|
|
|
Volume 2, Number 12, March 21, 2007 (Read It Online) We have some great tips and projects this week, including craft uses for watches, uses for tile and some ideas for making your own quilt batting. We would love to see what you are creating! Photo Contest Submit a craft photo with a short description and you will be entered to win $25 in our weekly contest where we pick the best photo of the week. Click here for more information. Crafting for Fun and Money Submit a craft project with a photo of the finished craft and we will pay $15 if we publish your craft. For more details: Click here for more information. Thanks for reading, Susan
Edit Your Subscriptions: To edit your ThriftyFun subscriptions, click the Update Profile/Email Address link at the bottom of this newsletter. Today's newsletter contains: Photos and Projects:
Tips:
Requests:
Articles:
Here's a fun project for every "bunny".
View this Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf20124940.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Recently, I took one old oil container, wrapped it with a beautiful coloured paper and decorated it with flowers, glitter and other pretty things. Now my pencil holder is ready. You try it at home and decorate with whatever you like. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27495115.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: We get plastic bags from all of our stores when we shop so I decided to put them to use. I found my hook rug canvas and cut my bags in 4 inch by 1 inch strips to make a plastic bag rug. They are soft and good for by the door and when they get dirty, just hose them off. Your only cost is the hook rug canvas. You can make them any size you want.
View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf32710164.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: This project is sure to put a smile on the face of each and every dinner guest. Crafting Time: about 20 minutes
View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf32872077.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: As Easter is a Comin', I have something that I do to get in the Bunny Mood. I remove the string that connects the eggs and put small slits with a knife on one side of the egg; enough to slip on mini lites. I use LED as they are not hot but others I know have used the cheap mini lites and no problem so far. This is so pretty to put anywhere around your house...I put them around a big bouquet of flowers and it looks quite nice. Happy Easter Decorating! By Terry from Fall River, NS
Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96194022.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It:
Old text books are good to use in making any number of hand crafts: paper beads, envelopes, cutouts for use in scrapbooking, etc. :) Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf18448602.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It:
Shadow Box Display Get a shadow box picture frame and make a collage of watches, you may even want to add to them! Either hang them on the wall or use a plate stand to rest the shadow box on and display them on a table. By Syd Use Gears For Scrapbooking Are the watches the old wind-up type? If so, take them apart and use the pieces for scrapbooking. Scrapbookers love to use the face and gears for pages about time, new years, etc. By Cheryl from Missouri Bookmarks Take the bands off and attach a ribbon or nylon string for beads or just beads, or anything that you have handy, crochet yarn even! Make it in different lengths to use for book marks, works great and doesn't have to tell time. By Fran Use To Frame A Small Photo If the clock works can be taken out, cut a photo to fit then screw the top piece back on (I think it's called the crystal, even if it's plastic?). Then you can either wear the photo watch in addition to a working watch or hang with a display :) Use In Craft Projects Or Sell Take the watches off the bands and hot glue them onto picture frames, like some people do odd colored and shaped buttons. It'll be something different and will definitely be a conversation piece! Also, you could put them in a yard sale, there are all kinds of people looking for odd stuff to tear apart for what ever reason. Might as well make some money off them, if at all possible. By badwater Make A Pin Or Plaque Last week a friend of mine set an unworking watch to 5:00, glued a pin back on it and gave it to a friend who's always saying "It's 5 o'clock somewhere." She was thrilled with it. He took off the band, of course. If you wanted to make a plaque with it, the band might be cute left on if it was the kind that opens. By Jeneene Numbers For Clock Face I made a clock using a plastic plate, clock works from the craft store. For the numbers, I used 12 broken watches. Took of the bands and set them at 1, 2, 3, etc. and glued them to the appropriate place on the cloc, looked cute. Or to make multiple clocks, set the watches and photocopy them and cut out pics and glue to clock. Then you could adjust the size of the watch faces. By Steamer Exploded Watch Fashion A friend of mine had a sweatshirt with watch pieces glued all over it, like a watch had exploded. It was cute, interesting. They used different colors of hot glue or fabric paint, if I remember right. There may have been different colors of paint spattered all over it; I don't really remember. Happy crafting! By LizCar Post Your Ideas: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf251083.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It:
Flannel Instead Of Batting I never use batting. Every time I do and then wash the quilt it just falls away from the quilting and bunches up in balls all over the quilt. I use layers of flannel. By Allison No Batting Quilts I've made several "summer" quilts after seeing an antique one in a quilt shop. No batting at all, just the top and backing. Works best with a foundation pieced (on fabric) top and is just right for cooler summer nights on the porch swing. By duckmom Gut Sleeping Bags And Comforters I have successfully used the guts of an old sleeping bag and an old comforter for batting. The stitching is easily removed and you can cut off the zippers (on sleeping bags) for possible reuse. Often comforter made for children are of cheap, nasty fabric that pills and fades instantly but the batting is polyester and fine. Kids probably have such items at home that they could bring in for a school project. By teaysvalleygirl Old Comforters I have made several quilts by covering up stained or dated comforters that are still in good condition. I just made the quilt like a big pillowcase, sewed up the end and tacked it down in several places. Deanna Blankets And Other Fabric I have known quilters that have re-used the following for batting. I don't know how well they worked but I can't imagine them not working.
By Rosalie Cotton Blankets Old cotton blankets are good batting for quilts. Mom used them in nearly all quilts she made, they laundered easily. By Betty Old Mattress Pads Old mattress pads work well as quilt batting. By Jewels955 Post Your Ideas: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf466852.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: You take one pink coloured balloon, one card sheet and some colorful paper and things for decoration. Cut eyes and nose out of black paper and lips of red coloured paper, paste on (blown up) balloon and wait to dry. Take your card sheet of any colour and make one cone shape hat for your clown and decorate it. Paste it on the balloon head and your own clown is ready. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf69008725.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It:
Coasters, Trivets and Other Craft Ideas I have a home daycare and we have used tiles to make coasters for the living room, a base for another project, glued a picture on one and sealed it, make a trivet, and I think that's all. You could let the kids make their own photo collage on a couple and hang them with pretty ribbon, rafia, or rope. The coasters we put felt on the bottom so they would not scrath the furniture. Good luck! By Suzi Homemaker Mosaic Table Top I am planning a project that uses tiles. My sister's glass patio table top is broken, and she gave me the frame. We are cutting plywood to fit the opening. Then we are breaking up my white tile, grouting the plywood, and making a mosaic table top. I want to purchase a few blue tiles, also, as my home is blue and white. There are colored grouts, also. Let Kids Decorate Tiles My grandaughter went to a birthday party last summer and one of the activities was decorating ceramic tiles and using them to set hot dishes that were to hot to set directly on the table. I collect angels so she painted an angel on mine and gave it to me for Christmas last year. When I opened it I got all teary eyed. It was My favorite gift and I use it every night! By BJ, Ky Photo Christmas Ornaments You could use them as Christmas ornaments with the kids pictures on them. You could use a copy of the picture if you didn't want to use the original. Just glue the picture onto the tile with school glue watered down. Then seal it with several coats of the school glue once the picture had dried. Hot glue a hanger or ribbon on the back and it will be ready for the tree. You could also get them to just decorate the tiles any way they like and use contact paper over that and sit them around. By Michele Use Glass Paint You use glass paint on tiles. Then let them dry over night. Next day you bake the tiles in the oven following manufacturing directions. Let cool completely and then take out. You are ready to decorate now. By Sandy in Vermont Mosaic Tips I enjoy mosaics and have made everything from candleholders (broken colored glass is my favorite material for the candleholders) to tabletops. Just make sure your plywood is thick enough that there is no bend or give and be sure to seal it before you begin glueing. You can use broken china on your table also. Find it cheap at dollar stores or garage sales. There really are no rules, you can use almost any material to mosaic. By Rachel Post Your Ideas: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf696627.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: You can make your own checkers game by saving plastic milk bottle caps. You need two different colors, 12 checkers for each player. If all your bottle caps are the same color, color the top of half the caps with permanent marker. Then make a game board using a square piece of card board. Use a ruler to measure and draw squares with a marker. A checker board is 8 by 8 squares of alternating colors, the same as a chess board. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf88087947.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It:
Does anyone have a free blueprint for a wooden swing set they could send me? Or does anyone have ideas for building a nice swing set for not too much money. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf22967251.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: I have Capri Sun pouches that are cleaned and ready for craft use. Do you think I could sell them? I would only want a little money for them plus the postage. Is there a market? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf46363248.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: My son is graduating from high school in May. We're having a cookout, and I need some ideas for decorating and centerpieces. He loves mud bogging with big trucks, and I was trying to somehow tie this into the decorating theme. Any ideas would be appreciated. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf57877843.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Keeping Paper Flat When Painting With Watercolors I bought a watercolor tablet and tried my hand at painting flowers. The flowers looked nice but the paper puckered. Did I get my paints too wet? Do you have to do something special to keep the paper flat? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60325123.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: I have several beautiful polished and unpolished sea shells and I would like to put holes in them so I can macrame a lamp or a table decoration with them and I am having trouble finding a way to do this. Can you help with this and do you have any shell ideas and patterns? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf608196.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Crochet Stuffed Animals Patterns I was looking for some free patterns for crocheting stuffed animals. Our church group has a quarterly baby shower, and the gifts go to local women shelters and pregnancy centers. I thought that these would make nice gifts. If anyone could help me out that would be fantastic. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf68088894.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Does anyone have any ideas for reusing baby food jars? I hate to throw them away, I figure someone has a use for them. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf686925.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: I purchased a bloom loom to make cute inexpensive hat decorations for the chemo hats made; however, my friend and I are going nuts in trying to follow the instructions. I searched for a "detail" instruction (tutorial/video) without any luck. Any ideas? Thanks gals! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf71910715.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: I've seen some canvas wine bags with handles. Does anyone know how to make them or any suggestions? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf73124288.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: How Many Fat Quarters Do I Use? I am fairly new to quilting and would like to make a simple quilt for each of my daughters. My question is: how many fat quarters are normally used for a standard (full) sized bed? And how many for a King sized? Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf77997705.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Does anyone have a pattern for a sleeveless cotton crochet top for summer that is not a halter neck nor too revealing? Not a jacket please, some sort of sleeveless t-shirty top would be fine. The easier to make, the better! Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf87882608.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here
Easter Egg-stravaganza!
OK, so the kids noticed on the calendar that Easter is approaching and they want to make a huge production of dying eggs. In the past, the little stickers you bought at the store sufficed, but now they want the real thing. Here are some old standards with a few new ideas for you. Read More: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf95430397.tip.html
Email to a Friend
|
Get Responses
|
Bookmark
|
Link
|
Rate It: |
Like ThriftyFun on Facebook
Here are some creative ideas for reusing old and broken watches from our ThriftyFun community. Post your own uses below.
Here some ways to make your own quilt batting out of recycled These tips are from our ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas below.
Here are some crafty ideas for using leftover ceramic tiles. Post your own below.
