Remnants

I always end up having remnants after I make a pillow. Generally they are small but sometimes they are larger like the remains of the Jerusalem fabric. So my mom requested that I make two kidney pillows from the scraps. They might be a little small and long but they look good on my mom's antique sofas. Even if something you design or make isn't the standard (such as the size of these pillows), it can still be good design, so be creative!

-Brittany-

Jerusalem Fabrics

On our last day in Jerusalem, we went into the Old City and walked through the markets looking at the various items for sale. We turned down one street and came across a fabric vendor in a room that was about 10'x15' and two stories tall. It was completely packed full of fabrics on the bolt and pre-made pillows and table runners. My uncle had requested that I make him two pink pillows for his black leather couch. So I came across this silk fabric with pink stripes and gold ribbon intertwined next to the stripes. I loved the fabric and got it pretty cheap too! I think the pillows turned out quite well!

-Brittany-

Melted Creations

A recent crafting fad that I have noticed on multiple crafting websites is melting crayons on canvas.  I thought the idea was neat, so I made a couple of my own melted crayon canvas projects. This first canvas was done by peeling the paper off a particular color scheme of crayons and hot-gluing them to the top of the canvas.  I then made heart stencils and taped them to the canvas. Next step was to blow dry the crayons to cause them to melt.  The last step was to take the stencils off and touch-up the hearts with white paint.

My next canvas was a mixture of several different projects.  In some earlier posts, I showed artwork where I cut a picture out of a canvas with a blade, painted the canvas, and then backed it with black foam board.  Well I combined that style with this new crayon style.  In this next canvas, first I cut out a ukulele with a blade and then I covered the canvas with pages from an old book.  I then hot-glued crayons to the top and melted them with a hairdryer.  The last step was to back the canvas with black foam board and hot glue it into place.  It turned out to look very fiery and rustic. 

HAPPY CRAFTING! 

~Caroline~

Israel Interior Architecture

Recently my family and I went to Israel to visit the Holy Land, see archaeological digs and remains, visit Holy sites, and see where Jesus walked and the places he and others in the Bible lived worked and taught in. It was amazing. The people and culture are so different from the United States and the buildings, new and old, are designs you just don't see every day. On this post, I want to display some of the amazing ceilings, which are mostly domes, that we were able to see and experience.

This is the interior of an ancient city gate to Caesarea. Incredible stone work. 

How intricately detailed is this ceiling in Nazareth!

Much simpler wood beams, but still architecturally artistic.

It takes a lot of talent to paint this on a curved ceiling and make it look correct.

Very Rustic. Bethlehem.

Catholic Church in Bethlehem.

This ceiling probably fascinated me the most when I was standing inside looking up. Bethlehem.

I hope these last 5 pictures gave you an idea of how intricately detailed, extremely high and expansive the ceilings are in the Church of the Sepulchre in Jerusalem. 

This was inside the church at the Garden of Gethsemene. So unique and gorgeous. 

This is one of the ceilings in our hotel in Jerusalem, The David Citadel. Very modern but still in keeping with designs seen throughout the city. 

If only I had enough memory in my camera, I would have taken so many more pictures of architectural details. Hopefully this will give you a taste of some of the craftsmanship that they have in Israel. I'll be posting more pictures of other things in Israel soon! 

Check out my sister's blog for her take on the trip and her photos:

http://cpsunprints.blogspot.com/p/travel.html

-Brittany-