Felt Calavera Kids Mask

Here at la casa Murillo, Dia de los Muertos is in high season! While I have a face paint kit out on the market, some people would rather wear a mask - totally understandable! I was at the dollar store recently and came across some scary felt masks shaped as skulls. My first thought was to paint over them, but then I thought - why not flip them around and decorate the back sides of them? It worked! If you can't find these at the dollar store, just pick up some stuff felt at the craft store, draw a template and use it to cut out your masks.

Glittered Sugar Skull Tee

If you are near a Michaels store these days, make sure to look in the apparel section for my new Crafty Chica Dia de los Muertos endcap! I have a lot of fun, new items to embellish your projects, all celebrating Dia de los Muertos. 

Click here to see the store list!

Click here to buy online!

Here are some glittered iron-on skulls that are super easy to apply! I made this shirt for my daughter! 

Embellished Harajuku Thank You Cards (tutorial)

I'm in need of a few thank you cards. Since I'll be sending these thank you cards to fellow crafters it felt wrong to just send plain old store bought ones, even if they did picture kids from Harajuku.

As if the kids from the pages of Fruits were not funky enough I thought I would add a little sparkle and texture to their outfits. I raided my stash of I Love to Create products and scrap crafting bits and this is what I came up with. I kept thinking about this kitschy postcard my parents sent me from Spain as a child where the Flamenco dancer's dress was actual fabric. I loved that card.

SUPPLIES
Cards
Scrap Fabric
Variety of Aleene's Tacky Glue Products
Tulip Fabric Paint
Stamp
Tulip Fashion Glitter
Tracing Paper
Scissors
Paint Brush
Scrap trim, ribbon and yarn

I made several variations of these cards, but this guy was my favorite. The first thing you want to do is pick your card based on the outfit. You don't want anything too complicated.

Place your tracing paper on top of your card and trace the portion of the outfit you are going to replace. In the case of this strapping young sailor I decided to give him a new top.

I used Aleene's Tacky Double-Stick Sheets for adding clothing to the cards. I estimated the size of fabric I needed and added the adhesive to the back side. This acted as fabric stiffener. Next, I cut out the sailor top from the tracing paper and used it as a pattern on my piece of fabric. Once I had the fabric the shape of the shirt I removed the second piece of adhesive and attached it to my card.

I happen to pick up a stamp that said 'Thank You' recently so I decided to test it out. I painted the stamp with Tulip Fabric Paint and added the logo to my sailor's new fabric shirt.

I could have stopped here, but the glitter was calling my name. I applied a little Tacky Glue to his cuffs and collar then sprinkled on the Crafty Chica glitter.

All that is left to do is write out the actual thank you notes and mail. These are postcards so if you get a letter with a speck of glitter on it you can blame me!

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts: Sparkletastic Easter Earrings

Sparkletastic Easter Earrings
iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts
Copyright Margot Potter
“These ARE your grandmother’s crafts...ya gotta problem with that?”

From McCall's Needlework and Crafts 1968

I have been toying with making a pair of sparkly foam earbobs for a while now. There are endless variations on this idea in my stash of vintage craft magazines. They’re also made of cork and wood...I’ve even seen these made of crumpled aluminum foil. The idea is to suspend a round ball on a thin chain for a pair of swingy earrings. Remember that these are foam, so they weigh almost nothing, but if you like a more delicate silhouette, feel free to use smaller balls. I like my jewelry big and bold. These would be perfect for a teacher, young mom or if you’re feeling cheeky, to sport to the family Easter dinner. I’d make a matching necklace and wear this out and about just for fun, but I’m not afraid to be noticed.

Take this idea wherever you like, add sequins, seed beads, rhinestones. A splash of glitter gives it a little sparkle and the sparkly rick rack trim immediately evokes Easter eggs. I’m of the mind that life is short, so have a little fun now and then. What could be more fun than pink sparkly foam earbobs?!

Materials
2 1.5” foam balls
Sparkly silver rick rack trim
2 2” head pins
2 matching beads to secure headpins
2 ear wires
2 1” segments of thin chain
Aleene’s Foamtastic Glue
Crafty Chica Little Paints in red and white
Crafty Chica glitter in pink
Craft wire for painting and drying balls
Foam block for drying balls

Tools
Chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Flush cutters
Foam brush
Scissors

Insert a 5-6” segment of craft wire into each foam ball. Mix red and white paints to make hot pink. Use a foam brush to pounce pink paint on surface of ball. Sprinkle glitter on ball and shake off excess. You will probably have to go back in for a second coat to hit any spots that aren’t fully covered, if you repaint make sure to re-glitter. Allow to dry, inserting wire into foam block.  Keep ball on wire. Run a bead of Aleene’s Foamtastic glue along rick rack trim. Wrap trim around center of ball. Insert back into block and allow to dry.

When glue is dry, GENTLY thread a beaded headpin into the center bottom of your ball and thread to the center top. Make sure pin is straight and take your time.  Bend wire at a 90 degree angle using chain nose pliers. Cut to 1/4” with wire cutters. Grasp end of wire with round nose pliers and CAREFULLY turn into a loop. Open loop to add chains using chain nose pliers.

Cut chains and thread on open end of loop. Use chain nose pliers to secure closed.  Use chain nose pliers to attach earring wires to top of chain.

Optional: Add a beehive, tiara and a pair of cat eye glasses...hee.

MAYA IN THE MOMENT: Double Rainbow Glittered Sandals

Double Rainbow Glittered Sandals!

Here is Arizona, it's not even February, but it already feels like spring. My mom bought these formerly tan shoes on clearance for the sole purpose (pardon the pun) of revamping them. too bad I got to them first.
 Actually, this is a collab between us. I came up with the glittered rainbow heels and she finished the pair  off with the flowers, which I love!

 Supplies:

1 pair of tall chunky strappy sandals
Assorted Tulip Soft Fabric Paints
Crafty Chica Extreme Embellishment Glue or Tulip Glitter Bond
Crafty Chica Glitters or Tulip Fashion Glitters
Tulip® Fabric Paintbrushes™
Flowers for the tops of the shoes
Tulip Beads in a Bottle
Aleene's Spray Sealer, Glossy

 Paint the tops of the shoes with the fabric paint. Next, paint the bottoms in a rainbow-layered pattern. Use can use a square brush to keep your lines even. Let it all dry.

 Wash your brush and then dip it the glue and apply one color at a time. Add the glue on the red, then add the red glitter, move on to the next color, etc.

 Add the Beads in a Bottle to the tops of them, and then add the flower on top of each shoe.

 Thank you for checking out my craft project for iLoveToCreate! Please add me on Facebook! http://facebook.com/MayaintheMoment or subscribe to my YouTube channel! I just started a new series called "Love Songs for a Year!"

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Craft on!

Skull Bookmarks

Flashy Fabric Bookmarks

Designed by Kathy Cano-Murillo

We all know reading is more fun with fancy bookmarks, right? Here is a sparkly way to liven up the whole page turning experience!

CLICK HERE FOR DIRECTIONS TO MAKE THEM!

Craft on! Click here for today's daily giveaway!