Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Craft Celebrity Mark Montano, from the blog Mark Montano’s Big Ass Blog.

This is probably one of my favorite projects to make since I’m always finding terrific glass dishes that need sprucing up a bit. A little lace, a little spray paint and you’ve got something amazing. Add some adhesive felt on the back if you’re going to hang plates as wall decor, or use it as a pretty patterned tray.

You’ll need:

• Krylon Fusion Spray Paint (It’s the best for this project!)
• Newspaper for your workspace
• Lace in different patterns
• Spray Adhesive (love the stuff!)
• Krylon Clear Coat
• Sticky felt to protect the back if it’s just decorative.

Here’s How:

Step 1.  Cut a piece of lace larger than your plate so that it covers all the edges of the plate.

Step 2. Spray your lace with the Spray Adhesive and stick it to the back of the glass plate so that all of the lace is sticking to the plate.

Step 3. Lightly spray paint over the entire plate. Gently remove the lace after the paint is dry.

Step 4. Spray the entire back of the plate with another color of spray paint. Choose contrasting colors for the most impact.

Step 5. Spray several coats of clear coat on the BACK of the plate to protect the spray paint.  Wait 10 minutes in between each coat.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Most of the time, light switch plates are fairly boring and come in only solid colors or metallic. One way to spice them up and tailor them to the room is to decorate them yourself. You’ll only need a few materials to make them look exactly the way you wish.

What you’ll need:

• Light switch plates
• Mod Podge
• Patterned paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Box cutter

Step 1. Choose the light switch plate you need, then pick out the patterned paper you want covering it. I opted for a vintage map from Washington.

Step 2. Flip the light switch plate face down, then trace the edges including the spaces in the center onto the back of the patterned paper.

Step 3. Cut the piece out with scissors, then use a box cutter to cut out the inside shapes so it’s easier to make an accurate cut.

Step 4. Cover the face of the switch plate with Mod Podge, then attach your piece on top smoothing it down as you go along. Give it ample time to dry.

Step 5. Cover the surface with another coat of Mod Podge, but move quickly so it doesn’t start to dry as you’re going along.

Step 6. Using Mod Podge on your finger, go along the edge to smooth down the paper.

Step 7. Give it at least a day to dry before you use it.

By Craft Celebrity Mark Montano, from the blog Mark Montano’s Big Ass Blog.

My friend Peter has a huge clock in his kitchen with a collage of his friends. It was my inspiration for this very large wall clock. Sending special thanks to all of my friends for their endless inspiration today.

YOU’LL NEED:

• Plastic box frame that is 18″x24″
• Image that is enlarged to 18″x24″
• Florescent orange Krylon spray paint
• Contact paper
• Scissors *FISKARS make the best scissors (and their Teflon blade is perfect for cutting sticky stuff!)
• Craft knife
• Clock that you can take apart
• Drill and 3/8″ drill bit
• Spray adhesive
• Clear packing tape

HERE’S HOW:

1. Enlarge your image to 18×24. Staples can do this easily for a few bucks. *This image is from a Dover book with mortised images that are perfect for clocks.

2. Place your image inside the frame to decide where you want your clock to be placed.

3. Drill a hole in the frame for your clock parts.

 4. With your image inside the frame cut out your oval in contact paper to use as your stencil for the florescent paint. *I cut out leaves and clovers and added them to the oval so that it would have some interest.  I placed one on the lower right corner and randomly.

5. Peel and stick your oval and your flourishes to the frame.

6. Spray paint the frame with the Krylon florescent paint and let dry for 5 minutes and carefully remove the contact paper. If you’re having a hard time getting it off, take the tip of your craft knife to lift an edge.

7. Place the cardboard inset inside your frame and cut out a hole in the area where your clock parts will fit.  My clock was square so I traced it and cut out the exact size.

 8. Spray mount your image to the cardboard inset and put it inside of the box frame.

 11. Tape your clock in place with packing tape.

12. Put on your clock hands and you’re done just in time.

By Guest Blogger & Crafty Bride, Kadee Robertson.

I am getting married in September to the most wonderful man ever. I am a typical bride and need to stretch my pennies as far as I can. I’ve been addicted to Pinterest since becoming engaged. While browsing Pinterest, I found a jar wrapped in twine. It was so simple, yet I loved the natural texture of it. I wanted to try it myself and make my own one-of-a-kind vase for a table centerpiece.

Items needed:

• Glue gun and glue
• Jar of any shape or size
• Jute or hemp twine (I used jute)
• Patience!

Recommended items:

• Wax paper
• Wood Craft stick

I gathered my materials, I happened to have a Pace Picante salsa jar on hand, so I used that. I liked the hour-glass shape. I then laid out a few pieces of wax paper. I didn’t want the glue to get stuck to my counter. Turn on and heat up the glue gun.

I then put an inch of hot glue around the base of the jar. I worked from the bottom up. I recommend starting as close to the bottom as possible. I glued an entire circle of glue around the bottom of the jar and laid the string around it and just kept circling up. I put a dab of glue about every 1/4″ or 1/2″ turn around the jar. Don’t use too much glue or it will ooze out. I just kept winding the jar around and around with dabs of glue every so often.

At one point I touched the hot glue and gave myself a nice blister on my finger- avoid that step Later I started using a wooden craft stick stick to hold the string to the glue for a second to give it a chance to adhere.

I did not cut the string at all. I didn’t want there to be any loose ends, I just kept unwinding it from the spool. My entire project was just one loooooooong strand.

The closer to the top of the jar that I got the more frequent I had to use glue as the jar tapered inwards, again, I just used a dab of hot glue. The biggest problem I had was getting the glue and the string to adhere to the top of the jar where the lid screws on.

This project took a lot more time than I expected, but I love how it turned out. I hope you like it too.

By Craft Trends Contributor, Gillian from the blog Dried Figs and Wooden Spools. Check out our Craft Trends board on Pinterest!

I am well aware that there are large numbers of (perhaps misguided) folks out there that don’t like the taste of Peeps. For me, spring just isn’t spring until I’ve roasted a few over my stove, but for those who might like some non eating uses for the marshmallow treats (and for those of us that can’t get enough) here are some fun little peep projects for your spring delight.

Peeps Wreaths! I wouldn’t recommend them for outdoors as that might get….messy, but for inside? Awesome.

Too colorful? How about this one?

I love these bunting and their reuse of paint chips!

 A Peep Tree! Who can resist?(the Peeps Sushi is pretty funny too!)

Would you use Peeps in your spring decor? Check out more ideas on our Craft Trends Boards.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

If you’ve ever gotten take out, you know you’ll usually have leftover packets of some type of condiment – ketchup, mustard, soy sauce and duck sauce are the ones I usually end up with. Rather than have them all mixed up in one container or falling all over your fridge in chaos, use small decorated cardboard boxes to keep them organized.

What you’ll need:

• Mod Podge
• Patterned paper
• Scissors
• Black marker
• Pencil

Step 1. Choose one box for each type of packet you want to organize. I used ones from powdered drink packets. Since I don’t have many of the soy sauce or duck sauce, I just used one for both of them.

Step 2. Pick your different types of paper. If possible choose ones that complement each other.

Step 3. Cut the tabs off the cardboard boxes so they’re now open on the top.

Step 4. For the two boxes that are going to be used on the ends, trace the front, and two sides onto the patterned paper.

Step 5. For the boxes in the center, trace only the two sides.

Step 6. Turn the boxes sideways so the sides are now facing outward, then glue the boxes together so they form a single piece.

Step 7. Using Mod Podge, attach the paper onto the front, side and back of the end boxes, then attach the paper onto the front and back of the center boxes.

Step 8. Smooth out the air bubbles.

Step 9. Use a black marker to write the name on the front of each box, then let it dry before moving it otherwise you could smear the ink.

By General Crafts Contributor Melissa, from the blog MeloMomma.

At first glance would you guess that this gorgeous candle is made with egg shells? With Easter right around the corner this is really appropriate, but you certainly don’t have to wait for Easter! I just saved a few shells from hard boiled eggs. It’s simple elegance!

 What you will need:

• Mason jar
• Egg Shells
• Food coloring
• Water
• 2 Bowls
• Tacky glue
• Rhinestones
• Floral décor (the puffy balls are actually cut up floral arrangements… fake flowers would look very nice too)
• Tea Light Candle

 Directions:

Rinse and dry the egg shells.

Add a few drops of food coloring to a bowl of water.

Add the eggs and allow them to soak until you are happy with the color they become (I left mine for several hours while I ran errands). Remove the shells and let dry.

 Cover the mason jar in tacky glue. Gently place the egg shells against the tacky glue. Leave some open space for the light to shine through. Add a few rhinestones. Arrange the puffy balls around the top. Allow to dry.

Place a tea light candle inside and enjoy!