Love me some Dollar Store!

Today, I hopped on over to two different dollar stores to get some items for my Halloween wreath.

I haven't completed the wreath yet, but here's a spoiler of what it will include!

Check back later this week for more details!

Skeleton Hand Hair "Bows"

As I've mentioned before, I'm doing hair items now. I sell them through Facebook (it's the new etsy- without fees!), and have had some fun making new things.

A few weeks back, Dollarstorecrafts.com posted some fun Halloween ideas from last year- including a picture frame with a skeleton hand. I saw that hand, and just knew it would be great in a gothic inspiried hair "bow". You never know what people will like, want, or hate.

I was in a DT last week and found the packs of skeleton hands- 10/$1. I only grabbed one. I was quite a ways from home, and figured that I would be able to find them easily at any of the 4 other DT's between that one and our home. Lived to regret that, let me tell you!

These bows are fun and funky, without being cutesy for kids. Within the first day, I had an order for 3. I've so far sold 10 of them.

This post is linked up at many great parties! Check them all out here!

Flip Flop Appliques

I debated on whether or not to add this to the prior post about my Beach Bag, or to post a new post about the Flip Flops. Obviously, I chose a new post.

I was standing in my craft room this morning, lecturing the cats on why they do not get to climb around on Mommy's Craft Stuff, when I was hit with inspiration! Why not try my hand at an applique on the beach bag? I have never appliqued before, and wasn't sure if I was up to the task, but I decided to at least try it.

Here's the finished bag BEFORE adding the Flip Flops

You'll Need:
1 Finished Beach Bag- though, honestly, this would have been far easier to add on an unfinished beach bag!
Fabric Scraps- Bright colors are a must for summer fun!
Ribbon Scraps
Sewing Machine
Pre-school Writing Paper (you know, the kind with the huge lines for learning letters? It's lighter weight than regular paper, and worked great for a pattern)

1. I free hand drew a flip flop shape. If I, the drawing challenged, can do it, so can you. I only drew one, since the pattern could be "flip flopped" over to the other side for the matching Flip Flop. I also made a pattern for the "thong" part of the flip flop, but the fabric thong flopped, so I didn't use it.
2. Cut the pattern out of your fabric, making sure to turn the pattern over for the second flip flop. This should give you a pair of flip flops.
3. Fold your ribbon into a V shape, and pick a spot on the toe area where you want it added. Leave extra hanging off- I didn't, and my first one didn't meet up to the edge exactly. Oops! Once it's in place, prepare to sew.
4. I used a cute little star shaped stitch to go straight down the middle of the ribbon, and I used pink thread. The ribbon I chose had a green stitch mark along both sides, and I didn't want to cover that, so I went with a decorative stitch. A straight or zig zag would also work fine.
5. Once the ribbon is added, position the flip flops on your bag where you want them, and pin them into place- you won't use more than 2-3 pins each, or they'll wrinkle a bit. After the first few stitches on mine, I removed the pins all together. For my stitch, I once again chose decorative, and used a wavy line to stitch all the way around the flip flop. It worked great, and allowed me to move the fabric around without it looking like it was messing up the stitch at all. Repeat on flip flop number two, and you are done!

Being a first timer, it took me maybe 15 minutes to do this, start to finish. I used the slowest stitch speed on my machine, then increased it to just below the medium stitch speed. I tend to mess up more at high speeds, so slow and easy did it for me.

Cost- Free! Use scraps!!

Isn't it a cute addition to my beach bag? I love it- seriously, it really makes it look beachy! Not bad for $4!

Summer- please come soon, ok?

This post is linked up at the link parties listed here. 

Talented Tuesday!

Interested in sponsoring next week's Talented Tuesday post with your own crafts, shop items, or a tutorial? Check out the details here!

For today's post, I'm featuring a trio of Dollar Store crafts I did over the weekend. All small, quick projects, but fun! First up is a craft I made for this week's challenge over at Dollar Store Crafts. The challenge required the use of place mats. 


We've seen purses, pillows, even diaper wipe covers made from them. I didn't want to do something I've seen before, but I was stumped. Finally, I saw something in the store that was perfect- belts. Thus, my idea was born.


Dollar Store Beach Bag


You'll Need:
2 woven belts
2 woven placemats
Scissors
Sewing Machine
10 minutes- yes, 10 minutes.

1. First, cut the end tab and the buckle off the belt. I cut a bit of excess off at the buckle, in case I find a use for them at some point.
2. Pin the placemats wrong side out together, end to end. Sew the short ends together. 
3. These belts were so thick, I could not pin the belts into place. I had to hold them into place as I sewed. I did my best to match them- you'll see how well THAT went later. I just sewed them so that the two ends were both on the same side of the placemat- it forms an upside down U so that the "handles" go all the way down the bag. Did that make sense?
4. Once the handles are sewn on both sides, turn the bag inside out again, and just do a quick zig zag across the bottom. I clipped the corners to try and get straight corners when I turned it right side out. I failed.

Notes-

This was SUPER easy, and is somewhat customizable, though it really depends on the colors of place mats available at any given time, and the availability of the belts. You could mix and match colors, or check your local thrift store, as well.  

Costs:

$4 total- $1 each for place mats, and $1 each for 2 belts.

Want some cute Flip Flop appliques on your bag? Check out the tutorial I made for that! I added cute little Flip Flops to my bag today, and posted all about it.



Next, how about some SUPER quickies?


Flower & Butterfly Magnets

You'll Need:

Sheer Butterflies (2 large for $1 or 3 medium for $1 at DT)
Ribbon & Flower sets ($1 for 2 ribbons & a few assorted single color flowers at DT)
Hot Glue
Magnets (a great way to use up promotional magnets!)
Wire Cutters

1. First, the butterflies each have wire on the back- clip that off with the wire cutters, or OLD, CRAPPY scissors (not new ones, or good ones!!)
2. Add a dot of hot glue to a magnet, and press the butterfly onto a magnet.
3. For the flowers, I did 2 layer, 2 color flowers. Glue a small flower onto a larger flower, then glue it onto a magnet.

 Costs- $2

These will be another magnet set for my niece Alex's magnet board that I made for her birthday!

And for 1 last Dollar Store craft...

Bunny Picks

These are something cute I found on the DSC's website, and they were too adorable not to make! Especially since I had EVERYTHING on hand! I had extra egg picks from making a quick wreath, so waste not, want not!

You'll Need:

Egg Picks, or Plastic Eggs
Pom Poms- White & colors
Googly Eyes
Hot Glue
Felt- White & colors

1. Cut bunny ears in 2 colors, with white being smaller than the color. Glue the smaller portion onto the larger portion.
2. Glue the ears to the egg on the backside, so the white middle is showing to the front.
3. Take 2 white pom poms and 1 colorful pom pom. Glue them together in a triangle.
4. Glue the triangle to the bottom front of the egg, with the color forming the top point of the triangle.
5. Glue two google eyes to the front of the egg, above the triangle.
6. Lather, Rinse, Repeat! You're done!

Costs:

FREE or up, depending on what you have on hand! I was able to make 5!

Don't they look cute in my flowers? I had stuffed all the fake flowers I had into a vase simply for storage. I did the same with the bunnies, but now? I think they'll wind up going on the table on Easter Sunday.

This post is linked up at the link parties listed here. 

Now... without further ado.... Talented Tuesday!

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The Rules

1) Post a blog about something you've made- a refurnish, recipes, a craft project, a sewing project, room decoration, anything you've done!

2) Add a link to your blog post- not to the blog itself, but to the individual posts! You can post more than one project, just add more links! The links should look something like:

http://theherberfamily.blogspot.com/2010/01/love-banner.html

and NOT like this:

http://theherberfamily.blogspot.com/

3) Add the code below to each post you link to the MckLinky, so that others can post their projects here as well! The list will accept new links through Saturday, so if you make something new, come back and post it! Don't forget to look at the links on the list, and let people know where you found their post at!

This MckLinky will remain open and accepting links through Thursday evening!! 

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<a border="0" href="http://theherberfamily.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv318/princessspanky/tt1.png" /></a>

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Aunt Deb's Wall

My Aunt recently bought a lovely new house, and with that lovely new house, came lovely empty walls. Which, of course, she would like filled. Going on very little, this is what I came up with for her new dining room. The room has 1 wall painted sage green, and she added a sand colored table runner and table cloth to the table.

You'll Need:

Mod Podge
1" bristle paint brush (3/$1 at DT)
Wooden Embellishments ($1.99 at Hobby Lobby, $2.99 at Michaels)
Scrapbook Paper
Paint
Distress Ink (I used a color called Peeled Paint)
3 Saints pictures from DT
Sand Paper

The wooden embellishments

1. Because the paint will need time to dry, start this process first. I painted my embellishments all Ivory color. I wound up needing 2 coats, but next time, I think I'd choose to use spray paint for reasons I'll note below.
2. Once the embellishment is covered and dry, water down your brush, and use a second color. I choose Moss Green. Water down the paint with the brush, and cover the object, paying close mind to fill in crevices, creases, dimples, etc. Let it set for just a moment, then use a slightly damp paper towel to wipe the paint off. This should leave just a slight hint of color in the creases.
3. After it has dried completely again, I took my Peeled Paint distress ink, and just brushed it against the surface, so that some ridges were brushed with a deep sage green color.

Note about these embellishments:

I'm not sure if it was the paint I used, or the quality of the wooden embellishments, but every last one of them showed little surface cracks, and the tops were peeling from the backs after I painted them. Given that I used 4 different packs, and 3 different designs, I think it was the quality of the embellishments, and not the paint. One of them even had to be glued together. I have used these once before, and spray painted them first, and they did not do this. Maybe it was a bad lot, but given that it was 4 packs and 3 different designs, I'm not sure.

The picture

1.  Sand the surface of your picture down, first. The Mod Podge will adhere better. Once it is sanded, make sure to thou roughly wipe it down, so that the dust is all gone.
2. Measure the paper- I measured it wide enough to wrap around the edges. Cut it out, and set it aside. 
3. Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the front of the picture. I chose to use Matte finished. Once it's coated, smooth the paper on. In my case, I turned the paper upside down, and put the picture down on it so I could more easily center it. Using pressure, your hand, your distress ink- whatever you have, smooth out the paper as it dries, to limit or eliminate wrinkles. 
4. Once it's dry, choose your next paper. For my second paper, I ripped a sheet of cream colored, slightly pearlized scrapbook paper in half, then tore the remaining edges. Once torn, I distressed each edge.
5. Mod podge the paper onto the center, paying close attention to smoothing out wrinkles. If you are happy with the over all picture at this point, and have no desire to add to the basic design, Mod Podge over the entire surface for a top coat, and let dry.
6. Once it's dry, take your now dry wooden embellishments, arrange them how you like, and hot glue them into place.
7. Lastly, seal the wood with a coat of Mod Podge.

 My total costs:

Wooden Embellishments: $8
Scrapbook Paper: $1.35
Saints Pictures- $3
Paint, Ink, Mod Podge- Pennies, it was on hand, and reusable

Total Cost: Roughly $12.50 for 3 8x10 Wall Hangings

This post is linked up at the link parties listed here.

Dollar Store Magnet Board

Last week, I was the guest host at one of my favorite craft sites, Dollar Store Crafts. The project I made for the site is a magnet board, which was made for very little money, and totally customized.

I had meant to post about it here as well, and never got around to it. Here are a few pictures of the board I made, and a link to the tutorial over at DSC's!

This would make a cute picture frame, and a totally customizable gift for a graduate, bride, or teacher!

This post is linked up at the link parties listed here.