Theres always that one window, isnt there? You know, the one that doesnt match the others; the one that seems to stick out like a sore thumb and begs for a new look. Theres a way to jazz up that window while spending very little time to do it. The window will have a totally different appearance unlike other windows in the house. And, no matter how you make the new window covering, youll be sure no one else has one exactly like it! Materials needed: Various colors, types and widths of ribbon Needle and thread Clip-type metal curtain rings Start with a sheer curtain to make a ribbon window covering. The more sheer the curtain, the nicer the finished ribbon curtain will be. Youll need lots and lots of ribbon so its a good idea to check your local dollar-theme store for inexpensive ribbon for this project. Keep in mind that, the wider the ribbon you select, the less ribbon it will take to complete the curtain.
Lay the curtain out flat on a floor or other surface large enough to accommodate it. Now begin cutting various ribbons to be long enough to go from the top edge of the curtain to the bottom edge. Add an inch to each length of ribbon to allow enough for tucking the ends behind the top edge.
Each time you cut a ribbon, lay it on the curtain, then cut enough to go across the width of the curtain. To achieve the look you want it may be necessary to trade a ribbon with another, switch and swap them around, until you get the striped effect you want. Using a needle and thread, fold the edge of the first ribbon over the top of the curtain then take a stitch or two, through the middle of the ribbon, to attach the ribbon to the curtain. Do this to all the ribbons across the width of the curtain. Its up to you if you want to place the ribbons side-by-side or if you want to leave a space between each set. Use clip-type, metal rings to hang the curtains. Clip one ring onto each ribbon, right where the stitching is, so that the clip covers up the few stitches on each ribbon, and so that you clip the ribbon as well as the curtain. Make sure the bottom ends of the ribbons align perfectly with the bottom edge of the curtain. Use ribbons of all one color to make one type of curtain. Make each ribbon different to create a completely different look. Or, alternate just two or three different colors. Slide the rings onto a caf?-type curtain rod and hang the new ribbon curtain. Its gorgeous, unusual, and will grab the attention of all your visitors!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Easy Heart Wedding Cake
Like putty in your hands; how many times have you heard that saying? It implies that something - or someone - can be worked, twisted, or manipulated with ease. Youll definitely find that old saying to be true when you work with fondant to create a luscious wedding cake that will have everyone thinking youre a rising star in the baking world!Your guests will be awestruck when they see the gorgeous cake that you bake just like ordinary cakes. But, when you finish with it, theyll be amazed. Start by choosing three different-size cake pans which are round or square. Make any flavor from a boxed mix or a recipe. Bake, according to the instructions, then allow the cakes to cool completely.Frost the top of the largest cake and set the second largest cake on it. Be sure to center it perfectly. Frost the top of the second cake and set the smallest cake on it, and center it. Now frost the sides of the cakes to finish the icing. The frosting should be applied so that its completely smooth all over. Use white frosting, and later, add white fondant hearts, or use pink frosting with white hearts. Another option is to make a pink cake with pink hearts or even red ones.Working with fondant is similar to working with putty or play dough. You can roll it out, shape it, color it and otherwise mold and work it. Basic instructions for using the fondant is on the package. For this project, break off a fondant piece, color it with a drop of food coloring - if desired - then roll it out to be about as thick as a popsicle stick. Use a small, heart-shaped cookie cutter to create the heart. Make many hearts and your cake is nearly finished.Begin at the bottom layer of the cake and position the first heart on the side of the cake. Press it slightly to secure it. Continue adding another and another heart shape, placing them side-by-side or spaced, until you go around the whole cake. Do the same to the middle and top cake, encircling them with the fondant hearts.Its helpful to use cornstarch on your fingers and on the cutting board and implements to keep the fondant from sticking. Its also helpful to use an offset spatula to scoop up each heart and position it on the cake.There are all sorts of variations you can do, besides colors, to produce the cake you want. Write on some of the hearts on the middle cake with a food marker to make a monogram, or to spell out "LOVE". The tiered heart wedding cake, no matter which design you make, is certainly one to behold.See a tiered fondant heart cake here.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Model Train Set Giant Boulders
Its not enough to be a train enthusiast - someone who just enjoys owning, watching, and running model trains. Anyone who really loves the hobby is also interested in miniatures and scenery to make the setup look as realistic as possible. A hobby store often has a huge selection of tiny guys who run the train, little houses along the trains route, and even a backdrop that might make you think the train is leaving a dark tunnel. Now, a train enthusiast can purchase those things - many train accessories are quite expensive - because he doesnt know how to make them, but some scenery can be easily created by the average person. If you could use some rocks around your train set you should know that theyre extremely easy to make.
One way to make a huge boulder is to just wad up newspaper. Shape it, not so that its a perfect ball, but so that it has facets and many sides. After you have it shaped the way you want it, simply paint the ball black, brown, or gray. Use double-sided tape to hold the paper boulder in place at the train scene.
Another way to make a giant boulder is to use a large Styrofoam ball. Its really easy to shape Styrofoam when you use sandpaper or even an emery board. First, cut a thin sliver off of any area of the ball to make a flat bottom for the rock to stand. Then, sand the Styrofoam here, then there, to make many facets around the rock. A quick scrub in that particular area is all thats needed to create a faceted side to the rock - over and over again - until it looks the way you want. Paint it but be sure to use paints that wont melt Styrofoam, like tempera paints. Make a different type of boulder by using spray foam insulation. You can find it in a can at most any home improvement store. You spray it onto something, like a piece of foil, then let it set up to become hard. With this product you dont have to go with a rounded shape for the boulder; you can create a large rock, with smaller ones attached to it, and you can shape it any way you want. Just spray it out to create the basic shape, allow it to dry, then shape it with sandpaper. Its similar to Styrofoam when it dries and that makes it easy to shape. Paint the rock using paints that wont melt Styrofoam. The giant boulder or other rocks can be just set around the track or can be glued in place with hot glue or another adhesive. Once you make a rock or two for your train set youll become addicted to creating other accessories. With that in mind, lets talk trees
One way to make a huge boulder is to just wad up newspaper. Shape it, not so that its a perfect ball, but so that it has facets and many sides. After you have it shaped the way you want it, simply paint the ball black, brown, or gray. Use double-sided tape to hold the paper boulder in place at the train scene.
Another way to make a giant boulder is to use a large Styrofoam ball. Its really easy to shape Styrofoam when you use sandpaper or even an emery board. First, cut a thin sliver off of any area of the ball to make a flat bottom for the rock to stand. Then, sand the Styrofoam here, then there, to make many facets around the rock. A quick scrub in that particular area is all thats needed to create a faceted side to the rock - over and over again - until it looks the way you want. Paint it but be sure to use paints that wont melt Styrofoam, like tempera paints. Make a different type of boulder by using spray foam insulation. You can find it in a can at most any home improvement store. You spray it onto something, like a piece of foil, then let it set up to become hard. With this product you dont have to go with a rounded shape for the boulder; you can create a large rock, with smaller ones attached to it, and you can shape it any way you want. Just spray it out to create the basic shape, allow it to dry, then shape it with sandpaper. Its similar to Styrofoam when it dries and that makes it easy to shape. Paint the rock using paints that wont melt Styrofoam. The giant boulder or other rocks can be just set around the track or can be glued in place with hot glue or another adhesive. Once you make a rock or two for your train set youll become addicted to creating other accessories. With that in mind, lets talk trees
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Tea Light Tower Candles
Have you bought one of those bags full of tea lights that, although theyre cheap and simplistic, theyre useful and pretty when burning? Its often possible to find a bag of the tea lights, which feature the cheap metal cups, for a few bucks. And, even though the tea lights arent impressive, they can be changed in many ways. You can remove the metal cup and put the light in a prettier cup, or you can paint the cheap metal to look like bronze or gold. One really exciting thing you can do with a bag of tea lights is to make tower candles. Theyre still tea lights but they work in a slightly different way than youre used to - at least as far as tea lights go.
The metal cups that go along with the cheap tea lights are often dented when you get them because the metal is so soft. Sort through the bag to find several candles, with no dents in the cups. Use them to make a tower tea light that keeps on giving. Its sometimes possible to push the dents out of the cups.
Its so easy to make the tea lights into a tower, for use as a pillar candle. The small metal cups make it a simple matter to stack the candles as high as you want - within reason. But first, slide one candle out of its cup, and hammer a nail through the middle of the cup, and into a board; put the candle back in the cup. Or, glue the candle, in its cup, onto a piece of board, card stock, or cardboard. Its up to you if you want to paint, or otherwise decorate, the cups. If you do, embellish any way you want, but keep bulky embellishments away from the very top and bottom edges. Stack a candle on top of the one that is on the board. Use a piece of colored tape around the area where they meet, to connect them, and to create a look for the tower candle. Stack the next tea light, and wrap tape around it, along with the one below it. Continue to stack and wrap the joints of the candles until the pillar is as tall as you want. Burn just the top tea light and, when its gone, take the tape off of it, and light the candle below it. You can continue with the shrinking pillar candle, until youre down to just one tea light. Or, you can secure the first candle to a glue dot and, anytime you want, you can pull it off and put another stack of candles underneath that one. The tower tea light, with its colorful tape stripes, is beautiful anywhere you put it. Use it as a centerpiece, set it on a mantle, or set it on a shelf as a decorator piece. What looks like one candle is actually many.
The metal cups that go along with the cheap tea lights are often dented when you get them because the metal is so soft. Sort through the bag to find several candles, with no dents in the cups. Use them to make a tower tea light that keeps on giving. Its sometimes possible to push the dents out of the cups.
Its so easy to make the tea lights into a tower, for use as a pillar candle. The small metal cups make it a simple matter to stack the candles as high as you want - within reason. But first, slide one candle out of its cup, and hammer a nail through the middle of the cup, and into a board; put the candle back in the cup. Or, glue the candle, in its cup, onto a piece of board, card stock, or cardboard. Its up to you if you want to paint, or otherwise decorate, the cups. If you do, embellish any way you want, but keep bulky embellishments away from the very top and bottom edges. Stack a candle on top of the one that is on the board. Use a piece of colored tape around the area where they meet, to connect them, and to create a look for the tower candle. Stack the next tea light, and wrap tape around it, along with the one below it. Continue to stack and wrap the joints of the candles until the pillar is as tall as you want. Burn just the top tea light and, when its gone, take the tape off of it, and light the candle below it. You can continue with the shrinking pillar candle, until youre down to just one tea light. Or, you can secure the first candle to a glue dot and, anytime you want, you can pull it off and put another stack of candles underneath that one. The tower tea light, with its colorful tape stripes, is beautiful anywhere you put it. Use it as a centerpiece, set it on a mantle, or set it on a shelf as a decorator piece. What looks like one candle is actually many.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Number and Letter Snacks for a Sesame Street Birthday Party
Youve watched Sesame Street with your kids havent you? Each episode is brought to you by a letter, a number, and/or a color. Throughout the show, youll see that particular letter, or other factor, repeated over and over, orally and visually. Thats how really little kids learn so quickly when watching the show. Of course, once a child begins watching Sesame Street he or she is just going to want more. That means its going to be a Sesame Street birthday party; your child will never forget it. To create the real effect youll need lots of colors, like blue, yellow, green, and red. Youll also need letters and numbers. Whether they be snacks, or sweets, you can make it happen! There are many delicious foods that can be turned into letter or number treats for kids. One thing any child will love at the birthday party is a fun finger food with a Sesame Street theme. Use a cookie cutter to cut a number or letter - or more than one - from cheese. A really orange cheese, such as cheddar, is a good choice. Just cut out letters, numbers, or both. Put a piece on a cracker and a child will eat it up.
Gelatin is colorful, sweet, and perfect for little kids. Instead of pouring it into a bowl, pour it on a cookie sheet, and it will be easy to cut. Use cookie cutters to cut out letters, numbers, or both. Make them all the same color or present various colors. With cookie cutters you can even make letters or numbers from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
If you dont want to make any special foods you can use certain foods as letters and/or numbers. If the birthday party is brought to you by the number "0", or the letter "O", you can use bagels or doughnuts. Push two doughnuts together to make the number "8". If the party is featuring the number "1", you could serve hot dogs, pretzel sticks, cheese sticks, or even doughnut sticks. Make any number or letter cake by first baking a rectangular cake. Cut rectangles from it, arrange them like the letter or number you want, and then frost them. Frost the cake in Sesame Street-type colors, like yellow, orange, blue, red, or green. Any cookie can become a number or letter, too; just frost the cookie and pipe on the number or letter. Sesame Street has won over the hearts of millions of kids so its natural that yours would want to have it as a birthday party theme. You wont have any trouble finding Sesame Street decorations, paper plates, and cups, and as for the snacks and desserts, youve got them covered.
Gelatin is colorful, sweet, and perfect for little kids. Instead of pouring it into a bowl, pour it on a cookie sheet, and it will be easy to cut. Use cookie cutters to cut out letters, numbers, or both. Make them all the same color or present various colors. With cookie cutters you can even make letters or numbers from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
If you dont want to make any special foods you can use certain foods as letters and/or numbers. If the birthday party is brought to you by the number "0", or the letter "O", you can use bagels or doughnuts. Push two doughnuts together to make the number "8". If the party is featuring the number "1", you could serve hot dogs, pretzel sticks, cheese sticks, or even doughnut sticks. Make any number or letter cake by first baking a rectangular cake. Cut rectangles from it, arrange them like the letter or number you want, and then frost them. Frost the cake in Sesame Street-type colors, like yellow, orange, blue, red, or green. Any cookie can become a number or letter, too; just frost the cookie and pipe on the number or letter. Sesame Street has won over the hearts of millions of kids so its natural that yours would want to have it as a birthday party theme. You wont have any trouble finding Sesame Street decorations, paper plates, and cups, and as for the snacks and desserts, youve got them covered.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Edible Jewelry Box and Jewels
An edible jewelry box with tasty jewels inside? What better party favor, dessert, or treat, for a wedding - or even Valentines Day - could there be? Make a heart-shaped box (or another shape), and its candy, a gift, and more, all at once. You can bet that none of your guests have never seen such a thing, let alone eaten one, so a jewelry box is the perfect choice when planning for your wedding or upcoming party. You wont need extraordinary baking skills to make an edible jewelry box; if you can bake cookies, youll have no trouble making a jewelry box.
A heart-shaped cookie cutter will get you started on the way to presenting your guests with their own, candy-filled jewelry boxes. Use cookie dough from your favorite recipe or just buy the refrigerated type. Good choices for the cookies include gingerbread, shortbread, or sugar cookies. Cut two hearts for each jewelry box that you need. One will be the bottom and one will be the top of the jewelry box.
Besides the heart shapes, cut strips of dough to make the sides of each box. Each dough strip will need to be long enough to go all the way around the shape of the heart, but should be no more than a couple of inches wide. The width can vary, though; cut the strip to be as wide as the height you want for the cookie jewelry box. Fold a piece of foil to make a long strip that goes around the perimeter of the heart; wrap the cookie with it. The foil should be as wide as you want the height of the jewelry box to be. Also, the foil should be folded at least twice to make it thick. Wrap it around the heart and pinch or fold the ends to secure. The foil will help you build the wall around the heart. Take one strip of the cookie dough and wrap it around the heart-shaped cookie, pressing the dough strip against the foil. When each cookie has a heart-shaped wall around it, bake them all according to the package or recipe instructions. You should have a heart-shaped box, and one lid - which is just a heart-shaped cookie - for each guest. Allow them to cool after baking and then remove the foil. Fill each heart box with candies that you choose. The candy can be chocolate-covered cherries, truffles, candy necklaces, jewel candy, or others. Online, you can find candy that is shaped like rings, hearts, precious stones, and more. Fill each box and lay one of the heart lids on top; decorate the lid with frosting or other goodies. Your guests will think its their special occasion, not yours!
A heart-shaped cookie cutter will get you started on the way to presenting your guests with their own, candy-filled jewelry boxes. Use cookie dough from your favorite recipe or just buy the refrigerated type. Good choices for the cookies include gingerbread, shortbread, or sugar cookies. Cut two hearts for each jewelry box that you need. One will be the bottom and one will be the top of the jewelry box.
Besides the heart shapes, cut strips of dough to make the sides of each box. Each dough strip will need to be long enough to go all the way around the shape of the heart, but should be no more than a couple of inches wide. The width can vary, though; cut the strip to be as wide as the height you want for the cookie jewelry box. Fold a piece of foil to make a long strip that goes around the perimeter of the heart; wrap the cookie with it. The foil should be as wide as you want the height of the jewelry box to be. Also, the foil should be folded at least twice to make it thick. Wrap it around the heart and pinch or fold the ends to secure. The foil will help you build the wall around the heart. Take one strip of the cookie dough and wrap it around the heart-shaped cookie, pressing the dough strip against the foil. When each cookie has a heart-shaped wall around it, bake them all according to the package or recipe instructions. You should have a heart-shaped box, and one lid - which is just a heart-shaped cookie - for each guest. Allow them to cool after baking and then remove the foil. Fill each heart box with candies that you choose. The candy can be chocolate-covered cherries, truffles, candy necklaces, jewel candy, or others. Online, you can find candy that is shaped like rings, hearts, precious stones, and more. Fill each box and lay one of the heart lids on top; decorate the lid with frosting or other goodies. Your guests will think its their special occasion, not yours!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Tank Top Shoulder Bags, Beach Bags and More
Purses, beach bags, clutches, overnight bags, when it comes to girls and women it seems we just cant own enough bags. We have our dressy purses, our everyday pocketbooks, different ones we take when going to the beach - and theres always room in the closet for one more! Dont grab one of your bags and run to the store to get another one; stay at home and make a new bag from an old tank top.
The type of tank top you use to make the new bag doesnt matter much. It can be stretchy or not, can have spaghetti straps or wider straps, and can be most any color or design. Ones that have slits up the sides, though, or a scalloped hemline, are not useable for this project. The perfect hemline is one thats straight across.
There are a couple of different ways to make a shoulder bag from the tank top. One way is done by running cord through the hem. To do this, cut a few threads out of the stitching in the hem. Make sure you cut just the threads and not the fabric itself. After opening the hem, attach a safety pin to the chosen cord or ribbon, then use it to pull the cord through the hem. Work the cord all the way around the hem then pull the pin back out through the opening. Remove the pin and bring the two ends of the cord together. Gather the hemline on the cord, bunching it close together and pulling the cord very tightly, then tie it in a double knot. Carry the shoulder bag by using the straps of the tank top as the straps for the purse. A different way to make the bag is to sew it. Cut the hem off of the bag, turn it so that the side seams are actually the front and back centers, then sew straight across it. Or, cut the hem off, then use the scissors to round the hemline. Turn it so that the side seams become the front and back center and then sew across. Remember to back-tack when you begin and when you end the stitching. If you dont sew you can use fabric glue to make the purse. Check the label to see how long it needs to dry before using the new bag. Although the tank top bags can be carried around as-is you can easily make a closure for it by attaching a piece of Velcro, a snap, or even a button and buttonhole. Use large tank tops to make beach bags, any size top to make a shoulder bag. Use little girls tank tops to make bags for them or just small bags for a woman. The finished bags are great for carrying everyday or for taking to the beach. Theyre perfect as overnight bags or to take camping. Youll find them so easy to make and very useful!
The type of tank top you use to make the new bag doesnt matter much. It can be stretchy or not, can have spaghetti straps or wider straps, and can be most any color or design. Ones that have slits up the sides, though, or a scalloped hemline, are not useable for this project. The perfect hemline is one thats straight across.
There are a couple of different ways to make a shoulder bag from the tank top. One way is done by running cord through the hem. To do this, cut a few threads out of the stitching in the hem. Make sure you cut just the threads and not the fabric itself. After opening the hem, attach a safety pin to the chosen cord or ribbon, then use it to pull the cord through the hem. Work the cord all the way around the hem then pull the pin back out through the opening. Remove the pin and bring the two ends of the cord together. Gather the hemline on the cord, bunching it close together and pulling the cord very tightly, then tie it in a double knot. Carry the shoulder bag by using the straps of the tank top as the straps for the purse. A different way to make the bag is to sew it. Cut the hem off of the bag, turn it so that the side seams are actually the front and back centers, then sew straight across it. Or, cut the hem off, then use the scissors to round the hemline. Turn it so that the side seams become the front and back center and then sew across. Remember to back-tack when you begin and when you end the stitching. If you dont sew you can use fabric glue to make the purse. Check the label to see how long it needs to dry before using the new bag. Although the tank top bags can be carried around as-is you can easily make a closure for it by attaching a piece of Velcro, a snap, or even a button and buttonhole. Use large tank tops to make beach bags, any size top to make a shoulder bag. Use little girls tank tops to make bags for them or just small bags for a woman. The finished bags are great for carrying everyday or for taking to the beach. Theyre perfect as overnight bags or to take camping. Youll find them so easy to make and very useful!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Exquisite Paper Wedding Centerpiece and More
Lets just take one thing at a time. Instead of letting those thoughts of the wedding run through your head all at once, concentrate on one aspect of the wedding, then move on to another. So, lets get the decorations for the reception out of the way. Since theyre so quick and easy youll have lots more time to think about the gown, foods, cake, and other aspects of the wedding. Most people choose a theme, like a black and white-only wedding, an elegant event, or just a casual affair. Isnt it nice, then, to know that, no matter what the theme is for your wedding, theres one decoration that will fit right in. When you use cheap tissue paper you can make spectacular vases, centerpieces, and more.
Have you ever made a tissue paper flower? We used to make them in school and in girl scouts. Just take several sheets of white tissue paper, stack them, then fold them like an accordion. Fold back and forth to make each section about two inches wide. Make smaller versions by cutting the tissue paper stack in half, so that you still have a long stack but the papers arent so wide. If you want, use scissors to cut a point at each end of the folded paper or just round these off to create a scalloped look.
Fold the accordion arrangement in half and wrap tape tightly around the fold so that you have something of a bouquet. Peel apart each tissue piece to separate them, fluff them, and you have a giant flower. Set this on a vase, fishbowl, or other glass. Although these flowers are very pretty you can take the craft a little further and make them even more elegant. Just use small Christmas tree balls. Remove any hanger, separate two pieces of the tissue paper, and insert the ball. If needed, tape can be used to secure. The ornaments dont necessarily have to be used as they are; its easy to paint them pink, purple, yellow, or other wedding colors. Make large flowers and use them as centerpieces. Make smaller versions to use as table accents. Or, make really small ones, stand them up at the place settings, and slide a name card into each one to create place markers. With the really small versions you can use beads instead of ornaments. The paper flowers with ornaments dont look anything like holiday accents - unless you want them to. You can make a huge assortment of different types by the color of tissue paper you use, the color of ornaments, what you set the flowers on, and how large or small you make each one. Theyre very cheap but certainly exquisite.
Have you ever made a tissue paper flower? We used to make them in school and in girl scouts. Just take several sheets of white tissue paper, stack them, then fold them like an accordion. Fold back and forth to make each section about two inches wide. Make smaller versions by cutting the tissue paper stack in half, so that you still have a long stack but the papers arent so wide. If you want, use scissors to cut a point at each end of the folded paper or just round these off to create a scalloped look.
Fold the accordion arrangement in half and wrap tape tightly around the fold so that you have something of a bouquet. Peel apart each tissue piece to separate them, fluff them, and you have a giant flower. Set this on a vase, fishbowl, or other glass. Although these flowers are very pretty you can take the craft a little further and make them even more elegant. Just use small Christmas tree balls. Remove any hanger, separate two pieces of the tissue paper, and insert the ball. If needed, tape can be used to secure. The ornaments dont necessarily have to be used as they are; its easy to paint them pink, purple, yellow, or other wedding colors. Make large flowers and use them as centerpieces. Make smaller versions to use as table accents. Or, make really small ones, stand them up at the place settings, and slide a name card into each one to create place markers. With the really small versions you can use beads instead of ornaments. The paper flowers with ornaments dont look anything like holiday accents - unless you want them to. You can make a huge assortment of different types by the color of tissue paper you use, the color of ornaments, what you set the flowers on, and how large or small you make each one. Theyre very cheap but certainly exquisite.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
How to Make a Book Sling
If you have a child who loves to read youve probably noticed that his or her books are beginning to take up quite a bit of space. Thinking of purchasing a bookcase for the readers bedroom? Forget it! Bookcases hold lots of books, sure, but theyre bulky and they take up a lot of room. Instead, make a book sling, hang it on the wall, and your child will have plenty of storage space for books! Choose a piece of fabric that coordinates with your childs room. Stretchy fabrics do not work for this project. Choose thick fabric or a fabric of a medium weight. Really lightweight fabrics are not ideal. Youll need a piece of material that is 48"x32". Although you can make the sling a little shorter youll need to keep the 32" width.
Many sewing jobs can now be done with fabric glue, but when it comes to the book sling, thats not the case. The weight of the books is too much for glue so youll need to sew the sling. The sewing is very simple, so if youre a beginner, you dont have to worry. The project is easy enough even for those without much experience.
At the two short ends of the fabric, fold the material over an inch, then fold again, this time, two inches. Hem. Do this to both ends. Now go to one of the long sides of the material. Fold it over an inch, then 3 1/2" inches. Hem. Do this to both long ends of the material. You know how some people hang sheer curtains, then drapes over them, to create a layered look? Youll need the curtain hardware to do just that. Youll need two of the short rod holders and two of the longer ones. However, you dont need the curtain rods themselves. The type of rod holder hardware youll need is the kind that allows you to lay the rod on it. To hang the book sling attach the small rod holders to the wall. Place them so that theyre 42" apart. Make sure theyre hung perfectly even with each other. Slide a 44" dowel rod - which is 3" in diameter - into the rod pocket on one long side of the fabric. To make sure its hung properly, hold the fabric so that the wrong side is facing you, then thread the rod through the pocket from left to right. Hang this rod on the hardware. Slide an identical dowel rod into the opposite rod pocket, hang the longer hardware, then hang the second side of the book sling. Now the hanging sling can hold quite a few books. Kids will find it much easier to recognize the book they want because they can see the front of it, rather than the spine, as they would if the books were in bookcases.
Many sewing jobs can now be done with fabric glue, but when it comes to the book sling, thats not the case. The weight of the books is too much for glue so youll need to sew the sling. The sewing is very simple, so if youre a beginner, you dont have to worry. The project is easy enough even for those without much experience.
At the two short ends of the fabric, fold the material over an inch, then fold again, this time, two inches. Hem. Do this to both ends. Now go to one of the long sides of the material. Fold it over an inch, then 3 1/2" inches. Hem. Do this to both long ends of the material. You know how some people hang sheer curtains, then drapes over them, to create a layered look? Youll need the curtain hardware to do just that. Youll need two of the short rod holders and two of the longer ones. However, you dont need the curtain rods themselves. The type of rod holder hardware youll need is the kind that allows you to lay the rod on it. To hang the book sling attach the small rod holders to the wall. Place them so that theyre 42" apart. Make sure theyre hung perfectly even with each other. Slide a 44" dowel rod - which is 3" in diameter - into the rod pocket on one long side of the fabric. To make sure its hung properly, hold the fabric so that the wrong side is facing you, then thread the rod through the pocket from left to right. Hang this rod on the hardware. Slide an identical dowel rod into the opposite rod pocket, hang the longer hardware, then hang the second side of the book sling. Now the hanging sling can hold quite a few books. Kids will find it much easier to recognize the book they want because they can see the front of it, rather than the spine, as they would if the books were in bookcases.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Frozen Flower Wedding Pops
What youll need:Pineapple ringsCherriesGreen applesOther fruits (optional)Wooden skewers So, youll be having flowers galore at your wedding. Flowers on the tables, in your hair, on the floor as you walk down the aisle - the whole scene will look beautiful. Flowers are definitely appropriate for a wedding as well as a reception but dont stop at just decorating with flowers; serve them as food, too! Its fun to make easy fruit flowers for your wedding reception. Theyll look adorable, sitting on the food table, and your guests will love them. You have many choices when it comes to making the fruit flowers so theyll be exactly what you want.
Pineapple slices make the main flower on the sticks. Lay them out on paper towels for a few minutes to ensure they arent dripping. Youll have no trouble making the pineapple slices look like flowers. Simply cut upside-down "v" shapes from around the edges of the pineapples. Cut large shapes to make one type of flower and smaller shapes for a different design.
Place a maraschino cherry in the middle of each pineapple ring. It can be a red or a green cherry. Skewer both of them with a wooden skewer. Push the skewer through one of the "petals" of the pineapple, then up through the cherry, and on through the opposite petal. Dont push the stick all the way through, though; stop short so the stick will not show. Instead of a cherry you can also use a gumdrop, a raspberry or even a grape. To make the leaves for the flower, cut apples into thin slices, then slide one onto the skewer. Push the skewer through the skin of the slice, right in the middle of it, then push it up under the pineapple. The apple slices should be green to best represent the leaves. You can slide other things onto the sticks, under the apple slices, if you want. More cherries, banana slices and other small foods look fabulous under the fruit flower. Make a different kind of fruit flower by pushing a skewer through a green apple slice, then through the middle of a flower-shaped pineapple, then through a strawberry. Remove the stem from the strawberry and push the skewer through that end first. Dont push the skewer all the way through the strawberry. The apple slice keeps the pineapple ring from sliding off the stick. Stand the fruit flowers in a vase or other container. Whether the theme of your wedding is all about flowers, or youre having a spring or summer wedding, the fruit flowers fit right in. Your guests will find them delicious!
Pineapple slices make the main flower on the sticks. Lay them out on paper towels for a few minutes to ensure they arent dripping. Youll have no trouble making the pineapple slices look like flowers. Simply cut upside-down "v" shapes from around the edges of the pineapples. Cut large shapes to make one type of flower and smaller shapes for a different design.
Place a maraschino cherry in the middle of each pineapple ring. It can be a red or a green cherry. Skewer both of them with a wooden skewer. Push the skewer through one of the "petals" of the pineapple, then up through the cherry, and on through the opposite petal. Dont push the stick all the way through, though; stop short so the stick will not show. Instead of a cherry you can also use a gumdrop, a raspberry or even a grape. To make the leaves for the flower, cut apples into thin slices, then slide one onto the skewer. Push the skewer through the skin of the slice, right in the middle of it, then push it up under the pineapple. The apple slices should be green to best represent the leaves. You can slide other things onto the sticks, under the apple slices, if you want. More cherries, banana slices and other small foods look fabulous under the fruit flower. Make a different kind of fruit flower by pushing a skewer through a green apple slice, then through the middle of a flower-shaped pineapple, then through a strawberry. Remove the stem from the strawberry and push the skewer through that end first. Dont push the skewer all the way through the strawberry. The apple slice keeps the pineapple ring from sliding off the stick. Stand the fruit flowers in a vase or other container. Whether the theme of your wedding is all about flowers, or youre having a spring or summer wedding, the fruit flowers fit right in. Your guests will find them delicious!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Princess Crown Birthday Cake
Youre putting together a princess party for your little girls birthday and its keeping you busy. You sent out the invitations, got the house spick and span, youre going to hang up decorations, youve put together games to play during the party. Whew, what else is there? Oh yeah, the cake. Are you going to have it made at a bakery? Thats going to cost you. Thats a specialty cake; they just dont have a princess cake sitting there waiting on you. Hey, lets forget all about that bakery and make the cake at home. No, its not too much trouble. In fact, if you can make a regular cake you can definitely make a princess crown cake that your little girl will love.
Use a favorite recipe or just go with a boxed cake mix. A princess cake can be a rainbow cake, white cake, yellow cake or another choice. But, a chocolate cake isnt the best choice for the princess cake. Nearly any other color/flavor will be fine. The best look for the cake is to make two round cakes or, better yet, one large, round cake - or two, large, round, stacked cakes. The larger the cake, though, the easier it is to create the look of a crown. Bake the cake(s) according to the instructions on the box or the recipe. Turn the cake(s) out of the pan and allow to cool completely.
Princess crown cakes can be iced with white frosting, yellow or another color. You can use candy sprinkles to make the cake more colorful, if you want. Write "Happy Birthday" to the child, on the cake, if this is the look you want. To turn the cake into a princess crown use sugar ice cream cones - the ones that are pointed at the bottom. Stand them, upside-down, on a piece of wax paper. Spread a thin coat of frosting over the cones then set them on the cake. Apply the frosting all over the cone but leave the tip bare. Use this area to pick up the cone and set it on the cake. Then, frost the tip of the cone. Align the cones in a circle around the top of the cake, leaving small spaces between them - or no spaces at all. Youll make the crown even more convincing by selecting pretty, round candies - like Sour Cherries - to place atop each cone tip. Use a dab of frosting as glue to hold the candies in place. It can be helpful, if youre going to add candies to the cones, to cut the very tip off so youll have a flat base. Your little girl and all of her friends will be delighted with the beautiful princess crown cake which will be the centerpiece of the party. Its easy to make and turns out simply luscious.
Use a favorite recipe or just go with a boxed cake mix. A princess cake can be a rainbow cake, white cake, yellow cake or another choice. But, a chocolate cake isnt the best choice for the princess cake. Nearly any other color/flavor will be fine. The best look for the cake is to make two round cakes or, better yet, one large, round cake - or two, large, round, stacked cakes. The larger the cake, though, the easier it is to create the look of a crown. Bake the cake(s) according to the instructions on the box or the recipe. Turn the cake(s) out of the pan and allow to cool completely.
Princess crown cakes can be iced with white frosting, yellow or another color. You can use candy sprinkles to make the cake more colorful, if you want. Write "Happy Birthday" to the child, on the cake, if this is the look you want. To turn the cake into a princess crown use sugar ice cream cones - the ones that are pointed at the bottom. Stand them, upside-down, on a piece of wax paper. Spread a thin coat of frosting over the cones then set them on the cake. Apply the frosting all over the cone but leave the tip bare. Use this area to pick up the cone and set it on the cake. Then, frost the tip of the cone. Align the cones in a circle around the top of the cake, leaving small spaces between them - or no spaces at all. Youll make the crown even more convincing by selecting pretty, round candies - like Sour Cherries - to place atop each cone tip. Use a dab of frosting as glue to hold the candies in place. It can be helpful, if youre going to add candies to the cones, to cut the very tip off so youll have a flat base. Your little girl and all of her friends will be delighted with the beautiful princess crown cake which will be the centerpiece of the party. Its easy to make and turns out simply luscious.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Wedding Candle Bouquet
Do you want beautiful flowers at your wedding reception or lovely candles? Why do you have to choose between the two? Maybe because you are limited to the amount of table space youll have? Maybe because the budget wont allow both? Well, dont choose between flowers and candles. Make one the same as the other and youll have gorgeous table decorations which look like flowers but are actually candles.
To make a candle bouquet choose the candles you want to use. Purchase ordinary votives or, even better, votives shaped like roses. Youll often find the rose candles at dollar-theme stores or craft stores and theyre not expensive. A dollar-theme store sometimes sells the rose candles at two or three for a buck. The rose-shaped candles are nice for the bouquet but you can actually use any votives. Choose all white, pink, or red candles or mix the colors to make a different arrangement. Just make sure that the candles you choose are ones which do not have a wick weight on the bottom.
If you cant find rose-shaped candles you can use implements from around your house to shape ordinary votives. Try using a craft knife, potato peeler or other instruments to shape the candle the way you want. Or, purchase candles with different shapes, like ball candles, to make the flowers. Use wooden skewers or lengths of stiff wire to make the stems for the flowers. Wrap the skewer or wire with green floral tape, from one end to the other, but leave a couple of inches at one end bare. As you get to the top of the stick, lay a leaf against the skewer, and wrap the tape around the bottom of the leaf, and do this a couple of times to add two or three leaves to each candle flower. Choose a vase for the flowers and push a piece of Styrofoam into the bottom for holding the flowers. Push a skewer or wire through the bottom of a candle and insert it about halfway into the candle. Push the opposite end of the wire or skewer into the Styrofoam of the vase. Youll achieve the best look for the bouquet if you snip the wires or skewers so that they are all different lengths. After arranging the bouquet of candles the way you want tuck a few extra leaves into the vase to fill it out more. Set the candle flowers on tables at the wedding reception to add beauty and ambiance at the same time. The rose candles are the ideal choice for a simple wedding or an elegant one; on a big budget or a small one. Youll love the gorgeous bouquets which are unique and very inexpensive to make.
To make a candle bouquet choose the candles you want to use. Purchase ordinary votives or, even better, votives shaped like roses. Youll often find the rose candles at dollar-theme stores or craft stores and theyre not expensive. A dollar-theme store sometimes sells the rose candles at two or three for a buck. The rose-shaped candles are nice for the bouquet but you can actually use any votives. Choose all white, pink, or red candles or mix the colors to make a different arrangement. Just make sure that the candles you choose are ones which do not have a wick weight on the bottom.
If you cant find rose-shaped candles you can use implements from around your house to shape ordinary votives. Try using a craft knife, potato peeler or other instruments to shape the candle the way you want. Or, purchase candles with different shapes, like ball candles, to make the flowers. Use wooden skewers or lengths of stiff wire to make the stems for the flowers. Wrap the skewer or wire with green floral tape, from one end to the other, but leave a couple of inches at one end bare. As you get to the top of the stick, lay a leaf against the skewer, and wrap the tape around the bottom of the leaf, and do this a couple of times to add two or three leaves to each candle flower. Choose a vase for the flowers and push a piece of Styrofoam into the bottom for holding the flowers. Push a skewer or wire through the bottom of a candle and insert it about halfway into the candle. Push the opposite end of the wire or skewer into the Styrofoam of the vase. Youll achieve the best look for the bouquet if you snip the wires or skewers so that they are all different lengths. After arranging the bouquet of candles the way you want tuck a few extra leaves into the vase to fill it out more. Set the candle flowers on tables at the wedding reception to add beauty and ambiance at the same time. The rose candles are the ideal choice for a simple wedding or an elegant one; on a big budget or a small one. Youll love the gorgeous bouquets which are unique and very inexpensive to make.
Friday, October 12, 2012
School Binder Purse Organizer
You know those three-ring binders that kids take to school? Theyre very inexpensive if you purchase them at a dollar store and you wont believe the unusual way that you can use them. Line them up in your closet and you can store your purses in a manner to protect them. With each purse in its own compartment, you create a unique way to keep purses from getting scuffed and an eye-catching arrangement for a shelf.
A large, three-ring binder is used in a strange way when you turn it into part of an easy organizer. If you have the binders already, it takes just a minute or two to set them up on the shelf. The best binder is one with a plastic or cloth cover, and one that is not a miniature binder.
Most people will find that the organizer will be more efficient if the binder no longer has its rings. Some binders are made so that you can simply screw off the plate that holds the rings. Others require the rings to be pried off. Its optional to cover the inside of the binder to conceal the area where the rings were. When you set the binder in front of you, as it normally would be placed for use, the wide side is on the left, and the narrow side on the right. Stand the narrow side up so that you create an upside-down "V", on the shelf. Set another binder up so that the wide end is on the shelf, and the binder creates a right-side-up "V". Continue to make a "V", and then an upside-down "V", until you create a row of them across the shelf. Depending on how far apart you spread the two sides of each binder, youll create either wide but short compartments, or tall but slender sections. Choose one or the other or youll end up with binders that are taller or shorter than the others - which is okay if thats what you prefer. The slender compartments ,can hold clutches and thin purses; the wide, short compartments work for strap purses, wallets, and bulky clutches. The school binder closet organizer not only holds purses but can separate many other things, too. Set the arrangement up in a linen closet to hold rolled towels and washcloths. Make the binder set in a pantry to hold wax paper, foil, hand towels, and more. But even if you dont have any binders you can still make the organizer. Just fold pieces of thick cardboard into "V" shapes, and align them on a shelf. Its helpful to glue the binders or cardboard pieces together to keep them shaped. Get all your purses into the compartments and youll never pull out a scuffed one again.
A large, three-ring binder is used in a strange way when you turn it into part of an easy organizer. If you have the binders already, it takes just a minute or two to set them up on the shelf. The best binder is one with a plastic or cloth cover, and one that is not a miniature binder.
Most people will find that the organizer will be more efficient if the binder no longer has its rings. Some binders are made so that you can simply screw off the plate that holds the rings. Others require the rings to be pried off. Its optional to cover the inside of the binder to conceal the area where the rings were. When you set the binder in front of you, as it normally would be placed for use, the wide side is on the left, and the narrow side on the right. Stand the narrow side up so that you create an upside-down "V", on the shelf. Set another binder up so that the wide end is on the shelf, and the binder creates a right-side-up "V". Continue to make a "V", and then an upside-down "V", until you create a row of them across the shelf. Depending on how far apart you spread the two sides of each binder, youll create either wide but short compartments, or tall but slender sections. Choose one or the other or youll end up with binders that are taller or shorter than the others - which is okay if thats what you prefer. The slender compartments ,can hold clutches and thin purses; the wide, short compartments work for strap purses, wallets, and bulky clutches. The school binder closet organizer not only holds purses but can separate many other things, too. Set the arrangement up in a linen closet to hold rolled towels and washcloths. Make the binder set in a pantry to hold wax paper, foil, hand towels, and more. But even if you dont have any binders you can still make the organizer. Just fold pieces of thick cardboard into "V" shapes, and align them on a shelf. Its helpful to glue the binders or cardboard pieces together to keep them shaped. Get all your purses into the compartments and youll never pull out a scuffed one again.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Unusual Striped Artwork
Art isnt always about painting. You can mold clay, create a metallic sculpture, or even work with plaster of Paris. Most forms of art require the person to be, well, an artist. But if youre not, yet youd love to make new wall-hung art, youre in luck. All you have to do is look around your house to find things you can use as art medium. Common items can be turned into beautiful artwork pieces for any room of your home and you dont have to be any kind of artist at all!Use a piece of foam board and youll see that it takes very little effort to turn out an impressive work of art. Foam board is lightweight and inexpensive; youll find it at a craft store, a home improvement place, or online. Purchase thick foam board and your art piece will look much more substantial. You might want to paint around the edges of the foam board so that the yellowish foam wont show. You could also wrap the perimeter with roping or fabric to conceal.If youre working freehand, simply start gluing things - in a striped pattern - on the foam board. But if you want everything to be perfect, use a yardstick, and draw lines. Draw lines, vertically, from one side to the other. Space some of the lines close together and some far apart. Or, space all of the lines exactly the same. After that, youre ready to glue on the art medium you want.Create assorted stripes - some wide, some narrow, or all the same - and use various materials to do so. For example, make the first stripe with a length of cord. Glue it down then make the next stripe out of a row of painted beans. Make the next row of twisted fabric, then a row of colored sand. When you make the stripes out of different things, and assorted colors, you can create a unique and lovely art piece, which coordinates with colors in your home.Things you can use to make the stripes, or rows, include pom-poms, sand (colored or not), rice (colored or not), beads, pipe cleaners, small-diameter dowel rods, wooden or plastic skewers, coffee stirrers, yarn, a braid of crafting hair - or other braid - cut-up twine fibers, sea glass, tiny shells, dry pasta, or even small gravel.You dont absolutely have to make a striped art piece. You can create other designs and still use common materials. However, a striped pattern is very simple to create and turns out a striking art piece. The finished artwork can be just one piece, or can be a collection of pieces to create a grouping. Youll love making the unusual art and youll love how your visitors respond to it!
Monday, October 8, 2012
Notebook Paper Potholder
I have to admit that I collect potholders. Its not that I think any of them are rare, or that they might be worth money someday. Its just that I always see more potholders that I love better than the ones Ive purchased before. But many potholders in my collection are ones that Ive made, rather than purchased. The homemade ones are always better, right? I mean, when you make potholders yourself, you get to choose the colors and designs you want, instead of settling for whats offered at the store. You can whip a potholder up in very little time and, if that potholder is a notebook paper type, you can definitely customize it to suit yourself. The notebook paper potholder looks like a piece of paper and you can actually write on it.
Choose white fabric to make the front of the potholder. You can make the back of the potholder from the same fabric or you can choose a different color for the backside. Choose cotton, linen, or another fabric - which isnt stretchy - to make the notebook paper potholder. Cut two pieces - one for the back and one for the front. Each piece should be 8"x8.5".
Insul-fleece is a product used for making potholders. It goes between the layers of fabric to protect you from getting burned. You can find the material at a fabric store. Cut one piece to be the same size as the fabric squares - 8"x8.5". In addition to the Insul-fleece, youll need a piece of quilt batting. Cut it to be the same size as all of the other pieces. Lay a piece of notebook paper beside the white fabric to use as a guide for the lines. Or, just draw straight lines on the white cloth to make the horizontal lines on the fabric. Sew across each line with blue thread, using a straight stitch. You can emphasize each line more if you sew across it three or four times. Draw the vertical line that goes down the left side of the paper. Sew over it several times, with red thread, to finish the look of the notebook paper. Lay the back piece of the potholder on a table and stack the Insul-fleece and the batting on it. Then, lay the notebook paper piece on top. Sew binding all the way around the arrangement, ending by making a loop of the binding, to create a loop for hanging. Write on the potholder with a paint marker and it will be permanent. Write a recipe, "Home Sweet Home", or something else. The unusual potholder looks great hanging up in the kitchen, offering a greeting to your guests, or reminding you of the ingredients in your favorite dish.
Choose white fabric to make the front of the potholder. You can make the back of the potholder from the same fabric or you can choose a different color for the backside. Choose cotton, linen, or another fabric - which isnt stretchy - to make the notebook paper potholder. Cut two pieces - one for the back and one for the front. Each piece should be 8"x8.5".
Insul-fleece is a product used for making potholders. It goes between the layers of fabric to protect you from getting burned. You can find the material at a fabric store. Cut one piece to be the same size as the fabric squares - 8"x8.5". In addition to the Insul-fleece, youll need a piece of quilt batting. Cut it to be the same size as all of the other pieces. Lay a piece of notebook paper beside the white fabric to use as a guide for the lines. Or, just draw straight lines on the white cloth to make the horizontal lines on the fabric. Sew across each line with blue thread, using a straight stitch. You can emphasize each line more if you sew across it three or four times. Draw the vertical line that goes down the left side of the paper. Sew over it several times, with red thread, to finish the look of the notebook paper. Lay the back piece of the potholder on a table and stack the Insul-fleece and the batting on it. Then, lay the notebook paper piece on top. Sew binding all the way around the arrangement, ending by making a loop of the binding, to create a loop for hanging. Write on the potholder with a paint marker and it will be permanent. Write a recipe, "Home Sweet Home", or something else. The unusual potholder looks great hanging up in the kitchen, offering a greeting to your guests, or reminding you of the ingredients in your favorite dish.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Oatmeal Canister Mini Gazebo
Every time an oatmeal canister gets recycled an angel gets her wings! You probably already use them to store or hold small toy and other things and now theres yet another way you can recycle an oatmeal canister. Make a miniature gazebo as a holiday decoration, a dollhouse accessory or just to set on a shelf.
A small oatmeal canister, a section cut from a Pringles can, or something similar can be used to make the cutest mini gazebo. Cut the bottom section of the can or canister off so that its a little shorter than you want the finished gazebo to be. Later, youll put on a roof that will add a few more inches to the height.
Wrap the canister in fabric, glue it in place, and allow to dry. Use an object from around the house, like a square of cardboard, to draw windows on the gazebo. The windows can be square, octagonal or other shapes as long as all the shapes are the same. Draw around the pattern, leaving a space between each shape, and make as many windows as you want. The windows should be large and long so that, when the gazebo is finished, its nearly all windows with just thin strips of cardboard between them. And, one of the "windows" should be cut much longer so that it becomes the door. Cut out the windows and check to see if you need to apply a little glue, here and there, to keep the decorative paper securely attached around the window cutouts. Twist a piece of thin cardboard, like from a cereal box, into a cone shape. Tape or glue it to secure. Position the cone on top of the oatmeal canister to create a roof for the gazebo. The roof can be painted or you can use something like tiny beads to cover it. Cut a strip of cardboard which is long enough to wrap around the oatmeal canister. Cover this strip with fabric or paper that matches or coordinates with the covering on the canister. Wrap the piece around the bottom edge of the gazebo to add interest and finish the raw edge. There are finishing touches you can add, if you want, to make the gazebo nicer or different. To make a hanger, for instance, leave a tiny hole in the cone shape and attach a loop of cord through it. Use a leftover vinyl tile, or even the slick cover of a notebook, to make a more interesting floor. Place a tiny Santa or other Christmas object inside the gazebo to make it an ornament. Or, set up a miniature scene inside. It can feature miniature people, a table and chairs or other minis. The gazebo is actually very beautiful yet can cost less than a buck to make!
A small oatmeal canister, a section cut from a Pringles can, or something similar can be used to make the cutest mini gazebo. Cut the bottom section of the can or canister off so that its a little shorter than you want the finished gazebo to be. Later, youll put on a roof that will add a few more inches to the height.
Wrap the canister in fabric, glue it in place, and allow to dry. Use an object from around the house, like a square of cardboard, to draw windows on the gazebo. The windows can be square, octagonal or other shapes as long as all the shapes are the same. Draw around the pattern, leaving a space between each shape, and make as many windows as you want. The windows should be large and long so that, when the gazebo is finished, its nearly all windows with just thin strips of cardboard between them. And, one of the "windows" should be cut much longer so that it becomes the door. Cut out the windows and check to see if you need to apply a little glue, here and there, to keep the decorative paper securely attached around the window cutouts. Twist a piece of thin cardboard, like from a cereal box, into a cone shape. Tape or glue it to secure. Position the cone on top of the oatmeal canister to create a roof for the gazebo. The roof can be painted or you can use something like tiny beads to cover it. Cut a strip of cardboard which is long enough to wrap around the oatmeal canister. Cover this strip with fabric or paper that matches or coordinates with the covering on the canister. Wrap the piece around the bottom edge of the gazebo to add interest and finish the raw edge. There are finishing touches you can add, if you want, to make the gazebo nicer or different. To make a hanger, for instance, leave a tiny hole in the cone shape and attach a loop of cord through it. Use a leftover vinyl tile, or even the slick cover of a notebook, to make a more interesting floor. Place a tiny Santa or other Christmas object inside the gazebo to make it an ornament. Or, set up a miniature scene inside. It can feature miniature people, a table and chairs or other minis. The gazebo is actually very beautiful yet can cost less than a buck to make!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Drinking Glass Christmas Scene
Some craft projects tell you exactly what supplies to buy, the colors youll need, the exact sizes of things youll have to purchase. That means everyone who does that craft will end up with something identical to yours! Forget that! You know you want something unique, something no one else has, something fabulous you created from your own imagination. Thats exactly what youll have when you use a disposable drinking glass to make a Christmas scene ornament or table decoration! A clear, plastic drinking glass is perfect for making any number of Christmas scenes you can hang or set on a table. The size of the glass is up to you but the best glass for this project is one thats somewhat short and has no embellishments on the outside of the glass.
Turn the glass upside-down onto a piece of thin cardboard or even poster board. Draw around the glass and cut out the circle. The circle should be made just the tiniest bit larger than the cup itself. You can later trim it down, if needed, to get a perfect fit.
Set up the scene you want on the cardboard circle. Make a simple winter scene or a detailed Christmas arrangement - its up to you. One way to instantly create a winter scene is to simply glue cotton balls onto the cardboard. Or, apply adhesive to the circle then sprinkle with glitter or fake snow. Whatever you glue to the cardboard remember to stay about a half-inch away from the very edge of the circle so that, later, you can attach the clear glass. Craft stores are full of miniatures you could use for the Christmas scene. The miniatures you choose dont have to be costly. Place a couple of mini pine trees on the cardboard or even a couple of miniature deer. In fact, you dont absolutely have to shop a craft store for something to put inside the glass. Add a single, small, stuffed animal and leave it at that. Or, make an ornament a boy will love by simply gluing a small airplane inside. There are no limits to the various scenes you can create. When youve finished setting up the Christmas or other scene simply glue the glass over the top of it. Before doing so, poke a hole in the bottom of the cup, fold a piece of ribbon in half, then insert the ribbon ends into the hole. Tie a knot in the ends of the ribbon to secure. The hanger is needed to make an ornament, but if youre making a scene that will sit on a table or mantle, skip the step of creating a hanger. The drinking glass Christmas scene - or other arrangement - is absolutely beautiful!
Turn the glass upside-down onto a piece of thin cardboard or even poster board. Draw around the glass and cut out the circle. The circle should be made just the tiniest bit larger than the cup itself. You can later trim it down, if needed, to get a perfect fit.
Set up the scene you want on the cardboard circle. Make a simple winter scene or a detailed Christmas arrangement - its up to you. One way to instantly create a winter scene is to simply glue cotton balls onto the cardboard. Or, apply adhesive to the circle then sprinkle with glitter or fake snow. Whatever you glue to the cardboard remember to stay about a half-inch away from the very edge of the circle so that, later, you can attach the clear glass. Craft stores are full of miniatures you could use for the Christmas scene. The miniatures you choose dont have to be costly. Place a couple of mini pine trees on the cardboard or even a couple of miniature deer. In fact, you dont absolutely have to shop a craft store for something to put inside the glass. Add a single, small, stuffed animal and leave it at that. Or, make an ornament a boy will love by simply gluing a small airplane inside. There are no limits to the various scenes you can create. When youve finished setting up the Christmas or other scene simply glue the glass over the top of it. Before doing so, poke a hole in the bottom of the cup, fold a piece of ribbon in half, then insert the ribbon ends into the hole. Tie a knot in the ends of the ribbon to secure. The hanger is needed to make an ornament, but if youre making a scene that will sit on a table or mantle, skip the step of creating a hanger. The drinking glass Christmas scene - or other arrangement - is absolutely beautiful!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Easy Candy Cane Cakes
For many people, its been a rough year. That makes it a little tough to produce a fabulous Christmas on a small budget. If youre used to buying Christmas things, and there is little money this year, you can save by making things yourself. Even with no experience, and little money, you can make any number of fabulous candy cane cakes! Mix up a chocolate or white cake and bake it as you normally would. Make a two-layer round cake or a single-layer, rectangular cake. After baking and cooling, turn the cake out on a cake plate or platter. Frost the cake with chocolate or white frosting.
One way to make a candy cane-flavored cake is to stir a couple drops of red food coloring and a quarter-teaspoon of peppermint extract into white frosting and ice the cake. Another is to add the extract to the frosting, frost the cake, then apply the red food coloring to the top. Place a drop here, and a drop there, and use a toothpick to swirl the color into the white frosting. If youre using chocolate frosting simply stir the peppermint extract into the frosting.
When you use large and/or mini candy canes, and round peppermint candies, you can make a huge number of different candy cane cakes. Arrange two large candy canes for a large cake, and two small ones for a small cake, to form a heart shape in the center of the cake. For a stacked, round cake you can press mini candy canes into the frosting, all the way around the cake, spacing them evenly apart as you go. For a rectangular cake use round peppermint candies on all four sides. Place peppermint candies on a piece of waxed paper, roll it up, then tap the candies with a rolling pin or other object. Take the crushed candies and sprinkle them atop a white or chocolate cake to decorate it with peppermint sprinkles. Use peppermint sprinkles to make lots of different designs on top of the cakes. After frosting, place the cake in the freezer for 20 minutes to make the frosting a little harder so your pattern will not stick to it. Cut a design, like a candy cane shape, out of the middle of a piece of wax paper. Lay the wax paper on the frosting and sprinkle the candy cane pieces into the cutout area of the paper. With this technique you can make bells, a Santa, a reindeer or other designs. Everyone will love the candy cane cake you decide to make this year for Christmas. But, theyll all be wondering where you got the money for such an expensive cake! Youll be the only one to know the cost was under five bucks!
One way to make a candy cane-flavored cake is to stir a couple drops of red food coloring and a quarter-teaspoon of peppermint extract into white frosting and ice the cake. Another is to add the extract to the frosting, frost the cake, then apply the red food coloring to the top. Place a drop here, and a drop there, and use a toothpick to swirl the color into the white frosting. If youre using chocolate frosting simply stir the peppermint extract into the frosting.
When you use large and/or mini candy canes, and round peppermint candies, you can make a huge number of different candy cane cakes. Arrange two large candy canes for a large cake, and two small ones for a small cake, to form a heart shape in the center of the cake. For a stacked, round cake you can press mini candy canes into the frosting, all the way around the cake, spacing them evenly apart as you go. For a rectangular cake use round peppermint candies on all four sides. Place peppermint candies on a piece of waxed paper, roll it up, then tap the candies with a rolling pin or other object. Take the crushed candies and sprinkle them atop a white or chocolate cake to decorate it with peppermint sprinkles. Use peppermint sprinkles to make lots of different designs on top of the cakes. After frosting, place the cake in the freezer for 20 minutes to make the frosting a little harder so your pattern will not stick to it. Cut a design, like a candy cane shape, out of the middle of a piece of wax paper. Lay the wax paper on the frosting and sprinkle the candy cane pieces into the cutout area of the paper. With this technique you can make bells, a Santa, a reindeer or other designs. Everyone will love the candy cane cake you decide to make this year for Christmas. But, theyll all be wondering where you got the money for such an expensive cake! Youll be the only one to know the cost was under five bucks!
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