Chalk It Up Chalkboards aren’t just for classrooms. Don’t believe me? Well ladies, be prepared to snag a box of chalk because blackboards have graduated to bigger and chicer things… and they are headed straight for your home! Thanks to chalkboard paints, you can make your mark on everything from flower vases to living room walls. Speaking of living rooms–my roommates and I painted a wall in our living room with chalkboard paint. We write silly messages to one another on it and update it with fun drawings too. Pretty cool, right? Now, you may be thinking, “I don’t think I want to paint an entire wall of my home like a chalkboard that will remind me of my 2nd grade classroom.” Grocery or shipping lists… A message board… Or, use it to label things! Other ideas for chalk paint: vasestabletops (Could be fun for guests!) The traditional in-store paints only come in classic shades of black or green. Note: You will probably have to make a trip to your local home improvement store. What you need… XO Lauren
Crazy Domestic Make A Cheap & Easy Solar USB Charger With An Altoids Tin Photos by Joshua Zimmerman The craftster behind the very popular $3 solar-powered emergency radio is back with a new awesome project: a cheap solar battery charger with a USB plug. Zimmerman wrote, saying that he saw a lot of small solar powered chargers being talked about over Earth Day, but there was a big problem: "They're all quite nice, but also quite expensive. So, he came up with his own, using one of our favorite reusable items -- the ever wonderful Altoids tin. In looking for the cheapest way to accomplish the task, Zimmerman found that he could build a USB solar charger for under $30 (or $10 if be buys parts in bulk, though it's not likely you'll be buying bulk solar cells and DC-to-USB converter circuits). Zimmerman states, "The central brain of our project is a DC to USB converter circuit. It can be done with a Minty Boost kit, a premade circuit off of ebay, or grabbing one from a cheap USB charger.
It’s in the NEWS! Newspaper. It’s one of the things I’ve never thrown away. And with my obsessive coupon clipping last year..we have TONS! While newspaper comes in handy when cleaning windows/mirrors, stuffing and wrapping packages. There are also so many crafty things you can do with it. Paint strips of newspaper to make colorful newspaper roses. Make biodegradable seedling starters! These Newspaper nails are a must try in my book! WHY didn’t I think of this!!! Need an envelope… don’t worry! Run a piece thru the printer and put it in a frame for a great way to display silhouettes. If you’re feeling extra spunky… take a look at this Newspaper dress. I made these Newspaper Gift Bags: Aren’t they so neat! There are tons of tutorials out there. These would be great for all you Etsy sellers that are doing craft shows this summer! Do you have a favorite way to re-use your newspaper?? # kristanlynn xoxo
Hand Papermaking Home Page Our Clean Up Crew! Welcome back another Made by Me Monday! Remember when I made THIS? It was round 3 of the Crafters Competition. Well, since summer is over I decided that my handy dandy frame needed a REdo! That's the great thing about vinyl lettering... it picks off glass fairly easily. As sad as I was to see the summer end, I am happy that we can make another one next year with different goals to accomplish. and made a list that we have been needing around our house, a Saturday Cleaning List! I found this cute green fabric in my craft box and decided that it would be a good background for behind the glass of my new list. a little bit of hot glue does the trick! and VIOLA! I am REALLY excited for this to be dry erase, so we can use it every Saturday! and when we get tired of the background, all we have to do is pick new fabric. I love it! After all, Saturday IS a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday!
Dye - Dyes From Plants - Pioneer Thinking Did you know that a great source for natural dyes can be found right in your own back yard! Roots, nuts and flowers are just a few common natural ways to get many colors. Yellow, orange, blue, red, green, brown and grey are available. Go ahead, experiment! Gathering plant material for dyeing: Blossoms should be in full bloom, berries ripe and nuts mature. To make the dye solution: Chop plant material into small pieces and place in a pot. Getting the fabric ready for the dye bath: You will have to soak the fabric in a color fixative before the dye process. Color Fixatives: Salt Fixative (for berry dyes) 1/2 cup salt to 8 cups cold water Plant Fixatives (for plant dyes) 4 parts cold water to 1 part vinegar Add fabric to the fixative and simmer for an hour. Dye Bath: Place wet fabric in dye bath. Muslin, silk, cotton and wool work best for natural dyes and the lighter the fabric in color, the better. NOTE: It’s best to use an old large pot as your dye vessel. Shades of ORANGE Shades of BROWN
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