Patriotic CenterPiece

America celebrates its rich heritage with holidays that venerate those who gave their lives to protect her, those who work to keep her running and the brave souls who gave everything to make her a free country!  In our solemn ceremonies, observations and celebrations, we proudly display our flags.  Red White and Blue are everywhere, from garlands to banners, from hats to party decorations, and we do it BIG!  Here's super easy centerpiece to bring color and sparkle to all your patriotic get togethers!
Watch my Patriotic Centerpiece YouTubevideo tutorial!

Materials:

Plastic patriotic hat
2 small flags
Marbles
Block of Styrofoam cut to fit in the hat
12" tall red white and blue spray of shiny stars with weighted bottom wrapped in Mylar
Silk roses in red and white
12" tall spray of white - I took mine from another weighted spray
Wooden skewers
Hot glue
Glittered balls in red (optional)

1. Pour the marbles into the bottom of the upside down hat.

2. Put the Styrofoam block on the marbles.

3. Unwrap the Mylar from the bottom of the weighted red white and blue spray, and set in the center and fan it out.

*At this point I'd like to point out that I didn't glue mine together so it will come apart easily for storage, but you could certainly glue yours.

4. I bought my roses in bouquets, so I cut them off to place individually.  Begin adding roses, pushing the stems through the foam.  Angle the roses so that they fill in below the spray.

5. Cut the Mylar in 4 squares.  Hot glue one corner of each piece to a wooden skewer and twist to secure.  Push the Mylar pieces into the foam above the roses and around the spray.

6. Push the white spray onto one of the wires of the red white and blue spray so it stands highest in the center.

7. Push the 2 flags into the foam on opposite sides

8. Optional - glue red glitter balls around the brim of the hat.

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Focal Bead Frame

Polymer clay is so much fun to experiment with! I've created the perfect frame for a beautiful little polymer clay heart.  The heart was made with layers of gorgeous, red foiled strips of clay and needed a dramatic, yet subtle frame.

Watch my Polymer Clay Bezel Frame Pendant YouTube video tutorial!

Materials:

Aleene's Original Tacky Glue
Focal bead - it could be anything at all
Black polymer clay
Pasta machine
Cookie cutters - 1 1/2" square and 3/4" square
Tissue blade
Needle tool
Knitting needle
Rubber stamp with lots of detail
Water spritzer
Metallic paste

1. Roll your clay out on the widest setting on your pasta machine - about 1/8".

2. Cut one large square.  Double the thickness of the clay and cut one more large square.

3. Spritz the rubber stamp with water and press it into the double thick square.

4. Center the smaller cookie cutter in the stamped piece and cut.

5. Place the open frame piece carefully on the background square and press gently in place.  Trim edges, if needed with the tissue blade or smooth with the knitting needle.

6. Use the needle tool to make a hole for hanging.  Bake according to directions.

7. Use a finger to rub metallic paste on the stamped side to accent the stamp detail.

8. Glue the focal bead in place.

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Fun Recycled Gift Box

Admit it, you sometimes buy product because you want to use the box for a project!I love great big bagel boxes and here's how to make one into a lovely gift box! Grab your spray paint, felt and glitter and get ready to make some giftable magic!
Watch my From Bagel Box to Gift Box YouTube video tutorial!

Materials:
Aleene's Original Tacky Glue Aleene's No Sew Fabric Glue
Bagel box Spray paint - I used silver
Felt - I used white
Old credit or gift card to use to spread glue
Decorative plastic or fabric - my decorative plastic had been wrapped around a bouquet of flowers Glitter glue - I used silver and gold
Wired ribbon - I used 2" wide gold ribbon

1. Spray the box with paint, inside and out. Allow to dry and spray on a second coat. Allow to dry.

2. Trace the sides of the box to make pattern for the felt that will be glued to the inside of the box up to the fold. Spread Tacky Glue on one inside side at a time and lay the felt into the glue. Press and smooth for firm attachment. Repeat for all sides. Optional: Cut decorative felt pieces that will be glued above the fold on the flaps. Use No Sew Glue around the edges

3. Cut plastic or fabric hearts to cover the perforated parts on the outside of the flaps. Glue in place. Allow to dry.

4. Add decorative details with glitter glue. Allow to dry.

5. Cut a 3' piece of wired ribbon to tie the handles together and make a pretty bow.

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Here's a fun and fabulous way to turn a jar into a gift that will remind a loved one that they have a special place in your heart.  I made this for my best bud, Lynn  and, with some simple wire wrapping techniques, you'll be making one in no time!

Materials:
1 quart jar
Aleene's Jewelry and Metal Glue
Electrical wire or 14 gauge wire
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers
Wire cutters
Beads
Head pins
22 gauge wire
Drill with 1/16" bit
Decorative paper

1. Clean your jar and remove any labels.

2. Wrap electrical wire around just inside the edges of the lid, twice. This will be the base of your crown.

3. Wrap 22 gauge wire around the crown base to cover it.

4. Cut a 2' piece of electrical wire. Beginning in the middle, bend the wire in small loops by crossing one end over the other. Make your loops about an inch apart and measure it frequently on the crown base. To measure, just start with the middle loop and bend the sides around the base. This will show you how many loops you will need to go all the way around. Between loops, bend the wire in a downward curve so that the wire touches the base and curves back up into the next loop.

5. Attach the looped wire to the base by wrapping it with the 22 gauge wire.

6. Slide one or two beads on a head pin and wrap the tail around a loop so the bead is on top of the loop. Add another bead and wrap the remaining tail around the lower end of the loop. Repeat for all the loops.

7. Drill 3 to 5 small holes in the lid beneath where the crown will sit. "Sew" the crown onto the lid with the 22 gauge wire. Cover the wire inside the lid with decorative paper.

8. Cut eight 6" pieces of electrical wire. Take 4 of the wires and make a loop in the center. Make a coil from both ends, wrapping toward the inside to form a heart shape with the loop at the bottom. At this point you can a charm to each heart's loop if you'd like.  Refer to the photo below to see how it should look.

9. Repeat the coiled ends on the other 4 pieces, with out the loop.  Again, refer to the photo below.

10. Lay out the pieces with every other one a heart. Orient the non-heart pieces with coils down. Use the 22 gauge wire to join all the pieces

11. Slide the whole thing onto the jar. Tighten it up by making the coils tighter.

12. Add drops of Aleene's Jewelry and Metal glue wherever the wire touches the jar.

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The Mysterious Random Scarfer - using her mediocre powers of knitting for good rather than evil

Random Scarfing in an Ogden super market parking lot.  As usual, there's a tag that says "For you, stay warm, dear stranger".
I feel like I need a hat and trench cost to be more anonymous and sneaky.   I'm picturing Spy vs Spy style!
I now keep knitting supplies in the car and by my recliner.  I'm determined to practice constantly to get so good at knitting a straight line with no holes, that I can try other shapes.

Here is my street artist muse, Mary England.  She is A-Ma-Zing!

Spring Seeds of Intention

Candace Jedrowicz's air-dry clay project is a fun way to re-seed your garden*. As your egg weathers it will disintegrate back to the earth and plant your seeds. Featured on Cool2Craft TV. Watch Candace's Clay Easter Egg with Seeds of Intention YouTube video tutorial of this project!

Materials:
Earthenware or stoneware clay - it must be natural clay - I found some in my local craft store, but it's even better if you can dig it from your yard

Toothpick Water Paint brush Seeds - any kind

 1. Take two handfuls of clay about the same size.

 2. Begin by shaping them into balls.

 3. Hold one ball in the palm of one hand. With the thumb of the other hand, push into the center of the ball right up to the knuckle.

 4. Keep resting the ball in your palm with the thumb in it. Press toward the thumb with the fingers of the same hand. Press gently, turn the ball, press again, turn and keep pressing until you've gone all the way around. Move your fingers to a thicker part and repeat until you have a cup shape with a 1/2" thick rim. Repeat for the other ball.

 5. Gently pinch the rim of one cup and push out thin little petals all the way around.

 6. If you like, whisper your wishes and intentions for Spring as you put your seeds inside one of the cups.

 7. Scrape the rims of both cups with the toothpick, leaving clay crumbs on the clay.

 8. Dot water in the scratches.

 9. Put the rims together and push gently.

 10. Gently fold the petals of the one rim over onto the other half of the ball.

 11. Smooth gently with your fingers at first, then roll the ball on your work surface.

 12. Shape the clay into an egg. Scratch and dot water anywhere you want to add dots, squiggles or any other clay shapes. You can scratch words into the wet clay or symbols. Make it as meaningful as possible.

 13. Allow to dry. Place in your yard and let the weather take the egg back to the earth and plant your seeds.

*Point of fact:  I normally do this with metaphorical seeds of intention.  I hope you'll consider trying it and let me know what happens.  I'll update this oost with my findings as well. 

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Almost a Yarn Bomb

 

This week's Cool2Craft TV show is about yarn.  I've been inspired by my friend, Mary England, to try a yarn bomb, so I made and installed one on Historic 25th Street in downtown Ogden, Utah.  It's not very good, but it's only my first try.

Below is my second try and it's a little different.

  I love the idea of yarn bombing, but I'm a slow and inexperienced knitter. I had an idea to combine yarn bombing with a random-acts-of-kindness sort of thing. Mary leaves surprises and gifts for strangers all over Baltimore and D.C. I'm so inspired by her enthusiastic, happiness- spreading journey! I knitted a scarf and attached a laminated card that says "Stay warm dear stranger" My husband gave me the idea when he commented how cold the dinosaur looked after a snow storm. I thought I could tie a scarf on, instead of sewing the yarn in place, and HOPE that someone who needs it would claim it. I realize it's not an actual random act if I tell someone, so pretend you don't know that I did it., okay? I'll let you know what happens!

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