Random Acts of Kindness, Pin There - Done That

Don't you just love all the great ideas you find on Pinterest? I am proud to say I've actually gotten around to doing some of the projects and ideas that I've found. I thought the idea for an extreme hand balm would be good to make as a gift, especially for my artist friends. The original pinner claimed "makes your hands feel as soft as a baby's butt". It is easy enough, with only three ingredients, beeswax (available at Michaels), almond oil and coconut oil. I used Wilton candy molds with hearts from Michaels to make them to give as gifts. I also made an extra batch to give to coworkers for Random Acts of Kindness Day.

 Assembled ingredients. I used an old glass jar to put the wax and oils in to melt. I put that into a pan with water as a make-shift double-boiler. Once melted, I poured it into the candy molds.
The original recipe called for equal parts of all three ingredients. Put all three ingredients into the jar at the same time to melt.

 They started setting up almost immediately, but I found that it was better to put them into the refrigerator to cool first before trying to pop them out of the mold. Once they had been in the refrigerator for a while, they dropped right out of the molds.

 Don't they look like white chocolate? Make sure you label them well and mention that they are hand balm, not candy!

I bagged them in Celebrate It Treat Bags (also from Michaels)

Add a label on top & your RAOKs are ready to give. To use, simply rub on your hands. Body temperature will melt the balm slightly and you can rub it into your hands.

Bead Retreat Projects

Vicki & I attended the Texas Bead Retreat again this year, our 6th year in a row. It is always so much fun and we get so many things accomplished. I was able to finish a bead embroidery necklace, a bracelet with Vicki's help with the directions (Dragon Dance bracelet from May issue of Beadwork magazine) and we took a pendant class. I wish I could find more of the cool face button that I used on the black piece.

 

 

Small Canvases

I found small multi-packs of canvases at Michaels and picked up a few. They are an economical way to create little pieces of art. I save paper towels from when I do alcohol ink projects. I decoupaged those on the canvases for an instant background. In the tower bins at Michaels I found packages of assorted embossed shapes. I painted those and ran some chalk ink over them to highlight the embossing. I painted the chipboard letters so they would match and assembled them all, spelling out BEGIN.

 The puzzle pieces are embossed with metallic embossing powder. The hearts are layers of metal and are wired onto the puzzles pieces.

Beaded Flowers

Geri of Bead Crazee in Tyler caught these flowers at one of the 2012 Texas Bead Retreat. I bought the supplies to make more, but didn't get around to making them until the Christmas holidays. I was home alone with the dog and it snowed. We sat in the recliner all day, watching movies and I beaded until I ran out of rivolis to make more.

Christmas Exchange

Vicki & I get together for lunch and to exchange Christmas gifts each year (and then we usually spend the rest of the day shopping). This year I made her two necklaces and came up with some creative packaging. I found the triangle box (triangle is her favorite shape), the letter V and the scrapbook photo case at Michaels. Using them made them gifts as well. I bought the cabs for the necklaces when we were at the Bead & Button show in June.

 Painted the box with a wash of metallic paint and used glitter paint for the letter.

 Wrap the present in coordinating tissue paper and put it inside the photo storage case. Add a ribbon and gift tag & the package becomes part of the gift!

 Bead embroidery necklace with semi-precious and seed beads.

Semi-precious pendant with seed bead embroidery and pearls.

Another Pin There - Done That

I spotted these great Mad Hatter Ornaments from the blog Seeing Things on Pinterest. I made several and gave them to the gals at our holiday luncheon in December.

Chihuly Exhibit

The fabulous glass works of Chihuly were exhibited last year at the Dallas Arboretum. Vicki and I spent one very warm December afternoon exploring these amazing art pieces.