Doily Basket

Even though Easter has come and gone, I really think this is a fabulous idea that can be used for things all year round!
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Tools and Materials

• Stitched (not paper) doily
• Bowl in the shape of the basket you would like to make
• Fabric stiffener

Doily Basket How-To

1. Soak doily in bowl of fabric stiffener until saturated.

2. Remove doily from stiffener and place over bowl (or along inside of bowl) to form a basket shape.

3. Allow to dry. Carefully peel dried basket from bowl.

Decorative Floral Straws

This is such a cute way to give your party just that little extra.  Once again, you do it again Martha!

Plain or fancy, these straws decorated with baking-cup flowers make your summer drinks irresistible.
Tools and Materials

• Assorted baking pastel baking cups and mini pastel baking cups, wilton.com
• Grease-proof baking cups, vikingimporting.com
• Hand-drawn circle template
• Screw punch
• Bendable straws, ikea.com
• Green glassine sheets, nycentralart.com.
• Double-sided tape

1. Fold 1 baking cup in half, then again, and then a third time. Use circle template and a pencil to mark an arc along the curved end; cut along the line. Unfold; punch a hole in the center. Punch a hole in the center of 1 candy cup.

2. Thread baking cup over 1 straw, then add candy cup.

3. Fold glassine in half. Cut out a leaf shape along folded edge. Secure to straw with tape.
To make the red and orange flowers, flatten baking cups so they're circles. Pinch the centers, and gather the borders. Tape to straw.



ENJOY!

Totable Yoga Mat

 

When you go out for a stretch, use a leash to get your yoga mat to heel. Roll out mat. Lay a new 6-foot twill or leather dog leash across end of mat. Roll mat up, over leash. Slip the clip end through the loop handle; slip the loop handle over the rolled mat. Clip the leash, and slip the strap over your shoulder.

Hershey's Kisses Bouquet

I found this on a blog and loved it so much that I had to share. 

Don't adjust your computer screen: You heard right....a bouquet made out of Hershey's Kisses! This was a quick gift I put this together for my grandmother's birthday. A way of making something handmade without having a lot of time on my hands. Did I mention there is chocolate involved???

Have you tried these new Air Delight Kisses? Yup...Aerated Chocolate Kisses! Delish :) I had these on hand (if you couldn't tell...I do have a direct line to this particular chocolate company as many of my posts have included this brand!) But think of all the different color/flavor combos you can use to create a bouquet (think showers, birthdays, get well, etc.).

This was the actual finished product:

ENJOY!

Firecracker Cupcakes

24 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 5 red pull-and-peel licorice
• 6 drops red food coloring
• 1 cup flaked coconut, divided
• 4 drops blue food coloring
• 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 24 cupcakes
• Assorted red and blue sprinkles, optional

Directions

• Cut each licorice twist into five pieces; pull apart one end of each
• to make firecracker fuses. Set aside.
• In a resealable plastic bag, combine 1/4 teaspoon water and red food

• coloring; add 1/2 cup coconut. Seal bag and shake to tint coconut.
• In another bag, combine 1/4 teaspoon water and blue food coloring;
• add remaining coconut. Seal bag and shake to tint.
• Spread whipped topping over cupcakes; decorate with coconut or
• sprinkles as desired. Insert firecraker fuses into tops. Refrigerate
• until serving. Yield: 2 dozen. 

Make a Yarn Octopus

 

 

Enjoy your new yarny friend!

Linda Permann

Wrap the yarn around the notebook several times. You want to get a nice thick amount of yarn on both sides since the thickness will form the octopus' head. Be sure to wrap tightly, but not too tightly, since you'll need to be able to slide the yarn off of the book.

Linda Permann

Once you've wrapped the book to your desired thickness, work a piece of string under the wraps on one edge of the book and tie it into a very tight knot.
Carefully slide the yarn off of the book. Turn the knot you just made to the inside of the looped yarn to conceal it.

Linda Permann

 

Materials
-  scrap yarn (I used 3 colors of worsted weight yarn, you can use one or several, it's up to you)
-  a book that's at least 10" tall on one side (I used a composition notebook)
-  google eyes
-  tacky glue
-  scissors
-  clothespins (optional)

Wrap the yarn around the notebook several times. You want to get a nice thick amount of yarn on both sides since the thickness will form the octopus' head.

Be sure to wrap tightly, but not too tightly, since you'll need to be able to slide the yarn off of the book.

Once you've wrapped the book to your desired thickness, work a piece of string under the wraps on one edge of the book and tie it into a very tight knot.

Carefully slide the yarn off of the book. Turn the knot you just made to the inside of the looped yarn to conceal it.

Take a length of yarn about 2-3" down from the knot you just made. This makes the octopus head.

Cut the untied looped ends of the yarn open. Divide the strands into 8 sections (for 8 tentacles).

Divide each of the 8 sections into three sections and braid them.

If you'd like to let your kids do this, you can give them 8 clothespins to clip the ends of each leg and have you help tie them off all at once. Tie each end with a strand of yarn, leaving the ends long (so they'll blend in with the other yarn ends).

Clip the yarn ends of each leg to an even length.

Glue on google eyes and a little yarn smile.

Enjoy!

Fruit Pie Gel Candle

 

 

Materials needed:

• small pie plate
• wick stickum or hot glue
• one votive zinc wick
• one package of wax fruit (strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, peaches)
• one pie crust (shell topper or lattice)
• 1/4lb of high density gel
• 10ml scent
•  

Place the wick stickum on the bottom of the wick and center in the pie plate.

 

Place fruit around wick, keeping it level with the pie plate. It cannot stand higher than the edge of the pie tin or the crust will not fit on.

Heat the gel on direct heat in a candle pour pot. DO NOT WALK AWAY. Stir the gel until it becomes the consistency half way between corn syrup and water. Add scent and stir well. Cover the fruit to the very edge of the pie tin and quickly add the crust. The crust should attach to the pie tin and fruit with the gel. For the shell topper, apply a piece of accent fruit by dipping the fruit in gel and adhering to pie crust.

Enjoy!

How to Make 3-D Paper Star Decorations for Any Occassion

I found this project on Martha Stewart's website.  Even though it is intended for celebrating July 4th, I've used this idea for a recent birthday party. 

3-D Paper Star Decorations

Using our 3-D paper star template and red, white, and blue card stock, you can create three-dimensional, star-shaped cutouts. Festive and easy to make, they're ideal for decorating tables or invitations to a Fourth of July party.

Tools and Materials

 

• 3-D paper star template
• Red, white, and blue card stock
• Ruler
• Bone folder
• Stapler

How-To

1.  Print out the template, and cut out the star. Place the template on the white card stock, and trace as many as will fit onto the sheet. Place the red and blue cardstock behind the white, and staple the three sheets together in the empty spaces between the stars. With sharp scissors or a ruler and utility knife, cut out the star shapes.

2. Use the ruler or bone folder to score down the centerline of each of two different-color stars, from the tip of one point straight down. Fold the stars in half along the scoring, and smooth it down with the bone folder. Sandwich the unscored star between the two scored stars, and staple along the fold lines.

Happy Crafting!

Stitched Strawberries

You'll need:
-paper and pencil (I like to use freezer paper for patterns)
-scraps of felt in red and green
-about two dozen seed beads
-craft glue
-extra-strong thread and regular sewing thread
-small wad of stuffing
Instructions:
To make a pattern for the strawberry, draw a half circle with a 4" diameter on a piece of paper and cut it out. Draw a free-form strawberry leaf on paper and cut that out too.



Pin the half-circle to a scrap of red felt and the leaf to a scrap of green felt (or iron if you are using freezer paper). Cut out the felt.

Fold the half-circle in half and stitch along the straight side.

Turn right side out and stuff.

Using the extra-strong thread, make a running stitch along the top edge and pull the stitches to gather. Push a bit more stuffing inside, then tie off the thread to hold the gathers in place.







Now it is time to attach the beads.

Thread a needle with a small eye with regular sewing thread. Insert it through the top of the strawberry, coming out on the side. Thread a seed bead onto the needle, then insert it back down into the strawberry right next to where it came out.

Continue adding seed beads, one at a time, coming out about an 1/8" away from the last bead, until the entire strawberry is covered. Tie off the thread hiding the knot near the top of the strawberry.

Squeeze a ring of craft glue along the top of the strawberry.

Place the leaf on top of the glue. Use pins to hold the leaf in place until the glue dries.

Admire your strawberry!

Rubber Band Glass ID

Your wineglass won't end up in the wrong hands when one of these brightly colored name tags identifies it. Use a permanent marker to write the name of a guest on a wide rubber band after placing it around a glass. Alternatively, you might use the bands as napkin rings that double as place cards.

Beach Towel Tote Bag

    
Turn bathroom towels into an all-in-one beach mat and tote bag.

Start with 1 hand towel and 1 bath towel in the same color (length of hand towel should equal width of bath towel).

For handles, sew a 3-inch section from each end of a 21-inch length of webbing to center of 1 long side of hand towel.

Repeat on 1 short side of bath towel.

Place hand towel on bath towel, so handles are aligned and facing.

Stitch towels together along 1 long edge of hand towel, leaving sides with handles open.

To form sides of bag, stitch along short sides of hand towel, 4 inches in from edges (or along decorative stripes), creating a pocket.

Flip inside out, and tuck length of bath towel into pocket.

At the beach, turn inside out, and unroll the towel to use as a mat. If you prefer, stuff the pocket with a soft item to make a pillow.



ENJOY!