I had so much fun one year designing and crafting all the decorations on this tree.

I love to explore with new and different ideas for crafting.

I have made all homemade/crafted gifts

and tried different ways to decorate gift wrappings and boxes.

I try to use items I have on hand

where I can work with recycling items I have saved.

CHRISTMAS TREE WREATHS

Small Christmas tree wreaths created out

of Morning Glory vines. They can also be used

to decorate gift packages. There is a lot of useful

items found in my Woodland Garden to create

crafts.

Containers: Think of a use before discarding.

Photo by Mary Nida Smith

This is the time of year more discarded containers

will be coming in to the house. I have taken photos

of all the ways I have used discarded materials.

The more I can recycle throwaway items the more money I save.

Thanksgiving cookies created by

Photos (C) by Mary Nida Smith
Mrs. Belvins in our church.

She brought them to our

church Thanksgiving dinner.

Love them. Next year I'll

create them

Plastic store bags do not throw
away. I have found several ways to
use them. Today I'll share one: pillow stuffing.

What ways do you use them?

Nida Crafts and Recycling

Nida Crafts and Recycling

Leave Art for Framing: Anytime of the year nature can be
shared inside your home. There is nothing more
beautiful than what God has designed.

Photos (c) By Mary Nida Smith

Autumn Leaves: I love to gather the first colored fall leaves to create an image. I arrange them on the scanner where I have placed different colored paper over them for the background. It is great fun if you love to create simple art projects.

Fly though bird houses. Easy to make

and fun to paint designs on.

Photo by Mel T. Smith(c)
Countryside Arrangements
A book I wrote with photos
of arrangements & bouquets
I designed.

4th of July display from my book "Countryside Arrangements." Material to create the arrangement is gathered along ditches and fields. Some paint was added.

Save tissue containers to display

wash cloths. Tissue boxes can be

used for other projects; so you don't need to

throw away every box. Recycle.

Hanging Pots:If you have clothes lines you no longer use, recycle them. I saved one pole end for the yard and the other one I had removed where I placed it in my woodland garden. Great for hanging you potted plants.

Tools and Redesigning: I purchase the office chair from a neighbor's yardsale for five dollars. The arms were uncomfortable for me, so I saw them off. I love my chair now.

The tools and screws in the little package a workman used to assemble the new Captain's bed in the guest room. I asked him if I could have them. He said "yes." Good thing as he placed too short a screw in one of the knobs. The package had larger ones that worked. My chair underneath was loose and no screwdriver or tool I owned fit. So I tried the bed tool and it worked. Ask questions. A plumber gave me an extra tool so I could fix my faucet the next time I had a problem. When I had work done on the wood fence and deck, I asked for the leftover wood; after all I paid for it.

Primitive Art

Twisted newsprint used to create primitive crafts. A swan is shown.

I have created ducks

Cards for Easter
Designed and painted by Mary Nida Smith (c)

Redesigning a wrought iron lamp to be use in different ways.

Remove shade and lamp insert - insert plant in stand. Shade turned upside down for another plant holder. The lamp was once a kerosene lamp, It is brass & dated July 27, 1888. It was placed in a basket to be used on the summer porch.

Bird Houses: Repairing and cleaning out bird houses. I never remove the old nesting material for the birds worked too hard in building them. Some birds return to the home of their birth the following year. But, I do remove the different bees nest. Birds will not use a house where bees are coming and going.

How to repair old weathered bird houses when the nails have came out and the wood will not hold nails. I discovered one of the best repair items: Liquid Nails. It comes in a tube.

I have been saving all my sunflower feed sacks. They are bright, with colorful birds and durable.
This summer I will share with you what I will be using them for.

Enjoy the seasons and create.

Lantern Bird Feeder: My feeder was old

and broken where it did not hold seeds.

I loved the shape and the pole was in good condition.

I decided to paint the lantern to appear as a bird house and I planted ivy to climb the pole.

Valentine cards designed(c) by

Mary Nida Smith for family

members. She used watercolors;
no stamps or items from scrapbooking.

Each one was created with love from scratch.

Recycling: Never trash your old address book when you replace it. Save it as part of your history. Address books contain the different places/areas family and friends have lived and death notices written beside a name.

Nicole's doll house was found at a yardsale. Lots restoration had to be done. Creating a pattern and restoring some of the gingerbread trim took time. I removed wall paper and repainted. I made pillows, rugs, furniture, quilts,wall paintings and curtains. I have always loved doll houses and grandaughters.

I had three articles published about a local lady who owns a museum filled with doll houses and miniature items.

Society of Craft Designers: I joined this group after I finished
my first book. Today, a book I need to find a publisher for.
The subject is more popular today than when I finished it.
I submitted to several publishers. They liked it , but
at that time the market wasn't ready for it.

Doll house was built for my oldest daughter. I am the short one in the picture. This house was built from a kit. The only change was the door. I made it to be opened and shut. Of course, I did the decorating: curtains, curtain rods, rugs, hardwood floors and base boards, furniture, lamps and etc. I made everything inside, plus little pillows and I painted paintings that were hung on the walls.

I have always enjoyed creating something from words to castaways.
I am not a shopper and have always lived in or near the countryside.
This has helped me to create and use what I had at home and the nearby countryside.

I will share what I have designed and created: doll houses,
doll furniture,garden crafts, recycled items, greeting cards,
holiday crafts, toys and other items.
I have written two unpublished books: Countryside
Arrangements (Collecting and designing with instructions.
Photos included), and 
Making Doll Furniture and Accessories(Patterns,
illustrations and photos).