Scrabble Tile Magnets

I recently made some art using scrabble tile pieces and had some tiles left over. I decided to use the tiles to make some fun magnets as a house warming gift. I had purchased an old scrabble set from the thrift store and the rest of the supplies were items I already had in my craft stash. The magnets are super cute and will also look great using small prints of pictures or images to reflect someones hobby. This is a fun and simple project that you can enjoy with kids and the possibilities are endless.

Supplies
Scrabble Tiles
Decorative Paper ( eg. scrapbook paper)
Magnets (round 15 mm / 0.6 in)
Hot Glue or Super Glue
Glue Gun
ModPodge
Dimensional Magic
Scissors
Small Brush

Instructions
1. Cut the decorative paper to fit the face of the tile, and glue the paper onto tile using ModPodge. Let the tile dry before moving onto the next step.

2. Apply the Dimensional Magic to the top of the decorative paper starting in the center of the tile and working outward. Work slowly releasing a small amount of the solution at a time; a little will go a long way. Remove any bubbles with a pin or needle tip.

3. Let dry for several hours on a flat surface. For best results, I recommend drying overnight and covering with a glass to prevent dust particles from settling on the surface while it dries.

4. Apply a small drop of hot glue or super glue to the back of the tile and press the magnet to attach. Let set or follow instructions on the glue you have used.

Now enjoy!

Here are some other projects you may also want to try:

DIY Coasters
Flowers and Butterfly Magnets
Decorative Magnets
Bottle Cap Magnets
DIY Trinket Box

DIY Painted Cross Stitch Art

I have seen several painted cross stitch art pieces online and in some of my favourite magazines. This week I finally decided to try it out on a small wood panel. Overall it was a little time consuming, but I had so much fun with this project. I think it is so sweet and a wonderful project that both adults and kids can enjoy making.

I started off by creating a cross stitch design on paper that could fit onto a small board and kept it simple by selected only a few colours. I found it very helpful to work out my design on paper initially and it was a great guide. In the end, I did make a few small changes to the design, but stayed pretty close to the original concept.

Materials
8 x 10 inch Wood Art Board or Wood Painting Panel
Acrylic Paint (desired colours)
Paint Brush
Paint Tray
Pencil
Ruler
Sealant (optional)

Instructions
1.   White wash the wood panel (optional) and draw pencil lines one inch apart to create a grid.

2.  Select your paint colours and paint your cross stitch design onto the wood panel using "X's" within the 1" squares. I used "Martha Stewart Crafts" acrylic craft paints in the following colours: Peppermint Bark, Camellia Pink, Scottish Highlands, Green Curry, Pollen and Tartan Red. I also used a size 6 round brush. You can use a different brand of acrylic craft paint or use a smaller or ticker brush.

3.  Paint your design with the different colour paints your have selected. Use the paint with a dry brush to reduce the colour bleeding on the edges. Remember to clean your brush between colours.

4.  You can protect your finished art work by applying a protective coat of clear varnish or other clear sealant (optional). Now you are ready to hand and enjoy your new art piece.

This project can be done on several small panels to create one large art piece or you can use a single larger wood panel. I think it will be fun to place four small panels together that are each different, but with a similar motif. I did not invest a lot of money into my panel, I actually found the panel at the dollar store, which was a great buy. If you will like to use a larger or higher quality wood art panel, try your local art supply store.

Let me know what you think of this project and if you will try it yourself.

Happy crafting!

Holiday Gift Wrapping

Wrapping gifts for the holidays is one of my favourite things to do. I love making them look special and they look wonderful under the Christmas tree. If you will like to make your holiday gifts a little more special this year, why not add a little embellishment to your gift wrapping. Dress things up with bits of nature, beautiful ribbons, beads and perhaps even a little bling or glitter. I hope this little tutorial will give you some ideas on how you can wrap your holiday gifts.

Materials
Gift Box
2 Paper Doilies (size based on box)
Gift Tag
Small Pine Cone (optional)
Narrow Ribbon
Wide Ribbon
Jute or Baker’s Twine
Hot Glue Sticks
Hot Glue Gun
Scissors

Instructions
1. Centre the doilies on top of the gift box and secure with a small bead of hot glue. Then wrap the ends of the doilies around the top edge of the gift box. Secure the ends of the doilies with small beads of hot glue on all sides (you can also use double sided tape).

2. Wrap the narrow ribbon around the gift box and tie at the top centre.

3. Make a ribbon loop with the wide ribbon, then tie the ribbon loop to the centre of the gift box using the ends of the narrow ribbon. Cut the ends of the ribbons to the same length at an angle.

4. Hot glue the pine cone onto the gift box next to the bow.

5. Attach twine to the gift tag and tie the twine under the bow.

Happy gift wrapping.

Tips! Depending on how thick your doilies are you should use two doilies stacked on each other. The beautiful gift tag used for this project is from Gotamago at www.gotamago.com.

Jute Ornament

I love making holiday decorations and I am very excited this year to get started with some fun projects. This jute ornament can take a little time to make, but it is very fun and super cute for holiday decorating. You can make a loop for hanging or you can simply cover the styrofoam ball in jute and put on display. You can make them all the same size or you can vary the size of the styrofoam balls.

Supplies
Styrofoam Ball (desired size)
Jute Twine
Hot Glue Sticks
Hot Glue Gun
Scissors

Instructions
1. Turn in the end of your twine and glue onto the styrofoam ball with a small dot of glue.

2. Place a small bead of glue on the styrofoam ball close to the twine and wrap twine around the first piece of twine.

3. Continue the process of gluing and wrapping in small sections at a time until you cover the surface of the styrofoam ball and you are left with a small opening on the opposite end.

4. Cut the remaining twine to your desired length to make a loop for your ornament to hang from, or cut close to the base and leave just enough twine to fill the final space on the styrofoam ball.

5. Place a dot of hot glue in the middle of the small opening and press the end of the twine into the space.

Now your ornament is ready to use. Have fun!

DIY Summer Tie Dye

Nothing says summer like a tie dyed T-shirt, tank top or scarf? Tie-dye can be so versatile and fun. There are tons of techniques you can use and each provides endless possibilities. If you are looking for a way to breath new life into an old garment or you are simply looking to add a splash of colour to your decor, consider tie dying.

Today's projects only took about an hour and were super fun to make. The first item is a scarf (thrift store find) and the second is a 100% cotton tank top.

The original scarf (left) and the finished tie-dyed scarf (right). The scarf was scrunched on the ends and
dip dyed to create an ombre effect.

Plain tank top (left) and the finished dip dyed tank top (right). The tank top was loosely twisted
while being placed into the dye bath (see below).

Supplies
Dye packet (1)
Salt (based on instructions)
Garment (tip: use cotton, silk, linen or other natural fibre for best results)
Pot, large basin or bucket (tip: consider purchasing a stainless steel pot at your local thrift store)
Rubber gloves
Rubber bands
Large spoon
Measuring cup

What we used:
1 Tin Dylon hot water dye in "Windsor Purple"
100% Cotton tank top
Scarf from thrift store (unknown fibre)

Instructions
Step1 - Prepare garments by washing and rinsing thoroughly. Squeeze out the excess water and keep damp. Fold, twist or scrunch the fabric as desired and hold in place with several rubber bands.

Step 2 - Prepare dye bath as instructed on the dye package.

The Dylon dye we used required mixing in boiling water to dissolve the dye. The dye mixture was then added to the pot and water was added, just enough to cover the garments. The salt was added and stirred into the dye bath. The mixture was brought to a simmer for twenty minutes while stirring constantly.

Step 3 - Allow the garment to sit in the dye bath to intensify the colour and to get a stronger result.

Step 4 - Rinse fabric until water runs clear and remove the rubber bands as you are rinsing. Hang to dry, away from heat or direct sunlight.

Tips: Using the salt, ironing and/or placing the item in the dryer can help to set the colour.

If you are looking for a natural dye option check out our post on: Making Natural Dyes.

Flowers and Butterfly Magnets

My youngest son and I were at the craft store recently, when suddenly he was at my side with a sprig of flowers that had a butterfly attached at the top. He had a beautiful smile and handed me the sprig of flowers and said, "this is for you mommy." Needless to say, he was rewarded with a big hug and kiss. I purchased the flowers as his gift to me, but really did not have a purpose for them. After giving it some thought I got the idea to make magnets. I will have a useful purpose for them, and it is a great way to show my son how much I appreciate his thoughtful gift.

With the use of a scissors, some hot glue and a small magnet; several really cute magnets were created.

My little guys love the magnets and really enjoy playing with them on the refrigerator.

I think that they are really cute and will make a fun gift. If you are interested in making these magnets, they are really easy to make and are lots of fun. Just cut the back of your flowers as close to the base as possible, then hot glue it to a small magnet. For a full magnet tutorial, check out decorative magnets and the super cute bottle cap magnets.

I hope that you will try making your own flowers and butterfly magnets. Enjoy!

Vintage Cotton Pillowcase Apron

I had so much fun making the vintage pillowcase apron that I shared with you last year; that I wanted to make another apron for myself and I have even added the idea to my Aprons class. I found this vintage cotton pillowcase at the thrift store and fell in love with the beautiful yellow rose print. I decided to combine the fabric with some yellow cotton gingham that I had in my fabric stash for some time now.

I was so busy that it took me way too long to find the time to make the apron. In the end, it also took me a lot longer to finish it; but I am so happy that it is finally finished.

If you follow my Instagram, then you would have seen a picture of this cute apron already. However, I really wanted to share more details about the apron and hopefully inspire you to try making your own. I am really happy with the way the apron turned out and I think it is really cute. Let me know what you think!

DIY Trinket Box

Several weeks ago I posted a picture of the "Gulliver's Travels" trinket box I made for my eldest son. I originally posted it on Instagram and I have received several inquires about it, so I decided to share it as today's crafty project.

It was a simple and fun project to do and was made to store a few little odds and ends. I really love the way it turned out and I am considering doing something similar with some bigger boxes. I also think it provides great storage and is a fun craft project that can be done with kids.

Supplies
Paper mache box
Decorative paper
Mod Podge
Sponge brush
Jute twine
Hot glue sticks
Hot glue gun

Instructions
1. Cut the decorative paper to fit the top of your trinket box lid.

2. Use mod podge to glue the decorative paper in place on the top of the lid, remove any air bubbles and let dry.

3. Apply several coats of mod podge and let dry between coats.

4. Hot glue twine around the edge of the lid.

5. Hot glue twine on the outside of the box, leaving space at the top of the box for the lid to sit and cover the box securely.

Tip! The top of my trinket box was covered with craft tissue paper, which I printed with a page from "Gulliver's Travels." To print on tissue paper, you may have to bond it to card stock or other printer paper to make it easier to print on.

Crafty Idea: Nesting Box Storage

I have had these pearlized lime green nesting gift boxes for a long time. I originally purchased them at a packaging store for my fashion design business, but found that they were too heavy. I decided to keep them and now I finally have a purpose for them.

I used the Martha Stewart - Adhesive Metal Bookplate, which was easy to use and is a great way to convert these boxes into storage boxes. With the help of a sewing gauge I was able to centre each label easily. The boxes are perfect to store a few odds and ends in my craft studio.

Valentine's Felt Heart Candy Sachet

If you are looking for a quick, easy and very last minute Valentine's Day token, what about making this felt heart candy sachet. All you need is two small pieces of felt, 3mm ribbon, a tapestry needle, and candy. The project takes about twenty minutes to make and you will have a cute little gift.

Cut the felt in the shape of a heart, and using a tapestry needle start stitching from top centre around the edge of the heart at about ⅜ to ½ inch from the edge. Before making your last few stitches, fill the heart with your candy and close the opening with a few more stitches that meet at the centre top.

To finish off your candy sachet, tie the ribbon in a bow and trim the ends of the ribbon. I pulled my ribbon just a little to make small gathers at the top. A great alternative to felt may be a piece of red silk or other fabric. If you do not have any ribbon, you can also use yarn or tapestry thread as an alternative. The finished size depends on how much candy you have and how big you will like to make the sachet.

Happy Valentine's Day!

DIY Artwork

I think that art is very personal and means different things to each person. The possibilities are endless when it comes to finding art or creating art for your home. Recently I have been exploring some DIY art ideas as past of the Home Decorating Challenge. In my quest to find interesting art pieces for the gallery walls I am designing, I have decided to explore several options.

I have seen some wonderful "dictionary art" pieces and I really love the idea of combining beautiful images with the written word. I love the look and wanted to try some of my own. However, I really hate the idea of destroying a book, so I decided to copy some words from the dictionary and place them together to make my own dictionary page.

After copying the words I had to trim around the edges and then placed them together to create a new page. I then copied the new page onto a sheet of vintage scrapbook paper, which has a beautiful aged look. I had to cut my scrapbook sheets down to an 8 ½ x 11inch sheet, and used my laser printer.

The image I used is a vintage coral print, which I found online several years ago. I did a few small edits in Photoshop and printed on top of the words. There are a few other ideas that I will like to try, and I will include a couple coloured vintage prints. For my other pieces, I will also play with a combination of words that are connected to the image and will also play with some other elements. This project can easily be done with other types of copy, so I will explore some other options as well.

I hope that my project has inspired you to try making some DIY artwork.

DIY Holiday Gift Wrapping

Wrapping gifts is a holiday favourite of mine. I love finding creative ways to present my gifts and I prefer to use materials that can be reused or is recyclable. I think that an important part of gift giving is the presentation and there are so many ways that you can present a gift.

I like to get my Christmas shopping done early, which allows me to take my time with the wrapping. Each Christmas I like to do something different so I generally give some advance thought to what supplies I would need. After I have gathered my supplies, I prepare an area that I can designate as a "wrapping station." This year I have kept things simple and have chosen basic Kraft paper, Kraft paper bags, jute, yarn and red velvet ribbons. I purchased a roll of Kraft paper from Wal-Mart and found Kraft paper bags at the dollar store. The red velvet ribbons are from Chapters and HomeScene. The jute and yarn are left over from previous projects.

Other great options are strips of vintage fabric or bias cut fabric, which I use as ribbon. I have also sewn fabric bags as an alternative to paper gift bags. Newspaper comics and regular news print are also fun alternatives to wrapping paper.

If you are looking for other great holiday gift-wrapping ideas, I have rounded up some of my favourites:

• Winter Scene Painting Gift Toppers
• Handmade Holiday Woodland Wrapping
• DIY Pintuck Plaid Gift Wrap
• Christmas Chalkboard Packaging
• Printable Chalkboard Gift Tags for any Occasion
• Handmade Holiday Gift Baskets
• Handcrafted Sugar Cookie Gift Sack
• Gift Toppers
• Photo Gift Tags
• Chalkboard Christmas Gift Tags and Labels
• Freebie Printable Christmas Wrapping Paper

Happy gift-wrapping!

Vintage Pillowcase Apron

I found this great vintage cotton pillowcase at just .99 cents, and I just had to add it to my vintage fabric collection. There is a hole in the fabric and I had to find a way to mend it so I decided to do an appliqué. I have shared with you the hand embroidered appliqué and the embroidery stitches that I did, so here is the finished apron.

The waistband was made from the same white vintage cotton that I used for the appliqués. I added a bit of interest with a running stitch just along the front.

I like repurposing pillowcases and I really enjoyed this project. An apron is a great gift idea and I think I will be making a few of these this holiday season. There are so many creative ways you can go with an apron project.

Do you have any ideas on how to repurpose a pillowcase?