Crafty Stay-cation Activities -- Crafty Sunday Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent these products in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I have missed the last two Crafty Sundays because we were having a staycation. We had a wonderful week and I thought I would share with you some of our activities and ideas for a staycation especially the ones on the crafty side. My birthday fell on during the week and it was the big 50. My sister came and made me a birthday cake and dinner with her wonderful assistant, Hazel. It was a lovely social distant celebration. Then we set up a puzzle to work on for the week. I finally finished it except for the two pieces I somehow lost. Ugh! I always do that. The puzzle is Mount Fuji Japan Jigsaw Puzzle. I love setting up a puzzle and having it to work on with my family. We like to do this when we vacation at the Cape as well. 

It is such a beautiful picture and the puzzle was fun to work on. The hardest part is the sky. I finished that part today. We also got take-out for lunch most of the week and ate a family lunch together. We also had our family dinners so we got some quality time together. 

I also wanted to make a few more signs. I have been sharing them for a few times on Crafty Sundays. I thought today I would give some more details. I got two packages of gift wrapping paper, Shimmering Silver Gift Wrapping Papers and Japanese Washi Gift Wrapping Papers, to review and thought they would be wonderful for the backgrounds. 

These gift wrapping papers are beautiful and wonderful quality. You can see all the designs in each package on the back of the package. With each package is an introduction to the prints as well as some sample ideas for using the papers. Here are two from the Japanese Washi Gift Wrapping Papers. How beautiful are these?

And here are a few from the Shimmer Silver Gift Wrapping Papers. 

The wrapping ideas as well as project ideas are absolutely beautiful! I love the wrapping papers from Tuttle Publishing! Now back to our projects with them. I bought four more signs at a discount store for $2.99 each. I picked out the papers I would use and cut them to the signs. I clipped around curves and where the ropes were attached. Then I printed the sayings I wanted and cut them out. Now I was ready to put it together with Mod Podge.

I made two with the same saying from the Shimmering Silver Gift Wrapping Papers because I wanted to make one for a friend who is going through a very hard time right now. My next step is to put some Mod Podge on the straight edges and pull the paper a bit to get a tight fit. Then I use the clips I made in the paper to wrap it tightly around the curved parts. I put some Mod Podge on the curved parts and also on the paper that is already attached.

Next I flip the sign over. If I have not figured out the layout of the words I do that now. Then I put a thin layer of Mod Podge over the top of the entire sign (and some along the edges/sides). 

Once the words are on you want to put a thin coat of Mod Podge over them. Make sure it is thin and you do not rub the brush over the words too many times (especially if you used an inkjet). The ink may run a bit.

Now you let them dry. I always have wax paper under them when I do the gluing and letting them dry. I usually go back in 90 minutes or so and move them off the wax paper to another section to make sure it doesn't stick. In a couple of hours I often lean them against something to make sure the back dries as well.

These are the three signs I made for myself (well Hazel has the waves one). And then I gave this one to my friend.

My friend loved her new sign. I am hoping it gives her the uplifting message every day since she really needs it. 

Another thing we have done is to make spaces for each of us in our house. Since we were on a staycation and since we are for the most part spending a lot of our time at home, we each need some space. We have been using our backyard much more this summer. I LOVE our backyard and am happy to be using it more. We also moved some furniture and donated a large dollhouse someone had given me to revive to a dollhouse store. We had a road trip to Flip This Dollhouse in New Bedford to drop off the dollhouse. By making room (by giving away the dollhouse) I was able to make space to work on my dollhouses again! Now I'm decorating around my work space.

This is my 1980's beach house that I need to finish. Once I do I will get started on another kit. Hazel wants to help me make some so she can learn how to do it. I can't wait to work with her on them. Stay tuned for some dollhouse posts!