Zebra Decoupage Candle Holders

Here is another project I worked on over the weekend, to bring to my next craft fair. I have one of my oldest friends to thank for all the zebra print tissue paper that I am able to create with. Her wedding shower was almost a year ago and I'm still going strong:

 

These candle holders were created with tissue paper, Modge Podge and pink sequins. I sell them with flameless LED tealights so they are safe for houses with little kids.

I have another set of glasses like this but I'm not quite sure what to do with them yet...

Tile Coasters - Part II

I made the rookie mistake of leaving the grout on too long but the good news is that it will still come off. The bad news is that the scrubbing may take another day or so. 

Here is one of each of the finished coaster sets. When I'm done, I will have 2 sets of 4 of each color to bring with me to the Maple Fest craft fair in a couple of weeks.

 

Off to do a bit more scrubbing while I watch the Oscars - so far, the scrubbing is more entertaining although James Franco just came out in a dress so things could change!

Tile Coasters - Part I

Inspired by the ease of the new back splash that my hubby and I installed, I decided to use the tile mats from Home Depot to attempt some fun coasters, perfect for those upcoming spring nights on the deck. And after the snow we had in New England last night, we are all looking forward to Spring!

Here are my supplies, as seen in the picture: 

• Tiles - any size, any style (the ones I used are 1x1 inch, already spaced - from Home Depot $4.99, in blue & brown)

• Tile setting mat - sticky plastic to hold the tile in place

• Cork board - this should be sturdy, as it will be the base of the coaster

• Grout - any color, feel free to experiment

• Float - to spread the grout (these can be found at Home Depot)

• Sponge - to clean off groat after is has dried 

Not shown:

• Scissors 
• Table covering
• Plastic gloves 

I'm letting the grout set on these this afternoon and I should have time to clean them tonight to see the final results. I'm guessing there will be some sanding involved along the sides but I'm hoping it's not too bad. Here are some production pictures until then...

Babycakes Book Recommendation

This book has been out for a few years but it's still one of my favorites.

The Big Ass Book of Crafts

by Mark Montano

My husband surprised me with this book - it's full of interesting and inspiring ideas for the home and for gifts. 

One of the projects I tried was the silhouette painting. I used a clear glass plate, black acrylic paint and gold spray paint. Try experimenting with different colors and silhouette shapes. Here is one of my finished plates:

I taped the picture to the front of the plate, traced the silhouette with a black paint pen and then filled in the design with black acrylic paint. Once that dries, hold it up to the light to make sure the black paint covers all of the design, if the design is complete, cover the back with spray paint in light layers, until you get the desired effect. 

Have a great weekend - happy crafting!

Make Your Own Coffee Cozy

Coffee cozies are becoming a popular craft, especially with those who take their coffee drinking seriously - like me! There are many unique and fun cozies on Etsy if you are interested in purchasing one for yourself or as a gift. 

If you would like to make one, fear not - you don't need to know how to knit to make this fun weekend craft project. (Maybe I'll put knitting on my craft bucket list...maybe)

You can also use felt, old sweaters, corduroy, flannel, etc. Here are some examples to inspire you:

• If you do know how to knit, The Caffeinated Crafter has a simple pattern for this cute cozy

 

• For those looking for a simple way to make a cozy, check out some great No-Sew ideas from All Things Heart and Home. You'll want to bookmark some of the winter ideas for next holiday season.

• For all those crafters in-between, the Family Frugal Fun Blog has a fun, easy tutorial on how to make a coffee cozy from an old sweater. Some stitching is required.

Happy Crafting!

New Project - Decoupage Bracelets

I've been wanting to try a couple decoupage bangle bracelets for some time now, using both fabric and paper materials. I tried a long time ago by wrapping decorative ribbon around the bracelets and securing it with tacky glue but it just didn't have the effect I was looking for. I'm hoping to work on three of these this weekend. 

Here are my supplies, as seen in the picture:

• Plastic or wooden bangle bracelets - I found these on clearance at Old Navy - check Michaels also

• Assorted materials - I'm not sure what mediums I'll use for this first attempt

• Magazine pictures
• Tissue paper
• Cotton fabric

• Scissors

• Modge Podge - goes on white but dries clear 

I'll be posting the results by the end of the weekend - I would love to have a few of these to sell at my next show, although I have a feeling I'll be keeping at least one for my own spring wardrobe.

Follow me on Twitter: @babycakescrafts

Welcome to the Babycakes Craft Blog

Welcome to the Babycakes Crafts blog. I'm hoping to use this space to announce craft show dates, show project guides and communicate with other crafters. 

Please feel free to leave comments - let me know what you'd like to see or send questions if you have them. 

I enjoy crafting & the creating process - so even though my sewing skills could use some perfecting, I hope you will keep up with me in the days ahead and maybe we can learn from each other.

Namaste

Follow me on Twitter: @babycakescrafts

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