Home-Made Gifts for Mom

Things are just so busy with Christmas this year especially since I made things that are time consuming. We've also hosted 2 parties and are doing a gift exchange with my Mom and her boyfriend (a person she dated 22+ years ago and has just started seeing again) tomorrow at our house. Then celebrating Christmas with his family that I've know since I was about 3 and have not seen in 23 or so years ... his niece was my best friend for years, so this will be fun, I hope ... interesting to say the least! 

Then Christmas at my Mother-In-Laws on Saturday and then I work on Sunday from 5am-11am ... don't feel too sorry for me, I chose to work :)  The sad part is that there is no time for me and the hubby to buy and exchange gifts!!  I hope we can just find a charity to give to and make some spirits brighter :)

Anyhow ...

My mom has always enjoyed home-made things and since that is right up my ally, I created two things which I JUST finished tonight!

This is a picture frame that I altered ...

• remove back of frame, glass and discard matting
• carefully paint one side of the glass with magnetic (not metallic) paint (pain-in-butt and smelly)
• add three coats, THICK (ignore all directions on can its full of crap), allow 3 hours dry between coats not the measly 30 min the directions say is required. 
• allow to completely dry and place a pretty 12x12 sheet of  paper over the magnetic side of glass 
• place back into the frame with the back-support of frame and secure
• add an accent square with fun colored card stock 
• place 2 business card magnets tacky side to accent square (allows it to be moved anywhere)
• take a thicker ribbon wrap around the bottom 4th of frame and staple to back
• hot glue buttons and magnet together
• add some micro-mini clothes pins and a cute saying and hang from ribbon
• place on the wall and add your favorite pictures, quotes, reminders etc                                                
   

I bought a similar frame for myself a month or so ago ... the owl paper that was used sucked me right in and I couldn't resist, (I rarely buy things I know how to make)!  I am not certain how the one I bought is made, but I'm 99% sure there is sheet metal instead of magnetic painted glass.

After learning how to paint owls from Juliette Crane I had to paint a smaller version of the 12x12 "Winter Dreams" owl I did during the class. 

This is done on a 6x6 canvas ... I'm happy to know I can paint on a "smaller" scale ... wasn't sure I'd be able to!

Hopefully my mom likes her gifts and hasn't learned how to find my blog!! :)