Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

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

Ah glitter. Or maybe you know it as craft herpes? Either way, it’s lovely and sparkly and can transform almost anything into something better. Yes, it gets everywhere and yes, after you craft with it you’ll find it in your hair and under your nails and on your clothes but who cares! It’s glitter! It’s awesome. Glitter is probably my favorite craft staple. I’ve got big glitter and super fine glitter and glitter glue and glitter markers. I’ve got red and pink and gold and silver and,  really, so many colors that I’ve kind of lost track. I’d like to blame my heaping box of glitter on the fact that I am also in possession of a six year old daughter (who loves glitter, naturally) but honestly? It’s all me. I can’t help it, the stuff is just too much fun.

Remember when glitter only came in silver and gold? And the specks were almost hole punch sized? Well the crafting world has come a long way from those days and the uses for glitter has reflected that. There are TONS of fun glitter projects out there, just waiting for you to get your sparkle on and try them out. Here are a few of our favorites right now.

Easy Glittered Heart Bags – The TomKat Studio

I’m not even sure what these little glitter heart bags are for, but I want one. Or ten. Just because. In fact, I think I might have to go and make some right now.

Glittered Votive – Crafts Unleashed

Except first, I have to show you this glittered votive. So simple, so pretty! I love how there’s just enough sparkle along the rim to glint and glow in the candlelight. Even glitter haters (are there really people out there who hate glitter? I can’t imagine that!) would have to love these!

DIY Glitter Thumbtacks – Lovely Indeed

And then there are these thumb tacks. Who wants boring old plain silver thumbtacks when you can have glittered ones? Such a simple idea but SO.MUCH.FUN!

Glittered Acorns – Becoming Martha

I know fall is a long way off, but when I saw these glittered acorns I must confess that I got a little anxious for it to come quickly so I can have a bowl full of them in my house. I love the idea of layering different glitter colored acorns in a tall clear vase to show them off. Pretty pretty!

What have you been glittering lately? Send us your ideas! And check out these and other glitter projects on our Craft Trends Pinboard!

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

Bookmarks are one of those things I can never get enough of. For one thing, I’ve got lots and lots of books, and I’m always reading several at once, so bookmarks are key for keeping my spot. But also I love bookmarks for themselves. So many possibilities, so many options. So many cute bookmarks! I love them all. And they make the perfect quick project when you just need to do SOMETHING fun and crafty!

Paperclip Bookmarks – The Weekend Homemaker

These are so simple, and yet so cheerful! The combination of colorful paperclips and colorful, but not matching ribbon is just perfect! You could use interestingly shaped paperclips or baker’s twine for a variation on the project!

Valentine Bookmarks – Urban Comfort

Perfect for a first Valentine, this photo strip bookmark would be the best little keepsake for mom or dad or grandparents. This could be so cute with a pair of kids blowing kisses at the camera too! In fact, I think I’ll have to make these with my own (not so little) ones! Love it!

Heart Bookmarks – Think Crafts

These cute little over-the-corner heart bookmarks are perfect for keeping around to slip into your book! Just as cute peeking out the top of the pages as they are on their own, it would be fun to make a pile of them to keep around!

What’s your favorite kind of bookmark? Have you made any fun bookmarks lately? Check out these and our other craft ideas on our Craft Trends Pinboard!

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

When I was a little girl I loved everything rainbow colored. I couldn’t get enough of ROY G BIV. The brighter and more colorful the better. In the intervening years I’ve tended toward a more muted palate. Lots of whites and beige and grey, which is all well and good. But once in a while I crave bright colors. And not just bright, lots of rainbow hues all together. There’s something satisfying about a bright array of rainbow colors that no neutral can give. With that in mind, here a a few rainbow hued projects to indulge in during these grey and cold winter days.

Colored Pencil Jewelry – Design Mom

Having a girl who is obsessed, very very obsessed with coloring, I love these colored pencil slice projects, especially the rainbow necklace. SO pretty and yet so simple. Perfect for kids jewelry while still chic enough for adults.  Even with a dressy outfit, you could get away with it.

Rocking Chair Project – Design Mom

These rainbow painted rockers are wonderful. SO fun and bright and different. I’ve got a bright yellow chair in my house and this makes me want to add other colors to the mix. It’s amazing how bright, solid colors make chairs that might be a little outdated look modern and new, isn’t it?

Crayon Canvas – Meg Duerksen

Crayon paintings are making the rounds in the craft world and for good reason. Who doesn’t love melting things, especially colorful things? And here’s a chance to make art and have fun melting all at once. There are lots of variations on this project, but I love this simple rainbow drip best of all.

Have you done any rainbow hued projects lately? Check out these and others on our Craft Trends Pinboard and let us know what you’ve been up to as well! We love to see your work!

By Kid’s Crafts Contributor Stephanie, from the blog A Geek In Glasses.

The paint aisle at the local store is always a fun place. There are so many options and with those paint chip cards I feel I have to take one of every color home, but then what am I going to do with them? I can only paint the walls so many times so that stack of newly collected paint chip cards really have no use. Or do they?

Supplies

• Paint Chip cards
• Scissors
• Tacky Glue
• Cardstock
• String or Thread
• Needle

Read the Full How-To After the Jump…

Read the rest…

By Crafts for Learning Contributor, Danielle from the blog Crayonbox Learning.

Teachers and parents alike enjoy showcasing their children’s homework or artwork.  This project incorporates the clothespin display with a seasonal theme.

Materials needed:

• Scrapbook Paper Scraps
• Cardstock
• Small Clothespins
• E6000 Glue
• Scissors
• Twine or String
• Mitten Template (Provided)
• Lamination (optional)

Directions: 

1. Use the mitten template provided as a guide to cut out or trim scrapbook paper scraps.  The heavier paper or cardstock would be best. You can embellish the cuffs on the mittens, or add cotton balls to give them a more 3-D look.  For my example, I used white cardstock for the cuffs.
2. After the mittens are made and the glue is dried, turn them over face down. (If you choose to laminate the mittens for durability you would do that before gluing the clothespin on the back) Using E6000 glue, add a clothespin to the back of each mitten.  Make sure that the clothespins are glued at the same place so that they match up when hung. Set aside and wait for the glue to completely dry.
3. Once the mittens are completely dry, you can begin hanging them.  The purpose of the clothespin on the back is to make it easier to hang them in places where there is limited space to hang. In my example,  I clipped the clothespins onto my bulletin board.  It’s easy to change out seasonally, and it is a cute way to display classroom work.
4. Tie a piece of twine onto the clip on the back of each mitten. A little tension in the twine helps keep the line from sagging from the weight of the clips.

After the mittens are securely hung on the wall or bulletin board, the display is ready for items to be hung on the twine.

By

Card Making & Scrapbooking Contributor

Peg Rounds

I love vintage things and enjoy creating vintage pieces for the holidays.  If you love all things vintage, too, this Santa Concertina card is a must for your card giving this year.  It’s a simple, but elegant card to make.  You will surely want to create an extra just to use for your holiday decorating too.

Read the rest…

By Kid’s Crafts Contributor Stephanie, from the blog A Geek In Glasses.

We made so many gifts this year that we thought homemade wrapping paper would be a nice addition to the gifts. This technique is fun and can be done in the house as long as you cover the table with newspaper.  We used holiday colors, but any color can be used.

Supplies:

Watercolor Paint in Tubes

Drawing Paper Roll

Bubbles

Start by covering the work surface with newspapers. Then cut long pieces of white craft paper, ours were between 5 and 6 feet long.  Next mix a squirt of watercolor paint into a small dish of Bubbles, the more paint you add the darker the spots will be. Mix the paint well, then dip the bubble wand into the paint mix and blow the bubbles onto the craft paper. We found that using one color at a time worked best. The paint was able to dry on the paper so the colors didn’t mix and make a brown color. We also wanted to keep the bubble wand in one color so we did not cross contaminate the dishes of bubble paint.

Once the paper is dry, roll it up and save it for wrapping. This could be a gift on its own, paired with some matching note cards or gift tags.

This project was fun to do with the kids because who doesn’t love to blow bubbles! Plus, the paint is water based, so clean up is easy with soap and water.