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.

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.

Silk Flower Earrings

Materials Needed:
• silk flowers
• beads
• earring hooks (2)
• flat jewelry head pins (8)
• needle nose pliers




*detail

After all of the projects I have used these flowers in I had 2 lonely little flowers left, the first thing that came to mind was to make earrings out of them.

It is a very simple project I just took a medium sized circular bead and placed it on a flat head pin and then placed my silk flower and then a few green beads (for the "stem"). To close the head pin I grabbed my needle nose pliers and bent it into a circle trimming any extra head pin that wasn't needed. Before it was completely closed I looped it onto the hole on the earring hook.

Next I took some different green beads to make my "leaves" with. I got one of my flat head pins and slid on 2 or 3 beads and then closed it up like I did with the flower one. I did that 3 times so my flower ends up with 3 "leaves". Once that was done I had one earring so I repeated it and made the other.

Embellished Tank

Materials Needed:
• tank top (or shirt or skirt or pants or anything you want to embellish)
• silk flowers
• small beads
• needle & thread




*detail

During summer in the South, tank tops are essential and I own a ton of tank tops in a variety of colors but all of them are plain, which is fine for relaxing at home but sometimes I want to go out somewhere nicer but still want to wear one of my comfy tanks. This is why I decided to sew on some flowers to one of my many grey tank tops.

To start this project, I grabbed a handful of silk flowers (left over from a friends wedding) and took off the stems and the center pieces and was left with just the flower and no plastic parts. Then I matched up a few flowers together and positioned them in many places on the tank finding what I liked most and then marked it. Next I took my needle and thread and went up from the back of the fabric to the top, placed the flower petals on for the first flower and added a small bead then took my needle and thread back down and repeated that for 3 beads. Then I did that to both of the other flowers. Now I have a new top. Super simple and now I have a dresser but still comfy tank.

Embellished Work Apron

Materials Needed:
• apron
• computer
• Dark t-shirt transfers (I use Avery Ink Jet Dark T-shirt Transfer paper- I like theirs the best- plus I have an ink jet)
• printer
• silk flowers
• thread & needle
• beads




*detail

This project came along because I really needed an apron. I am always doing messy crafts and never fail to get it all over my clothes, so instead of having to change clothes I decided an apron was the way to go. So I bought a cheap all black apron and decided to embellish it with a few touches.

First I found some silk flowers that I had from a table decoration that was at my friends wedding and I thought I would like to sew them onto the sides of the pockets (it felt more magical that way). So I took the flowers apart. Taking the stems off and then popping apart the middle part of the flower and was left with petals with a hole in the center. To attach these I got some thread and knotted it then started from inside the pocket and brought my needle up then I placed 2 set of petals through the needle and then a small bead then brought my needle back through the other side then went back up and placed another bead and did that until I had 3 or more beads for the center of the flower.

Next I went to my computer and drew up a monstar for the pocket (he is supposed to be a helper monstar handing me glue, pencil, scissors, paint brush- you know whatever I need :) Then I also made some text that spelled out Monstar Maker and then once that was all designed I printed it out on a quality print setting.

Once it was printed I cut out my designs leaving a white boarder around my little monstar helper. The text already had a white box around it so I just cut out the box. Then I took my monstar and placed him where I wanted him and ironed him on according to the directions from the transfer paper and then did the same for the letters. Now this didn't come out perfect but I still wanted to post it. I think either the iron was set too high or the fabric dye maybe came through the iron on so it has a sort of dirty look to it but I figure it is just gonna get dirty anyway but it was a fun and simple project and now I have a handy dandy work apron!

Recycled Paper Mache Vase

Materials needed:
• empty plastic container (I used my old Mod Podge bottle)
• newspaper
• white glue
• water
• paint
• hot glue (optional
• googly eyes (optional)



This idea came from my Ready Made Magazine this month. They made paper mache vases out of old plastic containers. I of course wanted to make my own so I decided to make a monstar case.

To start this project I cleaned out my Mod Podge container getting all the gunk out and taking the label off and using some Goo Gone to get rid of the sticky parts. Once it was washed and dried I made a bowl of 50/50 white glue and water mixture and tore my news paper into strips. Then I dipped the newspaper stripes into the glue/water mixture and placed the strips around covering the whole area. Once completely covered I let it dry.

Once it was dry I got my stripes of newspaper and bunched it up to make a nose. Then I used small stripes of the glue/water covered news paper and placed it over the nose until it was well connected to the bottle. I did this for the mouth and the nose and mouth on the other side (it's a 2 headed monstar). Then I let it dry for a long time (the bunched up part takes longer to dry but you want it completely dry before painting to avoid mildew).

Once it was dry I painted a white base coat of acrylic all over and then once that was dry I painted the vase how I wanted it and then when that was dry painted a layer of Mod Podge. When all of that was dry I hot glued googly eyes on it.

You really can have as much fun as you want with this. Paint it one color or paint a picture, add embellishments like ribbon, glitter, jewels, wire, shells, whatever really.

Hand Embroidered Card

Materials needed:
• blank cards and envelopes
• needle
• embroidery thread
• awl (optional)
• scrap paper










So this is a project I did a while back but I still really like it. I love to embroider and came up with an idea to embroider a greeting card.

To do this project I got a set of blank cards and envelopes. I then drew out a picture on a piece of scrap paper and used a awl (you can also use any sort of sharp pointed object) to poke holes around my image where I wanted to embroider. Then I got my embroidery thread (color of your choice) cut it fairly long and then pulled out 2 of the threads (they normally come in 6 thread strands). Then I made my knot and started embroidering with a simple back stitch and went around my pattern. Then tied it off with a knot again and trimmed the string. It was pretty simple and the back even looks good since you have holes to follow so it keeps it clean. For a really simple project you can even take it to your sewing machine and just sew fun lines all over with a fun thread and finish it by trimming the thread or even let it fly free.

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).