Reward Wheel or How I Converted an Embroidery Hoop Into a Chore Chart

I swear one day I will make a craft that is not related to children, really I will. If you look at my kid crafts most times they can easily be transitioned into an adult craft. For instance take the reward wheel I made today for I Love to Create. Mine is intended to reward my daughter for good behavior (saying please, picking up toys, not strangling her brother - even when he is being annoying). However, I got the idea from Martha Stewart and she intended hers to hold Christmas cards. I'm seeing one with heart covered fabric in place of floral and holding Valentine cards for next month.

SUPPLIES

Embroidery Hoop

Crafty Chica Paint red

Scissors

Tulip Fashion Glitter

Scrap Fabric

Aleene's Tacky Glue

Paint brush

Clothes pins

Carnival tickets

Glue gun

Using a paint brush apply Tacky Glue to one side of your clothes pins.

While the glue is still wet shake glitter on top. After you have a few covered with glitter shake the excess off onto a second batch of clothespins. I used 12 clothespins, but feel free to add as many as you like.

Once I convinced Baxter that the embroidery hoop was in fact not a hula hoop I painted it red. Actually, that is a lie. I used a smaller hoop in the end for the actual project but Baxter was such a cute helper I had to include this picture, never you mind the marker all over his feet.

Martha did not have fabric in her card holding hoop which in my opinion was a gross oversight. I had the perfect vintage apron to use. Once the fabric was in the hoop I glued the raw edges around the back.

Using a hot glue gun I attached my clothespins to the hoop when everything was nice and dry.

I used little carnival tickets for my reward wheel because they were cute, cheap and Tallulah is obsessed with amusement parks.

There are about a million variations on chore charts floating around on the internet. I didn't want to make mine so specific to things like making a bed or taking dishes to the sink. Instead I have decided to apply one of the few things I took away with my degree in psychology - the power of intermittent reinforcement. Meaning that when I notice Tallulah being nice to her brother, helps me feed the pets, puts her 7,000 Legos away before dumping out another bin with 6,000 bristle blocks I reward her. My tentative plan is that when each clothespin has 2 tickets we will go out for ice cream, get a gum ball sized prize, have spaghetti for breakfast. Some treat she gets to pick. Tallulah is almost 4 it is plenty early for her to start having a few jobby jobs around the house. Fingers crossed my reward wheel works.

P.S. I kinda have a thing for using embroidery hoops for things other than embroidery. In fact I wrote a whole blog post about it once. There was also that time I did a project flyer for JoAnn's.

A Christmasaurus Centerpiece for the Kids Table

My daughter's favorite Christmas book this year is called Merry Christmas Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt. We read it daily even though we have 20+ books about the holidays currently floating around. In the book the worried little child asks his mother question after question including one about a Christmasaurus.

After a trip to the Blue Genie Christmas Bazaar where I made a couple of purchases from a vendor by the name of Plaid Pigeon an idea was born. Today for I Love to Create I'm going to show you how to make a quick and fun centerpiece for the kids table. Usually kids dream of the day they will be upgraded to sitting with the adults, but with a Christmasaurus as the centerpiece they are never going to want to leave.

SUPPLIES

Plastic dinosaur

Crafty Chica Paint red

Scissors

Scribbles Paint in green

Small bottle brush tree

Aleene's Tacky Glue

Paint brush

Pom Poms

Small Ornaments

Glue gun

When your kids are not looking steal the plastic dinosaur toy that has been floating at the bottom of the toy box untouched for months. Using scissors or a knife cut a small hole in his back. It does not matter if the hole is rough looking the tree will cover it.

Once you have your hole paint your dinosaur. Mine needed two coats of red paint. Allow to dry completely in-between coats. Next go in an embellish with polka dots. I used Scribbles paint because I wanted shiny puffy spots.

When your polka dots are dry shove the base of your tree in the hole and adjust. From here squirt a whole bunch of Aleene's Tacky Glue inside to hold in place.

Decorate the tree with what you have on hand. In my case it was some pom poms I stole from my kid's craft pile and some tiny rogue ornaments that never made it on one of my 38 Christmas trees. I used a hot glue gun to attach. All that is left to do is display your new Christmasaurus.

Pretty in Pasta Headband

Tallulah and I have been on a pasta painting kick lately. Some people make their noodles into necklaces around here we have been working the hair clip angle. Today for I Love to Create I'll show you an updated spin on noodle art.

SUPPLIES

Bow Tie Pasta

Aleene's Tacky Glue

Headband

Tulip Glam-It-Up Iron On Crystals

Scribbles Paint

Crafty Chica Paint

Finding the right paint to stick to your pasta can be tricky. I used two coats of Crafty Chica paint on my noodle.

Once my noodle paint was dry I went in with Scribbles paint and Glam-It-Up Crystals to add a little sparkle.

Once all the paint was dry using Aleene's Tacky Glue I attached my little bow to the side of my headband.

Who says that you can't be pretty in pasta?

iLoveToCreate Tori Spelling Inspired Pin This Necklace

iLoveToCreate Tori Spelling Inspired ‘Pin This’ Necklace

Margot Potter

“These are your grandmother’s crafts...ya gotta problem with that?”

My design process is a very intuitive one.  I see things, they spark ideas and off I go to figure out how to turn the ideas into reality.  Not everything works out the way it is in my mind, but that’s part of the fun of design.  These vintage wooden clothespins were part of an Estate Sale haul from several years back.  I knew there was a design in these, but what, I didn’t know.  Watching Craft Wars, I’ve been utterly charmed by Tori Spelling’s large scale whimsical necklaces.  This week I was going to make a Pop Craft Challenge inspired Dog Toy box, but honestly I was running out of time and feeling stressed until I stumbled on these clothespins, pictured Tori’s jewelry and it all came together.  My vintage craft magazines are filled with found object jewelry like this and I find it all such fun.  I am seriously smitten with this design. I can not wait to wear it to the big Craft and Hobby Association show I’m attending this week.  You could do something similar using clip style clothespins or golf tees would make a smaller scale but equally delightful design. 

Materials

11 ½”x4” vintage wooden clothespins

8 10mm crystal SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS rounds

2 sterling or silver plated dapped French ear wires

2 sterling or silver plated EZ Crimp ends

2 silver tone or black size 2 crimp tubes or beads

.018 49 Strand Beadalon wire

2 metal loop topped craft screws

10.5” segment gun metal textured cable chain

Gun metal lobster clasp

Crafty Chica Paints: red, black, white

Tulip sponge brush

Aleene’s Spray Acrylic Sealer matte finish

Aleene’s Turbo Tacky Glue

Tools

2 pairs chain nose pliers

Mighty crimp tool

Flush cutters

Electric drill with 1/16” bit

Marker

Mark and drill holes in clothespins.  There is a hole in the center top of each (these are drilled side to side so the pin leg opening will hang forward on the wire.)  The second side to side drill hole is at the sides just above the top of the pin leg opening.  Repeat for 9 of your clothespins.

Make a small hole in the center top of two clothespins; these will be threaded with the loop top screws to create the earrings.

Paint all clothespins.  There top drilled pins are red.  Make three more red, three black and three white.  This will take several coats drying in between.  You can also sand in between coats.  Use a foam brush to paint and a small detail brush to reach inside of the pin legs.  Paint all sides.

Once pins are completely painted and dried, seal with spray sealer and allow to dry.

Cut a 10” segment of beading wire.  Thread an EZ Crimp end on one side, secure with Mighty Crimp tool.  We have a video that shows you how to do this here.

Thread 9 clothespins on the wire alternating colors.  Thread wire into a second EZ Crimp end.  Use chain nose pliers to grasp and pull wire through end pulling the clothespins taught, but not too stiff.  Use Mighty Crimp tool to secure wire, use flush cutters to cut off excess wire tail.  Thread a second wire into the lower hole opening on the outermost clothespin.  Thread on one of your crimp tubes, use chain nose pliers to compress tightly.

Slide a bead on the wire, thread into the next pin and repeat this process until you reach the final bead.  Thread the wire into the 9^th clothespin, add a crimp tube, tighten wire to remove any slack and compress tube with chain nose pliers to secure.  Cut off excess wire with flush cutters.

Attach a jump ring to one of the EZ Crimp ends.  Repeat on the other side, adding the chain.  Finish by attaching a jump ring to the open end of your chain and add the clasp before securing closed.

To make earrings, thread a loop top screw into the pre-drilled opening.  Dab a little bit of Tacky Glue on the screw before inserting.  Use chain nose pliers to push and turn loop into opening until it is completely embedded.  Use chain nose pliers to attach ear wires loop tops by opening the loop on the earrings, sliding them into the loop and securing closed.

Craft Wars Inspired (Junk Drawer) Ocean Dreams Birdhouse
Avalon Potter for iLoveToCreate
"Teen crafted, Mom approved."

My mom is going to be on an upcoming episode of TLCs new show Craft Wars and she's making projects every week with other contestants from the show inspired by the theme of the week before.  Last week's Pop Craft challenge was to make a junk drawer themed birdhouse.  We had two of these old birdhouses sitting in our yard, so we decided to both decorate one.  I used her paint scraping technique in colors that fit my style and added some things from our 'junk drawer', some sea shells from our last trip to the beach, old buttons and a seahorse metal charm.  Layers of mixed acrylic paint colors from Crafty Chica, Scribbles and Tulip are all sealed under Aleene's Spray Sealer so this can go outside.  I can't wait for a bird to move in!

Materials
Old wooden birdhouse
Seashells
Old buttons in colors to match
Seahorse or ocean themed metal accent
Number tape (7 gypsies)
Blue, black, copper, white and brown paints (Crafty Chica, Tulip and Scribbles brands)
Aleene's Turbo Tacky Glue
Aleene's Spray Acrylic Sealer (matte)

Tools
Scissors
Butter knife or palette knife

If you are using an old birdhouse, clean off any debris and lightly sand.  If a new birdhouse, sand lightly.

 

Mix up paints to make several shades of blue, grey and tan.  Use a butter knife to scrape paint on house door, roof and sides in layers, starting with the darker colors and continuing until you're happy with how it looks.  try not to smash the colors together, layer them on top of each other instead.

 

Use Tacky Glue to glue shells around your door frame.

 

 Glue buttons around opening using more Tacky Glue. 

 

Glue Seahorse to Door with more Tacky Glue. Yay, Tacky Glue!

 

Run tape along edge of roof on front and sides.  Cut to fit.

 

Spray with sealer, apply several coats allow them to dry in between each layer.

Magazine Holder for Mom

Moms and magazines go together like Sunbutter and jelly. Even though I adore Pinterest and faithfully follow my blog roll, nothing beats curling up on the couch with a new magazine. What mom would not like a subscription to her fave mag and a spiffy magazine holder this Mother's Day. SUPPLIES Cardboard Magazine Holder (mine is from Ikea) Crafty Chica Paint White Scissors Collage Pauge Matte Fabric Paint Brush As I mentioned I got my cardboard magazine holders from Ikea. However, you can easily make your own from an old cereal box. The first thing to do is coat your box with Collage Pauge decoupage medium. Wrap your magazine holder in fabric. Be sure to put the seam in the back. Also make sure there is some overage. Smooth out all the lumps and bubbles. After you wrap and trim you will have some rough edges on the inside of your magazine holder. At this point it is up to you if you are done. Truthfully, once the holder is full of magazines you will never see the inside. However, if you are like me and it will keep you up at nights go in with some white Crafty Chica paint and paint the inside white. All that is left to do is order mom her favorite magazine subscription to go along with her new fancy holder. If your mom is like me (or my mother) she already has a stack of magazines on hand ready to fill her new holder with. Visit us on Facebook!
Craft on!