Life, Love & Crafting: Today's Inspiration

Showing posts with label Today's Inspiration. Show all posts

Friday, March 11, 2011

Today's Inspiration: homework's papermache Eggs

I'm pretty much giving up Facebook during the days. So to fill those long, never ending holds that I am inevitably placed on during the work day will be filled by perusing my craft sites. Today's inspiration comes from Carolyn at homework: papermache eggs. I can't wait to try this with Nana Bear for Easter. I think it will be great fun for her to pick out the paper and make the eggs and I think the family will be happy not to have a dozen hard boiled eggs to eat. Not that there's anything wrong with hard boiled eggs, but, um, a dozen is a lot for us.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Today's Inspiration: Fabric Stitchy Bookmark

Today's inspiration was brought to me by Craft Leftovers Fabric Stitchy Bookmark (via Craft Zine's Craft Daily). I've been wanting to play around with the other stitches on my sewing machine and this is a great way to use scraps. Waste not, want not. I think I will be adding this to my Christmas project list as stocking stuffers. Changes I may make: using photo fabric to incorporate a picture to personalize each bookmark.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Today's Inspiration: Quilting with literature

I was over at Kirsty's, as usual (I wish I had more hours in a day to get to all the Creative Spaces each week), and at link #1 was Kate's One Flew Over and her beautiful quilt. Not only is it a beautiful piece of craftswomanship, but I really liked the printed word sections. I'm not sure how she found/made those sections, but I am inspired to work pieces like that into my work. Pick a favorite or interesting passage from a novel, cookbook, etc., print it onto printable fabric and add it to a yet to be determined creation...

All these wonderful inspirations floating around and so little time. How do you all do it?

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Today's Inspiration: Everyday Exercise

I was browsing My Creative Spaces at kootoyoo and found Keep Cate Busy. Her post for February 16, 2011 was regarding everyday exercise and how to increase the amount of movement we do and I found inspiring. My favorite tip: she dances with her daughter everynight before bed. Love it and so will my kids. Can't wait to start doing this... Thanks Cate!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Today's Inspiration: Scrabble Tile Art from Waste Not, Want Not

A few months ago an auto mishap (no one was injured) made cleaning out my parent's garage imperative. During the clean up I found many treasures from my childhood through college years - letters from old friends, pictures, greeting cards from various occasions, etc. I also found two boxes of board games my parents had boxed up and saved for me, which had completely forgotten about. Of those games was Scrabble, which I have since replaced in my own home, but I could not let those wonderful letter tiles go.

Since finding it, Scrabble has sat atop my dresser waiting to be used for some crafting purpose. I've considered doing wall art or jewelry, but nothing has really clicked. (ie I have not gotten off my butt to do anything with it)

Today's inpiration comes from Waste Not, Want Not and her 20 Min Craft Project. I love the simplicity of the project and the sentiment of her words. Lovely, lovely, lovely. It pushes me back towards a wall art project. Still need to find an occasion... but the wheels are turning again and hopefully the light bulb will go off brightly.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Today's Inspiration: Random Acts of Kindness

Today's inspriation is not craft related and is from a friend, an old friend, who now lives in Texas. I have redacted his name to protect his privacy, but his Random Act of Kindness is both inspiring and humbling. This friend and his wife worked with Tiger Daddy and I almost ten years ago. We lost touch with them and I recently found this friend, who I will call Outdoors Dad, via Facebook. The weather in their area is below freezing temps. This morning he posted this:

Random Acts of Kindness

by an old friend on Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 8:44am

Last night Aubrey, Owen and I made breakfast tacos and drove out to down town Austin to give them to the homeless who were unable to get indoors. I can not tell you how humbling it is to see the fear and despair in the face of a fellow American who is hungry and freezing. Randy slept under the bridge at I-35 and Elmhurst last night as temps. dropped to 20 degrees. I had to unwrap the taco and feed it too him as his hands were already too cold to use at 7:30pm. Tonights low will be 17 degrees or less. I spent $9.49 on 2 dozen eggs, 40 tortillas, 1 pound of bacon, and a bag or hash browns. The kids helped me cook and wrap the tacos and hand them out. We were home and in bed by 8:15pm. The pride in the face of my children will warm my soul for years. It's more than just a bumper sticker my friends, so tonight please consider to "practice random acts of kindness."

Again, I was humbled and inspired by this post. Humbled because I reminded how much more my family can do for others and inspired to do more. I was also proud that we were allowed to be apart of such good people's lives, however briefly, in the past. They are truly, truly good, giving people. It doesn't take a lot of money or time to do good things for other people. Be inspired.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Today's Inspiration:Twig and Toadstool's Heart Stamps

One of my favorite sites to visit is Twig and Toadstool. I love how Maureen gets so much inspiration from nature and uses many natural supplies. I also just love the simplicity of many of the crafts. This post from Maureen is Today's Inspiration. It's amazing how three little potato heart stamps can be used for such beautiful effects. The top photo is valentines Maureen and co. made using gold metallic paint and the bottom photo was made (again by Maureen) with glue and sprinkled with plenty of red glitter.