Homemade Gift Tags

I'm getting crafty this Christmas and making my own gift tags. I normally buy the big packs of cute gift tags at Costco and I still even  have a bunch left from last year, but this time I wanted to put my own touch on them.

Whimseybox Review

I've been subscribed to Whimseybox (a monthly craft box) for a few months. I actually cancelled my subscription for a number of reasons, which I will explain. First, I'll give a rundown of the service and boxes.

Whimseybox - Feb 2013

Whimseybox is a monthly craft box. You get a box for $15, mailed to you every month with a project inside (as long as you're subscribed to the service). Keep reading to find out more.

DIY: Melted Crayon Art

Who doesn't love a fun and easy art project? I love to paint and draw but this project is something anyone can do. You really don't need any artistic abilities whatsoever. As long as you can handle a hot glue gun and a hairdryer, you're good to go!

Materials

• Canvas (I used 18x24 Stretched Canvas)
• Crayons (I bought 2 64-packs. The amount depends on your size of canvas)
• Hot glue gun + glue
• Hair dryer

Make sure to protect the surface you're working on. Mine splattered a little here and there. Also you'll want to use something to hold the canvas upright. I have an easel but you could even find something to lean it against.

For the crayons, I picked out the browns, grays, blacks, etc. and doubled up most of the other colors. I didn't use all of them. 

To Create Your Masterpiece:

There are really only two steps to this project once you have everything set up. 

1. Glue the crayons to the top of the canvas pointing down. You might want to line them up before you start and in the color scheme you want them to be.

Ready to go!

2. Use a hair dryer to melt the crayons. 

That's how simple it is! It might take awhile to melt the crayons enough to achieve the effect you want. For mine it took about 30 minutes. There isn't a specific way to use the hair dryer - just point it downward!

I love how this turned out and I'll be hanging it up on my wall immediately!

DIY Craft Storage

I have quite a bit of supplies I actively use for my Etsy shop. I have a plastic drawer set to hold most of them but the important part of my storage solution is the organization within it. There are all kinds of drawer organizers you can buy, but the best option is to use something you already have. 

Shoe boxes happen to be something everyone has lying around because they are useful for many things. For this project I chose a narrow shoebox to house ribbon, hemp cord, and small pattern booklets.

This plain shoebox wasn't very attractive so I used some gift wrap, scissors, and tape to dress it up a little. 

I didn't make it look perfect but I'm okay with that. They are tons of ways to decorate a shoebox. You can use glue, tape, ribbon, gift wrap, wallpaper, shelf paper, construction paper, fabric, washi tape, tissue paper, stickers, etc. You can really get creative with it or just keep it simple but it adds a little something to your storage area inexpensively (minus the shoes it came with!).

DIY Hemp Coasters

I made these coasters last December after finding a tutorial for them online. They required few supplies and I love how they turned out.

Supplies:

1. Hemp cord
2. Cork circles or cork sheet
3. Glue gun (hot glue)
4. Scissors
5. Ribbon (optional)

I bought a sheet of cork because I couldn't find the pre-cut circles anywhere. To make circles I used a candle jar and a utility knife to cut the cork into the right size and shape. If you can find the cork circles this project will be easier and faster (and will look neater and more clean in the end).

Once I had my circles done, I took my hemp cord and started to glue it down in small sections starting from the outer edge of the circle and working my way to the middle. Once I got to the middle I snipped the cord with scissors and tucked that last piece in.

Since I had to cut the circles myself, the edges looked a little rough so I glued down some ribbon to make a more finished look. (I didn't get a picture of the completed coasters unfortunately)

This is a very simple project that can be completed in an afternoon. Make sure to cover your surface before starting this project. Take your time and lay the cord onto the cork neatly and tightly so that you don't see the glue or any gaps.

Happy Crafting!

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Create an Inspiration Board

I saw a goal list of Post-Its on Pinterest and it inspired me to make my own, which then inspired me to make a whole board of creative and inspiring things. 

I already had the cork board and colorful paper so I found things online, printed them out, made them look pretty and tacked them up on the board. 

For mine I included supplies I need (or just want), an organizational idea, a pattern I want to learn, and the goal list I made. 

There are so many ways to make an inspiration board. You can include anything you want: use magazine clippings, add photos you took, print out pictures online, make lists, add goals and current projects, etc. This is a great way to express your creativity and you can even use it as decoration! 

Do you have an inspiration board? I'd love to see it! 

DIY: T-shirt Yarn

Making t-shirt yarn is a simple and easy project using materials you already have on hand. My last blog post featuring the knitted coasters I listed on my etsy shop were made with recycled t-shirt yarn. All you need is a flat surface, a t-shirt without side seams, and scissors.