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Reader Showcase: A Look Back at Spring 2014

As we enter into this summer season with its lingering light…

Long Days - Summer 2014
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…and road trips…

Road trip!  Summer 2014.
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…beach days…

Ocean - Summer 2014
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…and bonfire nights…

Campfire - Summer 2014
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…it’s a most fitting time for some reflection.  And I’m not talking about personal reflection…but reader reflection.  My, my, my…you all have been quite the busy bees this past spring!

So, it brings me great pleasure to turn the spotlight on you today dear reader and showcase your creative projects!  Consider it a virtual fist bump, Cory and Shawn style.

Fist Bump - Summer 2014
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And by the way, I don’t think it will ever lose its luster: finding out that one of you have been able to put my tutorials to the test!  So, thanks to everyone who has taken a moment to send me an email with a photo and an encouraging word or to offer me a shout-out in one of your posts.  It means more to me than you know.

Spring 2014 Reader Showcase

Spring 2014 Reader Showcase at The Thinking Closet.  A quarterly series where we turn the spotlight on YOU, the reader, and the creative projects you've been churning out!  Such a talented bunch....

Note: If you’d like to pin some of these projects, please click through to the blogs from whence they came to honor the original source (if there’s a post on it). Also, I’ll link to the original tutorials in case others would like to give some of these a try, too. Now, let the good times roll!

Crafting

I think we can all agree that small plastic animals are cute as is.  Spray paint them gold and they go from cute to chic!  And this fact was evidenced this spring by Corinna Ashley who took the concept from my place-card holders and ran with it to make her own photo holder (with a giant huge paperclip).  #swoon

Gold Rhino Photo Holder via For my love of, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Gold Rhino Desktop Photo Holder by For My Love Of

If you want some happy in your Sunday, then just watch this cheerful video by Akoutu from A Craft Called Rose!  She had seen my Painted Cork Coasters and used that project as a jumping off point for her jewelry hanger.  How cool is that?!

A Craft Called Rose-Corkboard from Akouto Vonwogbe on Vimeo.

I was so flattered to learn that Emily found some inspiration in the wood slice banner on my Felt Flower Spring to Summer Wreath…and was able incorporate a wooden banner of her own style into her spruced up spring wreath.

Spring Wreath Spruce Up by Two Purple Couches, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Spring Wreath Spruce Up by Two Purple Couches

Vivaldina took a creative approach to that same tutorial – – she created her own felt flowers, but instead of glueing them to a wreath, she arranged them in a basket for an artful felt flower bouquet!  I feel like the added touch of the pearls really sets it apart.

Felt Flower Bouquet by As Artes das Castelinhas, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Felt Flower Bouquet by As Artes das Castelinhas

Now, may recognize Cory‘s year-round wreath from last showcase, only this time she has updated her wreath with some pretty purple flowers from my Fabric Spring Wreath Tutorial to reflect the new season.

Spring Wreath by Cory via My Grandpa's House, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Spring Wreath by Cory via My Grandpa’s House

Gifting

I love learning about the revolution of pre-planned date nights happening out and about.  Catie was able to print out my 12 Months of Date Nights Mini-Book Printable to gift to her husband for Valentine’s Day and shared a delightful account of their first few dates on her blog, Mangoes Margarita.  Reading about their dates made me nostalgic for New York….

Pre-Planned Date Nights by Mangoes Margarita, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Pre-Planned Date Nights by Mangoes Margarita

And Mrs. Medford put together a mini-book for her husband the occasion of their second anniversary.  I have no doubt that they are going to have some pretty adventurous date nights considering they had their own black light party in their living room as part of their anniversary celebration.  I like how these two think!

12 Months of Pre-Planned Date Nights by My Medford Life, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
12 Months of Pre-Planned Date Nights by My Medford Life

This one warmed my heart when I saw it on Instagram.  V from Life Plus 1 saw my post on “The Art of the Surprise Note” and was inspired to write out romantic movie quotes and tuck them into balloons for her and her husband’s anniversary.  Give yourself a fun little challenge in trying to identify which movies they come from.

Surprise Love Notes by My Life Plus 1, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Surprise Notes by Life Plus 1 | Instagram

I was so touched to learn that my own sweet mother used the Flower Tab Gift Box Printable I made for her Mother’s Day jewelry gift to create a gift box to house some D.I.Y. jewelry for her own Mama!  It’s a gift box that keeps on giving, apparently.

Flower Tab Gift Box by Carolyn, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Flower Tab Gift Box by Carolyn

And I love that Priscilla was able to use my cut file as a jumping off point, but tweaked the design to fit the occasion: a graduation party!  Aren’t these favor boxes fab?!

Grad Party Favor Boxes by Razzie's Crafts, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Grad Party Favor Boxes by Razzie’s Crafts

Silhouette-ing

Laura from I Heart Planners was able to use my Receipt Organization Free Cut Files to get her own blogging and personal receipts in order.  She even was able to find the same accordion organizers I did from the good ole ONE SPOT bins at Target.  No more receipt chaos!

Receipt Organization by I Heart Planners, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Receipt Organization by I Heart Planners

My girl Meredith was cut some Sugar and Flour Labels using my free cut file when organizing her pantry, and additionally created a whole collection of frosted vinyl labels.  Those of you out there who are type A like Meredith and me will love this project!

Sugar and Flour Labels by unOriginal Mom, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Pantry Organization by unOriginal Mom

Stacy used my Personalized Etched Glass Bakeware Tutorial to permanently add her last name to some of her casserole dishes.  Gotta love the professional-looking outcome!

Etched Casserole Dishes by Funky Fresh Firsties, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Etched Casserole Dishes by Funky Fresh Firsties

It seems like everyone and their mother is catching the freezer paper bug…and if you haven’t caught it yet, then by george, you will after seeing these inspirational reader projects.  My friend Audra from our Ohio days made some onesies using tips and tricks from my Keep Calm Onesie Freezer Paper Stenciling Tutorial.  Check out these beauts:

Onesies made by Joyosphere, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
D.I.Y. Baby Onesies by Joyosphere

Heather followed in freezer paper suit…however, she stenciled some stripes and her last name on a pastry cloth using fabric dye!

Pastry Cloth & Fabric Dyeing by Heather Ramsey, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Pastry Cloth & Fabric Dyeing by From My Kitchen or Craft Table

Michelle used another one my follow-up Freezer Paper project tutorials, the “Together Since” T-Shirts I made for my parents’ anniversary, to help her create this tote for Teacher Appreciation.  That’s a gift of love right there.

Teacher Appreciation Tote by Just Married Mom of 3, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Teacher Appreciation Tote by Just Married Mom of 3

Speaking of those “Together Since” T-Shirts, here’s another set, made by Nicole for her and her husband!  Such a sweet anniversary gift.

"Together Since" T-Shirts by Nicole, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
“Together Since” T-Shirts by Nicole

And I love the opportunity to connect with readers from across the pond, like Jenny from South Africa!  While she was limited with craft supplies, we figured out a way for her to create a Chill Pill bottle for her husband for Father’s Day as inspired by my Chill Pills Gag Gift.  Doesn’t he look very chill?

Chill Pills by Jenny, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Chill Pills Father’s Day Gift by Jenny

For a fun and easy project, even if you don’t have a Silhouette machine, I give to you Printable Tattoos!  Barb used my tutorial to create her own Piranhas tattoos for her swim team, which I think turned out fabulously.  Don’t you?

Printable Tattoos by Barb's Life, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Printable Tattoos by Barb’s Life

Instagram-ing

I love that Lisa from Feto Soap was able to adapt my FREE “If You Instagram” Printable for one of her workshops!

"If You Instagram" Printable by Feto Soap, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
“If You Instagram” Printable by Lisa from Feto Soap | Instagram

Sewing

Last round, my buddy Allison had gotten her fabric filed, all neat and organized.  This round, she’s onto ribbon!  Ain’t it purdy?

Filed Ribbon by Allison of Dream a Little Bigger, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Filed Ribbon by Dream a Little Bigger | Twitter

And this one really blew my mind: at a cookout get-together with Mark’s co-workers, I learned that one of the nurses he works with, Elizabeth Rash, has used my Burp Cloth Tutorial to create a slew of products for her etsy shop!  I love how she personalizes them with monograms and school colors, too.  Adorbs!

Burp Cloths by Elizabeth Rash Designs, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Burp Cloths by Elizabeth Rash Designs

And we have more burp cloth creations!  Here’s a precious set created by Sue.  She reports that they were a hit with the mom-to-be!  How could they not be?

Burp Cloths by Sue, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Burp Cloths by Sue

And here’s another cute set for a boy and a girl created by Callie!  I love how a simple change of the fabric can dramatically change the look of these burp cloths.

Burp Cloths by Callie, Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Burp Cloths by Callie

Blogging

One of my friends from college, Rachel Danish, started designing and selling her own wet bag,s and they have grown immensely in popularity; she now sells an array of fabulous baby creations out of her online shop, Logan & Lenora.  Anyway, rumor on the street has it that she consulted my tips on “How to Revamp Your ‘About Page'” when re-doing hers.  And I absolutely love the whimsical photos she incorporated and that she wrote it in the form of a letter to “Dear Friend.”

Logan & Lenora's "About Page", Featured in The Thinking Closet's Spring 2014 Reader Showcase
Revamped “About” Page by Rachel of Logan & Lenora

If You’ve Been Showcased….

…feel free to grab a “featured” button!

Featured Button for The Thinking Closet Reader Showcase
Right click to copy the url or “save as.”

One Full Year of Reader Awesomeness

Yeppers: there is now one full year of archived Reader Showcase posts for each season.  Feel free to click the images below in order to check them out and continue the inspiration-fest.

Reader Showcase: Spring 2013 | The Thinking Closet

Reader Showcase: Summer 2013

Reader Showcase: Fall 2013 | The Thinking Closet

The Thinking Closet Reader Showcase: Winter 2014

I Want to Feature YOU!

At the end of each season, I’ll be posting more of your projects inspired by The Thinking Closet here for the world to see. If you’ve ever created something in the past that was inspired by something you saw on this blog or if you do so in the future, I’d love it if you’d send me a photo or two of your creation to thethinkingcloset {at} gmail.com. And if you have a blog or are on social media, I’ll be sure to link to it!  Promoting my beloved readers is one of my favorite things in the whole wide world; and I ain’t lyin’.

Now go forth and seize your Sunday!

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7 Comments

  1. What fun to see how many people you inspired, Lauren, including ME! And I liked how Nicole and her husband thought to take a picture of the back of their shirts via the reflection of a mirror! Smart!!!
    Keep up these showcases and those cute gifs to get us started!

  2. It’s amazing how much creativity you fostered in other people!! See all these awesome things!

    I hope you had a great weekend and will start in an awesome new week now, my dear <3
    Love, Midsommarflicka

    PS. If you allow some shameless self-promotion: I have a book-giveaway on my blog currently in which you might be interested, because it plays in … Sweden! 😉

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