December 28, 2011

ThriftyFun Crafts - December 28, 2011

ThriftyFun Crafts!

(Vol. 6, Num. 53, December 28, 2011) (Read Full Newsletter!)

Greeting:

We have gathered the last of the holiday projects for this year in today's letter. We are very pleased with the wonderful crafts submitted by our members.

Tips include a few holiday ideas and several you can use anytime.

The featured guides in this issue are:
Making a Quilt with Neckties
Cleaning Foam Stamps

If you have a solution to either of these guides please submit your idea or project to the appropriate contest. You may win a prize.

I would like to ask our crafters to submit tips for crafting safety for pet owners. Your experience and expertise would be greatly appreciated.

New ThriftyFun Guides!

ThriftyFun Guides are a great way to find solutions to common problems. Solutions are eligible to win our weekly contests! Do you have a solution for these guides?

Necktie keepsake quilt. Making a Quilt With Neckties

Making a necktie quilt is a great way to reuse old ties. Using neckties from someone special will make the quilt a cherished keepsake. This is a guide about making a quilt with neckties.

Click here to share a solution.

Stamps and Colored Ink Cleaning Foam Stamps

Stamping can be a lot of fun but the clean up isn't always as pleasant. Foam stamps can soak up a lot of ink and it can be difficult to remove it all. This is a guide about cleaning foam stamps.

Click here to share a solution.

Many of our submissions are entered in one of our weekly contests. Winning submissions receive $25! Be sure to give a "thumbs up" to your favorite posts as we use these ratings to help select a winner.

Thanks for reading,

Barbara

Share Your Ideas

Share your ideas with the ThriftyFun community! Click here for more information.

Ask a Question

Do you have a question for the ThriftyFun community? Click here to share it!

Today's Newsletter Contains:

Today's Video:

Today's Projects:

Today's Tips:

Today's Questions:

Today's Video:

How to Quilt
How to Quilt, Woman Piecing Together a Quilt Professional quilter, Barbara Black, demonstrates how to make a quilt. Be sure to check out the related videos for additional steps and more quilting tips... View This Video
 

Today's Projects:

Craft Project: Santa Christmas Card
Make a cute "Santa" Christmas card easily!

Approximate Time: less than an hour

Supplies:

  • colored papers
  • colored pens
  • cotton
  • glue
  • scissors

Instructions:

  1. Fold a colored paper to make the card. Cut a round shape out of another paper (preferably skin-colored, you may even color a white paper with crayons :).

  2. Place some cotton on the card. Then, put the round cut-out on top of it and seal it from all sides with glue, as in the images.

  3. Glue some cotton on the face to make beard and mustache (I rolled a small piece of cotton and glued it on top of the beard to make the mustache look separate from the rest of the beard).

  4. Cut a red piece of paper in the shape of Santa's cap. Glue some cotton at its base. Then glue the cap on the head of Santa.

  5. Finally, cut a small piece of red paper in the shape of mouth and stick it. Draw the eyes and glue a tuft of cotton at the tip of the cap. Then write your message, and it's done!

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

Santa Christmas Card
 
Craft Project: Folded Paper Gift Box Christmas Decorations
Make shiny gift boxes to hang on Christmas trees, easily, using simple household items like blank papers and used gift-wraps.

Approximate Time: less than an hour

Supplies:

  • scraps of paper (the stiffer the better :)
  • colored gift-wraps
  • ribbons (optional)
  • pencil
  • scale
  • scissors
  • glue and cellotape
  • thread and needle

Instructions:

  1. Draw the outline of the box as shown in the picture (image-1). Image-2 is for reference as to which lines to cut (red lines), which ones to fold (green lines) and what parts to stick with a glue (blue boxes)

  2. Cut along the red lines (from the previous picture). Fold along the green lines and glue the edges as shown.

  3. Wrap the box with a gift wrap.

    The gift-box is done!

  4. Now, wrap the shiny gift wrappings. I even glued ribbons and bows for added effect. Finally, make a hole on it with the needle and tie a thread through it to hang the gift-box for your Christmas decorations.

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

Gift Box Ornaments on Tree
 
Craft Project: Teacher's Gift
If you are looking for some small gift for a teacher's Christmas, this may be just the thing. Your child can help make this. Be sure to supervise, though, since it involves gluing with a glue gun.

Approximate Time: about an hour

Supplies:

  • 1 1/2 inch wooden candle cup
  • 1 1/2 inch piece from a Popsicle stick
  • 3 golf tees, any color
  • wood scraps 1 1/2 X 1 X 1/2 for books
  • toothpick and cardstock for sign
  • white acrylic paint for base coating
  • acrylic paints in your choice of colors
  • black Sharpie pen
  • hot glue gun

Instructions:

  1. Sand wood scraps for the books.
    If you prefer, you can buy small books in the woodcraft section at the craft store.
  2. Base coat on all surfaces with white acrylic paint.
    You can use my photo as a guide in painting the pieces or choose your own colors.
  3. Paint one side and one edge for book cover and write titles with a Sharpie.
  4. Stack them randomly to your liking and hot glue them together. Set aside.
  5. Paint the candle cup and set aside.
  6. Sharpen the end of the golf tee, and cut off the top to make the pencils.
  7. Paint them as you like and paint the point white and add a dot of black for the lead.
  8. Mark the piece of Popsicle stick to represent a ruler.
  9. Make the "Special Teacher" sign on card stock and glue to a toothpick. You could put the teacher's name on the sign.

  10. Drizzle a little hot glue in the inside bottom of the candle cup and position the sign, the ruler, and a couple pencils inside as shown.
  11. Glue the stack of books to the side of the cup.
  12. By Harlean from Arkansas from Hot Springs, AR

Completed gift.
 
Craft Project: Paper Snowman
Make a cute snowman, by recycling household stuffs like newspapers, scraps of cloth, and cotton.

Approximate Time: over an hour

Supplies:

  • newspapers
  • cardboard
  • scraps of paper
  • cotton
  • glue
  • small piece of cloth
  • thread
  • scissors
  • colors: pens, pastels, crayons, anything :)

Instructions:

  1. Crumple a newspaper into a ball.
    To make bigger balls, I find it easier to make a small ball first, put it in another sheet of newspaper and crumple it around. Then put that into another sheet and so on, till the desired size is reached.
  2. Then, wrap the ball around tightly, with the thread.
  3. Make another ball of newspaper, preferably of a bigger size.
  4. Paste the bigger ball on a piece of cardboard.
  5. Glue the smaller ball on top of the larger one.
  6. Glue cotton all over the cardboard and the balls, covering them fully.
    Tip: I recycled old, used, yellowed cotton for covering the back and new white ones for the front.
  7. Once the snowman is ready, the real fun begins: adding accessories!

  8. I tied an old scrap of cloth around his neck for the scarf.
  9. Color a small piece of paper orange and roll it into a cone, gluing it on his face to make his nose.
  10. Cut oval shapes from a black colored paper and glue them on his face to make his eyes.
  11. Roll a red piece of paper to make his Christmas hat and glue it over his head.
  12. Cut two round shapes from a brown-colored paper and paste on his body to make buttons.
  13. You can get creative and dress him up

And... its done!

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

Finished snowman sitting on cotton snow.
 
Craft Project: Snow Scene Decoration
I saw a snow scene decoration similar to this in one of my December magazines and decided to replicate it since I already had most of the items on hand. Most of the supplies can be purchased at the dollar store, so it is economical to make. This would also make a nice gift for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list!

Approximate Time: about 30 minutes

Supplies:

  • glass globe
  • glass taper holder
  • artificial snow
  • artificial pine branch
  • 2 small artificial birds
  • small bird nest
  • a few red berries
  • hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • E6000, Loctite or clear Gorilla Glue

Instructions:

  1. Use some glue made for glass, such as E6000, Loctite, or clear Gorilla Glue to adhere the glass globe to the taper holder and set aside to dry.
  2. Next pour about 1/2 cup of artificial snow into the bottom of the bowl.
  3. Add a small artificial pine branch.
  4. I could not find a bird nest small enough for my needs, so I created one by shaping and molding some dried weeds I found outdoors. I put some hot glue on it to help hold it together.
  5. Glue a bird to the edge of the nest and glue some berries inside the nest, to represent bird eggs.
  6. Place the nest on top of the pine branch inside the bowl and glue a bird on one of the branches next to the nest (as shown in the photo).

Use as a winter decoration or give as a gift.

By Rachel's Mom from Wilkesboro, NC

Side view of completed project.
 
Craft Project: Recycled Plastic Lid Photo Ornament
Personalized photo ornament for the perfect gift at Christmas time.

Approximate Time: 10 minutes

Supplies:

  • 1 plastic can lid (from powdered juice mix)
  • 1 piece red crepe paper
  • 10 inches of lace
  • hot glue gun and glue
  • white glue
  • Christmas hook
  • small photo
  • scissors

Instructions:

  1. Cut the photo to fit inside the ridges of the lid.

  2. Take the lid and put lace around the edges using the glue gun.

  3. Measure off enough crepe paper to fill the inside of the lid.

  4. Glue the crepe paper to the inside of the lid.

  5. Glue on the photo using white glue sparingly.

  6. Add a touch of hot glue to the back and put your hanger on.

  7. Wrap it up and send it on it's way to that special aunt, uncle, grandma, or grandpa.

By Gem from VA

Plastic Lid Photo Ornament
 
Craft Project: Christmas Bell Decorations
Make shiny bells to hang on Christmas trees, easily, recycling household stuffs like scraps of paper, newspaper, and used gift-wrappings.

Approximate Time: less than an hour

Supplies:

  • paper (the stiffer the better :)
  • newspapers
  • gift-wrappings
  • thread and needle
  • scissors
  • glue and cellotape

Instructions:

  1. Crumple some newspaper and wrap it all around with thread, forming a tight, small ball, as shown.
  2. Take a piece of paper, long enough to wrap around the ball, and glue it round the mid-part of the ball, forming somewhat of a cone shape.
  3. Cut off its base to even it out, so it can stand.
  4. Wrap the bell with some shiny gift-wrapping.
  5. Fold a small piece of gift-wrap alternately, as shown, and tie a thread tightly around its middle (leave some length of thread free to use it to hang the bell).
  6. Glue it to the top of the bell.

And...it's done! Similarly, by using different dimensions for the ball and varying the colors of wrappings, whole arrays of colorful bells can be made :)

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

Two completed bells with bows attached.
 
Craft Project: Spotting Santa Cut-out Christmas Card
Add the dimension of depth to your cards, really easily, using only pieces of cardboard!

Approximate Time: bit more than an hour

Supplies:

  • blank sheets
  • colors (pencils, crayons, pens, whatever :)
  • cardboard
  • scissors
  • glue
  • pencil
  • eraser

Instructions:

Note: It will probably help to make a rough sketch of the card before starting on it.

  1. Draw and color the different parts of the card on separate sheets of paper and cut them out. For example, I folded a blank sheet and colored it fully to make the background. I made the door frame, the girl, and the gift-box, on separate scraps of paper and cut them along their outlines. (This is the process that takes up most of the time).

  2. Take small pieces of cardboard and paste them on the back of the cut-outs with glue. I wanted the door frame to be above the girl and the gift box even more in front. So, I glued one piece of cardboard on the girl, two, on the door frame, and three, on the gift-box.

  3. Finally, paste the cut-outs on the card, and add whatever finishing touches you wanna add (like, I drew in, the shadow of Santa).

  4. And...it's done!

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

Spotting Santa Christmas Card
 
Craft Project: Broomstick Santa
This Santa makes a cute tree ornament, or just make a few to sit in little niches.

This pattern was originally made using a miniature salt box. Remember when you could buy them to throw in the picnic basket or a lunch box? Then they stopped making them, so I started using a 2 inch piece of broom handle to make them.

Approximate Time: about 3 hours

Supplies:

  • 2 inch piece cut from a broom handle
  • red and black felt (scraps will do)
  • piece of rick-rack or silver foil
  • 3 white 1/2 inch pompoms
  • 2 black 1/2 inch pompoms
  • 2 - 5mm wiggly eyes
  • 4mm red bead for nose
  • pink or flesh acrylic paint
  • 4 inches of small rick-rack or white chenille stem to trim the hat
  • crochet hook, size C
  • about 15 yards of red sport yarn for arms and legs
  • about 4 yards white sport yarn for beard
  • hot glue gun
  • Optional: curly white doll hair for beard

Instructions:

  1. Cut a 2 inch piece from the broom handle.
  2. Cut a rectangle from red felt 1 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.
  3. Trim it so the edges just butt up to each other. Do not overlap.
  4. Position the bottom edge at the bottom of the handle.
  5. Glue in place using hot glue.
  6. Paint the remaining top of the broom handle with pink or flesh acrylic paint. Set aside.

  7. Trace the pattern of the hat on the red felt and cut out.
  8. Sew along the edge as indicated.
  9. Cut a piece of white baby rick-rack or white chenille stem long enough (about 4 inches) to encircle the edge of the hat, and glue to the hat.
  10. Cut a piece of black felt 3/8 inch by 3 1/2 inches for Santa's belt.
  11. Glue around his middle (about 1 inch from the bottom).
  12. Glue buckle in center front.
  13. Glue eyes and bead for nose in place, and glue the hat in place.
  14. Fold the hat down, using photo for a guide and use a bit of hot glue to hold it in place.
  15. Glue a pompom to the tip of the hat.
  16. Make the arms, legs, and beard next, using a "C" hook.
  17. Make two arms:
    With red yarn, Ch 15.
    Make 3 HDC in each ch.
    Fasten off.
    Twist to form a curl.
  18. Make the legs:
    With red yarn, Ch 20.
    3 HDC in each ch.
    Fasten off.
    Twist to form a curl.
  19. Make beard:
    With white yarn, Ch 20.
    Turn, and make 1 sc loop st in each chain.
    Fasten off.

  20. Hot glue the beard around Santa's head just below his nose in the front, and at the top of his coat in the back.
  21. To make loop stitch, put hook through chain as for sc. Then wrap the yarn around your middle finger and pull it out to about 1/2 inch before picking up stitch with hook leaving 1 loop.
  22. Repeat in each st of the chain.
  23. Another option for the beard: If you are not familiar with the loop stitch, you can use white curly doll hair for the beard.
  24. Glue arms and legs in proper position, as shown in photo.
  25. Glue white pompoms to arms and black pompoms to legs.
  26. If you want to hang him on the tree, add a loop of heavy thread to his hat.

By Harlean from Arkansas from Hot Springs, AR

Finished Santa.
 
Craft Project: Christmas Decorations - Santa and Other Dolls
Make a Santa, fairy, or other dolls to decorate Christmas trees, easily, using simple household items like blank papers, cotton, and used gift-wraps.

Editors Note: This could be a good craft for the kids to help make decorations.

Approximate Time: less than an hour

Supplies:

  • scraps of paper (the stiffer the better :)
  • colored gift-wraps
  • cotton, wool
  • thread and needle
  • sketch pens
  • scissors
  • glue and cellotape

Instructions:

  1. Take a small rectangular piece of paper and stick a piece of red gift-wrap of the same size on it.
  2. Fold it in the shape of a cone and stick the edges with glue.
  3. Cut off the base.

  4. Cut a piece of paper (get a colored paper or color a white paper) in circular shape to make the head of Santa.
  5. Glue cotton on the face to make Santa's hair and beard.
  6. Draw his eyes with a pen.
  7. Make a hole on top of the cone to tie the thread for hanging the doll from the tree.
  8. Then stick the head on with glue in front of it.
  9. I glued some cotton to the base of the cone and made a cap cutting a triangular piece of gift-wrap and gluing some cotton on it for added effect.

And the Santa's done!

Similarly, I made the fairy using different colored gift-wraps, gluing wool on her head for hair and gluing some gift-wraps, cut as wings, to her back.

With little tweaks, the same process can be used to make any doll of your choice. All we need is a little imagination :)

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

Santa and Angel Ornament Finished
 
Craft Project: Miniature Christmas Topiary Tree
Make this miniature Christmas topiary tree to decorate your Christmas table this year.

Approximate Time: 1 hour

Supplies:

  • one polystyrene ball with a diameter of 3 inches
  • a 7.2 inches tree branch pencil (see http://www.greenplanetparties.com/item_277/Tree-Branch-Pencils.htm for a possible supplier)
  • one small unglazed terracotta flower pot, 3 inches high, and with a diameter of 3 inches at the top
  • a small packet of moss
  • bunch of 12 shiny red round cherries, individually wired, available from a florist
  • thin green florist wire (24, 26, or 28 gauge will work the best)
  • 15 inches of 7/8 inch-wide four striped satin edge organza ribbon ~ I used ribbon in a color known as Old Willow, with gold stripes
  • pair of standard scissors
  • pliers
  • soil
  • small white decorative garden pebbles
  • glue suitable for use on polystyrene
  • strong bonding glue
  • a small bowl with water

Instructions:

  1. Insert sharp end of the tree branch pencil into the polystyrene ball to make a hole. Remove pencil from the hole, put a few drops of polystyrene glue into the hole and put the pencil into the hole again. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly.

  2. Use the pliers and cut the wire into 2.4 inch strips. Bend each wire strip to make small wire hooks. You need to make approximately 30 wire hooks.

  3. Put moss into the water, squeeze excess water out and then affix moss around the polystyrene ball. Make sure that the polystyrene ball is thoroughly covered and use the wire hooks to keep the moss in place.

  4. Once the whole ball is covered, cut off any protruding pieces of moss to make the tree neat.

  5. Fill half of the pot with soil.

  6. Push the bottom part of the pencil into the soil and press the soil down firmly around the pencil, so that the "tree" will stand upright in the pot.

  7. Fill the rest of the pot with the small white decorative garden pebbles.

  8. Use the pliers to cut the wires of the cherries shorter, and then insert the cherries into the tree.

  9. Tie the ribbon around the bottom of the tree and make a bow.

  10. Add a few drops of strong bonding glue to the knot of the bow, so that the bow won't come loose.

Photos included: Photo 1: The polystyrene ball, terracotta pot and tree branch pencil used for this craft. Photo 2: Insert sharp end of the tree branch pencil into the polystyrene ball. Photo 3: Cut the wire into strips and bend each wire strip to make small wire hooks. Photo 4: Use the wire hooks to keep the moss in place. Photo 5: Cover the whole ball with the moss. Photo 6: Fill half of the pot with soil. Photo 7: Push the bottom part of the pencil into the soil. Photo 8: Insert the cherries into the tree. Photo 9: The completed project.

By BessieBessie from Pretoria, Gauteng

Square version finished tree.
 
Craft Project: Christmas Napkin Rings
Make these cute napkin rings to add some festive cheer to your Christmas table!

Approximate Time: 15 minutes per napkin ring

Supplies:

  • red cardboard
  • green paper
  • white paper
  • brown riffled cardboard
  • small wooden Christmas ornament (approximate size 1 inch x 1 inch)
  • 2/8-inch wide red silver edged organza ribbon
  • tree-shaped paper punch
  • pencil
  • ruler
  • pair of standard scissors
  • quick-drying glue

Instructions:

  1. From the red cardboard, cut a piece sized 6.3 inches x 3.7 inches.

  2. From one short end of this red piece of cardboard, draw a line 0.6 inches from the side. This line will indicate the end of the overlap, once the napkin ring has been folded into a tube.

  3. Punch an evenly spread row of Christmas trees on both of the longer sides, as indicated on the pattern sheet.

  4. From the white and green paper, cut squares sized 1.1 inches x 1.1 inches.

  5. At the back of the red cardboard, glue the white and green squares in place over the punched Christmas trees. Remember to alternate between white and green squares.

  6. Cut the riffled cardboard to the correct size (5.5 inches x 1.4 inches) and glue it in place, as indicated on the pattern sheet.

  7. Fold the napkin ring into a tube and glue together where it overlaps.*

  8. Tie the ribbon around the napkin ring and make a bow. Add a drop of glue to the knot of the bow, so that the bow won't come loose.

  9. Glue the Christmas ornament in place and voila!

*Tip: Folding the tube around an object, such as a Pritt Stick, will help you to form a neater tube.

By BessieBessie from Pretoria, Gauteng

Christmas Napkin Rings
 
Craft Project: Christmas Tree
Make your own Christmas tree, using paper and recycling used gift-wraps too!

Approximate Time: more than an hour

Supplies:

  • stiff paper, preferably green
  • scraps of colored paper, preferably in different shades of green
  • gift-wrappings
  • glue
  • scissors

Instructions:

I love recycling, so coloring plain papers using crayons (or whatever medium's available), if such colored papers are not available, is definitely recommended :)

  1. Roll the stiff paper into the shape of a cone and glue its edges. Then cut off its base so it can stand.
  2. Cut rectangular strips of paper in different shades of green and shred the edges, as shown.
  3. Attach the strips around the cone, from base up.
  4. Using your palm, curl the shreds in upward direction after attaching each layer.
  5. Paste scraps of different colored shiny gift-wraps on pieces of stiff paper.
  6. Then cut them in different shapes, stars, bells, balls, whatever you wanna hang on your tree.
    This is the process that took really long for me, but the results were definitely worth it :)
  7. Finally, decorate your tree gluing the cut-outs.

And...it's done!

By Gunja from West Bengal, India

Square version of tree top.
 

Today's Tips:

Craft: Foil Candy Canes
We needed something to do today (and I needed to divert my little girl's attention to something else lol) so I came up with a quick easy fun craft. Take a sheet of aluminum foil, however big you want it, roll it up into a "stick", then you can roll it even more between your hands to make it tighter. Give the stick a twist all the way up and shape into a candy cane. Make tons and hang them on your tree. My little girl had a blast! (And she forgot what she was upset about, haha.)

By Stacey from Orem, UT

Finished foil cane.
 
Save Cardboard Boxes for Paint Projects and Jigsaw Puzzles
This year, I put lots of gifts in the cardboard decorated boxes you can buy at the dollar store. I noticed they were perfect for art projects, to protect furniture, and to store after the children are through with them.

They would also be good for jigsaw puzzles if the puzzle fits the box.

When using these boxes, you don't have to put newspapers down.

By Robyn from Tri-Cities, TN

Cardboard box under painted suncatcher project.
 
Now I Can Find My Clear Bobbin Cover Plate
My most recent sewing machine has a transparent plastic bobbin cover plate. When I would take it out to replace a bobbin, many times I had trouble seeing it. For whatever reason, I had in my stash of junk, a page of smiley stickers. I put a small one on the plate and now I can find it wherever it is hiding. It doesn't impede the travel of my fabric and it makes it much easier for my old crippled up eyes to see when it is lying to the side.

By Marty D from Knoxville, TN

 
Craft: Scrapbook Page with Painted Frame
I made this inexpensive Christmas gift for my mother-in-law. I'd made two of my older children years ago and she specifically requested one of my youngest this year. It was very well received :)

To make the scrapbook "page", I printed several pictures of my son (he pointed out they're all of his "disguises" - lol!), matted them, and taped them to a cute piece of 12x12 inch background paper with a complementary paper on top. The total cost was under $2.00.

I then purchased a simple unfinished wooden frame at the craft store ($6.00 with coupon) and painted it using acrylic paint. After painting a background color, I created little cars to go with the background paper. I'm not a great artist, but luckily kids crafts are very forgiving. You could use a regular frame or use stencils for the design, if you prefer. The entire project took me one evening with time to dry between paint colors.

By Stephanie from Hillsboro, OR

framed child's photos on scrapbook paper.
 
Painting Tiles with Stencils
I have covered the back of a tile with white duct tape. I made a frame of duct tape too around the tile. I then put stencils on it, with a purple ink pen.

I am going to give it to my daughter with a set of brushes and acrylic paints, so that she can maybe start enjoying painting.

You don't have to use a tile. You can get canvas and trace stencils on it, or you can use watercolor paper and give them watercolors (watercolor is harder than it looks).

I am thinking she would enjoy this. I have put a picture of the gift as she will receive it. Blessings.

By Robyn from Tri-Cities, TN

Tile with stenciled duct tape ready for painting.
 
Use Stickers To Personalize Wrapping Paper
Do you get those free address label stickers from charities soliciting money around the holidays? Don't throw them away. Cut off the addresses, leaving only the cute graphics behind. Use them to personalize one color wrapping paper which you can get inexpensively from the dollar stores. This is great for the kids too!

Happy Holidays. :)

By Brianna S. from Dutch Harbor, AK

 
Homemade Flour Finger Paint
Mix 1 cup of flour and 2 tablespoons of salt in a saucepan, add 1 and 1/2 cups of cold water, stir until there are no lumps. Add 1 and 1/2 cups of hot water and bring to a boil. Once it thickens remove from the heat. It will be lumpy, continue to whisk until lumps are gone.

When it is ready, dump half of mixture into a bowl and add food colouring to colour, stir. Use a funnel to pour into squeeze bottles. I used honey and mustard bottles. Then you're ready to paint!

This costs about 50 cents for two bottles. The kids loved it!

By Tracy C. from Brockville, Ontario

 
Packaging Homemade Soap for Sale
I like the look of wrapping a piece of corrugated cardboard around the soap leaving the ends exposed, then tie a piece of raffia around and into a bow to secure.

By Jenny from Chattanooga, TN

 

Questions From Readers:

Homemade Play-Doh Recipe
I am looking for a tried and true recipe for clay/Play-Doh. I would like to make Christmas ornaments and also press the impression of my kids' hands. I am looking for something that will last as long as possible.

Thanks so much!

By Mindy from Terrebonne, OR

 
Sewing Two Panels of an Afghan Together
I made some panels for an afghan using leftover yarn and now would like to sew them together. I haven't done this before and when I go online for some direction, the choices are overwhelming. Can I simply use a single stitch to "sew" them together or should I use yarn and sew them? Any direction or suggestions would be so appreciated.

Also, does anyone know of some good blogs or message boards for crochet? There are so many, it is hard to know where to start and it takes so much time to go through all the choices. I would much prefer recommendations. Thank you dearly!

By MLS from Terrebonne, OR

 
Making a Baby Blanket on a Knifty Knitter Loom
I am looking to learn how to make a baby blanket with my Knifty Knitter loom. Can someone help?

By Lisa from PA

 
Plans for a Walking Puppet Stage
Here is an example of what I'm looking for.
walking puppet theatre

Hope the link worked. If not, basically, I want a self-contained puppet stage that I can "wear" so I will be completely mobile to walk among the audience. I would like it to be light weight if possible, and not too complicated to make.

Does anyone out there know how to build one? Will you share your knowledge with me? I want to use it for our church's festivals, kids' parties, and such.

I would be greatly appreciative.

Thanks so much.

By Gloria

 
Altering Curtains
Is there a way to cover the pinholes made in the thermal backing when altering draperies?

By Donna from AZ

 
Knifty Knitter Men's Tie Instructions
Does anyone know how to make a men's tie using the Knifty Knitter? Thanks.

By Hawley

 
Cold Pack Pattern for Kids
I saw the cutest pattern for a cold pack for kids that was made like a chicken (it reminded me of the owl patterns you see everywhere). It was so cute. I wanted to make some for my great niece and great nephews who are always getting boo boos. Now I can't find the pattern. Please help me find a pattern and help the kids with their boo boos.

By Debbie

 
Glass Block Decorations
I am making glass blocks for gifts. After putting in glue and glitter, my husband inserted the lights. While doing this, a lot of glitter came off. What did I do wrong?

By Mrs H J Beers

 
Barbie Type Doll Clothes
I would like to know where to find doll clothes for Skipper, Stacie, Chelsea, or Kelly Barbie dolls? Or simple ways to make them.

Thank you!

By Aleah Y. from Herriman, UT

 

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