crafter-on-the-loose – robin maderich – write-brained scribbler and crafter-on-the-loose

Christmas Tree Advent Calendar

I may have mentioned elsewhere that I love to craft. I used to try selling my crafts on Etsy, but because I love to do so many things I really didn’t have the focus I needed for my shop. One of these days, I might just pick one and get back to it, but in the meantime, I decided to start posting crafting videos on YouTube. As of this post, my most recent is about making a wooden Christmas tree advent calendar.

Crafty Season Has Begun!

And so, it begins. It is November after all. Christmas is next month! Here’s a pretty simple craft I am sharing from my YouTube Channel, Tumble Creek Christmas. I am always in possession of multiple gold-colored cat food cans, thanks to having kitties (crazy, but not childless, cat lady that I am). I like their color and their size, and one day it hit me how I could utilize them for the holidays. The cans, holiday plaid scrapbook paper, scissors and glue are basically all you need. Just be sure to either file or otherwise seal any sharp edges on your cleaned cans. Have fun and let me know if you give this craft a try.

Recycle, reuse, craft!

I’m always looking for ways to reuse and recycle. I came across this article and thought I’d pass it on. Me? I use toilet paper rolls as toys for the dog and cats. The dog, because she destroys any other kind of toy–toilet paper rolls, too, but at least they don’t cost $14 a pop! The cats, because they love to roll them around and wrestle with them.

So, anyway, read, learn, enjoy!

Don’t Throw Away Those Empty Paper Towel Rolls

Make this lovely wreath!

This is one of the simplest wreaths I’ve made (especially since I make ones from real greens closer to the holidays), but I absolutely love it. The grapevine wreath I used is 30 inches across, but you don’t need to go that big. This project can be made with grapevine wreaths of any dimension, as long as you adapt your greens and ribbon to the proper size. You certainly wouldn’t want to use three-inch wide ribbon on a six-inch wreath–unless you’re going for a different sort of look, of course.

How to Make a Keepsake Ornament

If you’re like me, you hold onto Christmas cards from prior years, either because they have meaning to you, or because they are too cute or beautiful to toss into the recycling. Or both. Below is an excerpt from my craft book, 12 Days of Christmas Projects, showing you how to recycle those Christmas cards into keepsake ornaments.

How-to: Gingerbread Man Paper Mache Ornament

This is an excerpt from my how-to Christmas craft book, 12 Days of Christmas Projects, which is available now at Barnes and Noble, Amazon and other on-line retailers, as well as for order from your local bookstore (support local!).

Gingerbread houses and gingerbread men are iconic when it comes to the holidays. This gingerbread man is made from paper mache and is meant to be hung on your tree as a jolly reminder of the season. I have made mine the thickness of my particular cookie cutter, making for a hefty (although fairly lightweight) decoration. You may make yours as thin as an actual cookie, or anywhere in between. Just remember that the thicker the paper mache, the longer the dry time. I also used strips of fabric for his scarf and as a hanger to add to the primitive style.

Wreath-Making 101, Part 2 – It All Comes Together

It seems we’ve taken a while to get here, but I believe we’re ready to begin. Remember, there really is no exact or right way to do this. Every wreath I’ve made looks nothing like any of the others. They are all different. It is the nature of nature. The main thing is this: secure your greens and flowers and what-have-you, because it gets windy out there in the winter air. Otherwise, what you think is beautiful is beautiful.

Wreath-Making 101, Part 1 – Gathering Your Material

It may seem a bit early for this type of blog, but honestly, Christmas will be upon us sooner than we can blink. In addition, you will need to start gathering some of the materials for your wreath now with the onset of Autumn.

I don’t purport to be an expert at wreath-making, but I have been making them (and selling them) for more than fifteen years. In the beginning, I drove about forty-five minutes to an auction where I bid on greens which, if won, I would then load onto the tarp-covered back seat of my car, drive them home and unload them outside my studio (as they are best kept in the cold). To make the wreaths, I cut each bough to size, laid them out on the metal ring, clamped them all into place, after which I decorated each one with further greens, dried flowers, pinecones, etc.