Let's Play Ketchup!

Well, we'll play catch-up, not ketchup, but ketchup sounds more fun. 

Up first: "upcycling."  I looove that word.  It's taking something old and making something else entirely with it.  I can honestly admit that I've never been careful about recycling.  Now, though, everywhere I look I see things I can use.  Those soup cans?  Cover them with fabric and let them hold craft tools.  Those soda cans can be turned into these beauties.  Even my brother-in-law's beer bottles can become something beautiful!


(Quick side note: the last site I just linked is called "Choose To Thrive," and she's all about using the craft supplies you have along with whatever nature and human consumption can give us to make a house unique and amazing.  Go check her out, I promise you'll find at least one craft you're passionate about among her archives!)


My mother is in the process of moving right now, and I've taken just about every item she was going to toss or donate, lol.  Some are real treasures (lots of broken and mismatched jewelry and several flower pictures that go along with my flower obsession) and others...need love.  Or covering, lol:

Delightfully Noted's Wine Bag w/ Fabric Flowers

Let's discuss Mod Podge for a second.  Does anyone else do this?

The school glue's bottle is just the perfect size for my crafts.  I hate lugging unnecessary supplies around, and since I craft all over the house, this makes my life easier.  It's cost-effective to buy the largest bottle of MP and then fill my little bottle up as necessary.  OK, on to juice box canvases:


One of the most memorable posts I read on Mod Podge Rocks was Soap Box Canvases.  Alma Stoller actually made them, and she can be found here.  (You should go check her out--she has a great tutorial from early August for making paper pendants!)  ANYWAY, while the idea is brilliant, I love Bath and Body Works, so we don't buy much soap in this house.  We do, however, buy juice boxes.  Lots and lots and lots of juice boxes.  And I noticed one day a few weeks ago that they have a very soap box-like shape....  Combine this idea with my "fall fever" demanding that Halloween decorations make their appearance, and a new craft is born!

L-R, juice box, covered with masking tape, then covered w/ paper

Goodbye Mater, hello blank canvas!

I covered the box with masking tape, then just Mod Podged green cardstock on top.  On my first attempt I thought I needed another layer between the tape and the paper, but I skipped that step on the rest of them.  It is literally as simple as wrapping a present!


Why green?  Well, my plan is to write B-O-O on one side and J-O-Y on the other, so these lil' boxes will be pulling triple duty (holding juice, Halloween craft and Christmas craft.)  This was not, however, my original plan.  The boxes are very light, so they'd be perfect glued onto a wreath or even strung on a garland if holes are cut.  Being so light though, they will not stand up on their own.  I will have to at least tape these together to keep them upright.


If you too are covered up in juice boxes and want to make these, I'd advise you to add a little sand or something else to weigh them down.  Actually, as I sit here and think about them, I may make a rectangle version of this great wreath made out of circles..... Hmmmmmmmmm............


On to the next one: (cue song lyrics repeatedly running through my head)
When we moved into our house, my son was young and we'd planned on making one large room a playroom with a camping theme.  A few items made it in here and up on the walls, but not all.  Then LIFE happened, and now the pictures of wolves and bears from Yellowstone just don't match anymore.  

My son is VERY into anything "Lego" related, such as Lego Harry Potter or Lego Star Wars.  Like all children, he's also growing like a weed, so I managed to snag one of his shirts that was still in excellent condition to make some new art for the wall:

I made a point to NOT glue the shirt to the back of the frame or the glass so that it will be easy to replace this at some point in the future.  James vacillates between his toddler favorites like Thomas and his new interest in superheros, so I'm saving myself money this way :) 


My last crafty item was inspired by this post at Busily Spinning Momma.  I literally had the silverware in a box of craft items I didn't think I'd ever use, ready for hubby to take to the garage to get it out of the way when I found this awesome project.


Long story short: hammer a spoon flat, bend the handle to make a bail, and MP pretty stuff on it.  I must add, however, that it is best to do this project on the cheap type silverware you can buy 4/$1 at Dollar Tree as opposed to old sterling silver, which was what I had.  I'm happy with my pendant, and the other spoon I successfully flattened (mostly) is going to be a Christmas ornament.  The third one, well, it simply refused to do anything except mock me with its scooped shape.  I used Gorilla Glue to fill the space between the handle and the back of the pendant, and the directions warn you that it will expand.  They're not kidding!  Live and learn....

The "&" was a rub-on, and I'm very in love with this paper.  I think it's Christmas without being obvious.  I didn't plan on this being a Christmas pendant though, and it looks great with my lime shirts.


So, tons of crafts and pictures today.  I hope you enjoy it, and that you are as inspired by other crafters as I am.