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?

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! 

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!