ThriftyFun Crafts - August 20, 2008

Does anyone have any tips for organizing your childrens artwork? Feel free to post them here:

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Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Today's newsletter contains:

Photos and Projects:

• The Crochet Book: A Gift
• Craft: Keepsake Box
• Craft: Towel Cake for Beach Wedding
• Homemade CSI Kit for that Aspiring CSI
• Homemade Conditioning Rinse For Shine
• Craft Project: Decoupage Ornamental Ball
• Craft Project: Patch Potholders

Tips:

• Craft: Wax Crayon Quilt Blocks
• Craft: Photography "Mask"
• Cover Image With Cheesecloth for an Oil Painting Look
• Homemade Notepads
• Keep Sewing and Craft Supplies Organized Separately
• Craft: Making Market Bags from Plastic Bags

Requests:

• Peek-a-Boo Dolls?
• Crocheting A Purse Using Pop Top Tabs
• Craft Ideas for Someone That Lives in a Nursing Home
• Crown Royal Bag Quilt
• Making Home Fragrance Oils
• Making a Blanket With a Knifty Knitter
• Making Sleeves To Hold Silverware
• Trouble Crocheting Nylon Netting Scrubbies
• Painting On Leather Clothes
• Black Bear Plastic Canvas Pattern
• Hanging Tulle From The Ceiling

Articles:

• Saving Money with Sheets

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.

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The Crochet Book: A Gift
By Debra Frick

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Craft: Keepsake Box

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Craft: Towel Cake for Beach Wedding

This is a towel cake I made for my brother's wedding this summer. He and his wife were married on the beach and I used the towels they had on their wedding registry.

I used a combination of ribbon, shells and flowers. I put a dowel in the middle to hold the three layers together. I secured the flowers and shells to a painted cardboard cake circular (between the cake layers) using hot glue.

I used corsage pearl pins to hold the towels together after rolling them. It helped that the towels were brown, giving it a more realistic cake look. I hope this idea helps anyone looking for a unique way to wrap towels from a wedding registry.

By Diane K from Leesburg, VA

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Homemade CSI Kit for that Aspiring CSI

Do you have a budding CSI in your midst? Have you recently priced a toy CSI detective Kit? My 8-year-old grandson William loves to watch CSI and recently asked me to go online and find him a CSI kit. After my near heart attack from sticker shock, I decided that I would do a little research. After watching four back-to-back episodes of CSI on Spike TV and looking at the kits online, I had a little knowledge of what I was up against.

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Homemade Conditioning Rinse For Shine

Many kitchen products can be used to make homemade shampoo, conditioner, and rinse. Hair rinses are usually used to add extra shine, bounce, color, or moisture to tired tresses.

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Craft Project: Decoupage Ornamental Ball

Decoupage is the art of pasting paper. Wildly popular during Victorian times, it can be a wonderful way to create many different styles of art. It's also a great way to recycle almost any kind of paper. Here are the basics about the art and a simple project to get you started.

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Craft Project: Patch Potholders

Use those scraps of material for a quilted potholder.

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Craft: Wax Crayon Quilt Blocks

During our church summer program, all the children used Dollar Tree crayons to color quilt blocks. Each color block represented a different program.

After they drew something from their memories of the program, we ironed them with a sheet of cut rite wax paper between the fabric and the iron. It not only helps to protect your iron but also adds a little extra wax to keep it permanent. If done right, it will not wash out. Be sure to use the cheapest wax crayons, Crayola will not work. I then tied each corner to the next to make this huge banner.

By Randa from San Marcos, TX

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Craft: Photography "Mask"

I used this picture for a photography class. The model is my mom and I created the "mask".

By Addi from LaGrange, Illinois

Editor's Note: If this mask looks familiar, it is because Addi also submitted her dog wearing the mask last week:

• Hendrix (Saint Bernard)

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Cover Image With Cheesecloth for an Oil Painting Look

For inexpensive artwork that looks like an oil painting, you can use a picture from an old calendar (or similar paper stock) by gluing it to poster board or cardboard and then lay a piece of cheese cloth over the picture. Next step is to brush on a thin coat of shellac over the cheese cloth. Once dry, cut the board and cheese cloth to fit the size of the picture. Place in a frame proper for the size. Bet you can find a frame in a dollar store or at a garage sale on the cheap ;-)

Source: Can't remember where I read this craft tip but it works great :-)

By Deeli from Richland, WA

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Homemade Notepads

You will need: Paper, white glue, paintbrush, cardboard, heavy weight objects and a straight edged knife

Take 8 1/2x11 inch pieces of paper and cut them into fourths. I use paper that has been used once, but blank on the backside, to recycle it.

Create stacks of the paper. Only one side needs to be even.
Pack the stack of paper firmly against a hard surface and lay it down on a hard surface.

Put a piece of cardboard that is bigger than the stack on the top and bottom of the stack.

Take whatever you have that is heavy and put it on top of the stack. I have used a case of water, which is heavy enough.

The side that you packed is the side you will use to put the glue on. Take your brush (a sponge brush works well) and pour the white glue on it a little at a time and brush it on the flat edge of the paper. Make sure to get the edges, too. Let it dry and then put another coat on. Do this twice.

After it is completely dry, take the knife and run it through between the sheets for the thickness of the pads you want. The knife will separate them cleanly.

By Lora from Milwaukie, OR

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Keep Sewing and Craft Supplies Organized Separately

In my sewing chest and my craft basket, I keep the little things separate. In the sewing chest (three drawers), I keep my various scissors in the bottom drawer, including my electric scissors that were a gift. In middle drawer I keep the many spools of thread. In top drawer, I have such things as safety pins, snaps, etc. I have each sorted by size and keep each size in pill bottles, one size per bottle.

When crocheting doll clothes, for example, I can find the size snaps I need instantly. Safety pins are in various bottles, again sorted by size, saves having to dump them all out and search through for what I need. My straight pins are in a bottle, too. Saves a lot of time when I can open drawer or bucket in craft basket, and pick out just what I need. Easy to put away too.

By Linda from Bloomington, Illinois

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Craft: Making Market Bags from Plastic Bags

I make market bags from plastic store bags and colored trash bags. Here is a photo of a pink one I made. With most stores going with reusable bags now, I think people will enjoy these. I bought these bags at a dollar store for $1.00, 30 bags in a package, it used about 27 bags.

By Geni from OH

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Peek-a-Boo Dolls?

I'm trying to find out what the dolls are called that are homemade and are about the size when finished as a 2 year old toddler standing up. But the main idea of the Boy or Girl Doll is for their faces to be hidden while they are bent over hiding there face against their arms. I have seen these on front porches, mostly outside dolls.

They usually have overalls on and you only see there body, arms, back of head and neck wearing hats the majority of the time. I guess they are stuffed in some way. I would like to know what they Are called? How they are made? I thought they might be called Peek-a-Boo Dolls but not sure. They look like they are playing hide and seek and counting. And if anyone has a picture to share that would be great! Thanks in advance.

Julie

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Crocheting A Purse Using Pop Top Tabs

I am looking for instructions for a purse crocheted out of pop tabs. Where can I find instructions for "manicuring" the tabs to smooth them for craft work? Can you help me? Thank you.

Mariposa

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Craft Ideas for Someone That Lives in a Nursing Home

I work at a nursing home as an activities director. I need ideas for new and exciting things I can do with them. Please keep in mind, that not many of them can do anything. Many only have the use of one hand.

I would also like to beg you to get involved in your local home. Many of them don't get visitors and could use friends. If you call ahead, most places will have someone able and ready to go for an ice cream or even church on Sundays. You can help simply by grabbing your pet and/or a book (I like the Chicken Soup books) and just go read to them, or hold a hand, you won't be sorry.

April from Buffalo, NY

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Crown Royal Bag Quilt

I want basic instructions on making a quilt out of crown royal bags small and big. Can you help me?

Wanda

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Making Home Fragrance Oils

I have a question about making your own fragrance oils for Lampe Berger. I followed the recipe many people posted using 90% isopropyl alcohol and essential oil. The mixture smells strongly like alcohol, not much like the scent I added. I do not want to add too much oil because people warned against this (lamp smokes). Is this how it is supposed to smell before I burn it?

Susanna

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Making a Blanket With a Knifty Knitter

Looking for a blanket pattern using the Knifty Knitter long loom.

Diane from Plover, WI

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Making Sleeves To Hold Silverware

I would like to sew some sleeves to hold my silverware so it does not tarnish. Has anyone made any and what fabric should I use?

Rose from Malvern, PA

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Trouble Crocheting Nylon Netting Scrubbies

When I try to crochet a pot scrubber with nylon netting it comes out with a totally frayed look from the cut edges. The stitches are not distinct so it is difficult to find the hole for the next stitch. I am looking at a scrubber that I purchased and the stitches are very obvious and it has a very neat look. What am I not doing wrong?

Verna from Urbandale, IA

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Painting On Leather Clothes

How do you paint on leather clothes? What type of paints would I use? Are there specific brands? Can I also use the same ones for denim cloth?

Justin from West Orange, NJ

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Black Bear Plastic Canvas Pattern

Does anyone know where I can get a pattern for a Deer or a Black Bear in Plastic Canvas?

Vicky from Canadensis, PA

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Hanging Tulle From The Ceiling

How do you measure for how much tulle you would need to hang from the ceiling to form a swag several times? How do you hang it?

Julie from Muskegon

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Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here

Saving Money with Sheets
By Kelly Ann Butterbaugh

It's nearly time for white sales to begin. While these sales offer us great deals on linens, they offer so much more for the more creative consumer. By far, bed sheets are the most valuable item on sale this month. There's so much more than can be done with them than putting them on a bed.

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