Heidi Boyd's Blog, page 5

Painted Pebbles are Pet Rocks with Personality!

Crafts like fashion trends constantly recycle into new carnations. Pet rocks were a fad when I was child although I don't remember them being particularly colorful or fun to make. I've decided to bring a new breed of pet rock to the Brunswick Maine this summer. I'm loading up buckets of beach rocks to bring into the library so that creative youngsters can transform them into in vibrant sea creatures.
 My four year old assistant officially tested the project and gives is a double thumbs up...

DIY carpet sample flooring

 Heidi and Jon's weekend 'free' carpet installation.Jon's offices are moving to a new location in Portland which means they've been purging stock piles of old product samples. He works for an architectural firm that specializes in 'Environments for Health' hospital and assisted living facilities. Part of their client services is to offer custom tailored interior boards that feature flooring, wall coverings, paint and trim samples. Instead of loading the leftover commercial carpet samples into...

Binder Remix

Decked out in duct tape!We're approaching that time of year when the contents of desk and lockers are brought home and dumped into our homes. Think green and take a moment to carefully sort through the debris and salvage what can be reused. If you discover a worn binder this duct tape project might be the ticket to get your teen away from the computer and crafting.
 Creative hands at work.This project was born out of the desire to create a useful party craft for my neighbors' birthday party. T...

Baking Therapy cures Mom on Overload

Batch of molasses cookies, fresh from the oven!When people hear I write craft books they're usually intrigued. I fight the temptation to admit that it's really not very glamorous. A creative career is truly a mixed bag. There are some wonderful moments when a new design falls together and editors appreciate my work. Other times I'm up til the wee hours of the night reworking an unsuccessful design. The scariest time for a self employed artist is when your workload hits a lull. What makes up f...

Preschool Posies for Mother's Day

It was a treat to volunteer in Celia's preschool class on Wednesday. I had a project in mind and her teachers graciously let me come in and work with the children. When I found 'Easter trees', simple clay pots with green floral wire stems, at the Dollar Tree store I immediately snatched a cart full. I knew that they would make the perfect base for one of a kind flower creations. 
To prepare for this activity I hauled out a bag of stiff felt scraps leftover from the library monster program. I ...

A little faith - Beaded Necklace Tutorial and Giveaway.

I find the greatest spiritual wonder in nature, which is why I placed this beaded cross on a mossy stone. The view from a mountain top, the peace of a quiet walk in the woods, or the crashing sound of the waves on the beach all take my breath away.

A couple years ago Pure Allure sent me a selection of jewelry findings that featured Swarovski crystals for use in my design work. I recently delved into the stash and discovered an amazing selection of crosses. I chose a simple earthy mix of color...

Creativity that sticks -Childrens Plant Pot Workshop

 Proud artists with their plant pot creations!Have I told you lately how much I love our library? When we moved to Brunswick Maine from Des Moines six years ago Curtis Memorial Library was the very first place that made us feel part of the community. My older boys loved both the children's and teen programs. Four years ago when Celia joined our family I began taking her to 'baby lapsit', many of her preschool friendships started at the library. Last summer my husband Jon and I were delighted ...

Happy 40th Earthday!

To celebrate the Earthday I'm giving away a signed copy of my Craftcycle book to a lucky winner. This book was a labor of love, it's filled with craft ideas, recipes, and green living tips. A random winner will be selected from my blog followers, please post a comment here to let me know you're interested. I'm loading up my chip purse and heading out the door to teach teens how to fold a java wristband, Good luck!

Stitching up Spring

The last few weeks have been all about stitching chez Boyd. It started with working up sample projects for my new sewing book and then moved on to stitching together a blog header. While I was selecting fabric for the header at Alewives in Damriscotta, I couldn't resist picking up a Modkid sewing pattern. Patty Young designed this gorgeous 'Emma' dress that is actually a versatile skirt and top set. Celia and I had so much fun picking out the fabrics, there's no shortage of inspiration in the...

Green Bling, Java Bracelet - Free Tutorial

With Earth day around the corner, there's no time like the present to get crafting with recyclable materials. The Chip Wrapper Purse is one of the most popular projects in my Craftcycle book. Unfortunately many crafters don't have the time to commit to making the whole purse. I decided to pare the project down to it's gum wrapper bracelet roots. This way you can try out the technique and be able to wear your new creation in about an hour. I substituted the wrappers for long lasting coffee...