How to make a mini wreath from a purse handle

Now that 99.9% of the Christmas decorations are packed up and tucked away my thoughts turn to the next holiday to craft for.....that would be Valentine's Day!

 The Crochet Dude has a whole bunch of new tools and supplies out. One of which is a col set of clear plastic purse handles.

I was flipping through the new book Indigo Junction's Fabric Flowers and I spotted this recycled sweater wreath.

So I thought I'd get out my stash of recycled wool felted sweater scraps and see what I could whip up for Valentine's Day using the purse handle as my wreath base.

I simply free form cut out a bunch of randomly sized hearts out of a variety of colors and hot glued them, again randomly, onto the purse handle. I used a strip of sweater that I cut out of a collar section to hang the mini Valentine wreath from my cafe curtain rod. I'm feelin' the love!

If you are like me and like making all sorts of pretty things out of fabric (and recycled wool sweaters) I bet you will love:

Indigo Junction's Fabric Flowers
by
Amy Barickman

More about the book from the publisher Indygo Junction:

"Express your individual style by adding a wink to your wardrobe or room with these beautiful blooms from Indygo Junction s Fabric Flowers. You ll find 25 quick and easy flower projects for wearing, decorating and sharing, with inspiring techniques for the novice to the more advanced creative enthusiast. Recycle your jeans, ties, sweaters and t-shirts, combine cotton prints into one-of-a-kind fashion statements, create painterly effects of needle felting, and play with felt, wools, and silks. 50 fabric variations to spark your creativity are included! From a simple rose created from re-purposed denim jeans to a full wedding bouquet of felted roses, the projects in this book teach traditional techniques and introduce you to flower making short-cut methods, featuring Clover Needlecrafts tools: needle felting tools, Kanzashi Flower Makers, Quick Yo-Yo Makers, Flower Frill Templates and more."

How to make recycled cup glitter votive holders

Christmas=Glitter 

In my book anyway and speaking of books, ReCraft: How to Turn Second-Hand Stuff into Beautiful Things for Your Home, Family and Friends is packed full of awesome recycled crafts like these recycled cup glitter votive holders.
 
They are pretty even without little battery powered votives in them but lit up they are sparkle-tastic!

I followed the easy directions in ReCraft to make the glitter coated cup candle holders.

I would add a note: 2 of the cups I spread the glue on a little too thick and as the glue was drying the weight of the glitter caused the glue to drip and sag down causing openings in the coat of glitter. So spread a very thin even layer of glue on the inside of the cup!

More about the craftastic book from the publisher Frances Lincoln:

ReCraft: 
How to Turn Second-Hand Stuff into Beautiful Things for Your Home, Family and Friends
by
Buttonbag Sara Duchars and Sarah Marks

"In today's thrifty times it is seems right to re-use fabrics and buttons and customize old clothes rather than buying brand new ones. The Buttonbag book is packed with instruction and ideas on how to re-use, re-cycle and re-create fantastic things, thereby transforming old into new.
There are about 40 step-by-step projects for a range of items including items for the home, clothes and accessories for all ages plus patterns, templates and basic techniques. Illustrated with photographs and hand-painted illustrations, the emphasis is on simple, easy-to-make items with a twist."

How to make a Duck Tape Christmas tree shower curtain decoration

Looking for a super easy and BIG decoration? I have just the thing. Make yourself a Duck Tape Christmas tree shower curtain using holiday themed Duck Tape and a technique from the new book Crazy-Cool Duct Tape Projects by Marisa Pawelka.

First up I hung the shower curtain and made 2 small marks as to the top and bottom of where I wanted my tree to be. Then I used the point making technique in Crazy-Cool Duct Tape Projects. I did modify it a bit by making my points a bit longer and random sizes.
 
I layered up the points starting from the outside working my way in toward the center.

 Starting from the top I placed random strips of Duck Tape each a bit longer down the shower curtain.

 I didn't try to keep them perfectly straight. I angled them slightly. If you are like me and like working with Duck Tape you are in luck there are 2 chances to win two prize packs full of Duck Tape, scissors and books over at Craft Gossip and Craftside.

How to make a Thanksgiving place setting

This Thanksgiving place setting was inspired by my almost complete lack of fall colored home decor. I was flipping through the new book Super-cute Felt and the squirrel coaster just screamed cute (go figure!) and perfect for Thanksgiving. I have a "new" old vintage Formica table and I didn't want to cover it with a table cloth so placemats needed to be made. One of my only Thanksgiving decorations is my recycled wool felted sweater turkey you see in the background.

 
So first up I traced the super cute squirrel in the pattern section of Super-cute Felt. Cut out the pattern pieces and then cut 2 of each squirrel and 2 mirror images from a fuzzy felt.

Then I glued each pair together with Tacky Glue leaving the bottom area free of glue so I could put a weight in the bottom. I ended up using 2 floral marbles. For the acorns I cut one acorn body and 2 lids. I glued them together sandwiching the bottom between the lids.

To make the pumpkin placemats I grabbed a large piece of tracing paper and one of my plates to sketch out the size of the pumpkin so it would look nice with the size of my plates.

 After I sketched the pumpkin out on the paper I cut it out and then pinned the pattern to the felt.

After I cut out the pumpkin I used a Sharpie to draw in the inner lines and the parameter. I also added a green stem. Pretty darn easy and fast!

More about  Super-cute Felt from Cico Books:

 Super-cute Felt
by
 Laura Howard

"With 35 simple yet striking projects, Super-cute Felting is a must-have book for anyone with an appreciation of adorable, hand-crafted objects. Start with the 'Accessories' chapter, packed with pretty brooches, necklaces and scarves to keep you warm and snug - try the cute kitty purse that is sure to delight any little girl. 'Gifts' is next, with plenty of inspirational ideas, such as the fruity pincushion that any keen crafter will use again and again. In 'Homewares', you will find coasters, tea cosies and hot water bottle covers, all with a touch of vintage glamour. Finally, 'Celebrations' has unique decorating ideas for all the holidays, including Christmas, Halloween and Easter. There are projects for all skill levels, so you don't have to be an old hand in order to create something really special. Every design comes complete with clear step-by-step instructions and illustrations to guide you through each step. And at the back is a helpful techniques section explaining all the stitches and skills required, plus tips and tricks to make your creations really stand out."

Thanksgiving "Be Thankful" banner

I am most assuredly on the banner bandwagon. Here is my latest creation. It is made from scraps of fall colored felt. Feel free to download the letter template that spells out "Be Thankful" and make one yourself!

For the triangle pennants I folded a piece of felt in half lengthwise and cut it from the bottom fold point to the outside top corner.
Enlarge the letters to be about 6.5 inches.
Trace letters and cut them out of contrasting felt.
I used Tacky Glue to stick them on the pennants.