The Benefits of Crafting

One of the most significant advantages and joys of crafting is the reduction of stress and anxiety. Engaging in a craft activity allows you to focus your mind on creating something, which can help to alleviate feelings of worry and tension.

Furthermore, crafting can also improve your cognitive abilities. Creating something with your hands requires using various parts of the brain, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. Engaging in a craft activity regularly can help to keep your mind sharp and improve your overall cognitive function. It may take some trial and error, but I’m confident that you can find a craft that fits your needs whether it is one to showcase your creativity or just to find a relaxing hobby.

Building Connections Through Crafting

From my upbringing in the Appalachian Mountains, I’ve always had an affinity for crafting. It’s something that continues to bring me immense satisfaction. Creating things with your own hands is a truly fulfilling experience that boosts self-esteem and provides a sense of accomplishment. In addition, another joy of crafting is the social benefits that it offers. It can serve as an excellent bonding activity for families, friends, and children’s friend groups. What could be more rewarding than to gather before the holidays to make homemade crafts or ornaments? Crafting is an excellent way to connect with others and build a sense of community. Whether you join a crafting group or take a class, you’ll have the opportunity to meet new people and share your passion for creating with others.

Hint: Crafting at the holidays is a family tradition that I wanted to pass on to my children. Have each parent bring a simple snack. You can bring board games, sing carols, or have the kids watch a Christmas movie with popcorn (not for small children as it is a choking hazard) and hot cocoa. It is a great way to make the holiday season magical without expensive gifts.

Frugal but Perfect Gifts and Decor

Another benefit is that it can be a cost-effective approach to gift-giving, and making event decorations for parties, showers, or weddings. Several others and I made the flower arrangements and decorations for our daughter’s wedding. A dear family friend made a personalized quilt for the couple that was used as the backdrop for their wedding cake. Each person involved had different skills, but together we worked to make their day special.

Besides creating decor for an event, crafting can also help you create personalized and affordable decor for your home. I have made paintings, wall hangings, curtains, and flower setter pieces, among other items, for our home. Creating your decor not only gives you the chance to make treasures that suit your unique style, but it also gives you such a sense of accomplishment when they are admired by visitors. For those new to crafting, it can seem like a daunting hobby to take up. However, the rewards of the process can be worth the invested time and effort.

How to Find the Craft for You

Finding the perfect starter craft can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. To begin, I suggest starting with a project that aligns with your interests and passions. Take a look around your home and notice any recurring themes in your decor. Perhaps you have a love for all things vintage or a fascination with nature. Whatever it may be, find a simple project that speaks to your unique style and personality.

Remember, crafting is all about expressing your creativity and individuality. Don’t be afraid to break away from the latest trends and create something truly one-of-a-kind. Incorporate little treasures from nature walks, or sentimental items that hold special meaning to you. The possibilities are endless!

1. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new techniques. Mistakes are part of the learning process!
2. Remember, crafting isn’t just about the result. It’s about the journey and the sense of accomplishment you feel. So, take your time, enjoy the process, and let your creativity shine!
3. Check with your local library to see if they offer craft or painting classes.
4. Painting parties can be a good way to try out painting without investing in supplies.
5. Look for online DIY videos and step-by-step tutorials. Many are free to view, especially those found on YouTube. Other sites, like Craftsy, offer memberships that allow you to view classes and tutorials.
6. Pinterest is another good place to look for inspiration, tutorials, and even craft sites.
7. Blogs can be another resource for craft ideas, patterns, and DIY tutorials.

Finding Craft Supplies

Once you have decided on the craft that you would like to try the next step is to gather needed supplies. Craft and hobby stores will carry the supplies, but not every store will offer the same sort of inventory. A search online should allow you to find the most convenient store to meet your needs. If you are like me, Walmart may be the only store in your area that offers crafting resources. In a case such as mine, shopping online may be your best option. Other options may be looking around thrift shops and yard sales for items you can incorporate into your craft.

The Dollar General Store, and The Dollar Tree both carry some affordable craft supplies. Home centers and indoor flea markets are often the best resources for resourcing wood. Amazon is a resource for a variety of craft supplies and hobbies, and I often use it as a price comparison while I am shopping in person whether it is in a craft shop or at a yard sale, it pays to be informed.

Tips to Remember:

1. Don’t over-buy. For your first crafting venture, stick to basic supplies.
2. Remember that when working with children make sure the craft and supplies that will be used are age-appropriate.
3. I’d suggest that you start with a small project. As you build up skills and confidence, you will be less likely to abandon a larger project.

Ready, Set, Craft

Are you ready to unlock your creativity and experience the joy of crafting? I firmly believe that crafting is a wonderful hobby that can benefit your life in numerous ways. From reducing stress and anxiety to improving cognitive function and building a sense of community, there are countless reasons to start crafting today. With this in mind, why not give it a try and see how it can benefit you?

Links and Resources

I am sharing a few of my favorite instructional sites and craft blogs to help you get started on the crafting journey.

Craftsy offers classes and tutorials for various crafts: https://www.craftsy.com/

Craft Blog: https://www.marthastewart.com/1502461/diy-projects-crafts

Links to Several of My DIY Craft Posts

That You May Enjoy

• Up-cycled paper craft (beginner): Paper Bag Crafts (Angel and Ornaments): https://beeveecreativecrafts.com/homemade-appalachain-christmas-crafts/
• Mix Media Crafting (intermediate): https://beeveecreativecrafts.com/diy-dryer-vent-hose-pumpkin-crafts/
• Painting (beginner): https://beeveecreativecrafts.com/how-to-paint-a-pumpkin-fall-decor/
• Burp Cloth (Beginner/Sewing ): https://beeveecreativecrafts.com/burp-cloth-pattern-for-beginners/

I hope that you will embrace your creative side and discover the joy of crafting. I’d love to hear from you. I’d love to see your creations.

Thanks for stopping by, visit again soon,

Vikki

The post The Joy of Crafting: A Guide for Beginners appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Mountain folk did not have the luxury of going out and buying new ornaments. Appalachians “up-cycled” almost everything, including “paper pokes” aka paper bags, wild found treasures, and bits of rags.

Today I am going to show you two DIY Appalachian Christmas Paper Bag Crafts: paper bag angels, and paper bag ornaments. The simplicity of these paper ornaments embraces the beauty of most Appalachian Crafts, and I hope that you are inspired to not only try your hand at creating your ornaments but share them with others.

Paper Bag Angels

Tiny paper bag angels adorned many a cabin and coal camp shack wall during the holiday season. You would find them adorned with bits of scrap ribbon and lace. Often they were the work of little hands, and never “store-bought” perfect, they held a beauty that you can’t find in store-bought decorations. As you gather supplies to create your angels, look for items that hold special meaning to you and your family.

There is no pattern for these little beauties, as the skill to make them was passed along from mother to child. Hopefully, you will be able to figure out how to put them together by viewing the series of photos.

Supplies:

• 2 lunch-size paper bags
• Ribbons or scraps of lace
• hot glue
• string for hanging
• scissors
• pipe cleaner
• fiberfill

Directions:

Head and Arms

1. Cut one of your bags along one side, and then the other side. Remove the bottom section and discard it. You should have two long rectangles of paper. Lay aside for now.
2. Using your second bag, add a ball of fiberfill to the bottom of the bag. Scrunch the bag beneath the fiberfill. Using a pip cleaner, twist the area closed to create the “neck” of your angel. Do not cut the pipe cleaner, you will use the leftover length will be twisted together to form a hanger.
3. Use one of your two rectangles of paper, and fold it over and over lengthwise.
4. Twist the folded paper to create the “arms” of your angel.
5. Add a bit of ribbon or lace to the ends of the twisted paper. This will create the “cuffs” for the sleeves.
6. Find the center of the twisted paper, and secure it to the center of the angel’s back, just below the pipe cleaner.
7. Pull the two ends of the twisted paper to the front and glue them together to form the hands.

Dress and Halo

1. Starting at the center of the bottom of the dress, glue ribbon to the hem.
2. Take the second triangle of paper and starting at one end, bend it back and forth to form an accordion shape ( like one would do to make a paper fan). You can glue ribbon to the ends if wanted. Pinch the folded shape together in the center letting let create a butterfly-like shape, next glue it to the back of the angel to form wings. In the photos below I used ribbon on the smaller angel to create wings. On the larger one, I used a long thin paper bag, cut it to the desired length, and pinched it together in the middle, and glued it in place. I added lace to the edges to give it a finished look.
3. If needed, shape the head of the angel, gluing it in place as needed. Just take care to not burn yourself with the hot glue.
4. Add a bit of twisted paper, pipe cleaner, or other embellishments to the angel’s head to form a halo.

Paper Bag Ornaments

The folks in the Appaliacn mountains found a use for everything, including paper bags. You would see them used to hold dried fruit and nuts, note paper, toilet paper, quilting patterns, and more.

My favorite use for paper bags was making tiny stuffed ornaments for my Christmas tree. I have several paper bag ornaments that I use on my tree every year. Below are instructions for creating your very own paper bag treasures for your tree.

Supplies:

• paper bags (or brown paper used for wrapping postal packages)
• Acrylic paints
• puff paint ( if desired)
• hot glue
• paint brushes
• fiberfill
• string for hanging ornaments
• patterns to transfer to the bag: Gingerbread Man
• scissors

Directions:

1. Print the pattern
2. Cut out two gingerbread men shapes, or snowman shapes
3. Draw a face, bow, and buttons on one of your shapes
4. Place the other corresponding shapes together, and glue around the edge-leaving a space open at the top to insert the fiberfill stuffing.
5. Slightly stuff the ornament.
6. Glue the opening shut.
7. Paint on the features.
8. Once dry, glue a string to the back as a hanger.

Memories of Christmas Past

Christmas doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated. The most perfect Christmas seasons that I can recall were spent stringing popcorn, making paper chains, and making homemade ornaments for our tree. Making crafts with my mom and siblings gave the season special magic. Our few gifts were not expensive., but it was such an amazing time of year. This year I encourage you to step back and enjoy the little things in life.

A Peek at My Next Blog Post

My next blog post will be on painting pinecones and using them as decorations around the house. It will include directions for a burlap garland and simple pinecone ornaments.

I had intended to show you the pinecone craft in today’s post. Me being me, I misplaced my pinecones and had to go out and pick up new ones.

Thank You

If you enjoyed this post on DIY Appalachian Christmas Paper Bag Crafts, you may want to check out my other posts for other mountain, holiday-traditions: how to create grapevine wreaths and how to make our Traditional Apple Stack Cakes.

I hope that you embrace the joy of the season by spending time with family or friends crafting and creating fun holiday decorations. This year can be the year that you start a beloved family tradition!

Thank y’all for stopping by. I’d love it if you decided to follow my blog or share it with others.

Wishing you all the joy of an old-fashioned Christmas,

Vikki

The post Homemade Appalachian Christmas Crafts appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Ingredients & Prep

You will need:

• parchment paper
• cookie pan
• ingredients
• pastry knife
• grater
• oven
• knife
• baking spray/ oil
• One medium-sized sweet potato; washed and baked. Let cool before mashing to make your sweet potato puree.

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Nuts:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Oils:

1 stick of butter ( or stick of vegetable butter) grated, then chilled in the freezer for about ten minutes. If your butter ain’t really cold, your scones will not turn out right. Shortening doesn’t work well in this recipe.

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream- chilled
• 1 large egg- beaten
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• prepare a sheet of parchment paper that is at least a foot long (for patting out scone dough)
• Sift together dry ingredients; Using a pastry knife, cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles a course meal.

• Gently stir in the nuts (if using).
• Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Make a “well” in the center of the dry ingredients.

• Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stirring after each addition. Do not over-process the dough. Only mix it enough to combine the wet and dry ingredients. The dough should look like crumbly cookie dough.

• Turn the dough out onto parchment paper that has been lightly sprinkled with flour.
• Pat out the dough into a large rectangle shape. Cut in the center to create two squares. From there cut into small triangular pieces.

• Carefully move the scones to a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on elevation). I usually remove them at the 10-minute mark.
• Cool on a wire rack. Top with glaze when just warm.

Glaze Recipe

• 1 cup sifted-powered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon & ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon each: nutmeg, & cloves
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon butter

Mix together dry ingredients. Stir in butter until mixed. Add cream, and blend well. Can add a bit more cream if needed, but take care to not add too much as the glaze will be easily thinned.

A Note About Pastry Knives

If you are new to using a pastry knife, you can buy them at Walmart and other department stores. Here is a link to a stainless steel pastry knife similar to the one I use. Any of them will work.

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all

Thanksgiving to me is not about having a fancy meal. It is about getting together with family and friends. Growing up, we didn’t have fancy place settings, but our mom sure could make you feel special and loved. Those are the most precious memories for me of when all of my siblings came together. I miss those sweet days and cherish the memories. Remember, you don’t have to have a perfect house to have a happy home. Enjoy the little things, like sweet potato scones and a cup of coffee to start your Thanksgiving morning.

I want to wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving. If you enjoyed this post, please pop over and check out my recipes for Appalachian Apple Stack Cake. It is another holiday favorite back home in the hills.

You all come back by real soon,

Vikki

The post Thanksgiving Day Breakfast:Sweet Potato Scones appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

When our children were little my husband and I read to them daily. Each night we would read a few chapters from a book before bedtime. Of course, I read the favorites from my childhood such as “The Boxcar Children”, “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe”, and The Lord of the Rings series. Being dyslexic, I wanted to give our kids a love of reading to help them overcome any possible struggles they may have inherited from me. Luckily neither of the two is dyslexic, but the family reading time instilled a love of reading. I would have never dreamed of how this love of reading would spill over into other areas of their adult lives. With my daughter, her love of fantasy comes to life in her art.

First Project

Jessi is a mixed media artist with an emphasis on digital art. She sells her art at shows and conventions and is featured on merchandise that is available for purpose online. She also does art commissions. When she found out that she was expecting she decided to do a fan art version of the Misty Mountain from The Hobbit mural on a wall in the nursery and asked for my assistance in executing her design. One of her favorite books that we read during story time was The Hobbit, and this is the theme that she and her husband chose for the baby’s room. The theme was her way of passing on a family tradition that incorporated her and her husband’s love of Dungeons and Dragons.

Concept Art Brought to Life

Jessi had the concept art completed months ago. She had sent me a digital copy of the work, so I knew what the design would be. She chose clean, crisp lines to give the mural the look of a page from a children’s book. The design was simple, and free-handing it onto the wall seemed easy enough. She ended up having to draw it to scale because our art styles differ. Yes, I could have drawn it on the wall but I wanted it to be exactly the way she had imagined it.

Preparations

• Decide on a design
• Choose paint colors & buy paint (Jessi bought quart cans of paint)
• Draw an outline of the mural on the wall (we used a charcoal pencil)
• Cover the floor with a protective barrier
• Tape around the border of the wall & ceiling
• Gather brushes, cloth for cleaning up mistakes, paint can opener, paint pans or bowls with lids for paint, paper towels, gloves, and any other tools needed.

Painting the Mural

When you are painting a landscape always start on the area that will serve as your background first. Think of it as “stacking or layering” the different parts of the mural from what appears farthest away to what appears closest to the viewer. For this mural, the background (first layer) was the sky. It is behind both the mountain and the clouds.

Once the first layer was completed, we continued painting in the layers. The dragon was the last thing to be added to the mural. And since Jessi could not quickly draw in the outline, we decided that the best way to go about it was to make a template on paper. After she had drawn out the dragon and cut out the shape, I simply added painter’s tape to the back to hold it in place as I stenciled it onto the wall. From there I carefully painted Smaug flying toward the Misty Mountain. It took us three days total to complete this mural. We took our time with it and enjoyed the time spent together. It turned out amazing.

Ready to Create Your Own Mural?

The possibilities for adding art to your home with a mural are endless. You can make your mural as simple or detailed as your heart desires. If you are worried about your artistic ability, using stencils is an option instead of free-handing outlines. Also, practicing on a small canvas can help you decide on color choices, and how detailed you want your mural to be. Jessi used digital concept art for this purpose. But remember, art does not have to be perfect.

I truly believe that anyone can create art, it just takes a bit of patience, practice, and self-confidence. If you decide to create your very own mural masterpiece, please drop a line and share it with us. There is nothing that I love better than seeing the art of others.

Please subscribe to my blog and share it with friends. Stop back by often for a look into my newest adventure.

You’ll take care now,

Vikki

Links That May Interest You

Want more projects to help prepare for baby? Then check out this sweet burp cloth DIY.

Links to Jessi’s art:

ArtsyRobotz Ko-fi Shop

ArtsyRobotz Redbubble Shop

Artsyrobotz: This link will take you to a list of sites where you can view Jessi’s art.

The post Baby Nursery Mural appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Supplies Needed for Your Dollar Tree Gothic-Romance Pumkin Craft

• Item Total
• 3 oval, metal, Dollar Tree trays, $1.25 ea. $3.75
• piece of wood or vine for stem (about 4 to five inches long) free
• Large silk leaves
• dusty pink flowers $1.25 ea. (Used two) $2.50
• small plastic skulls $1.25 $1.25
• hot glue
• E6000 glue
• White (or cream) spray paint $5.00 $5.00
• drop cloth
• ribbon & floral wire for bow (or pre-tied bow) $1.25
• wire, or piece of twine for hanger: I used wired rope from Dollar Tree $1.25
• drill, or nail & hammer to punch holes

Note: I didn’t include the cost of glue, glue gun, hammer, etc.

Step One

Remove stickers and glue from oval metal trays. Decide where your trays will overlap, then cover that area with a thin piece of masking tape. This will prevent spray paint from interfering with the bonding power of the E6000 & hot glue.

Step Two

Lay out your drop cloth. Spray the trays with several light coats of paint, letting the trays dry between coats. After completely dry, flip over and paint the other side of trays.

Step Three

Remove the masking tape. Line up your first two trays. Add E6000, according to package directions, to the middle of one taped area. Add enough hot glue above & below the E6000 to hold the trays as the liquid glue sets. Push the trays together until hot glue is set. After E6000 has set, add the third tray using the same method.

Step 4

Add a thin glaze of bronze-colored paint around the edges of the trays, and in the center of each of the trays. I used hot glue to add the stem to the back of the pumpkin, BUT I ended up moving it to the front (See finished project).

Step 5

Drill holes in the top of the pumpkin. Add wired-roped, or preferred hanger). I pushed wired-rope through the front then glued them in place with hot glue on the back.

Step 6

Cut the end off of a rectangle of a floral-foam block (not the soft type that you use with water). I got mine from Dollar Tree. Place hot glue in the center of the foam, and E6000 glue on each side of the hot glue. Press in place until the hot glue is set. Let E6000 glue set for at least 30 minutes before continuing.

When I am creating a floral display, I find my center/focal point (in this case a large flower with a skull in the center). From there, I build outwards towards the outside edge of the floral foam.

Make sure that the floral stems are not protruding from the back of the foam, or you will have trouble gluing the arrangement in place.

When you are gluing the arrangement in place, apply pressure to the center of the floral foam until the hot glue has set.

My Finished Project: Gothic Pumkin Wall Hanger

Of all the wall and door hangers that I have made, this Dollar Tree Gothic-Romance Pumpkin Craft is one of my favorites! It has such a polished, put-together look that it would easily pass for a high-end boutique buy. I kept catching myself singing Sarah’s song from Hocus Pocus the whole time I worked on this project. This project seems to fit her aesthetic, don’t you think?

You could personalize these hangers further with vinyl wordage, house numbers, or a family monogram. Ready to create your amazing Dollar Tree Gothic-Romance Pumkin Craft for Under $20 hanger? Let that creative urge flow…. pumpkins, skulls, and vines, oh my!! I’d love to see your final result. If you’d like to share, drop a comment & photo.

Want more unique projects? Then pop over and check out my other pumpkin projects.

Subscribe to follow, and feel free to share.

Happy Fall Y’all!

Vikki

The post How to Create a Gothic-Romance Pumpkin Craft for Under $20 appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

I saw this amazing craft cabinet online. It was every crafter’s dream. It had a fold-out work table, storage compartments, and doors that closed to hide it all away. I looked at the price, and my dream was shattered. It was well beyond what I could afford to spend on storage. That left me pondering how I could create storage for craft supplies, create a workspace, and manage to do it for under $150. The answer was shopping for thrift store furniture and upcycling it into a crafting oasis.

My Goals

The first thing I did was sit down and list all the things I needed my craft center to hold, which was a lot. Short of buying a shed for the yard, I was going to have to work some upcycling magic. I needed storage for my machines. I have a sewing machine, a Cricut, a heat press, and a sublimation printer. Each of those would need a home that I could access easily. Sliding shelves that allowed easy use of the machines would be ideal.

I would also need storage for vinyl, ribbon, paint brushes, paint, stencils, material, and basic supplies such as glue guns. In short, I was going to need storage that provided both deep drawers and shelving. I also wanted a flat surface to work on. The problem was that we do not have a truck. Anything that we bought had to fit inside my small SUV.

Obstacles & Blessings

The Obstacles

Once I had pinned down what I needed in terms of space and size, I started visiting local thrift stores and online markets. I found several possible cabinet units that would work. Several of those were either out of town or out of our price range. One set that I simply fell in love with sold before I could contact a friend to get help with transporting them. I wasn’t in a rush; I knew that eventually what I needed would come along.

After several visits to my favorite shop, the Hosparus Thrift Store, I found the perfect pieces. Luck was on my side because I found a huge dresser that has 9 drawers of differing sizes. It has a matching armoire that also has two large drawers and shelving at the top for a TV and video player. And, I thought they would fit easily inside my SUV. Notice I said “I thought” because the armoire ended up being too large (by about half an inch).

The Blessing

The day that I bought the furniture and we returned to load it and bring it home, there just happened to be a kind-hearted gentleman there that helped my husband load the armoire. When he saw that it was too big to fit inside the SUV, he offered to bring it home for us. We were so blessed to meet Marc and Regina that day. I truly believe God put us on the same path. Regina and I are both avid crafters. It was a true blessing meeting people willing to help strangers, and it was an even greater blessing that I met a kindred spirit and made a new friend!

Giving the Furniture a Makeover

Starting to work on the furniture was a bit intimidating. I had never refinished pieces that large. I started by cleaning the dresser with a mixture of vinegar and water. After that, I rinsed it well with a lint-free cloth dampened with water.

The dresser has a decorative edge which meant that I had to sand those areas by hand. I used a rotary sander on the smooth surfaces of the drawers and sides of the unit. I worked on sanding it for over two days when I had the time. For instructions on scuff sanding visit How to Scuff Sand.

The dresser is one of two pieces that I am upcycling to use as a craft center.

After sanding, I carefully cleaned the surface again to remove any dust. Using a sprayer, I painted the dresser with washable latex paint. I applied a total of 4 layers of paint, letting it dry between layers. This video by Ray of Sunlight is a good tutorial on using a sprayer. You can find others on YouTube as well.

The paint was thinned slightly with water before use.

Finished Crafting Oasis: Part 1

Because of the high heat index and lack of air conditioning in the garage, I worked on sanding the dresser over a two-day period, about four hours total. Then I needed a third day to paint it. I am pleased with the way it turned out, but not thrilled. The electric sander left marks in places. I know that it is from me trying to get deep scratches out of the dresser top. Next time: better lighting and less sanding! If you are not an experienced sander, I’d subject that you practice on something you don’t care about before tackling your actual project.

Next Up Part 2: Painting the Armoire

Now that the dresser is in place in one corner of the basement, I am ready to begin work on the matching armoire. I intend to use a product on the armoire that is supposed to eliminate the need for sanding. Hopefully, this experiment works because I am running out of time to get this project completed (I am about to become a grandma and will be spending time will my daughter’s family in Texas).

Total Cost of Project to Date

I ordered apothecary-style drawer pulls from Amazon: The price is $15 for 16 drawer pulls. The pulls are very sturdy and are a great product for the price.

I used paint from Lowes ($25 for one gallon of paint). It was marked down for clearance due to being mistinted. Finding the paint on sale kept me under budget for this project.

Furniture: Luck was again on my side. I found a matching dresser and armoire at a local Hospuras Thrift Store for $75 for both pieces.

Sandpaper: I spent $6 on sandpaper at Harbor Freight.

I had an electronic sander and paint sprayer. The sander cost under $50 at Lowes and the paint sprayer ran us about $180. If you don’t have these gadgets, you can sand and paint the old-fashioned way. This was the first item that I refinished using power tools. It does go faster, but I think that the end result of sanding by hand is much better. The paint sprayer on the other hand is amazing!!

Total cost: $121! Not bad for storage for a craft area. I will post photos after I refinish the armoire, and when I finally get the craft area all set up and camera worthy. Depending on when my grandson decides to arrive, it may be a while before this adventure is complete.

Are you Dreaming of Creating Your Own DIY Craft Cabinets?

It takes a creative mind to be a crafter or artist. The problem is that our brains see potential in every item we encounter. My friend likes to say ” A creative mind makes for a messy house”. Needing to organize my mess was the inspiration for this project.

What are your needs as an artist or crafter? Do you have a dream storage unit in mind? Is budget a top consideration? Then maybe putting that creative mind to use and starting a DIY craft cabinet upcycling project is the answer for you as well. Dream big, create bigger!

If you are interested in thrift stores and frugal living, you may want to check out my post Living Big on A Small Income: Thrifty Shopping Tips.

Thanks for stopping in for a visit. If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe and share. Stop back soon, and let me know about your great upcycling projects.

Until then, be blessed!

Vikki

The post DIY Craft Cabinets on a Budget: Upcycling Thrift Store Furniture appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

• dryer vent hose
• wire snips
• utility knife or shop scissors
• floral wire
• E6000 glue (optional)
• hot glue gun & glue
• spray paint
• drop cloth (or box)
• stick, piece of grapevine, or something to use as pumpkin stem
• silk vines, leaves, or florals of choice

Choosing Your Vent Hose

I am going to show you two different DIY dryer hose pumpkin crafts. The style of hose that you use will determine the textures of your pumpkin. A ticker vent hose is likely to have tighter bands (see the photo of the white pumpkin). You can decide which look you prefer.

Cut the Hose

Strech out your vent hose. Use shop scissors, or a utility knife to cut your hose to your preferred length. I cut mine to a length of 24 inches.

Warning: the foil that these vents are made of will cut you. Be very careful.

Two Methods of Turning the Hose

Into a Pumpkin Shape

1.) E6000 glue method: You will wire the back first (the part that will end up being the hole for your stem). You may need to use a large needle to punch a hole to feed the wire through. Once you have at least four areas (placed at even intervals around the vent) of wire pushed through the hose, go back and add the E6000 glue to the cut edge of the hose, twist the wire closed, then move to the next section and repeat until all areas are glued and all four of the wires have been twisted closed. Let the glue dry for at least two hours before painting.

Note: Avoid my mistake. Do not use thick wire to pull the sides of the hose together. I made a mess! The large wire punched huge holes in the hose which I ended up having to patch with heavy-duty aluminum foil. After reading the two methods below, if you decide to use wire, I would suggest that you use floral wire to connect the two sides of the hose.

2.) Hot glue method: Pull the ends of the dryer vent hose together and hot glue the edges. Do a small section at a time. I found that starting at the back worked best. Hold until the glue sets (about 40 seconds) before moving to the next section (I use clothes pins as clamps to assist in this step). I still use floral wire to secure the bond, especially if it is going to be on a porch or sitting in the window in direct sunlight. You may opt to only use hot glue; the choice is totally yours.

Painting Your Pumpkin

Do you want a farmhouse style pumpkin? Or, do you want your pumpkin to look more traditional? Neutral paint colors blend well with farmhouse decor. Orange tones give a more traditional look. I did one of each style so that you can see what they look like side by side.

I used two different brands of spray paint for my pumpkins. The first one that I used was Krylon Color Max in White (for a farmhouse look). The second brand that I used was ColorShot in orange. Choose a color that fits your decor style.

Place a box or drop cloth under your pumpkin before painting. Follow the directions on the label of your paint. Let the paint dry between coats.

Decorate Your Dryer Vent Hose Pumpkin

Find a stick or piece of grapevine to use as a stem. I used a faux vine that I cut into one-foot sections. Use hot glue to secure the stem in the middle of the pumpkin. After the hot glue sets, flip it upside down and add a bit of E6000 to the bottom of the stem.

You are now ready to add florals, faux vines, or silk leaves to your pumpkins.

You Can Do It

Dryer vent pumpkins give you the look of high-end decor that you can take pride in displaying. This trendy decor is perfect for a Fall wedding DIY, a luxury gift for giving, for Halloween and Thanksgiving decor and centerpieces. The total cost of your project will depend on the embellishments that you choose. I know that you can do it. I’d love to know how your pumpkins turned out, and what you did to make them unique.

If you love fall decor as much as I do, then you should check out one of my favorite blogs, Momenvy, and her amazing free Fall printables. You may also like my post from last week on how to paint pumpkins on canvas. Stop back by for updates and new posts. I plan to add more DIY pumpkin crafts over the next month.

Thanks for stopping in and crafting with me, drop in again soon.

Vikki

The post How to Make DIY Dryer-Vent Hose Pumpkin Crafts  appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

• canvas
• acrylic paint in preferred colors
• brushes: small round brush, medium round brush for filling large spaces, liner brush, small shader-brush
• table cover (old newspaper or wax paper will work)
• piece of wood (to elevate the canvas off the paper) or an easel
• paint palette (I up-cycle disposable bowl lids)
• container for water (upcycle a disposable jar or bowl)
• old cloth
• pencil
• carbon paper?
• pumpkin graphic (see my free traceable downloads below)

Things to Consider Before Starting

• Decide on your design.
• You are welcome to download and print my free pumpkin and pumpkin leaf graphics for personal use. The graphic download is designed for an 8 x 10 sized canvas. If you are using a larger canvas, you will need to enlarge the graphic to fit, you can use carbon paper to transfer the design to your canvas.
• Decide on the color scheme that will best fit your exciting home decor. I chose gray, pastel orange, burnt-sienna, forest green, light yellowish-orange, and white as my color palette for this painting.

Ready, Set, Paint

Step One:

Transfer, or free-hand, your design onto your canvas.

Step Two:

Once your design is laid out on your canvas, using a medium round brush, fill in as much of the background as you can without hitting your pumpkin. Use a liner to finish areas close to your pumpkin. Let your first layer dry for at least an hour, then go over it a second time.

Note: Any details that you have sketched into the background can be easily removed. I originally had wordage on the canvas and decided to paint over it.

Step Three:

Choose the background color for your pumpkin. I used a light flesh-toned color, but you can choose any color your heart desires. For this step, I used a medium round brush.

Notice that as I painted in the background color on the pumpkin, I pulled the brush along in a sweeping curve. This will add dimension to the finished painting.

Step Four:

Start shading in the sections of your pumpkin. I used a small shading brush for this step.

Try not to outline the pumpkin, but instead blend the shade color lightly with my background color. Notice that the first layer of shading is a bit wider, later a second thinner layer will be added in a darker color.

Step Five:

Add highlights to your pumpkin. In order to do this, decide where the light source would be in your painting. If it is from behind, then the shadow at the base of the pumpkin will be in front of it. Notice that for my pumpkin the light source would be from the back. Highlight the top of the pumpkin, along with a bit of the front, and place the shadow to fall directly in front of the pumpkin and a bit to each side.

Adding the Stem & Leaf

I next painted the stem. By painting the stem before adding the leaf, it allows for a more natural-looking placement than if you go back and try to add details to the stem later. I added a small amount of forest green to contour the stem. I layered a lighter color blended from the brunt-sienna and the flesh tone of the pumpkin. Here I used burnt sienna as the background color for the stem. To create the curly-swirls, I used brunt-sienna base, topped with green, and lighter brown high lights.

For the leaf, I free-handed the design onto the pumpkin. Using the same forest green, I outlined the leaf (using a small liner brush).

Note: This photo is of a different painting, but you can see the leaf design being added in the same manner mentioned above.

Next, I filled in the center of the leaf using a small round brush. For this, I used the custom blended color created from mixing the brunt-sienna and the flesh toned paint. I followed this up with details in greens and brunt-sienna.

Tips & Tricks

• Try not to over-blend the colors as you apply them.
• Test your colors on paper before adding them to your canvas.
• Create your pumpkin in layers: background- allow to dry then add a second coat of paint; background of pumpkin- allow to dry, add a second coat of paint; Shading and highlights allow to dry; Stem, allow to dry; leaf, allow to dry.
• Once you become more experienced in layering color, you may be able to skip the layer/dry method, and instead opt for blending and applying color as you work to complete your painting.
• Almost finished! But, before we have you sign your masterpiece, give your amazing art a once over. Are there any messy edges that need to be tidied up, and does the background need to be touched up?

Gallery of Pumpkins and Paintings

I am adding photos of other paintings that I have done so that you can get a feel for what color pallet may work best for your space. Notice that my pumpkins are always different.

When you are painting pumpkins remember that no two pumpkins will have the same color or shape. It is okay if your pumpkins are not perfect, that just makes them as unique as any pumpkin should be! Pixabay offers free and paid graphics for use, the photos below are from their immense graphic library.

I used this photo as a guide when choosing my background color for the body of my pumpkin.

Notice that the coloring varies among the pumpkins.

Happy Pumpkin Spice Season Y’all

I knew that you could do it. I am sure that your painting will be the perfect addition to your decor this season. Now that you know how to paint a pumpkin, you are ready to paint a whole patch.

If you enjoyed this DIY post, please stop by again soon to check out upcoming DIY decor ideas for Fall. I’d love to hear from you, so please drop a comment with any questions.

Happy Painting,

Come back soon,

Vikki

The post How to Paint a Pumpkin appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

What Is a Stack-Cake?

A stack cake is a traditional Appalachian cake made from layers of ginger-flavored cake, and either apple sauce or cooked dried apples. Stack Cakes were a staple for holiday dinners and made use of such farm-grown products as molasses, fresh eggs, buttermilk, homemade butter, and rendered lard. The recipes varied from family to family, giving each cake a unique flavor. Most of those ladies made their cakes from memory, and recipes were not written down. Young girls learned to bake these cakes by watching another person. I hope that you enjoy this old-fashioned dessert.

Ingredients:

Note: If you want your cake layers to be softer, use 4 1/2 cups of flour. If you want them to be a bit firmer, like a cookie, use the full 5 cups. I use 5 cups of flour in mine. My mom liked hers a bit softer. The texture of Appalachian Apple Stack Cake varied from recipe to recipe.

4. The “well” in the center of ingredients allows you to mix in wet ingredients slowly and evenly, avoiding dry pockets within your dough. Add wet ingredients into the well and incorporate the wet mixture using a large spoon slowly into the dry ingredients (You can also mix the dough with your hands. I find this easier when incorporating flour mixture into the dough).

Don’t overwork the batter, stir just until combined.
The batter will be similar to a cookie, or scone, dough.

5. Turn dough out onto floured wax paper. Shape dough into six equal pieces. Pat out the dough until it is about the same diameter as your pan (you may also use a rolling pin to gently flatten the dough).

Moving Your Dough to Pans & Baking

6. Invert one of your pans over the wax paper and dough. Slide one hand under the wax paper, lifting the dough and pan together. Invert the pan again, to an upright position. Your dough should now be resting in your pan. Gently use your fingers to spread the dough out evenly to the edge of the skillet. Use a knife to go around the edge of the dough to prevent it from sticking to the sides of the pan. Repeat until you have placed one flattened piece of dough into each of the waiting skillets.

7. Bake at 350 degrees, for about 6 to 8 minutes (or until the top of the cake springs back at the touch, or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean). The cakes will be firmer than regular cakes, similar to a large cookie. Let the cake cool enough to turn out on a cooling rack. Sat aside.

Dried Apple Topping: Ingredients

• 4 ½ cups dried apples; chopped
• ¾ cup brown sugar; packed
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ground cloves (just a pinch)
• 1 tablespoon of molasses
• 3 cups apple cider, or apple juice
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• ½ cup apple juice + 2 teaspoons corn starch

Directions for Making the Apple Topping for Your Appalachian Apple Stack Cake

1. Mix together and set aside: ½ cup apple juice + 2 teaspoons corn starch

2. In a medium to large saucepan: Stir brown sugar into the apples. Add cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Add enough juice to cover the apples. Let sit for fifteen minutes.

3. Next cook the apple mixture over medium-low heat. Stir your apples often. Cook apples until they are soft (about 30 to 40 minutes). If it seems that the apples are cooking too fast, you may have to adjust the heat a bit lower. Add a bit of juice as needed. You don’t want your apples to scorch.

4. Once the apples are soft, remove them from heat. Carefully use a potato masher to mash the apples. Stir in the apple juice/corn starch mixture. Return the apples to heat until they are thickened. Stir constantly.

Constructing Your Apple Stack Cake

On a large round plate, or cake plate, carefully place one of your cakes. Top with about 1/6 of your apple topping. Repeat layers, ending with topping. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Notes

 If you do not have dried apples: You can use 3 cups of unsweetened apple sauce, plus two fresh apples (peeled and diced). Add the spices. Cook the apple sauce on low, for fifteen minutes, or until the apple chunks are soft. Add the juice/cornstarch mixture to the apples. Return to the heat until it has thickened. Stir constantly and watch closely until the topping has thickened. Carefully remove it from heat to cool. Add apple topping to cakes, and stack in repeated layers.

• I divided the recipe for my cake. I wanted my cake to be three stacks high.
•  Vegetable butter can be substituted for shortening.

Best Apples for Drying

Dried apples can often be found at farmer’s markets and health food stores. If you would like to dry your own you can visit Minneopa Orchard for a list of apples that are good for drying. You can use apple sauce or apple butter if dried apples are not an option.

You Can Do It!

This recipe may appear complicated where I broke it into so many steps. I wanted even a novice baker to be able to recreate and enjoy this traditional apple stack cake.

Feel free to subscribe to my site. You are welcome to share it with others. I will be adding recipes from time to time, along with other thrifty and traditional DIYs.

Get a copy of Free Printable Recipe Pages here:

The recipe for the Appalachian Apple Stack Cake will be printed as full-size pages. If you are like me, you always end up tweaking a recipe to make it your own. I wanted to leave room for writing notes. Enjoy apple season and the upcoming holidays.

Thank you for stopping by,

Vikki

The post Traditional Appalachian Apple Stack-Cake appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Sublimation as a creative outlet offers an endless variety of possibilities. It allows the use of treasured childhood art to be made into keepsakes for gift-giving, as well as offering a means to create unique products for sale. Getting started in sublimation can be intimidatingly nerve-wracking. Hopefully, this article will help you feel a bit more confident as you move forward into the creative world of sublimation.

The Science Behind the Art

Before we start talking shop, let’s travel back a bit to science class. Fun right? Sublimation is the process where the transition of a substance goes directly from being in a solid state to a gaseous state. It is the process where your chosen art or wordage is printed upon a paper that has been coated to accommodate the sublimation process. The ink will pass from the paper as a gas, then back again as a solid as it embeds within the sublimated product. This occurs when it is subjected to heat and pressure.

Sublimation works best on materials that have a special polymer coating. Items that you can purchase for sublimation include mugs, aprons, mouse pads, metal tumblers, and coasters. Items that are made for use with sublimation are referred to as sublimation blanks.

If you are planning to create tee shirts, you will need to consider the fabric’s composition. 100% Cotton fabric does not sublimate well. You will need a fabric suited for the sublimation process, in this case, 100% polyester to provide the best results. Fabrics that are a 60/40 or 50/50 poly-blend could also work, but don’t expect the colors to be as vibrant as those you would see if you are pressing on 100% polyester.

Supplies That You Will Need

• Heat Press with accessories (for the types of items you intend to create).
• Heat tape for sublimation
• Sublimation paper
• Sublimation ink
• Printer to use solely for sublimation
• Safety gloves: Heat Resistant Oven Gloves
• Access to an art program to create graphics for for creations
• Sublimation blanks

Avoid My Mistake

Last year I bought a heat press second-hand. I had wanted one for a long time, and so when I found one on a Facebook auction site, I bought it. I had never used a heat press and knew very little about them. Admittedly, I paid too much for a used machine, lesson learned. As soon as got my press, I had to replace a part that had been broken. At that point, I had spent nearly as much as I would have on a new heat press. I would advise purchasing from Amazon.com or a trusted online source.

Choosing a Printer

You can use any ink tank printer, but the higher quality of your printer, the higher the quality will be for your sublimated products. Most sites will recommend the Sawgrass printer, which can be a bit pricy. I looked at printers in several different stores, and online shops, before settling on one from Sam’s Club. The one that I purchased is an Epson 3850 Eco Printer. I consider it a “beginner’s printer”, but for now it meets my needs beautifully. Do your research to decide what will best fit your needs and budget.

One source that I found useful in choosing a printer was techopedia‘s article on print quality.

Print quality is mostly measured in DPI, which is quite similar to the definition of pixels in terms of digital images and even screen resolution. DPI is equivalent to the ability of a printer to mimic the number of pixels or the resolution of the source image. If a printer has a lower DPI capability compared to the source image, the printed image becomes a down-scaled version in terms of resolution, although this is usually not an issue for regular printing at smaller “office” size prints but would make a bigger impact on poster printing and larger formats.

techopedia.com

Converting an Ink Tank Printer for Sublimation Use

Simply replace the type of ink that you will use. Do not use the ink that comes with the printer. Donate it to someone that uses an ink tank printer for regular printing. Once a printer has had regular printing ink in the tanks, it can not be used for sublimation without the machine is thoroughly cleaned. Instead, purchase sublimation ink. Set up the printer following the manufactures directions. Fill the ink tanks with sublimation ink when directed.

As mentioned above, you can purchase printers specifically for sublimation, such as Sawgrass. They are a bit more pricey but may be worth considering if you indeed to start your own business. Do your research.

Choose an Art Program

You can use any art program that allows you to upload, edit, and add text. You will use PNG files for printing. Microsoft Word is good for simple designs, but for more complicated work look into a program that allows you to create and edit. You can purchase PNG files online (we will go into that more in the commercial use rights listed below).

Canva has a free program project for beginners and offer upgrades for a fee for advanced artists.

Pixlr offers a basic photo editing program for free.

Pixlr background remover: use the basic program for free. Good for editing, and resizing photos, providing templates for business cards, etc.

Pixlr Photomash Studio : removes and exchanges background

Canva: Logo design program

Inkscape; Art design program

Think About Your Color Pallet as You Create

Most printers hold four colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (C/M/Y/B). Items that are to use printed transfers such as mugs, tee shirts, coasters, mouse pads, etc. look best when they are based in C/M/Y/B. Dark red, blue, and green may prove a bit challenging during sublimation.

Commercial Use License

If you are intending to sell products that you have made using sublimation you should only use graphics that you either create yourself or have purchased a commercial use license for. Otherwise, you may be sued for infringement of copy-written material. Again, this is an area that research will pay off in the long run.

Graphics for commercial use can be found on Etsy.com, as well as on several independent online shops. You are welcome to visit my Pinterest board All Things Sublimation for pins with links to free sublimation graphics, and sites that offer graphic bundles. Check back often for updates as I work to add content weekly.

Resources

None of the websites or suppliers mentioned are affiliates to this site.

Cosmos Ink: I had read rave reviews of this product before purchasing. So far, I am very please with the performance of their inks. I also like that they sell replacement ink tanks and sublimation blanks.

Amazon: Source for ink tank printers, blanks, and supplies

blanks galore: Carries, ink, supplies, and blanks

Jennifer Maker: Offers tutorials on Sublimation and more.

Sublimation for Beginners: Jennifer Maker

Sublimation Designs in Inkscape: Tutorial on how to Create your Own Sublimation Designs in Inkscape {Beginner

Key Takeaways

Items created using sublimation last longer than those created with vinyl. I personally always feel guilty when using vinyl due to all of the waste that occurs after weeding. Since sublimation is more environmental and cost-friendly, I prefer it to vinyl.

Sublimation allows you to create keepsakes from a child’s artwork, family photos, etc. It can also be used on a large variety of products. On the downside, you are limited to using items that are specifically made for sublimation, or specific fabric blends.

If you are thinking of working with sublimation, don’t be intimidated by the process. As with anything, it just takes research, investment, and practice. If I can do this, anyone can.

I hope that this post has helped you on your journey to show your creative talents using sublimation. If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to subscribe, share, or pin.

Happy creating & visit again soon,

Vikki

The post Sublimation 101: Getting Started appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.