Make a Fall wreath for under $10 - DIY Tutorial

Hi Crafters!

I love to have a wreath above my fireplace during the year. Here is the Fall wreath I made for this year.

It cost me less than 10 dollars to make this wreath, because I bought most of the stuff at a thrift store or on sale at a craft store. Some of the decorations on the wreath are left over items from other craft projects. Never throw anything away.

Now watch my wreath tutorial and let me know what you think in comments.





You can use this wreath during the Fall and after Halloween up to the Christmas holidays. Make some for your friends. They will love them!

Happy crafting!

Rebecca

Create your own designer sandals

There is one reason I like walking around the mall, because it's an easy place to get inspiration for many projects.  I was walking around Macy's department store recently when I noticed these Steve Madden sandals.

Beautiful chains around the ankle straps got my attention.  I didn't even look at  the price tag, because you know if they are Madden's they are pricey.

As I looked over the sandals, I thought how easy would it be to buy some nice inexpensive tan/beige sandals and add the chains. Either they can be sewn on or why not use crazy glue. You have to experiment.

I hope the photo gives you inspiration.

Happy crafting!

Rebecca

Greeting Card Design #3: A Simple Thank You

You can never have enough thank you cards. Like I said in previous blogs, I like to keep things simple. 

I made several of these "thank you" cards in 30 minutes.  

Here's what you need for this card:

• Blank card
• Foam flower stickers
• "Thank you" rubber stamp
• Black ink (for stamp)
• Black sharpie marker to draw flower stem. 

Just looking at the card you can figure out how easy it is to design and put together.  Have fun being creative. 

Other Card Ideas

Greeting Card #1: Just Dots!

Greeting Card #2: Scraps please

Rebecca

Greeting Card Design #2: Scraps Please

I don't throw anything away, especially pieces of scrapbook paper. If I can cut a sliver of paper from scraps or punch out a circle, I'm keeping any left over scrapbook paper.

It's amazing how you can create a beautiful background for a nice card by putting together a bunch of pieces of scrap paper. Here's a background I made for a Halloween card. All I did was glue together pieces that went together by color, pattern, and theme.

I'll post the finished product later. Get creative with your scraps!

Join us on our Facebook page: The Best Crafters

Rebecca 

Greeting Card Design #1: Just Dots

I love making greeting cards and giving them away as gifts in packs of 5 to my friends and family.  In 2014, I will share many of my ideas so you can get started.


I keep my ideas simple. I like to make about 10 cards at the same time. I actually set up like an assembly line on my kitchen table.

I came up with "Just Dots" when I had some left over scrapbook paper (bottom). The top was rubber stamped on the blue card with brown ink.  I added the dots in the center of the circles. 

I also added:

Brown ribbon

Tag was created with puncher

Flower is sticky foam one from package of several.

Rhinestone in center, I put it there. 

Rub on words--Laugh Often

Have fun creating your own version! And don't forget, join us on our Facebook page: The Best Crafters

Rebecca

Other Card Projects

Greeting Card Design #2: Scraps please

Make a Halloween Card: Easy, Colorful, Spooky

Boo to You

This was a very easy Halloween card to make.  It actually took me an hour to make several, because I like to make duplicates at one time.
I set up my kitchen (where I craft) with everything listed below, and got busy.

 Here's what you'll need:

• Blank card
• Scrapbook paper: orange textured
• Scrapbook paper with pattern that has some orange
• Scrapbook paper: black
• Stamp: Halloween theme (I used "Boo to You)
• Black Sharpie marker
• Punch: Small Spider
• Rubber stamp:  Spider (Large would be best)
• Rubber stamp: Spider web (can also be hand drawn)
• Glue 
• Scissors

You can probably look at my card and figure out how to make it, because it's that easy. 

First, I took a blank card, outlined enough orange textured paper and glued it on top of the blank card. 

I stamped "boo to you" with black ink on a creme colored piece of scrap paper.  Yes, keep those scraps.

I cut it in a rectangle shape, and then glued it to another piece of leftover scrapbook paper with a pattern.  As you can see mine is black with some orange dots. I cut around the "boo to you" shape, eye balling it to leave a little border.  Done.

Next, I glued the "boo to you" rectangle on the card.  Anywhere is fine.  

I took my big "spider" rubber stamp, use black ink and  randomly stamped on the card. Only two times, because you don't want the card to look cluttered.  One was stamped partially on the "boo to you."  

More card ideas!

With sharpie marker in hand, I added some dashes to make it look like the spider's traveled route.  I then took my small "spider" punch  and punched out a few small spiders from a piece of leftover black scrapbook paper.  I punched out several for future projects. 

The "spider web" in the corner is actually party glitter, the kind you throw on a table to decorate.  If I had to do it again I would use a rubber stamp and stamp a spider web or draw my own.

There you have it.  A Halloween card worth giving away in a package of cards or one to send out to a friend or family member just in time for Halloween. 

Until next time! 

Turn a picture frame into an awesome wall decoration

How many times have you gone to a garage sale and found a frame that is too big for a photo? Well as I was surfing the web I found this photo of a wonderful wall decoration.  If anyone knows who put this together, please let me know.  I like to credit the crafter.

It looks pretty simple to make.  It appears you need one big wooden frame. It looks like they used a strong twine, strung it  across the frame and wrapped the ends around small nail to secure on the sides.  There are so many ways to put this together.  The easy part--adding the clothes pins.

If you want to "age" the clothes pins, just paint them with grey, brown or black paint and wipe off.  You can always use a stain and wipe it off too.  Always wear gloves so you don't stain your hands.  What a beautiful way to use a frame.

Start crafting!

Best Crafter's Blog: Make it and Love it

I love crafters who just seem to be able to do everything.  And that's what I have found in the author of the blog "Make it and Love it." This blog is our choice for one of the best crafter blogs on the web.

Ashley is behind this blog. She's  a mother of three. She says she has a very patient husband who tolerates her crafting clutter.  Wow! Sounds like my husband dealing with my craft--turn-crap room.

Looking over Ashley's blog--it is filled with lots of easy to do crafts.

• Cellphone holder out of a lotion bottle
• Turn a Maxi dress into a maxi skirt
• Wearable blanket for baby

Ashley has so many tutorials that you will busy making crafts for months.  And she offers quite a variety:

Blogger: Ashley

clothing, baby, gift ideas, holiday, re-purposing and the the list goes on.

I wish Ashley would turn some of her tutorials into videos and post them on Youtube.  I'd love to see her make this stuff on a video tutorial, because then I can feel like I'm right there with Ashley.

This is an A+ blog, and Ashley is quite an inspiration to us crafters.

Craft Masters: Reality Show Competition for Crafters!

Move out of the way "Real Housewives of Orange County."  Step aside Donald Trump and "The Apprentice."  The crafters are taking over the competition thanks to "Craft Masters."

I recently got to be one of the competitors on this production by Michael's  craft store.  I wondered when a show like this would finally allow us crafters to show that we can compete and create some awesome crafts.

As I told the shows producers, I'm a reporter by day and a "Martha Stewart" by night.  Lights, cameras, action!  It was so much fun to create under pressure.  But if you're like me--you're most creative when you have limited time.  Did I win?  You'll have to watch...

Congrats to Darlene who won. Though I made her a bit nervous, she did give me kudos for giving her the glue tip for her eggs.  Darlene and Cathy were so much fun to get to know, and I love what they created.

Watch all the episodes and leave comments.  I'm hoping Michaels can sell this web series to HGTV or DIY channels.

Crafting is a great way to save money and make one of a kind gifts, and it lets you use your hands on something other than the computer.

Happy Crafting!
Rebecca Aguilar

The Crafters Organizer: Pizza Boxes

Do you love pizza? Do you like to recycle? And of course, if you're on this blog--you love to craft.

Well I recently produced a video for Mamiverse.com on how you can organize your crafts with pizza boxes.They're cheap or even free. It all depends on your favorite pizza place.

Check out my video and start getting organized today.  If you're a teacher, you'll love this idea for your students.



Please share it and help others get organized!