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.

A Gift that Serves

The unit that we received is the Alexa Echo Show 8 from Amazon. I wasn’t sure how much we would actually use it. But for us, it has been so handy. I tested positive for Covid the day after Christmas (The nightmare after Christmas!). I went home with several medications and a new inhaler. This Covid bug is a nasty little piece of work. It left my brain a bit foggy and my body so tired that I found it hard to stay awake.

That’s where the Echo came in. I was able to set reminders for each medication, and when they were due Alexa would announce a reminder. Alexa has become my personal assistant during this illness. She is also good company when you find yourself quarantined in a room alone. I am still learning what Alexa can do, and I am excited to learn. So this country bumpkin has found a tech gadget that I like and would actually recommend.

What She Can Do

I was instantly amazed at its ability to play songs on demand. She can also play live local newscasts, and Youtube videos, watch movies, find recipes for you, act as a photo display for your digital photos, answer questions, and give news updates and weather forecasts. She can log into podcasts, play white noise to help you sleep, recommend books, keep track of a personal calendar, and make lists, among other things. I am still learning all that the Alexa Echo is capable of doing but what has been most useful is her ability to set reminders. Oh, you can even change the name of your device to one of several supplied names. There is even the option to have it use different accents and voices.

What I Wish She Could Do…

As amazing as this little device is, there are a few things that I wish she could do. It would be amazing if I could print the lists that I have created or recipes that I have found using its search engine. You can set one contact as an emergency contact call, but you can’t use Alexa to call 911. It will not take place of an emergency call device.

Is it worth the investment?

These little units are not very expensive ( thus the frugal living part). You can pick one up for under a hundred dollars. The stand had to be bought separately. For the Echo to work, you do need an Amazon Prime Account. You also need the Internet, unlimited is probably best. Luckily we had both of those already. The Echo can link to some android phones and to iPhones. The Echo can be linked to accessories such as smart plugs used to turn outlets and devices off and on at will. It can be linked to both indoor and outdoor video cameras that work as security monitors when you are away from home, giving peace of mind that doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg. In our case, I figure the accessories will make their way to us as gifts over the next few years. I wouldn’t mind a security camera aimed at my garden. Maybe I can use it to keep a few critters away, says she jokingly!

On a more serious note, I have Meniere’s Disease. The Echo will allow me to set my daughter as my one emergency call contact. I know it will be as assuring to her (to know that if I get sick and her dad is not here, I can easily contact her) as it will be for me. This feature alone makes the Echo worth the investment.

This is the unit that we have: Alexa Echo Show 8. We received a stand with ours for Christmas, and there are several other accessories that you can get to use with your Echo. I see a new video doorbell in the near future, and maybe a few other upgrades as well. But I can say that this is one of the best Christmas gifts we could have received.

I Love Our Echo Show 8

The past year brought many changes. Some good, and some heartbreaking. I learned that I can run a cash register at a new job! We became grandparents. We lost loved ones, and the state faced several natural disasters. I started the blog. We grew a backyard garden. And now, we have a “sorta-smart” home!

If this didn’t seem like an article on “country” or “frugal” living when you started reading, well I hope you have changed your mind. I found the Alexa Echo 8 to be a frugal option for those who want to add a bit of security to their home, simply love listening to music through an amazing speaker system, or need a hand with organization. As for the country part, well I plan to use her calendar feature to record when I should plant different crops, and use her reminder feature to remind me to water the plants. Whether your New Year starts by buying an Echo or making plans to move you forward in a whole new direction, I hope that it will be an amazing year for you all.

You all stop back by soon,

Vikki

The post Reviewing the Alexa Echo Show 8: Frugal Way to a Smart Home appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

The Most Amazing Gift Ever

Before the pandemic hit, I had made a bucket list of things that I had wanted to do but had not gotten around to doing. As the list took shape, I noticed a pattern emerge. I missed my childhood connection to the outdoors and foraging for wild foods and herbs (though I still do this in a limited fashion). I longed to once again grow organic foods for our home. My list evolved into ideas for possible blog posts. The problem was that I was not an experienced blogger or writer. I had no idea how to start. I just assumed that my dream of blogging would stay just that, a dream.

My husband decided to give me a gentle push. Without telling me what he was up to, he started building a blog site for me on Word Press. When he presented me with the site, it was still in a rough-draft stage. But the bones were there, ready for me to give it life. His confidence in me pushed me past my fears and into an exciting adventure.

Forward from a List

The blog took on a life of its own. I started pulling items from my “possible blog-post list” and went to work. My first posts were about making grapevine wreaths and other things I had learned as a child in Appalachia. I knew that I wanted to write about my experiences growing up in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. And based on those experiences, I started blogging about frugal living, crafting, gardening, and nature. All of these topics were basic to life in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky.

The research and preparations that it took to write each post were very time-consuming. Then there was the planning for future articles. After writing those early posts, I started planning a small backyard garden.

I couldn’t wait for it to get warm enough to start working in the yard. My big project for the summer was going to involve garden-scaping and then recording my success or failure along the way.

How Does Your Garden Grow

With no-tiller, I had one choice and that was to do the work by hand. I pulled out a shovel, an ax, and a rake and went to work. We removed a dead tree from the yard the year before, so there were still roots embedded all over the yard. Using a shovel alone wasn’t going to cut it (pun intended!). Charles wasn’t too happy with my chopping the roots in the ground with his ax, there was just no other way to clear out the roots.

It took me several weeks to get the veggie plots dug, de-rooted, and raked smooth. The ground was hard and very compacted from foot traffic and roots. The texture of the soil was also very clay-heavy, it needed the soil loosened to aid aeration. I bought organic compost to turn into the plots as I turned the soil. Eventually, I was ready to plant. I visited a local Amish Greenhouse to buy the seedlings and got them into the ground.

Harvest

The growing season turned out to be very dry and I ended up watering the veggies nearly on a daily basis. I worried that I was wasting my time. But I refused to give up. My mother had often made use of a mixture of 1 teaspoon Epson Salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 sugar, and 1 gallon of water. Putting her old plant food recipe to use, I would use about 2 cups of the mixture around the base of the plants and then water the plants well. The garden took off.

Before long I had cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes coming in. I was able to can green tomato salsa, pasta sauce, zucchini bread-and-butter pickles, dill pickles, and garlic dill pickles. On top of this, we had fresh organic veggies to add to meals and salads. There was even an abundance of tomatoes for sharing with friends and neighbors. My experiment with growing popcorn was not as profitable. I ended up with a pint of popcorn (some little critters really enjoyed the young corn plants). The herb garden provided fresh herbs and tea. My pollinator garden was a joy to watch as little visitors buzzed about the blooms.

Was It Worth It?

I will admit that I made mistakes in my choice of how many seedlings to plant, and where I planted them. Meaning: I hated to throw away any seedings and tried to find space for them all which caused overcrowding of my plants. Even with the mistakes, the garden was well worth the work.

Investment vs. Payout

It is now the first week of November, and the time to pick veggies from the garden has passed. I have no idea exactly how much we saved by growing squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes this year. Looking at the prices of produce now, I know that we more than recouped the $65 that I invested in seedings and organic compost. That is not even taking into account all of the sauce, salsa, and pickles that we have on hand for use this winter.

Now as the days grow shorter, and the nights grow increasingly colder I am starting to plan for next year’s garden adventure. I dream of outings to the nursery with my dear friend Glenda, and days of planting seedings in the warm spring soil. I look forward to expanding my herb garden to include my favorites to make into tea blends, and for adding to my homemade soap. Did I make mistakes this year? Oh yes. Will I do things differently? Absolutely. Our mistakes push us to learn new skills and methods.

Harvest time is a time for reflection, a time to regroup and to plan, and for the soil and gardener to rest for a bit. The yard seems asleep now. The last of the flowers are nodding off for a long winter’s sleep. Halloween has passed, and the Holidays are approaching. The foods that I canned from my backyard garden harvest will not just give us quality organic foods during the winter, but they are going to provide unique gift-giving opportunities as well.

Planning your own adventure in backyard gardening? You can find heirloom seeds for starting your own seedlings at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Now is a great time to plan for next year’s harvest.

If you have enjoyed this post, you may want to want to read about the beginning of my adventure in garden scaping.

Thank you for visiting my site.

Come again soon, happy fall y’all.

Vikki

The post Harvest From the Backyard 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.

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.

Learning a new skill at any age can be daunting, but when you have worked in a specific niche for a long period it can seem impossible. I spent 20 years working as a para-educator and receptionist at a public school. With my work experience, I thought that it would be easy for me to find another satisfying job. Wrong! Everything that I applied for turned out to be a no-go. I was either “too qualified” or “not qualified enough”, and that’s even if I got a follow-up email at all.

From Dream to Reality

When I first left my job, I felt myself getting more and more depressed. I kept trying new ideas that always seemed to end the same, a dead end. Blogging had been in the back of my mind for a while. I knew absolutely nothing about how to go about building a website, or how to conduct any of the other “backdoor ” operations that take place when running a blog. My husband surprised me with a blog site. His gentle push made my dream a reality.

The reality of having a blog site is very different than what I thought it would be. It isn’t just about sitting down and writing a post. There is so much to consider, starting with the name you choose for your fledgling blog. Then there is learning how to use the tools provided by the website builder/host, using a graphic design platform, teaching yourself affiliate marketing, and understanding legal issues related to blogging. I will be the first to admit that I knew none of those. I am learning as I go.

Plan of Action: Free Online Courses

I love learning new skills, but trying to learn too much at once leads to a lot of mistakes and extra work. Finding educational sites where I could learn without all the trial and error was a must.

I started digging for resources. I spent a minimum of two hours a day doing online research looking for free or low-cost education sources. Eventually, I found Alison, and then searched google for “more sites like Alison”.

List of Courses

The list of courses that I am sharing is comprised of the courses that I intend to take. It is geared to teaching skills in effective blogging and social media marketing.

Tailoring Your Curriculum to Your Needs

Although I have provided the list of the free online courses that I intend to take, I know that your needs will most likely differ from mine. That is okay. You should be able to use the sites that I listed as a starting place for building your list, or at least get you started on finding resources that you can use.

Other sites that you may want to visit include Grow With Google, Skill Share, and Udemy. Not all of these sites offer free courses, but they offer a wide variety of topics that you may find beneficial.

Your Blog-Your Interests

There are classes on Alison for teaching yourself photography, IT for beginners, personal development, and in subjects such as caregiving, and teaching.

Any of those areas could be the subject of a blog. So, if you are skilled in those areas, you just need to find your target audience and start writing. Not ready to start your blog, but that’s okay. Maybe at first, your writing could be generating a list of blog post topics and references that you find along the way, or maybe you can jot down recurring topics at your workplace.

Ready, Set, Goal!

Below is a free printable goal-planning worksheet to help you plan your adventure. I created it at canva.com. If you haven’t used Canva you are in for a treat.

Canva is my graphic-design platform of choice. They offer outstanding tools for creating headers and pintables. You will want to familiarize yourself with this, or a similar site, as it gives you the tools to create more professional blog sites and social media posts.

Free Downloads

Learning Plan: 24 Free CoursesDownload

Ready-Set-Goal-WorksheetDownload

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If you are interested in checking out all of the resources that I have found, check out my board on Pinterest. There you will find pins for all of the sites and sources that I have found so far.

I intend to keep updating my boards as I find new and interesting links that offer courses and opportunities. I can’t promise that you will find what you are looking for, but hopefully, it will get you started along the way to feel that you are setting and accomplishing goals.

If you have found this post helpful, please feel free to subscribe to my blog and my Pinterest site, and share this page. I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if you have found this information useful, or if you have tips that will help others.

Learning a new skill is not easy, but you can do it!

Thank you for stopping by, and Good Luck!!

Vikki

Disclosure: Some of the sites may be affiliates to this blog.

The post 24 Free Online Courses That Teach Blogging and Social Media Marketing appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

One Income and Counting Pennies

By taking early retirement, I lost a steady income. Even though my health insurance is paid, I still have to pay deductibles for any medical care. I do receive a very small monthly retirement benefit, but it is not enough to even buy food for two weeks. Now at the age of 57, I feel as if I’m starting over again. Employment opportunities are limited for anyone my age, especially if you do not have a marketable degree. Ageism can be a huge obstacle to overcome, but so can limited education. Not everyone can afford a college degree and sometimes it is just not an option. I understand that life can get in the way of your dreams and goals. I am in the same boat. Finding work from home opportunities, and affordable online learning opportunities was a must for me.

Researching Work from Home Opportunities

Below is a list of sources for work-from-home opportunities that range from a supplemental income to full-time, or part-time work.

Review Books for Pay

Online Book Club: If you love to read, this one may be for you. It is a site where you can sign up for free to get paid to review books. Right off the bat, they tell you that you will not get rich, or even earn enough to leave your day job. But they do pay you for each book you review, and you get that book for free. There are extensive guidelines that must be followed when writing reviews. You are scored on your ability to follow those guidelines and to produce accurate results as a reviewer.  I signed up to try my hand at this task. I plan to follow up this post with a report on how it worked out.

Virtual Assistant

If you are a person that is very organized, and good at multitasking, then working as a virtual assistant is something you would like to do. There are many businesses and entrepreneurs that are overwhelmed with daily responsibilities and better looking for a qualified assistant to help them with everyday tasks.

Virtual assistants work as administrative support or personal assistants. A virtual assistant may be asked to complete tasks such as answering emails and phone calls, scheduling appointments, assisting with online research, and performing data entry.

There are several websites where you can sign up for employment as a virtual assistant. Some that I have found include Upwork, Fancy Hands, and flexjobs. Flexjobs does require a membership fee which allows access to webinars and job coaching.

Online Surveys

There are legitimate sites where you can sign up to get paid to complete surveys. You will not get rich from taking surveys, but you can earn extra cash. Below are two that I have applied to.

Clear Voice Surveys

Branded Surveys

Teaching English Online

Teacher.QKids: This site offers employment tutoring English online. It does require a teaching certificate, and eligibility two work in either the U.S. or Canada. You can find a list of requirements on their site, and if employed you must sign a six-month contract.

VIPkids: offers employment opportunities tutoring children in English as well. It too requires a teaching certificate and two years of experience. They vet their teachers carefully, and from what I have read offer an excellent employment opportunity.

Note: Alison has a free course for those interested in teaching English as a second language. They also offer many other education-based courses including one the focuses on Effective Communication Techniques for Teachers and trainers.

Free Lance Work from Home Opportunities

If you want to look online for free-lance work, try Up Work. They partner with employers to match them with qualified applicants.

Linkedin is another search engine for employment that offers a networking platform as well.

Learning New Skills

I worked most of my adult life in the public school system. After taking early retirement I found myself unqualified for today’s workforce. At times I feel as lost as I did as a young adult trying to decide which path is right for me. I never thought that I would find myself in this place again. Learning new skills that promote self-advancement is easier and more affordable than it was in the past. In my search for self-improvement, I have found several sources where you can take classes for free, or at little cost, that can move you towards a new career. I’m sharing this list of resources in hopes that it will save you a lot of work and research.

Udemy: Udemy offers a wide variety of courses from programming to business management. There are fees for their courses. Udemy often offers sales where you can enroll at a lower rate. I am currently taking a course through Udemy.

Alison: This site offers free courses with either diplomas or certificates. Their courses range from personal development to social media strategy and social media marketing. I am very excited about this site and plan to utilize its marketing content. Alison has a guide for those interested in teaching English as a second language.

Coursera: Coursera has both paid and free courses. You will find a wide variety of offerings including those aimed at personal growth and happiness, business, computer science, and many others. Coursera offers certificates at an added cost that many find helping in padding their resume.

Typing Lessons: If you would like to teach yourself how to type, this site offers simple lessons for beginners. They offer free typing lessons and timed skill tests. It offers reviews of basic grammar and writing rules.

Wrapping It all Up

Today’s high-tech world offers many work-from-home opportunities. The problem is wading through countless sites in order to find those that are legitimate. Therefore, I recommend that you research any work-from-home opportunities before you commit.

Good luck on your journey to finding the right money-making gig. Remember that the key to success is determination and persistence. You’ve got this!

I am learning as I go as well. You can check in with my Pinterest site for updates on work from home and Online Learning Opportunities. I plan to pin them to my board as I find them.

If you have found this post helpful, you may also like my post 24 Free Online Courses That Teach Blogging and Social Media Marketing. Please subscribe and share. Stop back often for updates and new posts.

Disclaimer: Some of the links are affiliates of this site.

Best of Luck,

Vikki

The post Work from Home and Online Learning Opportunities appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Planting the Seeds

Our property is a double-lot within city limits. Our yard is a nice size. This street is quiet for the most part and a bit off the beaten path. It has a park-like field at the far end of the street. The field is between our yard and a large sinkhole.

To prevent neighborhood kids from trying to play near the sinkhole, we decided to let the area around it grow up. Over the years I started bringing home seeds that I had collected in the wild. I would throw them into the area around the sinkhole, hoping that some of them would grow. First, I threw mulberry seeds into the weeds, and later wild grape seeds, and strawberries.

The Vining

I kept watch for several years and did not spot any mulberry saplings in the area around the sinkhole. What I did notice was that the wild grapevines had started to grow. In four years the grapevines have spread beautifully and nearly covered the whole area.

As of this spring, the grapes had not borne fruit yet. I decided to thin the vines. I was able to harvest enough vines to create six grapevine wreaths. My planting in the “wilding” area was paying off. Even though I wasn’t able to forage for wild food, I was pleased to be able to harvest vines to make wreaths to use as free inventory for my craft shows in the fall.

A Sweet Surprise

A few weeks back my husband came and got me while he was mowing the lawn. He informed me that he thought we had a mulberry bush starting to bear fruit. I was honestly skeptical but went to see what he had found.

I had seen the bush that he was now pointing out. I hadn’t paid much attention to it honestly because its leaves were markedly like those of the flowering plant “Rose of Sharon”. A Rose of Sharon had come up wild in one of my flower beds a couple of years before, and I had just assumed that birds had dropped seeds near the sinkhole as well.

I was a bit confused. The fruit looked like a mulberry. But the leaves on this bush were unlike any mulberry I had ever seen before. The leaves that I was seeing on my newfound bushes looked nothing like those I had grown up seeing in the hills of Eastern Kentucky.

Learning New Facts About an Old Favorite

I was very tempted to just try the berries, I was pretty certain that they were mulberries. Instead, I came inside and started looking online at photos of mulberry plants. I wanted to be positive. It was time to investigate. The answer turned out to be simple. Not all mulberry bushes look the same.

What I hadn’t known until now, was that there is a variation that occurs in mulberry leaves, depending on the species of mulberry that you have growing. I found a very informative site that has a guide to growing mulberries, and common verities available (The article that I read by Paul Alfrey is cited in the reference section at the bottom of the page, it provided the information that I needed to positively identify my bush as being a mulberry).

Since our bush was indeed a mulberry, I set about picking the berries. On the first day, I ate every single berry that I was able to pick. So many childhood memories centered around my siblings, cousins, and me picking mulberries from a tree near the bee-yard on our farm. Picking and eating the berries brought back so many amazing memories. Finding these growing in the yard was like a gift from the past.

Fruit Yield

Mulberry Bushes had been at the top of my list of plants to add to our yard to increase my garden scaping project. So this little bush was a welcome addition. I decided to start gathering and freezing the fruit as it ripened.

I pick from the bush in our yard daily, and on average can pick between a cup and a pint of berries. The bush is bearing heavily, but I am only able to gain access to a few of its branches (due to the overgrown brush and grapevines).

I spotted about five more bushes while we were walking at a nearby park. These bushes are bearing abundantly as well. We returned a day later equipped with zip lock bags ready to berry pick. Between my daily harvest from the yard, and what we were able to harvest from one picking at the park, I now have one gallon of mulberries.

Was it Me, or the birds?

While at the park I noticed two distinct varieties of mulberries growing along the sides of the trail. Now more than ever I was curious about the origin of the little bush in our yard. I went back to the tree that I had gathered seeds from years earlier in order to see if they were the same. They were different varieties… so it was not me that had planted the little mulberry bush on our lot, it was birds. Either way, I was beyond thrilled. Wild animals need natural food sources, especially in cities and towns. That is why I had mulberries on the list of plants that I had intended to add. They would supply both my husband and me, and wildlife, with free organic-food.

Trouble at the Sinkhole

One would think that I would be feeling pretty pleased with myself at this point. I had planted wild grape seeds, and the birds had dropped mulberry seeds. Both plants were growing. I have harvested grapevines for wreaths and mulberries this year. This is indeed something that I count as a win. But, I have realized that I have created a mess that I am going to have to work to correct.

The grapevines are choking out the mulberry bush that is now bearing fruit, and two smaller ones that are growing nearby. This fall, as soon as the leaves die back, I am going to have to clear out the underbrush and the overabundance of grapevines. It looks to be a huge task, one that I honestly dread. But, it has to be done if I want the mulberries to survive.

Planning Ahead

I plan to make preserves from the mulberries that we harvest. I plan on sharing my bounty when friends and family! I love creating homemade gifts. Though it is only the end of May, I am already looking ahead to Christmas and planning the treats that I intend to give.

This year, when I give the small jars of preserves I intend to provide a tiny card that tells the story of how the bounty of nature, the blessings of God, and a few little birds, provided us with the gift of mulberry bushes. And, how these bushes have provided the fruit in our yard for me to share with others.

So You Are Interested in Planting Mulberries

If you are interested in planting mulberries in your yard there are several varieties that you can choose from. Some are more compact, allowing for easier fruit harvesting and planting in smaller areas. Many varieties grow much taller. There are also differences in the favor of fruit ranging from very sweet to slightly tart.

I would suggest researching what varieties grow best in your area, and what is best-suited size-wise for the space that you have.

Wild Sourcing

As also, if you find berries growing on other people’s property please get permission before you pick them.

Some berries, like Poke Berries for example, that are found in the wild are poisonous. Always make sure you know what is it that you are eating.

Watch out for ticks and snakes any time you are out berry picking. Know what poison ivy, stinging nettles, and poison oak look like and avoid them.

Wash your berries before eating. Tiny insects like to feed on the berries as well.

Related Posts and Resources

Foraging For Wild Foods: https://beeveecreativecrafts.com/foraging-for-wild-foods-a-skill-worth-learning/

Garden Scaping with Edible Plants; https://beeveecreativecrafts.com/garden-scaping-victory-garden-to-fight-inflation-and-prepare-for-food-chain-crisis/

A Guide to Mulberry Facts and Varieties: “Mo’ Mulberry — A guide to probably everything you need to know about growing Mulberry, by Paul Alfrey https://thepolycultureproject.medium.com/mo-mulberry-the-essential-guide-to-all-you-need-to-know-about-mulberry-28a0c11b611

Happy Picking

Though mulberry season will soon have passed us by, we have other treasures such as huckleberries, blackberries, and raspberries to look forward to. I hope that you are blessed with your own berry-picking adventure very soon. Even if you don’t have berry bushes in your area, get out and enjoy nature. You never know what you will find.

If you have enjoyed this post, please feel free to subscribe and share. If you have berry recipes that you would like to share, please drop a comment. I would love to hear from you.

You all come back now,

Vikki

The post Free Organic Berries: You Pick! appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

When my husband and I were just starting out, I realized that the lessons I had learned from watching my mom were invaluable. I figured out that having new and fancy things did not make a person happy. Sometimes, it is just the opposite. The time one has for hobbies, and to spend with family, friends, and community makes life worth living.

Why We Chose to Live Frugally

There were a couple of reasons that we chose the frugal lifestyle. First, CJ and I both worked as public servants. He worked at a water plant for many years, and I worked as a teacher’s assistant. Public service does not pay well. What we earned kept the family going, but did not leave room for waste. Buying secondhand kept items out of the land fields and helped us to lessen our carbon footprint. And, growing much of our food allowed us to have organic foods as well as stretch the budget. Learning to live on a small income may seem daunting, but with a little forethought and effort, it can be well worth the effort.

Ways That You Can Save

At the Grocery Store:

• If you plan to shop name brands try to clip coupons and only buy items that are on sale. Check to see if your grocery store offers e-coupons. Sometimes you can stack coupons. They may also have coupons for store brands.
• Look for items in the clearance bins and buy store brands as much as possible.
• Only buy items that you need: if it sits on a shelf and goes bad you haven’t saved money by bargain hunting.
• By talking to the staff at your local market, you may be able to get inside information on which days are the best for bargain shopping mark downed items.
• Plan the menu for the week around what you find on sale, and what you already have in stock in your pantry.
• Limit junk food and colas. Look for affordable snack alternatives. Small kids love favored cereals as much as they do candy, and it is better for them.
• Buy produce that is on clearance, then process for storage. I often buy huge bags of organic broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower that are marked down (I then blanch and freeze them in Ziploc bags). You can find instructions for canning and freezing food online. I prefer the Ball canning site.
• Shop produce that is in season.

Farmer’s Markets and Local Growers:

There are several reasons why buying local is a good thing. It helps the local economy, it helps the environment when foods are not transported long distances, and it can help stretch your budget.

Local Growers Selling Surplus: Look for ads on your local Facebook Market Place, and in the Newspaper for local families that have raised an excess of food. Generally, they sell products cheaper than the farmer’s markets, though it usually means that you go pick the foods yourself.

Farmer’s Markets: These markets often provide products at a cheaper price than grocery stores. Still, be aware of store prices to make sure you are getting a good deal.

Grow a Small Garden:

Garden scaping is a concept that utilizes existing flower beds as an area to incorporate edible plants into the landscape. You may not be able to grow enough food to store for the winter, but it can still work to offset food costs during the growing season.

Growing what food you can also help you be self sufficient in times of food shortages. It is also an amazing family activity that teaches kids about science and nature. You may be interested in reading my earlier blog post on garden scaping. It discusses garden scaping in greater detail.

Invest In Canning Supplies:

• Several brands of salsa and pasta sauces come in reusable canning jars. By reusing these jars you can avoid spending as much on canning supplies. If a canning jar lid fits then it can be reused.
• Buy jars and other supplies at the end of the season to avoid paying full price.
• Invest in a Ball canning book. Ball is the premier name in canning and food processing.
• Contact your local Cooperative extension service. They sometimes have free gardening and food prep resources for free.

Shopping for Clothing:

When I worked in a public school system, I could not afford to buy the expensive clothing that others wore to work. I wanted to dress nicely and had to figure out how to do it on a budget. Long before I found Pinterest, I was making scrapbooks from clothing catalogs and sale flyers that came in the mail. Pinterest is my new best friend. I have a board dedicated to clothing styles that I like. I use it in place of my old scrapbook. I look for outfits that make use of pieces similar to what I already have in my wardrobe. Then when I am shopping at thrift stores, yard sales, or clearance racks I look for pieces that will allow me to create a knockoff of the expensive outfit that I pinned.

I try to find my clothing at either thrift stores, yard sales, or on clearance racks. A couple of weeks ago I came home with a large bag of clothing for around $15.00. Many of the items still had store tags in place. You may be wondering how I managed to get so much for so little. The trick is knowing when it is dollar day at my favorite local thrift store. I get there early to snag the best deals. Know the stores you shop. Ask if there are certain days that prices are lower. Usually, the store attendants are glad to help if you ask nicely.

My Shopping Rules:

Ask yourself, “Can the item be used to mix and match to create several outfits”? My rule of thumb is to never buy anything that I can’t use to mix and match to put together three outfits. I had people comment that I must spend a fortune on my clothing because I never wore the same thing twice, and was always in style.

Don’t Buy it if You Don’t Love it. I have found that if I don’t like the feel of the material, the way it feels as I move, then I am not going to wear it.

Decide If It is a Need or a Want. If I already have a little black dress that I love, then find another one that is a good price. I stop and ask myself if I really need it. The lure of a great sale can tempt me into buying things that I later find was an impulse buy.

Always check the clearance racks: Sometimes you find incredible deals that are in style yet affordable.

Shop End Of Year Clearance: Shopping at the end of the season is a great way to buy those timeless pieces that never let you down. I also look for seasonal shoes and outerwear at these sales.

Yard sales and thrift stores are great places to buy play clothes for kids. I applied the same rules to shop for my kid’s clothing as I did my own. They were able to put together styles that they loved, and that we could afford. We did buy some new school clothes each year, but by thrift shopping, we were able to keep the cost down.

Word of Advice

If you buy used clothing anywhere take care to not lay them down in your house. Take it straight to your clothes dryer and dry on high for fifteen minutes. You should do the same thing to any clothing you take on vacation, and even new clothing. This is a preventive measure to insure you do not accidentally carry home bed bugs.

The Early Bird Gets the Deals

Yesterday when I went out to pay bills I dropped by the Hospice Thrift Store. You all, I was able to buy three pairs of shoes for $12.50. One pair was brand new Reeboks, and the other two pairs were like new. Hope that you all have enjoyed this post. Then I went on to the home supply store to pick up a can for stain with sealer in it for our new porch swing. Normally the stain would have cost me around $60.00 for a gallon. I checked the miss-tinted paint section, and sure enough there set the exact color that I needed. I got the stain for $9.00.

You may not find exactly what you need every time go look for bargains, but it is worth spending a little time looking.

Going On a Bargain Hunt

Good luck finding those deals. I’d love to hear about your shopping adventures and the deals that you find. If you have tips for frugal living that you’d like to share, I’d love to hear about those too.

I post weekly, and sometimes twice a week. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe and share. You all stop by anytime.

Happy Shopping,

Vikki

The post Living Big on A Small Income: Thrifty Shopping Tips appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Skill Level: Beginner to Skilled

Beginners: choose a simple pattern. Pretty doesn’t equal complicated.

Cost: Under $10 ( it depends on what supplies you have on hand, and the number of paints you choose to use).

I had most of the needed supplies already. You can buy the paint, alcohol, and mug at Wal-Mart. My brushes are from Jerry’s Artarama, but the ones from Walmart will work.

Make a Mug That Will Make Their Mornings

When I worked at a public school every year I got mugs. Most of them said something along the lines of “World’s Greatest Teacher”, or had apples on them. While I loved and appreciated the gesture. I soon had so many mugs that were not really my style that I couldn’t keep them all. I’d use them for a bit, then pass them on.

The mugs that I kept long-term were the ones that showed that the person had put thought into the gift. I love butterflies and honeybees. One year a parent graced me with a beautiful mug with yellow trim around the top that had flowers, bees, and butterflies on it. Her note read, “because you love bees and because you have been so sweet to my child and me”. I loved that mug and used it until the handle broke off of it.

If you possibly can, personalize the mug in a way that will be meaningful to the person you are gifting.

Shopping For Paint

Not All Acrylic Paints are Created Equal. If you look carefully at the labels of acrylic paint you will see that some say “air dry”. They do not have any curing instructions. That type of paint will work well for artwork on canvas or wood, but it will not be durable on glass.

Read the labels carefully before you buy, the label needs to say:

• Non-toxic
• Multi-purpose
• Dish-washer safe
• Curing instructions for oven

Supplies:

• Coffee mug of choice
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Lint-free cloth
• Dish-washer safe Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes of choice
• Liner-style paint brush
• paint palette
• Small container of water (to wash brushes)
• Old newspaper
• Oven

Let’s Get Started

The first thing that you will need to do is to wash your mug and hand dry with a lint-free cloth. Then use a lint-free cloth to wipe down the mug with isopropyl alcohol. Set the mug aside and gather your multi-purpose acrylic paints and other supplies.

Next cover your workspace with the newspaper.

Once your space is ready, add the paint to whatever you decide to use as your palette (I often use old butter bowl lids).

Try to avoid touching the area where you intend to add your artwork. You do not want the oils from your skin contaminating your prepped surface. Then using a liner-brush, draw an outline of your art design. Set aside and allow to dry. Then oven cure as directed. Let cool.

After your outline is cool, start adding in the background, or base, colors. Again you will need to let this layer dry before going back to add details. The paint will come off easily at this point. Work carefully when adding details. Find a spot underneath your mug to add a few test dots. You will use these to check after oven curing to see if the paint has set.

Curing the Mug

Once you have created your masterpiece. Follow the directions listed on your all-purpose paint. Most will say to allow the paint to air-cure for at least an hour before oven curing. Some brands of paint will say that air curing for a longer period of time will be sufficient (without curing in an oven). The paint that I am using says to let the mug air dry for one hour. Then place in the cool oven, and turn the heat setting to 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I do not start my timer until the temperature is at the desired heat.

After the timer goes off, turn off the oven and allow it to cool before removing it. Let cool completely for 24 hours. Then, do a scratch test on one of your test dots to see if the paint has cured. If not, repeat the heating process.

I prefer the the type that cures under heat, but I still leave them to air cure for at least 14 days before washing or using.

Even though most paint will say dishwasher safe, I recommend hand washing without soaking any handprinted items.

Paint Pens and Issues, Oh My!

I had purchased paint pens that said that they were dishwasher safe after curing. I used them as directed. Sadly, the areas painted with the paint pens did not adhere to the glass. I had to remove it and repaint the wings on the bee and wording with FolkArt multi-surface paint. If anyone has found a brand of paint pen that works on glass please let me know.

Make sure to inspect your work carefully for mistakes before curing! Once the paint has set, it becomes permanent. I accidentally got a dot of paint on the handle before the first round of oven-curing. I had to get creative and add yellow polka-dots along the handle to cover my blooper.

Jazz It Up

If you want to create a personalized mug for a end of year gift for a teacher, or for Father’s day, you can make it extra special by making the mug into a miniature gift basket.

Line the mug with a small plastic party favor bag. Add a gift card, pens, candy, fishing lure, or whatever tiny items will work with your theme. Tie closed with a ribbon and add a card. You are all set.

My Finished Mug

Branch Out to Add Pieces

Using multi-surface paint on other glass items: If using plates and glass cutting boards, use a type of paint that will air-cure and become dishwasher safe. FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint is one that I use for those items. Do not place items made of thin glass in the oven as they may burst.

Use clear glass plates and cutting boards, and add the design to the underside of these items. If you are painting the underside of a plate or cutting board you add your layers in reverse order. This takes a bit more skill and planning. With practice, the results can be stunning.

Resources:

No businesses, or brands, mentioned in this post are affiliates.

Jerry’s Artarama is my go-to online store for brushes. You can’t beat their brushes or their sales!

Happy Painting

Have fun painting your mugs. I would love to see your finished projects. If you have tips that you would like to share, let us know.

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe and share.

Stop back by any time,

Vikki Bee

The post Easy and Affordable Hand-painted Mugs for Gift Giving appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.