It's Festival Season!

One of my favorite aspects of spring and summer in Oklahoma is that everyone starts to come out of hiding.  We become social and motivated, longing for festivities and the company of others.  Apparently I have been bitten by the festival bug, because I've been seeking out opportunities to join in on the good times.

Last weekend, I trekked down to the Rooster Days Festival on foot multiple times to shop at the craft booths and take in the sights.  Even though I'm not a fan of riding rides, I do enjoy the excited squeals of children and families waiting in line for their turn.  Once the sun starts to set, I allow myself to be thoroughly dazzled by all the lights and colors.   

This coming weekend, I'll be attending yet another festival- as a vendor!  You can find me at the Make:Tulsa booth at the Blue Dome Arts Festival.  We went in as a group and purchased two booth spaces, so we'll be all spread out with a large offering of handmade goodies for you to peruse.  Want a sneak peek at how I'm gearing up for the weekend?  I'm prepared to rock a few of my favorite festival necessities such as my heart-shaped shades, my Pocahontas pigtails, and some comfy clothes.

Last night, I worked all through the evening (with a steady soundtrack of good rock music, of course) filling up my display of guitar pick earrings.  I've got every color of the rainbow, including my favorites- recycled CD picks!  

I'll also be introducing my new botanical bookmarks.  To give you a glimpse at how I gather my flowers for these beauties, here is a visual:  Picture my husband calmly mowing the yard on a mild spring day.  Then imagine a crazy lady frantically running out of the house, throwing herself in front of the lawnmower, and falling to the ground in a dramatic attempt to rescue these little lovelies from the jaws of destruction.  After gathering a suitable number of botanical specimens, the crafty lunatic brushes herself off, quietly reenters her house, gently presses them between soft sheets of tissue paper and book pages, and sings them to sleep until they're thoroughly dried.  Flower pressing is serious business.

If you'd like to get in on all the good times, come out to the Blue Dome Arts Festival this weekend!  This is one of my absolute favorite events in Tulsa.  You'll find an abundance of art, food, music, and good vibes.  

Words don't really do this festival justice, so maybe if you look through photos I've taken during past years (here and here) you'll get an idea of what a fun time it is.  I hope to see you there!

How Does Your (Urban) Garden Grow?

Want some guidance for your garden this year? Come out to the Schusterman-Benson Library for an awesome class led by a gardening expert (and a wonderful lady I'm lucky to know), Jenny from Ellaberry Gardens. This woman KNOWS gardens, and she'll be sharing some tips on growing your own food and even conducting a Q&A session. We'll also have a selection of garden-themed library books available to check out. This free class is open to the public so grab your straw hat and knee pads because after this class, you'll want to spend some serious time in the dirt!

I'll give you a little sneak preview of what to expect at this fun springtime event. These are some of the books we'll have available for checkout, plus many more.

Additionally, one person who attends will win a gardening gift basket containing 3 books, gloves, tools, and cilantro seed bombs!

Having taken one of Jenny's classes before, I'm very excited about this and I think it will be just the motivation I need to move beyond my current setup of potted flowers and herbs. Even though I haven't planted any vegetables yet, I've been enthusiastically observing the signs of the season.

This is all I really have to show when it comes to gardening at the moment, but hopefully that will change soon...  Happy Spring!

Dead Boyfriends Club- Jimi Hendrix

I have a confession to make: Sometimes I fall in love with dead guys.  Of course I prefer them living, but there's something very sexy and mysterious about the remaining presence of a person who is no longer walking this planet.  Over the years, I've acquired quite an infatuation with various dead guys.  So I decided to start a series on my blog, even though I'm guilty of starting things like this and then badly neglecting them (such as Fitness Friday and Vintage Finds, both of which are in need of some new content).  I don't mean any disrespect; it's quite the opposite.  This series is intended to honor the gorgeous, talented men whose hearts are no longer beating, but yet they still have the power to make mine beat a little faster. 

The first on my list of dead boyfriends is Jimi Hendrix, because I've got it bad for him.  Of all the dead guys I have crushes on, this one is the most severe.  Within the first few notes of any Hendrix song, I find myself swaying to the music, eyes closed, daydreaming about this notorious lady's man and what it would have been like to spend an evening with him.  What would it sound like for him to say my name in that smooth-talkin' voice of his? 

I think the thing that most attracts me to Jimi Hendrix is that he seemed like such a passionate person.  Watching him play guitar, you witness him slip off into his own world, completely absorbed by the beautiful sounds he created.  Passion always factors into my impression of a person, regardless of whether they're passionate about cooking, physics, or the Dewey Decimal system (because really, what's sexier than well-organized nonfiction?).  But I must say, a man who pours every ounce of his being into his guitar is a surefire way to make me swoon.

Another turn-on is talent.  As with passion, any kind of talent draws me to people- and that applies to more than just dead boyfriends.  I'm impressed when I see talent in family,  friends, and acquaintances as well.  And as far as men are concerned, it certainly doesn't hurt if that talent happens to involve manipulating a guitar as if it were a part of your body.  Some girls go for athletes and movie stars, but musicians have always been my weakness.  And when it comes to guitar, Jimi had an abundance of talent.  Here are a few of my favorite Hendrix songs.

I have many more dead boyfriends to dish about in the future, and I hope you'll follow along and swoon with me.  Perhaps you'll discover a new deceased love of your own...To wrap up the first installment of the Dead Boyfriends Club, I'll leave you with a question some might find slightly morbid: If you could bring someone back to life just to take them on a date, who would it be?  Answer if you dare!

Speckled Eggs Tutorial

Hello and happy spring!  I am fully embracing the lovely weather and all the inspiration that comes fluttering to my craft desk as springtime draws near.  I've even caught myself naming spring as my favorite season, although I'm fully aware that I said the same thing about fall just a few short months ago.  To celebrate this lovely season, I've put together a fun tutorial for anyone who's feeling as crafty and inspired as I have.  This would be a great project for Easter weekend or a sunny afternoon when the birds are chirping outside. 

Supplies:

- Black acrylic paint

- Polymer clay in white or light blue
- Headpins
- Paintbrush
- Jewelry pliers

Instructions:

1)  As with any polymer clay project, the first step is to condition the clay by rolling it in your hands, forming a sphere between your palms. 

 

2) To create an egg shape, roll the ball of clay on one side only with your hands slanted against a flat surface.

 

3) Once you've sculpted your clay into a nice egg shape, pierce it vertically with a headpin.  Smooth away any fingerprints by gently running your finger along the surface of the egg.

 

4) Place the clay in an oven-safe pan and bake according to the directions on the package of clay.

 

5) Allow the cured eggs to cool completely (about 5-10 minutes after removing them from the oven).  The next part of the project gets pretty messy, so you'll want to cover your work surface with something disposable such as old newspaper.  I used a sheet of parchment paper.  Pour a small puddle of black paint and dip your brush in water.

 

6) Once your brush has been thoroughly soaked with water, dip it in the black paint and begin flicking the paint toward the egg.  Acrylic paint washes off completely with soap and warm water if you wash your hands while it's still wet, so I just used my index finger to flick the paintbrush.

7) Lay the eggs on the disposable paper and allow the paint to dry.

 

8) Once the paint has dried, it's time to get out your pliers and wire wrap the headpin.  If you need help with this step, you're in luck!  I recently posted a wire-wrapping tutorial on my blog, which you can find here.  If wire-wrapping seems a little intimidating, you can always just bend the top of the headpin to create a loop. 

 

9) Continue the last step on any additional egg charms until they've all got a nice loop to dangle from.  You can add a coat of sealer or varnish if you're worried about your paint speckles chipping away. 

 

10) You may wish to attach your new charm to a chain to create a lovely nature-inspired necklace.

 

I had so much fun with this project, I decided to wear a colorful outfit to show off my new spring bling.

Additional Ideas:

- Instead of making these into charms, sculpt them without a hole and place them in a little nest or bowl to add a natural touch to your home.  You could create an egg for each family member! 

- These would be a great addition to your child's Easter basket.  Long after the chocolate has been eaten, these keepsakes will still be around to provide springtime memories.

- Thread these charms onto colorful string and use them as ornaments in your trees or plants.

- If you are doing this project with children, use it as a learning opportunity!  See if your local library has any nonfiction books about eggs.  A few suggestions are Guess What Is Growing Inside This Egg by Mia Posada and Eggs by Marilyn Singer.

- Go on a nature walk and see if you can spot any bird's nests.

I hope your spring is full of warm days, long walks, and all the beauty nature has to offer!