Showing posts with label Blog Hop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Hop. Show all posts

Monday, May 11, 2020

Paper Mache Outdoor Sitting Frog

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Welcome to our monthly challenge blog hop!  I've joined a group of creative bloggers to bring you a themed monthly challenge blog hop on the 2nd Monday of each month! For May, it’s 
 Outdoor Decor and Entertaining Ideas!

I'm sharing with you a project I actually started in June of 2018 - a paper mache sitting frog. I was originally inspired by a picture of a yoga frog for sale in a popular catalog. Back then when I was working on making the frog - when it was time to apply the paper mache, I just lost interest. So I picked the frog frame up and placed it on a table in my craft room and it sat there for months! I kept thinking I should finish it someday, but that day never came until now. When the theme for this month's blog hop challenge was outdoor decor, I said to myself, "it's time to finish the frog." 

Materials used:
2.1 quart plastic soda bottle
Small rocks and pebbles
Plastic trash bags
Styrofoam balls (head, eyes)
Masking tape
Aluminum foil
Wire clothes hangers
Hot glue
Paper Mache Paste
White paper/newspaper
Natural vine wrapped wire
Air dry clay
Acrylic paints
Outdoor sealer (spray)


I'm sorry that this is a long tutorial. Please bare with me! Maybe that's why I stopped the first time! 
Lets begin with a clean soda bottle.  I first added small rocks on the bottom for weight and then stuffed with plastic bags to keep the bottle from caving in.
 Next,  put a four inch styrofoam ball inside a plastic bag wrapping the bag around the ball, securing  tightly in a knot. Then insert the ends of the bag down into the opening of the bottle, for the frog's head.
 Next, fold a plastic bag lengthwise and wrap around the neck of the bottle.  Secure with masking tape.
 Use wire from clothes hangers to make the arms and legs and insert them into the bottle. Add dabs of hot glue on the wire at the bottle and secure with masking tape.
 Use aluminum foil to shape the body of the frog, starting with the shoulders and arms. Shape natural vine wrapped wire into fingers by folding together three times and twisting ends together. Insert into foil and continue wrapping fingers with foil.
Next, wrap the frog's legs with foil .  .  .
 making the toes the same as the fingers and insert into the foil legs.
To make paper mache paste: Mix one part water to one part flour and add a pinch of salt. Stir together until smooth.
Then tear up small pieces of paper to dip in the paste and apply all over the frame. Apply at least three layers or more - and let dry between layers 
Once the paper mache layers were completely dry, I added more flour to the paste to make it thicker and sponged it on in an attempt to make the paper mache smoother.



 Once the frog was completely dry, glue on two, 1 1/4" styrofoam balls to the head for the eyes. Then roll and cut out strips of air dry clay .  .  . 
to enclose around the eyes and head, Use water to seal the clay.
Then roll up a strip of air dry clay for the mouth. Shape and blend in to head using water.
 Then paint on the eyes .  .  .
 and then the body.
I used several different shades of green acrylic paint that I had on hand. I'll probably paint the frog a darker green when I'm able to pick some up!
Be sure to seal the frog with several coats of sealant made for outdoors.
 Thank goodness the sun was shining to take this picture. It's been rainy and cold all week!
Looks pretty cute and whimsy sitting in my garden!

Now onto our blog hop!
and meet our co-hosts:

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Monday, February 10, 2020

Soda Bottle Chair Pin Cushion

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Hey everybody! It's the 2nd Monday of the month and time for another Monthly Challenge Blog Hop! I've joined a group of creative bloggers to bring you this monthly challenge blog hop!   The theme for February is to create an upcycled, repurposed, or re-made project!


Today I'm sharing how to make a pin cushion my ex sister-in-law, Maria, showed me how to do using a coke bottle! Here's a little background story - shortly after moving into our present home, my niece Patricia and her mom, Maria (pictured) drove up from North Carolina to see our new home.
Maria, who was also quite crafty, had just returned from a trip home to Brazil. While there, some friends showed her how to make an adorable pin cushion out of a soda bottle. So when they came to visit, Maria shared how to make the pin cushion with me (pictured below!) We had a fun craft session that day!
This was back in 2012. At the time, Maria had an Etsy shop and sold the pin cushions on it, so naturally she didn't want anyone to know how they were made. And I've been honoring her wish not to share her tutorial - until now. Sadly, Maria passed in April 2017. She was a beautiful person, both inside and out! I recently asked my niece if I could share how her mom made the pin cushion. And of course she said yes - cause I'm her favorite aunt! Lol!
Materials used:
2 liter clear plastic soda bottle (Coke brand)
Craft knife/scissors
Black marker
Nail polish (acetone) remover
Cotton balls
5/8" trim or bias tape
2 - 12" x 12" fabric scraps
Circle templates
Polyester Filling
Needle and Thread
Quick grab glue

Let's begin by  washing the 2 liter plastic soda bottle (Coke brand) with dish detergent and water to remove any stickiness and grime and then let dry. I like that this Minute Maid bottle (also a Coke brand) is smoother with less lines than a regular coke bottle. Next, cut the bottle in half following the bottom edge of the label on the bottle.  Maria drew a pattern outlining the chair on a bottle she gave me to follow and I duplicated that on this bottle.  
Next, cut out the pattern and use a cotton ball dampen with nail polish remover to remove the black marker lines.
  I also measured the chair outline of the pin cushion that I made years ago to help with the pattern design. The top areas tapers up from the bottom.
The original chair pin cushion had bias tape glued on the edges, but I didn't have any that matched so I had to think of something else to cover the edges with.  At first I thought about using 5/8 inch ribbon, but it has to be stretchy and forgiving that would easily go around the plastic curves. And ribbon is not!  Then I remembered some woven trim I used to make snowflakes. Ding, ding, ding, ding! And this trim was so much easier to glue on than bias tape!
 Look how pretty the trim looks!
Next, trace the outline of the circle templates on the wrong side of the fabric and cut out.
Starting with the larger circle, make a running stitch around the folded inside edges of the fabric going around the entire circle .  .  .
and then pull the thread to gather the fabric into a circle. Sew a few extra stitches where the threads meet and knot to secure the gathers and cut off excess thread.
Next, stuff filling into the fabric circle making sure to push it in as tight as possible until you can't get anymore filling in! Be sure that it's even and fluffy like a pouf, all around. Then sew a few more stitches and knot thread to secure the cushion gathers, cutting off the excess thread.

Next, cut a circle of fabric, folding edges under and glue in place over the cushion opening to complete the bottom cushion.

Repeat the same steps using the next size circle to make the smaller back cushion.
Then make three yo yo's by sewing a running stitch along the folded edge around the smaller circles. 
 Gently pull the thread to gather the fabric toward the center. Adjust and flatten the gathers to form a circle or yo yo. Once satisfied with the look, secure  by stitching close to the gathers, knot and cutting off excess thread. Hand press the yo yo flat with gathers in center.
With needle and thread, attach top cushion to plastic back through center of yo yo, making a recess in front center of cushion - then sewing back and forth several times and knotting, to secure. 
Next, fold over side arm flaps sewing back and forth several times .  .  .
securing through the center of the yo yo, and knotting in place. 


Maria used cute little ribbon flowers in the center of the yo yo's for her pin cushion. I left mine plain.
Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!
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Monday, January 13, 2020

Crock Pot Gumbo

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 Welcome friends to our Monthly Challenge Blog Hop!   On the second Monday of each month a group of talented and creative bloggers come together to share their themed creations! And this month we're kicking off the new year by sharing our Favorite Family Recipes!


I've been making crock pot gumbo on New Year's eve for over forty years! And this year was no exception! It's a favorite family tradition that I started long ago when we would always go to our dear friends on Christmas day for a lovely gathering! We were never home on Christmas day, so naturally I felt guilty not having something just our family would enjoy together during the holidays. So I started making gumbo - something I knew my family would love and to welcome the new year in our own special way! And my family still looks forward to eating my crock pot gumbo every new year!

The fun thing about making gumbo is that you can add your favorite ingredients like chicken, sausage and shrimp and omit things you don't, like okra and green peppers! This year I even added turkey and ham that I had in the freezer leftover from Thanksgiving!  Served over rice, the gumbo was really delicious and quite tasty, as always!

As with most gumbos, my crock pot version starts with making a roux for thickness. My family likes thick gumbo as opposed to a soup-like consistency. 
Roux starts out the same way - a combination of flour and oil, stirred together for however long to get the desired color and to keep it from burning! Dark roux gives gumbo a rich, nutty body!















 You'll also find most of the signature ingredients included, too, except for tomatoes and, as I mentioned before, okra and green peppers. The hubs doesn't care for these in his dishes. But anything you like can and often does find its way into gumbo! That's one of the cool things I love about making it! It's the cooks' choice as to what goes in it! Lol!
Once the shrimp is added and mixed well, cover and continue to cook on low for another 15-20 minutes or until the shrimp has blended in well and tender. Then, serve over rice or eat as is! Enjoy!

Be sure to check out all of our co-hosts for their favorite family recipes, too!


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