Freezer Paper Stenciling-I am hooked!!!

So last week I decided to give a new craft a try-freezer paper stenciling. Well, I am now addicted! I have done about 10 projects already! I will gradually be integrating the best ones into my shop, and the first one to be added is this sunny orange sundress. the hibiscus flowers and surfboard were all hand drawn stencils of my own design. It will be so hard to sell, I want it for myself! Check it out here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25659411
Here's a tip for anyone who wants to try this out (and you should): I use acrylic paint mixed with a textile medium that turns the mix magically into fabric paint! It is inexpensive and I like the way it spreads better than fabric paint. Also, one coat is usually enough. More than that and it is easy to get bleed through. So get out there and try it!

We Are Key West Bound!

We are planning a trip to Key West! We are going in October, which is low season in the keys, so it is not turning out to be too expensive. We chose Key West because it looked like no other place we had been to. We are going to swim with dolphins, snorkel, and laze on the beach! One of the things I am looking most forward to is the Sunset Celebration that happens every night at Mallory Square. Two hours before sunset vendors and street performers set up for an unique and festive send off for the sun. There are conch fritter vendors, artists, magicians, tight rope walkers, and a number of other colorful characters at this outdoor party that ends with applause as the sun sinks below the water. How cool is that? Don't worry, I will take lots of pictures!

There's a Whole World Out There!!

Sometimes I need a reminder (read-kick in the butt) that my world is not at my computer. I get sucked into the online world of my Etsy shop, Facebook, and any other random site I go to and forget to LIVE! So today, here are your instructions:Go outside!! Get dirty! Get Grass stains on your clothes! Count how many birds there are in your trees! Skip down the sidewalk! Do anything that doesn't happen inside. Even if it is just for 15 minutes, you will feel more alive than you did sitting here reading this! As for me, I'm going outside to find some rocks to look under, some four-leaf clovers for discover. Come on, let's go outside!

Crafts I Want to Learn Spotlight

I created this spotlight because as a goal for 2009 I want to learn 3 new crafts. Two that I definitely want to try are needle felting and journal making. The other one is probably going to be soap, although I am already learning how to make lip balm, so that is kind of 4! Check out www.byhand.me for more spotlights!

Sea Ice Bracelet

Ok, this piece is probably one of my favorites. It will be hard to let go of it when it sells! I call it "Sea Ice" because the frosty blue beads and the iridescent shell pieces remind me of ice chipped off of a glacier. I think it is delicate yet eye-catching. I try to make pieces that would seem to have a story behind them (as you can tell in my Etsy descriptions) as if they have a life all their own. They are more fun to wear that way! You can check this bracelet out in my Etsy store!

www.SunsetSurf.etsy.com

Clambake Earrings

I love the colors pink and green together, maybe because they remind me that Spring is coming! In light of a new season approaching I made these Clambake Earrings out of baby pink glass beads and green shell beads. they are perfect for a seersucker dress and sandals! I've listed them in my Etsy shop, which brings me up to 10 items! That was my goal for this week. Hope they make you feel like Spring is in the air!

Need Some Golf Tips?

My husband is an assistant pro at a local golf course. He loves the game and he loves helping people improve their games. One of the ways he does this is by teaching them drills that they can practice to improve a certain aspect of there game, whether it be driving, chipping, putting, etc. He just wrote an article on Ehow.com that teaches a putting drill. It is simple enough for even a beginner golfer, but will improve your putting very quickly. Check out the article by clicking the link below!

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