DZ Doodles Oodles of Doodles News! Halloween Party Ideas, Mason Jar Cards, LaCrochet Wear, Stocking Garland-and Freebie Stocking, Wreath, Sparkle and Color

Hello Fellow Doodlers!

"OMG!" Lawren brought this felt fabric Ballet Slipper Book Mark idea to my attention and I just had to quickly share it with you too - for all those ballerinas out there ... I was once one too! :0) Too cute and I even love them hanging as wall decor! Pattern and materials list included. Thanks Lawren!

The book is full of insight, historical reference, brief vignettes, and starts with this quote from Pablo Picasso: "All art is theft." Nothing is original. All creative work builds on what came before. As artists we are collectors...and we are shaped and fashioned by what we love and what we surround ourselves with.

Kleon says: “Some people find this idea depressing, but it fills me with hope…If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.”
And by stealing, he's not implying plagiarism where you try to pass someone else's work as your own...no, not that. But instead, borrowing ideas that speak to our souls and transforming them into our own personal creative expression. It's about Transformation not Imitation. “Copy your heroes. Examine where you fall short. What’s in there that makes you different? That’s what you should amplify and transform into your own work.” And yet we do imitate when we're learning. We take classes, we reproduce and follow patterns created by other designers, we copy their work processes...all to learn. And, as Kleon says: "It's in the act of making things and doing our work that we figure out who we are". Yes. That's it, exactly. In fact, after reading each of Kleon's 10 things, I felt like jumping up and shouting "Yes!!" to each one. I saw myself in and on every page.
Some more faves:

• Side projects and hobbies are important. Mess around. Wander. Get lost. Don't throw any of yourself away. Keep all your passions in your life.
• Don't worry about unity. What unifies your work is the fact that you made it.
• Establishing and keeping a routine can be even more important than having a lot of time. Work gets done in the time available.
• Write the book you want to read. Draw the art you want to see. Start the business you want to run. Play the music you want to hear Build the products you want to use.

And the list goes on and on. It's better if you just read it yourself. And if you do, I'd love to know what you think of it. If you're interested, here's a TED talk by the author on Steal Like an Artist here. And he has a blog here. Have a great day!

Ready for some fall~ish hues? I know I am SO ready! ColorQ Challenge #156 uses this awe-inspiring color palette based on the colors of this Mod Sunset Pillow at Gracious Style, that should inspire you to create for fall with this color-combo!

Susan Elliott of Plays with Needles wrote two articles for the Oct/Nov issue of STITCH magazine. Susan's first article is titled 'From Sketch to Stitch' which is about her Breakfast at Tiffany's design piece (and who didn't adore and love that movie?). The second was for a project she designed for the magazine as an offshoot of her original ... 'Go Lightly' covers some of the components from her original design: the beaded chandelier, a beaded stumpwork butterfly (albeit much smaller), lettering, Audrey's hair and jewels... It's message can be interpreted many ways. Tread lightly. Leave no trace. Go with the light. Don't take yourself too seriously.

Like Holly Golightly. The girl who charms and beguiles, flitting in and out of people's lives, never allowing herself to be tied down or taken too seriously.

Here's a big reason to throw a Halloween party and party-hardy this Halloween with this plethora of HALLOWEEN PARTY IDEAS by PaperVine that are economical and fun!

 

I find something sooo-cute about MASON JAR CARDS ... could stem from my childhood memories of canning with Grandma, or collecting buttons, bugs 'n stuff in them?! Autumn also seems like the time of year when they're popularity comes back.

 Tis' is gettin' to be the season to find reason for wearing hats, and LaCrochet by Laurie has a huge inventory of crcoheted hats to choose from. It's also time to think about gift-giving as well and what a better "gift" than a crocheted hat for winter, everyday wear, or any other time of the year! Visit her Etsy shop and browse the darling assortment! Her give-away hat will be announced Oct. 1st!

 

This time of year many crafters thoughts wander off to the world of ornaments, cards, gift tags, and the like. And so, perforated paper may come to mind ... if you like the idea of embroidering little tokens on perforated paper. But, if the thought of cutting your own shape designs leaves you a bit muddled, that's ok, because there's a company, TOKENS and TRIFLES that makes perforated paper cards, and other fantastic stuff, ready for embellishment!

 

Here are some Mill Hill Perforated Paper Designs to get your imagination going! And if your wondering where to buy perforated papers, just click here! For another brand, Wichelt Perforated Papers 14-count (holes per sq. inch) click here!

 

Hmmm, I'm digging up my perforated 9" x 12" paper sheets to do some "creative" experiments to see what happens when using my Cricut patterns, as well as some of my die cuts. I'll be back ... 

 

 

 

 

 

COUNT DOWN STOCKING GARLAND!

 

Christmas stockings make great gifts and are a fun way to decorate the house, and there are tons of free Christmas stocking patterns out there to get you started. The wonderful thing about a free Christmas stocking pattern is that you will love making them for your family and friends.

I came across this photo in one of my magazine's this week and thought it was such a clever idea! However, for me, 24 days is just too many days to celebrate and needless to say, stuff that many stockings! Then I got to thinking about the Twelve Days of Christmas,

although the advertisement suggests, "make the days leading up to Christmas even more special with this fun way to mark the days...you can string them across the mantel or around your tree." (62" L)  It would, however, be fun (and less daunting) to celebrate the 12 days before with tidbits of gifts (depending on the size of stockings you make) and I like the idea of hanging them on the tree for everyone in your household. Make one "day for each member of the household to hang. HA! Let them select the stocking of their choice, open it, and play "swap".

 

And here's a little something FREE that will help you get started on creating your own stocking garland whether it be 24 or 12 or 7 days of counting down before Christmas! Just click on the image to enlarge, right click your mouse onto the large image and "SAVE AS..." to your digi folder. You can then size it to fit each "gift" stocking to be hung or make them all the same sizes. Included are numbers that will size accordingly with your stocking pattern. Just be sure to make "templates" using a firm cardstock for your pattern print-out to trace around onto your felt fabric and/or fabric of each size you'd like the stocking to be.

 

 I would appreciate seeing any and all of the "ideas" you come up with p-l-e-a-s-e.





 

Now, "how smart is this" idea?! Deep set wall shelfs for storing and labels for T.H. Distress Inks, so everything is available at a glance! "Oh DUH!" I've been fighting the thought of what to do to display my DI's without containers getting in the way, and now that I have the answer, it's time to get busy. Check out how easily this was done at 2 Gypsie Girls, One Lucky Day. 

 

 

Wreaths are something decorative that dominates mostly the fall and wintertime months. Here's a wreath design that I am working on using felt fabric, and thought you might like to have a go at it as well - you could use fabric, or cardstock as well. Just click on the image to enlarge, right click your mouse onto the large image and in the drop down menu "SAVE AS..." to your digi folder. You can then size it to however large (or small) you'd like it to be. Just be sure to make "templates" using a firm cardstock for your pattern print-out to trace around onto your felt fabric. Thes images; base ring, holly leafs and ribbon will scale equally "to size" when you play with your sizing. I suggest making 30 to 34 leaf pieces; and for a more shapely leaf, cut 60 to 68 leaf pieces and sandwich the two with a piece of thin wire between each leaf. Embroider the top leaf line-design on each to enhance it even more. Also suggest using two or three different "green" felt/fabric/cardstock colors to mix-it-up a bit! Scatter some colorful jingle bells (6) should be enough, or berry clusters. The bow can be made as is, or create your own! Just have fun with it.

 

 

 

How do you get all that sparkle and color? Let Fran Seiford from Stampendous show you how her Encrusted Jewel Technique can create magic on your Halloween greetings.Products used are available at Michael's.

 

 

 

 

ISN'T THIS A DARLING IDEA for stair-steps for Halloween and all the way through the Christmas festivities! Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse ... well, except in our house! (tee-hee) Leave it to Martha Stewart to create something sooo clever! Makes me wish I had a stairway in my house. :0( IDEA: Maybe they would look just as good along the fireplace wall or running somewhere along the base board of a wall..."oh! by the tree"?? Find Martha Stewarts FREE Paper Mice Halloween Decorations PDF Template HERE.

Halloween decor wouldn't be complete without some spirit -- spooky spirit, that is. Even if you tend to be scared of your own shadow, you'll still smile at your reflection thanks to this friendly ghost on your mirror. The cutout is made of frosted-glass window film, which adheres easily and (like ghosts everywhere) disappears without a trace. Print the PDF template, trace onto the film, cut out with a pair of scissors, and apply.

HOW TO MAKE A PAPER MACHE BOO't - PDF Step-by-Step Decorative Witch Boot Pattern Container and Tutorial to use for Halloween or design it for any time of the year!

 

 

365 LUCKY DAYS created, with love, one piece of hand embroidered art work each day and everyday for one year! SEPT 19th, 2012 was DAY 365...check out the Gallery of Days. Read what she's learned from completing a 365 daily project, and what's happening next! Check out the embroidery patterns now available too!






Using Marianne Designs Craftable Dies learn some "extra" embossing tips using your embossing stylus and embellishing ideas with a Japanese "Screw" Punch.