Quick Craft

Yesterday, I drove for the first time in nearly two weeks. I went to Goodwill, Dollar Tree, and Walmart. Oh, how I've missed driving!

I did a quick mod podge craft last night to take to my mom this morning. It's just an office post-it note holder, made with one of those acrylic photo frames that slide the photo in. You cut paper to fit on the outside, mod podge it on, mod podge over it, add embellishments, and viola!

For the post it pad, I found decorative ones at DT. Peel the back off, and stick to the frame.

 

 

 

Linked up with the sites listed here.

Magnetic Christmas Clips

As I sat at my craft desk today, waiting for inspiration to strike, I started to sort through my bottom drawer. It's where all sorts of odds and ends are swept, or stored, waiting for a future project. Right under a ginormous bag of clothes pins was a box of small red and silver Christmas ornaments. Some are shiny, some are sparkly. All of them were beautiful.

The clothes pins were a pick up I found at Goodwill, probably close to a year ago now. I saw them, that huge, beautiful bag of clothes pins, and I just knew they were a crafting gift from some former crafter, right to me, a present crafter.

But alas, inspiration never hit, and they got stashed away in my bedroom. When I recently started to really go head first back into crafting, I rediscovered them.

I'm rambling again, aren't I? All right, let's get on with the tutorial.

Christmas Magnet Clips

You'll Need:
Small ornaments, buttons, or bells
Hinged Clothes Pins
Hot Glue
Magnet Strips (Tip- save all those odd-ball, flat printed promotional magnets you get, and cut them up to use for projects like this!)
Ribbon

1. Start by cutting out strips of both magnet and ribbon the length and width of the clothing pins. If the ribbon is prone to fraying, use your favorite no-fray method. There are products available, or you could just use a dab of glue on the ends.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Spread a thin layer of hot glue on one side, and smooth the magnet onto the pin.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Spread another thin layer of hot glue on the other side, and smooth the ribbon onto it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Position your embellishment on top, and figure out how much and where to put the glue, then spread thin layers of hot glue to the places where you need it. Press the embellishment firmly into place, and let dry.
   
   

These clips are super easy, and while not original, they are fun, and cheap to make. You can use them to showcase your child's artwork, photos, shopping lists, or just about anything, really!

My total cost was FREE, because it was items I had on hand. To go out and purchase the items, though, would still be pretty inexpensive.

Christmas Ornaments- $1 for 12 at Dollar Tree
Clothing Pins- $1 for 24 at Dollar Tree
Ribbon- 3-4 yards for $2 at Walmart

I picked up a multi-pack of Christmas ribbon over at the Target Dollar Spot- $1 for 6 spools of thin Holiday printed ribbons. The downside is that each spool contains just 18 inches of ribbon. Right now, they have 2 sets. The first is traditional Christmas- red, green, white, with some solids and some patterns. The other is pinks, purples, blues, with checkered material, and snowflake material. At 18", it's just right for small bows, or making one of these clips! Or rather 6-8 of these clips per ribbon. I only used a small section and made 3.

It would be easy enough to make a dozen of these for around $2-$2.50 total.

Good luck! Don't forget, if you see something here that you like, and make, share your photos with us! I would love to see things I've helped inspire.

In the above photo, you'll see my lovely little snowflake Christmas candle holder, again, right? Well, note the small one next to it! I was at Goodwill (yes, again) the other night, and found that little guy. It's a picture frame that can be hung as an ornament, or it has the stand on the back to stand it up. The enamal is a really deep red, but unless it's directly under a bright light, it looks black. I just love it next to the big one, though, since it matches it so well!

A Children's Apron: ReDo

Last week, I posted my adventures with the first apron I had tried my hand at. While the apron came out cute, it was way too long for most kids. It came to my knees, or slightly past them. I finally got around to fixing it last night, and love how it turned out.

For reference, here is a BEFORE shot, taken after completing it the first time.




The problem I had, was that the design on the towel was mainly on the lower portion, leaving me with no choice but to cut it off. I did so, and then swiftly helped all of it's edges, and turned it into a pocket on the front of the apron. I love how it turned out!






At the last moment, I added a bow, after I had taken the "finished" shots, so here's a closeup of the cute little bow!



I have 3 aprons done now, and I think I'm going to make 1 more, in a boyish "workshop" style, if I can find the right gear.

Rice + Fabric = WARMTH

Several years back, my mother had surgery done at the base of her skull, where her spine meets her head. It was for a rare condition called Arnold Chiari Malformation. With the surgery comes a long, highly uncomfortable, sometimes down right painful recovery.

It was during this time that I went to a craft show with my Grandma, and stumbled upon homemade heating pads. The note said it could be used cold or hot, and had instructions on how to use it. It was inexpensive, so I picked one up, and sent it home with my Grandma, so she could give it to my mom.

Fast forward a year or two, and I found out exactly what that homemade heating pad was. It was simply rice and fabric, nothing more, nothing less.

Since then, I've made these myself as gifts, and for myself. They are really handy to have around.

Homemade Heating Pad

What You'll Need:
Flannel fabric
Uncooked, Non-instant rice (very important! Instant will NOT work!)
Thread
Sewing Machine or Needle
Ribbon*
Aroma Therapy Bath Quality Oil*

1. Take the flannel, and make a square, rectangle, or oval shape about the size of a text book, give or take a bit. You will want 2 pieces the same size.
2. Once you have cut your shape, put them together, face to face if there is a pattern. Sew it together with a zig zag stitch on 3 sides, leaving the 4th side open, then turn it right side out.
3. Fill the fabric bag half way with the rice, then fold the unstitched edge together, and sew it shut with a zig zag stitch.

I usually add a handle to one side using grosgrain ribbon (the fabric ribbon with a ridged texture to it). To do this, insert one end in between the fabric at one corner, then insert the other edge into the opposite corner, so that the ribbon is sandwiched between the fabric before it is sewn. You want the handle to be on one end on the outside once it's been turned right side out.

To add aroma therapy oils, put the rice into a rubbermaid bowl with a lid. Drop just a few drops of oil onto the rice, then seal the bowl, and shake, shake, shake! If the scent isn't too strong, you can add just a few more drops, but be careful not to overly saturate any of the rice. If it's soggy, it will cook when warmed up!

How To Use It:

• As A Heating Pad: Microwave 1-3 minutes, depending on the size. It will create a moist heat that is portable.
• As An Ice Pack: Store it in the freezer, and use when needed. Warm at room temperature before using it as a heating pad.

The rice is usually pretty cheap. The flannel can be found at JoAnn's in the remanent section for 50-75% off the retail price. This allows for a large selection of patterns & colors.

I made these one year for Christmas, and just about every year since, I get requests for more, because they are so handy to have around. One aunt tells me her pad seems to walk off on it's own after people use it!

If you are in need of a heating pad for yourself, and want one right away, without the sewing, you can fill a clean tube sock about half way, and simply knot the end. These can come in handy for when you need something right away.

Thanksgiving Kids Crafts

These are more of those craft ideas that can help keep little hands busy while the adults make their Thanksgiving Feast. It would also make for a fun school craft while talking about Thanksgiving.

Harvest Necklace

What You'll Need:
Thread or Fishing line
Needle
Cheerios
Dried Fruit- Raisins, Apricots, Apples, Cranberries, etc
Popped Corn

This is a simple project, just stringing things on a thread. Set each child up with a length of thread or fishing line, knotted on one end, and threaded through a needle on the other side.

Let the kids do an assortment or pattern of the foods provided on the thread. When it's close to full, take it off the needle, and tie together like a necklace for the kids to wear, and snack on!

Candy Cornucopia

What You'll Need:
Sugar Waffle Cones
Fruit Shaped Candies or cereal or Nuts & Dried Fruit
Decorating frosting with a writing tip

Have the kids or an adult write their names on the side of the waffle cone. Once it's dried, let the kids scoop some candies or dried fruit & nuts into the cone for their own cornucopia Thanksgiving treat!

Thumbprint Turkey Placecards

What You'll Need:
Ink pads in various fall colors- browns, golds, oranges, reds, and yellows
Black & Red Marker
Construction Paper or Card Stock

• Press a thumb into the inkpad and then on paper to print a turkey's body. Use the same technique with fingertips to create a head and feathers.

• Use markers to add a beak, wattle and feet.

• Complete the cards by writing in guests' names

Most of all- have fun, and enjoy your upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday!

Thanksgiving Turkey Treat Holder

Once Halloween passes, it's all too easy to rush right past Thanksgiving, and zoom towards Christmas. Planning, decorating, shopping... it can take over! Thanksgiving is a holiday rich in tradition, and family. Here is a craft idea I found online today, that I think would make for a fun weekend project. It would be inexpensive, and would make for a fun addition to any Thanksgiving table this November!

Turkey Treat Holder

What You'll Need:
Small Terra Cotta Pots- probably votive candle sized.
Sheets of foam or felt in red, yellow, orange, & brown
Googly eyes
Glue
Candy

• Start by cutting 5 "feather" shapes from the red, yellow, & orange colored foam or felt. You'll want an assortment, with 5 total 'feathers'.
• Cut a heart shape from the red foam or felt, and a small triangle from the orange felt or foam.
• Next, cut a long oval from the brown foam or felt. This will be your turkey's head.
• Glue the googly eyes in place on the head, near one end. Glue the orange triangle just below it, with one of the points aiming towards the side.
• Glue the heart onto the bottom of the pot, so that the two rounded humps stick out like feet.
• Glue the feathers into place on the back, over lapping them from the center outward in a fan shape.
• Once the eyes & beak are dry, glue the head onto the front of the pot.
• When the turkey is completely dry, fill with candy, and set them out.
  

If you are having a large gathering, these would make for a good craft to keep the younger group busy while the adults make the meals.

Gifts Kids Can Make

I have 3 kids, and a whole lot of extended family. While we no longer try to buy for everyone, I do like to give something to as many people as I can, even if it's something small. This year, we are focusing on homemade gifts, such as the Christmas Dishtowel Angel.

With 3 kids, there is no reason not to involve them in the process as well! What Grandparent doesn't love a small homemade ornament, or a card? Or hand print art? While Christmas is still 2 months away, now is the time to get started on craft projects, so that you don't feel so rushed when December arrives. I like to set aside a Saturday with no other plans, and let the kids get creative.

Here are a few idea's I've been looking at to help get the kids into the spirit, and to help cut back on our Christmas gift costs.

Reindeer Pots

What You'll Need:
Scissors
Craft Glue, Hot Glue, or Glue Dots (school glue won't cut it on this one)
Terracotta clay pots- any size you want, but a 4-5" would work nice
Plastic google eyes
Red pom-poms- glittery or non
Three shades of brown craft foam, cardstock paper, or construction paper- your choice.
Tulle or netting to wrap candy in unless the candy is wrapped already
Pretty ribbon if you use the tulle or netting
Holiday Candy

You are going to need to make 2 antlers (dark brown), 2 large ears (medium brown), and 2 slightly smaller ears (light brown) to be the 'inside' of the ear. You'll also need 2 eyes, and 1 red nose.

If you have a larger pot, the easiest way to make the ears is using a child's hand to trace the shape. With the smaller pots, simply draw an ear shape on the medium you choose from the darkest brown color.

Glue the middle ear to the bigger ear, then glue that to the middle bottom of the antlers. Glue the antlers to the inside rim of the pot in the back.

Glue the eyes to the middle of the front of the pot, and the red pom pom nose under that, near the bottom of the pot.

Fill with wrapped candies, or make a tulle or net bag to wrap candies such as M & M's into. Voila- a cute reindeer candy dish to give away. This is great for teachers.

Beaded Ornaments

What you'll need:
Pony beads in assorted colors
Tinsel pipe cleaners
Jingle Bells

This is basically just bead stringing, and twisting the wire to create shapes.

Similar to the Holiday Napkin Rings, you can make a snowman. Bead about 18-20 beads in the middle, then twist to create the bigger snowball. String 12-14 beads onto the remaining portion, leaving enough space to twist the strands together on top.

Cut 3 pipe cleaners in half. Laying flat, twist two of them together in the middle to create a cross shape. Use the remaining two to create an X shape on top of the cross. String 3 beads towards the center of each strand to create a sparkling snow flake.

Use a gold pipe cleaner to form a bell- fold the pipe cleaner in half, and pinch a small bit of the bed to twist. Fluff it out to a circle to create a hanger. Now, shape the two end strands into a small bell shape, bending the ends towards each other to form the bottom. String 1 small jingle bell to the bottom center as you twist the ends together.

These ornaments make a great addition to a tag on top of a gift, and take hardly any time at all.

Christmas Puzzle Frame

What You'll Need:
Assorted puzzle pieces, any size
Red paint
Green paint
Paint brush
Glue
An old picture frame- this works better if the frame is flat, and not decorative with edges and bumps, and designs
Thin holiday ribbon
Glitter

Have the kids paint the puzzle pieces green or red, leaving an assortment of both. While still wet, the kids can sprinkle glitter onto the pieces. Once they are dry, the child can start gluing them to the frame, covering the whole outer side of it. Let this dry flat over night.

Once it's dry, tie a bow to place in the top corner, then run ribbon trails across the top, and down the side, gluing them into place here and there to create a bump going down it.

You can add a pretty picture from a past holiday if you would like, or the kids school photo, or leave it empty. This is a great craft for all those puzzles that are missing a piece or two.

The frame is my own directions, based on doing this when I was younger. Here are some alternate plans I found online, which differ, but could be a lot more frugal!

Christmas Puzzle Frame Alternate Directions

Glittery Holiday Napkin Rings

With two large holidays creeping up on us, I'm looking for new ideas for crafts that the kids can help create, and that will tie in with our holiday fun.

Today, as I was searching up ideas, I came across easy to make glittery napkin rings. These are listed as a Christmas craft, but I think it would make a nice addition to any nice holiday dinner table. I plan to have the kids make a set for Thanksgiving, and for Christmas.

Sparkly Glittery Napkin Rings

What you'll need:

Sparkly tinsel pipe cleaners
Pony beads in an assortment of colors- use translucent for the tinsel to shine through

1. For each ring, string 24 beads into the center of the pipe cleaner, leaving about 2 inches open on either end.
   
2. Once they are on, twist the two ends together a few times.
   
3. You can either use wire cutters to snip the excess ends off, or twist them into curly q's to sit on the top of the napkin.

Some ideas:

Use red & white to make a candy cane motif.
Use gold tinsel, yellow, orange, and red beads for a Harvest theme at Thanksgiving.
For a night time meal, use silver and blue colors, for a Starry Night theme.
Pick up some cute, shaped buttons at a craft store to string into the middle.

To tie a theme in, have the kids string the left over beads onto the left over pipe cleaners, in the same colors. Bead them about 1/2 way up, securing a knot at the end, so the beads stay in place. Twist the pipe cleaner to make a long curly q, and hang them from the ceiling to dangle over the table just below your light from fish string.