Decorative cookie-jar

As mentioned in an other blog-post, most of my gifts this year has been homemade.
I love giving homemade presents, because I love seeing peoples reaction when they open it! Most people in my family appreciate homemade gifts, which makes it all the more fun!

For my sister and my mother-in-law, I made these cookie-jars filled with homemade Oreo Cheesecake Cookies!
The jars are supereasy to make, just find some jars and something you would like to place on top, and use a durable glue (I use epoxy-glue!)
Leave to dry for a day or so, and then spraypaint in your desired color!
I chose lion and elephant as the animals, because going to Africa this summer, those were my two favorite animals! Yes, I'm a sucker for Africa now that I've been there!

I also decorated a box of hot chocolate-mix for a secret-Santa gift at work.
The stone-inspired paper is self-adhesive and bought at Søstrene Grenes, but you can always use scrapbooking paper or wrapping paper, and just use double-sided tape or glue.

Rapunzel-slippers

Merry belated Christmas and a happy new year to you all!

December has been a busy month for me as most of my gifts this year has been homemade (and I started a bit to late producing them!)

One of my gifts was something I wanted to make last Christmas, but I didn't have the time, and so I ended up doing it now instead! My niece, age 4, LOVES Rapunzel! So I crocheted a pair of slippers, and I made them using the pattern for knitted square slippers. I have knitted many pairs of square slippers, and I wanted to try it with granny squares, and they turned out really cute! 

I only have picures of 6 squares, but you need 8 for one slipper!

Christmas decorations!

Some may say that I started a bit early, but the thing is, I wanted something to do because I wanted to start making Christmas gifts, but I didn't have the things I needed, nor did I have the money to buy it (yet), so I figured; hey, why not just start making some decorations then! After all, I have all the materials, and they are very inexpensive to make! So if you think it's too early to make these, check back in on the 1st of December! 

How did you do that, you might ask! It's really easy

All you need is
A rolling pin
A pin/stick or straw
Cookie cutters
Stamps
Stamping pads (if you want the print colored)
Hemp, leathercords or whichever fits you best for hanging
Clay (there is a wide variety to choose from, fimo, air-hardening clays, salt dough)
(Fimo effect-clay with glitter gives pretty results aswell, I used those last year!)

I used this clay bought from Clas Ohlson for the fine sum of 65 NKR
What's great about this one is that it's air-hardening so you don't need the work of cooking it in the oven (though, I recommend ovenbaking-clay of you're in a hurry or want to finish up quickly. They are often more expensive..) This one is also fairly durable and when it dries, it gives of a porcelainy feeling. You can also modify it using sandpapers and stuff.Its also durable in usage, and if you don't want to use all of it, just tape the package shut and keep it in a plastic bag. If it becomes dry, just ad some water.

Now, over to the real fun!

Take your choise of clay out, and work with it a bit to make it warmer and easier to work with. 

Use your rolling pin to roll out the clay.. This is basically just like making gingerbread-cookies.
Roll it so it's about halv a cm or a bit more. You don't want them too thin, they will break more easily when thin! You may also add glitter if you feel like it! I made some with glitter and some without. After, place on a flat surface if airdrying, or on a bakingtray if you have bakingclay

While the clay is still wet, use your stamps to create decorative patterns on your figures. If you want to, you can put colors on your stamp, just use your regular stampingpad!
Also remember to poke a hole for your thread!
Also also remember to wash your stamps after as clay may contain oily substances and may stick to the surface!

If you use airdrying clay, remember to turn your artwork a few times during the drying period so they get to dry on all sides. This will also prevent cracking.
Follow bakinginstructions if you use bakingclay!

I don't have a very flattering picture whit them hanging as of now. I need a branch or a Christmas-tree..
I am going to use these for decorating presents this year!

~Happy making!

Concrete and flowers

My sister's birthday was in September. I decided to give her flowers in a homemade pot!
Made out of a towel and some concrete, because we all know by now that I'm slightly obsessed with concrete..
The present was well received by my family and my sister, and it was very easy and fun to make.

We have two cats, and one of them, Sherlock, is always very curious about everything new that comes into the house, and he always checks it very thoroughly! 

Down bellow, you can see how I made this pot!
Everybody can do it, you just need
-Concrete
-Water
-Towel
-Buckets

Plastic bags and dish washing-gloves makes the job so much easier!
Do this outside or on a covered floor (Not in your livingroom..), because it is messy!

Step by step: 

1.Cover up your floor and the buckets you will be using by placing plastic bags on the floor and on the bucket (I used one bag in the bucket where I mixed the concrete, and I had one plastic bag outside of the bucket I would use for shaping and drying the towel. Keep your gloves ready!

2. Cut out the size of your towel, I made mine a big square. Now, here I learned something a bit delayed! Dip the towel in water and then squeeze all the water out of it! I did not do this, so the towel sucked all the water out of the concrete and I had to add new water all the time..

3. This is where the gloves come in handy! Mix your concrete into a soup. How much you will need depends on the size of your towel, so just try this part out! You should be able to soak your entire towel in it.

4. So do that.. Soak the towel, just leave it there for a few minutes and also stir a lot, to be sure all parts of the towel has gotten as much concrete as possible. 
5. Now, place your towel on top of your covered, upturned bucket (or whatever else you want to use)
I had to make mine higher by placing a few more buckets under it.

6. Be patient! If it's sunny, the concrete will dry faster in the sun.

7. Turn your new pot, and use as you would any other pot! 

Free Bird

For my sisters birthday in September, I made here a vase.

I had wanted to use the motive of blowing a flower and it turning into birds, for a long time, and finally I could use it on this!
I used markers for glass and porcelain. After baked in the oven, they are dishwasherproof for some 60-70 degrees. Which is great!

If I leave here tomorrow

Would you still remember me?

For I must be traveling on, now,

'Cause there's too many places I've got to see.

But, if I stayed here with you, girl,

Things just couldn't be the same.

'Cause I'm as free as a bird now,

And this bird you can not change.

Oh... oh... oh... oh... oh...

And the bird you cannot change.

And this bird you cannot change.

Lord knows I can't change.

Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd

Cupcake candles

A long while ago, I made these cupcake candles. They are made entirely from candle scraps that my mom's been saving up (she burns a lot of candles). They are very easy to make, and very decorative!

This is how you do it!

Sort out your candles! You will want one color of candles for the topping and one color for the bottom. 
You should keep the colors of the candles that you mix for each part as similar as possible, or toss in some white if you don't have enough. 
Start by melting the candle for the bottom first. When melted, pour into silicon cupcake molds, place a candle thread in the middle of it. Hold it up using a wire or some other method of your preffering. Place in the fridge so it cools down quicker.

Melt the candle for the topping in a wather bath as well.
Use a handheld mixmaster to fluffen up the candlewax as it cools. This might take some time in the beginning, but when it starts to cool, it cools quickly.
Use a spoon or two to shape the fluffy wax around the thread. Place in the fridge until cooled, and then you can remove the silicone mold.

If you want it to smell nicely, you can add a few drops of candle

(There is something wrong with the text adjuster. I can't center the writing..)

Catching dreams

It's been a while since I've been updating. It's not for the lack of doing stuff.

Well, maybe a little.

Anyway, here's a few of my old work. I will add more after Christmas so I don't spoil any gifts!

For my nieces birthday in November, I made her a dreamcatcher.

I remember getting one when my mother had been to America on vacation, and it's been next to my bed ever since. I wanted to give her one too, because it feels nice to have a dreamcathser next to your bed, even if you don't believe the things about them catching dreams.

We're painting the roses red

So I've been a busy bee the last few days. Again.

If I'm not high on the fumes from the spray paint, I'm high on fumes from.. well.. Paint. 

And with Easter coming up, I have a few days of, so I had some extra time on my hands. 

And what better to do with extra time (part from gaming and watching Merlin, which I have done plenty as well) than to be creative?! 

I had this old thing that I bought cheap in IKEA years back. I have always intended to paint it, but never got around to do it. But then again, fumes..
On top is my collection of old photos, which is ever growing. As you can see, it's crowded.

Painting in progress!

End result! I placed some of the photos on the wall instead, so it wouldn't be so crowded. 

I have baby pictures of my mom, me, me and my sister, old wedding photos of grandma and grandpa, and of my mom.. 

It's blue on the inside, yay!

As you can see, I'm still missing some.. doorknobs.

But I'm going to Denmark over Easter, so I'm going to look for new ones, and I'll add a picture later.

This was the mess that was IN the drawer before I painted it. All my creative stuff!

My room is not that big, so it was hard standing between all that stuff, trying to get a decent picture of the drawer.

I also hung up some decorations over my bed. Haha, I know, kind of tacky!

And those homemade plushies in the right are gift from friends!

White bunny and black whale from Hilde, Ghast from Merethe and a kitty from Linn <3

As I said, Denmark this Easter. It's going to be me, my mom, my sister my niece and nephew, and what is Easter without candy! So I made these glasses filled with nuts and candy for them.

I got these beautiful crystal-inspired glasses from my mom. They are great for serving Chai Latte (or coffee, for those who drink that) in, but they are a little hot to hold, so I crocheted some practical decorations to put on them so as not to burn your fingers. 

I also made some homemade stamps, just because I can. 

Mustachio!

I have more projects coming up, and still more creative fuel to burn, so keep a weather eye on the blog!

~Elisabeth

I got a jar of bracelets!

Still high on fumes from spray painting so much stuff, though the effect is slowly wearing of.

Or it's just because I'm running out of stuff to spray.

In other news, me and my mom were helping my aunt clean out her basement, and I naturally found some old stuff I wanted to keep!

Two old boxes, one of which has contained pigs feet some 40 years ago, an old lamp,

an old ceramic bowl, some shiny little purse glass jars and an old 

first aid-kit that my grandfather used to have in his car.  

As you may see, it's not in the best condition, but I fixed it up and put it in my car. 

My mom wanted something to keep her bracelets in, since I had made one for myself already.

So we found this old thing in the garage, and I spray painted it first silver and then in an oldish pink color.

Turned out quite nice, if I dare say so myself. 

This has been my time-consumer the past day. I suddenly felt an urge to

crochet after seeing a picture on the internet, and so it became a cover for moms kitchen stool.

I liked it very much and now I will have to make one for myself and get me a stool too!

I needed something newer and prettier to keep my main controllers in, as the old one was white and boring.

So this was what I ended up with! Simple, yet not that bad looking. 

AND it fits nicely to my golden Zelda Wii-mote!

Stay tuned for more stuff.

~Elisabeth

How to deal with creators itch

I've had a creators itch for the last week, and I've become addicted to spray paint. Must be the fumes!
But I'm telling you, spray paint is simply BRILLIANT! It's so easy to make things beautiful with just a coat of paint.
So here is a little collection of stuff that I have been making for the last week.
In the future I will be better at making before and after photos of stuff, and also to take pictures during the process.
Enjoy!

Cheap plastic frames from IKEA, originally white. 

One is spray painted in a delicious pink, with the text "Easy, it will be all right".

 The other in a metallic blue, with the text "You are so great!"

Here I decided to freshen up my tiny bathroom. I got a very simple, very dull glass bowl from my mom.

I spray painted it first gold on the outside, and then I covered it in an oldish pink color. 

The bottle I also got from my mom, and I spun it in some beautiful pink yarn and put a very fake but very cute flower in it.

An old bowl spray painted in silver to keep my earrings in.

The other I combined an old candle holder and a glass bowl, sprayed it first in white primer and then blue. 

The picture does the blue color no justice! It's actually much lighter.

An old bowl of white glass, glued together with an old candle holder because we needed something to keep our keys in. Yes, a simple reason to make something!

Some of my works. Not half bad!

I found an old frame, so I pained it and covered the backside with chicken wire.

It now works as a picture board!

Stay tuned for more fun!

~Elisabeth