April 25, 2013

Quick and Easy Craft #4- Sharpie Mugs

April 25, 2013/ Michelle Scheibe

While I am soaking up the rays in Florida (while wearing SPF 50 and a big floppy hat), I will leave you with 4 days worth of quick and easy crafts. You may have seen some of them multiple times. Some may be new. All with be easy, fairly quick and inexpensive ways to entertain your friends. Enjoy!

I’ve been wanting to try that project that I have seen on Pinterest 1 million times where you write with Sharpie on some piece of dinnerware and then bake it. What better time than with friends.

This may be the world’s easiest project.

Materials Needed:

Dollar store mug.
Sharpie
Oven

Step 1. Write something witty in your very best handwriting.

Step 2. Heat in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes to set the Sharpie.

Step 3. Enjoy your witty mugs.

We think we are funny.

Have you participated in the Sharpie dinnerware craze? What saying do you want on a mug?

April 24, 2013

Quick and Easy Craft #3- Freezer Paper Stencil Tote Bag

April 24, 2013/ Michelle Scheibe

You know what stinks. When you turn your supposedly non-crafty friends into better crafters than yourself. I created monsters. Our next adventure in crafting was using freezer paper as a stencil for tote bags. I’ve had the freezer paper forever but I had been afraid to use it. My newly created craft monsters were all over it.

Materials Needed:

Tote
Fabric paint or acrylic paint/fabric medium
Freezer Paper
Iron
Paint Brush
Cardboard

Start by tracing and/or drawing the design you want onto freezer paper with the shiny side down. Cut out your design. We used scissors. (And Exacto knife would be awesome too.) Iron the freezer paper to your tote (shiny side down). Pay special attention to the edges. We found that the freezer paper stuck best if you let the iron rest on it for about 5-10 seconds.

Stick a piece of cardboard inside the tote so it doesn’t bleed through.

Now it’s time to paint. My friend, Melissa, choose to stick with one solid color.

Amanda went wild with stripes. (I really should have busted out the real camera.)

Every tutorial I read using freezer paper recommends leaving it on for an hour. The three of us combined have about 8 minutes worth of patience. And that is precisely how long the freezer paper stayed on the tote bags. The both turned out great. I wish I would have grabbed a better picture of Amanda’s because the stripes were so cool.

I totally almost stole Melissa’s. It’s just too cute. (Mine is the striped one in the corner. Boring.) I really like how the stencil paper turned out and I’ll be making one for myself very soon! I think they’d be great farmer’s market or beach totes!

Have you tried using freezer paper for stenciling before?

April 23, 2013

Quick and Easy Craft #2- Home Sweet Home Sprinkle Art

April 23, 2013/ Michelle Scheibe

I have a secret for you. In order to get your supposedly non-crafty friends pumped about crafting, you need to start with a ridiculously easy (yet super cute) craft. It will get them all encouraged and loving paint and glue. Trust me.

I started my best buds out with a little “Home Sweet Home” art that I had been wanting to try.

Materials needed:

Cardstock
White marker (We used a paint pen.)
Printed copy of your state
Glue
Sprinkles

Center your copy of your state on the cardstock. Trace with the white pen. We were cursing Iowa’s river borders but probably not as much as those city workers trying to protect downtown Davenport from flooding. Wait, we were probably worse.

Add your “Home Sweet Home” saying wherever you would like. We all choose different locations. I also like that this craft uses your own handwriting. It’s like a little time capsule. Sort of. It sounds good.