Showing posts with label Mothers Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mothers Day. Show all posts

Feb 7, 2014

Write On! Make your own Pen Pot.

     GREAT GIFT GIVING

Add these precious Pen Pots to your must make list.
At a cost of less than around $5.00 each I think these Pen Pots are the perfect Craft for all seasons and for everyone on your List.        


Best Craft Blog
Never loose a Pen again, this one is simply too big to just walk away!
PEN POTS
Easy to make, economically priced, easily seasonally adjusted ( simply change the flower in the pot) and kid friendly to create makes these Pen Pots a practical project worth pursuing all year long!  
Craft @ Lillian the Domestic Engineer

 To start. Get the Clay Pot. You don't want a clay pot that is too big to sit on a desk...hmmm unless the desk happens to be ten feet long by four feet wide and requires (perhaps) a bouquet of flowers.

 Use a brush to apply the flat, black, acrylic paint to the pot. You can chose whatever color, shape or design you like. I used the black because I like that the finished effect resembles a chalk board.
After painting the stripes around my pot and allowing it to dry for half an hour, I glued the pot to the base with a hot glue gun.


 Pumper Paint Pens are perfect... for so many things.
 As well as being the perfect tool for writing on the Pen Pots they are also ultra smooth for use on windows.
They are a paint product and do require a blade to remove from the glass effectively afterwards but the highlighting and detail capacities are marvelous. I often use them to outline on my Hand Painted Window Splashes. I also drew my Snowflakes with Pumper Pens. See HERE

  I just happened to have four cork coaster lying around
 and so it was that they were a perfect cushion for the bottom of
 the pots. I attached the coasters with hot glue.

  Decorate! Be Creative and always, always think out of the box
(or the Pot as the case may be) 
Wait, I'm having an AH Ha moment.....
I just remembered having rolled 4 pairs of panties for my young Niece into long stemmed Roses. They were then wrapped like a bouquet in a cellophane wrap and tied with a bow. They were beautiful and she was thrilled. 
Instead of a pen I used a Chop Stick and attached the rolled panties at top with floral tape. The stem was then wrapped as is the pen below.
I'll have to dig up pictures or make another few pairs of panties into Roses just to show you. (mental note made) 
for Valentines Day the Pot could be painted in a heart motif and the long stem Rose Panties could be inserted and wrapped in cellophane.
These would also be a great  Place Setting to make at a Child's Garden Party. Fill them with Jelly Beans  when they are dry and before they go home. 
Make them up as little organizers. They would look great lined up on a counter top and labelled by the contents, appropriately EG; Paper Clips, Pens, Cotton Balls...
DIY Craft  Clay PEN Pots

















I'm a stickler for a nice pen.. so I chose to use gel pens in my pots. Preferably the pen will have a removable plug in the end so that the end point of the flower can be inserted directly into the end of the pen, once the little plug has been removed. The flower is then secured in the end with a spot of glue.. use caution if you are using hot glue as too much can melt or damage the end of the pen cartridge. 
Insert flower into Pen end

   The flower that you choose can be as Seasonal as you need.
I've used Poinsettia for Christmas Gifting and Mums for Mothers Day Pots . See more HERE
Florist tape is then used to wrap the pen. It can be purchased directly from your local Florist for as little as a dollar or two a roll. Start at the top by making several wraps around the base of the flower and start moving down while wrapping the tape tightly. Don't wrap below where the pen starts to taper. I usually wrap all the way down and then back up once before wrapping a final layer time when inserting any greenery.

                 To add leaves simply place the stem of the leaf against the pen and while holding in place,
wrap with the floral tape.On the final wrap back up go around the leaf end the opposite to what you did on the wrap down. You have to move the leaf slightly out of the way to get around it.
Add floral tape
 The pen is now ready to be inserted into your almost finished pen pot.
Add about 1 1/2 cups of rice to your pot and top with a layer of colored rock bits, coffee beans, glass beads...(optional) but very effective.
Wrap the Pen Pot in a cellophane package, tie with a bow and Gift away.
For ease of transportation I put the rice in a baggie before wrapping the package in cellophane. The recipient can then pour the rice directly into the Pen Pot once it has safely arrived at  it's destination.
I also planted one of my Hand Painted rock bugs in the Pot and every once in awhile the bug will work his way to the surface! See BUGS HERE
DIY Teacher Gift

More For The Love of Crafting
HERE 

Dec 3, 2013

Second hand, second time around

UP-CYCLED
 I recently found these vine hangers
 (I'm guessing)
 at our local second hand store.

 The romantic,Victorian look to these simple but sturdy frames, 
    complete with free formed metal flowers and leaves 
    with an over coat of antique white paint intrigued me!
    For a grand investment of $7.00 I had to take them home.

                                           
Jewelry Hanger
             
 When I got them home I set them on the ground against the wall to ponder their purpose. 

All that glitters is just gorgeous to me! I was giddy. The frame was perfect to be used as a Hanger for my collection of shiny things.


                                           Twice as nice the second time around!


                                         The earrings are hung on the frame with care..


Lillian the Domestic Engineer.blogspot.ca




Jewel display

                              Frame Jewelry display HERE



                                       

  For the Love of Crafting Page.
 More creative ideas HERE


Check out this link to a great gift
   Mothers Day Pen Pot
 
Add caption



May 21, 2013

Happy Mother's Day

Reflections


The rising Sun appears on the horizon across the field from where I sit on my deck with my morning coffee.
  I revel in this morning me time.
  I smile out loud as I say to myself Happy Mothers Day.
  I watch as a flock of Canada Geese honk their way overhead and through the air space of the hawks that soar above the field, gliding and diving in search of their morning meal.
 I see a Crow fly through a flock of Swallows all shooting upward in the wind drafts and darting downward in daring dives.The Crow cawing loudly by, sounding as though his mouth is full of marbles.
 I don't hear the coyotes this morning that I heard last night. They're all  tucked in and sleeping tight. They run on teenage hours, I won't hear from them again until tonight.
 I hear the hum of the distant highway until the sound of an approaching train becomes the only thing I hear.
 The romantic sound of history reminds me of my past. My Mother's Father came from Yugoslavia around 1929 to work for CP Rail. He labored with pick in hand, moonshine in flask and hanky in pocket, along side the many other who devoted their lives to progression and to CP Rail.
 My Mother is the Daughter of a Man who lived on the land. 

 Home was a homemade sod roof shack in the hills of the Okanagan Valley where Cougars were the only visitor of the day. I'm told my Grandmother stood watch over the land where her children play, with Grandpas rifle and a killer aim. Not speaking English or reading the same she bravely trusted in self and had had faith in each day.
 Unable to contain my emotions I yell out HAPPY MOTHERS DAY.
 The cat jumped up out of my lap where he'd been quietly enjoying the comforts of me
 for the last half an hour. In his scramble to jump he used my thigh as a launching pad, leaving behind a spot of blood where his claw stuck in.. now an itching memory.
 As I wipe away the spot of blood and the tear on my cheek, I smile reminiscently
  I am grateful that my Mother is not far away. In fact I will talk to her later today when I tell
her I Love her and how grateful I am that she's the parent of the child I am. We will laugh and converse, listen and discover, as we search for ourselves in the midst of one another.

 "Happy Mothers Day, Mom. I love you" I heard my Son says as he approached and then hugged me before leaving for the day. I am grateful and happy to say that all my kids are

still great huggers by the way and lately it's occurred to me that the luckiest Mother of Mothers, has got to be me!
 Although not quite as sentimental as I tend to be the boys will often look "at it" just to amuse me.Today my Son's girlfriend wandered over to look when I told her I had glued the boys belly buttons into their baby books.
 "Ew, she announced, "That's kind of gross"
 I smiled lovingly and hugged her as I explained that there may even come a day when she'd be putting her own belly buttons away. Some time in the distance of course, far, far away!
She smiled back and wished me a Happy Mothers Day.
A second Son arose and arrived in the kitchen to say I love you Mom, Happy Mothers Day.
He passed me a card that he made himself. I kiss and thank him on the cheek, thankful to be me.
 On the heels of his brother arose another with words of Love and affection for me. He too told me how much I mean and thanked me for all that I do. Flashing his great smile he hugged and wished me a Happy Mothers Day.

  Interrupted by the ringing of the phone,  I know it will be my oldest Son is calling to say
I love you Mom. Have a great Mothers Day. He lives in the city just far enough away that I only feed him now about every seven days!


  How could the day get any better today?... hey wait, hold on guys did you hear me say
there's a Mothers Day Bucket at K.F.C. today, just down the road from Extra Foods where they've got perennials on Sale there too.
 Hello? HEY? Anybody here?
  Ain't nobody home but my memories and they don't need to eat so I head back to the kitchen to get another coffee for me! I grab the Bon Bons that are kept nearby (not) and pick up the telephone on my way by.
  I smiled to myself as I opened the door and stepped out into the Sun. I know that I am
truly the lucky one. 21 years a Mother to my awesome Sons and 53 years a daughter to my wonderful Mom!
  "Is that you?" My Mom answers the phone, the way she always does.
 "That's me. Is that you?" I reply as I always do.
  And then I started to cry.
  "Hi Mom, Happy Mothers Day, I love you". I sobbed. "Thank You for being my Mom.
 You are a wonderful Woman and what a job you've done...
 If I do say so myself. I add humorously.
"Happy Mothers Honey" she said to me. "Do something nice for yourself.
Go plant your Garden and Decorate your Soul and to hell with everyone else. Let them bring supper home!"
  I hear her my Grand Ma speaking to me but know it's my Mom on the line with me..
 I am no longer 13 nor is my Grandmother 63. In fact she's already 20 years deceased.
  Tis indeed already 2013. My Mom is 78 this year and I'll be 53!
  We laugh and converse, listen and discover as we search for ourselves in the memory of each other.
 Happy Mothers Day!  Thank You ALL for bravely leading the way.
As my kitchen begins to fill at the end of the day one of the boys asks "Where's the K.F.C.?"
 "Right beside the Extra Foods where their Perennials are on sale, if my memory serves me."
I smile cheekily.
 "Oh yeah, Happy Mothers Day. We didn't hear what you said, earlier today."
  "Got Pogos here" I heard one of them say. "That's OK your not cooking today, Mom.
 I'll eat Pogos, Love you. Gotta run."
 Dad walked in the door at the end of another working day to say he didn't get my text for K.F.C. until he was only a half a mile away!.. Strangely I had sent it four hours earlier that day.
 "Oh yeah, Happy Mothers Day" he says." What's for supper today?"
 "K.D and Hot Dogs" I announced. "On the way"  I smiled as I walked away.
 Happy Mothers Day I say to myself as I head towards the kitchen. How lucky I am  to be their Mom I continue as I open the box of KD. 
  What will I ever do with myself when they all move away?
 I contemplated the complicated answer to that and smiled. I am a Happy Mother today be it KD or KFC! 
 



Nov 27, 2012

Plant a Pen today!


    

Cleverly disguised PENS POTS!


Match to your guest or your room decor, place on counter and adore.


                                                                                          
I just love these!
 Make Mom a Pen Pot for Mothers Day.
 Make and take one to work to brighten up your desk today. Create a bunch and throw a Garden Party today, marking the place settings with a gift your guests can then take away. 
Have the kids create one for the Teacher or your elderly neighbor just to say, Thanks for being there, You brighten our day.

Never lose your pen again! 
These pretty pens manage to find themselves back in the pot
more often than not.
 (I must confess to arriving home many a time myself myself to find an acquired pen or two in my pocket.) How and when it got there remaining ever a mystery. This Pen is too big not to notice yourself attempting to stuff it into your pocket.
Instructions HERE
I ran a Pen Pot class for kids from 4-14 year to Plant a Pen for Mothers DAy
Each and all of them enjoyed themselves and their resulting finished product.
One of the young ladies participating made a good point when she declared
 "It is the most perfect gift for my Mom because she is a Gardener without a green thumb!"





The little cards said
WRITE ON
on one side
and the word Mom was mirrored upside down to read
WOW
MOM
on the other side.

Not long  after I ran my class I happened to see  a dozen Pen Pots on display at the Insurance Office I had occasion to visit. One of the Ladies working there had made one for atop each of the six wickets..

They looked fabulous!





















And speaking of the business of Crafting, each and every part of every day should be crafted carefully.
LiLash.com

What is LiBrow?
Powered By Blogger