Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Scrapbook & Paper Crafts Contributor Jennifer, from the blog “So Many Products, So Little Time”.

I love to go green whenever possible, so I try to find ways to reuse objects around the house.  One of my favorite items to reuse is an empty plastic juice container.  I use the Welch’s brand – they are very sturdy and you can even run them through the dishwasher before decorating.  In the past I have decorated quite a few for my scrap room to hold supplies.  My son recently got a new desk for his room so I decorated this can to hold his pencils.  He also loves to write notes to his friends, so I created a matching mini notebook.

Supplies used:

K & Company – Actopus Collection

• 12×12 Paper Pad
• Rub-ons
• Grand Adhesion Sticker

Ribbon
Plastic Juice Container
Composition Notebook (small)
Strong Adhesive

To cover the juice can:

* Cut a strip of paper to cover the entire side of the can and adhere.  You will need to use use a strong tape such as Therm O Web Zips Craft Adhesive Lines.

* Cut a small strip of paper and adhere to the top edge of the can using the same adhesive.

To cover the notebook.

* Cut a piece of paper to cover the notebook and adhere using a strong adhesive

* Apply rub-ons (see picture) to the notebook.

* Affix 3 Dimensional sticker to center of the notebook.

* Adhere piece of ribbon to edge of the notebook.  You can also tie a bow if desired.

By Recycled Crafts Contributor, Anitra from the blog “Coffee Pot People”.  

It probably won’t be a surprise to anyone that my favorite art/craft shows  to be in or to attend are those where the art is constructed primarily from recycled materials. 

This past weekend was the Vancouver Recycled Arts Festival, and I was pleased and honored to be one of their vendors. Now, the hardest thing about that is being stuck in my booth. I want to see to all the other art! So, the second morning of the show, I made sure I was there early enough to cruise the show myself, camera in hand, and I had a mission: Photograph art that you might not see anywhere else. 

People are amazingly creative and talented. This is just a sample of what the show had to offer:

In the slideshow, you see:

• Pendants from broken china, by Tanya Meyer  of CuteGirl Creations
• Soft toys and wearable art from reclaimed materials, by Dawn Grunwald
• Blue & white stamped domino tray, by MouseHouse Designs
• Colorful garden whirligigs from vinyl records, by Christine Claringbold of EyePop Art
• Rings made from bicycle innertubes & beads, by Julia Garretson
• Fused glass cat faces and ladybugs from scrap glass,  by Brenda Lee Calvert of Halfmoon Farm
• Folding baskets and a handbag from reclaimed & sanitized chopsticks, by Kwytza Chopstick Art
• Playing card holders from reclaimed fibers, by Lyle and Arlene Gowing
• Musical instruments from cigar boxes and license plates, by Alan Matta
• Garden shrines from scrap wood & found objects, by Mike and Barbara Meyer, of Earth Tones
• Mosaic art from reclaimed windows and scrap glass, by Missy Lambert
• Crocheted bags, placemats, accessories, etc., from plastic shopping bags, by Molly J Walter
• Purses and wallets woven from candy, snack, & coffee packaging, by Rock Candy Art
• Creepy babies from baby dolls and found objects, by Jason Pickering
• Rustic  jewelry and accessories from sardine cans, smashed bottle caps, etc., by Chris Reitmaier
• Garden Tiki Monster & Fork Man from scrap metal & flatware, by Schell & Son Metalwerks
• A giant blossom for the garden from reclaimed glassware & tableware, by Anitra Cameron
• Marble-covered garden art, by Megan Klepp, of Ta-Dah
• Refrigerator magnets from small toys, by the sons of Megan Klepp, of Ta-Dah
• A 3-D collage from reclaimed painting and stuffed bird, by Casey Boketzian, of Therapy Bettye
• Painted polka dot tableware & radio, by Davell Seversen, of Zany Art

By Guest Blogger, Alison from the blog “How Does She”.

How fun is this! I always feel awkward asking people to take off their shoes when they come inside….now I don’t have to (at least not as much)! This is a sign/frame that hangs by my front door and I love it! Just think of all the mud and snow you WON’T have to clean off the carpet:)

1. Use a cheap wooden frames. Just use fun paper and Mod Podge it on. Check out Mod Podging tips if you need to know how!

2. Sand around the edges to remove overhang paper and you’re almost done.

3. Apply your vinyl letters. Tell your vinyl lady that the font is ‘Larger Mime’ and it’s 1 inch tall by 8 inches long…or use your Cricut. If you need info on vinyl 101 click here.

4. I did stain the edges with an oak stain after I put the paper on…I had some in the garage and it worked out! { Love when that happens!}

***stain after you put the vinyl on!!! It works better{I promise!}***

5. Drill 2 holes in the top of the frame (Note: I got glass cut at the local auto glass shop. (It was around $1.50/glass). Make sure to drill before you put in your glass.

6. Push ribbon through the hole. I used a skewer to help push the ribbon through the hole. Hey, it works! The ribbon is a 1 inch cream ribbon.

7. Tie a knot with the handle. They have a ‘c’ shaped handle with ‘clam’ ends.

8. Place a picture of your children’s feet in it . I also like the saying, ‘Please bare your soles!’ I made a bunch of these and gave them to my family. They loved how they got a craft and a picture of our kids! (well their feet, but they loved it)

Another idea to do with this frame: Place a picture of your child in it and put his/her name at the bottom.

Hint: when choosing paper to Mod Podge use SMALL PRINT (ya, I know I wrote that big, but small print looks the best!) Also, know the color of vinyl you are going to use. If you use a dark vinyl use light paper and light vinyl use dark paper. Easy enough…send pics our way. We want to see what you made!

By Guest Blogger, Sparkle E. Glitter from the blog “Sparkle Studio”.

You might not think of glitter glue as a component of adult jewelry. I think I might change your mind with this beautiful falling leaves bracelet made with Big & Glitzy glitter glue. Big & Glitzy is the most amazing, sparkliest glitter glue available. It’s the big gun of glitter glue!

Just look at this leaf charm, the look is almost crystally….because Big & Glitzy is so chunky.

I made this bracelet in less than an hour, not including drying time. You can make this fast and easy bracelet too.

You need:

• 5 gold leaf charms (They are 1 1/4″ tall, but there were a lot of different leaf charms I could have used, I used these)
• Big & Glitzy Glitter Glue: Peridot, Nugget, Ruby, Coral
• gold chain link bracelet
• 5 gold jump rings
• 20-21 assorted size and shape crystal beads in fall colors
• gold craft wire
• round nose pliers
• chain nose pliers
• wire cutters

Try this:

1. Lay your charms on covered work surface. Cover the front of each charm with Big & Glitzy. Pile it on! Refer to Mother Nature’s work for ideas on how to color them in. Let charms dry.

2. Using two pair of pliers, hook the charms evenly across the bracelet with jump rings. Open the jump ring by twisting it open. String a charm on it, place it through the bracelet link, and twist it closed.

My five charms glittered up.

3. Wire wrap beads randomly to fill in the bracelet. If you have never done wire wrapping, google: wire wrapping a loop. There are many good tutorials available. You can also find instructions for wrapping a loop in the back of any jewelry magazine.

4. Humbly accept accolades from friends and family when wearing.

The completed bracelet. You could add more charms or beads if you like. This would also make a very pretty necklace. The great thing about using glitter glue for jewelry is that the glitter does not shed. And with Big & Glitzy, it is just as sparkly as loose glitter.

As they say in Texas, Happy Fall Ya’ll!

Glitter on,
Sparkle

Please welcome experienced crafter and guest blogger Amy, from the blog “Mod Podge Rocks”.

I like clipboards yes I do, I like clipboards how ’bout you?

I’ve had several people tell me recently that they are working on clipboard projects, either for themselves or for gifts. I decided that I wanted to do one too, so I took a dive into the stash and this is what I came up with.

A little research reveal that clipboards are hot for back-to-school this year – but not the typical brown slab with a silver clip.  This year’s clipboards are fun and funky . . . and easy to personalize.  They are also way easier than you might think.  Just follow this tutorial for fabulous results!

"Hi, I'm a boring brown clipboard. To fix me up, gather the following supplies."

Supplies:

Clipboard
Scrapbook paper – 2 coordinating pieces
Acrylic paint – coordinating color (I used Sky Blue)
Spray paint – coordinating color (I used Apple Green)
Craft Glue
Chipboard letters and/or coordinating embellishments
Ribbon – all from my stash
Mod Podge Gloss, 8oz.
Flat paint brush
Ruler
Craft Knife and Mat
Pencil

Start by removing the clip at the top and set it aside.  Time to paint the board.  Paint one side, allow to dry, flip over and paint the other.  Do this at least twice depending on your paint color – I did mine three times because my paint was a little lighter and I wanted great coverage.  Set aside to dry.

While you are waiting for the paint to dry on the clipboard, spray the clip.  I had this extra paint laying around which happened to coordinate.  Lucky me, right?  Either buy spray paint (there are baby sizes now), or use outdoor paint such as this.  You can also use regular acrylic paint, but you’ll need to seal it with acrylic sealer so that it doesn’t scrape off.

While both the board and clip are drying, measure and cut your paper.  My clipboard is 9″ x 12″, and I decided I wanted two pieces of paper that met in the middle.  Therefore, I measured out two pieces of paper, 9″ wide x 6″ tall.

Cut both sheets of paper with your craft knife.  Lay them out on the clipboard (which should now be painted and dry) and make sure that they fit.

You laid out the papers on the board – remove the top piece and cover the board with Mod Podge.  Put on a medium coat, and make sure to get the corners well.  You’re probably going to put on more than you think.  Lay the top piece of paper down and smooth out with your fingers.

 Okay, so the top piece is down.  Repeat the process with the bottom piece.

Now that both pieces are down, you can use either your fingers or a brayer (like I am above) to smooth both sheets down thoroughly.  If any Mod Podge comes out the sides, wipe it away with your paint brush.  Allow these sheets to dry for 15 – 20 minutes, and then Mod Podge over the top of them.  Allow to dry, flip over and then Mod Podge the back of the clipboard to seal the paint.  Allow to dry for at least an hour.

This is always the fun part for me!  You’ll notice that when the Mod Podge dried, I replaced the clip.  I also laid out some ribbon that I had in my stash, a large brown piece and a thinner orange piece.  I had some chipboard letters to make the “Notes” saying down at the bottom, and I had a sticker to adhere to the clip.  I glued everything down with craft glue and allowed to dry for 24 hours.

Here’s the finished clipboard again.  Notice that I tied some ribbon at the top too – they were about 10″ pieces that I just knotted through the hole.  I call the ribbon the “piece de’la resistance.”  That’s French for something really cool!  Enjoy your clipboard, and as always I encourage you to use papers, colors and embellishments that fit your style.  Don’t forget, above all else, have fun!

Welcome Returning Guest Blogger, Annie Authier, from the blog “Thriftfulness”.

Charming and wallet-friendly gift: the knit collar. Bulky scarves are so last December. And with this fun, easy to make collar, your friends can celebrate fall without worrying about frostbite.

I made this on my Knifty Knitter, a knitting loom and a wise investment (under $20) for the needle-impaired. You just wrap the yarn around the pegs for an hour or two while you’re watching your favorite medical drama or reality television competition. The yarn I chose has some fun bright colors in it so that it feels warmer-weathery. You could also unravel an old sweater and use that yarn.

Aah. A warm neck on a blustery day. Looks good pulled up around your chin or folded over (see top pic). Haven’t figured out who I’ll give this to yet. I’ll have to keep my eye out for acquaintences with chin hair or unsightly Adam’s apples so I can be sure this gift gets put to use all year round.

Cost: $1.75 ($20-$25 with new knitting loom and new yarn)

Time: 1 and a half hours.

To read more of Annie’s blog, click here.

Please Welcome Guest Blogger, Annie Authier, from the blog “Thriftfulness”. 

With school starting now is the time of year when the air is thick with promises made in parked cars, deserted beaches, the empty beds of pickup trucks and under the glow of your parents’ motion sensor porch lights. These are the promises of summer lovers and they are, sadly but most assuredly, of the empty variety.

BFs and GFs who met on lifeguard docks, in camp mess-halls, and while holding their roommate’s hair back at house parties all over the United States are, at this very moment, vowing to write, to call, to Facebook chat every day and text sweet nothings every night. Will it happen? Probably not. 

Though the combination of physical distance, ex-boyfriends who forgot how awesome your summer love looks with a tan, and angry fathers waving cell-phone bills is sure to crush your burgeoning romance, I’m one for keeping hope alive. Thus, I give you Goodbye Summer Love Stationary.

Receiving handwritten letters is one of the best feelings ever and making the stationary yourself makes this gift extra personal. Make it for sending your own letters or give it to your summer sweetheart so that he or she can promise to send it back to you chock-cull of XOXOs (though you should know full well you’re never actually going to get that letter). Here are some examples of my own Summer Love Stationary:

Materials:

-Nice paper (splurge on the thick stuff and send your letter in a big mailing envelope to keep your art un-creased)

-Scissors

 -Glue or double sided tape

 -Colorful markers or colored pencils

 -Decorative material: (this can be just about anything) stamps and ink, watercolors, magazine clippings, old greeting cards you’ve saved for no reason, even tiny buttons.

-Perfume or cologne to spritz the paper with (I won’t make a Grease reference; I WON’T make a Grease reference!)

Once you’ve gathered your supplies and ripped yourself from your lover’s embrace, get to decorating. There aren’t many rules to this. Just keep in mind that someone is planning on writing on this so try to decorate on the margins and don’t use paper that is too dark or too bumpy.

For the first sheet (and I like to decorate every page different, although you may want to work in themes) I found a page in a decorating book that I liked and made a color copy of it, then just glued it onto the cardstock and decorated with a fancy “from the desk of:” tab on top.  If you’re low on creativity or time this is probably the best way to go for you.

You can also use pictures from old birthday cards or wedding invitations that you’ve saved for no apparent reason. For the page below (picture is just of the top of the page), I also added some tiny buttons by sewing them to the card-stock. Ordinarily this would mean more money for postage but, because I’m your friend, I’m going to be straight: it’s probably not going to make it to the post office.

Various magazine clippings are also a great decorating tool. This mix-tape I cut out from a magazine ad reads “stories and soundtracks of lost loves” which will most likely end up a fitting irony for whoever receives it. 

In the same magazine, I discovered these lovely mass transit pictures, which I used for decoration in this desperate attempt for a rendezvous cloaked in the lyrics to a Supreme’s song. This picture is of the top of the page and I painted tiny red suitcases down the right side.

One of my favorite ways to decorate is with stamps. Now these can get pricey but they are worth it because they’re pretty and they also last a long time. I use my old-lady-chasing-something stamp whenever I get the chance.

I used my Alice-in-Wonderland stamp to make a final angry plea to my summer lover that he BETTER call.

And finally, for when it’s clear that the relationship has died along with the potted basil plants in the yard, you can pull out the big guns: Tootie. She yelled, “AU gimme back my gold watch” on a hilarious episode of The Facts of Life so that she could remember the periodic table. Your stationary yells it because you gave that slug your gold watch and you want it back.

Make any variation of these Goodbye Love Stationary sets and send them off, you’ll be singing Hey Hey Mr. Postman and crying into your pillow before the last leaves change color. Goodbye summer love. Goodbye summer.