artist spotlight: Andrew Myers

Have a gander at these amazing 3D portraits made out of screws by German artist, Andrew Myers! I wonder why Myers chose screws as his art medium? Why not nails, pencils, or cotton swabs? ;)
Any symbolic importance? I'm curious to know...

I love love love the one with the fan blowing parts of the man's face away! Very playful!

[ all images via Andrew Myers ]

New Beginnings Bringing Me UP!

I am four weeks into my new and improved life as a 4th grade teacher at Kammann Elementary! I find myself significantly overwhelmed the majority of the time, but I have yet to have a panic attack in our staff lounge so all is good in my eyes. I look at it as though I'd be doing something wrong if I wasn't overwhelmed as a first year new teacher...

  

Since my return from Tanzania almost two months ago, my professional working life has made a complete 180 degree turn for the better! Coming home after two months volunteer teaching in Tanzania and learning more than I taught, I found myself in a whirl wind of conflicting feelings. I was a newly, re-inspired educator coming back to the states where the job market for education was a bleak one if not nonexistant. I was stressed financially (I didn't make one cent in Africa but was spending...), exhausted from the journey home, and yearning for some sort of closure from my trip...all while having to look towards the future and find myself a real teaching job that pays the bills and affords benefits. 

How did I handle this, you ask?

Well, luckily for me, my mother raised me to tackle life's problems head-on in order to overcome its adversity and move on to the good. This advice got me my job this year. Without the strength, as well as the endless supply of support and positive thoughts from family and friends the past couple months, I would not have these stills of my very own classroom to share with you. 

With that said, here are some stills. Enjoy!

[in our 4th grade hallway student shields surround the spiffy 3D class tree I made] 

[view when your first enter]

[view of the front of the room]

[my desk. the orchid was a gift from one of my students :)]

[writing wall showcasing Haiku poems our class created the first week of school]

[construction paper self portraits to go along with their I AM poems for Back to School Night]

[view from my desk]

crafternoon craft therapy session [4]: bok choy stamped gift wrap

This year I decided to make my own gift wrap (inspiration can be found here) as opposed to using store bought wrapping paper and plastic ribbon because DIY gift wrap is more eco friendly and better for our beautiful Earth, more fun for the receiver to unwrap, creative, pretty, and easily recyclable!

For all my gifts I used the inside of brown paper grocery bags (which are made from recycled paper and easily recyclable themselves and we all have them!) and bok choy as a stamping tool. I love the way the bok choy creates a "rose-like" design! It's purdy! To individualize and jazz things up a bit for each gift, I used glitter, yarn, pom pom balls, twine, diy snowflakes, and paint pens. 

[decorating paper grocery bags with bok choy "stamps"]

[embellishing brown grocery bag made gift tags using martha stewart brand glue pen and glitter]

You will need: 

- brown paper bags

- scissors

- tape

- paint 

- art tray for the paint (I used the lid of a coffee container)

- bok choy or celery stock base (You will need to have cut this as smoothly as possible to leave a nice straight stamping surface)

- yarn, twine, or ribbon if you have it already (non-plastic)

- glue pen (for gift tags)

- fork (to make mini pom pom balls). Tutorial for the pom pom balls can be found here

- glitter

- hole punch

Do it!:

1. Cut open a brown paper bag so that it lays relatively flat.

2. Put paint (I used red but use any color you want) onto your tray (you may need to brush it around so that it's not all in one lump).  Take your prepared bok choy or celery stamp and dip it into your paint.  Check and be sure that it's fully coated.

3. Carefully press your stamp down onto your paper with steady even pressure.

4. Repeat as desired all over the paper.

5. After the "roses" dry you may want to free hand paint on green leaves to complete the "rose" look. I did this only on a few stamps. 

6. Allow paper to dry completely and then wrap up your gifts.

7. Embellish as you like!  

  Do you make your own gift wrap?! Do you use a theme when wrapping gifts?

diy holiday gift wrap ideas

This year I'm going down the eco-friendly gift wrap path by using brown paper grocery bags (which are made from recycled paper and easily recyclable themselves) instead of the usual wrapping paper and plastic ribbon. To jazz things up a bit (because a gift that's wrapped in just brown paper bags can be kind of boring) I'm going to use paint, yarn, tape, glitter, craft scraps, twine, etc... to get creative with decorating the paper wrapping!

This is a great way to be conscious, green, AND creative for the holidays!

Click on the links below for tutorials on how to create these simple gift-wrap decorating ideas!

1. Word Puzzle Wrapping Paper - via The Die Line - Instead of buying the wrapping paper, make your own word puzzle by using letter stamps then circle the holiday or the name of the person receiving the gift!

2. Washi Tape Wrapping Paper - via Poppy Talk

3. More Washi Tape Decorating

4. Easy Printmaking Using Block of Wood and Yarn - via Modern Parents Messy Kids

5. Paper Scraps + Celery as a Stamping Tool - via Creature Comforts - This idea is probably my favorite! I love the tags and the pattern (flower-esque) the celery makes!

6. Typographic Gift Wrap - via Man Made - Fantastically simple!

7. Doily Gift Tags - via Pinterest - Buy packs of doilies at the dollar store then cut and glue away!

8. Easy Styrofoam Printing on Paper or Fabric - via Alisa Burke  

9. Gift Wrap Ideas Following a Yellow Color Palette - via Decor8 - she used grocery bags and carefully selected colors and decor items such as: doilies, opaque white ink pen, ribbon, lace, fabric measuring tape, bakers twine, and washi tape!

Happy Creative Wrapping!

this and that

[image via cstar events]

I'm storing this idea in the "fun party ideas" section of my brain. These would be perfect for Easter, birthdays, and even New Years!

Tuesday night was spent chasing Santa Claus through the neighborhoods so the kids (and I) could sit on his lap (I refrained from doing this) to tell him what we want for Christmas. We also made beautiful gingerbread houses using gumdrops, peppermint pinwheels, m&m's, smarties, jelly beans, and sugary frosting for snow... all while listening and singing to the Christmas genre station on Pandora. Love me some Pandora! Oh, and I bet our gingerbread houses are more personalized than yours! Geneva built a mailbox on her house and Christian and Nicolas built dandelions (they are fascinated by dandelions ever since I showed them one the other day) and candy bushes and trees.  

Sneak peak at one of the many handmade or hand painted gifts I'm giving friends and family this Christmas! I used Pebeo Porcelaine 150 outliner paint on porcelain mugs from CB2. 

Do it!: 

1. make sure your mug is clean and dry.

2. paint whatever design you want! (i'm personalizing each mug based on the person I'm giving it to).

3. once you've finished painting, let it dry for 24 hours.

4. bake your mug for 35 minutes at 300 to 325 degrees F. 

5. after baking, turn off the oven and leave the mug inside until it has gradually cooled to room temp.

6. mug is now dishwasher safe with a rad design! drink up folks!

[images via society 6]

If you're an art enthusiast, into creative designs and juxtapositions, or want a cool sight to browse through on your lunch break, check out Society6! They have really sweet artwork created by thousands of artists from around the world! Find a print you like? Get it framed, put on an iPhone case, laptop skin, t-shirt, or sweatshirt! The possibilities are endless. I personally LOVE the "Scales" iPhone cover designed by Steven Womack and the "Whimsical Balloons" laptop skin designed by Laura Ruth!

[image via pinterest]

Made some the other day except I used shelled pumpkin seeds from the bulk bins at Whole Foods. 

Do it!: 

1. put about a cup of shelled pumpkin seeds in a ziploc bag and pour 1 tbsp. of olive oil and 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce into the bag. 

2. shake the bag until the seeds are covered with oil and soy sauce.

3. line a baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly spread the seeds on the sheet.

4. bake the seeds at 400 degrees F for 5 to 6 minutes. Don't overcook because the seeds brown easily!!

5. Let cool for 5 minutes.

6. Enjoy as a snack on its own, on salads, fish, greens, and rice!

nom nom nom!

stills from my week

just some of the images from my week... it was a pretty productive and happy week i'd say

don't let the cuteness that she exudes in the first photo fool you (ok. she is pretty darn cute), but Bella is one mischievous cat who still, to this day, perceives herself as a kitten that can therefore get into things and mess them up without getting in trouble. however, i must admit she is one lovable feline that gets a lot of love via moi despite the fact that she regularly messes up things, only cuddles on her accord, and is a bitch kitty (excuse my french) to hunter (most recent feline addition to the household)! 

[to create a silhouette drawing, either freehand the silhouette on your canvas or do what i did: draw your silhouette on a scrap piece of paper, cut it out, then stencil it onto your canvas. this way, you have a permanent silhouette stencil you can reuse and you don't have to worry about erasing mistakes on your canvas!]

when life gets a little hectic and crazy, one of the best ways for me to slow down is by drawing or painting something. this week i painted a silhouette design inspired by the latin phrase, "alis volat propriis" which in English means, "she flies with her own wings." i haven't finished so stay tuned for an image of the end result!

new uber boho and AHmazing wide-brimmed wool felt hat i bought from H&M for $15! love me some floppy hats! 

framed burlap makes for great decoration because it's got texture, its different, and it's cheap! i was inspired by Jill Ruth and Co. to create my very own message board to myself. i'm also planning on framing a larger piece of burlap to use as a memo board for my house!

christian, the 2nd grader i nanny for, had Market Day in his classroom where they were required to make something to be "sold" in class. christian decided he wanted to make the origami balloons i taught him how to do, so for what seemed like hours last night we pumped out around 40 of these bad boys! 

steve madden zebra flats i wear quite often. they are super comfy and i always get compliments :)

veggie and hummus burritos have been all the rage for me this week! i use Ezequiel brand sprouted tortilla (from Trader Joe's) and i fill it with hummus, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, lime juice, curry powder, and a dollop of sriracha. and BAM... a healthy, quick, yum-in-my-tum lunch like THAT! 

crafternoon craft therapy session [3]: hand painted gifts

[hand painted porcelain mug. jazz up a plain white mug with a cool design and give as a gift!]

[glass jar typography. great idea for party favors, weddings, and labels! you could also attach wire or twine to the jars and hang in trees with tea light candles or flowers]

[paint a mustache on a mug for a silly and fun gift!]

["love me" plate using red porcelain pen. sweet gift for that special someone on a special day, or any other day for that matter :)]

images via: wit and whistle, oh happy day , from the tortoise and the hare, and going home to roost

hand painted porcelain 

    what you'll need:

• porcelain mug, plate, picture frame (anything that's porcelain will work)
• porcelain paint pen (Pebeo Porcelaine 150 outliner from dick blick) 

    do it!:

    1. Make sure your mug is clean and dry.

    2. Paint your design! If you mess up just wipe the paint away with a wet paper towel. Some porcelain   paints are not recommended for surfaces that come in contact with food. So just to be safe, don’t paint the inside of your mug! 
    3. Once you’ve finished your masterpiece let the paint dry for 24 hours. Then, bake your mug according to the paint package instructions (its usually bake in oven at 300 degrees for 30 minutes). After baking turn off the oven and leave the mug inside until it has gradually cooled to room temperature. After you bake it the paint is dishwasher safe.

glass jar typography

     what you'll need:

• glass jar (yogurt, mason, jam, baby food, etc...) or vase
• wire (if you are going to hang them)
• wire cutter
• very fine paint pen for glass (found at your local craft store)
• tape
• a list of your guests names (or what you wish to write on the jar) printed out

     do it!:

    1. Make sure your jars are clean and dry.

    2. Tape the name you wish you draw on the inside of the jar. 

    3. Trace the name on the glass with your fine paint pen

    4. Remove the paper and make any necessary touch ups.

    5. Add some flowers to the jars and display them on a table (beautiful) or add some wire around the lip of the jar to hang it. Voila! 

ombre and tie dye inspiration

before doing my first crafternoon craft therapy session (post on this coming soon) using ombre and tie dye techniques, I needed some inspiration. I logged into my pinterest account and did two separate searches: 'ombre' and 'tie dye.'

below are the images I found under 'ombre'...

how totally gorgeous is that lightly ombre'd cream dress in the bottom right corner? i love the subtleness. me wanty it NOW!

i love the faded, dip-dyed look ombre exudes! its funky and different and adds a pop of color to otherwise ordinary objects and accessories. love the salmon color ombre job on those curtains!

and here are the images i found under 'tie dye''...

how playful and appetizing do those cupcakes look all jazzed up and tie-dyed?! i also love the batik-styled indigo tie-dye design in the bottom left corner. that takes some serious skill.

pillows, socks, hair, clothes, sharpie tie-dyed paper OH MY! super-duper, fantastical works of tie dye, no?!  these pictures make me want to tie-dye everything within reach. my cat better watch her back... 


i wish i lived in the 70s just so i could have experienced that groovy, flowers-in-your-hair, tie-dye explosion, all about love and feel good decade. then i could have worn tie-dye everyday and not get crazy looks from people! 

[all images via pinterest]

so many colors

[color block and sparkle nail art inspired by cupcakesandcashmere, martha steward fine glitter for holiday craft making, heart garland I made out of paint swatches, macaroons from bottega louie, crayola heart, incense from whole foods]

While rummaging through the collection of photographs I took last week, I was struck by the beauty and range of colors captured in my photos. I don't know what it was about last week, but for some reason, I had the urge to make crafts, take pictures, and buy and eat things with lots of color! There was no escaping the visible spectrum! It was ubiquitous and I just couldn't get enough!

*Side note: Not my macaroons. They are definitely not vegan (bummer). My boss sure enjoyed them though!

crafternoon craft therapy session [2]: black and gold chevron tray

Wednesday night I went over to my gal pal Alex Curry's house for our second craft therapy session! Alex scored some awesome crafts from Michael's to paint and decorate a wooden tissue box cover. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of her craft, but it was super duper rad and totally her style! Check out her blog here. She should be posting pics of it soon. Inspired by a post I found here on Pinterest, I decided to glamify (new word created by yours truly) an old tray I bought from Cost Plus eons ago (ok, not eons. maybe like 5 years ago when I was attending UC Santa Cruz). 

[all photos for one life in stills]

Materials: 

• Tray (laptop support tray, food tray, or any time of decorative tray. The tray I used had a japanese inspired design painted on it before I spray painted it black). 
• Krylon spray paint in black and metallic gold found here and here. 
• 1" blue painters tape found here.  

DO IT!: 

1. Spray paint the entire tray front and back with your first color (I used black). 
2. Let paint dry overnight! I didn't do this and the black paint came right off with the tape revealing the original design. In the end, I actually liked my oopsy because it gave the tray a vintage and used feel. :) 
3. Place painter's tape on the board in the design you desire (I opted for a chevron design). 
4. Spray paint your second color (I used metallic gold) over the exposed first color. You may want to do a second coat for a more finished look. Your choice, crafters! 
5. Let dry (approx. 30 minutes) then carefully pull the tape off to reveal your new, beautiful totally wicked tray!

There would not have been a successful craft therapy session without a delicious and nutritious gluten free and vegan friendly meal! We made spaghetti squash lasagna for dinner and vanilla flavored coconut milk yogurt with granola and fresh berries for dessert! Recipe and pictures coming soon! :)


Happy crafting you fine crafters!

crafternoon craft therapy session [1]: melted crayon art

I love worship arts and crafts so much so that I would change my name to Shelby Iloveartsandcrafts Stillians if I could. You think I'm kidding, but I'm not. According to craft therapy (and I totally agree) reserving time for arts and crafts in your life reduces stress and offers an opportunity for self expression by getting your creative juices flowing. Yum! I'm a bonafide arts and crafter which means I try to dedicate at least one night a week to arts and crafts. Not only do I go to sleep feeing a little brighter, I wake up with a new rad craft I can either wear, hang on the wall to spruce up a space, or send to a friend to.

Last week I was inspired by the melted crayon art photos on Mr. Kate by Kate Albrecht! How freaking awesome does the end product look??! The cool thing about this craft is that anyone can do it (there's only 4 materials needed!) and it'll take you less than 30 minutes to craft. Yay!

Materials:

• a white canvas
• crayola crayons (they tend to melt better than rose art crayons. I bought 3 packs of 24 classic crayola crayons at target for $2 a pop)
• hot glue gun
• blow dryer

Do it!:

1. pick the colors you want to use (i used every color except brown, gray, and black) and arrange them on the floor in whatever design you're feel in'.
2. hot glue the crayons on your canvas with tips pointing down (i chose to glue the crayons side-by-side on the top of my canvas but you may like something more like this. 
3. heat the crayons with a blow dryer set to hot and high and watch the crayons do their thing!

And remember, with arts and crafts, there is no such thing as right or wrong. The process, rather than the end result, is paramount.

Happy crafting!