Newspaper ring - very cool!

This really funky ring is made out of a newspaper tube.  Actually, the technique I'm going to share with you today can be used for so many different things!  Don't be surprised if a lot of my next projects involve newspaper, I'm just fascinated by how much you can do with it.  This is going to be a long tutorial, so here we go.

You will need:

-newspaper

-skewer

-glue/mod podge

-scissors

-a small piece of felt

-acrylic paint in your favorite color

-small sponge applicator

-an old elastic

-hot glue gun

1. Divide the pages, you only need one sheet.

2. Fold it in thirds

3. Run a knife through the sides and divide it into three pieces.

4.  Take your skewer and fold over the very tip of the paper.  The sheet is horizontal on the table right now.  

5. Slowly start turning the skewer so the paper wraps around it, and make sure to keep it nice and taut, so the paper doesn't unravel.  Keep going till the very end.

6. Apply some glue to the very end of the paper, and fold it over so the sheet won't open up on you.  (Sorry about the blurry picture)

7. Again, sorry for bad picture.  You have a really long skinny tube you made with your sheet of newspaper.  Make sure you remove the skewer from the bottom of your tube.

8. Start folding the edge in, applying glue as you go, so you can make your circle.  

9. Keep wrapping it around, all the way to the end, applying glue as you go.

10. Color your paper disk in whatever color you like, I coated it on thick then went back and removed some of the excess with a paper towel.

11. Mod Podged it, to protect the color and the circle itself.  It takes about 20 minutes for it to dry completely.

12. In the meantime, cut an old elastic to fit around your finger, and a little piece of felt to make a nice finish on your ring.

13. Using your glue gun, attach your elastic and your piece of felt to the back of your circle and let it set.

14. There you have it!  A very cool looking ring!

Here are a couple of colors, don't they look different?  You can make a ton of them, for dirt cheap!  I had a lot of fun with this project, and I hope you'll try it.

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Scarf From Crocheted Flower Pattern!

The inspiration for this scarf design came from a pattern for crocheting flowers! 

  

I learned how to do the crocheted flower from a wonderful tutorial by Teresa at Crochet Mania. I am terrible at crocheting and I was able to do this! 

The only thing I did differently was making the chain long enough to pass as a scarf. My base chain was 200 stitches long. Follow the awesome tutorial and you'll have a super stylin' skinny scarf!!

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Turn Trash into Art! Egg shell picture frame

This, my friends, is an egg shell picture frame.  Don't you love the texture?  I've seen this done in Brazil, and I thought I'd give it a try for this cute valentine's frame I had.  This picture doesn't do it justice, it really is a very cool texture, and you can't really tell what you're looking at, which is half the fun.

Let's get to the tutorial

You will need:

1. Wooden frame ($1.00 at Michael's)

2. Mod Podge ($6.97 at Walmart)

3. Acrylic paint in hot pink ($.50 at Michael's)

4. Sponge applicator ($1.00 for 4 at JoAnn's)

5. Clean and dry egg shells.  I think I have about 8 egg shells here

1. With your finger, apply a thick layer of mod podge to the wood, then brake off little pieces of the egg shells and apply it to the glue.  Make sure to lay them curve side down, so it doesn't poke you or breaks off easily from your frame.

2. Another tip - don't brake the pieces too small, it'll be impossible to handle.  Make them a little bigger and lay them down, then just push it down to crack it right on the frame itself. Much easier to work with that way.

3. Once you've covered your frame, let it dry completely before moving on.  I think it took just about 20 minutes.

4. Using your sponge applicator, paint the edges and the inside of your frame in the color of your choice.

5. Very gently, apply paint to the egg shell surface.  I did two coats.  Just push the sponge down on the surface until you get your desired color intensity.  Let it dry.  

6. Once it's completely dry, apply another layer of mod podge to your frame, it'll protect it and give it a nice shinny finish.  Let it dry.

There you have it!  I made a little flower out of some scraps of tulle and added a little embellishment to my frame, but you could just leave it as is, or do whatever with it, just make it special to you!

Happy Valentine's Day! 

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How To Make Hair Flowers!

These flowers are totally in style now!There is no reason why you should have to pay $4+ to be wearing them!

Here's what you will need

-Bunch of fake gerber daisies (mine came with 7) $2.99 (Sale at JoAnne's)

-Jewels $1.99

-Hair Clips $1

-Hot glue gun

1. The first thing you want to do is pull the flower from the stem. Then take out the front and back of the middle part of the flower.

2. The flower usually comes in a few layers, so pull the layers apart from each other. 

3. Then put the flower back together with hot glue.

4. Glue a jewel to the very middle of the flower. 

5. Glue a hair clip to the middle of the flower in the back. 

6. It's that easy (and inexpensive)! 

This is Anna, Vanessa's cute little girl!

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Cardboard decorative letters - so cheap!!!

Here is a small project I made today with things I had just sitting around at home.  It cost me nothing!  Can you believe these cute letters are made out of cardboard?  My little girl's wall looks so cute!

Of course I'm going to tell you how to make your own!  Here we go.  You will need:
- Computer & printer ( to print out your letters)
- Glue stick
- Scissors
- Cardboard
- Exacto knife
- Pretty scrapbooking paper
- Ribbons and buttons for embelishment
- and of course... glue gun!

- Print out the letters of the name you are going to make.  Choose a font you like and a size that is right for you. Cut them out.

- Make sure you tape them to the cardboard so you can trace it easier.

 

- I made a point to trace with a contrasting color

  

- Use an exacto knife and be patient!  This is the boring part.

  

- Pick out the paper you would like to use for each of your letters.

  

- Make sure your letters are right side on the paper.  Use your glue stick and glue the letters to your paper, then trace a big border around it.  You want a lot of space so you have enough to fold it over your letter.

  

- As you cut your paper, it helps to cut it in small pieces, it makes it easier to fold it over and glue it to your letter.  See my N?  I should have left more room when I cut the paper... so, don't make the same mistake!

  

- Here is the finished product.  From this point just use your creativity and embellish your letters however you like.

 

Here is my end result!  Isn't it cute?  On the wall in her room no one could say I made it out of an old box in my garage!  I love it!

 

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