Happy first weekend of fall! I can’t believe fall is here already! It seems like summer just started a few days ago. If you’re a crafter you have to think ahead. Before we know it the holidays will be here! There are several links in this weeks roundup to help you get started thinking about fall and the holidays. I hope you enjoy checking them all out as much as I did!.

1. Paper Covered Pumpkins With Poetry~ Cherie takes Dollar Store pumpkins and gives them an artsy makeover.
2. Copper Tube Bead Necklace~ What do you do with copper tube beads? Make a fabulous necklace, of course!
3. Santa Craft~ June’s finished up a “Skinny Santa” and shows you how it’s done!
4. Creating Art With Photoshop~ Eileen had fun learning how to create fine art with Photoshop.

I just can’t believe fall is almost here already! The weather was even “fallish” this last week here in Ohio. I had to break out my sweatshirts and jeans, ugh! It did get me in the mood to start some fall crafts and projects, and it looks like others are in the mood too from this weeks crafty links. Check out these fun links for a little football, beading, Christmas, and candles. There’s something for everyone! I hope you enjoy checking out all the ideas as much as I did!

1. Matchbox Christmas Ornament- The first Christmas ornament of the season is finished… June shares the instructions to create your own “winter matchbox shrine” ornament.
2. Soup and Football Scrapbooking- Cherie documents her favorite team’s road to the “Soup-er Bowl”.
3. Lampwork Glass Turtle Necklace- Cyndi figures out how to showcase a wonderful lampwork glass pendant and shares the steps with you!
4. Easy Candle Decoration- Step by step how to make an easy diy candle decoration in a jiffy.

Enjoy!

I was a slacker over the holiday weekend, so today I have some fun arts and crafts reading to share with you. Let me tell you these girls are so creative! You’ve got to check out some of the fun ideas they came up with just this week! Check out this teal garden sculpture Cherie made, then click the link below the photo to see how she made it! I want one for my garden!

Teal Garden Sculpture Finished
Cherie shows the finished glass totem she started last week.

Teal Garden Sculpture Finished
Cherie shows the finished glass totem she started last week.

Beading Arts
Cyndi shares the work of some amazing bead embroidery artists!

Creative Dreamer
Check out the adorable little bluebird of happiness! So cute!

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
Check out Eileen’s crafty solution to an accident waiting to happen.

I hope you enjoy checking out all these great reads as much as I did! Have a great week!

I made this fall table centerpiece a couple years ago, but I’ve never written about it here! I know it’s a little early to find all the things you need, but I’m starting to see quite a few fall decorating ideas in the stores (and even some Christmas ones, oiiiyyy!). The centerpiece didn’t cost much, and it was easy to create, but it made a great display on my fall table.

You can use items you might already have on hand from your garden or back yard. Here’s what I used:

• Assorted small gourds
• Pine cones
• Votive candles
• Hedge apples
• Fall leaves (away from the candles)

I put everything in a rectangle basket with low sides to hold it all together for display.

First I cut the center out of some small round pumpkin shaped gourds, then removed the insides and slid a votive candle into the hole. I didn’t do a great job of getting the hole the right size. I just eyeballed it. If I made them again I think I would measure instead of winging it. I would also use a glass votive holder around the outside, in case the candle burned too low!

Then I just arranged everything in the basket, and re arranged it until I got the look I wanted. The display did turn out very nice over all. I tried it with just the votives with the gourds, some pine cones, and a couple hedge apples. I added a round candle that I had to the centerpiece. I couldn’t decide whether I liked the round candle, or just the votives.

It made a great addition to our fall table. I think it would make a great centerpiece idea for a fall party, or for your Thanksgiving feast. Just be careful your candles don’t burn too low (keep an eye on them), or put them down inside a glass votive holder before you insert them into the gourds!

Image (c) L Gerlach

Can you believe it’s almost the end of August already? Many kids are already back in school. My son is going back on Monday. He’s going into Jr. High this year, so it’s a little bittersweet getting him ready to go back. He’s taller than I am now, and I swear he grows about an inch a day!

This summer has flown by! It seems like he just got out of school for the summer yesterday. Why does the summer fly by so fast, with so much going on? Then winter comes and drags on forever. I love fall, but I’m not ready for it yet!

Our county fair was this last weekend. You can always tell fall is coming fast when the fair gets here.

Anyway, I have some really great links to share with you today, and I’m wayyyy behind on posting them. I hope you enjoy checking them all out as much as I did.

Beading Arts
The “Mostly Metal” challenge was a great success, many thanks to Michelle Mach! Come and see all the fun pieces that were made.

Kim-Flowers and Art
Kim continues work on her crazy colorful craft room

Creative Dreamer
From a journal page to a three dimensional piece of folk art, June shares her completed bird!

Glass Garden Sculpture
Cherie makes a glass totem with recyled items for the garden.

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
Did you love finger painting as a child? Here’s a – sort of – grown-up version you might enjoy.

I can’t believe it’s midway through the week already! Happy hump day! I’m way behind on my crafty links yet again!. One of these days (Maybe the end of summer?) I’ll be caught up again. I just realized I didn’t post these over the weekend, I put the links in here on Friday, but never finished up and hit the publish button. Ugh!

Beading Arts
Cyndi features beading artist Jaqueline Gikow’s beautiful work.

Book Necklace
Cherie works on a necklace idea for book lovers.

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
Look at this cute coffee can recycling project. It also uses craft stash scraps, so it’s both eco-nomical and eco-logical!

More Altered Book Musings…
Laura – Taz’s Corner

Vanilla Cupcake Recipe
A great cupcake recipe, use it as is, or as the base to create your favorite flavor.

I hope you enjoy checking out all these crafty links as much as I did!

I know summer doesn’t officially start for a couple more weeks, but at our house it’s officially summer! My son is out of school and summer activities are in full swing. We we’ve already had a couple campfires, and swimming is starting this week.

I hope you enjoy reading this weekends crafty links as much as I did!

Recovering Estate Sale Chairs
Cherie gets a find at an estate sale and shows how to recover old chairs.

Beading Arts
Wire tutorials and resources galore on Beading Arts this week!

Flowers and Art
Kim shares a needle felting tutorial she did last year- give it a try!

Creative Dreamer
June is having problems with watercolors, come see what’s going on.

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
See how to make zero-calorie fortune cookies for your next party. Hint: they’re made in the craft room – not the kitchen.

Campfire Pies
A fun summer campout treat idea.

I’m so excited it’s Memorial Day weekend. For us it really is the official start to summer, even though summer doesn’t officially start for a couple more weeks. My son only has one more week of school, and the pools are all opening this weekend.

This weekend also makes me reflect on family members who are no longer with us. In between campfires and cookouts I try to find time to reflect on the memory of loved ones.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend where you are. Here is some fun crafty reading for you to check out in your down time. I hope you enjoy the links as much as I did.

Beading Arts
Cyndi has been featuring wonderful wire artists all this month…take a look at what these folks are doing!

Creative Dreamer
June’s got another give away going! This time it’s a village for your wrist… come see!

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
See how Eileen used a 3D Valentine’s Day card template to make a 3D card suitable for many special occasions,

Mo(o)re Gourd Whimsies
Show-Me State Gourd Festival

Baseball Photo Collage
Created with a brick matte background andd Artistic (textured) Letters

This weekend flew by! I can’t believe it’s Sunday night already! I was hoping to get some work done in the garden, but we’ve had rain most of the weekend, with some crazy storms last night, so no gardening, and no baseball for my son.

I have some really fun links for you this weekend, from bling to poetry and everything in between. I hope you enjoy checking them all out as much as I did.

Moore (Gourd)Whimsies ~ Put a little bling in your life!

Made By Nicole ~ Learn how to make easy paper flowers with this step by step tutorial.

Beading Arts ~ Cyndi shares her method of making a charm necklace from a vintage button!

Eileen – The Artful Crafter ~ Believe it or not, a friend of a friend whom Eileen had never even met gave her everything she needed to explore the luscious art of silk painting.

Laura – Taz’s Corner ~ A Recap of Found Poetry and Altered Text

Pinwheel Craft ~ A fun and easy summer project for kids.

Have a great week!

I can’t believe the weekend is here again already! This week flew by! It hasn’t been the best week weather wise. I think it’s rained every day, and we had a massive wind storm Wednesday night. I’m just thankful we weren’t in the path of all the tornadoes in the south. My heart goes out to all the people who were affected.

The trees are really starting to bloom here. I’m really surprised the blooms are still holding up with all the downpours and wind we’ve had over the last few days, but it’s definitely looking like spring! We’ve had just a few peeks of the sunshine to come.

I have a few fun craft links to share for your weekend reading. There are several fun ideas here for Mother’s Day and Spring.  I hope you enjoy checking out all the links as much as I did.

Beading Arts
Don’t miss your chance to win giveaway package #2 from Cherry Tree Beads!

Moore (Gourd)Whimsies
Creative Paperclay Design Team!!!

Creative Dreamer
Last week June showed you how to create a woven “gum wrapper” photo frame… this week she’s giving it away!

Made By Nicole
Add a little edge to your wardrobe with these easy to craft punk pins.

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
Celebrate spring by making a pressed flower card.

Laura – Taz’s Corner
Laura shares some Free Mother’s Day Designs and more.

Eileen – The Artful Crafter
Celebrate spring by making a pressed flower card.

Kim- Flowers and Art
Kim makes butterfly wings for a toddler out of fun foam!!