Tuesday, March 24, 2009

DEVELOP FILM WITH COFFEE AND VITAMIN C

This project sounds cool but going to have to go on a far backburner until I am better off finanically to invest in some of the equipment needed. It said that color film will turn out black and white and grainy. This would be also be great to weave into a storyline - I will share this with Kyle and maybe it could go into a future video project.

The following items are needed.

  • Instant coffee (not decaf)
  • Vitamin C powder
  • Washing soda (cannot substitute baking soda)
  • 2 gallons of room-temperature water
  • Fixer
  • Drop of dishwashing liquid
  • A daylight developing tank & reel
  • A roll of exposed film
  • A bottle opener
  • Scissors
  • Measuring beakers (including one large enough to hold 16 fluid ounces)
  • Measuring spoons
  • 2 glasses
  • A spoon
  • A timer
  • 2 clothespins
  • Clothesline or coat hanger

Clipart from http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/film.shtml

Miniature Sponge Cake and Pie for Barbie Dolls

These are totally amazing! Alas, my great niece Mia will only be a year old and too young to play with these if I make them now, so putting this on the back burner for when she is older (or if I make them find a place to store them around here for the next few years).

The following blog has a tutorial on how to make the above with sponges.

http://cathiefilian.blogspot.com/2009/03/make-it-miniature-sponge-cake-pie.html?showComment=1237956720000#c8849612870659454409

"Miniature Sponge Cake Materials
  • Flat, expandable sponges, yellow and pink
  • pen
  • quarter
  • scissors
  • white craft paint
  • craft glue
  • mini ribbons
  • mini beads
  • large button"

You use the bottom of the paint bottle as a template to cut the sponges into circle, glue them togetherthen cut up a wedge wet them then let them dry. After that paint the the top, bottom and side (everything except the wedge) white, glue the ribbon around the outer bottom edge and glue the beads in a design on the top. Looks like the button was used to make the cake riser, but is also look like the button is on top of a bottle cap and both are painted/decorated.

"Miniature Pie Materials:

  • Bottle caps
  • Tan felt
  • Red seed beads (or color to match fruit of choice)
  • Quick Hold craft glue

The bottle caps are the pie pan, you line them around the edge with tan felt, glue the seed beads in to represent the "fruit" then cover with little strips of tan felt for the top of the pie.



(Clipart from http://www.designedtoat.com/)

RAG RUG

This was posted by Flail of the flair on CO+K http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/rag_rug_get_rid_of_all_those_scraps

Her tutorial on how to make it is very entertaining and love how she showed used her teeth and toes to hold the fabric while she she is braiding the strips - more crafters (myself included) have probably resorted to such tactics, but just thought is was us!

Monday, March 23, 2009

FELT PEEPS

These were featured on One Crafty Place and would be perfect addition to the Dollar Store Challenge project I am working on.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Halloween Ideas

(picture is Kyle's Peacock Costume that I made for him when he was a tot)

Is a little early to be thinking about Halloween, but ran across this site and it looks like it has ideas worth looking into further when the time is closer (like the pumpkin stencils).
http://www.halloweencraftfreebies.com/
Family Fun always has a plethora of cool ideas too.
http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/halloween_ms_crafts/

Sunday, March 15, 2009

RAINBOW JELLO ***ACCOMPLISHED (SORT OF)*** MADE JELLY JIGGLERS



I ran across this idea at Enchanted Learning for a St. Patrick's Day Treat
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/rainbowjello/
It is basically 7 layers of jello (Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple) and you pour each layer separate into a clear glasses to make the rainbow.

As none of us are really jello freaks but we do like gummy type stuff, thinking of trying the same concept of making them into jello jigglers

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1811,158173-224203,00.html
JELLO JIGGLERS GELATIN SNACK
Printed from COOKS.COM
2 1/2 c. boiling water

4 pkg. (4 serving size) or 2 pkg. (8 serving size) Jello gelatin, any flavor

Kitchen Tools: measuring cup, mixing bowl, mixing spoon, 13 x 9 inch pan, metal spatula, fun shaped cookie cutters

Stir boiling water into gelatin. Dissolve completely. Pour the mixture slowly into 13 x 9 inch pan. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Jigglers will be firm after 1 hour but may be difficult to remove from pan. Dip bottom of pan in warm water for 15 seconds to loosen gelatin.

Choose a fun shaped cookie cutter. Press the cutter into the Jello and then lift the cutter straight up. Use your fingers to remove jigglers from the pan. Let Mom help with a metal spatula.

Maybe can make this in a flat pan, do the layers separately then use a glass to cut into circles?

I had to look up the order of colors in the light spectrum - I remembered there was an acronym for it, but not what it was, so I had to look it up and it is:


ROY G BIV

http://www.tooter4kids.com/Light_Color/Rainbows.htm

*********UPDATE***********
I made a version of this - instead of layers in a cup, I made jelly jigglers and cut them out with a cup, then cut them in half then set them upright.
I posted a how-to over at CO+K

DIY Buttons **Accomplished a Singeleton Button***

As buttons run a dollar or more for a few, I have been on the prowl for different ideas to make my own. Here are some

DORSET BUTTONS
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/42688/how-to-make-dorset-buttons
from the above link
"The Dorset button has a long history, originating in the 18th century in Dorset, England. Originally, they were made on a disc cut from the horn of a Dorset Horn sheep, which was covered with needle-worked thread. Later, button makers began using metal rings as the basis for these buttons. We're going to make a simple form of Dorset button called a crosswheel, but there are lots of different styles, some of them involving intricate weaving. Once you have these basics down, experiment—the British Button Society offers some inspiration"

The basic concept is it is made from a plastic bone rings and either yarn or embroidery floss wrapped around the ring and made into a design. The design featured looks like a spoked wheel.

SINGLETON BUTTONS
Here is tutorial on how to make Singleton buttons
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/42746/how-to-make-singleton-buttons.
The site indicates this is a type of dorset button. In looking it over the difference in the above is that the basic concept seems to be making a fabric yoyo around a plastic bone ring; will involve a lot of hand sewing and will be tedious and time consuming, but doable.

Instead of buying bone rings for either of the above though, think I will look around the house at what I can find to recycle that is similar.

POLYMER CLAY BUTTONS
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/42746/how-to-make-singleton-buttons
The basic concept is rolling the clay flat, then using something small and circular (like a spool of thread) and to make it textured by using another button and pressing it into the clay or even making a design with a fork.

You can also make them with more than one color by rolling the center into a cane then wrapping another layer around it.

Next time I find Fimo or Sculpey clay on sale, I will buy some and give this a whirl.



****ACCOMPLISHED***



I made a Singleton Dorset buttons to use for Craftster's April craft challenge and the buttons were used as the center to flowers on facinators

http://craftsandcreationswithkathy.blogspot.com/2009/04/diy-fabric-buttons.html