Silverware Tray Closet Door Jewelry Organizer

Sometimes, we make things harder - and more expensive - than they need to be. For instance, if you have a lot of jewelry - real or costume pieces - a jewelry organizer is a must. But does a person really need a large cabinet, that hangs on a wall, with double-doors to open? Do we really need to put all of that velvet inside such a cabinet, and pay over a hundred bucks for it? For a hundred bucks, a person could just go buy more jewelry! Save your money and "build" an especially nice jewelry organizer, which features sections for necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings, that can easily be installed inside a closet door - or elsewhere. Youll especially love how organized all of your jewelry can be in a short amount of time, and how nice the whole thing will look when youre finished. The inside of a closet door is the perfect place to make the jewelry organizer and, when you use silverware trays to create it, youll be finished in no time. The silverware tray organizer has room for many different types of jewelry and the look is unique and pretty. Although most people dont look to their silverware trays to hang on a closet door, when you do, youll find that you can create an ensemble thats quite impressive, unique, and useful.There is no "perfect" silverware tray to use for this project. Most silverware trays are similar in design. There are usually four vertical sections with one horizontal section above those. The type you use can be plastic or wood. How you assemble it all will depend on which type you use. If youre using a plastic silverware tray, double-sided tape, or glue dots, works well to stick the tray to the closet door. If youre using the heavier, wooden type youll need to nail or screw the silverware tray to the door. You can use just one tray but, if you have a lot of jewelry, and you want to make a substantial jewelry organizer, use more than one tray. In fact, align the trays from near the top of the door, to near the bottom, positioning them so that each horizontal section is at the top. All of the silverware trays you hang should match; the wooden ones can be painted.After the trays are hanging you can add peel-n-stick hangers for the plastic trays or "c" hooks for the wooden ones. Screw them into the back wall of each section. Use the hooks to hang wire earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Use the horizontal sections as shelves to hold rings and post earrings. The organizer can also store hair ties, ribbons, and more.

Patchwork Quilt Tablecloth

Some of the main things that make a patchwork quilt so appealing work against you if you decide to make a patchwork tablecloth. A quilt is eye-catching if the original squares are cut into various shapes, and sewn back together, but all of that sewing means lumps and bumps on the top of a table - not ideal. Another loveable element about a patchwork quilt is that the batting inside makes the quilt warm and cozy. But batting inside a tablecloth means, once again, that youll be adding bulk, which doesnt work well on top of a table. If you eliminate some of the features of a traditional patchwork quilt, and make a more simplistic version, you can create a lovely tablecloth with a patchwork theme.

It can be really challenging to make a round patchwork tablecloth but a square or rectangular one is very easy. A sheet makes a nice backing on the cloth but a thin piece of cut fabric will also work. Trim a sheet, or cut the fabric, to be the size you want for the tablecloth. Hem the cloth on all four sides and lay it back over the table.

Purchase quilt blocks or cut your own. If you purchase the blocks, buy the ones without the batting quilted onto them. Theres no need to hem the quilt blocks; that will add bulk where you dont need it. Rather than sew the blocks onto the backing, which will also add lumps under the cloth, use fabric glue to attach them. Fabric glue dries clear and can be laundered. Lay the blocks on the backing so that you can see the design youre creating. Pin the quilt blocks to the backing for now. When youre ready to put a square onto the quilt, unpin the square, and draw tiny marks to show where the corners go. Although fabric glue comes in a dispensing bottle you can often end up with more glue than you need, and, therefore, a stiff feel in glued places on the cloth. Instead of dispensing it from the bottle, use a small paint brush. Brush in only one direction across, and one direction, down, to apply a thin line of the glue to the back of each square, around the perimeter. Position the quilt block onto the backing, centering it inside the corner marks. Smooth out the edges and move on to the next block the glue dries quickly. Make any design you want on the patchwork tablecloth. You can get lots of ideas when you look at quilt pictures online. The unusual tablecloth looks really great in a country home, a room with rustic accents, or on the table of a friend who loves patchwork quilts.

Rice Krispie Treat Alternatives

Needed: 4 tablespoons or a half-stick of butter or margarine A 10.5oz bag of mini marshmallows 3/4 cup of creamy peanut butter 6 cups cereal (your choice) 2 cups raisins, cherries, or other dried fruits 1 cup peanuts, almonds, or other nuts Rarely do you find someone who doesnt love Rice Krispie treats. Youve tried them, havent you? The recipe is made from Rice Krispie cereal, and contains gooey, melted marshmallows. The crispy cereal bars are delicious but did you know that there are many variations that, for some people, are even tastier? There are lots of cereals - and other goodies - that can be used to make a dessert similar to the Rice Krispie treats. Serve them at special occasions or just whip some up for your family.

Cereal desserts are often made similar to Rice Krispie treats. Start out with four tablespoons or a half-stick of butter. Microwave the butter for about a minute to melt it. Stir in a 10.5oz package of miniature marshmallows and three-quarters of a cup of creamy peanut butter. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until its all fully melted. Stir in 6 cups of the chosen cereal, 2 cups of raisins, and a cup of peanuts. Butter a pan and pat the mixture into it. Allow it to cool to room temperature before cutting it into bars.

There are dozens and dozens of combinations that you can create for the cereal bars. Use Cocoa Krispies instead of Rice Krispies, or use Cheerios, Honey Nut Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, or another cereal choice. Instead of raisins, you can stir in currents, dried fruits, or chopped cherries. Rather than peanuts, try chopped almonds, walnuts, or cashews. Each time you trade out one ingredient for another, you create a completely different version of the cereal treats. Combine cocoa-flavored cereal with nuts and cherries, and the dessert will taste much different than if you mix up Cheerios with peanut butter and almonds. However, since the mixture already has marshmallows in it, Lucky Charms, or other marshmallow cereal, is not the best choice. Some good combinations for the bars include Raisin Bran cereal with raisins and nuts, Fruit Loop cereal with chopped cherries and nuts, Apple Jacks with dried apples and almonds, or Kix with peanut butter and peanuts. No matter what flavor, the cereal bars are great for birthday parties or for your own familys nightly dessert. They also make great snacks, party favors, and edible gifts.

Valentines Day Candles Anyone Can Make

Some people prefer a different Valentines Day gift than the old candy and flowers routine. For these people a nice candle would be in order. Go out and purchase a Valentines Day candle and youll pay a lot more for it than if you turn a regular candle into a Valentines Day version yourself. Here are some quick, easy and cheap candles anyone can make.

Turn most any candle into a Valentines Day d?cor piece by cutting paper or foil hearts in colors of white, red, pink or other shades. Use watered-down white glue to attach the hearts to a white, pink or red candle from a dollar-theme store. Its one of the easiest ways to give a regular candle a Valentines Day theme.

Take a cheap candle and give it a beautiful look by using a simple, pliable wire. Stick the end of the wire into the candle, near the bottom, then slide beads onto the wire. Make the beads in the patterns you want, combining Valentines Day colors, and wrap the wire around and around the candle. You dont have to cover the entire wire with beads. Group a few together, twist the wire, and the beads will stay in place. When you get to the end simply tuck the end of the wire into the top area of the candle. The beaded wire is gorgeous but should be removed if the candle is to be burned. If you purchase beeswax in colors of red, white, and/or pink you can easily make heart-shaped candles without melting wax or making a big mess. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make several hearts of the same or different colors. The shapes must all be the same size. Run a nail or similar object through each heart, right in the middle, then stack them on a wick. Use a wick which features a metal disk as a weight. Slide the hearts onto the wick until the candle is as thick as you want. This makes a really nice Valentines Day gift thats easy enough for nearly anyone to create. Purchase a heart-shaped wooden piece at a craft store and use it for the base of a Valentines Day candle arrangement. Paint the thin wood pink, white or red then set the desired candle(s) on it. Use a solid red ribbon, or a ribbon printed with hearts, around the candle(s). This makes a nice centerpiece for a party table or a nice gift for someone who loves candles. You dont have to make a huge mess and spend a lot of time to make someone a candle gift for Valentines Day. If you purchase cheap candles, then decorate them yourself, youll give gorgeous gifts that dont rip your finances to shreds!

Patriotic Table Decorations on a Budget

Throwing a huge bash for friends, family or neighbors is a tradition when it comes to holidays like the Fourth of July. People have cookouts, music and games to celebrate Independence Day. Each year, though, it gets harder and harder because prices for food, drinks and decorations climb higher and higher. But, you dont need a lot of money to throw a big bash particularly when it comes to decorating. Here are many different decorations you can make for a song.Purchase red, white and blue tape at a dollar-theme store and go crazy. Use it to make patriotic stripes on candles, a table, cups and other things. The best thing about the tape is that you can easily remove it when the party is over.Wrap red and blue tape around a white Styrofoam cup, turn the cup upside-down, and use it as a plate stand. Set a disposable plate on it to hold red, white and blue flowers, finger foods, desserts or other goodies.Purchase cheap, plastic tablecloths at a dollar-theme store; one in each color of red, white and blue. Lay one on the table then place a second color over it. Trim the second cloth off a few inches, all the way around, so you can easily see the color under it. Now trim the third cloth down to a wide strip and use it as a runner. For three bucks you can have a very patriotic tablecloth.Use the tablecloths in a different manner to decorate. Twist each cloth so that it looks like a rope, then braid the three together or use them individually. Wrap one of the ropes around a banister, drape one over the side of porch handrails or tape some around the food table.Use star cutouts to create all sorts of patriotic table decorations. Found at a dollar store as well, the bag of stars can go far when creating a red, white and blue theme. Tape them together to make a unique table runner, attach one to a ribbon and wrap it around a silverware bundle, or just use double-sided tape to stick them to the backs of chairs, onto napkin holders, on hand rails or other places.It doesnt take much effort to print out tiny American flags and stick them to toothpicks. Push the picks into cupcakes, hamburgers, pickles and other things. They instantly give a patriotic look to all sorts of foods.So, you see, you can continue on, as tradition dictates, with the yearly parties on the Fourth of July, but spend less and less. When you make your own holiday decorations you can create a red, white and blue, patriotic theme for the table, the house and other areas - inside and out.

Edible, Magic Wand

There are certain things youll simply have to have at a princess party. Frills and lace, a cake with the image of a movie princess, or a tiered number that features candy jewels. Oh yeah, and magic wands. No princess party is complete without magic wands. You could do like many others and make the wands from a wooden rod and a paper star but, for this princess party, why not something a bit more extravagant? Make edible, magic wands and, even though theyll disappear like magic, the girls will never forget them.

One of the great things about edible, magic wands is that you can make them any flavor you want and can decorate them just how you desire. Sugar cookies work really great but you can use nearly any flavor. If you want to make homemade cookies, go ahead. If you want something a little easier, purchase refrigerated cookie dough. Or, buy a boxed mix. Youll need two cookies for each wand.

No matter what kind of cookie dough you have, lightly flour a clean surface, and roll it out so that its about an eighth-inch thick. Use a star cookie cutter to cut the shapes for the wands. Use wooden skewers as the handles for the magic wands. The skewers can be purchased in colors or in an unfinished wood color. Lay one cookie on a baking sheet, then lay a skewer on it, and press the end of the skewer into the center of the cookie. Now lay another cookie on top of that one so that the skewer is trapped between them. Lay as many wands as will fit on the baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees. Bake the cookies for about 9 minutes or until they begin to look brown around the edges. Remove the magic wands from the oven and allow to cool. If you have a wire rack transfer the cookies to it after two or three minutes. Scoop the cookie up with a spatula while lightly holding the stick. After the cookies have completely cooled you have lots of choices for decorating them. Frost them with ordinary frosting or use a gel tube to outline the star. Use candy sprinkles or colored sugar to make the wands sparkle or even press candy jewels - found at online candy stores - into the center of each cookie. Tie curled ribbon onto each stick, close to the cookie, to finish the wands. If youre giving the magic wands out as party favors you might want to cover them with cellophane. Plus, colored cellophane can lend to the overall look of the magic wand. Theyre cute, scrumptious and easy to make. See edible magic wands.

Easy, Four Poster Pet Bed

Which do you prefer: a mattress on the floor or a real bed? Which do you think your cat or dog prefers? You can purchase all sorts of pet beds, from pillows you toss on the floor, to a cushion with molded sides and a bottom, but none of those can compare to a four poster bed you could make. If your pets comfort is important to you, and you have an old coffee table you no longer use, why not make the four poster bed? Then, your pet can live like royalty.An old coffee table is perfect for making the four poster bed. The table must be one without a glass top, and one that has four long legs. The most perfect coffee table is one with just a wooden top, a wooden border around the sides, and four legs. Turn the table upside-down and you can quickly fashion it into a nice, four poster bed for your cat or dog.Measure inside the border panels to decide the length, width, and depth for a pillow. Take all three measurements but add an inch to the length as well as to the width. Cut two pieces of fabric as the top and bottom of the pillow, with the length and width measurements.To make the band for the pillow, cut a long piece of fabric to be as wide as the depth of the coffee table underside. The length should be two times the length of the side panels, plus two times the width of them. It might be necessary to sew two or more strips together, to get the total length needed for the band. Sew the ends of the total band together.Lay one piece of the fabric on a table so that the right side is facing upwards. Pin the band to it, all the way around. Stitch around the two pieces to adjoin them. Position the second piece of fabric on the band, so that the right side of the fabric faces downward. Pin. Sew almost all the way around the band to connect it to the second fabric piece. Leave a small area open so that you can turn the pillow right-side-out.After turning the pillow, stuff it, then sew the opening shut. Put the pillow in the opening on the underside of the table to finish the bed. But, if you want to keep going with the project, screw on spools, wooden legs, tin cans, or other materials, to create legs and raise the bed higher. You can even attach tassels or glittered, Styrofoam balls, to create an interesting element for the posts.The four poster bed is a cute arrangement that anyone can make for a pet. If you have no way of sewing just use a bed pillow on the upside-down table. Your pet - dog or cat - will absolutely fall in love with the new bed.

Perfect Snack Cups for Any Party

If youre a party-sort of person you have many celebrations coming each year. There will definitely be a birthday party or two, a party for one or more of the holidays, and maybe even a wedding and/or an anniversary. That means you have to come up with unique and interesting themes, foods, decorations, and more, for each and every celebration. You might have started off big, with huge parties, costing hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but maybe youve settled down a little bit now. Maybe youre looking for things that are fabulous, but cheap; appropriate, and suitable for anyone. Good luck with that! But seriously, you can create the perfect snacks, for any occasion, and with any theme, when you use cupcake liners. They already come in a huge assortment of colors, with various themes and prints, so that there are cupcake liners to fit any and every theme. Use the liners in an unusual manner and youll create the perfect snack cups for any party.

Just a cupcake liner isnt all that impressive, no matter what it contains. And, if the cupcake liner has no support, the guest will have to worry about spilling the snack. But when you drop a cupcake liner into a clear, disposable cup, you create the perfect snack cup, and you can give it any theme you want.

Your local grocery store might have quite a few designs of cupcake liners but, when you shop online, you have an even larger selection. You can find cupcake liners with metallic looks, like silver or gold, or choose liners with themes, like babies, birthdays, or holidays. Places that sell cupcake liners often sell short, clear, disposable glasses as well. Youll need one cup and one liner for each snack cup. The cup should be about the same height as the cupcake liner. The clear cup allows you to see the cute designs on the cupcake liners and it strengthens the cup so it can be easily carried around. Such a cup can hold pretzels, mints, candies, doughnut holes, brownie bites, popcorn, chips, or other snacks. The cupcake liner inside allows you to easily create a treat cup for any special occasion. There are other embellishments you can put inside or outside on the cup, along with the cupcake liner accent. Tape a ribbon around the inside bottom, or wrap it around the outside top. You can even glue a piece of scrapbook paper over the top of each cup, to make a lid for transporting it. That way, it makes a fabulous party favor, rather than a treat cup at the party.

Poker Chip and Playing Card Party Treats

A poker party is one of the easiest themes to make snacks and treats for. Your guests will devour poker chip cookies, poker chip muffins, playing card cookies, and more, when you make them yourself. Its exciting to create treats that look like things at the party, such as cards and poker chips. The special desserts, treats, and snacks will be the hit of the party so dont waste anymore time; get into the kitchen! Make everything from scratch or cheat a little, depending on how much time and effort that you want to apply. For example, you can make your own, homemade cookies, or you can just buy some cookies, and decorate them as you will. Graham crackers are a nice choice simply for their size and shape. If youre making cookies, cut card-size shapes, and if youre making poker chip cookies, make them small and round.

Frost the card cookies with a smooth layer of white frosting; frost the poker chips blue, red, white, or other poker chip colors. Its best to make or buy white frosting and tint it with food coloring; youll be able to make small amounts of each color needed.

Gel frosting, which comes in tubes, makes it easy to draw on the cookies, but you can also pipe on the lettering and images. Just put frosting in a plastic bag, twist it tightly into one corner, and cut a tiny snip from the very corner. Pipe or draw on frosting to represent the denomination of each card and/or poker chip treat. Its helpful to look at cards and chips to get an idea of the placement of the lettering, sizes of images, and so on. All of the cards can be different - and the same goes for the poker chips - or you can make them all the same, like all aces or all blue poker chips. Besides cookies, you can quickly make playing card cakes when you make your own cake, or buy Little Debbie snack cakes. Just purchase rectangular snack cakes, draw on top of them to create the cards, and youre finished. Its optional to put on a layer of frosting since most snack cakes are rather skimpy on the frosting. If youve made your own cake, you can cut it into individual pieces, or you can make the card design across the entire cake. A fun element is added to the party when you create poker chip mini muffins. Purchase or make small muffins and then lay a clean poker chip on each one (after the cake is cooled if youve baked the muffins yourself). With this snack, each muffin-eater ends up with a free poker chip for the game!

Humorous Pillowcase Set for Newlyweds

Are you the type of person who prefers to give silly, whimsical and hysterical gifts rather than something more serious? Are you always pulling tricks on people and doing the unexpected? If so, no occasion to you is sacred! Not even a wedding. If you have a friend or relative who is getting married youre probably already considering what sort of crazy, wacky gift you can give to the new couple. Dont shop catalogs and novelty stores to find that special gift; make it yourself! Theres a fun and easy project you can do which will certainly surprise the recipients. Make a set of gift pillowcases (with or without accompanying sheets) and theyll laugh hysterically when they see them. Or, should I say "when they read them". Its a blast to make a pillowcase set that features a joke you pull on the wedded couple. The pillowcases look ordinary until they open them and thats when they get the cute surprise! Use any set of ordinary pillowcases to pull your wedding gift gag. Use paint markers to write the surprise captions on the two pillowcases. Or, use fabric paint that dispenses from a tube or squeeze bottle. On one pillowcase, write "Ive got a headache". On the other pillowcase, write "Ive got an aspirin". The couple will get a huge surprise when they open the ordinary pillowcases to find the unusual sayings.

No matter if youre using fabric paint or a paint marker its best to line the inside of the pillowcase with plastic to make sure the marker or paint doesnt bleed through to the other side. Allow the writings to dry completely before removing the plastic.

Paint markers are used just like regular markers but they contain real paint so they are permanent. They create writings on the pillowcases which look identical to a magic marker. With fabric paints that dispense from a tube you can create letters which, after theyre dry, you can feel them. The paint isnt scratchy, but if you want to ensure a smooth saying on the pillowcase, dispense the paint onto a paper plate and brush it on. The pillowcases can be embellished by using stencils along with the markers or paints. Youll find many bridal-theme or other designs when you visit a large craft supply store. After the paints or markers are completely dry, fold the pillowcases how they originally were, and put them back in the original package, or place them in a new gift box. The unsuspecting couple will get a good laugh from you, the funny person in their lives!

Leaf Boutonnieres for Groom and Groomsmen

A boutonniere is generally a small flower arrangement worn by men. Nothing like a corsage, the small arrangement is often just a single flower, and is pinned to the lapel of the groom and/or groomsmen. A boutonniere is an easy way to give a touch of the wedding flowers, colors or theme to the guys in the wedding party. However, most guys balk at having to wear a flower. Of course, the bride gets her way, so if necessary, the men will wear the lapel flower. However, a bride who wants boutonnieres worn by the groom and groomsmen has yet another option besides a flower. Make leaf boutonnieres and the guys can all grumble about other things! Its exciting to see the various silk leaves you can find at a craft store. Choose a vine of flowers which features leaves that you like or just purchase loose leaves in a bag. Theres a huge variety available in most craft stores. The leaves dont have to be all the same; you can combine leaves to create the boutonnieres you want.

Besides silk leaves you can also purchase real leaves from a nearby nursery. Although its not the norm, some nurseries, if you call in advance, will allow you to pluck a single leaf off of each of several plants. Or, the nursery workers will do this for you. If they dont offer this service it may be necessary to purchase a few plants and pluck the leaves at home. Plants are much cheaper at a nursery than they are at a store which sells them.

Choose two or three leaves - alike or different - and stack them on top of each other. Now spread them out a little, like you would playing cards, and hold them in place for the moment. Wrap a piece of tape around silk leaves, if thats what youre using, then tie a ribbon around them. If youre using real leaves wrap them with a floral wire. You dont have to use only green leaves to make the boutonnieres. Real as well as silk leaves come in colors of red, yellow, orange and other colors. If you want, you can even paint silk leaves to match or coordinate with the wedding colors. If youre using silk leaves you can simply hot-glue the pin hardware to the back of the boutonniere. If youre using real leaves attach the pin backing with a floral wire or floral tape. The boutonnieres add even more class to an already beautiful wedding agenda. You wont have to hear complaints from the guys about having to wear flowers, youll save a fortune over floral boutonnieres, and youll be pleased with how easy they are to make!

Giant Diamond Wedding Pinata

Your wedding reception guests will have lots of fun smacking a giant diamond until it opens and pours out candy. Make a glittery pinata with a theme that goes right along with any wedding - a diamond. All you need is some card stock and you can make the pinata which is unusual but perfect for any wedding reception.

Make a giant diamond shape by starting with two same-size squares of card stock. You can make the squares any size you want, depending upon how large you want the diamond to be, but a good size is an 8 or 10 inch square. Use a craft knife to cut out a large square from the bottom of each pyramid. Cut almost the entire bottom off of each box but leave about an inch of the perimeter.

Cut 8 triangles - one to go on each side of each square. Draw the triangles out on card stock by first marking a line to be the same length as one side of the card stock square. This will be the bottom of the triangle. Now cut the sides to be as long as you want. The longer you make them, the longer the diamond pinata will be. A good size for the triangles - when working with an 8 or 10 inch square - is about eight inches. Cut all eight triangles to be the same size. Lay the two cardstock squares out on a table so theyre far apart. Place a triangle against each side of each square, so that the bases of the triangles are against the sides of the squares. Use Scotch tape to attach each triangle. Bend the taped areas of the triangles up so that they all come to a point over the square. Do this to both squares so that you form two separate "pyramid" shapes. Tape each triangle to the ones beside it so that you have four seams which go from the point to the base. Do this to both boxes. Poke a hole in the top of one pyramid box. Cut a piece of silver twine or clear fishing twine, fold it in half, then slide the ends through the hole. From inside, tape the ends to the box. Fill each box with candy, small trinkets, gift cards, or any number of other things. Position the two pyramid shapes so that their bottoms are facing each other and tape them together. Spray on silver glitter or paint the diamond with white glue and sprinkle on the glitter. Make matching, glittery sticks for hitting the pinata by simply purchasing dowels which are about an inch or so in diameter. Cover them with glitter in the same way you did the diamond. The unusual pinata is glittery, appropriate for any wedding and absolutely gorgeous.

Outdoor Food Guards

You know how you can never find the right lid to a container you want to use? All those plastic lids start looking just alike and, the longer you go through them, the more irritated you can become. But if youre having an outdoor meal youre going to need those lids. Otherwise, youll face flies, bees and gnats trying to get at your fried chicken, burgers or other foods. No one wants that. Even if you can find the lids to your bowls sometimes they can actually be a hindrance. If, for example, the bowls are colored plastic, with the lid in place you cant see whats in the dish. And, if the dishes youre using are glass or melamine you might not even have lids for them at all. Solve all your lid problems by doing one simple craft. Make outdoor food guards and youll have lids for bowls, pans, pots and even glasses. Its quick, easy and inexpensive to make covers for food and drinks in many different types of containers.

Have you ever done embroidery work? To make things much easier for the person doing the embroidery a hoop is used. The hoop actually is two hoops. Theres one hoop on the inside of another hoop. Fabric is placed over the small hoop, then the large hoop is slipped over it, and theres a small hardware piece which is then used to tighten the two together. The set of hoops keeps the fabric taut and also provides the needlework crafter a way to hold the fabric flat while working on it. Those embroidery hoops are perfect for creating lids for any number of dishes you use outdoors. Theyre available in various sizes and, with them, you can create a collection of lids in minutes.

Choose a material for making the lids. You can use cheesecloth or fabric which is fairly thin. If you use cheesecloth or netting youll be able to see the food through the lid. Although you can virtually use any fabric which isnt especially thick, cotton or linen is ideal. Cut a piece to be square or round and to be a little wider than the embroidery hoop is in diameter. Separate the two hoops, lay the fabric over the small one, then position the large hoop over the small one, trapping the fabric between the two rings. Tighten the ring down a little at a time, while tugging slightly at the edges of the material to make it taut. After the clamp is tightened the lid is ready to use. Cover bowls, plates, glasses, pitchers, pans and more simply by making assorted sizes of the lids. Youll never want to be outdoors eating without them.

Bottle Lid Christmas Advent Calendar

Many of us have now learned to save nearly everything because weve been taught how to recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, and more. If youve got a junk drawer full of soda bottle lids, youve got what you need to make an adorable advent calendar for a child. Each day, from December 1st, to the 24th, your child can open a tiny door to a surprise, while marking off that day. As your child counts down the days, he or she will find a minute but cool gift inside each small compartment, all of which assembles to create a lovely Christmas tree.Youll need 24 red, green, or white bottle caps to make the advent calendar. Its up to you if the caps are from a 20oz, 2-liter, or 3-liter. Start with a large piece of plain or colored paper, poster board, or something similar. To get an idea of how long the paper should be, align 9 bottle caps, vertically. To decide how wide to make it, align 6 caps, horizontally. The paper should be at least that large, but can be a bit larger.Begin by gluing each cap onto the chosen paper. Put some hot glue, or another adhesive, on the top of each cap, then turn it over, and press it onto the paper. That way, the open area of the cap is facing upwards. Do this to each cap to create a Christmas tree shape. Glue the first cap to make the tip of the tree, then make a row of two, a row of three, a row of four, a row of five, and a row of six. With the remaining three caps, glue one under the last row - right in the center - and glue the other two under that one. This creates a trunk and a pot for the tree.Before you start making the tree, draw around one of the lids, and use it as a pattern for all of the soda bottle lids. When you draw the circle around the cap, though, draw a tiny tab on one side. Make 24 of these.Place a tiny object in each lid. Some ideas would include a temporary tattoo, a sticker, a tiny note that says "Merry Christmas", a piece of candy, or even a penny or dime. When there is a prize in each cap, place a tiny bit of glue around the edges of each lid, and stick a circle with tab on it. Face all of the tabs in the same direction. If you place the tab on the right, the door will open to the left. If you place the tab on the top, the door will open downwards.A child can simply tear a tab off, each night before bed, or each morning when he or she gets up, and reveal the surprise of the day. Before long, your child will open the last prize on the advent calendar, and awake to another beautiful Christmas.

Paper Doily Bedroom

As a crafter its not hard to get on a "kick". You try a new craft, or work with a new material, and you quickly become addicted to doing more and more of those crafts. Dont be surprised if that happens to you once you break open a pack of paper doilies. Pretty and inexpensive, the doilies are sold at many dollar-theme stores, and are meant to use as disposable coasters or accent under vases, picture frames or decorative bowls. For about a buck you can get 25 or more of the paper doilies and use them to create all sorts of lacy accents in a girls bedroom.A paper doily is similar in appearance to a real one. The paper one has a solid, white circle in the middle with a wide, lacy border. That makes them perfect for all sorts of easy decorating projects.Fold a doily in half and crease the fold well. Tape or paste the doily to the upper edge of the wall. Align the folded doilies, side-by-side, all the way around the room, to make a beautiful border. If you want, use a paint marker to add gold or other accents around the edges of the doilies before hanging them.Make an ordinary shelf much more lacy for a little girl by using the doilies. Again, fold the doily in half and crease the fold. Lay the doily on the edge of the shelf so that half of it hangs over the side. Tape the doily in place on the shelf. Align them, side-by-side, to give the shelf the lacy accent.Cut a picture of a cartoon character, pet or other image from a magazine or similar source. Cut it to be a circle which is a tad smaller than the white paper circle in the middle of the doily. Use a piece of double-sided tape, or glue, to attach the picture to the doily. Cover it with a circle of clear shelf liner and youve created a beautiful coaster for the bedroom.Use the same technique as above to make a standing photo or display. After attaching the picture and shelf liner, glue the doily to a piece of thin cardboard, and stand it on a plate stand or even hang it on the wall.A little girl can even help create a unique scrapbook from the doilies. Mount a photo, flat flower, magazine image or other flat things to each doily then stack them. Thread ribbon through two different holes of the lacy edges of the doily and tie them to make a hinge for the book.The paper doily d?cor looks good in other places besides the bedroom. Use them to make a lacy accent for a fireplace mantle, kitchen cabinet shelves or along the tops of bookcases. Theyre lovely.See paper doily shelf accents here.

Heart on a Stick Graveside Memorial

Do you take flowers to the cemetery to honor a lost loved one? Its always so sad to visit the cemetery but it often makes us feel better to leave a lovely bunch of flowers for the person we love and miss so much. You can purchase inexpensive graveside memorials of flowers at many department stores and online but you can only buy what they make. When you make a memorial yourself you can have it with the exact colors and sentiments you want.

Purchase a heart-shaped Styrofoam piece at a craft store and make the cemetery memorial. The hearts are available in various sizes and thicknesses and theyre not expensive. There are many ways to decorate the heart to make the memorial you prefer. Use silk flowers to cover the entire heart, on the front and sides. Cut a piece of fabric to be the size and shape of the heart and glue it to the backside. Make sure you use glue that is waterproof; hot glue wont work for this project.

A nice way to decorate the heart is to spell out a name, "Love", or another sentiment, using the flowers. Poke a hole in the heart, add a little glue, then place a flower in the hole. Continue doing this to spell out the sentiment with flowers. After that, fill in the remainder of the heart with flowers of a different color so that the sentiment stands out amongst the flowers. Make a different type of heart memorial by using wooden letters. Purchase these at a craft store and paint them. Glue these to the heart then surround the letters with flowers all over the front and sides of the heart. Another way to make the heart memorial is to just paint the Styrofoam shape with glitter paint. Fabric paints in a tube make it easy to dispense the paint and spell out a sentiment. With this design, you can use gathered lace or gathered fabric to make a ruffled edge around the perimeter of the heart. When youre finished making the heart you want its easy to attach it to a dowel so it will stand up at the gravesite. Just slide a small-diameter dowel into the point of the heart - a few inches into the heart - and remove the dowel. Fill the hole with glue and push the dowel back into place. Then, push the other end of the stick into the ground at the cemetery. The heart memorial is a very easy one to make and its nice that you can create it to look exactly like you want, with the colors, flowers, and sentiments you choose. Since its made from waterproof materials the memorial can stand there for a long time.

Collection of Altoids Tin Travel Games

If youre a person who has been collecting Altoids mint tins gather a few of them and lets make some travel games. There is a huge assortment of fun pocket games you can make for an adult or a child. One is a simple chess or checkers game. You can find miniature pieces at a dollar-theme or novelty store, or you can make the game pieces yourself. Go online to print out a simple, black and white check paper, and glue it to the inside bottom of the tin. Throw the pieces in there and, when youre ready to play, youre all set.Checkers can be made by using tiny button magnets, found at a craft store. Print and cut tiny, circular images, and tape or glue one to each magnet. For chess pieces, purchase miniature crowns, tiny people, or other minis that you can use for the pieces. Or, cut images and tape or glue them to the magnets.A tic-tac-toe game is also very simple to make inside an Altoids tin. Print out a tic-tac-toe image, or just make it yourself. Glue a piece of black construction paper in the bottom of the tin, then attach nine, white sticky paper squares. You can find stick-on name tags, and similar adhesive shapes, at any store that sells office supplies. The game pieces can, again, be magnets with images glued onto them.Make a backgammon board inside an Altoids tin by starting with any color of paper you want. Many backgammon games feature shades of tan, brown, black, or white, but you can make your game any color. Cut a piece of colored or white paper and glue or tape it to the inside bottom of the tin. Then, cut two different colors of elongated triangles, from tape. Place the tape triangles along the two short sides of the tin. Make the same arrangement on the lid. Its helpful to look at backgammon game pictures to get an idea of size and placement for the triangles. Backgammon pieces can be made from disks of cardboard or images glued onto button magnets.Make a Chinese checkers game by printing an image of the board game, and adjusting that image to size. Tape the paper onto a thin piece of cardboard. Use a nail to punch a hole on each dot inside of each triangle, as well as each dot on the center section of the star. Beads work well as the markers.There are lots of different games you can make inside an Altoids tin. In fact, when you make the game boards all on thin cardboard, you can place many games inside one tin. Take it - or them - anywhere you want. Theyre perfect for camping, for kids, for travel, and for everyday fun.

Quick Valentines Day Candles

Candle-making used to be such a huge production its a wonder any of us went through the whole process to make our own candles. Things are much easier nowadays! Put away the pots and pans, forget boiling water and melting wax - make your candles with no mess and no hassle! Create beautiful heart candles for Valentines Day and they can serve as centerpieces, d?cor and even as gifts! Since it only takes a few minutes to make heart candles, and about half a minute to clean up afterward, youll want to create many! Beeswax makes it so easy to create a heart candle or another shape. Youll find the thin sheets of beeswax at most any craft store and its available in many colors. Choose red and pink sheets to make a striped heart or all red to make a different design. White is another color that will look nice as a heart itself or as a layer of color in a striped candle.

Use cookie cutters, if you have them, to cut heart shapes from the beeswax. The wax is soft so it takes only a second to push the cutter into the wax. Make all the hearts the same size even if you make them assorted colors. If you have no cookie cutters you can use a stencil or even a heart shape cut from a piece of paper. Draw around the shape to make a heart on the beeswax then cut it out.

After you have a stack of hearts use an ice pick or similar item to poke a hole in the center of each one. Its important that the holes in the hearts will align perfectly with each other when the shapes are stacked. One way to ensure this is to poke a hole in the first heart, lay it on top of the next one, then run the ice pick through the hole of the first heart and into the second one. Each time, stack one more heart on the bottom, then push the pick through the holes of the rest of the stack, and into the new heart. Stand a weighted wick on the table and slide the hearts onto it to finish the candle. Allow a half-inch or so of the wick to rise above the last wax heart. Make any number of designs by the colors you stack and how many of each color you stack together. Make a heart thats starts out red, fades to pink, then to white. Or, make a heart candle thats all red but has a single layer of pink on top. There are any number of colors and designs you can create. Use the same method for creating candles for other occasions besides Valentines Day. Make Christmas tree candles, jack-o-lantern candles and even everyday candles. The beeswax makes it so very easy!

Easy Light Box and T-Shirt Images

Lots of people own a light box because it helps them with things like calligraphy and artwork. Some people build their own light boxes, rather than pay exorbitant costs for them, but even building one can run into quite a bit of money. You have to have wood, and a light source, and nails or screws, and brackets - its way too much. You dont have to spend that kind of money and effort on a light box when you can make one in a minute. And, after you make it you can use it to create fabulous t-shirts with any images you want.Look at a discount department store and youll find plenty of snap-tight, plastic cases. Some people use them to hold baseball or other cards, and some people use them to hold nails, and still others store beads or craft supplies in them. Buy a snap-tight box - a clear plastic one - and use it to make the light box. The best plastic box to buy is one that has no compartments.A tap light is a great source of light for the box. A tap light has a flat, round, plastic bottom, with a plastic dome on top of it, and runs off of batteries. All you do is push down on the dome and the light comes on; push it again and the light goes off. The tap light works great but you could actually use most any battery-operated light, which fits in the snap-tight box, and provides enough light to shine through a t-shirt.At home, just unsnap the plastic box, put the tap light - or other light - in it, then snap the clear box shut. Use it to make most any image on a t-shirt. Print a paper with the image on it - from the internet or your own photos - and lay it on the light box. Or, just tear a picture from a magazine or other source. Tape the paper to the top of the box so that the light shines through it.Lay the chosen t-shirt on the light box so that you can see the image on the front. The light will shine through the box, and the paper image, and through the shirt. This makes it easy to see the image on the front of the shirt as you draw.Its very helpful to tape the shirt to the light box so it wont move as you draw on it. Use permanent markers to outline the image you have on the shirt. After the outline is done, youll likely find it easiest to fill in the outline with the light turned off.Youll love making shirts with images of famous people, drawings of famous landmarks, or just shirts with images of family, friends, and pets on them. This is the easiest light box and one of the most simple t-shirt painting techniques there ever was.

Two, One-Minute Ribbon Organizers

Anyone who has a craft room or area knows how important it is to keep it all organized. With so many small items, plus endless spools of ribbon, thread, cord, elastic, and similar notions, you could get lost in it all if its not organized. No one wants to go hunting for the particular craft supplies they need every time she wants to make something new. One thing thats particularly messy around the craft room is ribbon. Any crafter could have 10, 20, or more spools of ribbon, and thats a whole lot of mess if the ribbons are coming off of the spools. There are lots of different ribbon and cord organizers that a person can make but some of them can take time and money that you might not have. There are, however, two different, really quick ribbon organizers you can make; one is for many spools and one is for leftovers.A coffee tin, or another object with a plastic lid, works great to create a little organizer for leftover cord, ribbon, and similar things. With the lid on the can, use a box cutter to make slits in the top of it. Push the box cutter blade in, and pull it straight out, to create slits all over the can lid. You can organize the slits into neat little rows, or cut them randomly into the lid. Put leftover scraps of ribbon into the can and push one end of each piece through the opening. Put the lid back on the can, set it anywhere, and dispense short pieces of ribbon when needed.Have you ever shopped at a place that offered carts for large purchases, and holey baskets for smaller selections? One of those holey baskets works great to create an organizer for many spools of ribbon. A similar type of basket is sold at dollar-theme stores and some discount department stores. With it, and a few wooden dowels, the organizer will be finished.Slide a small-diameter dowel into a hole on the side of the basket, and through a hole opposite the first one. Since the basket is full of holes its important that you locate two holes that are exactly opposite of each other, or the ribbons will sit lopsided. To load the dowel with spools of ribbon, slide it out of one hole, slide the dowel through a ribbon spool hole, and then push it back through the hole. Each dowel will hold several spools of ribbon or cord.The two quick organizers will have all your ribbon, cord, and spooled materials, arranged in minutes. Since its so easy to slide spools on and off of the dowels, or in and out of the can slits, it wont be any bother to keep them that way.

Boot Hangers

What youll need:Cafe curtain rodStyrofoam or wooden disk or oval"C" hooksHot glueNice collection of boots youve got there. Too bad theyre not getting the care they need. Sure, you keep them clean, and stand them neatly in the closet, but, like some boots do, the legs fall over. When that happens many times, or they stay bent like that for a period of time, they can get cracks and creases that can ruin the whole look. Dont let that happen to your expensive boots; hang them up instead. Few people know that you can easily organize your boots by hanging them up rather than standing them.Hang a caf? rod in your closet and youll be able to take much better care of your boots. The inexpensive rod is ideal for creating the unusual boot organizer. Just in case youre unsure of what a caf? rod is its a skinny, metal, pole-like hanger. Attach the rod between the two sides of the closet, a bit higher than your tallest boot.Make the hangers themselves by starting with a Styrofoam disk or oval. Measure around one boot then seek a circle or oval which is that size or a little larger. The Styrofoam should be a couple of inches thick. Its not hard to cut and shape Styrofoam. Cut an old candle with a sharp knife to transfer the wax to the knife. With this, you can easily cut a Styrofoam circle or disk to the size you need. You can shape Styrofoam by using sandpaper or even an emery board. However, if you purchase a disk or oval thats the same size as the boot you wont have to refashion it. The Styrofoam piece should fit snugly into the top of the boot.Use a large "c" hook to make the hanger. Twist it into the middle of the Styrofoam piece, remove it, fill the hole with hot glue, then twist the screw back into the hole. Allow the glue to set.Instead of Styrofoam you can also use a wooden disk or oval. The Styrofoam or wooden pieces are sold at any craft store and are not expensive. With Styrofoam, its much easier to shape it to fit the boot, but its not as sturdy as the wooden version. Its not necessary to purchase a really thick piece of wood; an inch thick is fine.To hang the boots, put one of the Styrofoam pieces into the top of it, and there you go. Hang it on the caf? rod and its up off the floor. Now the legs of your boots wont fall over and cause creases you cant remove. Make hangers for all your boots and you can wear them with confidence!See boot hangers here: http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/25-bedroom-organizers#slide_12

Foreign Objects Pumpkins

Are you going to be in a pumpkin-carving contest? Maybe you just want to make the silliest jack-o-lantern ever for your kids? Making a jack-o-lantern or other pumpkin for Halloween is so much fun and, when you approach it in a different manner than usual, you can make the funniest, scariest, or silly jack-o-lantern ever. Plus, yours will be one that looks nothing like any other. All you have to do is look around the house for foreign objects. Or, shop at dollar-theme stores to purchase cheap objects which will work well for your unusual pumpkin.Yeah, its fun to make frightening pumpkins, crazy jack-o-lanterns, and other Halloween creations from pumpkins, but it can be a whole lot of work - sometimes hours on end. And, if youre not a person who is particularly skilled at that sort of thing you can end up with a fright of a jack-o-lantern - and not in a good way. But if you can cut ordinary circles, squares, and other simplistic shapes, you can use foreign objects to make the coolest jack-o-lantern ever.One thing you can use is a choice of balls for eyes. Use plastic eyeballs, ping-pong balls, tennis balls, rubber balls, cue balls, or other types, to make really weird eyes. Draw right on ping-pong balls, tennis balls, or rubber balls, to make bloodshot eyes, sleepy eyes, zany eyes, or other types. Use cue balls and some other types as they are for a strange look. Just cut holes to be a tad smaller than the actual balls and then push the chosen balls into the holes.Its fun to use a small, plastic bowl as a mouth for the jack-o-lantern. That way, you can make it appear that the pumpkin is eating something - or someone. Cut a hole to be the size of the rim of the bowl. Slide the bowl into the hole, bottom first. Then, glue a novelty character, plastic food, a stuffed animal, or other object, inside the bowl. This will make it appear that the object is dinner for the jack-o-lantern.There are many objects you can use to make unusual eyes, mouths, and other features on a jack-o-lantern. Some of these include spools of thread, cardboard boxes, bathroom tissue rolls, soaps, wooden shapes, building blocks, jar lids, bottle caps, wooden skewers (makes great hair), cotton swabs (hair), potato chunks (ears), and dollhouse plates or other dishes.The foreign objects pumpkin can be anything you want it to be. Just gather up a few things from around the house, or some cheap supplies, and make the craziest Halloween pumpkin ever.Plastic Eyeball Pumpkin

Baby Footprint Butterfly Picture

I once saw a technique where you could ball up your fist, stick the side of it in paint, and stamp it onto an object. Then, you dip one finger in the paint, and make five dots above the fist stamp, and create a tiny baby foot image. It truly looked like the real thing. And, whether you use the fist stamp method, or your babys real foot, you can make the sweetest wall hanging for the nursery - particularly for a baby girl. A baby footprint butterfly is lovely on a canvas, hung in the nursery.

When you use a babys real footprints its easy to create the canvas wall hanging. Choose a canvas that is slightly larger than the babys feet. Or, craft a larger picture, and you can make several butterflies on it. Dispense a very thin layer of acrylic paint on a paper plate and press the babys foot into it. Stamp the image, wipe off the foot, and then do the same thing with the other foot. However, as you stamp, make the left foot where the right would go, and the right foot where the left would go, if the baby was standing on the paper. The "backward" feet instantly give the look of a butterfly with open wings. As you stamp, put the outsides of the feet close together.

If youre using your fist as a foot stamp, ball your fist up so that your thumb is facing upwards, and your pinkie finger is facing downwards. On the end where the pinky finger is, press the side of the hand into the paint, and stamp it onto the canvas. Use your index finger as the stamp for all five of the toes. Dip the end of the finger in the paint, and begin stamping the toes, pressing a lot of the paint onto the canvas for the big toe, less paint for the second toe, and so on, until you make a faint but distinguishable, pinkie toe. The harder you press, the larger the toe looks. As stated above, make the right hand where the left would be, and the left stamp where the right foot would be. With the images of the feet stamped onto the canvas, just use a marker to draw a small circle for a head. Draw on antennae, and maybe even a smile. If you want, you can further outline the body of the butterfly, right between the two sides of the feet. Make the butterflies from just one color of paint, or apply various colors to the feet, and make multi-colored versions. Hang up just one butterfly on a canvas, or create a grouping for the nursery wall. The butterflies, made from the babys feet (or your hands - shh), is definitely a beauty to behold.

Whats a Wordle and What Can You Do with It?

Ever heard of a wordle? Its become a popular thing with many schools. Its a fun, inventive word play that takes anything you want to say and turn it into a piece of art. Go online to type the words, phrases or even paragraphs that you want into a translator-type engine that turns the words into something unique and unusual. Youll understand more when you go try it out once.

Say you like everything to do with the beach. Type in words related to the beach, like "beach", "shells", "lighthouse", "sand" and similar words. Or, write something about the beach, like "My favorite vacation was when our family went to the beach". No matter what you type in the translator will turn it into a piece to admire. Some words will be large and others are small. Some words are placed vertically and some horizontally. Some of the words are made to resemble words in a crossword puzzle. The words are done in various colors as well.

After you view the arrangement you can then decide on changes you want to make. Change the words to all capital letters, all lower-case letters, or even calligraphy. You have literally dozens and dozens of choices concerning fonts, colors, writing style and much more. Use balloon letters or squared lettering. Select a black and white arrangement or choose from other color combinations. There are many different themes you can do: sports, names of flowers, the presidents, names of dogs, the 50 states, the cities youve visited, cartoon characters, your friends, wild animals, or just a theme like "I like country music". You have choices each time. You can just list words that are related to the theme you have in mind or you can type a paragraph or so to state what it is you want the art to be about. You can even type a paragraph from a classic book, a magazine, or another source. You can print out the art piece onto printer paper and frame it, print it onto adhesive paper, or even transfer it to something else. To do that, use stencils to copy the finished piece from the website. When you copy the art onto another object you can do some things the translator doesnt offer. For example, after using stencils to transfer the word art to the wall, create stripes, dots and other designs within the letters themselves. Copy the word art onto a small wall, a vase, a lamp, canvas, t-shirts, a mirror, - many different surfaces. Its a really inexpensive way to make a unique art piece that will have everyone staring!

Braided Scarf Necklace

If you can braid you can make a huge assortment of gorgeous cloth necklaces that look dressy or casual, colorful or demure. Wear them with pants and a blouse or even an evening gown. Its one of those accessories that just seems to go with anything. Since it only takes a few minutes to make each necklace youll want to make a whole collection of them! Select three scarves and align them side-by-side. The scarves dont necessarily have to be the exact same design or size but must be lightweight and similar in length. One design can be made by using scarves that are identical whereas another can be created by using three different scarves.

Tie the three ends into one knot and braid the scarves. It can be helpful to place something heavy on the end, right in front of the knot, to hold the scarf down while you braid. Create one look by twisting the scarves as you braid them. Make something different when you keep them straight and untwisted as you braid. Youll also achieve a certain design if you braid the scarves tightly yet a different necklace if you braid them very loosely. When you get to the end tie the scarves into one knot.

The knots serve only the purpose of holding the ends together as you wrap the cloth necklace around your neck to size it. Wrap the necklace so that it is fitted to the neck to create one look. Make a different necklace by allowing extra inches so that the necklaces hangs lower. Mark the spot, on each end of the necklace, where youll put the closure. A closure can be made by simply sewing on a strip of Velcro then cutting off the knots. You can also bind the ends of the scarf and add snaps or hooks and eyes. To do this, pin the scarves in front of the knot, cut off the knot, then sew the binding onto the cut area of the scarves. Do this to both ends before adding snaps or another closure other than Velcro. You dont necessarily have to use scarves to make the unique and beautiful necklaces. Use roping, strips of leather, cord, strips of fabric or felt, and similar things. Make variations by doing things like sliding beads onto the cords or scarves as you braid them or dangling a single charm from the center of the braided arrangement. It literally takes only a few minutes to make a scarf necklace so why not make a collection of them? You can wear them with scoop necks, v-necks, casual dresses or evening wear and theyre cute as a button for a little girl and simply gorgeous on a woman!

Powdered Sugar Doily Cake

All your guests will think youve been secretly taking extreme baking lessons when you create a fanciful cake that looks like it took hours - or an expert - to make! The cake is absolutely breath-taking to view, yet is so simple to create, but that doesnt mean you have to tell everyone! A doily cake is a beautiful thing and its appropriate for many different occasions. Its stunning at a wedding, perfect for an anniversary - its so lovely you can serve it on holidays or any other occasion! Youll be using powdered sugar as the decorative touches to the cake so a dark background is ideal. But, if powdered sugar will show up on the cake, you can use it as the decoration. Chocolate cake is ideal. Bake any chocolate cake, in two round cake pans, and allow them to cool completely. Stack them as-is or spread a bit of frosting on one and stack the other.

Doilies used to be tatted at home but now you can purchase them at a craft store. Theyre made from paper and you can get several in a pack for a buck or two. One of these is just what you need to fool all your guests into thinking youve been taking cake decorating classes. Itll look like you spent hours decorating the cake! A paper doily is solid white but has been hole-punched to create various designs on it. Generally, though, the center is a solid piece of paper with no hole punches. Use the doily as-is or use a hole punch to create even more designs - particularly in the center.

Lay the doily on the cake and center it. Its helpful if you have a shaker for the powdered sugar to make sure it distributes evenly on the cake. Use a parmesan cheese shaker, or something similar, for best results. Shake the powdered sugar on the cake so that it lands on the doily, in the holes, and around the doily. When you can no longer see the top of the cake carefully lift and remove the doily. Take care not to spill the powdered sugar from the doily onto the cake. It can be a little tricky so its a good idea to have someone lift one side of the doily while you lift the other side. If you make a small mistake on the design simply wipe it off with a barely-damp paper towel. As beautiful as a doily is, thats how beautiful the top of the cake will look. Its amazing to see the stunning designs made by something so simple as powdered sugar! See a powdered sugar cake decoration here: http://www.marthastewart.com/photogallery/birthday-cake-toppers?lpgStart=1?tslide=7?tChapter=1

Travelers Pillow

We want to remember the best of our vacations, dont we? Our memories are about sandy beaches and children laughing, warm breezes and seeing many new things. We erase from our memories things like how the sand burned our feet or how that hotel employee was distracted and made us wait to check in. And the pillows! Not the hotel pillows; the ones you brought from home. Surely you havent forgotten how you had to drag all the luggage - and all those pillows - to the car and back in the house when arriving home. One for each person going along for the ride. Not only do those bed pillows take up a lot of room inside the vehicle but its kind of hard to get them positioned so that theyre comfortable. After all, bed pillows are designed to go halfway across the width of a large bed and you dont have that much room per person. So, the pillow ends up covering the window, or sticking in someone elses face. Its the nightmare we all choose to forget while traveling. Turn that nightmare into a dream by making a much smaller pillow. Make travelers pillows and you wont have to drag your bedroom pillows around the country!Choose the material you want to use for the pillow. Most any cotton fabric works well. You can use a sheet or even a pillowcase to make the new pillow. With a pillowcase all you have to do is cut it down to the specific size, sew it and stuff it.Cut one piece of material to be 12 ?"x28 ?". Or, cut two smaller pieces to be 12 ?"x14 ?". If you cut one piece, fold it in half and sew across two sides. If youre using two pieces, sew around three sides. Youll have an easier time sewing the stuffing opening closed if you also sew around the corners of the last side.Stuff the pillow with pillow stuffing or just insert a pillow form. Youll find either at a craft store, fabric retailer or discount department store. After stuffing the pillow just use the machine to sew the opening shut or take a few hand stitches to close it.If youre using a pillowcase to make the new pillow, cut it to be 12 ?"x14?", and follow the instructions above. You can cut a second pillowcase to be a bit larger and use it as a pillowcase for the travelers pillow. Or, make one from purchased fabric.The travelers pillow is much more suited for resting your head while riding down the road. It wont be in anyones way but will come in handy. Just leave the pillows in the car, if you want, and youll always have them waiting for you - no matter where youre going!

Setting Up a Photo Booth for a Party

Its going to be a lot of fun watching your guests take silly pictures at a photo booth that you set up for a party or special occasion. It wont be hard for you to get it all arranged and youll have an exciting time gathering the things that youll offer your guests for their photo experiences. Some things can be made, others can be purchased, but you can offer an array of accessories, disguises, and more. Your guests will laugh at the pictures for years to come.

The photo booth itself isnt difficult. Its not really a booth; you can just decorate a wall. Hang fabric, feather boas, curtains - anything to create the look you want. Hang a curtain rod, and drape materials over it, or just tape something to the wall. Make sure the arrangement is at least four feet wide, to accommodate two people. Set the camera on a tripod and set a time so guests can snap their own photos. Each person or group can set the timer and take pictures when ready.

Set up a table with things that your guests can use for their silly pictures. There are many items you can make for the occasion, like paper things on a stick. When you cut shapes like moustaches or speech bubbles, and put them on sticks, guests can hold one - or more - while having their pictures taken. Just use small-diameter dowels and attach one paper moustache, lips, or similar thing, to each dowel. When you make speech bubbles you can put funny sayings on them. A guest can hold the bubble on a stick next to his own mouth, or someone elses. Guest bubbles are generally white on black, or black on white. Other things you can lay out on the table include silly costumes, yarn hair or wigs, outlandish clip-on earrings, feather boas, gloves, hats, strands of beads, tiaras, boots or clown shoes, wands, masks, and sunglasses or other glasses. You can also offer other props the guests can hold, or put in the picture, depending on the theme they want. Some suggestions include a rake or shovel, a stuffed animal, a broom, a book, a beach ball, a small bench, a doll, or another theme-related object. Whether youre having a party, or a holiday celebration, a photo booth is fun for everyone. When the party is over, toss everything in a box, and you can use them again for the next party. Every now and then, drop a few more things in the box for future parties. Your guests will laugh at the pictures for years to come, as they remember the fun time they had at your photo booth.

Wedding Stars

You have so many choices when it comes to the decorations you can put up at your wedding reception that it can be mind-boggling. Put aside your worries about decorations and concentrate on the wedding itself. Youll need little time, money or effort to put up dazzling stars which hang from the ceiling - over the food table, above the dance floor, or elsewhere in the room.

You cant believe how simple it is to make the hanging stars which, when finished, are spectacular. Theyll look expensive but wont be. When the wedding is over, dont get rid of them - save them for another special occasion. They can be easily re-decorated and used for Christmas, the Fourth of July or other occasions.

Purchase large, Styrofoam balls at a craft store to begin the construction of the stars. Make all the stars the same size or make them in assorted sizes. Craft stores sell quite a large variety of Styrofoam balls that are very inexpensive. Purchase cones to finish the stars. The cones can be ordinary and white - those meant for putting fluids into your car - or even cone-shaped birthday party hats. You can even roll your own cones using scrapbook paper with a wedding theme. There are various ways to make the hanging stars. First, make a hole in any one area of the ball, using a pencil, skewer or other poker. Cut a piece of string or twine, fold it in half, dispense hot glue into the hole, then place the twine ends into the hole. Apply hot glue around the large opening of a cone and stick it to the ball. Do this five times, placing the cones in a circle around the ball, and spacing them evenly apart. Create a different look by smashing the cones flat before attaching them to the ball. For this version, cut slits in the ball, dispense hot glue into them, then slide the wide end of a smashed cone into each slit. Another version you can do is to stick the points of the cones into the ball. When youre finished with the type of star you want spray paint the entire thing gold, silver or another color. Change the look of certain stars by sliding streamers or tinsel strands into the points and taping them on the inside of the cone, and do this before attaching the cones to the ball. Hang the glittery balls all over the wedding reception room and watch as the guests gaze in awe. They look fancy and expensive but are really not costly at all. Its a great way to decorate an entire room for little cash.

Sand Scene Wedding Centerpiece

Youve likely been to weddings where there were flowers everywhere; flowers almost always create the perfect scenery for a wedding. If youre trying to cut down on the flower budget, though, or youd just like to do something a little different, make a sand scene centerpiece. It can be done in many different ways and is perfect for a summer wedding, beach wedding and others.

Look around a craft store or discount department store for a clear fishbowl, squat vase or similar container. Or, look around at a home improvement store for light fixture covers that have a bowl shape and are clear. Some of these might not stand on their own but you can deal with that later.

For bowls which wont stand straight on their own, set them on a wadded towel to prevent them from rolling while you set up the sand scene. If needed, place small tree branches, driftwood or similar things around the base of the bowl to hold it in place while further lending toward the total look of the centerpiece. Youll create one look if the bowl sets upright as it was meant to but a different look if you turn a globe or squat vase on its side. Fill the bowl a third to a fourth full of sand. Use regular sand or colored sand from a craft store. You can even stir glitter into sand, or buy glittered sand, to create just the perfect look for your particular centerpiece. Craft stores feature a huge variety of miniatures with a sea or beach theme. Place shells, a lighthouse, a tiny boat, starfish, a miniature chair and umbrella, or even a bride and groom in the sand. Or, use no miniatures and just set up an arrangement of tiny plants which dont require much water. Make something similar using silk plants that need no water at all. If you use a bride and groom to make the centerpiece there are lots of comical or loving signs you can place inside the container with them. Use a toothpick and piece of cardstock, or similar things, to make the sign you want. The sign can feature the name of the soon-to-be honeymoon spot, can say "Love" or "Forever", or can even state the names of the bride and groom. Whether you purchase a huge glass container, or a much smaller one, you can save a fortune by creating a sand scene centerpiece over displaying vase after vase of flowers. After the wedding the sand arrangement can be displayed as it is or remade to look very different. Thats better than throwing out all those expensive flowers, isnt it? Simple Sand Scene

Hanging Clothes Storage or Mover

Many of us take the summer clothes out of the closet and replace them with winter clothes. Or, we do the opposite because there is no room for clothes of all seasons. So, when a new season approaches, we take out the clothing we wont be wearing that season. Its such a bit hassle, though. And, when you break out the clothing from the last season you often see that the clothing doesnt look like it did when you put it away. Now you have wrinkles in the garments and have to iron, put them in the dryer, or treat them with a wrinkle-release product. But when you make a simple adjustment to an ordinary cardboard box you do away with every bit of that hassle. Whether you need to store clothing for the season, or youre moving and you dont want your garments all wrinkled, youll be able to keep your hanging clothes still hanging - and neat as can be.I used a large cardboard box to make a storage unit. A good choice for a box is one that is a bit taller than a blouse is long. A wide box will ensure you also have room for many garments. Near the top of the box, on two opposite sides, poke a hole. The holes should be the same distance from the top and exactly across from each other. Thats it. With just the two holes the moving or storage box is ready to assemble.All you need now is a dowel rod and two wooden balls. Youll find both at a home improvement or craft store. The rod should be cut so that its a couple of inches longer than the width of the box. Wooden balls are made to fit on the ends of wooden dowels. Purchase the appropriate balls for the selected dowel and it will take just a couple of minutes to assemble the moving box.To hang the garments, take the dowel and slide it up under existing, hanging garments. Lift them off all at once. Lower one end of the rod into the box and through one hole. As you do this, hold the garments in place. Slide the rod way out one side of the box, settle the clothing inside the box, then position the rod so that it goes through the other hole as well. Put the wooden balls on the ends of the dowel, on the outside of the box, to secure the dowel.With the clothes hanging on a rod inside the moving or storage box youll find that most of the clothing will have no wrinkles. For long garments, like dresses or jeans, take the hems and pin them up at the shoulders with clothes pins. This will keep them neat and tidy. In fact, all of your garments will come out looking just like they did when you boxed them.

Plastic Cup Garden Flowers

Love outdoor accents like a birdbath, a windsock, or fake deer? If so, youll be thrilled with a fun and easy project where you make plastic flowers for the garden, to put beside your steps, or to display elsewhere in your yard. The next time you have a birthday party, a holiday get-together, a wedding, or another special event, save those plastic cups. When you cut them up and turn them into garden flowers youll find theyre colorful and adorable.Okay, were all aware of the need to put less garbage in the land fills, so many of us are trying new things to reuse what would formerly be garbage. You can, too, when you save those plastic cups from the trash, and use them to make garden flowers. For each flower, start with a clean, dry cup and cut the bottom off of it. To do that, pierce the side, right next to the bottom, with a sharp knife. Then, use scissors to neatly cut out the plastic circle. It will become the center of the flower you make.Cut the remainder of the cup into the petals for the flower. Cut down one side, and the opposite side, to separate it into two equal-size pieces. Cut each of those pieces in half, and then cut each of those four pieces in half. Youll end up with eight petals. Use a stapler to attach the petals around the circle. Staple the smallest end of the petal to the circle, and do this around the circle, to attach all eight of the petals. The petals, as well as the flowers center, should all be turned where you can see the outside parts of the cup.Purchase a small-diameter, wooden dowel to use for the flower stem. Paint it green with paint suitable for outdoors. After the paint is dry (it could take more than one coat) you can then attach the flower to the stem. Position the circle thats in the middle of the flower onto the end of the dowel. Use a single staple, in the middle of the circle, to attach the flower to the stem.Using adhesive that will hold up under the elements, you can attach tiny shells, mirrors, beads, roping, or other embellishments, in the middle of each flower, to make it even more attractive. Push the stems of the flowers into the dirt of the garden, or elsewhere in the yard. Or, put some in a plant pot outside. The flowers can be set on a porch - or even in the house; theyre adorable in a little girls room.Never throw the disposable cups away; just make more flowers. Dont need anymore? Give some to friends and family - unless theyre already making their own plastic cup flowers!

Pallet Sofa

There are some things that we just assume we cant make ourselves, and we go out buy those things. One such thing is a sofa. Besides an upholsterer, or a professional woodworker, who can make his own sofa? There is one couch that can be made by an average person, will cost little money, and will hold up for many years. A wooden pallet sofa is not your ordinary couch but its perfect for pushing up against a wall in a childs room, or as an extra seat or two in the living room.

A wooden pallet sofa is a little more unusual than a normal sofa but every bit as comfortable. You be the designer of the couch so that you can make one to be exactly what you desire. You have so many choices, like how long you want the sofa to be, how tall you want the seats, and whether you want to put the sofa directly on the floor, on legs, or on casters.

Set two or more pallets against a wall to start making the sofa. If you want the seats to be taller, stack another pallet on each of those. Nail or screw all pallets together to make the sturdiest couch. If you plan on adding legs or casters, put them on the bottom pallets, and do that before stacking and screw them all together. As for the cushions on the couch, you can buy some, or you can make them. Depending on the length of the pallet couch youve made, you can possibly use outdoor lounge chair cushions, body pillows, and similar things. Or, just fold a quilt, and you can quickly turn it into a cushion for the whole sofa. Fold a quilt in half and cut off the excess, so that it is the size needed for the cushion. Sew around the perimeter, leave an opening for turning, and then turn the quilt right-side-out. Stuff it with cotton, chipped foam, or similar material, and sew the opening shut. Another way to upholster the pallet sofa is to purchase a big, thick, dense piece of foam. Set it on the pallet, cover it with fabric, and staple the edges of the cloth to the bottom of the pallet. You can make a second cushion, and use it for the back pillow, or just align throw pillows - or a body pillow - across the back of the pallet sofa. If youve stacked two or more pallets to make the seats taller, you can create arms for the couch by standing another wooden pallet at one end of the couch, and one at the other end. Screw the arm pallets to the ends of the couch. A pallet couch - no matter what design you give it - is simple and cheap to make, but will hold up for many years.

How to Make a Muffin Bouquet Centerpiece

Entertaining guests for a high-class brunch? Having a few friends over for a weekend breakfast? Wait until they see all the fabulous foods on the table! And right in the middle of it all will be the gorgeous bouquet that youve made yourself. No, you wont be expected to go purchase a bunch of expensive flowers for the bouquet. Instead, make it with delicious muffins and the guests will leave full and impressed! Its a lot of fun to make foods into look-alike flowers. It doesnt take much effort, and other than the foods, it doesnt take much money. There are lots of different ways to make a centerpiece according to what you want to serve and how much you want to embellish it.

Choose the vase you want to use then fill it full of wooden skewers. Dont pack them in but just take a handful of them and place them in the vase. For the finished bouquet to look the best it can look cut some of the sticks down a bit. In the end, you should have several full-size sticks, several smaller ones, and a few more that are even shorter. Even the smallest ones should rise at least a couple of inches above the rim of the vase. If you want to paint the skewers green do so and allow them to dry.

The individual flowers can be made by simply placing the stabbed foods into the vase. However, youll make a much nicer presentation if you first place a few fake greenery pieces in the vase. Now you can decide how you want the flowers to look. Cut foam shapes, felt, foil, scrapbook paper or other materials to make the petals, with a mini muffin in the center. Slide the foam or paper shape onto the stick, center the muffin, then push it on to the stick. Make sure the skewer goes only halfway into the muffin. Combine various muffins as well as petal shapes and colors to create quite a nice flower arrangement. Other foods can be offered on different sticks in the vase with the muffins. Some choices include strawberries, grapes, pieces of cheese, marshmallows, and miniature candy bars. You can even tie narrow ribbon around the muffin wrappers and tie them in a bow; it adds a little more glitz to the finished bouquet. Things like fake baby breath flowers are also a nice touch. Whether youre having people over for breakfast or brunch its fun to make the easy bouquet that will serve all the guests. At the same time they get to view the beautiful table centerpiece that is the bouquet of muffins. Its a fun food project thats very impressive.

Decorate for Any Holiday Using Empty Thread Spools

If youve got wooden spools - or even Styrofoam ones - you can make all sorts of decorations for Christmas, Easter, Halloween and other occasions. In fact, you do one basic thing with the spools then use that to make the decorations themselves. Sound a little confusing? Its not. If you can slide spools on to string youve got the holiday decorations all under control! The spools you use can be painted or not. Use large ones or small ones. Combine small and large ones to create a totally different look. The spools can be Styrofoam or wooden spools. If theyre Styrofoam check the label to see that the paint you select is compatible with Styrofoam.

Use holiday-theme fabric or felt colors to give the spools a festive look. Youll easily find cloth that is suitable for making holiday d?cor at any fabric store. Cut pieces of it, or of colorful felt, then wrap the pieces around the spools. Instead of fabric or felt you can also use decorative paper. Simply glue a piece of the chosen material around the spool. Other things you can use instead of painting or covering the spools include rubber stamping methods and even metallic tape.

After youve decorated the spools as you want begin sliding them onto a piece of twine. Make sure the twine is longer than you want the finished spool rope to be. Slide on as many spools as you want then finish the ends by tucking them inside the hole of the spools. So, start with a length of twine, scoot the first spool nearly all the way down to the end of the twine, leaving a few inches hanging off. Continue the spool pattern you want, then when you get close to the end, stop. Take the ends, add a little glue to them, then push them into their respective holes in the spool. Between the holes you can tie small pieces of fabric to give the spool rope a little more holiday theme. Cut rectangles of fabric with pinking shears and tie one between each set of spools. That way, you use fewer spools and create a more colorful rope. Make small ropes to use as curtain tie-backs. Make long ropes to decorate a banister at Christmas. Use a small rope, made of small spools, to make a country-look lampshade. Instead of wrapping the spools with cloth you can even make each one into a character by using paint, wiggly eyes and other cheap craft supplies. There are few limitations when it comes to decorating with the spools. They can be used on mantles, cornices, around party tables and many other places.

Plastic Drawers Game and Storage Set

Have you ever seen those short, plastic drawer sets they sell at many discount department stores? Theyre usually available in several colors and they feature three or four small drawers that are shallow. Many of the drawer sets have wheels so you can easily scoot it in and out of nearly any space. You can purchase a drawer set for just a few bucks and the set is perfect for creating games as well as an organizer for the games. The type of storage drawers you need is one that has a flat top.

Nowadays its really easy to make your own games because craft stores sell nearly everything you need and you can get the rest online. The drawers you buy will make it easy to organize all the pieces while the top of the set can hold the game boards.

Cork blocks or foam blocks work well to make the game boards. Save money if you purchase the materials by the roll then cut the blocks yourself, or just purchase the blocks already cut. Cork, of course, is brown, but foam comes in many different colors. You can go online and find pictures of any game board you can imagine. Use the photos to create game boards of your own. Techniques for making the boards include stenciling, rubber stamping, markers or even stickers. Make a different board design on each side of the cork or foam blocks. Make several different blocks, with a different game on each side, except for one. Make one block that has only one game on it. On the opposite side, glue it to the top of the drawer case. Now stack the other foam or cork blocks on top of that one. Whichever game youre playing you can simply position that one on top of the stack. If youre playing on the game board thats glued down just move the other boards out of the way. Dollar-theme stores sell many different things that can be used as game pieces. Small plastic characters, cardboard cutout circles and shapes, fake coins, short wooden dowels, erasers shaped like various objects - they even sell poker chips, cards and dice. Or, go online to an auction and purchase used games which have no board or are missing something simple to replace, like the dice. Youll see that lots of board games featured at auctions are really inexpensive. Store the pieces in the individual drawers. You can make compartments by cutting pieces of cardboard and wedging or gluing them in the drawers. Now all your game boards and games can be organized in the small drawer set and rolled out of the way when not in use!

Pantyhose Polo Game for Kids

Every time a new year rolls around you know one thing for certain: there will be parties. Birthday parties, anniversary parties, a graduation party or two. There are lots of holidays and special occasions that we celebrate throughout the year, and if we have a party on that day, were faced with coming up with something a little different than what was done in previous years. Theres a silly game you can play, when your childs birthday rolls around, and it will quickly become one of the childrens favorites. You wont have to come up with something new next year because theyll want to play this game each and every year! Kids will laugh til they fall down when they play the pantyhose polo game. Its hysterical, easy to put together, and will bring lots of fun to the birthday party. Youll need a pair of old pantyhose to make the game in a hurry. Lay the pantyhose on a flat surface and cut from midway on the waist bands down to the inseam. With the pantyhose cut into two pieces it will only take a few minutes to set up the game.

Drop an orange, apple, tennis ball or similar object into each leg of the pantyhose. Strap one pantyhose piece - with ball - onto each of two children to start the game. First, place a piece of tape, a string, or a similar object on the floor, then make another one. These will be the two starting lines for the two kids. The game is played, two kids at a time, but each child will get a turn. Use tape, string or other markers to create two finish lines as well.

Tie or pin a pantyhose with ball set onto the two first kids and have them stand behind the two lines. The object inside the pantyhose should hang less than an inch from the floor as the child stands up straight. Lay one orange or ball on the starting line for each child. Without using his or her hands the child must swing the pantyhose ball and hit the orange or ball across the room and over the finish line. Its a blast to watch kids swing and swivel as they try to hit their assigned ball the distance to the finish line. Theyll be laughing so hard, though, that it will be fairly difficult. When the first child makes it over the finish line, the other child is "out" and his or her pantyhose is tied onto the next contestant, who will go up against the resigning champion. Continue in this manner until one child is the final winner. Its a hysterical way to entertain the kids with a fun game while they exercise without knowing it!

How to Make Drink Parasols

We often think of drink parasols being served with mixed drinks, beachside. Weve all seen many movies and commercials where adults were enjoying drinks that had umbrellas. But, you know, those little paper parasols can be served with any drink. The umbrella itself rests upon a skewer and that can be used to stir any drink. You can order all sorts of them online, and theyre not all that expensive, but youll have more fun if you make them yourself. On top of that, when you make them, you get to choose what theme theyll have! A wedding reception, birthday party, backyard luau or even a holiday is always a perfect time to serve drinks with the small parasols - for kids as well as adults. If you can cut a circle you can make one in seconds.

Have you browsed the vast selection of scrapbook papers online or in a local store? Wow, do they have some beautiful papers! Youll find them with birthday themes, neon colors, wedding themes, pastels, and even foil varieties. Choose any scrapbook paper - or other thick paper - to make the drink parasols.

Draw circles on the paper depending upon the sizes you want for the drinks. A good size is 4", but after making one umbrella, you can adjust the size according to the types of glasses youre using. Use something you have around the house as the circle pattern, like a spice jar lid, small coffee jar lid, prescription bottle cap or even a juice glass. Make the parasols all the same, like with a birthday theme, or make many different ones for another celebration. Cut enough circles for the estimated drinks youll serve and then the hardest part is over. Cut from one edge of a circle into the approximate center. (You can find the exact center with a ruler if you want). Now take one side of the slit and lay it over the opposite side of the slit. Scoot the top one over until you have the umbrella shape you want. Tape the paper together on the underside of the parasol. Cut the tips off of wooden skewers, measure them to be just a bit taller than the glasses youre using, then cut them to that size. Use a tiny dot of glue on the end of each skewer and press the inside point of the parasol onto the glue. Allow the glue to set or dry completely before serving. The tiny umbrellas dress up any drink and are appropriate for nearly any occasion. You can make many parasols from one piece of scrapbook paper so that makes this craft thrifty and fun! See homemade paper parasols here.

Hibiscus Party Garland

Wont a luau at your house be a lot of fun? Friends can dress up in grass skirts or just wear leis to the party. You can serve drinks in coconut shells and have lots of festive flowers around the place. A nice flower choice for a luau is the hibiscus. Its large, colorful, and goes right along with a Hawaiian theme, beach theme or luau. Although hibiscus flowers might look okay in vases at the party a much nicer way to display them is by making a hibiscus garland. The garland can be used to decorate tables, doorways, banisters and more.

Purchase silk hibiscus flowers to make the garland for your party. Purchase the type which has just the heads of the flowers, sold at craft stores. The hibiscus flowers you choose can be all the same color or an assortment of colors. In addition to the flowers youll need long, silk leaves. Craft stores feature a large selection of just leaves and the ones you need are ones which are at least twice as long as the diameter of the flowers youre using.

Purchase ordinary brown twine to assemble the garland. Youll get a better price on it at a home improvement store than at a craft store. Unroll enough twine to be as long as you want the garland to be. Set a heavy object on each end of the twine with the cord taut. Arrange two leaves so that theyre stacked on top of each other on one end yet spread slightly apart at the other end. Use a dot of hot glue to attach the leaves together. Position a hibiscus flower over the ends of the leaves which are stacked. Use a dot of hot glue to hold the flower in place. Go a couple of inches from one end of the twine and attach the first hibiscus flower with leaves. Use a dot of hot glue on the twine and press the hibiscus into it. Move over a few inches and glue on another set of flower and leaves. Do this across the length of the twine. Its up to you if you want the flowers to be close together or far apart. If you leave the flowers far apart you can fill in the area between them by tying on short pieces of twine and leaving the ends a couple of inches long, each. Tie several of these on, then a flower, and more tied-on twine, until the length of the garland twine is covered. Although the hibiscus are perfect for a luau or beach party there are no limits to the various flower and leaf garland you can make. Browse the silk flower section to search for more flowers and leaves you can use to make garlands for other parties and celebrations.

Butterfly Wedding Garland

Many brides are now making most of their own bridal things. From the foods to the bridesmaid dresses lots of women who are getting ready to marry decide on saving money and making the things theyll need. One of the easiest things you can make for your wedding is the decorations. You dont have to know much about crafting to make certain things which will look fabulous at your wedding. A decoration which is easy to make, and will look great around tables, across walls and down banisters, is a butterfly garland. If youre having a spring or summer wedding the butterfly garland is the perfect decorating choice.

Purchase satin ribbon to make the butterfly garland. The ribbon you use should be very narrow - a quarter-inch. Purchase white ribbon, pink, blue or another color which youre featuring in your wedding.

Browse a craft store and look for assorted butterflies. Youll find ceramic ones, wooden ones, metallic ones and more. The type you need for the garland are ones which arent heavy. Foil, paper, or cardstock are some excellent choices. Foil types of butterflies are especially nice for a wedding since they sparkle and shine. The garland can be made quickly if you purchase butterflies which are already complete and wont need painting or embellishing. Cut a length of the ribbon to be as long as you want the garland to be or work in sections to create yards upon yards of the garland. Weight down each end and keep the ribbon taut. Go over a couple of inches from one end of the ribbon and attach the first butterfly. Put a dot of hot glue on the underside of one butterfly and stick it directly to the ribbon. Go over a couple of inches and attach the next butterfly. Do this along the entire length of the ribbon, using a ruler to space them perfectly, to finish the garland. Its up to you how close or how far apart you put the butterflies but youll achieve the best look if all the butterflies arent facing the same way. You dont necessarily have to make the wedding garland with just the butterflies; there are other things you can attach to the ribbon, like tiny flowers, small leaves or even rhinestones. The finished garland can be used in many ways. Wrap it around a table edge, hang it outside on hand rails, decorate candles with it and more. After the wedding, save the garland, and use it at future parties and celebrations. Its fabulous for a springtime party or brunch or even a little girls birthday party.

How to Embroidery Portraits and Pictures

Many people hang pictures of their family on the wall to show them off to visitors or to view them when they want. Some people go all-out on a fancy frame and others turn color photos to black and white on their home computers. For many people, its fun to pick out frames, arrange the various photos on the wall, or do photo crafts. I might know of a photo or picture craft you havent tried yet. Embroidery portraits are gorgeous and, even if youve never done embroidery before, you wont find this method hard at all.

Make a copy of your photo and save the original. The copy will get ruined and you dont want to lose the actual photo when the project is finished. Adjust the copied image to fit the frame and mat youre using.

Purchase water color paper to begin. Youll find the paper at a craft store and maybe even a fabric store. Online, there are many places that sell water color paper. Lay the copied photo on the water color paper and tape it in place. Its a bit time-consuming to do the next step but, once you see the finished result, youll definitely feel as though it was worth your effort. Lay the picture and water color paper on a piece of cardboard. Use a pin or needle and begin making tiny holes through the picture and the paper at the same time. Outline the shape of the person, then outline features, like eyes, eyebrows, nose, and so forth. Do your best to space the holes evenly, but some uneven holes will, in the end, give you a more unique embroidered portrait. Youll achieve various looks by how you make the holes. For example, if you make holes that are close together youll end up with a different look than if you make holes that are further apart. So, for the outline of the person, make holes that are spaced further apart, but for something like the eyeball, make dots which are close together. That way, youll have more definition on the finished portrait. Remove the photo and use a needle and thread to sew in and out of the holes youve made in the water color paper. Use thick thread for things like the hair or the outline; use thinner thread for eyes and eyebrows. Use various colors of thread to make certain features, like eyes, or do the whole portrait in black and white. When youre finished, frame the embroidered portrait and enjoy it. Dont want to do a persons portrait? Use a picture of a lighthouse, a vehicle, flowers, or something else. The embroidered pictures turn out beautifully.