Made Today: Crochet Baby Crowns

2 Mar

Hello Makers! Happy March :)

Today I heard on the radio that March is National Craft Month – Pretty exciting! So, I had a little time on my hands and cranked out something special.

Recently, a dear friend of mine gave birth to her first child. She requested a little something special for her lovely new princess – And here’s what I made!

InfantCrown

Using the tutorial from Little Rays of Sunshine, I adjusted the center peak to be triple crochets instead of double to give it a little more height. I hope the little lady loves it! Happy Making :) 

jesssig

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DIY: Painting Furniture

4 Feb

If you’re like me and you need to personalize every single thing you own, painting furniture is an easy way to infuse your household environment with personality.

Let’s start with this practical, boring chair that I found by a dumpster.

Before: Boring! Zzz

Free: Good for your wallet and the planet.

{I forgot to take pictures, but the procedure was fairly simple. Bear with me.}

I wanted to create a random, horizontal stripe pattern using different shades of green paint. I marked opposite sides of the seat using a pencil in 2cm increments and used masking tape to create the stripe borders, then filled in with paint. Once all the stripes were done, I applied three coats of matte varnish.

Here’s a close-up of the finished seat:

So hip!

Not too shabby.

For the insignificant cost of craft acrylic paint and some varnish, I turned a dumpster find into an eye-catching accent chair. If you want to give furniture painting a whirl, I suggest checking out Craigslist for curb alerts!

Another angle.

Feast your eyes!

      Happy painting! :-)

     Haters gonna hate, potatoes gonna potate.

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DIY: Library Card Book Plates

5 Jan

One day I hope to have a personal library to rival Belle’s (you know… the beauty from Beauty and the Beast). Walls covered in literature, stacks of novels and biographies. Ahh, just thinking of it makes my heart happy. As any book nerd knows, it is important to claim ownership of your beloved books. I was on the search for book plates (think name tags for books) to put on the inside cover of my books. I was unable to find a variety I was happy with (that didn’t cost an arm and a leg), so I dug through my bag of crafty tricks and came up with this little project.

I was so pleased with how these turned out, I made a bunch for some friends of mine as gifts. These are super easy to make and cost nearly nothing if you’ve already built your own craft supply arsenal as I have.

There are two ways to tackle this project. I went for the technology route and added my name using an image editing program. However, the low-tech method is just as easy!

Library Card Book Plates

Materials:

Blank library card template – You may use mine :) librarycardblank

(You can find many via Google, I found mine years ago and edited it for my liking.Unfortunately, I no longer know where the original was posted, but I have edited it quite a bit to make it my own. Please contact me if you recognize this as your own, I will gladly give credit)

Cardstock

Alphabet stamps/ink

Tacky Glue

*****

Print the template onto heavy cardstock – Use fun colors! White works, but why not go crazy with colors?! In Windows, you can print the image multiple times on one sheet. Here’s how I did it:

bookplatediy

Cut out each book plate. I have a paper cutter that cuts straight lines… I LOVE IT. Aside from my bone folder and X-acto knife, it’s my favorite craft tool.

DSCN7391 DSCN7392

Using your alphabet stamps, simply stamp out the owner’s name in the space provided.

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Bundle up the finished product, and done! To secure these into your books, Tacky Glue works, as does double-sided tape.

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Alternatively, you can go for the high-tech method. Using your image editing software (I use Paintshop Pro), open the template and create a new text layer. Simply type in the owner’s name and print. Voila! Done-zo. The font I use is called Traveling Typewriter. Google it, it’s easy to find.

Write whatever you’d like in the space below the owner’s name. If these are for your books, keep track of who has borrowed them; record when you’ve read and reread the book; make mention of when and where you purchased the book. If these are for a gift, write a message to the person who will be receiving them. You can even give a book with one of these cute bookplates already affixed inside!

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The best part about this project is that you can make TONS of these cards quickly! If you have as many books as I do, that will be a life saver. Enjoy!

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jesssig

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Flea Market Project – Key Necklace

17 Apr

I am a big fan of flea markets. What red-blooded craft junkie isn’t?! I am a pretty lucky duck in that I live in the same town as a very neat flea market. Each Saturday and Sunday the flea market is buzzing with shoppers and vendors. Some vendors sell mass-produced low quality clothing or questionable electronics. Other vendors are people who have cleaned out their basement and are looking to get rid of a bit of what they consider to be trash. This is where the treasure is…

A few weeks ago, I walked the flea market with my mom with a goal in mind. I wanted to find some keys. I’ve been seeing skeleton keys all over Etsy and Pinterest – but most of them were replicas made in some far off nation looking to recapture the elegance that once was function. When I see a skeleton key, I think of the ring of keys my Grandma has in her Victorian home. For her, these keys have been collected over years of garage sale hunting and antique shop adventuring. Her keys are used to open doors and curio cabinets that were locked for decades. If a key didn’t fit, it would be added to the key ring and filed away and the hunt for the right key would continue. Now it’s my turn to start collecting.

Mom and I walked up and down the aisles at the flea market; it was a beautiful day and I knew I’d find at least one vendor would have a couple loose keys to sell. I found some other neat things along the way, but keys were hard to find. Finally, we happened upon an older gentleman with a table filled with old bits and pieces. A small plastic bowl held what I had been searching for – KEYS!

There were big keys, small keys, rusted keys, keys that still held a little shine, keys that were ornate, and keys that looked like they came right out of a dungeon. I talked to him for a little while and he told me that he had collected the keys over the years and most of them were probably older than he was. He even had one key – a large, rusted, utilitarian style key – that had come from an old jail cell. Made in America, he said! The real deal! Just what I had been looking for. He told me the smaller keys were usually from cabinets, desks, and other pieces of furniture, while the larger keys were to doors. Good to know! I fished through the dish and picked out about a dozen keys to take home.

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What a score! I am so happy with my find! Fiddling with these keys, examining their unique bits of rust and wear, you can really appreciate how old they are and it’s hard not to wonder what doors and locked drawers they’ve been separated from for so long. A few keys will make their way into some crafty projects – but I feel that some will end up on my own key ring – you never know when there will be a door that needs opening!

Skeleton Key Jewelry by FrostedTreats

Keys with a new life

Enjoy!

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Make Today: Happy Valentine’s Day

14 Feb

Happy Valentine’s Day, Makers!

Regardless of your current marital status, I promise there are tons of people you love who need some appreciation today. Family, Friends, Pets, etc. There are also tons of different ways to express your appreciation for those wonderful folks! If you’re like me, you’ve been eyeing up printables and other DIY Valentine’s projects… Remember our printable mailbox from last year?

This year I’ve once more taken to making my own Valentines. A little more two-dimensional, but still pretty awesome. I was inspired by the easy to follow tutorial from the Jones Design Company blog and set to work creating my own fake calligraphy. This card was made using some kraft cardstock and a pen and ink set.

outside: “Romeo & Juliet…”

Even someone with the most atrocious penmanship (ahem, me.) can dress up their handwriting. A steady hand and patience is key, trust me.

inside: “Are a couple of punks compare to my Mom & Dad”

My parents got a good chuckle out of this one ;)

I know it’s been a little quiet on the misc*makers front lately – but that doesn’t mean we aren’t busy little bees. Keep your eyes peeled for more easy projects to tackle.

Enjoy :)

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Pin’d: After the Vino is Finished

7 Aug

I’ve recently fallen in love with the online inspiration boards over at Pinterest. Check back here often (or follow FrostedTreats on Pinterest) to see what’s inspiring me!

Pinboard: After the Vino is Finished

For some reason I’m drawn to projects that give new life to empty wine corks and bottles. Have a look!

(Click images to go to Pin and Source)

How to Make Wine Cork Magnets

How to make Cork Handled Cheese Knives

Wine Cork Monogram

Wine Cork Keychains

Happy Pinning!

-Jessica

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Lia’s Summer Finds

5 Aug

Every year, usually in March, when the snow finally has completely melted and the sun’s rays filter through the clouds, you can find me in flip flops without my coat, and picking out what bathing suits I should buy. Keep in mind, in New Jersey in March, it is still about 40-something degrees and it’s more likely than not we’ll get another flurry or two.  So then, I have to pull my coat back out of the basement and polish up my boots because I’ll get in at least another month of wearing them.

What never fails to surprise me though, is after so many months of waiting for summer and 2 months of delicious heat, why on earth are they showing khakis and thermals at the end of July?!

This makes me want to lash out at the media and marketing companies- don’t they REALIZE how frustrating it is for people like myself who are finally just getting into the slow summer rhythm to go shopping for a pair of short shorts and are instead overwhelmed with sweaters? I like to go shopping for summer clothes IN the summer. And I like to go shopping for fall (which happens to be my favorite season) IN the fall.

In an attempt to fight back this saddening marketing ploy, I will list some GREAT summer finds for those of us who still want to shop for summer during the summer.

This metallic bathing suit handmade by carolinebenoit11, may be a little pricey for my pocket (because I’m a poor graduate student), but it’s PERFECT for a warm summer night. One pieces are very in this season and I love LOVE the one shoulder.

(gold one piece bathing suit | link)

***

Oh how I wish I had a little girl to dress her in this! CharmingNecessities is one of my favorite shops on Etsy. I love frills, lace, floral patterns, and little girls outfits that look like they’re made for little girls. If you need a gift for your child, your friend’s child, your grandchild… look at this sweet bubble romper. This picture alone will melt your heart!

(vintage beauty sunsuit in English rose | link)

***

Ahoy there! This tiny keepsake bag made my ZiBagz is ADORABLE with a nautical color palate that I love. Again, the nautical theme is very in this season and I love the red and navy blue together :)

(ahoy sailor mini keepsake bag | link)

***

And last but not least, this is for the little man in your life! This cute, fully lined swimming trunk made by PigtailsandPatches pulled at my heartstrings. With another few months of warm weather, I could just imagine this bathing suit getting tons of use. I love the plaid! (and the fish!) And the best part? Everything in this shop can be personalized. I am a sucker for personalized, embroidered, initialed items because growing up the unique spelling of my name could never be found on bracelets, cups, or keychains. My poor future children are going to have their name on everything!

(little fish boys | link)

***

On that note, I hope all you happy readers are having a wonderful summer and enjoy the rest of the warm weather while you can!

-Lia

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A day with Balloons

31 Jul

Each year, the county fair takes place in my hometown. All through my childhood years, hot air balloons would launch at the fairgrounds and fly right over my house. Since then, whenever a hot air balloon is seen, I become a giddy little nerd. Fast forward about fifteen years, and now I find myself hanging out at a ballooning festival, up close and personal with hot air balloons, hanging with a couple of the greatest friends a girl could have! You may recognize one of them as a fellow misc•maker.

(Courtney, Alex, and Jess)

The last weekend in July brings scores of hot air balloon enthusiasts to Readington, New Jersey. Alex and I were lucky this year to be invited to this event by a future misc•maker, Courtney. We watched with excitement as balloons inflated all around us and began to float off before our eyes.

We even got a chance to stand inside one of the balloons as it filled up! Here’s me and Alex with Courtney’s soon-to-be father-in-law. Mr. Leota is among the nicest people I’ve ever met and I can’t wait until the next balloon festival! I’m told next time we will be helping to chase down the balloon to help it land. How cool is that!?

Let’s tie this into crafts, shall we? Leading up to the balloon festival, I tried my hand at replicating the Leota’s balloon in polymer form and here it is! Challening, tiny, but ohh soo cute!

(Photo by Adam Leota || Balloon Charm by Jessica @ FrostedTreats)

Overall, this was the most amazing thing I’ve experienced this summer.

Well, Gotta fly!

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Shop: My Favorite Etsy Purchases

15 Jun

Since I spend my days making things, I often find I troll around Etsy.com for supplies rather than taking advantage of the amazing handmade goods. Certainly other makers out there get the same flash of, “But wait, I can make that…” instead of adding something to their shopping cart. Sometimes,  however, we need to realize that in order to really support the handmade community, we need to give credit where it is due and make some purchases. Here is a quicky list of a few of my favorite handmade shops on Etsy that have provided amazing customer service. Check out these fabulous shops and enjoy!

My Little Chickadee Creations

For this past Christmas, I tried to get as many gifts as I could handmade for my family and friends. I came across My Little Chickadee through the EtsyTwitter Team and ordered a set of custom stamped coasters to give to my father. Needless to say, they were very well received! This shop also offers save-the-date magnets and ornaments. The quality is fabulous and the service is superb.

Sweet Petula

I. Love. Handmade. Soaps.

When I saw this shop featured on Heartsy, I jumped on the deal! I was able to order a bunch of wonderfully unique handmade soaps. The soaps came individually wrapped in charming papers, perfect for giving. Though I mainly purchased this for myself, I suppose I’ll end up gifting one or two… Or not. More for me!

What’ve been your most favorite Etsy purchases?

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Bookmarks Galore and A Giveaway

14 Mar

We can all agree that a good book can transport you to worlds filled with action, adventure, fantasy, romance… No one wants to tarnish their favorite piece of literature by “dog-earring” the pages to keep your place. Sure, you could grab a sticky note or a scrap of paper, but where’s the fun in that? One of my resolutions for 2011 is to read at least one book per month- so far, so good! Gotta do it in style, right?

A quick trip though the super creative blogs and project websites out there will net you a ton of cute and clever bookmark projects. Paper, fabric, ribbon, paperclips… Surely any maker would have plenty of supplies to choose from to make the perfect bookmark.


Don’t keep these all to yourself, though – bookmarks make great gifts for any occasion. Good for teachers, young readers, or your best friend. You can even make custom bookmarks for your next party as favors!

If you’re strapped for ideas, take a look at some neat tutorials I’ve gathered.

 

Cereal Box Bookmarks by Plum Pudding

Short, sweet, and to the point. Ribbon and repurposed cardboard from your pantry – PERFECT! You could take it a step further and stamp or paint a design/name on the blank side!

 

Super Scrappy Bookmarks by All Things Crafty

These bookmarks are great for the scrapbook-aholic! Fabric flowers, decorative cardstock, brads, and ribbon, ohhhh la la!

Fabric Bookmarks by Rubies & Pearls

Even if you don’t have a fabric stash on hand, this project is a great way to repurpose an outgrown tee shirt or bandanna! A sewing machine isn’t even necessary – since you’re only sewing a straight line, these could easily made by hand. Great beginner sewing project!

No Slip Bookmark by MaryJanes & Galoshes

Nothing is worse than losing your place in a book. Even the most adorable and fancy bookmark runs the risk of falling out. MJ&G has a fabulous solution! I’ll definitely be making one of these for myself – normally my books end up in my pocketbook and I cannot tell you how often I’ll find my bookmark floating around at the bottom of my bag. This project is great for the reader-on-the-go!

 

Corner Bookmarks by Whatever Dee Dee Wants

Another quick, cute, and minimally invasive bookmark tutorial. I can definitely seen creating an assembly-line for these to whip up customized party favors or quick holiday gifts!

 

Japanese Paper Doll Bookmarks by Omiyage

Origami is a touch out of my skill set, but these instructions make this project sound more than possible! Lovely washi paper, simple cuts and a touch of glue – these would make great bookmarks for a birthday party and could be made into decorations by hanging them from a bit of ribbon!

 

Bow Tie Paper Clips by How About Orange

This project has been floating around the internet recently and I LOVE it! All you need is a bit of scrap fabric (ribbon would probably work, too) and a paperclip! Simple, elegant, feminine, and full of possibilities!

 

Sunflowers and Strawberries Clips by Frosted Treats

I’ve had a lot of fun making bookmarks that include my miniature charms. I do a lot of reading and I love to have something adorable inside my book when I turn the pages. I’ve also given these as gifts and they do quite well at craft fairs!

 

Now for the giveaway – to spread a bit of literary lovin’ we are raffling off

a set of Frosted Treats Sunflowers and Strawberries paper clips

and a $15 Amazon.com giftcard! Woo!

To enter, simply comment on this post with the title of your favorite book!

Here are a few chances for additional entries – Just comment again each time you complete one of the entries!

1) Subscribe to misc•makers and keep up on our future posts!

2) Follow misc•makers on Twitter!

 

There you have it. Our first giveaway!

A winner will be chosen by random number generator in one week – March 21, 2011.

Good Luck!

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