DIY Paper Roses

Hello I know it's been awhile. I'll just say it again, I'm not a good blogger. Part of the reason however is because of how busy I've been! As you shall see in this post :)

   So my sister is getting married in TWO months! Her shower was a few weeks ago and this post is about what I did for the decoration.  Paper roses!

And let me tell you, it turned out perfectly. There were a few tutorials online but even with them I still had a little trouble getting it right. But eventually they came together and I was a paper rose machine! I will definitely be saving this craft for other occasions :) 

Here is my own tutorial with a play by play picture- hope you enjoy making your own!

1. Here are the tools you'll need: scissors, paper (color of your choosing- I chose white, peach and yellow construction paper) and a hot glue gun

2. Cut squares out of your paper, it really doesn't matter what size they are. Obviously, the bigger the square the bigger the rose. (I was able to get 12 roses out of one sheet, the squares were tiny but the rose ended being the perfect size for what I needed) 

3. Cut a spiral out of the square, it doesn't matter how perfect your lines are, in fact if they aren't perfect good! It makes the rose more interesting. 

4. This is where I had trouble. The next move is to roll the spiral. It's hard to explain with words so I took a picture of the direction you should roll. 

This is the rose all rolled up. When you cut your spiral there should be a little spot in the center that the rose 'anchors' on (the part on my thumb...please excuse the chipping nail polish)

5. Let go of the rose.When I let go because it is so tightly wound the rose should stay fairly rolled up. 

6. Put a glob of glue in the center bit and then make sure the center of the flower in pressed into the glue and hold it for a hot minute (literally) to make sure the spiral stays in place.

7. Voila! 

I ended up making trees with the rose blossoms, but you can do so much more! Wreaths, bouquets, garlands, etc. It's such an easy craft to make and to make your own- enjoy!

bears bears bears

One important thing. I love bears. I love them more than any other creature in existence. Well polar bears are my actual favorite, but bears in general will do. Lately I've been wanting to play around with oil pastels and what better to draw then- bears :) It is totally different than my usual gouache; way less details and I feel like I have very little control, but it is a fun change! And I am pretty pleased with how these turned out:

....he wants a hug. 

look at him....don't you just want to give him a snuggle!?

Sugar Power

  Straying a little from art this time....

Ok, this might be a little TMI but we gotta talk about UTI's. It's just that they are the most horrible EVER and I have found an incredible solution and I very much want to share it with you. So stick with me.

  So I was having some major issues with them, and was constantly on antibiotics, which worked but who wants to be on those all the time? Not I. So I started doing the cranberry thing, hard core. And then after a month found myself back at the doctor for inflammation due to all the acidity I was ingesting. So what to do. I don't want to do antibiotics for the rest of my life, I can't keep up this cranberry stuff and NO WAY am I dealing with UTI's. Let me just say, I love my doctor. I was almost in tears because I really saw no alternative but she (love her) said her sister had a similar problem and was taking something that was not acidic and completely natural and it worked. So she whipped out her phone, texted her sister (who thank goodness texted right back) and the answer: D-MANNOSE

So what she explained (and google helped) it is a sugar that our body produces naturally, but when we take it in excess the extra spills over into our bladder and coats anything that shouldn't be there, allowing whatever shouldn't be there that might cause painful infections to be* ahem swept away. Let me cut to the point, IT WORKS. I found two different forms, powder and pill, on amazon for about $34 total. At EarthFare one bottle was that amount. And it lasts me about three months. And let me repeat, IT WORKS. So whether you desperately need this or not, it's amazing to have around, especially for those interested in staying natural and away from antibiotics, etc. 

Not many people have heard about it so I just wanted to share the news and get it out there...so there you have it :) 

Tissue Fleurs

so one of my best friends is getting married! well, actually 3 of them are this year. but last weekend was my girl elissa's shower and for decor i made some tissue flowers...and they turned out super cute! it's a fresh take on the tissue poofs that were so popular, and i like that these have tulle in them...it makes them seem way more fancy then they really are...and they are really easy to do!! here's how :)

you can use the same color tissure OR make it ombre and pick gradient colors, with the tulle being the lightest, cuz it is in the middle. for the shower i chose tans, yellows and creams. 

 start by cutting two sheets of each color into a rectangle (some of mine ended up being more square or more rectangle but it didn't make a difference in how the flower turned out) and then layer them, darkest on the bottom and lightest on top (tulle)

 then accordion the layers and tie with a string in the middle, make sure it's tight!!

don't fan it out like i did here, this was the only picture i had showing the string. in order to cut the edges it is MUCH easier to cut when it is still folded.

now to make it look like petals! cut diagonally in on one side, then flip it and do the same thing. it should end up looking like this...

now it's time to fan it out. 

 and then fluff! just pull each layer up into the middle and voila! (be careful with the tissue layers, they rip really really easily)

 you can make all sorts of sizes and colors, i made a ton of them and they were perfect. they were easy to make and super versatile, i will definitely be using them again in the future. :)

Back again!

Hi guys!!
 Gracious I disappeared again. Well I hope that this is the start of much blogging for years to come...I love reading other blogs so much and I guess I thought that what I was writing and posting was just bleh compared to all the other blogs out there. And so I disappeared. But it's time to begin again. And this time for good!
So many changes have happened in the past year! Husband got a job, we finally have our own little apartment, I was able to quit my job and start full time freelance art! It is such a difference getting to stay home and do art in my own climate controlled little home! (i did art for Trader Joe's, but my 'office' was in the back room where the deliveries come in so in the winter time the garage door is open A LOT and it gets a bit nippy)
I've been getting super creative in different ways with different crafts and I'm excited to begin posting! I may even do a recipe...*gasp. Forgive the boring lay out, I'm creative but not with blogs apparently. My future brother in law is helping me start a website and we'll hopefully spruce this ol' place up a bit :) Thanks for sticking around, here are some pictures to get us going! XO

 Jeni

         My own little art space!!

                                               Our dining area with a new painted addition :)

one of my latest commissions  

                                                                coffee filter roses!

                        my map for the dining room. With sea monster and ship included for husband :)

until next time!

The Hunger Games

So I have another book you should read! Well, three actually. I don't like futuristic stories, usually...but this trilogy definitely captured me for three days! All three are great, but of course, like with most trilogies, the first is the best, in my opinion...

So these books take place in future North America, or rather, where North America used to be. It is now the country of Panem, split into 12 'districts' and ruled by the distant in many ways Capitol. Sounds simple enough...

Well, 74 years before our story takes place there was a rebellion against the Capitol led by the now destroyed District 13. In memory of this rebellion, and to quench any future uprisings, the Capitol now holds "The Hunger Games" once a year.

The Hunger Games are a brutal, cruel gladiatorial event in which two kids (ages 12 to 18) from each district are chosen and set against each other in a televised arena until only one is left alive. Not quite so simple now right?

So the main character of this gripping tale is Katniss Everdeen, a resourceful 16 year old from the under dog District 12. So I like Katniss, obviously. But more in the way you like Harry Potter...I like Harry, but Ron is actually my favorite character. Well Katniss's "Ron" is a boy named Peeta Mellark and I just love this kid.

When the day of the Reaping comes (the day the kids are chosen for the Games) Katniss's little sister Primrose is picked, and Katniss immediately volunteers in her place. Peeta is chosen thus setting this story in motion...what follows is quite a fascinating, occasionally nail biting, tear jerking story and you really should read it :)

PLUS they are making a movie of it!! So read it now before it comes out... (in march)

Sketched Memories

So i've been reminiscing about a trip I took in early May 2008. My family and I went to Italy and England over a two weeks span and it was incredible. I kept a journal the whole time and sketched as much as I could. I also kept like, everything I could snag-blades of grass, ticket stubs, gelato receipts, etc. For memories!! I had so much fun people watching and spying out what all those Europeans wore, and occasionally trying out my own crazy outfits. Every day I sketched outfits, things I saw and wrote my thoughts. I would never ever travel without a journal, it's such a great way of remembering your trip!

here is a sketch of me as soon as i got back....i noticed everything single italian girl had fringe bangs so what was the first thing i did when i got back? hair cut!

here is my fat wonderful journal

sketch of the lamps in St. Mark's Square in Venice

my poor journal overflowing with maps and other souvenirs

a sketch of one my outfits ( we only brought a back pack each so our clothing choices was quite limited lol, but gosh darnit, i got my rain boots over and back again!)