The Inspiration Board: link party spotlight {8}

Another week of beautiful projects on Tuesday’s Inspiration Board.  Thank you to everyone who linked a project and to everyone who came to visit. I hope you enjoyed the creative inspiration. Here are just a few in the spotlight this week.

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A great use of existing furniture to give a room a fresh look. A Blonde’s DIY Life had two bookshelf towers and turned one on its side to create a media center.

Inspiration: perspective

Crafty Butt gave new life to this side table with a fresh coat of paint but it’s the vintage graphic that makes it special. What I love is that the lettering is hand painted.

Inspiration: craftsmanship

I sew…but I know if I made this pillow it would not end up being a circle. Describe Happy’s sprocket pillow is made with pretty fabrics and it’s stuffed to perfect roundness.

Inspiration: sewing circle

 

Frugalicious Me is bringing back the fanny pack but with style. What a cute pack – perfect for shopping, walking or when you only need a few things.

Inspiration: retro restyled

 

Mom’s Crafty Space made homemade rock candy. It’s a fascinating tutorial – think mini science experiment - and would be so much fun for kids to make.

Inspiration: sweet science

I love these fairy gardens that Shabby Beach Nest made. This one has a little wire chair and a real working water feature.

Inspiration: imagination

 

Our Everyday Art made a baby dress and leggings from an adult t-shirt. The shirred neckline and sleeves are so cute and really finish off the dress.

Inspiration: the little details

 

I am in awe of this diy coral project. Miss Kopy Kat used a variety of artificial greenery and dried floral products to create beautiful coral. Then to kick it up a crafting notch, she used foam in a can to make the brain coral. Beautiful and amazing project.

Inspiration: ingenuity {exclamation point}

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This week’s color inspiration:

yellow

 

1. My Hand Crafted Home

2. The Crafty Scientist

3.  S + H

4. Homespun with Love

If you were in the spotlight, please feel free to grab a button.

<a href=" http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="homework" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXKM4yQr9oUN7GwFux5BITknFYg1so-bdRvyvaBjWBTFrjlH943I7g401-x4gi3eWzlMzyZJjiZUszNBy3GpPcUkBQg_zNqqFY7fpE7ASpwP3nnNI250E6lTch-PcLFuJQzEqyDRYK4Yg/s1600/Featured+Button.jpg" height="125" width="125"/></a>

Thank you again to everyone who linked a project and to everyone who came to visit. I loved looking at all the projects and visiting your sites.

Please come back next week for another link party. Link parties will be held every Tuesday.

Giveaway: ek success

I mentioned last week that the wonderful folks over at EK Success Brands sent me a box of crafting supplies to do with whatever I please. So I definitely want to share my good fortune.

Here’s what’s in the prize package:

• Dimensional stickers, charms and fabric decorations
• A Martha Stewart onesie and cap embroidery kit
• Fabric flower embellishment
• Large gingerbread paper punch
• Adhesive borders
• Cuff bracelet kit
• Halloween stampers and stickers

To enter the contest, all you need to do is follow my blog via Google Friend Connect (on the right sidebar) and leave me a comment. Winner will be drawn from the comments, so you need to leave a comment to be eligible.

• If you’re already a follower, leave me a comment and let me know.
• If you’re not a follower, click the Google Friend Connect button to follow my blog and leave me a comment to let me know you’ve done so.
• For an extra entry, tweet about this giveaway and leave me a comment letting me know.

 The contest will run from Thursday, July 28, 2011 (1:00 a.m. PST) until Thursday, August 4, 2011 (6:00 p.m. PST). I’ll announce the winner on Friday, August 5, 2011.

Contest is open to U.S. residents only (thanks for understanding).



Inkling: Scratch Paper Favors

If you’re planning a wedding, bridal shower or any kind of party, this a budget-friendly favor that you can make.

Save up remnants of white paper or use inexpensive printer paper.  Cut the paper into squares.

Tie your bundle with pretty ribbon or twine. You can match your wedding colors or go all white. I did a white and cream version and a black and white version.

 

I added a crepe paper floral embellishment and a pretty tag.

Having an eco-chic wedding? Recycled paper or junk mail envelopes for your paper source would be fun. For a more formal party or wedding use water color paper or parchment paper. The possibilities are endless with this project.

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This project is linked at the following:

   

Whipperberry

Craft Junkie Too

 And other link parties here.

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Thank you for visiting. Please consider voting for me at

Babble's Top 50 Mom Craft Blogs.

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The Inspiration Board: link party {8}

Welcome to The Inspiration Board link party. Whether you’re linking up a project or stopped by for some inspiration, I want to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog.

A few rules:

• Link up your own projects – something you created.
• Link to a specific post, not your blog home page (No Etsy shops or giveaways).
• Grab a “homework” button and include it somewhere on the post you’re linking, on your home page or a page of link parties. Or, if you prefer, add a text link.
• Follow homework. You’ll find the “Follow via Google Friend Connect” gadget on the right sidebar.

Please take a few minutes to check out some of the beautiful projects and make someone smile with a comment or two.

<a href=" http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="homework" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjSbbA0SOqesA5DHID0I2xl7oOAjtbIFcAeh3DMql6FzRborOFgbaGtPfC36n4P2XimbCewe-uE_YrJzA0JxCjQ_6ifYvJlKf9fw8nFunAdoeuAn-d1hP8_XVPE4ohV3whBUTItFY8TJy/s1600/Homework+Blog+Logo+Square+outline+2-1.jpg" height="125" width="125"/></a>

Etceteras: cranberry glass

I am obsessed with painted glass bottles and jars. I have seen so many beautiful projects lately; simple spray painted bottles, white paint inside of the glass resulting in a milk glass effect and Mod Podge and blue food coloring inside of the glass which makes beautiful sea glass.

I decided to try to make cranberry glass. True cranberry glass is an art and the glass is typically hand blown.  My cranberry glass is made from everyday jars.

I used the Mod Podge method to make these. The amount you need will depend on the size of your jar. To make the largest jar, I used:

• 2 Tbsp of Gloss Lustre Mod Podge
• 1-2 tsp water
• 2 drops blue food coloring
• 3 drops red food coloring

Mix your ingredients and pour into your jar. Swirl the mixture around and continue swirling as you pour the mixture out. Make sure the entire inside of the jar is coated. Most of the tutorials now say to place your jar upside down on newspaper or wax paper and to wipe the opening of the jar every now and then. I found that the Mod Podge pools and makes a huge messy clump around the top of the jar. I came up with these drying racks made out of strawberry baskets.

Note the color of the Mod Podge – as it dries it becomes darker and translucent. I used varying amounts of food color to get the three different colors on my jars.

I embellished the jars because the color wasn’t quite even around the neck of the jar where the Mod Podge dried thicker.  

 

The jars are purely decorative. Because Mod Podge is waterbase, you can’t fill these with water and use them as vases.

Tips: I’ve tried this project a few times and here’s what I’ve learned.

1. Some tutorials say you can use white glue but I found that the Mod Podge works better.
2. The more water you add the more translucent your result will be. Too much water and the glass will not coat evenly.
3. Make sure the inside of the jar is very clean or the Mod Podge will not adhere correctly.
4. Be patient – don’t touch the inside before it’s completely dry. Trust me on this…

And if you’re not happy with your results, soak your jars in water and start over.



The Inspiration Board: link party spotlight {7}

Did you see all the beautiful projects on Tuesday’s Inspiration Board? Thank you to everyone who linked a project and to everyone who came to visit. It’s so fun discovering new sites and creative people. Here are a few in the spotlight this week.

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A super fun Sock Monkey Baby Shower from Giggles Galore n More. Click on over to see all the great party details.

Inspiration: think outside the pink & blue

 

This is so clever. A bag organizer from Arts Crafts n Hobbies. The organizer goes into your bag or purse. I’m forever losing my phone and keys at the bottom of my bag. This would be perfect.

Inspiration: clever organization

 

Pretty crocheted make up bags from Elisabeth Andree. I love the fresh colors and use of crochet to make these.

Inspiration: fresh colors – fresh idea

 

Who would ever have known that this waste basket started as a paint bucket. What a great idea from In My Own Style.

Inspiration:  humble beginnings

 

Sew Home Grown did such a great job on her Anthropology inspired door hanging I couldn’t tell which was the original.

Inspiration: The best of knock-off decor

 

Yummy rice krispie ice cream cones from Cute as a Fox. The cutest part – the cones are miniature. Each cone is only 1-3/4” tall.

Inspiration: bite size creativity

 

High end vanilla extract is super expensive. Cristy Crafty is brewing her own. Made with vanilla beans and vodka, the brew time is six months. Just in time for beautiful, unique holiday gifts.

Inspiration: worth the wait

 

The title of the post is birch, burlap, books & birds. Rustic Crafts combines some of my favorite items to create beautiful décor.

Inspiration: favorite things

 

I’ll Get You My Pretties made this beautiful frame out of leftover bead board. What a great use of leftover materials.

Inspiration: positive negative space

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If you were in the spotlight, please feel free to grab a button.

<a href=" http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="homework" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXKM4yQr9oUN7GwFux5BITknFYg1so-bdRvyvaBjWBTFrjlH943I7g401-x4gi3eWzlMzyZJjiZUszNBy3GpPcUkBQg_zNqqFY7fpE7ASpwP3nnNI250E6lTch-PcLFuJQzEqyDRYK4Yg/s1600/Featured+Button.jpg" height="125" width="125"/></a>

Thank you again to everyone who linked a project and to everyone who came to visit. I loved looking at all the projects and visiting your sites.

Please come back next week for another link party. Link parties are held every Tuesday.

Inkling: ek success and pretty birds

I received the most generous box of crafting supplies from ek success brands. There were paper punches, stampers, paper embellishments, craft kits and so much more. I couldn’t wait to get started using some of the supplies.

I was drawn to these paper embellishments – especially the little birds. Since I don’t scrapbook, I wanted to make something unique with them.

 

 

I started out with some simple tags.

Next, I covered a mini composition book in brown kraft paper and added a dimensional bird sticker. Perfect for jotting down creative ideas or…bird watching notes.

 

More dimensional bird stickers prettied up these match boxes that I covered in blue paper.

The final pieces I made were these little clothes pins.

I added a strip of magnet to the backs so I can use them on my magnetic idea board.

A special thank you to ek success for all the wonderful goodies. In fact, they were so generous that I want to share some of the items with you.
I’ll have more details next week on a fun ek success giveaway.



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Thank you for visiting. Please consider voting for me at

Babble's Top 50 Mom Craft Blogs.

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