Let's get domestic!

Recycled Christmas Card Ornament!

2011-12-09T12:37:00.001-08:00

You will need:

A stick of old christmas cards

A 2 inch hole punch (10 dollars Micheals)

A glue stick

ribbon

glitter glue (optional)

Cardboard Triangle cut out to use as a folding guide.

Here I have a stack of some of the images I punched out of old Christmas cards. They are already folded appropriately which I do using a small cardboard triangle as my guide to make sure all three corners are folded equally. Then I glue five pieces together. This is the bottom. Or top really.

The same goes for the top, but you should leave some room to pull through the ribbon

Gluing piece by piece like a puzzle for the body and connecting the top and bottoms, you will need twenty punched out circles in total. Once finished, you can use the glitter glue to paint the edges of the cards for a bit more flare.

Origami Unicorn Necklace charm ( or bracelet)

2011-12-09T12:19:00.001-08:00

OK you need some origami skillz for this one but really making this one dimentional unicorn is very easy. Practice making bigger ones until you are comfortable enough to do a tiny enough design for a necklace charm. The Origami paper I used, I bought in Japan, and is soft and thin paper so it is very easy to fold into tiny designs

Its best to make quite a few charms and origami designs that you want to plasticize. This is because you don't want to waste any crystal resin. I use very little of the crystal resin mixture I have and just painted in on with a paint brush. I painted on about three layers. The charms I made took a good two days to completely harden.

Besides the Origami paper and resin you will need some pliers, a hook for the necklace and something for that hook to attach to that in turn is attached to the unicorn. The above picture is what I use and can be bought at Micheals or any crafting store that offers supplies for jewelry making. I choose silver but they are available in god as well.

Once the charm has hardened half way (after a day) you can slip in the metal circle part and even add another layer of resin. This method is very tedious, but if you wait for the charm to completely harden, you will have to hot glue the metal piece to the back of the charm instead of neatly tucking it into the folds. It just looks nicer. Once the charm is completely hardened you can attach the hook to string on a necklace or bracelet.

Origami crane Earrings

2011-08-30T05:52:00.000-07:00

Very simple once you perfect you origami crane making skills, which you can find step by step instructions for in any google search or a video tutorial on youtube.

What do you need?

earring hooks and pins

mini pliers and cutters

little squares of origami paper ( 4.5 by 4.5 cm)

beads
needle
clear dry glue

nimble fingers

How to do- After honing the craft of crane making on bigger paper, its not so hard to do with little squares. Once you have your beautiful little cranes, carefully push the needle through the bottom side out the top in between the wings to make a easy hole. Then push the pin through the hole started with the needle. The pin is blunt and may warp the paper if you don't first make the small hole with the needle. After pushing through the pin, you'll need the pliers to open the hoop on the earring hook, hook onto the pin hook, and close. To secure the crane I add a bead just the right size to snug onto the pin. If in doubt, add a dab of clear super glue to the bottom hole of the bead to ensure that the bead will not slip off.

double face pillow/poofs!!!

2010-09-10T12:41:00.000-07:00

Homemade body scrub

2010-07-06T04:57:00.000-07:00

Ingredients;

a cup of sea salt

a half cup white sugar

one bag of vanilla tea

lavender oil (unless the salt is already scented lavender)

3 tablespoons honey

olive oil till desired consistency

beer cap Resin image rings (and magnets)

2010-07-06T04:45:00.000-07:00

Materials:
ring bases or magnets

beer caps

crystal resin

small images

Time:5 minutes prep, overnight drying time for resin

Level of difficulty: eazzzzzyy

How to: cut out image to size fitting in beer cap....

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mix the resin according to the directions, wear gloves!

pour a bit of the mix into the beer cap till the top. Leave to dry overnight. Once hard, simply hot glue the beer cap to the ring post! If you are making magnets then glue the magnets.

Novelty Toy Necklaces!

2010-07-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

Materials:
necklace chain

pliers

hoops

things to hoop on necklace:

barbie shoes, purses and accesories
perler bead designs
toy soldiers

Time:5 minutes,

Cost: varies depending on the quality of chain, mine was one euro a meter. I already had the toys on hand and I bought 5 meters. with that I made 7 necklaces.

Level of difficulty: eazzzzzyy cheazzzy

How to: OK first measurer your necklace lengths. I measured mine a bit long so that the wearer can slip on and off the necklace with out clasps of any sort. I like the long necklace look, and it saves money and time not having to add clasps. If you want the necklace to fall on your upper cheats then you will need to cut shorter lengths and therefore need to add the clasps.

I added the two poem eds of the necklace together with a hoop. Then I used another smaller hoop to attach the toy.

Computer key Rings!

2010-02-18T14:07:00.000-08:00

mOd RecOrd CloCk

2010-01-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

Nintendo perler bead key chain

2010-01-14T13:55:00.000-08:00

Cassette tape change purses REVISED!

2010-01-14T13:52:00.000-08:00

OK, remember my post on Cassette tape change purses? On difficulty level I rated it as "Mad Skillz" Even when the zipper was placed good, the glue often showed a bit, making them hard to sell. Costumers love the idea, but before buying they scrutinize every centimeter. If it is not perfect then its a no go. A bit of glue showing can break a sale. So I began gluing the zipper on the outside edge of the tapes rather then inside. It's easier, quicker, and cleaner. With a little skill you can apply the zipper with absoutly no glue showing.

This changes the level of difficulty form Mad Skillz, to just "SKillz"

hippie yarn earrings

2009-11-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

Materials:
yarn (more like string but thicker and flat)
elmers glue
clear glue
earring hooks

Time:15 minutes, overnight drying time, then another 5 minutes

Cost: 3-5 dollars depending on what you have on hand already and how expensive the yarn is.

Level of difficulty: the winding of the glue sting takes concentration but overall these earring are hard to mess up.

How to:

You can pretty much figure it out by looking at it. unravel a bit and brush on elmers glue. Then carefully and slowly reel the string with your finger tips. You can cut and continue with another colour like mine, or even use a multi coloured string. once you get to a good size, lay it flat on a table and lightly gloss over the other sticky glue (that dries CLEAR) and let dry for about a half hour, then flip over like a pancake and apply the clear sticky glue to the other side. It will take overnight for the glue to dry hard and solidify the yarn earing so it´s stong enough to stick the earring hoop through.

I stuck one small chain through and then the earring hoop so the earring lays well. You can get even more elaborate and add beads.

reindeer tree ornaments

2009-11-25T11:38:00.000-08:00

Materials

Brown, red and green felt

sequence

ribbon

gold and white, and black thread

hot glue gun

Cost: 5 dollars or less

Time: 1 hour or more

Level of Difficulty: patience and skillz required. This project was a challange for me as I have never made anything like it. But know I know how to and although it isnt a fast craft, and I will never make them in bulk to sell, There are a few special people in my life deserving of the time I spend to make one!

How to: I drew my own decal and traced on the brown felt to cut out the both sides. Then with one side you can sew on the eye, nose and white spots over the hind leg that deers have.

Then pin the two sides together and start stitching with doubled up gold thread. When you get a bit more than half way around the body you can begin to stuff it with cotten. I Used a sharpened pencil to push the cotton onto all the deepest corners.

Once sticked all the way aroud you can add your decor. I Used green and red felt to give him a little saddle and hot glued it on, along with a few golden sequence.

I even CAREFULLY hot glued the ends of the ribbon onto teh saddle and then sewed over the saddle to close the ribbon on one end, this way the ribbon looks like part of the saddle, and can be hung on a tree with.

Pearler bead ideas....

2009-11-24T10:24:00.000-08:00

Just get some perler beads, and a hot iron. You can make up your own design (like I did with the octopus) or find cute ideas online. You can make broaches, fridge magnets, key chains, earrings, necklaces and more out of your perler designs.

Hand painted Christmas plates

2009-11-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

Materials needed: acrylic or oil paints,

red and green tissue paper

red and green and gold spray paint

gold sparkles

Cost: 10-15 euros if you dont already have paint supplies on you

Time: the one with painted pointesettas took me, in total about 45 minutes, but not including drying time overnight of course. The one without took 20 minutes total.

Difficulty: the hand painted poinsettas may look difficult, but flowers are easy to paint because being organic shapes they are irregular and having too perfect of a flower is unnatural. I paint with oil because it takes longer to dry and you can easily go back and erase little mistakes.

The plate without the hand painted poinsettas is obviously easier and great if your gonna give out a bunch of these bad boys during the holidays. They are super quick and easy (please dont add "That's what your mom said" here.) They leave co workers and close acquantances thinking "Wow, she is a much better crafter than me" while the hand-painted poinsettas suggest a more straight foward "Wow, she is a much better human being than me."

How to: start with your glass plate face down and paint the poinsettas on the back side. You can put a photo of a poinsetta under the glass to follow. Wait a day, or even more if you painting with oil to continue.

I also added a "Merry christmas" That I wrote with a caligraphy pen on tea stained paper

If your not painting the poinsettas skip to the second step which is sprinkinling on gold sprinkles. With a small sponge dab Elmer's glue in the areas that you want sparkles. Then dust the sparkles over the plate. I knda got carried away, so my plate is super sparkly.

Now if you have read my eariler blog on spray painted glass techqniques that I posted in October, this will be a sinch. Spritz with a water bottle and then immediatly spray lightly with gold spray paint. Dab the water droplets with paper towel, then spray generously with green or red spray paint. ( I dont suggets red if you painted the pointsetas)

After drying completly, cut a square of tissue paper the size of the back of the plate and with elmers glue decompage the back of the plate the same color that you used to spray it.

Handmade tea stained christmas cards

2009-11-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

Materials:

pop up x mas stickers

Thin felt tip black marker ( if you can find a calligraphy marker in Barcelona lemme know!)

pre cut (save the hassle) green and or red card stock

water colour (toothy) paper

fancy cut scissor that cut in squiggles and zig zags

gold and silver metallic ink pens

card envelope

Hot glue gun

wax envelope seal kit (optional)

cost: about 10 dollars will start you up

time: not counting drying time for the tea stained paper, it will take you longer to figure out what to write in one then to make a dozen.

difficulty: eazzzzyyyyy

How to:

K doke. First step. In a big bucket add some warm water and a few green tea bags. Then add the pages of the water colour papers

You should wait at least an hour, and then hang to dry.

Once completely dried, Cut out using the fancy cut scissors.

Write your message (first lightly in pencil just in case!) using the black felt tip pen.

You can do one of two things to stick the paper on your card stock. If you have a sticker machine, use it because it will stick better then a glue stick. Don't use elmers glue. Or if you do, do so very lightly, If you use to much, the card will warp once dry.

Stick on the pop up stickers witha dab of hot glue (they will fall off if you dont!)

Add detail with the metallic pens, and on the inside of the card write your message in the metallic pens too. Once completed I stuffed my cards in the envelope and sealed shut with a candle wax seal. You can get these kits at craft stores. It adds an impressive touch.

But Jaime, there are no craft stores in Spain!

2009-11-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

I know it sucks when your used to HUGE craftie stores such as Micheals and Jo Ann Fabrics where you can get just about anything, and all in one stop. Not in europe, and ESPECIALLY not in Spain. Even in an artsy fartsy city such as Barcelona, I've heard time and time again, there is just no market for craft stores. It's not that no one crafts here, its just not so common. The ones who do craft are younger so maybe in a decade we will have some more craftie stores. But a craftie person can make due here simply because she is, well, craftie. HA! Get it? O.k so I guess what I'm saying is I am consintaly on a never ending scavanger hunt to find supplies and I thought I's write a list of your best bets for my Barcelonean crafters....

Las tienda de los Chinos! Chinese stores. They have everything. glitter, sequence, hot glue guns, tools, magnets, sewing kits, paper, fake flowers, spray paints, glass plates of all shapes and sizes, Heck I even got my craftie storage boxes there. And everything is amazingly cheap. I highly recomend the Bazaar just after Plaza de Espana on Gran Via. I spend so much time there that I'm starting to pick up Manderin.

Abacus: not cheap. especially if you take into account that the price they put on the item is only for "members" you'll pay a euro or so more. But good quality, and has quite a few things that are difficult to find. You will find me browing the kids "Manualidades" section. There they have craft kits for kids, with rare materials in them, really cool stamp kits, I got a sticker making machine, and those little plastic bead like things that you make a design and set with a iron. Also, they have quality paints and brushes. Dont skimp on brushes, dont buy them at the Chinese.

Calle Call - right off of Placa de Saint Jaume its a wonderful little street where they have wholesale shops for people who make their own jewlery. A few are for buisness owners only, but most are open to the public.

Gifting-Right by Metro stop Lesseps. They have classes, and have some amazing ideas. They have quite a lot of materials, but their stock reflets the crafts they offer in there classes. For example, now they are offereing classes on Christmas crafts, so they only had red and green felt available for me. here's there website if you wanna browse their materials, but its based out of Italy so the Spain store doesn't always have everything. http://www.gifting.com.es/home.html

El Corte Ingles. In placa Catalunya there is a Merceria on the top floor of El corte Ingles. This should be used only as your last hope as it is super way over priced. Try 1.80 for ONE piece of felt. or 1 euro for ONE button. But some things are not so bad, like they have a lot of zippers in los of different colors and sizes. The buttons aren't cheap, but they are super cute, and they have a variety of colors in felt. I prefer shopping here and spending a bit more, then dealing with the snaggle toothed old ladies in the Mercerias here, where all the materials are tucked away, behind the counter. You must know EXACTLY what you want before hand so they can show you the next best thing as they probably wont have it. All this after waiting in long "line" (and by line I mean a horde of Spanish people doing there best impression of one.

So far I am able to find almost everything I need here. One exception being Resin but I havent looked to much as I brought some back with me from England. Along with two HUGE packs of felt.

Button rings!

2009-10-26T14:52:00.001-07:00

Materials needed: buttons (choose cool looking buttons, with flat backs.)

ring posts

hot glue gun

Cost: to make a bunch, Id say 10 dollars, this is for nice buttons, and the ring post in a pack.

Time: about the time it takes to hear up your hot glue gun. Seriously you could made a dozen of these in less than five minutes. I know, because I did.

Difficulty: seriously way to easy. A captive monkey could do it.

How to: dab some the glue on the ring post and set the button on. Its pathetically easy, but seriously I've seen similar "hand made novelty rings" sell for 15 euros or more.

Toy army men earrings and pins

2009-10-26T14:49:00.002-07:00

Materials needed: Little green army men, you can get a bag for nothing at any toy store.

hook earring backs and seperate metal piece to glue

spray paint

hot glue gun

pin backs

sharp metal craft scissors

Cost: well, I bought every thing in bulk, so it was more expensive, (the earring parts) but Im sure you can buy them individually at certain craft, or jewelry stores. But why not havea bunch on hand for other crafty earrings? My start up cost was about 25 dollars, but now I have earings for other ideas and tons of pin backs because almost anything looks cool as a brooch.

Time: 2 sessions recommended . Most of your time will go to findingthe right supplies. Especially if you live in Barcelona, Spain, where everyone is artistic, but there are hardly any crafty stores. Once you have the supplies, I'd say 10 minutes not including drying time. You don't need to paint the little green men if you dont like, but its mre orignial. I do the craft in a 2 step procces. One day I lay them all out on my terrace and spray them, and the next day I finish.

Difficulty: Well, it takes some skill with the glue gun so as not to burn yourself, also taking off the stand part can be tricky but other than that it's like all my crafts. Easy peezy lemon squeezy.

How to: First with some sharp craft scissors, carefully remove their stand. Not all of them have stands, but for the ones that do, its best to remove or your earrings will look bulky and awkward.

Lay out the little men in pairs on some newspaper. OUTSIDE, wear gloves, and f you are doing a lot then a mask too. Spray them all around and set them down to dry completely.

Once dry, you can bring them inside and begin glueing the earring part. You first need to glue the flat round piece directly to the helmat and set. Then slide on the hook part and with some pliars gently close the little circle ends so the earring hook doesnt fall off.

Be aware of the direction you put the hook, or the little army men will be shooting at your neck, and not away.

The pin is a lot simplier. After drying simply glue the pinback. Certain figures work better for the pin. For example the little one that craws on the ground.

Crochett Octopus!

2009-10-26T14:49:00.001-07:00

Materials needed: one skien of yarn, and two little buttons for eyes.

Cost: the cost of the yarn.

Time: 45 minutes to an hour

Difficulty:O.K, most of my crafties require no special skill, but this one requires some basic crochet knowledge. If you don't know how to crochet already, have grandma teach you. Its therapeutic, and comes in handy now that all my friends are having babies.

How to:

I'm not a mathematical person, so I hate counting chains, I count 25 chains for the length of the tentacles, but everything else can be done by eye. (to shape the head) Also, I do it in one continuous flow, no stopping, cutting, tyeing.

You'll need to make eight tenticles. Start with a single chain of 25, then back up the chain starting with 5 half chains skip a chain, 5 single chains, skip a chain, 5 more single chains, continue row with double chain until the very last chain a triple. then chain one, and start the process all over again to make the second tenticle. The reason as to why you must "skip a chain..." is to make the tenticles curl.

after all 8 tenticles are finished, chain the last tenticle to teh first to make the row a circle.

Now begin single chains in a circle, 2 chains for each tenticle. in total 16 chains. Second row, another 16 chains, and then as you move up the rows the head should start to form, once you think the size is appropriate, start to skip chains to tighten and closethe circle.

(after being turned inside out)

Now turn the octopus inside out. Unravel a load of your yarn and stuff the head with it. then begin a chain in the "neck" and tighten and close off the neck. cut yarn, tie a knot, then stuff the remainder in the head.

Felt brooches

2009-10-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

Materials needed: Felt (the stiffer type)

pin backs

hot glue gun

adornments such as googly eyes or sequence.

Cost: $3.00 to $10 depending on what you have on hand, and how many you want to make!

Time: 10 minutes

Difficulty: Origininality comes with your own desgins, that means you have to be able to draw a little. Other than that, no special skills required.

How to: On the back of your felt, draw your design, and keep in mind ou will be geting the mirror image. You can add more layers, adornments, and what have you to the front on the felt, and once finished simply glue on the pin back.

New to crafting? Here is a list of what every crafter should have on hand...

2009-10-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Elmers glue

Hot glue gun

sequence, glitter

old magazines,

spray paints

acrylic paints

felt

fine tipped markers

scissors for paper, and material. scissors that cut zigzag

ruler

assortment of buttons

assortment of fake flowers

needle and thread of various colors

your own crafting table, for crafting and nothing else!

Flashy antique tecnique

2009-10-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

Materials needed: gold spray paint, acrylic paint, and a second hand, or old piece of wood furniture

Cost: $0.00 - $5.00 not including furniture

Time: 30- up depending on size of furniture. (not including drying time)

Difficulty: a six year old could use this technique on your grandmas armor and it would look amazing.

How to: protect the parts you dont want painted with painters tape, then pull the drawers out and seperate. Spray paint everywhere with the gold.

Let the paint dry, then with a partially dry brush, paint with the acrylic over the gold. A good tip is to paint a stroke or two on some scrap paper after dabbing the brush in the paint. This way, a partially dry brush does not cover the entire piece and it gives it this amazing look!...

Homemade stickers!

2009-10-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

Materials needed: Stamps, paper, fine tipped markers, sticker machine (Micheal's craft store, or for my Spanish crafters, Abacus.)

Cost: well to get started machine, paper, markers, stamps and all I'd say you'll need to invest about 40 dollars. But the sticker machine is well worth it if your into making your own greeting cards or if you are like me, as easily amused as a 7 year old. Once you have the stamps and sticker machine, you can make and endless supply of custom made stickers for whatever!

Time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: just look at it.

How to: I use cute stamps and then color the images as I wish. Cut the image out and put it through the sticker machine. That's it!

cassette tape change purse!

2009-10-16T14:58:00.000-07:00

Materials:

colored foam paper

felt (polyester saves money)

7 inch zipper

cassette tape

pliers

sequence or embellishments optional

hot glue gun

Cost: 3-5 dollars or less if you have your own supply of unwanted cassette tapes. I go to the salvation army for mine. The cashier lady must feel so sorry for me. She probably goes home and tells her kids "You think you got it bad? I know a girl who is too poor to afford a CD player, much less one of those fancy ipods you want so badly !"

Time: 25 minutes

Difficulty: mad skillz. This is no joke. You will need mad skillz for this craftie. Don't expect your first, second, or in my case, even third one to be functional.

How to:

Start by breaking the two sides apart. This can sometimes be done by hand if the tape is super old or not glued together well. More often then not, that is not the case, and I use a small thin screw driver to jam it open.

Then with your pliers, carefully pluck off the inside plastic parts that stick out.

Un zip the zipper and glue one side to the inside edge of the tape. Using hot glue gun is better because you dont have to worry about fumes, just be prepared to get burned a few times. It will be worth it I promise. This is because you can't wait till the glue dries to push down and correctly set the zipper. It dries so fast you have to be quick. I sometimes use a pencil tip as a tool to push down the zipper. Follow the zipper along the edge.

The next part is crucial because if you dont set the other side of the zipper exactly level with how you did the first half, then your tape purse will be crooked or unfuncional. I learned that its better to actually start the glue in the middle at the top of the second tape instead of continuing on from the side up and around. This way you can compare the two sides of the tape and make sure that they are as even as possible.

This is a better solution that slow drying toxic, fumy glue in my opinion. My first few tape purses were made like this, and I could pull the zipper this way and that to make the tape sides even after wards and had a good 10 minutes before it set, but my purses forever reeked of the toxic glue, and I got too light headed to make more those two.

After you have defeted the zipper, move on to the felt lining. It should be the side of one tape side doubled. Use regular soft felt for this, and in a color that compliments the zipper. Hot glue the lining onto the insides of the tapes. Here too you must be quick, and accurate. The last step is the hard felt strip on the bottom of the tape purse. This gives it a finished look. Foam paper is a must here because the felt wont survive the wear and tear of opening a closing the purse a million times.

Once the bottom is finished, you can embellish your cassette tape change purse as you like with sequence and Elmer's glue!

This is a complicated one, so if you have any questions then comment!

mini button bind notebook

2009-10-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

flower fridge magnet and brooch

2009-10-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

Materials: fake flowers

round glass chips (used to fill decorative vases)

Elmer's glue

Hot glue gun

felt

pin backings or round magnets

magazine or photo

Time: 15 minutes total

Cost: 5 dollars

Difficulty: pretty darn easy

How to: Start off by finding a cute image and decoupaging it the the back of the glass chip face down. Use watered down Elmer's glue and press firmly to avoid bubbles.

Next seperate the flowers from their stems. and pull out the middle plastic pollen part. When you do that, the flower peddles will seperate so you need to dab some hot glue to put them back together.

Then you can hot glue the glass chip to the center of the flower.

If your making a magnet, then glue the magnet piece to the back with a hot glue gun. If your making a pin, first hot glue a circle of felt, then the pin. Glue the pin 3/4 to the top of the circle, not smack dab in the middle, or the weight of he glass chip will pull the top half of the pin forward. I know the photo shows I did otherwise. How do you think I learned my lesson?

Match trinket box

2009-10-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

Materials needed: gold spray paint, one match box (the larger ones are best) sequince, glitter, elmers glue, super cute magazine image.

Cost: $0.00 - $3.00 depending on what you already have in your craftie drawer

Time: 25 minutes (not including drying time)

Difficulty: 8 years up.

How to: Empty the match box and in a newspaper clad area (outside) spray generously with gold in, on, and all around the match box. Depending on humidity it could take anywhere from 5-15 minutes to dry.

Cut out your super cute image and decoupage it to the top with elmer's glue. Then add sequence and glitter according to your taste. The sequence are best placed and manipulated with a toothpick.

water mark painted plates with images

2009-10-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

Materials:

* glass plate

* gold or silver spray paint

* another spray paint color that contrasts well with gold or silver

* sweet magazine image

* Elmer's glue

* water spritzer bottle

Cost: 2 to 5 dollars

I found some cheap glass plates for a euro each, It depends on the size of the plate and store, but that's really your only cost unless you need to buy spray paints which run a few dollars each but you get a lot of use from one.

Time: 10 -15 minutes

not including drying time.

How to:

cut out one amazing magazine image and glue back side down onto the face of the plate. Elmer's glue is best, but I suggest watering it down a tad. Also, use a nice paint brush to apply the glue first on the plate then over the image. A cheapy paint brush will leave ugly stray bristles on your image.

Next, turn the plate face down and spritz the back side with water. You want enough water to cause little droplets but not so much that it pools. Then lightly spray the gold (or silver) paint. Dont spray too close, about a foot above the plate is good for a nice even coat.

wait for the water droplets to dry, or if your impatient like me, then dab a paper towel over the plate. Then take your contrasting color and spray generously.

You can not use the plate to eat on, its simply awesome decor. I have a few on plate stands, or you can hang them on the wall. But there is a way to do it so you can use the plates to eat on. Just apply the image face down on the back side of the plate first, and then continue with the spray technique. I have done this a few times, but find that it doesnt look as good. Bubbles always seem to pop up under the image and show through to the front. Also, applying the image to the front of the plate gives a bit of a 3-d effect and the shine of the glass doesn't interrupt the picture.

Wallpaper collage

2009-10-15T13:56:00.000-07:00

Materials:

wall paper samples

scissors

glue stick

Cost:

free if you convince a wallpaper store to give you their old unwanted sample books.

Time: 10 - 15 minutes unless your design is super elaborate.

How to:

Well first thing is a good brainstorm, or scour the internet for ideas of a super cute image. Draw the image on the backside on the wall paper. cut and paste onto another sheet of wallpaper! Simple as that, but keep in mind conventional frame dimensions.