Showing posts with label DIY ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY ideas. Show all posts

Monday, December 9, 2013

Tart Tin cuties


Altered tart tins are really popular right now. I have these I bought for a buck at an estate sale. Let's see the ways we can use these creatively for ornaments. Coat them with German glass glitter, embellish them with an image, a piece of jewelry. Cut them apart and hammer them flat, embellish with tulle circles, paper fans, jewelry orTurn it into a base for a snowman or doll ornament.



This was made by my friend Cindy Wood. 


This was made by my friend Ada Pringle.

please enter the drawing for 12 of these ornaments by sharing the page and posting a comment here.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Kids Garden Apron

I made this darling apron from 2 pieces of baby clothes I got for .25 cents each at the thrift store.  You will need a pair of overalls with adjustible straps and a heavy weight baby dress with a flat a line skirt.


First, cut the pants off of the overalls.  I cut below the side snaps so she could put the whole thing over her shoulders and secure it easily herself with the side snaps.  I serged the back part, but you can turn it under if you don't have a serger. 

Cut the bodice of the baby dress off.  This dress buttoned down the back, often times you will have one that doesn't and buttons at the shoulders.  Eiter way, cut the side seams open,  Trim the front of the skirt to fit the overall bib.  Then take the back of the skirt, (I buttoned mine up) and cut a shorter piece to make the front pockets.. Turn under the top edge of the front pocket, and then sew it to the skirt, both good sides facing up.  Then run stitches down the pocket to create 4 pockets, (I reinforced with backstitches at the top of the pockets for durability).  Fold back side seams of skirt and stitch down.  Sew skirt to overall bib front and you are done.

This is a super easy and fun way to reuse clothes your kids have outgrown.  Althought my niece is a 3T, these overalls were 12 months and the dress was 9 months.  The apron fits her perfectly.  So next time before you donate those outgrown clothes, look at them in a different way and ask yourself, how could I make this into something else?  Check back here often for more kids upcycled clothing tips.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Garden Art


I have been at it again... Dumpster diving for treasures... in the form of plastic bottles, cups and aluminum cans.  I used to volunteer at the Depot's transfer station at the recycling center out in Benicia... I HATED to see the amount of plastic and aluminum that they trucked in every day...  I think plastic food containers should be outlawed...  everywhere.  But since it probably won't be, I am trying to think up more creative ways to use it to brighten up our lives, rather than cause more blight. 

I am also trying to create some art for my garden with no money...  OK, so I splurged on a few cans of spray paint... But a lot of it I got for free at the HazMat facility in Martinez on my last visit there.  You can use left over house paint, acrylic paint, glass paint, whatever you have laying around...  I like the way the spray paint looks.  But be sure to wear a mask if you will be spraying a lot...  It is hard on the lungs... 


I made these flowers by cutting the top of the can off like this
then I trimmed the rough edges off the cans and bottles like this

Using the pattern on the bottom of the plastic bottles, and by creating my own patterns, I cut strips down the side of the can, bent them out, and then cut petal shapes on the tips.



I layed them all out and spray painted them.  Once they were dry, I layered them on top of one another
punched a hole through the middle, ran some wire through and tied it on to a small piece of doweling.
They make a really bright addition to my garden.  I can't stop making them, it's addictive!


Friday, February 18, 2011

Vintage Luggage Redux

I collect old suitcases... Unfortunately, it is getting harder and harder to find the really cool ones. Once in a while I come across old hard sided train cases and larger luggage pieces at garage sales. They are usually really ugly and beat up and have very little personality. These three pieces were Navy blue, yellow and burgundy. I wanted a matching 3 piece luggage set that I could use for hauling my art stuff around.

Spray paint is the great equalizer. I LOVE spray paint. Gather up your stencils and anything else you can spray a pattern through, scrapbook laser cuts, lace, plastic tablecloths, paper doilies, rubber rug mats... really think outside the box with this...

I started with white, and layered the stencil down, spritzing the white over the suitcase in random patterns. Then I added pale green, aqua, pink and yellow. The colors seemed a little muted, so I then used a bright royal blue metallic and purple spritzed lightly to make the stencils really pop. The secret to this is the layers. You really need to keep layering one stencil over another to get the depth. If you don't like something, let it dry for a bit, and then spry over it again. Using metallic silver or pearl paint will give you a cool damask effect.

So drag out those old suitcases from the garage, go to the hazardous waste materials restore in your area and pick up spray paint for free, and go to town with all the cool colors and designs and see what you come up with!

The train case in the front left was painted by my daughter Kayleigh.  It started life as a black textured leather case.  She went for a more goth rock kind of look... she keeps her makeup in it.  Next time you see one of these at a yard sale or thrift store, POUNCE on it...  they are very cool when done up.