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DIY Plastic Easter Egg Wreath Tutorial

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On of the boards I follow on Pinterest had pinned an Easter Egg Wreath from Debbie Doodlings blog. I thought the wreath was adorable and headed to the Dollar Store the next day to make one of my own!

I made my wreath last night and think it's so cute!

egg wreath

suppliesegg wreath1egg wreath2egg wreath3egg wreath4egg wreath5egg wreath6egg wreath7egg wreath8egg wreath9

egg wreath

It was so easy to make an only cost $3 in supplies (not including the glue, box, ribbon and string I had on hand).

I think it is super adorable! I love that my front door is now ready for that cute little Easter Bunny!! :-)

As always, I'd love for you to PIN this and LIKE me on Facebook!!

 photo eb2082ff-b3a8-4379-b2b4-393f834e0b54_zps979e9eed.jpg


Are You a Crafter or a Baker?

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Are you a crafter or a baker?

I have this whole theory about why I am a better cook than a baker. Baking involves following instructions and being exact. Cooking, much like crafting, can bend the rules. You can add a little of this and a little of that, and it might just make things better. Do that with baking, and your soufflé won't rise. I am a crafter. I love to cook and craft—baking, not so much.


Left Brain vs. Right Brain?

Kitchen bins

My theory started when my daughter asked me to play Legos with her. She is like her daddy. He has a math minor; his dad is an engineer; he works on spreadsheets all day. He is also a great baker. Anyway, my daughter was building her Lego Friends kit, following the instructions to a tee. I, on the other hand, just started grabbing pieces and making my own Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Lego house.

This blew my daughter's mind. At first, she stole pieces back from me, insisting they were not supposed to go there, but instead in Mia’s magic trick box or Stephanie’s ice cream parlor. I assured her it that it was fine to branch out and NOT follow the instructions from time to time. It took a little coaching, but she finally started building her own ideas and designs. Now she is a Lego architect, building with wild abandon. The truth of the matter is that those little pictorial guides that come with Legos make me shut down, much like a complicated recipe does. I see a long list of things I am supposed to do, and suddenly I want to shut my eyes and take a nap. Luckily, this time I was able to skirt the issue of Mommy was not much for instruction manuals. If I had been teaching her to bake, this story would not have had a happy ending.


Do You See Detailed Instructions as Love Letter or Hate Mail?

Meat tender binI also like to repurpose kitchen items outside the kitchen … do you?

Some people love instructions, exact measurements, and parameters. This does not make them less creative people. This makes them very smart and talented people. Others, like me, feel stifled by those same things. I get distracted, and start to wonder, “Do I really have to whip the butter and the sugar in a different bowl, or can I just throw it all in there together and go for it?”

That's why I find that cooking gels more with my personality. I can make something delicious out of almost anything in my pantry. And it's the same with crafting for me: I don’t need a manual or instructions to make art or jewelry.


Baking is Exact

Fisher Price Stove

In cooking, you can substitute chicken for beef or tofu for tempeh. Cooking is a matter of understanding a lot of different potential ingredients in terms of their taste, texture, and even appearance. Being able to combine all those elements in unique ways is what makes cooking like crafting.

If I'm baking a cake and run out of milk, I can't add powdered creamer in its place. Ask my husband about the time I thought butter and shortening were interchangeable when baking cookies. Crafting and cooking for me are often about using what I have on hand and making do. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. The same is true with making a pot of vegetable soup, or whipping up a laptop case out of an old suitcase you have lying around.


No Two Crafts or Batches of Enchiladas Are the Same

Cooking scrapbook

If someone asked me for my chicken enchilada recipe, I probably could not give it to her. There is a lot of what I like to call “eyeballing” it going on when I cook (especially when I cook Mexican food; I taste it and know if it needs more cumin, chipotle, or green chiles). It is not something I can write out. Each batch is slightly different and some are better than others.

Same goes for crafting. Yes, I make a living crafting and telling other people how to do it. However, I never fully expect people to follow my exact “craft recipe.” I don’t follow recipes or craft instructions exactly, and I often forget that others sometimes do. This approach is where I get into trouble baking: Cookbooks and long recipes scare me. I can’t taste my cake halfway through to see if tastes OK without getting salmonella or spoiling the cake; I need to follow the recipe and be exact. Each cake should, for the most part, be exactly like the last.


Jack of All Crafty Trades and Master of None

Hope's kitchenMy sister Hope's kitchen.

In the last week I have painted spoon puppets, made a terrarium, poured salt on glue for watercolor, attached hair curlers to canvases and thought deep thoughts about paper maché. I am still not Martha Stewart, or great at any of those things. It's the same with cooking. One night I might make Thai; another Indian—I’m still not a master of either curry.

People that I know who consider themselves bakers are hardcore. Those people can make a pie crust fluffy without batting an eye. Their cakes and breads are never dense. Their cupcakes are all the exact same size. You know why? They hone their skill. They read the instructions and—gasp!— follow them. They measure things out (my kids long ago stole my measuring spoons to add to their mud pie kitchen). They practice that one skill, of baking, and become great at it.


Time Is of the Essence

crafty plates

In baking, timing is pretty important. Sure, you can burn something when cooking, but with baking you can really screw things up if your timing is off. Crafters are more of the slow cooker and giant pot of soup variety. We lose track of time a lot better than we keep it. Even more exact than baking is making candy. That whole thermometer and stirring constantly thing? Le whoa. Timing and temperature is everything here. This crafter, for one, knows for a fact that she is better off eating candy than she is trying to make it.


Following Orders

pretzel hangers My soft pretzels kinda look like hangers, right? Hopefully, the more wine the girls at the clothes swap drink, the more they will look like hangers.

Sure, I can bake. I can actually bake well. It just hurts a little. I have never been very good at following the rules or reading instructions. Baking often has a certain order that must be followed in order for the end product to turn out correctly. If I don’t let my dough rise before I roll out my pizza it is going to suck. I can’t roll it out and then let it rise.

With crafting, there is not usually an order or system. For me things just happen organically. Often times I come to a step in a project and think to myself: “I probably should have done A before B, but oh well. ” Same with cooking; if you forget to add an ingredient at one point, you can usually squeeze it in sometime later without screwing everything up.


Grocery Shopping Like a Crafter

Cake stand terrarium

I shop for groceries and crafts the same way: with no rhyme or reason. I often roll up from the grocery store with bags full of random, with no menu or plan in mind; I just know I will be able to make something work.

I do the same thing when I hit the craft store. I can’t walk out of a Michaels, Jo-Ann, or Hobby Lobby without a bag of supplies I have no real plan for. But when I decided to convert a cake stand into a terrarium this week, I was thankful I had picked up that bag of neon pink aquarium gravel that spoke to me at the store a few weeks ago.

When you bake, you need to have everything on your list. That is not to say you can’t sub out the occasional blueberry for a raspberry, but for the most part, you better buy everything on the supply list for your recipe.


But … Some Crafts ARE Like Baking

recipe tin pincushion

Sewing, knitting, and quilting are all pretty exact. Miss a stitch or guesstimate on a pattern, and something is going to go horribly wrong. You can't mess around with the rules; all the ingredients and/or instructions have a reason for being there. Cooking and general crafts, not so much.

This is not by any means to imply that bakers (or sewers or knitters or quilters) are not creative or free thinkers! I have seen amazing crazy quilts, and I know who Knitta is. I am also not trying to imply that crafters and cooks are so willy-nilly that they could never bake. For me, baking just does not come as naturally as cooking does.

And, of course, pro chefs are different; they have VERY honed skills and they absolutely HAVE to be consistent day after day. I'm talking about home cooks, here. I’m talking general themes; broad strokes. In my personal life and for those around me, this analogy holds true. As my mother always says, baking is science and cooking is art. (In school, I always did better in art.)

So, the question is, are you a crafter or a baker? Or do you have a different take?

Creative Easter Egg Decorating

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Creative Easter Egg Decorating

I love this time of year.  Spring.

Okay... so if you live in many parts of the country, we're still very much in winter.  BUT... the frozen land is starting to thaw and there are signs, however slim, that spring is upon us.

One of the things that screams spring to me is all of the fun and fabulous colors that start sprouting up.  Whether those colors are in the stores or in flower beds largely depends on where you live this early in the season.  For me, cold weather means bringing fun and vibrant colors into my home to liven it up and to make it feel like spring.

Getting creative and colorful with Easter eggs is an invigorating way to make your home festive for the holiday season while sharing a memorable time crafting with kids or other loved ones.

Easter Eggs 2

Three Ways to Decorate Easter Eggs with Creative Flare:

  • Crafty Leaf Print Easter Eggs- coffee dyed easter eggs with leaf prints.  Gorgeous, simplistic, and very eye-catching... these nature-loving eggs stand out.
  • Ribbons- fun and fabulous! Glue or tape the ribbon to the back of the egg to keep it in place.
  • Salt- Roll eggs (still-wet-from-dye) in a coating of salt. Let dry overnight and then rub off excess salt. Makes for a coarse, grainy egg.

What is your favorite way to decorate Easter eggs?

How To Make Crafty Leaf Print Easter Eggs

Creative Easter Egg Decorating

Need a dessert for Easter Dinner? Try Pineapple Poke Cake!

Pineapple Poke Cake

Lemonade Cupcakes

Lemonade cupcake

Confetti Cupcakes

confetti cupcakes

8 Gorgeous New Ways to Make Easter Eggs

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One of my earliest Easter memories is watching sharp pins being delicately pushed in the ends of an egg and then being shown how to carefully blow out the whites and yolk. We handled the fragile empty eggs with care as we dyed them. I recall we used wax and carefully, though not exactly skillfully, layered on the colours and designs. Well, the adults and older children mostly used the wax but I was able to help with the dipping.

I haven't decorated Easter eggs since elementary school. I'd like to this year. After college I was friends with a woman who made stunning pysanky and I marvelled at her skill. While I'd love be able to make pysanky, I think I'll start off with something a little less advanced this year. I was happy to discover there are lots of fun and pretty egg decorating techniques that fit my skill level.

Moss Covered Easter Eggs

Moss Covered Easter Eggs
Credit: Cherished Bliss

I like decorations that can do double-duty as Easter and spring decorations. These moss covered Easter eggs scream spring to me.

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Hipster Easter Eggs

Hipster Easter Eggs
Credit: One Good Thing By Jillee

I tend to find all things hipster amusing but with kindness because I am sure in another lifetime I probably was a hipster. I wasn't really quite sure what to expect when I saw Jill was featuring hipster Easter eggs. I love them. Moustaches will always win with me.

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Sakura Easter Eggs

Sakura Easter Egg
Credit: Craft Passion

When I saw these sakura easter eggs I just stopped and stared. I was blown away by them. I was even more blown away when I read the instructions. They are completely within my skill-level and I'm by no means an advanced crafter.

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DIY Lego Easter Eggs

DIY Lego Easter Eggs
Credit: It's Always Autumn

Everything Lego is awesome and awesome really is the only world for these Lego Easter eggs. I never, ever would have though of using the temporary tattoo material on eggs. It's brilliant and when you run out of eggs you can use the rest of the tattoos on yourself! Or the kids. Kids get to have all the fun.

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Slightly Sinister Easter Eggs

Slightly Sinister Easter Eggs
Credit: Futuregirl

I love spring and Easter but it can start to feel a bit twee. If you are feeling overwhelmed by cute, these slightly sinister easter eggs are just what the Easter Bunny's evil twin ordered.

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Pipe Cleaner Easter Bunny Eggs

Pipe Cleaner Easter Bunny Eggs
Credit: The Nerd's Wife

Looking for an Easter egg project to do with kids that doesn't involve dying them? And the mess that comes with that? Jet's pipe cleaner Easter eggs are just the thing. Pipe cleaners, markers, and hard-boiled eggs are all you need to make these. Jet has lots fun Easter egg ideas on her site -- I've also got my eye on these glitter dot Easter eggs. I do so love glitter.

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Mod Metallic Easter Eggs

Mod Metallic Easter Eggs
Credit: Architecture of a Mom

Do you like SHINY? I do. I also like spray paint which is what Rachel used to make her mod metallic Easter eggs. She's right that her children won't mistake their eggs for hers but I don't know that they won't still try to steal them from her. Wouldn't you?

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Cascarones Easter Egg Surprise Countdown

Cascarones Easter Egg Surprise Countdown
Credit: The Paper Mama

I love countdowns. At Christmas I'm all about the advent calendars. For vacations I use online countdown clocks. Chelsey's Cascarones Easter egg surprise countdown is totally my kind of thing. The confetti is just a bonus.

Are you decorating Easter eggs this year?

Karen Ballum is a Community Moderator on BlogHer.com. She also blogs at Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

Spring Time Topiary Tutorial

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Hey, there! It's been a couple of days since I've been around, but I have a great littlegirly craft to show you today. Over the weekend, my daughter and I went over to the dollar store and bought some supplies to make this cute artificial flower topiary. I thought she needed something to jazz up her dresser. This came out so cute! I love it! Total cost of this project was about $6. I think I might do one more so I can have two on either side.
 
What you will need:
 
 
  • Artificial flower bunches (The amount you need depends on the size you make. I bought 2 bunches totaling 12 flowers.)
  • Styrofoam ball. (I made my own out of two flat circle floral foam since I couldn't find the balls.)
  • A glass candle stick
  • Craft glue
  • Ribbon
  • Feather butterflies (optional)


What to do:
 
 
 
  • This is what the floral foam looked like after I glued them together and shaped it into a ball with a kitchen knife. This was the most time consuming part. I suggest a styrofoam ball so it won't take as long.
  • I then placed the flowers into the foam for placement. I then removed them and applied glue to the ends. After gluing, I placed them back in the holes. 
  • When the flowers were all glued in, I cut the ribbon to tie on the bottom. This is optional, but I thought it looked so cute. 
  • The butterfly is also optional, but I figured since her room is butterflied out, there's no reason why I can't add one more, right?

 

 
This is the end result:

 

 
 

Thanks for joining me on this great little crafting adventure. I would love to see yours!

Easter Basket Terrarium: A Perfect Kid Craft

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Easter turtle terrarium

It is hard to believe that Easter is just a few weeks away. That’s right, people; time to get your Easter craft on! This year, I decided to combine a few of my favorite things: shopping at Target, crafting with my kids, terrariums, and painting rocks. Not sure how all of those things go together or relate to Easter? Read on.

Easter baskets come in all shapes and sizes. When I saw this turtle basket at Target, my heart skipped a beat. I immediately saw terrarium potential. The first thing I did was empty out the eggs (saving them for Easter). I filled the bucket with potting soil.

terrarium with soil

After the potting soil was in place, my kids and I planted a few soft succulents. You don’t want anything too spiky.

planting the succulents

I’m having a bit of a love affair with spiky cactus right now, but I knew they would not be good for the kids. Instead, I took the kids on a rock-gathering hike and asked them to paint their finds green when they returned home.

painting the rocks green

After the rocks dried, I commissioned my sister to paint the green rocks to look like cactus.

painting the cactus rocks

finished terrarium

After the "cacti" dried, I "planted" them among my succulents and added green aquarium gravel on top.

All that was left to do was display our turtle terrarium with our other Easter decorations.

Easter decorations

For the record, there is also a matching rabbit version of the same Easter basket. Rocks painted to look like Easter eggs are equally adorable!

rabbit basket with Easter eggs

creative tea time at the printed palette

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you know those book clubs that are called "book club" but they are more like a wine club/recipe sharing, gossip night? well creative tea time isn't like that. it is creativeteatime!

creative tea time

i had so much fun!

creative tea timecreative tea timecreative tea timecreative tea time

look at the crafts, food, and friends!

creative tea time

creative tea time

creative tea timecreative tea timecreative tea timecreative tea timecreative tea time

creative tea time so thankful Alissa hosted

creative tea time

of course i had to go home with something from her lovely shop, so i got this...creative tea time and thanks to the lovely ladies of creative tea time who made it rad!

. . . . . . . . .

btw, happy last day of March and that means it's newsletter time! if you haven't already now is a great time to sign up for my monthly newsletter on the upper righthand side - comes out tomorrow... no foolin ;) xoxo, krystina

lollipopscards.com

Writing A Craft Book: The Fascinating Rewards That Come From Sharing What You Know

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In my last post I wrote about why I think it's so important to share your ideas

I explained how for me, it's all about teaching other people and inspiring others to create. 

 When you pass on what you know, especially if it's a skill or trade, not only are you helping 

others by teaching them, but you are giving them the ability to learn and do something new. 

After all, good ideas are meant to be shared, and I think people should inspire other people.

 

Book process photo: Choosing coordinating components for a project

 


But I also discovered - unexpectedly - a fascinating reward throughout the whole process of 

writing my craft book. What was this reward? I found that as you give away what you know, 

out of nowhere, completely new ideas come to you, and you discover brand new things. 

The reward was, in giving, you open yourself up, and you open up your mind, to new and 

different ideas. It's almost like a blossoming. 




Book process photo: Choosing plate patterns for projects



 

As I created the projects for my book, BoHo Chic Jewelry, not only was I designing and 

making the projects with my hands, I was also writing out all of the step-by-step 

instructions, and at the same time writing down little notes here and there about what my

 inspirations were for each project, snapping photos of each step so that the photographer 

would have a reference point for what photos were important to take during the actual 

photo shoot, etc. That was the work. So I began with project number one and worked my 

way through; thinking, making, writing, and taking photos. Sometimes re-thinking, 

re-making, and re-writing, and re-taking photos! But I was working my way through.




Book process photo: Choosing flatware patterns for projects



And then, while I worked, a wonderful thing started to happen. New ideas came. 

First as a trickle. Then as a flood. 


And let me clarify: these new ideas had nothing to do with the wonderful projects I had 

already designed and created for BoHo Chic Jewelry. These were new, unassociated,

completely different ideas. And they wouldn't stop coming. So every so often when I would 

take a break from working, I would jot the new ideas down, and set them aside. 

As I gave away, I received. 


I'm not sure how or why this happened. Where did these new ideas come from? And why

did they keep popping into my head when I was working on something else? I honestly 

can't answer that. The closest thing I have to any kind of explanation is that maybe that is 

just the nature of giving. Maybe it is universal flow. I can't explain it, but I can say, with

all honesty, that this is what I was meant to do. 

 

(Note: the photos in this post were taken during the actual process of writing the book)

 

 

 

 

 

How to Silver Leaf a Mirror Frame

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Have you ever tried silver or gold foil? Also called silver leaf, it's an easy and dynamic way to bring some shine and texture to your next makeover. I've seen it used on furniture, in art and on crafts—and today I'm going to show you how to silver leaf a mirror frame.

How to Silver Leaf a Frame

This can be done on any frame, actually, and you only need a few supplies.

Materials

  • Mirror or picture frame
  • Silver leaf, or gold if you prefer
  • Leaf adhesive or a decoupage adhesive
  • Light paint brush, small sponge paint brush
  • Sealant

Silver Leaf Supplies

Instructions

Here's the mirror I used for this project. I scored it at a flea market for only $5, and decided it would be perfect for our current basement bathroom remodel.

Mirror Before

Prep Your Frame

First, get your frame ready by taping around the inside of the frame where it meets the mirror. This is to prevent any silver leaf getting on the mirror. Since my mirror already had paint on it that was chipping off, I ended up sanding the old paint off, so that the leaf would adhere nicely.

Prep to Silver Leaf

Apply the Glue

Craft stores sell special leaf adhesive, but I knew it was pretty much the same as decoupage glue, so I used what I had. I'm always trying to save a few bucks when I do projects. No need to spend money on unnecessary supplies.

The foil comes in packages with thin tissue between each leaf. Use a piece of wax paper to "separate" the foil from the tissue—the foil will connect to the wax paper via static. Then you have a piece all ready to go on your frame.

When you have your foil ready, brush the glue onto a section of the frame with a small paintbrush. Here, you can see the glue on the frame where it is shiny (far left).

Applying Glue

Apply the Leaf

Carefully place the leaf onto the frame where you have applied the glue. Here is where it can get frustrating. It's rare that the foil will do what you want it to do. This stuff is so light that it floats in the air, and it kind of has a mind of its own.

Do the best you can to get it on the frame smoothly, remembering you can always patch it up later. Use the light brush to smooth it onto the frame. Once the foil is stuck to the glue, pull back your wax paper—and voila! You have completed your first piece.

Notice it's not perfect? So you know what to expect, again, it's rare that the leaf will go on nice and smooth. That just seems to be the nature of the foil. But work with it, and I promise you'll still have a beautiful project in the end.

Brushing on the Leaf

Have Patience!

See how the leaf goes on wherever it wants? It's some finicky stuff, I tell you.

Brushing on the Leaf

Continue to work your way all around the frame, and soon enough you'll have most of it covered. Then go back and apply more glue and leaf to cover the holes. You'll probably see some of the seams, but that's OK. I think it gives the piece character.

Add a Sealing Coat

After I got on as much leaf as possible, I lightly brushed on a coat of clear polycrylic to seal the whole thing. Silver leaf is delicate, so you want to protect it from wear and prevent it from coming off.

And here is my finished frame hung in the bathroom between our new lights on the plank wall.

Silver mirror frame

Appreciate!

See the cracks and seams in the finish? I love the way it looks against the rustic wood wall.

Silver mirror frame

And it goes perfectly with the new lights and chrome faucet we installed the other week. After using a coupon for the leaf, this project only cost me about $12 total. Pretty good for a DIY project, right?

Silver mirror frame

Come see all the projects in the bathroom remodel here and all of my projects here.

Will you try silver leaf in your next craft project?

Jessica @ Decor Adventures

DIY Enamel Dots for Crafts

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While browsing around Facebook, I found a post about making your own enamel dots for crafting, card making, etc.

My inspiration was this video - by Corene's Creations. Looked simple enough so thought I would give it a whirl.

I picked up a box of pony bead from Walmart for $15.00 and headed home to crank up the oven.

I used parchment paper and placed the beads about an inch apart from each other with the oven pre-headed at 400 degrees Fahrenheit . Mine took 12 minutes to get from pretty round pony bead to a perfect shiny enamel dot. 

Planning on just gluing as I go, or I can buy some adhesive - we will see what works!

Here is the breakdown on the costs:

Elmer Beads - 2500 for $15, so for a batch of 100 DIY Enamel Dots, you are paying $0.60. The average pack of dots is $2.99 for 30 or so - this is GREAT savings!

 

DIY Glitter Tea Lights

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Seriously... who doesn't love Pinterest. And candles. And glitter.

After looking at a whole bunch of ways to make these pretty candle holders, I took a trip into town and picked up some supplies!

My supplies:

  • 6 glass bowls - I purchased 3 different sizes, 2 of each. They were $1.25 each from the dollar store
  • Elmer's School Glue
  • Glitter - I bought Extra Fine Champagne, Fine Silver and Silver Microbeads
  • Foam Brush

How I did it:

  • mixed 1/2 of each jar of glitter into a plastic bowl and mixed it
  • mixed glue with water - basically 3 parts glue & 1 part water
  • with my foam brush I wiped the glue mixture inside the bowl - it looked like this

Next steps:

  • pour some of your glitter mixture in an rotate the glass bowl on it's side letting the glitter roll around on the inside and stick
  • hold the glass bowl upside down over the glitter bowl and tap out excess
  • sit right side up and allow to dry
  • repeat!

Super simple, super pretty - it took me about 10 minutes to do all six!

Natural Egg Dye: A Rainbow of Options

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You can dye Easter eggs with all-natural ingredients like spices, vegetables, and even wine! I made recipe cards for eggs dyed with everything from cran-raspberry juice to onion skins—plus instructions, tips, and pictures of what your finished eggs will look like.

How to dye Easter eggs naturally

This project came about a while ago, when the television show The Doctors contacted me to see if I would be interested in coming on their program to share ideas for natural dyes! I was honored and STOKED that they had reached out. And even though my segment was cut way, way down (so far down that I'm not even in the segment -- it's really just a cameo of my eggs...) I wanted to share the full recipes for each of the dye colors I made. 

natural Easter egg dye colors

A lot of natural dyes take quite a bit longer to set than chemical-based commercial dyes. When I used dry ingredients such as turmeric, tea or cabbage leaves and instant coffee, I always started with a room-temperature egg (to prevent cracking during the boiling process) in a small saucepan with two cups of lukewarm water.

eggs with carrot tops

I wanted to set a constant for my dyes, and 2 cups liquid was it! I would bring the liquid to a boil and cook the egg for at least 11 minutes, sometimes a bit longer. I used white vinegar as my mordant. During my first few dye jobs, I omitted the vinegar, and found that the color didn't hold as well.

 brown eggs

When the eggs were cooked, and I was confident that the color had begun to release from the dyeing agent I was using, I would remove the egg(s) from the saucer, and pour the hot liquid into a glass mason jar. Then I would carefully lower the egg into the jar, being sure it was covered completely.

tape and jar

If I had not been using my trusty Sharpie and roll o' masking tape to label these jars, I would have had no idea how I'd made each color... 

3 eggs with labels

jars with labels

I let the jars cool on the counter, and then placed them ALL in the bottom shelf of our refrigerator overnight.

When it was time for the unveiling the next morning, I was thrilled with the unexpected colors! I had read that natural dye can leave an egg looking dry, and that you could give your egg a little gloss using mineral oil! A trick I used and VERY much enjoyed.

blue and yellow eggs

Read on for the individual "recipe cards" for just about each egg color I made...

Cabbage and Blackberry

cabbage and blackberry natural Easter egg dye

Red Cabbage

red cabbage natural Easter egg dye

This blue was my personal favorite! It should be noted that red cabbage is a PH indicator, and that it creates carbonation when combined with the white vinegar, so you will want to open your jar of cabbage dye at least once a day to release the gas buildup.

Dill Seed & Onion Skin

dill seed natural Easter egg dye

This army green was my second-favorite color.

Turmeric

turmeric natural Easter egg dye

Turmeric REALLY stains everything, so be careful when you use this stuff!

Cran-Raspberry

cran-raspberry natural Easter egg dye

I loved the speckled result I got when I boiled an egg in straight cran-raspberry juice.

Carrot and Onion

carrot and onion natural Easter egg dye

The onion and carrot tops made the egg look like scorched earth!

Coffee

coffee natural Easter egg dye

Adding the mineral oil polish to some of the eggs really did provide amazing textural contrast to the ones I left in a natural matte finish.

Wine

wine natural Easter egg dye

When I dyed this egg in half white wine and half red (the cheapest Trader Joe's carried), these INCREDIBLE crystals formed all over the surface of the shell. It looked like a snow-encrusted version of the cran-raspberry egg! I tried dyeing an egg in straight red wine, and got the same crystal formation with a more plum-colored egg. If anyone can explain the science behind this, I would LOVE to know!

Red Onion Skins

red onion skins natural Easter egg dye

Using red onion skins gave off a beautiful, mottled red and turquoise look.

Dill Seed

dill seed natural Easter egg dye

Straight dill seed, water and vinegar came up with this really nice lemon-lime color.

Hibiscus

hibiscus natural Easter egg dye

I love that some of the eggs came out of the dye with an overall, even color, while others were very textural and almost looked scarred. I was surprised that beets didn't give me enough of a pink hue to really want to share with you; they sort of made white eggs just look like brown eggs. Aside from that, there were no disappointments in the whole lot!

Cabbage, Orange, and Dill

cabbage, orange, dill natural Easter Egg Dye

I used these eggs for television purposes, so I didn't eat any of them to see if the flavor was imparted into the egg—but I suspect it was, based on my experiments withChinese Tea Eggs.

Paprika and Tea

paprika and tea natural Easter egg dye

One more note about vinegar and eggs: If you allow your eggs to soak in a natural dye with MORE than a tablespoon of vinegar, the shell will begin to soften over time. It's both cool and gross.

If anyone has anything to add about natural dye, or if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below! I feel like I could write a book on dyeing eggs with all-natural materials now.

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p>xoxo
Radmegan
http://radmegan.blogspot.com/ 

Wood Crafts by MamawSue

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While my 65 year old husband is working in his little homemade shop, I thought I would tell you of his wonderful hobby.  He loves to work with wood. His small lathe is just wonderful for making crochet hooks, knitting needles and bowls for local craft shows.  He sells crochet hooks like they are going out of style.  Women love the warm, soft feel for a wooden crochet hook. I have a red heart set of hooks that I use almost everyday. He would love to have a small shop to sell his hooks and needles, and maybe someday he will. Wood items are so warm and beautiful. Made from some of the finest woods with so much love.

Being retired, I can knit and crochet as much as I want. But these special hooks and knitting needles make all my work feel warm and loved.

Tom is a hard worker. He makes turned bowls, wooden double ring wedding cups, christmas ornaments, and even makes make-believe acorns. He thinks nothing of stopping along the side of the road and picking up a tree log. He even made little wood mushrooms last year. He brought home an old chair and made hooks out of the legs.  Funny the fun he has found in this project. I will post pictures later (after I figure out how to).

You need to have hobbies and skills when you retire or you will be very bored.  I miss my husband when he is in his shop, but it allows me time to be creative with the items he loves.

Beautiful Spring Craft Blogs to Follow

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Stuck inside during an April shower? Follow these blogs that draw from the season's glorious colors to create some truly inspired craft projects.

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TOWN AND COUNTRY LIVING

Jennifer's pretty blog has a rustic, farmhouse vibe with a bit of a Chicago edge and lots of April-fresh crafts. Check out her vintagey spring and Easter decorations, bright yellow springtime centerpiece, and colorful DIY button flowers.


CRAFTBERRY BUSH

peonies by Craftberry Bush

Spring has definitely sprung at Craftberry Bush, where Lucy's been busy making all kinds of tutorials—like the ones for Rice Krispies chick pops, a realistic bird's nest, and the beautiful peonies made out of crepe paper pictured above.


A CULTIVATED NEST

Manuela blogs about making the most of the home you have now, and her Atlanta abode is currently full of cute spring projects. Explore a roundup of this season's love of moss, a fabric-wrapped spring wreath, and even some spring-showery planters made of rain boots.


REMODELANDO LA CASA

Cristina posts tutorials, tablescapes, budget renovation ideas, and photography tips bilingual (Spanish/English) blog. Her current projects include a beautiful pastel spring mantel and a centerpiece with Easter egg ornaments.


KARA'S PARTY IDEAS

It's exactly what it sounds like: an entire blog full of themes, decorations, photos, and recipes for parties from birthdays to bridal showers. Don't miss her ideas for a birthday at the start of baseball season, a Beatrix Potter garden party, and a chalkboard-themed spring brunch.


CRAFT PASSION

On her blog, Joanne focuses on sewing, knitting, and crocheting tutorials. Her adorable spring projects include a lop-eared pastel sock bunny, Sakura Easter eggs, and what might be the cutest amigurumi bunny you've ever seen.

Which blogs with great spring crafts have you seen lately? Share your recommendations in the comments. >

Friday Faves: Praising Him Creations

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Friday Faves: Praising Him Creations

 
I love a pretty wreath on a front door. I live for Christmas, Easter and football season so I can put something on the front door. I adore something that I can leave up all the time or change out certain aspects to make it seasonly appropriate!
 
Praising Him Creations has amazing wreaths. You can see a selection of her wreaths here. She's super sweet and talented. Her wreaths are insanely well-made (and light-weight so they hang easily). I'll be honest, the yellow burlap just screams spring to me...I am obsessed. I really wish I could hang out with Renee and have her teach me her skills...I'm so jealous! 
 
To continue reading, visit: http://www.georgiapeachmommy.blogspot.com
 
Xo,
J

Eggshell Geodes - after school experiment

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I love finding cool science experiments on Pinterest.  The plan is to incorporate some of these ideas into Cub Scout activities. I decided to try one of the experiments with the Posse as a test run.

egg geodes experiment

the beginning

The experiment I chose was to create crystal geodes inside of eggshells. It seemed simple enough to do and for the kids to participate in. So I made myself an omelet for lunch and saved the eggshells. I let the kids put their chosen ingredient inside the eggshell along with their choice of food coloring.

eggshell geode experiment

the end result

I was not able to use the 1/8 cup of solid ingredient the instructions called for. My eggshell were not big enough. So I had the kids put a teaspoon inside the eggshell and added enough water to cover the ingredients.

eggshell geode experiment success

one of our successes

I don’t have a record of what ingredient went with what color for true scientific analysis. Here is the list of what the kids used:

  1. white sugar
  2. powdered sugar
  3. light brown sugar
  4. baking soda
  5. baking powder
  6. table salt
  7. flour
  8. Splenda

It took the 5 days the instructions said for the crystals to fully form. We had some successes and some failures. Overall the Posse was excited about the experiment. They raced in daily to look at the eggshells.

eggshell geode experiment

another success

I think I am just as excited as the kids that the experiment worked. I think we’ll try the Borax and pipe cleaner one next.

Elizabeth

@texasebeth  and My Life, such as it is....

Why Is This Mouse Korean?

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Fine art mouse greeting card

Here are the steps for making the mouse card:

 

  1. Sketch the mouse with pencil on your map. I used a map of Korea for this mouse.
  2. Ink in the final sketch with permanent ink.
  3. Use acrylic paints and iridescent acrylics to add touches of color. I make sure to keep the paint see through so you can still see the map.
  4. Use an exacto knife to cut out the little mouse.
  5. The card stock is Stampin’ Up! I really like the embossing folder that was used on the brown paper. It looks like wood.
  6. Attach your mouse to the card stock. Add the little finger and whiskers with pen.
  7. Done!

 

This mouse card is the first of my fine art cards. I worked on this little mouse last week. I’m really having fun using old maps for my illustrations.  The maps that work the best, for the smaller illustration, are the pocket maps.  I find these old maps in cool little corner used book stores.  My favorite used book store, The Corner Bookstore, is located in a tiny house across from my park in downtown Beaverton Oregon.  YES, the park is mine. For More....

Free digi stamp here: A Card Making Gift For You!

Card Making Artists

http://somethingsplendidblog.com/?p=1645

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Easter decor has been in full swing around my house for a while now. I love all the fun things for spring and I just can't help it. These topiaries are made from supplies mostly from the dollar store. I did buy the dowels from Wal Mart for .97 cents and the pots from Micheal's for about .50 cents each. This project took me less than 3o minutes to complete.

Easter Topiaries

Supplies -2 small terra cotta pots -2 foot long (or less depending onhow tall you like) wooden dowels -2 small foam balls -Foam Easter eggs (dollar tree had them in a package in their easter stuff and I used three packs, you could also use jelly beans) -Hot glue gun -Florist foam for the bottom of the pots -Green moss/ easter grass for bottom I apologize now for the lack of pictures. I took a lot, but they seem to be lost on my computer, but it is a pretty simple straightforward project. First take your florist foam and glue it to the bottom of the pot. Take your wooden dowel and poke a hole through the foam ball. Alternating colors glue the eggs to the ball until it is covered. When you are done, poke it through the foam in the pot. Then add your moss or grass to cover the foam at the bottom.I added a ribbon around mine and I have also seen similar with the pots painted. You can really customize these to fit what you love.

IMG_6369

 EMILYsig

Junk, Trunk, and Craft Shows

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Trunk, Junk, and Craft Shows

I just got back from a weekend trip to be a vendor at the Junk Hippy Roadshow in Amarillo, Tx. Like with most junk or craft shows, it was a busy, hectic weekend, but Junk Hippy is almost always worth the time it takes. So, I thought I’d talk about what makes really good junk, trunk, or craft shows.

What Makes a Good Show

1. Good vendors! When considering craft shows, I always ask about the vendors. Because I am a junker/DIYer/crafter, I am looking for shows that focus on vintage and handmade items. I don’t want to go to a show that has a high percentage of “party vendors” like Scentsy, 31, Tupperware, etc. While there is nothing wrong with independent distributors, the customers they bring to a show is not a customer who is generally looking for what I have. You have to know your customer base, and book craft shows that draw them in.

2. An advertising budget. I always, always ask what the host plans to spend on advertising, what media they are using, and how many weeks pre-show they will be advertising. I run, not walk, away from shows that just “advertise on Facebook and by word of mouth.” I estimate how much a show’s vendor rents will be, and at least 1/3 of that needs to be spent on advertising. It takes a lot to get ready for a show, and I need to know whoever is hosting the event is also doing a reasonable job of promoting it.  Which brings us to #3…

3. An experienced show host/event planner. It’s doesn’t take a math genius to realized that hosting craft shows can be pretty darn lucrative. Not only do hosts collect the vendor rents, they generally charge admission to the show.  At even $5.00 a head, with a show that draws 4-5000 people, it’s a nice paycheck for a day’s work. So there are lots of folks jumping on the bandwagon, and setting up craft shows. If they are rank newbies, the show winds up being a hot mess, with frustrated vendors and poor traffic.  Recently, we had a show come into the area with a cute logo and a good sell. Lots of vendors signed up for her shows, and discovered after the fact that she was poorly organized, did not advertise, and was even unavailable at one of her own shows! So I “interview” any new show hosts I am considering, and make sure whomever is hosting has their stuff together, and is committed to the success of the show.

4. A Juried Show. A juried, or curated, show simply means that vendors must submit photos and descriptions of what they sell, and the host of the event chooses vendors that match the intent of the show, have good products and displays, and that provide a range of different types of booths. Be leery of shows that accept everyone who applies;these shows often won’t do as well as a juried event.

Succeeding at Craft Shows

appearance matters at craft shows!Just as the host needs to be committed to the show, so do the vendors. There are certain things that I need to do in order to have a successful, and fun, show.

1. Up the inventory. Through trial and error, I have come up with a formula for shows. My inventory at the show needs to be about three times what I hope to make. So, if my goal for a show is $2000, I need to have at least $6000 in inventory there. More is better; folks won’t shop a booth that looks picked over. What I take to a show depends on the location, the expected traffic, and how big a space I was able to rent. For example, I won’t bring furniture unless I know the venue has easy access for loading. A convention center in the middle of a downtown area would be a difficult place to get furniture in and out of, so folks would be less likely to buy furniture.

2. Be prepared. Setting up for a show takes a bit of time and work. I generally get to the venue around noonish the day before, because it takes me around 6 hours to set up a booth. I bring my own backdrops, but almost all shows offer pipe and drape if you don’t have any. I also bring table covers, as most events require that tables be covered, and no storage bins, etc are visible. I am going for a certain look in my booth, and I bring adequate props to set up and have the booth look fabulous! The worst thing a vendor can do at a show is show up late, and not be ready to greet customers when the doors open. This can also get you un-invited from future events for that host. Finally, be courteous and patient during load in day; everyone has a ton of stuff to get in the doors. If your items are small, leave the loading docks for vendors with large items to get in, and pull yours in on a dolly or cart.

3. Be professional. Dress up! Customers should be able to identify the booth owner in the crowds. We wear aprons with The Flying C logo on them so customers can find us.  Don’t sit down; chairs are a distraction, and it makes you look like you don’t have the energy to deal with customers. As with all sales jobs, you need to be “on the floor” and ready to greet customers and answer questions. Secondly, shows are busy and it’s hard to get away for lunch or a snack, but don’t bring food into the booth; it  looks bad, and folks will be reluctant to engage you when you are stuffing your face. Finally, get a cash register, or at least a money box. Digging around in your pockets for change is not the most efficient way to do business, and it appears amateurish.

4. Plan ahead. Once you find the shows that are established and draw good crowds in your area, get your applications in early, and book for the host’s next show when you do the event. There is nothing more frustrating than being wait-listed for a show you really wanted to do. I keep a log of all the shows I have applied for, those I’ve been accepted to, and what my expected income for the show is going to be, and I keep them. Then I can go back and look for the shows that performed well, and those that didn’t, and make sure my applications go out in a timely fashion.

Craft shows can be a lot of fun! With some planning and research, they can also be a viable venue for crafters to earn a bit!

Cori Warner

FlyingC-DIY.com

"Just Wing It!"

Greening Your Easter Baskets

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The Easter Bunny is getting ready and is calling everyone to help him go green this year! There are so many eco and healthy treats to make baskets fun and delicious so here are a few ideas on how you can make the greenest baskets ever!

  • Opt out of buying cheap, disposable, plastic baskets. Not only are they not green and they fill up the landfills with junk, they are petroleum based and toxic. Buy a nice basket that can be re-used again and again either from a fair trade organization, arts and crafts fair or even thrift store!
  • Nix the Easter grass! Also toxic and dangerous, not to mention bad for the earth, plastic easter grass is the worst and a total waste of money. Shred green construction paper or grow your own Easter grass!
  • Don’t waste eggs, get creative with paper mache eggs, paintable ceramic eggs or find eco-eggs made from corn to hide treats in.
  • Paint wooden or ceramic eggs. A night out at a place like Color Me Mine is a great alternative to dying eggs at home. No real eggs and no mess! Put them out later for your egg hunt and use them year after year.
  • Buy vegan, local and fair trade candies to build the healthiest and most eco-friendly Easter basket ever!
  • Look for paper basket grass as opposed to the plastic kind. This “green” paper kind can be used year round for other gifts, packing materials, etc.
  • Bake vegan easter cakes in egg and bunny shaped molds. These are great in gift baskets, are healthier and cheaper than ordering stuff online that requires shipping.
  • Give children great illustration heavy books like pop-ups instead of toys they will grow out of an create more waste. Books nourish their minds and create wonderful memories.
  • Skip the candy and give creative gifts this year. Re-use a basket by covering it in left over, festive fabric. Fill basket with paints and crayons, small sketch books, stickers and blank t-shirts or socks to personalize.
  • Add some seed packets and celebrate spring with a new garden!

Check out some of my faves for kids and adults alike!

Chocolate, Candies and Treats

Baskets and Fillers

  • Etsy – For handmade, unique Easter gifts, this is THE place! From crochet eggs to sweet soaps, you can fill up a basket with tons of eco, vegan goodies!
  • Fair Trade USA – Find beautiful, one-of-a-kind, handmade gifts and baskets that are green and help people around the world
  • Heart of Haiti - A great product line of handmade, artisan gifts and crafts (gorgeous handmade baskets!) that help families and micro-preneurs in Haiti
  • Easter bunny crayons – So cute!
  • Eco Art Card Set – Eco and creative, the best combo for young minds!
  • Rabbit Needle felting Kit – Keep your kids happy and busy by gifting them a kit to create their own eco doll!
  • Eco Sidewalk chalk – Green fun!
Here’s “hopin” you have a great Easter!

For more information, visit HealthyVoyager.com
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