How To Get (and Stay) Motivated for Crafts and Do-It-Yourself Projects

Think you can't paint? Never tried a particular craft before and need that kick to get you going? Want to try a new project but feel a little bit daunted?

Don't worry- we all feel like that sometimes. So I thought today, I'd share some tips I use to get motivated to dip into the arts, crafts and home improvement projects I haven't tried before.

• Set reasonable goals for yourself. So, for instance, if you want to decorate a piece of furniture and you're not sure of your painting skill, choose a design that suits your skill-- and don't expect to replicate the Sistene Chapel on your TV armoire. :) Consider tools like stencils, transfers, decoupage, or simply scaled-back artwork. This takes the pressure off while setting more reasonable expectations.

• If working on a project in stages, take photos during the stages not only so you can see how far you've come, but so you can go back to where you were before if there were any Oopses along the way. I did that with my TV armoire, taking photos of my first attempt at decorative painting, and it gave me added confidence.
  

• Know that there are going to be times during almost any project that you're going to wonder whether you're doing the right thing-- and that's okay! Even fine woodworkers and great designers get confronted with problems during projects that test their problem-solving abilities. Don't be afraid to stop and take time to regroup. Take as much time as you need to think it through again.
  

• Remember that even if something should go awry, this is all a part of a learning process. So while the end-product might not be just what you wanted right away, you can fix it, and you will also have gained the knowledge to do things differently in the future. That's invaluable!
  

• Sketch your design out in advance, or do a few practice pieces to see how your technique will work out before attempting your work in its permanent spot. This gives you a chance to see how your materials will handle in a safe setting.

• If working in paints, acrylics wash up with water and make it a lot easier to cover up any mistakes.
  

• Remember that you'll never know whether you can do it, if you never try. You might just be surprised what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it. But you have to take that first step and start!

• Patience! (This is the hard part for me.) Realize it doesn't have to be perfect the first time. The success is in the learning, not necessarily in the finished product. Choose to take a short break from it, rather than give up.

Here's wishing you joy and success in whatever projects you tackle!

How To Get (and Stay) Motivated for Crafts and Do-It-Yourself Projects

Think you can't paint? Never tried a particular craft before and need that kick to get you going? Want to try a new project but feel a little bit daunted?

Don't worry- we all feel like that sometimes. So I thought today, I'd share some tips I use to get motivated to dip into the arts, crafts and home improvement projects I haven't tried before.

• Set reasonable goals for yourself. So, for instance, if you want to decorate a piece of furniture and you're not sure of your painting skill, choose a design that suits your skill-- and don't expect to replicate the Sistene Chapel on your TV armoire. :) Consider tools like stencils, transfers, decoupage, or simply scaled-back artwork. This takes the pressure off while setting more reasonable expectations.

• If working on a project in stages, take photos during the stages not only so you can see how far you've come, but so you can go back to where you were before if there were any Oopses along the way. I did that with my TV armoire, taking photos of my first attempt at decorative painting, and it gave me added confidence.
  

• Know that there are going to be times during almost any project that you're going to wonder whether you're doing the right thing-- and that's okay! Even fine woodworkers and great designers get confronted with problems during projects that test their problem-solving abilities. Don't be afraid to stop and take time to regroup. Take as much time as you need to think it through again.
  

• Remember that even if something should go awry, this is all a part of a learning process. So while the end-product might not be just what you wanted right away, you can fix it, and you will also have gained the knowledge to do things differently in the future. That's invaluable!
  

• Sketch your design out in advance, or do a few practice pieces to see how your technique will work out before attempting your work in its permanent spot. This gives you a chance to see how your materials will handle in a safe setting.

• If working in paints, acrylics wash up with water and make it a lot easier to cover up any mistakes.
  

• Remember that you'll never know whether you can do it, if you never try. You might just be surprised what you can accomplish if you put your mind to it. But you have to take that first step and start!

• Patience! (This is the hard part for me.) Realize it doesn't have to be perfect the first time. The success is in the learning, not necessarily in the finished product. Choose to take a short break from it, rather than give up.

Here's wishing you joy and success in whatever projects you tackle!

Getting to Know You: Survey Says?

I know I blab on a lot each week about the sorts of things that I get all excited about when treasure hunting-- but I've been wondering what makes you all happy.
And so I thought it might be fun to just chat a bit about the kinds of things that make your hearts go pitty-pat when you spy them-- the way you decorate with them, and the kinds of places you go to uncover them!

• What, if anything, do you collect? Do you have a favorite piece in your collection?

• Do you have any preference between thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, antique malls or any other sources for your treasure-hunting?

• Is there anything you get particularly excited about when you spot it?
  

• Do you craft much? And if so-- what's your favorite craft?

• Do you decorate your home in a particular style? (Say, Victorian, colonial, 70s retro, mid-century modern, etc.)

• Is there a particular color that you gravitate toward?

Just to get the ball rolling so no one feels shy, I'll start--

• I collect a number of things, including McCoy pottery, figural bisque pieces, Carnival and luster glassware, Fiestaware, and early 1900s transferware pottery. I also have a small vintage Pyrex problem. And I love retro cooking, decorating and crafting books-- particularly if their photos have a "what-the?!" factor. I have favorite pieces, but choosing among all of them would be like picking a favorite child. They all make me happy when I see them.

• While I enjoy all forms of secondhand goodies-searching, I tend to go to thrift stores and antique malls more than garage sales and flea markets. It's a drive for me to get to flea markets, meaning I'd have to get up super-early in the morning just to be there at a decent time. And given my area's confusing, winding topography, tracking down garage sales isn't always easy. I might end up irretrevably lost-- and no, I haven't thrifted myself GPS yet. :) I should probably work on that.
  

• I get really excited when I see what might be an interesting, possibly hand-painted lamp at a thrift store. Longtime readers know I have a lamp problem. I should have probably listed that above in the collecting area, but doing so would mean I'd have to admit I actively amass them. And I'm not ready for that step in the Lamp Addicts Anonymous program yet.
  

• Re: crafting, I really enjoy painting; the success of it, however, is always teetering a fine line between half-decent and candidate for the Museum of Bad Art. And which way the project will veer is never obvious from the beginning.
  

• My home is decorated in a combination of Victorian and Shabby Chic, with a bit of Eastern Indian and 50s retro thrown in for good measure. I like the idea of the house being usable and comfortable, so I aim for an atmosphere more than strict period styling.

• Colorwise, I realize I seem to have some shade of green in almost every room. I find it soothing somehow. I'm not big on orange (I think I was scared by 70s harvest colors as a child), but I've grown to realize almost any color can work beautifully under the right circumstances.
  

So, those are my answers. What thrifty, crafty fun brings you joy? I'd love to hear about it!

Getting to Know You: Survey Says?

I know I blab on a lot each week about the sorts of things that I get all excited about when treasure hunting-- but I've been wondering what makes you all happy.
And so I thought it might be fun to just chat a bit about the kinds of things that make your hearts go pitty-pat when you spy them-- the way you decorate with them, and the kinds of places you go to uncover them!

• What, if anything, do you collect? Do you have a favorite piece in your collection?

• Do you have any preference between thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, antique malls or any other sources for your treasure-hunting?

• Is there anything you get particularly excited about when you spot it?
  

• Do you craft much? And if so-- what's your favorite craft?

• Do you decorate your home in a particular style? (Say, Victorian, colonial, 70s retro, mid-century modern, etc.)

• Is there a particular color that you gravitate toward?

Just to get the ball rolling so no one feels shy, I'll start--

• I collect a number of things, including McCoy pottery, figural bisque pieces, Carnival and luster glassware, Fiestaware, and early 1900s transferware pottery. I also have a small vintage Pyrex problem. And I love retro cooking, decorating and crafting books-- particularly if their photos have a "what-the?!" factor. I have favorite pieces, but choosing among all of them would be like picking a favorite child. They all make me happy when I see them.

• While I enjoy all forms of secondhand goodies-searching, I tend to go to thrift stores and antique malls more than garage sales and flea markets. It's a drive for me to get to flea markets, meaning I'd have to get up super-early in the morning just to be there at a decent time. And given my area's confusing, winding topography, tracking down garage sales isn't always easy. I might end up irretrevably lost-- and no, I haven't thrifted myself GPS yet. :) I should probably work on that.
  

• I get really excited when I see what might be an interesting, possibly hand-painted lamp at a thrift store. Longtime readers know I have a lamp problem. I should have probably listed that above in the collecting area, but doing so would mean I'd have to admit I actively amass them. And I'm not ready for that step in the Lamp Addicts Anonymous program yet.
  

• Re: crafting, I really enjoy painting; the success of it, however, is always teetering a fine line between half-decent and candidate for the Museum of Bad Art. And which way the project will veer is never obvious from the beginning.
  

• My home is decorated in a combination of Victorian and Shabby Chic, with a bit of Eastern Indian and 50s retro thrown in for good measure. I like the idea of the house being usable and comfortable, so I aim for an atmosphere more than strict period styling.

• Colorwise, I realize I seem to have some shade of green in almost every room. I find it soothing somehow. I'm not big on orange (I think I was scared by 70s harvest colors as a child), but I've grown to realize almost any color can work beautifully under the right circumstances.
  

So, those are my answers. What thrifty, crafty fun brings you joy? I'd love to hear about it!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Thrifting, Stitching and Surprise

I'd caught a glimpse of the images as I'd passed the Red, White and Blue thrift store's hanging decor section. It was amid the art class paintings, the 70s mushroom plaques in plaster, dusty prints and framed posters. I got a sense of color, of intricacy, and, well... a lot of legs.

The section was crowded. I would have needed a cattle prod and more chutzpa than I certainly could ever summon, just to take a peek. I decided to pop back later, when the area was less... leggy.

So I bobbed and weaved around the store, and returned 20 minutes later to the spot, to find it much more managable. And that's when I got to see the first side of the three framed items that had been stacked and taped together.

The mermaid needlework had my attention immediately. Not only for its size, and color, but the fact that I knew how much work went into the thing...
At least a foot-and-a-half square, the design was chock full of mer-people...
...jellyfish, sunken ships and thready kelp.
On the other side was Rapunzel, letting her long hair down for the prince to make his grand entrance....

And this one had all the detail of the first... Castles and flowers and the great effort of the thing was remarkable to me...

I had no idea what the third one was (it was firmly taped inside facing the other two), but given it was in the same sort of frame and size, I expected it might be another Grimm tale. Perhaps Cinderella? Snow White? I looked forward to getting it home and finding out.

When I did, I was in for a big surprise. As it happened to be depicting my very favorite of childhood tales...

Alice in Wonderland.

What luck! And as you can see, the piece is as lush with detail as the other two...

Here's our friend the Hatter...
And even the Cheshire Cat makes an appearance. Albeit how much of him remains there at any time is up to him...
Moving on, at the Ohio River Boulevard antique mall, I found a Victorian luster portrait plate for just $6...
And at the Salvation Army on the South Side, I uncovered a McCoy pinecone patterned creamer (this had been a part of a tea set at one time), for just a few dollars...
It was a fun week of finds and very easy on the pocketbook in total... Perhaps this pocketbook...
Which was a whopping $1.50.

So that's Treasure Box Wednesday for this week. May you find your own delightful surprises, treasures, and perhaps even some Wonder in the days ahead.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Thrifting, Stitching and Surprise

I'd caught a glimpse of the images as I'd passed the Red, White and Blue thrift store's hanging decor section. It was amid the art class paintings, the 70s mushroom plaques in plaster, dusty prints and framed posters. I got a sense of color, of intricacy, and, well... a lot of legs.

The section was crowded. I would have needed a cattle prod and more chutzpa than I certainly could ever summon, just to take a peek. I decided to pop back later, when the area was less... leggy.

So I bobbed and weaved around the store, and returned 20 minutes later to the spot, to find it much more managable. And that's when I got to see the first side of the three framed items that had been stacked and taped together.

The mermaid needlework had my attention immediately. Not only for its size, and color, but the fact that I knew how much work went into the thing...
At least a foot-and-a-half square, the design was chock full of mer-people...
...jellyfish, sunken ships and thready kelp.
On the other side was Rapunzel, letting her long hair down for the prince to make his grand entrance....

And this one had all the detail of the first... Castles and flowers and the great effort of the thing was remarkable to me...

I had no idea what the third one was (it was firmly taped inside facing the other two), but given it was in the same sort of frame and size, I expected it might be another Grimm tale. Perhaps Cinderella? Snow White? I looked forward to getting it home and finding out.

When I did, I was in for a big surprise. As it happened to be depicting my very favorite of childhood tales...

Alice in Wonderland.

What luck! And as you can see, the piece is as lush with detail as the other two...

Here's our friend the Hatter...
And even the Cheshire Cat makes an appearance. Albeit how much of him remains there at any time is up to him...
Moving on, at the Ohio River Boulevard antique mall, I found a Victorian luster portrait plate for just $6...
And at the Salvation Army on the South Side, I uncovered a McCoy pinecone patterned creamer (this had been a part of a tea set at one time), for just a few dollars...
It was a fun week of finds and very easy on the pocketbook in total... Perhaps this pocketbook...
Which was a whopping $1.50.

So that's Treasure Box Wednesday for this week. May you find your own delightful surprises, treasures, and perhaps even some Wonder in the days ahead.

No Stained Glass Left Behind

Well, I suppose it's not as bad as some addictions. I mean, the cops won't pull me over and book me for it. I'll never have to endure a cavity search because of it. And in one of those VH1 "Behind the Music" specials, it wouldn't pose much of a Dramatic Downfall.

Still, I do loves me stained glass windows. And I'm not afraid to have one hanging in every window in this house.

As you can see, I liked the arched stained glass panel I'd gotten so much, I'd invested in a slightly
larger one for my livingroom windowseat area. I'd had the pair of shield stained glass windows for years-- one in the center, and one propped in that tricky area I'd corrected recently in that boarded up area.

Now both shield windows are getting some light and, while they've only been up a few hours, it seems to me like they've lived there all along.

Of course, these were the easy ones. What's been an interesting challenge is the painted stained glass window I'm working on for my kitchen!

I was aiming for something to match my brightly colored Fiesta ware. Something streamlined, yet still having a period feel. Given the quirkiness of the dishes, and the fact I have a number of pottery heart molds hanging around, I decided to go with a Rennie MacIntosh (art and crafts period) meets Alice in Wonderland look.

This was my initial design...
I bought an old plain window at Construction Junction architectural salvage today...
(Mind the feet.)

You'll probably all get a chuckle when I tell you how much it set me back. Can you guess?

No?

Well, how about $1.07?

I know; I had to ask the cashier to repeat that myself. Now that's the kind of cost I like in a craft project-- especially one that's an experiment that may go awry.

I still had some stick-on leading from my previous projects. So I started mapping out my design. Here we just have the border...
Now for the start of the MacIntosh roses...
As the piece started to take shape, it also started to deviate a little from my original plan. Not a bad thing-- sometimes flexibility is what makes a craft have character. Here you'll see where I have it now... Most of it is mapped out...
Once I'm completely happy with the design, I'll begin to paint in the color. That's actually the part I've been really looking forward to! But, as you can see, it seems to be shaping up all right.

I think I might cut out a heart shape from paper and try to get those hearts more consistent. It's been challenging adding them by just eyeballing them.

Anyway, that's where it stands. I hope to update you folks with it as it comes to a conclusion. Even if it doesn't work out, we can get some chuckles from the mistakes.

And as always, thanks so much for stopping by and sharing in the fun!

No Stained Glass Left Behind

Well, I suppose it's not as bad as some addictions. I mean, the cops won't pull me over and book me for it. I'll never have to endure a cavity search because of it. And in one of those VH1 "Behind the Music" specials, it wouldn't pose much of a Dramatic Downfall.

Still, I do loves me stained glass windows. And I'm not afraid to have one hanging in every window in this house.

As you can see, I liked the arched stained glass panel I'd gotten so much, I'd invested in a slightly
larger one for my livingroom windowseat area. I'd had the pair of shield stained glass windows for years-- one in the center, and one propped in that tricky area I'd corrected recently in that boarded up area.

Now both shield windows are getting some light and, while they've only been up a few hours, it seems to me like they've lived there all along.

Of course, these were the easy ones. What's been an interesting challenge is the painted stained glass window I'm working on for my kitchen!

I was aiming for something to match my brightly colored Fiesta ware. Something streamlined, yet still having a period feel. Given the quirkiness of the dishes, and the fact I have a number of pottery heart molds hanging around, I decided to go with a Rennie MacIntosh (art and crafts period) meets Alice in Wonderland look.

This was my initial design...
I bought an old plain window at Construction Junction architectural salvage today...
(Mind the feet.)

You'll probably all get a chuckle when I tell you how much it set me back. Can you guess?

No?

Well, how about $1.07?

I know; I had to ask the cashier to repeat that myself. Now that's the kind of cost I like in a craft project-- especially one that's an experiment that may go awry.

I still had some stick-on leading from my previous projects. So I started mapping out my design. Here we just have the border...
Now for the start of the MacIntosh roses...
As the piece started to take shape, it also started to deviate a little from my original plan. Not a bad thing-- sometimes flexibility is what makes a craft have character. Here you'll see where I have it now... Most of it is mapped out...
Once I'm completely happy with the design, I'll begin to paint in the color. That's actually the part I've been really looking forward to! But, as you can see, it seems to be shaping up all right.

I think I might cut out a heart shape from paper and try to get those hearts more consistent. It's been challenging adding them by just eyeballing them.

Anyway, that's where it stands. I hope to update you folks with it as it comes to a conclusion. Even if it doesn't work out, we can get some chuckles from the mistakes.

And as always, thanks so much for stopping by and sharing in the fun!