Mini Girly Valentines Mailbox

Okay, let me start by saying I'm in love with this! Not because of how cute it turned out or anything but, because it cost me literally about $3!! That's it! The mail box was $1 at target in the Dollar Bins, and then I used 1 doubled sided piece of paper that was about lets say 80 cents and then a little bling. How cute would these be for an entire class?!?! I mean at 3 bucks a piece that's pretty darn nifty! Okay that's all I have to say about that. This is rather simple tutorial. 

First take the edges off, sand the areas lightly where you will be adhering paper- this helps the glue bond more. I used Helmar 450 cause I know it'll stick anything to anything. Then measure the length of your mail box and cut it and begin adhering on. 

Then so the end cap pieces. My mailbox had 2 end caps that came off. 

I added a bit of Prima Black rhinestone bling swirl to it for a a bit more of texture.

I then added a little bling crown to the end cap. I think it compliments it well. 

I'm playing with: One Tough Mother: HERE

Pull Apart Notepad Tutorial

So, I love notebooks and journals. Everyone knows this. While playing around the other day I came upon something pretty nifty. I cut out 4 x 4 watercolor papers and then tap them on the table to get them all aligned, clipped them and then applied a coat of Mod Podge on the top edge. Once they are all dry apply another coat. I applied 3 thinner coats. Then WOWSERS!!! I have little notepads that are pull apart just like you buy!! Think of all of the possibilities you can make with these. Now the options with this. You could totally add a cover to this as well for a purse notebook, or use all those spare papers to make little notebooks out of them. 

How darn nifty is that!

Photo Light Box for $6!!

So, I know I should have done this some time ago. However, sometimes it's the last thing I think about of course until I want to take a picture and have it look nice and semi-professional. I made a photo box this weekend, as cheaply as I could. Two pieces of cheapo ($1 per sheet) foam board cur right down the center to make 2 pieces. Some blue painters tape, hot glue and I picked up a curtain that was $8 but I got for 3.50! I probably had something I could of used however I liked the idea of picking up something new and fresh white for this. 

I then taped up the pieces with the painters tape to hold the structure while gluing it. I ran my hot glue gun along the seams. It worked great to secure all of the sides. 

This is what I ended up with when it was all said and done. 

Add a sheet or curtain, that could have been ironed, but I really wasn't putting that much work into my 10 minute project. I needed to take a picture and needed to take it then.  Super simple and easy. Not time at all and it creates a nice white backdrop for pictures. It doesn't have a top on it, however I get enough natural and synthetic light I don't need one at this point. Who know though it may have a lid later this week but for now it's just a nice solid backdrop for pictures. 

Creeeeepy Bottles

So, I had all of these super nifty bottles I got when in South Western Kansas- Scott City. I love them alot. I knew I wanted to use some of them for my Halloween decor but didn't want to "ruin" the bottles either. I came up with a nifty way to use them without having to make the decor on them permanent. I wrapped twine around them. Some around the rims some around the bottle's middle. Then attacked the labels to the twine. Therefor all I have to do after the holiday is cut the twine off. Soo, happy with this idea, as it allowed me to use alot of them I may not have been comfortable with using otherwise. 

All of the great labels I have on the bottles can be found on my Pinterest board in the Printables board. You can find them all HERE  I printed most of mine on darker tan paper and then inked them up a bit as I felt suited. See my Next post..HERE . for them in my home. 

Be Your Journal Page

Another really fun art journal page. I loved playing with these Hero Arts stamps.  Started off here with a healthy layer of Gesso, love the gritty texture it gives the whole page. 

I did some random stamping here.

Then did some blending of 3 different green tons of pan pastels. 

Sprayed it with some fixative... of course then realizing I didn't use my staz-on ink.... oh well I love the character it adds with them not being clean stamped images. 

I then used a watered down layer of Gesso. 

Added in some amazing little wooden figurines as well. Aren't these just frickin adorable! Stamped them up a bit and placed them randomly on the page. 

Then lots of fun tapes!

Masking Tape and Gelattos Art Page

Beer Bottle Cap Fun- Art Journal Page

I've always collected the beer caps throughout the year. I can't even tell you why, well okay some of them are super fun! Some have quotes and games and some are just fun looking. I created an art journal page with some last week. Love how it turned out.  I really love using collections like this and make it all come together for something great and meaningful.

I used gelatos on the paper first, a fun combo of oranges and pinks. Then instead of adhesive I choose to use Golden Gel medium. It dries clear and I love that. 

I arranged them as I liked them and then let them dry. 

I then added a mini envelope that I tore off and included a tag in. 

The tag I included. 

Grow- Wood grain Art Journal Page

Had a ton of fun with this mock wood grain page.  Started with a nicely gesso'd page. Then clear embossed the wood grain stamp. Then some pan patels to add lots of different hues of browns and even some greens. Then adding a fun quote to cover up my stamping mis-hap. I also used the letters I used for a tutorial a few weeks ago using molding paste and stencils. I love all of the dimension and texture on this page. I wish pictures caught it better.  

Mason Jar Shelf- Mission Organization

So, if you anything like me.... and Lord help you if you are. You're always looking for new ways to improve your craft space. I swear it's an on going endeavor. I will never be done, never satisfied. I'm pretty sure someone could give me 10 thousand dollars to create a room and I'd still be changing things around in 6 months trying to improve it for my style of crafting. That's the tricky part isn't it? I mean I can see something I love in another space, try it out and utterly hate it. May look pretty may be functional, but I may hate it. You just never know. Anywho, in efforts to get some things off my tables for more space to work and to tidy up the appearance while adding some appeal I began working on a shelf one afternoon. Nothing special.. hell most garages have this very shelf in some form with different modifications. Heck the ever popular peg board that I also have... found in millions of garages. Maybe that's what I need.. a garage... haha. Okay so thought I'd share this project because it's ubber cute, functional and my all time fave CHEAP and EASY...(no comments needed on that) hee hee. This organization mission was to move heavy/big/bulky things I wanted off the table, but also to move some things out of my 7 yr olds reach. She's been crafting and taking over more and more lately. it's become apparent to me if I don't want it used or touched I need it up and away... haha.

Okay, I began with a trip to the hardware store. For this project crap chipwood is NOT okay. Do you hear me.. NOT okay. You'll regret it most definitely, because of the weight and the cheap board. You want a nice sturdy board for this.. real wood. Just like grandpa used. And I'm not being stuck up. I have cheapo shelves in my room as well, just not for something like this. I choose a 1 (inch thick)x12 (inches wide)x6 (foot long). The board cost $8.96. Then I bought 2 sets of 12 large Mason jars. In retrospect I would have gone for the wide mouth jars not the normal mouth jars. Those were $7.00 each for a total of 14 bucks. 3 heavy duty brackets alittle over a buck a piece. I choose heavy duty ones because I knew I would be putting heavy big objects onto the shelf. Making stability very important. Throw in some 1/2-3/4 inch screws, anchors and longer screws, 2 meter sticks and you have this shelf. Pictures and tutorial below.

I choose L brackets that gave me a bit of gap off the wall to give me more space on the shelf. it provided a small 1-1.5 inch gap along the wall. I wasn't putting anything small up there so I wasn't worried about things falling behind it. Then measure to make sure there's a bracket at each end and one in the middle. Then take your level and measure in between of the braces. Get the spacing you like. Now don't be a blonde as I was in the beginning, trying to measure them far enough apart to get my hands in between them to to unscrew them. DUUUH you will be grabbing them from under most likely. I still kept them spaced 4 inches apart and 2.75 inches between rows. This allowed this 6ft shelf to hold all 24 jars. I did not stain the wood as well I when i got done doing what I wanted you can't see any of the shelf looking onto it.

This is what it looked like after shelf was put up. Now hind sight and all, more stability could have been added by moving the end L brackets more inside the board. However you'll see in lower pictures I have alot on it and all is well, now bowing or anything. Don't mind all the mess because after this shelf was made i went on a rampage on my room... those pics to come in a future post.

How lovely!!! They just look darn pretty not even filled.

Pretty when filled.

Owwwwww....AWWWWWWWW Ribbons all sorted. I also filled the jars with my threads and twines in the back, and some vintage ribbon and lace jars.

I then added my meter sticks. I applied Tim Holtz dyes, stains and inks repeatedly to get the desired colors I was going for. You can see this is much lighter then how it ended up in the end. I love that not only is it pretty but functional as well for measuring out strips of ribbon.

The darker wood.

Pretty... pretty pretty jars!

Sneak peak of the shelf. I also used an overhead light piece I kidnapped form work because I loved it 6 months ago. I now know I need a few more.. hee hee. Great for slipping things to that I don't use often. Maybe even layouts!!! Anyways, it's working great for what I wanted it to. Big stuff is now off the desks but still very accessible when I need it. Later this week I'll share the pictures of the before and after of the room.

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