Pinspired Lip Balm

I came across this fun project on pinterest and thought I'd give it a go:

Source: meetthedubiens.blogspot.com via Etcetorize on Pinterest

I probably should've clicked through to read the whole post because it looks like a lot of people had the same problems I did and they came up with some good advice.

It's really just melted vaseline and drink crystals mixed together.  To be fair, I didn't follow the recipe at all, I just eyeballed it.  But you can see how much separation I got.  The drink crystals (ice-tea and cherry) just sunk to the bottom when it solidified.  Like I said above, make sure to check out the original post for some great tips on how to avoid this.

These ones were slightly more successful.  I just cut up some Avon flavoured lip balm and stirred it into the vaseline.  These ones are Bubble Gum and Lemon Lime flavoured.

Even if they weren't 5 star successful my lips are pretty glossy and soft when I use them.  Plus I got to pull out my sparkle Mod Podge to make decorate the containers!  Sparkle Mod Podge makes anything worthwhile~

Pretty Dominoes

I was one of those kids who always kept things in their original packaging.  I was also one of those kids who rarely threw anything away.  So, when I came across my childhood domino set in it's original box in pristine condition I threw caution to the wind and gave them a total overhaul.

 

If you want to make a pretty set of your own, here's what you need:

Materials
-Set of wooden dominoes
-Mod Podge gloss and Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
-Spray paint or acrylic paint
-paint brush
-pretty papers

Steps:

1) If you're super serious about crafting you will want to sand and prime your dominoes.  I am not that serious, so I just lined them all up and gave them several coats of spray paint.

I went back and forth on the idea of sanding down the edges to give them a shabby chic look but in the end decided that wasn't a good idea.  All of the tiles should look the same when they're turned over and they shouldn't have any distinguishing marks on them.  So... I just left them as is.

2) While you're waiting for your tiles to dry, pick out your pretty papers.  You need a different paper for every number you have (six).  You can cover the blanks too but this could be a little confusing when you're playing.  It's best to just leave them blank.

3) You're probably still waiting for your paint to dry so now's a good time to cut out your tiny little squares of paper to cover each of the numbers.  I used my Silhouette but you could do this by hand.  My squares are 18millimetres square.  Make sure to pre-measure your tiles to see if it's the same before you start cutting.

I was originally going to cover the blanks,
that's why there's seven tiles,
but I changed my mind~

4) Once your paint has finally dried, start adhering your papers.  The easiest way to do it is one number at a time.  Gather all of the one's and paste down the same paper on top of each of them, then all of the two's and so on.

I found it easier to brush the glue onto the backs of the paper squares instead of directly onto the tiles.

5) Next add a nice thick layer of Dimensional Magic to the entire top of your dominoes.

This gives them a super glossy, resin look.

It goes on a bit milky but dries super clear.  Just watch for air bubbles.  I put mine on so thick I had to let them dry overnight.

I couldn't put these lovely tiles back into their old box so I even made them a new holder!

Gorgeous!  Now I just need to find someone to play with~

Have a crafty week everyone!

Butterfly Mobile

Believe it or not the forecast is calling for snow this weekend.  SNOW!?!?!?!  Yes, snow.  Argh.  I know I was lucky enough to miss an entire month of winter this year, but come on!  It's April for crying out loud. 
Well, I can't take it anymore.  I have to make something that will at least try to fool me into believing that Spring is here.

Here's what you need:

Steps:
1) Cut out butterfly shapes  in different sizes and from different coloured scrapbook paper.

2) Use a pin to make a hole in the body of your butterfly.  Place the hole just up from the centre so that you're butterfly won't look like it's about to take a nosedive when it hangs from the string.

3) String some monofilament (you can use fishing line instead if that's more handy) with beads and butterflies, simply knotting to hold the beads from falling down.

3) Knot the top of your monofilment lines around an embroidery hoop.  I just used the inside hoop but you can use both pieces if you prefer.  I also thought about painting it, but I need that springtime feeling now!  I don't have time to wait for paint to dry~

4)Wrap the hoop with some pretty embellishment or garland.  I was lucky and found this fun piece at Christmas time at the second hand shop for pennies.

5) Knot some more monofilament to the top of your hoop, creating a criss cross and a loop to hang it from.

TAH DAH!  SPRING HAS SPRUNG!  Finally!

Please ignore the painters tape in the background, I'm in the middle of painting my sunroom.  By in the middle of, I mean that I started last fall, and then it snowed and got too cold, and now I have to finish it...6 months later~

I've been adding lots of fun new parties on the linky party page so make sure to go check them out.  And don't forget to enter the Martha Stewart Paint and Stencil Giveaway before April 11th.  You have loads of chances to win, so go for it.

Hope you all have a wonderful loooooooooooong weekend, even if it does snow~

Window Dressing

I bought new blinds for my hallway windows last weekend and was so sure that they'd work.  I thought they were the kind that I could cut to make narrower if I needed to.  Of course, they weren't.  And of course, I didn't figure that out until I had already removed the ugly, dusty, gross, old white plastic ones.

So, what's a girl to do but make her own window covering.  I didn't have any fabric on hand to make curtains so I went for something a little more creative.

I forgot to take a picture of the supplies, but here's what you need:
-several pages of coordinating scrapbook paper
-mono filament (fishing line) or ribbon
-a needle
-scissors
-glue

Steps:
1) I'm on a real roll with my Silhouette lately and have finally been getting some successful results.  So, I downloaded a pattern that you're supposed to use to make a pumpkin and got my machine to cut out loads of little circles.

If you don't have a cutter, not to worry, you can still do this.  It'll just mean more cutting that's all.  You just need circles with an equilateral triangle inside...and you thought you'd never use that grade 10 geometry class!

Something like this:

Perforate along the triangle lines so that they'll fold easily.

2) Start by gluing two circles together.

3) Continue until you make a little cup of 4 circles.

4) Repeat the steps above and then glue your two cups together to make a ball.

5) Just keep repeating all that until you have as many balls as you need.

6) Thread your mono filament onto a craft needle and poke through the top of your ball.  Tie a tight knot and hang.

That's it!  Pretty simple.  There are loads of other versions of this idea out there and a lot of them work off of 5 circles to make each cup, with a row in the middle, and then all of that glued together.  I just didn't feel like all that gluing, plus that would take loads and loads of paper.

This is not a permanent solution to my window problem.  As soon as I find some blinds that fit, and some fabric I like, I'll make something a little more professional, but for now, I like it.  It's fun and whimsical~

The countdown is on for the Creativ Festival !!  That's where I'll be this time next week!  I can hardly wait.  Are you going to be there?!?!?  If you are make sure to let me know and somewhere in between the Bata Shoe Museum, shopping, crafting, and sewing we'll make time to meet up!

Don't forget to come back on Monday to share your ideas at the Make it Great Monday party!

Jar of Dreams

I try to be positive most of the time.  I believe in "The Secret" and using positivity to create your future and all that jazz. But sometimes I can't help it, sometimes I get a little down, and even a little negative.

So, I did this craft to remind myself about all of the good things in my life and all of the good things I want in my future.

Here's what you need:


I don't know how I could forget my beloved Mod Podge
 but you'll need some of that too and a foam
brush to paint it on~


Steps:
1) I got my Silhouette to do most of the work for me but because I don't really know what I'm doing on the Silhouette it sometimes takes longer than it should.  In any case,  I started by cutting out the words "Hopes, Dreams, Goals, and Wishes" in what I thought was vinyl, but later realized was the transfer paper you use to apply vinyl.

Turns out the paper was perfect because I was going for an etched glass look and this actually did the trick.  I adhered one word to each side of my cute little milk bottle.

2) Next I used my Silhouette to print inspirational words onto tiny little  circles of scrapbook paper and then cut them out.  It's best to use two-sided paper if you can.

3) And here's where you need the Mod Podge.  Apply glue to the flat side of large clear marbles (I still had some left over from my Statement Rings project), place your tiny little circle face down, and apply another coat of Mod Podge to seal it in.

4) Once all of my new inspirational marbles were dry, I mixed them in with the rest of my glass thing-a-ma-doies that I picked up at the thrift store.

 5) And then the exciting part comes....time to put it all into the... ACK!?!?!!?  What the heck?!?!!?

Darn, darn, darn....I didn't think to measure my marbles!  They were too big for the bottle opening.  Luckily this was a project in positivity. I kept my cool, gently pulled the words off the bottle, re-placed them onto something else, and tah dah!  finally got to add my precious dreams, hopes, wishes, and goals~

I added a little hemp twine and placed it on my new DIY bookshelf that I'm getting ready to unveil to you all very, very soon!

What do you think?  I think the small milk jar turned out to be a happy accident.  I really like everything in the rose bowl instead.  That little wavy edge on the top makes it look so pretty.

Leave a comment and let me know...what do you do to keep positive?  This is especially challenging for me as the weather starts to get colder and colder around here so I'm really interested in hearing your ideas.

Hope to see you all on Monday at my "Make it Great Monday" linky party!   Have a great week everyone~