Wrinkled-Raisin-Reruns - Crafts

Father's Day Crafting

2006-05-24T06:42:00.000-05:00

We all know how hard it is to find something unique, special, and usable for those special male species that are in our lives.

One of the simplest projects I have found to make for this occasion, especially that the young kids can do in less than a 30 mins.....without a huge mess that takes you an hour to clean up....is a magnetic cd case address book that will house his important phone numbers that he needs close by (on the refrigerator, of course).

This is something that is usable, inexpensive (you only need to buy magnetic tape), and can look great if you theme it with the rest of your decor. I expanded on an idea I saw elsewhere on what to do with those free CDs you get all the time in the mail......and usually throw away.

Here's the instructions:

Supplies:

CD case (free)
Images (free/included)
Roll of magnetic tape ($2-$3) (the magnetic "sheet" is not thick enough....been there/done that!)

Take an empty cd case.....you know any of those you get in the mail from AOL, etc., will work great. Or the next time you're in a department store (Walmart, Kmart), look for the free ones they give away.

Take out the cd and keep it for another project....or pitch it! Take out the front insert also, as well as the piece that holds the cd in place. It just snaps out. If this is one of the new "thin" cd holders, you won't be able to do this step and will have to adjust your image that's going to go on this side*.

Cut out the images that came with these instructions. You'll have one front image and three images where names and phone numbers can be written in. It's best to try and print these off on card stock if possible.

After cutting them out, take the front image and one of the name/phone number images and using a glue stick, glue them together....back to back. Insert this one in the front space of the cd cover with the picture image facing out. (I have also used the glue stick in the corners of the front image to hold it in place in the cd cover so that it doesn't keep sliding around.)

Take the two name/phone number images that are left and glue them together, back to back. You will only be able to lay this in the back cover. If you don't want this moving around in the case (nothing is holding it in) you will need to either wait for the names and phone numbers to be written in......or just eliminate one of the images and just glue one down aligning it with the outside edge of the cover.

Once your images are in place, take your magnetic tape and cut off four pieces of equal size, approx. 3/4". Place one piece in each corner of the paper that shows through on the back (if you just place in the corners of the cd, the magnet will show through to the front of the cd). You can now place this on any metal object (refrigerator) and you have instant handy access to the phone numbers you need!

*For the thin cd cases.....you will need to cut a hole in the middle of two of the name/phone numbers images to fit over the cd holder. Use the cd holder as a guide for where the hole needs to be cut.

You can use any image for the front cover (I've included the ones I've used below...just right click and "Save as" to save a copy to your computer)....just cut out a child's picture, or have them make their own image....size should be 4 3/4" x 4 3/4". Sure to be cherished!

Make 3 of these.

I hope you have fun with this very inexpensive project.....I know my grandkids did!

No Paint/No Wallpaper Wall Treatment

2006-04-23T10:47:00.000-05:00

Not being a seamstress, I have still admired some of the fabrics that are available in the stores.

I wished when I was renting.....that I knew of this craft technique to do something with the walls in my all-white rental spaces. Whodathunk...that for as little as the cost of some liquid fabric starch and some fabric that you purchased off the clearance table at your fabric/craft store, that you would be able to completely change the look of a room. Whether you do all the walls, or just one or two, is entirely up to you.

That's right.....we're going to apply fabric to the wall! It's temporary....as in, you can easily remove it once you move (much easier than wallpaper), wash the starch off the wall, and you're good to go!

Not only that....you can easily coordinate some pillows/curtains/lampshades....whatever else you like to go with your walls.

You're main choice of fabric should be lightweight (cotton). Of course, you will need to measure the wall(s) you are going to cover to determine how much fabric you will need to complete the project. You will also need to buy liquid starch, preferably by the gallon.

Measure and cut your fabric by the strip, allowing at least 1" extra at the top and the bottom of where you are hanging it (whether that be horizontally or vertically). If there is a pattern, make sure abutting strips are cut to match the pattern of the previous strip (just as you would in wallpaper). By choosing a small pattern fabric, this should be easy to do with very little waste.

Make sure your wall is clean! Use a large bucket to pour your fabric starch in and immerse your strip of fabric. Wring out as much as possible and smooth your fabric onto the wall, leaving one inch at the top and bottom that goes beyond the area you want to fill. This will be cut off once the fabric is dry. Use some push pins at the top of the fabric to help hold it until it drys. Be sure to work out any wrinkles and air bubbles as you go along.

Once the fabric is dry, you can now easily cut the excess off using an exacto knife.

When it's time to move, carefully peal up a corner and start removing the fabric. If it doesn't come up easily....re-wet the fabric and it will immediate release from the wall. Don't forget to re-wash the wall to remove any remaining starch.

This technique could also work well for those melamine cupboards that are so often installed in rentals. Or how about some old metal file cabinets or press board furniture pieces! Once applied to inexpensive press board furniture....please allow plenty of time for drying, then apply polyurethane for protection and easier cleaning.

HOW TO Start A Craft Business II

2006-04-11T11:12:00.000-05:00

I know there are many people out there that are trying to make money
off of their crafts. Not always an easy thing to do....but if you follow
a seasoned crafts person, you’re odds become greater at succeeding.

Maria Vowell has been making money from her crafts and has written
four e-books related to this subject. I have read a lot of “How To”
books on this subject and seen a lot of information on numerous
web sites.....but none have been as complete as the information
Contained in these e-books by Maria.

She offers sooo many tips and ideas.....like making sure you have
something to sell that addresses children.

How many times have you seen parents bringing their
children with them to craft fairs....you’re leaving money on the
table by not including them in the items you have for sale.

These don’t even have to be items that you’ve made....they can be bought
at a very inexpensive price that you mark up to make a small profit.

Learn how to multiply your sales by handing out one little catalog of
your items.

The topics she covers are all encompassing for anyone serious about
making money from crafting. The tips she gives are priceless.

You also receive complete patterns of items you can make and sell
that won’t take a lot of your time but have proven to be sellers.

Here are her e-books:

They originally sold for $19.95/ea. But you can now order all four
e-books for that price. Each book comes with resale rights and the
sales letters for you to use.

These e-books come to you in “zip” format via email. You will need
a program to unzip them. A free trial program can be found here:

You will need Adobe pdf reader in order to read them. All instructions
on how to download the Adobe reader are included in the “zip” file.

To order your e-books click here:

Chic/Shabby Crafting Images

2006-04-05T10:17:00.000-05:00

For those of you who are into scrapbooking or any other crafts where you might need an image to add an additional touch, we all know that they're not easy to come by as far as copywrites.....especially if you are going to being selling whatever it is you are making.

Here's a treat for you of images from the public domain: Antique Clipart

There's no cost to download them to your computer and use them and they have many categories to choose from.

Makes it nice and useful for these to all be in one place instead of traveling all over the internet.

These are some really nice, unique images.....many of which would fit into a shabby/chic craft project.
I think they've done a wonderful service/job with this site and am happy to share it with you.

Crafting Throughout The House

2006-03-25T14:03:00.000-05:00

I know my blog is mainly about "smaller" craft projects....but it can easily be expanded into larger projects throughtout your home. And a lot of my knowledge from fixing things around my home "myself"...led me into the furniture re-do/re-use to begin with.

Home improvement companies are finding more and more women becoming DIYers, than ever before. The reason being that women want to/have to become more self-sufficient.....or plain and simple....their husband/significant other, has no desire to get 'er done!

The Be Jane site has an abundance of information/how-tos for numerous projects that you yourself can accomplish.....from taking care of sweating pipes, squeakie floors, paint techniques, cracks in ceilings.....you name it. And they give you step by step directions in plain english so that you understand it.

I suspect that in the near future, we will begin to see more and more help, assistance, and tools geared towards women.....and I say it's about time! I, for one, have had many an occasion when I have been using power tools geared towards men, that just became too cumbersome for me to handle within a short period of time. I look forward to more and more products that are manufactured for a woman's smaller grip and lighter weight to accomodate less stress/fatigue on our anatomy.

Crafted Cinnamon Scenters

2006-03-24T10:01:00.000-05:00

Any one of these recipes will work for crafting cinnamon scenters. I used recipe #3 (without the glue), and it worked fine.

These cinnamon scenters can be used for other than just holidays (that's why I don't like to call them ornaments)...string them together and you have a cute garland. Using a gingerbread cookie cutter could be used any time of the year. Or how about an angel....either used singlely or two or three painted up and strung hanging down just to add a nice scent to a room.

Because I have made these myself....I thought it would be a good addition as something you could do....and involve the kids if you like. They leave a wonderful scent in the room for a couple of years....after that you can refresh the scent by adding a drop of oil to them.

The main drawback to these is that if you have a dog, they will eat them, so keep them hung high! I gave a set of them to my daughter....two large dogs....you guessed it.....while they were gone, the dogs ate everyone of the cinnamon ornaments she had hung on the tree!

Recipe 1:

1/2 cup ground cinnamon,
1/3 cup applesauce, and
1 Tbs. Tacky glue

Mix in bowl and stir until well blended. Work mixture in hands for three minutes to form a ball. If it is too dry, add applesauce, if too wet, add more cinnamon. Knead ball on cinnamon-sprinkled surface until it holds togehter well. I roll this out and use cookie cutters for the shapes. I also use a drinking straw to cut a hanging hole. These can be air dried for 24 to 48 hours. Turn several times. They can also be baked in a slow oven.

Recipe 2:

1-4 oz. can of cinnamon
1 T. cloves
1 T. nutmeg
3/4 cup applesauce
2 T. white glue

Mix dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients Mix thoroughly. Roll out about 1/4" thick, cut shapes with cookie cutters or freehand with a sharp knife. Let dry several days, turning over frequently. Paint. Do not eat!!!

Recipe 3:

1 c. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. allspice
1 t. ground cloves
1 c. applesauce

Combine dry ingredients. Add applesauce a little at a time, mixing thoroughly. Roll out and cut shapes. Use a straw to cut holes. Allow to dry 4-5 days. Paint after completely dry.

Recipe 4:

1 Cup Cinnamon
1 T Cloves
1 T Nutmeg
3/4 C Applesauce
2T White glue

Combine cinnamon, cloves & nutmeg. Add applesauce & glue, stir to combine, work mixture with hands for 2-3 minutes. Divide into 4 parts. Roll each to 1/4" thickness. Use straw or toothpick for hole. Place on wire rack & allow to dry at room temp. Turn after a day. (takes about 2 days to dry).

More Chic/Shabby Crafting

2006-03-21T20:58:00.000-05:00

I know in one of my previous posts I mentioned this simple little teacup and saucer light and gave a link to the instructions. Absolutely adorable!

Well let's take this a step further and add a regular matching lamp made from a teapot! Even if the actual teapot doesn't match the cup and saucer, if you find one that has the same colors as the teacup and saucer, it would look super as a coordinating piece in any room! I know I plan to add this to my shabby/chic look. It certainly looks easy enough for any beginner and would be a wonderful selling item. Just think if you offered them individually and/or as a set!

Although this doesn't exactly fit in the shabby/chic category.....I felt that this website should be mentioned because you can get free patterns. Falls right in line with my limited talents as an artist...I always like to use patterns to start out with and can adjust it if I like, but at least this way I'm not starting from scratch.

This should keep you busy for a while....and also keep some items out of our landfills.

Free Images For Crafting

2006-03-16T11:18:00.000-05:00

Generally speaking, if you want to use images in any of your crafting projects and they are not your own.....the majority of any that you find, come with a copywrite on them and can not be used for commercial use (selling your items). Most generally, if it's for your own personal use on an item you are making for yourself, there is no need to worry about it.

You can also purchase clipart programs that will come with huge amounts of images that can be used in newsletters and publications that you might be "giving" away.....some of these programs can cost you as much as $100...and yet the images are still copywrited and can not be sold!

One of the easiest ways to get "free" images with no copywrite is to do a search on the internet for "public domain". To get you started, here is a link to some resources. Any images found in the public domain means they are free to use because their copywrite has expired. Along with clipart and pictures, you can also find music, books....just about anything. I find this a great way to get images for my coaster sets.

Allow yourself some time to browse through the public domain....it is extensive, but you just might find that one image that was exactly what you wanted for that special craft project.

Here is a new set of coasters where I have used public domain images and adjusted them to suit my craft project:

If you would like a brochure of the coasters I have put together, click on the email link in the right-hand sidebar and send me your name and address. I will get it mailed out to you right away. Or, perhaps you have your own images or idea of what you would like to see on a set....email me your ideas and we'll see what we can come up with.

HOW TO Make Your Own Unique Headboard

2006-03-12T22:03:00.000-05:00

I have yet to see in a store, a headboard that I absolutely loved (and would pay the money for)!! Yet I have seen many that were hand crafted out of used/second hand furniture pieces that I fell in love with! An example: using an old wood door that was either obtained at the "Outdoor Market", yardsale, or secondhand store, and transformed into a unique headboard by stenciling, decoupaging a favorite paper onto it, or applying fabric/padding to just portions of it....the ideas are endless! An example of a door turned sideways and used as a headboard can be seen here: Door Headboard - HGTV

On my forays to the Outdoor Market, I have always been able to find doors that have been thrown out....so the costs can be next to nothing. What really works well with this idea is if you use bi-fold doors and have them wrap around the head of the bed. It doesn't matter if they match in size....once you hinge them all together and paint them all a uniform color, the different sizes will just add charm to the look. I onced used six bi-fold doors hinged together to set in front of a window in a bedroom that received a lot of morning light. They worked great in keeping the light out and I was able to "fold" the end ones in during the day to receive more light into the room. It was a large window and this cost me a lot less than going out and buying draperies or curtains to cover the window.

Another inexpensive idea for a headboard is to just "paint" one on the wall. Now I know you might be thinking that would be too difficult....but believe me, it's much simplier than it looks. Have a look at this one:
Stenciled Headboard - HGTV

This particular one might be a bit much for you to start out with...but doesn't it get your creative thinking flowing?

How about one of those hollow-core doors that you always find being disposed of? Painted white and some garden-theme paper applied to it, with a piece of white painted trellis attached over top of that...and viola!...a cute shabby/chic piece that again cost you next to nothing but is uniquely yours! Of course, you'll want to add some trim around the sides of the trellis....lathing strips are very inexpensive and serve the purpose just fine.

For more ideas to get your juices flowing, just check out all the ways you can craft your own headboard using everyday items and some creativity:
Headboards - HGTV

Have fun browsing.....hope I helped!

Have You Started Crafting Yet?

2006-03-09T13:44:00.000-05:00

I thought I should mention here that on one of my earlier posts "Victorian/Vintage Chic Shabby Crafting" , the project of the teacup and saucer lamp.....you might have a little hard time finding those inexpensive little candlestick lamps that were used in the project. I know stores in my area usually only carry them as a seasonal item (Christmas time). So, here you go gals, on special....and the whole project should cost you less than $5 if you buy your teacup and saucer from a yard sale/secondhand store!

Be sure to check out their other specials....they have soooo many items that will save you money when it comes to your craft supplies. Most of the items are much cheaper than what you will find at your local craft supply store.

I also will be posting some "little" craft projects that could easily be done in an afternoon.....you could even involve the kids if you like.

CRAFT Embellishments

2006-03-05T15:15:00.000-05:00

When working with used/re-used furniture that you get from yard sales/friends/family/secondhand stores, to make it uniquely yours, sometimes you will want to use little wood or metal embellishments to fit a "theme" that you have in mind. These crafted pieces can easily be had at your local craft store, but you will usually find that they don't have that big of a variety to choose from.

Check out The Wood & Shop Inc.........they have everything under the sun to use for crafting a really unique piece. Their prices are extremely reasonable, and they will figure out the cheapest way to ship your items to you. They've been in business since 1983. I thoroughly enjoy browsing their site to see what "new" craft ideas I can come up with (using my current inventory of objects, of course), to make my items truly MINE! If you really take the time to check their small wood pieces, a lot of them can be used as drawer pulls/cubboard knobs. For instance, if you're doing a lighthouse theme....how cute to have drawer pulls that you've painted that are lighthouses?

HOW TO Start A CRAFT Business

2006-02-27T22:35:00.000-05:00

More and more people are looking for ways to make money off of the effort they put into their crafts and would like to start some sort of business to make it more lucrative. I know in my family alone, two of my sisters have participated in craft fairs. One of them still does it on a regular basis every year (the one with the artist painting talent). Although it has paid her well (along with the classes she teaches), it was not an overnight endeavor! She has been doing this for about 10 years and has developed many contacts, as well as being a member of a craft organization which stages craft fairs two or three times a year, along with fairs where a good portion of the proceeds go to a charity organization.

One of your best advertising mediums initially is family and friends. You can pretty much tell how popular your items are going to be by getting their true assessment of the products you are making. Ask them how you could improve on it, or what would you need to do that would make them want to buy. Make sure you design some business cards and at least a brochure (initially) that you can not only hand out, but place on bulletin boards at local shops in your area. You never know where your next order is going to come from.

You can also contact shops in your area that sell handmade crafts and ask if they will place some of your items in their stores. Just be sure that there is some leeway for them in marking up your price for them to earn a profit. This approach would not work as well for large items that are going to take up a lot of floor space, but smaller items that don't take up a lot of shelf space or hanging space is usually something they like to see in order to fill their spaces with no extra work on their part.

Try donating your items to "silent auctions" that are held at local high schools and community centers. They are always looking for new and unusual items to auction off to raise money. It's well worth donating an item in this way for the free advertising alone, because of course along with the displayed item/s, you also get to place your brochures/business cards with the item.

If you do a web search for pointers and tips on getting some attention for your products, I think you'll find that there's not a lot of in depth information out there. One source that I have found that gives you a lot of ideas on places that will buy your crafts and what you need to do to contact these sources can be found in "Crafts Wanted". I thought it was fantastic that someone put all this information together in one package! You might find that you have more business than you can handle!

The main point is to just get started in getting the information out to the mainstream that you have something to offer!

Crafting Using Your Computer

2006-02-19T15:55:00.000-05:00

There are soooo many things that you can use your computer for in the crafting sector. The common ones are business cards for your crafts, brochures, signs....and the other "normal" things that a computer is used for expanding your business (if you're selling your crafts).

Few people realize that much more can come from your computer as far as artistic/crafty composition. One of the main fields of crafting that has really been expanded on in this computer age is the number of quilting programs that are out there to help you craft a personalized quilt pattern (but we all know I'm not a sewer....so that's not really where this is going).

How about taking pictures of something that you like.....material, flowers, bugs, leaves, etc., and using that image in your craft project. I have done this numerous times.

Here is my lastest crafted coaster design:

Although I am not a sewer....that doesn't mean I can't include that craft in my business, by designing a set of coasters that are specifically aimed at people who are! As you notice the border is a quilt pattern with images of ladies sewing in the middle.

Of course, you're going to have to familiarize yourself with all that your computer can do with just a few simple imaging programs.....but I assure you that most of them are really easy to navigate once you take that step to spend a little time learning them! Give yourself the added dimension of taking something and truly making it your individual design by crafting it off your computer!

Combining Craft Techniques (Part III)

2006-02-13T17:54:00.000-05:00

I'm going to refer back to one of my earlier projects and explain the process I went through to achieve the results. It started out here: Saved From The Heap...

As you can see from this picture, I used several craft techniques to achieve the end result.....all without being an artist!

Once the cabinet had been revamped and a white primer coat applied (inside and out), the next step was to pick the colors that I found pleasing and a "theme".

Since I had purchased the lighthouse prints on sale at 75% off at a craft store, I went with that theme. I decoupaged the images onto the drawer fronts (after repairing them). I happen to like the deeper tones in paint...so I sketched (kindergarten level, mind you) the cabinet on a piece of paper, and used colored pencils that best matched the colors that I liked, to play with where the different darker paint colors were going to be placed on the cabinet. Now this may take you a couple times of "coloring", but it's well worth it and can easily be done while you're watching your favorite TV program.

The main paint job on the sides and the doors, was sponged on with a cream colored paint

I needed some way to coordinate the outside of the cabinet with the inside....and it was obvious that I should put lighthouses on the outside also. Again....no artistic talent....so I went to my computer and printed off an oval for the sides of the cabinet. I had to play with this a little to get the correct size....cut the oval out, taped it to the craft cabinet, and traced around it.

Once the oval was traced on....back to the computer to print off a lighthouse image to fit in the oval. Once I had one that was the right size, I used tracing paper over top of it to get the basic image (remember if you're using this method to print it in reverse). I centered the tracing paper image onto the oval, and again (using a pencil), traced over the image. The lead from your pencil that is on the tracing paper will appear on your project when you re-trace it in this manner (if that's not too clear...let me know, I'll try to explain it further). Now it's just a matter of using your acrylic paints and artist brushes to paint it in and add any embellishments you might want such as smudges with the brush for sand and grass/weeds.

I used the same procedure to paint the lighthouses on the front doors of the craft cabinet, just a smaller size.

It still seemed like there was something else that was needed....so I stenciled a "rope" border around the edges of the doors and the sides in white.

Once I had these steps done....it just seemed too bright to me....so let's add something to tone down the colors a little bit. I wiped a watered down white acrylic paint using a sea sponge and once that was dried, I then used the same process, but this time using a Burnt Umber on all of it except the areas that had the lighthouse images (excluding the ovals).

My last process was to use an acrylic paint pen and outline the ovals in white to make them "pop"!

Finally complete! So, how many processes did I combine? Painting, sponging, color washing, computer imaging, tracing, antiquing (that's the Burnt Umber), decoupaging.....and let's not forget carpentry to originally put everything back together!

Quite a bit of work, grant you, but well worth it to me for the end results!

If you can only but see the possibilities of what something CAN be after you put your creative crafting techinque to it, you will be amazed at what you won't throw out!!

Combining Craft Techniques (Part II)

2006-02-13T07:53:00.000-05:00

Another craft project I accomplished by accepting a set of wood shutters that a friend of mine had removed from her house. Why she didn't just reuse them instead of buying the new vinyl ones....is beyond me. They were still in good shape....solid, no rot....and WOOD. She was putting them in the trash until I happen to stop by and decided to take them home. This was a set of six shutters and I just knew I could do something with them!

What made it nice, is that they already had a "base coat" of paint on them! They only needed to be washed down to get the spider nests off of them (yech!!!). Once that was done, and they were dry....it was time to let the imagination flow.

Here's the completed craft project....what a cute screen/room divider...don't ya think?
I first painted them a sage green (latex paint) and didn't like the plain color so proceeded to do a light wash (remember....that's with watered down paint) over top of it with cream colored paint. Then I proceeded to mask off the center area of the the two center shutters and did two more coats of the wash just in that area.

I really had no idea what image I was going to use in the center, so I just went through what stencils I had (mainly bought at yard sales) to see which one grabbed me. I used the whole stencil in the middle of the center two shutters....and just picked out parts of it to stencil in the center of the outer shutters as well as the upper corners of the two center ones.

Now I still have two shutters left that will probably be made into a corner shelf unit. The cross boards on them will make it really simple to add two triangular pieces of wood for shelves....painted mainly white and sanded for a shabby chic look, and I'll be all set! Or, perhaps, I'll use the same paint as this project and have two complimenting pieces!

You'll find as you're wandering into the craft world that you may not like the end result of something you done, but the good part is, most of the time by just adding another step/process, you'll be really pleased and proud of the end result.

Just as in this craft project, where I combined four different techniques to accomplish the end result, which I wll address another time.

Outdoor Market Trash to Treasure Furniture Re-Do.

2006-02-10T21:22:00.000-05:00

Here is what I thought was a nice find. I actually drove by it a couple of times before stopping to check it out. The wood (which was still there), that was at the head of the back and the seat, was rotted. As you can see, it also had some rust (and of course dirt). Other than that, the places where it's welded together, were still strong. I decided to take it home and see what I could do with it (another thing to add to the craft stock pile).

I have one of those common glider rockers that I bought but have never really been happy with, so this would replace it nicely.....not too big, not too small. Of course, I kept the wood pieces to use as a pattern for those replacement pieces. By this time, I actually had a little "stash" of wood pieces in the garage that I had picked up at other times at the Outdoor Market. People are always throwing out decent size pieces of plywood.

I had to do some scrubbing and sanding of the rust in order to get as much of that off as possible. That's where one of those little Dremel tools really comes in handy! Once I had removed most of the rust, a couple of good coats of metal spray primer...and all I had to do is pick out what color I wanted it to be.

I decided on a hammered gunmetal spray paint. It really turned out nice! Now for the back and the seat. After cutting the pieces of plywood to the correct size, I decided to go ahead and cover them with some material I had purchased on a clearance table (as you know....I don't sew....so this material really had to draw me in order for me to purchase it for some possible future project).

Now what about the foam that goes under the material? How many upholstered chairs or sofas have you passed by that have been at the curb? If the material is still intack, you can be pretty sure the foam that's under that material is going to be okay. And you'll know right away if there's numerous stains whether it's something you should pick up and use. I don't mean the whole sofa....just the cushions! This will save you a lot as far as the cost of a project.....do you know what good density foam costs at a fabric shop?

After shaping the foam (use an electric carving knife to cut it to size) to the size of the boards, stapling the material around the boards and attaching them to the rocker, here is the end result:

As you can see, I also sewed a matching pillow! That was a real feat for me!

So, when you see something at the Outdoor Market that catches your eye....stop and check it out....it could be your next best completed craft project! And it didn't even take that much elbow work or expense to complete.

CRAFTS For Kids - Simple Project

2006-02-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

This is just one of those rainy day (snow days, here in the north) craft projects, you can do with your kids/grandkids, at very little expense (under $2.00).

The next time your at a dollar store/yard sale/second hand shop....and see one of those plastic tissue box covers....pick it up just for the occasion when the kids are driving you nuts! I bought one for $ .25 at a second hand store.

While you're at it....keep an eye out for some cute tissue paper, wrapping paper, or any paper that has a design on it that you like and will go with your decor where you will keep this tissue holder. Also pick up some white glue....I don't care what brand. A couple of inexpensive foam brushes (our dollar store has them in a package of 10).

Now when the mood (or kids) strike you as needing some kind of creative outlet....bring out these supplies. Tear your paper/tissue into small pieces that will be easily manageable for the kids. Water down the glue...no more than 2 parts glue to 1 part water. Place newspaper all over the table to work on....that way you don't have to worry if the kids get glue on it.

Now let the kids take the small pieces of paper, brush them with glue, and paste them all over the outside of the tissue holder. It doesn't matter what direction the paper pieces go in....I can assure you, the end result will look fine. Just supervise to make sure they get the edges glued down as well as not having any air bubbles under the paper (this is why you use "small" pieces). This will probably take about an hour to cover the tissue holder....more than enough time for you to somewhat loose your sanity!

Once the tissue holder is covered, set it aside to dry, and clean up the mess (make them help)! Now you need to put a good three coats of glue all over the tissue holder (letting it dry, inbetween coats). When this step is done....take fine wet sandpaper and, using small circular motions, sand the glued tissue holder to a smooth finish. Again, you will have to let this dry completely. One or two coats of polyurethane, completes the project.

Now you have a keepsake that you're kids made, that also happens to go with your decor! (I know I can never find a tissue box that matches or goes with anything in my home!) And, believe me, the kids will be happy that you let them help with a craft project!!!

Speaking of kids' gifts.....does anyone want (or have a need for), a lime green frog head lamp!

Combining Craft Techniques.

2006-02-08T14:15:00.000-05:00

Here, I will show you how I used a few different techniques to make this little old sewing chest look better than it probably has for quite some years.

As you can see, it has many dings and dents! This is a small item, so therefore, you can decorate it to fit in just about any area of your home. It makes a nice little extra storage area for magazines, books, remotes, plant stand....you name it!

This was orginially bought at a yard sale for $2.50....still pretty solid....but needed cleaning (inside and out). For this, I just used soap and water, being sure to dry the piece as you go so that no water is left sitting on it to distort the wood.

This is how it looks now:

After cleaning the little cabinet, I dry brushed it with some leftover cream colored latex paint. That's a process of just dipping the tip of your paint brush in the paint, wiping the brush on a rag or piece of paper towel so that there is very little paint left on the brush, and then lighly brushing your object with what is left on the brush, so the wood grain/stain still shows through the paint.

If you are not pleased with the first application, after having done the whole object....just do it again....it takes very little time to paint in this manner. When the paint was completely dried, I then decoupaged some small images around the sides of the sewing chest, and applied two or three coats of the decoupage glue over the tops of the images, wet sanding after the glue dried, to smooth it out.

Now it's time to get out your stamps (not postage stamps)! Using two little stamps, and the same paint, I stamped in between the images I had decoupaged and around the top border. Once that was dried....I used a permanent marker to outline the stamped images to make them a little more prominent. I outlined the decoupaged images the same way.

Now use your little artist brushes to add any other little embellishments....such as was done on the spindle legs.

To add an aged look...I took a little burnt umber acrylic paint on a sponge and sparingly wiped it over the whole project. (You're almost done!!)

Once this had dried thoroughly....two coats of polyurethane...and you're done!

I did this project as a gift for a family member. It now resides in their bathroom, which is done in a nautical theme, as a magazine/extra toilet paper holder.

So with just a small item and some imagination....save the landfill and give something personal (not to mention, saving on your pocketbook). This world will be a better place if you do!

Newly Crafted Coasters

2006-02-07T11:01:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love ladybugs? These images were crafted from two differend fabrics....one image placed on top the other after taking pictures and uploading to my computer, then adjusted to the right size for the 4" x 4" coaster. I can also do coasters from your images, to give them that personal touch. How about your kids or your dogs? Or how about a hobby that you're particularly fond of.....anything can be put on these and displayed around the house to not only protect your furniture, but add an additional decorating layer.

Or how about these:

As I stated before....the possibilities with these are endless, and with your computer your images are only limited by your imagination and what you personally want to display in your decor.

I do have these for sell....so if your interested....contact me at:
coasters@wrinkledraisinreruns.com

Crafted Floorcloths

2006-02-05T21:19:00.000-05:00

Everyone should at least try this simple process of making a floorcloth that is custom to your home. They are sooo simple and in-expensive....and, oh yeah, did I mention....you don't need to be an artist to get a nice design in the colors to match your decor.

Heck, once you get one made for yourself, you might find that you'll want to make more as gifts for family and friends.....or possibly even sell.

The only thing you need to start, is an inexpensive piece of linoleum/vinyl flooring...it doesn't matter what the pattern is since that's not the side you're going to be using anyway. I know my local home improvement store has 6' x 8' sheets of these on sale all the time for very little money (and that will make a lot of them). How about getting friends or family together and doing this as a joint craft project.

Determine what design you want on your mat and the colors you want to incorporate. There are many wonderful books out now on crafting floorcloths with many design ideas from beginner to advanced artists.
Check out the Closeout Books link in the right hand margin....I know they usually have a couple that are very inexpensive if bought through them.

You're going to be using the back side of the flooring. Cut a piece out to the size you want, leave the corners square or round them off if you like. Take some primer paint and give it a couple of good coats and let that dry.
Apply the design you have chosen....whether that be freehand, stenciling, ragging, stamping.....it's only limited by your imagination. You can either use acrylic paints bought at a craft store, or the regular latex house paint you have sitting around.

Once you've let your paint dry thoroughly, you're last step will be to apply 3-4 coats of polyurethane to protect it from foot traffic. Let this dry for at least 24 hours and you're done!

Simply wipe it clean when it needs it....and every year or so (depending on the traffic it gets), apply another coat or two of polyurethane. There, now wasn't that easy?

Recycled Chest

2006-02-03T21:41:00.000-05:00

Another item from the outdoor market. Pretty awful, huh? But the wood is solid. I just wish that they had left the hinges!

Now this one is going to take some work to fix, don't ya think?

It really wasn't too bad. A little scrubbing and washing with some TSP (you can find that at your hardware store), please use gloves for this process. And don't ask me to tell you what the letters stand for.....I can't pronounce it anyway. All I know is if you need some heavy duty cleaning done, that's the product you use. It comes in powder form and you just mix it with water.

I should have taken an after picture of when I was done cleaning it just so you could see the difference....but I didn't! It really did clean up rather well. Most of that black gook you see in the bottom of the box, was just that "gook". I think it was used as a tool box at one time.

But I think my elbow grease paid off:

Once I had cleaned it...I gave it a good couple of coats of primer. After that was dry, I added feet (fence finials) to the bottom to raise it off the floor a little, and painted everything black.....(well, I actually painted it gray, didn't like the color and repainted it black....the beauty of paint....you don't like it, just repaint it!).

Now the map design on it was created from wall paper. (I should have just said I painted it that way....nah....we all know I'm not that talented). I actually got the paper free....it was being thrown out! When I actually adhered it to the chest, it was a much brighter color than what appears in the picture. To tone it down and make it look aged, I went over it with watered down Burnt Umber acrylic paint. You might have to do this a couple of times to get the affect you like. In this case I used two coats of the watered down paint (let dry in between coats....I would suggest a couple of hours).

I would suggest that if you're going to use wallpaper on a project/piece of furniture....I would use another adhesive besides just what's on the wallpaper, just to make sure it doesn't lift after it's been on there for a while. Watered down Elmer's Glue All (1 part glue to 2 parts water) will work just fine. Make sure you get all air bubbles out.

When this was all dry, I applied two coats of polyurethane, added some handles to the sides and hinges to the lid (second hand/yard sale finds), and I had a nice storage chest for my living room. Not only is it great for putting books, blankets, and other things in, it also can serve as extra seating. An additional plus is since I didn't pay a great deal of money for it, I don't worry about people/kids possibly messing it up setting things on it, climbing on it, etc!

Now....would you have picked up this wood box if you had seen it at the outdoor market? Or would you have passed it by?

I still have one further step that I will do on this project and that is to put a "flat" finish on it in keeping with the aged look. At the time, I only had the semi-gloss poly and wanted to get it done!

Honorable Mention!

2006-02-03T13:43:00.001-05:00

Although sewing is not my craft forte....it is to 7 of my sisters....so I thought I should at least make a mention of it.

We will be doing a quilting bee sometime this month in order to finish the family reunion quilt that will be auctioned at this years event. I have my iron arm in training for the event!

Now what do I know about quilting? Now much! But I can suggest a site to visit that has a list of 902 web sites dealing with quilting and many of them offer free patterns!

I know if my sisters see this....they better have the time to browse because that's a lot of sites to go through!!!

That being said....I've done my duty and posted about quilting as a craft.....now on to what I know!

Desk/Hutch Re-Crafted

2006-02-01T20:16:00.000-05:00

Here's a desk I picked up at the outdoor market...(pictures are not real clear due to them being copies of copies).

The blue paint had numerous brush hairs embedded in the paint from someone using an inexpensive brush. The contact paper that was on the top and drawer fronts was Snoopy paper. BUT....it had good bones! No loose joints, veneer, legs or drawers that were falling apart. Just ugly!

It was light enough for me to pick up myself and put in the trunk of my car. Here's how it looks now:

I sanded the blue paint in order to get the brush hairs off of it and painted that part black. After peeling the contact paper off, I stripped just the top of the desk and the drawer fronts, put on two coats of polyurethane, and re-attached the drawer pulls.

The hutch part came from a second hand store for about $15. I originally bought it to use as a shelving unit in my living room. While cleaning the carpet one day, I needed somewhere to put it to get it out of the way. Upon setting it on top of the desk....I realized it was a perfect fit! I then proceeded to paint the sides and cross bars on the front of it to match the desk.

No one has ever guessed that the two pieces didn't come as one unit! There's even a light on the hutch piece that still works and makes for a nice low night light.

Look around your neighborhood....people throw perfectly good furniture out all the time. Save our environment and your pocket book at the same time and make your own "one of a kind" piece of furniture that not only you'll treasure but perhaps your kids will consider an heirloom to keep.

Crafter Advertising On The Internet

2006-02-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

A lot of crafters know how hard it is to get traffic to your site....especially if you're just starting out. Most of us also know that in order to get more traffic, you need to be listed in the first one or two pages of the seach engines like Google and Yahoo. When their search engines "spider" your site....one of the things they are looking for is links that are on your site that pertain to your site, as well as someone linking back to your site.

Many times, in just starting out, you may find it hard to find pertinent sites that will link back to yours (they may already have more than enough links...etc.). What to do...what to do?

I've found this Free Relevant Links site that will automatically place relevant links on your site. All you need to do is copy the code they give you and install it on your web site pages. The more pages you install it on, the more relevant links you will have on your site. Pretty nifty, huh? I just wish these guys had surfaced earlier....what a neat thing to offer....and it's free!

Victorian/Vintage Chic Shabby Crafting

2006-01-31T15:02:00.000-05:00

I'm a sucker for this kind of look! Not only are you, most of the time, using re-cycled objects to achieve this look, but in my opinion you're also giving your place a more homey feel. I think everyone should have at least one or two objects/pieces of furniture, that are from this style.

I came across this absolute, cute, very inexpensive to make, craft idea.....on another website! I wasn't going to mention it here because I have seven sisters that this would apply to as a gift! But, what the heck...no sense in keeping it to myself....they could also make gifts for their friends.

Since I come from such a large family.....do you know what happens to your mother's china set....yep...it gets divied out....a couple of pieces to each child. Although I'm happy to have received it....what do you do with one place setting? Well the above mentioned teacup/saucer lamp at least let's me see my portion of the gift without it being packed away somewhere never to be seen!

For your friends....I know we've all been in second hand stores or at garage sales, where you've seen the lone teacup and saucer that was soooo cute....but what do you do with it! Next time.....I'm buying it!!!

Starting a Craft Business (Part II)

2006-01-30T23:10:00.000-05:00

I've just started doing research on all of this. There's a lot to learn....but you still need to keep it fun! If you're not enjoying what you're making and want to sell....then you might as well go work for "the man" at a nine to five job!

The National Craft Association has a lot of information for those just starting out as well as those who are seasoned veterans in selling their art/crafts. They also list pertinent trade and craft shows that are scheduled all over the United States. Sign up for their newsletter and receive ongoing information on selling your crafts.

I know there are many crafters out there that are moms with wee ones at home and selling their creations is a way to add extra income to pay for those extra things that always seem to pop up when you have small children.
My MommyBiz has a lot of information on it in starting a craft business....the good part....most of it's free! They also have tons of links to other sites in order to do further research.

And for those of you who have thought about selling on Ebay....check out their information for tips and tricks when listing your items to achieve the most exposure.

Yes, all of this is going to take you some time....but better a week or two researching a head of time....then jumping in too fast and making major mistakes that end up taking all of your profit!

A Great Crafting Site!

2006-01-28T11:44:00.000-05:00

I found this site and couldn't help but mention it....you want to talk about info overload! They cover just about everything crafty, and if they don't, they have the links to a lot of other sites! So you're bound to find something to tickle your fancy: All Crafts

But one of the most informative parts of the site I liked was the "Starting Your Craft Business" information that they have. I know a lot of people are just unsure of where to start and a lot of you out there really have talent...so check it out. It may just have the information you need!

Decoupaging Images For Your Craft Projects

2006-01-26T10:59:00.000-05:00

Okay...now you have the bug to try this technique....now where can you get some great images to decoupage? There are many, many ways to find something cool for you to affix to a craft object. I just found this cool site that offers some fantastic gift wrap that could be adapted to your projects....pick a theme, than pick a paper that coincides with that theme: Durwin Rice Giftwrap

I would also check out my local discount/dollar store....for giftwrap, tissue paper, etc. I've picked up some really nice tissue paper and paper napkins (use only the first layer of paper) with some pretty neat designs on them, for next to nothing compared to the local department/drug stores.

You'll be amazed at how nice your craft project turns out using this medium. I've done two of those plastic cafeteria chairs....personalizing them with the person I was giving them to....using giftwrap for the background of the seat....adding a few personal photos....and painting the back of the seat to match the colors on the paper I've used for the background. They turned out wonderful...although I mistakenly didn't take before and after photos like I normally do(shame on me)! Most of the time...you can find these chairs at the outdoor market (curbside)...or at garage sales on the cheap! And I've already told you how to find inexpensive paint to finish your project.

Check out the rest of Durwin Rice's site to get even further inspiration.....so many things to look at!

Paint Techniques for Your Craft Projects Part I

2006-01-25T21:43:00.000-05:00

It's going to be impossible for me to cover all the different painting craft techniques.....there are soooo many! The only thing I can suggest, is if you see a particular faux paint affect that you like....do some research, and you'll find that none of them are that hard to create yourself. Some of them can be time consuming....some of them can be a lot simplier than what you think and you can really recreate a piece just by adding paint touches to different aspects of the item you're re-newing. A perfect example is the cabinet above.

I bought this piece of furniture at a second hand store, mainly for the size....not too big....not too small....and it was good and solid. It had a really bad water stain on the top so I used a marble paint finish to disguise it. Adding the black paint in the raised areas on the front, just made it more appealing with the marble top, don't ya think?

Marbling an object is really one of the easier paint finishes there is to do. Beware.....there are people out there (professionals) who make it sound a lot harder than what it is. I don't know if they don't want you to do it yourself so that they get the job, or what.....but after I did my research on the technique....I found out that there was no reason I couldn't do it myself.

The technique I have used is to:

Lightly sand (if wood)...heavy sand if it's a counter top (melamine or formica).
Paint a coat of primer.
Once that's dry....choose two other colors of paint that you want in the marble (in this case, black and beige). You will only need less than 1 quart of each color.
Using an old brush (no sense in messing up a new one and gives you a better affect), start with your main color, and dip just the end of your brush into the paint.
Apply the paint in a diagonal direction a little at a time, leaving some of the white primer showing.
From time to time....dip just the end of the brush in your second color (you don't have to "clean" the brush off...just wipe it on a rag or paper towel), and apply the second color the same as the first.
Keep going between the two colors until your whole object is covered and you get the desired effect that you like.

Once this has dried....take a small old artist bush and using either your second (less dominant color) or white (primer color....in which case I just used white acrylic paint). Put a little on your brush and jaggedly apply veining to your object (helps if you've drank a lot of coffee!). Immediately take your old clean brush and barely touching the paint you've just applied....feather it out so that it looks more natural.

When this has dried....put on 2-3 coats of polyurethane to protect the finish and you can be done at this point. I like to take it one step further and apply a paste wax (particularly if its a counter top since it will protect it more from moisture).

The cabinet above was the first time I had tried using the marbling affect....once done I went on to use it on other objects such as, on my own kitchen counter top and at a friend's house where I did her counter top in the kitchen as well as the counter in her master bath. It looked fantastic each time!

So, start out on a smaller object first....that way you can easily repaint if need be.....but I'm sure you'll find, it's really a technique that's easily do-able!

If you have any questions...I'd be more than happy to assist!

CRAFTING From the Soul!

2006-01-22T14:42:00.000-05:00

I don't care what your interest is....horses, beautiful flowers, lovely paintings, pets....whatever it may be, if you incorporate that in what you are producing (crafting), it will be something that you will thoroughly enjoy and you'll keep doing it until it produces the results that you will be proud to display and talk about to other people!

Take my coasters as an example.....I happen to (at the moment) really enjoy victorian/vintage, shabby chic.....items, images, furniture, etc......so I went with that, and combined it with something else that I'm reasonably good at....computers. From these two venues, I was able to produce my coasters in a manner that was appealing to me and it spun off into other coasters that I created for other people using their interests as the design element. Having just started this venture.....I don't feel it's too shabby (no pun intended), to say that I have sold a quite a few of these coasters and hope to continue offering them to anyone who so wishes to either buy for themselves or have some made as a unique, inexpensive, gift for someone they know.

You can bet your bottom dollar....if it's something that you're interested in....many more people are also interested in it just as much as you are! So, take that special interest you have, and create something with it! You never know where it's going to lead you.....quite possibly into something that you will enjoy a lot more than what you're doing right now!

As examples of some of the very unique items people craft...look at this web site: Creators Outlet
Ooooh my goodness....such talent.....but all born out of what people have a passion for and directing that into a craft/artist form. I personally like the gourds that were done up into cats and chickens.....now, I bet that lady did a few of them before she was able to improve the technique well enough that it came out as visually pleasing as it did. I think they're simply wonderful!

I, personally, have my first coasters that I did, that although usable, needed some tweaking and improving on in order to get them to a stage that I felt comfortable giving/selling them to anyone.

The same with the furniture that I have re-crafted....I have a few pieces that I was not happy with the end results and some day will get around to re-crafting them for better visual appeal (or I could always sell them at a garage sale/consignment shop, as is.....NOT!).

I have a sister that, regularly, sells her items in craft fairs, or on commission, etc. She took painting classes when she first started out and made her own business, giving painting instructions out of her home because she enjoyed doing it! And a wonderful painter she is....on medal, wood, small objects, big objects....you name it!

Another sister (I have 7 of them, and I'm the only one who didn't get the sewing "bug"), loves quilting.... yech!!!, she also spends time giving quilting lessons because it's her passion! We have a "quilting bee" scheduled a few times a year where we put together a quilt that will be auctioned at each of our family reunions....that pays for the costs of the next reunion that is scheduled (I'm the "presser" or the "cut the strings" person....not sewing!!!!). A special mention goes to my niece who finishes the project by joining the back of the quilt to the front.

So, bottom line....take your passion and go with it! You'll be surprised where it may lead you.

Craft Inspirations.....Junk to Treasure!

2006-01-20T15:36:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned before that I seek other sources to get inspiration for crafting my "outdoor market" finds to items that you'll want to keep around your house. A lot of that inspiration comes from books and magazines that I put my own personal touch/colors to the finished product.

Well, I've just found a great web site where you can buy craft books on the cheap! We're talking starting prices of $.99!!! Check this out: Book Closeouts

Two that I found particularly good for crafting/painting inspiration was "Paint It!" and "Furniture Facelifts". Just type these titles in their search box and check them out. I did not want to put a link directly to them in case they were already sold out of them (but I'm sure if you browse a little by typing "crafts" in their search box....you'll find more in the painted furniture arena).

Of course, you'll also find great deals on other books that you might want to read also (my fav other than craft books is self help/improvement...lot of work there to be done too!).

The problem with this site is that they also run a store where they sell the same books, so you'll notice, when you come to a title you like, click on it and when the page comes up for that book....in the upper right hand corner, it tells you how many they have in stock. If it's less than 5...you better order right away and keep your fingers crossed that you get it! If you don't....nothing lost. If you do...what a bargain!

They have some great craft books in there that I've looked at in the stores but just couldn't bring myself to pay the hefty price! You're going to have to keep your eye on this site because their inventory changes all the time! Might as well bookmark it for future reference!

So go get inspired!!

HOW TO Be An Artist When You're Not!

2006-01-19T11:20:00.000-05:00

I've touched on this a little bit in my past posts....my not being an artist and being able to just do wonderful paintings on a craft project! But that doesn't mean you can't do some wonderful things to your projects....it's just going to take you longer!

One of my favorite techniques for creating a nice finished project without having the artistic painting ability, is to "decoupage" an image that I like onto a piece of furniture....thereby saving me from making it look like a kindergarten project (although some people like that affect also).

I'm usually very careful about the images I use do to copyrights, but you can use a lot of clickart images (as long as your not mass producing and selling for a profit without their permission). I've taken posters that I've bought (at a discount of course), and decoupaged them onto furniture pieces. The above cabinet was pictured in one of my other posts.....Save From The Heap.....but this is the inside view with the decoupaged drawer fronts.

Regular images you print off of your computer, unless it is a laser printer, should be taken to a copy place, and a copy of it should be used. If you use the image off of a regular inkjet printer, once you spread your glue over top of it, the image colors can change quite drastically (been there - done that!).

The basic steps for decoupaging:

Choose your image (if printing from an inkjet printer....get a copy from your local copy shop).
Cut out your image (remove any excess paper you don't want).
Using a foam brush....brush white glue on the reverse side of the image. (Please note that I generally use Mod Podge....but it's my understanding....you can also use watered down white glue.)
Place your image on the surface you're affixing it to, gently manipulate it into position, and make work out any air bubbles that might be under it. You can use want they call a brayer (small wood roller....looks like a paint roller...only wood), to smooth it out.
I usually will let this dry before proceeding (usually about 20-30 minutes).
Once this has dried....apply a coat of your white glue over top your image....don't worry about going "outside the lines" of your image...just don't put on too heavy a coat of glue.
Let this coat dry....(you'll know when it's dry....turns from a milky color to clear).
Then you want to put on a third coat....and let it dry.
Once you're third coat has dried....you'll notice that at this point (or before), that it doesn't look too smooth...don't worry...because now you're going to take some "wet finishing sandpaper" and smooth all that out.
You can buy "wet sandpaper" at any hardware or department store. Take your sandpaper and immerse it in warm water for 2-3 minutes...I usually start with half a sheet....fold it to fit your hand....and going in small circular motions, start rubbing where you've glued your image. This "re-wets" your glue so that you are able to smooth out any lines in it from your foam brush. Do not overwork it or you'll end up messing up your image! Once you've smoothed out the glue.....again, let it dry (you'll notice the swirls you made...but only 'til it's dry). Depending on the size of your image that you're gluing....you might have to re-wet your sandpaper a couple of times.

Now apply three more coats of glue and repeat the process.

From this point, you can either decide whether you need to apply more glue or whether you want to apply a couple of coats of polyurethane and be done!

What determines if you apply more coats? If after you first applied your image....and not all the air bubbles disappeared....or a part of it "wrinkled" a little....the more coats of glue you put on and then smooth out...the more your air bubble or wrinkle...will disappear!

IF you are going to use a poster image....it's a whole different technique due to the thickness of the paper.
First, you will want to immerse your poster in water (use the bathtub if necessary for larger images). Let it soak in the water for about 5 minutes (it will not hurt the image).

Paint your glue onto the object that you're going to be applying the image....and then apply your wet image. Again being careful to work out any air bubbles. You are going to need to let this dry for a couple of days. Once dry....I would just use a clear acrylic spray sealer (a couple of coats) to protect it and make it so that you're able to wipe it clean.

So find an image you like.....and do something with it!

One final thing......here is a site that is all about decoupage and can answer many of your questions and give you resolutions to many of the problems you may encounter when decoupaging:

The Artful Crafter

DIY Tools for Women - Absolutes for Crafting and Repairing A Lot of Things!

2006-01-15T13:25:00.000-05:00

Getting into this realm of fixing/crafting furniture and other things, has caused me to spend a certain amount of money on tools. Nothing is more aggravating and time consuming, than not having the right tools for a craft project that you want to get done! Early on, in my projects, the basic tools (hammer, screwdriver, small saw, etc.), was all I needed. As I took on larger projects.....believe me....if you have the right tools for the job....it'll go a lot smoother!

There haven't been a lot of quality tools out there for ladies.....yeah, you could get one of those cheap ($10-$20) tool sets you find at department/hardware stores, that come in their own little case (I'm sure you've seen them....pink or floral handles), but if you really put them to the test as a crafter, they just don't hold up!

If you use a man's tools....they just don't fit in your hand right, causing undue stress on your joints. And the power tools are HEAVY! I had bought myself an 18V power drill and was working on a porch rail at my home. By the time I got to the last screw that needed to go in on the rail, I had no strength left to put any muscle behind it! Thank goodness, a male neighbor came home at that point, and I had him finish drilling that last screw in!

Well, times are a-changing! The best lady's drill that I have come across, although it is only a 12V, does a super job and is light weight because the battery is worn in a case on your hip! And, go figure, it was designed by a lady (Barbara K)! Why the drill manufacturers didn't come up with this idea a long time ago (for us women), is beyond me! Consumer's Report had a group of men and women test this product, and it perform with flying colors by both groups.

Now Barbara K also has other hand tools specifically made for a woman's hand and strength....so check those out if you're looking to replace some of your "man" tools with ones that are more ergonomically suited to women.

Another good craft tool that I think every crafter should have is a Dremel Rotary Tool. There are soo many things you can do with this tool....too many to count! I've used it for sanding (small areas), deburring, cutting off long screws (so that I didn't have to go to the hardware and buy the right size), cutting plexiglass, cutting intricate patterns in wood (easier to control than a jigsaw). They're small and light weight.

If you can't afford these for yourself (although neither are expensive - right now, you can get the 12V drill, brand new, for $25.00 plus shipping....check the link and look under "New and Used")...ask for them as a gift...that's how I got mine! The Dremel's are costing much less now than when I got mine and are reasonably priced if you go for one that comes with all the accessories. You can also keep your eye out at yard sales and flea markets....and possibly get a really good buy if you happen to find them this way.

As I come across more lady's tools for your craft projects, I'll post them here on my blog.....or if you know of others that are user friendly to ladies....let me know in my "Comments" section and I'll check them out.

HOW TO Update a Counter Top Without Replacing It! (Craft Project 4)

2006-01-14T12:11:00.000-05:00

How many of us have those old countertops....whether inherited with the house or bought many moons ago....and you now want to do something else with them without all of the expense....and labor of tearing out the old one?

I inherited mine with the house....and although it wasn't large, it was the old white "speckled" formica kind. Once I became a single mom...the thought and price of replacing it...was just out of the question. My crafty solution was to paint it. I did a faux green marble paint finish on it and it turned out great!

The only problem with this solution is that you do have to be careful with the finished results (I don't care how many coats of polyurethane you put on it). If anything heavy is dropped on it, or you forget...and do any cutting (even with just a table knife), you will mar the finish and possibly chip the paint (I also had a large cockatoo that liked to use her beak on it!). But, all in all, mine was still looking much better than the original counter for the four years that I continued living in the house. I don't believe the people who bought the house even knew that it was painted (they never asked)!

Now I've found a new craft technique that works even better without having to worry about the paint chipping (don't know why I didn't think of it myself)!

The process is to buy a ream of regular computer paper (or use what you already have). Decide what color you want your counter to incorporate (green, black, tan....whatever) and buy a quart of paint in that color. You will also need a large bottle or two of Elmer's glue. Mix your paint 1 part water to 1 part paint (or even more water it you want less color) in a bucket. You also need a bucket to mix your Elmer's glue...same recipe...one part Elmer's to one part water. Take your paper and wad it up...un-wad it and immerse it in the paint/water mixture. Now paint some of your glue mixture onto your counter and place your now "colored wet" paper onto the painted-glue part of the counter. Continue piecing the paper, ripping to create jagged edges as you like, overlapping, etc., until your whole counter is covered. Once you have your paper all in place....carefully brush a layer of your glue mixture over the entire area.

Once this has dried, you want to apply 3-5 coats of polyurethane to protect the surface....letting these dry 2-4 hours between each coat and light sanding before applying another coat (all except the last coat). Viola.....you now have a new counter....at very little costs!

One more step you might want to take, to protect the finish even more, is to do one or two coats of paste car wax! Really protects it from any liquid that might set on it for any length of time!!

Now I have to give credit where credit is due....this lady does it all, (picture of end result)!

Just think of all the surfaces this could be used on to get a great effect and save something from the landfill! I think we've all had a piece of furniture at one time or another, that had a bad water stain where the grain was raised and you didn't want to just paint over it....or it had many nicks and dinks in the top....this gives you the perfect crafty repair inexpensively.

So, go ahead....impress your friends and family!

HOW TO Spend Less On Your Craft Projects (Part III)

2006-01-13T11:04:00.000-05:00

As I've already mentioned that I'm not an artist....I thought I should delve more into the subject of "getting ideas" for a craft project. The rule of thumb....as far as I'm concerned....if you see something you like, and it's either cheap or free....take it while the takings good!

If it ends up that you don't use it....you can do just like the people you got it from....sell it or throw it away!

An example: I found an old large wood box (yeah...it was at the Outdoor Market...i.e. curbside)....just the lid and the bottom, about 20"x40"x24"deep. All hardware had been removed and, if I'm not mistaken, the black grease in the bottom of it, led me to believe that someone had used it for storing tools. All in all, dirty, but the "bones" were good....no rot...and it was solidly put together.

I picked up that old box....cleaned it with PSP....painted it inside and out....added hardware and fence post finials for feet. It now sits in my living room as a storage chest and there isn't one person who has seen it that hasn't said they liked it....or wanted it! What did it cost me.....time....and fence post finials!

Where did I come up with the idea for this box? Quite frankly....it was something I saw in a furniture store that I liked....but definitely didn't want to pay the price for!!! Instead, I kept it in mind and crafted my own chest that is quite similiar, but will always be a "one of a kind". Will my daughter keep it once I'm gone...there's no doubt in my mind! Craft ideas can come from anywhere! Just look at what you like in any store...and then figure out how you can craft it yourself at a big savings!

You can also peruse magazines...they have a ton of them out there nowadays....directed right at the home crafter/decorator. Personally....I love them....and it amazes me that their are people out there that are that much more craftier than me :>) ! These magazines are great for showing you color combinations, etc., on walls, furniture...just about anything. I've saved pictures from magazines where a piece of furniture has been painted...and I like the color combination...but not the piece of furniture they used it on! It makes for a good future reference for projects I might start.

Now generally, you're going to pay $5-$8 for one issue of these magazines! Insane...isn't it?!!! Well....here's me....saving you some more money! From this site, you will pay that much for a whole year's subscription for this particular craft magazine....but check out some their others as well....I couldn't believe I could save this much money on the magazines I love to pick up at the drug store!

HOW TO Spend Less On Your Craft Projects (Part II)

2006-01-12T23:08:00.000-05:00

I couldn't help it....had to get back on here to offer some other advise that I thought about for How To Spend Less....before I forgot it!

If you are going to paint furniture and other small items, you're not going to want to buy quarts of paint in every color that you're going to use. The solution, of course, is acrylic paints that come in little two ounce bottles. You can buy these at any craft store like Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics....but they go on sale constantly....usually for 50 cents a bottle, so wait for the sale.

But what about your "little" paint brushes? Please believe me when I say....quality does matter when it comes to small artist brushes....so this is one area where you don't want to scrimp! DO NOT go to the dollar store and buy a package of paint brushes and expect that you're going to be able to get good results with them....it ain't gonna happen! Been there...done that! It only took me having to re-do an item twice because of a cheap brush, for me to learn my lesson (you would think that I would have learned it with the first time of having messed things up with that #@%#! brush). That doesn't mean that you can't get good brushes at a sale price....but they're still going to cost you.

Also....I use those little foam brushes for all kinds of things....DO NOT buy these at your craft supply store! You are paying premium dollar for them at those stores. My hardware store has packages of these on sale all the time...usually ten foam brushes in a package...for $1.00 or less (a few times with a coupon from this same store for .01!). AND, you can also buy these at your dollar store....a foam brush is a foam brush, so don't pay premium money for these.

Now....I've also found a web site that I keep my eye on for sales....and they have some pretty good ones depending on what you're looking for (including paint). Check out this nifty little site.... talk about some good prices for crafters! Should get your ideas flowing just by browsing what they have to offer. It's not the greatest looking web site, but I care more about saving money than the appearance of their site!

See the problem with me, is I'm not an artist! I know...I know...I pretend to be....but my skills are very limited! So I have to rely on other options to make my objects look the way I want. That could mean stenciling....it could be through tracing an image onto a furniture piece and then painting in the colors (sort of like paint by number)....or it could be through "pasting" (is that spelled right?) an image that I like onto my craft piece, which is also called decoupage.

If you're a natural artist, you can just freehand everything. If you're like me....you have to take the long way around ...but it still gets the job done!

HOW TO Spend Less On Your Craft Projects

2006-01-12T10:56:00.000-05:00

So you think getting involved in re-doing furniture and creating something unique is going to cost you a lot of money....you can't be further from the truth! With just a little bit of your time and just keeping an eye out when you're doing your everyday jaunts around town, can net you savings. Things that would normally costs you a full price in a store, can be had for 50% off too a cost of $0, if you just know that some day in the near future, you'll be using it!

For example, you want a shelving unit....for holding supplies, books, boxes of stuff you've accumulated, displaying items....whatever. Do you go to the store and pick out that one that's going to cost you $25-$500 (upper end). Or are you going to be creative and try and add your own style and charm to it? I'd take this road every time!

How to go about it? When you're on your travels about town....watch for those times when someone is pitching something to the curb. Do you see some old kitchen cabinets someone is throwing out? Are the doors solid wood (most older cabinets are)? Those doors make great, solid shelfs (no bowing or warping either, like soo many of the "newer" products that are out there today).

Now you need something to separate the shelves. Oh my goodness....if you go to a hardware or builder supply store and check out the price of legs/spindles for separating those shelves....they can run you $8-$15 a piece and up....BUT, if you only but watch for those times people are throwing out old chairs.....yeah, they might not be good for sitting on any more....but most still have the legs that can work as the shelf dividers. It doesn't matter if you use one set of legs to divide the upper shelves and another set to divide the lower shelves....it all adds to the charm of the piece!!!

Now, I don't know how many times I've been in a hardware store (one of my favorite things to do), either to pick up sandpaper or some other small item for a project, but one of my "have to" do on the list when I go...is to check out the "clearance" items. Every hardware store has a corner or an end of the aisle section where they have clearance items that are next to nothing compared to the regular price. And this could be anything in their store, but I have found great deals on paint, polyurethane, tools, and other supplies that I use to "create" my treasures. It's much nicer to me to pay $2 for a quart of paint rather than $8-$10. (Better yet is having your friend give you what's left of her quart....which is usually over 3/4 full! Please note that I never accept colors from her that I know I'll never use because I don't like the color and she's just giving it to me so that she doesn't have to dispose of it!)

Another idea....you want a coffee table, but heaven knows, you don't want to pay the price their asking for those in the furniture store!! Keep your eye out (garage sales, curbside) for those small wood kitchen tables or end tables that would be about the size of the coffee table you would like. It's just a matter of cutting down the legs! How simple can that be?!!! So what if the top is marred up....that's easily sanded and restained or painted.

I have rarely, ever, paid full price for anything when it comes to my finished furniture/craft pieces!

This whole project was based on these principles and I personally think it turned out swell!

HOW TO Paint A Room Of Color Without Over-Thinking It! (Craft Project 3)

2006-01-10T10:17:00.000-05:00

You've finally decided to take that plunge out of the "black and white" realm into the "color" world that we see so prevalent around us!

I'm a DIYer....and also happen to be one of those people who hate white walls!!! All that space....so much that could be done with it! Color on your walls just adds so much to your furnishings. If you have a particular furniture piece that you really love...it just "pops" if it sits against a wall with color! Kinda like having a nice mat around a picture.

So how do you go about picking a color for your walls? If your like most people that just have white walls....and you're really scared to try anything new...but would love to give it a try....pick your favorite color. I don't care what that color is....just pick it. Now, go to your local hardware/home builder/paint store, with that color in mind. Look through their color swatches, with "your" color in mind. Pick a color from their swatches that appeals to you, from the color you most like.

Have the store mix the paint color you chose and don't forget to also pick up the other necessities you'll need to apply it....roller, paint pan, paint brush. DO NOT go cheap on the roller and paint brush....it does make a difference. If you have to wait for these items to go on sale...so be it, but at least get a medium quality/price brush and roller. These will not be disposable...so you'll be able to use them again on other projects (which I'm sure that after your done with this first project, you'll end up wanting to do more....now you'll already have the tools...you'll just need the paint).

Take your paint and supplies home and go into the room that you want to apply the color. I want you to pick just one wall to paint. And you're going to paint the whole wall before you stop! Why just one wall? Remember we're taking baby steps to getting some color into your home. So pick the one wall that you're going to paint. This is going to be the focal point in your room......if it's a bedroom, it could be the wall that has the bed against it....if it's the living room, it could be the wall that has your art displayed on it. Get the idea?

Be sure your wall is clean and that any holes are filled in with spackle (also found at hardware store, directions included on the product). You need to also be sure any patching you've done is sanded smooth and than painted the same color as what's already on the wall (surely, you kept some "touch up" paint, didn't you? Shame, shame if you didn't. If not....just use the color that you're going to be putting on the wall....but paint these spots first....and give it a day to dry before proceeding to the next step).

Take your paint and after stirring it, pore it into the paint pan. Use your brush to "cut-in" around the perimeter of the wall. What's that? It means painting around all edges of the wall first with a paint brush because your roller is not going to reach into the corners, up by the ceiling (without getting paint on the ceiling), or along the molding (without getting paint on the molding or floor). I, personally, still use painters tape applied at the ceiling and over the molding on the bottom of the wall, to prevent any "uh ohs" from happening. I don't have the greatest steady hand (too much coffee)!!

Once you have done the "cutting-in", you now can use the roller to paint the entire wall. Try doing it in a "W" pattern instead of just straight up and down so that you don't have any lines showing in the paint when it dries from where one "straight line" lapped over another. DO NOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROCESS thinking that you don't like the color! I don't think anyone can tell from a few strokes of a paint brush or roller....how the whole wall is going to look!

Now give the paint up to 48 hours to dry and become the color that it's going to be! Put a piece of furniture in front of it during the drying process so that you get the hang of how it's going to look....remember....most walls are not totally bare...therefore, the color might have seemed bold when you started, but once everything is back in place...not all of that color is going to be showing!

Now....after waiting 2-3 days, if you like the color....go ahead and paint the other walls....leave just the one wall painted...or paint two more walls (total of 3 walls)....it's totally up to you.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE COLOR....you have a few options....

You can repaint the wall white (no, no, no.....surely you're more creative than that!).

You can do a color-wash over the color in order to lighten or darken it (the choice I think you should make....anyone can do this!)

Okay....what's a color wash? Well, I happen to have experimented with this because I ended up with a color on my walls that I didn't like at all....once I had lived with it for 3 days just to be sure. I thought, geez, I don't want to repaint all these walls again! So I started reading up on color-washing...it's a really simple process...and takes a lot less time and paint...than having to repaint everything! (And I've purposely planned some of my rooms paint colors using this technique.)

Whatever color you painted the wall (that you don't like), go back to your paint supplier and get either two shades lighter of the same color OR..... if the color was in the pastel/lighter color family....go with white! (If you happen to have some white paint at home, leftover from something else....latex only please.....feel free to just use that. You're not going to need much.) For the color you've now chosen....you only need a "quart" of paint (and believe me...you'll use very little of the quart)!! Don't forget to get your free stir stick (a couple of them...they come in handy).

You'll need a household sponge. Not the scrubber kind....just a plain old sponge....similar to those car wash sponges....just smaller. You can usually pick them up for $1-$2 for a package of them. And a container/pail of some sort. I used one of those large empty margarine containers....worked perfect and no additional cost! Or how about an empty coffee can....just make sure it's one that you can get your hand into easily. You'll want to pick up a package of rubber gloves...you're actually going to use your hands for this part of painting!! Also, be sure to have a roll of paper towel handy!

Now down to the actual process. You'll want to mix 1 part paint to 3 parts water into your container. If you're only doing one wall...1/3 cup of paint to 1 cup of water is more than enough!!! (See...I told you that you wouldn't be using much paint!) Be sure to put your gloves on, have a drop cloth on the floor in front of the wall, and have your stir stick handy....the paint tends to settle to the bottom of your container pretty quick.

Stir your paint and water well, immerse your sponge into the mixture, and squeeze the sponge out...but not tightly!!! Start applying the color to the wall in a small circular motion....occasionally changing the direction of your circles and flipping/rotating your sponge regularly. DO NOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROCESS....not even for a phone call! This is only going to take you about 15-20 mins. to complete a wall that is 8' x 16'.....so whoever it is that is calling....can wait for you to call them back! You will know when to redip your sponge (hard to get color out of it)....just be sure to stir what's in your container before doing so. You might have to also rinse your sponge in clean water, once or twice through this process. How will you know? The paint begins to cling/dry onto the sponge....rinse it in water and you're good to go again.

What I like about this technique is there's no cutting-in that needs to be done! You can pretty easily "squish" the sponge into the corners and at the edge of the ceiling....without taping it off. You still have to be a little careful...but it still goes quicker than the paint brush/roller thingy!

Once you're done with the whole wall with this technique....do not throw out what's left of the paint in your container....yet! Again....you're going to wait for this process to dry....though not as long....since you've added water to the paint, it's going to take very little time for this to dry. Usually by the time you're on the last part of the wall....the part where you started is dry to the touch but you will still want to wait a couple of hours to insure that it is thoroughly dry.

Now step back and look at the result....not only have you lighten the color you originally had, with less expense and less labor, but you've also added "interest" to the wall. Still too dark for you? Do the process again....remember, you didn't throw out that extra you had left, right?.....which will lighten the wall even more and give it even more of a textured look (still very little labor and cost). I'm willing to bet that once you've lived with this for a few days, you'll fall in love with the process. Just make sure that you've put you're furniture back in place, hung any pictures, etc., in order to get the total effect.

I know that I started out with this process, liked it so well, that now I can't leave a wall just plain white! It might have white in it....but it definitely has some other interesting colors also.

Get out of the humdrums....and get some color in your life....it sure can change your mood!

Craft Ideas...where art thou?

2006-01-04T16:27:00.000-05:00

I know I've stated it before...but for good measure.....I DON'T LIKE EVERYBODY'S STORE BOUGHT HOME ACCESSORIES! I'd rather make/re-make my own!

I have learned that once you start crafting...things just start flowing as far as ideas. I started with picking up a few old craft magazines at a garage sale that looked interesting (and for .05 a piece...what the heck...it gave me something to browse through on a lazy afternoon when I didn't want to tax my brain too much!). Well, that tiny purchase started the whole ball rolling and turned into a full fledged consumption looking for that next "prized possession".

I now have as part of my "craft" supplies, numerous magazines (old and new) where I tag certain pages of objects/ideas that I find personally appealing. I ended up spending two days/nights just going through all the books/magazines I had accumulated to "weed" out the ones that weren't necessary to keep.

I ended up with only 1 1/2 small boxes that I kept. Several of the magazines, I just ripped out the one or two articles or pictures of things that I thought I could adapt to some treasure I acquire in the future and placed those in a three-ringed binder.

I must state, that although some of the basic ideas and instructions came from these magazines, each item I have re-furbished/renewed, ultimately had my own design, color scheme to them.

My whole point in this is....if you look at what's available in magazines and books....it may not be exactly the way you want to craft it, i.e. same colors, patterns, style....but it opens your mind to what you do want and you begin to see promise in things you never saw before, that can be quite inexpensive, or even no-cost to you.

Heck, the craft cabinet I made was given to me by a friend, the paint was left overs from other projects, and any extra boards I used came from the curbside donators. I now don't know if it's a blessing or a curse that I've gone into the crafting mode....family and friends alike are now giving me everything that they don't want (saves them from having to go to a donation drop off place).

I now have all kinds of paint (craft acrylics and regular interior house paint)....I have finally stated that I won't take anything bigger than quart size containers. My garage is FULL of objects ready to be re-done/renewed, from end tables, shelves, cabinets, desks, chairs, old sewing machine (bottom treadle only), mirrors, an old record cabinet (pretty cool....already refinished and I've used it to house mail/gloves/hats at the entrance, and also in the kitchen to house all my baking pans and lids....the dividers in it make it real convenient for all kinds of purposes), old wood house shutters (already made into room divider), and on and on...... I will post some of the pictures as soon as I find them on my hard drive (I always take a "before" and "after")...my computer drive is starting to look like my garage!

So get started on crafting something.....and once you do, you'll find those ideas just starting to flow.

Saved From The Heap....(Craft Project 2)

2005-12-31T09:35:00.000-05:00

I came across this object (actually, a friend of mine was throwing it to the curbside and asked if I wanted it). Her view of it was "A piece of junk". My view, "Wow....that would make a nice cabinet to house my craft supplies!". It took a bit of work, admittedly, some from a carpenter friend of mine (the same friend's husband), but it really turned out quite unique!

I had to replace the doors (that's where the carpenter friend came in....although, I believe I could have tackled that myself, it would have just taken me more time since I'm not yet real handy with my circular saw). One of the drawer fronts was broken....I nailed and glued that myself. It didn't have a back on it....I had an old piece of "wood" paneling in my garage that I cut to size to fit the back. The top of the wardrobe had the veneer peeling off....sanded it as best I could, added another piece of "one side good" piece of plywood (found at curbside) to that....and then the whole thing just had to be refinished/repainted.

Well, here's how it looks now.....

I also drew some lighthouses on each side that really turned out nice.....just don't have a photo of it.

And, as you can see, I also put in shelfs on the side that normally would house hanging clothes. The shelfs were made from some kitchen cabinet doors that had been disposed of (another curbside find) and were solid wood. The images on the drawers were small prints I found on sale that I decoupaged onto the drawer fronts. I learned a valuable lesson from that also: if you are using a heavier paper to decoupage onto an object....soak the paper first in water for a few minutes before applying (it won't hurt the image). Your paper will be more pliable and breathable, allowing you to get the air bubbles out and have the whole thing lie flatter on your object. Although I only had a few air bubbles....it took numerous coats of decoupage glue to make it to where they do not show....wet sanding the glue about every two to three coats.

All in all.....it now houses all of my craft paints, brushes, stamps, tapes, stencils (well....most of them anyways ;o) !).

So, you see, with a little imagination and just keeping your eye out for those "finds and supplies", something that would normally go into a landfill, can really become one of your most prized possessions!

I Have This Urge.....(Craft Project 1)

2005-12-30T21:15:00.000-05:00

It came upon me about five years ago.....I started picking up "things" everywhere I went. Second hand stores...yard sales....what I call "road-side" treasures (that's right....it's amazing what people throw away). It appears I now have a propensity to take things that are either being thrown away....or very inexpensive to purchase, to re-purpose it...or just plain give it a "new" life.

My home used to house furniture bought at any furniture store, but for some reason, I was never really happy with it or felt it lent a touch of hominess to my abode. Once I started on this treck, I started replacing the store bought stuff I was not happy with, with my own creations. Crafting has really become a passion in more ways than one. I have re-done a lot of furniture....and it has led to other, smaller craft projects.

I'm really excited by my current project of unique coasters that I have crafted from glass and have even begun selling them. The ones pictured above are my favorites...I tend to like shabby chic...but am really eclectic in my decorating style. If I like it...I'll find a place for it (or I know someone who will). I have done numerous coasters in other themes (golf, courthouses, cottages, snow scenes, barns), and just about every day, come up with more ideas for different themes that people would like. So now, I not only have a craft that I thoroughly enjoy doing but they also serve a very functional purpose of protecting your furniture.

I have (temporarily) listed some of my coasters at Ebay.....Link:
http://stores.ebay.com/Wrinkled-Raisin-Reruns