Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

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

© Danielle Westvang – Crayonbox Learning

Materials Needed:

• Tissue Paper (different shades of blue)
• Small (clean) empty glass baby food jar
• Mod Podge (Gloss Luster)
• Paint Brush
• Scissors
• Grosgrain Ribbon (coordinating colors)
• Tea Light

Directions:

• Take a small clean (and dry) glass baby food jar and put it into your work space.
• Cut different shades of blue tissue paper into small squares.
• Using a clean paint brush, paint  a thin layer of Mod Podge onto the glass jar. Do not paint the Mod Podge onto the whole jar at one time.
• Begin adding the blue tissue paper onto the thin layer in Mod Podge.  The Mod Podge will act like a glue and hold the tissue paper in place.  Staggering the pieces of tissue onto the glass jar (see picture) gives the jar a stained glass look.

• Use your finger to smooth the edges on the tissue paper as you’re placing it onto the jar.
• Keep adding Mod Podge around the jar and add the tissue paper pieces until the jar is completely covered.
• You will want to leave a small space uncovered at the top of the jar where the lid would have screwed on.
• After the jar is covered completely, use your paint brush to apply a thin coat of Mod Podge onto the jar.
• Let the layers of Mod Podge dry before adding a new layer.
• Add one more layer of Mod Podge to create a seal on the jar.  Let dry completely.

• Add Grosgrain ribbon around the top of the jar.  Glue down to give the candle holder a finished look.
• You can add embellishments as desired, but be mindful of the fact that the tea light may warm the jar so you won’t want anything added on that may get too warm.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano

If you’re a fan of reading or know someone who is, creating a glass Shakespeare container is going to be a wonderful gift option for yourself or a loved one. It only requires a few materials and some effort, but you can create a beautiful decorative and functional item that would look lovely in almost any home.

What you need:

• Shakespeare book pages
• Scissors
• Small glass container
• Mod Podge
• Varnish
• Sandpaper
• Pen
• Felt

1.  Choose a bunch of Shakespeare pages that are as close to the same color as possible.

2.  Trim the pages so only the words remain and none of the border.

3.  Cut up the pages horizontally into strips. You won’t even need to measure the strips out, all you have to do is cut in between every fourth and fifth line.

4.  Apply a coat of Mod Podge onto half of the glass container and start applying the strips. Put them on in a haphazard way and don’t worry right now about covering up the entire surface.

5.  Repeat Step 4 on the other half of the glass container.

6.  Keep repeating steps 4 and 5 two more times until you create multiple layers of strips and there’s no glass visible. Don’t move onto the next step until the strips are thoroughly dried.

7.  Put a coat of Mod Podge over the entire container. Let it dry for a day before moving on.

8.  Sand down the strips. Go light with the sanding, but if any of the strips get slightly worn, it will only add to the charm.

9.  Trim off the excess paper from the top and bottom of the glass container.

10.  Coat the entire container with a layer of varnish.

11.  Trace the bottom of the glass onto any color piece of felt you like.

12.  Cut the piece out, then use Mod Podge to adhere it onto the bottom of the glass container.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Candy corn is one of the best things about fall. Not only is it delicious, it’s also super-easy to decorate with. Creating a candy corn box is a great way to make a cute, functional decoration as well as reuse material that would have ended up in the trash. All you need is a handful of materials and you can make a little box that’s perfect to hold anything from wrapped candy to car keys.

What you need:

• Candy corn
• Mod Podge
• Empty box
• Vinyl placemat
• Scissors
• Ribbon

1. Cut an empty box apart so you have approximately three inches in height left to the bottom of the box.

2. When you’re adhering the candy corn, do only one side at a time. Put on a thin layer of Mod Podge, attach the candy corn haphazardly or methodically, then flip the box over onto a vinyl placemat with the candy corn face down so it’ll hold the candy in place while it dries. Let it sit to dry for a couple of hours.

3. Repeat Step 2 for each side of the box until it’s completely covered in candy corn.

4. Wrap a ribbon around the box and tie it in a bow at the front of the box.

Optional: While I chose to leave the box in its original state, you can also line the inside of the box with decorative paper.

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

Purchase comic book heels and they’re going to cost you $50 and up, but when you make them yourself, it’ll cost you a fraction of the price. I’m a fan of Batman, so I picked up a few vintage Batman comics and used them to create a pair of comic heels. They take awhile to make, but they’re worth it to have a custom piece of fashion that no one else has.

What you need:

• High Heels
• Mod Podge
• Varnish
• Comics
• Newspaper
• Sandpaper
• Scissors

Step 1. Ball up the newspaper and stuff it in your shoes so you don’t get the insides messy from the glue.

Step 2. Cut up the comics to the pieces you want. Large pieces won’t work well as they’ll crease easier than smaller pieces.

Step 3. Choose a pair of heels you want to use. I opted for a pair that were scuffed beyond repair in the front, so this project is a great way to revamp shoes that would otherwise go in the trash.

Step 4. Put Mod Podge on a small section of shoe at a time, then start attaching your comic book pieces. As you’re applying the glue, make the paper slightly soggy so it can bend easier, just be careful not to rip it as you’re smoothing it down.

Step 5. When you have the entire shoe covered in comics, put a coat of Mod Podge over it and let it sit to dry over night.

Step 6. Trim off the excess paper, then attach more Mod Podge especially around the edges.

Step 7. Sand down the shoes to create a more even surface. Don’t press too hard or you’ll wear down the paper.

Step 7. Put a coat of varnish over the shoes and let them sit to dry overnight before wearing them. I recommend putting a second or even third coat on as well.

Even though they are protected by the varnish, I don’t recommend wearing these anywhere near water. It’s also a good idea just to wipe them down with a damp cloth after walking in them outside just to remove dirt before it builds up too much.

By General Crafts Contributor Sara, from the blog Clever Pink Pirate.

My guest bathroom is so bare and could definitely use some color. Our budget is tight right now and I always try to upcycle something I already have to fit into my decor. I created this magazine box for our guest bathroom out of an empty cereal box and wrapping paper using Mod Podge. It took less than an hour to create and the cost was minimal.

Supplies:

• Large Cereal Box (empty)
• Mod Podge
• Wrapping Paper or Scrapbook Paper
• Scissors
• Gorilla Glue or strong craft glue

Directions:

Take the cereal box and open it up where it is glued. Adhere the tops of the box to the inside of the box like shown above with scotch or packing tape.

Measure the wrapping paper to go on the front and inside of the box, to the bottom, leaving the bottom unwrapped. Cut the paper according to the measurement.

Take the mod podge and adhere the backside of the paper to the box on the outside and inside, smoothing as you go.

Once the paper is securely glued, start folding the box back together, sealing with a strong craft glue. I personally like using Gorilla Glue (wood), it works great on most of my projects and you can’t see it.

Place heavy objects inside the box to make sure the pressure makes the glue and paper stick. Allow an hour to dry.

This cute box can be put in bathrooms, bedrooms, guest rooms and living rooms! The great thing about this is that it is fairly cheap meaning you can easily change them out with the seasons!

By Paper Crafts Contributor, Lauren Romano.

I love having custom pieces of jewelry that no one else owns and one of the easiest ways for me to accomplish this is to make them myself. It’s a great way to liven up your wardrobe for a fraction of what you would pay in the store. All it takes is a few supplies to make unique and stylish bracelets that you know no one else is going to be sporting.

What you need:

• Wood bracelet
• Mod Podge
• Varnish
• Sandpaper
• Decorative paper
• Scissors

Step 1. Choose the paper you want for your bracelet, then cut it into thin horizontal strips. I used antique pages from a broken Shakespeare book, so I just cut the paper every four lines.

Step 2. Put a strip of Mod Podge on the bracelet, then press the paper down and fold along the sides. Don’t fold the ends over just yet. As you’re applying the strips of paper, line them up flush to each other and make sure the pattern or wording all faces the same direction.

Step 3. Continue attaching the paper strips until you completely cover the outside of the bracelet.

Step 4. Once the outside is covered, fold the ends over to the inside and glue them down with Mod Podge. Be careful not to press too hard or it’ll rip the ends off.

Step 5. Put a coat of Mod Podge over the inside and outside of the bracelet, then let it sit to dry overnight.

Step 6. Put a coat of varnish on the inside and outside of the bracelet, then let it dry for several hours before wearing it.

By General Crafts Contributor Melissa, from the blog MeloMomma.

Honestly, this is way easier than it looks. It takes time but it is such an awesome project and makes an exceptional gift. I chose a large vase but you can do this with smaller photos and a smaller vase as well.

What you will need:

• Mod podge
• Pictures
• Tissue paper
• Glass vase
• Scissors
• Small Paint brush

Directions:

Cut out several pictures and several squares of tissue paper. Apply a tin layer of modge podge to the glass vase. Work in small sections. Lay a picture against the vase and firmly smooth out. Repeat with additional pictures and tissue paper squares. Allow to completely dry. Cover with a very thin layer of Mod Podge. Allow to dry and BAM it’s done!