Starting a blog is not as easy as I thought.
I've already deleted my original blog. So if you already viewed my first one, this is a re-run. If you are new to this site, thank you for coming and trying to figure out the sequence of my crazy site!
I think I sent my daughter into seizures trying to help me figure all this out. Oh wait - I'm the ONE going into seizures, she was as cool as a cucumber. She found this in the 'cache' (okay...whatever Bets, thank you!)
But here goes again...
This is the first one I posted...
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Let's Renew!
I love making new stuff from old stuff.
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I wanted to start a blog because I love to recycle, I love to make things, and I'm pretty frugal so it all works. I wanted to share my ideas with other people who are cheap and crafty!
Today's project is making a business card holder.
This is a quick and easy one. You can customize it to suit the business you are using it for. For example, I made one for myself using tiny seed beads, and fused glass pieces I made myself, since I'm a jewelry maker. I use this at craft fairs, and sell them to other business owners. They also make great gifts.
Florists can use silk flowers, Vets can use dog tags or small scrapbooking critters, Builders can have bolts, nails, washers, etc. on it. You get the idea. The Dollar stores, garage sales, resale shops and your 'junk' drawer are perfect places to start hunting for fun, cheap treasures. Scrapbooking supplies, 3-D stickers, etc. are great too.
You need:
~ a plastic cassette case. (save the music tape, maybe I'll come up with an idea using the black tape inside, ha ha) Start a 'craft box' to throw items in for future use.
~decorative recycled 'stuff' to put on the front of it.
~glue (E6000 or Gorilla glue will hold everything).
The recycled items must be small enough to fit on the front of the 'opened' cassette case, so keep that in mind.
1. Open the cassette case bending it backwards so it creates an opening to put your business cards in. This way you will see the area you will be working on.
2. Now close up the case so the area you will be gluing on is laying flat.
Select the items you want to glue on and arrange them before you glue. This way you get an idea of the best placement.
3. They can extend a little over the top and sides, but NOT the bottom. Or your card holder won't sit on the table correctly.
4. Glue your items on, spreading glue carefully and working quickly (that's why you have your layout ready ahead of time). You can overlap the items, or you can add tiny seed beads to 'fill in' the blank areas.
5. Now let it dry.
These make great gifts and you can find tons of old cassettes at your local resale shops or in the back of your dusty old music collection.
I'll be trying to post projects and giving tips often, so check back again!
Today's tip is:
Getting a tough stain out of a white cotton shirt.
I leaned on a grape and got a great purple blotch on my favorite white shirt. I tried several of the usual spot cleaners but to no avail. After shedding a few tears on the stain, (this didn't work either) I tried something else. I put a little squirt of 'soft scrub' cleanser (with bleach in it) on a damp rag and gently worked it into the stain. Within minutes it was completely gone. I rinsed it thoroughly to get all the cleanser out.
I was sooo happy. I think the secret was the bleach in the cleanser. So I would only use it on white fabric, to be on the safe side.
Check out my website for more of my creations. I have recycled items, plus a lot of other unique, handmade goodies. http://www.arttowearbydee.etsy.com/
That's all for today.
:D
I wanted to start a blog because I love to recycle, I love to make things, and I'm pretty frugal so it all works. I wanted to share my ideas with other people who are cheap and crafty! And those who WANT to be crafty, but were too afraid to spend a lot of money on projects.
If recycling projects don't work, no big deal. You didn't spend a ton of money. But if they do work, they are cool, upcycled and YOU did it yourself!
Today's project is making a business card holder.
This is a quick and easy one. You can customize it to suit the business you are using it for. For example, I made one for myself using tiny seed beads, and fused glass pieces I made myself, since I'm a jewelry maker. I use this at craft fairs, and sell them to other business owners. They also make great gifts.
Florists can use silk flowers, Vets can use dog tags or small scrapbooking critters, Builders can have bolts, nails, washers, etc. on it. You get the idea. The Dollar stores, garage sales, resale shops and your 'junk' drawer are perfect places to start hunting for fun, cheap treasures. Scrapbooking supplies, 3-D stickers, etc. are great too.
You need:
~ a plastic cassette case. (save the music tape, maybe I'll come up with an idea using the black tape inside, ha ha) Start a 'craft box' to throw items in for future use.
~decorative recycled 'stuff' to put on the front of it.
~glue (E6000 or Gorilla glue will hold everything).
The recycled items must be small enough to fit on the front of the 'opened' cassette case, so keep that in mind.
1. Open the cassette case bending it backwards so it creates an opening to put your business cards in. This way you will see the area you will be working on.
2. Now close up the case so the area you will be gluing on is laying flat.
Select the items you want to glue on and arrange them before you glue. This way you get an idea of the best placement.
3. They can extend a little over the top and sides, but NOT the bottom. Or your card holder won't sit on the table correctly.
4. Glue your items on, spreading glue carefully and working quickly (that's why you have your layout ready ahead of time). You can overlap the items, or you can add tiny seed beads to 'fill in' the blank areas.
5. Now let it dry.
These make great gifts and you can find tons of old cassettes at your local resale shops or in the back of your dusty old music collection.
I'll be trying to post projects and giving tips often, so check back again!
Today's tip is:
Getting a tough stain out of a white cotton shirt.
I leaned on a grape and got a great purple blotch on my favorite white shirt. I tried several of the usual spot cleaners but to no avail. After shedding a few tears on the stain, (this didn't work either) I tried something else. I put a little squirt of 'soft scrub' cleanser (with bleach in it) on a damp rag and gently worked it into the stain. Within minutes it was completely gone. I rinsed it thoroughly to get all the cleanser out.
I was sooo happy. I think the secret was the bleach in the cleanser. So I would only use it on white fabric, to be on the safe side.
Check out my website for more of my creations. I have recycled items, plus a lot of other unique, handmade goodies. http://www.arttowearbydee.etsy.com/
That's all for today.
:D
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