Get Jiggy With It!

When we went to The Southern Women's Show in Orlando, we met the folks from Purple Cows and got to see their CraftGeek Wind It. What a cool tool! We just used it to make napkin rings for Thanksgiving. It's a wire jig with templates so you can easily bend wire into smooth spirals and swirls. (If you've done any wire bending with round-nose pliers, you know this is tricky!) We embellished the wire loops with fall leaves, but we couldn't help adding a little steampunk touch--a skeleton key charm!

My Candy Corn Cups Runneth Over!

Candy Corn Cupcake Cups

These Halloween party favors are super-easy to make. Just punch a hole on either side of silver cupcake cups. Twist two black pipe cleaners together and feed the ends through the holes. Curl one end up and one end down to make a kooky handle. Fill with...what else? Candy corn!

Stunning Runner

Give your dining room a mini-makeover with a sumptuous hand-appliquéd table runner. Start with felt for the appliqués––it's easy to cut, has body, and doesn't fray. Then embellish with a whipstitch by simply looping embroidery thread around the edges of the felt in evenly spaced stitches. Attach the chiffon to the linen with just a few beads to give the appliqués a light and airy look. When you’re finished, your table will be dressed to the nines!

To make the runner, you will need:
2 pieces of icy blue linen fabric, 17"x72"
(fits a four-foot long table)
3 pieces of brown wool felt, 6"x6"
3 pieces of sheer gold chiffon, 8"x8"
3 pieces of sheer gold net, 8"x8"
Icy blue thread
Black embroidery thread
12 square black glass beads
12 icy blue glass beads
8 golden brown glass beads
12 black glass beads
Sewing needle
Embroidery needle
Straight pins
Scissors
Iron
Sewing machine
Photocopies of leaf patterns
Tape measure

How To Make the Appliqués:
Step 1
Cut out the leaf patterns from the photocopies. Pin one pattern to each felt square.

Step 2

Cut out the felt leaves to serve as appliqués.

Step 3
Pin one leaf appliqué to the center of each square of gold chiffon. 

Step 4
Using the embroidery thread and needle, whipstitch the leaf appliqués to the chiffon squares. 

Step 5
Center one chiffon square on one piece of blue fabric and pin (to find the center of the fabric, fold it in half and mark with a pin). Pin the other chiffon squares on either side of the center one, leaving a four-inch space between each square. 

Step 6

Pin a square of gold net on top of each chiffon square. Attach the squares to the blue fabric by sewing a square black bead to each corner.

How To Finish The Runner:
Step 1
With the right side of the blue fabric face down, fold the raw edges one-half inch all the way around and iron the edges down. Repeat for the other piece of blue fabric.

Step 2
Pin the appliquéd fabric to the other piece of blue fabric with the good sides facing out.

Step 3
Using a sewing machine and the icy blue thread, stitch the front and back of the runner together one-quarter inch from the edge. Sew all the way around.

Step 4
Using the icy blue thread and a sewing needle, string together three icy blue beads, two golden brown beads, and three black beads. Sew one bead-strand onto each corner of the runner.

Tailored Tip: For a custom-fit runner, measure the length of your dining room table before you head to the fabric store. Your runner should be long enough to hang twelve inches over each end of the table.

Right Turn
To turn a square corner while machine sewing, keep the needle in the down position, raise the presser foot, and turn the fabric ninety degrees.

Crystal Pie Server

Embellish a silver pie server with sparkling crystal beads and fancy monogram charm.

YOU'LL NEED
Materials & Embellishments
Sterling silver or plated pie server.
Copper wire, 20 gauge, 48" long.
2 crystal bicone beads, 10mm, pink.
3 round faceted crystal beads, 8mm, red.
4 round faceted crystal beads, 5mm, clear.
12 crystal faceted rondells, 4mm, red.
2 crystal faceted rondells, 5mm, peach.
1 crystal faceted rondells, 5mm, red.
2 faceted crystal oval beads, 4mm, orange.
Large rose-shaped glass bead, 15 mm.
Metal letter charm.
Copper jumpring, 5mm.

Tools & Supplies
Needle-nose pliers.
Wire snips.

WHAT TO DO
1. Twist a swirl into one end of the copper wire using the needle-nose pliers. Press the swirl flat onto the handle of the pie server at the triangular serving end.

2. Feed an orange oval bead onto the wire at the base of the swirl, then wrap the copper wire tightly around the handle. Feed an 8mm red crystal bead onto the wire so it rests on top of the handle and wrap the wire around the handle again.

3. Continue feeding beads onto the wire and wrapping the wire around the handle. For the smaller beads, feed two or three on the wire at a time to match the width of the larger beads. Alternate the beads so the colors are distributed evenly down the handle. Stop one inch from the end of the handle.

4. Finish the end by feeding the red rose bead onto the wire followed by an orange oval bead. Bend the wire 90° above the rose bead so the wire runs vertically to the end of the handle. Twist a swirl into the end of the wire at the base of the orange oval bead and trim the end with the wire snips.

5. To personalize it, attach the metal letter charm to the swirl using the copper jumpring.

Easy As Pie: Want to give the hostess something more personal than a bottle of wine? Give her this beaded pie server along with your family recipe for apple pie.

Tin Can Critter Drink Markers

Sip someone else's margarita? No way, Jose! Your margarita glasses need drink markers, but for this Fiesta del Crafto they need a little cha cha cha. Your margaritas need Tin Can Critter Drink Markers! Have your guests make their own, then hang them off the margarita glasses (don't worry, they won't drink much!). Your amigos will go loco for these tin can creatures!

Materials
12 oz can of Mexican beer
3 10" strands of 18 gauge silver wire
8" strand of 18 gauge silver wire
2 googly eyes


Tools
needlenose pliers
scissors
ruler
dry erase marker
hot glue gun & glue sticks


Steps:
1. Open a beer can and empty out contents (down the hatch!).

2. Rinse can and shake out excess water.

3. Using scissors, carefully cut the top and bottom off, and slit the cylinder down the middle. Flatten the rectangle of tin, then trim off any jagged edges so you don't cut yourself (no craftastrophes allowed!).

4. Using The Tin Can Critter Template and a dry erase marker, draw the outline of the bug top and bottom onto the blank side of your tin.


5. Cut out the bug shapes and place them back-to-back, aligning the narrow bug torso. Make sure the printed sides of the tin are facing out. Pinch the top piece of the torso so it fits around the bottom piece.


6. Using one 10" piece of wire and the pliers, bend one back leg and wrap the wire around the narrow torso of the bug tightly three times. Then bend the leftover wire into the other leg.


7. Repeat to make another set of legs. For the front legs, make sure they curve down like a praying mantis (that's how he'll hang off the glass!).


8. With the last piece of wire, bend his antennae into shape.


9. Hot glue googly eyes onto his head and you've got a Tin Can Critter that's muy loco!


Alternacraft: Don't feel limited to making a praying mantis. Why not try a classic cucaracha or a giant mosquito? Then hang a bunch together with fishing line for a mobile that's a swarm of fun!

Glitzy Cake Stand

There's nothing like a glamorous cake stand to make a party perfect. Just start with a fancy china plate from the flea market. Add a few chandelier prisms and a crystal candlestick, and you'll have a glitzy plate stand that takes the cake!

Directions:

Step 1. Cut a piece of wire 1½ inches long. Use round-nose pliers to bend the wire into a "U" shape. Feed the wire through the buttonholes of a small, white shirt button. Use round-nose pliers to twist the two ends of the wire into loops. Repeat to make 12 wired buttons.

Step 2. Mark the back of a china dinner plate one-half inch from the edge with a dry erase marker, creating 12 evenly spaced dots (like the numbers on a clock). Use clear silicone adhesive to glue the flat side of each wired button to one of the marks on the back of the plate.

Step 3. Apply clear silicone adhesive to the top of a short crystal candlestick. Press the glued end of the candlestick to the center of the back of the plate.

Step 4. Hook one chandelier crystal through each of the wire loops on the back of the plate. Ta-da! A pretty plate perfect for any party.

Personalized Photo Plate

Create the purrfect set of dessert plates using images of your pet!

YOU WILL NEED

4 glass dessert plates, 8" diameter
4 photographs, 3"x3"
2 Lazertran waterslide decal transfer sheets (for laser color copier/printers), 8.5"x11"
Paper cutter
Casserole dish, 9"x12"
Squeegee
Paper towels
Oven mitts

Step 1
To create the art for the plates, have your pet's photos copied onto the Lazertran sheets using one of the Lazertran-approved printer/copiers listed on the package.

Step 2
Skip the package instruction to pre-bake the Lazertran sheet. Instead, remove the Lazertran decal from the backing paper by soaking it in a casserole dish filled with water. Slide the backing off, being careful not to rip the decal.

Step 3
Carefully apply the Lazertran decal to the back of the plate with the toner-side touching the plate. Squeegee out all the air bubbles and water from under the decal. (Use a paper towel to keep the water from seeping back under the decal.) Sprinkle more water on top of the decal to keep the squeegee moving. Smooth out any wrinkles. Finally, clean the decal and the edges of plate with a damp cloth so no slimy adhesive residue remains. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to transfer the images onto the rest of the glass plates.

Step 4
To fuse the image to the surface, heat each plate decal-side-up in the oven at 200 degrees for 15 minutes, then increase the temperature to 250 degrees for 15 minutes. Finally, raise the temperature to 300 degrees and watch the decal closely. If a few bubbles appear on the surface, continue baking until they disappear. Remove the plate when the image "melts" and the finish has a hard, glazed appearance. Let the platter cool and wash it with warm soapy water.

Tableware Tip:
While it's tempting to place the photo-decal on the front of the plate, it could get worn down after use. So make your hard work last by putting the image on the back. That way you can clearly see the photo through the plate, but your fork and knife won’t scratch your cute pet pic!

Star-Spangled Placemats

This Fourth of July set a stellar table with star-stamped placemats.

Jazz up simple bamboo placemats with handmade cork stamps. Just cut large stars out of cork wall tiles and mount them on scraps of plywood. Then start stamping! Whether you need four or forty, these placemats are fast and fabulous.


WHAT YOU'LL NEED
(to make 4 placemats)
4 bamboo placemats
2 cork wall tiles, 12"x12" (available at office supply stores)
¼" thick plywood square, 10"x10"
¼" thick plywood square, 6"x6"
Wood glue
White chalk
X-Acto knife
Masking tape
FolkArt craft paint, Cardinal Red, 2 fluid ounces
Small foam paintbrush
Paper plate
Newspaper


Step One
To make the large star stamp, draw a 9-inch star on a cork tile with chalk. For the small star stamp, draw a 5-inch star on a cork tile with chalk. Carefully cut the stars with the X-Acto knife. Glue each cork star rough-side down onto the corresponding plywood square with the wood glue. Weigh down the stamps with books and let cure for 30 minutes.

Step Two
If the bamboo placemats have fabric trim on the edges, cover the fabric with masking tape. Protect your work surface with newspaper and squeeze the red craft paint onto a paper plate. Use the foam brush to dab the paint onto the surface of the large star stamp.

Step Three
Immediately stamp the bamboo placemat with the large star stamp over the lower right-hand corner, so part of the design runs off the edge. Repeat with the small and large stamps to create the three-star design. Use the same technique to stamp all four placemats, alternating the stars for an artsy look.

Land of the Free: For small pieces of plywood, find the scrap pile at your home improvement store. Be sure to ask, but usually the little pieces are free!

Serve With Style Mosaic Tray

A handcrafted tile tray looks like a million bucks (and it's easier than you think)!

A colorful tray is just the thing for serving those Lime Sparklers at your next summer soiree. To make your own, start with a circle of wood (available at home improvement stores) and a funky flower pattern. Mosaic with glass tiles in poppy red, tangerine, and lime. Then resin the surface for a glossy finish. Tray chic!

YOU WILL NEED:
particleboard disc (11 3/4" diameter, 5/8" thick)
wood veneer edging tape (13/16" wide, 39" long)
12 finishing nails (1 1/2" long)
2 screen door pulls with hardware (4 7/8" long)
1 can apple red spray paint
Elmer’s Craft Bond Tacky Glue
vitreous glass mini mosaic tiles (3/8" size):
100 poppy red tiles
200 tangerine tiles
300 lime tiles
Envirotex Lite Pour-On Finish (8 oz. kit)
chalk
screwdriver
hammer
scissors

WHAT TO DO:

Step 1
Prepare the particleboard disc by taping the wood veneer tape around the edge of the disc. Secure with finishing nails. (Make sure the wood veneer tape is flush with bottom of the disc to create a 1/8-inch lip on top.) Spray paint the wood-edged disc red on all sides.

Step 2
Attach the handles to the sides of the disc.


Step 3
Copy the pattern onto the tray with chalk. Glue each tile to the tray surface following the pattern. Let the glue dry thoroughly. (Clean any remaining chalk lines with a damp cotton swab.)

Step 4
Mix the Pour-On Finish according to the directions on the box and pour the resin over the tiled surface. Tip the tray slightly to evenly distribute the resin to the edge of the wood veneer tape. Let dry for at least 48 hours.

Bubble Buster
Don’t be afraid of stirring bubbles into the resin. Five minutes after you pour it, the bubbles will rise to the surface. To release them, gently exhale over the surface and those bubbles will pop!

Transfer Tip
To transfer the pattern onto the tray, follow these steps.
1. Enlarge the pattern so the diameter is 11 3/4 inches across. Cut out the enlarged pattern into a circle.
2. Trace the outline with a piece of colored chalk.
3. Flip the pattern over and set inside the tray. Rub the back of the pattern to transfer the chalk onto the wooden disc.

Objects Of Our Affection
Now that you are a mosaic master, why not try these tile alternatives?
broken china
marbles
stained glass
keys
coins
seashells
river rocks
sea glass