#SelfLove - The Most Important #Love There Is

Here's another little sketch I shared on my Instagram recently. I thought my readers might find it inspirational :)

Free Form Crochet - A Crochet Craft that Anyone Can Do!

I crochet...A LOT. I find it meditative and relaxing. Plus, I can create gifts, home dec and plenty of other unique items for myself, and for friends and family. Since I crochet so much, I always have lots of small balls of leftover yarn. After recently making my colorful and comfy scrapghan, I realized I STILL had lots of bits and pieces just lolling about in my yarn basket. 

Researching "scrap crochet" on the internet had me finding one particular method mentioned several times: free form crochet. Free form crochet is an excellent technique that makes great use of all those yarn leftovers. Why hadn't I heard about this? Hmmm..apparently it's not new, but it was new to me, so I had to give it a try.

I must admit that I struggled a bit at first with where and how the heck to begin. But then I finally decided to just go for it and start. I figured what's the worst that could happen? I'd have to pull out some stitches and start again. I didn't follow any particular tutorial or pattern (there really is no set pattern to follow anyway), preferring to just make it up as I went, using stitches I was already familiar with.

Well I'm happy to say that this was a TON of fun to do. There's no right or wrong way to crochet a free form piece. It has the happy advantage of going off in all sorts of unique and artistic directions and the results are fantastic. I can see a couple of these pieces being put to use as wall art some place in my home.

How about you? Have you ever tried free form crochet? What did you think? Please share your thoughts with me. I'd love to hear all about it!

Upcycled Funky Denim Cuff Bracelet Idea

Since I've been doing so much old clothes upcycling, I have lots of bits and pieces left over. I save all the elements from the thrift store jeans I cut up and use for skirts, bags, etc. so I decided to make a funky denim cuff bracelet.

I know this certainly isn't a new idea - there are tons of upcycled cuff bracelets online, but it's new for me and I wanted to share a really simple idea here. 

© 2017 Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

I used parts of the waistband from a thrift store pair of jeans (hence the Coldwater Creek brand that I don't personally wear).

© 2017 Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

I added some "sloppy" stitches and X's with embroidery floss to attach the two pieces together and left the button to function as the clasp. Super simple, just the way I like it!

© 2017 Susan Barton, DIY Mom Blog

Funky Wearable Art Tote Number Two is Finished and Ready to Wear

I'm having so much fun making these adorable wearable art bags. This one's smaller than the last one. It looks perfect for a little girl (or big girl!) who wants something artsy, fun and unique! 

© 2017 Susan Barton, DIY Mom

© Susan Barton, DIY Mom

Funky Wearable Art Tote Bag Made From Recycled Clothing by Susan Barton

To go along with my previous post, I'm sharing my latest creation...my funky wearable art tote. I love the way this came out. I had a bunch of leftover pieces from other projects so I decided to put them together to create this wonky, roomy tote! 

© 2017 Susan Barton

I added some shabby, primitive style embroidery stitches and my own handmade patches. The skull was made from a piece of white denim, that I cut out and added features with fabric markers. Super simple!

I encourage you to try this. It doesn't have to be at all perfect...mine clearly isn't, but that's the funky part. This one measures a generous 18" x 12", excluding the strap - which was made from T-shirt yarn by the way - but you could start with a smaller project. Please let me know what you think about this idea by leaving a comment below.

Wearable Art Clothing - My New Love

Have you seen the gorgeous wearable art that's been popping up all over the internet? If you're up on these things, then maybe this isn't anything new to you, but for me....I'm in LOVE with this idea!

Repurposed denim skirt from the hubster's jeans (pant legs)

© Susan Barton, 2017

Basically, what you do is upcycle (sounds so much fancier than recycle, don't you think?) used clothing. You take things apart and repurpose them in new and funky ways. The result is sheer gorgeousness!

Denim skirt from old jeans, with handmade skull applique

© Susan Barton, 2017

You can keep things fairly simple like I did with the jeans skirts in these photos or you can go crazy by taking apart shirts, sweaters, etc. and using the different elements to create an entirely new work of art with skirts, dresses, tunics, jackets and so much more. The possibilities are truly endless. All you need to do is a quick Google search for wearable art and you'll get tons of ideas!

Denim scraps from other projects into art wrap skirt with
hand painted crow applique.  © Susan Barton, 2017

So what do you think? Is this something you'd do? Clothing you'd wear? Let me know in the comments below!

Do Something Creative Everyday - Crochet Messy Bun/Ponytail Beanies

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Are you like me and you've come to realize that creating art is good therapy? There's no denying that our brains have the ability to relax and regroup when we're lost in an art project. Art can be anything that you take the time to sit down and create. Some people are quick to deny that they're artists, but I say that's just plain nonsense. If you've created something - anything - then you're an artist.

Lately, I've been on a crochet kick. When I spotted messy bun/ponytail hats on Facebook, I was intrigued enough to do a Google search. I found there's a ton of people making these functional, gorgeous accessories. I found a few patterns, but I wasn't quite satisfied with them, so I tweaked them and came up with these.

Like most crochet beanie-style hats, these don't use much yarn. I used Hobby Lobby's "Love this Yarn" because it's easy-care acrylic, super soft and economically priced (just 3.99 per skein). These hats take no time at all to make and are wonderful gifts. I've already made several and gave them to friends and family. 

So, what are you creating today? I'd love to know. Tell me in the comments below. 

Paint Blob Figure Art

I love Carla Sonheim's art and wanted to give her ink figure art a try. I didn't have any ink, so I used watered down black acrylic paint. Using a messy, well-used brush I painted two paint blobs and added the figure. This is a super simple technique, which can be easily altered to fit your own style. You could also try making your figure's base using Sharpies or oil pastels like I did in the last two photos below. Go ahead...give it a try!

"Fran" © 2016 Susan Barton

"Gramps" © 2016 Susan Barton

"Redhead" © 2016 Susan Barton
Made with Sharpie instead of paint.

"Redhead 2" © 2016 Susan Barton
Made with Oil Pastel instead of paint, and a little bit
of watercolor for the background. 

Fun With Junk Journaling

Have you heard about junk journaling (also known as junk mail journaling). Journal enthusiasts having been having fun turning junk mail into art for a while, but I only just heard about it a few months ago. I'm telling you, once you get started you're going to be hooked! And...I promise you'll never look at a piece of junk mail the same again. In fact, I guarantee you'll be positively giddy to see your mail carrier coming to your door.

Below are just a couple of very humble examples of what I've done so far. Aside from the advertisements I get in the mail, I've found uses for all sorts of things I'd otherwise throw in the trash. It's a great way to recycle!

You know those medical pamphlets you see in doctor and dentist offices? They make excellent mini journals. A coat of paint, some embellishments and you've got a work of art.

I've also discovered toilet paper roll journals. Who would have thought paper towel and toilet paper rolls could be transformed into something other than kids crafts? The mini-tag inserts are even recycled, since I reused an old mailing envelope.

There's a whole world out there devoted to junk mail artists and they love trading and collecting. I've recently joined the International Union of Mail Artists (IUOMA) but still have to post some of my creations.

Let me know if you're a junk mail artist. I'd love to see your artwork! Trading is always an option too :)

Medical Pamphlet Into Journal Inside View

Medical Pamphlet Into Journal

Toilet Paper Roll Journal

Toilet Paper Roll Journal Tag Inserts

Quirky Characters Clown Bunny Bookmark

Just one final idea for those Quirky Characters. What better way to encourage children to read than to have them create their own recycled bookmarks? Just like all the other Quirky Characters I've made, this clown bunny was made entirely from recycled materials. Cereal boxes, colored with markers make up his body. The body pieces were glued together with thick tacky glue (I used Crafter's Pick). Scraps of yarn looped through a punched hole creates the tassel. Super simple and FREE!

Kids and Camp Postcard Ideas

Here's an idea to use those Quirky Characters that I featured in my previous post. Making postcards to send home while at camp might ease those homesick blues. Kids and parents can create them together prior to camp, to have on hand as needed. Don't forget to send some stamps too (and maybe a few envelopes to add extra protection for that precious artwork).

© 2016 Susan Barton

I used only recycled materials to create the postcard - cereal boxes to be exact - so it cost me nothing to make. I used permanent markers to color the Quirky Character and added thick paint to the printed side of the cardboard (I used a pallet knife for better coverage). The Quirky Character is glued onto the postcard using a strong craft glue (I used "Crafter's Pick"). Then I printed out the saying from my computer and glued it on with my homemade decoupage glue (school glue and water).

I drew lines for addressing the card on the back and it's ready to go. These postcards would also make a great Vacation Bible or other summertime craft activity!

© 2016 Susan Barton

My #ICAD2016 Challenge Artwork So Far

Have you heard about the Index-Card-a-Day (ICAD) 2016 Challenge? This is the 6th year for the ICAD challenge and you can read much more about it on the Daisy Yellow Art website.

I wanted to share what I've done so far with my first four cards. They're perfectly imperfect and they reflect my art style. Of course, that's the whole point of the challenge - just be yourself, don't stress over details, there is absolutely no right or wrong way to do it!

Think you're not an artist? Think again! If you've ever created ANYTHING then you're an artist. Anything goes when it comes to art and the only thing that matters is that you START CREATING. Hey, it's cheaper than therapy so that's a definite plus :)

There are prompts provided if you need some inspiration, but I've chosen to do my own thing.

ICAD 2016 Challenge © Susan Barton, 2016 - Days 5 and 6

ICAD 2016 Challenge © Susan Barton, 2016 - Days 1 - 4

I'd love to see your cards or any other art you've created so leave me a comment with a link where I can view your artwork. If you're interested in trading (duplicate cards, don't part with your challenge cards) let me know! Happy creating!

We're Offering Custom Artwork and Graphics on Our NEW 2 Hearts Design Shop Website

If you're looking for custom designed artwork and graphics we've got exciting news! We're now offering these services on our 2 Hearts Design website at some very affordable prices. Please check us out and let us create something unique and artistic for you!

Daily Positive Affirmation ACEO Cards

Life can sometimes get us down, but it's important to remember that we are in control of our own feelings regardless of what's going on around us. Easier said than done, right? 

Daily positive affirmations - especially repeated first thing in the morning - can truly make a difference in how our day goes. Repeating a positive affirmation again at night (particularly a word of thanks) can allow us to wind down and prepare for a peaceful night's sleep. I've gone one step further with these little positive affirmation ACEO (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) cards. They can be placed in a prominent place in your home where you'll be sure to see them every day. 

I'm a firm believer in the importance of creating handcrafted items to be used as tools to further a more positive life. After all, we infuse our own energy into everything we do. Why not channel our positive energies? 

Below are just two of the positive affirmation cards I’ve created. You probably have things you’d like to work on in your own life. Tap into those things and use your imagination to make your own cards. Search online for positive affirmations to get ideas.

The first card has several elements. I used a vintage graphic (printed from my computer), tissue paper, rubber stamps, a miniature brad and some sewing (yes, you can use your sewing machine to add some pretty cool elements to your paper art). The entire piece was assembled on top of a standard playing card (perfect size for an ACEO). True ACEOs are 2.5 x 3.5, but you don't have to stick to that size. They're for your own use after all!

The other card was cut from watercolor paper. I used a playing card as my template. I used watercolor markers and word cutouts (printed from my computer). Pretty easy!

You could easily have children make their own positive affirmations. Have them think about what they think they might need to "work" on and go from there. There are lots of "teachable" moments here :)

Cardboard Artwork

This is probably one of the most inexpensive pieces of artwork I've ever created. I always save corrugated cardboard to reuse later. It's sturdy and has one smooth side, making it ideal for all kinds of projects. I was in the mood to paint, but was all out of 8 x 10 canvas, so I raided my cardboard stash.

I used an XACTO knife to cut the cardboard down to size (using the glass panel that came with the frame as my template) and painted one of my simple, whimsical cat paintings. *See the original ACEO here. The frame was a resale shop find (2 identical frames for one dollar!).  The saying "Does this sweater make me look fat?" was printed on my computer. Voila! Instant original artwork!

I used artist acrylics, but you could easily do this with kids using inexpensive tempera paints or even markers. Just remember to save all those free sheets of cardboard that come with all kinds of things!

Wood Jewelry Box Drawer Art Assemblage

Are you ready for another recycled art assemblage idea? This one is super simple and cost me absolutely nothing except my time (which was extremely minimal). I had a salvaged wooden jewelry box, rescued from a resale shop lying around for years. It wasn't in bad shape, but I decided to repurpose it and get several projects out of it. 

I removed the drawers (I'll use the skeleton and the remaining drawers for other projects later):

I painted one of the smaller boxes using a couple of shades of metallic paints (I love dabbing gold paint here and there to give just the right amount of highlights...always using my fingertip to keep it as light as possible). I cut out a house silhouette, using some cardstock scraps I had in my paper stash. Then, to add some extra interest, I used one of my handwriting stamps in an antique brown. I added the windows and roof shingles with watercolor pen. The "Recollections" sticker was part of a sticker sheet I'd had lying around for ages. The little pine tree came in a package of several varying sizes purchased at the Dollar Tree. The knob on top of the box is just a wooden disc I'd had left over from a project quite a while ago. This can sit on a shelf or be hung using a sawtooth hanger glued on to the back of the piece. I'm sure an actual photo of your house could be used as well. What a great housewarming gift this would make! 

This really is a project you can do with the kids. I used hot glue to attach the house (first to a small piece of cardboard so it would look three dimensional) and the tree, but small children can use a good tacky glue to protect those little hands.

Recycled Wooden Fence Art

I mentioned in another post that I rescued one fence panel that a neighbor had left on the curb for trash pickup. The wood was in excellent condition, so of course I grabbed it. Well, the hubs grabbed it for me. I've been getting a lot of mileage out of that one fence panel and I wanted to share just a couple of things I've made so far (other than using it as the platform for my "Early Snow" art installation piece).

In the piece above, I dismantled the fence so I'd have a stack of individual wood planks to work with. My husband cut them down into manageable pieces. Then, I centered one dog-eared panel in the center and offset the other two on either side. I used wood glue between the pieces and held all three pieces together using strapping on the back (see the exposed strapping on the piece below). The screw holes and bracket "ghost" were left intact. I sanded the edges to round them out a bit and gave the entire piece a quick go over with the sander to create a rustic feel.

I love the look of a beach cottage, so I used some pastel colored craft paints to make each wood piece a different color. Two wood scraps create the shelves. Olaf seems quite happy in his hula skirt, playing the ukulele.

The art installation piece above was so much fun to make and cost literally pennies. I already had the metal "Hello" sign, which I'd purchased a while back at my local Michael's Store - I think I paid a dollar for the package of four different sayings. 

The planks were lightly brushed with various craft paints. They're attached together using incredibly inexpensive pipe strapping (comes in a fairly long roll and purchased for under two bucks at Walmart), which I attached slightly askew for added interest. I didn't like the look of the brand new, shiny metal, so I lightly spray painted the strapping with a rusty red color after the piece was put together. Overspray? Who cares? I think it gives it a more funky look. 

The flower heads were from a thick branch found on the ground during a walk with the dogs and the stems are branches from my own yard. My hubby sliced discs from the thick branch using the chop saw. The old gnarled knot in the center plank gives the piece character. 

I hope I've inspired you to recycle some old found wood. Now you can be on the lookout for discarded fencing to take home for your stash, since you never know when a creative idea will hit you. These ideas would easily work with pallet wood too.

Happy Crafting! 

Jewelry Box Diorama Hobbit House

Here's a cute craft you can do with the kiddos. Remember those dioramas you made in school? The ones where your mom had to dig a shoe box out of her closet and you filled it with clay figures and other findings? This is a take on the diorama and it's so simple and super inexpensive you'll want to make several of them.

I used a cardboard jewelry box I saved from a while back. I hot glued the boxes together to create a backdrop and then painted the "scenery" with craft paints. Then, I made salt dough, formed some into a Hobbit-style house, "baked" it in the microwave, painted it and hot glued it inside the box. I used one toothpick, snapped in half and set in a couple of dabs of hot glue. Small children will need assistance hot gluing, but tacky glue could probably used as well. Then I added two tiny bits of fabric, folded over and glued to wire I strung from each toothpick "post" to create the clothesline. I guess I'm on a laundry kick lately.

I think this would be a great party craft activity. What child wouldn't want to take home their own handmade party favor? You can buy the jewelry boxes in bulk at supercenters and craft stores.

Happy Crafting!

Recycled Wood Assemblage Early Snow Laundry Day

I saw something similar to this on Etsy and was inspired to create my own. I had so much fun finding the perfect elements to include. The entire piece was made from recycled materials. I grabbed the old rusted screen from the shed. My dad gave me some pieces of wood years ago and they were just sitting around waiting to begin a new life. The tin roof and door were cut from a recycled tin can, spray painted and distressed. Those rusty screws? I pulled them out of an old fence a neighbor threw on the curbside. I rescued the wood from the fence too of course and used one piece of it for the base. The snow covered tree was a leftover from a Christmas project. I've called the piece "Early Snow". 

What do you think? Have I inspired you to create your own art assemblage?