A Fall Banner

Here lately I have been having so much fun making banners.

The fun thing is, there are no lines to follow, you can be as modge podge

as you want...roam free..you crafters know what Im talkin bout'!

 I like to use sturdy cardboard..usually recycled from some

sort of box..like crackers or cereal boxes..

Now I'm thinking I might need to make a Christmas banner...right after

I wash that smeared up mirror (oops!)



Altered Butterfly Cd

I started working on this project earlier last week, but it came to a halt when I caught the kitchen

on fire and needed to get to work cleaning up that mess.

I was making this for one of my very best friends and today, she happen to come over and help me the entire day with cleaning up A TON of soot!

So after I was "burned out" on cleaning later this evening I decided I was going to finish it up and give it to her tomorrow at church.

It didn't turn out as well as I was hoping and Im still trying to decide if it needs more added to it..but here's what I got..

It started out as two cd's. I decoupaged one cd with a piece of sheet music from a 1910 old hymn book, then I sandwiched the lace and glue between the 2 cds and smushed it with my super heavy book that I have named "the smushing book"...after that was dry I added dots of hot glue and I set the butterfly punchies on it to give it a raised effect...I'm still thinking it needs something...pearls...pink beads..Im not for sure, ..But anyways I just wanted to show you another idea for altered cd's...

Vintage Heart Garland

All things vintage captures my heart! I am in LOVE with vintage..old..raggedy..primitive everything!!

I needed something to add to my hutch that is full of lots of vintage items, so I knew whatever it was that I was going to make I wanted it to look old...and here is what I came up with..

Of course it's not REALLY vintage (completely) but it's the look I was going for. And I did use some vintage items.

I started out using an empty cereal box and cut out the 3 hearts, then I decoupaged the hearts with pages from an old 1940's beat up dictionary..

The lace around the edges and the lace I used for the rosettes were made using vintage lace as well..

 Notice the pearls I used...yep vintage as well!

 This last heart wasn't exactly what I was going for..but well..once you glue something down with good glue..well..it's stuck for life lol...

 And here is the final product. I am very happy with how it came out!

I may still add a little red "something" to the heart with the rosettes on it, it looks kinda bare...yes??

Heart Rag Wreath

Not the greatest photo..sorry for the blurriness..

Basically I took red and check material and cut it into strips and tied it onto a metal hanger and shaped it into a heart. A bit time consumming and my finger eventually felt raw from tying all the knots..but pretty simple.

I made this for the front door and the good thing about it is you can do it while watching tv..

What I learned: I must invest in a material pizza cutter looking thingamabob!!

And so Valentine Decorations are creeping out...

• I decided to put away the winter stuff and put together a little table setting for Valentine's Day.
• 
  I bought the two large red candles at walmart for $1.35 each. I think I am going to glue them to glass candle sticks as well (eventually). The glass pedistal holder I put together using a floating candle cup and a glass candle stick holder. (see directions in pervious post). I then added a votive holder to the middle and surrounded the candle holder with conversation hearts...works for now..Im not sure Im 100% pleased with it, but it'll do for now!!

How to make expensive vases for cheap!

The photos aren't exactly the greatest because I got a last minute whim of an idea to take a quick photo of this project, with my cell phone no less...

To buy something like this from Pottery Barn it could cost you $80. BUT to MAKE something like this it will cost you $2!!

My sisters and I always like to get each other very small gifts for Christmas, at the last minute I was stumped on what to get or make for them.

So off to the Dollar Tree I went..

I purchashed the biggest vases that they had at a buck each, and glass candle sticks..also a buck each..

Got out my handy dandy e6000 and started assembling. All you do is glue the candle stick to the bottom of the vase. Make sure all the glass is clean and free of stickers..and there you have it..

Add some ornaments, candy canes, some greenery, maybe a ribbon around the bottom..so versitile too!

Can be filled with various items for various holidays or used for candles..etc..either way I hope they enjoy them!!

Teeny Tops made from..well..tops

Tonite I was just browsing around on the internet and I came across a blog called "Creative Jewish Mom" http://www.creativejewishmom.com/2010/11/a-handmade-hanukkah-game-spinning-tops-from-plastic-bottle-caps.html#comments. Her blog was full of so much fun! She had posted these little spinning tops that she made out of bottle cap tops. I thought instantly "ah ha! Tomorrow is a snow day, two fighting boys does not sound appealing"...so off to the recycle bin I went and got 2 bottle caps. These will fit nicely in their count down to Christmas that I made last year!

http://shawnabatesart.blogspot.com/2009/12/our-christmas-count-down.html

Altered Cracker Box

So the challenge presented was

"How to reuse cereal boxes"..I seen this idea a long time

ago on the internet and kept it in the back of my mind..

I didn't have an empty cereal box, but I ddi have an empty cracker box so forward I marched...

I popped it open at the seams

I slathered it in GLUE STICK (no bubbling)
and put scrapbooking paper on it and then took my handy dandy
brayer and rubbed the heck out of it...
I put the paper over the picture part of the box. I figured that way the inside of the "bag/box" would look nicer when presented as a gift...just a thought...I think the paper would stick better for durability on the nonpainted side tho..just depends on the glue you use too probably...anyways...



I even covered the flaps of the box that would normally "close" the box up at the top..then I tucked those pieces down..again..you could snip them off..I just did it for presentation and stability..your prefrence.

Then I just glued it all back together again (I used the glue gun so it would be a bit speedier..)

Then it was on to decorations..I just kept it super simple..kinda a trial run per-say..

Punched two holes on each side of the box...

This is the other side of the box..I rather like it plain quite better actually then I do the other side..

I made a quick to/from tag with the left over scraps

Inserted some ribbon for the handles (I should made them longer but..oops ole well...trial and error again..lol..)

Stuffed in some blue tissue and there you have it...an altered cracker box suitable for gift giving...

Now I am aware that this is pretty simple and not real fancy cute..but I just wanted to give it a try and it was something to do while watching HOARDERS...so quick and easy won...I'd love to see your altered boxes if you choose to make some!!!

Making A Fall Tree

Excuse my funky mantle right now..it's in the process of being redone and repainted..

I started out with an old cereal box...and a stencil and some free hand...

Glued them on to various scrapbook papers...

Inked the edges...

Cut them all out..... (again)

Hot glued some string on them...

Added some corrugated cardboard to a jar, plopped the branches in it..

And there you have it...a quick fall decorations..!!

Americana Snowmen Ornaments-Made from paper bags.

OooOps...I just realized that I glued the striped fabric on one of the snowmen side ways...ole' well..so much for perfectionism...

I seen a snowman somewhere online that was made of felt and sewn and super cute.

Well me being a non-sew type person I re-enacted this with my handy dandy glue gun and other supplies..

These started out as paper bags...

I pulled out the upholerstery sample book and found the material to make the pockets..another item used that cost me nothing!!! :)

Once I had them done I stuffed them with batting, glued on the jute to hang them from.

They didn't turn out the direction I was going for...but I still think they came out cute!!

They are headed to the craft show..I sure hope they find new homes!!

Cardboard Tube Snowflake

There are so many things you can do to recycle cardboard tubes!

I seen this idea on the internet and thought it would be fun to give it a try.

Here is where I got the idea, a google search will bring you endless ideas.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pxu_finland/4171438560/

I gathered my supplies and got to work.

First I took the rolls and pushed them flat(mine are both toilet paper and paper towel rolls)
The I took a ruler and marked where how big I wanted my "loops" to be.

Then I just cut all on the lines making all the loops.

I rearranged the loops how I wanted them and started glueing.

I first started out using ELMERS CRAFT BOND GLUE PEN. Which I got

as a test product for being a Bzz Agent.

It worked great. It held them together very well and calling it a "bond" is no lie.

The problem I ran into is I was having to hold the loops together until they dried.

Which it doesn't take long to dry but with all those loops I could see this quick project was going to become time consumming.

So after glueing about half the snowflake together with the Bond Glue, I decided to speed things up and break out the glue gun.

Once I got it all glued together I spray painted it white.
The cardboard absorbed the paint alot so I had to do several coats.
If you have any spray on Kilz that would work perfect for this project.

Here is the finished project. I just pinned it to the wall so you could see it. I think I will end up putting it on a string and hanging it from a window or something tho.
I like how it turned out, but I can most certainly see room for improvement.
Just for a snowflakey effect I added sparkly glitter to it.
This project was quick, fun and simple and the ideas of various snowflakes are endless.
I am going to make more. They would be so pretty hanging a bunch in different lengths and sizes from a window or sliding glass door.

Our Christmas Count Down

For the past couple years I've been trying to figure out how to make

a Christmas Countdown that would be simple but possiably reused...

FINALLY!!!

I don't know where I seen this idea...(Sorry I can't give credit where credit is due!!)

I thought this was a neat idea!! It's recycling, simple, cutesie/old fashioned "feel" to it...

WHo woulda ever thought to use toilet paper rolls!!

Isn't that a nifty idea!!

Now that I did a simple one, I'm thinking...hmm this could be done up really cool if you have any spare time on your hands to add great whimsy to them!! For me...well maybe another time..but for this year, these are perfect! :)

So does that mean I have officially "altered" toilet paper rolls??? LOL..

Don't it look cute!!!

All I did was tuck fold the bottoms of each end.

I stuffed candy and other goodies

in it, along with a small activity!

I was able to stuff 2 packs of funsize m&m packs into them!!

**** COUNT DOWN/HALLOWEEN TIP HERE!!! ****

On Halloween when you take your kids trick or treating,

once it's all over give them a freezer bag with their name on it.

Ask for 25 pieces of candy. When they are done seal them up and throw them in the

freezer!!

You now have your Christmas Countdown candies. They still get to eat "their"

candy...just not all at once!!! :)

Thanks Suzanne for this tip you shared with me years ago!!

P.S. Don't always expect your kids will be pleased to "hand it over" lol..

I've been wanting to find a website

that has the story of Mary and Joseph and the

birth of Jesus, where you would read a section of the

story each night but I've yet to find a website for that.

So next year I will just break the story down myself, plus have

family activites in there.

I had a hard time tho coming up with something everyday..so incase you need some ideas too I'm including our list.

Have a Merry Christmas..time is counting down..ha ha..

1 decorate the tree
2 watch rudolph
3 curl up with hot coco and read a christmas book
4 send postcards to your friends
5 say a prayer for the troops
6 Set your shoe by your bedroom door for tonite is the nite St Nick comes!
7 work on gifts you're making for family members
8 listen to christmas music and sing along
9 read a christmas book
10 watch a special christmas movie in mom's bed! (I bought the movie "8 crazy nights" and included 2 fun size m&m's)
11 have a cup of warm coco and tell us about your day!
12 say a special prayer for everyone
13 enjoy your treat (put suckers in this one)
14 make cookies
15 read a christmas book
16 say a prayer for the troops
17 read a story about Jesus
18 Take goodies to the neighbors
19 have fun at the school party today!
20 enjoy your treat while we read a christmas book (put a piece of candy inside)
21 play a game of "trouble"
22 help open and hang the christmas cards
23 have coco popcorn and watch and christmas movie
24 Hang your stockings. Read a book about Jesus and verse
25 Happy Birthday Jesus! Be sure to thank him for all he's done for you! Enjoy your day!

Altered Cd with a Unicorn Paper Piecing

My friends daughter is doing her room

in fairies and unicorns.

I made this paper piece and wasn't sure what

I was going to do with it.

Well I ended up mounting it onto a regular old

no good cd and making it into a wall hanging for her.

She will receive this for her birthday.

Hope she likes it!!

Valentine's Day Gifts

For Valentine's Day I made up these quick little gifts

for Caleb and Carter's Bible School Teachers.

For the candles, I just took walmart votives and wrapped them with scrapbook

paper and double sided tape and tied a "Happy Valentine's Day" ribbon on them.
I also included these little altered magnetic frames.
They were originally business magnets, I just recovered them
in scrapbook papers.