Valentine's Day Craft...

I volunteered to help with my daughter's 3rd Grade Valentine's Day party and I was struggling to come up with a craft that would keep both the boys and girls happy.  I thought it would be a nice idea for them to make a gift for their Mothers or another very special grown up.  I went to Michaels to get some inspiration and was a little disappointed with their offerings. As I wandered around I found these hearts tucked away at the back of the store and they were cheap - always a bonus - and I got the idea to make them into a key chain.  I think it is so nice to get a gift from your child with their handwriting on it.  So one side of the heart will be decorated either in glitter or with sparkly gems and the other side will have a little message written in sharpie. 

A Strange Urge...

For some bizarre reason I have had a strange urge to paint a sea gull. Yes, I know they changed the name to gull but I just can't help myself - it just doesn't sound right to me to call it just a gull. Seems kind of lonely without the sea part. Anyway, I don't paint - well I do, but walls, ceilings and the woodwork. I have tried to paint in the past but I am just not very good at it. When I was up in LA last week and got to go to Dick Blick's I picked up a few paints and a small canvas. This Saturday I took the time to have a go and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised with how it is going. 

It looks like a bird which is a great start - I hope to finish it off this week.  I have confessed to my husband that I hadn't given him the whole story with regards to painting a seagull.  He knew that I wanted to paint a seagull but not that I actually wanted to paint a GIANT seagull - on a minimum of a five foot by five foot canvas! To be fair he handled it quite well - then I told him that I also had an urge to paint a pigeon - a GIANT pigeon! 

This month I will also get back to jewelry making - have a few ideas knocking around which I am itching to get started on.