"Charm-ing" Recycled Jewelry Charms: A Tutorial

I've been on a bit of a bird kick lately.  I love collecting bird images and bird crafts on one of my Pinterest boards and I think I've gone a little bird crazy.

So, when my Mom offered me some old pet ID tags, I couldn't resist using them to create a bird-inspired charm bracelet.

I made a bunch of these charms, with different images on them.  I've posted directions on the entire process on my Hubpages.  I also used these handmade charms to create a few different items, like a necklace and a beaded bracelet.

These jewelry pieces are easy and a lot of fun to make.  I used just a bunch of paper and things I had around the house to create my charms.   And I'm having a lot of fun wearing them, too.  I hope you try making your own charms!

Favorites: Crafting the Perfect Personal Journal

I enjoy keeping a journal and usually have three I use at a time.  I have one where I keep a list of books I want to read, movies that I'd like to see, travel ideas, and other things I want to research. I have another journal where I develop my craft project ideas, and a third book where I make notes on my knitting projects.  I take great care in choosing each of these journals, and I want each book to have a special look and feel to it.  These are personal items and I like each one to be unique in its own way.

However, the super nice and pretty journals can get expensive and sometimes the ugly ones on the clearance table are a tempting alternative.  So I created a way to cover the not-so-pretty journals with a unique woven paper design to add color, creativity, and personality to my journal or sketchbook.  This same technique can also be used to beautify and upcycle a diary, scrapbook, family albums, photo albums, baby books, and wedding albums.

This paper craft uses the basic weaving technique that most of us learned in art class in school.  The materials are hardcover book, some decorative paper and some Mod Podge.

 

More photos and a step by step tutorial are on my Hubpages.  This tutorial is also featured on AnyoneCanScrapbook.com.  I hope you check it out!

Celebrating Independence Day ~ the 4th of July!

I've been wanting to make a door decoration to celebrate the 4th of July for quite some time.  I love some of the patriotic crafts I see on Pinterest, but I wanted to make something bold and summery for our front door, and hopeful something that would use materials I had on hand.

I started with a simple flag design, created using pickets made from scrap wood.  I painted these pickets with a stylized star and stripes pattern.  Then I added some artificial blooms to the top edge for a touch of summer.

You can find all the direction on my blog on Hubpages!  Enjoy!!

Recycled/Repurposed Crafts for Kids - Great Ideas for Summer!

http://www.savvysassymoms.com/blog/recycled-crafts-roundup/

 

I was thrilled to be contacted by Angela Anman from SavvySassyMoms.com to have my Crayon Covered Gift Jars included in her summer article 8 Recycled Crafts to Try With Kids.

Along with my Crayon Covered Gift Jars, there are some wonderful craft projects included here.  I definitely want to try the Folded Paper Bracelets by Picklebums and I love the little Hula Dolls made from toilet paper rolls by MollyMoo Crafts.  I think once I show my husband the Cardboard Box Lap Tray from A Centsible Life, he's going to want one so he can lounge about in bed  :)

Please check out this recycled craft roundup and see all these great craft ideas!

Geometric Bead Necklace Tutorial: Yea or Nay?

I've really been enjoying making these painted bead necklaces.  This is my latest, but also may be my favorite.  With this necklace, I used geometric wooden beads to add a bright impact to my necklace.

You can find my tutorial on how to paint these wooden beads on my Hubpages.  For the geometric beads, I painted each bead in a different color, with two sides painted in a darker shade and two sides painted in a lighter shade.  When I wear this necklace, these beads turn and show different shades of color as I move.

Though I love this necklace, my husband isn't a fan.  He seems "geometrically opposed" to it. 

Crayon Covered Gift Jars: Great for Teacher Appreciation Gifts, Party Favors or Table Decor

Just posted a fun and easy tutorial for these colorful crayon covered gift jars on my Hubpages.  This recycled/repurposed jar project makes great gifts for:

•  a teacher appreciation present
• favors for a child's birthday or baby shower
• art activity for a children's party or family celebration
• table decorations for a family picnic, baby shower, or school funraiser
• or a colorful gift for anyone you choose!

These jars can be filled with so many things: flowers, candy, plants, school or art supplies.  I made a few of these for a friend's "girls get-together/art party".  They were a big hit and I really loved how they came out.  For more photos and complete directions, visit my blog. 

New Obsession: Cupcake-Style Embroidered Pincushion Tutorial

Not sure what is happening to me, but I've developed a bit of an obsession with little vintage-styled handmade pincushions.  I have a Pinterest board just loaded with them.  After seeing all those charming pincushions, I couldn't help but create my own and post the tutorial.

My tutorial makes a cupcake-styled pincushion.  I'm not great at sewing, so I used buttons to decorate my needle holder, then just  added a little bit of embroidery to make it special.  I topped off my pincushion with a lace doily and vintage button, but you could also use a coordinating piece of fabric or more buttons, beads, or trim.

Find all the directions for this tutorial on my Hubpages!