How Will the Orphan Works Bill Affect Ownership of Your Art & Written Work?
Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork wonders what you think of the proposed Orphan Works Bill in the US Congress and how it will affect artists, writers and artisans.

Layers Upon Layers
The incredibly talented Judy Coates Perez has done an artist profile for Layers Upon Layers.

Make Embellishments From Aluminum Cans
If you have a die cut machine and some pretty cans, you can make your own embellishments. Just don’t cut yourself to ribbons while you’re making them!

Organizing and Storage of a Yarn Stash
Noreen has posted pics of some of the ways that she organizes and figures out storage solutions for her yarn stash.

Preserve Your Precious Photos
If you save precious photos on your computer, you need to know about Carbonite online backup subscription service.

Vacation Scrapbook Planter from Sour Cream Container (Mine.)
Reuse a sour cream container as a planter and scrapbook all in one.

1000 Journals Project
Links to the amazing 1000 Journals Project, in case you’ve missed it so far.

The Completed Memorial Textiles
Chloe, from Tangled Thread has finished the memorial textiles created in honor of her grandmother.

Image via flickr.

Post from: Blisstree

So-Artsy Links from Lifestyles Channel and Beyond

Things I learned:

Fortunes from cookies aren’t so great for decoupage as the ink runs.
However, thinner paper is much easier to work with.
Cat hair finds its way onto anything I try to paint, especially if it’s white.

Things I used:

•A small Daisy sour cream container
•Mod Podge as a medium and paint or foam brush (You may also use Elmer’s with water.)
•Vacation mementos like ticket stubs or brochures (Detailed list  of items I used is located at the end of this post.)
•White acrylic non-toxic paint (I used Ceramcoat white.)

First, clean and paint a dry sour cream or similar container. It took two coats, and I allowed it to dry 20 minutes after each coat. If you’re planning on covering the whole container, you don’t have to paint. I wanted more of a scrapbook effect with some white. If you’re not painting, make sure you have plenty of images and apply your least favorite images first as they will be covered before you’re finished.

Second, choose and cut your mementos. You can scan them as well, but I had two of most of the items I used like ticket stubs.

Third, slather on the Mod Podge! Apply your pieces and put more Mod Podge on top of them as well. Follow directions on Mod Podge to achieve the kind of finish you desire. I wasn’t too picky about sanding mine and applying multiple coats. One moderate coat did it for me. I allowed it to dry overnight. There was no tackiness when dry.

Fourth, make sure all your images are glued down. You may need to reapply Mod Podge or spot glue. I only had trouble with one thicker image not wanting to stay down.

Fifth, drill 2-3 holes in the bottom of container with a Dremel or other tool. Sit planter on top of flipped up lid for drainage. Of course if you’re not planting anything in your container, just skip this step.

The Vacation Scrapbook Planter is a fairly easy project and a good way to get your feet wet with decoupage if you haven’t tried it before. Now, what to plant…

Here’s exactly what I included on the planter:

•Ticket stub to The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore from 1-25-06. It has penguins on it — very cute. They have the greatest chimp exhibit I’ve seen.

•Ticket stub to The Red Shoes showing at a Powell & Pressburger film festival, 9-24-07.

•Part of brochure and stub from Portland Classical Chinese Garden.

•Part of brochure from the Dana-Thomas House in Springfield, IL. That’s a wonderful Frank Lloyd Wright house with many of the original furnishings still in place. I think Jennifer at Offbeat Homes would drool over this, but they don’t allow visitors to take photos of the interior.

•Golden sun from a birthday card.

There you have it. Do you have any decoupage planters?

Images via Peggy Rowland.

Post from: Blisstree

My Junk Creation: Vacation Scrapbook Planter from Sour Cream Container