Friday, August 3, 2012

DIY Crafty Glue

by Kelly

Sometimes I see a new crafty project and fall in love immediately, but then I get turned away because of the cost of materials. Also, what if I never get around to the project? I hate to have a bunch of stuff just lying around - that's why I always finish my projects quickly. It's not because I'm especially motivated, just that I like a lot of open floor space in my home, and boxes and bins of stuff (including WIPs) take up a lot of room.

One crafty project that wooed me immediately was decoupage.

via HGTV

But decoupage seemed to require ModPodge, which was $15 a bottle, and the bottle was huge. Why, oh why, didn't they sell small samples of this product, so I could give it a try and see if I really was in love, or if this was just a crush that would fade quickly once we were actually cohabiting?

Then I found this recipe for DIY decoupage glue on do it yourself divas:

Empty one container of Elmer's glue into a storage jar. Fill the Elmer's container with water and add to the glue. Shake.

How simple is that? And just imagine the possibilities. And speaking of possibilities, the Elmer's site  also offers other crafty uses for their glue. In fact, they have a whole forum set aside just for crafters, so check out that link if you need a little inspiration, or inspiration for little ones. Note: Elmer's suggests a 3:1 glue ratio instead of 1:1, so you might want to experiment a little to see which you like best.

via Apartment Therapy

Speaking of glue, there's a similar recipe on eHow for making your own fabric stiffener. The author uses it for a felt hat, but I imagine it could be used for any kind of fabric. And best of all, the only ingredients are corn starch and water.

I have a project in the works using Elmer's decoupage that I'll share when it's done. It's something I've been working on for a while, and I'm happy that I can finally add the finishing touch, without buying a whole tub of 'maybe I'll love it' glue.

Monday, July 30, 2012

A Tisket, A Tasket, Check Out the Crafty Basket

by Kelly

Yay, I sold some things at the flea market! Here's my display basket -


I sold two of three afghans and a couple of blue bears. Colorful bears seem to be more popular than brown. Duly noted. Surprisingly the heart ornaments didn't sell at all. I thought they would be snapped up, since they're what I think of as 'Midwest crafty'.


I wonder why red yarn always appears so searing in photographs? Maybe next time I'll try using the 'red eye' remover in a photo editor.

Mixed results have to be reported, though, because my husband's beautiful dream catchers didn't sell. He was disappointed, but I love them so much I don't mind keeping them all!


Someone should really start the dreamcatcher revival. If bell bottoms can come back, so can beautiful things like this. Maybe they need to be more cold and modern, made from steel wire and dangling bits of broken glass.
Sort of the antithesis of what a dream catcher is for, and meant to catch the broken dreams of a struggling city dweller.

Do you think that would be a good platform for a modern art show?
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