ThriftyFun Crafts - January 2, 2008

Vol. 3, Num. 1, January 2, 2008 (Read It Online) Happy New Year! We have some great craft projects to start out the new year. 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: Craft: Clothing Enhancement Decorated Salvage Furniture Jean Pocket Purse Craft: Ziplock Garden or Aquarium Craft Birdhouses Craft: Shaker Cards Soy Massage Candle Felt Christmas Treat Holders Birch Bird Feeder Or Candle Holder Tips: Cute Jeans Purses Glue This to That San Francisco Wedding Photos Turn A Photo Into A Window Outside Resizing a Big T-shirt Use Landscape Fabric for Interfacing Serving Tray from a Wine Crate Using Left Over Wrapping Paper Requests: Looking for Baby Quilts to Embroider Craft Ideas Using Extra Large Coffee Filters Making a Pot Holder with a Knifty Knitter Making Indoor Ice Candles Making Fleece Gloves Non-slip Paper Plate Challenge Suede Pieces Too Small to Cut Out Pattern Fixing a Peeling Iron-on Transfer 111 Easy Edgings (Leisure Arts #2924) (Paperback) Knifty Knitter Video Today's Sponsor: 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. More Information: Click Here: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_craft.ldml Photos and Projects: Craft: Clothing Enhancement Add trim, bric-a-brac or embroidered ribbon to clothing. A plain blouse can be made to look like a designer classic with a little imagination. Many articles of clothing can be saved by sewing decorative bric-a-brac over small holes or stains. Use Thread the color of the bric-a-brac or ribbon. Approximate Time 15 - 30 minutes for most projects Materials straight pins needle thread bric-a-brac Instructions Determine how wide the area is if you are using this method to hide a stain or repair. Make sure what you buy will cover and overlap by at least a little. Pin into place and baste by hand or machine with matching thread. Try on clothing to be sure it lays correctly, and make any necessary adjustments. Sew to clothing using thread that matches the addition. By U*u*U from TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf58733065.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Decorated Salvage Furniture These two pieces were gleaned at our cities recycling garage at the city dump. The table is plastic and was a faux wood look. The chair was a little wobbly, as were several more that I picked up. A coat of paint on both (paint from the recycling center also) a little decorative painting and they are both now used as plant stands! These would work great with some decoupage in place of the painting also. I have done several chairs to plant stands that I use outside, just spray them with several coats of clear spray paint and they're good to go :0) By Maggie from Bloomington, MN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf44813600.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Jean Pocket Purse This is a purse I made for my 7 year old daughter and her friend. I used an old pocket from my husband's old jeans. Carefully cut right along the edge of the pocket. You can use "Fray-Check" on the sides to keep it from raveling later. I purchased the decorative items for about $3 from my local craft store. My daughter gave one of the purses to her friend for a birthday gift. The purse isn't big, but some cute ideas for putting inside of it include: a gift card, small notebook and pen, lip gloss, small candies, etc. I picked up quite a few things at the dollar store. The girls love their purses. By Denise from Nebraska Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74177662.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft: Ziplock Garden or Aquarium Quick, cheap, and easy kid craft for those rainy days or anytime. Approximate Time 10 minutes Supplies: snack size plastic ziploc bag colored hair gel (cheapest) foam or sponge pieces Instructions: Take small snack size baggie (I used larger as that is what I had). Fill up with a little bit of hair gel. I used green as I was doing a garden. Add pre-cut flowers and, there you go, a portable squeezable garden. If you have boys, cut out frogs shapes etc. or use blue gel and do an underwater theme with fish. Note: use foam or sponge shapes as little toys have sharp edges and could puncture the bag. By Carol from Massachusetts Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf14990397.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft Birdhouses This is a craft that my mother-in-law and I made. It uses empty seed packets. Pick 6 of your favorite images for the project. I prefer to use 2 of the same for the roof. We hot glued the packages to a block of styrofoam. We used 2 packages for the roof. Carefully open the lids to act as an overhang. You can also use a piece of cardboard for the roof. We also included moss for the space between the roof and sides. For the ledge for the front of the birdhouse, look for items in your garden for the mushroom birds to sit on. Ours used a cinnamon stick. Decorate the top of the birdhouse with snippets of floral items. Enjoy! By Denise from Nebraska Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf17503972.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft: Shaker Cards Ever wonder how to mail a snow-globe in an envelope? With this easy technique of making "Shaker Cards", turn your hand-stamped cards into dimensional windows that you can fill with confetti, potpourri or anything you like. View This Craft: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf64727805.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Soy Massage Candle This is the kind of candle you can burn, then pour on and use as a massage oil or for rough spots like elbows and knees. Soy wax never gets extremely hot so you won't burn yourself! Great Gift for Valentine's Day or Anniversary. Ingredients 1 cup soy wax 2 tsp cocoa butter 2 tsp almond or other light oil 2 tsp coconut oil (or shea butter if you have it) 2 125ml canning jars (or tins) 2 wicks (for soy wax - led free, for 2-3" candles in diameter) Essential Oils or fragrance (optional) Directions In a microwave, melt all ingredients on low, stirring often. Make sure the wax/oils don't get too hot! When melted, add 1/4-1/2 tsp of essential oils (lavender, sandalwood, ylang ylang are good ones (or a combination). Pour into containers and insert wicks in the middle. Set 24 hours then it's ready to burn. How to use: Let candle burn for awhile (20 mins?) until enough of it is melted to pour onto the body. Try not to pour too close to the skin. It will be quite warm but it won't burn you. Enjoy! Source: this is my own craft recipe By Lisa from Halifax Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39123604.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Felt Christmas Treat Holders Make Christmas treat holders out of felt. One is a mouse and the other is a stocking. Use a candy cane for both items. The hook on the candy cane makes the mouse's tail. Fast and easy to make, they're a hit with people at Christmas parties. By Carol from Tehachapi, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96730122.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Birch Bird Feeder Or Candle Holder This is not only a good gift idea for bird lovers (like me) but also for homebound/seniors that enjoy watching the birds. Get a 12 inch long log off a birch tree branch (at least 8 to 10 inches wide in diameter). Drill a few 1-2 inch holes into the log and add a hook to the top to hang. These logs also make great centerpiece yule logs by placing the holes on one side and adding candles and greenery. Homemade Suet Instructions 1 cup lard, fat or shortening 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 1 cup whole wheat flour 2 cups quick cook oats (uncooked) 2 cups cornmeal optional: bird seed, nuts, raisins or unsalted pretzels Directions Soften lard and peanut butter in micowave, add other ingredients and mix. Don't make too sticky. Roll into tube-like shapes about 4-5 inches long. Freeze on a cookie tray in the freezer. After frozen, either wrap in waxed paper or you can insert the suet into the drilled holes in the logs. Or you may provide the frozen logs to the recipient and let them insert the suet into the logs and hang outside. Woodpeckers and other birds will hang on and peck at it! Great fun to watch! Speaking of WATCHING, if you know of a bird lover that does watch their feeders, inviting them to join the Feederwatch.org program would be a fun and useful program to get them involved in! We count how many birds come to our feeders during a time we choose to watch. It is for scientific study on our wildlife. The site to find out more is: http://www.feederwatch.org and is handled by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Source: Feederwatch info from Cornell Lab of Ornithology Suet recipe from Lackawanna Sanctuary. By BeBeEyes from Sterling, PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf82183015.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Tips: Cute Jeans Purses I saw the cute jeans purse and wanted to show the two I've made. I was at a craft festival this summer. A lady came with her show dog and bought the one for the dog to carry at shows. She had the hardest time deciding which one to buy for the dog. She even asked her which one she wanted. My cousin who was set up at the craft table with me, couldn't believe what we were hearing. I almost didn't sell it to her but thought the dog's money was as green and any person's. By Donna from Millbury Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf37910795.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Glue This to That This site tells you which glue to use to glue things to other things, this tool helps you with that! http://www.thistothat.com By Veronica from Sedalia, Missouri Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf56832961.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print San Francisco Wedding Photos This is a really nice couple, and funny, The tree picture was actually taken the next day after the wedding and we all went to San Francisco. The stair picture I just though would look like a funny picture but actually is a very nice piece. I added it to my collection. It reminded me of a Charile Chaplin movie. I finally decided to take pictures, people are always telling me I take nice pictures. I can tell when a picture is good, very professional, but never thought I could take nice professional pictures. The couple loves the pictures, let me know what you think. Thanks! By Igor from Sacramento, CA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf20091236.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Turn A Photo Into A Window Outside This photo was taken in my in law's back yard. My Father in law would set there when he wanted to smoke. My mother in law wouldn't allow him to smoke inside. So these lawn chairs were a part of him. After my in law's passed on to a better world, my wife and I were visiting her brothers one day. While I was outside, I grabbed my camera and took a photo of the lawn chairs, then I made a frame out of old barn siding. The frame is made to look like a window. I mounted the photo of the lawn chairs in the frame. Now when you view the photo of the chairs, it looks like you are looking out the window Hope you like it. By John from Haysville, KS Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf96255848.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Resizing a Big T-shirt Need to take in a huge T-shirt? Hate pinning? Turn it inside out and have a friend staple around the edges until it fits. Sew 1/2 inch inside the staples and then trim off excess. Fast! Source: http://etsylabs.blogspot.com By Veronica from Sedalia, Missouri Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf68155192.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Use Landscape Fabric for Interfacing Interfacing can be expensive, but I have found that landscape fabric is the same thing as sew-on, black, light weight interfacing. It comes in different thickness', too. Landscape fabric is made to keep weeds from growing through your garden. It's made to withstand water, weeds, and 4 or more years of everything the environment can throw at it! Plus it is only $3.99 for a 3 x 50 foot roll. On the west coast, I buy mine at Big Lots, which is a discount, liquidation store. They sell their own brand. So if you're gardening, save some of your landscape cloth, and put it in your sewing box! By Cyinda near Seattle, WA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50954991.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Serving Tray from a Wine Crate I have acquired many wine crates recently, so I made some of them into serving trays. I have given a lot of these as gifts and sold quite few also. I use them when we BBQ to carry all the things needed outside :0) Paint them the colors you want, I get my paint from the hazardous waste recycling center in my area for free. I choose the water based paints and have gotten pints, quarts, and gallons for re-doing projects. Outside type paint works great too. I had some handles that I have picked up here and there or removed from past projects, and put one on each end for carrying. This one I decoupaged some ME pieces on from an old calender. Can you tell I'm a packrat? :0) Also in this pic is a old ceramic bowl gleaned from a thrift store with decoupaged fabric on it. This I just use for chips and such and wipe out the inside with a damp sponge. By Maggie from Bloomington, MN Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf75847194.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Using Left Over Wrapping Paper Here's my favorite tip for left over "Xmas Print" wrapping paper: I sew and like to alter or make my own patterns so, my favorite "Christmas Left Over Tip" is to use left over Christmas wrapping paper for making patterns with. I just use the back side which is white to draw and cut out my patterns. The white back side of left over Christmas paper also works great for Kids to draw and color on. By Cyinda from Near Seattle Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf92575430.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: Looking for Baby Quilts to Embroider Where can I find baby blankets that are quilted and ready to embroider? ANNABELLE from Ulster, Pa Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf24923948.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Craft Ideas Using Extra Large Coffee Filters Our church just bought a new coffee urn that does not use filters. We just purchased a large box of extra large coffee filters. Does anyone have any craft ideas that uses extra large coffee filters? Since we have so many of them we are going to use them as part of our Youth Bible Classes. Laura from Sun Prairie, WI Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89734351.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making a Pot Holder with a Knifty Knitter How do I make pot holders with the Knifty Knitter? Tps from Reidsville, NC Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf55682873.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making Indoor Ice Candles Does anyone know how to make indoor ice candles? Not the real ice candles for outdoors. Crafts4Life from Louisville, Ky Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf39359915.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Making Fleece Gloves Non-slip Is there a way to make fleece gloves nonslip? I received a pair as a gift, and I really like them, but they are so slippery on the steering wheel and handrails. Is there something I can sew onto the fingertips and palm? Or something I can apply to them? Thanks, everyone! Patty from PA Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf59647367.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Paper Plate Challenge Here is the 'Paper Plate Challenge!' How many uses can each of you think of for a paper plate (or plates)? Jennifer from Buffalo, NY Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf50116404.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Suede Pieces Too Small to Cut Out Pattern I am trying to make a long dress out of pigskin suede, and the pieces are not large enough to cut out the pattern. Is there a way to do it? Denise from Havre, MT Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65740457.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Fixing a Peeling Iron-on Transfer How can I fix a peeling iron-on transfer? Brent from Duxbury, VT Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16498000.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print 111 Easy Edgings (Leisure Arts #2924) (Paperback) I saw this on amazon.com yesterday. Does anyone know how it is done? "111 Easy Edgings (Leisure Arts #2924) (Paperback)". Edgings add a touch of lacy class to everything. These are great projects to add to table cloths, clothing, lamps and much more! The instructions introduce a new top-to-bottom method instead of the traditional chain method. Chris from Sydney, Australia Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf79118049.tip.html Email to a Friend | Get Responses | Bookmark | Link | Rate It: | Print Knifty Knitter Video Has anyone found a video for Knifty Knitter that has step by step instructions? Betty from Abilene, TX Post Feedback: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf27895755.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