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crafts

crafts

finger knitting tutorial | christmas crafts

Last December, I hopped onto Instagram Stories and made a quick finger knitting tutorial for those who were asking how I made the little wreath present toppers.  The quick tutorial went over so well that I decided I should make a proper video tutorial for my YouTube channel and to share here on my blog.  What’s wonderful about this project is that it’s super easy and a very quick project.  You can make one of the little wreaths to use as ornaments or handmade present-toppers in just a couple of minutes.  If you want to knit a garland to mix in with greens or swag on a Christmas tree, that would be an easy TV-watching project.  It’s also kid-friendly. Here is the easy finger knitting video tutorial… Finger knitting is easier shown than explained, so I would suggest watching the video and you’ll pick it up quickly. Did anyone else

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All Things Home

how to dry & decorating with orange slices

This holiday season, I am in the mood to do some crafting…even more than usual.  Last year, I had a lot of plans, but most of them went undone.  It was a busy year and I just had to continue to let things fall off of my to-do list.  But, this year, I’m excited about creating some homemade holiday decorations, so I’ve started early!  Saturday morning, I sliced up some oranges to turn into decor and I thought I would share how to dry and decorate with orange slices. how to dry orange slices Preheat oven to 170°.  Slice fresh oranges into about 1/4″ slices, discarding ends.  You can also use blood oranges, grapefruit, lemons, or any citrus fruits.  I’ve even done this technique with apple slices to make an apple cinnamon garland. Arrange on a cookie sheet.  I was able to put about 8 oranges, sliced, onto two cookie

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crafts

collecting & pressing leaves & flowers

Over the past few days, I have become acutely aware of autumn’s waning beauty and how it will all soon be covered in snow.  We’ve had some unusually warm weather in our neck of the woods, so I’ve done a bit of foraging on my walks.  I don’t always know what I’ll do with the bits that I gather, but I don’t worry about that too much.  I just carry a small bag and gather the things that attract my eye.  I collected pinecones to use for Christmas projects and decorations, some pods and thistles that might be interesting to draw, grasses that can be used for making brushes, acorn caps that can be used as little natural paint pots, sticks that can be brush handles and dip pens, and leaves and flowers for pressing. I also took advantage of a pretty afternoon and got the garden beds in the

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All Things Home

How to Make a Fall Wreath

Disclosure: This post on how to make a fall wreath is sponsored by   As always, all words and opinions are honest and my own.  This post also contains affiliate links. Let’s talk about some fall crafting!  I have a confession…I have had the same artificial boxwood wreath hanging on my door for the past year and a half.  I didn’t even swap it out for a Christmas wreath last year!  I haven’t gone bit with pumpkins or anything else, but I decided to make a fall wreath and share how to make one yourself. For supplies, I shopped on .  Not only does Walmart have a wide array of home products, but they have a , which I’ve shared in past posts.  (You can find some of my Walmart craft projects HERE.)  No matter the time of year, I’m drawn to the supplies they carry that allow me to

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All Things Home

painted klompen shoes

When I organized the basement storage room, I made a use-it-or-lose-it pile.  I have been holding onto some decor pieces since before we moved and if they’ve been in a box, closet, or basement for 4+ years, then it’s time to either find a good spot for it or let it go.  The whole point of decor pieces is to be decorative!  They are not doing anyone any good if they are in a storage room.  Making some self-imposed rules and boundaries can sometimes sound silly, but they can be very helpful if you’re willing to be bossy and firm with yourself.  Creating this use-it-or-lose-it rule finally gave me the push to give these vintage painted klompen shoes a makeover. The small pair is a souvenir pair that we picked up somewhere…I’m not even sure where or when.  I just remember having them since I was a girl.  I would

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All Things Home

DIY sewing scissors case & hemming linen towels

As I shared in Monday’s post, I’m taking the time to work through small projects as I come across specific materials I purchased with the intention of making them.  I think that’s one of the problems with being someone who likes projects – we’re always collecting materials, tools, and supplies for the next project.  Or 15 projects.  While I had the ironing board out and was already working on measuring, cutting, and sewing for the rice & lavender hot/cold packs, I decided to hem some linen towels and make a case for my embroidery scissors out of some scraps. I purchased a couple of yards of THIS linen toweling when I was ordering some linen fabric for other projects with the intention of making some more kitchen dish towels.  (They have all sorts of patterns and colors, too.)  I washed and cut the fabric, but never hemmed it to finish

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All Things Home

how to make a rice & lavender hot/cold pack

A part of cleaning, organizing, and purging is dealing with materials that were purchased with intention.  I buy them because I intend to do something with them.  When I was cleaning out my cleaning supplies, I found the materials for two projects that have been languishing in a closet for too long.  Some of the supplies were purchased to make beeswax food wraps and some were intended for a rice & lavender-filled hot/cold pack.  Last week, I made the hot-cold pack and I thought I would share how to make it.  The nice thing about this project is it’s super quick and simple and it made me wonder why I waited so long! How to Make a Rice & Lavender Hot/Cold Pack | Printable Instructions   How to Make a Rice & Lavender Hot/Cold Pack | Required Materials & Tools 4 lbs rice dried lavender (I used about 1-2 cups,

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All Things Home

crochet vs. knitting

As I shared last week, I learned to knit over the Christmas break.  I’ve been wanting to learn for a while, so I bought a couple of knitting books and supplemented them with YouTube tutorials when I needed to see someone perform a particular stitch.  I haven’t knitted anything particularly useful, but have been making squares and rectangles to practice stitches, work on my tension, learn to “see” the stitches, and to play with different types of yarn and needle sizes.  I’ve been asked by a lot of people who are interested in learning one or the other to share a comparison, so that’s what this post is all about – crochet vs. knitting!  I will share a separate post with beginner knitting resources I’ve found to be most helpful. crochet vs. knitting – which one is easiest? I think this question is a tough one and I’ve had readers

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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