Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Dress Up Your Liquor Bottles with Doll Clothes

Okay, if youre a guy, you probably dont want your booze bottles all dressed up in dolly clothes. But if youre a gal its a cute way to do something different and catch the eye of your visitors. It only takes a couple of seconds to dress your bottles - all of them or some of them - especially if you have a daughter or a little girl in the house.

Slightly used doll clothes are perfect for dressing up your bottles. There are certain articles of clothing, though, which work best. Shirts that are about the same in length as the bottle are great. Those shirts should have short sleeves for the best look. In addition, shirts you choose should have a small neckline rather than a "v" neck or scoop neck. Shirts that button down are great. Even short dresses work well to doll up your booze bottles.

Whether you have a bottle you keep on your night stand, or a cabinet containing several bottles, the little doll outfits will not only conceal the bottle, if thats what you want, but can also jazz up the look of the bottles. Dress up one bottle, a couple of bottles, or all of them. If you have no doll clothes start looking for them at local yard sales and flea markets. You can also check variety stores and secondhand stores. Doll clothes are a dime a dozen so you shouldnt have too much trouble finding something suitable. Take a general measurement of the bottles you have at home and look for clothes that will be approximately that size in length. If you dont find what you want you can always look in stores which sell doll clothes to find the perfect outfit. You can take the bottle dressing a step further and make heads for the "dolls". A large wooden bead can serve as the head. Youll find beads which have only one hole at most craft stores. The beads are meant to be "caps" for dollhouse fences, staircases and other crafts. Use a marker to draw on a face. Even glue on doll hair if you wish. The finished wooden head can be easily slipped on and off the bottle at any time. If you like dressing up your liquor bottles, but dont care if theyre not completely covered, you can even make little grass skirts for them. Purchase the grass skirt with bra top at craft stores or make your own. Use raffia to create the skirt and scrap cloth to make the bra top. Youll find leis, tiny straw umbrellas and other accessories at a craft store. Similar items that can be used to make skirts for the liquor bottles include fringe and even curtain tassels. You dont necessarily have to use the doll clothes to cover booze bottles. If you just want to display some unique doll clothes in an unusual manner you can use most any bottle underneath the dress or shirt. Dress up the bottles and display them on top of the fridge or a shelf in the kitchen. They dressed up bottles even look cute in a bathroom or bedroom. It only takes a second to slip a shirt or dress onto a bottle. Instantly the bottle becomes a display for intriguing doll clothing designs. If youre someone that collects doll clothes its an interesting way to show them off. If not, just conceal a single bottle, whenever you wish, by sliding the outfit over the bottle. Youll enjoy the look of the dressed up bottles and what a conversation piece! All of your guests will notice the bottles - if you choose for them to - but placed in discreet places the dressed bottles can go completely unnoticed. Use the doll clothes to cover cooking oil or condiments in the kitchen, lotion bottles in the bathroom or even perfume bottles in the bedroom. What a cute look!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Art Supply Caddy Kids Make from Egg Cartons

If your family eats a lot of eggs you would be amazed at how many of those styrofoam egg cartons you throw away in a years time. The next time you get ready to toss one, remember that there are all sorts of things you can make with them. One of these things is an art supply holder for little kids. Theyll love helping to make it and theyll thoroughly enjoy using it during art time at home.

Cut the Styrofoam egg carton down the center, lengthways. Turn it upside down. Now poke a hole in the top of each section of the carton. The holes you poke will become the holders for crayons, markers, pencils, pens or similar items.

You can create a caterpillar from the egg carton by adding a few craft supplies. Start with chenille pipe cleaners in the color you choose. The furry pipe cleaners can be cut into pieces that form legs. Cut one pipe cleaner into four pieces then bend the pieces to form the legs. Stick the end of one pipe cleaner piece into the side of one egg carton section. Do this for each section then do the same thing to the other side. So, after adding the legs youll have six legs on each side. Now youll take two more pipe cleaner pieces to form the antennae. Stick them in the top of the first section of the egg carton. You can embellish the antenna by gluing a tiny jewel onto the top of each antenna. You can purchase wiggly eyes to glue on or you can just draw the eyes on with a marker. There are many ways to decorate the caterpillar art supply holder. Give the caterpillar a mouth formed from a strip of red felt, a red marker, or even a piece of red licorice. Or, purchase a set of stickers that form a face, and affix them to the caterpillar. You dont necessarily have to use the egg cartons which are made from Styrofoam. You can use the cardboard types as well. You can make the caterpillar longer, by adding on another half of an egg carton, or you can make it smaller by using only three or four sections of the carton. By adding on another section you can then have one section that holds, say, crayons, with a second section that holds markers. Or, the entire caterpillar can hold an array of colored pencils. The supplies you use the caterpillar to hold are up to you. You can make a different caterpillar that can hold other things besides writing instruments. Cut the carton in half, but instead of turning it over, leave the concave side of the sections facing upward. Attach the legs, eyes and antennae as you did before. Now the little cups can hold paper clips, fake jewels, buttons, and many other types of supplies. Place two of the half cartons next to each other and make a two-headed caterpillar. Kids really love helping with this project and there are so many different ways to embellish it. You can even attach a separate head, without using one of the egg carton cups as a head. Things you can use to make a head include pom-poms, a small rubber ball, a ping-pong ball, or even a ball of tissue. Glue on eyes and antennae then glue the head onto the first cup of the egg carton. Instead of using chenille sticks for the legs you can use sticks, toothpicks or even sections cut from straws. Youre not limited by having to use craft supplies; look around the house and youll find all sorts of things you can use instead. You and your kids will really enjoy this easy art supply project. If you have an empty carton of eggs you can make two caterpillar caddies today! The project will give kids something to do on a rainy day and theyll create something they can use for years.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Your Un-level Bed Could Be the Cause of Your Backaches

After a recent injury I was forced to live with excruciating back pain, legs that felt like electricity was running through them, and throbbing that caused a toothache feeling in legs. Im still not completely healed but I have gotten much better. The problem was - and is - a pinched sciatic nerve. Since I did not opt for surgery Ive searched for other forms of relief from my pain.

Over the past several months Ive spent weeks on heating pads, endless hours dazed from pain medications, and even resorted to visiting a chiropractor. Although some things I tried did ease my pain somewhat nothing made the pain just go away. I was to the point where I did consider the surgery which can sometimes leave the patient in worse shape than they were previously. Before I finally opted for that surgery, though, a friend suggested I take a good look at my bed.

I immediately dismissed the bed idea because I had recently purchased a brand new box springs and mattress. Naturally I thought a brand new set would be perfectly fine and there couldnt possibly be any connection between it and my troubles. The subject of the bed came up several times, over the course of my ordeal, and one day I finally decided to run some tests on the bed to see if there was any validity to what she was saying. Her suggestion was to place a level on the mattress to ensure the bed was sitting level. We did just that, and lo and behold, the bed actually wasnt level! The problem wasnt with my new box springs and mattress. The problem was actually the floor. Seems the floor was slightly down hill at one corner of the bed. Sitting the level on the bed, first vertically then horizontally, allowed me to see that with my own eyes. Homes have a settling process that takes place over many years. This settling can cause everything from weakening supports to causing un-level floors. The floor could be braced up again, but in the meanwhile, we created a temporary wedge for the corner of the bed. Im here to tell you that I began to improve almost immediately! I started sleeping better, with less tossing and turning, and the back pain has almost completely disappeared. Within the month I was walking better and the electrical feeling in my legs had diminished considerably. Although Im not completely healed and still have some pain, some tingling and some restless nights, my condition has improved to the point where I rarely have back pain and I can walk much better than before. Im not suggesting that anyone with sciatic nerve problems has an issue with their bed, or that leveling your bed will instantly make your health improve. It is a good idea, though, to check your bed just in case it really is un-level. Because of the design of some mattresses it may be necessary to first lay a board on the bed before positioning the level on the board. Check the level both vertically and horizontally on the mattress. There are many different ways to level a bed including floor repair, placing a wedge under a particular area of the bed, or even the placing of boards between the box springs and mattress. If your bed turns out to be un-level try one of these methods for leveling it. A pinched sciatic nerve is a serious matter. It can cause extreme pain in the back and legs, tingling, loss of feeling in the extremities, throbbing of the extremities, and other serious pain. Although you might not get instantly better after leveling your bed you may very well be surprised to find yourself in less pain and feeling much better very soon!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Cereal Bowl Pincushion

You get up every morning, eat your favorite cereal, then head towards the sewing machine to create something fabulous, right? Even if thats not always your own scenario take another look at that cereal bowl. An odd bowl with no mates is the perfect choice for creating a cute and unique pincushion to set beside your machine.

Whether the bowl is plastic, ceramic or glass you can still use it to make a pincushion. Clear glass bowls are not ideal, though. Choose the bowl you want to use then look through your sewing scraps to find everything else you need to make the bowl pincushion. There are different things you can use depending upon what you have on hand.

Turn the bowl upside down on a piece of white felt. Draw around the bowl and cut out the circle. Set this piece aside for later. Fill the bowl with scrap fabric, foam pieces, cotton balls, or even paper towels. The bowl should be stuffed nearly full and the filler materials packed tightly. Use the piece of white felt to cover the stuffing and create the look of the milk in the cereal bowl. Dispense hot glue around the inside of the bowl and position the felt. A different way to create the pincushion is made using a piece of Styrofoam. Cut a disc of the Styrofoam slightly smaller than the opening of the bowl. Turn the bowl upside-down onto the Styrofoam, draw around it, then cut the Styrofoam just a tad smaller than the drawing. Fill the bowl nearly full as suggested above. Cover the Styrofoam with the white felt and glue the covered disc down into the bowl. Instead of felt you can use most any white fabric. Choose beads that look similar to various cereals to enhance the pincushion. For instance, most stores that sell beads have a selection that looks something like Life Savers candies. These beads are perfect for creating a Fruit Loops cereal look on the felt. Use hot glue or fabric glue to attach several of the flat, round beads to the felt. Other bead choices include small beige or brown oval beads to make Cocoa or Rice Krispies, round colorful beads that resemble Trix cereal, or similar selections. Instead of white felt you can create chocolate milk in the cereal bowl pincushion by using brown felt. Of course, the beads will need to resemble a type of cereal which leaves the milk chocolate-flavored. Youll find any number of appropriate beads at a craft store or a store that sells jewelry-making supplies. You dont have to attach a whole lot of beads to the felt. Just randomly glue a "cereal piece", here and there, on top of the "milk". You cant believe how real the cereal looks after youve finished the craft. Stick needles and pins any where on the felt, even through the circular beads. The bowl will hold a huge number of needles, straight pins and even safety pins. If you dont have room for a huge cereal bowl you can make something similar from a pudding bowl. Eliminate the beads and use chocolate-colored felt to make the top of the pincushion. Or, glue on white felt and use craft chocolate kisses to embellish. There are many different creations you can make by combining various colors of felt with tiny craft supplies. Forget bowls altogether and create a coffee cup pincushion instead. Use black or dark brown felt and glue it in a stuffed coffee mug. The mug can be hot chocolate instead, with pom-pom marshmallows on top. Whether you make a bowl or a cup pincushion, itll be easy to make and will serve you well for years. If you dont sew make one for your friends who do. Theyll treasure it for years to come!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Garden Party Table Decorations

Having a garden party? A few friends over for an outdoor dinner? You can give the table a lovely garden theme by using a few things you already have - growing or not. Living things plucked from your yard or garden, as well as things normally used for gardening, can help you quickly and elegantly set your garden-theme dinner party.

Make leaf votives by choosing leaves that look similar from the garden or yard. Wrap a rubber band around a votive candle holder - a little below the center line. Slide the first leaf under the rubber band, then the next, and so on, until the leaves wrap all the way around the candle holder. Tie a ribbon around them, just above the rubber band, then remove the band. If needed, trim the leaves to be level with the top (or bottom) of the candle holder. For the best look, leave tips of leaves level with the top of the holder while trimming the bottom leaves even with the bottom of the holder.

Make something different by attaching a single rose or other flower to each votive candle holder. Just tie it on with a ribbon. Make something a bit more unusual by placing a tall taper under a hurricane lamp shade then tying the ribbon around it to hold a tall flower - or small group of them. Use clean, clay pots and saucers to serve your guests. They can be painted or used as-is. Take a hand towel and push the center of it inside a clay pot. Position the edges of the towel out and over the top of the pot. For a saucer simply lay a napkin or other cloth over it. Use these to serve bread, crackers, lollipops, finger foods and more. Crumble a baked, chocolate cake into a new garden bucket for a dessert meant for a large crowd. Top by pouring chocolate ice cream topping all over it. Serve it with a new hand spade. Edible flowers, like pansies, roses or snapdragons, make it easy to create luscious drinks or desserts with a floral appeal. Use only the petals from the flowers; wash and dry them on paper towels. Do not buy flowers to serve guests; they can be treated with pesticides and arent intended for eating. Use large, supple, green leaves as coasters for your dinner party. They fit right in with the theme of things and work well for keeping moisture off the tablecloth. Another quick leaf project is done when you fold a napkin, tie a string or ribbon around it, then tuck in a single leaf. Make a different version by tucking in a single flower. Make a different kind of coaster by pressing leaves and/or flowers flat. stack books on them for a few hours, lay one on a paper doily, then cover it with a circle of clear contact paper. If you use clear plates you can make gorgeous place settings that take only minutes. Press flowers and leaves under books until flat and lay them on a colored charger plate. Set a clear plate over it and youll be shocked at just how elegant the arrangement is. Dont have a garden? You can still join in on the fun! Clip blades of grass and glue them to pillar candles - short or tall ones. Cut the blades to different lengths but leave the points intact. Align the bottom of the blade with the bottom of the candle and glue it on with white glue. Group some blades together; space others apart, or create your own design. When the glue has dried brush a layer of glue over the grass. Your guests are really going to think you went all-out to decorate the table for them but youll know it was no big deal. All you had to do is take a walk around your garden - one of your favorite things to do, anyway! See clear flower plates here.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

How to Make a Lava Cake

Whats better than chocolate? How about chocolate embellished with chocolate? What about chocolate with chocolate center? You cant get more chocolate than that! You might have seen those new lava cakes on tv but thought they would be much too difficult for you to make yourself. Not true! Anyone who can bake a cake can make a delicious lava cake that will leave your family or your guests full and satisfied.

You can make lava cakes in various sizes but some sizes might be more appropriate than others, depending upon the circumstances around the serving of the cake. If youre only interested in a cake that has a liquid chocolate center, but the chocolate doesnt necessarily have to be hot, you can make the cake any size you want. If you want the chocolate center to be hot and gooey youll want to serve a large cake almost directly out of the oven.

If you will bake the cake long before serving, yet you still want the chocolate in the center to be hot, it will be necessary to reheat the cake in the microwave. Heating a large cake in the microwave until the center is warm can take much longer than heating small cakes. Large cakes can become spongy upon heating in the microwave. If you make small cakes theyll be easy to heat to the point of making the center chocolate hot. Another good reason to make the lava cakes in individual pans is the fact that, as you cut it, the "lava" will run out. That makes it difficult to serve the cake with the liquid center. If individual cakes are made each person will get their fair share of liquid chocolate center. Serve on individual dessert plates or even in small bowls. Bake the cake(s) as you normally would according to package directions or even make the cake from scratch. Devils food, or even ordinary chocolate cake, is perfect. After removing the cake from the oven let it cool completely. After it has cooled remove it from the pan and place it on a plate or other dish. Cut the cake in half and set the top half aside for the moment. Begin picking away the center of the cake. You can use a spoon or fork to remove large chunks of the cake. Or, you can use a knife to cut a circle or square into the cake and remove this piece. When youre finished you should have the entire center of the cake removed but the bottom still intact. Make sure you leave a one-inch thick bottom remaining. Chocolate used as ice cream topping, or liquid chocolate used for making chocolate milk, are perfect to make the lava inside the cake. Fill the hole in the cake with the chosen chocolate. Fill it all the way up to the top of the opening. Now replace the top of the cake. If the cake is served warm do not add frosting. You can sprinkle powdered sugar on top, if desired. If the cake will be served cold its okay to frost it. Use chocolate frosting or any other flavor. Even though the chocolate in the center will not be hot it will still be liquid. You can decorate the top of the cakes in any manner you wish. Add sprinkles, candies or other items - only if the cakes will not be reheated. Although the lava cakes are delicious you can make the cake with other centers besides chocolate. Ice cream toppings like caramel can be used instead of the chocolate. Just cut the cake in two, dig out the center, then add the preferred ice cream topping and replace the top of the cake. When you serve the lava, caramel or similar cake your guests or family will never forget it! Itll be quickly become a favorite so be prepared to make lots and lots of the scrumptious cakes!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Fun Craft Project: Styrofoam Ball Beaded Curtain

Once upon a time, beaded curtains were all the rage but over the years, we began to notice them less and less. During those years, though, people who loved the beaded curtain dreamt up all kinds of ways to make them unique and different. Nowadays, beaded curtains arent necessarily heavy creations which costs a fortune to make or buy. As a matter of fact, beaded curtains dont have to be for doorways anymore! Theres a unique way to make something similar to a beaded curtain using Styrofoam balls. The balls come in various sizes and are white in color. Small balls are sold in packs of many; slightly larger ones selling in packs of two or three. You can sometimes even find large bags which contain an assortment of smallish Styrofoam balls.

With a large needle you can string the Styrofoam balls onto strands of clear nylon thread, or monofilament. The thread virtually disappears when you hang it. Unless you really look hard, you cant tell the thread is there, holding the "floating balls". This makes it fun to use the strands of balls as window decorations or as curtains.

Styrofoam balls are generally white but can be painted with ordinary acrylic paints. The paints dry quickly and let you get back to the business of stringing them. As you string them create a random design or a specific pattern. That choice is yours. There are so many ways to combine the different sizes - or same sizes - into just the perfect beaded curtain for you. String the balls onto the length of nylon thread needed to reach from the floor to the top of the door frame. String them so that no two strings has the same pattern, or so that all the strands have the exact same design. Each will have a unique look when finished. Try patterns that feature two different size balls, close together, with another size a few inches away. Three to four different sizes is usually adequate. More sizes tend to make the curtain look too busy. You can, on occasion, string a larger ball that stands out from the crowd. There is literally no limit of the various designs you can make. You can even add other things to the strands of nylon thread which give this curtain a look all its own. For example, you can tie a tiny satin ribbon, here and there, on each strand. Or, you can glue on a small, fake jewel, several to a strand, between the Styrofoam balls. Each look will be different than the last, and best of all, it really doesnt take that long to make a beaded curtain. Of course, pushing the balls together on the strand will cause you to use more balls and will take longer to make, but spacing them out will make the project ultra-simple. Consider painting the balls with white glitter paint and hanging them over a window for Christmas. The look is beautiful and glittery. Or, make a more permanent version for all year long by painting the balls different colors and adding your choice of craft supplies to the strands. Styrofoam balls are very lightweight making the beaded curtains perfect for younger kids rooms. Each strand is easily hung by creating a loop in the thread and using a tack to hang. Or, you can put two pieces of wood together, trapping the strand ends between them. You can also create a cornice out of Styrofoam sheets and hang the strands from inside the cornice. Styrofoam is fun and easy to work with and the beaded curtain project is just one of many unique projects you can make using Styrofoam. Youll find the Styrofoam balls at craft stores, discount department stores, and even dollar theme stores.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Unique Sucker Covers for Parties and More

Youll love watching the kids eyes light up when they attend your childs birthday party and see the cute suckers that are awaiting them. Not ordinary suckers! Thatll never do! Youll have fun character suckers to give them - ones theyve probably never seen before! Suckers are cheap, but theyll be the hit of the party, and youll save, save, save! Styrofoam balls make it easy for you to turn ordinary flat suckers into whimsical characters the kids will love. The balls need to be a little larger in diameter than the suckers. Youll find the ball shapes at any craft store. They can be found in bags of assorted sizes or all the same size. Youll need one ball for each sucker - that is, for each child.

Cut a slit in the bottom of each ball. The slit should be wide enough that the sucker - with wrapper - can be easily pushed into it. Trim the wrapper slightly, around the sucker, so it will have a rounded shape. Make sure you dont cut in close enough to cut the actual wrapper open. Push a sucker into each Styrofoam ball.

Felt works great for creating the characters but you can also use fabric pieces. Each character can be different or they can all be alike. Cover the ball with the fabric or felt and use a rubber band to gather it around the stick. The rubber band area will now become the neck of the character. Tie a bow tie or ribbon around the neck to conceal the rubber band. If the ribbon isnt wide enough to conceal the band simply unwrap the rubber band or snip it off. Use wiggly eyes from a craft store to begin making the face. If you dont have any of the silly eyes just draw eyes on with a magic marker. Cut round pieces of felt to make muzzles for certain characters. Cut small round pieces of felt to create ears. Felt works great for creating the rest of the face as well. Small black beads or pom-poms can be used to make noses for the lollipop people. Or, just make the entire face with a marker. There are many options for creating the sucker characters. Yarn or craft doll hair works great for making each character look a little different. Create bangs with short pieces of yarn. Create long hair with long sections of yarn. You can string beads onto the yarn pieces or create other looks using bows and ribbons. Lay the sucker characters out on the birthday table or create a stand for them. Just use an ordinary box with lid to hold the lollipops. Fill the box with tissue paper - or something similar - and poke holes in the top of the box. Slide the suckers into the holes and set the box on the table. The box can first be wrapped with birthday paper or tissue paper. If you want to cut the expense even more, but you still want to make the impressive suckers, simply eliminate the Styrofoam ball. Trim the cellophane around the sucker and wrap it with the piece of cloth. Tie the cloth shut then make the face. You can still make yarn hair for the characters or just serve them as-is. No matter how simplistic, or how detailed the characters are, the kids at the party will line up to grab one! The lollipop characters dont necessarily have to be for youngsters birthday parties. Make something similar to give to a graduate and his or her classmates. Make the sucker covers for Easter baskets, Christmas stockings, or just because youre bored on a rainy day. No matter what the occasion youll have happy kids - or happy adults - when you hand out the character suckers. Youll have so much fun making them that theyll probably be making a showing at many parties to come...

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Fun and Easy Kids Crafts Projects: Memo Boards Made from Tee Shirts

Memo boards are useful but can also be lots of fun. Kids especially love memo boards where they can use tacks to display pictures of friends, love notes, or even to hang a necklace. Memo boards dont have to be just cork board inside a frame, though. Make a really cool memo board for your child and shell also have a decorative wall hanging for her room.

For this project youll need a shirt your child has outgrown. Youll also need pieces of thick cardboard and some cork. Youll find cork, sold by the roll, at most craft stores. The roll of cork will help you measure out just the right size pieces you need to create this fun and unique memo board.

You can hang the shirt on a hanger, and that way youll already have the cork board hanger, or you can eliminate the hanger and use double-sided tape to hold the cork board to the wall. It can also be nailed in place. Lay the shirt on a piece of cardboard and trace around it. This will become the inside "board". Cut out the shirt shape. Cut a piece of cork to the same shape. Glue the cork onto the cardboard pieces. Position the cardboard inside the shirt. If need be, cut the body of the shirt separate from the sleeves. That will make it easier to attach the cardboard inside, particularly if the shirt doesnt stretch. If youre using a long sleeve shirt its easiest if you cut the sleeves separate. Of course, you dont necessarily have to use the sleeves as part of the cork board. Insert the cardboard piece for the body of the shirt and let the sleeves just hang free. Its possible to make the shirt memo board without using the cork. Tacks will stick into cardboard, and hold the memo or photo, but cardboard can tear if holding something like a necklace. Cork will hold the heavier things without tearing. The tee shirt memo boards dont necessarily have to be for girls. Boys can use one of their shirts to create their own memo board. Make one for babys room by using a sleeper and lining it with cardboard. You can hang notes to yourself, concerning baby, or just show off some of the newest pictures of your baby. You can use other articles of clothing, besides tee shirts, to make the memo boards. Use shift-type dresses, pants or jeans, and even jackets. Whatever you use, though, should be thin enough that you can easily push a pin through it, and into the cork board. The articles of clothing used doesnt absolutely have to be yours. If you wear a large size, and dont care to hang it on the wall, borrow a shirt from a younger sibling. Or, go to yard sales and find cute clothing that you can readily turn into your ideal memo board. Even doll clothes can become cork boards. Use dresses, pants and other articles of clothing meant for dressing baby dolls. Of course, tiny dresses, like ones for a Barbie doll, wont suffice, but larger clothing, for larger dolls, works great. What a perfect craft for a young girl or even a teenager! All they have to do is choose the article of clothing they want to use for the memo board then stuff it with cardboard and cork. If the cardboard fits well into the shirt theres no need for things like glue. If the cardboard isnt quite as large as the shirt you can easily apply fabric glue to the cardboard before inserting it in the shirt or dress. Kids will love their new creations, and since theyre so simple to make, why not let the memo boards be your childrens gifts to family and friends this Christmas, birthday, or other special occasion. They are unique, inexpensive and just good fun!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Unusual String Decorations for Your Tree

Ah, that beautiful Christmas tree. It mustve cost a fortune to decorate it, right? Not necessarily! There are unique ways to decorate a Christmas tree, which are cheap yet elegant, and will be just as impressive as the trees that broke the bank to decorate. A string, and any number of things to put on it, will help you make tree decorations which are so fabulous youll cherish them for years.

Get out your needle and thread and start stringing foil balls. The little balls can be made from ordinary aluminum foil and kids will love helping! The balls dont have to be all the same size but strive for the foil balls to be close to the same size. Stringing the foil onto fishing twine means the string will likely never break. Fishing twine is super strong and nearly invisible.

Wad up paper to make balls that you can string, too. Paper that has foil touches works very great but ordinary wrapping paper can be used as well. Since paper tears, and many of the balls can be lost, its a good idea to spray the finished strands with clear lacquer. Have you ever seen those makeup removal pads? Theyre round, theyre white and theyre perfect for creating an eye-popping Christmas tree wrap. The pads are very inexpensive and you get many in a pack for about a buck. Butt the pads together as you string them and youll have a full, garland-type spiral for the tree. Space them apart on fishing twine and you get a completely different look. A tiny dot of hot glue can be used to hold each pad in its place on the twine. If you want you can spray the finished strands with glitter. Cut straws into one or two-inch pieces and string them. Straws now come in vibrant colors that will light up your tree. Instead of straws consider coffee stirrer pieces that are easily strung like straws. Separate each straw piece with a bead or just string the pieces on and hang. Other things you can place between the straw pieces include sequins, foil balls or even buttons. Do you have zillions of small, empty spools? Theyll look great on a whimsical tree. Spray the spools, or if theyre white, use as-is. Small spools are best, but if you have a really large tree, the normal size spools can be used. Any number of things can be used to change the look of the spools including stickers on the spools or bows strung between the spools. Red pop bottle caps look great when strung on a Christmas tree. Poke a hole on each side of the cap and string them. Use a dot of glue to hold each lid in place. It can be somewhat time-consuming to poke the holes, but when finished, the red spiral wrap looks wonderful. Hold a nail in a pair of pliers, warm the nail, then stick it through the lid from one side to the other. Be sure and use a potholder while holding the pliers. Change the look of the lids by gluing a small picture onto the flat side of each cap. Cut the picture from cloth or decorative paper. Add a bow to each lid if you wish. You can even wrap each lid with velvet ribbon for an elegant touch. This craft can be as simplistic or as involved as you wish, depending upon the outcome you prefer. Get kids involved and the project will go by quickly while you create cherished memories. You dont have to spend a lot of money to have an impressive Christmas tree. Make your own strung decorations and your tree will be unique and beautiful. Handmade ornaments and decorations can easily become tree embellishments the family will hold dear for many years. Get started making your own decorations, memories and heirlooms!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Easy Styrofoam Christmas Tree Designs for Your Table or Mantle

Do you know how easy it is to make really cool Christmas trees from a Styrofoam cone? There are many different designs you can create, and when youre finished, you will be so happy with your new creation. In fact, youll be truly proud to display the inexpensive but elegant tree youve created for your home.

One tree you can make with the cone is a sucker tree. The suckers can have Christmas theme wrappers or can be ordinary suckers. The round suckers, rather than the flat ones, are best for making a sucker tree. Start by placing one sucker in the very top of the cone. Go below that one and make a row around the top one with more suckers. Continue making row after row until the entire cone is covered with the suckers.

The suckers should just slide into the cone, but instead, the sucker sticks begin running into each other. You may have to slide a stick into the cone then pull it back out and reposition it. Expect to do this a number of times. To prevent that you can always cut the sucker stickers off somewhat so theyll be shorter. Even when the tree is covered with suckers you can usually still see the cone underneath in spots. To cover up these spots curl pieces of ribbon by running scissors over them. Glue one end of each ribbon piece to a toothpick then stick the toothpick between the suckers to fill spaces. Gold, silver, red or white ribbon give a festive look to the sucker Christmas tree. Make something similar by gluing small candies onto toothpicks then attaching the candies to the Styrofoam cone. Completely cover the tree in peppermint circles, Tootsie Rolls, wrapped mints and similar items. Use the curled ribbon to cover up bald spots on the cone. The candy trees are easy and delicious. Make an elegant but cheap tree by using a Styrofoam cone and a length of garland. Youll find 6 to 9 foot garland pieces at dollar theme stores that work great for making the tree. Glue the garland round and round the tree until it is covered. Add a star or other ornament on top, if you want. A flat wooden star works great but you can also use a jewelry piece, a foil star or even a large, pretty button. Decorate the homemade tree with miniatures youve purchased or things you have around the home. Cut the ends off cotton swabs, cover them with glitter if you want, then glue them to the tree. Use beads, buttons, tiny bows, foil balls and any number of other items around the home. You can invest in miniature ornaments or characters, or make the tree cheap but nice by using things you already have. Using things you have around the house, along with small, inexpensive items from a craft store, you can create a very unique and pretty tree that will grab attention. Just use hot glue and begin attaching any number of items all over the tree. Glue on tiny mirrors or craft glass, little satin bows, buttons, decorative cardboard pieces, beads, tiny flowers, craft berries, pieces of potpourri and any number of other items. Completely cover the tree with tiny things then add your choice of toppers to the tree. You can even wrap tiny lights around the tree and plug it in. A Styrofoam cone is under a dollar, and with a few embellishments, you can make a nice tree for under five bucks. Using things around the house as the decorations you can make the trees for even less. Find the cones in small to extra large sizes but keep the size in mind when deciding on the decorations. The various Christmas trees are all easy to make and will be the highlight of your table or mantle.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Contemporary Wall Art You Make in Minutes

Its a lot of fun working with Styrofoam cones, disks, balls and other shapes. There are literally hundreds of projects you can make starting with the Styrofoam. One fun project thats cheap and easy is a set of wall hangings that form one creative art display. You dont have to be an artist - or have any artistic ability - to create these one of a kind decor pieces.

Purchase Styrofoam squares to begin the project. If you have a small wall you might want to purchase the 6"x6" squares of Styrofoam. For larger projects use the 12" x 12" sizes. Youll need 9 pieces altogether. Save money and purchase the Styrofoam by the sheet and cut your own squares. Be careful to cut them exact or the wall hanging will look crooked.

Choose a color that you love and make it the main focus of the artful wall hanging. If you love black and white images choose 9 different black and/or white scrapbook papers. The papers will be combined to create the finished project. Use ordinary white glue to attach the scrapbook papers to the Styrofoam squares. Each square will display a different paper but all will have the black and white theme. Of course, you can choose any color - or combination of colors - that you want. After the glue has dried youll need to add ribbon to the sides of the Styrofoam squares. Glue the ribbon around the square or use fanciful pins to hold the ribbon in place. The pins will give the project a completely different look upon completion. Instead of paper you can also use fabric. Choose the designs you want, keeping a particular theme in mind, then use 9 different pieces to cover the 9 squares. The cloth can be attached to the Styrofoam with white glue. After the 9 different squares are decorated youre ready to hang them on the wall. Use sawtooth picture holders on the back. Simply glue the hanger to the backside of the Styrofoam square and you can easily hang them. Hang three rows of three prints. There will be 9 blocks on the wall, in rows of three. The look is complete when you leave a space between each square. An inch or two, between each square and between each row, will create an expanded look for the wall. A different look is created when, instead of using 12" x 12" squares, you hang three pieces that are each 36" long. Hang one, leave a space, hang the next, then the next. Three rows, with one rectangular piece in each, will give you a completely different finished project. Hang the slabs vertically, instead of horizontally, for an even different style. Its a lot of fun to create the 9 images which become 1. Instead of scrapbook paper you can use a poster which has been cut into 9 equal pieces. Lay the squares on the poster, trace around them, then cut and glue. The cut up image looks great on a wall and will definitely be a conversation piece. There are different ways to create something similar. Glue 9 different colors of felt onto the 9 squares and youll have a burst of color for a particular room. Or, glue gold and silver foil pieces to the squares to make an elegant wall hanging thats unique and sparkly. Youll have a great time making the unique wall hangings that are appropriate for hallways, bedrooms, living rooms and dens. Use your imagination to add even more embellishments to the squares. For example, glue a small trinket to the center of each square. Youll come up with even more ideas as you work on your own wall hangings. Youll find plenty of places online where you can purchase the size and type of Styrofoam you need.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Four Halloween Decorations You Make with Apples

Lots of things remind us of Halloween or fall: pumpkins, the color black, the color orange - and apples! Although many people will be bobbing for apples youll be doing something much more creative with your apples. Make several different Halloween decor projects with apples and youll have lots of fun while decorating for the holidays at the same time.

One cute craft is made by creating a face on an apple. Dig deep holes to represent the eyes and leave a protruding nose. Dig a "ditch" for the mouth of the apple ghoul. Set the apples on a baking sheet and place in the oven at a very low temperature. Let the apples dry in the oven for about 3 hours then allow the apples to sit out on a counter for a few days. As time goes by the apples shrivel up and take on a wrinkled look. Cut places, such as eyes or mouth, sink back even further. Add to their intrigue by sticking cloves or black beans into the eye sockets. Use a little glue if necessary. Place grains of rice, or broken tips of toothpicks, in the mouth for teeth. The ghoulish smile will cause visitors to do a double-take. Add a strip of fabric to form a bandanna or create a little hat. Hang the apple faces or set them on shelves or porch railings.

Another easy craft requires two apples of approximately equal size and shape. The color of the apples is not important as long as theyre both the same color. Its important that the apples will sit right. When setting them on a table the apples should sit straight up and not roll. Core the apples but dont peel them. Now use the cored apples as candle holders. Tall tapered candles work best in the apple candlesticks. Embellish the apples with green garland around the base of the apples or set the apples on upside-down bowls. Use clear bowls and you can place flowers and other decor items inside the bowls. Make your own apple cinnamon potpourri by first coring several apples. Peel them or leave the peeling on. Thats your choice. Cut the apple in quarter-inch slices. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Place in a basket with other things like dried leaves, mini pine cones and dried flowers. Mix all the items and place them in a basket. The apples will give off a wonderful scent but will eventually shrivel and lose their aroma. Just cut another apple, keep the other items in the basket, and place the new cinnamon-covered apple slices in the basket. Youll love the apple cinnamon scent in the kitchen, bathroom and even the bedroom. Stamp apple shapes on many different surfaces around the house. These can be used for Halloween or anytime. Cut an apple in half and use a toothpick to remove the seeds. Use a paper towel to thoroughly dry the cut surface of the apple. Use a paintbrush to paint the surface, where its been cut. Use bright red or green paint to outline the perimeter of the cut apple. Stab a seed with the toothpick and dip it into brown paint. Press the painted seed to several different places on the apple. Use the painted apple as a rubber stamp. Stamp the apple shape onto curtains, paper, disposable tablecloths, paper cups, streamers, canisters, and many other items around the house. Add other Halloween-related images to the object youre stamping, for a holiday theme, or just use the apples for year-round decor pieces. Apples make great snacks, too, of course, so be sure and cut some, add peanut butter, and sprinkle with raisins. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the apple treats you eat - and youll love the decorations youve made. What could be more fun?

Friday, October 12, 2012

Easy Linoleum Decor Projects for Your Home

Linoleum patterns can often resemble tile, and when you shop at the right places, you can get it for a fraction of the price of tile. Linoleum isnt just for floors, you know. Its great for other areas of the home and can instantly cheer up things you already own. Use it to accentuate cornices, window frames and even the trash can! Linoleum is inexpensive and can be easily cut and hung by most anyone. If you have a simple painted bathroom, you can give it a make over in no time, using linoleum. Cut pieces to fit each wall section and use Liquid Nail - or a similar adhesive - to affix it to the walls. Its a good idea to add molding around the linoleum sections to prevent moisture from getting behind it.

You dont necessarily have to cover the entire bathroom with the linoleum. Do partial walls or even cut designs from the linoleum and glue them to a wall. Although linoleum can instantly perk up a dull bathroom its not recommended that you use it as a shower surround kit. Linoleum often has a shine that makes bathroom or kitchen walls look ultra-clean with a mere wiping.

New counter tops can be very expensive, but to tide you over until you can afford them, cover the counters with linoleum. Although linoleum is not good for counters where hot pans will be placed it is ideal for counters where preparation is done. The linoleum can simply be glued to the existing counter. Flat, metallic molding, which grabs the edge of the linoleum then bends to cover the front of the counter top, is perfect for securing the linoleum on the edges of the counter. If you have leftover linoleum, after laying it on the kitchen floor, use it to create matching decor. Take a piece of the linoleum and glue it to a round trash can in the kitchen. The matching trash can is easy to create in little time. Cut squares or other shapes from the linoleum and glue them across the front of a dining room cornice. Bringing the kitchen linoleum pattern into the dining room can easily tie the two rooms together. The squares can also be glued to the corners of kitchen window frames, mirror frames, and other areas. Linoleum can be used to decorate or cover drawer fronts, cabinet doors, toy boxes, shelves, mantles, and more. Remove the glass from a picture frame and glue a piece of linoleum in the frame. To do this dispense glue around the perimeter of the right side of a piece of linoleum. Set the frame on the linoleum with the front of the frame facing upward. The linoleum picture frame can be used to hold jewelry, coins or even bath products. Glue four lids, spools or other objects to the bottom of the frame, at the corners. The items you choose to glue on will form the legs for the picture frame holder. Set the creation in the bedroom or bathroom. If youve used the same linoleum on the floor youll have instantly created a matching decor item for next to nothing. Cut a small square of linoleum then cut another square out of the center of the first one. This will create a cute picture frame for a dollhouse wall. Linoleum works great to cover wooden boxes that can become dollhouse tables, night stands and more. Stick linoleum squares to magnetic sheeting to create a new look for your fridge. Push the magnetic squares together, or separate them, to make any number of different designs. When people think of linoleum, they usually think of floors, but there are many craft and decor projects that can be created out of linoleum scraps. These projects are easy, inexpensive and fabulous.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Box-In-A-Box Wall Shelf

Cardboard boxes come and go in our lives, but sometimes, we tend to forget that each one is a new craft project or decor piece. Use ordinary boxes to create childrens playhouses, hanging closet organizers and even doll carriers. Depending upon the size and shape of the boxes there are all sorts of home decor projects you can do. If you have boxes that are different shapes and sizes there is a unique shelf you can build that takes no hardware or implements.

Use three different size boxes to create the unusual display shelf. Set one box in a rectangular manner and another inside that one, turned in a diamond shape, then another inside that one, set in a square shape. The three boxes together form one unique shelf that can hold anything from small pictures to collectibles.

Ordinary brown cardboard boxes arent all that attractive. White boxes are somewhat more appealing but either type of box can be decorated before being used as a shelf. Cover the boxes, inside and out, with fabric or cloth. Choose lightweight cloth that wont allow the brown box to show through. White boxes can be decorated with metallic tape, rubber stamping or even paint markers. Decorate all three boxes just alike or make each box different but coordinating. Its not imperative that you make an arrangement that features a rectangular box, a smaller diamond-shaped box, then a much smaller square box. There are any number of combinations you can create. Make one box square, the next one triangular, and the smallest one circular. Or, use only two boxes, placing a square one inside a circular one. Theres no absolute number of boxes that must be used and theres no absolute combination of shapes. The box shelves you make dont necessarily have to hold or display objects. The boxes themselves, arranged inside each other, can actually be art. The colorful or patterned paper or cloth you choose will grab the attention of your visitors. The boxes can be large and deep or small and shallow. You decide on the two, three, or more boxes you use. If the boxes will wedge tightly inside each other its not even necessary to glue or otherwise secure them. If they dont fit tightly you can use glue or double-sided tape to attach the boxes inside each other. Double-sided tape adds a bit of dimension to the creation since it causes one box to stand out slightly from the previous one. Thats because the double-sided tape is much thicker than ordinary tape. The box-inside-a-box technique doesnt absolutely have to be for walls. Make a set that sits on a desk to hold markers, stapler, and more. Create large ones that sit on the floor and kids can use them like cubby holes. They can tuck slippers, stuffed animals, small toys and other items into the various sections created when you place the boxes together. Dont have cardboard boxes? You can make something similar with baskets. Choose two or three baskets and place them inside each other to form the shelf or cubby holes. The baskets can be plastic or even wicker. Paint the wicker one, two, or three different colors to make a colorful display. Or, display the wicker as-is without painting. Whether you make the shelves from baskets or cardboard boxes youll be surprised at how great they look. And, not only do they look great, theyre very functional. Hang them or set them in bedrooms, bathrooms, dens, living rooms or other areas of the home. Youll love the attention they get so much so that youll want to make a set for every room in the house.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Scented Spice Ropes for Your Kitchen

If you like country crafts youll love how easy it is to make spiced ropes to hang in your kitchen. The ropes cost little to create but will have the room smelling yummy. There are many different designs you can do to make each rope you make slightly different. The ropes will look fabulous in your own kitchen but they make great gifts, too.

You can make the spice ropes as long as you want. Take the easy way out, and cut a length of rope, then create the spice ropes. Or, make your own rope in no time. Use yarn, raffia, rolled lengths of cloth, or certain types of twine. Braid them to make them thicker and create the unique look of the spice rope.

Cut extra long lengths of the roping, fold in half, then braid. Or, cut the length you need, braid, then make the spice rope without a fold. Either way you can hang the finished project on curtain rods, nails, tacks, or even curtain tie-backs. There are many different designs you can easily create. Rope, yarn, twine and other usable materials dont have to be bland. Purchase the chosen roping in bright colors and even metallic tones. Braid three or more colors together to create a totally different look. Slide beads onto the twine or yarn, as you braid it, to add dimension and interest. To fold the roping in half, and braid, start with many, extra long lengths of the chosen twine or yarn. Fold in half. Set the folded twine on a table with the fold pointing away from you. Gather two-thirds of the left side, and two-thirds of the right side, leaving a third of the left side and a third of the right side, as the center. Braid the two sides with the center to form the final, thick rope. As you braid there should be a loop at the top by which to hang the finished rope. If you purchase rope, cut it to the length you want, then tie the ends to prevent unraveling. The tie can be placed a couple of inches above the ends of the rope and allowed to fray from the tie, down. Or, you can tie the roping all the way to the end. You can decorate the rope by gluing charms, beads or other embellishments, here and there, on the roping. Create the scented pouches that will hang on the decorative rope. Cut circles of cloth, fill them with spices, then tie them shut with string. The scent you place inside can be cut up cinnamon sticks, cloves, dried apples, or dry potpourri. Depending upon the type of scents youre using you can use lace instead of fabric. Lace allows the aroma to escape easier. After tying each of the pouches shut youll then tie them onto the roping. Just slip the thread through one or two strands of the twine and tie. Or, wrap a small piece of wire around the tied pouch, and use the wire to attach the pouch to the rope. Hang as many of the pouches as you want. Hang them on the rope with any number of embellishments like wooden shapes, ceramic miniatures or other craft store novelties. Whether youve folded twine and braided it, leaving a loop at the top, or youve just bought or made a length of rope, you can embellish it by adding a beautiful bow to the top. Wire it on or attach the bow using hot glue. The bow will add the final touch to the spice rope. Make short ropes to hang on doorknobs. Make longer ones to hang beside a window. Make ones that feature words or phrases, made by gluing on flat wooden letters. There are literally hundreds of different designs you can create. Once you get started, though, you wont want to quit, so hurry and make a list of upcoming birthdays, weddings, anniversaries...

Monday, October 8, 2012

Tips for Applying Gold Leaf Paint to Stem Ware

Have you ever compared the prices of ordinary stem ware to the prices of stem ware featuring gold accents? You wouldnt believe the price difference. Youd think real gold had been applied to the glass! Did you know you can purchase gold leaf paint and decorate the glasses yourself? The paint comes in a small jar for about five bucks and can help you add gold designs to many, many pieces.

Although the leaf paint comes in other colors, like silver or bronze, the gold leafing is perfect for stem ware and glasses.

There are several different ways to apply the gold paint to the glassware. Theres one especially simple way to add the gold paint to the mouth of the glass. Remove the cardboard disk from a peanut butter or mayonnaise jar lid. The empty lid should be clean when you pour the gold leaf paint into the bottom. Dip the glass into the jar lid. Instantly remove the glass and hold it over the lid until any excess paint drips off. The gold leaf paint dries quickly so after a couple of minutes you can set the glass upright to finish drying. If you have a stem ware holder, that holds the glasses upside-down, you can use it to hold the painted glasses until dry. A trick to painting beautiful designs on glass and stem ware starts with a picture from a coloring book. Coloring book images are usually simplistic making it easy for you to paint the design on the glass. Choose the picture you want and tape it to the inside of the glass. An ordinary artist paint brush will help you duplicate the image. Dip the brush in the gold leaf paint and trace the picture. Create cute dots on the glasses by using the head of a nail. Dip the nail in the gold leafing and touch the glass with it. Make sure the paint is not dripping from the nail. Different nails have different size heads so you can make everything from tiny dots to more substantial ones. Make interesting patterns on glass and stem ware by first dipping thread or string into the gold leaf paint. Hold the stem ware while you pick the thread up with tweezers or gloved hands. Turn the glass while allowing the string to fall randomly around the glass. The string will make swirls and other shapes that look great. Try not to drag the string off of the glass but lift it off instead. This will prevent smearing. There are any number of things around the house you could use, in a rubber stamping method, to add gold touches to your glasses. Various lids, old earrings, small knobs and similar items can all be dipped into the gold paint and transferred to the stem ware. Use ordinary Scotch tape to create fun stripes for the glasses. Position the tape pieces on the glass, spacing them evenly apart, then use an artists brush to paint the exposed parts of the glasses. The stripes look fabulous and will definitely glitz up your glass set. There are no limits to the various designs you can create. Stripes, dots, geometrical shapes, images taken from magazines, simple flowers, monograms and more. Use stencils, dipping techniques, and rubber stamping methods to create an assortment of designs for different sets of glasses. Its fun to turn ordinary glasses into impressive, glamorous glass ware for yourself or for friends. The monogrammed or other designs make fabulous gifts for a wedding, anniversary or for Christmas. You can create a design especially for your friend, whether he or she likes sea scenes, flowers or celestial themes. Your friend will love the new stem ware and will never know you didnt spend big bucks!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Cute Wooden Spoon Potholder Hanger

Lots of people use wooden spoons for cooking, but if youve somehow ended up with more wooden spoons than you need, use some of them to make cute craft projects that will look great in your kitchen. The spoons can be decorated, and hardware added, to make a unique potholder hanger for the side of the fridge or the front of the stove.

Wooden spoons come in various sizes but arent very expensive. Purchase a pack of assorted sizes or just grab one you already own from the kitchen drawer. You can purchase really small ones at local craft stores that work for making miniature sets of the potholder hangers.

Start with a clean grease-free spoon and paint a face onto the concave part of the spoon. An ordinary marker works well for making the face but you can also use other craft supplies to make the face. Glue on wiggly eyes, a felt mouth, or select other supplies to use. After creating the face youll then make the hair. You can purchase doll hair in several colors and styles at any craft store. The hair is available in packs that will provide plenty of hair for the spoon doll. If you prefer to make your own doll hair there are several ways to do so. Cut lengths of yarn to hang from the sides of the rounded part of the spoon. Take the hair a step further, if you wish, and cut short strands to use for bangs. Or, go the cheap route and glue white cotton balls onto the spoon to make an elderly baker. After youve created the face and hair there are other embellishments you can easily add. Cut a piece of lace or gingham cloth to create a bow for the doll. Glue the bow onto the rounded part of the spoon, in the hair. Or, cut the cloth into a triangle, glue into place, and create a bandana hair cover. You can glue on a simple satin bow or even purchase a mini chefs hat to glue to the spoon. The final look is up to you. Make a matching bow for the "neck" area, to create the image of a dress, or just glue on a bow tie. The spoon doll doesnt necessarily have to be a female! Draw on a moustache and beard to make the male version. Or, purchase a craft beard and moustache and glue them in place. Its lots of fun to create many different characters. When youve finished creating the spoon person youll then add a magnet to the backside. Glue a flat, square magnet to the backside to make it magnetic. Stick it to the refrigerator or another metallic area. Youll need to add the hardware that will allow you to hang potholders from the wooden spoon character. Screw in small "c" hooks to hold the potholders. The hooks can be simply aligned down the front of the handle. As a matter of fact, you dont absolutely have to make potholder hangers out of the spoon. Just make assorted cute characters and stick to the fridge. If youd like to hang the spoons somewhere thats not metallic simply glue a ribbon, folded in half, to the backside. The loop can help you hang the spoon on a nail, curtain tie-back or another place. Make something similar by using a wooden fork. Create hair or a hat that hides the wooden tines. Create the face on the flat part of the fork. Screw the hooks down the handle of the fork. Attach the ribbon loop or magnet to the back. The cute spoons make fabulous gifts as well as great decor items for your own kitchen. Theyre easy to make, inexpensive and will thrill any recipient. Let the kids get in on decorating spoons themselves. Theyll come up with totally different characters than you. Its a great way to spend some crafting time with the kids!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

How to Make Your Own Silly Bands

Silly bands - theyre all the rage! Nearly every little girl in America is now wearing the silly bands, and for that matter, lots of boys are too! The colorful and uniquely shaped bands are actually cheap bracelets that have caught on like wild fire. No, it doesnt cost a lot of money to buy a handful of the popular bands but why bother? Especially since its much more fun to make them yourself. Whether youre a child or an adult youll have fun coming up with the designs, the colors and the styles of the silly bands you want rather than having to grab what they offer at the store. All of your childs friends will absolutely have to know where he or she got them; now its up to the child whether or not to give away the secret! Quickly run in to a craft store and grab a few sheets of flat craft foam. Youll find its available in packs of the same color, packs of assorted colors, small sheets or large sheets, and individual sheets in a multitude of colors. Its not going to take a lot to make one silly band so youll have plenty of each color left over. Thats okay, though, because the foam sheets are not expensive and can be used to make even more bracelets for your childs friends or to use for other craft projects.

Decide on the design you want for the first silly band. Often, you can find images in coloring books that are helpful to make patterns. Large pictures of stars, suns, flowers and similar objects can be perfect for creating unique shapes for the new silly bands. You can also create your own shapes and designs just by drawing them onto the foam. Measure around the childs wrist and cut that measurement in half. Mark two dots on the foam to show the width of the wrist. Do not go between those two dots as you cut and draw or the new bracelet will be too small.

Decide on the design you want to use and draw it on the foam. Draw a zig-zag shape all the way around, draw a wavy circle, make a flower pattern or choose something else. After drawing it onto the foam youll actually draw it once again - only larger. A mere eighth-inch from the original drawing go around the perimeter of the drawing and duplicate it. Now you have a band shape that features the design you want. A helpful tip: use a disappearing ink marker from a craft store and your bracelets wont end up with ink marks on them. Begin cutting out the bracelet by cutting the outside shape out first. Take care to be accurate and make sharp cuts wherever there are points and corners. A pair of scissors with a very sharp end is pertinent. After cutting the outside of the bracelet you can then cut the inside. Make sure you are very accurate while cutting or the band will be wider in some places and more narrow in others. Thats it; youre done! The bracelets stretch enough to allow the child to easily slip them on and off the wrist but hold their shape once theyre on. You can embellish the bracelets with things like sequin and glitter and that allows you even more options for making the bracelets unique. Kids wear several different bracelets at a time so go ahead and make many more while youre at it. It only takes a few minutes to make each one so its not a big ordeal to make dozens. Theyre perfect to give as gifts or for kids to just share and trade. Drop them in Christmas stockings and Easter baskets. Make black and orange sets for Halloween or choose neon colors of craft foam to make wild shades that grab attention. Your kids will love them - of course, you already know that!

Friday, October 5, 2012

How to Make a Teddy Bear from Towels for Your Next Babyshower

There are lots of ways to make a teddy bear but most of those ways take skill, money and lots of time. You can make a cute little white bear for a baby shower, though, and it wont take much money or time! In fact, it takes only minutes to create it, and when its done, it can be a centerpiece, baby gift or just a bear for your own bathroom.

Youll need two bath towels, two hand towels, and six wash cloths to make the bear. White is perfect for a baby shower but you can use brown, black or other colors. The towels can be thick or thin. Obviously, thick towels will make a bulkier bear than thin towels. To start creating the bear fold one bath towel, lengthways, then roll it from one end to the other. Take the second bath towel, fold it lengthways, and position the rolled towel on the end of it. Roll the second towel around the first one. Use a safety pin to hold the rolled towels in place. This large roll will become the body of the teddy bear.

Use the two hand towels to make the bears head. Fold one towel in half lengthways, roll it up, then wrap the second towel around it, as you stated above with the bath towels. Pin the towels in place to secure. Place the bath towel roll on a flat surface and stack the hand towel roll on top. Use double-sided tape to hold the head on the body. The body and head both should be facing you to where you can see the rolled-up ends of each. Use all four wash cloths in the same manner: roll them up and use a safety pin to secure. Two of the wash cloths will become the bears ears. Position them on the "head" of the bear and use double-sided tape to secure them. Two more of the rolled wash cloths will become the upper legs and the last two wash cloths will become the lower legs. All four legs will be attached to the sides of the rolled bath towels. Place all four legs on the sides of the towels, using double-sided tape to secure them, and placing them to where the rolled ends can be seen. After youve secured all four legs you can then embellish the towels to create the look of the bear. A few inexpensive craft supplies will help you accomplish just the design you want. Use large wiggly eyes, affixed with double-sided tape, to make the eyes. Instead of craft eyes you can use black pom-poms. Cut a circle of brown cloth or felt to make the muzzle. A black pom-pom or bead works great for the nose. Attaching everything with double-sided tape pieces allows the recipient to later tear the bear apart and use the towels. Tie a ribbon around the bears "neck", attach flowers to the head area, or further embellish. You can wrap a rubber band around one of the "hands" and insert a small bundle of flowers. The bear will look like its holding a small bouquet. Other embellishments might include circles of black felt to put over the ends of the legs, a small basket for the bear to hold, or just a giant bow on top of the head. Give the bear the look you want for the occasion. The towel bear is perfect for a baby shower. You can use pink or blue towels, but white works well, too. The bear can be presented to a woman at the hospital, after the baby is born, and can hold balloons in one "hand". Simply tie the balloon strings to one of the wash cloth "arms". You dont have to be having a celebration to make the bear. Create one for your bathroom and just set it on a shelf. Or, make one for your own new baby and set it in his or her bedroom. The towel teddy bear is unique, inexpensive, and easy enough that anyone can make it.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Metallic Tape Window Decor

Have you ever seen metallic tape? It dispenses like ordinary Scotch tape but comes in shiny colors of gold, silver, blue, green or red. These tapes are easy to work with and can help you create beautiful designs for any window of your home. The tape is slightly more expensive than Scotch tape, but a roll will do at least a window or two, depending upon the size of the glass. There are any number of fabulous designs you can do using nothing more than the metallic tape.

Its difficult - if not impossible - to make circular, oval and some other designs with tape. Since tape dispenses into a long, rectangular shape youll have to work with that particular design. Drawing the design onto the glass, in disappearing ink marker, will help you position the tape designs perfectly.

Even though youre limited to the shapes you can create there are many designs you can easily accomplish. Place the metallic tape around the perimeter of the glass, a couple inches away from the window frame. The colored square or rectangle will add glitz and glamour to the window. Add to that original design by tearing small pieces of tape to go between the window frame and the rectangular tape design. The small pieces should be evenly spaced and reach from the edge of the long tape strips to the edge of the window. Theyll be placed horizontally on the sides of the window and vertically on the top and bottom areas of the glass. Instead of doing a perimeter design just create stripes for the windows. Make two or three stripes down each side of the window with no stripes at the top or bottom. The stripes on the sides can be equal in size or can progressively get smaller with each new stripe. Give the windows a completely different look by creating a large "X" from the tape. Create an "x" for each window and its a unique appearance thats simplistic yet stunning. Using the tape in colors of gold or silver creates glitzy designs for any room of the house. You dont absolutely have to make the designs on only square or rectangular windows. Make a grid pattern on a round or octagonal window. The grids can have large spaces or small ones. Tiny jewels can even be added to the cross sections of the tape. The jewels can be simply hot glued into place. Whenever you want a new design on your window its easy to accomplish using new tape. Remove the old tape, jewels and other embellishments. Use fingernail polish remove to get rid of any remaining adhesive on the window. Now youre ready to begin the new design. Its not expensive to create fabulous windows that can serve as decoration for holidays or just for everyday appearances. The tape comes in bright tings that allow you to add a punch of color to any room for mere pennies. If the tape is wider than you want it to be its easy to position it on the window, mark where you want to cut it, then use a straight edge and razor to trim away a portion of the tape. Peel it away and use polish remover, if necessary, to clean away remaining adhesive. This technique allows you to make even the narrowest of pin stripes for your windows. Use the metallic tape to make matching decor. The tape can be stuck to light switch covers, lamp bases, some drawer pulls, mirrors, cabinet doors, bathtubs and many more items around the house. Its so easy to create the metallic designs that youre liable to get carried away! Consider the tape designs for trash cans, cell phones, metal baskets, vases, picture frame and more. Youll have so much fun!