Sweatshirt Hack: Sparkle Sleeves

Tis the season of sweatshirts. They are warm and comfy, but lordy, they look so frumpy. I love that I've seen other chicas take a pair of scissors to them to alter them in a more fashionable way. I wanted to get in on the fun, but I needed to find a way to make my design appear appealing for my plus-size bod. Here's what I came up with!

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Thankful Thanksgiving Shadowbox

 

I love me a seasonal picture frame. Have I said that before? Anyway I also love me scrapbooking. Man I sound old. Anyway, all that being said Thanksgiving picture frames are far and few between so I grabbed a stack of scrapbooking paper and took matters into my own hands.

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DIY Brooch using Beads in a Bottle

A fun mix of materials and a cool new way to make your own beads, this DIY Brooch using Tulip’s Beads in a Bottle adds sparkle and glamour to your outfit. Check out the tutorial to see how easy it is to make your own “beads” on most any surface.

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Homemade Valentine Cards

While it's texting and emailing is nice and convenient, there is still something fun about handwritten "real" letters and cards.  I think its just means more.  Here are a couple of easy, fun valentine cards you can make.

Fot this first one I printed off a picture of a jar and added text to it.  You could even use Word to do that.  You don't really need any fancy software.

Then I used a glitter pen I had to outline the jar in a sketchy kind of way.  I got my Tulip Beads in a Bottle to make the hearts to fill the jar.

The heart shape is easy to make.  It's basically like drawing a "V" as you squirt out the paint.  I love the 3D texture it gives the card.

For this second card I got out some buttons.

I used Aleene's Tacky dots to attach the buttons to the card.  

Then I wrote some words along the edges of the heart to outline it a bit.

 And that's it - two easy, fun valentine cards.  

I think both would make great framed prints for decor as well.

Beads in a Bottle T-Shirt Embellishment

Want to add a little some something to a boring T-shirt in no time flat? Grab a package of Beads in a Bottle. These little liquid lovelies might be my new favorite crafting tool. I see a lot of painted on beads in my future.

SUPPLIES

T-Shirt

Beads in a Bottle

Grab an old T-shirt. I went with one of my Naughty Secretary Club shirts. Slip your shirt over a piece of cardboard or a box to make it taut and to also prevent paint seeping through to the back of your shirt. Next start squirting out your beads. Getting perfect beads is a lot easier than I thought it would be and I warn you slightly addicting.

Allow your beads to dry completely, mine were ready in an hour or so. I'm inspired to adorn all kinds of things in my closet. No T-shirt is safe. I love the way the beads add dimension and texture. I'm thinking a white T-shirt with a white brail Bead in a Bottle message might be cool.

***This is a sponsored post by I Love to Create - I was compensated & given free supplies. Mama has gotta pay the bills somehow and really who in their right mind would say no to free craft supplies***

10 Rockin' Projects that use Puffy Paint

When you think of Puffy Paint, you might think back to the eighties or early nineties and recall making your own t-shirt.  While, puffy paint has made quite a crafting comeback and the uses for it have branched out quite a bit.  

While the type of puffy paint might vary from project to project (3D paint, Beads in a Bottle, paint pens) all these cool projects make use of some sort of puffy paint.

1) Easter eggs.  I just made these yesterday.  I got out my white 3D paint and wrote the letters on the eggs.  It's simple and pretty Easter decor that you can do in just a few minutes.  I even tried Beads in a Bottle for one of the eggs.

2) Labeled Mason Jars.  While I believe this source (found HERE at Pure and Noble) actually used hot glue, I think puffy paint would be a lot easier to use.  There's no glue strings to deal with.

Here's another way to use it found HERE on Don't Disturb This Groove.

3) Vases.  In the same vein, here's puffy paint on a vase from P.S. I Made This.

4) Canvas Art.  Isn't this so pretty?  She had a smart technique to get the letters just right and you can find her tutorial HERE at Virginia and Charlie.

Here's another idea of how to use it on canvas (or wood in this case) found HERE at Me and My Three Sisters.

5) Pumpkins.  HERE is my pumpkin from last year and check out a great round up of other puffy paint pumpkins HERE.

6) Clothing.  While clothing might be an obvious use, check out the amazing ways these ladies use it.  So hip.  Alisa Burke works serious magic with this stuff.

Ashley at Lil Blue Boo uses it to look like rhinestones HERE.

I used it to look like metal studs on this Viking tee.

7) Gripper Socks.  I made these a while back for Rex.  He loved them and they helped him slip less.  Find the tutorial HERE (and I added an addendum to that tutorial a while back, advising dots or small shapes instead because the pictures work, but they crack a bit in the wash due to the stretchiness of the socks.)

9) Texturizing Fabric.  I added Beads in a Bottle HERE to make it look like stitched on beads on this clutch.  It's a lot less work than stitching on beads.

10) Novelty Projects.  Check that out.  I'm not ready to do it to my camera, but it looks pretty cool.  It's found HERE.

Have you seen any additional ways to use it?  It's pretty fun stuff.

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Fuzzy Slipper Makeover!

How many of you received a pair of fuzzy slippers this season? My son got me these and as soon as I saw them I knew exactly what I was going to do with them! I used my Crafty Chica Cupcake Applique ($1 here!) and Tulip Beads in a Bottle to bring them to life!!


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MAYA IN THE MOMENT: No-Sew Word Pillows (made from 1 pillowcase!)

 One of the first things I want to do this year is clean up my room and bring in new, positive energy. Craftyness is a good trait to have in this area! These are some word pillows I made to remind myself to always word hard and play nice! And guess what? I made them from ONE pillowcase that I found in our laundry cabinet!

 Supplies:
Assorted scrap fabric pieces
Scissors

2 packages of Aleene's® Fabric Fusion® Peel and Stick Sheets™ 
Tulip® Beads in a Bottle™ Paint
Fiberfill stuffing
 

 Open one package of the sticky sheets and cut them in half. You can scan fonts from a computer program, but I just cut out my letters freehand. FLIP the sheet over so your letter is cut from the back, this is very important, I found out. My mom helped me figure this part out, it has to do with the way the sticky sheets come off, trust me, do it!

Draw and cut out your letters for your words.

 Here are the words for my first pillow!

 Peel off the top protective sheet from one letter at a time and place the fabric, flat on top, design side up. The tape is really sticky, so try not to touch it! Once all your letters are covered with fabric, set them aside.

 Fold the pillowcase in half, widthwise, and cut up the side.
 This will give you two casings for pillows!

 Peel off the protective backs from each letter and place them on the pillow fronts. Peel and stick, so simple and not messy at all!

 Use the Beads in a Bottle to add dots all around the edges of each letter. This will pull the design together and seal down any raw edges of your letters. I like the gold glitter best! You can also use Tulip 3D paint or fabric paint. Let dry for an hour!

 I ironed a hem on the inside seams and cut more strips of the sticky sheets and pressed them in place. Fill the pillows with the fiberfill, remove the backing and press in place to seal. They are now permanent and washable!

 And here is the finished result! Cute, no???

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