind them that spring is on its way. 

 

-This cool idea is brought to you from the talented Kelly Keller. She created both of the crafts shown and the woven basket below.

 

 

 

How about weaving your own basket?  Follow this Spotted Canary tutorial for step by step directions. 

 

 

 

If you are out of time this Easter season but still need a few inexpensive basket ideas, how about these frugal tips?

 

 

• Lunch box from the Dollar Store -- Decorate with felt bunnies or stitch the person’s name on it.  Fill a water bottle with jellybeans.

   

• School box -- Place new crayons, markers, and colored pencils along with a chocolate bunny.

   

• Wicker baskets -- My thrift store sells them for a quarter.  They are hidden in a large bin in the back of the store.  You may have to ask for them.  We use the baskets year after year.  It becomes a tradition.  Spruce up the thrift store baskets with new bows and/or a few sprigs of silk flowers.

   

• A pillowcase is great for those community egg hunts.  Make it a craft project with the kids.  Use fabric markers or crayons to create lasting memories.  I sometimes pull out my Hotfix tool and bling it up with some crystals.

   

• A flower pot filled with seed packets, new garden gloves, and a spade.  You could even put a pretty pansy seedling in it with all the supplies for planting.  A great gift for the grandmas who don’t want anything.

   

• Sewing basket.   Shhhh -- Don’t tell my twelve year old, but she is getting a sewing basket for Easter filled with beginning sewing supplies, like a tape measure, thread, small scissors, and of course a ripper.

   

• Sand pails are usually $1 at the Dollar Store.  They are perfect for filling with candy.  I like that they can be reused for the beach or even to carry plastic dinosaurs to the doctor’s office waiting room. 

   

• For college kids home for break, fill a grocery sack with favorite foods like Macaroni and Cheese, Peanut Butter and Jelly, and the extra large bag of Doritos.

   

 

Whether you make your own basket this Easter or craft up some cute containers, I hope your Easter is full of joy and fun with people you love! 

 

 

 

Happy Spring everyone!

 

Love,

 

~Miss Nifty Thrifty (Studio Pink)

 

 

Spring has officially sprung! Woo hoo! And as the temperatures begin to warm up, the streets are beginning to become crowded once again with people running. And I have to ask myself … why?

I have friends who run. Some run on treadmills. Some run cross country for their schools. Some run marathons. And some just run for fun. Yeah, I know, they’re crazy people. But someone has to love them : ).

I never really understood the appeal of “running”. I tried it when I was younger (and thinner) but never found that addictive high that draws people in and holds them captive. It escaped me. I became a prisoner of a way different kind of sport. Surfing. Couch surfing that is.

But I guess in reality I do run every day. It’s just not the kind of running done with a headband and tube socks. Ok, maybe an occasional headband, but only on really bad hair days.
 
My kind of “running” consists of the following:

• I run here.
• I run there.
• I run errands.
• I run late.
• I run amuck.
• I run out of time … all the time.
• I run out of patience.
• I run off at the mouth sometimes … sorry for that.
• I run into stores … for what my son says is “forever”.
• I run through the drive-thru way too many times for dinner.
• I run into concrete pillars at the mall … ok, only once, but I still did.
• I run around the topic when my husband asks how much I spent at Target.

 
And occasionally, I run out of creativity.
 
But this isn’t one of those times. Whew! Thankfully, I have had lots of ideas for this blog submission topic. I just didn’t have the time to create an example for every single one (there are thirty, you know). Instead I spent a few days blog rolling around the cyber world and compiled an eclectic collection of photos for your inspirational, well, inspiration. (Btw - just click on the word, phrase or picture to get to the idea’s original web-home.)
 
Oh, I guess I should let you know what the subject is. Unless you’ve already scrolled down and peeked (shame on you) … but in case you haven’t, it’s Table Runners. I know. Exciting, isn’t it? I can hear your collective screams of “That’s just what we were hoping for” coupled with giddy squeals of delight. So happy you're happy!
 
Table runners, if you didn't already know, can truly be an element that will set your party apart and make it memorable. And isn’t that what we all want for our celebratory events … lasting wow! kind of memories? Yeah, I know I’m stretching it here … but work with me.
 
Now, in an effort to carry the running theme throughout this posting, I have divided the Table Runner discussion into three running related categories: Track Meet Ideas, Cross Country Concepts and Marathon Models.
 
First are the Track Meet Ideas. These are creations that won’t take up too much time in prep or execution. They are most like “sprints” which require only short bursts of energy and focus.

• Gift Wrap: themes and motifs are endless; inexpensive and ready availability are the best reasons to try this option from Martha Stewart.

• Wallpaper: perfect use for leftover pieces from Project Wedding.
  

• Maps: tie location to party theme (another great idea from Martha Stewart).

• Wood Veneer: avoid competing wood grains and use this option from Martha Stewart over a painted or cloth covered surface.

• Paper Doilies / Cut-outs: get the kids involved with this runner idea from my Valentine's Day post, or the one below from Laura Fenton; try a daisy or paper doll chain too.

• Ribbon: send a single width down the center as Martha Stewart did beneath these pretty yellow flowers, or layer various widths on top of each other as with the red ribbon table runner from Easy DIY at Home. Weave together for even more impact; find extra wide widths in the wedding aisle of the crafts store.

• Scarves: brilliant aha idea; thanks to Good Houskeeping, now I have a use for them the 11 months of the year they're not needed here in Texas.

• Burlap: leave edges ragged and raw or hem like this example from Style Me Pretty for a more polished look; add silk screened or stamped images for a graphic, modern twist.

• Beach Mats: lay short end to short end; may need to undo edging and hand sew mats together for longer lengths.  This summery example is from Blissed Out.

• Netting / Tulle: try faux fish netting from a crafts store for a nautical theme; lengths of billowy tulle are sweet additions to a princess party or baby shower.

• Window Screening: both the silver aluminum and black plastic kinds would bring a masculine element to a tablescape.

• Mirrors: lay differing shapes and sizes end to end and top with candles for extra sparkle.  This elegant example comes from Lolliblog.

Second are the Cross Country Concepts. These examples will take a larger investment of time and may need a wider skill set to accomplish. But don’t be scared. Hours of training are not necessary to complete these; only a few laps around the clock face.

• Kraft Paper: edge with a craft punch as I did with this Fall runner, or paint and stamp to compliment the party theme and colors like this pretty example from Crafty Jewish Mom.
  

• Crepe Paper: perfect for a feminine touch like this simple but stunning ruffly runner from Martha Stewart; be sure to protect underneath surface from bleeding if runner could possibly get wet.
  

• Printed Paper Rolls: create a custom design and have it printed on rolled paper like this pretty photo posted on Martha Stewart Weddings.

• Photos: enlarge and print photos then cover with clear contact paper for protection; could also recycle pictures from old calendars that fit the theme or motif.
  

 

• Fabric: sew into a standard runner following Style Studio's instructions or use un-hemmed lengths with raw edges tucked under as I did for this festive New Year's party.

 

• Oil Cloth: no other material is more perfect for use as a table runner; try a fresh and funky print such as this one found at Modern June.
  

 

 

• Chalkboard Cloth: how fun to be able to label everything you set down; buy chalk cloth ready to go like what Modern June uses for this fun Thanksgiving setup, or paint your own using blackboard paint and builder’s paper (find this in rolls at the hardware store).  A good fake is black bulletin board paper, as used in this fun example from Martha Stewart Weddings.  It gives the same look as chalk cloth and chalkboard paint, but it's not erasable.
  

Felt: its no-ravel property makes it a great option for creating interesting cut-outs and no-sew projects.  This interesting felt pine cone table runner comes from Better Homes and Gardens.

• Vintage Hankies and Doilies: shabby chic beauty as well as a fabulous way to display grandmothers’ linens in a modern way. Find these vintage ideas on Craftbits and Country Living.
  

 

• Bandannas: adorable and colorful; these vibrant ideas come from Country Living and Kara's Nifty Thrifty blog right here on Spotted Canary!
  

 

• Flags: gently tack or glue dollar store versions end-to-end for a patriotic themed event.
  

 

• Wood Plank: bring nature to the table with a distressed length of wood; insect removal would be a preparation must.  This rustically elegant image comes from 100 Layer Cake.
  

Lastly are the Marathon Models. Here’s a group that will require a good block of time and patience. A successful finish to these projects calls for proper pacing; working too hard, too fast may cause burn out and lead you to drop out of the race all together. Just remember that at the end of this finish line are designs both unique and stunning.

• Knitted: think scarves on steroids; adds warmth and softness to any tablescape.
  

 

• Beads and/or Sequins: string on monofilament and lay multiple lengths down table center; add candles to bring out more sparkle.
  

 

• Perler Beads: crazy I know, but way fun for a summer picnic; make in sections and assemble like a puzzle; this option would be a REAL conversation piece.
  

 

• Grass: sod is easy to cut with a utility knife and readily available; how fun for an Easter buffet.  This all natural grass runner comes from Raising Granola.
  

• Moss: could be a bit messy, but what a great way to get a woodland feel like this one from Samantha Luck.

• Pebbles / Tile Sections: tedious job securing the pebbles, but worth the effort to get a contemporary vibe; mosaic tile sections from the hardware store would give you the same feel for less effort, plus be heat resistant for hot serving dishes.  Check out this pretty pebble runner from Australia Entertains.
  

So the next time you’re putting together accessories for a party, take a lesson from the Jamaican bobsled team and do something unexpected by including one of these funky, fabulous and fun table runner ideas. These guys defied their nation’s summer sporting norm by pursuing a Winter Olympic dream. They traded their track cleats for bobsled spikes; their baggy shorts for spandex suits. Here’s your reason to toss those passé tablecloths in the Goodwill box (or repurpose them into something else … say, curtain panels) and replace them with some “Cool Runnings”.



(Oh yes I did! And everybody who sees them loves them!)

Happy running dear reader!

~ Elizabeth (ekb)

Over the years I’ve had my hands busy with a few different crafts. What can I say, I’m fickle.
 
There were the college cross stitch years.
 



Then the time spent as a Tole painting young SAHM.
 

 
And I’m pretty sure there was some appliqué and decorative quilt making intermediately mixed in there too. But it came and went, and came and went again so fast, I hardly remember the time or projects.
 
Paper crafting has probably been the one hobby that I have held on to the longest. Though calling it a hobby is a bit misleading. Obsessive collecting is a much better description. You see, I never really actually do anything substantial with all my supplies. A mini-album here. A couple of cards there. It’s really all about the organizing and hoarding. Maybe that’s why it’s kept my attention for so long; I haven’t had the chance to get bored with it yet because I rarely actually do it. Hmm. Something to chat with Oprah about.
 
Now I should in all fairness mention my long-time relationship with sewing. I have been sewing since I was about nine when my mom taught me how on her little black 1950-something Singer. We tackled a pink, wool crepe pencil skirt, complete with slit, zipper and button hole (because why would you start with something less complicated … like pajama bottoms … when you can go full throttle into the land of tailored clothing … yeah, to say I come from a long line of over-achievers is an understatement) and at the same time I must say, made great strides in solidifying the tempestuous mother-daughter dynamic. Hmm. Something else to talk to Oprah about.
 
To me, sewing really isn’t a hobby. I think of it more as a life skill because it can, after all, provide you with one of the fundamental necessities of survival, namely clothing (from the whole food, shelter, clothing trio). Although, I suppose in an emergency paper crafting could be considered a life skill. I mean given some chipboard, a permanent Herma dispenser and a few sheets of patterned paper for decorative embellishment, I could construct a structure sufficient to provide shelter for say, um, maybe three minutes. And if push-came-to-shove, I could use my stash of ribbon to weave nets and bags for collecting and gathering food in. Hmm. A new reality TV show idea to talk to Oprah about..
 
But whether it was for a few years, or a few months, I have enjoyed each one of my crafting adventures. Not only have I developed numerous new skill sets, each one building on the other, but I have also developed some very wonderful friendships along the way. Hmm. I wonder if Oprah and Gail share a hobby. Something to ask her about.
 
So with National Crafting Month in full swing right now, I decided that I should try a new craft and then share it with my friends (I mean why not take them along with me on this potentially obsessive ride … that’s what friends do … enable each other, right?). And with no other reasons than (1) I wanted an excuse to hang out with my friend Leslie for an afternoon and (2) the prospect of being able to knock out some scarves for Christmas presents was enticing, I decided that knitting was going to be my new all-consuming-forget-to-feed-the-family-and-fail-to-do-the-laundry hobby.
 
Oh sorry. Should have warned you there was a Christmas present spoiler coming. Well, hopefully in nine months you’ll have forgotten I mentioned anything about scarves. : )
 
Yes, I know, most of you are saying “yawn”. Knitting is so 20th century. Been there. Done that. Using the needles as marshmallow roasting sticks now. But maybe I can entice you to come back. Just wait till you see the cuteness Leslie and I “knit lifted”.
 
Leslie said that we needed to start with the basics, casting on and off. Um, who said anything about fishing? I know less about fishing than knitting. Oh. My bad. That’s apparently how you get the yarn on and off the needles. So after a few guided clicks and clacks of the needles, here’s what my first stitches looked like.
 

 
Pretty good huh? Well, remember this picture. Everything after this got worse. Somehow my learning curve flattened.
 
But I kept pushing on, working hard to keep my stitches even and to keep them from getting dropped. Eventually I found that rhythm knitters talk about and the clicking and clacking of my needles became regular and almost hypnotic. Who needs that runner’s high marathon junkies are addicted to? I’m pretty sure I can get that same feeling without leaving my warm, comfy couch and being able to watch my DVR’d shows in the process. Now that’s a hobby I can embrace whole heartedly!
 
Eventually I managed to form a long and almost recognizable enough chain of hot pink stitches to make into a loopy flower. I casted off and Leslie then had me form the “rope” into petals. Using the “rope” tails and a darning needle, I secured the petals on themselves (she got the idea for these and the other flowers below at this Plethora of Petals link). A button center completed the flower and my first knitting experience!
 

 


 
Who knew knitting could be so dang fun! At this point my mind and fingers are ready to conquer the knitting world and I started to have visions of Nordic sweaters, baby bonnets and multi-colored toe socks. I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it now. But alas, my coach Leslie reeled me back into the world of reality and suggested that I work on a few more flowers before I tackled entire outfits. Okaaay.
 
So for the next few days, I clicked and clacked and clacked and clicked. My completion time went from hours to half hours and my dropped stitch ratio lessened too. Success! And while my hands nimbly maneuvered the cotton yarn, I began thinking about my plan for a knitting party.
 
My thinking yielded these party elements, just perfect for a pre-Spring March day.
 

 
I started with this cotton yarn color palette.
 

 
Then I went to town making lots and lots of knitted “ropes” to create the flowers for the centerpiece.
 

 
For the loopy flowers, I knitted lengths of cast on – cast off stitches (yes, I know, my technical descriptions are anything but correct … but hey, I’ve only been at this for a week or so; still working on arching my learning curve) and then formed them into open petals. Once formed, I used more yarn to sew them into place.
 

 


 
Lastly, I added a large white button to the center because all things look better with buttons. That is my mantra.
 

 
The discus flowers (again, gotta love my techno talk) were made with lengths of stitches a few rows deep. The number of rows depends on how big you’d like your flowers to be. Because I tend to get bored quite easily, mine were only four rows deep, which included the cast on - cast off rows. After the rows were done, I cut a length of yarn and ran a running stitch along one edge of the “rope”.
 

 
Next I pulled the yarn length to gather the “rope” into its discus shape and then used it to sew everything into place. (Sorry about the cat in the background. But you know how cats are with yarn … one is a natural magnet to the other and so I while working on these projects, I often found myself with some additional “helpers”. Say hello to Cocoa).
 

 
Another large white button sewn to the center and the discus flower is complete.
 

 
Once I had enough flowers for a bouquet (thanks coach Leslie for helping with that!), I added stems. I made the stems by simply wrapping bamboo skewers with green yarn, hot gluing as I went.
 

 
I stuck the pointy end into the underside of the flower and hot glued to secure. For added hold, I ran the skewer end through one of the buttons holes so that the point was just visible.
 

 
The napkin ring was way fun to create, but I have to admit that I didn’t make the leaves. Coach Leslie “helped” me with them, so refer back to the above link to get instructions on how to knit those.
 

 
I used a completed loopy flower, two leaves and a length of “rope” for the napkin ring. My first step was to form the ring using the “rope” and secure it together.
 

 
The second step was to stitch the ring to the flower and then third, add the leaves. Adorable!
 

 
Now, what could be a better favor for a knitting party than a set of needles? I think nothing! So I tied a discus flower to a pair of bamboo needles and tucked a name tag behind the button center. The leaves are simply looped and tied lengths of string.
 

 
Display these stuck into balls of yarn grouped together in a bowl. Guests can grab their respective needles when they arrive and be ready to knit away.
 
My last project for this knitting party was the invitation. I cut and folded a standard sized card, added a patterned paper mat with four photo corners and ran a strip of contrasting patterned paper along the bottom. A printed sentiment, discus flower and loopy leaves complete the invite and will give my guests a glimpse into what we will be doing.
 

 
So with the party accessories checked-off the to-do list, here are a few further ideas/thoughts about a “Let’s Knit Together” gathering: 

• Ask someone to be the coach so that you are free to hostess.
• Ask guests to bring their own yarn, giving a few suggestions for guidance. This request will cut down on your costs and allow guests to create items that will compliment their own décor.
• Make refreshments fit the theme. Set out pretzel sticks and veggies cut into long, thin strips to mimic needles. Offer a noodle dish of some kind to represent unrolled balls of yarns.

I wish you all a happy National Craft Month and hope that as the pre-Spring weather emerges you will be inspired to try a new craft and see if it blossoms into a new passion. I know I have found a new love. Sorry paper crafting, you may lay dormant for a time while I cultivate my new knitting skills, and in the process get some Christmas presents done way early. But if nothing else comes of this recent obsession, at least I can spend the month getting caught up on my DVR’d Oprah shows.

Happy crafting dear reader!

~ Elizabeth (ekb)