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Archive for make – Page 12

We Hold These Truths

· July 3, 2013

As we head into a 4th of July weekend of family fun around the Pond, I decided to create a little desktop wallpaper in celebration of freedom and equality. As I read news from around the world and hear the stories of others online and in books, I’m continually reminded of the privilege afforded to me simply by having been born a citizen of the United States of America. Freedom is a continual process. May we pursue it with vigor.

[To get the desktop wallpaper, click the image above or download it here]

Categories : free art + printables

Tags : design in culture, holidays, inspired by Americana

make . DIY Paper Stars

Posted by haley montgomery

· June 12, 2013

Last month, we celebrated my oldest son’s 8th birthday around the Montgomery household! While I was getting over the shock that he could possibly be eight, I decided to create some fun decorations for our dining room chandelier. We decided to have just a “family party” rather than a “kid party” with friends this year, but I still wanted him to feel special — for a couple of weeks 🙂

Maybe I’ll share the “8yo Birthday Blast-Off” rocket centerpiece I made him to hang from the light in another post, but for this one I decided to offer a little how-to on some paper stars I created for the rocket’s airspace. These are really simple, and you can make them with any solid or patterned paper. I decided to print out some silly patterns in the colors I wanted, and you can download those if you like them. The stars are so whimsical that those white spaces left at the edges when you “print to page” from an inkjet printer aren’t even noticeable. So, I can even see these stars as a neat and festive way to recycle used printouts! Enjoy and have a blast in your own starry celebrations!

What you’ll need:

>> Sheets of paper — any size, where the width = about 1/3 the length.
** I used a 8 1/2 x 11″ sheet cut in half to make two stars
[you’ll need that approximate width/length to be sure your star can easily open to a full circle]
>> Tape
>> Scissors
>> Twine or string

How to make it:

1. Gather your materials so you’re ready to begin — the more fun the paper and string, the better!

2. Fold your piece of paper accordion style along the narrow side. It doesn’t matter how wide the fold it, just try to keep it consistent.

3. When your folding is complete, cut the strip in half. You’ll be able to make a star out of each half? When cut, carefully fold the strip in half. You can use a straight-edge to help crease the fold. Then, tie a string around your folded strip at the crease.

4. Now you can get creative! Using the scissors, cut various shapes into the sides and/or ends of the folded strip. Your cuts will create light holes for more twinkly stars.

5. Pull the top and bottom ends of the accordion folds toward each other and secure with tape to create a full circle. you’ll tape on the opposite end of a fold as shown above.

6. Thread a string or ribbon through one of the star holes and you’re ready to hang for a stellar celebration!

Categories : make

Tags : birthdays, DIY goodness, make, paper craft, printables, yellow

make . Easter Cards & Bookmarks [printable]

Posted by haley montgomery

· March 25, 2013

Two weeks ago when the kids and I went to our family farm for Spring Break, my intention was to have some creative down time. And, I did! But, I also took my watercolor paints. As things happen, I really enjoyed getting to play around with them and just have fun with the joy of painting. I painted some plein air landscapes as we enjoyed the outdoors, and I also created a few fun illustrations springing from some of my sketch journal entries. My daughter enjoyed the bunny creations, so I decided to turn them into some sweet little printables for Easter. There are a set of two printable notecards and three bookmarks that could also double as jumbo gift tags. I hope you enjoy them as you celebrate Easter with your little bunnies.

DOWNLOAD PRINTABLES

Categories : free art + printables

Tags : DIY goodness, Easter, inspired by spring, make, printables, watercolor, yellow

making . Saint Patrick’s Day Mini-Banner [printable]

Posted by haley montgomery

· March 12, 2013

We’re “hangers” around here. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I hang decorations and signs and pictures to the wrought-iron chandelier above our dining table every chance I get. Whether it’s “happy birthday” banners across the picture window or the latest crayon creations on the entryway or even Baby Girl’s intricate tape sculptures on my office door, we all seem to get into the “hanging” mood. And, I love it! I love the chance to create an air of celebration out of just ordinary days.

I’ve been inspired by some of the really cool paper DIY banners popping up around the internet these days! So, last week I decided to design one of my own in celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day…

For my DIY mini banner, I decided OUR Saint Patrick’s Day message should be B.L.E.S.S.E.D. The “luck of the Irish” is tons of fun and you can’t go wrong wearing green, in my opinion! BUT, I don’t really believe all our abundant blessings come from that “lucky” clover. They are birthed from God’s gracious hand, paired with our own hard work, the love and generosity of those around us and a pinch of the amazement God set in motion when He made this great world with humans beings in it. So, BLESSED, it is!

I put together some mini-banner flags that can be strung together and hung in celebration of March. AND, with the extra space on the printable, I also threw in a couple of “pinch me anyway” mini folded notes with a more traditional St. Patty’s feel.

Feel free to DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE HERE.

What you’ll need:
>> card stock to print the PDF file
>> cutting mat
>> x-acto or small utility knife
>> metal straight edge
>> string or ribbon for hanging
>> glue

How to make it:
1. Print both pages of your “printable” PDF onto white card stock paper. The flags are set up so that your banner will read “blessed” from both front and back.

2. Cut out the diamond shapes of your mini flags using a utility knife and straight edge. On the printable, you’ll cut along the diagonal lines. [Save the horizontal lines for scoring only]

3. Now, use your straight edge and a very light touch with your knife to score the center line of each diamond shape and fold to create your triangular flags.

4. Arrange the mini flags in the right order with your string positioned in the crease. You can determine the space between each flag.

5. Squeeze some glue onto the lower triangle and press the two sides together. I drew a small triangle with the glue, keeping it away for the edges and about a half inch from the string in the crease. This way the flags are secure enough to stay in place when hung, but you can also carefully slide them if you want to change the spacing.

6. Give it a couple of minutes to dry. Then, hang and be blessed!

** For your mini folded notes, just cut out the rectangular shapes (the printable includes 2 folded notes) and score at the center line to fold. The notes would be pretty cute as placecards or mini tabletop decorations!

Categories : free art + printables

Tags : DIY goodness, green, printables, Saint Patricks Day

November Bounty

Posted by haley montgomery

· November 3, 2011

Happy November! It seems almost impossible that 2011 is almost over, but here we are. Last weekend my kids and I visited our family farm and enjoyed some time exploring outdoors. As we were gathering leaves and rocks and other treasures, I was observing the light and the colors. Fall is a random time in the South. It’s random in that you never know exactly when it’s going to hit and what response Nature might make. The typical Fall colors and signature blue sky spread themselves along the landscape from late September well into January sometimes. For this trip, I was noticing the clarity of the colors. The blue sky was astonishingly blue at times. The greens were still quite vibrant in places. The yellows and reds and oranges were popping out in their appropriate tree species with a punch. I sometimes assume November will offer only the most sluggish of colors that are soon muddied out by an overwelming gray/brown neutral. Not so, as we begin the month this year! Even my own yard is ablaze with deep hues. Clear hues.

Clarity. It can be hard to come by sometimes — in colors and in living. As November has brought it’s clear hues this year, I’m also wondering what I’m willing to let it bring for my clarity of spirit. This month, we celebrate Thanksgiving. We focus on the blessings we find in the privilege of living. The bounty.

Bounty is clarifying. Taking the time to recognize the bounty around me pushes aside muddy thinking and muddy priorities. It focuses my attention on what matters. It keeps the main things (and people) in clearer focus. Bounty refuses to allow itself to be governed by regrets or have-nots. It requires that I see a full plate. It flies in the face of all the distractions that come with that battle in my mind. Am I really making progress? Am I really speaking? Am I really moving? Am I really living? Moving my attention to the bounty of each day and each experience helps me live that day and that experience will a full focus and a full heart. That’s my goal this November, and that’s the inspiration for this month’s wallpaper art. Enjoy for your desktop, iphone or ipad!

Categories : beautiful ordinary, free art + printables

Hello & welcome! I’m Haley Montgomery, and I’m the designer and owner of Small Pond Graphics. I sometimes fancy myself a frog kisser— a documentarian coaxing poignant moments from unexpected places. This blog has evolved from those moments.

The small Pond FIELD GUIDE is part diary, part sketchbook, and part wish list – an archive of ordinary wonders. For years, this space has housed my stories – creative ideas, vintage inspiration, our forays into curious places, and the simple artifacts of quiet of conscious living. Through watercolor, photography, and illustrated tales, these pages uncover the blessing of ordinary days and the wonder found in authentic places and pursuits.

I invite you to open the boxes.
Peek into the drawers.
Rustle through the pages.
I’m honored to have you here.