Sheet Music Balls

Creative title, huh? Did it wow you? Me either.

Instead of crafting and decorating and pontificating on the meaning of life today, I've been playing hooky from work (kids had the day off) and taking a little nap on the screened porch before the big-time pollen kicks in.

I thought I'd share a quick and easy craft that I did a few weeks ago: sheet music balls.

I have seen similar projects on other blogs. Some of my favorites included using patterned paper napkins and strips of cloth to make decorative balls. One even used wiffle balls from the dollar store since styrofoam balls can be expensive.

I used sheet music, which I soaked in tea to get a slightly aged look.

After it dried, I cut the paper into strips about 1 inch thick.

Then, I used Mod Podge and a foam brush to coat styrofoam balls about the size of baseballs, wrapping individual strips on the balls and adding more Mod Podge as I went.

Sticky, sticky, sticky but fun!

The only problem I ran into was that when I let them dry, the delicate paper ripped off of the very bottom of the balls where they got stuck to the tin foil they were resting on. I just re-covered that spot with a one inch piece of sheet music and more Mod Podge.

I LOVED how this project had a very low skill level-- the less uniform and perfect the better-- and how the balls look great on my new foyer table.

Now if I could just get Jake to stop juggling with them.

Book-em Dan-o!

I was going to write about how I ate an entire box of Tagalongs that I had left in the hot car. My high standards of quality control meant I couldn't deliver them to a customer if they were all melt-y and such.

Fortunately, I just finished my book craft, so I can share that with you instead!

Remember these? A little light reading:

Here's a hint as to what they became:

BOOK PURSES!

I saw this craft in my beloved Country Living magazine and had to try it.

Please mentally snip that little thread hanging off of the side of the red purse. Thanks.







A half yard of cute fabric, $5.99 handles from JoAnn's, an old book, and a glue gun, and you are in business. No sewing, unless you count sewing on the button.

The second one was definitely easier than the first, and although they are not perfect, they are perfectly adorable!

I am not going to do a tutorial here, because Country Living has this fabulous one already. If I had seen their slide show before attempting this craft, rather than relying solely on written directions, I think my purses would have turned out even better!

Linking up to Transformation Thursday at the Shabby Chic Cottage.

A Monday Minute

Spring has left me feeling oh so crafty, which means we are surrounded by half-finished projects.

Like a back porch wicker re-do/BEFORE:

DURING: Doesn't Tom look so happy to be a part of the fun at 9 pm on Friday night? He tends to prefer a different type of March Madness:

AFTER will have to wait until I can figure out how to cover up all of the staples and, yes, masking tape that was involved.

There was the purchase of new outdoor lighting, sitting in boxes in the dining room:

And there's the half-finished project that involves these 2 books, a glue gun, and some fabric:


If it works, I think you'll LOVE it.

And waiting in the wings is my latest dumpster dive. Suggestions welcome:

But the best part of my days has been the good weather and being able to see these 2 play together constantly. I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

Coasting Along in December

I'm not much of a crafter at all because I just don't have much patience for the little details. When I saw this idea at Beneath My Heart, Traci assured her readers it would be easy, so I decided to try it.

Check out the link for a step by step tutorial, but basically, you make coasters using 4 inch square tiles from Home Depot (17 cents each!), a little Mod Podge, and your black and white printer.

I printed out initials in fonts that I liked, cut them to size, and glued them to the tiles using Mod Podge. A little Mod Podge on the top, let them dry, then sprayed the top with Acrylic Sealer. The final step was putting a thin piece of self-stick cork on the back so the tiles wouldn't scratch a table.

All of the supplies (except the tile) were at Michael's. This was the easiest, fastest, and least expensive craft I've ever done. Before I knew it I had coasters for my neighbors and friends from my small group.

Whew!

Taking a Shine to This

I bought a tarnished champagne bucket at the thrift store because, you know, we drink so much champagne around here.

It was only $6.75, so of course I had to have it. Then I bought a half sphere of floral foam. I wanted a whole sphere, but it was $12. As Jake said, "the big one looks a little better, but you'll probably get the cheaper one." How true. Half a ball means half the price.



Some green moss and hot glue later, I had an elegant moss ball. What home is complete without one? I got out the silver polish, but I think I may just go with old and tarnished. Thoughts?

Jake, Molly and Tom think the concept of a moss ball is weird. This is usually a good sign.

Snip Snip

Molly was working on a craft and needed some yarn. I sent her down to the pit of disaster that is the unfinished part of our basement to find some. I told her she would find a clear plastic tub on the top of one of the shelves that had yarn in it. I knew this would keep her busy for a while, trying to navigate through piles of crap.

30 minutes later she came back, bearing some colorful string that didn’t look familiar to me. She was very proud of herself. Later, we were in the basement again and she showed me where she got the “yarn.”

Ooops. She had chopped off the end of my hammock, saved from my mid-80’s mission trips to Mexico. She was mortified. Oh well. If I haven’t found a place to hang it in the past 25 years, I don’t think I’ll be needing it any time soon.