Its fun to go looking for baby shower decorations and gifts. It blows the mind to think of all the available table decor, party favors and similar items you can find for a baby shower. However, in the end, isnt it better to make most of those things yourself? After all, when you create the items you not only save money but you get to have exactly what you want rather than settling for what you can find at the store. And, when you make things yourself no one else ever has any decor exactly like yours! Thats the case when you create a unique centerpiece that not only decorates the table but offers your guests a nice treat as they depart.
Start with a piece of Styrofoam to make the centerpiece. The centerpiece can be as large or as small as you want so long as there is enough room on it to hold treats for all your guests. After determining how many people will be at the shower you can then decide on how large you need the Styrofoam to be. Choose a piece that is two to three inches deep, though, to make sure its sturdy enough to hold the treats.
In addition to the Styrofoam you will need some wooden skewers. Cut the pointed ends off the skewers to use them for the project. Cut each skewer in half and make sure you have a half-skewer for each person who will be attending. Use a skewer to poke holes in the Styrofoam. Poke one hole for each person who will receive a treat cup. Space the holes evenly apart across the Styrofoam making several rows, if needed. The treat cups will actually be paper cones. You can purchase ordinary white cones at an automotive parts store or you can make the cones yourself. If you purchase the white ones you can decorate them in many different ways. Use colored tape to make the striped, make polka dots all over them with paints, or just wrap each cone with a piece of lace. Cones can also be wrapped in baby-theme gift wrap, pink or blue tissue paper, or can just be left as-is with a pink or blue bow tied around each one. If youre making the cones yourself you can use most any type of decorative paper. Twist the paper into the cone shape and trim around the top, if needed. No matter what type of cone youre using cut a tiny piece of the pointed end. This will make a hole in the bottom so the skewers can hold the cone treat cups. The hole you make should be just large enough for insertion of the stick but not so large that the candies or other treats can fall out. Now, back to the slab of Styrofoam. There are several different techniques you can use to create the look you want for the Styrofoam. Paint it, but if you do, check the label to see if the paint is compatible with Styrofoam. Another way to decorate the Styrofoam is to use shredded paper. Colored paper which has been shredded is available at any craft store. Use foil types or just decorative shredded paper. Glue it all over the top and sides of the Styrofoam. Still another way to give a baby shower theme to the Styrofoam is to glue cotton balls all over the Styrofoam. Make sure you do not cover the holes that you made with the skewer. After the top and sides of the Styrofoam are covered glue the sticks into the holes. Glue one stick in each hole then slide a cone over the top of each skewer. Fill the cones with candies or other goodies to complete the project. Set the finished centerpiece on the table. You can advise your guests to take a cone on their way out the door or you can make a small sign that says "Take One". The sign can be a simple cardboard piece, folded in half, with stickers to spell out the words. You can further embellish the centerpiece by placing baby rattles, teething rings, booties and other tiny items, here and there, in the shredded paper thats glued to the Styrofoam. The new mom can keep the toys after the party. Shell have the time of her life at the baby shower and your guests will be especially impressed with the centerpiece and the goodies. Its a unique way to decorate at the same time you thank your guests with a little treat.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
How to Make Cookies into Bowls for Ice Cream
Have you ever seen the look on a childs face when he realizes hes about to have his favorite treat - ice cream? Its a snapshot moment! Whats better than a bowl of ice cream? A bowl of ice cream where the bowl is actually a cookie! You cant ask for more than that - whether youre a child or an adult - when it comes to a cool, refreshing treat. Now, dont think youve got to go on a local hunt for a store that sells ice cream cups which are really cookies; youll never find em! Youve got to make them yourself, however, its so easy you wont mind at all! In fact, once you have a bowl of ice cream where the bowl is a cookie youll never want a cone again! If you make your own cookie dough thats fine. If you use frozen dough, allow it to thaw before starting the ice cream cookie cups. Mix boxed cookie dough according to directions. When the dough is ready its easy to make the cookie cups. First, take some of the dough and place it between two pieces of waxed paper. Roll the dough into a ball so that, when you roll it out, it will form a circular cookie. Use a rolling pin to roll the cookie out very thin.
Place each flattened cookie dough circle on a piece of foil. Try to keep the foil flat and straightened out rather than allowing it to have lots of wrinkles and creases. If it does have some wrinkles, though, smooth them out the best you can. The foil itself should be somewhat larger than the flattened cookie dough. Fold the edges of the foil up so that the cookie starts taking the shape of a small bowl. Pinch the foil together around the edges, here and there, to help the cookie hold its shape. Dont worry if the top edges of the bowls arent perfectly round; the edges can be misshapen and ragged. The only thing you need to make sure of is that all sides of the bowl are approximately the same height. You dont want a cookie bowl thats really shallow on one side but tall on the other. By using the foil technique you can make really large cookie bowls or much smaller ones.
Bake the cookies according to the instructions. After removing them from the oven allow them to cool. Before theyre cold, and while theyre still barely warm, remove the foil from each cookie bowl. Serve ice cream now, while the cookie bowls are still warm, or allow them to cool completely before serving. At any time, you can warm the cookie bowl in the microwave before adding the ice cream. You dont necessarily have to eat the cookie bowls immediately; you can wrap them in saran wrap and store then in a cupboard or you can place them in the freezer. Allow the cookie bowl to thaw for an hour before serving. There are alternative ways to make the cookie bowls. One way is to use cupcake baking cups. The foil ones are best because theyre slightly stronger than the paper ones. However, you can stack three to four paper ones - or two foil ones - to create a mold for the cookie bowl. As before, place a ball of dough in between two pieces of waxed paper and roll it out with a rolling pin. Set the paper or foil cups upside-down on a cookie sheet then drape the flattened dough over the cups. Cook according to the cookie baking directions. You dont absolutely have to fill the cookie bowls with ice cream. Theyre great when you fill them with sherbet or even pudding. Melt chocolate, butterscotch or caramel in the bottoms of the cups and then add the chosen filling. Add whipped cream, candy sprinkles, fruit or other toppings. If you want to make cookie cups for small kids you can use still another technique. Wad up balls of foil, drape the flattened cookies over them, then bake. These can be filled the same as the larger versions. Serve cookie bowls with ice cream instead of cake and ice cream at a birthday party. Or, just make the delicious cookie bowls for your own family. When wrapped theyll keep for several days so you can use them when youre ready. They provide a unique way to serve desserts to your guests or just for you to sit down and enjoy when youre by yourself.
Place each flattened cookie dough circle on a piece of foil. Try to keep the foil flat and straightened out rather than allowing it to have lots of wrinkles and creases. If it does have some wrinkles, though, smooth them out the best you can. The foil itself should be somewhat larger than the flattened cookie dough. Fold the edges of the foil up so that the cookie starts taking the shape of a small bowl. Pinch the foil together around the edges, here and there, to help the cookie hold its shape. Dont worry if the top edges of the bowls arent perfectly round; the edges can be misshapen and ragged. The only thing you need to make sure of is that all sides of the bowl are approximately the same height. You dont want a cookie bowl thats really shallow on one side but tall on the other. By using the foil technique you can make really large cookie bowls or much smaller ones.
Bake the cookies according to the instructions. After removing them from the oven allow them to cool. Before theyre cold, and while theyre still barely warm, remove the foil from each cookie bowl. Serve ice cream now, while the cookie bowls are still warm, or allow them to cool completely before serving. At any time, you can warm the cookie bowl in the microwave before adding the ice cream. You dont necessarily have to eat the cookie bowls immediately; you can wrap them in saran wrap and store then in a cupboard or you can place them in the freezer. Allow the cookie bowl to thaw for an hour before serving. There are alternative ways to make the cookie bowls. One way is to use cupcake baking cups. The foil ones are best because theyre slightly stronger than the paper ones. However, you can stack three to four paper ones - or two foil ones - to create a mold for the cookie bowl. As before, place a ball of dough in between two pieces of waxed paper and roll it out with a rolling pin. Set the paper or foil cups upside-down on a cookie sheet then drape the flattened dough over the cups. Cook according to the cookie baking directions. You dont absolutely have to fill the cookie bowls with ice cream. Theyre great when you fill them with sherbet or even pudding. Melt chocolate, butterscotch or caramel in the bottoms of the cups and then add the chosen filling. Add whipped cream, candy sprinkles, fruit or other toppings. If you want to make cookie cups for small kids you can use still another technique. Wad up balls of foil, drape the flattened cookies over them, then bake. These can be filled the same as the larger versions. Serve cookie bowls with ice cream instead of cake and ice cream at a birthday party. Or, just make the delicious cookie bowls for your own family. When wrapped theyll keep for several days so you can use them when youre ready. They provide a unique way to serve desserts to your guests or just for you to sit down and enjoy when youre by yourself.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Collage Photo Cube You Make for Graduating Friends
School is one place where many people meet their best friends for life. On the other hand, some students meet and become friends, only to have one student move away or lose contact with each other over the summer. Wouldnt you love to give your friends something to remember you by and also create something for you to remember them? Its fun and easy to do just that when you start with Styrofoam cubes.
Use scrapbook papers, comic book pictures, images cut from magazines, fabric squares and similar items to create the fun cube. Eight-inch cubes work great for this project but you can actually make this project any size you wish. Cut one different paper for each side of the cube. The papers you cut must be the exact size of the cube. Glue one picture or paper onto each side and allow to dry.
Friends know things about each other, like favorite colors, favorite music, or favorite teen idol. These ideas can be incorporated into the design of the cube. Cut pictures of musical scores, song titles, cartoon characters, and other things you know your friend loves. Glue these items onto the sides of the cubes to create different scenes or themes. For example, if your friend loves the color pink you can use six different patterns to make the sides of the cube. Then, make one side of the cube a music theme, another side a cartoon scheme, and another side a photo arrangement. The entire cube can be about a vacation you and your friends took or about things that have happened at school over the year. Glue on ribbon awards, a picture of a cute guy in your class, cutouts of stars or hearts, and other embellishments. Each side can tell its own story or the whole cube can describe the event. Glue on pictures of friends, pets, siblings, your new car, your old car, or even a magazine cutout of tacos! You create the cube you know your friend will love. Make a memory cube for your favorite teachers, your best friends, or even one to give to your parents! There are no limits of the different cube and themes you can easily create. Find things for your cube by looking through old magazines or gathering ribbon and thread scraps, stickers, foil wrapping paper, aluminum foil, buttons, colored tape and other items around the house. These things can all become part of the keepsake cube. Its helpful to first make a list of things about your friend(s). Write down words or phrases that person uses often, foods and beverages he or she loves, titles of favorite books, sports they love, interests they have (stamp collecting, Nascar), and other details about the peoples lives. This list will help you when selecting pictures, memorabilia, colors of tape or ribbon and trinkets. One side will actually become the top of the cube and there are many options for making it unique. Write "Friends" on the top with paints, markers or stickers. Or, spell the persons name out on the top of the cube. Even glue on painted wooden shapes like butterflies or tiny cars. Use small pieces from the persons favorite game - like Scrabble tiles or Monopoly pieces - to make a very unique top. Another idea is to glue on a shank button or drawer pull to give the flat top some dimension and character. Make a graduation keepsake by gluing a piece of felt to the bottom of the cube. Decorate the four sides with memories then create a graduation cap a separate piece of Styrofoam. Cut a one-inch thick piece of Styrofoam that is square, but an inch wider all the way around, than the cube top itself. Paint the Styrofoam black or cover it with black cloth. Wrap the piece of Styrofoam like a gift by pulling the ends around to the back and gluing them in place with hot glue. Glue this flat piece to the top of the cube. Make or buy a tassel and attach it to the center of the top piece with a nail button or decorative tack. Let the tassel hang over one side and youve created a fabulous memory cube for one or all of your fellow graduates. Make one for yourself, too, to remember your friends and special moments!
Use scrapbook papers, comic book pictures, images cut from magazines, fabric squares and similar items to create the fun cube. Eight-inch cubes work great for this project but you can actually make this project any size you wish. Cut one different paper for each side of the cube. The papers you cut must be the exact size of the cube. Glue one picture or paper onto each side and allow to dry.
Friends know things about each other, like favorite colors, favorite music, or favorite teen idol. These ideas can be incorporated into the design of the cube. Cut pictures of musical scores, song titles, cartoon characters, and other things you know your friend loves. Glue these items onto the sides of the cubes to create different scenes or themes. For example, if your friend loves the color pink you can use six different patterns to make the sides of the cube. Then, make one side of the cube a music theme, another side a cartoon scheme, and another side a photo arrangement. The entire cube can be about a vacation you and your friends took or about things that have happened at school over the year. Glue on ribbon awards, a picture of a cute guy in your class, cutouts of stars or hearts, and other embellishments. Each side can tell its own story or the whole cube can describe the event. Glue on pictures of friends, pets, siblings, your new car, your old car, or even a magazine cutout of tacos! You create the cube you know your friend will love. Make a memory cube for your favorite teachers, your best friends, or even one to give to your parents! There are no limits of the different cube and themes you can easily create. Find things for your cube by looking through old magazines or gathering ribbon and thread scraps, stickers, foil wrapping paper, aluminum foil, buttons, colored tape and other items around the house. These things can all become part of the keepsake cube. Its helpful to first make a list of things about your friend(s). Write down words or phrases that person uses often, foods and beverages he or she loves, titles of favorite books, sports they love, interests they have (stamp collecting, Nascar), and other details about the peoples lives. This list will help you when selecting pictures, memorabilia, colors of tape or ribbon and trinkets. One side will actually become the top of the cube and there are many options for making it unique. Write "Friends" on the top with paints, markers or stickers. Or, spell the persons name out on the top of the cube. Even glue on painted wooden shapes like butterflies or tiny cars. Use small pieces from the persons favorite game - like Scrabble tiles or Monopoly pieces - to make a very unique top. Another idea is to glue on a shank button or drawer pull to give the flat top some dimension and character. Make a graduation keepsake by gluing a piece of felt to the bottom of the cube. Decorate the four sides with memories then create a graduation cap a separate piece of Styrofoam. Cut a one-inch thick piece of Styrofoam that is square, but an inch wider all the way around, than the cube top itself. Paint the Styrofoam black or cover it with black cloth. Wrap the piece of Styrofoam like a gift by pulling the ends around to the back and gluing them in place with hot glue. Glue this flat piece to the top of the cube. Make or buy a tassel and attach it to the center of the top piece with a nail button or decorative tack. Let the tassel hang over one side and youve created a fabulous memory cube for one or all of your fellow graduates. Make one for yourself, too, to remember your friends and special moments!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Baby Clothing Party Napkins, Decorations and More
Wait until your baby shower guests show up and see the cute decorations youve created! Theyll think youve been shopping at a specialty store but youll know you made everything yourself! Okay, it might take a little bit of time to make all the decorations, but youll know you saved a fortune and youll really enjoy the crafts! Its easy and fun to make napkins, coasters and more that are shaped like baby clothes. Everyone at the shower will be very impressed! When making clothing-shaped napkins for the party its best to use ones that are thick. Napkins with a pattern are especially nice rather than creating all white clothes. Purchase all one pattern, so that all the clothing napkins look alike, or purchase different napkin patterns and make assorted outfits. Draw a template - or more than one template - to create the clothes. Or, trace around a baby doll outfit. The drawing doesnt have to be at all detailed. Cut out all the clothing and youll have the most unique baby shower napkins ever! Make clothing-shaped coasters by using even the cheapest napkins. Cut the clothing shapes, laminate them, then cut the laminate to the shape of the outfit. Dress, shorts or shirt shapes are the best choice for coaster designs. Coloring book pictures make great patterns for clothing coasters. Dont cut the outfit shape after the laminate is applied because, in doing so, the laminate can separate. Make the coasters more substantial by gluing a cardboard piece on the bottom. Cut it to the shape and size of the outfit.
Decorate the party room with baby clothes cut from paper. Scrapbook paper outfits are really cute but you can also cut clothing shapes from wrapping paper, printer paper, or even images from catalogs. Hang up a short clothesline and use mini clothes pins to hang the various garments. Hang some paper clothes and some real ones, as gifts, or just make them all paper and use as a decoration. Play a game where guests guess which outfit is the "winner". Write "winner" on the back of one of the paper outfits. Make sure the clothesline is hanging where no one can see the backsides of the garments.
Fold a piece of cardstock in half and cut out an outfit shape. The fold should be at the top of the outfit. Cut out the outfit but leave the fold. Write the guests name on one side of the outfit and use for a place marker. The cute shirts, dresses or other outfits make really unique markers that will add to the look of the decorated table. Use markers or pens to write the names or purchase stickers and affix the names to the cards. Decorate the table itself by creating different - or all the same - outfits to string around the edge. Simply tape or glue the outfits to a piece of yarn or string and wrap it around the perimeter of the food table. Or, just cut out the outfits and tape each individual shape to the edge of the table. Embellish the outfits with glitter glue, sequin, gold paint marker or even ribbons and bows. The outfits on a string dont have to be strictly for the food or gift tables. String them across the front door to spell out "Welcome" on the day of the shower. Or, string them around lampshades, wall mirrors or across a wall. If the food table is set up in the kitchen decorate the fridge and other appliances with the outfits by affixing them to magnetic sheeting. Youll find the sheeting at any craft store. Before the party even gets started youll need to send out invitations. If the gender of the baby is already known you can cut the little boys or little girls clothing shapes from cardstock to create the invitations. Make the outfits simply pink or blue, or create ones that have a pattern. Write the shower information in pen, marker or even paint markers. It might take a little time to make baby clothes napkins, decorations and invitations but youll have lots of fun creating them. Get the kids in on the action and let them cut out clothing or color in the outfits. Theyll have a great time helping and youll love the results!
Decorate the party room with baby clothes cut from paper. Scrapbook paper outfits are really cute but you can also cut clothing shapes from wrapping paper, printer paper, or even images from catalogs. Hang up a short clothesline and use mini clothes pins to hang the various garments. Hang some paper clothes and some real ones, as gifts, or just make them all paper and use as a decoration. Play a game where guests guess which outfit is the "winner". Write "winner" on the back of one of the paper outfits. Make sure the clothesline is hanging where no one can see the backsides of the garments.
Fold a piece of cardstock in half and cut out an outfit shape. The fold should be at the top of the outfit. Cut out the outfit but leave the fold. Write the guests name on one side of the outfit and use for a place marker. The cute shirts, dresses or other outfits make really unique markers that will add to the look of the decorated table. Use markers or pens to write the names or purchase stickers and affix the names to the cards. Decorate the table itself by creating different - or all the same - outfits to string around the edge. Simply tape or glue the outfits to a piece of yarn or string and wrap it around the perimeter of the food table. Or, just cut out the outfits and tape each individual shape to the edge of the table. Embellish the outfits with glitter glue, sequin, gold paint marker or even ribbons and bows. The outfits on a string dont have to be strictly for the food or gift tables. String them across the front door to spell out "Welcome" on the day of the shower. Or, string them around lampshades, wall mirrors or across a wall. If the food table is set up in the kitchen decorate the fridge and other appliances with the outfits by affixing them to magnetic sheeting. Youll find the sheeting at any craft store. Before the party even gets started youll need to send out invitations. If the gender of the baby is already known you can cut the little boys or little girls clothing shapes from cardstock to create the invitations. Make the outfits simply pink or blue, or create ones that have a pattern. Write the shower information in pen, marker or even paint markers. It might take a little time to make baby clothes napkins, decorations and invitations but youll have lots of fun creating them. Get the kids in on the action and let them cut out clothing or color in the outfits. Theyll have a great time helping and youll love the results!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Birthday Coupons for Financially Embarrassed Parents
Theres nothing worse, as a parent, than feeling like youve let your child down on a special occasion. When his or her birthday rolls around, and you have no money, youre sure to disappoint the child while feeling bad your own self. Forget all that sadness on a special occasion like a childs birthday! Just because you dont have any money doesnt mean you cant give your child a really nice gift. Make coupons for the girl or boy and youll give the gift that keeps on giving! Birthday coupons can be made as fanciful or as simplistic as you want. Create the coupons on your computers print program and print them out on colored or theme paper. Or, just purchase cardstock and write the details with a magic marker. Enhance the coupons with colored tape stripes, stickers or even rubber stamping images. You dont need lots of money to create really nice coupons. Create a single coupon or even a coupon book. Date the coupons or offer them for use at any time. These choices are up to you.
Make a coupon book by printing or making a stack of coupons. Staple them together at one end or poke holes and tie them together with pieces of yarn or ribbon. Make a different coupon book by using a small photo album. Place one coupon on each page of the album and present it to the child. Another way to make an album is to use paper sleeves from cds. Tie or staple the sleeves together and slide one coupon into each sleeve. Instead of a coupon book you can make a single coupon that opens up to show the offerings inside. Fold a piece of paper or cardstock in half to start. Open the paper and list each item youve giving. Place a square beside each thing and checkmark the square when youve provided that particular gift. You can list one or many different gifts inside the open-up coupon. On the front of the coupon you can use markers, stickers or other craft items to create an image and lettering.
Creating something totally different by using one piece of cardstock to make the coupon. Use markers or pen to write the details of the coupon then use scissors to cut the coupon into pieces. The child must assemble the puzzle to find out what the coupon offers. If you want, you can stick the coupon to a piece of magnetic sheeting, sold at craft stores, to make a magnetic coupon for the fridge or other metallic surface. The coupons can be for things that will require a little money later, such as a movie rental, or can be for things you dont need to buy, such as quality time with you. A partial list of things you can offer for little money include movie or game rentals, going out for an ice cream cone, going to the mall to buy squirt guns, going out for a burger, purchasing a couple dollars worth of supplies at a craft store, a couple of bucks to spend at a dollar-theme store or just going out for a candy bar. Things you can offer at no cost include a trip to the park, a visit to a cost-free museum, having a friend come spend the night, his or her choice on what to have for supper, baking time with you in the kitchen, watching a movie together, a sewing lesson (if you sew), a day free of chores, or even a "servant" for the day. Sometimes, the money you need for that special birthday present is only a few days away. In this case, make an I.O.U. for the child. It can be made similarly to the birthday coupon but is specific on what the child will receive, and when. This can be presented in a picture frame, an envelope or even just on decorated cardstock. You can even print out the I.O.U. and glue it to an old cd to give the child. Its usually a sad occasion when a childs birthday rolls around and youre financially embarrassed. You can explain the situation to a child, and even if he understands, that doesnt mean hell be happy. Why let the child down when some paper and pen is all you need to present him or her with a nice gift of coupons useable in the near future? Somethings better than nothing, and with the homemade coupons, its actually a gift worth getting!
Make a coupon book by printing or making a stack of coupons. Staple them together at one end or poke holes and tie them together with pieces of yarn or ribbon. Make a different coupon book by using a small photo album. Place one coupon on each page of the album and present it to the child. Another way to make an album is to use paper sleeves from cds. Tie or staple the sleeves together and slide one coupon into each sleeve. Instead of a coupon book you can make a single coupon that opens up to show the offerings inside. Fold a piece of paper or cardstock in half to start. Open the paper and list each item youve giving. Place a square beside each thing and checkmark the square when youve provided that particular gift. You can list one or many different gifts inside the open-up coupon. On the front of the coupon you can use markers, stickers or other craft items to create an image and lettering.
Creating something totally different by using one piece of cardstock to make the coupon. Use markers or pen to write the details of the coupon then use scissors to cut the coupon into pieces. The child must assemble the puzzle to find out what the coupon offers. If you want, you can stick the coupon to a piece of magnetic sheeting, sold at craft stores, to make a magnetic coupon for the fridge or other metallic surface. The coupons can be for things that will require a little money later, such as a movie rental, or can be for things you dont need to buy, such as quality time with you. A partial list of things you can offer for little money include movie or game rentals, going out for an ice cream cone, going to the mall to buy squirt guns, going out for a burger, purchasing a couple dollars worth of supplies at a craft store, a couple of bucks to spend at a dollar-theme store or just going out for a candy bar. Things you can offer at no cost include a trip to the park, a visit to a cost-free museum, having a friend come spend the night, his or her choice on what to have for supper, baking time with you in the kitchen, watching a movie together, a sewing lesson (if you sew), a day free of chores, or even a "servant" for the day. Sometimes, the money you need for that special birthday present is only a few days away. In this case, make an I.O.U. for the child. It can be made similarly to the birthday coupon but is specific on what the child will receive, and when. This can be presented in a picture frame, an envelope or even just on decorated cardstock. You can even print out the I.O.U. and glue it to an old cd to give the child. Its usually a sad occasion when a childs birthday rolls around and youre financially embarrassed. You can explain the situation to a child, and even if he understands, that doesnt mean hell be happy. Why let the child down when some paper and pen is all you need to present him or her with a nice gift of coupons useable in the near future? Somethings better than nothing, and with the homemade coupons, its actually a gift worth getting!
Friday, November 23, 2012
How to Make a Balloon Candle Holder
When you think of dipping things in hot wax you likely dont think about balloons. It seems the balloons would pop and leave you with quite a mess. It seems that way, right? Not so. You can easily dip balloons in wax, and when you do, you can create elegant candle holders for a wedding, shower, holiday party or another occasion. Its easy to make the candle holders in most any color you want and you can use them over and over again.
Although new methods of making candles are much easier and less messy than the old way youll have to resort to the old way to make balloon candles. So, get a pot of water boiling on the stove and place a second pot on top of it. Place the wax pieces in the top pan and allow them to melt. Use candle-making dye or even broken crayons to color the wax. If you have a candy thermometer use it and keep the temperature at about 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The wax will need to be fairly deep to make the candles. As you work with the balloon later you might need to add extra wax to the pot. However, for now, dont fill the pan more than halfway full of wax. If you do it could overflow when you lower the balloons into the wax.
Fill a small balloon with warm water and tie a knot to secure. Hold the balloon by the knot and dip it into the wax. Pay attention while dipping the balloon and dont allow the wax to rise up higher on the balloon than the water line. If the wax reaches a place on the balloon which is higher than the water the balloon will pop. Lift the balloon out of the wax and allow it to begin hardening. Dip the balloon again and allow the excess to drip back into the pan. Continue doing this until the wax is about a quarter-inch thick. Upon lifting the balloon out for the last time, and allowing the excess to drip off, set the still-warm balloon on a hard surface. A cookie sheet covered in wax paper or a piece of wax paper lying on a table works great. Set the balloon down but continue holding it by the knot. This will create a flat bottom for the candle. Now dip the balloon again - even a couple more times - to finish. The wax, in the end, should be between a quarter-inch and a half-inch thick. Now set the still-warm candle back on the paper or cookie sheet to set. After the wax is completely cool and set youll then hold it over the sink and pop the balloon. Allow all the water to drain out and remove the bits and pieces of the balloon from inside the candle. Youll notice that the top edges of the new candle holder are uneven. There are several ways to fix this. One is to warm a cookie sheet up in the oven for a few minutes then hold the candle while placing the mouth of it on the cookie sheet. Another way is to hold a warmed piece of metal (a nail file, a nail) with a potholder as you go around the lip of the candle holder and smooth out the edges. Place a tea light, a votive in a glass container or even a battery-operated candle inside each candle holder. Set them on shelves, tables, mantles, deck or porch railings or even on the dining room table. Hang them by making an easy wire hanger. After the candle holder is completed use a hot nail to poke a hole in opposite sides of it. Dont make the holes really close to the top; go down an inch or so. String thin, pliable wire through each hole and bring the four ends together above the candle holder. Twist them together then twist them around a brass ring or similar item. Hang on tree branches, fences, nails or even a garden flag post. You can make the balloon candle holders even more impressive by using stencils and paint markers to make patterns and images around the outside or even around the lip of the candle holder. With the markers available in metallic shades of gold and silver, or pearl-like colors of pink, green and blue, you have many options for the way the finished candle holders will look. Use them at your next garden party or just make some to set around the house. The lights are so beautiful; they give a whole new meaning to the word "ambiance"!
Although new methods of making candles are much easier and less messy than the old way youll have to resort to the old way to make balloon candles. So, get a pot of water boiling on the stove and place a second pot on top of it. Place the wax pieces in the top pan and allow them to melt. Use candle-making dye or even broken crayons to color the wax. If you have a candy thermometer use it and keep the temperature at about 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The wax will need to be fairly deep to make the candles. As you work with the balloon later you might need to add extra wax to the pot. However, for now, dont fill the pan more than halfway full of wax. If you do it could overflow when you lower the balloons into the wax.
Fill a small balloon with warm water and tie a knot to secure. Hold the balloon by the knot and dip it into the wax. Pay attention while dipping the balloon and dont allow the wax to rise up higher on the balloon than the water line. If the wax reaches a place on the balloon which is higher than the water the balloon will pop. Lift the balloon out of the wax and allow it to begin hardening. Dip the balloon again and allow the excess to drip back into the pan. Continue doing this until the wax is about a quarter-inch thick. Upon lifting the balloon out for the last time, and allowing the excess to drip off, set the still-warm balloon on a hard surface. A cookie sheet covered in wax paper or a piece of wax paper lying on a table works great. Set the balloon down but continue holding it by the knot. This will create a flat bottom for the candle. Now dip the balloon again - even a couple more times - to finish. The wax, in the end, should be between a quarter-inch and a half-inch thick. Now set the still-warm candle back on the paper or cookie sheet to set. After the wax is completely cool and set youll then hold it over the sink and pop the balloon. Allow all the water to drain out and remove the bits and pieces of the balloon from inside the candle. Youll notice that the top edges of the new candle holder are uneven. There are several ways to fix this. One is to warm a cookie sheet up in the oven for a few minutes then hold the candle while placing the mouth of it on the cookie sheet. Another way is to hold a warmed piece of metal (a nail file, a nail) with a potholder as you go around the lip of the candle holder and smooth out the edges. Place a tea light, a votive in a glass container or even a battery-operated candle inside each candle holder. Set them on shelves, tables, mantles, deck or porch railings or even on the dining room table. Hang them by making an easy wire hanger. After the candle holder is completed use a hot nail to poke a hole in opposite sides of it. Dont make the holes really close to the top; go down an inch or so. String thin, pliable wire through each hole and bring the four ends together above the candle holder. Twist them together then twist them around a brass ring or similar item. Hang on tree branches, fences, nails or even a garden flag post. You can make the balloon candle holders even more impressive by using stencils and paint markers to make patterns and images around the outside or even around the lip of the candle holder. With the markers available in metallic shades of gold and silver, or pearl-like colors of pink, green and blue, you have many options for the way the finished candle holders will look. Use them at your next garden party or just make some to set around the house. The lights are so beautiful; they give a whole new meaning to the word "ambiance"!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Unusual Bedroom Wall Art for Teens
There comes a certain point in a childs life when they no longer want you to choose things for them - including the look of their bedrooms. Where you might want to decorate with stripes and dust ruffles they might want a Goth look that includes dark colors and images on the walls. There are many different ways to decorate, but one things for sure, your teen is likely going to disagree with all of your choices for his or her room. One way to decorate, though, might please you and your teen. Let them stick, well, everything, on the walls! Teens can create a unique look for a wall thats easy enough for anyone to create and will suit most any theme or color scheme. All they have to do is start sticking things to the wall. Gather lots of things from around the house to get started. One thing theyll definitely want to hang is selected pictures. The pics dont need to be in frames; just use double-sided tape or even tacks to place them all over the wall. Use some large pictures, some small ones. Turn some this way, turn some that way.
Teens can hang pictures of themselves, friends, siblings - even pets. Hang pictures of vacations, postcards from the place you went, or even menus from the foreign lands. You can even go online and print out pictures of famous places to hang on your wall.
Begin attaching other things to the wall. Find old artwork from childhood days and hang them. Report cards, paper awards and similar items can add to the finished look of the wall. As with the pictures, choose various sizes of papers and tilt some of them different ways to create interest. There are many other things you might already have that will look great on the wall. Sticker sets can help you create a theme for the unusual wall decor. Purchase them by the sheet, with a particular theme involved, or just randomly place stickers, here and there, on the wall. Paper cutouts work similarly to stickers. Purchase shaped cutouts or cut pictures from magazines. Use a piece of rolled-up tape on the back to secure it to the wall. These images can be anything from a comic strip to horses from a western magazine. Hang the largest items first then cover remaining bare areas with smaller items. The list of things you could hang is nearly endless: foil, colored tape, scrapbook papers, craft foam shapes, fake jewels, buttons, patches, appliques, lace or cloth pieces, cancelled credit cards, unused band-aids, cleaned candy bar wrappers, ribbon, business cards, receipts, letters, envelopes, stamps, old cds, bookmarks, fake money, love notes, colored cellophane, pieces of gift wrap, cardboard, an old knee-hi, socks, scarves, sections from product boxes and many, many other things. Look around the house and youll instantly find hundreds of items you could use. After youve hung a lot of flat things you can then add dimension to the wall by attaching some 3-d objects. Soda cap lids, mint packages, headbands, an old watch, cuff bracelets, old jewelry pieces, an occasional picture frame with photo, doll shoes and accessories, fake flowers and vines, cookie tin lids, beads, cd cases, DVD cases, a belt, hats and even empty sample packages all make interesting additions to the design. If you dont have lots and lots of things to hang on the wall you can gradually cover it with objects. Hang what you have, then as you acquire additional things, stick them to the decorated wall. Over time you can create a huge collage that will grab attention from anyone who enters the room. The wall is a great conversation piece for the teen and her friends. These kinds of decorated walls dont absolutely have to be for a teens room. Make an interesting wall creation in a living room, den - even a kitchen! Use magazine cutouts, product labels, pictures of pots and pans and similar items to make wall decor unlike anyone elses. Stop reading and go hunting right now! Make sure you look in the kids toy box, kitchen cupboards, and especially the junk drawer. Imagine the treasures youll find!
Teens can hang pictures of themselves, friends, siblings - even pets. Hang pictures of vacations, postcards from the place you went, or even menus from the foreign lands. You can even go online and print out pictures of famous places to hang on your wall.
Begin attaching other things to the wall. Find old artwork from childhood days and hang them. Report cards, paper awards and similar items can add to the finished look of the wall. As with the pictures, choose various sizes of papers and tilt some of them different ways to create interest. There are many other things you might already have that will look great on the wall. Sticker sets can help you create a theme for the unusual wall decor. Purchase them by the sheet, with a particular theme involved, or just randomly place stickers, here and there, on the wall. Paper cutouts work similarly to stickers. Purchase shaped cutouts or cut pictures from magazines. Use a piece of rolled-up tape on the back to secure it to the wall. These images can be anything from a comic strip to horses from a western magazine. Hang the largest items first then cover remaining bare areas with smaller items. The list of things you could hang is nearly endless: foil, colored tape, scrapbook papers, craft foam shapes, fake jewels, buttons, patches, appliques, lace or cloth pieces, cancelled credit cards, unused band-aids, cleaned candy bar wrappers, ribbon, business cards, receipts, letters, envelopes, stamps, old cds, bookmarks, fake money, love notes, colored cellophane, pieces of gift wrap, cardboard, an old knee-hi, socks, scarves, sections from product boxes and many, many other things. Look around the house and youll instantly find hundreds of items you could use. After youve hung a lot of flat things you can then add dimension to the wall by attaching some 3-d objects. Soda cap lids, mint packages, headbands, an old watch, cuff bracelets, old jewelry pieces, an occasional picture frame with photo, doll shoes and accessories, fake flowers and vines, cookie tin lids, beads, cd cases, DVD cases, a belt, hats and even empty sample packages all make interesting additions to the design. If you dont have lots and lots of things to hang on the wall you can gradually cover it with objects. Hang what you have, then as you acquire additional things, stick them to the decorated wall. Over time you can create a huge collage that will grab attention from anyone who enters the room. The wall is a great conversation piece for the teen and her friends. These kinds of decorated walls dont absolutely have to be for a teens room. Make an interesting wall creation in a living room, den - even a kitchen! Use magazine cutouts, product labels, pictures of pots and pans and similar items to make wall decor unlike anyone elses. Stop reading and go hunting right now! Make sure you look in the kids toy box, kitchen cupboards, and especially the junk drawer. Imagine the treasures youll find!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Unique Hanging Picture Frames
Youve probably got pictures of the family and friends scattered around your place - most of us do. Generally, people display pictures on mantles, walls and shelves. After awhile, pictures can start to take up quite a lot of room. Theres a real cute craft, though, you can make to hang lots of pictures in a small area. Itll only take a few minutes to make the unique display, and when youre finished, youll have the coolest picture gallery of anyone you know! Start the project by purchasing two ceiling hooks. The hooks are found in departments where artificial plants are sold. The hooks need to be heavy-duty ones that can hold several pounds. Mark an area of the ceiling, in a corner, where you will create the display. The hooks should be spaced to accommodate a certain size frame. For example, if you will be displaying all 5x7" frames, the ceiling hooks should be about 5 inches apart. If youll be featuring 8x10" frames the hooks should be spaced approximately 8 inches apart. If youll be turning the 5x7" or 8x10" frames sideways, allow for the extra spacing between the hooks.
The next step in the project will require you to simply hang chains from the hooks. Chains can be metal or plastic, colored or plain. The chains will be used to hang the frames from ceiling to floor. Purchase chains at a hardware store and they will cut them to the length needed. Have them cut two separate pieces. Frames dont have to go all the way to the ceiling and they dont have to reach all the way to the floor. Arrange the frames as far up and as low to the floor as you wish. The chains, whether the frames stop above the floor or not, can still be hung all the way to the ground.
Purchase two "s" hooks for each frame you will hang. The frames should all be exactly the same for the best look. Remove the backings from the frames but leave the glass and picture intact. If the frames have a place that will accommodate the hook, without having to remove the backing, you can leave the back in place. Put an "s" hook on each side of the back of the frame. Hook one "s" hook on one chain and the other "s" hook on the second chain, exactly opposite the link from the first chain. Leave a few links in between before hanging the next picture frame. Count how many links you leave between each frame so that you can be sure to leave exactly that many links between each and every frame. Hang as many or as few frames as you want but keep the backs of the pictures facing the corner. The hanging picture frames dont necessarily have to be hung in a corner; they can be hung up against any wall. Although the chains and hooks can hold quite a bit of weight its best not to choose overly bulky or heavy frames. You can display other things besides photos, too. Place postcards in frames, to show off all the places youve traveled, or display artwork the kids have made at school. There are no limits to the themes you can create by simply cutting pictures from magazines. For instance, if you love lighthouses, you can show off different ones youve cut from magazines or even calendars. A different way to make the hanging picture frames is by using magnets. Glue button magnets to the backs of the frames and stick them to metal chains. If youre using plastic chains you can glue a magnet to the back of the frame and another to each chain. The magnet technique allows you to change the theme at any given time. Create an entire set for a holiday displaying pieces cut from holiday cloth. Create a set to show off your travels, another to brag about your grand kids and another set that shows off your favorite Bible verses. Things you can use inside the frames include magazine clippings, maps, family birth certificates, menus from foreign places, stickers, doilies, decorative wrapping paper, recipes and much more. If its flat and fits in a picture frame you can display it in your hanging arrangement. Youll have fun with this project thats easy, unique and definitely a conversation piece!
The next step in the project will require you to simply hang chains from the hooks. Chains can be metal or plastic, colored or plain. The chains will be used to hang the frames from ceiling to floor. Purchase chains at a hardware store and they will cut them to the length needed. Have them cut two separate pieces. Frames dont have to go all the way to the ceiling and they dont have to reach all the way to the floor. Arrange the frames as far up and as low to the floor as you wish. The chains, whether the frames stop above the floor or not, can still be hung all the way to the ground.
Purchase two "s" hooks for each frame you will hang. The frames should all be exactly the same for the best look. Remove the backings from the frames but leave the glass and picture intact. If the frames have a place that will accommodate the hook, without having to remove the backing, you can leave the back in place. Put an "s" hook on each side of the back of the frame. Hook one "s" hook on one chain and the other "s" hook on the second chain, exactly opposite the link from the first chain. Leave a few links in between before hanging the next picture frame. Count how many links you leave between each frame so that you can be sure to leave exactly that many links between each and every frame. Hang as many or as few frames as you want but keep the backs of the pictures facing the corner. The hanging picture frames dont necessarily have to be hung in a corner; they can be hung up against any wall. Although the chains and hooks can hold quite a bit of weight its best not to choose overly bulky or heavy frames. You can display other things besides photos, too. Place postcards in frames, to show off all the places youve traveled, or display artwork the kids have made at school. There are no limits to the themes you can create by simply cutting pictures from magazines. For instance, if you love lighthouses, you can show off different ones youve cut from magazines or even calendars. A different way to make the hanging picture frames is by using magnets. Glue button magnets to the backs of the frames and stick them to metal chains. If youre using plastic chains you can glue a magnet to the back of the frame and another to each chain. The magnet technique allows you to change the theme at any given time. Create an entire set for a holiday displaying pieces cut from holiday cloth. Create a set to show off your travels, another to brag about your grand kids and another set that shows off your favorite Bible verses. Things you can use inside the frames include magazine clippings, maps, family birth certificates, menus from foreign places, stickers, doilies, decorative wrapping paper, recipes and much more. If its flat and fits in a picture frame you can display it in your hanging arrangement. Youll have fun with this project thats easy, unique and definitely a conversation piece!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Six Easy Bubble Wrap Crafts You Make in Minutes
With the creation of bubble wrap packaging became much safer and more reliable. Bubble wrap is a plastic sheeting that contains zillions of bubbles which have been trapped in the plastic. The bubbles prevent breakage of glass and other objects that are being sent through the mail. Its great for people who are moving to keep box contents safe, too. You know what else its good for? Crafts, decor projects and much more! Bubble wrap comes in several different styles. Theres bubble wrap with tiny bubbles and a different type that has large bubbles. Either one of these types can be used to make some really cute things for your home and kids. Youll find bubble wrap at stores which deliver packages, discount department stores, and even craft stores.
Bubble wrap that has the large bubbles is perfect for making kid furniture. Roll the plastic wrap tightly until you have a large circle of it. Use tape to secure the end to the body of the wrap. Youve instantly created a foot stool for anyone or a small chair for kids. The wrap should be cut to the height of your childs knees to create the perfect stool for sitting. Its important that the bubble wrap be tightly wrapped to prevent kids from sinking between the sheets when they sit.
You can easily make a cover for the bubble wrap footstool or chair. Cut a large circle of fabric and simply place it over the footstool. About a third of the way down tie a ribbon around the footstool. The cloth will then take the shape of the footstool with no sewing involved! Bubble wrap can also keep your children safer in a pool. Use the wrap to create arm floats for small children. Wrap the bubble wrap around the childs upper arm. Tape into place wrapping the tape several times around the bubble wrap. These arm "floaties" will keep kids from going under the water. Wrap with small bubbles can be used for really little children. Wrap it twice around their arms before securing with tape. Larger kids can use the wrap with the big bubbles. Dip the floaties in the water before putting them on the arm to make them slide on easier. Wrap with small or large bubbles can be used to create a fun shower curtain. Punch holes and slide the curtain rings into the holes. If you want you can use cloth rings, meant for strengthening holes on paper, to prevent tearing of the plastic. The cloth rings are adhesive and stick over the hole area of the bubble wrap curtain. When youve cut the wrap to the proper size you can then decorate the curtain with stickers. Youll find stickers to create any theme when you visit a craft store near you. Make place mats by simply cutting the small bubble type of wrap into rectangles. Cut these the size you want and decorate if you wish. Rubber stamping works well on the bubble wrap. You can even use hot glue or other adhesives to glue on a bunch of silk flowers in one corner, or even a satin bow and beads. The creation is all your own. Bubble wrap makes a great knapsack thats waterproof. Cut a long, wide rectangle then fold it almost in half. Leave about a third of the wrap that can be folded over to create a flap. Use glue or tape to secure the sides of the knapsack. Create a handle from a piece of rope or a strip of fabric. Carry picnic items or camping needs in the knapsack. Quickly make a set of bed pockets by starting with a wide, long rectangle of the bubble wrap. Cut several bubble wrap squares as well. Glue the squares onto one end of the bubble wrap to create pockets. Slide the other end of the rectangle between the mattress and box springs. The pocket area will hang down the side of the mattress and box springs and can be used to hold a tv guide, eyeglasses and other items. Its exciting to get a package in the mail but even more exciting if you see its filled with bubble wrap! That means you can make all sorts of things for your home without going out to purchase the wrap. Have fun making these various projects and using them for your own family. Kids will enjoy helping too!
Bubble wrap that has the large bubbles is perfect for making kid furniture. Roll the plastic wrap tightly until you have a large circle of it. Use tape to secure the end to the body of the wrap. Youve instantly created a foot stool for anyone or a small chair for kids. The wrap should be cut to the height of your childs knees to create the perfect stool for sitting. Its important that the bubble wrap be tightly wrapped to prevent kids from sinking between the sheets when they sit.
You can easily make a cover for the bubble wrap footstool or chair. Cut a large circle of fabric and simply place it over the footstool. About a third of the way down tie a ribbon around the footstool. The cloth will then take the shape of the footstool with no sewing involved! Bubble wrap can also keep your children safer in a pool. Use the wrap to create arm floats for small children. Wrap the bubble wrap around the childs upper arm. Tape into place wrapping the tape several times around the bubble wrap. These arm "floaties" will keep kids from going under the water. Wrap with small bubbles can be used for really little children. Wrap it twice around their arms before securing with tape. Larger kids can use the wrap with the big bubbles. Dip the floaties in the water before putting them on the arm to make them slide on easier. Wrap with small or large bubbles can be used to create a fun shower curtain. Punch holes and slide the curtain rings into the holes. If you want you can use cloth rings, meant for strengthening holes on paper, to prevent tearing of the plastic. The cloth rings are adhesive and stick over the hole area of the bubble wrap curtain. When youve cut the wrap to the proper size you can then decorate the curtain with stickers. Youll find stickers to create any theme when you visit a craft store near you. Make place mats by simply cutting the small bubble type of wrap into rectangles. Cut these the size you want and decorate if you wish. Rubber stamping works well on the bubble wrap. You can even use hot glue or other adhesives to glue on a bunch of silk flowers in one corner, or even a satin bow and beads. The creation is all your own. Bubble wrap makes a great knapsack thats waterproof. Cut a long, wide rectangle then fold it almost in half. Leave about a third of the wrap that can be folded over to create a flap. Use glue or tape to secure the sides of the knapsack. Create a handle from a piece of rope or a strip of fabric. Carry picnic items or camping needs in the knapsack. Quickly make a set of bed pockets by starting with a wide, long rectangle of the bubble wrap. Cut several bubble wrap squares as well. Glue the squares onto one end of the bubble wrap to create pockets. Slide the other end of the rectangle between the mattress and box springs. The pocket area will hang down the side of the mattress and box springs and can be used to hold a tv guide, eyeglasses and other items. Its exciting to get a package in the mail but even more exciting if you see its filled with bubble wrap! That means you can make all sorts of things for your home without going out to purchase the wrap. Have fun making these various projects and using them for your own family. Kids will enjoy helping too!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Easy and Unique Dollhouse Furniture and Decor
Most of my inspirations come from price tags. I take one glance at the price on something and, after I catch my breath, I run home and make something similar for a fraction of the cost. Its not that Im cheap; I just cant afford to spend big bucks on things just because theyre cute or unique. As my daughter was growing up she had some pretty unusual dollhouse pieces, thats for sure. Just as in real life - some dolls had the fancy home and swimming pool while others had the cardboard box house with the deli container pool. As in real life, again, just because you dont have a lot of money doesnt mean you cant have nice things. You just have to make many of those things yourself. Here are some of my favorite dollhouse things that can be made for pennies: Use empty prescription bottles to make tables and chairs. Use a large bottle for the table and four smaller bottles for chairs. Glue felt, lace or even vinyl around the bottle and over the lid. Glue the lid onto the bottle since it will no longer screw on. Its a cute dining set that will last for years. Use another prescription bottle to make a plant stand. Cut a circle of lace and drape it over the bottle. Set it in a corner with a fake plant on it.
Make fake plants by using soda bottle lids or other items. Glue tiny flowers and greenery into a lid spray-painted gold or another color. Or, stack the lids using colored tape around each set of lids to hide the seam. This creates a tall plant stand with a unique striped design. Cut a circle of cloth, set a clear medicine bottle lid in the center, then pull the cloth up and over the edges of the cup. Tuck the excess inside. Glue flowers inside the cup and allow them to spring up and out or even over the sides. Cut a section from a toilet paper roll and make a planter by covering the cardboard with decorative paper or even foil. Fill with fake plants and set outside, on a deck or elsewhere.
Make a giant pool for Barbie dolls by using the clear tray from a rectangular birthday cake. Fill the pool while the lid is where you want it; dont try to carry the lid full of water or the lid will surely break. This pool will last a long time if you slide it onto a thick piece of cardboard or a cookie sheet to change the water rather than carrying it by hand. Poke a hole in the top of a plastic or metal jar lid using a hot nail or nail and hammer to begin making a unique seat. Select a shank button to use for the center of the seat. Place a piece of twine through the shank of the button and set aside. Cut a piece of foam to fit the top of the lid and poke a hole in the foam. Thread the button through the fabric, through the foam, and to the underside of the lid. Secure with tape. Glue or tape a second lid to that one so that the bottoms of the lids face each other. Pull the fabric down around the lids, creating puckers as you go along, so that the fabric will become fitted. Trim away any excess fabric under the seat. Make a bed from a cardboad box about the size of a graham cracker but slightly longer. Simply glue a piece of thin fabric over the box and secure it on one side. Fold it a the corners to make a snug fit. Glue on beads or short dowels to make legs for the bed. Use bedding youve made yourself by simply cutting fabric and gluing on lace, ruffles or other trim. Make a canopy by using four wooden dowels from a craft store. Cut a piece of cardboard a little larger than the width and length of the bed. Glue a dowel to each corner and stand it up over the bed. Drape a piece of fabric over the top of it. Glue on ruffles or other trim. Its fun to make your own dollhouse furniture, and when you do, you have unique pieces that others can never buy. Look around your house to get even more ideas of things you can use. Small boxes make great furniture and appliances, cardboard pieces and magazine pics are perfect for wall art, and Styrofoam opens up all sorts of options for building cool things for the dollhouse. Your dolls will be thrilled!
Make fake plants by using soda bottle lids or other items. Glue tiny flowers and greenery into a lid spray-painted gold or another color. Or, stack the lids using colored tape around each set of lids to hide the seam. This creates a tall plant stand with a unique striped design. Cut a circle of cloth, set a clear medicine bottle lid in the center, then pull the cloth up and over the edges of the cup. Tuck the excess inside. Glue flowers inside the cup and allow them to spring up and out or even over the sides. Cut a section from a toilet paper roll and make a planter by covering the cardboard with decorative paper or even foil. Fill with fake plants and set outside, on a deck or elsewhere.
Make a giant pool for Barbie dolls by using the clear tray from a rectangular birthday cake. Fill the pool while the lid is where you want it; dont try to carry the lid full of water or the lid will surely break. This pool will last a long time if you slide it onto a thick piece of cardboard or a cookie sheet to change the water rather than carrying it by hand. Poke a hole in the top of a plastic or metal jar lid using a hot nail or nail and hammer to begin making a unique seat. Select a shank button to use for the center of the seat. Place a piece of twine through the shank of the button and set aside. Cut a piece of foam to fit the top of the lid and poke a hole in the foam. Thread the button through the fabric, through the foam, and to the underside of the lid. Secure with tape. Glue or tape a second lid to that one so that the bottoms of the lids face each other. Pull the fabric down around the lids, creating puckers as you go along, so that the fabric will become fitted. Trim away any excess fabric under the seat. Make a bed from a cardboad box about the size of a graham cracker but slightly longer. Simply glue a piece of thin fabric over the box and secure it on one side. Fold it a the corners to make a snug fit. Glue on beads or short dowels to make legs for the bed. Use bedding youve made yourself by simply cutting fabric and gluing on lace, ruffles or other trim. Make a canopy by using four wooden dowels from a craft store. Cut a piece of cardboard a little larger than the width and length of the bed. Glue a dowel to each corner and stand it up over the bed. Drape a piece of fabric over the top of it. Glue on ruffles or other trim. Its fun to make your own dollhouse furniture, and when you do, you have unique pieces that others can never buy. Look around your house to get even more ideas of things you can use. Small boxes make great furniture and appliances, cardboard pieces and magazine pics are perfect for wall art, and Styrofoam opens up all sorts of options for building cool things for the dollhouse. Your dolls will be thrilled!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Easy Sock Easter Bunny for Kids
Wait until you see how much fun your kids will have making tube sock bunnies for Easter! Theyll giggle, theyll laugh, and youll crack up while they make ordinary tube socks into hysterical bunnies that will liven up the holiday. Its an inexpensive way to spend an afternoon, and when the fun has ended, youll have lots of new Easter decorations that youll reuse year after year.
There are several different ways to make bunnies from tube socks. One of the easiest ways is to simply insert two Styrofoam balls into the sock. Trim the sock bottom and glue it closed. Glue the sock bottom to any type of base. The base can be a block of wood, a peanut butter jar lid or even a small, upside-down plate.
Tie a satin ribbon around the area where the two balls meet inside the sock. For a boy bunny use a blue ribbon and use a pink one for a girl. Of course, you can actually use any other Easter color for the ribbon, like yellow, green or even purple. The ribbon serves to embellish the bunny as well as separate the "head" ball from the "body" ball. Make a face on the top half of the bunny by using your choice of techniques and craft supplies. Draw a face on by using assorted markers or glue on wiggly eyes. Small, black pom-poms make great bunny eyes, too. A pom-pom nose of pink can be glued in the middle of the face even if you drew the eyes on. Two larger, white pom-poms can be glued beside - and slightly below - the nose to form a muzzle. Cut a half-oval of red felt to use for a tongue or just forger the tongue but glue on whiskers. Cut whiskers from stiff twine or thread. Glue them in place and prepare to make the ears. Cut two fingers from a white glove and trace around them onto cardboard. Insert one cardboard shape into each finger. Glue a piece of pink felt onto each ear front or just color that area with a marker. If you have no felt and no pink marker just leave the ears white. The cardboard keeps the ears stiff but allows for you to bend them. Glue the ears onto the head area of the bunny. The raw edges of the bottoms of the glove fingers will be exposed but youll later cover them. You have many options for creating a hat, bonnet or other headdress for the Easter bunny. Cut a flat circle of craft foam, make two slits in it, and slide it over the bunnys ears. Decorate the hat with a mans hatband or a ring of flowers. Another option is to make a cone hat. Twist a piece of paper into a cone and place it on the bunnys head. The bunny you make can be whimsical, comical or just an ordinary bunny. Instead of a hat you can simply glue on a gathering of tiny flowers, beads and fake jewels. Use various craft supplies to create the bunny theme you want. Just glue some decorative buttons down the body of the rabbit or get more creative. Glue on miniature craft items, like a broom, a rake, or a shovel. Write "Happy Easter" on the body of the bunny or glue on a fabric swatch instead. Use baby socks and smaller Styrofoam balls to make accompanying smaller bunnies. Use adult tube socks and very large Styrofoam balls to make a table centerpiece Easter bunny. There are literally hundreds of different designs you can create. If you dont have any Styrofoam balls you can also make the bunnies with cotton balls, wads of cotton, or even ping-pong balls or rubber balls. Kids - and adults - will have a blast making the funny bunnies that can be used to decorate mantles, counters or other areas of the home. After Easter, pack the bunnies away, then set them out again next year. You can change the look each year by surrounding the bunny with Easter grass and eggs, setting the bunny on a plate with shredded foil and jelly beans, or other looks. Have fun with this craft that costs little but looks oh, so cute.Kids and adults alike will enjoy making an Easter bunny from a tube sock.Draw a face on the tube sock bunny or use wiggly eyes and a pom-pom nose.Make ears from the fingers of a glove.Purchase inexpensive craft supplies here: www.orientaltrading.com
There are several different ways to make bunnies from tube socks. One of the easiest ways is to simply insert two Styrofoam balls into the sock. Trim the sock bottom and glue it closed. Glue the sock bottom to any type of base. The base can be a block of wood, a peanut butter jar lid or even a small, upside-down plate.
Tie a satin ribbon around the area where the two balls meet inside the sock. For a boy bunny use a blue ribbon and use a pink one for a girl. Of course, you can actually use any other Easter color for the ribbon, like yellow, green or even purple. The ribbon serves to embellish the bunny as well as separate the "head" ball from the "body" ball. Make a face on the top half of the bunny by using your choice of techniques and craft supplies. Draw a face on by using assorted markers or glue on wiggly eyes. Small, black pom-poms make great bunny eyes, too. A pom-pom nose of pink can be glued in the middle of the face even if you drew the eyes on. Two larger, white pom-poms can be glued beside - and slightly below - the nose to form a muzzle. Cut a half-oval of red felt to use for a tongue or just forger the tongue but glue on whiskers. Cut whiskers from stiff twine or thread. Glue them in place and prepare to make the ears. Cut two fingers from a white glove and trace around them onto cardboard. Insert one cardboard shape into each finger. Glue a piece of pink felt onto each ear front or just color that area with a marker. If you have no felt and no pink marker just leave the ears white. The cardboard keeps the ears stiff but allows for you to bend them. Glue the ears onto the head area of the bunny. The raw edges of the bottoms of the glove fingers will be exposed but youll later cover them. You have many options for creating a hat, bonnet or other headdress for the Easter bunny. Cut a flat circle of craft foam, make two slits in it, and slide it over the bunnys ears. Decorate the hat with a mans hatband or a ring of flowers. Another option is to make a cone hat. Twist a piece of paper into a cone and place it on the bunnys head. The bunny you make can be whimsical, comical or just an ordinary bunny. Instead of a hat you can simply glue on a gathering of tiny flowers, beads and fake jewels. Use various craft supplies to create the bunny theme you want. Just glue some decorative buttons down the body of the rabbit or get more creative. Glue on miniature craft items, like a broom, a rake, or a shovel. Write "Happy Easter" on the body of the bunny or glue on a fabric swatch instead. Use baby socks and smaller Styrofoam balls to make accompanying smaller bunnies. Use adult tube socks and very large Styrofoam balls to make a table centerpiece Easter bunny. There are literally hundreds of different designs you can create. If you dont have any Styrofoam balls you can also make the bunnies with cotton balls, wads of cotton, or even ping-pong balls or rubber balls. Kids - and adults - will have a blast making the funny bunnies that can be used to decorate mantles, counters or other areas of the home. After Easter, pack the bunnies away, then set them out again next year. You can change the look each year by surrounding the bunny with Easter grass and eggs, setting the bunny on a plate with shredded foil and jelly beans, or other looks. Have fun with this craft that costs little but looks oh, so cute.Kids and adults alike will enjoy making an Easter bunny from a tube sock.Draw a face on the tube sock bunny or use wiggly eyes and a pom-pom nose.Make ears from the fingers of a glove.Purchase inexpensive craft supplies here: www.orientaltrading.com
Friday, November 16, 2012
Make This Cute Earring Pole for Girls
Empty that roll of paper towels and save the cardboard tube to make a fantastic earring pole for a girls room. Any girl will love the unique earring organizer that you - or she - can make in minutes. The pole can be any color, matching her room theme, and can be decorated in many different ways. It will cost little to create the pole yet it will look elegant in your girls room.
Start by painting or otherwise decorating the ordinary cardboard tube. Wrap it in cloth, decorative paper or just paint it. Keep in mind, while decorating the tube, that you will later wrap it in plastic canvas. You might want to decide ahead of time the color of canvas you will use. That way, the wrap youve chosen for the tube will coordinate with the plastic canvas cover.
After painting or covering the cardboard tube youll then look for something to use as spacers. The spacers will be necessary to hold the plastic canvas slightly away from the tube itself. Spacers can be tiny flat buttons or beads, little squares of cardboard or even small pencil erasers. Most anything that is tiny, flat, and easy to glue on will work as a spacer. Glue the spacers on to the decorated paper towel tube. Start by gluing one spacer at the top of the roll, another several inches below it, and another inches below that. This vertical row of spacers will help hold the plastic canvas away from the roll. Create a second and a third vertical row of spacers. The rows should be evenly spaced vertically as well as horizontally. In other words, when you look at the finished spacers they should be in even rows vertically as well as horizontally. One side of the tube will become the back of the earring holder. This is the place where the plastic canvas will be seamed. If youve never worked with plastic canvas dont worry. This project does not require any previous knowledge of plastic canvas crafting. In fact, the plastic canvas will be used in a completely different manner than for what it was intended. Cut a piece of the plastic canvas - found at craft stores - to the size of the paper towel roll. It should be long enough to completely cover the tube and wide enough to go around the tube with a half-inch or so to spare. Use hot glue to fasten the canvas to each and every spacer. In the back, seam the ends of the canvas by making sure the spacers are in the area of each canvas end. This means, in the back, youll have two rows of spacers that are nearly butted against each other. These rows will be glued to the ends of the plastic canvas to create a seam. If you want, you can go over the seam, stitching it shut with decorative yarn or thread. Glue any type of stand to one end of the roll. The stand can be a thick piece of painted cardboard, an old wooden coaster, or just a block of wood. Decorate the stand to coordinate with the color and/or theme of the cardboard tube. To cover the other end of the tube use any type of topper. The topper can be a simple Styrofoam ball, a small stuffed animal, or a flat, wooden shape. The topper covers the raw ends of the cardboard as well as the plastic canvas. When youre finished creating the earring stand youll love hanging and displaying all of your earrings. The spacers allow a gap between the plastic canvas and the tube just large enough to allow the earring wires to be slid into the grids. The display will hold many pairs of wire earrings but does not hold post types. Make a smaller version by using a bathroom tissue roll or create a larger version by using a tube from a poster or something similar. The earring holders are colorful, easy to craft and perfect for a girls room. Even a woman would be proud to display the earring pole after decorating it in her favorite theme. Glue on small trinkets to make the pole uniquely your own. Leave empty areas for hanging earrings but attach small butterflies, flowers or even jewels to create the theme. Consider making different ones and treating your friends to the fabulous earring poles, too!
Start by painting or otherwise decorating the ordinary cardboard tube. Wrap it in cloth, decorative paper or just paint it. Keep in mind, while decorating the tube, that you will later wrap it in plastic canvas. You might want to decide ahead of time the color of canvas you will use. That way, the wrap youve chosen for the tube will coordinate with the plastic canvas cover.
After painting or covering the cardboard tube youll then look for something to use as spacers. The spacers will be necessary to hold the plastic canvas slightly away from the tube itself. Spacers can be tiny flat buttons or beads, little squares of cardboard or even small pencil erasers. Most anything that is tiny, flat, and easy to glue on will work as a spacer. Glue the spacers on to the decorated paper towel tube. Start by gluing one spacer at the top of the roll, another several inches below it, and another inches below that. This vertical row of spacers will help hold the plastic canvas away from the roll. Create a second and a third vertical row of spacers. The rows should be evenly spaced vertically as well as horizontally. In other words, when you look at the finished spacers they should be in even rows vertically as well as horizontally. One side of the tube will become the back of the earring holder. This is the place where the plastic canvas will be seamed. If youve never worked with plastic canvas dont worry. This project does not require any previous knowledge of plastic canvas crafting. In fact, the plastic canvas will be used in a completely different manner than for what it was intended. Cut a piece of the plastic canvas - found at craft stores - to the size of the paper towel roll. It should be long enough to completely cover the tube and wide enough to go around the tube with a half-inch or so to spare. Use hot glue to fasten the canvas to each and every spacer. In the back, seam the ends of the canvas by making sure the spacers are in the area of each canvas end. This means, in the back, youll have two rows of spacers that are nearly butted against each other. These rows will be glued to the ends of the plastic canvas to create a seam. If you want, you can go over the seam, stitching it shut with decorative yarn or thread. Glue any type of stand to one end of the roll. The stand can be a thick piece of painted cardboard, an old wooden coaster, or just a block of wood. Decorate the stand to coordinate with the color and/or theme of the cardboard tube. To cover the other end of the tube use any type of topper. The topper can be a simple Styrofoam ball, a small stuffed animal, or a flat, wooden shape. The topper covers the raw ends of the cardboard as well as the plastic canvas. When youre finished creating the earring stand youll love hanging and displaying all of your earrings. The spacers allow a gap between the plastic canvas and the tube just large enough to allow the earring wires to be slid into the grids. The display will hold many pairs of wire earrings but does not hold post types. Make a smaller version by using a bathroom tissue roll or create a larger version by using a tube from a poster or something similar. The earring holders are colorful, easy to craft and perfect for a girls room. Even a woman would be proud to display the earring pole after decorating it in her favorite theme. Glue on small trinkets to make the pole uniquely your own. Leave empty areas for hanging earrings but attach small butterflies, flowers or even jewels to create the theme. Consider making different ones and treating your friends to the fabulous earring poles, too!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Safety Pin Candle Decor
Have you seen the new colors that safety pins come in now? Forget plain old silver safety pins; the new ones come in colors of gold, blue, red, green and more. Theyre beautiful yet not much more expensive than ordinary safety pins. The great thing about the colored pins, though, is that they can be used to make all sorts of unique decor pieces for your home. Choose colors that go with your decor and get started making beautiful candle wraps that are unique and shimmery.
Besides the safety pins youll need one or two colors of pony beads. Pony beads are the type that have a large hole in the center. Use the ones with metallic colors to create really elegant candle wraps. Altogether youll need 36 size 2 safety pins, 54 metallic pony beads, 108 clear 8mm faceted beads, and 60" of metallic cord.
Open each safety pin and slide three of the 8mm beads onto each one. After the beads are in place close each safety pin. Set aside momentarily. Cut the metallic cord into three equal pieces of 20". Use one piece of the cord to start the beading process. Slide the cord through the head of one of the pins then slide a pony bead, onto the cord, next to the pin. Slide the cord through the next pin head and through the next pony bead. Continue in this manner until you have strung 18 pony beads and 18 pins. Its helpful if you now tie the cord around the top of a candle holder. Tie in a double knot and trim closely. Now it will be easier to make more rows of pins and beads to finish the candle holder decoration. Take the second cord and begin the second row by threading the cord through the small hole of the first row of pins. Thread the cord through the first pin in the first row, then through the head of a single safety pin, then through a pony bead. Continue threading the cord through the pins from the first row, through a new pin, and through a pony bead, until youve strung 18 additional pins and 18 additional pony beads. Make sure these pins are all facing the same way, with the faceted beads facing outward. Tie the cord, around back, below the knot from the first row. Tie a double knot and trim the ends closely. Use the third cord piece to make the final row of the candle decoration. To make the third row, thread the cord through the head of the first new safety pin, then through a pony bead. Continue threading the cord through the pin heads and a new pony bead. When finished with the third row you will have added 18 more pony beads. Now you have 18 pony beads on each row. Tie the third cord, around back, below the second knot. Trim closely. You can create all types of patterns by the beads you choose. Instead of clear faceted beads threaded onto the pins themselves use another 8mm colored bead, like red or green. When using the pony beads, alternate gold and silver, or make a pattern of several gold then several silver. Another pattern is created when you use gold pony beads on the first row, silver on the second row, then gold again on the third row. There are many different styles of candle wraps you can create by using other metallic colors of pony beads, like metallic red or green. Or, forget metallic colors and choose solid black, stark white or other colors of beads. Check your local craft store for an assortment of pony bead choices. Create chunkier looks by using beads other than pony beads. Use 10 mm faceted, and metallic thread instead of cord, to make something much different. Alternate colors of 10 mm beads or choose just one color. Each candle wrap will have a totally different look when you combine cords, threads, colored safety pins, regular safety pins, pony beads and faceted beads. Make tapered candle wraps by using smaller beads as you go down. Use 12 mm for the top row, 10 mm for the second row, and 8 mm for the third row. Or, select oval-type beads that lay next to the candle holder and come in various sizes. Youll enjoy creating all sorts of different styles for your own home or to give to friends and family.
Besides the safety pins youll need one or two colors of pony beads. Pony beads are the type that have a large hole in the center. Use the ones with metallic colors to create really elegant candle wraps. Altogether youll need 36 size 2 safety pins, 54 metallic pony beads, 108 clear 8mm faceted beads, and 60" of metallic cord.
Open each safety pin and slide three of the 8mm beads onto each one. After the beads are in place close each safety pin. Set aside momentarily. Cut the metallic cord into three equal pieces of 20". Use one piece of the cord to start the beading process. Slide the cord through the head of one of the pins then slide a pony bead, onto the cord, next to the pin. Slide the cord through the next pin head and through the next pony bead. Continue in this manner until you have strung 18 pony beads and 18 pins. Its helpful if you now tie the cord around the top of a candle holder. Tie in a double knot and trim closely. Now it will be easier to make more rows of pins and beads to finish the candle holder decoration. Take the second cord and begin the second row by threading the cord through the small hole of the first row of pins. Thread the cord through the first pin in the first row, then through the head of a single safety pin, then through a pony bead. Continue threading the cord through the pins from the first row, through a new pin, and through a pony bead, until youve strung 18 additional pins and 18 additional pony beads. Make sure these pins are all facing the same way, with the faceted beads facing outward. Tie the cord, around back, below the knot from the first row. Tie a double knot and trim the ends closely. Use the third cord piece to make the final row of the candle decoration. To make the third row, thread the cord through the head of the first new safety pin, then through a pony bead. Continue threading the cord through the pin heads and a new pony bead. When finished with the third row you will have added 18 more pony beads. Now you have 18 pony beads on each row. Tie the third cord, around back, below the second knot. Trim closely. You can create all types of patterns by the beads you choose. Instead of clear faceted beads threaded onto the pins themselves use another 8mm colored bead, like red or green. When using the pony beads, alternate gold and silver, or make a pattern of several gold then several silver. Another pattern is created when you use gold pony beads on the first row, silver on the second row, then gold again on the third row. There are many different styles of candle wraps you can create by using other metallic colors of pony beads, like metallic red or green. Or, forget metallic colors and choose solid black, stark white or other colors of beads. Check your local craft store for an assortment of pony bead choices. Create chunkier looks by using beads other than pony beads. Use 10 mm faceted, and metallic thread instead of cord, to make something much different. Alternate colors of 10 mm beads or choose just one color. Each candle wrap will have a totally different look when you combine cords, threads, colored safety pins, regular safety pins, pony beads and faceted beads. Make tapered candle wraps by using smaller beads as you go down. Use 12 mm for the top row, 10 mm for the second row, and 8 mm for the third row. Or, select oval-type beads that lay next to the candle holder and come in various sizes. Youll enjoy creating all sorts of different styles for your own home or to give to friends and family.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Disposable Plate Cemetery Memorial Bouquet
Looking around at a cemetery youll notice that there are hundreds - even thousands - of vases full of flowers. These memorials, placed there by the deceaseds loved ones, are a colorful way to honor that person. One thing you may notice immediately is that the provided vases dont hold all that many flowers. The vases, which are anchored to the headstones, provide the only way to place flowers that will stay. As a matter of fact, in some cemeteries, any memorial placed in a location other than the provided vase will be gathered up and discarded.
If youd like to give your lost loved one a huge bouquet of flowers, but the provided vases simply wont hold that many flowers, make a bouquet that starts with a plastic, disposable plate. The plate allows you to place many more flowers at the grave site than you normally could. To start, youll need one plastic plate, a Styrofoam cone, and the flowers and such that you plan to use.
Glue the flat side of the Styrofoam cone to the bottom center of the disposable plate. Place the plate on a vase or other object that will allow for the cone to hang down. The vase will help you keep the plate steady as you add the flowers and create the memorial. Make sure you know what size cone the headstone vase will accommodate. Choose a cone thats too large and you wont be able to set the memorial until youve shaved the cone down to size. Thats probably not something you want to do while visiting your lost loved one. Choose a cone thats too small and the flower bouquet can tip and lean. Its important that you choose an adhesive thats easy to work with and will not melt away in the rain. The adhesive must work on plastic but hold up under the elements. Check the label on the back of the adhesive to find out more information. If you do a poor job gluing the flowers and all to the plastic plate you can later visit the loved one only to find that some of the flowers have blown away. Start by gluing the first flower to the plastic plate. The stem of the flower should point towards the center of the plate where the flower itself rests on the outer ridge of the plate. Next, lay a stem of leaves next to the flower. Continue gluing one flower and one leave, side-by-side, all the way around the plate. Make sure that each leaf portion and each flower dont align evenly. Glue one flower where it sticks out and away from the plate, where the next flower is receded and closer to the edge of the plate. The flowers should never look like theyre in perfect alignment. Also, the disposable plate should never be seen in the finished bouquet. Start the next layer of the bouquet by again making a round of flower, leaves, flower, but this time, make sure all the flowers of the second layer are shorter than the ones in the first layer. While making the bouquet each layer will recede slightly as compared to the previous row. Youll do this so that the finished bouquet will grow smaller and smaller as it goes towards the top. Dont worry if there are open spaces between the flowers and/or leaves. Later, you can take smaller flowers or greenery, like babys breath or tiny rose buds, to fill in these areas. After youve stacked the flowers in a bouquet fashion youll then glue in the smaller flowers to fill in open areas. Now you can add satin bows, strings of faux pearls, or other embellishments. Make the same bouquet look different for special occasions by placing a plaque in the flowers. The plaque can say "Mom", "Love", "Merry Christmas" or any other phrase. You can make these plaques yourself or purchase them at places that sell memorial items. At the cemetery simply place the Styrofoam cone, which is attached to the bottom of the plastic plate, in the provided headstone vase. The plate rests on top of the vase and holds the bouquet. No one can see the plate; all they can see is the huge bouquet of flowers in the vase. Youll definitely have visitors wondering how you got so many flowers into such a small vase!
If youd like to give your lost loved one a huge bouquet of flowers, but the provided vases simply wont hold that many flowers, make a bouquet that starts with a plastic, disposable plate. The plate allows you to place many more flowers at the grave site than you normally could. To start, youll need one plastic plate, a Styrofoam cone, and the flowers and such that you plan to use.
Glue the flat side of the Styrofoam cone to the bottom center of the disposable plate. Place the plate on a vase or other object that will allow for the cone to hang down. The vase will help you keep the plate steady as you add the flowers and create the memorial. Make sure you know what size cone the headstone vase will accommodate. Choose a cone thats too large and you wont be able to set the memorial until youve shaved the cone down to size. Thats probably not something you want to do while visiting your lost loved one. Choose a cone thats too small and the flower bouquet can tip and lean. Its important that you choose an adhesive thats easy to work with and will not melt away in the rain. The adhesive must work on plastic but hold up under the elements. Check the label on the back of the adhesive to find out more information. If you do a poor job gluing the flowers and all to the plastic plate you can later visit the loved one only to find that some of the flowers have blown away. Start by gluing the first flower to the plastic plate. The stem of the flower should point towards the center of the plate where the flower itself rests on the outer ridge of the plate. Next, lay a stem of leaves next to the flower. Continue gluing one flower and one leave, side-by-side, all the way around the plate. Make sure that each leaf portion and each flower dont align evenly. Glue one flower where it sticks out and away from the plate, where the next flower is receded and closer to the edge of the plate. The flowers should never look like theyre in perfect alignment. Also, the disposable plate should never be seen in the finished bouquet. Start the next layer of the bouquet by again making a round of flower, leaves, flower, but this time, make sure all the flowers of the second layer are shorter than the ones in the first layer. While making the bouquet each layer will recede slightly as compared to the previous row. Youll do this so that the finished bouquet will grow smaller and smaller as it goes towards the top. Dont worry if there are open spaces between the flowers and/or leaves. Later, you can take smaller flowers or greenery, like babys breath or tiny rose buds, to fill in these areas. After youve stacked the flowers in a bouquet fashion youll then glue in the smaller flowers to fill in open areas. Now you can add satin bows, strings of faux pearls, or other embellishments. Make the same bouquet look different for special occasions by placing a plaque in the flowers. The plaque can say "Mom", "Love", "Merry Christmas" or any other phrase. You can make these plaques yourself or purchase them at places that sell memorial items. At the cemetery simply place the Styrofoam cone, which is attached to the bottom of the plastic plate, in the provided headstone vase. The plate rests on top of the vase and holds the bouquet. No one can see the plate; all they can see is the huge bouquet of flowers in the vase. Youll definitely have visitors wondering how you got so many flowers into such a small vase!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Identifying and Exterminating Spider Mites
Spider mites can cause serious damage to your plants or garden. Not only do they like to eat your plants but they also love to lay their eggs on the leaves. There isnt a whole lot you can do to prevent spider mites from invading but there definitely are things you can do to get rid of them. If you want to reduce the damages of spider mites check your plants frequently for signs of the little bugs. Small yellow or brown dots on the leaves is almost certainly a sign that youve been infested with spider mites.
Spider mites are nasty little critters that populate quickly. One minute youll see a spot or two on a leaf, here and there, and a few days later, you can see the spots on many, many leaves. In addition to the spots you can identify an infestation of spider mites if you look closely. The mites spin webs, sort of like a spider, and you can see the silky strands glimmering in the sunlight. Turning leaves over, to view their undersides, can help you spot the mites more easily. The webs are spun on the underside of leaves so that the mites can lay their eggs. The spotting of even one or two silken strands is a sure sign of infestation. One additional sign that mites have attacked your plants or garden is, of course, chewed marks on the leaves.
Spider mites love warm, dry climates. Keeping moisture levels up can help deter the mites. Keep a plate under outdoor potted plants to keep the plants hydrated and deter mites. Spray plants a couple of times a day to keep the mites away. For gardens use a firm spray which will drown the mites. If you have potted plants outside, and theyve been affected by spider mites, its best to take them out of the heat in the afternoon. Placing the potted plants in the shade during the hottest part of the day will help send the mites running. If youre unable to dissuade the mites, because you have a large garden or plants that cant be transported, youll need to consider other methods of ridding your plants of this plague. If youve identified a spider mite problem you can often take care of it yourself. Whenever possible isolate the infected plants from the others. Keep the infected plants grouped closely together. Of course, this will only work for potted plants and plants that are easily moved. Some experts suggest mixing one part rubbing alcohol with one part water and spraying it directly on the plants. The alcohol evaporates very quickly so that it does little or no damage to the plant. At the same time the alcohol is poison to the mites. Concentrate on spraying the bottoms of the leaves but spray the entire plant. If one treatment doesnt kill all the mites perform the spraying technique again in a couple of days. Horticultural oils are a popular way to get rid of spider mites on most any plant. Apply the spray during the warmest part of the day so that it evaporates quickly and does as little damage to the plants as possible. Most horticultural oils are petroleum-based, a fact you may want to be aware of, before purchasing. Insecticidal soaps are another option for killing spider mites. The soaps are sold at home improvement and gardening stores and work well to kill mites as well as other garden pests. Read the label on the soap carefully. Many of the products have to be mixed. Ask for assistance, if you dont know enough about the insecticidal soaps, to choose one thats already mixed. Spray the insecticide according to the manufacturers recommendations. For those growing huge gardens to feed their families, or those who just love beautiful flowers in their yards, the onset of spider mite infestations can spell serious trouble. Youll have the best luck warding them off if you check your plants for signs of mites long before you notice damaged plants and egg sacs. Read up on common mite poisons or talk to a knowledgeable rep at a home improvement or gardening store. Tend to the mite problem as soon as you notice it and youll have beautiful plants and luscious vegetables this year.
Spider mites are nasty little critters that populate quickly. One minute youll see a spot or two on a leaf, here and there, and a few days later, you can see the spots on many, many leaves. In addition to the spots you can identify an infestation of spider mites if you look closely. The mites spin webs, sort of like a spider, and you can see the silky strands glimmering in the sunlight. Turning leaves over, to view their undersides, can help you spot the mites more easily. The webs are spun on the underside of leaves so that the mites can lay their eggs. The spotting of even one or two silken strands is a sure sign of infestation. One additional sign that mites have attacked your plants or garden is, of course, chewed marks on the leaves.
Spider mites love warm, dry climates. Keeping moisture levels up can help deter the mites. Keep a plate under outdoor potted plants to keep the plants hydrated and deter mites. Spray plants a couple of times a day to keep the mites away. For gardens use a firm spray which will drown the mites. If you have potted plants outside, and theyve been affected by spider mites, its best to take them out of the heat in the afternoon. Placing the potted plants in the shade during the hottest part of the day will help send the mites running. If youre unable to dissuade the mites, because you have a large garden or plants that cant be transported, youll need to consider other methods of ridding your plants of this plague. If youve identified a spider mite problem you can often take care of it yourself. Whenever possible isolate the infected plants from the others. Keep the infected plants grouped closely together. Of course, this will only work for potted plants and plants that are easily moved. Some experts suggest mixing one part rubbing alcohol with one part water and spraying it directly on the plants. The alcohol evaporates very quickly so that it does little or no damage to the plant. At the same time the alcohol is poison to the mites. Concentrate on spraying the bottoms of the leaves but spray the entire plant. If one treatment doesnt kill all the mites perform the spraying technique again in a couple of days. Horticultural oils are a popular way to get rid of spider mites on most any plant. Apply the spray during the warmest part of the day so that it evaporates quickly and does as little damage to the plants as possible. Most horticultural oils are petroleum-based, a fact you may want to be aware of, before purchasing. Insecticidal soaps are another option for killing spider mites. The soaps are sold at home improvement and gardening stores and work well to kill mites as well as other garden pests. Read the label on the soap carefully. Many of the products have to be mixed. Ask for assistance, if you dont know enough about the insecticidal soaps, to choose one thats already mixed. Spray the insecticide according to the manufacturers recommendations. For those growing huge gardens to feed their families, or those who just love beautiful flowers in their yards, the onset of spider mite infestations can spell serious trouble. Youll have the best luck warding them off if you check your plants for signs of mites long before you notice damaged plants and egg sacs. Read up on common mite poisons or talk to a knowledgeable rep at a home improvement or gardening store. Tend to the mite problem as soon as you notice it and youll have beautiful plants and luscious vegetables this year.
Friday, November 9, 2012
2009 Sports Spectacular for Wheelchair-Bound Kids
Your wheelchair-bound child might be limited in what he or she can do on his own but sports isnt a taboo! Thats because, each year, theres a huge sporting event especially for these kids. Whether your child is 3 years old or 21 he or she can participate in tennis, basketball, hockey and more. Your child will be living the dream when you attend the 2009 United Spinals Kids Sports Spectacular held in Philadelphia, PA. It wont cost you a thing to join in and the kids families are welcome to participate as well.
Held on August 22nd at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia this year, the Sports Spectacular is a non-competitive event, where every child wins simply by participating. Not only will the kids have a blast but there are educational elements as well. For wheelchair-bound kids who have never participated in sports its a day that will prove to be very memorable! Your child will make new friends, gain self esteem and learn skills to improve his or her daily life.
There will be motivational speakers at the event and these speakers have designed their topics to encourage wheelchair-bound children to enjoy life, participate more, and gain a new hope for the future. Emphasis throughout the speeches and sports events will be on teamwork, commitment, sharing, respect for others and just learning to have fun like any normal child.Dont worry if your child has never participated in sports while in a wheelchair. The many instructors and volunteers will help your child have new, exciting experiences while making sure he or she is safe. The United Spinal Association dedicates its work to helping those with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, ALS and post-polio. The association has been involved in the lives of wheelchair-bound children for over 60 years and sets goals to improve the lives of citizens with disabilities. Their programs, services and events are responsible for helping the handicapped live normal, everyday lives amongst those without disabilities. If you qualify you can become a member of United Spinal for free. This is available not only to children in wheelchairs but to all Americans with disabilities. As a parent or family member of a child in a wheelchair youll be astounded at the joy and happiness youll see on your childs face when he or she participates in the games and events at the Sports Spectacular. Soccer, softball, hand-cycling and bowling are only a few of the scheduled wheelchair games. On hand will be professional trainers and many volunteers to assist your child while you enjoy the festivities. All the equipment is furnished so all you need to bring is the family. There will be a free lunch served and lots of giveaways. All you need to do to participate in this years events is to go online and register for free. Sponsors for the events include Comcast-Spectator, Aramark, Rochester Medical, Bayada Nurses, Accessible Vans and Mobility, and New Mobility. Your corporation or company can become sponsors, too, by visiting the website to join. You can help by donating money, food, equipment or prizes for the events. The address for the event is Wachovia Complex, 3601 S Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19148. You can visit the United Spinal website to get directions by car or by public transportation. You can write to the United Spinal Association at 75-20 Astoria Blvd, Jackson Heights, NY 11370. Email them at info@unitedspinal.org or call at 718-803-3782. You and your child will never forget the joy you experienced when you join in on the fun at the Kids Sports Spectacular. This event is held year after year so youll want to mark it on your calendar each year. Your child will laugh, be active and meet lots of new friends who have the same interests. Youll have the opportunity to see your child in a whole new light when they experience the excitement of the games and of winning ribbons and more. Dont let this opportunity slip by; sign up today and begin preparing for the upcoming events!
Held on August 22nd at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia this year, the Sports Spectacular is a non-competitive event, where every child wins simply by participating. Not only will the kids have a blast but there are educational elements as well. For wheelchair-bound kids who have never participated in sports its a day that will prove to be very memorable! Your child will make new friends, gain self esteem and learn skills to improve his or her daily life.
There will be motivational speakers at the event and these speakers have designed their topics to encourage wheelchair-bound children to enjoy life, participate more, and gain a new hope for the future. Emphasis throughout the speeches and sports events will be on teamwork, commitment, sharing, respect for others and just learning to have fun like any normal child.Dont worry if your child has never participated in sports while in a wheelchair. The many instructors and volunteers will help your child have new, exciting experiences while making sure he or she is safe. The United Spinal Association dedicates its work to helping those with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, ALS and post-polio. The association has been involved in the lives of wheelchair-bound children for over 60 years and sets goals to improve the lives of citizens with disabilities. Their programs, services and events are responsible for helping the handicapped live normal, everyday lives amongst those without disabilities. If you qualify you can become a member of United Spinal for free. This is available not only to children in wheelchairs but to all Americans with disabilities. As a parent or family member of a child in a wheelchair youll be astounded at the joy and happiness youll see on your childs face when he or she participates in the games and events at the Sports Spectacular. Soccer, softball, hand-cycling and bowling are only a few of the scheduled wheelchair games. On hand will be professional trainers and many volunteers to assist your child while you enjoy the festivities. All the equipment is furnished so all you need to bring is the family. There will be a free lunch served and lots of giveaways. All you need to do to participate in this years events is to go online and register for free. Sponsors for the events include Comcast-Spectator, Aramark, Rochester Medical, Bayada Nurses, Accessible Vans and Mobility, and New Mobility. Your corporation or company can become sponsors, too, by visiting the website to join. You can help by donating money, food, equipment or prizes for the events. The address for the event is Wachovia Complex, 3601 S Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19148. You can visit the United Spinal website to get directions by car or by public transportation. You can write to the United Spinal Association at 75-20 Astoria Blvd, Jackson Heights, NY 11370. Email them at info@unitedspinal.org or call at 718-803-3782. You and your child will never forget the joy you experienced when you join in on the fun at the Kids Sports Spectacular. This event is held year after year so youll want to mark it on your calendar each year. Your child will laugh, be active and meet lots of new friends who have the same interests. Youll have the opportunity to see your child in a whole new light when they experience the excitement of the games and of winning ribbons and more. Dont let this opportunity slip by; sign up today and begin preparing for the upcoming events!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Shadow Art for Childrens Bedrooms
Kids need to have lots of things to do for the summer but it cant be all about videos games! Get your child on the floor so he or she can make a shadow that can be used to decorate his or her room. After one of your children makes the really cool shadow person, all the neighborhood kids will want one, so get ready to show everyone how! The shadows are really easy to make, and after theyre finished you can hang them on walls to serve as really unique decor.
A piece of black fabric makes it easy to create the shadow of a child. Lay the cloth on the floor and make sure there are no wrinkles. Have the child lay on the cloth making sure not to bunch it up while lying down. Now have the child strike a pose. Any pose will do so get creative. The child should lift up arms - or legs - to create a look that will appear to be an upright child. For example, the child can turn on his side and strike a pose that appears to be a child running. The kid can simply raise his arms to give the look of a child jumping in the air.
There are dozens of different poses the child can imitate. After he or she has decided on the final pose have another person - a parent or a friend - draw around the child with a piece of chalk. Now the child can move off the fabric. Cut around the shape and youve created a fun shadow person. The black cloth can be attached to a bedroom wall - or other place - to make unusual decor. Instead of using cloth to make the shadows you can use paper. The problem with the paper version is that its difficult to find huge, black paper pieces. For that matter, it can be challenging to find huge white paper. If you do you can create the shadow people and color them black. That, however, is time-consuming and not as impressive as the black cloth shadows. Choosing the cloth for the shadow project is important. Although you can use many different types of cloth for the project certain fabrics work best; others arent as ideal. Slick, flimsy cloth, like satin or silk arent the best selections. Thick fabrics work better but not ones that have unusual looks to the surface, like velvet or shiny material. Fabrics dont have to be ultra-thick but should be thick enough so that any wallpaper or paint wont show through after the shadows are hung. The person lying on the cloth can hold objects to create more interesting shadows. They can turn on their sides and hold a ball to create one look. Make something totally different by having the child bend his knees then, a few inches below, place a skateboard on its side. Cut the shadow and the skateboard out separately then hang them that way on the wall. There are so many different looks you can create for your unique shadow people. The shadows look great when you hang them on bedroom walls. Get creative and make unique shadows that can decorate the entire room. Cut out just the head area of the shadow person, attach it below a desk against a wall, and it looks like a child peeking out from under the desk. Have the child wear a cowboy hat while lying on the black cloth and youll create a totally different shadow kid. There are literally thousands of different designs you can create. If you feel your child might be scared of the dark shadows on the walls just dont make them out of black cloth. Use colorful patterns to make the shadows and youll have striped people, checkerboard people or just purple people. Although the colorful designs dont look anything like a shadow theyre still fun to make and display in the childs bedroom. If you just dont want people shapes decorating your childs room use the cloth to cut out other shapes. Cut out hats, dolls, teddy bears and similar shapes for a girls room. Cut out ball bats, cowboy hats and other themes for a boys room. The shapes can be cut from most any cloth, colors or patterns. Use double-sided tape strips to hang the images on the walls. Youll appreciate how inexpensive and easy it is to create the unique decor for your childs room.
A piece of black fabric makes it easy to create the shadow of a child. Lay the cloth on the floor and make sure there are no wrinkles. Have the child lay on the cloth making sure not to bunch it up while lying down. Now have the child strike a pose. Any pose will do so get creative. The child should lift up arms - or legs - to create a look that will appear to be an upright child. For example, the child can turn on his side and strike a pose that appears to be a child running. The kid can simply raise his arms to give the look of a child jumping in the air.
There are dozens of different poses the child can imitate. After he or she has decided on the final pose have another person - a parent or a friend - draw around the child with a piece of chalk. Now the child can move off the fabric. Cut around the shape and youve created a fun shadow person. The black cloth can be attached to a bedroom wall - or other place - to make unusual decor. Instead of using cloth to make the shadows you can use paper. The problem with the paper version is that its difficult to find huge, black paper pieces. For that matter, it can be challenging to find huge white paper. If you do you can create the shadow people and color them black. That, however, is time-consuming and not as impressive as the black cloth shadows. Choosing the cloth for the shadow project is important. Although you can use many different types of cloth for the project certain fabrics work best; others arent as ideal. Slick, flimsy cloth, like satin or silk arent the best selections. Thick fabrics work better but not ones that have unusual looks to the surface, like velvet or shiny material. Fabrics dont have to be ultra-thick but should be thick enough so that any wallpaper or paint wont show through after the shadows are hung. The person lying on the cloth can hold objects to create more interesting shadows. They can turn on their sides and hold a ball to create one look. Make something totally different by having the child bend his knees then, a few inches below, place a skateboard on its side. Cut the shadow and the skateboard out separately then hang them that way on the wall. There are so many different looks you can create for your unique shadow people. The shadows look great when you hang them on bedroom walls. Get creative and make unique shadows that can decorate the entire room. Cut out just the head area of the shadow person, attach it below a desk against a wall, and it looks like a child peeking out from under the desk. Have the child wear a cowboy hat while lying on the black cloth and youll create a totally different shadow kid. There are literally thousands of different designs you can create. If you feel your child might be scared of the dark shadows on the walls just dont make them out of black cloth. Use colorful patterns to make the shadows and youll have striped people, checkerboard people or just purple people. Although the colorful designs dont look anything like a shadow theyre still fun to make and display in the childs bedroom. If you just dont want people shapes decorating your childs room use the cloth to cut out other shapes. Cut out hats, dolls, teddy bears and similar shapes for a girls room. Cut out ball bats, cowboy hats and other themes for a boys room. The shapes can be cut from most any cloth, colors or patterns. Use double-sided tape strips to hang the images on the walls. Youll appreciate how inexpensive and easy it is to create the unique decor for your childs room.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Cute Fathers Day Rock Project for Kids
The mission is on: find Dad a fabulous Fathers Day gift which costs little or nothing. The gift has to be one Dad will truly love - maybe even one that makes him laugh. Since most gifts cost money a craft project would work great. The project would need to be simple enough for a really small child to make yet satisfying enough for an older kid to do. If you have to go out and buy a bunch of craft stuff that wont work; the perfect project would use things you already have at home. Sound like quite a challenge? Its really not! Theres one craft you can do that will keep Dad laughing, be really cheap to make, and take very little time. The project creates a "You Rock" gift that Dad will never forget.
A dog dish works well to make the cute craft which your dad can set on his desk or even on a dresser. If you use a dog dish choose one that has no writing on it. If you dont have such a dish you can also use a shallow bowl. The bowl you use should be colored and plastic and not too large. Use paints or a paint marker to write "You Rock" "Dad Rocks" or "Dad, You Rock" on the dish. After the paint is dry you can continue with the project. If you dont have any paint or markers you can also use stickers to spell out the message you want.
Select two or more rocks that you can use for the craft. Rocks which are fairly smooth work great. Rocks which are no wider than an egg, and maybe a little longer than an egg, work great. Choose rocks which are all about the same size or choose a selection of rocks where one or two are large and one or two are smaller. The rocks can represent the number of people in your own home or can just be the amount that will fit in the bowl youre using. Clean the rocks well, allow them to dry completely, then paint them the colors you want. You can paint each one a different color or you can paint them all the same. Paint a large one to represent Dad and the others to represent the rest of the family. It can take some time to paint the rocks since youll have to paint part of it, allow it to dry, then paint the rest. In addition, you may have to give the rocks more than one coat to get the coverage and the shade you want. After the paint has dried completely you can do various things to create the characters. Glue on wiggly eyes from a craft store or paint the eyes on. Use a little fake fur, yarn or other craft item to make hair for each rock. Draw on mouths or leave the with only eyes as their facial features. Glue on tiny hats or create other looks for the rocks. Now glue the rocks into the bowl. Use large amounts of hot glue, glue dots or even double-sided tape to secure the rocks inside the bowl. You can make a different "You Rock" gift for Dad by simply attaching the decorated rocks to a piece of wood instead of inside a bowl or dish. Align the rocks on a slat of wood - painted or unpainted - then use the rocks to carry the message. Use two rocks and write "You" on one of them and "Rock" on the other. Or, use three rocks to write "You" "Rock" "Dad". Use paints, markers or even stickers to spell out the words on the rocks. As with the bowl rocks you can use craft items to give each rock their characteristics. If you dont have lots of rocks, bowls, slats of wood and similar items you can just make a paper weight for Dad. Paint the rock or use it as-is. Clean it well, allow it to dry, then write or use stickers to spell "Dad" or another message. The rock can still be decorated with fake hair, wiggly eyes and similar embellishments. The single rock is an easy way to make your dad a nice gift that he will cherish for years. Children are always looking for free or cheap gifts that they can give Dad on Fathers Day. Its not that they dont want to spend money on Dad but that most kids simply dont have much money. If youve got rocks in your yard you dont have to worry about spending any money on Dads gift this year. You wont need a bunch of cash to create a lasting gift for Dad that hell truly enjoy!
A dog dish works well to make the cute craft which your dad can set on his desk or even on a dresser. If you use a dog dish choose one that has no writing on it. If you dont have such a dish you can also use a shallow bowl. The bowl you use should be colored and plastic and not too large. Use paints or a paint marker to write "You Rock" "Dad Rocks" or "Dad, You Rock" on the dish. After the paint is dry you can continue with the project. If you dont have any paint or markers you can also use stickers to spell out the message you want.
Select two or more rocks that you can use for the craft. Rocks which are fairly smooth work great. Rocks which are no wider than an egg, and maybe a little longer than an egg, work great. Choose rocks which are all about the same size or choose a selection of rocks where one or two are large and one or two are smaller. The rocks can represent the number of people in your own home or can just be the amount that will fit in the bowl youre using. Clean the rocks well, allow them to dry completely, then paint them the colors you want. You can paint each one a different color or you can paint them all the same. Paint a large one to represent Dad and the others to represent the rest of the family. It can take some time to paint the rocks since youll have to paint part of it, allow it to dry, then paint the rest. In addition, you may have to give the rocks more than one coat to get the coverage and the shade you want. After the paint has dried completely you can do various things to create the characters. Glue on wiggly eyes from a craft store or paint the eyes on. Use a little fake fur, yarn or other craft item to make hair for each rock. Draw on mouths or leave the with only eyes as their facial features. Glue on tiny hats or create other looks for the rocks. Now glue the rocks into the bowl. Use large amounts of hot glue, glue dots or even double-sided tape to secure the rocks inside the bowl. You can make a different "You Rock" gift for Dad by simply attaching the decorated rocks to a piece of wood instead of inside a bowl or dish. Align the rocks on a slat of wood - painted or unpainted - then use the rocks to carry the message. Use two rocks and write "You" on one of them and "Rock" on the other. Or, use three rocks to write "You" "Rock" "Dad". Use paints, markers or even stickers to spell out the words on the rocks. As with the bowl rocks you can use craft items to give each rock their characteristics. If you dont have lots of rocks, bowls, slats of wood and similar items you can just make a paper weight for Dad. Paint the rock or use it as-is. Clean it well, allow it to dry, then write or use stickers to spell "Dad" or another message. The rock can still be decorated with fake hair, wiggly eyes and similar embellishments. The single rock is an easy way to make your dad a nice gift that he will cherish for years. Children are always looking for free or cheap gifts that they can give Dad on Fathers Day. Its not that they dont want to spend money on Dad but that most kids simply dont have much money. If youve got rocks in your yard you dont have to worry about spending any money on Dads gift this year. You wont need a bunch of cash to create a lasting gift for Dad that hell truly enjoy!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Flower Girl Basket You Make Yourself
There is a lot to take care of when it comes to planning a wedding, from the gown youll wear to how the flower girl will dress. Speaking of the flower girl are you planning on going out and purchasing a basket for her to carry the flower petals? Dont! You might already have the basket at home. That is, if you have an old Easter basket you have a potential flower girls basket.
Cheap, plastic Easter baskets are ideal for making the flower baskets. Other baskets can be used if theyre not too bulky on the outside. For example, a wooden slat basket can be used but a braided twig-type basket would not be ideal. Also, baskets with fabric or felt covers glued on are not appropriate.
Start by deciding on the colors you will use then purchase craft supplies in those colors. Wrap the handle of the basket with ribbon or gathered lace. Hot glue one end of the lace to the end of the handle, where it connects to the bucket. Wrap the lace round and round the handle until you have completely covered it. You can use dabs of hot glue, here and there, to secure the lace. Now decide if the inside will be covered, too. If you want, the inside of the basket can be left as-is, and only the outside decorated. Or, you can use lace or cloth to cover the inside as well. Cut a huge circle of lace or cloth and place it in the bottom of the basket. Create pleats in the fabric and glue them around the inside edges of the top of the bucket. Make the pleats by creating the first one, gluing it in place, then going to the opposite side of the bucket to create the second one. Now go between the two pleats to make the next pleat, then to the opposite side to make the next one. This ensures that all the pleats are evenly spaced around the bucket. Trim the excess fabric from around the top edge of the bucket. Dont worry that the raw edges are showing; youll cover the edges later. Right now, use one to two-inch wide gathered lace to decorate the outside of the bucket. Begin gluing it all around the way around to cover the Easter theme. Its helpful if you use a white Easter basket if youre going to be adding white lace. Other colors of baskets can be covered by colored lace, but basket colors of purple, pink or green, can often still be seen through white lace. Start at an area on the bottom side of the bucket and glue the end of the lace on. The lace should be placed so that it hangs slightly below the actual basket. Begin hot gluing the lace around the bucket, making row after row of the gathered lace, until the bucket is completely covered. When creating the last row of the lace do so by gluing it over the raw edges of the inner bucket lining. The lacy flower basket is now almost complete. Create two long bows out of satin ribbon. Hot glue one bow onto each side of the basket. The bows should be placed in the areas where the handle ends attach to the bucket. They should hang long but not so long that the flower girl could trip. Other embellishments can of your choice can now be attached to the basket. Glue silk flower petals, here and there, on the basket. Or, create a floral motif on the front of the basket by gluing on leaves, flowers and strands of beads. Create a different basket by taking a long piece of wide lace or tulle and gluing it to the basket. Twist the fabric again and again to form a tube-like piece of the cloth. Glue to the edge of the basket and continue wrapping. Twist the fabric again and again, glue it in place, then twist and glue the rows until the basket is covered. Do the same to the handle. You can even continue the rolling and gluing process to cover the inside of the basket. Glue on your choice of bows and other embellishments. Your flower girls basket will look extremely elegant and expensive but only you will know it was cheap and easy to make! Fill with flowers, hand it over to the chosen girl, and watch everybody as they stare in awe! Not only is the flower girl grabbing attention but so is that beautiful flower basket!
Cheap, plastic Easter baskets are ideal for making the flower baskets. Other baskets can be used if theyre not too bulky on the outside. For example, a wooden slat basket can be used but a braided twig-type basket would not be ideal. Also, baskets with fabric or felt covers glued on are not appropriate.
Start by deciding on the colors you will use then purchase craft supplies in those colors. Wrap the handle of the basket with ribbon or gathered lace. Hot glue one end of the lace to the end of the handle, where it connects to the bucket. Wrap the lace round and round the handle until you have completely covered it. You can use dabs of hot glue, here and there, to secure the lace. Now decide if the inside will be covered, too. If you want, the inside of the basket can be left as-is, and only the outside decorated. Or, you can use lace or cloth to cover the inside as well. Cut a huge circle of lace or cloth and place it in the bottom of the basket. Create pleats in the fabric and glue them around the inside edges of the top of the bucket. Make the pleats by creating the first one, gluing it in place, then going to the opposite side of the bucket to create the second one. Now go between the two pleats to make the next pleat, then to the opposite side to make the next one. This ensures that all the pleats are evenly spaced around the bucket. Trim the excess fabric from around the top edge of the bucket. Dont worry that the raw edges are showing; youll cover the edges later. Right now, use one to two-inch wide gathered lace to decorate the outside of the bucket. Begin gluing it all around the way around to cover the Easter theme. Its helpful if you use a white Easter basket if youre going to be adding white lace. Other colors of baskets can be covered by colored lace, but basket colors of purple, pink or green, can often still be seen through white lace. Start at an area on the bottom side of the bucket and glue the end of the lace on. The lace should be placed so that it hangs slightly below the actual basket. Begin hot gluing the lace around the bucket, making row after row of the gathered lace, until the bucket is completely covered. When creating the last row of the lace do so by gluing it over the raw edges of the inner bucket lining. The lacy flower basket is now almost complete. Create two long bows out of satin ribbon. Hot glue one bow onto each side of the basket. The bows should be placed in the areas where the handle ends attach to the bucket. They should hang long but not so long that the flower girl could trip. Other embellishments can of your choice can now be attached to the basket. Glue silk flower petals, here and there, on the basket. Or, create a floral motif on the front of the basket by gluing on leaves, flowers and strands of beads. Create a different basket by taking a long piece of wide lace or tulle and gluing it to the basket. Twist the fabric again and again to form a tube-like piece of the cloth. Glue to the edge of the basket and continue wrapping. Twist the fabric again and again, glue it in place, then twist and glue the rows until the basket is covered. Do the same to the handle. You can even continue the rolling and gluing process to cover the inside of the basket. Glue on your choice of bows and other embellishments. Your flower girls basket will look extremely elegant and expensive but only you will know it was cheap and easy to make! Fill with flowers, hand it over to the chosen girl, and watch everybody as they stare in awe! Not only is the flower girl grabbing attention but so is that beautiful flower basket!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
How to Sew a Dickie into a Shirt
If you dont wear dickies, youve probably seen them, but you may not know you have. A dickie is a pullover-type accessory that makes it look like youre wearing a second shirt underneath the first. The undershirt, though, is not really an undershirt at all. Generally, a dickie is a turtle-neck or cowl-neck shirt piece that reaches to just inside the over shirt. You put on dickie, slide on the real shirt, and no one can tell youre not wearing two shirts. Dickies make it easy to change the look of certain shirts and dresses in an instant.
If you have a particular dickie, which you always wear with a particular shirt, why not sew it in place and leave it there forever? No more tucking the dickie in or worrying that its bunching up under the over shirt. Its easy to stitch the dickie into many different types of garments but its helpful to have a friend when doing so.
Put on the dickie, put on the over shirt, then get a friend to help you pin the dickie in place. Wearing the dickie while having it pinned can give you a much better finished look than if you simply try to pin the dickie inside the neck opening of the chosen shirt. If you dont have a helper you can accomplish the same feat by placing the dickie inside the neck of the shirt, laying them down flat and smoothing them out, then pinning the dickie in place. Start by pinning the dickie to the shoulder seams then work your way towards pinning the front. When that is done go back to the side seams and pin your way to the center back. If the dickie youre using is a turtle neck you could have a little trouble putting it under the machine by going through the dickie neck opening. Instead, position the neck area under the machine by going through the bottom of the shirt or dress. Start sewing at the back or at one of the shoulder seams. Itll be much easier to sew the dickie into a scoop-neck shirt or dress than, say, into a v-neck. With a v-neck youll have to be very careful to turn at the v-point just right. If you dont you can experience puckers at the "v" area. Other problems can occur if the dickie is stretchy and the over shirt is not. Take care not to tug or pull at the dickie while sewing. If you do you could end up with the dickie completely off-center. Things should go pretty smoothly if youre sewing a stretchy dickie into a stretchy shirt. Since the over shirt likely has stitching around the neckline youll have to create a second set of stitching just under or just over the original stitch line. Use the presser foot as a guide to keep the stitching perfectly spaced. Matching the thread is crucial to perfecting the dickie insertion without notice. If the thread is slightly off-color it will stand out like a sore thumb next to the original stitching. If you have trouble matching colors exactly take the shirt to a sewing supply store. They can help you choose the perfect thread color for this project. If youre not sure about the thickness of the thread you should use take the dickie along as well. They will help you choose the proper thread for the weight of the garments. If, after sewing in the dickie, you can see the outline of the edges of it under the shirt, youll need to trim it. Turn the shirt inside-out and trim the dickie close to the neckline of the outer shirt. When wearing the finished shirt you should not be able to see any outline of the dickie underneath. If youre sewing a dickie into a button-down shirt its much more complicated. The outer shirt must have at least the top and second button permanently open. The dickie is positioned into the shirt and sewn in at the shoulders and back neckline. The front, however, isnt stitched all the way around. Instead, tack it down by hiding a couple of stitches into the placket of the button-down. A stitch or two on each side of the placket will tack the dickie enough to keep it tucked in the front. Have fun sewing - and wearing - the new dickie shirts. They look fabulous and are easy to accomplish.
If you have a particular dickie, which you always wear with a particular shirt, why not sew it in place and leave it there forever? No more tucking the dickie in or worrying that its bunching up under the over shirt. Its easy to stitch the dickie into many different types of garments but its helpful to have a friend when doing so.
Put on the dickie, put on the over shirt, then get a friend to help you pin the dickie in place. Wearing the dickie while having it pinned can give you a much better finished look than if you simply try to pin the dickie inside the neck opening of the chosen shirt. If you dont have a helper you can accomplish the same feat by placing the dickie inside the neck of the shirt, laying them down flat and smoothing them out, then pinning the dickie in place. Start by pinning the dickie to the shoulder seams then work your way towards pinning the front. When that is done go back to the side seams and pin your way to the center back. If the dickie youre using is a turtle neck you could have a little trouble putting it under the machine by going through the dickie neck opening. Instead, position the neck area under the machine by going through the bottom of the shirt or dress. Start sewing at the back or at one of the shoulder seams. Itll be much easier to sew the dickie into a scoop-neck shirt or dress than, say, into a v-neck. With a v-neck youll have to be very careful to turn at the v-point just right. If you dont you can experience puckers at the "v" area. Other problems can occur if the dickie is stretchy and the over shirt is not. Take care not to tug or pull at the dickie while sewing. If you do you could end up with the dickie completely off-center. Things should go pretty smoothly if youre sewing a stretchy dickie into a stretchy shirt. Since the over shirt likely has stitching around the neckline youll have to create a second set of stitching just under or just over the original stitch line. Use the presser foot as a guide to keep the stitching perfectly spaced. Matching the thread is crucial to perfecting the dickie insertion without notice. If the thread is slightly off-color it will stand out like a sore thumb next to the original stitching. If you have trouble matching colors exactly take the shirt to a sewing supply store. They can help you choose the perfect thread color for this project. If youre not sure about the thickness of the thread you should use take the dickie along as well. They will help you choose the proper thread for the weight of the garments. If, after sewing in the dickie, you can see the outline of the edges of it under the shirt, youll need to trim it. Turn the shirt inside-out and trim the dickie close to the neckline of the outer shirt. When wearing the finished shirt you should not be able to see any outline of the dickie underneath. If youre sewing a dickie into a button-down shirt its much more complicated. The outer shirt must have at least the top and second button permanently open. The dickie is positioned into the shirt and sewn in at the shoulders and back neckline. The front, however, isnt stitched all the way around. Instead, tack it down by hiding a couple of stitches into the placket of the button-down. A stitch or two on each side of the placket will tack the dickie enough to keep it tucked in the front. Have fun sewing - and wearing - the new dickie shirts. They look fabulous and are easy to accomplish.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Personalized Graduation Cap Centerpiece
There are so many things to take care of when one of your children is graduating. You have to order the invitations and thank-you notes. You have to get senior pictures done. Its one thing after another - one expense after another. Theres not much you can do about some of the costs related to graduating but one thing youll need, that will cost you little, is a centerpiece for your celebration table. Make a centerpiece that looks like a graduation cap and, not only will the guests be impressed, but the graduate will be thrilled with the personalized attraction.
A cardboard box works great to form the top of the hat. The box should be square and very shallow. If you dont have such a box use a thick piece of cardboard - even glue cardboard squares together to make the cap thicker. Wrap the box or cardboard piece as if it were a gift. Center the box on black felt or fabric then pull the sides around to the back. Use hot glue or tape to secure. Cut a square of black fabric and glue it to the backside of the box so that it covers the whole back.
Use a large margarine bowl - or something similar - to form the headpiece of the cap. If the bowl is just the right size in diameter, but way too tall, simply cut it down to the size you need it to be. Wrap black felt or cloth around the bowl and glue in place. Theres no need to cover the bottom of the bowl. If you want, you can spray paint the inside of the bowl with black paint. Be sure you select a spray paint that works well with plastics. If you are going to spray paint the inside of the bowl do so before wrapping the sides with the fabric. Glue the fabric-wrapped box to the bowl bottom. The arrangement will sit on a table with the inside of the bowl facing the table. Purchase a tassel - if you can find one with the graduates school colors, or easily make your own. Browse a store that sells sewing notions and look at embroidery threads and similar threads. Purchase the colors needed then cut lengths of each to make the tassel. Take a rough measurement from the center of the cap to slightly below the margarine bowl. This measurement does not have to be exact. Cut six pieces of thread, each one twice the length of your rough estimate. Fold the threads in half and temporarily wrap a small rubber band around the top, going down a couple of inches from the fold before wrapping. Wrap a piece of foil - or a bendable metal piece - around the rubber band. Use a button in the center of the cap to hang the tassel. The button can be fabric-wrapped or just a decorative shank button. Other options include a nail button or a gimp tack. Cut one piece of thread and put it through the opening of the folded tassel threads. Tie it in a knot around the fold. Take the other end and wrap it around the button. Glue or otherwise secure the button to the center of the cap. Purchase small charms to hang on the tassel, like metallic numbers to represent the graduation year, and string them on a thread. Wrap this thread around the tassel before using the rubber band to secure. Now you can embellish the cap in any number of ways to personalize it for your particular graduate. For example, if the schools mascot is a lion, you can purchase a small stuffed lion and glue or set it by the cap. Whether you attach objects to the cap or not you can still personalize it by using fabric paints to write the school name, graduation year, and graduates name. Or, write the school slogan on the hat. There are many different things you can do to make the cap more personal. Instead of fabric paints you can glue on cloth letters or even appliques. All the guests at the party will be very impressed with the graduation cap centerpiece but dont be surprised if you see that centerpiece again soon. After all, the parents of future graduates were at your party and liked the centerpiece so much they had to make one themselves! Dont be upset with them, though, it only goes to show how much they appreciate your decorating style!
A cardboard box works great to form the top of the hat. The box should be square and very shallow. If you dont have such a box use a thick piece of cardboard - even glue cardboard squares together to make the cap thicker. Wrap the box or cardboard piece as if it were a gift. Center the box on black felt or fabric then pull the sides around to the back. Use hot glue or tape to secure. Cut a square of black fabric and glue it to the backside of the box so that it covers the whole back.
Use a large margarine bowl - or something similar - to form the headpiece of the cap. If the bowl is just the right size in diameter, but way too tall, simply cut it down to the size you need it to be. Wrap black felt or cloth around the bowl and glue in place. Theres no need to cover the bottom of the bowl. If you want, you can spray paint the inside of the bowl with black paint. Be sure you select a spray paint that works well with plastics. If you are going to spray paint the inside of the bowl do so before wrapping the sides with the fabric. Glue the fabric-wrapped box to the bowl bottom. The arrangement will sit on a table with the inside of the bowl facing the table. Purchase a tassel - if you can find one with the graduates school colors, or easily make your own. Browse a store that sells sewing notions and look at embroidery threads and similar threads. Purchase the colors needed then cut lengths of each to make the tassel. Take a rough measurement from the center of the cap to slightly below the margarine bowl. This measurement does not have to be exact. Cut six pieces of thread, each one twice the length of your rough estimate. Fold the threads in half and temporarily wrap a small rubber band around the top, going down a couple of inches from the fold before wrapping. Wrap a piece of foil - or a bendable metal piece - around the rubber band. Use a button in the center of the cap to hang the tassel. The button can be fabric-wrapped or just a decorative shank button. Other options include a nail button or a gimp tack. Cut one piece of thread and put it through the opening of the folded tassel threads. Tie it in a knot around the fold. Take the other end and wrap it around the button. Glue or otherwise secure the button to the center of the cap. Purchase small charms to hang on the tassel, like metallic numbers to represent the graduation year, and string them on a thread. Wrap this thread around the tassel before using the rubber band to secure. Now you can embellish the cap in any number of ways to personalize it for your particular graduate. For example, if the schools mascot is a lion, you can purchase a small stuffed lion and glue or set it by the cap. Whether you attach objects to the cap or not you can still personalize it by using fabric paints to write the school name, graduation year, and graduates name. Or, write the school slogan on the hat. There are many different things you can do to make the cap more personal. Instead of fabric paints you can glue on cloth letters or even appliques. All the guests at the party will be very impressed with the graduation cap centerpiece but dont be surprised if you see that centerpiece again soon. After all, the parents of future graduates were at your party and liked the centerpiece so much they had to make one themselves! Dont be upset with them, though, it only goes to show how much they appreciate your decorating style!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)