Using eggshells as little vases, make a simple and cute little centerpiece for Easter.

We love our chickens, and we love the eggs they lay. 
Their eggs taste great and I believe they are healthy too. 
And I think they looks adorable....   :)
So for Easter-time this year, I decided to make our chicken's eggs
the focal point in our table centerpiece, turning their eggs
into tiny little vases to hold tiny flowers.

These little eggshell vases are easy to make:
Just gently tap the top of your egg.
Carefully peel some of the eggshell away, till the hole is the size you like.
Poor out the contents.
(Your family will love the goodies you will make with those eggs...!!!)

Carefully wash out the eggshells.
Arrange them in an egg-carton
or other container that will keep them upright.

Fill your empty eggshells with water.

Cut your flowers to a short length and place them in your little eggshell vases.

Enjoy your pretty little Easter centerpiece!

Happy Easter!

FYI: eggshells from roaming chickens are a bit tougher than those you buy
from the store, so they make perfect little vases. 
However, I am sure store-bought eggs would work just fine....

This video above is such a beautiful quick rendition of the last week of Jesus' life: Palm Sunday through Resurrection Morning.  Well-worth your seven minutes of time!  I promise....   :)

Crystelle

Partying with these bloggy friends.... & the Charm of Home, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style, Today’s Creative Blog, Home Stories A 2 Z, The Shabby Nest, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Thrifty Decor Chick, Between Naps on the Porch

Lisa Apron ~ Free Sewing Pattern
The Lisa Apron is a long half apron with cheerful flowers and convenient pockets. 
Long long straps wrap all the way around to tie in the front.
Fun globe flowers on one side, and handy pockets for your kitchen utensils on the other side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The free Lisa sewing pattern is a download at the bottom of this post.

Do you remember the Lisa Apron that was featured in Apronology?
I talked about it here.

Well, Lisa's colorful twin sister is finished, and so is the free Lisa Apron Sewing Pattern!
YAY!

I just happy cheerful spring colors.....
and this time of year, when spring is just upon us, is perfect for them...
So now I can cook int he kitchen in STYLE!
And be happy and cheerful doing it....  :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wrote up the free apron sewing pattern using VERY detailed step-by-step instructions,
taking pictures every step of the way.
There are a lot of steps to make this fun apron, but they should be extremely easy to follow.

I put the pocket side on the right to accommodate right-handed cooks, but for a left handed cook, it would be easy to just flip the two panels around when sewing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For this apron I selected a happy cheerful springy print including two fabrics with a bit of texture to add interest and depth.
I love having these kinds of colors around in my kitchen.....
They make me smile...  :)

Of course the original green Lisa Apron is also super cute..., I think anyway....

Apronology thought it was cute enough to put it in print ....  :)
I'm such a lucky girl......

Lisa Apron Sewing Pattern

Finished dimensions: 
Approximately 33 inches wide, 25.5 inches tall, straps 33 inches each

Design not to be created for commercial use. All rights reserved.
Lisa Apron © Crystelle Boutique 2013

The free download of the Lisa pattern is below.

Something cheerful and colorful this time of year to celebrate the lovey-dovey holiday in February: Valentines Day.
Using my favorite: mixed media

Nice bright colors
vintage finds:

• printed papers
• game-pieces
  
• sheet-music
• flashcards
• measuring tape

For Valentines Day I decided to focus on the love that exists at home between family members:  the safe haven for kids and adults alike.
Taking titles and phrases from kids songs that center around loving families,
I made three pieces:

• Love at Home
• Love is Spoken Here
• Home is Where the Heart Is
  

It was so fun to select three different types of vintage flashcards: 

• the traditional math flashcard: addition
• the "teaching shapes" flashcard: triangle
• the unusual ACT studying card: vocabulary

Making these pieces was like a happy mini-vacation for me in the middle of the cold-snowy month of January...
Boy has it been super cold around here this year...

So sock-monkey and I are excited....
Here's to a bright and shiny new year: full of promise to be a wonderful and happy.
Especially on Valentines Day!

Well, that's about it for new decoration for Valentines Day around here....
What fun new decor items have you come up with?

Linking to a number of these bloggy friends.... as well as to the Charm of Home, Coastal Charm, Savvy Southern Style, Today’s Creative Blog, Home Stories A 2 Z, The Shabby Nest, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Thrifty Decor Chick, Between Naps on the Porch

Ta-DA!  Here is the newest addition to the laundry room:  
a new "chandelier" made from a vintage pot-rack and some old-old silverware... 
I am so excited!

After collecting real silver flatware at estate sales and thrift stores for a few months, I finally had enough to finish the vision I had for my vintage pot-rack (purchased years ago).  I drilled holes along the outer-edge of the pot-rack, drilled holes in the silver utensils; and got to work with a bit of wire. 

I used mostly forks and spoons and just a couple of regular knives, because the knives were not silver throughout but silver-plated, and the metal underneath was too hard for my poor drill-bits...  (I went through quite a few drill-bits making this chandelier....  ).  The butter knives were fabulous though, plus I really like having the variety in shapes. 
I also have a few sugar spoons hanging around...  I love 'em all.......

It sounds so pretty too.  My son thinks this new "chandelier" makes a beautiful wind-chime.
And he's right!  It does!  Sounds just like one when you gently "plunk" it, and the silver utensils jingle....   It's like Christmas all over again!

In stead of wiring a light into the pot-rack, I opted for a simpler method of lighting the pot-rack chandelier at night:  a magnetized battery-powered light I found at Harbor Freight Tools for just a few dollars.  It sticks securely to the top of the metal chandelier, shines nice and bright, and I don't have to worry about hiding the wires and such...  :)

It looks enchanting at night....

Well, it's chilly this time of year, so I got busy making some heart-shaped hand-warmers.

We always do a cookie exchange with all my besties, but as we are all getting a little more health-conscious (aka older), a little gift is more appropriate...  So when I saw these cute handwarmers that Jessi made at Practically Functional, I knew what my girlfriends were getting this year for Christmas....

I had lots of sweater remnants from upcycled sweater pillows I've made, so it was fun to make these cute little heart hand warmers in lots of different colors...  :)
{naturally my favorite colors are the mint and teal...:  so retro cool...  !!!}

Now let's hope that they like them as much as I enjoyed making them for them....

{Guest Post from Anisha at NerdWallet}

It is simply phenomenal what you can do with a little creativity and some basic arts and crafts items. This holiday season you can easily save a ton of extra money by following these instructions for DIY holiday decorations! These are easy and cheap enough to do with the kids, friends, and family members of all ages. There’s no reason to break the bank this season, so simply follow these tips and instructions for quick and easy ways to decorate the home this holiday season.

1. Origami Hangers

Origami is perfect for decorative arrangements that last all year long. Always soothing and beautiful, origami is a super fun and easy way to decorate this holiday season. These customizable DIY hangers can be hung from a Christmas tree, mantelpiece, balcony, or anywhere in and outside of the home. Here’s what you’ll need:

• White or colored paper
  
• Markers or coloring tools
  
• Paperclips and/or string
  
• Internet connection or origami book
  

Use the internet or ‘How To’ book to find your favorite origami designs. Fold and create your desired origami designs from the colored paper. Colored pens or pencils can be taken to the paper for additional decorative designs such as eyes, feathers, or surrealist artwork. Paper clips and/or string can be used to hang your fun designs from a Christmas tree branch or other areas around the home.

2. Photo Hangers

Photo hangers, similar to the DIY origami hangers, can be used to portray your favorite photos or images around the home, from a tree, or over the fireplace. Just follow these instructions:

• Printer with Paper
  
• Internet Access or Digital Photo's
  
• Lamination or Clear Adhesive
  
• Paper Clips or Clothes Pins
  

Print out your favorite family photos (smaller sizes work best) and place them on larger designs of colored or regular paper. Wrap and protect with lamination or clear adhesive cover. Poke holes in the tops of each image and thread string to paperclip. Hang anywhere you desire and watch your surrounding comes alive with images and photos of all the things you truly love!

3. Table Candy Placements

These cute little table placements will adorn your table in time for big, delicious holiday meals! Guests will love to sit around these holiday themed placements as they create a holiday feel at just the right time of the year. What you’ll need:

• Styrofoam Cones
  
• Wax Paper
  
• Glue / hot Glue
  
• Peppermint Candy
  
• Ribbons (optional)
  

Bring out various sizes of Styrofoam cones that can be found in any major store’s arts and crafts section. Place these upon clean wax paper and glue peppermint candies around the entire cone. Various designs can be used such as a simple round-the-cylinder design to a spiral design, striped with other non-perishable candies.  Ribbons can be glued under the candies at the top of the cone, or wherever desired. Let glue cool and dry; place upon table when completed.

These holiday tips come to you from NerdWallet.com, an analysis-driven, quantitatively oriented decision website.

Today I thought I's share with you some of the amazing art done by Kris Day.
She is an incredibly talented assemblage artist 
who lives just within a mile or two of my house.

I always love seeing her art.  It is funny and creatively super inspiring!

So I thought you might want to see some of her art too: 
that's why I posted quite a few photo's of her current show: 
running now through Dec 22, 2012 in downtown Pocatello, Idaho.

See this assemblage "phone" on the front of the flyer?  She is so kind and lets me "store it" for her at my house sometimes.  It's so funny and a great conversation started.  She calls this piece" Let's Talk"  and it represents communication of all sorts....

All her pieces are unique and made from all kinds of items used in an unusual way.

Her art pieces resemble clocks, guitars, ships, etc, etc. 
Each assemblage piece takes her about one month to complete.

So if you want to learn more about Kris Day and her art, please visit her website:  KristineDay.com

Hoping you have a great day
{a Kris Day!} 
:)
Crystelle

From THE FAMILY: A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD comes this quote:

I was asked to teach a class on the subject of families in church, so naturally, after studying the subject for a couple of weeks, my creative juices started flowing....

I got busy and upcycled a cheap-o canvas clearance "painting" I had purchased at Target for just a few dollars and re-painted my family on it.
As you can see, my hubby has gray hair....
And our oldest daughter is just a bit taller than I am, PLUS she has been blessed with voluminous hair....

We are a lucky family of five:  two parents, and three awesome kids....
We have been so blessed. 
They are all three great kids

In my first few sketches I had everyone holding arms around everyone else, but as I made the final product, only mom and dad kept their arms.  The kids felt a little left out, but I explained to them that it is not their responsibility to take care of the family:  that is ours as the parents.  Daddy is largely in charge of providing and protecting, while mommy is the nurturer.  The kids' responsibility is to grow up and become happy and independent, responsible adults.  And along the way we help each other as much as we can....  :)

Anyway, this is my first "large" mixed media attempt and though I am picking it apart in my head all the time, I am kinda happy with all the symbolism behind it...  :)

What mixed media projects have you made?

I link up to a number of these bloggy friends.... as well as to Today’s Creative Blog, Home Stories A 2 Z, Funky Junk Interiors, The Shabby Nest, My Repurposed Life, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Thrifty Decor Chick, Between Naps on the Porch

I get lots of complements from people stopping by, because (as I mentioned before}  this room also functions as the entry into our home.  We have a front door and lovely entry, but, for some reason here in the South-East Idaho country, everyone just enters at the back door.  And I kinda like it that way....!!  It's friendly.....

Which door do your friends and neighbors use to enter your home?


Linking up to Funky Junk for her Unique Window Treatment Party