Baking Soda Clay Here's another homemade modeling compound that good for both kids and adult artisans. Compared to the homemade polymer clay I presented a few weeks ago, it's non-elastic when wet and much "softer" when dry---that is, easy to sand smooth or to reshape, to add etchings, and possibly even to carve (I haven't tried). I've used it to make a variety of small items, particularly small bowls and candle holders (shown below in order of finished-ness). It takes paint well but I would finish painted pieces with a coat of varnish. Sanded nice and smooth! Materials 1 cup corn starch2 cups baking soda1.25 cups cold waterNon-stick potWooden spoonMed-large bowl (not pictured)Damp cloth, lid or plate (not pictured) Steps Combine ingredients in pot and stir until smooth. Cook over low-medium flame, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and let cool in a separate container either covered with a damp towel or mostly covered with a plate or lid. Sculpt. Enjoy! Materials
Flip-Flop Refashion: Part 1 (Braided Straps Summer is great. And warm. And full of outdoor activities and trips to the pool and random walks around the neighborhood. I love it. And my shoe of choice for these warmer months?? So, I saw a tutorial for this flip-flop makeover (great work Mother Huddle), floating around the web…….and the wheels started turning. I decided to just string all of the ideas together and create a whole series. First up? A quick and easy flip flop…….made with some braided knit fabric scraps, using the 5 strand braiding technique, shown here. These soft braided straps streeeeeetch the perfect amount, right around the back of my heel……..keeping the flip-flop snug and in place. I added little loops of fabric to the sides, to keep the braided straps in place. These little sandals are so light, they’re soft and stretchy, and my favorite part……..they’re inexpensive. ($2.50 to be exact) These flip-flops make me think of the beach……and make me miss GA. I guess I better find a sandy spot at the lake. And that’s it. Enjoy.
How to make your own air dried porcelain with common household ingredients Anything that is quick, affordable and makes beautiful things is a craft winner for me . But…I often find myself uninspired for something new and different. I’ve found it in air dried porcelain (aka Porcelana Fria). What will someone make with 3 cups of white glue (PVA) 3 cups of cornstarch (Corn flour) one tablespoon of white vinegar one tablespoon of glycerin (health food or hobby shop), and 2 tablespoons of canola oil? The beautiful mouse and necklace pictured (compliments of Espirit ) is the answer! Amazingly simple and a GREAT school holiday project, get the kids into the kitchen to cook up some home made, air dried, porcelain. Let’s make it: In a mixing bowl (or non-stick pan) mix 3 cups of white glue and 3 cups of cornstarch. For microwave heating : Cook in a microwave-compatible recipient for 2 to 3 minutes on high (for a 800W oven; longer for a less powerful oven). Stove top : Cook in a saucepan over low heat for about 15 minutes. This one’s a big thumbs up from me.
Re-purposing: Tshirts into 5-strand-braided-headbands I was walking through Target a few weeks ago and noticed this little knit fabric headband that was not just braided together…….but woven. I decided they were charging way too much for something that could be made with t-shirt scraps. And that means free. So there you have it. A nice and easy project to give my bad-hair-day head some love. (Or you may need one for working out. I kinda love it on my little girl . She always has little hair fly-aways that get into her face…….and this helps with that problem. It even works great with her hair down…..and keeps that hair tucked behind her ears. And yep, good for me too. Thanks little t-shirt scraps. Want to make your own? First, find some old t-shirts. Then, cut your fabric into long strips. Next, stack your 5 strips on top of each other and sew together at one end. Now, pull on each strip of fabric so that they kind of curl on the edges. But let me explain a little better. First, you’ll work on the left side. And that’s it. This post is sponsored by:
Tutorial: Sunkissed Heart Wreath Lo and I celebrated 15 years of togetherness last Monday. My heart feels like it's been kissed by the sun since I've known him. I dedicate this post, the result, and my very heart to him. This wreath is inspired by those beautiful string wedding balloon displays, like THIS one, for example.Tutorial ♥ A Sunkissed Heart Wreath You will need: 2 long skinny balloons (the type used to make balloon animals)balloon pump (unless you have gorilla lungs)white (PVA) gluewatercontainer for glueyarnpair of scissorspin or sharp thinglength of ribbon (optional)drop cloth or newspaperStep 1. Step 5. Here's what I did: Step 6. The next morning, find your heart ready to be hung up and admired! String it up with a ribbon, place it in a window and let the sun beam through it. Happy anniversary Lo. Oh!
DIY backpack Supplies: 1 yard of durable fabric I used faux leather for the bottom... 1/2 a yard for the liner. drawstring, anything for closure I always have my hands full with my little boys on each hand. You will need to piece the front/back part together by taping them. Press seams of pocket 1/4 inch. Sew the top 1/4 inch over. place the pocket in the middle of the front piece. Top stitch around leaving top flap open. You can make your own straps or purchase it from the fabric/craft store. 2 yards should be enough. For the straps I cut 2 strips 3in. by 28in. long and sewed them right sides together. Fold an end of the strap over an inch and sew a square evenly on the back panel. Sew the front and back panels right sides together. Sew the bottom circular piece right sides together starting at any point. Create a liner by cutting another front and back piece and 1 bottom. Flip the liner inside out and sew right sides together leaving about a 4 inch hole so you can pull it through. Pin around the edge...
Lucky Penny Charms Tutorial Posted on July 18, 2012 by Christina Feeling lucky because you’ve snagged the best guy in the universe? Make lucky penny charms for you and your sweetie to commemorate the year of your marriage. Use a penny with your wedding year, and create a key chain charm or a pendant. You will need: pennies with year of your marriage36 Piece 1/8? Place your penny on a hard surface. Get your 36 Piece 1/8? ready. Decide where you want to place your words. Fill in your letters with permanent black marker. Secure the penny with a vice and use a centre punch (we used a hammer and nail because we didn’t have a centre punch) to mark the hole. Now it’s time to fire up your drill! Add jump ring. Add key ring – or add chain.
DIY Necklace | Junk in the Trunk I am so sorry for being so late at getting this posted today. My family has beenenjoying vacation and yesterday took the kids to Silverwood, a theme park in the northwest. They had a blast, let me just tell you. Look how cute they are! Anyways today I have a fun little project I found on pinterest for you. Are you excited? It’s very simple and I was quite excited about how it turned out. Step #1 Thread your ribbon through washer #1. Step #2 Thread the ribbon down through washer #2. Step #3 Thread the ribbon back down through washer #1. Step#4 Pull the ribbon tight, so that washer #1 is laying flat on top of washer #2. Step #5 Thread the ribbon back up through washer #2. Step #6 Repeat Steps #2 through #5 with your remaining washers. All you have to do is tie it around your neck and you are set. Linking up at The Southern Institute and DIY Dreamer.
Ten minute no-sew recycled t-shirt bag! Tutorial time! I got a gig teaching a recycled t-shirt project at the library a few months ago, with a request for a recycled tee bag – the only bags I’d made from tees in the past had required sturdy sewing, and I didn’t want hand-sewing to be the only thing holding the bottom closed in a class version of the bags, so I started brainstorming about some kind of hand-sewing-friendly or no-sew bag idea…. and here’s what I came up with! The simplest version of these bags is great for smaller tees, or the more light-weight kind of girl-tees – just turn the bottom of the shirt into a drawstring and tie it closed! As you can see, even with a not huge tee, this will still leave a significant hole in the bottom of your bag, but for purposes like grocery shopping, this size hole shouldn’t really matter… But to make smaller holes, just make more than one of them! Here’s a bag bottom with 2 holes: You could make it rounded, V-shaped, or squared like this one: My finished Sonic bag!
Zipper Card Pouch Have you ever had too many cards that your wallet can handle? Be selective and get only those cards that you might be using in a particular shopping mall but end up they were the wrong one? Or, may be just forgot to “update” the cards in the wallet on your next trip? I am not a big fan of big wallet, with the increasing numbers of cards that I have, my decent size wallet is no longer able to buckle up. This zipper pouch can hold up to 30 plastic cards (similar to credit cards), and more for thinner cards, business calling card for example. Get the pattern and tutorial to sew one yourself after the jump and don’t have to struggle with the cards anymore. {Get pattern and tutorial on next page.} Pages: 1 2 Get all updates via email: Highlights from Our Partners
DIY Chainmail Necklace You’ll need: Start by separating the jump rings into two halves: 175 open and 175 closed. Thread three closed jump rings onto an open jump ring. Close the ring. Keeping the rings in place with your forefinger and thumb, take an open jump ring and hook it through the front side of the two rings. Add 2 closed rings to the open ring and close. Spread the two rings apart in the same way as the first set of rings. Add 2 closed rings and close. To add an optional fourth row, lay the necklace flat and hook an open ring through first and second closed rings on the right side. I stopped at 4 rows but you can continue adding rows for a more bib-like necklace. Connect the two ends with a single jump ring or clasp. Fini! (top image from here, rest of images by HonestlyWTF)