"A is for Animal" Wall Decor!

A is for Ant, B is for Beetle, C is for Cat.... Here's an easy way to turn old clothing scraps (in this case, T-shirts and jeans) into personalized decoration for a young (or young at heart) friend's bedroom wall or door. Whether you stick with the animal theme, or go with fruits and veggies (A is for Apple, B is for Broccoli, C is for Carrot), geography (A is for Australia, B is for Belgium, C is for China), or a more random selection of words (A is for Astronaut, B is for Bubbles, C is for Castle), part of the fun is brainstorming the image that will represent the recipient's initial. For me, N is for Narwhal was a shoo-in. N is for Newt came second. What animal would you choose for your name?

Materials:
-Paper
-Pen or pencil
-Scissors
-Fabric scraps (old T-shirts and denim pieces)
-2 sheets 8 1/2" x 11" medium-weight cardboard (often used as stiffener in a flat parcel)
-Aleene's OK to Wash It or Aleene's Fabric Fusion permanent fabric adhesive
-Ruler
-Fabric paints (optional, for additional embellishment)


1. Select a first initial and then choose an animal (or two) with a name that also begins with the letter: I chose to start with N for Narwhal (that fabulous sea mammal that looks like it was crossed with a unicorn) and N for Newt (an orange salamander. Draw an outline of each animal and the capital and lowercase letter. Cut them out and arrange them on the cardboard to make sure they'll fit. Set them aside.


2. Spread fabric glue evenly over one side of one of the sheets of cardboard and press it onto fabric.


3. Fold and glue the edges to the back of the cardboard. (It's okay if the edges are messy -- they'll be covered up.)


4. Trace one of the paper animal templates (in reverse) onto the wrong side of one of the fabric scraps. Repeat with different scraps with the letters and second animal.


5. Arrange and glue each of the elements onto the fabric-covered cardboard. Add background (like water!) and details (spiral on the horn, eyes!), making sure to layer the pieces appropriately. Let it dry and proceed to decorate the second piece of cardboard!


6. Cover the second piece of cardboard by following steps 1 and 2. Arrange and glue on the embellishments by following steps 4 and 5.


7. Flip one of the panels backside up and measure about 3" in from each side. Mark each point.


8. Squeeze fabric glue at each mark, and press the length of a T-shirt cord into each line of glue.


9. Then spread glue across the entire backside of one of the panels and press it firmly to the back of the other, sandwiching the hanging strap ends between them. (This tidily covers any messy work and makes the sign reversible, whether you prefer caps or lowercase -- or narwhals or newts.) Let it dry.


10. A, B, C, D, E, F, G...H, I, J, K, L, M, N is for Newt and Narwhal!

After it's completely dry, choose a side to display and hang it up!


Variations:
-If you're feeling ambitious, make multiple signs to spell out a person's name. Arrange them in a row, a column, or rectangle.
-If you're feeling really ambitious, make the whole alphabet, and line the edges of the room with A through Z animals!

For Halloween: Costume-on-a-Stick!

'Twas the week before Halloween and all through the haunted house,
every creature was stirring--
the zombies, the mummies, the vampires, the flappers, the secret agents--
even the mouse.
But if you're the one caught without a disguise,
make a costume-on-a-stick to cover your mouth or your eyes!

Materials:
-Pencil
-Paper (optional)
-Manila file folders
-Scissors
-Felt pieces in a variety of colors and patterns
-Aleene's Super Thick Tacky Glue
-Aleene's Jewel-It Embellishing Glue
-Fake jewels
-Tulip Beads in a Bottle
-Wooden chopsticks

Make it:

1. Draw the outline of a pair of glasses, a mustache, or other shape on a manila folder. Optional: Sketch it out on a piece of paper first to use as a template (this way, if it's a symmetrical shape, you can fold it in half to make sure both sides match), then cut it out and trace it onto the folder.

2. Use scissors to completely cut out the shape(s).

3. Spread glue generously over the back of the folder shape.

4. Press it firmly onto a piece of the desired felt color. Let the glue dry.

5. Cut out the felt piece, using the folder edges as your guide.

6. Use jewelry adhesive to decorate the front with fake jewels...

...or use Beads in a Bottle to create 3D embellishments! Let the embellishments dry.

7. Flip the disguise over and squeeze a line of glue along one side. Press the top of one chopstick so it extends vertically from the bottom. Let it dry.

8. Repeat as many times as you like to make cat-eye glasses (shown), wayfarers, masquerade masks, vampire fangs, and mustaches galore. Now what are you waiting for? Go undercover!

Happy haunting from Generation T!

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Flower Power Photo Frame

So often these days a photo album is a mere online click, and a frame may simply be the outer edges of a smart phone as you flick through those saved photos. Having just returned from vacation, I was inspired to make something a little less fleeting to display my memories of beach, sand, and snorkeling. And what better material to use to celebrate summer vacation than scraps from that all-time summer favorite: the T-shirt.

Materials:
-T-shirt scraps (in various colors)
-Circular object (about 2.5" in diameter to use as a cutting template)
-Aleene's Fabric Fusion fabric glue
-Fabric scissors
-Blank picture frame
-Aleene's Tacky Line Runner (double-sided adhesive dispenser)
-Printed vacation photos to fit in the blank picture frame

1. Cut a series of circles from the T-shirt scraps. (I cut about 55 circles in order to cover a 4" x 6" frame.) Cut them all the same color or mix it up to add vibrant highlights to the frame -- I was inspired by the colors of the corals (yellow, salmon, and raspberry hued) that we snorkeled near in Vieques, Puerto Rico.

2. Select one circle, fold it in half, then fold it in half again. Cut a scalloped edge into the open (arced) edge so the piece of folded fabric becomes heart-shaped.

3. Unfold the piece of fabric (it should slightly resemble a four-leaf clover) and squeeze a small amount of fabric glue into the center. Fold it in half, with the edges slightly askew (so the petals don't line up exactly) and pinch.

4. Then apply a small dab of glue along the folded edge and fold it in half again to create a blossom.

5. Pinch the end and separate the petals and let dry. Repeat steps 2-4 for the remaining circles then set the blossoms aside.

6. Apply the double-stick adhesive liberally to the front of the frame. Be careful not to press your fingers into it since the oils will deplete the sticky qualities!

7. One by one, press the blossoms into the adhesive on the frame, angling and overlapping them to cover the frame and create a pleasing pattern.

8. Layer the flowers over the entire frame, and don't hesitate to cut more if you find gaps in the coverage.

9. Now for the hard part! Select a photo to place in the frame.

Variations:
-Use strips of T-shirt scraps to make into coils to decorate the frame.
-Simply cover the photo frame with T-shirt fabric and then embellish with a small cluster of blossoms.
-Use a cluster of these flower power blossoms to embellish a headband, hair tie, or brooch!

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