Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

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

I love art in the garden, and for a long time I’ve wanted a gazing ball. Why can’t I make one? I wondered just a day or two ago. I decided to give it at try, and take you along with me!

My materials were few:

• A plain, round light globe, vase, jar, or other clear sphere
• Spray paint in shiny metallic silver or gold

First, true confession: I bought two spherical light globes for this at a thrift store, but they disappeared! They would actually be my first choice for the gazing balls, but I did have a small, round vase and a large, perfectly round, jar—no flat spot anywhere, except for where the lid screwed on. Use what you have; it doesn’t even have to be round, as long as it’s a shape you like.

The instructions are as simple as the list of materials. Make sure your sphere is perfectly clean. Protect your work area, and/or work outside. Choose the color you want for your gazing ball, and spray paint the inside of the sphere. Be patient and don’t spray too much at a time or the paint will run. Just short bursts of paint will do it, overlapping until the glass is completely covered.

My spheres aren’t quite a shiny and mirror-like as I’d hoped they’d be, but I do think they look pretty great in the bird bath against the fence. I added a white light globe to the grouping, and have been enjoying the sight of them.

You could also dazzle them up even more by painting a water-proof glue on the outside of your sphere and sprinkling on glitter, in either a matching or contrasting color. I’m contemplating a swirl of gold glitter on the silver ball…What do you think?

By Kid’s Craft Contributor, Gillian from the blog “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.

Whether you’re sending the kids off to camp this summer or just dropping them at your parents for the weekend, it’s always nice to get a note from them so you can see what they are up to. Send them off on their adventure with a set of cards made by their own hands (and don’t forget the pre-addressed and stamped envelopes!)  to help ensure you get a few scribbled lines from them while they are away having fun!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Blank card or half a sheet of cardstock for each card
Unpopped bubblewrap
Craft Paint (any colors!)
Foam brush

1. Brush paint in a pattern over the bubbles, try stripes or paint each dot a different hue, let them go a little crazy with the paint. You’ll want to work fairly quickly so that the paint doesn’t dry before you make your print, but even if some of the dots don’t print, you’ll still get a fun look!

2. Center your paper over the painted bubbles and smooth so that every bubble comes in contact with the paper.

3. Peel the paper back carefully and lay flat to dry.

4. Fold into cards and pack them up with the envelopes in their bags and they are ready to go!

By General Crafts Contributor Amy, from the Blog “Mod Podge Rocks!”

As a crafter, I have TONS of bags.  Some of the bags I have are merely functional rather than good looking, so I like to embellish them.  Ones of the ways I embellish things are with pins!  Pins can be small or large, and they are easy to make with supplies that you probably already have on hand.  Pins are great scrapbusters!  They can also be made pretty quickly and give as gifts.  As you can see, my pin is inspired by summer.

To make, you’ll need to gather these supplies:

Chipboard shape  – approximately 2″ x 4″
K&Company Berry Sweet Paper and Chipboard Fruit Embellishments 
Mod Podge Matte 
FolkArt Acrylic Paint – Yellow Citron, Hot Pink (or coordinating colors)
Pink Rhinestones  
Wood Letter – initial of your choice
Pin back 
Craft Glue 
Scissors 
Pencil

Take a small piece of scrapbook paper a little larger than your chipboard piece and trace.  Cut the shape out and set aside.

Paint your chipboard shape and letter – since they are so small, I just painted them both on both sides.  Cover completely and allow to dry.

Spread Mod Podge on the top of your chipboard shape.  Grab the paper you cut and smooth down thoroughly.  You can use your hands – I always use a brayer because it works *really* well.  Allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes.

You are now ready to coat the top.  Give a medium layer of Mod Podge and allow to dry for 15 – 20 minutes.  I also put a coat of Mod Podge onto my letter “A.”

Time to add embellishments!  I used craft glue to add the letter “A,” the strawberry and then one rhinestone in each corner for a little bling.  Allow to dry.

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

There’s not a lot to like about smoking, given its effect on a person’s health, but when my friend Buddy gifted me with his empty cigar boxes, I was selfish enough to be glad he’d been a cigar smoker! They’ve been so much fun to work with I thought I’d share my techniques and ideas for turning a cigar box into a purse.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A cigar box, either the oval or rectangular kind
• Scraps of fabric
• Braid, lace, bits of trim, ribbon, old jewelry, etc.
• 4 washers (mine are black plastic, but metal is fine)
• About a yard of heavy cord 
• Adhesives, glue gun, etc.

The first thing you’ll want to do is take off any labels that won’t be covered by fabric. Take a blow dryer, and blast that stream of hot air at the label, then gently peel the label off. It’s pretty easy to do, but be careful not to burn your fingers!

Measure the circumference and width of the cigar box and cut a piece of fabric about 1” (2.5cm) longer than the circumference and about 1/4” (.6cm) narrower than the width. Turn a very narrow hem on each end, and either glue or sew it. No need to hem the sides, as they’re going to be covered by trim. Wrap the box, gluing along the edges, and across the indentation where the lid is hinged, and turning the ends of the fabric piece to the inside of the box.

Cut two pieces of trim just the length of the box’s circumference. (You’ll want something like braid or velvet ribbon so that no glue shows through.) If you’re using a trim that will fray, run a line of glue across the underside of each end.

Glue the trim to the edges of the box, covering the edges of the fabric wrap completely.

It’s time now to do the handles. With the oval boxes, the lid hinge will be at the top of the purse; with the rectangular style, the hinge is at the bottom. Measure about an inch down from the top of the purse on each uncovered side, and drill or punch a hole large enough for the handle cord to pass through.

Cut a piece of cord about 36” (1m) long, and tape each end to keep it from unraveling while you work. Tie a knot as close to one end as you can, and thread on the first washer. From the inside of the cigar box, push the unknotted end through the hole you made, and pull through. Put a bit of glue all around the edges of the hole, inside and out, and thread on another washer, pulling the knot and both washers tight against the box. Thread on another washer, and run the other end of the cord through the other hole. Thread on the last washer. Knot the cord, put glue around the edges of the hole, and pull the knot and both washers flush. Trim off the taped ends of the cord close to the knots. Wipe off any excess glue, and hang the bag from a doorknob, to keep pressure on the knots and washers while the glue dries.

When the glue is dry, decorate your purse with lace, old jewelry, etc., covering any glue boo-boos. The oval boxes have a magnetic clasp built in; for a “regular” box, affix the clasp of your choice—a button and elastic loop will work well.

Front of the cigar purses

...and the back!

By General Crafts Contributor Amy, from the Blog “Mod Podge Rocks!”

I have a boatload of books and not enough bookshelves.  I also have a craft book selection that I like to have easy access to on my desk, but the stack wasn’t working out.  So I decided to make these bookends.

To make, you’ll need to gather these supplies:

Bookends – any will do.  I got these from a friend

K & Company scrapbook paper  – 1 sheet (you might need 2 if your bookends are larger)

FolkArt Acrylic Paint   (whatever coordinates with your paper).  I used:

•             Light Periwinkle  
•             Pumpkin  
•            Turner’s Yellow  
•             Wicker White  

Mod Podge Gloss  

Flat Paint Brush  

Scissors  or Craft Knife  and Mat  

Ruler  

Pencil

First trace your bookends onto the BACK of your sheet of paper.  Cut out.

Trim the sheets of paper down to fit your bookends exactly.

Paint your bookends using the orange paint.  For complete coverage, you’ll need about three or four coats.  Set aside to dry.

While you are waiting for the bookends to dry, put a coat of Mod Podge on your paper sheets.  Coat the front, allow to dry, coat the back.  Set aside.

Tip: If you don’t have a cutout in your bookends like I do, you can skip this step.

Coat the back of the bookend with a medium layer of Mod Podge.  Apply evenly.

Place your paper down on the back of the bookend and smooth thoroughly.  You’ll notice that I used a brayer, and then to get down into the crack I used an old Starbucks card.  These are my favorite tools for smoothing!  Make sure you get the air bubbles out and then set aside to dry for 15 – 20 minutes.

Once the bookends are dry, coat both of them with Mod Podge.  Cover the fronts, backs and bottoms.  Give a first coat, allow to dry and then apply at least two more coats.  Allow to dry.

Once your bookends are dry, use the end of a paintbrush and the other coordinating paint colors to create polka dots around the cutout.  Allow to dry.

Tip: If your bookends don’t have a cutout, add a decorative shape cut out of paper to the front of your bookends for an accent.  Then you can use the polka dot method just like I did!

Here they are, holding my books and magazines!  Aren’t they great?  Quick, easy and perfect for some fun home décor.

By Sparkle E. Glitter from the blog “Sparkle Studio”.

Why not?  My niece just got a car. It is not cute. When you are 17, it is hard to drive a big old ugly car.  I told her that one day she will look back and brag on how she had the world’s ugliest car.  But for now, life is a journey, just go along for the ride.  So, we both made car signs for our cars.  They turned out way cuter than our cars. 

Make one for your car.  People will honk and wave or give you the thumbs up.  Here is what you need:

• 9×12 sheet of magnet canvas
• Sparkle 21: Choose colors you like and that will stand out against the color of your car.  You will want Night Sparkle and Silver Sparkle for the tires and three other colors of your choice
• #2 pencil
• Scissors
• Big oval crystal gem

Try this:

1.  Print patterns.  Turn paper over and trace pattern lines on back with a heavy line of pencil.  Place patterns right side up, on magnet sheet.  Retrace lines.

2.  Fill in pattern areas with Sparkle 21. The thicker you apply Sparkle 21, the more it will glitter in the sun.  Let the glitter dry.  It will take up to 48 hours.

3.  While the glitter is wet, set the gem at the front of the car to make a headlight.

4.  When the glitter is dry, use scissors to cut out the car and cut around words with a wavy line.

Stick to the car.  Cute!

Glitter on!

Sparkle

By General Crafts Contributor Amy, from the Blog “Mod Podge Rocks!”

Does this frame look bright?  That’s because it is!  Bright colors are a big trend right now, so I wanted to embrace them for the upcoming Mother’s Day.  I distressed the frame (which is very easy, and I wish showed up better in photography) and then added some felt flowers – so simple!  I know my mom, and she is going to love it.  She is going to love it even more with the picture of me in it!

To make it, you’ll need to gather these supplies:

Square wood frame

FolkArt Acrylic colors – I used Lime Green, Bright Pink and Deep Ocean Blue

Felts in different colors to coordinate with your frame color choices

Foam stamps to spell the saying of your choice – I used “MOM”

Mod Podge Gloss

Buttons – 12 coordinating

Die cut machine, punch or scissors – whatever you have to make shapes

Sandpaper

Craft Glue

Flat Paint Brush

Start by base coating your frame with Pink.  Completely cover, but just on the front of the frame.  Give about two coats and allow to dry.

Paint over the pink with Lime Green.  Wow, it looks like an 80′s party threw up on my project!  Paint enough coats to completely cover the pink.

This is the toughest part of the project – you need to sand the frame in select areas to allow the pink to show through the green.  Sand as much or as little as you want; the amount of distressing is up to you.  Wipe any extra dust away after you are done.  And yes, that is my robed arm.  I get out of bed and craft.

Cut your shapes from your felt pieces.  You can do this with a die cutter, but you can also do it with regular punches or with your scissors.  If you would like a nice flower template, I recommend searching Google for clip art.  There are so many free patterns to be had!  Set your shapes aside.

Mod Podge your frame.  Completely coat the front and back, allowing to dry between coats.

Time to add your saying!  I used foam stamps, and it was easier for me to paint the backs rather than dipping in the paint.  You can control the amount of paint that goes onto the stamp if you use a brush.

Press the stamps with paint firmly onto your frame.  Allow to dry and then touch up with your brush.  Once the paint is completely dry, Mod Podge over the words to seal.

The final step is to glue down your flowers into a nice pattern and then add buttons in the centers.  Now add a picture of yourself and give to that special mom in your life.  She’s going to love it!