Cute mini leprechaun top hat to make (free crochet pattern) or buy

What a cute little leprechaun top hat! I found it for sale in Natalia's shop on Etsy (LaCigogne) but she also shares a free crochet pattern on her blog! It seems like a quick project to make so I am definitely going to try to make one for our coming St. Patrick's gathering.

If you are interested in making one, here is the link to a free mini leprechaun top hat crochet pattern. If you'd like to purchase one, please visit Natalia's shop. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A lavender bottle sachet / La bouteille de lavande

I was browsing facebook this morning and noticed the prettiest lavender wand sachet made by Irina from Belarus (JewelryFloren). She got so many blooms this year that she was able to make 25 pretty sticks from just 2 lavender bushes.

I love this idea because all the sweet buds stay inside after the stick has dried out and it still will look pretty and ready to do its job to refresh your linen closet or dresser draw. The idea of  "La bouteille de lavande" came from France where lavender is a part of culture and history. Oh so romantic!

All you need to make 1 stick like this is about 25 to 30 lavender stems, 2 1/2 yards of narrow satin ribbon (about 1/4" wide) in your favorite color and a sewing thread.

Сlean your lavender stems from the leaves and bottom flowers. Gather them together and tie the stems tight right under the flower heads with a sewing thread. Now, bend the stems to the sides to cage the flower heads inside. Run one end of the ribbon along side the flowers to poke out of the bottom of the flower cage. Tie your pretty satin ribbon on top of sewing thread and start weaving the other loose end of the ribbon around the top of flower cage using basic under-and-over basket weaving technique. Push the sticking-out flowers back to cage with a toothpick.

Keep weaving tightly (very important since the lavender will shrink as it dries) to get a bottle shape.

Tie both ribbon ends tight around the base a few times and make a pretty bow. 

Voilà! It's ready to use, just let it dry and enjoy!

Thank you, Irina, for this great idea!

How to make a leather cord necklace with amethyst druzy pendant

An amethyst druzy stalactite slices are so popular these days for jewelry making. You can buy them as a raw crystal or with the plated edge and ready to wear. They are large, flat and have a free shape bottom what makes each necklaces an OOAK.  

Crystals are pretty and fun to wear but not every chain or cord will work with them. Each time I am putting pieces together I am going through dozens of these. For this large druzy Albina (aroundbeads) and I decided to use a leather cord.

It is not hard to do and it will work with so many other pendants. Here is how to make it:

Materials and tools:

Leather cord, 2mm thick

Cord ends - 2

Jump rings -2

Lobster clasp – 1

Chain nose pliers

1. Measure and cut a piece of a leather cord for your necklace (desired length).

2. Flatten the end of the cord with your chain nose pliers.

3. Place a flattened end  into the slot of a cord end and fold the edge down over the cord. Fold one edge at a time.

4. Using a jump ring, attach a clasp and a cord.

5. Slide a bare cord end into the pendant’s loop(s).

6. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for another cord end. Attach a jump ring.

 

It is ready to wear!

Lilies bouqiet hot batik wall hanging tutorial

Here is how to work in hot batik technique with an example of one of Alla Samoil's painting, a lilies bouquet.

 

The general idea is that the lightest areas will be covered with melted wax first and then step by step, while adding the paint to the rest of the design to create a layered effect. Doesn't this color layering remind you of a watercolor technique?

Always be cautious while working with hot wax. It is extremely hot and very flammable.

Here is what you need to make this:

a wooden frame

fabric (pre-wash if new)

pins

soft pencil, 8B

bees wax or paraffin

a small crock pot

Pebeo Setasilk or Dye-Na-Flow Fabric paints: yellow, shades of green, dark ochre and brown

variety of brushes (you will not be able to wash the wax away from the brushes so choose the ones you will not feel sorry for later)

Iron

some newspapers and some clean white paper

1. Protect your working surface with a plastic cover. Add wax / paraffin to your crock pot and set it on low. The wax will be ready to work with when small amount of melted wax will go through the fabric and not stays on surface. You can test it on a small non working area of your fabric.

2. With pins, stretch your fabric to a wooden frame. Print a sketch of your project on paper and freehand your image to your fabric lightly by pencil.

When you are done, we will start working with melted wax and paints.

3. Use your thin brush  to cover the stamens of the lilies with a melted wax.With a thicker brush, apply the yellow paint on the rest of your design and add some very light shades of yellow, green and brown colors to the plants image (please refer to pictures for a color application). Lay your work horizontally and let it dry completely.

 

4. Cover the flowers petals and the middle of the leaves with a melted wax. Apply the light green paint and some darker shades of yellow, green and brown on your painting. Let it dry.

5. Cover the rest of petals and some parts of leaves with a melted wax. Use the dark ochre paint to cover the rest of design. Let it dry.

6. Cover the plants completely with a melted wax in the same manner. Apply a dark brown paint to cover the background of your painting. Let your design dry.

7. Cover the entire design with a melted wax. To remove it from your painting, sandwich your design in between a sheets of newspaper and a clean white paper and iron it out. Discard the wax.

Your painting is done! Now you can frame it and  hang it on a wall for a pretty display

Holiday craft, wine stopper DIY

This DIY colorful wine stopper is another great quick project to decorate your party table.

 

All you need is a pre-made wine stopper and some beads of your liking (I bought mine at Michael's but you probably will find them at your local craft store).

I chose the unfinished wooden beads for my project and I wanted some color so I painted my beads with acrylic paint. I used some acrylic coral beads in between.

So it's really easy: choose the beads and arrange them in the order you like. Make sure they will fit to your cork stopper pole.

 

If you are happy with the future look, undo the arrangement and paint the wooden beads in the colors of your choice. Let them dry thoroughly. If you'd like, use the clear finish on top. Arrange the beads on stopper pole in the planned order.

That's it! Have fun decorating!

Napkin rings with wine cork stoppers, wire and beads, DIY project

This project is absolutely great. It includes a recycling idea since we are using the used wine bottle corks.

 

This is a great practical idea (you can make them for any holiday dinner party and they are inexpensive) and they are a lovely piece of home decor. Albina (albinasjewelry) and I made this project together during our last get-together gathering and I am going to use my napkin rings for the coming Thanksgiving party. 

 If you like this idea here is how we made this.

Materials and Tools:

Pre-drilled wine corks

Wire 26ga and 20 ga

Beads of your choice

Mandrel, 1” diameter

Round nose pliers

1. Cut piece of 20 a wire, 2 ft long. Slide the wire through the cork’s hole, center the cork. Place a cork against a mandrel and start wrapping the wire ends around the mandrel, feeding the wire ends through the cork’s hole. 

2. Wrap the wire until you have 2” of wire ends coming out the cork. Using round nose pliers and chain nose (or flat nose) pliers, make spirals. Place the spiral so it is covering the hole.

3. Attach 26ga wire; wrap the ring, adding beads.

 

We made several sets of these using different materials and I've already given 2 sets as gifts to my friends.

 

They liked them a lot!

5 simple ideas on flower pot embellishment

Sometimes you are just not happy with how your flower pots look. Maybe, they are not matching your house decor, your colors or maybe, you are just tired of looking at the same things.

You can buy new pots or you can try to improve the ones you already have (this way you will get a new look for less).

Here is 5 simple ideas to embellish outdated flower pots:

1. Glue an ornament, a button or other decor items

2. Tie and glue a decorative rope around the pot's neck

3. Make a pot necklace

4. Cover it with mosaic or tile

5. Simply repaint the pot in your favorite color.

I was replanting my plants yesterday so here is more on idea 1, a flower pot ornament.

I choose a gold colored button for my black pot. I like the minimalist look of these 2 together.

When I get tired of this look I will add a piece of bright crystal on top of button but right now I am happy with the way it is.

You will need:

deco cement glue

a flat button, about 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" in diameter

rubbing alcohol

a cotton ball

ceramic pot

Wash the pot with clean warm water, let it dry. Choose the place where you want to glue your button. Clean it with rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball, let it dry. Clean the button surface with the same cotton ball and rubbing alcohol (the side which will be glued to the pot). Carefully spread the thin layer of glue on top of both surfaces. Wait a little bit and add a little bit more of glue. Now, gently press the button to the pot surface. The glue should stay under the button so you should not have to clean around it. Lay your pot horizontally and let it dry for 24 hours.

Felted dreads for Easter egg hunt DIY

Here is another great idea for an Easter eggs hunt, felted wool dreads. I've got this from Nadia (learn2felt shop on Etsy) who is passionate about felting. The dreads are so colorful, they remind me bright colored Easter eggs. I think the kids will love to wear these and I am sure they would love to help you with making them!

Here is how to make the Rainbow felted wool dreads - you will need wool that comes as roving (picture 1), a piece of bubble wrap and a bowl filled with soapy water.

2. Tear pieces off.
3.  Divide into strips.
4. Combine colors you want.

5. Wet in soapy water.
6. Roll on bubble wrap.

7. Ready with all 7 dreads.

8. Attach with wisp of wool.
9. Rub between palms.
10. Rub every dread on bubble wrap again.
11. Rinse and dry.

If you'd like to see the expanded version of this tutorial please visit learn2felt shop on Etsy. You might find there more great projects.

Nadia's second shop is crafts2love and it is full of great items also!

Free graphic, Easter invitation card

We are getting ready to celebrate Easter and I was looking for nice party invitations. I was going through the Easter related digital images on Etsy and found the ones I like at the tornadocap shop. Marina, the shop owner, is also our team member and she was very kind to share her free Easter card design with me. It will work great as an invitation or just a nice way to send your Easter wishes.

I printed mine on a card stock, the printed size is 4" by 6".

I am thinking of adding some finishing touches like pretty ribbons or buttons. So I am going to play with it some more but actually all I need now is an envelope and I am done!

I posted this image here with Marina's permission. Please enjoy!

DIY: Polymer clay Valentine hearts

A nicely wrapped packaged is always so pleasant to give and to get. Here is a great idea on how to add some finishing touches to your gift.  Albina Manning (aroundbeads) made this tutorial to show how you can make red and white clay hearts for Valentines Day style tags. You can also use them for any other occasion.

There are 3 different type of tags here: solid color, striped and swirled. Make the one you like or try them all, they all look equally great!

What you need to make these:

Red and white polymer clay

Pasta machine or acrylic roller

A heart shaped cutter

Clay blade

Soda straw

♥ Solid Red Heart:

Condition polymer clay until it’s soft and pliable. Roll it until it is about 3mm thick.  Place a cutter, press and twist slightly the cutter. Using a soda straw, make a hole in the heart.

♥ Striped Heart:

Condition red and white polymer clay.Roll 1/8 block of black and white clay through the pasta machine, using the largest setting. Stack red sheet of clay on white and trim with a clay blade to make 1”x1” square.

 

Roll this sheet through the 3rd largest setting. Cut the sheet in half and stack these halves together, alternating colors.  Now, you have 4 stripes.

Cut this stack on two again, so you have 8 stripes: 4 red and 4 white. Roll 1/8 block of red clay through the 4th largest setting. Using the tissue blade, cut 1/8” (3mm) slices from the stack. Lay these slices, side –by-side, over the red clay sheet.  

Roll this sheet along the stripes. Using a cutter, cut the hearts. Make holes with a soda straw.

♥ Swirl heart:

Use all the leftovers from the striped and red hearts and twist them together.  Roll and fold over and twist again. Keep doing this until you’re happy with the design.

 

Be careful not to do it too many times or it will all just turn into one color.

Roll the clay into the 1/8” (3mm) clay sheet. Place a cutter, press and twist slightly the cutter. Using a soda straw, make a hole in the heart.

Arrange your ready to bake tags on a baking sheet and bake them according to the polymer clay packaging instruction.

Add a nice ribbon to tie your gift with and you are done!