Origami Butterfly Wall Art - Tutorial

Ahh, we're back. After a bit of a trying week, we are back. Maybe not normal yet, but better. Up and running. Stronger and with more momentum.

I like that feeling of gearing up. The lists, the planning, the thinking, the ideas and the doing. As a new project takes off, so does my heart and soul. The different possibilities bring optimism into my little corner. This little boost pushes me off my landing spot and into the wind. And I feel free again.

Life is a bit of a roller coaster. That is so cliche, but as I get older, it is so true. My roller coaster travels from intense deep dark blue to the lightest of yellows. My lows are darker, grumpier, and more achy. My highs are light, breezy, and floaty. And it is a fact that my path travels to both ends. Life modulates.

I have tried so hard to control it. "I'd be so much more productive if I could just extend those highs. How do I avoid those lows? Exercise. Diet. Medication. Supplements. Lifestyle." But the only thing I've found to be true, is to embrace it. Rest when the body says to rest. Leave the guilt of nap-time hours behind. Productivity will pick up. It will soon. And without variety, this wouldn't be...life.

So take each day as it comes. Be productive when the body and the inspiration allows. Rest when there is no other choice. And embrace your soul, the time you have here on this earth, and live each day to its fullest. I know I can't do any more than that.

Now, onto the craft....


We are sorely in need of some cute wall art in this house. I've been eyeing so many butterflies on the Internet lately and since spring is in the air, I decided to invite some into this home.

I found this site for all things Origami butterfly. I looked at about half the links, but there are so many other patterns out there to explore! Take a look around and see which one you like.

This is a very simple, very budget friendly piece to put together. I found all the items I needed around the house. Most of the project time is spent waiting for paint to dry and folding paper.

Materials:
Damp rag or paper towel
Sand paper (any fine sand paper will do)
Paper or drop cloth to protect the surface on which you intend to paint
Paint brush
White pant (I used flat indoor paint)
Scrap wood (in any dimension, in any shape, here I used 1/2" MDF)

Regular paper (I used 12X12 inch scrapbooking paper, color on one side, and this was totally enough)
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Nails (I used 1 1/4 inch long nails and I used about 6 of them)
Hammer

Craft Glue

How To:
NOTE: I did not affix a hanger on the back of my piece. If you would like to hang your piece, select an appropriate wall hanger and attach it to your board, BEFORE you start in on the rest.

1. Sand scrap wood until edges and faces are smooth. Remove any dust and debris with a damp cloth and let dry.

2. Paint scrap wood white with paint and brush. You many need to do two coats, letting each dry in between.

3. Go here to find out how to make the origami butterflies. This is a very complete and easy to follow tutorial in my opinion and she gives you two sizes to choose from.

4. Measure and draw as many rectangles for as many butterflies as you'd like. I varied the sizes of mine and I just kept on making them until I got tired of making them!

5. Lay out your butterflies on the white piece of wood. I choose to make them all face more or less one direction. Then choose which you'd like to elevate. These little lucky ones will be mounted atop the nails.

6. With the pencil, draw dots where the nails will be hammered in. Then hammer in your nails. Don't worry if your little butterflies try to take flight while you are hammering, they don't go far, and you can re-arrange them later.

7. Add a dab of craft glue to the top of each nail, and place the lucky butterfly atop. Adjust it's angle as you please and let dry.


8. Apply craft glue to the bottom edges of each butterfly and secure it to the board. Let these butterflies dry.

And there you have it. Display and admire your work!

Baby Bunny Stencil - Free Download

This weekend was a whirl wind of crafting, drafting, and computer complications. It was busy inside and beautiful weather outside. I wished I had spent more time enjoying the weather, but when my mind is able, and the kids are otherwise occupied, there is no stopping these crafting fingers.

Working hard on this blog, this creating, building these tutorials is a new intentional commitment for me. I've been blogging for a few years now. Sometimes with fervor and exuberance and sometimes not. The need to express my creative side, connect with others, and build a new revenue stream for our family are the currents that pushed my blogging hobby along. I know that the act of creating, and the discipline to keep creating, can lead to some of the goals I'd love to achieve in the this lifetime. All these thoughts and feelings have led me to the brink of choosing to a path. But fear is holding me back from stepping off and committing.

Lately I've been praying a lot and asking for guidance. Which way should I go? How much should I be concentrating on my family? How much should I be concentrating on my creative talents? What should I be giving and how much? What is it that I am meant to do?

I was reading this passage in the Catholic Herald today and it really hit home for me. In her March 8-14, 2012 Opinion piece, Elizabeth Foss wrote, "St. Isaac of Stella wrote, 'If you desire to know yourself and possess yourself, go into yourself, and do not search for yourself outside. Distinguish between what is around you, what belongs to you, and yourself! Return then, transgressor, to your heart within, where you are truly yourself.' So much of what we believe about ourselves and the way we see ourselves is a reflection of the interactions we have with other people. Moment after moment, day after day, we store up a lifetime of impressions from without. The opinions and the attitudes of other people can shape us, nearly to our very core.

But those impressions cannot touch the innermost reality of who we are. It is only the Holy Spirit in whose likeness we are created who can truly shine a light on who we are intended by our Creator to be, who we become if we are fully united to Christ. A quiet intimacy with God is the truest way to know ourselves."

Many things I've been reading lately are subtly pointing me to this creative outlet, this blog. I love creating new things. I adore working with my hands and designing. God has a funny way giving me tiny hints and pointing me in the right direction just when I think I can't stand it any longer to not know.

I very much enjoy working on these posts and sharing my creative work with others. I hope that you also enjoy what I am posting here and it is useful for you. Stay tuned for more soon!

Today, it is just a quick post. I am working on something a bit more complex for later this week.


This is the a little baby bunny stencil pattern. Downloadable here. Click here for the tutorial about how to create a sweet stenciled little baby tee..

I couldn't for the life of me get a good shot of the finished tee. This crawling baby can cruise at 9 months!! Yikes. And my 4 year old is a little shy about modeling. *sigh* So these funny ones are the ones I get.

Spring Chick Stenciled Baby Tee - Tutorial

Cute round tummies deserve a little spring time adornment. Like say, a cute t-shirt motif that when stretched in the horizontal direction becomes even more cute.

Spring time is on my mind as winter wanes in these parts. Tornadoes in the mid-west, and 70 degree weather here has me wondering what happened to the snowy days of winters past. Lent is here and it is a time for reflection, prayer and penance inside this spirit of mine. I am thinking of Easter and how glad I'll be to see the end of this 40 day ritual of intense personal scrutiny. Not a season I love really. But truly I feel better at the end of it all. Refreshed. Renewed. And ready to meet what is next with hope and openness. I guess that is what Lent, and spring, are about. A new beginning.

And so, I was daydreaming of what reminds me of spring and I thought of little chicks hatching. We had that incubator when I was in grade school. The heat lamp hung low kept those little eggs warm nested in that fresh bed of piney wood shavings. My classmates and I were equally delighted when those tiny new beings finally poked their beaks through their shells and came out into our world. Wet, frumpy, matted, and perhaps not quite as round as the one I pictured above, those tiny little chicks were so very adorably cute.

As I sat in front of the TV watching the Food Network last night, I sketched a couple of chicks. And I've uploaded my favorite draft here.

I turned the sketch into a stencil and created a baby tee for Pie Pie. In all truth, Little Miss can wear this one too with her petite stature. It is for a 24 month-old after-all. It is a bit big on Pie Pie and he kept on moving away from the shot, so these are the best modeled poses I got.

This stencil craft is super easy to create, pretty economical, and very cute. Though, maybe not as cute as the chubby baby cheeks pictured below.

Materials

• (1) Baby t-shirt (can also be a onesie, or a long-sleeved t-shirt. What ever you desire. The one pictured here is a 24 month size, but you can size yours to fit.)
• Fabric paint (I used Folk Art Fabric Paint in #4419 Thicket)
• Small sponge (you can use a regular stencil "brush" or a small sponge. I just took a scissors and snipped a regular dish sponge in quarters and used that.)
• Freezer paper
• Iron + ironing board
• Piece of cardboard large enough to fit inside the body of the shirt
• Pencil
• X-acto knife + old magazine to cut on
• Chick picture download here and scroll down

How To


1. Download and print on regular computer paper this chick sketch. Yes, it is for you, and it's for free.


2. Overlay a piece of freezer paper on top of the sketch print and trace the image onto the paper side with a pencil. (Place freezer paper plastic side down on the print.)


3. Place freezer paper on top of the old magazine and with an X-acto knife cut out the image along the traced lines. Go slow and pay attention to detail. After, erase the extra pencil lines.


4. Place a piece of cardboard inside the body of the shirt. Insert the cardboard from the waist end and make sure the cardboard is wide enough to stretch the fabric of the shirt horizontally just slightly. With a hot dry iron (I set mine on the polyester setting and turned off the steam) iron the freezer paper onto the front of the shirt. Pay particular attention to the edges and make sure these are firmly ironed on. If you'd like, cut a very small circle of freezer paper and iron this on to the shirt to place the eye of the chick.


5. With a just damp sponge (not wet here), apply the fabric paint to the t-shirt through the stencil. Dab the sponge in the paint and then dab the t-shirt fabric firmly to push the paint into the fabric. Make sure that the entire surface is covered. Do not remove the freezer paper stencil and set the shirt aside to dry completely.


6. When the paint is dry, carefully remove the paper stencil and set the fabric paint according to the directions on the bottle. Put the tee on your little guy or gal, and start trying to snap those photos!

Outtakes


Can't see the front of the shirt!


Really can't see the front of the shirt.


Okay, can't even see the model now. Photo shoot, that's a wrap.

Inspiration
The Snooty Bird Walk by Vintage Green Creations
Goody Bags for Spring Chickens by Country Living

Puff Stenciled Tile Coaster - Tutorial

 The weather is certainly wacky this year around these parts. It is close to 70 degrees one day and then after an evening of wind advisories a cold-front comes in and whips us back into winter shape with 40 degree temperatures.

I was at my son's Montessori school the other day and the bulbs outside were stretching their green shoots up out of the soggy earth, reaching for that warm sun. I think they are confused. We still have three long weeks until that day marked spring on the calendar. We haven't come in like a lion or gone out like a lamb. And Punxsutawney Phil even predicted more winter weeks. I'd better watch what I say though. At the rate we are going we are sure to have a late March snowstorm when we expect it least.

Nevertheless, my body is yearning for spring time already. Perhaps without real snow, ice, and cold jacket weather, my toes might actually be thinking it might be flip flop time soon. And so, when I think spring, I think flowers. Daffodils and cherry blossoms to be exact.

When I first moved to Washington DC, that spring it started snowing. I remember looking out of my office window and seeing white flakes floating in the air. They were gliding this way and that, where ever the breeze would take them. These white flakes turned out to be cherry blossom pollen. And I turned out to be allergic. But to me those white puffs blowing in the breeze still signal to me that spring has sprung.

Spring also makes me think of color. Brilliant violet crocuses with vibrant orange centers adorn my neighbor's lawn. Fresh dewy green buds that pop out from every branch. And of course pretty Easter pastels come to mind. These painted tiles are inspired by the spring flower puff that takes off and alights on the gentle breezes of spring time. With a modern twist, this pretty design is easy to make and elegant to display.

Materials

• (3) 4"X4" ceramic tiles in white, or what ever color you like. (I found these in the tile/flooring section of my Home Depot and paid 16 cents for each one.)
• Adhesive mailing labels (you'll need less than one sheet, or you can buy dot stickers too, just make sure that their adhesive is good, but not too good. You don't want adhesive residue on your finished project.)
• A hole punch (a standard one will do) 
• Ceramic acrylic paint (I used Folk Art brand here in the following colors: XXXX)
• Medium flat paint brush (the tip should be square not pointy)
• X-acto knife
• An oven (like the big one in your kitchen)
• (12) adhesive felt circles

Stats
Time: about 1 hour to create one tile; 1 hour 15 minutes to bake the tiles; and then I didn't keep track of the time it took to cool. I just left if there and picked them out of the oven some 6 hours later before baking a chicken for dinner.
How to Use: gift these as a set of coasters for a birthday, a hostess gift, or house-warming present. Attach a ribbon to the back of each one and hang these in a group.


How To

1. Clean the tiles with warm soapy water, rinse, and dry well.

 2. Use the hole punch to punch out a million dots from the sheet of adhesive labels. Okay, not a million, but you can see I used a lot. Make your own design and use your own judgement on the number you use. I just stopped when I got tired of sticking dots.

3. Peel off the label backing and stick the dots onto the face of the tile in your design. Use the back of the X-acto knife to smooth the dots onto the tile. Don't use your fingers, or you risk getting oils onto the tile which makes the paint streak. 

4. Paint over the entire tile surface, stickers and all. If you need to, do two coats. Let air dry for about 30 seconds, or until tacky. Mind your brush strokes. Make them light and even and make them all go in one direction. I actually made my first coat go in one direction and then turned the tile 90 degrees and did the second coat. Use as little paint as you can to get good coverage.

5. Use the point of your X-acto knife to remove the stickers before the paint completely dries. Then use the tip of the X-acto knife to clean up any smears or smudges.

6. Follow the drying directions on the paint bottle. Mine said to stick the tiles in a cold oven, set the pre-heat temp to 350 degrees F and then bake for 1 hour. Turn off the heat, and let the tile cool inside the oven. When completely cool, remove the tiles and they are now hand-washable and top-rack-dishwasher safe.


Outtakes:
I did this while watching TV while Pie Pie was sleeping upstairs. This craft project is that easy.

Inspiration:
Here is a couple of the pieces that inspired me to create this craft project. Thanks to all the artist out there who inspire my crafting work every day.
A Windy Day by lauraamiss on Etsy
Dandelion Clocks Pendant Shade by Hannah Nunn

Stenciled Tile Coasters for Lent - Tutorial

Lent is here. I half dread this time of the year. The sacrifice, formal confession, and self examination to prepare seem daunting and overwhelming. I've only been Catholic for a little under seven years now. The confessional still gives me butterflies. I can't eat until afterward. Shaking hands with a priest is intimidating to me. And the new responses at Mass...well I am already feeling anxious typing these words.

I take Lent day by day. Baby steps is what it takes to keep that Lenten promise. Getting back on the horse when you fall off brings you closer to getting it right the next time. Courage and asking for help keeping my faith through the unknown gives me strength to get through to Easter. Practicing my faith in my own way is something I am learning every day.

Since I am a doer and I work with my hands, I decided to do just that this Lenten season. I will craft.

I've found so much Easter crafting inspiration on Pinterest. And I've found inspiration from God himself. No kidding, this craft came to me as I was praying. Just in a flash really. I think it was God mixing a bit of all my loves together. My love of color, love to try a new technique, and my new love for typography all flowed together to create these stenciled tile coasters for Lent.

Materials:

• (4) 4"X4" white ceramic tiles (I got mine at Home Depot in the tile-flooring section for 16 cents each.)
• enamel acrylic paints in different colors (or the same color) These paints are by Folk Art, and cost about $3 a bottle. The ones I used here are: 4028 Purple Lilac; 4003 Baby Pink; 4120 Soft Apple; 4017 Lemon Custard 
• medium flat paint brush (the tip should be square, not pointy.)
• (1) sheet adhesive mailing labels 2"X4" or larger (and maybe another for mess-ups and printer jams, I used Avery 18163)
• A computer printer (and the computer to go with it...and a word processing program,) or you could hand draw your own letters
• X-acto knife (with sharp extra blades)
• masking tape
• A thick magazine you don't want to read (or you could use a self-healing mat if you have one of these nifty things.)
• An oven, like the big one in your kitchen
• (16) adhesive felt circles 1/2" diameter or smaller (or alternatively you can use some Fabri-Tac glue and felt scraps and make your own.)

How To:

1. Wash tiles with soapy warm water and rinse. Wipe dry. 

2. Using a computer printer, print on the adhesive mailing labels the words "love," "hope," "faith," and "Jesus." (Do a couple test prints first and see how large your words come out, and where they lie on the page. I was able to get each word, except Jesus, to fit on it's own label. This makes it easier later. Using MS Word, and Garamond font in 100 pt. with 24 pt spaces between each letter, I got something that fit well on the 4" tile. My left page margin was .5" and I didn't use the label wizard.)

3. Place the labels sheet on the thick magazine and use an X-acto knife to cut out the black letters. (A patient hand makes the best round corners. This will be your stencil. For the letters with middle parts, like, "o," and "a," leave a small part to keep the middle piece from flying around. See my "e" above.)

4. Cut a masking tape piece to fit along the bottom side edge of the tile. Place it on the side edge as below. Make one edge flush with the face of the tile and fold the tape to the back of the tile. If the tape peels up a little, this is not a problem since the stencil label will fold over the top of the masking tape in the next step.

5. Carefully peel off the label backing, align the label-stencil along the masking-taped edge of the tile and press all edges of each letter so that they firmly adhere to the tile surface. (Press with the round back end of the X-acto knife and not with your fingers, to avoid getting oils onto the surface of the tiles. This will help prevent the enamel paint from streaking.) Fold the bottom edge of the label over the masking tape edge. I took a bit of artistic liberty here and made the letters drop off the edge of the tile to make them look like they were peeking up.

6. Gently paint over your stencil with the color of your choice. And let dry for about 30 seconds before removing the stencil and the masking tape. I had a terribly difficult time with this step. In lieu of pouncing, I decided I liked the brush stroke look. After tons of streaky finishes, I deduced that you should use the smallest amount of paint to get adequate coverage, wait until it barely dries, about 30 seconds, and then give it another very thin coat. Keep your brush strokes light and all in the same direction. Don't forget to brush out the paint that bunches up and collects in the corners because it will just makes lines and smears in the end. Remember to remove the stencil before the paint dries entirely, or else risk your hard work coming up like a bad sunburn-peel. AND, most importantly, don't let your four-year-old-crafter-in-training take over with her gloppy paint-ridden paintbrush!

7. Use the X-acto knife to gently scrape off those smears, smudges, and imperfect lines, like the one on the "o" you see above. This part was so very satisfying. It was like cleaning, perfecting, and polishing all in one. Don't brush the bits of paint off the project. It will make your perfect lines peel. Carefully use the knife blade and point to remove the excess paint you scrape off.

8. And presto, a clean stenciled tile.

9. To set the paint, the container says that you can let your work dry for 21 days or bake it for 30 minutes. If you are like me and you need blog pictures, let the tiles dry for 1 hour and then put them in a cold oven. Set the temp at 350 degrees F, and let the tiles and the oven warm up together. Set the timer for 30 minutes, after which turn off the oven and let the whole lot cool off. Remove your cool tiles from the oven and they are  now handwashing/top-dishwasher rack safe.

10. Glue four felt circles to the underside of the tiles; one at each corner.

*    *    *

I am not really a coaster kind of person. I was thinking of attaching ribbon to the backs and hanging them up on hooks too. In the end I decided this might be best as a gift. And I have just the person in mind!

Outtakes:
This was one of the first times I've stenciled anything. It felt like rouge low-tack paint tape on dirty walls with all the seepage of paint under the stencil.

This paint stuff comes off the tile with some hot soapy water and a scrubbie. Near-perfection, was achieved after many, many re-do's.

My daughter decided to help mid-project. Not good. Too much paint. Everywhere!

I tried to re-use the stencil she used so I didn't have to X-acto knife the entire thing again. Word to the wise: don't do it. Do not reuse the stencils. Its messy, smudgy, and yucky.

I am not sold on the yellow in this color combo. Maybe its too spring-chick-like for me. And the green came out really, really light. I like the hue, but not the intensity. So if you are considering "green-apple" or "lemon custard" you might want to think again.

Inspiration:
If you've read this far...that's great! I thought I'd add in a couple of links to show my appreciation for some of the other artists out there who created the wonderful work that inspired this craft. Thank you!
Hand Painted Tile Coasters by Marangelie Caballero
Scrabble Tile Coasters LOVE by Terrills Tiles