Duct Tape Rings

Materials Needed:
• Duct Tape
• scissors
• goo gone & rag (to clean your scissors)


*all three rings


*detail


*detail

This idea came to me last night while I was watching tv. I found a piece of Duct Tape I had placed on the coffee table (that is sometimes where the scrap Duct Tape ends up when I am working on my crafts) and I started folding it and thought it kind of looked like a ring since it was so small so then of course I had to make it into a ring (which ended up being a few rings). I used the same method as my Duct Tape headbands but smaller of course. The bow one is my favorite. It reminds me of that tying a string on your finger so that you don't forget something.

So to do this I grabbed the Duct Tape and measured it around my finger (another percise measurement). Then I cut it half lenthwise and placed one half on my coffee table and the other half I held it lengthwise and folded the bottom part up to the center and then folded the top down covering all the exposed sticky sides then I wrapped it around my finger and cut a tiny piece from my coffee table left overs and wrapped it around the open parts of the bent ring giving me a closed up ring.

Then I added the details. For the stripes I just cut tiny strips and placed them around the ring. When I did the bow I used the same method as making the ring but folded it into a bow and placed yellow tape around the center tightly to secure it to the ring as well as give it the center part of the bow. For the flower started off the same way as making the ring but instead of folding both the upper and lower sides down I just did the upper side and then while crunching it up together and wrapping it around itself (using the exposed sticky part to "glue" it together) I made a rose. Then to attach it I used tiny strips of Duct Tape (from my coffee table again) and wrapped it around in different directions until I felt it was secure.

Scented & Colored Epsom Salts w/ Etched Glass Jar

Materials Needed:
• glass jar
• Epsom salts
• soap dyes
• soap scents
• decorative bow
• vinyl contact paper
• etching cream
• craft knife




* detail of etching

This is a simple project that makes a great gift.

To start I cleaned the jar thoroughly and placed the vinyl contact paper on top and drew what I wanted to etch into the glass (ie. the heart in the close up photo). Then I got my craft knife and cut out the parts that I wanted to be etched and brushed on my etching cream. I waited the amount of time indicated on the instructions and then rinsed it thoroughly in warm water and then peeled the vinyl contact off and cleaned it again.

Once it was dried I put the Epsom salts inside (not filling it too much) and put a few drops (about 10 for the size I used) of both the sent (Japanese lotus blossom) and the color (I started with green). Then I stirred it until the color looked pretty mixed in then I added more Epsom salts and more color (this time I added blue to give it a sort of tie-dyed effect). Then I closed the jar and shook it around stirring the colors. Then to finish it off I tied a bow around the neck of the jar and now it is a perfect gift to give. And what is nice is that when the Epsom salts are gone you can put a candle inside the jar and the etching takes on a whole new life.

Picture Frame

Materials Needed:
• picture frame
• scrap pieces of paper
• Mod Podge
• vinyl contact paper
• etching cream
• silk flowers
• rhinestones
• craft knife
• 2 photos
• cardboard
• hot glue & hot glue gun



This is a frame I made for my little sis who is going to camp for 3 weeks. I wanted it to be fun and funky and several layers. I bought a frame that was simple but had a 3-dimensional quality since I had planned to make it with layers. Then I grabbed my scrap pieces of paper and Mod Podge and decoupaged the frame (I took out the glass and mat board and back piece off). On the back area where the back piece would fit in I tried to keep any paper and Mod Podge off of it (it didn't work out to well but I will get to that).

While I waited for the sides to dry I got the glass and cleaned it thoroughly and then placed the vinyl contact paper on top of the glass where I wanted to etch the glass (it's a bit hard to see all the etching in the photo above but it adds a nice frosted layer to the frame). When they vinyl contact paper was in place and the bubbles smoothed out I drew a leaf vine type design on 2 of the corners and then got my craft knife and cut out the design. Next I got the etching cream and brushed it on according to the instructions and waited the directed amount of time. Then I rinsed it off thoroughly in warm water and took the stencil off then cleaned the glass again.

When the frame was dried I placed the etched glass into the frame. Then I printed out the photos I wanted to use. One for the foreground cut out collage style and black and white and the other to be the main picture. Then I figured out where I wanted the front picture to be placed and hot glued cardboard behind it to make it more 3-dimensional.

Once the pictures were in place I put the back of the frame on, which as you know I had some issues with- I guess some Mod Podge or paper got into the spot or something. So I grabbed my craft knife and trimmed the back board to fit into the frame snugly.

Once that was all done I hot glued little purple bows and some of those silk flowers I have lying around and rhinestones on top. Now she will have a nice handmade picture frame to bring with her to camp.

Recycled Scrap T-Shirt Monstars

Materials needed:
• scrap material
• snap on eyes (available at craft stores)
• sewing machine (optional- can be hand sewn) & thread
• felt (optional for details- you could also use fabric paint or embroider details)
• yarn (optional for hair or other details)
• ribbon (optional for details)






Another super simple and fun project to do with some scrap pieces of fabric!

I made the top one out of scraps from my little sister's t-shirt purse I made her (the t-shirts were one's that she no longer fit in). The bottom one was just some scrap material I had lying around.

The idea is simple. I quickly drew a random shape and cut out 2 from either the same fabric (like in my second one) or different fabrics (like in the first one) and sewed all around the edges leaving a small space to flip it inside out. Once it was sewed clip around the curves (I normally clip the edges a lot when working with t-shirt material because it won't unravel). Then I flipped it inside out.

Next I added face details. With these 2 monstars I made felt mouths (including teeth on the bottom monstar) and then I got these plastic snap on eyes that you can get then at fabric and craft stores (what I love about these is they are super simple but instantly give it some personality). To attach the eyes you simply cut a small slice where you want them to go and then place the top of the eye through the hole and then using your opening on the bottom put your bottom eye attachment on to snap tight and keep the eye in place. You can also use buttons or felt or whatever you have lying around that would work for your monstar (that is one thing I love about making monstars is that no one knows what they are supposed to look like so you can make them look like whatever!)

After the face is done you can add little details like a belly, hair (on my bottom monstar), bow (on my top monstar) or whatever (again open to your interpretation). To make the hair I used some scrap yarn I had and cut it into longish stripes then sewed it down, when that was done I gave him a hair cut and styled it short and punky! For the belly I just sewed on a felt oval shape, The bow was a scrap piece of ribbon that I tied and then hand stitched on.

Once all the details are done I stuffed it using fiber fill (you can also use scrap material or whatever is soft and fluffy and you have lying around. Fill your monstar up and then sew it shut using a slip stitch. Now you can cuddle with your cute little homemade monstar!

Duct Tape Headands

Materials needed:
• duct tape (any color or colors of your choice)
• headband
• craft knife
• scissors
• goo-gone (optional but I recommend this to keep your scissors and craft knife from getting gooped up)

Duct tape is always fun to work with. I have made wallets and purses but one day I decided to make a head band. I got an old one and ripped off the ribbon and covered it with duct tape. It was bright green with white roses. I gave it to my little niece and when she wore it to school all of her teachers wanted to know where she got it. So I was inspired to make more.

To do this project I ordered blank headbands online but you can also use old ones or buy a cheap one and revamp it.

I got multiple colors of duct tape (black, white, silver of course, pink, teal, green, orange, purple- I have seen other cool ones as well but I went with the solid colors that I could find).

To start this project I just jumped in and learned along the way the best way to go about it. I will try to share some of my tricks here and hopefully you will understand.

First I pulled a long piece of duct tape off the roll and stuck it to the headband underneath area. Then I snipped the corners off and placed little slits all around on the tape that overlapped the headband so I could lay it flat onto the headband. Then I taped those little overlapped parts down on the top. Next I got another big piece I placed on the top and did the same overlapping it to the bottom part. Then I added details such as stripes (which I did by ripping the duct tape into thin strips and positioning them on), bows (I find the best way is to fold down a little more than 1/3 and then fold in the other side so that no sticky side is showing, then I would take a small skinny piece of duct tape and tape it over for the middle part or I would just tie it into a bow), or flowers (again fold down 1/3 towards the sticky side and then I round off the corner I am starting with and then start twisting it up "fluffing" the sides as I go), and leaves (here I just place 2 pieces of duct tape on top of each other sticky sides together and cut out a leaf shape) then use duct tape to tape it together and then you have a stylish fun headband! (Props to my little sis for being my beautiful model).