Easy Easter Eggs

      Every April Fool's Day my mom would always call me up and try to 'fool' me. This usually involved some kind of unlikely pregnancy or unexpected marriage of someone we knew.
Needless to say, I usually was NOT fooled. But we carry on this silly tradition, with my girls, and friends and husband.  Every new year is a challenge, because my daughters are pretty saavy about this day.
     But, I got EVERYONE this time. hee hee... I guess that makes the Queen of the April Fools (not sure I like that title) but it was fun anyway.
     ...But onto our project for today. Easter is only 2 days away, so get your eggs ready...

Today's project is:    EASY colored EASTER eggs

You will need:
scarves or ties that are 100% silk
    (look in thrift shops)
onion skins (dry)
     save throughout the year, if you can
eggs (not boiled yet)
thin material (like old cotton pillowcases),
or nylon stockings
twist ties (or string)

Now there are two projects of eggs. The traditional eggs I've always made since childhood was a project I did with my mom every year. You start saving the onion skins throughout the year. I always wondered what that paper bag under the kitchen sink held, til one day I peeked and found the skins.

Then of course, she saved her knee high nylons, or old cotton pillowcases for this project, too. She was my original "recycler".

You take an egg, wrap the onion skins around it (the best you can) and slip it into the toe of the nylon stocking, or into the center of a cotton rag. Then you twist tie it shut. If you are using a stocking, you can stack several into one. see photo ->

Then you boil them as usual for 10 minutes (I put them into a pot of water, then get it boiling and start timing. I don't like to drop them into boiling water, because they tend to crack). Unwrap when cool, and you will find wonderfully marbelized brownish colored eggs. (I tried using red onion skins hoping for pink or red eggs, but no, they just are powerful enough to dye).

Now the second Easy Easter Egg dying project is using silk ties or scarves.
If you wrap the egg tightly against the fabric, twist tie it and boil for 10 min.  When you unwrap these eggs, you will be amazed that the pattern on the silk scarf or tie comes off onto the eggs.

When ever I make and give these as gifts, people are so amazed and totally confounded about how I got the color onto them. But it's soooo easy, I hate to tell them that, so I just smile and say "it's my secret".

tip of the day:
Today's tip is more of a suggestion of yet again, one of our Easter traditions.
We would have 'egg wars' on Easter morning. It was usually before we went to church, so we would have a little something to eat to hold us over until the big Easter brunch later.
Everyone would select an egg from our collection, and holding it in your fist with only the end showing, we would clunk them against each other. Then we would turn it over and hit the other end. The one whose egg did not crack was the winner! (of course this all a matter of where the air bubble is when you boil the egg, but it's fun and a nice tradition to pass on)

That's all for this week... HAPPY EASTER!!
:D

Painting the Roses Red!

My favorite animated movie is Alice in Wonderland.
My kids know this, my friends know this, my fellow crafters know this.
I have A in W ornaments,  A in W playing cards and I am quoting this movie all the time.

So when my girls had their 30th birthday, I, of course, had red roses for decorations.
These are paper roses, and easy to make. So NO need to fear the Queen of Hearts...
today's project is:

Paper Roses

You need:
~red tissue paper (or any other color you want)
~scissors
~tape (I used colored Duct Tape)
~skewers

First take your piece of tissue paper and cut it into 6 squares.

Layer 3 pieces on top of one another, and start folding these together at the same time.



You will fold these 4 times into a cone shape.

Then cut a curve in the top, through all layers.

Then do the same with the other 3 layers.

Open all and stack on top of each other.



Take a skewer and place a little piece of tape at the dull end. Stick this through the middle of all 6 layers.

Then you will gather and crimp the pieces up around the skewer and tape the bottom onto the stick. Make sure you get the tissue paper as you wind the tape around the skewer.

Then you will start separating the layers.
Do this gently starting at the bottom layer. Pull it downward.
Go to the next layer pulling it down, but not as far as the bottom layer.
Continue until you have separated all the layers.
Leave the top layer gathered around the skewer resembling a bud.

That's it! I made several of these, added them to toothpicks instead of long skewers and hung them from my dining room chandelier. I added paper sayings for my girls' birthday party. Plus I made a large flower to hang from the center of the lamp. You can make any size flower, just remember to cut the tissue paper into squares (not rectangles). For the large center flower I used 6 full sheets of tissue paper. Then I used the cut off ends to make into the smaller flowers.

I also used pink for the inside 3 layers, and red for the outside 3 layers. I added green construction paper leaves and strung them on fishing wire. A very feminine look.

You can make several and put in vases for centerpieces. Or string them together for a garland. Fast, easy and pretty.

Why not plan a Valentines Day party and make a bunch to decorate your place with. Or better yet, show your guests how to make them and send them home with a heart felt bouquet!

tip of the day:
I bought several boxes of blueberries today from the store, at a buy one, get one free sale. So I had to freeze some of them. And the lesson I learned from picking fresh blackberries and putting them in the freezer in a zip loc bag was: separate them before freezing! Otherwise you end up with a big, squashed clump of berries. So take a cookie sheet, put your berries (or banana slices) on this, making sure they are in a single layer. Put in freezer til set, and THEN take them off and put into another container (ziploc or tupperware) and store in freezer.

That's all for this week!
:D

3 Dimensions

This post is a couple of days late, because I didn't want my girls to find out about their party...

Last week my twin daughters had their birthday.
We are planning a big bash for Saturday to celebrate. And, of course, I am happily going crazy making stuff for the party.

Their nicknames are "the Twinkies", given to them from my dad. And so I made some paper wrappers on the computer that say Happy Birthday to the Twinkies. And wrapped and taped them onto...what else...twinkies. Those are the party favors.

The left over paper strips (I cut off from the twinkie wrapper papers) became curly decorations to stick into their cake. Just take thin strips of paper, tape together at the bottom, and using the edge of the scissors, curl the ends. Attach to toothpicks or skewers with tape.


curled or not, these cute
decorations will go on the cake.

 And their cards have to be extra special, too. And this is what today's project is:

city scape



garden scene

3-D greeting cards
You will need:
~paper
~stickers or magazine pictures or recycled cards
~glue
~scissors

First you need to assemble all the parts you are going to use. The pictures or stickers or the fronts of recycled cards you have received (that's why you save all those cards you get).
Cut out the individual pictures.
Then get some card stock for the base of the card, and fold in half. The standard size is 1/2 of an 8 1/2" x 11" piece.


city scape pieces


Then get some scrap paper for the 3-D pop outs.

You need 2 pieces smaller than the base, fold in half and then fold up the bottom 1/2" and snip at the fold. These are the tabs that you are going to fasten to the base. I call these 'smaller cards'.

You will glue each one onto the base, by folding it up, put glue on tabs, place next to the fold in the base card - at an angle. Close the base. When you open it up, the 'smaller card' should open easily. 

I used two smaller cards, and 2 boxes

Adjust if need be.

Then make a couple of small 2 sided 'boxes'. These are rectangles, folded in half, with a tab at each end. Glue this onto the front of one of the 'smaller cards' and also onto the base.

Now you can start adding all the fun pieces to it. Glue them onto the 'smaller cards' and the 'boxes' and scattered around the base.



I added 'streets' before I glued
 down the pop up components.



You may have to glue this whole card down onto a larger piece of card stock if you find that your pop ups stick out beyond the base when it's closed.

You can keep adding little things until you have a look you like.

I made my own envelopes to fit these cards. I used scrapbook paper (12" x 12") and folded in all the sides leaving 1/4" space all around so the card slips in easily. I like to cut off the corners (squares). Glue 3 sides leaving top flap open.

Happy card making. Once you've perfected these simple pop-up shapes, there is no end to the fun cards you can make.

tip of the day:

When you plan a party, a theme is really the thing that ties everything together. The theme for this party is 30. Because that's how old my girls are now. All the guests were requested to make their gifts "30" themed. That is something that has 30 in., or 30 oz., or 30 pieces, or 30 on the package. It's a hoot to see what people come up with. It takes a bit more thought, but oh, so worth it, to see their creativity.

That's all for this week!

:D

Fun Site

Hi there,
In the place of my usual weekly post, I am recommending a fun site to check out.
http://www.pinterest.com/  This has so many handmade, creative, yummy things. I have to warn you though, that this IS the Bermuda Triangle of your time. It will suck you in for hours.

But it has so many great recipes, and crafts, and ideas that it's worth it.
When you scroll through it, and you find something you want to look at, click on the picture. Then click on it again to go to the blogger's site for instructions.
Then exit when finished, and 'back' to the site.
I have found that the pictures change when I stop and check individual sites out, but that's okay. It keeps the variety going.

The reason I'm not putting my usual post up today is that I'm planning a birthday party for my twins, and I'm using a few of the party ideas, and I don't want them to see it.  So look for my PARTY POST next Friday as usual.

It will have fun things you could try for YOUR next party, so be sure to check it out.  See you next time!....
:D

p.s.
check out my website: http://www.arttowearbydee.etsy.com/ for fun gifts

Minty fresh idea

Wow, where did the summer go?
I was looking back when I started blogging and talking about the hot weather, and picnics and summer fun. And now it's the beginning of autumn. Although it's still warm up here in the foothills.
Not that I mind fall that much, it gets a bit cooler, and the leaves start turning pretty colors.
What I don't like is what follows autumn...winter! ugh.
I hate cold weather. And count the days til it gets warmer again.
So what do I do on cold days, stay in and make stuff!

Mint Tin Containers

you need:
~small metal containers (such as Altoid mint tins, I also got a few tins from cigars that my husband ordered)
~ duct tape (get decorative designs: like zebra stripes or tie dye designs, from Walmart or Michaels)
~optional: squeezy paint

The duct tape sticks really well to the tins. Make sure they are clean, shake out the mint crumbs from inside, too. I rounded the edges of the tape so it fit with the shape of the tin. After the tape is on, burnish it down with your fingernail or popsicle stick so you get a good flat finish. Although it won't look smooth, it looks kind of leathery, and that's a good look.
You can cover only the top, but I like to do the bottom and inside lid.

Then I added some embellishments with the squeezy paint, like dots around the edges, or fake laces or stitches. This paint takes a while to dry, so keep that in mind (you might only want to do the top)

If you have small tins, you can make a keychain with it. Take a hammer and nail and make 2 holes in one end. You'll have to open the top and work on a firm surface (like scrap wood). You don't want to bend the metal. Loop a piece of string or twine (with a bead or two, if you want) through the holes, and tie inside the tin, double knot and trim ends.
Then get a big key ring, and fasten it to the string.

You'll find lots of uses for these little gems:
1. I use one for traveling, to put my recycled aluminum can earrings in so they don't get crunched.
2. If you made a keychain, you can keep your vitamins or pills you take daily in there. That way you'll have it with you at all times.
3. It's the perfect size to fit credit cards, your driver's license and change. It fits into the back pocket of jeans nicely too, when you don't want to lug a purse or wallet around.
4. Kids love little boxes to put little treasures in.
5. Use it for gift giving for Christmas or birthdays. Put a gift card in it, a ribbon around it- instant gift. No need for further wrapping.
6. Or make an emergency sewing kit. Fill it with a few safety pins, a needles with a long piece of thread on it (stuck into a piece of cardboard and folded over the sharp tip), a few buttons of different sizes and small emery board.

Make a bunch, they're fun and useful, and recycled!

tip of the day:
While visiting Montana last month, I spilled tea on my white pants. My friend Kathy suggested getting out the stain using Dawn detergent.  Now this is the 'original' Dawn (she said that works best).
Take a small amount in your palm, add a little water and suds it up, and then rub onto the fabric. I did this several times, and using my fingernail to scritch it in a bit, the tea blotches started coming out. Wash as usual, but do not dry it, until you check to see if the stain is gone. If not, repeat process.  (Heat will set the stain in and make it virtually impossible to get out). And tea and coffee are really tough to remove.
I was overjoyed! Or should I say "over-dawned"? sorry 'bout that, I couldn't help it.

That's all for now...
:D

Art in the Orchard

Not only do I love making new stuff from old things,but I love selling them even more!

The last weekend of August I spent a wonderful two days with my daughter Dana in the middle of an apple orchard.
We were selling our creations at the El Dorado County Artists sponsored: Art in the Orchard.

In the middle of this beautiful apple orchard, there were artists of all kinds. Fine art, crafts, handmade goodies galore. Along with live music, food, and fun events for kids, we had a great two days.

Dana made hats, bags, and wallets, as well as her fine art set up on apple crates  I had Betsy's (Dana's twin sister) prints and cards as well.

Besides these awesome creations, I had my own recycled aluminum can jewelry, and fused glass stuff. I also made some recycled beer bottle glasses, as well as recycled fabric bags and tins.

The weather was hot, the company was exceptional and the scenery was beautiful. All who came had a fun time, and we enjoyed each and every person who stopped by to chat, shop and enjoy our wares.

For a sneak peek at the kids' stuff check out their websites:
dana@danabetsy.com  and betsy@danabetsy.com  and of course mine: http://www.arttowearbydee.etsy.com/

Tip of the day:

I use a carabiner (that I took off my metal water bottle)  to secure my keys onto the outside of my purse. I got tired of hunting for my car keys at the bottom of the abyss, so now I attach them to the outside of my purse, and can lock the car, and unlock it, while the keys are dangling on the outside of my bag. And I find them in a snap.
It's so much faster and easier, and I'm much happier. :)

That's all for now!

Dee

Play your Cards right!

I love making new things from old stuff!

Greeting cards are one of my very favorite things to recycle. There are such beautiful designs, funny or cute or quirky, it's a shame to throw them away after the big day.

So start saving those Christmas cards and greeting cards that you receive. I will have loads of things to do with them.

This little gift box is perfect for gift cards, jewelry, cash, etc. Add a ribbon around it, some tissue paper inside, and you've got an already decorated box.

Today's project is:

Pillow gift box

you need:

~ a used greeting card (the larger, the better)

~ scissors

~ exacto knife

~double stick tape or Elmer's glue or Tacky glue

Step one is to make flaps on the 'open' edge of the card.

Keep it folded, crease a fold about 1/2" wide through both sides. Crease the fold with a popsicle stick, edge of scissors or your fingernail. Then open up the card and fold both flaps outward.

Next, you will cut the top and bottom of the card in an arc. Cut right off the edges, through the folded flaps.

Then open the card, design side facing up. You'll take the exacto knife, and gently score under the cut edges mirroring the arc. (not on the flaps)

See dotted lines in the picture below.

(These score lines aid in folding the top and bottom of the gift box closed.)

Now take the double sided tape and put on one of the flaps. Fold the flaps inward and close the card. Press up and down to seal securely.

OR glue one flap and close the box, and hold til dry. (You can use clothes pins or paper clips to keep it tightly together as it dries.)

Now you gently ease the curved tops and bottoms down to close the box. (See picture at the top of this blog) It puffs up a bit, therefore the name "pillow box".

It may seem a bit complicated at first, but if you do a bunch, you'll be cranking these out in no time. I always have some handy for special occasions (and to put my recycled aluminum can earrings in).

And remember, if you mess up, throw it away. It's not brain surgery, no one will die if you don't do it the right way. That's the beauty of recycling, you are giving something a second chance where most people wouldn't. So no guilt.

Keep trying and with every attempt you'll get better and better.

tip of the day:

I don't know about you, but I get WAY too many catalogs in the mail. Instead of throwing them away, here are a couple of ideas.

1. use them for a 'gluing station'. If you use a glue stick for your projects, go ahead and smear off the paper onto an open catalog page. If you have more to do, just turn the page and you'll have a fresh surface to get sticky.

2. If you have kids in the house, give them a 'treasure hunt' through the catalog.

ie. Give them a list to find, such as a 'blue' thing, a 'round' thing, a 'dog', etc. They can rip out the page when they find it until they collect all the treasures that you have selected. Then they get a treat.

I have loads more, but that's all for now.

Dee

That Caps it!

I love making new things from old stuff

Right now, Tom and I are in Helena, Montana. We attended a great wedding and the following week was an awesome family reunion.
Of course there was lots of food, and fun, and beverages being consumed. And where's there's bottles, there's bottle caps! And when I see a bunch of cool designs, I get ideas.

Today's project is:
Bottle Cap Magnets

you need:
~ bottle caps
~ pliers
~ strong glue (E6000, or Amazing Goop or Gorilla Glue)
~ magnets (round ones preferably)
~ hammer
~ cardboard (2 small pieces)

As you see in the above picture, you start with prying the edges open a bit with your pliers. (that's the second row of caps) Work your way around the cap a little bit at a time. You don't have to stretch it out fully, just enough so when you hit it, it will flatten outward.

Then you take your hammer, the cardboard and the bottle cap. Sandwich the cap, "good side" up,  between the two cardboard pieces and on a hard surface (sidewalk or driveway) and hit it gently all around to flatten it out. Then turn the cap over, and repeat hitting it, so that it flattens out evenly. (see picture above, last row)
The cardboard protects the cap, otherwise the hammer will give it a worn out, scratched up look.

Then squeeze a blob of glue on the magnet and press onto the 'wrong' side of the bottle cap. Wait overnight to let it cure fully. The next day, you'll have a nice assortment of magnets. Great gift for friends with favorite drinks.  Bring a six pack along with the magnets, and you'll be the Best Guest!

tip of the day:
Since we're talking about magnets... do you ever get advertisements that have a magnet on the back? Sometimes different events advertise this way, realtors give you a magnetic mini- calendars, companies have their business cards on a magnetic backing.
Well, don't throw it away, you can recycle the magnet.
Take one of your own photographs, place the magnetic card on it, trace around it, cut it out and glue onto the 'non-magnetic' side. And voila ~ you now have a cool personalized magnet instead of a pesty advertisement.

That's it for now

Dee

Easy as Pie!

I love making new things outta old stuff!

July is over, and August is here. Where is the time going? We have weddings, reunions, graduations, housewarmings, and it's always nice to bring a handmade gift. This one is super fast and super easy, and not only useful, but recycled!

PROJECT OF THE DAY:

Pie Plate

you need:

~ a plate

~ an old style champagne glass

~ glue: E6000 or Amazing Goop

You can find fun and funky plates at the local thrift shop, garage sales, dollar store or hidden in the back of your cabinet.

The reason you want to use an old fashioned champagne glass for the base, is because it's squat, with a wide bowl. This makes it more stable. You can usually find these at the same place as the plates.

If you can't find a glass, you can use a ramekin, or custard dish.

Turn the plate upside down, find the center. Put a lot of glue on the bottom of the champagne glass and press it onto the plate. Hold for a few seconds, then turn it over and put some books or heavy object on the plate to weigh it down overnight.

In the morning you'll find a cute and functional gift that you can say "I made it myself"! Bring a cake or pie to serve on it, and you'll be the 'sweet' hit of the event.

tip of the day:

I love summer, but it brings bugs. I found that the main ingredient in most 'sting sticks' is ammonia. I am allergic to deer fly bites. But when I rub ammonia on immediately after a bite... no pain, no swelling.

This works for mosquito bites also. If you get to the bite right away, it really relieves the itching. I carry a cotton ball soaked in ammonia in an empty film canister wherever I go during the summer. This has come in handy for many friends and neighbors (and me) to help relieve bites and stings. *make sure to keep it away from eyes!

That's all for now

Dee

It's in the bag!

I love to make new things out of old stuff!

Hello there again!

  I was visiting my friend, Mary Jane, who owns a upscale/resale shop. It's always fun to see what goodies she has there. If you're in the Indianapolis area, look her up "Divine Consign", in Mooresville, Indiana.
  Anyway...I found these great pants, but not crazy about drawstring bottoms. Plus I really needed shorts. So I decided to cut them off, hem them, and voila~ I had a great pair of cargo shorts.
  But then I had the 'bottoms' left over, which had a ready made drawstring in them.
So I sewed the top of the pants closed, and had two great little duffel bags. The drawstring was already there. EASY!      PANTS LEG~ DRAWSTRING DUFFLES

You can find camoflage pants, with drawstring bottoms, at the thrift shops, or garage sales and make your own. "Camo" is very popular right now.  Or if a pair of pants you want to shorten doesn't have drawstrings, you can easily make your own. Just hem the top, large enough for a long shoestring, leaving a little opening to feed the string through. Then knot the shoestring to secure.

My daughter Dana might like this project. Although she is a wonderful seamstress/artist already. Check out her website: http://www.dana.danabetsy.com/ Her twin sister Betsy is an artist too, and also makes incredible clothing by sewing and knitting. They just started their own knitted projects blog: http://www.apairofneedles.blogspot.com/ 

I'm using my mini duffel for a toiletry bag, and the other duffel for a traveling laundry bag. Think I'll go on a trip, just so I can use them!

Tip of the Day:

Next time you buy aluminum foil, or Saran wrap, or wax paper...look at the ends of the box. If you see a perforated U shape, punch that inward.
That keeps the roll from flying out when you open the box to yank out the foil, wrap or paper!  If the ends do not have this feature, make your own.
Take an exacto-knife, or box cutter and carefully cut a large V shape leaving the top uncut so you can fold this inward to 'catch' the roll.

that's all for now

Dee

Carry on!

I love to make new things out of old stuff!

Remember when I told you how to loosen labels from bottles? Well, now is the time to use all those cool beer bottle labels, or wine labels.
Having friends over for a BBQ, you'll need to be bringing food and drinks in and out and this project is perfect for that!

PROJECT OF THE DAY:

label tray

You'll need:
~wooden tray. I got mine from TJMaxx, but you can get one at a thrift shops, or garage sale. It doesn't matter whether they look new, you'll be covering it up with labels.
~labels (beer, soda, wine)
~ModPodge
  (or you can make your own, 1/2 Elmer's glue, 1/2 water - mix well)

If your tray is in really bad shape, you may want to paint it. But just do the edges (inside and out). The bottom will be covered. Sand it if needed.

Lay out your labels and see how they fit together. You can overlap, or not. You can go up onto the sides, or not.

Using the ModPodge, brush some onto the tray, then lay one label down, and go over the top of the label with more ModPodge.

Continue in this manner until you have covered the tray to your liking.  Let dry, and then... have a party!

Tip of the Day:
Reuse all those envelopes you get in the mail.
When companies send you a solicitation, they usually send an addressed envelope for you to return. I find these come in handy for loads (not through the mail), or I donated them to my neighbor's daughter's preschool for the kids to bring their little projects home in.
I also cut off the corners to create bookmarks. Cut the bottom corners off at an angle (so you end up with a triangle). These slip over a single page I wish to save.  I use these not only for the books I'm reading,but for recipe holders in cookbooks, or on magazine pages I want to locate later. (You can write on them too, to let you know what you are saving.)

that's all for now

Dee

Wrap it up!

 I love making new things out of old stuff!

Back home from the Midwest now. I think I need a vacation from my vacation!
Always nice to see everyone, but traveling can be so tiring. I think I'll get busy on some cool recycling projects and get crafting. Always the cure for anything that ails you!

Project of the day:

Handmade wrapping paper

This paper will resemble the handcrafted look of handmade paper, but is so easy.

you need:
~plain white paper, the larger sized the better (this can be butcher paper you can buy in rolls, or paper that was used to wrap something in. That's where I found mine. Nice large sheets I just couldn't throw away)
~spray bottle (can be recycled hair spray bottle, Windex bottle, etc.)
~food coloring
~iron

This is a great project to do with kids. First take a sheet of the paper and crunch it up into a ball. Obviously if you are going to use it for wrapping paper, the larger it is, the better. But you could certainly use smaller pieces (for small packages, or gift cards)
Try not to rip the edges. Crumple gently with this first step.

Then open it up, and smooth it out with your hands. Then crumple it up again, this time it should be a little easier to crunch. Again, smooth it out as flat as you can.

One more time, crumple the paper into the tightest little ball as you can make it. Squeeze hard. Unfold gently, but you don't have to worry about smoothing it flat. You want some mountains and valleys.

Take your spray bottle, fill with about 1 cup of water, and several drops of food coloring. Put your wrapping paper out in the lawn, or on a plastic garbage bag, you do NOT want to let the food coloring get on anything. *It will stain!

Now spray the paper, it will puddle in spots, but that's okay. The more you spray, the more your paper will absorb the color. At this point, the paper fibers have been broken down a bit (by all that crumpling) and it will be softer and more absorbant than new paper.  If there are any wet puddles left, tip paper up and let run off.
Now let it dry. Out in the sunshine is best. Again, this is a good, outdoor summer project. (You can weigh down the corners with rocks or something, so the wind doesn't blow your cool project away.)

When the paper is dry, get out the iron and ironing board. You will iron the paper the best you can. Not all the wrinkles will come out, and that's where you get that 'handmade' look.  Now you're ready for gift wrapping (hopefully it's a project you made yourself from recycled stuff, ha ha). I like to use raffia instead of  ribbon, just because it looks more natural. But any embellishments will work. I stamped designs on my paper also, and then hot-glued acorns on for that woodsy look.

Tip of the day:
I know I've been giving you projects for summer days, but spray bottles and food coloring made me think of a fun thing we did this winter.
My neighbor's 5 year old daughter, Gianna came over with her mom to make a snowman in my front yard. Well, it kind of looked like a snow lady in a dress, so I put some purple food coloring in an empty hair spray bottle, and they sprayed the snow lady's dress and hat. She had so much fun with that. I had to scrounge up a couple of more bottles, with more colors, so she could go out and spray 'rainbows' on my snow.
This idea originated many years ago, when my daughters and I made a snowman, but it actually looked more like a fat cat. We sprayed orange food coloring it and turned it into Garfield, the cat. So if you live somewhere it snows, start saving up those spray bottles for some colorful fun.

That's all for today!

Dee

Smashing idea!

I love to make new stuff out of old things...

Hi there,
I'm in Wisconsin right now, enjoying my Midwest vacation.
The weather is hot, the food is great, the company is outstanding.
So all is good.

Today's project is:

mosaic flower pot

Ever break your favorite plate or mug, and wish you could do something with the beautiful glass pieces? Well, probably not...but IF you did - here's an idea for you.

You'll need:
~bits of glass (the flatter the better)
~strong glue (tile glue, e6000, or Amazing Goop)
~grout mix (get at hardware stores, Home Depot, etc.)
~flower pot (clay) this can be an old one, just clean it with soap and water, and dry.

If you don't have glass already broken, you can certainly get a couple of plates and break them yourself. The re-sale shops and garage sales usually have odd pieces for very cheap. I like to break up a few plates, so I have a nice assortment of sizes and colors.

Put the plate into a ziploc bag (or similar plastic bag), then put it into one more bag, then wrap it in an old towel, or several layers of newspapers. Take your hammer and smash down onto the plate. You should do this outside if possible, and on a hard surface (sidewalk? driveway?) The pieces should end up approximately the size of a quarter.

Carefully unwrap the outer towel or newspaper and check the sizes of the pieces. Your plastic bags will start to rip, so be very careful you don't let the glass shards fall out as you're checking.

When you've broken up the bigger pieces, and have enough to cover your pot, carefully open the bags, and either use pliers, or put work gloves on take the pieces out. I like to tap them inside the bag, to loosen any glass dust. You can rinse them off in a bucket of water too. Just remember to dump out the water in a place where no one will be walking and not down the drain. Discard the plastic bags, and towel/newspapers carefully, as not to let any glass shards fall.

Put the pot on a folded old rag or paper towels to create a padded surface. This way it won't roll around, plus it will have a cushion for the glued pieces to rest on.

Take your broken pieces, one by one, and glue them onto the pot. If they are too curved, either break them into a couple of smaller pieces, or discard them. If you can't get the glue to touch the surface of the pot fully, the piece will fall off later.

You'll have to keep the pot on it's side for several minutes to allow the glue to set a bit. Then turn it and continue to place the glass pieces on it until the pot is covered.

Leave a bit of room between pieces. This usually is not hard, since the pieces are in odd shapes. When the glue has completely dried (I'd wait overnight) then you're ready to grout.

Follow directions on package for mixing the grout. It should end up being the consistency of sour cream. You'll smear this into the areas between the glass pieces. Don't worry if you get some grout on the glass, we'll clean it later.) Use a popsicle stick, or your hands (in heavy rubber gloves) to get the grout into all the areas around the glass, being careful you don't cut yourself on the glass edges.

After you have grouted, take an old damp rag and wipe off the glass surfaces. Also run the rag over the grout GENTLY to get a smoother look. But this does not have to be perfectly smooth, just not lumpy.  When the grout dries (follow package directions) you can clean the glass further for any residue left behind.

This project can be messy, so it's perfect for working outside now in the summer!
Once you get the hang of this, you'll be covering all sorts of things. I've done serving trays, table tops, wooden picture frames, mirrors, and wooden boxes.

Tip of the day:
I bought some old trunks for my daughter, but found they had a really musty smell inside that I could not get rid of. I tried lemon juice, bleach, household cleaners. But nothing helped. My neighbor told her hairdresser, who does a lot of furniture refurbishing. She had a great idea, that she used herself on her antique trunks.
Take vodka (the cheapest you can buy) and put it into a spray bottle (UNdiluted) and spray the inside until saturated. The alchohol seems to turn the musty smell into more of a 'woodsy' scent. It worked great! I had the trunks outside in the sunshine to dry between several spraying and I am so happy with the results.
Thank you Mary Ann, we 'toast' you.

That's all for today
Dee

Let's Renew

Hi there!
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.

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

Let's get organized!

I love making new stuff out of old stuff!

Hello everyone,
I'm trying to post a new blog every 3 or 4 days. We'll see how it goes.
Summer is so busy, and we will be traveling a lot, my husband, Tom and I.
Although, I've been waiting all winter for these nice hot days, it seems
to get a bit hectic, and we're trying to cram in as much fun as we can!

In July we are heading to Wisconsin for our annual gathering called Farm Fest.
Then down to Indiana to more family and friends.
It will be great to see everyone, but a bit frenzied.
Then in August, we will be in Montana for a big family reunion and a wedding.
So many special people to see!
So beside those trips and craft events and blogging, and making jewelry
and my part time job, and regular daily life...I hope I can keep up.  :)

Our project for the day is:
A cork board (beverage inspired) with cool bottle cap push-pins to stick into it~

you need:

~lots of corks, so start drinking some fine wine, or ask friends to save, or visit a winery. (I used 49 corks to fill in a 7 1/2" X 9 1/2" opening.)

~an old picture frame, with no glass, but has a cardboard insert, and a hanger on the back.
~metal thumb tacks (the larger size heads work the best. You can find these at hardware stores) or push pins
~glue (E 6000 or Gorilla Glue is strong)

Make sure the glass is out of the frame. Great for recycling those frames whose glass has broken. (Be careful discarding any broken glass though, it is so sharp, you don’t want your garbage collector to cut himself. So put it in a padded container, then discard.)
The frame's cardboard backing should be secured. Place the picture frame on a flat surface.
Put the corks into the frame. You can use any pattern you wish as long as they fit into the space.
I have done rows, herringbone, or squares.
Then glue each one down until you fill the frame. (if they don't quite fit, try cutting them with a sharp knife or I use my band saw)
Also, if you want to use only 1/2 the amount of corks, cut them in half lengthwise (again use a band saw or scroll saw)
Let dry thoroughly and then hang on the wall. If the frame doesn't have a hanger, you can prop it up on your desk with the easel support- if it has one.

To make the bottle cap push pins you will be squeezing a bit of glue in the center of the UNDERSIDE of the bottle cap. Then press the thumbtack or pushpin onto the glue and hold, pressing hard to adhere for a few seconds. Let dry thoroughly. (if you can hold yourself back, it's a good idea to let everything set overnight)
These are great for anyone working in an office, or college students, or the rest of us who like to be organized in a fun way! Check out the resale shops for old frames. Many of the frames don't have glass, and that's perfect. But they DO have funky frames. Many wineries are happy to give you corks, also. I live in 'wine country' in El Dorado County, California. So I don't have a cork problem...between me and my neighbors, we have plenty.  Cheers!

TIP OF THE DAY:
If you are going to recycle a bottle and need to get the label off, try a blow dryer on it first.
Sometimes the glue comes right off after prolonged heat exposure. (I use my heat gun)
If that doesn't work, I take a thin kitchen towel, soak it in water and wrap the bottle.
Let it sit for a while, that usually gets it soft. Then you can peel it off. Any residue
left on it, you can either use GooGone, or a straight edged razor blade to scrape it off.
I have a neat project using labels to decoupage on a tray. So save those labels in one piece if you can!
More projects with bottles and labels later...

Check out my website for cool recycled stuff: http://www.arttowearbydee.etsy.com/
and please feel free to post this onto your Facebook Page! click link below...

Thanks for coming by. You're a like a neighbor strolling over to chat, I like that!

That's all for today!
:D