Busy little crafter

Wow, it has been awhile since my last post but I have been one busy little crafter. I have taken a Precious Metal Clay Class and a Woodworking Class since my last post . I enrolled in another session of the woodworking class so I am in round two. I am making a toy chest for my oldest son. I will post pix once it is complete. I am almost done and then will work on some other fun smaller projects! I have a big show coming up in May so I need to create more unique items to sell.

The Precious Metal Clay class was amazing. I LOVED it. I made two silver necklace pendants, a ring and a pair of earrings. I will do a post on this topic so you can see all of my finished pieces. It was so fun and rewarding. I have received a lot of compliments when I wear them.

Stay tuned for more on both topics...

I also officially launched my Do It Yourself Workshops. I kicked it off with my Mom's Club and we all created adorable Decoupage purses. They came out great and the class was fun for all of us. I posted the Decoupage Purse as this month's project for you to create. The style opportunities are endless. Have fun with it! I am working on two more purses, so I will add photos of them once they are complete. Be sure to check out my other post with this fabulous project.

Happy Crafting,
Madame Craftsalot

Decoupage cigar style purse project

Art You Can Handle - Decoupage Purse Project

What is decoupage? The art of decoupage is the reformatting of paper by cutting and pasting it onto something else.

Materials:
Purse (unfinished cigar style available at craft stores in a variety of shapes and sizes), paper, glue (I use Mod Podge), acrylic paint, sealer, paper towel, Styrofoam plate, foam brushes, bowl of water, something to help smooth out paper (brayer or bone folder)

Instructions:
Select purse style

Select paper (wallpaper, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, magazine clippings all work well. Ink jet prints do NOT work well, they will bleed unless you seal them first)

Trace purse pattern on the backside of the paper

Paint the inside of the purse and edges in a color that coordinates with your paper. This is so you don't have to worry if you paper edges match up perfectly. If they don't, the paint will help camouflage it.

While paint dries, cut out the purse pattern on the paper

Put white glue on Styrofoam plate and dilute with a little water (I use a spray bottle and do 2-3 squirts)

Use foam brush to spread white glue onto the purse, one section at a time. Place paper on top of glue. Smooth paper working from the center out. Wipe off any access glue that comes out the sides.

Be sure to get 100% coverage, especially on edges. Don’t worry if the glue gets on the front of the paper because we will be sealing it with the glue later.

Smooth out all air bubbles with your hand, bone folder or brayer.

Once you have completed decoupaging all sides of the purse, seal the entire paper surface with the same glue mixture. Let dry.

You can either seal again with the glue or use a clear polyurethane sealer to protect your purse from everyday wear and tear. I use Mod Podge glue and they suggest up to 5 or 6 coats.

Show off your new piece of art to all your friends

Project instruction by Marybeth Barrett.
Email: mb@madamecraftsalot.com Phone: 336.406.7072

Do It Yourself Classes Available in the Winston Salem, NC Area
Time Out Mat or Chair
Hand-Painted floor canvas
Decorative serving tray
Hand-Painted coasters
Decorative Memo Board
Hand-Painted placemats
Faux Finish Wall Art
Hand-Painted Growth Charts
Decoupage (purse, boxes, etc.)
Polymer Clay (Coming soon)
Whimsical Stationery, gift tags & more
Hand-made wrapping paper
Holiday Decorations
Photo Gifts
Contact us for more info. on attending or hosting a class.

Host a do it yourself themed Girls Night out or a fun bridal or baby shower !

Happy Crafting,

Madame Craftsalot

Project 1 Recycled Diapers and Wipes Tote

OK, this is a super easy first project and shouldn't take long. It is a fun little idea that I came up with to help recycle something that would normally just be thrown away. There are a few different options for you but the final end use for this particular project is to carry diapers and wipes. There are cute ones on the market right now (Diapees and Wipees is one of them) but why not get crafty and make your own?


What to use? The vinyl and/or plastic packaging from the following: (some have zippers, some don't)

• Plastic/vinyl package from new pillowcases


• Plastic/vinyl package from curtain panels, valences, etc.


• Plastic/ vinyl package from soccer shin guards

Click on the link above for an example of one that I am selling on Etsy. I entered it in the Upcycle contest. I decorated it using a left over gift bag that I received at my baby shower. I included a photo.

Other potential ideas and uses for this packaging are to hold maps in your car, retail store coupons - larger ones like Bed, Bath and Beyond easily fit, a mini restaurant tote for infants/toddlers that holds a disposable place mat, wipes, bib, small snack, toy or something to entertain, etc. , or even a take-out restaurant menu holder. I may add to this as I go as I think of more uses, but this is a good start anyway.

What is upcycling? It is a new trend that I love. According to information posted on Etsy "The word Upcycling was coined by William McDonaugh and Michael Braugart in their book on ecologically intelligent design, Cradle to Cradle. In the simplest terms, upcycling is the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value. In this contest we challenge all Etsy users to create an object to sell on Etsy that is comprised of materials that would have otherwise ended up in the trash heap. "

Don't you love this idea of upcycling?? I seem to be looking at everything a little differently. So go ahead, get creative and find a use for this great reusable packaging.

To quickly summarize this project:

Materials:

• a recycled plastic/vinyl package as mentioned above
• embellishments: wrapping paper, stickers, gift bags, photos or whatever you have at home and want to use to decorate it
• *Glue - my packaging had pocket sleeves in it already (it was where the company puts the paper insert with the product info. (photo image, size, color etc. of the pillowcases or curtains from when I bought it) so I didn't need to use any glue
• Diaper and wipes or whatever you plan to use this for in the end.

* I didn't need it but you may.

Steps: (If I can even call it this b/c it is so easy)

• Embellish the package with personal photos or any of the ideas/items mentioned above and simply fill it with whatever you are using it for. Voila. You are done! Couldn't be any easier but it is a great way to save a few buck instead of buying one.

Happy Crafting,

Madame Craftsalot

Stay tuned for the next project: Hand painted Time-Out mat for kids

Bi-Weekly Project

I plan to post a project for you the first and third week of every month. That will give you at least two weeks to complete it. That may seem like a long time for some but if you have kids, a two week period seems to fly by before you know it. This will also give me time to test out my project plan if it isn't one that I have already tackled. I will offer a variety of projects that will include techniques such as painting, decoupage, photo transfers, scrapbooking, etc. I like to try to recycle or re-purpose materials and use something a little out of the ordinary in a lot of my projects. I am not afraid to dumpster dive so be prepared. Turning trash into treasure is very gratifying to me. I hope you enjoy my projects and will try to create things that you can actually use. Please feel free to comment or email with questions.

Happy Crafting,
Madame Craftsalot