ThriftyFun Crafts - February 21, 2007

Volume 2, Number 8, February 21, 2007 (Read It Online) We have more wonderful crochet patterns from Debra this week as well as new projects and tips. If you have any tips to share, please submit them on the contest page. You can also submit your craft ideas on the Crafting for Fun and Money page. We pay $15 for each craft that we publish. For more details: Crafting for Fun and Money! Thanks for reading, Susan Send to a Friend! Submit Craft Tips (You could win $25) Submit Photos of Your Crafts (You could win $25) Submit a Craft Request New! Crafting for Fun and Money! Link to ThriftyFun.com 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: Barbie's Crocheted Bedroom Set Crayon Candle Project Friendship Mobile Homemade Silly Putty Chocolate Scented Playdough Sandal Keyholder Chicago Bears Doily Tips: Homemade Glitter Keeping Your Camera with You Craft Uses for Old Wedding Dresses Craft Uses for Old Belts Clean Mixing Technique For Powdered Tempera Homemade Jigsaw Puzzle Decorated Pumpkins and Squash Requests: Mr and Mrs Santa - Made out of Magazine Pages Storing Fabric Crochet House Slippers Chenille Style Pattern for Infants and Toddlers Homemade Stamp Ink Making a Money Tree Photos and Projects: Barbie's Crocheted Bedroom Set By Debra Frick This is the third and final part of the Crocheted furniture for Barbie or other small dolls. Since pink is Barbie's Signature color, pulled out all of the pink yarns I could find. But if your little interior decorator doesn't like pink or would rather have a blue bedroom that is up to you. Again you are making slip covers for the base which are made out of polystyrene or Styrofoam or cigarette boxes. If made with the polystyrene or cigarette boxes this is pretty light weight furniture so why not make a duffle bag to store it in and make it portable. Another idea would be to find a small suitcase, decoupage the outside and store the furniture in it. The suit case will have pockets that they can store any accessories that you make. An average crocheter working in the evenings should be able to finish the bedroom set in a week. Some tips: Due to the fact that all people have different tension, you can measure your starting chain against your block of polystyrene or cigarette boxes. Then just adjust the pattern from there. The chaise can be made a solid color by making two bottom pieces and the back can be made solid by not doing the color changes. I am sure that a lot of you know someone who smokes, if they smoke soft packs ask them to switch to the box for a carton and you will have plenty of cigarette box's to use. I choose cigarette box's because they are plentiful for anyone to get there hands on and they litter our highways and byways. This is a good wholesome way to get rid of them. Also if your child is allergic to nicotine they can be sprayed with a clear sealer before hand to seal in the nicotine from the tobacco residue. Use your creativity if you don't like the ruffles on any of the furniture leave it off. This will make a more modern Bedroom set. You could also take my patterns and sew with fabric slip covers for the different pieces. For the rest of this article, including patterns, click the link below. View Crochet Patterns: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14352445.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Crayon Candle Project Create splashes of color in your homemade candle. View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14411524.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Friendship Mobile Your friends will be hanging around all the time with this fun and easy project. View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27207297.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Homemade Silly Putty 1/2 cup Elmer's glue 1/2 cup liquid starch 3 drops food coloring Place white glue in a medium shallow dish. Slowly add liquid starch to glue, kneading with your fingers. The more you handle the silly putty, the better it will turn out! If desired, add drops of food coloring, any color you want and continue to knead with hands (I wear rubber gloves so my hands do not get stained, until color is fully incorporated). Makes about 1 cup. By Jan from Suring, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf306982.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Chocolate Scented Playdough 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup salt 1/2 tablespoon cream of tartar 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 cup boiling water In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and cream of tartar. Add vegetable oil and boiling water and mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture forms a soft dough. Remove from heat and let cool. When mixture has cooled, continue to knead with your hands for a few minutes. Store mixture in an airtight container. Kids will enjoy creating shapes and characters with this sweet-smelling playdough! It can not hurt the kids if they taste it. Makes 2 cups. By Jan from Suring, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf48187421.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Sandal Keyholder Materials real sandal (like you wear) wooden dowel glue pipe cleaner Directions Take the dowel and kinda turn and push at the same time into bottom of sandal to make a hole. Then put glue in the hole and reinsert the dowel. Take the pipe cleaner and cut to the length you want the hanger to be then push into top of sandal. Glue in if you like, it will make the hanger stronger. By Sandy from Bluff City, TN. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf53514544.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Chicago Bears Doily This is my own design doily, a 20 inch Chicago Bears doily. I love to crochet, crocheting relaxes me. I make them in all team colors. Thanks for looking. By Sheila from Wisconsin Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89176992.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips: Homemade Glitter 1/2 cup salt 3 drops food coloring Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, place salt. Add drops of any color food coloring. Mix lightly until salt if thoroughly colored. Spread salt mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet, being careful not to spill the glitter. Let the glitter cool completely on baking sheet before transferring to a storage container. By Jan from Suring, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf10864116.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Keeping Your Camera with You Always keep your camera with you on walking or bicycling trips. The point and click automatic digital cameras over five megapixels, create near professional quality photographs. Photography is a state of mind. Decide to photograph all the things you find beautiful, no matter where they are located and no matter what the subject matter, then you point and click. Soon, your state of mind is set on what is beautiful in life. You have become a photographer. Signed: Joseph Raglione: amateur photographer. By Joseph Raglione from Laval, Quebec, Canada Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf29051519.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft Uses for Old Wedding Dresses Most wedding dresses are worn only once and then stored. Here are some craft ideas for recycling an old wedding dress. Some Ideas You could try making evening purses, beaded tops, use as appliques on other tops or skirts, window valances, evening skirts, or prom dresses (by combining part of the wedding dress with a satin type skirt/beaded bodice or satin bodice/beaded skirt). By Jean Christening Dress Make a christening dress for your baby. By Willem Wall Décor How about attaching some of the lace or beadwork to a scrap of velvet in a darker color and then framing the piece in a nice frame to hang on the wall. I have seen this done with lace doilies, brass buttons, medals, etc. It looks very nice. By AnnMel Drama Department or Prom Dresses Dye them and give them to the drama department of the local school. Really bright colors that show up on stage! Red, yellow, orange and purple. Make a new wedding dress or prom dress out of the ones that are outdated. There are yards of satin, lace and the under-skirting that would make some girl, that otherwise couldn't afford a new dress, something spectacular. Ask the school counselor if there is someone that wouldn't be offended by charity and go for it. By Carla Bledsoe My Ideas One idea is to make angel dolls or angel bears. You could make a small dress pattern and attach feathered wings purchased from a craft store. Also, there are charity sites that make over wedding dresses into burial buntings for babies. It is such a tragedy for a family when a baby passes; and, of course, they would like to have them dressed in something beautiful. There aren't too many places out there that grieving parents can go shopping to pick up such an item. I think it is a wonderful use for an item that is enmeshed in the symbolism of two people beginning a life together. That dress can then become an item that becomes important to a family as they grieve the earthly loss of their child and celebrate a heavenly journey at the same time. This is just an idea to think about. By Peg S. Communion Dress My grandma made a communion dress out of an old wedding gown and all her granddaughters wore it for communion! It was very special to all of us (5 sisters) that we got to all wear it. The veil too was handmade. She made the sack that the cards are put in for weddings. She also made a beautiful table cloth with some of the lace (she dyed it with tea) and then overlaid it on a beautiful cream cotton satin fabric. There are so many things. Halloween outfits, head pieces etc. Have fun! By caraing View More Ideas: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52550319.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft Uses for Old Belts Chair I was in a local second hand store and saw an awesome wood framed chair; they removed the old caning that formed the seat and weaved old belts onto the seat frame for a new seat. All the belt buckles were on the bottom so all you saw was the leather part of the belt. It really looked nice and it was very sturdy. By Marn Shoulder Straps for Purses I've used them to make shoulder straps or purse handles for handmade bags. I also made one into a collar for my dog when his turned up missing. By LadyLeonesse Western Artwork Find or make some flat wood picture frames and then cover them with cut-up belts that you have mitered the edges on. It makes for a nice western look frame. By Kendy Macramé Borrow a book on macrame crafts from your local library. That's where I found macrame belts using the leftover belt hardware. Great way to recycle, and makes a good project for Boy Scouts to use their knot tying skills. The naturally formed "loops" in macrame belts hold carabiniere, flashlights, knives in knife-cases, compasses, etc. By gidget Post your ideas... Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf552059.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Clean Mixing Technique For Powdered Tempera When using powdered dye (such as tempera paint) and clay, place it in a disposable bowl, and place your hands inside plastic zip top bags. You will be able to mix by hand, and keep clean at the same time. By Sewcute from Long Island, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58089351.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Homemade Jigsaw Puzzle Make a personalized homemade jigsaw puzzle by gluing a photograph to a piece of 1/4 inch plywood. If you have a color ink jet printer you can print the photo yourself. Then use a jigsaw to cut your puzzle pieces. Glue a copy of the same picture to the lid of a cigar box and wrap the box for a great gift. Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82344917.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Decorated Pumpkins and Squash I purchased my pumpkins and squash in early October. After Thanksgiving I converted them to Christmas decorations with a little spray paint and wire rimmed ribbon. Even after sitting on my porch until after the New Year, they were all still intact. We even ate some of the small pumpkins and the squash! By CJIrby from Longview, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82647067.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Contests: Tip Contest Submit a Tip or Recipe! Photo Contest Submit a tip with photo! 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! My Frugal Life Submit a My Frugal Life Essay! New Requests: Mr and Mrs Santa - Made out of Magazine Pages I saw a Mr & Mrs. Santa once that was made out of magazine pages that were folded over and I am trying to find the instructions. Has anyone saw this pattern anywhere and know where I might get the instructions? The base was a piece of round styrofoam. Thank you for your help, Vicky from Canadensis, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf18864089.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Storing Fabric I am looking for ideas to store large, heavy quantities of fabric. I read some posts and saw some really cool ideas, yet my problem is a lot larger. I have approximately 35 bins of wools and denim given to me and I would love to find a better way of storing them. The woolen are about 5 yards each. Your help would be great! Sharon from PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf52089535.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Crochet House Slippers I am looking for pattern for crochet house slippers that look like baby booties. JULIA from Ligonier, IN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf67881491.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Chenille Style Pattern for Infants and Toddlers I am looking for a crochet pattern in a Chenille style for infants and toddlers. It is an older pattern that has since been discontinued. I appreciate any help obtaining the instructions. Sincerely, Nelwyn from Bunkie, LA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf72151580.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Homemade Stamp Ink Does anyone have a recipe for making stamp pad ink? Thanks, Annie from Northern California Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf85295275.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making a Money Tree We want to give my 85 year old mother money for her birthday, we want to make a money tree. Any suggestions on how to craft one? I know there are certain ways the dollars need to be folded. etc. Or money roses would be fine if anyone knows how to make them. Madeline from York, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf864928.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Looking for a frugal solution to an everyday problem? Submit your request here: Click Here