Crafty Catch Up

Oh, you guys.  I'm a bad blogger.  I don't update, ever.
But, in my defense, I did get my masters degree in Toxicology, so it's not like I've been sitting around doing nothing.
I've actually been out crafting myself!
I'm seriously trying to hand make as many Christmas presents this year, because I am broke.  So here's just sort of a montage of things that I've made.

 This was a sheet that I picked up at Arc, and I cut it into one long strip so that it would act as yarn.  I had this grand idea to make a cat cave a la this adorable one here.  However, as I can't read foreign languages because I'm an uncultured swine, I flew by the seat of my pants and apparently used the wrong fabric.  Here's how it turned out:

 Flat pancake sad sack is how it turned out.  But the kitten has worked out just fine.

Next I wanted to make a wreath because they're all over Pinterest, and this one is adorable.

So here's my version:

Yep, that's our engagement photo in the middle, because I was out of frames and wanted to hang it.  So I strung a piece of yarn in the middle of the wreath, and glued the photo to an alligator clip.  I like it, but my sister wasn't thrilled.  I hope to make more and then have a whole wall of wreath frames.

 Next project was to make some coasters out of the forty thousand corks I had.

Gather materials: corks, felt, cutting utensils, coffee, phone.  In the end the sharp kitchen scissors to the left of the screen turned out to be the best cutting implement.

 I cut the corks in half long ways so that they would lie flat on the felt.  I also laid them out in a brick pattern.  I used Tacky Glue, but I'm not happy with the result because it will become a mess when condensation hits it.  So I'm looking for a different glue and I might get a clear spray paint seal...haven't decided yet.

 Trim the overhanging ends and ta-da! Cork coasters.

Some cute headbands I crocheted for a fundraiser.  They were based off of the pattern I found here, but I made a couple modifications based on type of yarn and hook size.

Finally, I had a crafty afternoon with the fiance, and we made some cinnamon dough Christmas ornaments based on the recipe from this blog. I have to admit, I was kind of skeptical that just applesauce and cinnamon would make a dough, but it totally did, and it smells lovely!  I added some Tacky glue to the mix so they're not edible, but I think they'll last a little longer.  Maybe.

But you mix a cup of cinnamon with a cup of applesauce to get a doughy consistency, and then keep adding cinnamon until you're happy with it. 

 Roll it out, using more cinnamon to keep things from sticking.  Sorry that's a terrible picture.

We had a Fleur de Lis cookie cutter, so we made a couple of those, and then used glasses to cut some circles out.  We got a little obnoxious as pet parents and made the kitties contribute paw prints for cuteness.  We also stamped the cut outs with buttons, plant leaves, basically whatever we could find that would be cute.

 Put in the oven at 200 degrees F for at least an hour and a half.  We kept ours in closer to 2 hours.  Your house will smell like Christmas!

The finished product are some very cute ornaments.  It's not a great picture, but you get the idea.  It was super easy and I'm very satisfied with how well it worked.

I will try to update more often, because I make stuff all the time.  But I might have to wait until after Christmas since some things are gifts...
If you want any of these instructions, let me know!

Pinterest Done-It #2: Ugly Filing Cabinet

You've seen them before.  They're the ugly, metal, two-drawer cabinets that you store pointless pieces of paper in (read: billing statements from 2008 because I'm too lazy to shred them.)  I have one.  In my living room because it would just depress me if it were in the bedroom.
I looked at it one day, while suppressing a bolus of vomit, and decided that this was it's last day of being butt ugly.  I knew what I wanted to do with it, not necessarily from an actual Pinterest pin, but more from Mod Podge + scrapbooking paper inspiration.

Of course I find a pin to this site like two days after I did mine.  But it looks quite nice, regardless.  (Or irregardless, if you're a cray-cray.)

Also, I didn't get a before picture, but you really don't need to be depressed by it's droll appearance.

So I found this fancy cut-out looking paper at the JoAnne (which is my second home, by the way.)  It was $1.99 per sheet, but also on sale for $0.85 per.  Oh yeah!

I used glossy Mod-Podge because I think it looks fancy.

All I did was put tons of Mod-Podge on there and then use a box cutter to cut the overhanging bits.  The part where I had to cut a strip to cover that inch of exposed drawer was tough, but I took my time (rare during craft time) and made it look nice.

This was the end result.

It looks fabulous, no?  Maybe not fabulous, but definitely not as sickly looking.

Mod-Podge is a gift from the gods.

Pinterest Done-It #1: Magazine Coasters

So as I promised, here is a completed crafty craft that I picked up on Pinterest.  The original link goes here.

I figured that this would be a good starting point because, hey, who could screw up folding magaizine pages and gluing?
This site also had a tutorial on making a crucifix to hang on your wall, but I'm pretty sure the house would go up in flames if I did that.  Just saying.
These coasters were actually really easy to make, if a little messy, namely dried glue covering your fingers, but they definitely kept me occupied for an afternoon.
Started with a plain old magazine, mine was a Cosmopolitan.  Because I'm a hip young woman, you know.  You take a page out, and cut it into fourths length-wise (4 long strips as opposed to short stubby ones).  The page that I'm using in the pictures is definitely for lube.  Oh Cosmo.

Fold down the middle length-wise again.  This crease will be your folding guide.

 Fold the outside edges inward toward the middle.

 Repeat.

 Make into a long, skinny strip.

 Roll and glue, glue and roll.  (This is where it got messy).  I used Tacky Glue.

 

Mod Podge for stability.  And awesomeness.  I used Mod Podge gloss, because A) that's all I have and B) it looks snazzy.

 

And look at that!  A coaster!
Now, mine does not look like the original poster's, but it's probably because I don't have a bone folder.  Sorry that I don't have that lying around.  But I did have fingernails!  I think they look pretty interesting and they are solid!

There you have it.  Pinterest Done-It numero uno.  It went surprisingly well, so I'm encouraged!
Laura

Changes Are A-Coming

Hello to all who read this (ie you two people),

Changes are coming.  Since I started this blog, I've striven to find a purpose or theme for it to follow, and I think I finally found something.  Everyone knows about Pinterest, and if you don't, you live in a hole with no internet.  Well I have a pretty extensive craft board, and because I get extremely bored on my days off, I do things.  Crafty things.  So I'm making this blog essentially my completion list of crafts that I have pinned.  Because Pinterest doesn't have a "Done It" button.  Which it should totally have.  Anyways, stay tuned for things that I have done.  Possibly I'll include instructions on how I did it, or at least the website where I got the idea.  In case if you want to do it too.

Talk to you soon!
Laura