4 Easy Heat Transfer Vinyl Projects

1. Graphic Tanks 

2. Summer Tote

3. Tea Towels 

4. Graphic Tee

Personalized Tea Towels

I'm posting late because I had a busy weekend of errands, housecleaning, and Vacation Bible School decorating.

I want to share these fun tea towels I made. While shopping at Ross I found a set of 4 tea towels with a red stripe for only $2.99. I am all about a bargain!! I still had 2 red sheets of heat transfer vinyl (HTV) from a bundle pack I bought from Expressions Vinyl so I knew exactly what to do with them.

Au Revoir Graphic Tee

I am loving the graphic tees that are so popular right now. When you can make them yourself it's even more fun because the possibilities are endless.

One of the advantages of being crafty is that when I see something I like I can make it. And usually I can make it for a fraction of the price. As I took my daily stroll through the photos on People.com I saw this t-shirt worn by Kate Bekinsale and my daily mantra of "I can make that!" ran through my head. The shirt she has on is $78. I made mine for less than $5!

Source: People.com

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.

Kids Craft: Red, White, & Blue Flower Headband

One of my favorite things to do with my nieces is crafts. It's a love we have in common and a special way to bond. We had a craft day while I was home visiting for Father's Day and made these adorable Red, White, & Blue Felt Flower Headbands.

As always, I try to keep my projects budget-friendly. We were able to make 4 headbands for less than $10.

Materials:
1 sheet each of red, white, and blue felt (only .29 cents at Michael's!!)
Clear Gemstones
Elastic Headband
Craft Glue
White Foam Sheet (Optional)

Silhouette Sketching

 

Today is a blah, headachy kind of day for me. You know that kind of day, right? I'm totally unmotivated to do even the smallest things. So rather than a tutorial, I thought I would just share with you a few sketches I have done while playing around with my Silhouette Cameo.

While I consider myself creative, I am not particularly artistic. My drawing abilities are along the lines of a preschooler. To have the ability to "draw" whatever I want using the Silhouette makes me supremely happy.

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.

Tie-Dyed Graphic Tees

Summer is here and that means it's time for cool and comfy clothing. But this doesn't mean you have to do without style. Tie-Dye is everywhere in stores and online but the prices can be outrageous.

I decided to make a couple t-shirts myself. This way I could customize the entire process from the color of the shirt and tie-dye method, all the way through to the design. And it was much more budget-friendly this way too!

To see the full tutorial, go to my Rit Studio page here.

**This post was sponsored by Rit Dye**

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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.

Dad, Daddy, Father, Pop - This is for you.

Dads, Daddies, Fathers, Pops. The names vary by country, region, or even decade. The men the names represent, however, are universal.

Not in occupation. Some are story-tellers; some work with their hands; some mold lives as teachers.

Not in recreation. Some coach sports; some create; some fish.

Not in life. Some are single-parents; some struggle just to make ends meet; some have the house with a white-picket fence and two-car garage.

Tiny Dancers, Twirlers, and Flower Cupcakes

Scene 1:

My older niece's dance recital was today. My younger niece and other family members and friends filled the row. We waited for my niece to take the stage.

I sat in a sea of moms, dads, grandparents, siblings, and friends. I knew when she stepped out on stage, everyone would disappear but her. I'd wait breathlessly through pirouettes and leaps. My heart would swell with each step of her dances.

She wouldn't see us, although her eyes would scan the audience. She knows we're there. That's enough.

 Scene 2:

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!