ThriftyFun Crafts - June 25, 2008

Do you have an Fourth of July crafts to share with the ThriftFun community? Feel free to post them on one of the contest pages or the Crafts for Fun and Money page.

Thanks for reading,

Susan

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Today's newsletter contains:

Photos and Projects:

• Craft Project: Rose Beads
• Craft Project: Doll Sleeping Bag
• Craft Project: Potpourri Pie
• Craft Project: Quick Flowers In A Basket Decoration
• "Hot Spot" Collar For Dogs
• Craft: Baby Food Jar Tea Lites

Tips:

• Use White Paper to Help Thread Needles
• Use a Magnet to Retrieve Pins and Needles
• Craft: Selling Recycled Bag Rugs
• Craft: Kids Santa Ornament
• Welcome Bags for Babies in the NICU
• Use And Store Each Year's Photo Memory Card

Requests:

• Does Sculpey Stain Walls?
• Plans for a 6 Passenger Stroller
• Layering Sand and Pebbles in a Vase
• Making a Juice Box Holder
• Uses For Coffee Creamer Containers
• Craft Ideas Using Scrap Wood in Bible School
• Tinkerbell Centerpiece Ideas
• Using Saved Greeting Cards
• Crafts Using Lace Bodice From Dress
• Pattern For Knitted Crossover Cardigan
• Pattern For A Wedding Heart
• Free Patterns For Knitted Wash Clothes
• Gathered Bag Pattern

Articles:

• Tips For Making Bath Bombs

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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Craft Project: Rose Beads
By Debra Frick

These beads are made from the petals of the rose. It is a great way to save the beauties of the spring and summer. When you wear any jewelry made with these beads the heat of your skin releases the fragrance of the roses they are made from. No need for extra perfume. It is said that these are what the original rosaries were made of. This is a craft easy enough for children to do and can be quite fun as long as the kids have some adult supervision.

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Craft Project: Doll Sleeping Bag

This adorable sleeping bag can be altered to fit any size doll. You or your little girl can make a Barbie doll, American Girl Doll, or Cabbage Patch kid doll sleeping bag. This is a great project for older girls who have learned sewing basics, and now want to try a real project.

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Craft Project: Potpourri Pie

This a pie that not only smells great, but looks great too. Muslin is cut to look like pie dough, potpourri is filling and more muslin for that open looking pie. You can even bake this one too!

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Craft Project: Quick Flowers In A Basket Decoration

This fun floral craft is perfect for a centerpiece on the table, a small decoration, or a beautiful kid's craft. You just take some floral Styrofoam and arrange some fake flowers in it. You take twisted raffia, wind and glue it around the Styrofoam base, and voila, a fancy basket!

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"Hot Spot" Collar For Dogs

Our dog, Joshua, develops "hot spots" in the heat of summer, and constantly chews his back and his bobtail until it is raw and the hair is gone. I have tried all kinds of ointments with no success. So I have devised a collar that I can slip over his head to prevent him from being able to reach those spots to chew. I measured the distance from the back of his ear to his shoulder. (5 inches) Then I measured around his neck. I added a little to this measurement so that the collar would not be too tight.

Using these measurements, I cut 6 layers of muslin, then cut 2 layers from a manila file folder about 1/2 an inch smaller all around. I laid down 3 layers of the muslin, then the 2 layers of cardboard to make it rigid, and then the other 3 layers of the muslin. I sewed around all 4 sides close to the edge, then sewed seams lengthwise about an inch apart to keep the layers from shifting. I took large safety pins and pinned this around his neck.

It is not tight. I can slip it off his head to bathe him, but he cannot get it off. He wasn't real happy with his new collar, but it has prevented him from reaching back and biting those places on his rear and they are healing. The photo shows pretty clearly what I have just described.

By Harlean from Arkansas

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Craft: Baby Food Jar Tea Lites

Wondering what to do with baby food jars? Make tea lites!

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Use White Paper to Help Thread Needles

Being an 'older lady', I find my eyesight is not as good as it once was and threading a sewing machine needle was a frustrating experience. One day I picked up a piece of white paper and put it behind the needle and easily threaded it. I think it would work for hand sewing needles as well.

Source: I think this is something that just occurred to me when I was sewing though it could have been something I read at one time.

By Pat from Phoenix, AZ

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Use a Magnet to Retrieve Pins and Needles

This one is for sewers, (or if you drop a nail when hanging a picture) whether you have a "bad" back or need to reach into a tight space, this works for me. Stick a magnet onto the end of a knitting needle or yardstick, etc. Then you can easily pick up those pins, etc. that always seem to fall where they cannot be reached.

By Barbara from B.C. Canada

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Craft: Selling Recycled Bag Rugs

There was plenty of reusable shirt bags behind a clothier here and a handy video to make short work of making the plarn necessary to create handmade items.

• YouTube: Cutting Plastic Bags

My problem is that I am not in a zone that I can sell retail from which I had hoped. So, on Sundays across from me at a park ,it is busier than any other day. Taking advantage of that, I backed my truck up to near the end of my driveway, leaving enough room for 1 other vehicle to get off the street.

I have an over-the-door towel rack that I don't use for towels that fit nicely over the top of my tailgate and I fastened my crocheted rug to it with with my price tag clearly visible! No one bought my rug but I know I can at least TRY, which is 1/2 the success!

By melody_yesterday from Sedalia, MO

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Craft: Kids Santa Ornament

You will need red or green puff paper (I get it at the dollar store), cotton balls, glue, a small pic of the kid that is doing the ornament, black gel pen, silver gel pen and scissors.

Have the kids trace their hands and cut them out. Color in the shoes and belt with the black gel pen and the belt buckle with the silver gel pen. Glue the cotton for the hair, beard and trim on suit. Let dry, add kids pic in center. This is so cute. You can make sugar cookie dough, roll out, kids can trace their hands, cut them out and do turkeys. This is very cute too. Fun for you and the kids.

By Sheri from Stockton, CA

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Welcome Bags for Babies in the NICU

Interested in helping make "welcome bags"?

Looking around on this site, and other crafting boards inspired me. Well from that inspiration, an idea was born.

So here is my idea; you see a lot of different people/organizations that make handcrafted items for preemies and full-term babies that have to stay in NICU, which don't get me wrong is a great thing. Well I got to thinking back to when I had both of my children who didn't need to be in the NICU, thank goodness, they were both healthy babies.

New moms usually get the basic plain diaper bag that let's face it most of us do not use. I got to thinking about the idea of making "welcome bags" for the new mommies and their newest addition(s) to their families. I thought about including a diaper bag, diaper/wipe holder, burp cloths, receiving blanket, etc in these "welcome bags". What's a better way to welcome these newest bundles of joy into the world but a handcrafted "welcome bag"? New moms with healthy babies are usually "forgotten" about, and some new moms do not have the means to do much of anything, if at all, special for their new babies.

My mom is passing down her sewing machine to me since she recently purchased a new one, so I thought I would put it to good use and try to get this idea of mine going. I am currently in the process of contacting different fabric retailers/distributors/companies to see if they would be willing to donate fabric to make these "welcome bags" a reality. So far I have gotten 1 yes from a company, and still waiting to hear back from a bunch more.

If you live in the Middle Tennessee area, or for that matter anywhere in Tennessee, and would like to help in this endeavor, please let me know. If you do not sew, and want to help in other ways, be it knitting, crocheting or even donating fabrics/other materials to make the "welcome bags", please feel free to contact me. I would love to see this idea really take off.

Thanks for listening

Nikki from Hohenwald, TN

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Use And Store Each Year's Photo Memory Card

Many of us now have digital cameras and if you are like me, the pictures rarely go any farther than the computer. We tend to buy the biggest memory cards that hold sometimes 600 pictures. I decided to buy the card that holds the least amount of pictures.

I purchase a new memory card each January and use it throughout the year. At the end of the year I will mark the card with 2008 and put it in our fire proof safe.

The memory card acts as your negatives, if your computer crashes, you will have a backup be able to replace your treasured photos

By PICO from ST PAUL, ALBERTA

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Does Sculpey Stain Walls?

Can you hang baked polymer (Sculpey) clay ornaments on a latex painted wall without the clay staining the wall? I just painted my walls a fresh new white and am a little nervous about hanging my polymer clay ornaments back up. Thank you!

Stevie from Anchorage, Alaska

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Plans for a 6 Passenger Stroller

I am looking for free plans for a 6 passenger child stroller, either 3+3, or 2+2+2 configuration, or how to convert a 1+1+1 (3 seats in a row, like a train!) into a 6 seater.

Thanks guys!
Catastrofy from Winnipeg, Canada

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Layering Sand and Pebbles in a Vase

Does anyone know the correct way to layer sand and pebbles in a vase? Will any sand work?

Marie

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Making a Juice Box Holder

Does any body have ideas on how I can make my own juice box holder for my kids? I am tired of having to squeeze my sons juice box from McDonald's into his sippee cup because he can't hold the juice box without squeezing it onto himself. I have seen juice box holders for sale online but not in stores, and I don't really like buying online, especially when I have to pay shipping for such a small product.

Any ideas?

Thank you!
Aeowyn from Cincinnati

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Uses For Coffee Creamer Containers

I have a lot of those very large plastic creamer containers that hold powdered creamer for coffee. I hate throwing them away and I've got one that I keep my sugar in. It has the pour spout and makes pouring the sugar an easier job. What else can you do with these containers? I can't think of any other ideas, but I'm sure you creative folks out there can. Thanks!

Lynn from Colbert, GA.

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Craft Ideas Using Scrap Wood in Bible School

Does any one have a craft ideal for scrap wood for Bible School? We are building a new church and have lots of wood. Thanks

Cynthia from Lewisport, KY

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Tinkerbell Centerpiece Ideas

Any suggestions for baby shower center pieces with Tinkerbell as the theme?

Guin from Pittsburgh, PA

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Using Saved Greeting Cards

You know how you save your cards (Mother's day, Christmas, birthday, etc.) because you just love what they say. Well, over the years, I have managed to save and save and now I have an overflowing box that is just crazy, full of them. I hate to throw them out, but it is really bordering on hoarding.

Any suggestions, how I can use them in some type of craft. I normally make my own greetings cards on my computer. I have used a few saying out of them to aid in my card making. Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

Linda

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Crafts Using Lace Bodice From Dress

I have a Mother of the Bride's dress that I will not wear again. It is ivory colored with an overlay of beautiful open lace over the bodice. I would like to take the lace and "recycle" the lace bodice into a craft that would be a unique addition to my decor. Any suggestions?

Jose from Tennessee

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Pattern For Knitted Crossover Cardigan

I'm looking for a knitting pattern for a ballet crossover cardigan to fit a five year old. Any help gratefully received.

Stephanie from United Kingdom

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Pattern For A Wedding Heart

Looking for a pattern of a wedding heart that can be given by my mother to her grand daughter on her wedding day. She would like to be able to have their name and wedding date on it. It can be sewn, crotched, knitted or made with lace ribbon.

Teresa from Brisbane, Australia

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Free Patterns For Knitted Wash Clothes

I have recently started knitting dish/wash cloths with cotton wool. I would appreciate anyone who can suggest websites for free patterns. I am wanting to make a bunch of these as gifts. Thank you in advance.

Lynn from Kahnawake, QC

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Gathered Bag Pattern

I am looking for a gathered bag pattern like this bag. Anyone know where I can find one, free or not? I saw this bag on Burdastyle.com that this lady made but she had no pattern or measurements. I would like to make some of these.

Thanks,
Marian Poke from Danville, VA

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Tips For Making Bath Bombs

Bath bombs can be tricky little things to make, or more particularly, to get right! Here are a few common problems, issues, and tips if you're having problems attempting these creations.

Remember that bath bombs are basically baking soda, citric acid, and some sort of moisturizing oil. Scents and colors can be added as needed. Pretty shapes can be used, as shown by my heart and bean bath bomb mini-gift basket picture.

The exact recipe for the perfect bath bombs doesn't exist, since it all depends of what exact ingredients are being used, as well as the general humidity level of where you live! Getting a bath bomb right means finding that perfect balance between dry and wet enough to form and hold.

If you get the bomb too dry, it will crumble and fall apart, no matter how long you let it dry. If you get the bomb too oily, it will become a goop and never dry out, unless you bake it hard in the oven. If the bomb is too wet with anything containing water, it will fizz, growing like a monster out of its mold.

The best advice is to just try some of the many bath bomb recipes out there, and adjust the ones you like the most for great results. Remember that bath bombs can also contain cornstarch, oatmeal, scents, moisturizers, colors, dried flowers/herbs, and other fun extras.

Fizzing Bath Bombs?

If the problem is minor, you can wait a few minutes for everything to fizz, then mix bomb batter again, and press into molds. If the problem is major, you may need to mix in more baking soda, or ditch the batch all together.

Where Do I Get Citric Acid?

Look for loose citric acid at stores with canning supplies, emergency survival supplies, pharmaceutical supplies, health food groceries, or bath making supplies. The finer ground the citric acid, the better it will work.

How Do I Get The Best Results?

Try to mix the moist ingredients together before adding them to the dry stuff. This means mixing the oil, coloring, and fragrance together in a little bowl. They will not blend, but rather break into tiny dots. This helps spread the water levels, making sure no one "pocket" of water hit's the citric acid, causing undue fizzing.

When you mix wet and dry ingredients, make sure to mix very, very, very well. You want everything nice and even, without any oil pools or dry clumps. When you press the batter into a mold, make sure to press it in evenly and firmly. This will make the bombs strong and solid, where just lightly pressing it in can leave bubbles of air.

By Aysha from Boise, Idaho

Editor's Note: Here is a recipe on ThrifyFun:

• Oatmeal Bath Bombs

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