Glass Etching Tutorial

This is just one of the coolest projects I have seen lately.  This site has step by step tutorial on how to etch on glass.  She uses the subway art which is awesome but you could use monograms or cute graphics for children's glass mugs.  There are a lot of ways to use this technique. Visit her site at A Girl in  Paradise for this easy tutorial.

Printing on Fabric

Photo From My Repurposed Life

I am so in love with this pillow.  This is on my project to do list as soon as I buy the supplies.  The graphic is from the graphics fairy site.  I have been to that site hundreds of times but my mind never conceived an idea  like this.  I found this while I was looking for sewing ideas.  I cleaned out a back room today and dug out my sewing machine.  As soon as I locate my bobbins, thread, and machine needles, or most likely go and buy some, I'm going to do this. She warns about using your printer to  print on  fabrics, but I have printed on paper bags, tissue paper, and many other items not associated with printing.  It is just the matter of not leaving ends that will get caught in the printer. If you are interested in learning her technique visit her site at My Repurposed Life.  Don't forget to visit The Graphics Fairy for free graphics...we would love see any projects you make.
Here is a site called Instructables  showing how to use  freezer paper to print on fabrics. Lots of good info here.

Make Your Own Transfer Paper And Tracing Table

Photo: Home Frosting

Make you own Transfer Paper with this cool idea from the  Home Frosting site. Transfer paper is very expensive but this sure takes a bite out of the cost.  This site has a step by step tutorial.  Great idea for the crafter that transfers graphics to t shirts and other fabrics.  She says you can also use this method to transfer to wood.

Photo:Here Comes the Sun

And then, check out this do it yourself light table that can be use to trace graphics.  You can go to her site at Here Comes the Sun. 

Water Bottle Bracelet

This is such a clever idea, a bracelet made from a water bottle. Some people amaze me with their talent.  How in the world do you get a bracelet idea from a water bottle.  I'm thinking this girl must be from the south were we have to find our own entertainment.  When you live in a small town like I do, the imagination goes wild with things to do because there IS nothing to do.   We don't even have a Wal Mart in the town I live in, but thank goodness they are building one.  Visit her site at accidentally wonderful and she will show you how to make this bracelet and she also makes one with yarn.  I'm loving this!!

Bathroom Scales Craft

How is this for inspiration on your weigh in days.  My daughter bought a bathroom scale recently and put her own spin on it.  I love her attitude.  I am constantly on a "diet" and I hate to jump on the scales for the verdict.  I don't think I would find these scales quite so intimidating....love it, love it!!

Uses for Oatmeal Boxes

What a clever idea for oatmeal boxes.  This decorated box is used for toilet tissue rolls in the guest bathroom. Two Rolls fit perfectly inside the box...but wait, there's more.
Use decorated oatmeal boxes to organize yarn, buttons, coins, nails, and this is just the start.
In the kitchen they can be decorated and labeled for dry beans, pasta, bread crumbs, and a number of other things.  My mind is in over drive here with uses for this round box.  This cool idea came from The Daily Green

Diaper Cupcake

What a clever Idea...Krista from Crafty Southern Belle made this adorable cupcake craft from a rolled baby diaper and a rolled washcloth. So cute and the perfect touch for a baby shower. I can be used as a gift or as decorations. They would make a cute centerpiece by putting them on a tiered cake plate. I love this idea....great job Krista.

Cute Cupcake Designs

Just found the cutest site for cupcakes while looking for one of my favorite graphics sites. It is called Cupcake Cuties. These jungle cupcakes are my favorite. They would go perfect with a jungle Birthday invitation I designed. This site is brimming with cupcakes for any occasion. My daughter and I are obsessed with cupcakes and we loved this site. I texted her yesterday and asked if she wanted to see something cute...she replied" I love cute" Check it out and enjoy!

Bottle Cap Bracelets for Teens

Here is a cute idea for a bottle cap bracelet. This is something Teens will love. Magnetic bracelets are so popular right now and this is a cool twist. Good idea for a camp group or church group and their are a lot of graphics that could be used for the caps. Let your imagination run wild. Get the full tutorial at Making Friends.

Candy Wrapper Belts

Sometimes the talents of others simply amaze me....this is one of those times. I found this craft on the plum pudding blog. This is just the coolest belt ever. She has a step by step tutorial on her site. Go to Candy Belts to see how to make these super cute belts.

Newspaper Prom Dress

 How about this for creativity...this teen made her prom dress from newspapers.  I love the top of the dress and the back is so detailed.  I'm curious what she plans to do after school. She said fashion designing is not what she plans to do.  I agree with one of the posters who said art schools should come running.

Sneakers for Teens

 Cute, cute, cute!!!  What fun shoes for teens and tweens.   If I had a teen girl, she would have these cool sneakers.  The animal print section is made from a bandana attached using  sticky felt and  fabric glue..so creative.  Visit Making Friends for complete instructions.
This is a great gift for teens.

Love Letters

Love this wall hanger from Fun to Craft.  She made this from chipboard letters you buy at craft stores.   She covered them with scrap paper and  used modge podge.  You can then cut the excess away, but she sanded them and I love the look it achieved.   There are so many words or names you could do...my mind is spinning with ideas.   You could do a wedding couple's initials, the word baby(with pink or blue dots) for a nursery, and lots more....now I want to go to a Hobby Lobby (40 miles away).  Confucius say:  People who love craft should live in big city.
You can see her tutorial Here.

Gift Wrapping Video

Furoshiki gift wrapping from RecycleNow on Vimeo.

I love  finding  new ways to wrap gifts .  This  video may also spark  ideas of your own.  I love books and many times give them as gifts to family and friends and gifts for teachers.
  Great idea for women(and men who sew) that  have  a lot of material  laying around and are wondering what to do with it. Wish I had known this years ago when I was going through my sewing stage.  I had beautiful material I bought  because I liked the pattern. It's just like us to hold on to something for years and years and the time we do away with it, we come across a brilliant idea.  This post is dedicated to   all the smart women that held on to their  material.

Juice Box Robot Craft

I finally got around to making the juice box robots.  I made these for my husband's Sunday School Class. They are simple to make, and kids absolutely love them.  You will need:

• Juice Box(  for body)
• Starburst Candy (For feet)
• Laffy Taffy ( for arms)
• small box nerds
• wiggle eyes
• glue dots
• clear wrap (optional)
• ribbon (optional)

Stick arms, eyes, and feet using the glue dots.  You can then wrap them in clear wrap.  A bow matching the event you are making them for are nice.  I used blue for an all boy Sunday School class.
  Teresa Saenz [ mama of 3 handsomes] sent the following robot she made from a juice box.  Love the big eyes and the sticky heart

Easter Bunny Water Bottles

I am so making this for my friend's daughter  for Easter.  She loves making  crafts and comes up with some surprising ideas for a 4 year old.  I never underestimate the creativity of  children.
I love the water bottle idea too.  Callie can put it in her lunch box for school.  She already has the kids  at her school looking to see what she has next.
 Visit HERE for details and printables for the ears and the hands holding the Happy Easter Sign.

Cereal Box Notebook Covers

Love this idea.  I have re purposed a lot of notebooks with custom covers, but this made me think in a different direction...this way, you save your ink and you have a very colorful notebook...Oh my Gosh, I can hardly type looking around the room to see what I can find to cover a notebook...but this is a great idea.  Visit this site for some really great ideas.
Making Memories

Jewelry Making 101

We had the best time in Georgia last weekend visiting with my niece and her husband.  Here we are making earrings.  As you can see she has lots of beads and findings.  I've started my own little collection but it doesn't compare to years of collecting little trinkets from the most unusual places. She has made earrings from trinkets hanging from shoes.  It was interesting to look at the pieces and hear of the origin of them.

I came home and broke down old jewelry that I have had for years but didn't want to get rid of, now I'm glad I didn't. I found some jewels that were hanging from some ink pens years ago...I loved them but they would never stay on the pens.  They have a new purpose in life, to hang on my ears.  Here are a few of the earrings Debbie made.  I will be sharing some of mine in the future.

Quilt Made From Men's Boxers

My Niece Debbie is so talented.  I love to walk through her house and look at the unique crafts she does. Last weekend my daughter and I paid her and her husband Brett a visit.  The quilt you see is one of the things that amazed me most.  She made them from old boxer shorts that were going to be thrown out. Not only did she recycle but she made a keepsake gift that Brett will never forget.  Now that is a labor of love and very clever.  I'm not a quilt person, but this one intrigued me.  With this girl, you never know what is up her sleeve next.

Snowmen Treats

I have never ever seen a snowman I didn't like, but these cute guys take the cake....and snowmen are not just for Christmas anymore...I leave snowmen  out well after the holidays. Adorable snowmen milk bottles with powdered doughnut heads.  Here are the instructions to make these sweet treats:

You  need:
small milk glasses (these from Target work great)
powdered doughnut holes
straws
milk, of course

To decorate, Julie used chocolate jimmies to press into the doughnuts for the eyes and mouth. The noses are orange coated sunflower seeds pressed into the doughnut and attached with a tiny bit of frosting.

She also coordinated their felt scarves with the same color striped straws. And to finish them off, she glued a few small buttons right on the glass.

Adorable!

What a clever idea to reuse bottles.  I have always loved the snapple bottles and tried to think of things to do with it....I use them for my Crystal  light packets and water.  Not too creative, but I enjoy drinking from them.

*Photo courtesy of  Bakerella