Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Easy Candy Bar Bouquet for Any Occasion

Whether youre throwing a graduation party, a birthday party, or just having guests over for a special dinner youll really grab their attention when they see your fabulous table. No matter what foods youre serving the item that will have everyone gawking is the fabulous bouquet in the center of the table. Not flowers, silly! Candy bars! Theres nothing lovelier than a vase full of everyones favorite candy arranged to resemble a vase full of flowers. Its easy to create the scrumptious centerpiece but dont be surprised if it gets plucked bare by your guests! Choose the vase youll use for this craft. Dont select a huge vase if youre using small candies; dont choose a tiny vase if youll be using giant candy bars. If you dont have a vase you can also use a Styrofoam cone, a coffee mug, a quart-size decorated paint can or even a deep bowl. There are any number of things in your cabinet that can quickly become the holder for the candy bar bouquet.

If youre using a tall tea glass as a vase you may not need Styrofoam to hold the candies, but if youre using something like a bowl, it could be necessary to glue in a shaped piece of Styrofoam. This will be used to hold the various items in place. Now, lets get started creating the bouquet itself.

Start with actual candy bars for the initial arrangement. Flat candy bars, like Hersheys chocolate or chocolate with almonds, work great. Laffy Taffy is another good example of a flat-type candy. The flat bars often have a flap on the backside that makes it easy to attach a stick. Cut wooden skewers, or small dowel rods, to create sticks for the candies. Position the stick under the flap on the back of the candy bar and glue or tape down. Clear tape works great for attaching the sticks quickly and allows you to proceed without waiting on adhesives to dry. If there is no flap on the back of the candy simply glue or tape the stick to the backside of the wrapper. After attaching the candy bars to sticks push the opposite end of the stick into the Styrofoam or the vase. Although flat-type candy bars work well you can actually use any candy bars for this project. After youve arranged all the candy bars in the vase you can then add additional embellishments that will complete the bouquet arrangement. Curl ribbon pieces and glue or tape them to the ends of skewers. Push the skewers into the Styrofoam or vase to give color and excitement to the bouquet. Besides ribbon you can use fake jewels, silk flowers, foil shapes and more. Mix these embellishments amongst the candy bars to form a creation that definitely resembles a bouquet of flowers. Tape tiny candies, like hard peppermints, to the sticks as well. These little candies add interest and keep the entire arrangement from looking like just long, flat candy bars on sticks. The small candies can be placed at different heights, and the same goes for all the pieces in the arrangement, to create the bouquet effect. Position some sticks to go out and away from the vase and place some candy bars where they just go straight up and down. Ones that go out and away from the vase should do so on both sides, as well as the front and back sides. Most of these should be positioned shorter than the central sticks. Tie a large ribbon around the bouquet vase or holder. The bow will be the finishing touch to a beautiful bouquet of candy bars that all the guests will love. Place the bouquet in the center of the table and allow guests to select their favorite bar as they ready to leave. The candy bar bouquet is perfect for holiday tables or just to give as a gift to a graduate. Anyone would love to have one no matter what the occasion. Get busy creating your own candy bar bouquet that will thrill and please the crowd. Theyll be talking about it for a long time to come and youll beam with pride every time they do! Share the fun with the kids and let them help. Just watch to make sure they dont eat the bouquet before it makes its grand appearance!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

How to Make a Lighthouse from Flower Pots

Lighthouses are cool. You can use them to create a theme for a party or just to decorate your sea-theme bathroom. If you purchase ceramic or resin lighthouses youll spend a pretty penny, thats for sure. But why purchase the lighthouses when its so easy to make different ones by yourself? Think you dont have the talent for making lighthouses? Think again! Its very easy to make lighthouses and each one will look completely different.

Choose a selection of terra cotta pots to create the lighthouses. Youll decide what size you want it to be, so youll decide what sizes you need. Youll need four pots, each one being slightly smaller than the next, and sizes that will easily stack together. For example, to make a really small lighthouse, stack a two-inch, three-inch, four-inch and five-inch pot on top of each other.

Start by using a terra cotta plate. Paint it the main color you want for your lighthouse - well say red. Each pot should be painted white, with the band of the pot painted red, except for the smallest pot. It should be painted a solid color, like black. Use only one coat of white paint to make the lighthouse look weathered. Or, use several coats to give the appearance of a brand new lighthouse. The plate you use should be somewhat larger than the mouth of the largest pot. Lay the plate on a flat surface, place the large pot upside-down on it, then begin stacking the other pots. Youll use a chosen adhesive to glue the pots together. Shop for the glue at a home improvement or craft store. Ask an assistant to help you find an adhesive thats appropriate for terra cotta. As you stack and glue the pots allow the adhesive to dry for each one before adding the next. Before gluing on the fourth pot glue on another terra cotta plate. The plate should be only slightly larger than the mouth of the smallest pot. When the plate adhesive has dried, glue the last terra cotta pot on top, upside-down. The basic lighthouse is now complete. Now you can paint and otherwise embellish it. Use black paint to create a short, wide stripe down one side of the large pot. This will represent the door and will become the front of the lighthouse. Now make two smaller rectangles, above and on each side of, the door. These will become the windows for the lighthouse. Instead of paint you can purchase miniature doors and windows in the dollhouse section of a craft store. These can be glued to the terra cotta pots to create a more realistic look. Glue a trinket of some sort on top of the lighthouse. The trinket can be a bell, a glass lid from an old percolator, or even a round drawer pull. There are any number of things that can be used to further decorate the lighthouse. Glue raffia around the bottom plate and glue on seashells and starfish. Make lots of different lighthouses simply by changing the colors of paint and the sizes of the pots. Use assorted craft supplies to decorate around the bottom, and create a unique look for each lighthouse. The finished lighthouses can be few or many. They look great on shelves, mantles, porches or on the floor. Theyre suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and more. The lighthouses also make great gifts for others who love the sea or have a particular passion for lighthouses. You can make a lightweight version of the lighthouse by using plastic plant pots. If you start with white pots youll only need to paint the bands. Make sure the paint you use will cling to plastics. They now have spray paints made just for plastic objects. Use colorful, disposable plastic plates in place of the terra cotta pots. The plastic plates are available in red, blue, yellow and other colors that will make your lighthouse noticeable. If you cant find a plastic plate large enough for the bottom of the lighthouse just cover the bottom by gluing on raffia and other embellishments. Its fun and easy to make a whole collection of different lighthouses. Get started right away! It takes some time to make hundreds of lighthouses!

Sunday, October 28, 2012

How to Make a Bead Medallion

Usually, when you think of beaded jewelry you think of strings, cord, hardware and tediousness. Thats because most beaded jewelry requires you to design patterns, count beads, string them, add closures and much more. Thats too much trouble for some people who dont care for the whole ordeal. If you want to make cool beaded necklaces for your kids, or even decor embellishments for your home, get rid of the needles, wires, clips and assorted supplies. Instead, get out the glue, the beads and a peanut butter jar lid and youre well on your way to owning all sorts of new things for basically the cost of the beads. Dont have any beads? Dont worry! There are lots of other things you can use instead! No matter what type of medallion youre making youll need a mold. You dont have to run out and purchase a soap or candle mold; you have lots of molds already in your home. A mold can be made from a peanut butter jar lid, a coffee jar lid, the lid from a mayonnaise jar or something similar. If you want a particular shape, like a star, you can even make a mold from foil. Tear a piece of foil off the roll and fold the long side of it over about an inch. Fold it again and again until you have a long strip that has several layers. Now shape the foil into the star you want and tape the ends together. Use this method to make ovals, squares, octagons and more.

If youre using a mold that has a bottom, like a jar lid, you can use it as-is. If youre using a foil mold or even a cookie cutter youll need to set it on a piece of waxed paper. No matter what type of mold youre using spray the inside of it with non-stick cooking spray or wipe it down with petroleum jelly by using a paper towel or napkin. This process will make it much easier to remove the finished jewelry or decor piece from the mold.

Decide on the beads or other objects you will put inside the mold. A small list of things you can use include b-bs, elbow noodles, colored sand, pellets, marbles, potpourri or even confetti. Fill the mold partially with the chosen beads or other objects. You dont necessarily have to fill the molds with things which are similar. For example, you can set a large, fake jewel in the center of the mold then pour tiny beads in around it. The item youre making will help you decide how full to fill the mold. For example, if youre making a medallion to glue to a clothes hamper you might want it to be a chunkier piece than if youre making a childs necklace. Decide how thick you want the medallion to be and fill the mold accordingly. If the medallion youre making requires a cord, like for a necklace or even curtain tie-backs, youll need to cut the length of cord now. Bring the ends together and position them in with the beads or other items. Leave the loop of the cord hanging outside the mold. After arranging the cord and beads or other objects begin pouring white glue over the tops of it all. Pour in enough glue so that all the objects are completely covered. Now set the molds aside to allow the glue to set. It takes a long time for the glue to dry - sometimes a couple of days or more. To test whether or not the medallion is ready to remove from the mold slightly push down in the center of the glue. If any wet glue oozes out anywhere youll need to allow more drying time. When its time to remove the medallions from the molds you can simply pop them out. Pull gently on the cord - if it has one - or gently nudge the side of the mold with a knife. Use hot glue or even double-sided tape to attach the string-less medallions to hampers, lamps, mirrors, picture frames, cornices and much more. Tie the stringed medallions around a childs neck, around a lampshade, around curtains or even hang them on poster beds. You can even hang them on the rearview mirror of your vehicle. The potpourri medallions work great for this purpose. No matter how you decide to make the medallions, or in what manner you use them, youll find theyre fun and cheap to make!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Cheap Christmas Gifts at Thrift Stores, Flea Markets and More

Its no secret: the economy is struggling. People are out of work, broke and worried about how theyll pay the bills. Thats not a good state to be in especially with holidays approaching. Dont worry about how youll provide gifts for your family this year; start shopping at out-of-the-ordinary places in your own hometown and youll get all the bargains! Many people hit the large retailers when Christmas is approaching, and yes, there are some good deals to be had, but if youre needing things to be even cheaper than that check out some unusual places in your town and nearby cities. Change your frame of mind, when it comes to Christmas shopping, and youll have a holly jolly Christmas after all! Many large towns have a Goodwill center where anyone can purchase clothing, furniture, cds and more. The Goodwill is a well-known organization which sells slightly used items for next to nothing. Youll find coats, shoes and boots, retro items, lamps, rugs and much more. Shop the stores nearest lakes or other wealthy communities for the best quality items.

Have you visited any of your towns thrift shops? If you know people that like retro items youll find some great bargains at most thrift stores. Generally, thrift stores carry clothing, furniture, toys, childrens items, cookware, bake ware and similar things. Youll usually find that the dealer will bargain with you on the already-low prices. Many items have been so gently used you cant tell theyve been used at all.

Check your yellow pages for thrift stores in your town and surrounding areas. Variety stores are similar to thrift stores but usually they have a large assortment of big items, like appliances. Most variety stores sell jewelry, furniture, towels, curtains, dressers, tables and other household furnishings. Lots of variety stores have great prices and owners are often willing to drop the price for those making multiple purchases. Large flea markets often sell new items at reduced prices. You can find everything from jewelry to collectibles to tools. Almost always, there will be tables selling baby items, toiletries, home decor items, shoes, clothing - even food. Take advantage of the deals but be careful what you purchase. When it comes to electrical items ask the dealer if you can plug it in and make sure it works. Do the same thing with electronics. Most people are honest but there are some people who try to sell things that dont work. Honest people will be sellers at the same flea market repeatedly. Visit the flea market a couple of times to see which dealers are permanent fixtures. Dont forget to check online at some of the large auctions. Ebay and similar sites have fabulous deals if you look around. Online auctions literally have thousands and thousands of items that are selling for less than in your local retailers stores. Have an idea of the actual price of an item, then look for bargains at an online auction, but make sure you understand the condition of the item and the terms of the seller. Some local radio stations have a call-in show where people can buy and sell items from each other. These programs make no charge for the services and youll often find one-of-a-kind deals. Many people are facing hardships, forcing them to sell some things they might otherwise keep, and you can take advantage of that. Youll help the seller and youll have a great gift to give someone you love. Babies and young children have no idea that a gently used item is not brand new. Likewise, some people, if they love something enough, will not care if the item is not in its original packaging. Tools are a good example of something a person might not mind receiving after being gently used. If youre struggling for ideas on how you can afford Christmas this year change your frame of mind. Look around at some of the local out-of-the-ordinary places to find some great bargains. Youll have peace of mind and the recipients of your gifts will definitely appreciate them.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Fathers Day Gardening Gift

Do you have a dad that loves to putter around the garden? A dad whose idea of fun is to dig around in the dirt? Well, Fathers Day is on its way, so hurry, run to the nearest home improvement store! No, youre not going there to buy Dad tools or home improvement supplies. Youre going so you can purchase an inexpensive carpenters apron. With it you can make your father a cool gardening apron thats manly and easy to create. The aprons are generally found with leather tool belts but are made of muslin or other plain cloth. Sometimes these aprons are stamped with the stores logo. Ask for plain ones, with no logo, or buy it and cover the logo with craft supplies as shown below.

Youll find the aprons for a buck or two, and for about the same price, youll find simple gardening gloves that resemble the apron. The two purchases make it easy to create a gift set especially perfect for a gardening dad. Little kids can make a simplistic version whereas older kids can make create a set with a little more detail.

If the apron you purchased has one giant pocket stitch or glue it so that it has three or four. Some of these aprons have two pockets; change that to four by stitching or gluing down the center of each one. If the apron has a logo stitch or glue a piece of cloth over it before creating the pockets. The cloth can become the backdrop for the gardening design on the apron. After the pockets are in place you can then do any number of things to embellish the apron as well as the gloves. Rubber stamping is a quick and easy way to make a garden theme on the tool apron. You can create your own rubber stamps by ruining a couple of vegetables from your kitchen. Cut a bell paper in half, dip it in paint or ink, then stamp it onto the apron and gloves. Or, use a green bean or pea pod as the stamp. Cut onions in half to make yet another stamp. Instead of stamping you can glue painted, wooden shapes onto the apron. The flat shapes are sold at craft stores in hundreds of different shapes. Buy them already painted or purchase unfinished shapes that you paint yourself. Ordinary hot glue or white glue work fine for attaching them to the apron, but if you are going to launder the apron, fabric paints work better. Seal the wooden shapes if you will be washing the apron later; do not put the wooden shapes in the dryer. Instead of wooden shapes or stamping techniques you can simply purchase letter appliques. They can spell out "#1Dad" or something else. Instead of letters you can choose applique images with a gardening theme. Youll find tons of the appliques at fabric stores or online. Fabric glue works well to attach the appliques. If you dont have a lot of money to spend on the garden design just write on the apron and gloves with markers. Kids can write words like "beans", "peas", "carrots" and similar terms on the gloves and apron. Dont write all the words in the same manner. Make each word a different color, turn some words sideways, and even write some words in bubble letters or italics. The finished apron and glove set will not only thrill Dad but it will give him a place to put all his small gardening gear. Make the gift even more special by filling each pocket with something Dad needs for gardening. Fill each pocket with a different type of seed or place something different in each pocket, like seeds, a trowel, and even a small squirt bottle. Wrap it all up and give it to Dad for Fathers Day then wait to see the giant smile that spreads across his face. The gardening set doesnt necessarily have to be for Dad. You can make one for any person that loves to garden. Change the theme to something more feminine for Mom or Grandma. If they particularly like flower gardening, for example, create sunflower or similar images on the apron and gloves. You can even glue on pieces of lace or ribbon to give it a softer look. Whether youre making the set for Dad, Mom or someone else youll spend little money but make a huge impression!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

How to Make a Doll from a Medical Glove

Do you collect dolls? If so, you probably have ceramic dolls, wooden dolls, Barbie dolls and even dolls from foreign countries. Maybe you dont collect dolls at all but you have a little girl who is a little down-in-the-dumps today. Whatever the scenario theres an easy doll you can make which you likely dont already have. Whether you want to cheer up your daughter or add to your immense doll collection you can easily make a doll from a medical glove! You wont need a lot of money to make the unique doll that can entertain a child or just dress up the mantle.

Medical gloves can vary in types and colors. Although you can actually use any medical glove to make the doll gloves which are white or off-white in color work best. Since parts of the glove will remain showing after creating the doll you might not want to use gloves which are purple or other colors which dont well-represent the color of skin. In addition, thick medical gloves guarantee the doll will stay intact after hours of playing; thinner gloves can rupture after a period of time. Youll find various types of medical gloves are sold at most any drug store or discount department store. Youll only need one glove for each doll.

To begin the craft hold the thumb of the glove closed. Now pour in 7 ounces of uncooked rice and fill the remaining fingers and hand of the glove. It can be challenging to hold the thumb closed while pouring in the rice so its a good idea to get an extra set of hands. Youll have the most luck pouring the rice into the glove without spilling it if you use a small funnel. Or, pour the rice into a paper cup, squeeze the cup nearly shut, then pour in the rice. After pouring in the rice use the thumb to create a neck for the doll. Wrap the thumb of the glove tightly around the glove right above the rice. After wrapping the thumb around you will use a piece of tape to secure it. When the thumb and tape are in place you should still have some of the glove remaining, just above the tape. This area - the "cuff" of the glove - will be used to create the head of the doll. Place a 2" Styrofoam ball into the opening then stretch the glove over the ball. Tie the remainder of the glove into a knot that is positioned just above the ball. Now the basic doll is finished. The pinky finger of the glove creates one of the dolls arms and the index finger creates the other arm. The ring finger and middle finger create the legs of the doll. You might notice that the two arms are not the same length since the pinky finger of the glove is smaller than the index finger. Dont worry about that for now. When the doll is finished no one will notice the discrepancy. Youll simply use a little technique that gives the appearance of arms that are of equal length. You can use all sorts of craft supplies and techniques to finish the doll and create just the one you want. Use yarn to create hair and cover the knot of the glove. Or, use regular doll hair found at most any craft store. Another option is to glue on a hat. This works well for creating a boy doll. Use wiggly eyes from a craft store or simply draw the eyes on. Another option is to use facial feature stickers. Youll find a variety of these at most craft stores. In addition to creating a face and hair for the doll you can also dress it. Purchase small doll clothes, shoes and accessories or make them yourself. The finished doll can become part of your doll collection or can become the new best friend of your little girl. Or, use the dolls as decorations around the house. Use them to dress up a lamp, wire the onto your girls bedposts, or just set them on a dresser. Give them to friends as gifts or let kids make one for their favorite female teachers. Its easy to make an assortment of different ones simply by making some boys and some girls, using different colors of yarn or hair, and dressing them uniquely. Youll love this craft which costs little but produces a really nice - although very small - doll.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Give Your Boys Room a NASCAR Theme with Little Money

So, your boy loves NASCAR and wants you to decorate his room in a NASCAR theme? Dont have hundreds of dollars to change the wallpaper border, drapes, bedding and accessories? No problem! Give him exactly what he wants and spend very little money doing so. You dont have to buy new accessories and bedding to accomplish the NASCAR decor. Just purchase inexpensive craft items and hell be thrilled with the final look.

Stickers can go a long way towards creating the NASCAR look in your sons bedroom. Stickers are very impressive nowadays and youll find zillions of them online or at a local craft store. The stickers can be used to give lamps, drawer pulls, door knobs, trash cans and other accessories a NASCAR theme. Cover the sticker with clear nail polish, after youve attached it, and it will prevent the clear edges of the sticker from curling over time. Duplicate the purchased stickers by using your print program and adhesive paper. The sticky paper is sold at stores that sell printer paper and such. Youll save money and have many, many more stickers.

Make your own wallpaper border by cutting NASCAR pictures out of magazines, posters or calendars. Cut out the cars and use decoupage adhesive to affix them to the wall. Position the cars to form a border around the top of the room or around the baseboards. Cut other NASCAR words or images to make matching accessories. The word "Racing" or "Cars" can be cut from magazines and glued on between the cars on the new wallpaper border or onto other objects in the room. Use the decoupage adhesive to glue the racing-related words onto trash cans, lamps, picture frames, mirrors and more. Instead of cutting out race-related words you can write them directly onto things in the room. Paint markers make it easy to create permanent drawings or writings for the room. The markers are sold in craft stores and contain paint rather than ink. They are used just like you would use a magic marker. They allow you to paint the names of famous race car drivers, or other race-related words, directly onto walls, baseboards, mirrors, lampshades, trash cans and even doors. The words and phrases dont all have to be written the same way. Write some in cursive and some in print. Write some horizontally and others vertically. The markers can even be used to write names on solid-colored bedding and curtains. Ordering NASCAR fabric to make bedding and curtains will cost a fortune. Instead, order the fabric and use just the images to change bedding and drapes. Cut out the race car images and sew them to the existing quilt or bedspread. Do the same for the curtains, or leave the curtains as-is, and just cut new tie-backs from the NASCAR fabric. The fabric car shapes arent just for use with other fabric objects. Use decoupage adhesive to attach the cloth car shapes to lampshades, mirrors, trash cans, dressers, headboards and other items in the room. Decoupage adhesive lets you attach cloth or paper cutouts to most any other surface. Cut pictures of famous race car drivers out of product boxes and magazines to create all sorts of NASCAR-oriented accessories. The small pictures can decorate a pencil holder, the corner of a mirror, or even dresser drawers. Glue thick cardboard to the backs of the pictures and stand them on a shelf or other flat surface in the room. Place magnets on the backs of the characters and they can hang on anything metal. Redecorating in particular themes can get quite expensive, and for many of us, the funds just arent in the budget. Your childs room can be just as nice as any other boys, though, when you create the look yourself. If you purchase a couple yards of cloth, stickers, decoupage, and some magazines you can do an entire room for under fifty bucks! And, the room will look so fabulous no one will suspect you spent so little. But the most important part is that your son will have his dream room and he wont be at all concerned about how much - or how little - you spent!

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Woven Sheet Quilt Anyone Can Make

So, you never learned to quilt? You were never taught all about cutting squares, triangles and other shapes for country quilts? Does that mean you have to pay big bucks for a nice, handmade quilt? Absolutely not! You can make a quilt thats so fine, spend little, and have guests complimenting you on your fabulous taste in decorating! Its easy to make a quilt that will impress anyone who sees it, and the best part is, you probably already have everything you need to make it.

You will need a large, flat area for working on the quilt. Use a sheet that is the next size up from the size sheets your bed takes. For example, if your bed is a queen size, use a king size sheet to start. If you have a king size bed youll need to sew extensions onto a king size sheet to make the appropriate size quilt. The extensions can be a twin sheet, cut in half lengthways, and sewn to each side of the larger sheet. Sew half of the twin sheet on one side of the king size sheet and the other half on the opposite side. After sewing them on, lay the sheet on the bed to check for fit, then trim if necessary before moving on to the next step.

Cut the sheet that you are using for a quilt into strips. The strips can be three to five inches long. The best way to decide on a size to cut the strips is to measure the length of the sheet or check the tag (if there is one) for the size. Choose a number that divides evenly into the number taken as the length. Three, four or five inch strips usually work well. After youve cut all the strips youll use another sheet to make create a weave. Cut the second sheet across the width, instead of down the length, as you did in the previous step. Use the same width for the strips as you did for the length strips. Choose the backing you will use for the quilt. It can be another sheet, a blanket, or a thick piece of cloth. Select something that coordinates with the sheets youre using to weave the quilt. Lay the sheet - or backing - right side-up. Weave the sheets on top of the quilt backing to make the job easier. Begin weaving the width strips between the length strips. To do this, have all the length strips laying side-by-side, upside-down, and hold the end of the first width strip. Take the width strip, upside-down, and cross it over the first length strip, then under the second length strip. Take it over the third length strip and under the fourth one. Continue this pattern until you have woven the first width strip all the way across. Start weaving the second width strip in and out of the length strips. When you start the second strip, start it by going under the first length strip, rather than over as you did in the previous row. So, the second width strip should go under the first length strip, over the second, under the third and over the fourth. That way, the second width strip has the opposite woven pattern as the first width strip. Continue alternating the pattern of the width strips until you have woven them all into the length strips. Tighten the weave by scooting the strips up, down or over, as needed. Use straight pins to attach the woven sheets to the perimeter of the backing. You can use additional pins to hold the weave in place but these pins should not be attached to the backing. Stitch around the perimeter of the quilt leaving a small opening to turn the arrangement right side-out. Turn the quilt out and stitch shut. Now you can stitch, here and there, to keep the weave in place. You wont have to sew up and down each and every strip of the sheets to hold the quilt together. You dont necessarily have to use sheets to make the unique, woven quilts. Cut up strips of velvet or other beautiful material to create different designs for your home. Choose fabrics that wont unravel easily to enjoy the best results. Youll have fun showing off your new quilts to your friends and family but watch out! Once they know you made it yourself theyll be wanting you to make one for each of them as well!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Wedding Invitation Keepsake Arch

Make a really unique encasement for displaying your wedding invitation and youll have made a family heirloom and keepsake. Its really easy to make and will allow you to hang the invitation on a wall or just set it on a stand. You will need two panes of glass which are slightly larger than the size of the invitation.

Use an extra invitation to make the keepsake. If the invitation is one piece of printed paper you need to do nothing to it. If the invitation is one that opens use it in an open manner to display inside the glass. You might need an extra large glass pane to do this. Center the invitation and use a strip of double-sided tape to hold the invitation in place. After the paper is centered on one of the glass pieces glue the second glass on top of the first.

If the keepsake arch youre making will hang on the wall glue a piece of twine onto the glass at this time. Glue one end of the string towards the top corner of the glass and the other end of the string to the opposite corner to make the wall hanger. Glue the twine close to the edge of the glass. If the arrangement youre making will stand on a shelf omit this step. Use glue dots to attach the two glass panes together. The dots are inexpensive and can be found at any craft store. Position the dots across the top, down the sides and across the bottom. Stay close to the edges when you put on the dots of glue. Place the top glass onto the other glass to encase the invitation. Dont worry about the fact that you can see the glue through the glass. Theyll later be covered by the arch. Use a bendable wire to make the arch that will cover the corners of the glass. Bend the wire to an arch shape that reaches from one bottom corner of the frame, across the top, and down to the other bottom corner. There are many different things you can use, along with the wire, to make the archway. Have you ever seen those flat, white, circular cotton pads, used for removing makeup? They work great! Punch a hole in the center of each one and slide them onto the wire. Or, cut circles from a plastic grocery bag and add them to the wire. Another option is to slide silk flowers onto the arch. Cut circles from foil, scrapbook paper, or even white fabric. After the wire is completely full glue it onto the top glass pane. When you glue the arch to the front of the glass pane position it to where it hides the two top corners. Outline the arch shape onto the pane, with hot glue, then quickly set the wire arch in place. The fluffy circles on the wire will cover the top corners and make the entire arrangement look like an arch. If you are making the type of keepsake that stands on a shelf youll take steps to create the base now. Use a piece of wood as the base for the archway. Glue two narrow strips of wood to each other, across the bottom of the glass, trapping the panes between the wood. Glue the small wood pieces, along with the glass edges, to the larger single wooden piece. The large base will hold the whole arrangement and the smaller pieces will help hold the glass in the center of the base. If you made the archway with the makeup remover pads, or the plastic circles, you can further embellish it with tiny silk flowers. Embellishments can even be placed between the panes before theyre glued together. Stickers, confetti and other flat objects can be glued to the first pane of glass, along with the invitation itself. Make the keepsake arrangements for your parents, in-laws and yourself. The keepsake can be made from a wedding picture instead of an invitation. If you dont have the items needed to make the arch just trap the picture or paper between the panes and use metallic tape to hold the edges of the panes together. The tape dispenses like Scotch tape and is found at craft stores. The golden accents of the tape give the final wall hanging glitz and glamour. Get out a few of your wedding pictures, invitations or thank-you cards. Theyll make great family heirlooms one day.

Friday, October 19, 2012

What to Do with All Those Empty Yogurt Cups

If youre a person who eats lots of yogurt, and you save the cups, you can be overwhelmed by the amount of cups you can accumulate in a short period of time. Still, you hate to throw away those useful cups which can be turned in to many different things for yourself and your family. If youve got lots of empty yogurt cups, and theyre starting to take over all your kitchen storage space, sit down one afternoon and do some yogurt cup projects.

Your kids will have loads of fun when you create noisemakers and music makers for them from yogurt cups. Glue felt or fabric around the cup and glue another piece over the lid. Place beads, dry beans, dry peas, small bells, rice or even gravel in the cup. Each item will give the cup a different sound. For instance, a cup of bells will sound much different than a cup of rice. Fill the cup about a third of the way full. Snap the lid on the cup. Glue a paint stirring stick from a hardware store on the lid of the yogurt cup. You can first paint the lid or you can use it as-is. Glue it so that the end of the stick is glued across the width of the lid. Now kids can hold the handle of the stick and shape it to create noise as well as music.

Decoupage adhesive, found at any craft store, is made especially for gluing paper or fabric on most any other object. It works well to attach anything from scrapbook paper to felt to cloth to the yogurt cups. Make a cute bank set for a child by using three yogurt cups. After gluing the chosen paper or material onto the cup and lid cut a slit in the top of the lid so kids can deposit change. Make a banner for a fabric-covered cup, or stickers for a paper-covered cup, to spell out "Save", "Spend" and "Help Others" on the three cups. Kids and/or adults can decide how much of their allowance and other earnings will go in each cup. Its a great way to teach young kids about the various uses for their money. Yogurt cups make great party favors for kids birthday parties or even for holidays. Glue the cloth or paper onto the cup then fill it with small candies and other goodies. Stuff the top with tissue paper. If you dont want to take the time to glue you can do something a little different. Cut a large circle of fabric and set the cup in the center. Pull the fabric up to the top of the cup and wrap a rubber band around it to secure. Tie a ribbon around the rubber band to conceal it. For the best look leave some of the fabric sticking up above the rim of the cup. Fill and stuff the yogurt cups with tissue paper. Make a pincushion by using a single yogurt cup. Cut a Styrofoam ball in half and glue it to the rim of the yogurt cup. Cut a circle of fabric and lay it over the ball. The cloth should hang down below the rim of the cup. Tie a ribbon around the rim area. Present this pincushion to any woman or girl who sew and theyll love it! Yogurt cups have many useful purposes. After cleaning one, poke holes in the top, then use it as a shaker for Parmesan cheese, a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, glitter, small beads and more. Crafting people can use the yogurt cups to dispense ribbon, narrow lace and similar items. Glue several cups to a small plank of wood and it will be easy to pull out lengths of twine, yarn and more. Cover two or more yogurt cups with fabric and leave the lids off of them. Glue the cups to a small plank of wood and make a desk organizer. The cups can hold writing instruments, paper clips, thumb tacks, rubber bands and much more. After covering two or more yogurt cups with fabric or decorative paper turn them upside-down. Glue a plank of wood across the aligned cups to create a small shelf. The shelf can hold picture frames, nick-knacks and more. There are lots of great uses for empty yogurt cups so think about that before throwing them away. You can easily turn them into toys, decor pieces, party supplies and more. Youll likely think of even more ways to use the yogurt cups to create things for yourself, your family and your home!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Lace-Covered Cemetery Cross Memorial

It can be fun yet heart-wrenching to make cemetery memorials for lost loved ones. While youre creating the memorials, memories of the past can flood over you, and make you smile or cause you to cry. Thats the way it is with people youve lost. Some memories are funny and heartwarming, others are sad and hurtful. Paying tribute to someone you once cared about can mean anything from visiting their grave to taking flowers when you go. If you like setting memorials in remembrance of your loved ones you can easily make them yourself.

One such memorial is made from Styrofoam. At craft stores and online, you can purchase Styrofoam crosses, which make creating a nice memorial very easy indeed. The crosses are available in a variety of sizes and can be decorated in any number of ways. If youre not all that talented when it comes to crafts, or even if you are, theres a beautiful way to decorate the Styrofoam cross and make a fabulous, lacy memorial.

If you prefer to save money you can make the cross shape yourself. Purchasing Styrofoam in the shape of a large cross will cost much more than purchasing it and cutting the shape yourself. Dont feel that energetic? Buy a long, block-shaped piece, and two short ones, and make the cross yourself. Use spray adhesive to connect the two short pieces onto the sides of the long piece to make the cross. Check the label on the adhesive you select to make sure it works well with Styrofoam. In addition, check to see that the adhesive you use will not dissolve with water. Some adhesives can melt Styrofoam; others dont hold up under rain and other weather conditions. After youve glued the two side pieces on to the main piece, and have waited for the glue to set, you can then start the process of covering the cross with lace. Choose the lace you use according to the depth of the cross. Lay the cross on a flat surface. Measure the side of the cross to see how wide the lace you purchase should be. Ruffled lace is the best choice since it gives the cross more dimension and interest. The lace can have a colored ribbon running through the center of it or can have a different design. Use pins to secure the lace. Pins with large pearl-like heads work great and look fabulous. Begin attaching the lace by starting at the bottom of the cross. Wrap the lace around the perimeter using the pins to hold it in place. Stretch the lace up the side of the main cross piece, under the arm, across the end of the arm, across the top of the arm, then around the top portion of the cross. Continue down the other side, going around the arm, and back down to the bottom where you started. Every two or three inches youll insert a pin to secure the lace. If the lace is really wide dont position the pins in the center of the lace. Instead, place one pin on the edge of the lace, and another opposite it. That will make sure the entire width of the lace is secured. Now start covering the back of the cross with lace. Start at the back bottom and go around the perimeter of the cross. Once youve gone all the way around, move the lace inward to start a second row. Go all the way around again, following the first row of lace, which goes around the perimeter of the back of the cross. Youll continue doing this until youve arrived in the center of the cross and the Styrofoam is completely covered. Use the same method to cover the front of the cross. On the front of the lacy cross you can add a large silk rose or other flowers, beads, ribbon and other embellishments. You can use plastic letters from a craft store to spell out "Mom" or something else. These are optional as the cross is beautiful with just the lace covering. Use a metal wrought iron or other piece to secure the cross at the grave site. The metal can be pushed up through the bottom of the cross then pushed into the ground to hold. You can also use the metal rod to place the cross in a headstone vase. The cross memorial is elegant and very easy to create.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Any Occasion Cake Pan Door Wreath

Door wreaths arent just for Christmas! Are you kidding? Decorating your front door is suitable any time of the year! Wreaths dont have to have holiday themes. They can have themes of spring, summer, autumn and more. Themes can be anything from beach scenes to sports themes. Of course, purchasing wreaths for various days and occasions would require lots of money and lots of storage space. Thats only if you purchased ordinary wreaths. Make one extraordinary wreath and youll have a touch of class on your door all year long. The wreath is made from a cake pan and can be easily changed in minutes! A round, metal cake pan is just the ticket when it comes to creating fabulous wreaths for any occasion. A piece of magnetic sheeting, plus a few things from around the house, and youll have more wreaths than you know what to do with! And in the future, itll only take a minute to change the theme of the wreath to something completely different.

Use a piece of stiff but pliable wire to create the outside of the wreath. Lay the cake pan, open side down, on a flat surface. Loosely wrap the wire around the cake pan and clip the wire to that length. Make sure youve added a couple extra inches before snipping to ensure youll have enough wire to tie off. Form the wire into a circular shape and twist the ends to secure them.

The wire will become the outside frills of the wreath. There are many different ways to make this part. Take a stack of ordinary sandwich bags and cut the sides of the flap. Now the flap will fold upward to meet the back half of the sandwich bag. Fold these in half, lengthwise, then in half again, lengthwise. Tie the folded baggie onto the wire. Tie another and another until the wire is full of the plastic baggies. Take the time to separate the folds and fluff up the baggies. Now slip the baggie-filled wire around the cake pan. It will be a tight fit. Instead of baggies, you can twist strips of foil onto the wire, or you can even tie on strips of cloth. Make several different rings and you can easily change the outside of the wreath any time you want. The metal cake pan makes it easy to create many different scenes for the front of your wreath. Cut circular pictures from magazines, books, posters and even cloth. Affix these pictures to magnetic sheeting. Youll find the magnet, sold by the sheet or by the roll, at most any craft store. The magnetic pictures will allow you to change the theme of the wreath whenever you take the notion. Having several pictures magnetized, and having made several wire creations, you can now make literally dozens of combinations. Use the baggie-covered wire and an Easter-theme picture to create a wreath for the Easter holidays. Use the foil-covered wire, and Valentine-theme magnet, to make a unique valentine wreath for your door. There are innumerable combinations you can create simply by covering a circular wire with something new, and creating even more magnetic pictures. Some choices for covering the wire include garland, tinsel, raffia, a feather boa, or foam. Possible themes include holidays, anniversaries, graduations, spring break, Americana, or even cartoon characters. Whenever youre ready for a change you can simply change the magnetic picture, and leave the circular decoration you are already displaying, or you can leave the picture and change the circular decoration. A third choice is to change the picture as well as the circular wreath ring. With the various combinations youll be able to have a new wreath every week, and change it, literally, in seconds. Get out a cake pan but leave the cake mix in the cabinet. You have bigger and better things to accomplish! Look around the house for things you can use to make the pictures or the wire ring for your new wreath. A quick visit to a nearby craft store will give you everything else you need to make the assorted wreaths. Your neighbors and visitors will be very impressed and your door will always be in style!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Polka-Dot Your Shirts with Cans and Tubes

Love polka dots? Why wouldnt you? Theyre large, theyre small, theyre fun and beautiful! They can be added to shirts and other clothing to change the look of the garment or just to give a splash of color and excitement. In previous times, a person would have to use a stencil or a stamp to create perfect dots every time. Even then, you would create the circle then have to go back and fill it in with paint. But, now you can use a different method to create dots on your clothing and accessories. You already have all the patterns you need to create magnificent dots of any size! Just lay out the shirt, look around the house, and come back with an assortment of polka-dot patterns.

There are many different paints you can use that are suitable for clothing. Fabric paints, squirt bottle paints or even regular spray paint will all work. Combine the paints with any number of patterns from around the house and youll have new shirts in no time. One great example of a pattern for your new polka-dot shirt is an empty can. Cut the bottom from the can, clean it well, then set it on the shirt.

Spray or squirt the paint through the can and onto the shirt. You can even use a paintbrush and acrylic paints. The can prevents spattering of the paint and the bottom can opening makes the perfect dot. If using a paintbrush simply dip it in the paint, insert it in the can, then twist the paintbrush until the dot is formed. Carefully lift the can away from the shirt so that you dont smear it. Make much smaller dots by using an empty bathroom tissue roll. Set it on the shirt and add your paint through the opening. Move the tube to a new location each time you want to make a new dot. Instead of a bathroom tissue roll you can use a piece cut from a paper towel roll. Create a specific pattern or just randomly create dots all over the shirt. Mix and match tube and can patterns to make various sizes of dots on the shirt. Plastic deli containers are another good way to make the round shapes on the shirts. Remove the lids, cut out the bottoms, then set them on the shirts as patterns. The deli containers come in a variety of sizes that are perfect for making polka-dots on your clothing and accessories. The dots are perfect for purses, shoes, pants, shirts and even hats. Have you recently emptied a roll of tape? Scotch tape, of course, has a hole in the middle thats good for making dots, but masking tape or duct tape comes on a cardboard tube thats perfect for the dots. The cardboard rolls range from very small, as with electrical tape, or very large like an empty duct tape roll. Do you have an old vacuum thats headed for the dump? Cut off a short piece of the hose to use for making dots. Other things you can use include old hair rollers, stacked key rings, cuff bracelets, empty spice jars with the bottom cut off, a Styrofoam cup with the bottom removed, a piece of pipe, and many other things. Anything tubular in your house, whether plastic, wood, metal or cardboard, can become patterns for polka-dots. Some of the things, like a pipe for example, can be cleaned and used for something else. Other patterns, like a cardboard tube, should be thrown away after several uses. The bottoms of the cardboard tubes tend to start losing their shapes after wet paint soaks into them. Home improvement stores are full of things that are tubular. Plastic tubing, for instance, is sold for everything from transporting water for your ice maker to carrying water to your faucets. This type of tubing ranges in size so that you can create even small dots on your shirts. The tubing is sold by the foot and is not expensive. Its fun to change the look of clothing and accessories by painting them but dont go out and spend big bucks for rubber stamps and ink. Look around your house to see what types of tubes or cans you have. These will become the patterns for all your new clothes. The technique is easy, inexpensive and will produce perfect polka-dots every time!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Bath Towel Haunted Tower Centerpiece

There are lots of cool things you can make from towels and wash cloths. Bunnies, fake wedding cakes - the list goes on and on. For most people towels arent one of the first things they consider as Halloween decorations. Although some people purchase Halloween-theme towels to hang you can use ordinary towels to make a very unusual but striking haunted tower centerpiece. If you already have the towels it will take very little to create the unique table decoration and everyone who drops by will certainly notice it! Youll need two each of black bath towels, hand towels and wash cloths. If you dont happen to have black ones use orange, white, dark blue or gray. With the set of towels you can create a large table centerpiece in no time. How you choose for the finished decoration to look is up to you. There are many choices for making each centerpiece look different.

Start by laying a bath towel on a flat surface. Fold one long side to the center then fold the opposite side to the center. Start at one short end and roll the towel to the opposite end. Use a safety pin to secure. Fold the other bath towel, the two hand towels, and the two wash cloths in the same manner. After all the towels are folded youll then stack them into the tower shape.

Set the large towels on the table as the bottom of the tower. Before setting the hand towel roll on top of the bath towels reach in the center and pull out part the hand towel. This is done so that when you set it on top of the larger roll it will tilt somewhat. If necessary pin the hand towels to the bath towels so they dont fall completely over. There should be a nice lump under the hand towels, though, so that they wont sit straight. Do the same to the roll of wash cloths, pulling a small amount from the center so that it sits lopsided on top of the hand towels. You can make a flag for the top of the tower from a piece of fabric, felt or even paper. Use a coffee stirrer, painted straw or even a stick from the back yard as the flag pole. Make a skull and cross-bone flag or another design. Glue or tape it to the flag pole and let it fly over the tower. If you want, make smaller flags to fly around the other two levels. Position the largest flag on top then place smaller flags around the hand towels and the bath towels. After you have the towels stacked the tower is basically complete. Double-sided tape, though, can help you make the tower look even more realistic. Cut out pieces of foam or felt to make glowing windows of orange, green or yellow around the tower. Or, create a purple door with a haunting image drawn on it, then stick it to the towels. Around the bottom of the towels you can place fake trees, fall leaves, tiny plastic skeletons, or even rocks, spattered with red paint. Now you can create all sorts of scenes on and around the tower. The stacked towels creates ledges: one which is the top part of the bath towels and one which is the top part of the hand towels. These ledges are perfect for setting plastic spiders, rubber snakes, and other eerie creatures. There are any number of themes you can create by using inexpensive Halloween trinkets and novelties. Theres a completely different centerpiece you can make with the tower of towels, too. Position sucker sticks between the folds of the towels and make a sucker tower. You can also cut the points off of wooden skewers and tape candy bars to them. Stick the candy bars around one ledge, suckers around the next, and small treats on the top of the tower. Or, you can cover all the ledges with candy on sticks then embellish around the candies with plastic spiders and other creepy crawlies. Its fun to make the towel tower centerpiece for Halloween parties or just to give a holiday theme to the table. If you dont have towels to use for this craft try rolling different size pieces of craft foam or felt to form the tower levels. Its a fun project thats simple and cheap - yet really impressive when its finished!

Friday, October 12, 2012

Interchangeable Memorial Heart Wreath

Most of us have a loved one that is now departed and many of us enjoy paying tribute to that person through memorials on their graves. Purchased memorials of flowers and wreaths can be very expensive and then you have to settle for the choices offered. Make your own memorial, though, and youll have any design you want. Better yet, make one interchangeable memorial, and youll have a new design for each holiday or special occasion.

Purchase a Styrofoam shape which will be the base for your interchangeable memorial design. A heart is a good example of a shape thats suitable for many occasions. Decorate the heart with a basic color of flowers, like white or gold. The plastic or silk flowers can be purchased at any craft store and can easily be inserted into the heart-shaped Styrofoam ring. If you want you can glue or wire the flowers into the heart shape. The flowers should be inserted all over the heart shape until it is completely covered.

The interchangeable part comes in when you add button magnets to the mix. The button magnets are also found at craft stores and come in a variety of shapes or sizes. Youll get several in a pack and youll need a couple of packs to complete the project. While at the craft store purchasing magnets choose an adhesive which will hold up under rain and snow. Read the labels of several adhesives to find just the right choice. Hot glue breaks down with water and, therefore, is not appropriate for this project. The flower-covered heart shape becomes the base for any memorial you want to create. Simply affix the magnets, here and there, around the heart. After attaching the magnets, you can then stick any number of things to the magnets, to create the look you want. For Valentines Day attach red hearts to the flowered memorial heart. For Easter stick golden crosses to the flower-covered heart. There is no limit to the different designs you can create. Craft stores are full of shapes that will help you design an assortment of looks for the interchangeable heart wreath. Wooden shapes, metal trinkets, rubber shapes and similar things. Items that arent metallic can still be attached to the magnets on the heart if you first attach a piece of magnetic sheeting. The sheeting is sold by the sheet, or by the roll, at any craft store. Cut a small piece, peel away the backing, and stick the piece of sheeting to the shape youve chosen to use. These pieces can now be temporarily affixed to the strategically placed magnets on the heart shape. Any time theres a new holiday or occasion, and youd like to place a new memorial on the grave, all you have to do is change the magnetic images. Remove wooden hearts, for example, and replace them with plastic crosses. Just take off the old designs and replace them with the new chosen trinkets. The pattern you use for the trinkets and images is up to you. Place one magnet at the point of the heart, and a couple more on each side, or place magnets every few inches to display lots of holiday images. You can also place one magnet at the top of the heart, towards the inside of the ring, then have one trinket that hangs down into the center of the heart shaped wreath. Dangle one star, one cross or one red heart in the middle of the flower-covered heart to create the memorial you want. Use stiff wire, at the bottom of the Styrofoam heart, to make it easy to insert it into the ground. Once the main shape is inserted you can visit anytime and change the theme of the memorial within seconds. Make a new one for Christmas, Independence Day, the persons birthday or anniversaries. There is no event that you cant represent by the magnetic trinkets you use to decorate the heart. Many of us spend great amounts of money placing memorials on our past loved ones graves. That isnt necessary, though. Make one memorial and change it anytime you want. That saves you a bunch of money yet allows you to do something different with each new holiday or special occasion.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Guest Book for Your Home

Birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, holidays - most of these occasions bring visiting family and friends. The celebrations come and go and all youre left with are the memories which fade over time. Hold on to your precious memories of those you love by creating a guest book for your home. Have friends sign the book when they come to special gatherings and youll enhance your memories for life. The book can be made in many different ways so that no ones book ever looks like someone elses.

Youve probably been to occasions where a guest book was offered for signing. Funerals and weddings typically have guests books which record the people who attended. Now you can do the same for your home! So what if you dont have huge, lavish parties; that doesnt mean you cant enjoy the friends, family and special occasions that mean something to your family.

The guest book for your home can be any type of journal or writing tablet. You can create a special place to set the book or you can just keep it in the desk drawer and set it out on special occasions. No matter where and how you decide to keep the book make sure to get the pages signed by visiting guests and friends. The great thing about making a household guest book is that you can allow room for the guests to write comments. Guests can write not only their names but a line or two about the experience. Whether you had some people over for a cookout or you threw a huge party on the Fourth of July guests will love commenting on the fun they had. Pass the book around as everyones relaxing or just ask them to sign it on their way out. Your guest book doesnt have to be plain and ordinary. Write a name for the event at the top then embellish the pages with stickers that have a similar theme to the theme of the party or event. Use scrapbook elements to enhance the page even more. Attach foil pieces, make a border around each page or use other craft supplies to create the perfect page. Use paint markers to add gold or silver accents. Stencils can help you create magnificent designs at the top, bottom or sides of the pages. You can entitle the book with a name on the front. Use paint markers, appliques or even stickers to make the name. Embellish ordinary journals by making not only a name but a cover for it. Make a cover for most any book by cutting a long rectangle of fabric, fur or felt, folding the ends over to form a pocket, then stitching down the two sides of the pocket. Now you can simply slip the front and back covers of the journal into the pockets. Add to the overall look of the finished book by tying a pen on a narrow piece of satin ribbon. This way, the pen will always be with the book. Each page of the household guest book can also be entitled as well. Pages can have headings like "Our New Babys Visitors", "Fourth of July Cookout", or "Christmas (fill in the year). There are any number of special occasions when visitors come by and spend time with your family. Ask visitors to sign your guest book and request that they write a line or two about their experience at the particular event. These comments will later help you recall all the fun and festivities in full detail. Youll laugh, youll smile, youll reminisce each time you open the guest book and read through it. The guest book you make can cover all the events of the year or can be made for each occasion separately. Make a new journal for a graduating family member then give it to him or her to take along to college. Or, make a new journal for each family members birthday and present it to them after the celebration. Memories of friends is one thing most of us cherish dearly. The bad thing about memories, though, is they often fade away, especially memories of events that happen year after year. Youll easily recall many more memories than you normally would have just by keeping a guest book for your home. Its an unusual idea that will keep your family and friends close to your heart!

Monday, October 8, 2012

Backyard Bagel Bird Feeder

You may not be an avid bird watcher, climbing mountains with your binoculars to catch a glimpse of a rare breed, but that doesnt mean you cant enjoy the fluttering beauties in your own backyard. You dont have to wait and see what birds might happen by; make a bird feeder for your yard and theyll come running - or flying, rather. All youll have to do is sit back and enjoy their beauty, but you might as well know, the birds will love this feeder so much that youll have to make another and another! Keep in mind that, once you begin feeding birds they become dependent on the food, so its a good idea to continue feeding them year-round, once youve started the trend.

The backyard bagel bird feeder is a fabulous project for kids. Even really young kids can make the easy feeder which hangs in a tree and entices birds of all sorts. Theyll flock to your yard once they get a whiff of the food thats just waiting for them. Once you hang the finished feeder all youll have to do is sit back and enjoy the huge variety of birds which flock from miles away.

To start the project all you will need is a bagel. You can use a regular bagel, blueberry one or another type. Some bagels arent ideal, though, like a garlic or onion bagel. Birds are attracted to the breads but not ones with strong odors like onions. Its best if you use a bagel which is somewhat dried out but not crumbly. A stale bagel works best, though. Cut a piece of ribbon to 24" long. Slide one end of the ribbon through the hole of a half-bagel, bring the ends together, then tie in a knot. This will create the hanger for the bagel bird feeder. You can make the ribbon larger or smaller, depending upon where you want to hang it, and you can use wide or narrow ribbon of any color. In fact, you can use other materials if you have no ribbon, such as twine, yarn or even pliable wire. Make one type of hanging bagel feeder by simply spreading crunchy peanut butter on the flat side of a half of a bagel. Birds love the peanut butter and the nuts embedded in it. Make a different bird feeder by spreading the bagel with regular peanut butter. Now turn the peanut butter side down into a pile of birdseed. You can use birdseed thats known to draw particular species of birds or you can use a general birdseed mix sold at most any discount department store. Make still a different recipe by using the crunchy peanut butter and covering it with birdseed. You can make either type of peanut butter easier to spread on the bagel by mixing in a teaspoon of ordinary shortening. Mix the peanut butter and shortening together well, spread on the bagel, then turn the peanut butter side down on a pile of birdseed. After the peanut butter and seed have dried well (about 24 hours) you can then cover the other side with peanut butter and birdseed. Or, you can hang the bagel as-is with only one side covered in peanut butter and birdseed. Whether youre covering one or both sides there are other things you can mix in with the birdseed. For example, you can stick a few raisins to the peanut butter, then add the birdseed, to give birds a special treat. Other dried fruit pieces, like tiny apple pieces, dried peach pieces and similar fruits can be used along with the bagel, peanut butter and birdseed. You can also press in walnut or pecan pieces, pretzels pieces, corn chips, sunflower seeds and similar foods (Note: never place the feeder where small children can reach it). You can make more than one bagel at a time and place them in the freezer, if you want. That way, when the hanging bagel is almost gone, you can simply thaw out another then hang it for the birds. The finished bird feeder can hang from a tree branch, a porch railing, or a deck ceiling. It will attract a wide variety of birds that will keep coming back for more, day after day, season after season. For around five bucks you can make a whole pack of the unique bird feeders and keep the local birds happy for a long time to come!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Last Minute Christmas Decorations that Are Cheap and Easy

So you waited a little later than usual this year to decorate. Thats okay. Dont fret about spending a bunch of money trying to get the place looking festive. There are many quick projects, which cost next to nothing, that you can throw together for the holidays. Guests wont notice you invested little money and youll be very proud of the decorations youve created.

Pick up a small tree branch outside. Spray paint the branch silver, gold or even white. Lay the branch in the middle of the table and youve got a fabulous centerpiece for pennies. If you want you can nestle the branch on white cotton and lay some simple ornaments on the cotton.

Use a fish bowl, or other clear bowl, to make a different kind of centerpiece. Fill the bowl with small ornaments, curled ribbon, small candies and similar items. Candy canes, pine cones, and even doll accessories are all things you can use to fill the bowl. The finished bowl doesnt necessarily have to become a centerpiece; it can be used to decorate a bathroom or a mantle. Use a small bowl for a mantle or shelf or a large bowl for a centerpiece. Make a basket full of decorative soaps for Christmas by cutting images from a magazine. Cut Christmas theme pictures and trim them down to the size of the soap. Use two parts white glue to one part water to affix the pictures to the soaps. Spread some glue on the back of the picture and position it on the soap. Allow to dry. Spread glue over the top of the soap, allow to dry completely, then coat one more time. The soaps are great for decorating or for gifting. Wrap yarn round and round a coffee can from top to bottom. When the can is covered in yarn you can use it to display your Christmas cards. Slide a card behind one piece of yarn and align the yarn with the fold of the card. The can will hold many cards which fan out and around the can. Its a quick project that costs little but looks great. Make wonderful coasters by cutting a piece of Christmas cloth and gluing it to a peanut butter jar lid or a similar lid. Wrap the sides with red velvet and you have an easy coaster that looks great. Instead of cloth you can laminate magazine pictures and glue them on the lids. Make cute ornaments by starting with 20 oz pop bottle lids. Cut a piece of decorative cloth or paper and glue it to the flat part of the lid. On the opposite side use glue and glitter to embellish. Add a hanger to the top of the lid then cover the sides of the lid with a piece of velvet ribbon. Tie a bow on, to hide where the hanger is glued, and the ornament is finished. The mini ornaments look great on any size tree. Make quick napkin rings by using a bathroom tissue roll or empty paper towel roll. Cut the rolls into three inch sections. The circles can then be decorated with fake jewels, sequin, white satin, black velvet or another choice. There are many different designs you can do that cost little. You probably have everything you need at home to make these. Make trivets for the table by covering frozen pizza cardboard disks with Christmas cloth. If you want you can first place a piece of thin craft foam on the cardboard disk. After covering the cardboard circles with cloth you can set them on the table to hold hot dishes. They give a festive look to any table and are easy to make. Put a white pillowcase on an ordinary pillow. Tie a scarf around the top third to make a neck for a snowman. Draw a face on the pillowcase or use craft supplies to create the snowmans face. Make a hat from red felt or just purchase a Santa hat to put on the pillow. If the pillow is a feather pillow it will likely stand by itself. If not, you can prop the pillow snowman in a corner. Dont despair just because youve waited until the last minute to decorate this year. You have many things in your home that can become fabulous Christmas decorations. Youll enjoy making these easy Christmas decorations which will save you money but give your home a festive look in no time.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Bottle Babies Kids Will Love to Make

Whether its a baby bottle or a pop bottle your kids will love turning it into a cool kid or baby. With only a few craft supplies most any bottle you have can soon become a cute kid to adorn bedrooms and more. Have a bottle baby party and you and the children will have loads of fun. Start by selecting the bottle you wish to use. The bottle should be clear plastic and free from any labels.

The bottle you decide on can be tall, short, lightweight or heavy. No matter what bottle you choose fill it full of rice, beans, marbles or something similar. The beans or rice will become the characters outfit. In addition to the bottle youll need a Styrofoam ball or something similar. The ball will become the head for the bottle baby. Instead of a Styrofoam ball parents can help kids cut a hole in a ping-pong ball.

If youre using a Styrofoam ball cut a circle in the bottom then dig out the excess Styrofoam. Glue the ball onto the cap of the bottle. The ball - whether Styrofoam or ping-pong - can be painted or left white. After gluing it onto the bottle youll begin making the face and outfit. The eyes can be drawn on with a marker or you can glue on wiggly eyes from a craft store. Beads or buttons are other options for creating the eyes. You can even make bug-eyes by cutting a small Styrofoam ball in half, gluing the halves to the face, then adding wiggly eyes to the half-balls. Create a nose by gluing on a pom-pom or bead. If you want, you can make the entire face from markers. Choices for creating a mouth include a red marker, felt lips, a piece of yarn, or even a black felt circle. Each embellishment choice, or combinations, will create a totally different character. Mix and match different craft items to create a host of characters. There are many different ways to make hair for the bottle kid. Cut toothpicks in half and insert them all over the top of the Styrofoam ball. Golf tees are another option for creating the hair. Just stick several of them in the Styrofoam ball and leave them sticking up. If using a tennis ball glue on yarn pieces or even small pom-poms. Whether youre using a ping-pong ball or a Styrofoam ball you can create unique hair for a female bottle person by gluing on tiny silk or plastic flowers. Make a totally different hairdo by breaking half the handle off of plastic forks and pushing them, handle side down, into the Styrofoam ball. Shape arms out of pipe cleaners and attach them to the bottle. Tiny slits can be cut into the bottle or you can just glue on the pipe cleaners. Make each characters arms look different by using various techniques. Wrap the pipe cleaners around a pencil and youll have a character with extraterrestrial qualities. Bend the pipe cleaners into "v" shapes, glue one end to the bottle to make the arms, then place the "hands" on the "hips". You can even braid three pipe cleaners together, and leave the ends sticking out, to create fingers. Every character you make doesnt have to be a kid or a baby. You can make old people, aliens and more. Create moustaches and beards by using yarn, doll hair or even cotton balls. Give an old guy a pipe by bending a small piece of black pipe cleaner into the shape, then inserting one end into the mouth area of the bottle dude. No matter what type of bottle you use youll need to create something to go around the neck area, where the ball meets the bottle. Create a bow tie from a piece of fabric or a collar from a piece of felt. Or, just use a piece of wide ribbon to tie a bow around the neck. Even a piece of lace can be glued around the neckline to hide it and give the bottle character a frilly look. You and your kids will laugh till you cry when you see the crazy characters you each invent. Use things you have around the house to make the bottle kids or purchase a few inexpensive craft supplies. When youre finished creating them stand them on shelves, mantles, windowsills or tables. Theyll get grins from all who notice them!