PROJECT {DOLLAR STORE} ACCESSORY CHALLENGE - WEEK 1

As I posted yesterday here Dollar Store Crafts has a challenge to correspond with Project Accessory.   The challenge was to create a belt, a necklace and one other accessory to go with a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans based on items from a thrift store (or in my case, using the materials I found in my garage).

I decided I would go with sort of a car theme and for a busy Mom or babysitter on the go.  Sadly, just like on the show, I ran short on time and ended up sacrificing quality for just getting the job completed.  Doing this gave me a whole new appreciation for what shows with these sorts of competitions go through as they make it look fairly effortless.

THE PURSE

I will start with the third piece as I like how it turned out the best.  I used the license plate, the purse and the broken Hot Wheel.  I cut down the purse at the bottom and flattened it and cut off the straps and attached one of them to each end instead of the sides.  On one side I glued the license plate and added 4 brads for decoration and to help hold it on the bag.  On the back, there was an ugly spot where I removed the bow that had been on the purse, so I glued the broken Hot Wheel to cover it up, and it also gives the purse a different look depending on what side is facing outward.  I used velcro inside and glued it in to hold the purse closed.

THE SCARF/NECKLACE

I used the t-shirt to make the road and turned two of the cars into pins to use on the road.  

The other items used were thread, yellow fabric paint on the necklace and velcro, pin backs and E6000 glue on the cars.

For the cars I wanted to make it so the pin could be taken off the back and the car to still be used as a car.  The idea was to be able to take off the necklace and have it double a  race track to entertain a tot at Dr.'s office, visiting a relative, etc.  

If I had to it to do over, I would also use larger pin backs as I think it would lie down straighter when pinned, but I used what I had on hand.

THE BELT

The belt is made out of one of the straps and the snaps of of the purse and the wheel off of the model car.  The other components are thread, aluminum tape from the hardware store and E 6000 glue.

How to here.

Check out  Dollar Store Crafts to see what Heather and others have made.

Happy crafing:)

Personalized Face Plate

A fun food plate for kids.

This was based on Kallen at At Second Street entry for "Food on The Go" for the So You Think You Are Crafty competition http://atsecondstreet.blogspot.com/2010/03/food-face-how-to.htm.  I loved the idea and decided to make one for my "Project Grandma Box" for future grandchildren.  My son is only 16 and although I hope he isn't a father until he has at least graduated college, I have started the Grandma box as a "just in case" something would happen to me  before he has children so they will know Grandma loves them even if we never get to meet in person.

Items used:

• Ceramic or Porcelain Plate
• Ceramic or Porcelain Pen
• Photo 
• Photo Editing Program
• Printer
• Scissors
• Pencil

For this project a blue ceramic plate that I got from a thrift store for 35 cents and I used Prange Metallic markers in silver and gold as I had already purchased them for another project (used 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby and got them for around $2.75), but there are other brands, such as Porcelaine 150 and they are available at most hobby stores or online.

Find a photo with clear facial features and use a photo editing program to change it to black and white and then blow it up to the size you want.  If you don't have a photo editing program, there are several free ones, such as Fotoflexer or Picnik where you just upload your picture, edit then save it.  I used Irfanview for this project, which is a free progam to download.   I made mine so was the size of my hand, which I think came out a little too big - you may want to go smaller.

Draw around the face, eyebrows, eyes, nose, ears, and mouth with a pen.

Cut out the head shape.  Guess I now know what I would look like if I pulled a Brittney Spears and shaved my head.   Draw around the face shape with a pencil on the plate,  remove the cutout then go over it with the ceramic pen and freeahand the edge of the ears.

Next, cut out the eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth.  Sort of looks like a Picasso now.

Put the cutout back on the plate and go over the cutout areas of the eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth with a pencil.   Remove the cutout and draw over the penciled in lines with a ceramic pen.

For the eyes, I put the cutout pieces on the plate next to the eye as a guideline and freehanded each one onto the plate.

Color in eyebrows, eyes, and add hair if desired.   For the name I just wrote in freehand with the pen.

I washed it off and then it was ready for play.   I had to do it quickly as my son spotted Starburst and called dibs on half of them.

Yummy Mummy Bites

The how-to for these tasty treats is at my other blog as I am participating in the "Countdown To Halloween".  Please check it out at:
http://uniqueunusualandinterestingart.blogspot.com/2009/10/yummy-mummy-bites.html

Kids "Wonder" Entry for I ♥ Faces Photography

This is a picture that I took of my son, Kyle and I am entering it into Kids "Wonder" Entry for I ♥ Faces Photography category at http://www.iheartfaces.com/. It was taken at Science Central several years back and he was in awe and wonder at all the cool displays they had there.

KIDDE COCKTAIL FOR NEW YEARS EVE

This is a version of the kiddie cocktails that I had as a kid except we didn't have blender and it was just mixed and then a lot of ice cubes added.

I made up a pitcher for Kyle and I to celebrate the beginning of 2009.

It is a quick and easy cocktail to make for kids on special occassions and all you need is a can of grape juice concentrate from a can, ginger ale and ice cubes and blender.

For older kids and to make it look more like a cocktail, you can skewer marichino cherries, pieces of orange, lemon, or line on a toothpick and teeter it on the edge of the glass.

Blend 6 ice cubes, 1 can of the juice concentrate and slowly add the ginger ale and blend. Once you get to the top you may need to wait 30 seconds or so for the fizz to settle before adding more ginger ale. Continue to fill the blender until it gets to the top and continue to blend.

Once it is done, pour into decorative cups (we used plastic cups that we got on clearance after Halloween) and serve.