I’m really enjoying my Craft it Forward projects. You can read about my first project here. The second project took on a life of its own. You could even say its been a bit of a drama.

The effervescent Betsy receives the second Craft it Forward. Betsy lives life in two worlds: a life in the theater and as a wonderful homemaker for two active girls. I wanted this craft to reflect both worlds. Bets and I have a number of mutual friends from our years in the theater, but didn’t actually meet until a few years ago through our children.

The white picket fence pays homage to domestic life, a quiet home in the suburbs. Look a little closer, however and you’ll see theater come to life.  Theatre folks…

• paint scenery (white picket fence)
• decorate props (gold leaf)
• ‘distress’ the new to look old (sanded gold leaf along the fence posts)
• memorize lines (an Oscar Wilde quote lines the picket fence)
• dress in costumes (those flowers are pretty darn theatrical.  They also happen to be her favorite color); and
• gather on stage (or in the garden) for opening night.

The quote on the fence, printed on vellum in purple ink, says:

“I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.” – Oscar Wilde

Metal ‘gold’ leaf, adhesive, acrylic paint and Mod Podge

Unfinished planter box from Michael’s

White picket fence planter

Potted Campanula

B is for Betsy with a bit of bling

The oldest form of theater is the dinner table. It’s got five or six people, new show every night, same players. Good ensemble; the people have worked together a lot. Michael J. Fox

Craft it Forward:

Here’s how it works. The first five people to comment on the original post receive a handmade item with the gardening nirvana touch.  In return, they agree to pay it forward, crafting their own unique item for the first five people on their list. Craft it Forward encourages community, creative spirit and camaraderie.  It also encourages flexibility, so I expanded my list from five to seven based on interest in the project. Isn’t it fun making your own rules?

Further, in the era of the internet, who doesn’t like ‘real’ mail?  If you haven’t started your own Craft it Forward, today is a good day to get one going.