I'm Doing Better: Struck by the Craft Bug

I had a bit of a crafting attack last week, or was it the week before? I saw some pretty wreaths online and T. was telling me about someone who used pipe wrapping from Lowe's for a wreath form. That stuff was only .97 cents for enough to do two medium size wreaths. I had to try it out! So I gathered some leaves from the front yard at work and here's what I came up with.

This is the completed wreath right after I hung it on my office door. The color has faded on it since I first put it together, but now it has more browns and more of an organic feel which I like.

I also added a leaf flower for a little extra oomph.

We have a three day weekend while they're working on some repair issues at work (woohoo!) and I decided to bring home the little plants that I've been collecting in my office so I could re-pot them. I'd been thinking about all the lovely little hanging gardens I've seen on the web lately so using the stuff I had on hand...

I started off with three plants and I used some empty pots I had on the porch. I decided to put some broken clay pieces for drainage so I had to bust up an old clay pot. I set it in the birdbath and smashed it with a rock. That was fun! I think I've found the perfect use for the bird bath in the winter. I had a little bit of potting soil on the back porch so I got them into their new pots in short order.

The pots I had were different colors, and faded, so I decided to tie them all together with some blue paint I had out in the tent. I didn't want to lose all the character of the pots so I just added stripes to everything so some of it could show through. I had lots of help with this part.

I also had a new package of picture hanging wire that I didn't remember I had. Bonus! So I cut six pieces of wire and nested them around the pots. I also hot glued the wire to the bottom of the pots to hold them in place. Then I put a bead on the wires to pull it together and tied a knot and made a wire loop. That seemed a little loose so I had some decorative cord left over from the wreath that I tied around the pots. I didn't have enough for all three so I used pipe cleaners on one of them and draped a little of the cord on that. You can't tell unless you're up close, so not too noticeable.

I was thinking about how to hang them and I've seem some interesting things with sticks on the web - and man do I have sticks. I went out in the dark to get the stick and kind of found one by the feel. Cleo ran out the door when I was coming back in and I couldn't catch the rotten little monster. I had to go back in and grab my flashlight to search for her. I couldn't find her so I went out front to work on my stick. I had decided to whittle on it. I tried that with R's pocket knife awhile back and it took forever. This time I used a box cutter and man did that go quick. Two things... 1. cut away from the body and 2. don't sit the stick on your leg while you're taking off the bark. Just common sense. I had help with this as well.

Mama kitty just needs someone to love her.

I grabbed some steel wool and smoothed the stick down. I know I've got some sandpaper somewhere, but anyway that seemed to work pretty well. I ended up with a nice smooth stick. I went out back while I did that step and hollered for the cat again but couldn't find her. It was good but I decided to rub it down with gold paint. I took a paper towel and dipped it in the acrylic paint and rubbed it all over the stick. Gave it a little bit of luster.

Petey was keeping an eye on my craft drawer for me.

Then I wrapped my last piece of wire on either end of the stick and tied the pots on with pipe cleaners. I don't know how long it will stay up but I'm pleased with the results.

A new camera is definitely on my Christmas wish list. It really is prettier in person.

and why is this picture blue?

I went to put up my craft supplies and lo and behold...

Petey's mini-me, Cleo is back. Did I mention that I was trying to put my supplies away? The little rat must have snuck back in when I went out to polish my stick.

By the way, what's wrong with these two pictures...