String Art Part 2

Hello everyone, I'm back!
Its been a busy last few years and I finally found some free time before heading off to school in a few weeks. I wanted something to remind me of home while I'm away. What better than the state itself?

Supplies:
- 12"x12" canvas (I left mine unpainted)
- gold brads or paper fasteners
- thin yarn or rope

Print out the outline of the shape you want, I overlayed a line drawing of Michigan with Michigan on a map to get the proportion right.

Trace the image onto the canvas. I drew around the hearts on the paper, and then rubbed it onto the canvas. I found that was easier than trying to eyeball it or cut the hearts out.

Push the brads through the canvas along the traced outline. Fold the prongs out so they don't move, it will make wrapping the yarn much easier.

Pick a brad and make it the starting point. Knot the string around it and either tuck the tail under the brad or cut it right against the knot.

Wrap the string around the brads in a random pattern. After I had filled in the shape, I went around and wrapped around the outer edge of the state and the hearts, just to make it a little more finished.

Tie the string off at one of the brads the same way it was started and that's it! I've left mine propped up on our piano, but I'm going to hang it up with a command hook once I get to school. Happy crafting!

Check out String Art part 1 here!

It's a Mason Jar Christmas: Part 4

Here it is, the last part of this series :) I figured a good way to finish it up would be ideas for the lid!

Supplies:
- fabric scrap
- mason jar lid
- hot glue
-chalk

Cut out a piece of material that is about an inch or so wider that the diameter of your lid. Hot glue the middle of the material to the middle of the lid.

Then hot glue around the edge of the lid, pressing the material flat over the hot glue.

The edge of my lid had little notches on it, so I put hot glue into each notch and pressed the material into it. If your lid is flat around the edge, you can skip right to the next step.

Hot glue around the inside lip of the lid, then press the material over it. 

That's it! Top off your newly decorated mason jar with covered lids.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

It's a Mason Jar Christmas: Part 3

 Part three is here! This time, instead of ideas for decoration, i have one for filling it :) I mentioned in one of my earlier posts about using punch-outs from paper. This method is a less time consuming, but still looks beautiful!

Supplies:
- two sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper
- scissors
- pencil and/or pen and marker

Start off by cutting the paper into strips. I purposely made mine vary in size to give it a less orderly look.

Wrap each strip around a pencil to curl it. Use markers and pens to have different curl sizes.

Once all of the strips are curled,put them into your jar.

Enjoy :)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 4

It's a Mason Jar Christmas: Part 1

It's time for Christmas gifts again! This year I'm going to do a multi-part series (two or three probably) that involve mason jars :) There are a bajillion different DIYs for them, but these are they few that I've really liked while digging through pinterest.

Supplies
- paper shape puncher

- paper

- crafting glue or Mod Podge

- mason jar

Start off by punching out at least 15 to 20 of your shapes. Pick one piece of paper to be the center, like the title of a piece of music.

Lay out your paper on your mason jar. Using your finger, cover the entire jar with craft glue, making sure to thoroughly cover the paper.

I ended up covering the lid with paper. If you do so, make sure to glue down the edges so they don't peel up.

Fill the jar with small gifts or a candle for a nice present :)

Spread some holiday cheer this winter and keep an eye out for part 2!

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Upcycled Charm Bracelet

While cleaning out my closet for the year I stumbled across my box of cheap childhood jewelry - the cheap plastic necklaces and useless charm bracelets. Within the mess I found a few anklets that now fit around my wrist. A big trend lately is bracelets made out of embroidery thread with metal pieces woven in. Why not have the best of both world by upcycling and staying in style at the same time!

Supplies

- at least three colors of embroidery thread

- needle

- bracelet

- scissors

Start out by laying out all of your supplies and making sure there is enough of each color.

Thread the needle and weave it into the bracelet. Try to pick a pattern and keep with it down the bracelet.

Leave about a two inch tail at either end of the bracelet to tie off

Repeat the steps above with the other two colors.

Tie off both ends and cut to the desired length.

Show off your new bracelet!

Upcycled Leggings

Lately I've given up using normal hair ties, they always seem to snap at the most inconvenient times and the elastic gets so stretched out that you can use them any more. The "ouchless" and "tangle-free" hair ties look like tights that have been stretched so the edges curl but with a price tag. While cleaning out my closet I found a pair of footless tights and thought of the "ouchless" hair ties. Pull those old tights out of your closet and get ready to upcycle!

Supplies
- old leggings or tights
- scissors
- chalk

Cut off the hem, or the toe if you're using tights, so you have a raw edge.

From the raw edge make a mark at every inch in chalk.

Cut along each of the marks.

1.

2.

From here you can go two ways. 

1. Leave the band in a loop and stretch it out so the edges curl.
2. Cut the loop and then stretch it out, then tie the ends together.

I made a total of 44 hair ties with a pair of small leggings!

Measure from the top of the tights to the end of the center seam and mark with chalk.

Cut along the line.

Stretch the raw edge so it curls. You may want to sew another layer of material under the front if it stretches too thin when you put it on.

Rock your upcycled bandeau under some cute summer shirts!