Handmade Plant Stakes

As often is with crafters (and writers, and chefs, etc.), after reading, Rukmini’s Vintage Enameled Tag DIY tutorial gave me the inspiration to create some plant stakes. I’ve made some years ago, Recycled Leather Butterfly Plant Stakes.

And right now, to be completely honest, I didn’t want to deal with heating stuff as is Rukmini’s tutorial. So I went with the simple, yet highly effective – decoupage technique.

Handmade Plant Stakes

thin plywood
colorful napkins for background design
water based clear lacquer
paper punched shapes for extra decoration
sharpie for writing on plant stakes when done

Cut plywood to desired sizes. Mine had a white finish already, so I sanded it randomly to give it a vintage, worn look.
If your plywood is of a natural finish, you might want to first coat in a background color of your choice and when it is completely dry, sand for the same effect.

Peel napkin apart, you only need to use the first, top layer that has the design part.

Transfer napkin to plywood with clear lacquer – the parts you sanded will be visible through the layer. Wait to dry.

Cut napkin around the edges, secure with some lacquer.

Decorate with paper punched flowers, butterflies, pumpkins, snowflakes, etc. that fits your design. Add some writing with a sharpie if wanted. Secure them all in place by adding another coat of lacquer (and yet another, if needed).

Place in flower pot and admire   

Happy crafting!

Cute corner bookmarks

I’ve been mostly neglecting the Green Lifestyle posts, particularly the ‘Arts, crafts & recycling’ section as I like to post pictures of what I made. Luckily for me (and you) I still have my friend’s camera for the day and I found a super quick & easy tutorial to share.

I’ve stated it before and I’ll say it again: I’m always short of bookmarks. Last year I posted a tutorial on how to create some Classy handmade bookmarks with the paper napkin transfer method – which I still make semi-regularly as gifts, as well as for myself (only semi-regularly cause my fear of hot or sharp objects around my fingers doesn’t seem to pass)  

Here are the latest creations, all done in less than five minutes!

Cute corner bookmarks

Scrap cardstock: white, colored, patterned, etc. – It’s a good idea to work with two different colored cardstock 
Craft glue
Scissors and paper pinking shears
Craft accessories, decorations
Pens and markers

Cut two 2×2 inch squares from the colored cardstock. Cut the corner off of the white (different colored) cardstock, then cut one of the squares in half diagonally to create a triangle.

Spread a thin layer of glue on one side of the triangle and fit the white cardstock inside, trimming it with pinking shears to create a decorative pattern along the edge.

Add a thin layer of glue along the two shorter edges of the triangle and press onto the square – this creates a pocket for the corner of your book.

Allow the glue to dry and your bookmark is ready to slip onto the corner of your page!

Happy crafting and reading!

In a lilac phase ;)

My camera is broken, so I couldn’t take photos of my newest crafts for a tutorial this week either… However, as January is International Creativity Month I wanted to post something crafty too this month.

 

Right before I left for Sicily in November, I bought a little wooden jewelry box to safely take some jewelry with me (and not have to search for them in my suitcase for hours on end after arrival).

As I sat down to beautify it, for some reason, the lilac paint I had started kicking, screaming and demanding to be used. And so I did.

I painted the jewelry box in four shades of lilac then decorated it with decoupaged Lilacs, a few plaster heart shaped magnets, a Yin-Yang candle holder and the frame of a wall picture decorated with a napkin I bought from Hungary this summer.

I love them all!

The jewelry box and wall picture have been decorated with the decoupage technique, and the magnets, candle holders and picture frame are plaster castings. Click here to read both techniques described in this post.

Handmade Christmas Crafts – Quick tutorial list

I kind of outdid myself last year and posted tutorials for a week’s worth of Christmas crafts

So this year I’ll list them here for your guys to have all  in one place for easier access (since I’ll be using the same methods). And I’ll only post a couple of new ones depending on my available free time before the holidays.

• Winter and Christmas window decorations #1 & Winter and Christmas window decorations #2

• Advent wreath or table centerpiece

• Christmas flower decorations

• Christmas gift bags

• Christmas tree decorations from plaster

• Christmas present gift tags and greeting cards

• Last Christmas special: Candle holders and wall pictures

Happy Christmas crafting everyone

What I’ve been crafting lately

Okay, so not technically a tutorial this week, but life has this annoying habit of butting in whenever I’d have a few spare minutes and fills them up with work and some more work
But thank goodness it does, or restless as I can get, I’d be in trouble!

Here’s what I crafted while in Hungary. There was an event in the first weekend, Tradition Keeping Days (to translate literally), and among other great things, there were stands with craft projects, one coordinated by my friend’s sister, for kids.

But you know me, always up for learning something new, so I made pen/pencil holders for my mom, grandparents and fiancé (after I got the hang of it I remained and helped my friend out with the kids) and at a different stand, a bead bracelet for myself.

 

After, well actually ever since I came home, I’ve been swamped with plaster crafts orders, especially with these wedding favors.

 

But last week I had a bit of extra time on my hands and also made something pretty for myself. Decorated a wooden jewelry box I bought from Hungary and two folder holders (courtesy of a friend) using the decoupage technique.

Rustic Decorative Bottles

I know what you’re thinking “She’s been back for a week now, and only one post…” right? Well my only excuse is that the acts of this life’s stage aren’t as simple and relaxing as one might expect, it takes a lot of work to be able to perform well (not to mention perfectly)

With that said, I’m back!

Since I love blogging yet not always have all the time in the world to do so, I like to keep things short whenever it’s possible. And this craft project is perfect for this fine Tuesday night (my time).

Rustic Decorative Bottles

different bottles (of interesting design)
dry crops like: beans, corn, peas, etc.
seeds like: mustard, watermelon, pumpkin, sunflower, etc.
cork

Clean your bottles and let them dry well.

Fill them up with the seeds and crops of your choice to create different layers, being careful so the smaller ones don’t mix with the bigger ones.

You can really use your imagination as to the crops, seeds, etc. you use, and the finished bottles will look great in your kitchen, or anywhere else in your house, resulting in a lovely rustic feel.

Handmade Notebook Covers

Those would be the old school kind of notebooks with paper and stuff, not the modern one I’m currently using to type this post

While searching for something I found (not what I was originally searching for, but) my old journals, and thought to myself: how on earth did I forget about these covers I’ve made? Probably cause I stopped writing a diary back in 2000 or because they were (obviously) hidden well (no, Sweetheart, I won’t tell you where, hence hidden ).

But as I came across them I knew I had to write a short tutorial to share with you guys, it’s an amazing way to recycle an old pair of jeans, or just clear out the clutter from leftover sewing projects.

Hope you find them as pretty and as easy to make as I do

Handmade Notebook Covers

notebook
piece of denim (from an old pair of pants, jacket, etc.), or basically any kind of denser fabric you have laying around
scissors, glue, needle, thread
decoration of your choice: buttons, paper art, stickers, ribbons, seashells, dried flowers, napkin (using the decoupage technique for fabric), etc.

There are more elaborate methods too if you’re into sewing, but here’s the simplest possible way:

Measure your notebook all the way around from front to back while closed then cut your fabric to the measured size and leave at least 3-4 cm-es extra sideways.

Fold onto the material until it’s the right size then sew the seam at the top and bottom so you’ll be forming a pocket for the covers to be held in, and you’re basically done.

Now sew on a pocket or two, readily made that you took off a jacket/pants or make your own, add your decorations and place your new covers on your now prettily personalized notebook.

Have fun!

(and please share photos when yours is done!)