Monday, January 28, 2013

Lampshade UP-Style DIY

Not sure if you're a dumpster diver like me, but I found this chandelier a while ago and it has been through MANY incarnations. Since I found it on the side of the road I have no problem using it for my different projects.  I finally decided on gold with Mixed Media lampshades....but that could change next week.   For now, here's how I made the shades and if I make more, I'll share those, too.  Deal?  Deal!  By the way, just use your home copy machine for images and go to town.  Any kind of trim will do, too!  Happy crafting my lovely friends!
Here's the how-to video just in case!
My chandelier
Before the trim
If you don't have enough crystals, try beads or sparkly ribbon from the 99c store!

 You'll need:
Book pages
Glue gun
E-6000 Spray Adhesive
Scissors
Paper lampshades
Images from your home copy machine
Minwax Polycrylic
Trim of your choice
Cut your book pages in strips the length of the lampshade.  Don't worry about being too precise, you can trim later.
Spray the pages with E-6000 spray adhesive.  If you can't find it yet, use some white school glue and a paintbrush
 Apply them to your shade covering all of it.
 Let dry for about 25 minutes
Trim the excess off of the edges 
Cut out your images. I love birds and butterflies. Dover Publications has great clip art books.
Using the Minwax Polycrylic, apply them to your lampshade
Hot glue trim around the edges of the shade 
 
You're done! 

Friday, January 25, 2013

Sharpie plates (I finally found the time to try this!)

The ULTIMATE Sharpie dish test.  I've been seeing this project everywhere and I finally found some time to try it out.  I think it worked pretty well.  Don't use a scrubber on these! You might want to use these for things like keys or change instead of food.  A sponge and some soap will do the trick for washing without wear and tear.  *MY BEST SUGGESTION is to find the porcelain pens and use those if you're going to try this!  Why not have this project forever? Have fun! Make sure to check out the accompanying video and leave me a comment.  Big hugs everyone!
 One is for me, the others are for friends

Here's the how to video!
You'll need 
Cheap Ikea dishes
Alcohol
Sharpie marker
Pencil
Paper towel 
 Clean your plate with alcohol
 Trace on your initial with pencil
Trace it with a Sharpie 
Draw around your edge 
Fill it in with tiny lines going in different directions 
Fill in the letter 
 Go back and fill in some random lines here and there.  This reminds me of Fruit Stripe Gum!

Bake at 350 for half and hour and let cool in the oven
Here you go!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Mold and Cast OR Blue Baby Bindi Bangles!

My friend Simone (www.FaveCrafts.com) and (@spazzgirl on twitter) truly wonders why I'm obsessed with baby doll heads.  She seems to be more obsessed with the fact that I'm obsessed with them than I am actually obsessed with them. Does that make sense?  It's early!  Truth is I am TEAM BABY HEAD all the way. I like to work with things that have a soul, a life, expression.  I like faces and shapes that represent living things. It's my "thing" you could say.  If you're not team baby head, that's fine.  You can use this technique to make molds of anything!  Check out the Smooth-cast 300.  You will LOVE this stuff!  Also check out the mold making putty from Ranger.  It makes a reusable rubber mold in 10 minutes!  Finally, you must get some of these Lumiere Metallic Paints. They are just beautiful.
Baby Bangles and Clutch
Here's the how to video!
Ring close-up 
Blue Baby Bindi Bangles
 Here's what you'll need:
Smooth-cast 300 (Amazon.com)
Melt Art Mold-n-Pour molding putty (Createforless.com)
Lumiere Metallic Paint (Createforless.com)
Paintbrush
Plastic spoons
Plastic cup
Metal bangle
Ring flat
Baby head or object you like
Mix equal parts of the putty together and knead them together as quickly as possible (1 minute is good) 
Create a ball 
Take your object (make sure it's free of dirt) 
Gently press it in to your ball 
In 10 minutes you'll have a reusable rubber mold! 
Mix equal parts of your Smooth-Cast 300 (such great stuff) 

Pour in to your molds and let sit for about 15 minutes 
Remove your hardened plastic pieces 
Paint them with the Jacquard Lumiere paints 
 When dry, glue them to your bangles
and to your ring flats.  Add some rhinestones, too.
Go Team Baby Head! 




Tuesday, January 15, 2013

JUST GLOVELY!

Not sure if you know this (probably) but I really dig the 99c store.  When I used to ride a motorcycle (ok, scooter) I had about 50 pairs of knit gloves in the seat storage because my hands were always cold.   Plus, it's just a good idea to wear gloves when you ride.  In THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS 2 I used those 99c store gloves for an entire chapter and this project is one of them.  Just because your knit gloves cost 99c, doesn't mean they can't look like that cost a fortune, right?!  
Here's what we're making!
Here's the how-to video (You're gonna luv it!)
Here's what you'll need:
Sewing machine
Matching thread
99c store knit gloves
Matching fabric (I used wool)
Scissors
Iron
Cut 2 pieces of fabric 12" x 18"
Fold one in half (matching the 12" edges) and stitch across it using 1/2" seam allowance
Fold it in half and press
Insert the glove matching the raw edges of the folded fabric to the cuff of the knit glove
Stretch the glove and stitch the cuff of the glove to the edge of your fabric

Turn right side out and repeat!
Love them!