Creative Uses For Old Lace Remnants & Crochet Doilies

A few years ago I wrote Vintage Lace & Doilies: Upcycled & Repurposed and today I'm going to share a whole new slew of ideas for what you can do with old remnants of lace and crochet doilies. 

They're easy to find, inexpensive, and fun and easy to work with. They make great crafts to do with kids, and if you love a vintage or feminine look, they've got you covered. So check out these creative ideas and maybe you'll be inspired to create your own lacy masterpiece!

Vintage crochet doily curtain from Victorias Passion

Black lace candles from Cfabbridesigns

Doily dreamcatcher from Roots and Feathers

Frame lace and doilies, and then use eye hooks to create a hanging wall divider

Sew a quick doily and lace window curtain

Lacy earrings from Stitchfromtheheart via Etsy

How to make your own stick and doily dreamcatcher DIY

Crochet lace doily in a frame as an earring holder from Sunkissedcottage via Etsy

Tree branch + doily runner + ribbon from Betterhomeliving via Etsy

Vintage doily bunting from buntingboutique via Etsy

Use a mix of different colored crocheted lace doilies

Frame individual crocheted lace doilies

Make a delicate bowl with decoupage medium

Pillar candle with lace

What do you think?

Have you done any crochet or lace crafts?

Be sure to visit part 1 of this post:

Have a great week!

 Laura

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs

Article, images, and designs copyright ©Laura Beth Love for Dishfunctional Designs™ 2018

all rights reserved

Strive To Be Happy

Those Sunday Mornings

I don't know if it's because of the changing light of autumn or just because I got a full 8+ hours of sleep, but there's something magical in waking on a Sunday morning — coffee cup in hand — and being completely inspired to make art. 

Do I paint with watercolors, or maybe acrylics, or do I create some ink drawings? I go back and forth, deciding on my tools and my medium — my mode of transport to get whatever creative magic from inside my being, out — and into the world. 

It's my raw drive, my spiritual push into the universe. At least, that's what it feels like. 

Nothing else will do. I can go downtown on Sunday morning and walk around our charming little farmer's market and pick up an amazing pastry or maybe some apples or locally harvested honey—but my mind is like the transcendental silver string that connects me to—and never leaves—my place where I create art. 

I want to choose the brushes, the colors, I think about watercolor painting and I imagine the movement, the flow and spread of color in the water, the bloom, the transparency, the drying, the contemplation of the next layer.

Without any formal training, thoughts of rules—and fear of not following them—try to push into my mind. I push them away.

I want to create something new, to pull it out from inside myself - I know that it's there, I can feel it all the time. I think about how I can get it out of me and into the world. But even that's not really enough for me. I want to make something beautiful. I try. 

It doesn't have to be fantastic or amazing — it only has to be.

Have a great Sunday!
love,

 Laura

article, images, and designs copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2017 all rights reserved

Find Your Magic - New Inspirational Design Now Available!

Hi friends! Last year I wrote a blog post entitled, A Meditative Sketch: Find Your Magic, where I featured the above illustration. It's a simple drawing that came from my heart, and it's become one of my very favorite creations. It's so simple but I think it flows so well. I love everything about this design - the shape, the flow, the color, and the message. 

I decided to add some color to it and then create some products with the artwork so that I could share it. You can now find this design in my Soiety6 shop!

Here are just a few examples of this new design on a few different products. All are available in my Society6 shop so be sure to check them out! The floor pillows are so cool!

Tote bag available in 13", 16" or 18"

Amazing floor pillow available in two sizes and in round or square!

Wall tapestry available in 3 sizes!

iPhone and iPod cases as well as skins and laptop sleeves and skins are available in all different sizes too

These canvas pouches are SO cool! You can get the three different sizes pictured above, or the three together as a set. Check them out!

I just love the pillows! There are square, rectangular (like the one above) and large floor pillows that you can order in circular or square.

Metal travel mug is also available in ceramic, and of course also available as a traditional coffee mug :)

Throw pillow (indoor or outdoor, and different sizes available)

I hope you like them! Let me know what you think.

Also new...TWO other collections...I just finished a collection of amazing eye-candy scales from mermaids, dragons and serpents, and maybe I'll feature those in a future blog post, but they're available right now in my Society6 shop.

 I've also been working on a collection of forest-inspired designs and I think they're really neat. I'm so excited about these new designs and have been working on them daily. It's been a nice little break from jewelry making, and it's so refreshing to mix things up and allow my creativity to go in a few different directions. 

Here is a little preview my Forest For The Trees collection, which I will be adding more designs to shortly! Click the image below to see more and be sure to let me know what you think.

Visit me at Society6

I hope you have a great week! 

Love, Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase 
at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

All artwork, article and images copyright ©LauraBethLove2017

Painting Through A Blizzard And Learning As I Go

Thank goodness we didn't get the 26 or 27 inches of snow they were calling for Monday night into Tuesday (we got a managable 12 to 13 inches instead) but we still settled in to wait out the storm. I filled the birdfeeder and hung the suet and then made a big pot of white chicken chili (I used this recipe and it's now a family favorite) along with some honey cornbread.  The birdfeeders and suet brought out every bird in the neighborhood and it was neat to see a few woodpeckers (check out this video on my Instagram that I took of a Downy Woodpecker) and all sorts of other birds. 

Sam keeping me company as I do a sketch for another watercolor painting. 

I drew out a rough sketch to use as a guide.

I kept it pretty simple and only used three colors, this was the first layer.

The next day I added some details and her hair.

Drying.

I probably could have added more paint or more details but I'm trying to avoid over-painting.

I'm pretty happy with the results. I've never had any kind of formal art training so I am just kind of teaching myself and am learning as I go. 

At this point I would rather just observe and figure it out myself instead of being told I am doing something wrong or right, or be shown the way someone else says I should do something. I think it allows my art to be free and without limits or rules because I don't have to worry about any of those things I can just purely express. :)

I hope you have a great week! 

Love, Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

article and images copyright ©LauraBethLove2017

Artists Who Mingle In Different Mediums - Spare Time Illustration

I noticed that I've been spending an extra bit of money on art supplies lately, and yesterday I told myself that I would not buy any more paint!  I just needed a last few watercolor colors, and they were on sale, and well, I might as well buy the professional grade paints just in case - by chance - I land up creating something of merit. At least that's what I told myself ha ha...

But I'm drawn to drawing. I like to not just sketch out images, but I like slow, semi-intricate creative drawing, like the feathers in the photo above. These are things that come directly from my own imagination. I create them for fun and for relaxation, and I just started drawing a few on watercolor paper so that I might be able to add color to them if the mood strikes later on.

A few months back I shared this photo on my Instagram and laughed when I realized it looked like I was drawing wire and bead jewelry designs in my drawings. You can join me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/laurabethlove/

I like to use black pens and different types of black ink, and pencils too. When I draw or paint, it's like a break from the constant jewelry making that is my day to day effort. 

You might think that when an artist takes a break from their artwork that they might participate in a completely different activity - and I'm sure this is often true - but lots of artists find great relaxation and rejuvenation in playing around with and experimenting with different creative mediums. 

I think that's why you often hear of illustrators who were once textile designers, or potters who like to play with paint, or painters who like to work with jewelry. 

Sometimes our hands and minds need something else to do, something new to try. The stream of colors and shapes and designs and ideas never stops coming, but sometimes it's like my hands and brain want to organize them - and give them to the world - in a different way. 

Ink and paint illustration 

There is something magical about a fresh new pack of paper. Maybe it's the possibilities. No matter how you plan, you never quite know exactly how things will play out.

I like the small tubes of paint and the power that they hold. It's almost electric, and you can feel it all inside you if you just give it a chance.

I like what I draw. I like to see my imagination and personal creativity on paper instead of always in metal, wire, and gemstones. It makes me happy, and I think this is because I draw only for myself, without much concern of what other people think. There is great difference of freedoms between creating for yourself - for the sake of just creating - and creating to impress. I think you forsake your freedom in the latter.

What are your favorite creative endeavors? 

I hope you have a great week! 

Love, Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

How To Inspire Your Kids To Be Creative

Are we born creative? I think we are. I think most children seem to have a natural knack for creativity. Isn't it funny then, that when we grow up and become adults, we often turn to children for our own inspiration to be creative? I also think that sometimes children look to adults for some reassurance when exploring their creativity. 

What a great opportunity to teach and show your child how much fun it is to explore their imaginations and be creative. After all, it's not just nature that determines creativity, but nurture too. Think of it as being born with a spark that if nurtured, turns into a flame.

Why encourage your child to be creative? 

We know that creativity can be healing. It can be a soft place to fall when needed. And on a side-note, when I talk about creativity - from the standpoint of this blog in general - I'm usually referring to creativity in the arts, but creativity can be manifested across any discipline whether it be science, engineering, math, cooking, etc. For the sake of this article I'm not talking about creativity as pertaining to any specific discipline, but simply as the ability and the drive to think outside the box, use our imagination, and experiment with being innovative.

Here are just a few ways that you can help your child's creativity blossom.

1. Provide your child with art supplies and give them time to use them. They don't have to be expensive or fancy, or come from any special art store. Crayons, colored pencils, inexpensive watercolor paints and paint brushes, and some drawing pads are all great examples. As well as the supplies, make sure your child has some relaxing time set aside to explore these supplies. 

2. Offer encouragement and praise. Sometimes these two things can be just the thing that your child needs to boost his or her confidence level so that they are comfortable enough to show the world their talents.

3. Set an example. Show your child that it's fun to explore the world around them. If they see you doing something, they will most often want to join in. Remember, children are great imitators, so give them something great to imitate! You don't have to be especially talented in any one area - it's your enthusiasm towards doing something interesting or new that you want them to witness.

4. Read to your child. Reading opens the imagination. Explore a wide variety of different types of books, making sure to try out new things and not always stick to the same theme.             

    

5. Spend time in nature. There's nothing more inspiring than the beauty of nature. 

6. Ease up. It's hard to create when you're under pressure. Give your kids space to be creative, and give them the freedom to create things the way they want to. Give your kids the freedom they need to be creative!

7. Offer your child age-appropriate colorful picture books by talented illustrators. Ed Emberley's Drawing Book of Animals and Richard Scary's What Do People Do All Day are two of my very favorites. Both were a huge inspiration to me when I was little. Most libraries have these books. 

8. Take your kids to age-appropriate museums. Most museums have free or discount days, and many also have activities for kids. While museums may be a bit too much for small children (lots of walking, no touching, quiet environment) they're perfect for older kids.

There so many ways that you can inspire your kids to be creative. Expose them to different types of art, books, music, try different types of food, explore different cultures, and watch their imaginations bloom. 

Give your children the freedom to explore and create on their own. Most importantly, encourage them without being pushy, and praise them without being overly critical. Best of luck in your creative adventures!

How do you help inspire your kids to be creative? In what ways do your kids inspire you to be creative?  Please leave a comment below!

Have a great week!
love,

 Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!