August 08, 2007

ThriftyFun Crafts - August 8, 2007


Volume 2, Number 31, August 8, 2007 (Read It Online)

We have some more interesting crafts this week. We'll be publishing more "for Christmas" crafts as we go along so everyone will have plenty of time to get them done for the season.

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Today's newsletter contains:

Photos and Projects:

Tips:

Requests:

Today's Sponsor:

Crafting for Fun and Money!

If you are an avid crafter, capable writer and own a digital camera, you are eligible to participate. Submit your craft projects to ThriftyFun and we will pay $15 for any crafts that we publish.

More Information:
Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml

Photos and Projects:

Pin Cushion Holder

Pin cushion holder that resembles an ol' fashioned Easter Hat.

Approximate Time 45 minutes

Supplies:

  • tuna fish can
  • 12x12 inch fabric
  • 12x12 inch printed fabric
  • craft flowers
  • lace
  • craft beads
  • glue gun
  • glue sticks
  • stuffing
  • ribbon

Instructions:

Cover 6 inch round circle with plain fabric and glue in middle-flatten. Take tuna can, add stuffing cover with printed fabric, make sure fabric is flattened underneath and glue to 6 inch circle. Glue lace around tuna can or whatever you think. I added lace and beads and small flowers.

It looks like a old time Easter hat and then I glued on a hook on back if I wanted to hang it on the wall someday.

By Sally from West Seneca, NY

Pin Cushion Holder

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Pink and Pearls Necklace

Glass pink beads mixed with pearls make this a beautiful necklace!

Approximate Time 1 hour

Supplies:

  • Pink beads
  • pearls
  • seed beads
  • metal wire (or elastic or even fishing line)
I bought the pink beads from Wal-Mart (craft section). The pearls came from a yard sale and the metal wire came from another craft project. I have used elastic for my necklaces and bracelets, and have used fishing line. If you use fishing line, you will need the ends to put the necklace together. You can get those for a small pack for under a dollar at Wal-Mart as well.

Instructions:

  1. String 3 pearls
  2. String a seed bead
  3. String a large pink bead
  4. String another seed bead
  5. String 3 pearls
  6. String a seed bead
  7. String a small pink bead
  8. String a seed bead
  9. Repeat all
The only measuring I do is when I get close to the end. I wrap it around my neck to see how it's going to look and feel. When I'm happy with it, that's how long it is.

By AngelLoveInOhio from Akron/Canton Area of Ohio

pinkandpearls2_300x225.jpg

Pink and Pearls Necklace

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Wheelbarrow Flower Decorations

This is a craft simple enough for small children. You need plastic scoops from powder detergent, caps from gallon jugs of milk and small artificial flowers.

Wash the plastic scoops and the caps from the milk jugs. Use elmers glue to glue one of the caps to the sides of the plastic scoop. Place flowers inside.

Makes a nice Mother's Day gift or Party table favors at Wedding showers or for Birthday parties.

By Evelyn from McHenry, IL

Wheelbarrow Flower Decorations

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Creative Storage Containers

Easy ways to create attractive storage from "cast-offs" from your house or those you pick up at garage sales.

Approximate Time 30 - 60 minutes

Supplies:

  • containers
  • spray and craft paint
  • paint brushes
  • crafting stamps or stencils
  • paint pens
  • sponge
  • small silk flowers
  • paper or fabric trim
  • ribbon scraps
  • scissors
  • glue

Instructions:

  1. Pink Basket: This was an old wicker lunchbox and is now my sewing basket. Spray painted pink, then craft painted on the flowers by just dabbing the brush on the basket to make circle-flowers and leaves.

  2. Dark Green Container: This old wooden tool carrier is now a CD holder. Brushed on dark green craft paint, then stamped on pictures of watering cans and birdhouses. Outlined watering cans and birdhouses with gold paint pen and sponge painted a frame around each side with dark brown and white.

  3. Light Green Container: This old candy box now holds panty hose and knee highs. Painted the box sage green, glued paper trim around the edges, and glued small silk flowers and ribbon bows to the top.

By Marie E. Cecchini from West Dundee, IL

Creative Storage Containers

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Decoupaging Ceramic Tiles

Decoupaging ceramic tiles is fun and easy. Although smooth, white tiles work the best, choosing tiles of pale shades and different textures gives you more options for interesting effects. The thinner the paper you choose to use, the better and don't forget to varnish. These are decorative tiles, not hot plates.

By Lisa from Thessaloniki, Greece

Decoupage Tiles

Decoupage Tiles

Decoupage Tiles

Decoupage Tiles

Decoupaging Ceramic Tiles

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Bridal Shower Watermelon Lighted Centerpiece

  • 1 Large watermelon
  • utensils used for pumpkin carving
  • There is a book out there with watermelon carving designs
  • 1 tealight candle
  • 1 large glass plate

Cut bottom of watermelon so it can stand on plate and scoop out watermelon (I used the watermelon from inside in fruit salad for shower). Attached stencil to front of watermelon, use toothpick to poke holes in row as to where you will cut. Take off stencil and you will see a dot to dot layout of the picture just carve away. Put a tea light inside.

Note: you can not do this in advance as the rind starts to wither as a pumpkin would. Looks cool on table.

By Carol from Massachusetts

Bridal Shower Watermelon Lighted Centerpiece

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Welcome Wreath

Here is an easy decoration for your front door.

Materials:

  • Grapevine wreath
  • Flowers
  • Leaves
  • Baby's breath
  • Ribbon
  • Welcome sign
  • Paint
  • Hot glue gun and hot glue
  • Metal hanger

Instructions:

First hot glue the leaves, baby's breath, and flowers on the wreath. It's helpful to place them where you want them before you start gluing.

Paint the welcome sign front and back. Let it dry then hot glue it onto the wreath.

Wrap the ribbon around the whole wreath then glue. I just used scrap ribbon.

On the back hot glue the hanger on. I used a small piece of a wire coat hanger.

It only cost me a few cents to make this decoration because I already had everything to make it. The only thing I bought was the paint for the welcome sign which was on clearance @ Wal-Mart for $1.00. Only used a little paint so this was only pennies to make.

My sister said she paid $12.00 for a grapevine wreath some ladies were selling. I was shocked at how much homemade crafts sell for when you can have little money in them.

By luv2craft from Normalville, PA

Welcome Wreath

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Tips:

Making Character Photos

Nowadays many people have a camera on their cell phone so taking pictures can become part of an outdoor party or festival event.

Find a big piece of cardboard and make a scene or characters to match the theme of your party/event. You can use paint or oil pastels to do the designs. Cut holes in areas that would be the right height up for your guests to be able to pop their faces through. Become Hello Kitty, the sun, or a flower instantaneously! And let mom snap your photo too!

By Maura from New York, NY

Making Character Photos

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Uses for Old Phone Books

Here is advice for recycling old phone books in crafts posted by the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.

Use Pages For Messy Jobs

I keep mine and tear out a page to use when I am using glue, paint, stamping and for other craft projects. Then they can be thrown away after use and a new page used.

By Grandma H

I, too, use the old phone books for when I am hot gluing, and then rip the page(s) out when I am through to have another clean work surface. I also use them for a pad underneath my work when I am using an X-acto knife.

You could also use them for a booster seat (if the books are taped securely, making sure they won't move around.)

By Squirrley

Make A Christmas Tree

Years ago, they used magazines and by folding the pages in half some way formed a Christmas Tree shape and spray painted them.I've seen them but I really couldn't tell you how to go about making them.

By Sharon, Ky

We make table trees out of them for holidays and center pieces. It is very time-consuming but fun for all ages. You take the top corner of each page and fold it down towards the center making a half triangle of each page top. Do this individually to each page of entire book. You can decorate by painting, glitter, or any way you like. I also like the way it stands all by itself.

By Crystelc

A long time ago my Mother used to turn down all of the pages half way and then spray paint the entire TREE and that was a door stop and Christmas tree for the holidays. Wish I had a picture for you. Good Luck.

By Sally

Paper Mache Material

You can tear the pages out and use them in a paper mache type project. Cover an old box, vase or glass to paint after it dries. Have fun!

By Monica

How about papier mache? Or shred the pages for compost or for pet bedding; could you then sell bags of it for a very small amount?

By Attilathehen

Thrifty Ideas

There was a post recently with links to templates for envelopes. I like that idea and got some nice magazines from someone on freecycle last night.

If you want to save paper towels you uses for pan fried bacon, try putting a thickness of yellow pages on the platter under only one paper towel. You get the same effect as you do with several paper towels!

By melody_yesterday

Make A Step For Exercising

I read somewhere that the best use for old phone books is to stack them together and bind them with duct tape to keep them sturdy. Then use them for your step-exercises!

By hsorbits

Flower Press

I use mine to press flowers such as pansies and when dried (about a week) I use the flowers to make cards or lots of things. I am sure the kids would love to do this

By Jan

Transparency Dryer

I use them to dry overhead transparencies that I use for teaching. I just rinse the transparencies and put them in the phonebook with several pages in between. The pages absorb the water so I don't have to worry about drying them and they don't get stuck together.

By Allison

Homemade Footstool

I have used them by binding several of them together with duct tape. Then I use them for my senior grandmother under the chair she sits in as a foot stool. It seems this would be perfect in a senior citizens home! Also once in a while, she gets chilly so we move the already bound books over the nearby air vent to keep it from blowing on her.

By KimiSunshine

Child's Booster Seat

Stack them 6-8 inches thick then tape them together and cover with contact paper. Now you have an attractive booster for the snack table. Pass them on to the parents for a booster at the dinner table.

By Catherine D

Leave The Old One In The Car

When we get a new phone book we put the old one in our cars, they have come in handy when you need a phone number.

By Carol

Parrot Chew Top

If you have friends that have large parrots (Macaws or Codkatoos), and medium parrots (Amazons, conures or Hawkheads), drill a hole through the center of the phonebook, knot the bottom of a chain (about 10-14 inchens long) so that the phonebook won't fall through the chain, use a "G" screw lock to fasten the book to the top of the bird's cage. They will have a good time chewing it apart. It's one of the best free "busy" toys for a parrot.

The chain link can be bought at Home Depot or Loews for about a $1 if you or your friends don't have any at home after the parrots have chewed their way through wooden block toys.

By MaryAnn

Planter Stands

I have used my old phone books as planter stands. Using a commercial glue, stack the phone books one on top of the other and glue between each one. Place them in a spiral tower and wait until the adhesive has bonded them together. Using old paint, paint each one in a different colour, then when dry apply a coat of varnish. Make sure that they are well balanced when assembling them. Good luck

By M'ladys

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Uses for Tuna Cans

Tips for reusing empty tuna cans from the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.

Fill With Styrofoam For Decorating

Tuna fish cans make great craft project containers, push the container onto a piece of Styrofoam and push in to fill. Then decorate with items or flowers. I have used this in nursing home projects. Decorate the label area with ribbon, then make seasonal arrangements.

By Syd

Poison Mouses

I fill them with mouse poison and my DH puts them up in the attic crawl space for me. No more mice!

By valleyrimgirl

Biscuit Cutter And Candle Molds

I remove the bottom and use them for cookie and biscuit cutters. They are also good for making candles and bars of soaps.

By Jacensgramma

Storage Containers Throughout The House

Tuna cans can be decorated and used on desks to hold paper clips and etc. In the bedroom - a coin tray,in the kitchen - a scoop, on the porch - as an ashtray. In the workroon for small painting jobs, in the car glued to the dasboard or floor - a cup holder.

Bake Cakes

Clean them out thoroughly, then bake fruit cake mixture in them to make individual cakes that make great gifts.

By Puppina

Hurricane Candles

I make walkway hurricane candlelabras by attaching cleaned cans to thick wooded dowel with nail or screw. Spray the can and dowel black. Then I attach a bow right below can. I use pillar candle with huricane globe. They really look nice lining a walkway. I use red velvet bows for Christmas, white for wedding shower.

Many Uses For Tuna Cans

Somewhere (I can't remember where) I saw an idea for a tuna can pin cushion. Fill the clean tuna can with polyfil and hot-glue a scrap of fabric over the top. Wrap a ribbon around the can to make it look pretty.

You could do something similar with green fabric and ribbon and a couple pieces of green felt to make a turtle.

They also make good trays for painting, especially for small children. They can swirl the brush around enough to get the desired amount of paint without worrying about spilling it and making (as much of) a mess.

They're also good for making poached eggs. Float them in boiling water, then crack the egg into the can and cook to desired doneness.

My mom uses one as a water dish for her cats.

Camilla

By calnorth

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Thrift Store Bargains for Crafts

Tips for finding craft materials at thrift stores from the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas below.

Look At Clothing For Buttons, Fabric Or Lace

On your next trip to the thrift store as you're browsing through the clothing, look for interesting buttons and fabric. Buttons can be used in many craft projects and can be used to make beautiful jewelry like pins and earrings. An old flared jean skirt will give you enough fabric for one pillow or two covered memory boards. Flowered fabric can be used to make placemats, doll clothes or to make Barbie furniture, the possibilities are endless. Don't turn down a blouse with limp lace. If you like the lace, remove it careful and wash gently with some oxy-clean and then starch. By Debra in Colorado

Reuse Yarn From Sweaters

Recycling is always a good idea. I take it one step further, when I go to the thrift store I look for sweaters made with cotton yarn. These can be taken apart and made into dishcloths. If there is a pretty sweater, made from good yarn these can also be taken apart to make vests, childrens sweaters or parts of afghans. I sometimes use single mittens too. Sometimes sweaters that are no longer useable fall into your hands. These can be taken apart and used to make small blankets for pets or the animal shelter.

By Jeanne

I just love the idea of NOT wasting but even making use of left over scraps for blankets for animals at the shelters! What a great idea! Oh, and you could make little stuffed animals to, maybe even put a little cat nip in a little stuffed mice for the kitties!

By HungryArtist

Find Baskets And Sheets

Two things I look for at thrift stores are nice baskets for potential gifting and sheets, especially high thread count vintage sheets.

By lmr5140

Tips For Thrift Store Finds

Thrift stores are like heaven to me! I find so many useful things there and I find uses for so many other things! Here are some ideas:
  • Cut off fringe and other trims from bedspreads and rugs and add them to something else you own.

  • Spray paint lamps in fluorescent colors to give them a new look.

  • Do you have empty bookshelves? Fill them with books!

By Susan

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Contests:

The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!

New Requests:

Smoothing Out Chalkboard Paint

I AM DESPERATE FOR HELP!! I am trying to make chalkboards. They are 2'X2' so I want to paint them with a roller. I am now on my 3rd can of paint and no chalkboard.

Does anyone know if you can get a nice smooth finish with chalkboard paint? After trying to make them on Masonite, I was fortunate to find chalkboard material in 2'X4' pieces. Problem is that they are green and I need black. So, the man at the paint store told me I could just paint them black with the chalkboard paint. Great idea, so I thought. Unfortunately, I still have the same problem. I can't get a nice smooth finish. They look kind of like they are textured.

The man at the paint store said it is orange peel. I have gotten so many tips about what to do - make sure surface is smooth and clean, use the right size roller, don't shake the paint, stir it enough, don't press down on the roller, don't paint if it's too hot
etc. So, I incorporated all the tips, but to no avail. I have tried different kinds of paint and bought expensive rollers (1/4" nap for ultra smooth finish) and foam rollers. I want to make several of these, but it is getting very expensive so I really need to find out what to do. I won't use spray paint without a paint booth so that is out. I'm not good with a brush because I get too many lines. I really want to use the roller. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'll appreciate any help at all.

I'm ready to cry, but I'M DETERMINED NOT TO GIVE UP!
Thanks in advance for ANY help you can give me.


Ann from Elmira, NY

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Easy Pillow Shams

I'm looking for directions for easy to make pillow shams.

Judy from Inman, SC

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Will Paper Ruin a Blender?

Will making paper in the blender damage the blender? I have a $150 blender so am loathe to fill it with paper if it will burn out the motor.

Katherine

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Where Can I Get A Miss Elizabeth Scrapbook?

I purchased from the Dollar Tree Miss Elizabeth's scrapbooking pages and refills. Where can I get a scrapbook to go with it. They didn't have one in stock at the time, not sure if they even get them in at all? Thank you!

Heather from Florida

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Frugal Curtain Tiebacks

Does anyone have any frugal ideas for making curtain tiebacks?

Christine from Melbourne, Australia

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Making Gatefolded Wedding Invitations

How do you make single gatefold cards for wedding invitations?

Jeananna from Detroit, MI

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Help Selling Homemade Doll Clothes

Hi I am eleven years old and get very many compliments on how well I crochet. I like making hats, booties/socks and other clothes for my dolls and was thinking about selling on ebay... And yes I am aware of copyright and my mom, Jamesia, will check every pattern before I even start the project. I mostly make up my own patterns. I need to know the price range I should sell in on ebay and such! Thanks SO MUCH!

Mackenzie from Millington, TN

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White Haze When Making Candles

I recently started making candles again. My question is after the wax has hardened and I release the wax from the mold, there is a white haze on top of the wax. I tried and remelted the wax on a lower temp. thinking the wax was too hot when poured, but I got the same results. Any tips on how to fix this? Thank you.

Dana from Newkensington, PA

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Looking For Snowman Pattern For Jars

I want to paint snowman faces on glass quart jars but I'm not much of a painter. Could someone tell me an easy way to do this? I've looked for patterns for this but haven't found any as of yet. Help?

Karen from Clemmons, NC

Editor's Note: Here are tips on making snowman jars.

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How do you upholster the back of dining room chair?

How do you upholster the back of dining room chair?

Linda from Evansville, IN

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Bending Silverware for Crafts

How do I bend silverware for drawer pulls and/or how do I find answers for last November's post on this subject?

Jane from Ridgeway, SC

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Juice Pouch Bags, Wallets and Checkbook Covers

I would love any directions for juice pouch crafts (purses, wallets, belts, etc.) I am a mom who is finishing a college degree, and I see them all over campus.They look so fun to make, and I have a teenage daughter who wants them, too. Thank you!

Marie from Idaho Falls, Idaho

Editor's Note: Here are two Juice Pouch craft projects that are on ThriftyFun.

Here are some links to other tips and requests about Juice Pouch crafts.

* Juice Pouch Tri-Fold Wallet

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Homemade Kool-Aid Playdough

I am looking for a playdough recipe that I used to make for children and must make for my grandson! I have seen several different types of recipes but the one I am thinking of you do not have to cook, but I remember I had to add dish soap!

Robin from South Sioux City, NE

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