Crafts

Tarragon Potpourri

It is always nice to put together a potpourri to clear the air. Potpourri is usually a blend of dried plants arranged in an open dish or other decorative container so that the aroma is released into the room.  This is a pleasant and subtle way to freshen up the house.

Some people think that the word “Potpourri” means “rotten pot,” but it is probably a French word meaning a blend of flowers and herbs.  It can also mean a medley of songs or an anthology of stories, but most people think of flowers or herbs.  In any event, you can make your own potpourri using flowers from your garden, herbs from your kitchen, or plant material that you bought at a store. 

Dried herbs also make a pleasant potpourri, and they are something that you may already have in your kitchen.  Some of the plants that you use as seasonings have a very nice aroma. One of our favorites is tarragon, also known as "little dragon. 

 A number of ingredients may have to be bought, but you can make substitutions to please yourself. Whatever herbs or flowers you choose, it is also a good idea to add a little more essential oil to give the aroma a boost.  Just choose an oil that is most suited to the ingredients already in the mixture.  This makes the potpourri stronger and more lasting.  Enjoy

More about Potpourri

 It is really pleasant to have dried flower potpourris and sachets in the house.  The aromas of a dried plant mixture will softly perfume the air and your linens.  These blends are a lot subtler than the bought air fresheners, and they have a gentle, natural smell.

The problem is that the flower petals and herbs will lose some of their aroma over time.   For this reason, it is useful to add a fixative to retain the fragrance for as long as possible.

A fixative is a plant or mixture that will keep the dried flowers from quickly losing their aroma.  Many people use a preparation called Orris root for this purpose.  By itself, Orris root has the pleasant smell of violets, and but its real magic is that it keeps the aroma of potpourris from fading away. 

Of course, if you mix a lot of potpourris, you might want to grow the plant for yourself.  Orris root comes from a small, purple iris of the Latin name, iris germanica.  It is a pleasant looking flower, and it is not difficult to grow in most home gardens.  After the roots are dug, however, they have to cure for about three years before they are ready to be used.  

As you may expect, most people do not choose to wait that long, but simply go out and buy some of the root.

Paper Flower Ikebana

I have always been drawn to those lovely Japanese flower arrangements that you sometimes see on display in museums and public buildings.  They are so charming, graceful, and elegant that they seem to almost float in space.  Although they appear to be simple and spare, there is a lot more to them than meets the eye.  If you want to be authentic, a lot of research is needed, but if you just want the general feel, you can just wing it.

As far as materials go, you will need a container, something to hold the blooms in place (stones or a special holder), and the plant material itself.  As well as flowers, other natural materials are often used like leaves, branches or grasses.  Many different types of containers are used, and there seems to be a great variety in the type, size, or style. 

One of the problems I had with this form of arranging was the flowers, especially in the winter.  All the same, there is a way to get around this problem—paper flowers.  If you make blooms out of paper, you can have most any kind of exotic flower you might want.  There are many books about making paper flowers on the internet or at your local library, so you can find directions and patterns for a wide variety of types for your arrangement.

New Jewelry From Old

Are you bored with the old necklaces you have in your jewelry box?  Are you not rich enough to go out and buy all new necklaces at pricey shops?  Do you find dollar store jewelry less than satisfactory?  The answer to all these questions is to take apart your old necklaces and put them back together differently.

If you decide to deconstruct your old necklaces, you can make new beads, buy new beads, or repurpose the beads you already own.  Let’s start with the easiest route first.  All of us probably have old costume jewelry laying around the house.  Some necklaces are broken, some have missing pieces, and some are so far out of fashion that an Egyptian pharaoh might recognize them.  Of course, there are also necklaces that are so plain ugly you wouldn’t want to be seen near them.

Well, good news.  You can take that stuff apart, add loose charms, broken earring pieces, bracelet parts, maybe a few new dollar store beads and voila—you have a new necklace.  Not only will you have a one-of-a-kind creation, it will be something that you really like.  Mostly, these will be fun pieces that have a personality all their own.

Sachets

You could make small, embroidered motifs sachets for your closet. They are especially nice for small gifts, and they are easy to do. This project will take an embroidery needle, suitable material, embroidery floss, beads, stuffing, backing (maybe felt), needle and thread, and card stock.

Find or draw a small picture or pattern that will fit nicely within the size circle you want to use. Make sure to leave plenty of salvage around the edges for blocking and gathering. Copy the design onto your fabric.

Once the design is on the fabric, embroider it with your favorite stitches.  Cut it into circles, allowing enough of a margin to for gathering the fabric. Gather the fabric by basting around the edge and pulling the thread tight. I gather the material around a circular piece of card stock cut to size to make sure the gather is even.  

Knot a small loop of cord and sew it on the top for hanging. Sew a circle of felt on the back with buttonhole stitch, leaving enough of an opening to fill the ornament.  Before you sew the ornament together, fill with herbs or batting and sew the last few stitches.  Your sachet is done. 

Plarn Ahead

Do you find yourself overrun with plastic bags from the supermarket, the discount store, and just about everywhere else?  Do you have stashes of plastic bags all over the house?  Do you hesitate to throw them out, and forget to take them back for recycling?  You are not alone.

The good news is that you can cut those bags apart and make plastic yarn (or plarn) out of them.  This stuff can then be crocheted, knitted, or braided into various useful items like mats, bags, or baskets.  The material is waterproof, pliable, and almost indestructible.  Some charity organizations encourage us to make mats and pillows out of plarn for homeless people, as the material provides some protection against the elements.

Many of these plastic bags are colorful, but the plain white or gray grocery store bags work just as well for plarn purposes.  As far as tools and materials, all you need to begin with are clean, empty plastic bags and scissors.  Now, this process takes some time, but you get free material, and you don’t have to throw a lot of non-biodegradable bags in the trash. 

Don’t throw out those plastic bags, plarn ahead and recycle!

Latch Hook

I’m always on the lookout for ways to use up that ubiquitous stash composed of odds and ends of yarn left over from various knitting and crocheting projects.  I seem to have a stash that grows all by itself, mostly because I just can’t bring myself to throw any perfectly good yarn away.  There may be something I can do with it someday.  But that day never seems to come, and there the yarn sits with a clutch of its compatriots.

Of course, granny squares are one good answer to the left-over yarn question, but it isn’t the only answer.  Let’s face it, there are only so many granny squares that can be used in any given project.  Even if that Afghan is the size of a king-sized bed (and you make a smaller size for the dog), there is still a limit.  If you go on forever making granny squares, you will probably be so bored you will never what to see another one—ever.   I am happy to say that there is another possibility on the craft horizon: latch-hook rugs.

Latch hook is a simple procedure that requires the necessary mesh (I bought mine at a dollar store), a latch-hook tool (I had one left over from a kit), and lots and lots of yarn.  Of course, you can buy latch-hook rug kits at a craft outlet, and they provide everything you need.  Or you can buy the different supplies, and do it yourself.  What you get when you are finished is a soft, shaggy textile that is suitable for making into a mat, a rug, or a pillow.  

Make Your Own Book-markers

Although many of us read books electronically, there is still a lot of satisfaction in being able to hold (and read) a real paper book.   I think that part of the fun of having a book is that you can mark your page with a unique and elegant bookmarker.

Bookmarkers have been around for a very long time.   Early markers were made of leather, papyrus, or vellum, which was a fine paper made originally of calf skin.  In medieval Europe, they used ribbons or silk threads to mark their pages, but when books became mass-produced, so did bookmarkers.

There are still a lot of different kinds of bookmarkers.  The most common of these are made of paper.  There are also metal bookmarkers that come in various shapes like clips, hooks, and plates.  Some have charms on them and look like jewelry.  There are still leather bookmarkers and others that are made of fabric or ribbons. 

All the same, my favorites are the ones that are home-made, and it is fun to make your own.  Each one of these markers is unique, and they can be made out of any number of original materials.  You can make markers out of paper folded as origami.  Or you can paint them with watercolors, draw on them with colored pencils, or decorate them with photographs.  You can add your own silly cartoons, calligraphy, favorite quotes, or short poetry.  This kind of bookmarker reflects your own interests and creativity.

Braided Rugs

When I first decided to try and make a rug, I naturally thought of crochet.  I ripped the sheets into stripes and started to crochet them with a big hook.  I might as well tell you that this did not last.  The resulting rug looked okay, but it was very hard on the wrists.  After a few days of aching joints, that process went the trip.

Naturally, I thought about braiding next.  That looked easy enough, but the idea of braiding the strips into plaits and then spending long hours sewing them together just did not appeal either.  Then I saw this idea on the internet about intertwining the strips so that they automatically connect to the braid beside it.  They call it “no-sew braided rugs.”  Eureka, I think I found it!

Surprisingly, this works.  As you braid, you fold the inside strand under one of the strands of the braid already made.  This is not easy to explain, but you can look it up for yourself by going to your trusty internet and typing in “no-sew braided rug.” 

 In this way, you can make your rug any size that you like, and you won’t have to sit and sew it together later.

So, there it is.  An interesting braided rug for the basement AND a way to repurpose torn flannel sheets.  What thrifty person could ask for more?

Inspiration Cards

Inspiration Cards are a number of different cards with quotes, journal prompts, or positive ideas written on them.  These messages are little hopeful suggestions that encourage self-reflection, gratitude, and kindness toward ourselves and others.  Of course, you can buy ready-made decks of Inspiration Cards, but I think it is more useful and more fun to make them for yourself.

Some people think that these may be like Oracle Cards.  Perhaps you have already heard of Oracle cards.  The Oracles are meant to tell the future, rather like the Tarot.  Well, these Inspiration cards are different, and the difference is in the content, intent, and usage.  These cards are not designed to tell the future, they are meant to give you a boost.  Some people find them useful as journal prompts, and others simply want to hear an inspiring message at the start of the day.  These cards give you something pleasant to think about.

If you decide to buy a deck of these cards, you are encouraged to look through the options before you choose.  That way, you can find a pack that has messages that are meaningful to you.  Personally, I think it is easier to make your own; that way you know that the words and pictures will be helpful to your own specific purpose.