Friday, January 29, 2010

Valentine Crackers

I am excited to show you my latest project, Valentine crackers using things most of us have around the house. I am making them for Lilly's teachers and for some friends. They are so simple to make and can be used for so many holidays and occasions so I thought I would share a tutorial of how I put them together. Let's get started:
Supplies:
the humblest of craft supplies, a toilet paper roll
10in x10in sheet of tissue paper
crepe paper
stapler
hot glue
glue stick
heart stickers
white card stock
ribbon string
Step 1:
Cover the toilet paper roll with glue using the glue stick. Step 2:
Place the t.p. roll at the bottom, center of one of the long sides of the tissue paper. Roll the t.p. roll until it is covered with the tissue. Smooth and press the tissue paper to the tube as you roll. When you get to the end, secure top edge of the tissue paper to the tube with glue stick.
Step 3: Gather and scrunch the tissue at onen end of the roll and tie tightly with twine.
Step 4:
Hold the tube with the open end up and tied end down. Fill the tube with treats (chocolates, candy, trinkets). Then tie off the other end just as you did in step 3.
At this point you can decorate the tube any way you'd like. You could use vintage images, stickers, scrapbook paper, chipboard shapes, the possibilites are endless.
For mine, I covered the string on the ends with wired ribbon and decorated it with a crepe paper medallion. If you'd like to make medallion too, here's how I make them:
I cut about 18 inches off a roll of crepe paper. I held the streamer at one end and began gathering it along the bottom.
I did this until it formed a circle. Then I stapled an "X" in the middle to hold all the gathers together. You might have to add a third staple if your paper isn't staying ruffled. I hot glued the medallion onto the front of my cracker then added a circle punched from white cardstock. Finally, I added a glitter heart foam sticker and a little banner with the name of the recipient.
I hope you have fun trying this project. I think I will be making these for every holiday.
Have a great weekend.
Love and Blessings, Molly

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Snow White's Cottage (aka Cheerio box)

Before Christmas, I found a tutorial at Bella Dia for turning cereal and cracker boxes into little houses. Lilly and I decided to make one and paint it to look like Snow White's cottage for her little Snow White she got for Christmas.
Lilly helped paint on the base coat.
We cut out the little door so Snow White can go inside. We think she likes her new home :)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Coffee Filter Love

I'm sure I am one of the last to hop on the coffee filter bandwagon. I know crafters have been using them in creative ways for a while now. It wasn't until I saw this post at Birds of a Feather that I became obsessed. Heidi is amazing. After finding Heidi's creation I began searching the web for other coffee filter creations. Look at this made by Heather at Pretty Petals. Does this not make you want to stay up all night tonight tea staining filters? This is my humble attempt at a coffee filter wreath:

It doesn't hold a candle to Heather and Heidi's but I am loving it anyway. I can't decide if I am going to add anything to it or not. I like the simplicity, but I don't know how long I will be able to resist glittering it in some way. If you decide to try one for yourself I'll share some things I learned along the way after experimenting. To achieve the color I dyed mine using 12 oz. of boiling water, 2 raspberry tea bags and 5 drops of red food coloring. This dyed about 50 filters. I had to do this twice because my wreath took 75 filters. I grabbed the filters in the center and dipped the tips (the ruffled edge of the filter) in the tea/dye and let them sit until the entire filter had absorbed the liquid. Then I layed them on foil to air dry. It took about 3 hours for them to dry. This is how they look drying, they are in the same form that i dipped them in. I put several in the pot of tea at a time. After they dried, I used pins to stick them into a styrofoam wreath form...I hung the wreath over a mirror with red ribbon for Valentine's Day. I plan on leaving it up through the spring and summer and just changing the ribbon and adding to it. Maybe some glittery butterflies for spring! I'll be sure to share my evolving wreath with you. Happy coffee filter dying :)

Monday, January 25, 2010

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Better late than never I guess. I have missed blogging and I hope to fit it back into my life. I have been crazy busy but have managed to make a few things lately. I find that if I find time to make something there is no time left to blog about it :) I resolve to manage my time better in 2010.
This past weekend my friend Amy and her son Nolan came down to Tampa for Gasparilla. We had a blast. Every kid at the parade was dressed in their pirate garb. I made Lilly's skirt and shirt for the special event. She picked out the fabric herself. When she tried on the skirt she said, "It's perfect Mommy!" I was so relieved she loved it.
I actually whipped up the matching shirt the night before the parade because it had a stain on it. I just cut out a heart and pirate skull, gathered up some tulle and appliqued away.
Lilly and Nolan racked up 150 beads at the parade! We can't wait for Jose' Gaspar and his crew to invade Hillsborough Bay again next year.

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