Instructions:
- Wrap rolls of toilet paper is Fall patterned fabrics.
- Shove a stick in the center to hold the fabric in place and create a stem.
Friday, November 2, 2012
TP Your House (Fake Pumpkins IV)
M saw these at her piano teacher's house and had to add them to our Fall decor To-Do list.
Instructions:
Instructions:
Friday, October 5, 2012
Read Any Good Gourds Lately? (Fake Pumpkins III)
Another idea we stole from Pinterest. The original instructions are HERE.
~This seems like a perfect way to use those old blades, but it's more work. A sharp exacto works much better, but expect to dull the blade quickly.
~It works better to keep the book closed and use the pages that you've already cut as a guide. If you open the book to move the finished pages out of your way, be sure to use the template as your guide. Otherwise, there is a tendency for each layer to get smaller and smaller as you go.
~You can always trim up uneven edges once the basic shape is done. Unless you like the rough, messy look.
~I used a cheap ink pad to color the edges of the pages. I just fanned the closed book slightly and rubbed the ink pad along the edges from both directions. I don't have the patience to wait for paint to dry.
~Books with supple bindings work much better than books that crack apart as you bend them. If you have a small dowel that you can shape the binding around, it helps the pages spread more evenly. The pumpkin in the photo is the only one that we were able to get to look alright.
~This seems like a perfect way to use those old blades, but it's more work. A sharp exacto works much better, but expect to dull the blade quickly.
~It works better to keep the book closed and use the pages that you've already cut as a guide. If you open the book to move the finished pages out of your way, be sure to use the template as your guide. Otherwise, there is a tendency for each layer to get smaller and smaller as you go.
~You can always trim up uneven edges once the basic shape is done. Unless you like the rough, messy look.
~I used a cheap ink pad to color the edges of the pages. I just fanned the closed book slightly and rubbed the ink pad along the edges from both directions. I don't have the patience to wait for paint to dry.
~Books with supple bindings work much better than books that crack apart as you bend them. If you have a small dowel that you can shape the binding around, it helps the pages spread more evenly. The pumpkin in the photo is the only one that we were able to get to look alright.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Jug-O-Lanterns (Fake Pumpkins II)
Our next super easy pumpkin craft comes from...well, all over the internet.
1. Wash and save as many gallon milk jugs as you like.
2. Paint the lids green.
3. Use a permanent black marker to draw faces on the jugs.
4. Fill with colored water. Our orange is 35 drops yellow, and 6 drops of red in each gallon of water.
5. Before displaying, drop an orange glow stick inside (admittedly, this was not very impressive. We're still tweaking the glowing part. Since electricity and water don't play well together...).
It has already occurred to M that we don't have to stick to orange. Purple and green would be cool too.
I love that these use recycled materials (mostly), are frost proof, won't rot and can be emptied on the garden when we're done with them. We found a 12 pack or orange glow sticks at Michael's for $3.
A local farm stand wanted $4.25 for a gallon sized pumpkin. That makes me love these even more.
Since there are no sharp objects involved, and messing up just means using the other side of the jug--or getting a new one--even a 2 year old (or 40 year old with no salvageable drawing skills) could make these.
1. Wash and save as many gallon milk jugs as you like.
2. Paint the lids green.
3. Use a permanent black marker to draw faces on the jugs.
4. Fill with colored water. Our orange is 35 drops yellow, and 6 drops of red in each gallon of water.
5. Before displaying, drop an orange glow stick inside (admittedly, this was not very impressive. We're still tweaking the glowing part. Since electricity and water don't play well together...).
It has already occurred to M that we don't have to stick to orange. Purple and green would be cool too.
I love that these use recycled materials (mostly), are frost proof, won't rot and can be emptied on the garden when we're done with them. We found a 12 pack or orange glow sticks at Michael's for $3.
A local farm stand wanted $4.25 for a gallon sized pumpkin. That makes me love these even more.
Since there are no sharp objects involved, and messing up just means using the other side of the jug--or getting a new one--even a 2 year old (or 40 year old with no salvageable drawing skills) could make these.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Fake Pumpkins I
M has decided that we need to make decorations for this fall. I sigh in resignation, but realize that she is right, too. Even though Autumn is my favorite time of year (at least until Spring comes), I have almost no embellishments for that season. The cinnamon broom that gave me migraines got chucked within days.
Seasonal crafts abound, but we're going to challenge ourselves to use items that we already have on hand, or are cheaper than dirt. And we're going to major on pumpkins this year, but buying real ones is out of the question.
Enter our first Fake Pumpkin project, and quite possibly the easiest craft idea on the planet (unless, of course, you have to crawl all the way to the back, under the basement stairs where the canning supplies are stored, like I did). It requires no special skills, equipment, or even crafting, for that matter.
Zip tie old canning jar rings together and stick a cinnamon stick in the middle. Ta-Da! That's it. You could stuff a piece of burlap or fabric in with the stem for a leaf if you wanted to get fancy. We might add a bit from our bittersweet vine later. I should probably wash the rings at some point too.
I absolutely adore this idea and admit without remorse that I stole it from Pinterest. The original idea is posted here: Junkin' Pumpkin but she got the idea from here: Funky Junk Interiors
I may have to try the wreath another time.
We've already gathered some other fake pumpkin ideas and will be posting them as we get them made. As long as M doesn't force me to make any more candles, we're good.
Seasonal crafts abound, but we're going to challenge ourselves to use items that we already have on hand, or are cheaper than dirt. And we're going to major on pumpkins this year, but buying real ones is out of the question.
Enter our first Fake Pumpkin project, and quite possibly the easiest craft idea on the planet (unless, of course, you have to crawl all the way to the back, under the basement stairs where the canning supplies are stored, like I did). It requires no special skills, equipment, or even crafting, for that matter.
I absolutely adore this idea and admit without remorse that I stole it from Pinterest. The original idea is posted here: Junkin' Pumpkin but she got the idea from here: Funky Junk Interiors
I may have to try the wreath another time.
We've already gathered some other fake pumpkin ideas and will be posting them as we get them made. As long as M doesn't force me to make any more candles, we're good.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Single Sheet Folded Mini Book
M and I put together some folded mini books for our three sponsored boys this morning. We personalized them and added verses and stickers. If you don't have a sponsored child, don't fret. Uses for these folded mini books are only limited by your creativity (Logbooks, anyone?).
1. Start with a 12 x 12 inch sheet of card stock (it must be a true 12 inches). Three inches from the top, and three inches from the bottom, mark a nine inch line from the left side of the paper, leaving the last three inches on the right side unmarked. In the center of the paper, mark a nine inch line from the right side of the paper, leaving the last three inches on the left side unmarked. I created a template with my first sheet so that I wouldn't have to draw lines on the other pieces. Once you have your lines marked, use a blade and straight edge to cut along the lines. Take your time to get the lines precise.
2. Next, fold the sheet in half, perpendicular to the cuts, making sure that you keep everything squared up nicely. Fold each edge back toward the center fold. When you are finished, you will have one "valley" fold in the center, and two "mountain" folds equidistant from the center. Again, take your time. It isn't hard, but the more effort you put into being neat, the better the finished product will look.
3. Now you have a strip 3 inches wide and 12 inches long. Fold the width of the strip in half, and then fold each end back toward the center. At this point, it should be fairly obvious where you need to fold it to end up with a 3 inch square.
4. Now Decorate!
The final product, all folded up. As an incidental (well, not really) bonus, on the book we made for Edwin in Peru, the name of God is the first thing you see, from both front and back!
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