Painted Flag T-Shirt

I really wish I had a funny story or words of wisdom to add to this post. But I got nuthin'... SO you get boring old Cheryl. 

This flag shirt came together in less than an hour which is my favorite kind of project. I wasn't going for precision. I wanted it to have a bit of a worn, rustic look. Probably because I was watching Junk Gypsies while making it!!

Materials: Cotton T-shirt // Rit Color Perfect Dye // Painter's Tape // Foam Stars

All the materials except the dye came from Michael's.

Perfect Summer Tote

Meet my new love: Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV). HTV may seem a little intimidating but, let me tell you, it's a cinch!

I worked with Expressions Vinyl to create this Perfect Summer Tote using the Pacific Ocean HTV Pack. It's the perfect mix of blues and just encompasses summer to me.

Materials: HTV Pack c/o Expressions Vinyl // Liquid Rit Dye in Lemon Yellow and Kelly Green // Canvas Tote via Michael's Stores.

Coffee Filter Flower Topiary

Having a craft blog is expensive! I try to keep all of my projects budget-friendly but, even so, it still takes a big chunk of change to post 3 projects a week. This is why I love projects like this topiary. The entire project cost less than $10 to make. Really, probably less than $5 considering I could make multiple topiaries with the materials.

To make the ball I used coffee filters, liquid Rit Dye in Scarlet, a paper lantern, hot glue, and a stapler. The coffee filters and stapler are from Dollar Tree; the lantern and glue are from Michael's; and the dye is c/o Rit Dye.

First, I dyed the filters. This is a super-easy process. I mixed 1/8 cup of liquid dye with 1 cup hot water in a small container. Next, I folded the filters into quarters and dip-dyed them. I did bunches of 10 or so and line-dried them in my shower overnight. I ended up using almost 150 filters.

Wrapped Bangle Bracelets

I have a lot of jewelry. It really borders on the ridiculous, but that never seems to stop me from buying more. I also have a love of color. I was searching through my jewelry chest looking for some colorful bracelets when I came across a large stack of thin metal bangles. Since I have about 30 of them I decided to change a few of them up and create something new.

These bangles are so easy to make. All I needed were bangles (you can use any size and type), embroidery thread (which I already had in my stash from Michael's), and craft glue. And of course a good movie to watch while you make them!

Mixed-Media Collage & Embellished Candle

 

Tonight is one of those nights when everything has gone wrong. I spent 2 hours working on a project I was really excited about only to realize the spacing was off. This, of course, put me in panic-mode and made me very grumpy.

But that just goes to show how quickly a project like this can be put together. From start to finish, both pieces were done in an hour.

I put together this mixed-media collage from some items I had in my crafting stash. I found the keys on clearance for $1 at Michael's. Major score in my opinion! The wording is part of a stamp set and I always have one or two of these burlap panels laying around. The doily came from an antique mall I visited a while back.

First, I glued the doily on the panel. Then I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut a simple label shape out of card stock and added the stamp in the center. Next, I glued on the two keys. I used Weldbond glue for all of this since it works on all mediums.

White-Washed Memo Board

My weekend was full of projects. Some were a success and some weren't (yet!!) This project I consider a success.

This is a simple project with big results. I created a shabby-chic display to organize all those little notes and receipts we all have lying around. Also perfect for displaying photos or cards!

 I was originally going to use chalk paint on the board, but after seeing a project by Gina at Shabby Creek Cottage, I decided to try white-wash instead.

No-Sew T-Shirt Necklace and Pin

Clutter. I can't stand it! My house is fairly clutter-free except in two areas: My shoes and my craft supplies. The shoes? There's no help for that. I am a woman who loves her shoes! 

The crafts? That I can tackle. While I organized, I noticed how many scraps of this and that I had around. I hated the thought of throwing them away so I found a way to use them instead.

To make the necklace I used a t-shirt. I laid it flat, then folded it in half longways. This made it easier to cut strips across the trunk section of the shirt. I continued to cut strips all the way up to the sleeves. I didn't worry about making even, clean cuts since the edges would not show in the end.

Enjoying the Ride (and Photobombing)

Enjoy the ride. We hear that a lot, but what does it mean?

What is the ride? I see it as our journey through life. We maneuver through the twists and bumps along the path. For some, it's straight and even. For others, it's a roller coaster of ups and downs. For most, it's a combination.

But, do we enjoy it? Do we savor the journey? Do we appreciate our spot on the map right now, or do we crane our necks to see around the next turn?

Easy Burlap & Seashell Vase

It has been a busy May for me. I have traveled the last two weekends so I'm looking forward to a quiet long Memorial Day weekend at home. I have some cleaning and crafting planned and a lot of couch sitting and movie watching. I am ready to chill!

Since I'm already in chill mode I wanted to share this super-simple project. I love keeping fresh flowers in my house. They just make it feel happy and cheerful. I stopped by Publix on the way home and grabbed this simple bouquet.

Photo Display Board

I was recently invited to join the Rit Dyesigner Network. This was really exciting for me because it means I learn about the new products coming out more quickly and I'm able to experiment with them. It also means I get to share these fun and new products with you. Win-win!!

Rit Dye can be used for much more than just fabric. One of my favorite uses for it is as a stain for wood. It adds gorgeous color while still allowing the natural beauty of the wood grain to show through.

For this project I used a 12x12 pressed cardboard plaque, a 12x12 piece of glittered scrapbook paper, a scrolled laser-cut plaque, a tiny clothespin, Aqua Blue craft paint, and Kelly Green and Lemon Yellow Liquid Rit Dye. I always find the most beautiful paper from Michael's!!

Easy Painted Picture Frame

My sister's birthday was last week. This weekend we're having a birthday for her. Along with some other surprises I decided to make her this sweet picture frame to remind her that she's not just my sister, she my best friend.

I bought an unfinished wood frame and 2 laser-cut embellishments from Michael's. I used gray and aqua crafts paints.

Rit Dye Stained Jewelry Box

I saw a jewelry box very similar to this on several sites for around $60. When I saw this simple wooden hinged box at Michael's I knew it was the perfect opportunity to try to recreate it and try out Rit Dye as a stain.

My materials included the unfinished wooden box, Liquid Rit Dye in Aquamarine, metallic gold paint, black paint, a wood circle embellishment, a laser-cut scroll embellishment, and small wooden initial.

Easy Stenciled Burlap Place Mats

Still looking for a fun Mother's Day gift? These place mats are a quick and easy project that would make a perfect gift.

I found this laminated burlap a while back at Michael's. I knew it was a cool product but wasn't really sure what to use it for. Then I found one of their free project sheets with a tutorial for the place mats. I had to try it!

Rit Dye Mother's Day Card and Secret Gift

Looking for an awesome Mother's Day card and gift all-in-one? Check out this project posted in my Rit Studio to get the tutorial featuring Rit Dye and Elmer's Gel Glue!

*This post is sponsored by Rit Dye.


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Easy Embellished Gift Tags

So what happens when you take too much non-drowsy cold medicine? You end up wide-awake at 10:00 at night and decide you may as well start on a project! I know we all focus on finding the perfect gift but the wrapping and presentation can make that gift even more special.

When I was shopping at Michael's this weekend I came across this embellishment set in the clearance bin. I thought it would go well with the scrapbook pad I picked up from there a couple weeks ago, also on clearance. The pad and embellishment set combined were less than $6 making each tag just a few cents each! That's my kind of budget.

Burlap-Wrapped Planter

Work has been so busy! I've been getting home late every night and struggling to stay on top of everything I'm supposed to be doing. So where does shopping for gifts fall? Unfortunately, at the very bottom of the list.

Thankfully, I was able to plan ahead a bit so I am somewhat prepared for the craziness with a cute, SIMPLE gift idea.

Hand-painted Tote Bag

Now that Easter has come and gone I've been focusing on Mother's Day gifts. As always, I'm looking for ways to save money and stay budget-conscious, even in my gift-giving. While poking around Pinterest I saw some adorable totes that would be perfect as gifts EXCEPT for the $150 price tag!!! I knew I could create something very similar at a much better price.

I found this tote at Through the Country Door online. They have some really cute home decor and home living items!! I got this tote on sale for $10! The paint and brushes, which I already had, came from Michael's and I used my Silhouette Cameo to create a template for the design.

Last-minute Easter Decorations

What??!! Easter is THIS Sunday? Don't worry. I have some easy, last-minute decorations you can make using items you may already have around the house.

Bunny Silhouette:

Remember this Applique Bunny project? I still had the stencil I used to cut the felt. With a bright green chevron piece of cardstock layered underneath and a burlap canvas from the Spring Chicks project it's a quick and easy piece of artwork. I added a matching green polka-dot bow and it was perfect.

Kid's Craft: Spring Chick

My nieces came to visit over the weekend and I wanted to have something fun for them to do. They are crafty like me so I decided to create a project they could make and take home with them.

Supplies: pink, yellow, white, green, and orange felt; burlap-covered canvas; craft glue, chick and letter templates to trace; and googley eyes. All of my supplies came from Michael's.

I found this Spring Chick template on the Silhouette Online Store site (on sale through April 20!!!). I was going to make it myself at some point but it was perfect for the girls' project.

First, I created templates for the chick and egg by using the Silhouette to cut them out of cardstock.

Rit Dye Watercolor Note Cards

Did you know you could use Rit Dye as watercolor paint? The idea came to mind as I was looking through Pinterest and saw some beautiful watercolor paintings.

I went to Michael's to pick up some watercolor paper and, on the way to the register, I saw a variety of Thank You note cards. The paper looked similar to the watercolor paper so I grabbed them to experiment with.