Cool Leather Cuff Bracelets

Looking for a quick, fun, and inexpensive project for you and your friends? These Leather Cuff Bracelets are awesome! They are super fun to make and double as a fashion piece. If you are anything like me and my friends, you love to coordinate with each other! Get together this weekend and make some matching jewelry! 

DIY - Faux Cross Stitched Shirt

I am so excited about this tutorial because I have never done any kind of cross stitching in my entire life. I know we can all shake our heads at me. I should be ashamed of myself, haha!  I like to figure out different ways to RE-CREATE things, so I thought it would be cool to show you a quick modern take on cross stitching. Don't worry, it's super easy and I know you will have fun with it.

P.S. I am doing a number in this tutorial however you can create any image you would like since the technique is mainly what I am showing you today.

Let's get started...

Altered Tie-Dye T-shirt Challenge featuring Jeshua of Boi from Ipanema

When I was a kid, I use to be like, totally OBSESSED with ancient Egyptian culture. 

I would spend hours at the library, reading books about Pharaohs and mummies and Nefertiti    

 *kids be like "Whaaat? What's a li-berry?*.....

A few of my favorite movies are The Prince of Egypt, The Ten Commandments and Cleopatra. All completely accurate tellings of ancient Egyptian culture, amirite?

 I was completely enraptured with the mystique and magic of a great civilization, lost in time.  

I've always considered traditional Egyptian chest-pieces super cool and interesting.  Those Egyptians were ahead of their time, style included. I was inspired to do my own take on the chest piece look that can be dressed up for a night out or paired with a denim shorts or leggings for a more casual look great for both guys and girls.  

Here's what you'll need:
-White cotton t-shirt

-Moody Blues Tie-Dye kit

-Fuchsia One-Step dye

-Spray bottle

-painter's tape

Lay out your shirt and with your painter's tape, mark off a point about mid chest.  I've found that marking off the "dye limit" point will help keep the collar at a reasonable place, because once you get going, it's kinda hard to cut yourself off! lol

Mix up your dyes and add the colors in alternating rings to DRY fabric.  The key to this technique is to add the dyes in a clean "dots and dashes" pattern.  Make sure that there is space between each dot of color and each section of your collar because the dye will need room to spread. If the colors are too close together, the end result may be more muddy than majestic and no one wants that to happen, right?

Thoroughly spray the collar of your tee to blend the colors. Try to keep the water ONLY on the dyed areas. The dyes will spread to any part of the fabric that's wet so you don't want the colors to spread too far down the tee. The goal is too keep the colors about mid chest to give the appearance of the Egyptian-styled chest piece.  

Allow the shirt to rest for about 6 hours to ensure that the dyes really soak in and the fabric absorbs all of the pigment.  Then wash according to instructions and wear!

I hope your new shirt makes you feel like a rad Pharaoh King slash Queen of the Nile because you will definitely turn some heads rocking this tee! 

Until next time,

ttyl.

Jeshua

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iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts: iLoveMom Glass Vial Necklace 
Margot Potter for Avalon Potter 
“Mom crafted, teen approved.” 

I’ve used these glass vials in a variety of jewelry making projects over the years. They’re like miniature works of art. You can put all sorts of things inside of these, beads, glitter, printed messages...whatever makes you smile. This is the perfect way to tell Mom how much you love her with a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted wearable work of art! It’s so easy to make these with Tulip Fashion Glitter and Aleene’s glue; you’ll find yourself looking for reasons to make more! I made some matching earrings using some smaller glass vials using the same techniques for a fun, fast and fabulous jewelry set just for mom.

Materials 
Miniature glass jar with cork top
Thin ribbon for accent
One large puffy and four small flat felt hearts in pink and white
Tulip Fashion Glitter in multi medium crystal
Screw eye
Ball chain necklace
2 ear wires
2 jump rings
Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Glue
Aleene’s Stop Fraying
Aleene's Collage Pauge Matte

Tools 
2 small paintbrushes
Chain nose pliers
Scissors
Computer and printer

Pour a small amount of glitter into vial. Add felt hearts, use end of paintbrush to position them in vial.  Add a small amount of glue around edge of cork stopper, insert into vial top. Use paintbrush to remove any excess glue.

Add a small amount of glue to screw eye, use chain nose pliers to screw into center top of cork stopper. Allow all glue to dry.

Take a small ribbon and tie in a bow around rim of jar. Use Aleene’s Stop Fraying on ends of ribbon. Allow to dry.

Use a typewriter font to print xoxo, x and o in 10pt. Cut out using scissors and decoupage to front of jars with Collage Pauge and a small paintbrush.  Thread screw eye with ball chain necklace.  Use smaller jars with glitter and ribbon to make matching earrings. Attach a jump ring and ear wire to top of stopper, repeat for second earring.

(Blogger was compensated for this post.)

MAYA IN THE MOMENT: Ombre Dyed Dress

You're probably thinking - "What did she do to that dress?" Actually it started out how you see on the left, a patterned print with a white background. I love the dress but thought it would look even better with an ombre style coloring added. It was an experiment that worked!

Just because fabric has a print on it doesn't mean that you can't add some dye techniques. Once you realize this it will make you see fabric and clothes in a while new way! I really dig the southwestern design of this dress, but wanted it even more colorful.

Here is how I did it...

First off - make sure your dress is cotton or rayon. Polyester won't hold the dye. Aside from that, we are good to go!

Supplies:
Patterned print dress
Tulip® One-Step Dye™ orange, yellow, and fuchsia
Plastic table cloth
Scissors

Line your work surface with a plastic liner or garbage bag. Open the boxes and add water to the dye bottles according to package directions.

Dampen the dress with a spray bottle of water. If your dress is brand new, wash it first to remove sizing.

Add rubber bands (optional) and apply the darkest dye on the bottom third of the dress, and the medium in the center and lightest on the top. Roll up the dress in the liner and let it sit for six hours. This will ensure that the dye bonds with the fabric fibers.

After six hours, open the plastic and cut away the rubber bands. Wash the dress in your washing machine on the lightest cycle with cold water, hang dry. 

And here it is! She how the bottom is hot pink, the middle is orange the the top is yellow? It really adds a special touch to the dress, it makes it more...more...MAYA IN THE MOMENT!!!!

I hope you like my project! 

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iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Spring Flowers Felt Make-up Bag

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Avalon Potter for iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts
Spring Flowers Felt Make-Up Bag
"Teen crafted, mom approved."

Avalon has a small collection of make-up all mixed up in a cluttered drawer, so this was a perfect way for her to get it all organized. This project was all her idea, I just helped with some advice and am posting the instructions! It is so easy to turn a few pieces of craft store felt and some ribbon into a delightful decorative pouch using Aleene's Tacky Glue. You can style this however you choose, I love the chocolate brown with the pops of orange and fuchsia Avalon selected.

Materials
Brown Craft Felt
Hot Pink Craft Felt
Fuchsia Craft Felt
Genevieve Gail Boho Felt Flowers (1 die cut orange and one solid yellow)
3/8" Fuchsia grosgrain ribbon (Offray)
5/8" Medium rick rack orange (Simplicity)
1 Tulip Glam-it-up blue metallic crystal
Aleene's Super Thick Tacky Glue
Layered flower die
6 grommets

Tools
Die Cutter (I used a Sizzix Big Shot)
Grommet setting tool (I used a Crop-a-dile)
Scissors

The body of the bag is a full piece of brown felt folded in the middle. The bottom flowers are pre-cut, use die cutter to cut the layered top flowers. Glue and stack flowers.

Add grommets to sides and center of pouch on both sides using grommet setter. Glue edges of pouch together, add flowers and rick rack ribbon trim with glue. Attach crystal to center of flower with glue. Place something inside of pouch and on top of flowers to prevent glue seepage and lay under a large book and allow glue to dry.

Add ribbons. Tie ribbons through grommets at both sides, you can secure this with a dab of glue and optionally add Aleene's Stop Fraying to ribbon ends. Tie a knot in a 6" segment of ribbon and thread into grommet in center, repeat for opposite side. This will allow you to tie pouch closed.

Enjoy!

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts: Floral Stacked Bib Necklace

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Floral Stacked Bib Necklace Copyright 2011 Margot Potter

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts
Floral Stacked Big Necklace
Margot Potter for Avalon Potter
“Mom crafted, teen approved.”

Avalon had a mountain of school work this weekend, so I agreed to step in and make this project and let her focus on her school work. This was really easy and fun to execute and came together quickly using some fabulous new ILovetoCreate products mixed with Grungeboard from Tim Holtz. The fabric paints went on easily in two quick coats and the grey background softened the neon colors just enough. I LOVE the new Aleene’s Fabric Fusion Tape, no more waiting for glue to dry! I am impatient, have I mentioned that? Adding texture with the super easy to use Beads and a Bottle brought it all together perfectly. I think I’ll be borrowing this necklace myself in the near future. Just because it’s teen friendly doesn’t mean Mom can’t sport it too. Avalon squealed when she saw this, so I'm thinking...we have a winner here folks!

Materials
Scribbles brush on fabric paint in blue, green and pink neon
Tulip Beads in a Bottle Semiprecious in sparkly pink, turquoise and bright green
Aleene’s Fabric Fusion Peel and Stick craft tape
Plain Grungeboard basics sheets or other thick substrate
2 7” segments gun metal chain
Gun metal toggle clasp

Tools
Die cutting machine
Stacked flower dies
Scissors
Hole punch
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Scribbles paint brush

1. Use die cutting machine to cut flower shapes out of Grungeboard or other substrate (you could use canvas or denim here if you stiffen it with Aleene’s fabric stiffener spray to give it stability.)



2. Layer flowers in segments of three and then on top of one another to create a bib using Aleene’s Fabric Fusion tape to adhere the layers together.


3. Use Beads in a Bottle to add texture to flowers following shapes of petals. Start with the bottom layers and work up, taking care not to crush any of the beads as they are drying. If you have any mishaps, use paint brush to gently remove bead and add a new one.


4. Let beads dry overnight.

5. Create two u-shaped tabs to attach to top of bib segment on each side using glue tape. Use hole punch to create a hole in each tab for attaching chain.

6. Open and close chain links with chain nose pliers, sliding the bottom link on each chain into the holes on the tabs. Attach clasp to open ends of chain using pliers. Make sure chain links are fully secured.


Margot Potter For:

iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Swinging Vines Necklace Tank Top

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Swinging Vines Necklace Tank Top
"Teen crafted, mom approved."

Lately I have been a little obsessed with Tulip 3D fashion paints, I have made multiple t-shirts playing with the paints and recently developed this technique. I think it is very fun and beautiful once finished. I love working with tulip paints and I know that you will not be disappointed!


Materials

Lectric Lime Tulip Slick 3D Fashion Paint
Fl. Pink Slick Tulip 3D Fashion Paint
Deep Turquoise Slick Tulip 3D Fashion Paint
White tank top
Tulip t-shirt form
Paper
Pencil

Instructions


1. Draw out your design on a piece of paper using pencil, then practice tracing over the design with you paints till you feel comfortable with them.


2. On your shirt start with the first large tendril using Lectric Lime. For the next three tendrils use in this order Deep Turquoise, Fl. Pink, and Lectric Lime.

3.To give it that necklace effect on the seem on the neck use Fl. Pink on the left side and Deep Turquoise on the right.

Mom’s Note
Avalon decorated this canvas bag using the same technique, but layering the colors over each other. I thought this was a really cool effect and the technique itself innovative and interesting. To me, it looks like branch coral. You could decorate a super fun canvas beach tote with this technique.

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Tie-Dye Tulip socks

Tie-Dye Tulip socks

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts

Tie Dye Tulip Socks

Avalon Potter

"Teen crafted, mom approved."

I have a confession to make; I have a knee high sock obsession. They fill my drawers, they are scattered across my room, and they are even on my feet right now! I had been trying out an idea with tie dye and I had so much left over I scoured my room for something else to dye. After I had dyed the socks and another white shirt I put it the wash and anxiously awaited the result. When I saw the original shirt I realized it was not going to work out so I grabbed my socks and thought up a new design!

Materials:
One Step Tie-Dye Classic
Scissors
White knee high socks
Aleenes fabric fusion
Needle
Thread
White shirt (Use an old white shirt since you will be cutting it)
Ruler

Tools:
Washer
Dryer


Instructions:

1. Follow the instructions in the kit for the folding technique on your pair of socks.

2. Next for your shirt follow the swirl technique instructions in the kit.

3. Let the shirt and socks sit for 5-6 hours as per instructions. Take the rubber bands off and wash and dry them.

4. Take your shirt and cut off the seam on the bottom (this will be the flower). It should be about 12 inches long and ¾ inch wide. You will need two pieces.



5. Tie a knot at the end of the strip and begin twisting and rolling the strip around the knot, dabbing glue as you roll.



6. Continue rolling, twisting and gluing until you reach the end then attach the end to the back of the flower.



7. Sew the back of the flower to the top of the sock.

8. Enjoy wearing your amazing tie dye socks!