New DIY project: Organic Seed Necklaces

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

FANTASTIC FIND! 

This afternoon I discovered a How-Tuesday on Etsy's Storque outlining how to make Organic Seed Necklaces from the seeds of melons this summer.  What a fabulous and creative idea!  LOVE IT! 

Maya Kuzman is the brilliant mind behind this wonderful tutorial and project :-).  Maya has an etsy shop, Little Treasures, and also goes by Sewella :-).  Her shop is filled with delightful finds :-).  My favorite is still quite possibly these necklaces that she shows us how to make.  Bright, colorful, natural, and organic-- they are a great way to dress up your summer wardrobe and be a little funky! 

You can check out the Etsy Storque How-Tuesday tutorial here.  Below I outline the project. 

Supplies you’ll need:

• Melon or watermelon seeds
• Markers or nail polish
• Wooden beads  
• Fishing line or a cotton thread
• Thin embroidery needle

Directions:

1. For the melon seed necklace, scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Wash the seeds in warm water with mild washing detergent to remove the slimy fibers. Then let them air dry in the sun. I usually place them on a cotton napkin so they won't stick to it when dried. It's helpful if the seeds are big because they are easier to manipulate.

2. When piercing the seeds, it is best if you do it in the middle; if you make a hole near the edge, the seed might split.

3. Once the seeds are dry, I love to add a little color. For my necklaces, I used ordinary markers — you can also use nail polish for a more finished and glittery look. I painted half of the seed because I like the effect they create when strung together. 

4. With a thin embroidery needle, string the seeds on fishing line or cotton thread. You can introduce wooden beads (for a more organic appearance), plastic beads, crocheted flowers, etc.

5. Tie a simple, yet secured, knot and you're done. Choose your favorite colors, string the seeds and make yourself some organic jewelery!

Extra Tips:

• Keep your necklaces in a dry place and do not expose them to moisture. My oldest melon seed necklace is about 15 years old and looks as if I made it yesterday.

• Pumpkin and squash seeds are not appropriate for this type of project since they tend to dry, shrink, chip and break. However, watermelon seeds can be used instead.

• If you have plain wooden beads and want to color them, stick them on a toothpick stuck into a corkboard (or Styrofoam board). This makes it much easier to paint the beads.

ENJOY!!!  And have fun playing with your food this summer :-).

DIY Tumble Tote: A new How-To... and how to apply it to you.

DIY Tumbler Tote

I love DIY articles and How-To's!  I love sharing them with others even more.  Lets face it, crafts, arts, and artisan work a few parts invention, a few parts ingenuity, and many, many, many parts creativity and more ingenuity spinning the wheel that is already created and getting something new out of it :-) (another form of invention).  DIY articles, videos, workshops, shows, and ... their companions "How-Tos" are like a natural energy that feeds our machine. 

Today I discovered that Etsy is on Tumbler... Here (and here)!  (Alice's Owl on Etsy)This is like finding Heaven on Earth... again!  Not only did I find Etsy on Tumbler today, I also discovered a fabulous DIY project!  Score!

The project is to make a Tumbler Tote.  Now, as amazing as Tumbler is... and it is amazing... I don't know how many of us need a tote with tumbler on it :-).  I sort of have to giggle.  A lot of labor (like any good handcrafted project) to advertise for another company?... hmm.  This, however, got me thinking! 

The idea can be exchanged to anything you'd like!  You can use your name, your bestie's name, or your bestie's pet's name, depending on your bestie.  You could make a special bag with your daughter's name, your godchild's name, or your grandmother's name... the list is endless (quite potentially literally). 

As for the design of the bag, you could choose to keep the leaf design and change up the colors, or replace it with something else.  You could replace it with flowers, a star, a dog-if that is your bestie's pet... or even if it's not, your daughter's favorite things, a dinosaur to ensure your godchild has the hipest bag in preschool (or highschool-- in which case the child might appreciate it more than those very warm sweaters!), petunias for your grandmother... or the symbol of your favorite cause.

An idea of an alternative to the
Tumbler DIY Design

Your imagination and creativity are your only limitations!  Even the bag can be switched up!  You can do this on canvas bags, colored canvas bags, other bags, aprons, ... you could even try it it on shirts-- maybe free trade organic cotton shirts or hemp shirts.  You could create hats of kinds, pillow cases, toss pillows, travel pillows... you get the idea :-).  

This DIY Tumbler project allows you the power to expand your creative enterprise, try a new hobby, or expand a loved ones wardrobe and home decor.  The pictures and directions provided by the tutorial are simple and straight forward.  I admittedly have not embroidered for quite some time mostly because I don't enjoy following patterns or stitches as they always make me feel confined and I feel as if I am conforming my creativity.  I prefer a bit more looseness in my process.  This DIY article left me feeling like that creativity was mine again, and like I was at the wheel.  It gave me a different way to think about embroidery; that my ingenuity and creativity could take this anywhere I desired and perhaps we are compatible after all.  I will most definitely be trying this project out :-).  

Example of the fantastic photos and step by step directions!

Beyond all of that... the DIY Tumbler Tote is a fabulously green project!  The owl LOVES green projects!!!  The author recommend pulling the canvas totes out of the back of your closet.  She calls for cutting them and then re-assembling them.  (In my mind, this means that I could use old ones and the old design could be on the inside and the blank sides can become the new canvas to work upon!) She calls for using scraps of material (less waste!)  This project and it's DIY guide get two wing flaps from this owl! 

Creative Inspiration- Light Bulb Terrariums

Recently on Etsy I began introducing Living Art.  I love it!  One of the inspirations for my living art was my introduction to Tillandsias, or Air Plants as they are also sometimes called.  The plants are native to Latin America.  Tillandsias absorb all of their nutrients through the vegetation on the plant itself-- the roots are simply for steadying themselves and operate as a sort of wire-like base.  They are magnificent for all sorts of arrangements, botanical interior designs, as well as terrariums! 

Early on in my work with these botanical wonders, I stumbled across this video on a How-To-Tuesday Etsy Blog.  It served as my own creative inspiration and started my own living art that hasn't stopped and continues to keep going.  Today, I work with all sorts of Tillandsias, other succulents, and lots of natural materials. 

It seemed appropriate to share it today-- to spread my creative inspiration.  In addition, it is now March in Michigan... and a hope for green is here :-).  Terrariums and living art are a way to keep nature with us all of the time, regardless of where we are and what season it is.  In Michigan winters it is even more splendid!  Now that spring is approaching there is even more desire to bring the green and living indoors.  Hopefully this will give you some ideas on how to do just that. 

I hope this video will inspire some of you to try your hand at terrariums, or other living art.  I hope it also reminds those of you in colder climates that warmer weather is on its way :-).  And even better... it also will help you recycle :-).  Bring mother nature in, and care for her at the same time!