Tots and Thoughts: June 2015

Sunday, June 14, 2015

melted bead sun catcher with eyelet

I have been seeing all these posts about melting beads

and I just had to try them!

I made a modification where I added an eyelet to the beads so that we could hang them easily, wasn't sure it was going to work but it did! Now we can hang these easily!

You just have to make sure to surround the eyelet with beads so that it stays snug!

I also used glow in the dark beads and sunburst bead which was really a great addition and it melts so pretty!

You can see more details here

I just love the way the beads melt together

Here is what I used:

sunburst beads

glow in the dark pony beads

Transparent beads

Small Wilton pans

Any of these can probably be found at local craft stores and take a coupon! Any metal eyelet will do.

Use the pan for shape and so that it stays a little thicker, dollar store has small pans sometimes, I only use them for crafting and don't mix with the food ones. Make sure the eyelet is snug and that beads are close to the sunburst beads, you want them to be close so you don't have gaps.

I used a toaster over that is an old one, only for crafts because this really stinks. Seriously, I took the toaster oven outside it smelled so bad - yuck. I also use it for shrink plastic and polymer clay. Some people have used the BBQ outside.

I had the little oven at 450F and watch them melt, takes about 10 min on mine.

Pour some cold water to make them pop out

Enjoy!

Monday, June 8, 2015

Creative Die Cut Storage!

Here is what you need:

Magnet sheets from Signwarehouse or Blick

Trim from Home Depot

Sheet of plywood 3/8"

Liquid nails

Dies!

Cut the magnet sheet to size and use liquid nails to attach it to plywood (the size is up to you).

Nail the trim to the plywood and paint plywood side to match trim :)

Another solution I had before was buying the magnet sheets from Oriental trading Co they are super thick and have adhesive backing, use a page protector and a binder and you are set, if you need it to be more sturdy, cut the back of a cereal box and attach.

Elsa Cape

Cape:

3 layers of Tulle (Joann) white and blue colors find it hereTule

Velvet ribbon folded in half (Beverly's Fabric)

roll edges and layer white and blue (3 layers) stick tulle in and glue with Fabritac

Glue velcro squares on the ends of ribbon.

Snowflakes on cape and hair are made with glitter paper I got at Michaels. Using 2 Martha stewart punches I got on close out last year check Joann they are on sale now. The little ones I cut out of a border snowflake punch I got on closeout. But you can use stickers or anything else.

The glitter paper really shines.

I attached them to wig and cape with fabritac.

Elsa Wig Frozen - DIY

Inspiration and original instructions were found here Undomestic Goddess

Got a beanie hat at Target on clearance for $3 in white.

Got yarn, white, any brand, I think it was called Love (use a coupon!).

Wrap it around a couple of chairs, I used chairs 40" apart.

Go around 10 times or so otherwise it will be hard to handle.

Hold one end and cut the other end so you have 40" strands.

I used a nylon thread. Start sewing them down the middle like a hair part.

I used my knee and have the scars to prove it ;) keep going until you reach to where about the part ends and the back of the head begins, it will end up with a T

for the back I did something different, I got one strand of yard and draped the strand and stitched the single strand making sure to sew everything together.

a clip helped hold it in place and I did about 3 strands for the back

I used a balloon when I was done stitching and it helped with glue.

front view

That's the "T"

got crochet needle and added short strands to front, glue or sewing is fine too

As you pull the hair back a bit to braid you will see it come apart, glue a line on the sides and back so the hair doesn't move. Fabritac works really well

I taped the balloon to a vase to braid.

Found the tiara at Target at party favor section, painted the rhinestone blue

After braiding I glued the strands back and hid them with snowflakes

I also sprayed the whole thing with glitter fabric paint, helps keep it in place and gives it sparkle. Make sure to keep braid low to cover hair and hat.

Glitter paper from Michaels and Martha Stewart snowflake punch