Feeling Creative!

I'm not sure why but since I quit my job, discovered Pinterest or both, I've had the desire to create things, redo things, etc.  I have to say I love doing it but it doesn't pay well!  It doesn't pay at all.  But I've had the joy of seeing a project finished, been able to give some things as gifts (poor gift receiver, lol) and save some money.  Since I'm making things, I think I'm buying fewer things.  This has helped me with my depression, but not always so much with my nerve pain.  But as with any ailment they say "don't stop doing things"  I just chose to stop doing hair...where I was semi creative.  So maybe it's my need to keep my creative side alive.  Well, here goes it...Some of my best, worst and inbetweens.  Some useful, some just silly.  And one by my son, who hopefully can use his creativeness in a successful career someday! 

This I made from a coat hanger, a pair of pliers, some black spray paint.

I decided to start making homemade cards to send to former clients (the ones who touched my life or might appreciate a card...aka the greater generation ladies)  I bought a beginner's calligraphy set, practiced til my arm hurt, and I bought an ink pad and a dandelion rubber stamp...cause I like dandelions!

One thing I did purchase was this awesome shower curtain from Walmart.com but I also remade my clock to match.  I took clock apart, removed painted on numbers with a razor, repainted the background, and painted on some thistles.  Getting a paintbrush that was a little more fine would of worked better for the thistles. 

This is one of those silly things I did while waiting on my food at Chili's.  I get bored easily!  It's a dinosaur if you can't tell and I made it out of a straw wrapper and sent pic to my grandson who loves dinosaurs!

Speaking of dinosaurs, guess who I made this for?  Yep, the grandboys.  Just make sure your mix isn't too runny and poor slowly in a pattern.  No mold needed :)

When you borrow a book from your son's friend's sister and keep it for a long time, you might want to make her a little thank you gift like this book mark. :)  I used paint cards from Walmart for front and back, glued together.  I did a pencil rubbing of "mockingjay pin" from book cover on white paper, then laying it onto bookmark I traced over it, pressing firmly so I could copy the imagine.  Then I traced the imagine on the bookmark in pencil, perfecting it, then with pen to finalize.  I used a hole puncher (which reminds me of gunshot holes) across the top to block out words that were on the paint card and added a red ribbon.  I copied the name using same font as on book, and I put the recipitents name on the back of bookmark.  I used cordinating colors of the book for the front and back.

I actually found some wire in my husband's tool box for this.  I drew an imagine of the logo of my daughter's friend's band for a visual. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150162097320895.302892.550440894&type=3#!/LiesBetween2012  Then wrapping the wire around a wide toothbrush handle I formed the ring part.  I then twisted with needle nose pliers the letters which by the way are LB with a C adjoining them.  I twisted any sharp ends over and pinched off after added a couple beads.

This was on a need to basis.  I have a lot of neck pain.  I have a rice filled tube that I was given but it doesn't stay put when I'm working and I often cant sit still.  So I looked them up on amazon and they were about $40 so I made this for practically nothing with no sewing machine necessary.  

Need fabric scrap, I chose a soft fabric.

Some no sew tape.

An iron.

Scissors.

Pins to hold in place while trying on.

Rice (for heat)

Ice pack (for cold)

I cut it this shape because I will wrap around my shoulder and secure in front.  Yes, my hubby says it looks like a diaper!  bah. lol  I cut so that I didn't have to secure bottom edge. 

I then used the no sew tape (which you should follow manufacturers directions for adhereing)  it sticks really well if you follow directions.  I left a gap at top for inserting either rice or ice.

Trying it on I decided where to put the stick-on velcro.  Not too high or it'll irritate your neck.  The stickiness wears off so I used tacky glue to help hold the velcro.

Now if you are going to use rice in this, either dump the back in and secure the opening.  Or as I did, I use it for both heat and cold so I left opening.  When I want to use for heat I have my old head neck tube I insert after warming in microwave for about 45 seconds (be careful not to get too hot, which may feel good on those achey muscles but will also turn your neck red)!  With this design the rice doesn't shift and stays where you position it on your neck.

I've found that Ice works best for my neck pain.  I believe because it's caused by a pinched nerve, the ice helps with swelling and releaves some of the pressure.  This cooling pack is kept in freezer til you need it.  You can cooling/heating packs by first aid supplies in most stores.

This is the finished wrap.  And it's been a big help with my pain in the neck!  Other pains in the neck have to be dealt with yet!  hehe

Ok, I was excited about this cheap barn sale find.  Then on an episode of "Seinfeld" I saw these exact chairs in a hospital scene.  Oh well, someone had a visiter sit in this.  lol

Again I found some fabric I liked.  I don't know my fabric types.  Obviously I don't sew.  But this is a heavy material.  After disassembling chair (screws were rusted in so hubby got out his power tools!)   I sanded down the frame and just rubbed some dark stain over it.  It still looks worn but that's what gives it it's shabby chic look.  I then borrowed a staple gun and went to work attatching fabric to underside and back of chair.  It takes a little practice to get it fitted.  But here you have it...not half bad!

Spongebob haypants.  I made this for grandsons at Halloween.  I'm really not into the spooky stuff anymore but saw this idea at Amish Acres. http://www.amishacres.com/  I have a friend that graciously gave me two bails of hay.  I then had my son stacked them on top of one another.  If you have something to hold them together, like placing dollrods between them, this may prevent a tip over...mine actually stayed upright for quite some time.  The mouth, shirt, tie and pants were painted on using cheap spray paint for about $1 at dollar store.  I used two wiffle balls painted with blue eyes and secured with some wire to twine that wraps around hay.  Also I used a plastic banana stuck into the hay for a nose.   For the arms and legs I had a broken rake and a broken broom stick that I spray painted yellow.  Added some gloves secured by rubberbands and some black boots.  Or if you want to get complicated you can make some boots out of paper mache.  My teenage son was the heavy lifter of the hay!  And the grandboys got to help and they thought it was cool!

I took this picture the winter we had a continuous snow storm.  I put one lone red christmas bulb on the branch sticking out of snow bank and took this picture.  One of my BBF (the one with the hay) framed it for me.  I love it!  And it's such a thoughtful gift.

This is my son making the DeadMau5 head.  I will not explain how he did it.  It took alot of materials we bought on Amazon.  And the video he followed to make it was on Youtube.  I will say you have to have use of jigsaw (which his dad helped with) and the gluing on of the felt (which I helped with) was harder than I thought!

There you have it.  The finished DeadMau5 head.  Now listen to you some DeadMau5!  lol  http://www.deadmau5.com/

I made this magnet on my computer on magnet photo sheets you can find at Walmart.  I made this several years ago for my mother-in-law who was diagnosised with bone cancer.  This is an actually double rainbow we witnessed on a trip to the cancer clinic.  She kept it on her refigerator.

This magnet I made for some of my girlfriends and I.  We've been friends since grade school!