New crafts I want to try before the end of 2011

I know it's odd to make a list like this but there are some things I want to try before the end of this year. And by making a list, I hold myself accountable and will remind myself to make the craft and post it here.

By the end of...

March - make an Easter canvas for my front door. (OK, not really a new craft, but something I need to do.)

April - make a moss wreath (saw a cute one in the shape of letters for your last name)

May - homemade facial cleanser

June - poolside table made from the wood I found at the lake

July - driftwood shelves

August - make a daybed for Jessalyn out of doors (hopefully I can find some cheap at a yard sale)

September - big rug made from old blue jeans (saw this on a Disney show my daughter watches)

October - painted plates to hang on the wall

November - banana pudding cupcakes

December - make Archer's tee shirt quilt (not a new craft but something I definitely need to get started on)

OK, so there's the list. It might change a little. I'll post as I complete and I may not complete them in this particular order. Those are just my personal deadlines.

I need to doodle!

I haven't doodled in a while. I miss it. I love to just sit and doodle, draw swirlies and flowers, hearts, anything. It seems to calm me down when I'm stressed. But lately, I've been too stressed and have been too busy to take time to doodle.

I think I'll go do that now. Enjoy some of my past doodles!

Easy Casserole dinner

OK, so my life is about to go into overdrive. Two boys playing rec league basketball, and both have already started their baseball seasons too! My poor daughter doesn't have time for activities but she'll be in softball soon. Which isn't going to leave a lot of time for dinner preparation. And with all these admission fees and gas prices, I can't afford to feed my family of 5 from a drive-thru every night.

So, I'm starting my Sunday cooking days again, where I cook the main meat to be used for the week. All I have to do is prepare a side or two and heat the meat in the microwave.

Tonight, I threw together this easy chicken enchilada casserole.

Ingredients: cooked chicken (I used 4 big chicken breasts), sour cream, 1 can cream of chicken soup, salsa, shredded cheese, tortilla chips or taco shells (I had taco shells on hand), and fresh cilantro (love this stuff).

Step one: Cook the chicken. I broiled mine for 10 mins. on each side with some garlic and pepper. Cut into cubes.

Step two: Mix soup, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2-1 cup shredded cheese and a couple tablespoons of cilantro with the chicken.

Step three: Crush taco shells in the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer with the chicken mixture. Top with salsa (as much as you like). Sprinkle with more cheese. Top with more crushed taco shells. Sprinkle with a little more cheese and fresh cilantro.

Step four: Bake to melt cheese and brown the chips. I got distracted and burnt mine just a little but I picked off the really burnt chips. It was really good. I froze some in small containers for my husband and I to grab for work lunches.

Buen provecho!

Bible verse paintings

For this art project, I used an old Bible from when I was a child. I tried to find one at the local thrift store but couldn't. I'm sure if I'd kept looking for a few days or tried another store, I might have found one but I was really anxious to paint this. And I didn't want a new Bible - I wanted old, yellowed pages and highlighted passages.

Supplies: a Bible (old or new), acrylic paint, canvas - flat or wrapped, glue, paintbrushes, old toothbrush, paint pens or permanent marker

Step one: Paint the canvas a solid color. I like using black as my background color. While paint is drying, measure your pages. For a larger canvas, you may have to use 4 Bible pages and you may have to tear them or burn the edges to get them to fit. Measure and lay out before you glue. For smaller canvas, you could use just one Bible page.

Step two: Glue the pages to the canvas. Use a paintbrush to smooth out the air bubbles, although I like having the added texture of a few wrinkles and air bubbles but that's just me.

Step three: Choose the verse you want to paint on the canvas around the image and write it down on paper. I like to choose a verse directly from one of the pages that I used on the canvas but you don't have to.

Step four: Paint a cross or an appropriate image in the middle of the canvas. For example, I recently painted one with the verse "A friend loveth at all times" and I painted a heart instead of a cross. While that image dries, use a contrasting color to add detail to the edge of the canvas. Just broad, uneven strokes - this is supposed to look "messy" and "folk-ish". Let dry.

Step five: Using a paint pen or permanent marker (I like using black), write the verse around the image in the middle. Don't forget to put the reference somewhere so you'll know where the verse came from. Let dry.

Step six: Using two or three colors, including black and white, splatter the paint on the entire painting. An old toothbrush works great or a dry brush with rough bristles. Let dry.

Step seven: Sign your painting. If using flat canvas, you can hot glue ribbon or scrap fabric with rough edges to the back for hanging. You could also add a few strips that have been knotted to one of the corners.

Estimated cost: under $10

Recycled tee shirts

So, I made a couple of these at Christmas as gifts and now here's how.

Supplies: several tee shirts with words or pictures on them, one blank tee shirt, thread, sewing machine, extra embellishments or paint.

I first decided what I wanted to spell. Then, I cut out the letters from the old tee shirts and spelled my new word. Then I layered it on top of the tee shirt fabric and scrap fabric I have around the house. Pin it down. Or, you could use heat seal to iron on the back and iron it together before you sew it. I just layered until I liked the look, then added it to my blank tee. I also like to use fabric glue and add rhinestones, sparkly paint, and sequins to make it girly and chic.

What will you spell today?

Daily Doodle notebooks

It's been a while since I've written but I've been so very busy.

I did this little project with my art groups at church and the kids just loved them.

Supplies: scrapbook paper or handpainted paper, hole punch, scissors, ribbon

Cut the paper into small squares or rectangles. We cut ours slightly bigger than a playing card. Punch two holes in one side with about an inch between. Stack together and string the ribbon through the holes and tie in a pretty bow (double knot).

Now you have a pocket-sized notepad, doodle book, or prayer list to keep with you all the time!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Even without the cold and snow, I'm making it look like Christmas around here a little at a time. I started today with my fireplace mantle. I've never had one before to decorate and make pretty. So, it's been fun today.

I started by making my teenager drag all my Christmas boxes out of the garage. That was really the hardest part!

I have too much fabric lying around and never enough time to make something with it all so I found a fun printed one with trees and snowmen to hang on the mantle. Then, I rearranged our family photos on one side of the mantel and sat a big Christmas canvas on the other side, leaning in front of the mirror. I spaced out the stocking hangers and alternated a shiny silver one with a rustic bronzed one. I found a hanging etched glass ornament that we received last year as a Christmas gift and sat it in front of the painting. I also added some red netting, dotted ribbon and white sheer ribbon around my Woodwick candle. Then, I added the stockings. Magical.

I'm sure as the season progresses and I give Thanksgiving time to come and go, I'll add some whimsical art done by the kids, the tree will be up in the corner next to the fireplace, lights glowing...this place will be a winter wonderland fit for Santa.