Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Developing Some Wall Art

So, I have been making some printable, frame-able art. This one to the left is one of the first ones done. It is already up in my etsy store.

www.steenta.etsy.com

This one is obviously a Beatles quote. This quote is also probably my favorite quote, possibly of all time.

I got this idea because I make these little reminders for myself. I literally have a wall that I write on with positive thoughts. I thought I would share some of my favorites in a cute a fun way.

It is standard printer paper size, you can easily find a cheap frame at Wal-Mart or other big box store. Just look for a document frame or even just an 8 x 10 will work.

The files are sent as PDF's. Hope you enjoy.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Newspaper Purse

I made this newspaper purse a little while back, and I thought I would share it with the world. It is pretty simple to make.

Step one: Find a newspaper you can cut up. Either cut it into strips like the one shown or just use the whole page. I like the comics section but sometimes the other sections have cool pictures and just the words make a nice pattern, too.

Step two: Decide on your pattern, and what your going to use for the handle. This purse's handle is made from recycled shopping bags that were made into yarn then crocheted. Also decide if it's going to have a closure, or flap.

Step three: Weave strips if using this method.

Step four: Cover the inside both sides of the paper with clear packing tape.

Step five: Tape bag together. For the sides you can use two strips of leftover newspaper that you cover with tape and then tape it to the sides (inside and out) and tape it to the bottom of the bag. This will create a curved inside of the bag.

Step six: Add your flap or strap, sew your button, and add your handles.

Have fun, and I hope you enjoy your new purse!

Friday, October 8, 2010

New Blog All About Dolls With Attitude

Just today, I created a new blog. It is all about my experience with bjd's. Ball-jointed dolls, that is. I found these cute dolls and ordered one. Rather than put it all on this blog I decided to make one completely devoted to these kawaii dolls.

I ordered a Hujoo doll. Very cute. To find out more about my new hobby, check out the blog.

www.iheartdollz.blogspot.com

I will also be posting tutorials about customizing bjds and the results of my own attempts on the blog. I plan on posting links, and patterns for clothing, as well as crochet instructions for miniature dolls like this bjd or other popular dolls like Blythe.

Since craftysteenta.blogspot.com is a blog dedicated to all my craftiness, I will most likely be posting a few things here and there relating to bjds or other dolls that I create. To get the real, knitty gritty on it, check out iheartdollz.

To get your own bjd, go to mimiwoo.com, junkyspot.com, DenverDolls, or eBay.

The doll you see here is a Hujoo girl with open eyes. It's made of plastic and is reasonably priced, about $40 for the body. To get a fully done Hujoo, including eyes, wig, makeup, clothes, and shoes, you can easily pay $150. The raw version is great for someone who is a beginner to customizing dolls, like me. If you just want one to open and have immediately ready, $150 is not so bad a price. Especially seeing as some of these dolls can go into the thousands.

There are also a few other lower priced dolls for people who aren't sure if they want to spend the high prices yet. One other doll in this low price range is Obitsu dolls. With Obitsu you have the option of just painting the entire face, or getting open eyes and buying eyes to put in. You can also get different sizes, and even some heads that come with hair already attatched. I love that everything is customizable in this hobby. Check out the new blog!

Monday, September 13, 2010

When it's to expensive to craft

I have been wanting to make a few different things for a couple of months, but we haven't had the money to buy all of the materials at one time. Now don't get me wrong, the materials themselves are pretty cheap, but we haven't had it to spend. So what is a crafter to do?

That's been my dilemma. My solution... file these ideas away as projects-to-complete-later, sadly. I don't like the idea of half finished crafts, because they tend to get forgotten. Believe me, I know this happens at one point or another with all crafters, but it's especially likely when money gets tight like it has at our house.

I do get to create though. Whenever the need arises I get to. I tend to fix things that have been broken so we can reuse them rather than buy new to replace it. Crocheting, sewing, drawing are all cheap hobbies to have and can be done with little to nothing.

Right about now is when I usually start getting started on seasonal crafts. These times always spark my creativity, but what to do when you are strapped for cash?

I check what supplies I already have. And since I've been drawing a lot lately, I think the best way to keep that from getting stale, is to switch it up. Luckily for me, a while back my father got me some flesh tone polymer clay. I actually have quite a bit of it. So I think this is my cheap creative outlet for the season other that going out to buy new fabric, or canvas, or whatever you can dream up (limitless possibilities here).

Sometimes being forced to use what you got helps your own creativity. Think of it as a challenge. We don't craft for the object, not really, because it might be easier to go to the dollar store and get a mass produced item for a buck. We craft because we enjoy it, we make something personalized, and we make something one of a kind.

I love to be able to say I made something. Not everything has to have a purpose. Sometimes the purpose is to be pretty sometimes it's to help you learn a skill, and sometimes it's just to make you happy, busy your hands, and quiet your thoughts. Have fun being cheap peeps. Lol. I know I will.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Ohh! It made me laugh!

This is just so clever, and completely hilarious. Check out the link! Singing sock puppet. Apparently, someone repurposed a singing card to be used as the mouth of the sock puppet. I have made something similar in the past and posted it. I did not use a singing card but I think I'm gonna have to now. This is just too cute! My guess, not a toy for young children though. They would most likely rip it apart, and the singing sock would cease to be.

Check out the link that tells you how they did it. Here!!!

Lately

I've been busy lately. Between my daughter's birthday, her party, a family vacation, and trying to fix up a never finished house, things have been hectic to say the least. I have been trying to do more though, despite the chaos. I have been writing stories, which my children have been enjoying. I have also been planning the illustrations for one that I am hopefully going to publish once done. Lots of exciting things.
In fact, the entire month of July, my goal was to draw everyday. Did I accomplish this goal? Mostly. I kept my weekends free for my family, I thought that was only fair. I did draw at least one drawing a day for a few weeks. I have about thirty drawings to prove it. All pastel. I kind of got sucked in. The color! I got used to charcoal, and pastel was a whole other thing. SO bright, SO pretty!

I think I am going to take a small break from pastel though. I don't want to get bored with it or forget about my other artistic loves. Time for a well needed break! Got to spend some time with my family, and preserve my peace of mind. I love it. My family is the cure to my art, and my art is the cure to my family! LOL!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

New Pastel Drawing

I haven't been keeping up with my art lately. So... I figured my first piece to attempt since my hiatus, should be of Dadoo. Or should I say my husband's father who passed away about a month ago, my children lovingly referred to him as Dadoo.


I was going to try to do a painting of him, but got frustrated with it so this is what came out. I like it. It's pastel, and it is a lot nicer in person, my scanner couldn't pick up the more subtle colors. Still I wanted to post it. Thought some people might appreciate it.

He is still on our minds and in our hearts.

Updated
I made this self portrait right after making the one of Dadoo. I just had to add it. I really think it came out well. Thanks Dadoo for inspiring me and reigniting my love of art and creativity.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Getting It Started

This weekend will hopefully be the start of something wonderful, like turning a shell of a building, into a home. My husband has invited a few people to come down to the house we bought, to work. And when I say that this place needs help, I'm not exaggerating. It's been sitting for a while. We have mostly cleaned it out, but nothing is even hooked up. I mean there's not a working toilet, and don't even think about a kitchen, because it's nonexistent.

But, it has potential. We have two small children, and all we really want is for them to have a nice place for them to be kids. It's got enough space, a few acres, and with some sweat and a lot of energy, we can turn it into a beautiful place to live. Maybe I am just being optimistic, but I'm realistic too. I know it won't be done in a month, or even five most likely. Hopefully though, this time next year we'll be moved in.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Steenta's Creations Update

I like to think of myself as both an artist and artisan. I have many things that I make by hand. Now, you may be able to find some of those items in a store near you. If you are in the Louisiana area, check out the Fashion Frog in Farmerville, where some of my creations are now waiting for you to come by and purchase them. Watermelon purses, this is the home of the Watermelon Festival anyway, necklaces, earrings, anklets, and much more.

If you are not in the area, do not fret, I am also going to be putting up some of my wonderful hand crocheted anklets on the etsy site. www.steenta.etsy.com From every anklet sale, I donate $1 to St. Jude in memory of my Mimi who supported their cause for as long as I can remember.

I do more than just jewelry, don't forget about my adorable baby booties, which I'll probably be putting on the etsy site too. I have some other things in the works too. Also caricatures, illustrations, paintings, portraits, charcoal drawings. Want to have something commissioned, contact me through my etsy store.

Thanks to everyone who's already taken an interest in my creations!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Handmade Slippers

I go through slippers like they're nothing, seriously. So, my mother-in-law usually gets me slippers for Christmas and they don't last me a year, because I literally wear them out. I don't know how it happens, but I make holy slippers, okay holey slippers, bad joke but I couldn't resist.

I decided a while ago to try my hand at making my own slippers. I used an old sweater that my Mimi had given me for Christmas one year. It wasn't my style, but I didn't want to throw it out so I kept it and had no clue what to do with it until yet again my feet were talking, you know what I mean. The sole was coming off towards the front, if my slippers had googly eyes glued to them I could have done a puppet show for my kids which I'm sure they would have loved.

I traced around my foot to make a pattern for the project. I, of course, used construction paper. What else would a stay at home mom have on hand? I also made a second pattern which is just a copy of the first oval but it has an oval cut out in the middle, that is the top of the slipper. I, then used the patterns to cut my pieces, four all together. After sewing them inside out, I did a blanket stitch around the tops of the slippers. Then I single crocheted around, using the blanket stitches as my way to attach the yarn. If you have a fabric that you can just crochet into, even better. I have done that also. Then you can either, crochet another row of slip stitches to finish it, or add more single crochet rows and then finish with a row of slip stitches. Just remember with every row you make after the first initial row, you're going to want to decrease around the curve by your toes, or else it might be a bit loose.

Once you've completed the main parts, it's time to add the details. I crocheted two flowers and tied them to the front of each slipper. Then I glued a little gem to it, okay it's a plastic crystal but still cute. If you want, you can also add a strap and button, or even attach some ribbon to either side to complete the slipper and help keep them on.

I would recommend these slippers for indoors, and depending on the fabric used, most likely carpet floors. They are a bit slipper-y on vinyl. Use new or used fabric, I have also made these out of fleece. Super cute and cozy. Get creative when it comes to decorating and your color choices.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Bittersweet Times

So these past couple of months have been crazy. Literally, it feels like anything life could have thrown our way it did. Of course, we weren't hit hardest, but still I was close enough to watch with front row seats. My father-in-law, someone I spent many a hour with trying to tame the kids, died recently. It was sudden. He had a heart attack.

The whole family spent about a week, everyday in the hospital, hoping he would wake up, but it never happened. It seemed out of no where to us, but when I look back now I see how it was almost like he had tried to prepare us for it. Not mentally, or emotionally, but financially. He tried to stabilize us, all of us. He and my mother-in-law were helping us with a house. He babysat one of his grandchildren, so his daughter could support her child and herself. He made sure we had transportation, just a week before the heart attack, he bought a car for his niece, his son, his mother, and his daughter. I was given his wife's car, so that she could get a newer car. Now, my family is not rich, so you may ask where all this money came from. Remember the accident from about a year ago, it's from a settlement he got. He spent most of it on other people, because that's what he did. He took care of everyone.

I was so mad when I realized this. I said to thin air, "Do you think this makes it better, somehow less painful, because we can have a place to live or a car to get us from place to place, because I'd give it all back if you could stay!" That's what I thought. I still don't completely understand.

I am grateful however, that I had the time with him I did. He taught me a lot about being a parent. Sometimes it's not about doing everything perfect. Let them have sweets! It's about trying, and sometimes failing, but always doing. I love that man, and I wish I had said it for him to hear, but I know he's heard me since, and I know he knew it even though I never said it out loud.