Saturday, December 10, 2011

FISH FAMILY FAVORITES

by Stefanie
This post is about things in my house that make me happy right now. It's also about posting things that my sisters, Lori, Keri, and Julie should post but don't. This cute star was crafted by Lori and Keri. I can't even begin to guess how many they have made and given away. I wish I had more pictures to post of the various sizes, colors, patterns, and holiday themes they have put together, but they are all adorning someone else's home. Maybe at some future point they will post a tutorial on how to make them.



I have issues with the quality of pictures I can take on my phone--and I say that because these pictures just don't do the above art piece justice. Anyway, this was created by my sister, Julia, who is an extremely talented artist and calligrapher. I hope she will start posting as well as offering her art on "See Fish Create." Julia made this for me for Christmas in 2004, and it is a treasure.


These wreaths are made from pages of a book. Lori made the middle one for me and I made the other two thanks to her instruction. Different sizes of books make different looking wreaths. When I made the one one the left, I didn't like the weight or size of the paper and how it turned out, so I decided to experiment further and see how it looked spray-painted. It's hard to tell, but I used white, silver, blue, and a glitter paint. I was trying to make it resemble a snowflake--I'm not sure I succeeded. Lori also helped Keri make a GREAT looking wreath using coffee filters densely attached to a straw wreath. Wish I had a picture! We are at the mercy and unlikelihood of Keri posting a picture, but we can always hope.


Rarely does anyone enter my home who doesn't have the urge to take a shot at this hoop. That's ok, it's what its there for. Before my remodel, my boys had a little hoop hanging on the closet door in the entry that they would play on daily for hours, especially in the winter. Well, it beat the heck out of the door, plus I was worried eventually someone's foot was going to go through the door in the process of a dunk or lay-up. The chandelier was also a little marred from erring balls. In spite of the possible damage to the decor, I decided that the basketball activity was a good thing and to embrace it rather than fight it. At the time of the remodel, I had my contractors make a more permanent backboard (that I painted to match my decor), and then I bought a rim that I had powder-coated gray--again to match the decor. It's called give and take--they get the hoop, I get to decided the color. Anyway, my boys are a lot bigger now--and so are their friends; the play is rougher; my walls are a little beat up; so far we've only had one glass cover on the chandelier break, but I expected that and bought extra; and the fun is competitive and extreme. I'll repair and repaint when they grow out of it, but I don't know if that will ever happen--their dad enjoys it just as much as they do. And, like I said, so does everyone that enters.


This is my pantry door. It is painted with chalkboard paint. I love it to write messages, menus, thoughts, quotes, etc. I really need my sister Julie to come write all these things for me so they are beautiful to look at as well as legible. These days chalkboard paint comes in a variety of colors. It works best painted on completely smooth surfaces. Most walls have a texture, and it's hard to write with chalk on a bumpy surface!


Last but not least, my amaryllis are blooming! That's always happy. Merry Christmas!

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