Today

This seems like a good time to kick off the project of the week idea. Above is a gift for my Grandmother and it is really fun and easy. It is all about the layering of materials. You will need a square block of wood, decorative papers, flower shapes, iconic woman, crown add on, glass stones, copper paint, ribbon, glue brush, paint brush, glue and a drill.

The first step is to glue the base paper down on the front and back and trim out. Paint the sides with copper paint and allow to dry. Add the flower shapes, the woman and the saying at one time. I put the glass stones on with a wood glue that dries clear. For stability it is key to find stones that are flat on one side. This piece can be put on the wall or resting on a counter. Okay down to the fun part...the drilling! It is key to make the hole large enough to be able to get the ribbon through. Once you tie the ribbon on and cut the extra off sign the back and you are finished! For a small project like this I gather up all my materials into a project box so that I can get to it anytime and all the pieces are together and ready to go!

Paperclips

This is a fun project using things that you have at home. I love how they are all different and colorful!

Paper Clips

While out in the office supply store I saw these huge paper clips and thought it would be fun to embellish them with some ribbon from another project. On the other hand the smaller paper clips would be fun to work with too and could go into a snail mail letter without any worry! These are super fast and fun and it is great to mail them out to family and friends.

Clipboard

A clipboard is a very useful item to keep track of loose bits. Here is one that has been upgraded to make it a little sassier. You will need a clipboard, fun papers, ribbon, copper tape, glue and a sharp knife and spray paint if you want to change the finish of the silver clip part. Start by spray painting the clip and let it dry. For this piece I used a satin copper spray. Put on the decorative paper to the front and back and cut off the extra as the edges will be wrapped in the copper foil. Tie on the matching ribbons and it is finished!

Wall Plate

This is a very simple and easy thing to do and can add some sparkle to any room. You will need a switch plate, glue, decorative papers, a sharp knife and 10 minutes. Adhere the paper to the front of the plate and wrap it around the edges. Cut out the center, where the light switch hole is, and glue down the edges on the back of the plate. Cover up the back of the piece with a coordinating paper and you are finished!

Postcard Art

Before starting, I like to pull all the materials together for color and composition. The base for the project is a piece of plywood cut down to a 5x7 size. Next glue the background paper onto the plywood and trim off the extra with a sharp knife. Place the postcard in the middle of the paper and adhere it and any other embellishments. It's time to get out the drill and put some holes in the upper right and left corners. I think it would be nice to drill a hole in the bottom center to add a crystal drop. Feed the ribbon through the wholes and tie off. It is fun to use pinking shears for a bit more interest on the ends of the ribbon.

The great thing about this project is that you can personalize it with family pictures, memento’s from a trip, a mini picture or other three dimensional embellishments. It might be fun to make a collection of these and arrange them on a wall that otherwise might be left empty. Clip art is very easy to find now on CD's and the subject matter is endless!

Art Journal

The notebook is made of decorative papers, trim, ribbon and printed clip art with a tea bag envelope as a marker.