Stamp fabric with bleach

A very clever tutorial of  http://www.untrendylife.com/ on how to stamp your clothes or any other fabric with bleach! Look at the result....it is great!!!!

Craft Tips!

 

 

Ucreate shares some tips that make our crafty lives easier! 

Here they are...

 

• Use a cookie sheet w/ newspaper or wax paper for a portable craft surface…super easy cleanup!
• Sharpen your scissors by cutting sand paper.
• Place a little bit of Vaseline to the end of your glue gun to get rid of those long glue strings.
• Soak your paint brushes in fabric softener or hair conditioner for 10 min…cleans right off!
• Recycle large plastic lids by using them for a painter’s pallette or cutting them up for stencils.
• Need to create a large pattern? Use newspapers!
• Keeping a magnet close by makes picking up those sewing pins a sinch!
• Store those pipe cleaners for kid’s crafts inside of a paper towel tubes.
• Break up some styrofoam to create snow for craft projects.
• Keep those cardboard boxes! Cut & cover with patterned paper to make a mini album, cover with art paper and use as a canvas, and I always use them to eliminate a mess while spraypainting!

Office organizer from cardboard!

Instead of adding white paper you could paint the boxes white.

Enjoy!

Another Mixed Media Art Journal video

She makes it look so simple!

She compines nice techniques with beautiful colors.

Enjoy!

Altered Lampshade

This lovely lampshade is made by poking holes to make the picture. Easy to do, if you have a lampshade that looks simple or boring and you want to change it. Enjoy!

Source: i1116.photobucket.com via Joanne on Pinterest

Great mixed media video-Watch it!!!

Discovering the Art Journal

My new passion is art journaling. 

I spend hours searching for techniques and talented artists to get inspired.

With this post I will start a series of Art Journaling artists' presentations and tutorials. I hope you enjoy them!

Please visit Teesha Moore's site

Mixed media tutorial -Elements of magic

I watched this video and I loved it. 

There are many mixed media techniques combined for the final result.  

Very inspiring!!!

Leaf stenciling canvas

Easy, cheap and beautiful!!!!! Give it a try!!!!

Source: pinme.ru via Tina on Pinterest

Rainbow Birds

I love this technique! I will sure try it!
Thanks to www.favecrafts.com

Fabric covered mat

This tutorial is for creating a 8x10 mat that holds a 5x7 picture. Thanks to Delightful destructions blog .

MATERIALS:

• a rectangular piece of cotton fabric approx. 11x13 in. or a bit bigger (it doesn't have to be cut perfectly)
• a 8x10 mat - you can either purchase a pre-cut mat or cut your own out of mat board
• spray glue -nothing beats 3M Super 77 found at Hobby Lobby or hardware stores
• a scissor - one you don't mind getting glue on
• a sheet rocking knife with a thin blade... an x-acto knife/craft knife will work, too
• Mod-podge
• small foam brush

THE PROCESS:

1.With all your supplies laid out and ready to go, spray the back side of the fabric and the front of the mat with a generous coat of spray glue (outside).


2.Lay your glue covered fabric on a table, glue side up.  Carefully place your glue covered mat face down onto the fabric.  Make sure to center it, leaving equal portions on each side.  Press down firmly all over the back side of the mat.  Check the front of the fabric to make sure all air bubbles are out.

3.Cut off the corners of the fabric with scissors... careful to leave only a tiny margin by the corner of the mat (see close-up pic)

4.Pulling firmly, starting next to the corner, pull the fabric up over the mat, one side at a time.  Press down, smoothing out all air bubbles.

5. With your knife, cut the interior of the fabric diagonally out, starting in each corner -creating an X.  Trim edges.

6. Again, pull fabric up over the edge of the mat, starting in the corners. Pull firmly to ensure that the fabric is tight, especially in the corners. Use Mod-podge on your foam brush to help adhere, if fabric doesn't stick.  Once all edges are in place, use Mod-podge to go over the edges of the fabric for extra security and to prevent any fraying.  Also pay special attention to the outside corners.  These will need a dab of Mod-podge, smoothed down with your finger, also (second photo shows how corner should look before smoothing down).

7. Let dry thoroughly and place in frame!!

Sticky Notes Clipboard from Coasters

 

Thanks to huckabyshappilyeverafter.blogspot.gr 

What you’ll need:

-Restaurant coasters from places like On the Border, Chili’s, etc. (just ask for them, they gave me a hand full)

-Scrapbook paper

-Elmers glue or Tacky glue

-Binder clips (these came in different colors from Staples)

-Ink to do distressed edges (I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Walnut)

-Foam ink applicator

-Ribbons & embellishments

First, choose your choice of scrapbook paper. I used two coordinating pieces so that I can do one on each side. You’ll want to then trace the coaster onto the back side of the scrapbook paper and then cut carefully. I had to cut just inside my line I drew so that it wouldn’t hang off the edges.

Next you want to place glue on the coaster evenly. Make sure you get right up to the edges to prevent lifting. I kind of spiraled around the coaster and used my finger to spread the glue as you can see in the pictures.

Carefully place the paper onto the coaster. Make sure you then press out all the bubbles, I used a credit card.  Do this on both sides of the coaster.  Be careful not to but too much glue because it’ll make the coaster warp a bit. If you notice this, just place a heavy book on top of it until it dries completely.

Optionally, you can ink the edges. This paper I picked looks good with inked edges but you don’t have to. Start with SMALL strokes. It’s easier to add more if you think you need more later. As you can tell in the picture, I only ink on one side of the foam applicator. Just dab once or twice lightly.

Then start off just going side to side on the very edge of the coaster. ALWAYS start from the edge, not from the middle of the paper. Once you get a little comfortable on the inking, SOFTLY drag the foam applicator starting from the edge and with short small strokes. I like my corners dark so I gave it at least 3 passovers on the corners. Do this to both sides and let dry for about 30 minutes. I didn't put any Modge Podge but someone recommended so, but this is optional once it's completely dried.

Next, dress up you binder clip. You can add ribbons, embellishments, or even glue some of the scrapbook paper on to the binder clip so it’ll match.

Here I just tied strips of ribbon
in to knots one on top of the other.

Now all you need is your post it note. But how about a writing utensil to go with it. If you use the clear barrel pens, pull out the tip and roll a piece of scrapbook paper and insert it inside the barrel to match the clipboard.

Now it’s ready to give away…that’s the best part!

Newspaper gift bags

They are easy, romantic and beautiful! 

Make your own gift bags in minutes!

Follow the instructions (pictures) below: 

1. Fold the newspaper as shown

2. Glue the folded sides

3. Fold the bottom

4.Open the bottom as shown and fold the sides. Then glue them.

5.Open the bag and fold its top end.

6.You can add a doily and a ribbon if you like.

Key portrait

Nice vintage decoration idea. Easy to make if you have old keys and a nice frame. 

Thanks to Mod Podge Rocks! ( http://www.modpodgerocksblog.com)

Supplies

-Sad wall art
-Mod Podge Fabric
-Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer - Gloss
-FolkArt Acrylic Paint - Jamaican Sea, Ocean Cruise, Calypso Sky, Titanium White (optional)
-Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint - Pool Blue, Cool Blue, Regency Blue
-Fabric, coordinating piece to cover your background
-Paintbrushes, one small and one medium
-Craft glue
Start with a fun piece of wall art. It can be broken. Or not.

Take the goods off. I had to pry slowly so as not to break my keys. Patience is a virtue, my friends. Remove the back of the portrait from the frame.

Sand down the background (if you need to) and then paint it Titanium White. My background was dark, so it was necessary to paint a lighter color so that the background doesn't show through. It will definitely show through if the background is dark and the fabric isn't thick. Allow to dry.

Make sure your fabric is washed, dried and ironed. Prepare the fabric with Mod Podge Fabric - this means putting the fabric down on a non-stick surface and applying a medium layer of Mod Podge. Allow to dry. You can now cut the fabric without it fraying, and it's easier to apply to a finished surface because it won't wrinkle.

Here I'm applying Mod Podge to the back piece. Apply a medium layer and then lay your fabric down - smooth, smooth and smooth! Push all of the air bubbles out and wipe away any excess Mod Podge that comes out the sides. Allow to dry. Once the fabric has dried to the back piece, give the top another coat of Mod Podge. Allow to dry.

Paint your frame with Jamaican Sea. I used the tiny brush and gave it several coats. It went on surprisingly well, and I really enjoyed the painting. Very cathartic.

TIP ALERT: So what am I doing in the photo above? It's a technique I'd like to share with you. I've laid the frame over the background, put the keys back in and then put some color chips down to figure out what colors I wanted to paint my keys and in what order. MAKE COLOR CHIPS for your paint colors now if you don't have them - even if you simply paint strokes in a notebook. It will help you immensely when you put color palettes together or are trying to match something, because colors in the bottle DO NOT look the same when dry. I'm done preaching now.

Paint your keys with your paint colors. It's going to take several coats, but it's fun.

Don't forget to use your small brush to paint inside the little grooves and holes.

Glue the keys down with your craft glue. Allow to dry and then give the key portrait several coats of Mod Podge Gloss sealer. It shines and then it's chip proof.