Cowboy Kimono

Category: Craft Projects

  • Introducing the Poodoodle Journal

    Introducing the Poodoodle Journal

    Adios blank page anxiety! Hola creative encouragement!

    Hey there, creative souls! Let me introduce you to something that’s been in the works for a while now—the Poodoodle Journal. It’s more than just a notebook; it’s a creative companion designed to help you unleash your ideas, without the pressure or perfectionism that often holds us back.

    The Birth of the Poodoodle Journal

    The idea for the Poodoodle Journal came from my own struggle with the dreaded blank page. You know, that empty stare-down where your mind goes blank and creativity feels miles away? Sound familiar? I’ve been there too many times to count, and I realized: we need something to help us embrace that initial mess, the not-so-perfect ideas, and the glorious “oops” moments.

    That’s where the Poodoodle comes in.

    I wanted to create a space where anything goes. A place to doodle, brainstorm, make lists, scribble down half-baked ideas, and write without judgment. The Poodoodle Journal is here to remind you that creativity doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful. Whether your ideas are fresh, funky, or even a little funky-looking, it’s all good. The journal’s name alone is a playful nod to this—because sometimes a little fun (and a little nonsense) is exactly what we need to spark our best ideas.

    Poodoodle Features:

    • 140 dotted pages: The dots give you just enough structure for sketches, bullet points, and creative layouts, but they don’t box you in. It’s all about flexibility.
    • 5.5″ × 8.5″: A compact size that’s perfect for tossing in your bag, yet spacious enough to let your ideas stretch out.
    • Wire-bound for easy use: No awkward flipping or bending. It’s ready to go, wherever you are.

    And here’s a little bonus inspiration on the back cover:

    That’s right. Not every idea has to be a stroke of genius. Sometimes, you’ve got to start with the so-so ones and let them evolve. The Poodoodle Journal is here to encourage that messy, beautiful process.

    A Thoughtful Purchase

    One of the things I’m most proud of with the Poodoodle Journal is how it’s made. Each journal is crafted just for you when you place your order. No mass production, no piles of unsold stock. This on-demand model helps reduce overproduction and waste, so every purchase is a more sustainable choice. How cool is that?

    Let’s Doodle, Let’s Create

    I truly believe that creativity flourishes when we take the pressure off and just let the ideas flow—no matter how imperfect they may seem. So, if you’ve been staring at a blank page, hoping for inspiration to strike, it’s time to stop waiting. Pick up the Poodoodle Journal, and let the creative chaos begin.

    Remember, it’s not about the end result; it’s about the process. So let’s make room for a little mess, a little doodle, and a whole lot of inspiration.

    Ready to kickstart your creative journey? Grab your Poodoodle Journal here!

    Poodoodles away! ✨

    I hope this inspires you to dive into your next creative adventure. Whether you’re sketching your dreams, planning your goals, or just letting your thoughts run wild, the Poodoodle Journal is here to help you do it all—no stress, no pressure, just pure creative freedom.

     

     

     

  • How to Create a Hip Jackalope Display

    How to Create a Hip Jackalope Display

    Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to create artwork for a family law office dealing mainly with divorce. Bearing in mind that most of the people seeing the artwork would be in the midst of their own “heavy movie,” grieving the loss of a relationship, fearing what the future might hold, juggling hurt, anger, and more; I searched for visual concepts that offered a moment of comfort. Challenging myself to create art that hinted at joy, nodded at hope, distracted from worry, and stayed clear of cliché. The first piece was a large print of a dog leaping into the air just about to snag a tennis ball.

    Dog Leap, Print on Paper

    The second piece would live in a blank entryway niche – the perfect stage for a 3D sculpture. After hours of shopping for the ideal statue, carving, or abstract form, I landed on garden decor. Most of the yard ornaments I found could be categorized as, “sentimental. ” Then I came across a cement rabbit with a very distinguished presence. It didn’t take long for my imagination to begin exploring additional alterations. In no time, the rabbit transformed into a jackalope. Finally, a bit of “mellow” was added with groovy mirrored glasses.

    Need a mellow entryway ornament to greet clients, family, or friends? Directions below.

    The Basics of Transforming a Garden Ornament into a Legendary Cryptid

    SUPPLIES

    TOOLS

    • Paint brushes
    • Various tools for sculpting (I used kraft sticks, ball-end embossing pens, and my fingers)
    • Protective Gloves
    • Small Container of Water
    • Dremel and Rotary Sanding Bits (Optional)

    DIRECTIONS

    • Lightly sand rabbit, tree stump, and birch branches. Wipe clean or brush off sanding residue.
    • Using a chenille stick, shape an antler on top of the rabbit’s head. This will allow you to play with the size and curves to determine what looks best before committing to the clay model.
    • Here’s my chenille antler guide. Once you are happy with the size and shape, trace around the edges to make a pattern/guide. Then flip and trace around the edges to make a mirrored version.
    • Watch the tutorial about making antlers with Apoxie Sculpt. I followed the tutorial except for draping the antlers over the bowl. Instead, place the traced pattern on the table with a piece of wax paper on top. Then shape the rolled clay on top of the wax paper/pattern to match the twists and turns.
    • Roll two small balls of clay and stick one to the base of each antler. Push a small piece of wire through the ball to the base of the antler to reinforce the connection.
    • While the clay is still soft, press the screw head into the ball at the base of the antler. Repeat with the other antler. These will be stakes that hold the antlers in place.
    • Let dry as directed in the tutorial.
    • Sand antlers with fine sandpaper and/or a Dremmel with sanding bits. Refine the shape and surface with thin layers of Apoxie sSculpt. Let dry and give a final sanding.
    • Using a drill bit slightly smaller than your screw, drill two holes in the top of the rabbit’s head for the antlers.
    • Put a small bit of Apoxie Sculpt inside the holes and push the antlers into place. Micro-adjust position of antlers until you are satisfied.
    • Take a small amount of Apoxie Sculpt and press it onto the base of the antlers where they connect to the head. Sculpt and press to create a smooth, natural transition from the head to antler. (TIP: study images of real animals with antlers to create a realistic antler base)
    • Once all clay has completely dried, paint the jackalope and stump – two to three coats or until satisfied with the coverage.
    • Lightly sand the birch branches. Add water to a small amount of acrylic paint to create a wash. Brush the wash onto the branches and quickly wipe with a paper towel. This will white wash the branches rather than paint them. Repeat if you want the wash to be less transparent.
    • Create the scene by placing the jackalope on the stump and arranging the birch branches behind. Adorn the jackalope with a pair glasses. Stand back and let the mellow vibe surround you.
    From Nervous Nelson…
    To Chill Bill
  • Paint a One-Of-A-Kind Sofa Table

    Paint a One-Of-A-Kind Sofa Table

    What is one way to hide a chaotic heap of twisted cords beneath a colossal TV screen? My solution includes strategically positioning a visual diversion: A custom console styled with arty pots on the bottom and a Nambé bowl on the top. This project is for a home with an interior that is a nice mix of Modern and Ethnic Chic. (What is Ethnic Chic?)

    Materials

    How To

    I’ve been pinning images of illustrated furniture for years. This project was my chance to dive in and give it a try. I found an unpainted sofa table that was the right size and style. Once the table was assembled, I removed the knobs, pulled out the drawer, and lightly sanded and primed all surfaces. Then I coated it with a few layers of satin latex paint and gave the drawer slides a very light coat to keep them in good sliding condition. I created an illustration the same dimensions as the drawer front using Adobe Illustrator. Next, I printed the illustration to size and it became my pattern. I traced the artwork by sandwiching a sheet of Saral Transfer paper between the print out and the drawer face. After the artwork was transferred to the drawer front, I drew on top of the traced image with a paint pen. NOTE: It was really important to let each layer dry the recommended amount of time, as well as, lightly sand between coats. After all the paint had cured for two weeks, I covered the table with several coats of poly acrylic (again – pay attention to drying times and sanding between coats). I rubbed a bar of soap on the drawer slides to improve their glide and attached the knobs. Kinda cool. Kinda artsy. I heart.

    Painted console table with southwestern pen drawing on drawer face
    Finished Table
  • 3 June Bugs You’ll Love Immediately

    3 June Bugs You’ll Love Immediately

    Still trying to decide if this paper craft is cuter than, happy as, or crazy as (a June bug). Either way, I’m ready to release this swarm of June bugs into my living room. The bright colored insects will serve as tree ornaments celebrating the holiday known as summer.

    Paper Bug Craft

    Did you know?

    1. Real June bugs emerge from the soil at the end of spring or the beginning of the summer and are famous for bumping into porch lights and sneaking into houses. “(A June bug) Often tries to sneak into houses, either by flying right in when the door is open, or by hitching a ride on somebody’s clothes like a little ninja. Harmless to humans and cannot bite. Despite their name, they can come out as early as May.”URBAN DICTIONARY
    2. June bugs are related to scarabs from ancient Egyptian iconography.  TERMINIX FACT
    3. June bugs have a spiritual side. They  show how to balance and remain grounded. METAPHYSICALSCIENCES2012  Learn more about their SPIRITUAL MEANING

    Supplies

    • Download June Bug Template
    • Chenille Stems/Pipe Cleaners
    • Colored Construction or Cardstock Paper
    • Markers, Posca Paint Pens, Yarn, or Paint
    • Mod Podge
    • Colored Tissue Paper
    • Googly Eyes
    • Glue
    • Scotch Tape
    • Scissors

    Directions

    1. Print templates.
    2. Either trace bug pieces and leaves onto colored paper using transfer paper or pinch template and paper together and trim.
    3. Gently curl wings using a writing element with a curved exterior – like a marker. Hold the element like a wand, place it under a wing with your thumb on top of the wing and gently pull from the inside to the outside of the wing. Repeat for each wing.
    4. Decorate bug pieces as you choose. Some ideas: paint ombre gradients, draw tangle patterns with markers, layer colored tissue paper with Mod Podge, glue yarn in swirly patterns. Stuck? I got a lot of inspiration from my Pinterest collection of beautiful bug art: bug_inspiration
    5. Attach layers using scotch tape or glue. Layering formula for each bug is shown at the bottom of templates.
    6. Attach googly eyes. The moth doesn’t have room on its head for the eyes, but they can be glued to the wings!
    7. Cut and bend chenille stems to match the legs and antennae shown on each template. Tape in place on the back/undecorated side of the bugs.
    8. Fold leaves as shown on the bottom of each template. Veins can be added by drawing and applying gentle pressure on the back with a dull pencil.

    Once your paper June bugs are ready to swarm, you can strategically place them in houseplants, decorate a year-round holiday tree, give them to friends named, “June,” or use them to decorate the fridge door!

    Download Templates

  • Irresistible Paper Ox Book Corner

    Irresistible Paper Ox Book Corner

    An irresistible paper craft originally created to celebrate the Year of the Ox, 2021. Simple instructions follow – but first a brief history of the Lunar New Year from Pinterest:

    Celebration of Luck, Health, and Togetherness

    “Marking the first new moon of calendars traditional to many East Asian countries, Lunar New Year is a multi-day celebration of luck, health and togetherness celebrated by billions of people around the world. February 12 marks this year’s festivities, beckoning in the Year of the Ox according to the Chinese zodiac. And while this year’s celebrations may be at home this year, the rich traditions of this holiday aren’t going anywhere.“

    How Lunar New Year Came To Be

    “The legends behind the Lunar New Year date back thousands of years. The tale goes that at the beginning of each new year, there was a monster that attacked a village. The monster was afraid of loud noise, bright lights and the color red, so the villagers banded together to scare it off by hosting loud celebrations and wearing red. Each year is represented by a different animal, the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac, with this year represented by the ox, which symbolizes patience and cheerfulness. The Chinese zodiac has been adopted by many countries throughout Asia. Lunar New Year is celebrated in a variety of ways across different Asian cultures. For example, in China, the celebration is often called the Spring Festival, in Tibet it’s known as Losar, and in Vietnam, it’s called Tết. It’s widely celebrated amongst the Asian diaspora all over the world, making it a truly global holiday.” https://www.pinterest.com/today/article/how-to-celebrate-lunar-new-year-2021/64041/

     

    Supplies

    • Printed and cut-out origami square 
    • Printed and cut-out ox features
    • Printed and cut-out tassel strips
    • 2 – 3 inch pieces of yarn or thin ribbon
    • 2 – 2 inch pieces of yarn or thin ribbon
    • Glue
    • Glue stick
    • Scissors

    Directions

    1. Print template’s front square, flip paper and print back on same page.
    2. Cut out red square from the printed page.
    3. Fold origami bookmark using photo guide or YouTube video link
    4. Cut out nose, ears, head flower, nose ring, horns and tassel strips.
    5. Clip tassel strips as shown in photo (below).
    6. Glue nose beneath eyes, making sure not to glue the pocket opening. Glue the nose ring to the nostrils.
    7. Gently pinch each ear on the tip and glue to the back side of the head.
    8. Glue the horns slightly above the ears.
    9. Glue the head flower over the printed flower.
    10. Make the tassels by putting a dot of glue on the left and right, unclipped edge of each strip. Place the tip of a 3-inch piece of yarn or thin ribbon in the glue with the remaining length going up and away from the unclipped edge. Repeat for the second strip. Tightly roll each strip lengthwise. Pinch for a few seconds to allow the glue to take hold. Put a dot of glue on the top, unclipped part of the tassel and wrap with a 2-inch piece of yarn or thin ribbon. Glue the end and repeat for the second tassel. Tie the tassels together at the top and glue the knot to the back side, center of the head.
    Clip tassel strip up to dotted line
    https://youtu.be/BEwl0fvqo18
     
    Download Template
  • 5 Gifts You Can Create Today for Zero Dollars

    5 Gifts You Can Create Today for Zero Dollars

    Another holiday season – I’m short on time and short on funds. This year’s challenge: create quick gifts that cost absolutely zero dollars (not even the price of a postage stamp). Ready to savor the spirit of giving?

    1. Wrap Your Skills. Web Skills? Build a free blog, construct an engaging Facebook Page, or share a great video backdrop image. Photographer? Stylist? Coordinate a digital photoshoot. Artist? Give a pet sketch.
    2. Choreograph A Tour. Collect addresses of neighbors with spectacular holiday lights and decor and map out a tour. Find addresses by checking out NextDoor App’s Holiday Cheer Map or Facebook Groups. Prepare a GPS route or try Christmasprism (an app developed by a Dad to find the best decorated holiday homes).
    3. Rustle Up A Field Trip. Work at an exciting place? A zoo, historical building, baseball stadium? Offer a look-see!
    4. Give Sentimental. Record a family recipe how-to on video. Collect stories about your family’s holiday traditions, pranks and/or hacks, and share in an email.
    5. Nurture Talent. Hook-up a budding writer by uploading their book to Kindle Direct Publishing. Encourage an artist or entrepreneur by writing a positive review, following them on social media, giving a shout-out online, and engaging with their posts (@coachjojo). 
  • Hello, Christmas Star (How Long has it Been?)

    Hello, Christmas Star (How Long has it Been?)

    You can catch a rare celestial event the evening of December 21, 2020 when the two largest planets in our solar system – Jupiter and Saturn – nearly overlap to form a “double planet.” This cosmic conjunction will occur on Winter Solstice marking the shortest day and longest night of the year. How rare is this occurrence? The last time a close conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn occurred was about 800 years ago and isn’t expected to happen again until 2080!

    Christmas Star: DIY Souvenir

    Great Conjunction:How to photograph it with your phone

    USA Today Story on the Great Conjunction

  • Create Scary Silhouettes

    Create Scary Silhouettes

    Want to warn would be trick-or-treaters with scary silhouettes? Create this big foreboding sign on a window or glass door with ease using large, inexpensive black and white prints. Glass with lights, light-colored shades, or a light-colored door behind them provide the best contrast for these dark silhouettes. In just a few hours. I’m able to upload files online, have 18″x 24″ black and white blueprints made, and pick them up at my local Staples. Click the button below for details and pricing on Staples Blueprints.

    Staples Blueprints

    Paint Marker Method

    Start by printing the ghoul, cat, spider, and/or phrase to fit in a window or storm door. Click for 18″ x 24″ templates. I printed them to fit on a storm door, arranged the prints behind the glass and drew on the front of the glass with black Uni-Posca markers (extra broad, broad and medium). I have used these paint markers on glass before and was confident that I could clean the paint off without damaging the storm door. Make sure to test a small area of your surface with the paint markers before drawing/painting silhouettes. If you cannot easily clean off the dried paint marker, try the cut paper method.

    Silhouettes painted on a glass screen door

    Cut Paper Method

    Start by printing the ghoul, cat, spider, and/or phrase to fit in a window or storm door. Trim the characters and letters, removing the white paper sections. Place the prints behind the glass window or door and tape with scotch tape or double stick tape.

    Download Free Templates

  • Create a Kickass Thank You for your Mail Carrier

    Create a Kickass Thank You for your Mail Carrier

    “…nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”

    The events and pitfalls of 2020 may fully qualify as “gloom of night.” In addition to the looming holiday crush season, USPS workers are facing a barrage of election mail heaped with homebound and remote worker’s increasing needs. My reliance on the carrier that brings essential communication and products to my door has grown, big time. I think it is time to let my mail carrier know how much I appreciate the dedication, doggedness, drive, and grit that is required to do the job. Here is the project I created just for that purpose:

    How to create the mail art using markers

    Supplies

    Directions

    1. Print the eagle envelope template and thank you page.
    2. Trim the template along the artwork’s border to fit a standard #10 envelope.
    3. Using two small pieces of masking tape, gently tape the paper template to your envelope. Tuck a piece of transfer paper between the paper and the envelope. Test to make sure the transfer paper is imprinting onto the envelope (not the back of the template).
    4. Trace the image with a ballpoint pen to transfer it to the envelope.
    5. Carefully remove the masking tape and template.
    6. Color the eagle, banner and message with markers.
    7. To create a tri-fold, fold the thank you page along the dotted line, then the top of the page to the dashed line.
    8. Cut along the vertical dashed lines to the horizontal dotted line (your first fold). This will make your pull-apart/pull-off thingy’s.
    9. Finish by folding the pull-apart/pull-off thingy’s under the top flap and place into your hand decorated envelope.
    Download Free Template + Thank You

  • Your Labor is Loved

    Your Labor is Loved

    Creating a Labor Day craft stumped me for a bit. So, I looked up the holiday’s origins and the real reason for its existence:” Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers ” (www.history.com)

    Although this craft does not bid summer adieu, it does focus on the contributions and achievements of workers. Labor Day – What a great opportunity to thank the many workers who have met this year’s challenges with gusto!

    Simply print the Thank You flyer, clip along the dashed lines, and deliver to the hard workers you’ve come to appreciate more than ever.

    My list of hard workers begins with: Mail Carriers, Utility Workers, Grocery Stockers, Cashiers, Security Guards, Veterinarians, Health Care Workers, Truck Drivers, Census Takers, etc….!