reuse

“Clock” Plate on Let’s Get Crafty.

February 24, 2011 by GingerScraps

First off, before I start my Crafty Thursday post I want to say Happy Birthday to my best friend, my sister Ginger! She is the strongest, prettiest, smartest, best-est sister ever! Oh and make sure you scroll down to the post below to see a little Birthday Secret!

As I was browsing around some of my favorite crafty blogs the other day I came across this oh so pretty plate. I was like, Oh so cute. I could Hybridize that idea! So today for Let’s Get Crafty we are making a “Clock Plate”. It’s not a “Real” clock :). But, it is so pretty hanging on my wall. The original idea came from this lovely Blog HERE, Vintage Sky.

For my version the first step..well the second, the first was to go to the Thrift Store and find the perfect plate. Measure the plate and design a clock in Photoshop, or do what I did and find one in your digi stash! There are tons of kits that have clocks in them! The clock I used was a freebie I downloaded forever ago, by Digital Anemona. Re size to the size you need for your plate and print!

(Don’t mind those little squares at the bottom, those are for some scrabble tile necklaces I’m making)

Then cut it out and use some ModPodge to attach to your plate. Cover it with another layer of ModPodge to seal it.

It will dry clear.

When it’s dray make a little “hanger” on the back like this. I used my glue gun, but it came off a few days later..lol..so then I used super glue. That is holding so far!

Add a long piece of ribbon of lace to “hang” the plate. It’s really being held by the little tab we made. But it looks like it’s hung with the long pretty ribbon. Just tie the long piece to the short piece.

Ta DA! Here is the finished product.

Close up…

That’s it! Easy and cute!

Have a Crafty Thursday!

Filed Under: Let's Get Crafty Tagged With: craft, Crafts, home decor, home made, hybrid, recycle, reuse, Tutorials

Jewelry Holder on Let’s Get Crafty!

February 17, 2011 by GingerScraps

Hi my little crafty friends. Today we are making some thing very pretty but very practical at the same time. I don’t know about you all, but my necklaces were a hot mess! I had them hanging on this really cute wire holder that sits on top of my dresser. My boys are always messing with it and they are always getting knocked over. LOL. They were just all twisted up and getting broken. So, I went on a google search for Home made Jewelry Holders. There are a lot of options. This little tutorial will show you what I made. There are definitely a lot of different ways to make these Jewelry Holders, but this seemed like the best option for me.

First of all you will need to gather your supplies. You might even have some of this stuff laying around. If not, hit those thrift stores again! Everything I used I either had already or got it at the Thrift Store. You will need thses items.

Gather your supplies. My frame did not have a back so I had to create one out of cardboard. Then I placed the batting (I see that I forgot to put batting on the list, you need batting) on top of my cardboard and cut around it.

Like that. Glue the batting to the cardboard, or frame back if your frame has one. Then take your fabric and place the batting covered cardboard, batting side down on the fabric. Pull it tightly around to the back and glue with your glue gun. Take your trims and do the same this. Pull them around tightly and glue them to the back, Like this. Don’t glue the trin down on the front of the fabric. Only on the back.

Now if your frame had a back you can put it back on now. My frame did not have a back, so i got out the trusty old duck tape and taped on the back. It’s bright green duck tape too…haha, but no one needs to see the back right. I also put 2 cup hooks on the side for even more places to hang necklaces.

Now hang it on your wall and display all your pretties. You can hang the necklaces from the trim, or stick pins into it and hang stuff there too. Hang them on the cup hooks too. The trim works great to clip hair clips onto also. Here is my Jewelry Hanger on my wall. See how the pretties hang right off of the trim. Cute huh.

Check out this Blog for even more Jewelry organizing ideas! There are tons! Have a great Crafty Thursday! Let’s Get Crafty people!

Filed Under: Let's Get Crafty Tagged With: craft, Crafts, fabric, home decor, home made, jewelry, organize, reuse

Let’s Get Crafty, Valentine Decorations!

February 10, 2011 by GingerScraps

It’s that time again! Time to get crafty! Today I have a bunch of cute ideas for Valentine Decorations that you can make your self 🙂 For some reason I just love to decorate for Valentines Day. I guess it’s all the pink and red and hearts! So cute! Every year I seem to make something new to display in Feb. This year is made a couple of new things. These little home decor crafty items were all made with stuff I had around the house. I did not have to go and buy anything. Which is a good thing! I know I’m not made of money. Now, if you are thinking…I want to make something like that but I don’t have such and such around the house. Just to let you know, the things I did use all came from the Thrift store 🙂

The first thing I made was a cute little Family Photo Holder. I picked up two scrabble board games at a thrift store a while back. No, I do not play Scrabble..I just buy them to make projects. LOL.

Here are the items I used…Oh and a glue gun too…

And here is my Scrabble Tile Family Photo Holder.

The next thing I made was a cute little Valentine Garland for my window. For this one I just used some Hemp yarn, and old book (my Mom make purses out of books, so I took the insides of one of the books she tore up to make a purse) I cut some hearts out of the book pages. Then I strung a few together by poking holes into the hearts and threading the hemp yarn threw the holes, I took some mini wooden clothes pins and clipped the hearts to the “clothesline” that I strung in my window. I added the hearts that I had already made out of felt. Look how cute it is. And so easy to make! You can even take the really easy way out and instead of making the hearts out of felt get the “I Love You Felties” in the GingerScraps store, just print and cut out.

This one I just finished this morning. I saw this cute idea of the alphabet somewhere and thought it was so adorable. This is just a simple Hybird project. I used the Alpha from Happy New Year by GingerScraps(recolored), the Hearts, Wings and burgundy paper are from Angel Mail by, Wyld Web Designs and the craft paper is by GingerScrapsin the Life 365 paper pack. Then I just printed and put it in a frame I got a Wal Mart forever ago.

So, there you have it! I made all three of those cute and fun Decorations with out even going to the store. LOL..They make my little home look so happy. Go make some for your self! Craft Time! Yea! See you next Thursday!

Filed Under: Let's Get Crafty Tagged With: craft, crafts with kids, felt, home decor, home made, hybrid, reuse, valentines day

Let’s Get Crafty: Cutest Pedestal Goodie Stand

February 2, 2011 by GingerScraps

Have you missed me? It’s time to get crafty! Yea! I have missed doing these posts…it gives me an excuse to get crafty. Today is a fun one, and totally cheap..oh does that sound bad…how about inexpensive. That’s better. This whole project was my Mom’s idea, she is THE QUEEN of crafting. She does it all! She is amazing. I could do years worth of Crafty Thursdays with all the stuff she makes. This is where my sister Ginger and I get our artsy genes from. My Mom LOVES to make beautiful items that look like they came from one of those cute little boutiques, out of stuff she has around the house or finds at yard sales and thrift stores. She was the Queen of Up-Cycling before it became cool 🙂

So, this is what we are playing with today. Plates and candle holders. We probably all have one of those plates laying around that looks so cute but you never use it. And a mismatched candle holder. You just don’t want to throw away. Heck if you don’t just go to any Thrift Store. There are tons of super cute plates and candle holders you can pick up for next to nothing! My Mom took a bunch of her plates and candle holders she had gathered over the years and made them into the Cutest Pedestal goodie stand. Perfect to serve you yummy cookies, muffins, fruit, gosh everything looks great on these Pedestals! Let me share with you some of the one’s my lovely Mother has created. Then I will show you step by step how we made mine 🙂

Here are my Mom’s creations…

Now aren’t those adorable! I just had to make one and I had the perfect plate. When my husband was in the Army we were stationed at Fort Bragg, in Fayetteville NC, lot’s of great memories there. One day I was looking around in my local Thrift Store..by the way, I’m in CA now. No where near Fayetteville, NC. I found this plate that said Fayetteville NC on it! Can you believe that. All those years I lived there and I find the Fayetteville plate in CA. LOL. Of course I had to have it, and the price of .75 cents was just right! Now I have had this plate sitting in my cupboard for a while and when I saw my Mom’s Pedestals, I knew I wanted to do that with my special plate. Oh course my Mom had the perfect cream colored candle holder for me to use 🙂 Thanks Mom. Of course she got the candle holder at the Thrift Store too. So let’s get started.

First step (after you choose the perfect candle holder and plate that is) is to clean any dust off of your candle holder and plate. Then take some sandpaper or a sanding block and sand the bottom of the plate and the top of the candle holder. I used a sanding block.

Next, take some nail polish remover and clean it again real good removing any dust from the sanding.

Next you will want to lay your plate down with the front of the plate towards the table then lay your candle right in the middle of your plate. Get it nice and centered. Take a sharpie and draw a circle all the way around the candle holder.

It will look like this.

Take your glue, I used gorilla glue, it is super strong super glue. Don’t use the cheapo super glue. Get the good stuff. You an also use epoxy, but I didn’t want to deal with the mixing and mess, so I just used Gorilla Super Glue.

Put your glue on your plate right on the inside of the circle that you just drew. Like this. Be quick, it dries fast. And don’t use too much. Just enough.

Now, stick your candle holder right on top of the glue. Press it down and hold for like 20 seconds. You can wipe off the ink now too if you want.

Now to seal it even more for a nice smooth tight hold. We took some Aleene’s Jewel it glue and went all around the edges where the plate and candle holder meet. You could also use clear caulk. It works too. Just make a nice smooth bead all around the edge and smooth it with your finger.

Place a nice big book on the top for a while while the glue dries.

Now you have a beautiful Pedestal Plate Stand to place your yummy goodies on top of. Here is mine.

From the top. (Yes, I know my plate has a little chip, but it’s ok, it’s a special plate)

My kids ate all the cookies, but it looks great with fruit on it too 🙂

Now doesn’t that look easy and fun! Go out and make your own! Please share with us if you do! Have a happy Thursday and go get Crafty!

Filed Under: Let's Get Crafty Tagged With: cake plate, Crafts, home decor, home made, Pedestal cake plate, recycle, reuse, step by step, thrift store, Tutorials

Let’s Get Crafty: Acorn Nativity

November 11, 2010 by GingerScraps

It’s time to get crafty! Who’s ready? OK…I’m not…hahaha. I haven’t had any time to craft in forever. But, I do have a really cute project to show you. It is my very favorite Christmas decoration. My daughter made this for me when she was about 11. She is 17 now. I pack it very carefully every year.

This is a project that you don’t really need any money for. When Kayla made this she just went searching around the yard at her Grandmas house. She found a few things in the craftroom and a little hot glue. She made this all on her own one afternoon. Came up with the idea in her own cute little brain. 🙂 I love it.

I know a lot of your kids would have fun making something like this. I know all my kids love Nature Crafts. You can find inspiration anywhere. Right in your own back yard!

Here is her “Acorn Nativity Scene”

And here are some close ups. Pretty darn cute isn’t it.

Now go out on a Nature Hike and make one for yourself!

Filed Under: Let's Get Crafty Tagged With: Acorn Nativity, Christmas, craft, crafts with kids, home made, Nativity Scene, Nature Crafts, recycle, reuse

Let’s Get Crafty: Halloween Crafts

October 21, 2010 by GingerScraps

Hi GingerScrapers! I know..I know..I have missed a few Crafty Thursdays…I’m sorry! I have been so busy. I am the team Mom for the Freshmen Football team…our games are on Thursdays. But, not only is it the games, we feed the team and caoches before each game. It’s a big meal and I’m in charge of it! I have to be at the school at 7am to collect all the food from the players. Make sure the food all gets warmed up by the lunch ladies, then serve the food at 2…game time at 5. So, what I’m saying here is…I’m a busy girl during Football sason 🙂 This week my kids don’t have school. We still have a football game though, but I dont have to collect the food until noon:) So, I figured I would do a little Let’s Get Crafty post for you!

Halloween is in like 10 days. I went online to find some cheap and easy Halloween projects to do with my kids and I am going to share them with you!

This first one is a great way to use up all those baby food jars you have laying around..

It’s super easy and fun to make with the kiddos. Go to Skip to my Lou for a tutorial.

How about a spooky tree…

You can get instructions and templates for this one here

How about a cute fabric banner…

You can learn how to make this on Running With Needles

How about making a “Hybrid Banner” Instead of fabric, use your digital scrapbooking supplies! There are so many cute Halloween kits at GingerScraps you could use! How about I give you a free template to make yourself a banner 🙂

I used the kit Gobblin Delights which is a GingerScraps collab that you will be able to get at our Halloween party next weekend! I use Statements by Jodis part for my banner:) Make sure you come to our Halloween Party at GingerScraps to get this kit and lots of fun games and prizes!

You can download your Free Template here!

I hope you make some time to get Crafty today! See you at the Halloween Party

Filed Under: Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, Let's Get Crafty Tagged With: craft, crafts with kids, Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, fall, freebie, GingerBread Ladies, halloween, hybrid, reuse, t-shirt decor, template, Tutorials

Let’s Get Crafty: Scrabble Tile Necklaces

August 18, 2010 by GingerScraps

Thursday!! Let’s Get Crafty!! Woot!!

Let’s make some Scrabble tile Necklaces!

I was so lucky one day and found 2 scrabble games at the Goodwill! I love me some Goodwill! I have been searching for them! I really wanted to make some Scrabble Tile Necklaces!

So, this is my first of many to come. It was so fun and easy to make.

The first thing I did was drill a hole in the top of the tile, a tiny hole with a tiny drill bit.

Then is designed my necklace front in PSE. Printed it on matte photo paper. Covered it with Mod Podge to seal it. Glued it to the back side of the tile. (Wait for the Mod Podge to dry)

Then apply your Diamond Glaze, just a nice smooth coat. I goes on so easy!

Now you just have to wait for it to dry! When it’s nice and dry take a piece of beading wire make a loop in the top and stick it in the hole. Put a little super glue in the hole to hold it. Then put a split ring on the loop and put it on your chain! Your done! You can wear it both ways!

Check out these ones. 🙂 I like cherries. Aren’t they cute!

Have a great day! Go find you some Scrabble Tiles and get crafting!

Filed Under: Let's Get Crafty Tagged With: craft, Crafts, jewelry, reuse, scrabble tile necklaces

Let’s Get Crafty: Old Jeans

August 12, 2010 by GingerScraps

OK..Wow, it’s Thursday! What a week! I am not prepared for this at all! LOL! I thought it was Wednesday! Ha Ha! Well, I don’t have a tutorial for you today. But, I’m sitting here thinking, what the heck can I post about. Hmmm…looking at both of my sons sleeping on the couches. I have some pretty cool couches…there is not one person in the world who has my couches.

Well, yes of course, they are “home made” It all started years ago, my Dad, he is funny about jeans. If he get a tiny speck on his jeans he won’t wear them anymore. But, my Mom, being the crafty queen of the family, thinks, I can’t just throw these away, someday we will do something great with all these jeans.

Then there is me, I love denim, my living room is blue and yellow. A few years ago I bought some denim couches. They were pretty cute when I first bought them, but after a while I realize, this is not very good fabric they used on these couches. It’s like the cheapest, thinnest denim. If you spill, it stains…not good for a house full of kids. Bummer…I was about to have my 4th baby. Company coming to stay, and these couches look like crap.

Mom..help me! My Mom, she is amazing. She can make something beautiful out of nothing. So, we start thinking, I really love the idea of my denim couches, but these need help. “Hey, Julie dear daughter, I have a huge box a your Dad’s jeans I have been saving for years, lets remake your couch with them!” So, we cut and pinned and stapled and sewed. Well, Mom did most of the work and I sat there huge as a house 9 months pregnent braiding the trim for the arms. 🙂

I love my Jean couches, there are even pockets on them. My little boys love to put their cars in the pockets. The cover zips off so I can throw them in the wash. They are indestructible…and that is saying a lot in my house!

So, I will stop babbling and show you….

Pretty funky aren’t they! I love them! We have a new coffee table and new desk, repainted the living room since we made these couches. But the couches live on! It’s like your favorite pair of comfy jeans…only bigger.