Holiday DIY: Fun Gifts For Anyone

This is probably the most fun project I've done...I just kept laughing while it was all coming together. This was also a really simple project so it would make for a great last-minute gift!

I took some of these fabulous porcelain paint markers (Pebeo vitrea 160 in glossy)

And drew funny faces and mustaches on some dollar store mugs.Let the paint dry for 24 hours then bake in the oven according to the marker's directions.

Then I made some chocolate dipped stirring spoons and marshmallows with some of these fun ingredients!

I also threw in some airplane sized liquor bottles and hot chocolate! Yummy! Hot cocoa, Bailey's Irish Creme (or Kahlua - or Frangelico!) and some chocolate dipped spoons...who wouldn't want that?!

Here's a quick tutorial on how to make the chocolate dipped spoons.

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Holiday DIY: Simple Filled and Painted Ornaments Tutorial

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm addicted to making ball ornaments this year! It's just so simple and there are so many variations!

You can fill glass ball ornaments with yarn, twine, feathers, fake snow, pine needles and random craft supplies. You can also fill them with paint! It's so easy to do.All you need is a clear ornament and your favorite acrylic paint.I'm really loving Martha Stewart's paint line. It is full of so many gorgeous colors and shades.

Squirt about a teaspoon of paint directly into the ornament. 

Slowly swirl it around until it coats the inside.

Use a plastic bottle or paper cup to store the ornament upside down. Leave it there overnight so that all the excess paint runs out.

Add the metal cap and voila! A lovely painted ornament in any shade you choose! You can use acrylic paint to add details to the outside, or leave it blank.

Update: Here are a couple of additional tips based on questions and comments over the past year:

• Be sure to start with a small amount of paint. If it doesn't coat the inside entirely, you can add more as you go. Adding too much at the start may slow the drying process.
• Leave the painted ornament upside down for at least 24 hours to let all the paint run out.
• Having the paint drip out will make the opening of the ornament messy -- clean it with a baby wipe or paper towel. Or once its dry, sand the paint enough so the metal cap can be put back in its place

I also tried filling with Martha Stewart's flocking powder. It leaves a nice, cotton candy-like texture.

I used some varnish to coat the inside of the ornament first...to give the flocking powder something to stick to.

Let it dry for 15 minutes, not completely, just enough to get sticky. Then coat the inside with the flocking powder. 

Using the same varnish to coat another ornament, I poured some candy sprinkles inside! These would be great stocking stuffers for kids..just make sure they don't try to eat them! You could seal the metal top with some glue on the inside if you're worried about that ;)

Update: For the ornaments using varnish, be careful only to use a small amount. The flocking powder ornament especially requires just enough varnish to make the inside of the glass tacky to the touch. Any more will be too wet and cause clumping. 

I got a little carried away with the paint selection. I tried glitter, satin, high gloss and pearl. Each makes a different, yet gorgeous effect.

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What are you filling your ornaments with this year?

Holiday DIY: Felt Tree Tutorial

Here's another quick holiday DIY tutorial for you! :)

These felt trees use very few supplies, but they do take a bit of time.

Supplies needed:

• 1 Styrofoam Cone (found at your local craft store)
• 5-6 sheets of felt
• scissors
• pearl head pins (find these in the sewing section - in different colors and sizes)

I chose white felt and multi-colored pins. I think they would look great in all white felt with all gold head pins. Or green with white...etc. The options are almost endless :)

Start by cutting your felt sheets into 1 inch wide strips.

Next, cut each strip into squares.
Then, cut each square into a circle. If you have a circle cutter tool, this could help speed up the process. I cut all my circles by hand! Yikes!

Take a circle and fold it in half, the fold in half again. It should look like a fortune cookie.

Next, stick a pin through the middle two layers of felt and bring out the back.

Pin the felt to the tree. Be sure to fill in all the blank spots so the green foam doesn't show through.

You can pin the circles to the top or add a star or other ornament.

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Holiday DIY: Painted Ornament Tutorial

Here's another simple yet cute ornament you can make with just a couple of supplies.

Just like my yarn ornament tutorial showed, you can start with a simple glass or plastic ball ornament, fill it with scrap yarn and add some acrylic paint.

 Gather your supplies:

• yarn or fiber fill stuffing
• acrylic paint in selected colors
• small paint brushes
• plastic or glass clear ornaments

For these ornaments, I used my scrap yarn leftover from my dandelion pom poms to fill the ornament. I also chose metallic acrylic paint for the penguin.






The penguin is very simple. First, paint the back solid and bring around to the front. Arch just past the metal closure and end at a point (around where you want the eyes).

Next, choose black paint and dip the handle of your paint brush to make the eyes. Dip a small paint brush in white for the dots of the eyes.

A small yellow or orange triangle, painted upside-down, makes a simple beak.

Add a wider triangle for each foot.

And that's it!

I also made a snowflake using simple lines and adding different sizes of dots on each line.

These make great last minute stocking stuffers! I'll be posting more simple tutorials for ornaments and other holiday decor over the next couple of weeks. Most will be made with fewer than five supplies or stuff you may already have lying around the house! Stay tuned!
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WIMW: Dandy Poufs and Painted Vases

This week's "What-I-Made Wednesday" features even more office decor. One of these days, I'll be done decorating my new office...probably right before we move!

This WIMW also combines two Pinterest finds into one. The first are these super cute yarn pom dandelions. The second Pinterest find are these gorgeous painted vases.

I found a bunch of vases at the thrift store ranging from .25 cents to $1 buck.

I also chose to mix blue + pink for the largest vase. I love the cotton candy look!

I made the white dandelions super tight. But then I made larger, fluffier versions with a multi-colored yarn.

Have you tried either of these projects, yet?

Don't forget, you can share what you've made recently by posting a pic/link on my Facebook page for What I Made Wednesday.

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What I Made Wednesday: Paper Doll Tutorial + Template!

Okay so I can finally show you my tutorial that I hinted at, here!

It's a movable paper doll! 

This tutorial came about last week when I searched Etsy for some last minute birthday gifts. I found the cutest paper dolls!  Unfortunately, I didn't have time to buy them and have it shipped in time for her birthday.

So I decided to make my own. 

I drew up a couple of silly doll ideas and cut them out. Then I colored them in.

Quick Tip: Save some time by drawing and coloring your design on your computer...then print in color! My neck really hurt after a while hunched over with colored pencils!!

I decided to help make it a little easier for you by offering a template of my Oktoberfest Fox! Click the pic below for the full sized view. You can right click and save it to your desktop :)

You can choose to use either the blank template or the completed fox outfit. Once you print it out, color it in or make your own design.

Here's what you'll need:

• thick cardstock paper (white)
• colored pencils, crayons, etc (or print in color)
• scissors
• pencil (if you want to sketch out your design)
• pin or needle
• metal brads (you can find these in the scrapbooking aisle of any craft store!)

Sorry about the different sizes on the instructions :) I'd love to see your versions or let me know if you've made one before! 


Have fun!

Polymer Clay Bird's Nest Tutorial

I'm so excited to share with you a quick tutorial on how to make my very popular bird's nest hairpins. These are great attached to a bobby pin, brooch pin or attached to a bail and worn as a necklace.

Tip: Be sure to follow the baking instructions on your package of clay!

If you've never worked with polymer clay before, it's actually fairly simple. The best clay to start with is SculpeyIII as it is incredibly soft and easy to mold. You can also try FIMOSOFT. Other clays can be harder to work with because they take more time to warm up. If you choose one of the harder clays, rip off a small chunk and hold it in your hand for several minutes to warm it up. This makes it easier to work with.

Once it's warm, you can roll it in your hands and fold it to make it more workable. Polymer clay is ready when you fold it and it no longer cracks.

For this tutorial, you will need the following:

• Brown polymer clay
• Light blue polymer clay
• A smooth working surface
• Exacto knife
• Something to attach (bail, pin, etc)
• Glue (E6000)

{This tutorial will make approx 4 nests}

1. Cut or tear off about an inch of blue clay

2. Work clay till it's soft and manageable by folding in half and rolling

3. Tear off 3 equal pieces of the softened blue

4. Roll each blue piece into a tiny ball

5. Holding one side of the ball with your finger, roll across your hand until it forms an egg shape (set the eggs to the side for now)

6. Make an inch ball of the brown. Take a small piece of brown (about 1/4 of your ball) and roll it into a smaller ball

7. Using your fingers/hand, flatten that brown ball into a pancake

8. Separate the remaining brown clay into equal pieces -- 2 or 3

9. Roll each piece into long snake-like strands

10. Take one strand of brown and wrap around the base of your nest (the brown pancake)

11. Wrap the strand around the pancake, piling higher onto itself, about three times

12. Use an exacto knife to cut the strand and press it gently into itself so it sticks

13. Roll the remainder of the strand till it's as skinny as it can get

14. Cut the skinny strand into several small lines (about 5 or 6)

15. Drape each small line across the nest, unevenly, so it looks like sticks and strands of straw

16. Once you have draped to your liking, pile 3 of your blue eggs inside the nest

17. Gently press the eggs and nest together so they will adhere to each other

18. After you've made as many as you want, bake the pieces according to the package instructions

19. Once they've cooled, use the glue to attach each nest to your finding

20. Wear them proudly -- oh yeah! You are so crafty!!



{P.S. Click each tutorial photo to enlarge for details}