Painting Rocks and Books that inspires us to draw

We love books that simplify and teach us how to draw easily with techniques that anyone with any artistic skills can grasp and become good at. The Ten-Step Drawing Series are fabulous books we highly recommend, as these books are fun and have an approachable way of teaching how to draw for aspiring illustrators, doodlers, and art hobbyists. 

Nature inspired Plaster of Paris platter and giveaway

Long summer days are perfect for outdoor crafts. We did a fun project inspired by nature using Plaster of Paris from Craft Project Ideas. Since mediums like Plaster of Paris require time to dry, we find this process is a little faster when we dry it outdoors in the summer heat. 

Geometric Designs with String Art

This String Art project is inspired by the Stitch + Strings Lab for Kids book. It is similar to nail and thread art, but an easier version using cardboard, needle, and yarn. There are many different possibilities of creating geometric designs with this craft. 

For our love of wood: Scroll Saw, Wood Burning, and Workshop Setup

Wood is one of our favourite material to work with! From making designs with the scroll saw, wood burning to making furniture and other home decor it seems like we are continuously buying wood. 

We Are Knitters: Fun and Happiness in a kit

We Are Knitters, an European based DIY knitting kit company has expanded into the Canadian marketplace. We Are Knitters encourages creativity and self-wellness through the art of knitting, as the benefits of knitting has been embraced as both a fashion trend and health practice. Knitting also helps reduce stress levels, exercise memory, combat hyperactivity, and increase overall happiness - read more about the benefits of crafts on my recent post.

Pottery Painting at Crock a Doodle

We were excited to drop-in at Crock a Doodle in Niagara Falls for an afternoon of fun. This pottery themed creative space with friendly staff made us feel welcomed. This studio is setup in a way that makes it comfortable for children to sit down and paint. For adults, it gives an opportunity to let go of everything and be a kid again. We loved it! 

Creative Designs on Wood using the Dewalt DW788 20" Variable Speed Scroll Saw

We enjoy scrolling as a hobby and have done lots of small projects on a smaller entry level scroll saw. Scroll sawing is the art of making intricate cuts in wood or metal to create different patterns and objects. We enjoy doing woodworking projects on a regular basis, and using the scroll saw has taken woodworking to another level for us.  

Embroidered Crazy Patchwork

I have been working on a crazy patchwork surface to use it as the cover for a DIY stool we are working on. For this patchwork surface, I used the Crazy Patchwork method that uses random shapes of cloth attached together. Crazy patchwork is a lot of fun to do, as we do not have to cut each material using a pattern or measurement. 

Learning Needle Tatting

I have been waiting to learn the craft of tatting, however I couldn't find the tools at any of the stores in Ontario. I searched it up on Amazon.ca and was super excited that it was available to purchase.

Hands on origami kits

Origami kits are a fun way to start folding creative models right away as the kits include the instructions and material we need to get started. We have been trying to use the below activity packed kits to get creative. We found that the instructions could be a little clearer, so beginners can follow it easily to make the beautiful nature inspired origami. 

Knitted Cozy Slippers

These handmade knitted slippers are beginner friendly. I used Phentex Slipper and Craft Yarn that makes these slippers feel durable and warm. With this pattern we can personalize each of the slippers by choosing different colour combinations. The slipper stretches, so keep this in mind when you are casting on. 

Win Klutz Kits for the Holidays

Klutz Kits have great play value, they are educational and fun for children and adults. We love using Klutz kits to learn new crafts. These kits have all the necessary tools and material needed to start the projects right away.

Ease of Crocheting Amigurumi Characters

Crochet lovers will love these quirky crochet kits. These kits come with instructions on how to create adorable themed characters and supplies to complete two projects. We have been having lots of fun crocheting stuffed characters with these kits.

The Excitement of Machine Embroidery

Machine embroidery is a fun way to add unique touches to our sewing and home décor projects. I found that once we figure out how to setup the machine by switching the embroidery foot, inserting the panel, and embroidery hoop, it becomes simple as pressing a button and changing the thread.

The Dewalt DCP580B 20V Max Brushless Planer #DIY tool

We do a lot of DIY projects using wood and have a decent collection of tools to get the job done. The latest addition to our tools is the Dewalt DCP580B 20V Max Brushless planer. A planer is a really useful tool to have, as it has lots of varying uses. The DEWALT DCP580B 20V Max Brushless planer we are using is the cordless version, and it comes as a bare tool without any batteries. Since, most of our power tools are Dewalt we already have batteries to go with them. It is always best to use 3 Ah batteries or greater, so there is enough power to get the job done. 

The Art of Weaving

Weaving is a craft I remember doing as a child using ribbons, construction paper, and wool. My daughter started enjoying weaving about four years ago when she did an activity at Michaels, and when she made the scarf using the Weaved Threadz kit. From a young age, my daughter has weaved using wool, yarn, thread, and once on vacation we used leaves from a coconut tree. We find weaving to be a relaxing meditative craft that is fun and the end results are rewarding.

Collage and Paper: Calming Meditative Activities

Everyone in our family enjoyed taking part in doing the calming and interesting paper mosaic activity in Chiharu Rosenberg's Cut and Create Paper Mosaics kit. This craft mosaic-by-number artwork is done by cutting the numbered paper tiles which are printed on coloured and patterned paper, then gluing it to the card stock. 

Inspiring Sewing Books

Learning the craft of sewing is lots of fun, as it gives us the creative freedom to sew our own clothes and home décor pieces. I recently checked out a few books and found some of these useful and inspiring. 

Crocheting Motifs following the Granny Square Book

The Granny Square Book, Second Edition: Timeless Techniques and Fresh Ideas for Crocheting Square by Square has 100 Motifs and 25 All New Projects. Since first published in 2011, The Granny Square Book has instructed and inspired crocheters to make and create beautiful, stylish projects with these classic motifs.

Cleaning and Clearing Out Clutter to Rejuvenate Our Space

Spring time when new life literally emerges, is also a time for us to rejuvenate our space and feel fresh! I love taking the time to do a deep clean in every nook and cranny in our home and toss away, donate, as well as repurpose our belongings. During this process, we always find inspiration to start new projects; most of which better utilizes the space and makes it more functional.