With my twelve mini canvases I created a personalized folding name plaque for my daughter’s room.  I added hinges to the plaque to allow it to completely folded-up.  These little canvases would make a wonderful personalized birthday gift or Christmas gift, as well!

Materials Needed:

• Darice Mini Canvas 2.5in x 3.5in Item #980-25×35
• Darice Brass Hinges Item # 9142-18
• Liquitex Basic Acrylic Paint

Instructions:

1. I first began by adding a coat of paint to the small little mini canvases.  I used a different color for each canvas.  I then let the canvases dry.

2. Next, I added black lettering to the canvases.  I personalized each canvas with a painted letter from my daughter’s name.  I had a few canvases that I left blank.

3. Once the canvases were completely dry I began to add the hinges to sides.  To make the canvases fold I added hinges to the front and back alternating as I went.  I did NOT pre-drill the holes the screws that come with the hinges were able to easily grab and hold to the sides of the canvases without any problems.

4. I added hinges to all of the canvas and placed the canvas art on a shelf in my daughter’s room.  She loves her personalized mini canvas art!

Hi! Vicki here, I posted this project on my blog quite a while ago and thought I’d share it with our Crafts Unleashed readers too.  This is a great craft for day camps, summer camps, art camp or VBS for the older girls in the group. Remember that small  beads post a choking hazard so keep them away from the “littles”.

Here are some of the Supplies you might use:

• 1990-05 Memory Wire Bracelet – Silver
• 1990-04 Memory Wire Bracelet – Gold
• 04651 Pearls Round White – 6mm
• 04323 Pearls Round White – 5mm
• 04322 Pearls Round White – 4mm

Memory Wire bracelets have to be THE EASIEST piece of jewelry to make and probably the easiest piece to WEAR as well. I especially like them for girls and older women because there is no clasp.

I used round nose pliers to round one end of the memory wire. The coils of wire are pretty long and you can cut it off to make the bracelet as long/short as you like. Just remember to have separate wire cutters for cutting memory wire as it is very strong and will dull the cutters you use for fine wire.

Also, you can put a dab of jewelry glue at the end of the wire to hold the first bead on OR there are also screw on ends for memory wire. I just turn the wire and make sure that the ends are smooth and even so that it won’t catch on a sweater.

I randomly added beads until the wire was full and I curled the other end. Easy Peasy.

Great stocking stuffer, last minute gift and a great accessory for the flower girl in a wedding too!

When I got married, I had a simple wedding which I planned entirely myself with the help of a couple of my best friends.  It was very small, held right at sunset in the beautiful back yard of some great friends, and catered by a local Italian restaurant.

But since I did do everything myself for my own wedding, from the table centerpieces to the cake decorations, coming up with a table number idea to go along with this week’s Royal Wedding Craft-a-long was a snap for me!  With just a few supplies, you, too, can create your own beautiful table numbers!

Supplies needed:

• Silver Bell Place Card Holder & Favor
• Cricut Cartridge Tie the Knot
• Sheer Rosebud Pick w/Rhinestone – Coral
• Victoria Lynn White Hydrangea Pick
• Faceted Mixed Bead Cluster white
• K&Co Que Sera Sera paper pad
• Core’dinations Cardmaker Series Pearls – pearly white
• Sparkle tulle – ivory
• Glue Glider Pro
• hot glue gun

First, pick out a sheet of paper from the Que Sera Sera paper pad which coordinates with the coral colored rosebud picks.  Using your Cricut and the Tie the Knot cartridge, cut the “toast” card at 5.5″.  Save the champagne glasses which the machine cuts out of the card, as you will use them in a future step.  Then, use the same cartridge with a sheet of the Pearls cardstock to cut the table number circle monogram at 3″.  At this point, this is what you should have:

Cut "toast" card at 5.5", and table number monogram at 3"

Next, cut a 2.5″ circle of the white cardstock (with scissors – doesn’t have to be perfect), and cover it with adhesive using the Glue Glider Pro.  Using the sparkle tulle, begin forming loops or petals, sticking them down in the center on the circle of cardstock, and letting the loops hang off the edge of the cardstock by about one inch.  Go all the way around the circle, forming a complete circle.  Use a hot glue gun to glue the center down at the end, as well as any other pieces of tulle which aren’t staying down.

Use Glue Glider Pro and hot glue gun to form tulle "flower"

Then, use the hot glue gun to glue the number monogram onto the tulle flower, and the champagne flutes onto the monogram.  Finally, glue the entire piece onto the card base.

Use hot glue gun to glue all layers together

Go ahead now and insert the card into the bell place card holder.

Next, make a small bouquet, using three of the coral-colored rosebuds, two of the coral-colored leaves, and two of the white hydrangeas.  I used a bit of clear scotch tape just to hold them together temporarily…once you have the bouquet arranged satisfactorily, use the hot glue gun to attach the bouquet to the front of the table number.  *Note: once you do this, you will no longer be able to remove the card from the bell.*  Then, using sharp scissors or floral cutters, trim the wires from the stems as close as you can to the base of the bouquet.

Make small bouquet using coral rosebuds and white hydrangeas

Use hot glue gun to attach bouquet to table number card

Cut off a couple pieces of wired beading from the bead garland.  Use hot glue to attach them – one along the side of the card, and one into the bouquet.

Use hot glue to attach wired beads to card and bouquet

Finish it off with a piece of the sparkle tulle tied around the top of the bell, to help hide the stems from the bouquet, and your table number is finished!

Tie a piece of sparkle tulle around top of bell to hide stems

To add to the festivities, this little bell even rings, so guests can pick it up and ring it to encourage a little smooch between the new wedded bride and groom!  The champagne glasses on the monogram and card will remind guests to ring the bell and to make a toast!

Ring the bell for a kiss, or make a toast!

I hope you enjoy this week’s wedding festivities!!

Disclosure

Editor’s Note: This week, we’re celebrating the upcoming Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton by featuring some wedding crafts! Each designer is bringing their “royal best” to the table with crafts that will inspire you to craft along with us!

A few weeks ago I showed you how to use recycled fabric to make shabby-chic flowers. Today, I’m going to show you how a few of  these blooms and some pearly accents can transform a standard guest book into a personalized centerpiece.

You’ll need:

• Victoria Lynn Guestbook
• Fabric scraps from the bridal and bridesmaid’s alterations
• Felt for the flower bases
• Flower stamens and/ or Jewels f
• Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
• scissors

Start by making flowers using the tutorial I shared with you here. I used 3 small ones (based on felt circles the size of a quarter), 3 medium ones, and 4 large ones. Next, I took the pearl stamens and cut them in half. Hot glue them to the back of the large and medium flowers.

Add varying lengths for interest & texture.

Next, prep your guestbook. I wasn’t digging the heart embellishment, so I carefully cut the plastic bar that held it to the tulle. (There was some glue, too, but it pulled away easily. I decided to leave the tulle. It added a little more interest.

Victoria Lynn Guestbook "Before"

Start hot gluing your fabric rosettes in a diagonal pattern, from upper left to lower right. Place the large rosettes first, then fill in with the medium-sized ones, then the smallest ones to fill in the empty spaces.

That’s it. It took me about an hour to make my flowers, and only 20 minutes to prep the book and glue it all together. Now isn’t this nicer that just a plain, white book? And come to think of it, you could whip up one of these in your graduate’s school colors for graduation open houses and parties…or baby showers… well, just about anything.  Have fun!

Full directions are on my CraftTestDummies blog… but here’s the supply list. You can get the supplies for less at ConsumerCrafts.com!

• Armor Etch Cream
• Craft Vinyl
• palette knife
• painter’s tape
• Scallop Punch
• Cricut
• Font cartridge of choice or a monogram sticker

To make mine, I used the Cricut to cut my monogram…but you could use a sticker if you have one handy. Or don’t use a monogram at all….maybe use a pretty flourish or fleur-de-lis; whatever fits your decor.

I also etched the bottom of the glass to indicate my “fill-line”- this is great for tasting parties or for folks on a diet. Fill to the etched line, and you know you’ve had enough!

I think these would make darling hostess, housewarming, or wedding gifts, too. What would YOU use them for? We’d love to hear your ideas!

I wanted to make my daughter some special hair bows for her first day of school.  I started by lining two snap clips with 3/8” grosgrain ribbon.

How to line snap clips:

1. First begin by hot gluing the 3/8″ wide ribbon to the end of the snap clip.  Place the ribbon onto the top of the snap clip and hot glue it in place.

2. Wrap the ribbon tightly around one side of the snap clip.  Hot glue the ribbon onto the clip to hold it in place.

3. Next, wrap the ribbon around the point of the snap clip, got glue and pinch the ribbon together.  Bring the ribbon around to the other side.

4. Wrap the other side of the snap clip tightly and hot glue the ribbon end.  Make two matching snap clips.

5. Using the Hair Bow Tool and Ruler’s interactive CD  follow the simple instructions to make a Quad Pinwheel Bow using 7/8″ wide Grosgrain Ribbon and add a small Boutique Bow using the same 3/8′ wide ribbon that you lined the snap clips with.

6. Make two matching bows using the Mini Bowdabra, Hair Bow Tool and Ruler, and Bowdabra Bow Wire.

Trim away extra Bowdabra Bow Wire, hot glue a finishing ribbon onto the bows, and then hot glue the bows onto the metal ends of the lined snap clips.

Make several bows using different colored ribbon to match your daughter’s outfits.

Use the Hair Bow Tool and Ruler interactive CD to make loads of different styled bows, even the hard to make baby bows. The interactive CD gives step-by-step instructions for hair bow making from start to finish. Learn how to attach bows to alligator clips, combs, hair elastics, and headbands.   Follow the easy tutorials for finishing the bows with ribbon, finishing knots, beads, even buttons!

Visit our sponsor Consumer Crafts to purchase the Mini Bowdabra, the Hair Bow Tool and Ruler which fits over the Mini Bowdabra and comes with the comprehensive Hair Bow Making Interactive CD, and lastly the Bowdabra Bow Wire to hold your bow tightly together.

Related Articles:

Bowdabra Products on Consumer Crafts

Materials Needed:

• 170140 14 inch green metal wreath form
• 0682-10 12×22 mm asst color baby pacifier beads
• 2912-91 6 in pink tulle
• BOW2200 Bowdabra Hair Bow Tool and Ruler
• BOW3060 Bowdabra silver wire or Yellow Curling Ribbon
  
• 2972-93-03 2.5 inch pink sheer organza ribbon (1 piece pkg)
• Infant diapers

Instructions:

1. Begin by gathering all your materials you will need for this project.  All of the materials can easily be purchased at Consumer Crafts, excpet for the infant diapers.  Chose size 1 infant diapers, pay close attention to the design of the diapers.  You don’t want any colors and designs that will clash with your wreath theme.

2. Next, cut a piece of either Bowdabra Bow Wire or curly ribbon about 36″ long and fold it in half and place it into the center of the Bowdabra.  I chose to use curling ribbon because I though the yellow would stand out more on the wreath but Bowdabra Wire will work just, as well.

3. Place the 6″ tulle down into the center of the Bowdabra in an accordion like fashion.  You will need approximately 36″ of tulle.

4. Cut the ribbon away from the ribbon spool and scrunch down with your Bowdabra Wand.  Next, thread the two ends of the curling ribbon through the loop that was formed when you folded it in half. 

5. Pull the curling ribbon tightly and lift the bow out of the Bowdabra.  Bring the curling ribbon around the back of the bow and tie. 

6. Tie the tulle bow to the center of the metal wreath frame. 

7. Fold an infant diaper by bringing the top to the center and the bottom to the center.  Tie the diaper in place with curling ribbon. 

8. Attach the cute little pacifier beads to the curling ribbon.  Next, run scissors over the curling ribbon to make it curl.  Or when using the Bowdabra Bow Wire just twist the wire around a pencil, it holds its shape easily.

9. Make several of these diaper bows and attach them to the metal wreath.

10. Lastly, using the Bowdabra make a large loopy bow and attach it to the top of the Baby Shower Diaper Wreath.

This diaper wreath is very easy to make and even easier to take apart.  After the baby shower just cut away either the curling ribbon or Bowdabra Bow Wire and diapers are ready to use.

Related Articles:

Bowdabra Products on Consumer Crafts

Mini Bowdabra Review and How to Make a Loopy Bow

Disclosure

For the one above I took my Simply-Sprayed onesie, then free-handed a little purple flower using a Dritz Disappearing Ink Pen. (These literally vanish with a squirt of water!) Then I used some Tulip Crystals Fabric Paints to draw and fill in my flower. Of course, if you aren’t into free-handing a design, you can always use a stencil from Consumer Crafts! Or, you could tie-dye your onesie and then apply an iron-on on top. Cute!

You can also make your own stencil using the Cricut. If you’ve been following our Baby Week projects, you’ll see how I cut tags using the New Arrival cartridge for the Pretzel Rod Snacks. I just selected the “circle” function key, pressed the “rattle” image, and then resized it to be 3 inches. I used the circle cut-out as a stencil: I just placed it on my plain onesie, then sprayed over top.

When it was dry, I flipped it over and sprayed the back to match.

I would recommend making 3 snapsuits in different sizes and then boxing them up as gift- that way, when the baby outgrows one size, there’s another he or she can wear!

Have fun!

Disclosure

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Everyone wants to wish the momma-to-be and her baby all the best! And some folks like to wish for a boy or a girl. Either way, these white-chocolate-covered pretzel rods make a fun and sweet party favor or party snack everyone will drool over!

You’ll need:

• MM9830 Make-n-Molds Candy Melter
• White Chocolate Candy Melts (available at your grocery store or onConsumerCrafts.com September thru March)
• Pretzel Rods
• Pink or Blue Sanding sugar (optional)
  
• 1405-031 Baby Pretzel Rod treat bags
• 1638-33 Silver Twist Ties
  

And if you’d like to keep with our theme, you can make the optional tags:

• GX-VCRMS-12 Vintage Collection Retro Mod Core’Dinations cardstock (my favorite!)
• PV29-0222 Cricut New Arrival Cartridge
• PV29-0300 Cricut Expression electronic die cutting machine
• AMT62181 Mono Aqua Liquid Glue
• RITIM19527 Vintage Photo Distress ink pad

Making the candied pretzel rods is easy! Just set your Candy Melter to “melt” mode, pour in your White Chocolate Candy Melts, and let them melt thoroughly, stirring occasionally.

Place a pretzel rod in the melting pot, and, using a spoon, ladle the melted candy over 2/3rds of the rod. Coat evenly, then tap off the extra  gently.

Lay the candied rod on a piece of wax paper, and sprinkle with sanding sugar or edible sprinkles as desired. Just make sure you add your sprinkles before the candy starts to cool and set up.

When they are completely cool and firm to the touch, slide them into the little baby feet baggies. Make sure you put the design of the baggie on the bottom, so you can see your pretty handmade nummies! Secure with the silver twist ties.

Now, if you’ve been following along on the other Baby Week posts and saw Lisa’s Centerpiece Candle or my Baby Card, you know we’ve been using the Cricut and the New Arrivals cartridge to make some cute, vintage-y items. If you want to carry it through to your party favors, just cut a rattle image after selecting the “circle” function button. (I set mine at 1 1/2 inches.) Then cut a “charm” with the Shadow function button depressed (also at 1 1/2 inches) and layer using some liquid glue.  They are so stinkin’ cute!

So here are some ways you can use them at your shower:

• If you don’t know the gender  of the baby, make both pink and blue. Then have the attendees choose what color they are “wishing” for, like a straw poll!
• If you DO know the gender, pass a basket with the treats around and, as each participant takes one, have them make a special “wish” for the Mommy, baby, or family. Like, “I wish you an easy delivery,” or “I wish the baby has blue eyes.”
  
• If it’s a seated event, use these as place cards and put the guests’ name on the back of the charm. Leave the treat on the plate so they can find their place to sit.
• Leave them in a pretty basket as “thank you” favors!
• Or make a dozen and bring them to the new family with your “warm wishes” when they get back from the hospital. (This goes over BIG if there are big brothers and sisters around, too! )
  

Any way you choose to use them, they will be a tasty and fun treat for all!

Disclosure

You’ll need:

• KC623132 K and Company paper pad, Cut N Paste
• GX-VCRMS-12 Vintage Collection Retro Mod Core’Dinations cardstock (my favorite!)
• PV29-0222 Cricut New Arrival Cartridge
• PV29-0300 Cricut Expression electronic die cutting machine
• AMT62181 Mono Aqua Liquid Glue
• RITIM19527 Vintage Photo Distress ink pad
• GD12296 1/2 inch Glue Dots 3D

Measure and cut a piece of Cut ‘N Paste cardstock 6 1/4 inches by 4 3/4 inches. Adhere to the front of your card blank with glue and then distress the edges with your Distress ink pad to make it look more vintage-y. Then, using scissors, cut some of the baby block printed paper. Also distress the edges and then layer it on top of the patterned paper.

The patterned paper is 2-sided, so just flip the pieces over to get a contrasting look!

Next, cut your baby rattle using the New Arrival cart & your Cricut. Size the image to 4 inches and cut the rattle and layers from your patterned cardstock. Then cut a shadow image (also 4 inches, it will resize it for you) from red Core’Dinations cardstock. Layer all the pieces and adhere using the liquid glue. When it’s set, flip it over and attach 3-D glue dots to make it pop off of the page!

Cut the Glue Dots to fit.

Mount your rattle embellishment to the lower left side of the card front.

Cut “Congratulations” from red cardstock (the textured side), then flip the paper over and cut the shadow image from the plain side. This, my friends, is why we love 2-sided cardstock! Adhere the layers together and then mount to the upper right side of the card front.

Inside of my card: finish yours however you like!

To finish off the inside of the card, I simply cut another piece of patterned paper the same size as the front and glued it down after inking the edges to distress them. I cut one extra baby block, inked up those edges, too, and attached it in the lower left hand corner. (I chose the “girl” block because this card is going to a baby girl.) Then I cut a few leftover pieces of patterned paper and layered them, doing my distressing mojo to them as well. Lastly, I used some of the leftover layers and embellishments from the baby rattle layers to add a bit of interest. You can skip this step entirely, if you wish.

Have fun crafting!

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