Craft Project-Rose Bud Frames

If you're anything like me, a trip to the craft store means all kinds of unexpected finds. I usually make a list of things I need for a project that I may be working on, but guaranteed, most of the things I bring home are impulse buys of supplies that spark my imagination. I tuck them away in my craft cabinets, certain that I'll have a use for them at some point. Which brings me to today's project that I'd love to share with you using two small picture frames that I picked up from the bargain bins at Michael's. I'm sure you could find similar frames at most dollar stores as well.

Another supply you'll need are dried rose buds. I used two bouquets of mini roses that I dried out this past winter. They were the deepest pink and as soon as they hit their peak I hung them up in a dark corner of the cellar. This would be the perfect time to harvest some rose buds from your garden and dry them to use at a later date.

You'll also need Spanish moss and an assortment of embellishments. I used a jewellery charm, scrap of lace, cameo button and a scrapbooking sticker to decorate mine. You may choose to use some of those "impulse buys" you've got tucked away with your craft supplies.



Start by taking some moss and gluing it to the glass center of the frame. When completed you can take some home fragrance oil and sprinkle a tiny bit on your moss before moving to the next step. This adds some lovely scent to your decorated frame.

Next you'll divide your rose buds into two groups-large and small. 

Starting in the center, begin gluing the larger buds to the moss. A hot glue melting pot or glue gun works best. Continue adding buds, working your way to the outer edges of the moss using the smallest buds to fill in the entire frame. I then finished it off by gluing a small silver bird charm to the roses.

For the second frame I trimmed a scrapbbooking sticker (vintage letter) and postioned it inside the frame with a scrap of lace. I then spread a thin layer of moss to fill in the entire background before re-attaching the frame back. I finished decorating the frame with a few dried buds and a cameo button.

These frames are so easy to make and you can add any of your favourite

embellishments to this project.

I think they're adorable and would make a fantastic gift for someone special.

Have fun!







Take care.....Marian  xo 





Summer Means Great Salads

Salads are a huge hit at my house, and we always seem to have our huge red Tupperware salad bowl in the fridge with our latest creation inside. This is the best time of year for concocting all sorts of new salad combinations. A plain garden salad just doesn't cut it anymore. With local fresh fruit and vegetables hitting the stores there is no end to the ingredients you can pick from. I've been adding berries to my salads this summer. Not only do they taste awesome but they add such a burst of colour to the bowl. I love adding some nuts or seeds too-walnuts, cashews, sunflower or pumpkin seeds are my favourite.

Raspberry Salad

This one has sugar snap peas (which are boiled for 2-3 minutes in sugar water) with raspberries, red onion, walnuts and feta cheese. I use a store-bought raspberry vinegarette dressing to top it off.

Blueberry Salad

This salad contains carrot, tomato, red onion, mini sliced cucumber, blueberries & sunflower seeds. I topped it off with a store-bought balsamic dressing.

I've got an idea for salads with fresh peaches and pears that I'll share with you in the coming weeks, until then bon appetit!

Take care.....Marian  xo    

A Few of My Favourite Things

I am a history nut.

I love anything and everything to do with history: historical novels, period dramas, biographies and documentaries about historical figures and events, visting museums and historical sites, shopping for antiques, Antiques Roadshow, History Detectives…oh well, I think you get the idea. I don’t really have any particular era or part of the world that I’m interested in, just love to find out how "the world was". So I guess it’s a not a big stretch to imagine I'd be interested in vintage clothing and linens and jewellery….and dishes…and cookbooks…and…

I’ve never indulged in buying anything; that is up until now. On my latest adventure I stopped in at an Antiques and Collectibles shop, the type where a group of assorted vendors set up under one roof. I know you can get a lot of this stuff at garage sales, but let’s just say- I’m not the early bird who’s going to get the worm at 7:00 am on a Saturday morning! No problem, that’s just the trade off for being a nocturnal creature.

So there I am in the middle of everything used and glorious, when I run into booth filled with my favourites: vintage hats, jackets, shoes, gloves, tablecloths, handkerchiefs, handbags—lots of lovelies.

I decided on the spot that there was no better time to start my collection. 

I bought this cute little pillbox hat with the sheer gloves...

....and a collection of vintage handkerchiefs.

 Coupled with some lavender from my garden, they will make beautiful sachets 

                                                     similar to the one in the photo.
                     I didn't realize that the hankie on the left actually had my monogram on it
                                until I checked through all of the treasures when I got home.

This breakfast cloth is so cheerful with all of its pretty embroidered pastel flowers. Not sure what plans I have for it yet....wouldn't it make an adorable set of kitchen sheers? Ummm.

I'm on my way to the Stratford Festival this Thursday to see "42'nd Street" and have already scoped out another Antique and Collectible shop. Can't wait to see what finds there may be waiting to join my fledgling collection. Until then...

 

Take care.....Marian  xo    

Welcome

create-(1) to bring into being, cause to exist....and when we describe people who are creative we often use terms like artistic, clever, gifted, imaginitive, inspired, resourceful, talented, unique...but do we always think of ourselves that way? I'm sure we've offered those compliments to others, but probably rarely voice those opinions about ourselves. Why not? I don't really know. I do know that as far back as I can remember I have always loved making things-paper dolls, snowflake cut-outs, calendars to decorate my bedroom, doll clothes, shoebox dollhouses, costumes, puppets, handmade cards, and on and on and on. It was who I was, and what I loved to do. I didn't think of myself as doing anything different or unique. I was just playing like any other kid my age.

When I married and we set up house I continued doing the things that I loved in a grown up version--reupholstering an old armchair, sewing clothes for my daughters, making drapes, creating a wreath for the front door. But then life just seemed to get in the way. Without realizing it, the further I moved away from my childhood, the more I allowed the things I loved to do fade into the background. We've all been there; in the midst of jobs, raising families, taking evening courses for our jobs, keeping up with cooking and cleaning. It was a rare treat to make time for doing anything creative. Maybe that's why I got so excited about our renovating projects. It seemed like the only creative outlet in my busy life.

Fast forward to November of 2010 when I found myself in Joann Fabric & Crafts shopping with my daughter. She pointed out a magazine that she thought I might be interested in--"Where Women Create". I was in awe, but put it back on the shelf denying that I was at all interested. I wandered around a bit longer, but was drawn back to the magazine. I knew I couldn't leave without it. The next day I poured over every page, reading about all of the clever, gifted, inspired women who had their own studios and businesses. My passion to create came flooding back and I made up my mind that this was the life I wanted and was going to create for myself.

I've been busy setting up a studio, gathering supplies, doing small projects, experimenting with new mediums, taking some online creative e-courses, dabbling with some photography...doing the things I love again. Maybe the fact that I didn't recognize or appreciate my imagination, resourcefulness & uniqueness made it too easy to shove aside my creativity. Gifts that I will remember to honour and cherish this time around. Starting this blog is another step in my journey and a committment I've made to myself to stay the course in living a creative life and achieving my dream of starting my own creative business.

The Complete Works of Marian Long will give me the opportunity to share bits and pieces of all the things I love and enjoy doing. I look forward to sharing this journey with you--the experiments, successes, fears, failures and fun with a lot of life and its adventures thrown into the mix. Thanks for taking time to stop by!

Take.....Marian  xo