Tag: crafting

DIY Witch’s Broom

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With Halloween just around the corner I wanted to share a quick DIY witch’s broom project that was a happy accident.  It started with the purchase of these flower stems at Joann Fabrics.  I was working on creating a headpiece for a Halloween themed photo shoot and loved the look and texture of these flowers.

Upon closer inspection I realized that the flowers stems were just wrapped around branches and could be easily removed.  So I untwisted them, one-by-one while enjoying a little TV time.

I was left with two piles of pretty flowers destined for photo shoots and these two bare branch things.  I considered putting them upright in a vase or bucket with lights for a spooky arrangement, but when I saw the two together I suddenly saw a broom.

I grabbed some scrap black ribbon and wrapped the two stems together.  Normally I would have secured the ribbon with hot glue but I’m not sure I’ll use these the same way next year and I was at my office rather than at home so a few pieces of clear tape did the trick.

It looks pretty good in our office with the other Halloween decorations – follow me on Instagram and Facebook for peeks – but I wanted to get a nice shot of it so I took it back home and propped it up on the wood pile.

Not bad for a free project made from leftovers from another project!  I still think it needs something to finish it off.  Maybe a bow at the base of the stem or a hanging loop, but I can figure that out next year if I use it again.  If you have ideas in the meantime I’d love to hear them! And in case you’re wondering how the flower headpiece turned out here’s a peek from the session!

Isn’t she gorgeous?!  She’s a hair and makeup artist and did the makeup herself based on a couple of inspiration shots I sent her.  I’ll be sharing more of these awesome shots soon and give a quick recap of the location we used, which is a local historical park.  And I’ll be working with this lovely lady again in the future for some other fun ideas. 🙂

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Crafting Organization with Baskets

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I recently added some new organization to my crafting area that I’m pretty excited about.  Although I have tons of storage for tools and small materials in my craft cabinet, I often found that I had larger items saved for projects stashed away in other parts of the house and being out of sight, I often forgot about them.  So when I spotted a simple ladder shelf on the buy/sell page for $25 I jumped on it.

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I knew right away that the wire baskets from the Better Homes & Gardens line I’d been lusting after would work perfectly on the shelves. Unfortunately my local stores didn’t carry the baskets so I had to order them online and wait for them to arrive.

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Once they did, I placed two on each shelf and organized my various project materials in them, leaving the narrower top shelf for my paints and stains.  I also had room to slide a large item behind the lower shelves and rest several flat pieces on the bottom of the shelf frame.

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The baskets are the perfect size to hold all those oddly shaped pieces and the canvas liners keep little parts contained.  They even have chalkboard panels on the front, so I can add labels to them and easily change them as inventory changes.

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This space is still a work in progress, but it feels more inspiring now that it’s well organized with everything ready and available.  And soon that box of barn door hardware tucked next to the cabinet will be installed for a project I’ve been dreaming of since we started construction!  I’ll share the details once it’s complete so watch for that. 🙂

Gettin’ Crafty

Published on by Jenna2 Comments

I’m happiest when I’m creating something. Although I have two creative jobs – a full-time gig as an event planner and a side photography business – I still see crafting as my ‘hobby’. I call this hobby Thrift D’ Creations and share it with a Facebook page and an Etsy shop, where I sell my wares.

I have also showcased my work at local craft bazaars for the past several years, but the cost and time involved became overwhelming. So I decided to limit myself to two shows a year – one in the fall for Christmas and one in the spring for Easter and Patriotic holidays. Luckily, now that we’ve moved to a new city, I’ve found two such shows just 15 minutes from home. Both have reasonable booth fees and draw a sizeable audience, which is not always the case, so I’m thrilled to be involved.

Tomorrow is my spring show, the Gifts Galore Bazaar, which benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Held at a local high school, there is room for over 70 vendors, including everything from hand-made items to Tupperware.

Besides creating all the inventory for my booth, the biggest investment has been determining how I’d set up my booth. I decided to split a booth between my photography and crafting so it’s a business expense. I had originally planned to use free bi-fold shutter doors I’d gotten on Craigslist as a backdrop for my booth, but then I spotted a gal at a recent show with this display.

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I asked her about it and she demonstrated it quickly. The simple design folds up for portability, but includes several shelves can hold LOTS of stuff! GENIOUS! And because the materials were basic the cost would be minimal as well.   So I did what I always do. I showed the hubs. And that wonderful man made it happen, just in time for the show!He also rigged up some pipe stands that I can hang canvas drop cloths as backdrops from for the other two sides of my booth.  I’ve been so busy making inventory for the show I haven’t had time to get a picture of either just yet.  I plant to post a picture on my Facebook page after I get all set up tomorrow, so be sure to like my page so you see it!  I’m excited to see how it all comes together on-site, but I’m sure it will look great and all the other vendors will be envious.  And don’t worry, those shutters I mentioned earlier will find a new purpose come my Christmas show thanks to some Pinterest inspiration! 😉