Finger Spelling Inspired Art Project

While I'm on the subject of crafts, I wanted to share this picture my son made at school this year. His assignment was to create a picture featuring his hands. He chose to illustrate finger spelling in a colorful, fun way. For anyone unfamiliar with ASL, the hands below are spelling out R-U-S-T-Y, the name of our dog, from the perspective of the person signing.

Yes, I know the Y is shown sideways - most likely because he ran out of room on the paper but perhaps it could be artistic license.

My son had never mentioned this assignment to me so it was a wonderful surprise to find it among the many art projects he brought home at the end of the year. I plan to keep this one and perhaps even frame it.

Kym, Here's My Needlework

This stamped cross-stitch hangs in my kitchen and greets all my friends who come in through the back door. It took me more than 10 years to finish. Not because the design was difficult, but life events got in the way of my good intentions.

I think I bought this crewel project at the same time as I bought the welcome cross-stitch one above. If it looks familiar to you, I wrote about it once before on this blog post about my kitchen.

I bought this counted cross-stitch sampler to make as a gift for a college boyfriend's parents who were farmers. Alas, the relationship was finished before the project so I kept it. It also hangs in my kitchen where it coordinates with my black/white checkerboard tile floor.

This sampler was the second cross-stitch project I ever sewed. Afterwards, I vowed never to do counted cross-stitch again (where you work from a blank canvas and a pattern on a separate paper). I haven't stuck to that promise but that's definitely the most difficult project I've ever attempted.

I suggested this counted cross-stitch design I found on the internet as a Christmas gift my son could make for my parents. It was his first (and possibly last) time to cross-stitch but he did complete the project. I liked it so much that I decided to make one for myself. This pattern was originally for a bookmark but I think it looks great in the larger size. I keep it prominently displayed in the kitchen for those times I feel overwhelmed and discouraged.

As the post title indicates, I created this blog entry with Kym in mind. She had recently expressed surprise that I liked to do needlework. I wrote her back promising to post these photos. When I went to take the photos however, I realized that most all of my recent projects have been gifts that I have given away. Two of them are pictured on this post.

Currently I'm in the middle of making the stamped cross-stitch design above for a good friend of mine. I thought you might like to see a project in progress. To me it looks as though it could use a good ironing. This is a small project that is going very quickly. I hope to give it to her soon.

Does anyone else like to cross-stitch?

Summer Craft Fun

While I was in the craft store with my friend the other day, this bright yellow sun caught my eye. For some time now, I've been wanting to create a craft to display in my downstairs bathroom during the summer. I've had that itch because I have a craft I put on display there during the winter months. It spells out SNOW with a snowman made out of the O. I got it along with matching hand towels at Target. I was sure I could make something myself if I found the right materials. When I found the word Celebrate and the flip flops, I decided to give it a try.

This craft was easy to make. All I had to do was paint the word Celebrate and glue the other pieces to it. I chose to use two colors for Celebrate because it would make a nice effect with the mirror reflection. In the photo below you can see how it looks in the bathroom. I find it really brightens my mood to see it. What do you think?