Sculpey

DIY Berry Basket

Hi there and happy Friday! It’s been a roller coaster of a week, so I’m glad the weekend is finally here. Spring always takes forever to get here, but when it does finally arrive, it ignites with a fury and steamrolls into summer. There is always so much to do and so much I WANT to do, and at the end of every day I end up saying “there just isn’t enough time.” I have to say though, even after long days at the office I’ve been managing to stick to a basic workout routine during the week [big win for me!]. Working out even when I’m tired has dramatically increased my energy level [weird, I know] and has given me a much needed confidence boost. And I need both energy and confidence in huge doses right now with the amount I need/want to accomplish!

By basic I mean I am still no fitness pro [or even close], but I’ve gotten to a point where I exercise at least 3 days a week. On Tuesdays I join a small group that does Zumba together at work, after work, and interchange that with the Shirlington running club, also on Tuesdays, that I joined last fall. I have also picked up barre classes with a friend who is training to become an instructor, and the classes are free which helps my bottom line [literally]. And then there’s my at-least-once-a-week visits to the industrial building in Springfield that hosts the largest dance party workout class I have ever experienced: Kazaxe. Kazaxe has become my favorite part of my routine because it’s not only a great cardio workout [trust me, you sweat constantly] and endorphin booster, but it’s become a social gathering with some of my closest gal pals. And what could better than getting your twerk on with your closest friends?! One of those friends has recently started a fitness blog, which is amazing and you should follow along!

With all of this extra energy I have been pushing myself to keep my crafting going. Something I had been really wanting to do is to create a berry basket from clay. I already had extra Sculpey from my clay planter project, so I dedicated an afternoon a couple weeks ago to making one for my newly redecorated bathroom. I followed the basic steps from the post from A Beautiful Mess, tweaked it a bit, and voila! My very own berry basket. It took me a bit longer than I expected (about 2 hours), so I ended up only making one. I painted it black to match my sea glass and black decor in the bathroom and I think it feels right at home on the shelf. They are perfect for any nick nacks or do dads you have lying around… I started with q-tips and it’s now it’s holding three nail clipper kits, previously without a home [don’t ask me why I have three]. I’d love to make another to have on my bedroom dresser, leave the white clay color, and then paint the bottom gold!

Jackietara

DIY Clay Planters

It’s been a while since we made these, but I promised I would post photos and a “how-to” for these cute DIY clay planters. I’ve recently started hosting a monthly “Crafty Night” at my apartment, which has been a success so far! Our first crafty theme was miniature clay planters, a project I originally saw on the A Beautiful Mess blog. They are perfect small embellishments for a hallway table or window ledge, and you can hang them too!

Here’s what you need:
Rolling pin
Wax paper
Sculpey clay (or another oven-baking clay)
Sculpting tools
Acrylic paint
Paint brushes

Directions:
1. Roll your clay out about ¼ of an inch thick and cut a long rectangle that is 10 inches long and 2 ½ inches tall. Cut out a circle for the bottom of the planter that is 3 ½ inches wide.

2. Place your long rectangle piece on top of your circle to create your sides. Roll thin tubes of clay to put on the inside bottom of the planter (where the walls meet the planter bottom), then use the clay knives (or your fingers) to smooth out the clay tube between the crack to create a water-tight seal.

4. Roll out more clay and cut out the design that will go on the sides of your planter.

5. Use a wooden skewer to poke 4 evenly spaced holes near the top of your planter. Bake your clay according to the package directions and let the planter cool.

6. Paint freely!

Christmas is around the corner, and a mini clay planter would make a great gift!

Jackietara

Fall To-Do List Update

I have had the craziest last couple of weeks. Between work, friends, projects, quartet rehearsals, and family obligations, it’s hard to find a moment to slow down and reflect. Saturday was the first day in a while that I was able to sit down and think about how I have been coming along on my fall to-do list, so cheers to the weekend!

Even though I have been incredibly busy, I have been happy. I am the sort that gets a huge amount of gratification from accomplishing things, and that’s what fall has done for me. Here’s what I have been up to lately:

1. Keeping up with appearances. I am now into my second month of Birchbox, and loving it! Since I’m not adventurous enough to buy a full-sized bottle of product to try, it’s nice to get a few samples to see what works. I’m currently loving the Dr. Jart+ tinted moisturizer from the September box and still getting a feel for a few items in the October box.

2. Exercising. I joined a running club in Shirlington and it has done wonders for my energy level. It’s also a great way to release stress after a long day at work, and to socialize! It’s hard for me to motivate myself to work out, but so much easier with a great group of friends. My goal is to be able to run the entire 5K loop without stopping to walk, but I must say I am quite proud that I have even completed between 3.1 – 3.7 miles AND I am no longer a running hater!

3. Getty crafty. After a realization that I need to channel my younger more crafty self, I decided to host a monthly craft night. There’s nothing too much more relaxing and comforting than creating art, drinking, and laughing with friends. Our first craft night featured one of my childhood favorite crafts: Sculpey. In addition to some creative planters, we decided to make a few octopi friends for our rooms and offices. DIY steps and photos to come!

4. Practicing. Strike Quartet is keeping me busy with rehearsals and preparing for our first performance on October 18th at the Fridge. It has been awesome getting the group together to do something that we all love. Our show at the Fridge was a great first gig (check out our mention in the Capitol Hill Corner blog!) and I’m looking forward to performing more and more. And look at this awesome poster that my friend Dan made for us!

If you have any suggestions for crafty night projects or have great fall “to-do’s,” please share!

Jackietara

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