Turn A Shopping Bag Into A Gift Bag, in 4 Easy Steps! Hastypearl

Turn A Shopping Bag Into A Gift Bag, In 4 Easy Steps!

Hastypearl 

Sometimes, in between projects that need serious brainpower, 

its fun to do easy art projects, that don't take a lot of thinking.

They are for Play. 

Just pure Play.

They serve a purpose...

they are kind of like "cleansing the palate" for the next important project.

My husband, likes to buy me gifts from a local gift shop.

I LIKE for him to buy me gifts from the local gift shop!

They always put your purchase in a great paper bag, 

that has their Shop Logo on the front.

I'm a gift bag kind of girl.

I admire people that go to terrific care, to wrap boxes, 

but I don't have that much interest.

I'm happy to just get my gift in a bag and add some tissue.

To me, its always whats INSIDE the wrap, that matters the most.

So, to get a Shopping Bag, into useful Gift Bag form, I simply...

Cover the store logo with some quick drying paint.

This paint is a liquid acrylic.

Whatever you have and in whatever color...Use!

Maybe you are neat and like lines.

That's cool.

Use some blue painters tape and paint inside, or just free hand a shape.

Grab some stamps and pads and Play!

I don't tend to work in These colors, but they are fun to use while playing.

This rubber stamp, is one of many that I have bought from Fred Mullett.

He has a great selection of stamps from nature prints with botanical and fish-y themes.

Grasses, flowers, fish...just go see for yourself.

There isn't anything cartoon-y about his stamps.

If you want a stamp that is realistic...these are the Ones.

(Ha! Thanks Fred. I just looked at your site and saw cartoon-y stamps. 

So...I'm Wr... Wr.. WRONG! 

You're the Master of Surprise!

Still, I love them All!)

Because the paper bag, has lots of folds and layers, I grabbed a Brayer Roller.

If you don't have one, you can press with your fingers, 

or something flat and larger than the stamp.

Layer, Layer, Layer.

 And Play, Play, Play with your colors.

Of course, there isn't a real feather that looks like this, but there is in MY world :)

I used a white Sharpie, to dot on the background.

I could have done any shape or lettering.

I just wanted something for contrast and I like how this looks.

The whole point of this is to have F-U-N!

If fun to you, is to get in and get out...then do it.

If fun for you, is to take your time, and create the Next Great Masterpiece...then, 

here is a free surface to do it on! 

So, there you are!

Not re-gifting....just reUsing a bag in 4 Easy Steps!

I hope this gets your creative juices going.

There really isn't any end to what you can reUse.

Think about the stacks of paper, cards, and tags...that can accumulate.

If it has a surface and you can cover up the store logo...then you are ready to go!

So glad you stopped in today.

I love that you do!

Please check out my new Hastypearl Etsy listings.

I've been hard at work in the studio with some new projects.

Life is Good...Laura 

Mixed Media Bird FUN !!!! Hastypearl

Mixed Media Bird FUN !!!!

Hastypearl

Those of you that know me, know that I love a challenge, 

especially in the studio.

I'm not a very cooperative directions follower, so I confess, 

I kind of like to make things up as I go along.

Last year, I had the wonderful experience of  attending

 the estate sale of a Clock Repairman, closing down his business.

Did I love it...well, I went back three days in a row!

Still, I wish I had bought MORE.

One of the items that he had lots of, were Vintage Clock Cases.

I can imagine that he had taken apart and married 

bits and pieces and ended up with lots of leftover parts.

Enter...Wood Clock Case Finials!

Yes!

I had No idea at the time, that they would end up 

being the bodies to Mixed Media Birds, 

but as you can see...they Did!

With a little engineering, and LOTS OF HOURS...

Joyous Hours, 

this little Flock...was born!

I loved thinking of different characters 

to Anthropomorphosize (take that new word, spell checker)!

 The top bird...Maybe a fine Gentleman?

Perhaps even Downtown Abbey's Mr. Carson? :)

The Orange Rebel with the big black hat below him, of course...

Argggg, Jack Sparrow...(get it?:)

A Caribbean Pirate, of Course!

Under him, Oui Oui...A French Bird with Beret and Scarf.

And here we have Amelia Earhart, Aviation hero, totally comfortable in the skies!

And finally, what group doesn't have a Clown?

Yep, there's Always a Clown.

I wrote lots of details about the creation of and description of this Crazy Crew

 over at my Hastypearl Etsy shop!

I hope You will take a look.

I'm having a ball in my studio these days!

If you have a character that you would like for me to custom make for You, 

You can contact me on the right side of this posting, 

or convo me through Etsy!

I love working with customers:)

Keep me in mind for your 2015 Gifting Needs!

I love that You stopped by!

And Hope that You will again, soon :)

Enjoy these Wonderful Days....

Laura aka hastypearl

Eco Dyeing Hastypearl

Eco Dyeing

Hastypearl

Its funny how you get used to seeing things in your home day after day, and maybe even take them for granted.

Well, I tell you, I look at this Cayenne Eco Dyed Vintage Embroidered runner, and its just as beautiful to me today, as when I first pulled it out of the pot.

The embroidery isn't the star of the show, but it sure makes it unique and beautiful.  

I love everything that came out of the pot that day!

I am sooo looking forward to doing much more.

*

Placed under our humble paper dinner napkins, it elevates the mundane!

We inherited both the Amber Depression Glass and the shells.

Its wonderful to be able to see them and remember the family that they came from.

The Vintage Yellow Fiesta Ware is part of our collection.

They came in a huge box that I found in the early 80's.

You don't want to know how li$$le I paid for them, 

before they became such a huge thing to collect!

I found the Laura Ashley table runner at a local estate sale, for a few dollars.

I think it makes for a great contrast and vignette.

Thanks for stopping by and seeing whats going on in my world.

I hope that you will sign up to receive email alerts for my postings.

You'll see the box on the right column.

I promise, I wont be a pest :)

Enjoy these  amazing days....

Laura

The Making of a Mixed Media Blue Bird Hastypearl

The Making of a Mixed Media Blue Bird

A Letter to a Girl, Yet to be Born

by Hastypearl

Dear Sawyer Anne,

I thought that You might want to know, 

even though you haven't been born yet, 

how Hastypearl...I mean Cousin Laura...

made your Birthday gift!

Little Sawyer, There will be some Life Lessons 

along the way, in this letter :)

I know that your parents love animals and beautiful land 

and ranches and aren't afraid of things like rusty wire, 

so I made your little birds legs out of real rusty ranch wire.

The Trouble is, when you hammer it, 

it can get hot and brittle and break!

So, for every one leg that I was successful making, 

I broke five.

First Life Lesson...Some things can take a long time to do, 

but if you stick with it, you will be glad that you did!

* 

* 

Sawyer, I also know that your parents aren't afraid 

to get their hands dirty.

Your Cousin Hastypearl...I mean Laura...often has dirty hands.

I am actually kind of proud of that.

Second Life Lesson...Don't miss out on some fun things in life, 

because you don't want to get your hands dirty.

Sawyer, I once went to an estate sale, three days in a row, 

in Fredericksburg, Texas. 

Each day, streams of people walked away with 

full bags of Vintage Finds.

Why?

Because the owner of the home, was a talented 

and eccentric Antiques collector and clock repairman.

I found a whole bag full, of Vintage Wood Clock Case Finials.

I used the prettiest one for the body of your little bird.

I didn't know how to build a bird.

I had Never built a bird like this before, but I figured it out!

Life Lesson Three...If you don't know how to do something, 

its OK. 

You can sit quietly and think about it and 

you will always be able to work it out.

Don't be Afraid.

Don't be Afraid of making a mistake.

Mistakes teach us.

Sawyer, I asked your Aunt Becky what your 

nursery colors were going to be. 

She sent me a picture of the bedding 

that your Mother and Father wanted for you.

The colors of the bedding were 

Teal and Aqua and Fuchsia.

That is what I used for your bird! 

Life Lesson Four...If you don't have the answer to your questions, 

you can ask for help.

Everyone Loves to Help!

Your little bird, needed wings, so I fashioned some, out of 

painted cardboard and some Very Old Keys.

The keys from long ago, used to be beautiful and

 were works of art.

You don't see that any more.

Sawyer, I know that you are already a Daughter of a King.

The King.

He knew you Before you were even in your mommies tummy.

I gave your bird a Crown.

YOU wear a Crown in the eyes of your King.

Don't ever take it off!

I don't think He would mind if you twirl in a fluffy tutu, 

so at the last minute, I gave your bird a tutu.

  

Life Lesson Five...Don't take your eyes off of the King.

Sawyer, it took a Joyously long time to make this little bird for you.

But the whole time that I was working on it, 

I thought about you and wondered what you would be like.

I prayed for you and your parents.

They don't understand yet, how hard and wonder-full,

 its going to be to meet you.

No one ever does, until it Finally happens.

That's because its a special secret that The King keeps for each of us.

They don't Know the extreme highs and lows that they will experience as you grow.

But I know, that they will love you and love you and love you some more.

They will do their very best to help you be who you will Be.

Then, when it is time, you will Fly!

They will wonder how it was possible that 

so many days passed...

but they will be so proud of you 

and thankful that you were a part of their lives.

We really can't wait to meet you...Sawyer Anne!

Really!

x's and o's...L