Patchwork Bottles: A Dramatic Decor Craft

 

I had thrown so many bottles away that I put my foot down and declared I'm going to find a quick, decorative technique so that I can salvage these bottles!

 

I like working with glass because of its sparkling transparency. Even when covered up, as I've done with these bottles, it's still exciting to feel the heftiness of the glass in my hands.

Ways to decorate a bottle.

I decided on a freeform, patchwork design. Before I chose my papers, I decided on color schemes of:

• whites/creams/silvers for the 1st bottle,
• pinks/mauves/fuchsias for the 2nd,
• and golds/silvers/cremes/whites for the 3rd.

I tore up a supply of various papers, keeping them close to similar sizes by layering them before tearing. It was easy to apply glue to each piece and stick it to the bottle. The challenge was choosing each piece so that the same designs and colors were not bunched up together.

Since paper crafting is my first love, I have a huge stock of scrap papers that makes it easy to arrange color schemes. I loved using foils/metallics. Some of them, especially the fuchsias, are actually salvaged candy/gum wrappers! I scavenge papers from anywhere and anything. Metallic papers can be pulled from the envelope liners of greeting cards that we receive.


Deciding in what design to place the papers can be challenging and a reason for procrastination. I decided that for every 5 papers that I glued down I would place one of the darkest colors.

Another thing that helps with your pattern design is that you don’t have to glue in a certain direction. Each piece of paper can be glued up, down, left or right in line with what was placed last. This gives a lot of leeway in balancing the colors and sizes in the placement of the paper pieces.


I started at the bottom gluing papers and worked my way around and up to the top of each bottle. Once finished, I painted each bottle with a matte sealer. You can use a matte or gloss medium, one of the Modge Podge or Decorart brands of sealers or white PVC glue. It depends on how durable you want your bottles to be and where you plan to display them. Outside or in moist areas will require a sealer that can protect against that.


I decided to add another fav medium, craft wire, to the largest bottle. It’s really easy. Most important is not to cut a length of wire first. Just wrap and twist with a pliers, wrap and twist while unwinding the wire from the roll.

You then won’t end up with a too short piece or extra that you have to clip off and store. If you precut a piece and it runs short, you could easily join another piece and twist carefully to hide the join.

I chose a golden wire and twisted a design with wire pliers, making sure to add a twist each time the wire passed each side of the bottle. When I finished, I crimped each end of the wire back onto itself, hiding the ends and securing them.

I painted and embellished a wooden ball for the top of one bottle, attaching it securely with tacky glue.

I kept the black, plastic, twist-on cap on the silvery bottle, decoupaging it with silver paper. I then formed a sculptural design on top of that cap with another piece of the silver paper drenched in glue.

I really like my design of the cork stopper for the gold and silver bottle. I painted it white and added a spiral design with a metallic gold paint pen.

I securely glued it into the top of the bottle with tacky glue. I had decoupaged gold metallic, textured paper around and into the bottle opening. This helped to secure the cork inside.

 

I created a sculptural topper for the bottle cork out of reclaimed metal, wire and beads. The metal disk had a metal post on it (it was part of an old pierced earring), which I stuck into a glue-filled hole in the cork.

Paper patchwork.

I like my work to be finished on all surfaces, so I cut and glued coordinated craft felt to the bottom of each bottle. It helps keep them from sliding off of shelves and protects surfaces.

Bottle decoration ideas.

The most time-consuming part of this technique is, of course, designing the paper patchwork design. Once you get started it goes very quickly.


I like looking at these bottles. They dress up any table or shelf with a pretty flash of creativity. Get busy!

Make your creative flash today!

Happy Creative Monday: Trading Changes For Freedom

I've been making changes in my creative life right and left. Once you get started, the burdens just keep rolling off and away. We never know how much something was a burden until it's gone. We're always convincing ourselves that life must go on as is.

It's easier to stay burdened than to make changes towards a freedom that we can't or won't see that we need. It doesn't take much convincing for us to believe that we need everything that we have in our lives.

Monday is a good day to evaluate what burdens we may have that need to be shaken off, what new freedoms we need to embrace. HAPPY MONDAY!

 

Happy Creative Friday: You Can Create!

 

Embrace your creativity! Enjoy creative living! It's a breath of fresh air everyday! You can create. You have the ability within. It's not like what anyone else does. It's your special vision, you way of seeing things. It is a gift that you have to enhance and brighten your life.

See this inspiring post: You Are Creative!

Small Envelopes For Seeds

Almost time for harvest and seed-saving! These small envelopes for seeds will help you to organize your heirloom seeds. Separate your hybrids into mini envelopes that you print, cut out and fold yourself. 

Flowering, vegetable, fruit or herbs seeds can be salvaged into these easy to file pockets. These Roses Design Seed Catchers provide a way for you to prepare to grow a new garden or crop of your precious botanicals for the next growing season.

You receive:

 ♦ 3 (three) printable envelopes, 1 3/4 x 2 3/4" approx.

♦ 300 dpi for crisp printing on 8 1/2 x 11" paper or card stock.

♦ Print, cut out, fold and glue or tape 3 flaps on each.

♦ Print as often as needed. Remember that your equipment may display and print the colors differently. Save your ink and print in black and white if it will work for your project.

These printable envelopes can also be used for craft storage of  beads, buttons, scrap fabrics and other crafting supplies. Also, use them for office supplies storage. 

 

 

 

Buy Roses Design Seed Catchers at 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© Printaphoria & Graphics To Beautify, Organize & Simplify Your Life Are The Property Of Artsy Craftery Design Studio

Happy Creative Wednesday & Easy Nature Crafts

Creativity is a part of everyday life for those who love making, designing, writing and photography. See my tissue paper leaves glued to natural twigs? That's easy creativity that you can do. 

Fold several layers of tissue paper and cut out oval/marquis/cat eye shapes. Fold them over twigs and glue. Liquid glue works best. Glue sticks may tear the tissue paper. Place your leafy stems in a vase and decorate your environment with this lovely, nature crafts floral design.  

So many possibilities with color schemes and twigs formations! Easy weekend crafts projects for you! Easy crafts for kids!

Happy Creative Wednesday!

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Thrown Together Banana & Applesauce Muffins

I don’t even know how they got that way in the fridge without me noticing. It was overnight, I think. My bananas were so ugly! They were so yucky that I didn’t want to touch them but I couldn’t bring myself to throw them out. They weren’t terribly ugly on the inside though, just mushy. 

I knew I had the basics in the pantry to whip up some small muffins. Anyone who has cooked for a few years knows the basic ingredients for bread products. I keep self-rising flour too, so it’s easy peasy! I guesstimated all measures. 

For 6 muffins, I mashed the 2 bananas in a bowl. I added 2 eggs, about 3/4 cups of sugar and a tsp of vanilla. I stirred it up well by hand. I then added self-rising flour, applesauce to thicken them and add more flavor, and a little milk. I gently stirred it, again by hand, until it was just moistened and still lumpy.

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I closely watched the consistency because I didn’t want them to bake out overly dry or too soft and crumbly. I could always have added more flour if the mix became too wet but that would possibly mean having to add more sugar, vanilla, etc. Sometimes adding more flour and other ingredients at the late stage of mixing can toughen and coarsen the end product.

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Spooned the mix into the greased muffin tin. I chopped up some nuts that I had on hand and sprinkled them over the tops with a little sugar. I pressed the nuts down a little with the back of a spoon so that they would not fall off during the rising.

I baked them on 400 and watched them after about 20 min. When they began to brown, I tested them with a knife until they were done to my liking.

They came out REALLY well! With butter spread over the tops and coffee, they were delish! As you can see, two were quickly gone!

TIPS:

• Using milk browns better than water, though water will do in a pinch for some recipes.

• Adding applesauce will add moisture so reduce the amount of milk/liquid.

• When guesstimating, it’s better to add a little liquid at a time rather than having to add more flour/dry products because the mix has become too wet. Over-compensating and over-stirring can make the baked good coarse and tough. 

Lettuce Craft Forum featured this post.

See other Kitchen Minute posts.

 

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How To Use Keywords

I am still reaping the benefits of using keywords whenever I write blog post titles, product descriptions and social media shares. The importance of keywords is still a valuable topic today. Read these statements that will help you to understand why keywords are important.

Moz

Keywords are important because they are the linchpin between what people are searching for and the content you are providing to fill that need.

Ahref

Keywords are important because your website can show up when people type them into search engines. 

Semrush

Keywords are how your customers find you.  

Hubspot

Keywords are words or phrases that users type into search engines to find relevant content for their queries.

Yoast

If you do use the words people are searching for, your business can thrive. So if you see it like that, your keywords should reflect what your audience is searching for.  

Still wishing you could boost your sales? Finding and using keywords will help increase your traffic. When are you going to take keyword search seriously? In my book, Simple Keyword Search That Even You Will Feel Like Doing, I break down my search process into easy steps. The quick processes that I share are timeless in their application in online marketing. 

If you can't pay a marketing specialist to do it for you, you can swiftly add your own streamlined keyword search process to your schedule. It will help to draw more customers in and still leave maximum time for you to create.

Order the paperback or Kindle version at Amazon. 

Order the PDF eBook here.

Handmade Mini Accordian Journal Tutorial

I had a lightweight piece of folded scrap cardboard with even the little end flap folded. I liked it and didn't want to toss it. I also had written the word*LOVE* on a scrap of paper with the last of some glitter paint in a squeeze bottle. 

One day I thought, This love word would fit perfectly on the front, and I could make a mini folded book. Instead of time-worn love themes, I decided on the scripture Love thy neighbor as thyself. (Mark 12:31)

I thought about a neighborhood design with houses made of triangles and squares of scrap paper. I then changed the theme to the paraphrase I love myself and my neighbors benefit! This fitted perfectly with my belief that if we don't learn to love ourselves first we can't truly love anyone else. I decided it would focus on self-love and high self-esteem.

I painted the entire piece of cardboard, back and front, with metallic copper acrylic paint in one of the 4 oz bottles from the craft section at Wmart. I then dry-brushed in places gold glitter paint.

I added a flower die cut and a faceted metallic rhinestone to accent the O in Love. I added sequins and other rhinestones to embellish the front.

I kept gathering all types of scraps from my scavenged stash to fill out my neighborhood and the sky above. I typed out and printed the quote and collaged it down. The phrases Be Happy and Count Your Blessings are from a sheet of transparent quote stickers for scrapbooking.

I made flower bushes by cutting up used greeting cards. I made trees by cutting turquoise cardstock with decorative paper edger scissors and drawing on details. My color theme evolved into mostly purple, yellow and turquoise.

On the back side and further playing on the neighborhood/home theme, I designed the narrow flap to mimic a front door. The 2 strings with end beads simulates a pull doorbell. The eye and the inkwell leads to what is inside, a chance to write something good about self.

Once you open the door, you can see the full invitation quote, What I love about me. Two micro tags are attached to the door chime pulls and are not removable. The mini tag with the colorful pony beads strung on eyelash yarn can be removed from the heart-printed, vellum pocket. On these tags are to be written a few individual words that describe what is beautiful about you.

The bluebird, the fence and the flower bush was cut from greeting cards. The seagulls are clip art.

As you can imagine, this was a very satisfying project. This sweet little handmade book got away from me when it sold at Etsy. 🥲 Like a loved one who has passed, I have the pics to remind me of happy times and to share. We can try but we can never really remake one-offs. The spirit is just not there, although something brand new and just as beautiful can be made.

I love the creative flow of altered art. It can be exhausting to think about creating something like this. The ease is in receiving the inspiration and letting the flow come and then it creates itself. It also tells you when it's finished.

Lettuce Craft Featured Project

~ One of my projects, Nature-Inspired Scrabble Tile Necklaces, is featured at Lettuce Craft, a wonderful, busy craft forum. I'm going to write a post about the site soon. I'm still new and learning my way around. ~

Is Selling On Redbubble Worth It?

It's worth it, for now, for these reasons:

• I can see my designs on products that I will most likely never produce.
• It's free to list.
• I'm not required to upload a certain of designs in any time frame.
• I can be as absent or as active uploading designs as I want to be.
• I always retain the copyright for all of my design. 
  
• There is no contract and I can leave the site whenever I want.
  

These features are generally for any POD venue. I just happen to be at RedBubble.

I also do other things with my designs. I create printables and digitals for my own shop. Diversification is key for me. If I was designing and only selling at RB, I don't think that I'd be successful enough because of the volume of sellers. I also abhor designing for trends and popularity. I want to design what I want. What makes me happy. I am trying harder, though, to occasionally incorporate some trending ideas and motifs into my work. 

If you regularly study trending ideas, motifs and designs and cleverly incorporate them into your work, it will help increase your sales. 

Sources For Graphic Design Ideas

Check out Google Trends for ideas. 

The 12 Most Inspiring Graphic Design Trends for 2023 

Graphic Design Trends 2023: From Anti-Branding to Vivid Minimalism - Envato 10 Design Trends That Will Shift the Vibes in 2023 

 2023 Graphic Design Trends Report | Dribbble