New spoon necklaces to be, and a new lunch bag!

Here are some sweet Littlest Petshop spoon necklaces that I decoupaged! I really like how these came out, atleast so far. They still need to be varnished and they need the necklace part! LOL But here is what they look like so far!

This is an experiment that I did with some paper and page protectors. Made much like the clutch purse posts on this page, but had to figure out how to do the bottom. QUITE tricky but managed to make it work!

A couple new CLUTCH purses / Handbags !

These are a few more hand bags that I have made. These are so fun and easy. I really liked how the patchwork starbust wrapper one worked out. I can't wait to have the time to start doing some more. I'm thinking ribbon edging would really make these that much better. I also want to sew on the Velcro, hot glue is a bust!! The snap works good, but I need to get a bit more skilled with that tool! The button closure works, but want something a little easier and faster for these. Any suggestions?

New Creations: Spoon necklace's

Here is a sneak peak at what I have been working on the last few days. These spoon necklesses are really turning out to be cute!! These ones are decopauged, but I am trying out painting some. I cut out some littlest petshop critters from the back of the girls coloring books and Will be trying to decoupage those onto the spoons soon. That should be a girlie favorit! Tutorials to come!!

Art Journal crafting.... :o)

I have wanted to start a prayer type journal for some time. I have seen lots of different ideas for these. This is the version I came up with.
Now just about everyone knows about these composition books. These are on sale at Wal Mart right now for 25 CENTS!!! So , I picked me up a few:)

I started by ripping strips of scrap book paper that appealed to me and gluing them from left to right onto the page leaving a strait edge on the left and right side. Then I trimmed the edges to fit the cover. I then kinda decoupaged over the strips with glue again ( I used 1 part Elmer's glue to 2 parts water ). As this drys it will curl your front page a bit so when it's dry I needed to put something heavy on it for a bit.

I then kinda added a title of sorts with sharpies and some paint pens I had in gold and silver.

On the back I made more strait strips and wove them on the page. I took the top long strips and used double sided tape to glue them in place. Then I took the other strips and just wove them top to bottom till it was full. I used some more double sided tape and some glue to keep that down and also put some more glue on top and trimmed the edges.

Then I took the first lined page and glued it to the inside of the cover. I then took the next page and also glued that to the inside of the cover. I then took the next page and glued it to the nearest page to the right. Then those two glued pages got glued to the next page to the right. That way the pages are three layers thick. This allows for paint and sharpies and whatever might have bled through the single pages. I took a piece of green and blue scrap book paper. Cut it to size with some scrapbook edging scissors and glued it on. Then, used a little chalk colors for interest and started painting. This is the fun part:)



My daughter is also doing her own art book. Here is a pic of her front cover.

This is my 8 year olds work. She is cutting out old birthday cards and gluing them to a page to make her own cute little clutch:) Will post when she finishes:)

Recycled wood to furniture craft tutorial PART 3

Well, I finally finished my box's! Here are a few pictures of how I am setting them up right now. I decoupaged three of the four sides of these box's so I can change the way there set up here and there. I left a few of the backs on , but the rest I just left off. And yes, I DID spray these with clear acrylic sealer....my hubby made me:)... and helped me actually! Next is the tall shelves that he made me...what to do with them....hmmmmm:)

Recycled wood to furniture craft tutorial PART 2

Alrighty then...8 boxes later I have finally finished...mostly:) Here's how I did it:

First I picked out a main color and a accent color for all the boxes. The main color got painted on the inside and the accent is on the front outside trim and the back. Here's a pic of one of them finished with painting... (oh ya, and I want to give a shout out to my friend Jeni who helped me and showed me how to do all this!! YOU ROCK!)

Now you need to pic your paper. I had alot of scrapbook paper that I haven't had time to use in years so I pulled that out. I tried to match the paper mostly to the colors I painted. You can use one pattern or two, three...whatever you like. You can also use magazines newspapers etc...decoupage is one of my new favorit things!! SO much fun!

Now you need a paint brush, some water and some decoupage glue. Now being the thrifty lady I am, after I ran out of this rather expensive tiny tub of true decoupage glue, I searched the internet for homemade stuff. I found one recipe that calls for equal parts elmers glue and water. I made it and used it for the rest of the boxes and worked out just fine!! YEAH!!!

Now I tore the paper up in pieces. I saved the corners and strait pieces and put them in seperate piles to use on the strait sides of the boxes.

Next you need to put glue down on the surface where you want to place your paper. Don't be to stingy here or you will get bubbley paper later!

Then place your piece. I like to put one finger inthe middle and then use the brush and paint the glue from the middle out all the way around and finish in the middle.

Then just keep going around your piece in a patter ( or not, up to you) until you finish. I like the overlap look here. I finished the middle with the pieces that were neither corners nore strait edged.

Here is one finished side that needs to dry. Isn't this so coooool and easy!!!

After waiting overnight, I finished the other two sides.

Now here are some quick pictures of all the others. I will set them up properly and take better pictures later.



Now here is the HUGE pile of stuff, the majority of which must fit in this adorable boxes!! This pile has been haunting me for weeks so I am SO happy to get started organizing the curriculum into each box!

Now there is one thing I must mention. The RIGHT way to do this decoupage stuff is to do a bunch more layers of glue or spray clear spray paint sealer on them..... Ummm.....I'm incredibley inpatient and want to get everything cleaned up and organized now!!...um, so the correct way is to seal these bad boys... I may or may not this time around. Might seal them next time I move them around. But that's just me, I would recommend finishing them now so they are sealed and nice and don't rip etc.... Hope you enjoyed the tutorial!! Now time for some Forth of July crafts!