Relaxing Herbal Tub Tea

These little tub tea bags are so cute!

For this craft we wanted to make a spa gift that wasn't in a bottle or a jar. Turns out, nine pretty tub teas fit perfectly in a cigar box! 

YOU'LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments

Pretty cigar box, 6"x7"x3"
9 gold organza favor bags, 3" wide
Florentine paper, 5"x6"
Ivory paper, 31/2"x41/2"
Red organdy ribbon, 28" long, 1" wide
Dried lavender flowers, 11/4 cup
Dried chamomile flowers, 11/4 cup
Chamomile Roman essential oil, 30 drops
Ylang Ylang essential oil, 10 drops

Tools & Supplies

Glue stick
Ultra fine black Sharpie
Bowl
Measuring cup
Tablespoon
Spoon

WHAT TO DO

1. To create the relaxing herbal tub tea, combine the lavender flowers and chamomile flowers in a bowl. Add 30 drops of chamomile roman essential oil and 10 drops of ylang ylang essential oil to the mixture and stir with a spoon.

2. Make 9 tea bags by filling each organza favor bag with 3 tablespoons of the lavender and chamomile tub tea. Arrange the tea bags 3 across by 3 deep in the cigar box.

3. To make the instruction card, print the instructions for using the tub tea on the center of the ivory paper. Glue the ivory instructions page to the center of the Florentine paper with the rubber cement. Lay the instruction sheet on top of the tea bags.

4. Close the lid and tie the red organdy ribbon around the cigar box.

Relaxing Herbal Tub Tea Instructions: Drop a tea bag into your bath. Ease yourself into the warm water and relax. For a more intense aroma, use three tea bags.

Crafty Shopping Tip: You can buy empty cigar boxes for a dollar or two at cigar shops like Tinder Box.

Vanilla Cupcake Lip Balm

 

This sweet treat makes a great gift for teachers.
Kids can make it with Mom, with just a little supervision!

We’re really getting into making spa crafts for Christmas gifts this year. We love cooking up the recipes, then packaging our creations into pretty little gifties! We tried out this recipe for lip balm over the weekend, and it was just too easy not to share. We’re going to make them as stocking stuffers for all of our friends. Sweet!

 

Vanilla Cupcake Lip Balm

This delightful cupcake lip balm is a sweet treat and a cinch to make!

Lip Balm Ingredients

1 tablespoon beeswax pellets

2 tablespoons vitamin E oil

Vanilla essential oil

Red lipstick 

Materials & Embellishments

½ ounce to 1 ounce clear plastic container

1 flatback Swarovski rhinestone, Light Siam, 4mm

Beacon Adhesives Gem-Tac

1 sheet glossy cardstock 

Tools

Pyrex cup

Chopstick

Potato peeler

Microwave oven

Scissors

Double-stick tape

Toothpick 

1. In the Pyrex cup, melt the beeswax pellets into the vitamin E oil by microwaving for about 1 minute on high. Stir with the chopstick. Continue to heat, 10 seconds at a time, until all pellets are melted into the vitamin E oil. 

2. Add 4 to 6 drops of vanilla essential oil and stir. 

3. Use the potato peeler to shave the lipstick, about 3 shavings, into the mixture. Stir with the chopstick until thoroughly melted and blended.

4. Dispense into the plastic container. Let cool.

 

5. Print the label on glossy cardstock and cut it out. Attach the label to the top of the lid with double-stick tape. Glue the Light Siam rhinestone to the cherry on the label using the toothpick to apply the Gem-Tac.

Big Easy: Make a big batch of this lip balm by multiplying the recipe. You can make dozens of party favors or stocking stuffers at once!



Right-click to save label to your computer.

At 300dpi, this label will print 1.3" x 1.3".



Tea Tree Salt Scrub

Rub a palmful of salt scrub over dry skin in the shower to exfoliate and moisturize!

More spa fun! We have been trying out all kinds of recipes for homemade spa goodies to give as gifts this Christmas. We've already figured out our favorite body butter (Rich Cocoa Body Butter!). And now we have a wonderful salt scrub. We love how the brisk scent of tea tree makes this salt scrub refreshing and invigorating.

Salt Scrub Ingredients

1½ cups table salt
10 tablespoons vitamin E oil
Tea tree essential oil

Materials & Embellishments

15-ounce lidded, wide-mouthed jar
2 flatback Swarovski rhinestones, Crystal, 5mm
12 flatback Swarovski rhinestones, Crystal, 3mm
Beacon Adhesives Gem-Tac
1 sheet glossy cardstock

Tools

Mixing bowl
Chopstick
Scissors
Double-stick tape
Toothpick

1. Mix salt and vitamin E oil together in a bowl and stir with a chopstick.

2. Stir in 32 drops of tea tree essential oil and stir until blended.

3. Dispense the salt scrub into the jar, pressing the mixture down with a chopstick.

 
4. Print the label on glossy cardstock and cut it out. Embellish the label with the rhinestones using a toothpick to apply the Gem-Tac. Use double-stick tape to attach the label to the front of the jar.



Click on the image above to view the label actual size.

Then right-click to save the label to your computer.

It will print 2.25" x 5" at 300dpi.





Bead Show Inspiration

Just some of the beads we bought at BABE! The icy blue beads are for a necklace called
Ice Is Nice (free how-to) featured at Bead Inspirations.

 

We love a good bead show! And the Bay Area Bead Extravaganza is one of our favorites. Picture a huge hotel conference room loaded from wall to wall with tables of beads. The sellers have everything bead related: handmade lampwork beads, strands of gemstones, hanks of pearls, bails, clasps, brass stampings, all kinds of findings, and loose beads galore. And best of all, almost every table has necklaces, bracelets, and earrings made by artists just to inspire you to buy more beads. And boy were we inspired!!

 

One of our favorite stops was at the Craft Fantastic booth. The gal there sells everything you need to make gorgous pictures pendants and bracelets, including the pictures! We bought silver bezels (she calls them trays), sheets of vintage bird and butterfly imagery, and glass squares to place on top. We just clicked around on her website and she has a free Tray Pendant tutorial for putting it all together. How nice!

Rich Cocoa Body Butter

Real cocoa infuses this creamy body butter with the fragrance of rich chocolate.

This creamy body butter makes a lovely gift.

Body Butter Ingredients
3 ounces cocoa butter
1 ounce vitamin E oil
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
Vanilla essential oil

Materials & Embellishments

3.5-ounce short, wide-mouthed jar
Brown satin ribbon, 5/8" wide
Brown satin ribbon, 1/8" wide
Gold shank button, 7/16"
Krylon Gold Foil Metallic spray paint, 18 KT
Beacon Adhesives Quick Grip
1 sheet glossy cardstock

Tools

Pyrex cup
Chopstick
Microwave oven
Scissors
Double-stick tape

Steps

1. Scoop 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa butter (3 ounces) into the Pyrex cup and melt in the microwave. Add 2 tablespoons of vitamin E oil (1 ounce) and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and stir with a chopstick.

2. Add 15 drops of vanilla essential oil and stir the mixture until blended.

3. Dispense the body butter into the jar and let cool.

4. To decorate the jar, spray paint the lid with the Gold Foil Metallic spray paint. Tie the wide brown ribbon into a double-bow with tails. Tie it onto the neck of the jar with the thin brown ribbon. Glue the shank button over the knot.

5. Print the label on the glossy cardstock, cut it out, and attach it to the lid using the double-stick tape.



Right-click to save label to your computer.
At 300 dpi, this label will print 1.6" x 1.6".

 

Aromatherapy Foot Soak With Beautiful Beaded Scoop

Give the gift of happy feet with an aromatic foot soak in exhilarating eucalyptus and rosemary.

This soothing footsoak is a thoughtful gift for Mom!

YOU'LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments

Wide-mouth glass jar with lid, 16-ounce size

Aluminum flashing tape, 2" wide

Stainless coffee scoop (2or  Tbsp spoon)

Copper wire, 20 gauge, 48" long

Glass beads, assorted

Garnet satin ribbon, 1" wide, 24" long

Foot Soak Ingredients

Epsom salts, 1 cup

Coarse sea salt, 3/4 cup

Baking soda, 1/4 cup

Dried rosemary, 2 tablespoons

Eucalyptus essential oil

Rosemary essential oil

Glycerin, 1 tablespoon

Tools & Supplies

Bowl

Spoon
Chopstick

Needle-nose pliers

Wire snips

Ruler

WHAT TO DO

1. To create the foot soak, pour the Epsom salts, sea salt, baking soda, and dried rosemary into a mixing bowl and stir. Add 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and 20 drops of rosemary essential oil, then drizzle in the glycerin and stir. Spoon the foot soak into the jar.

2. To label the foot soak, cut a 3" piece of the aluminum flashing tape (do not remove the backing yet!). Using the chopstick, handwrite "Rosemary Foot Soak" on the tape, pressing firmly to emboss the letters into the metal tape. Carefully peel the backing off without bending the aluminum tape and place the label onto the jar.

3. To bead the salt-scoop, wrap the wire around the handle adding a bead every other time around. Finish off the ends of the wire with a swirl.

4. Tie your beaded salt-scoop to the jar by wrapping a piece of garnet ribbon around the neck of the jar and tying a knot around the scoop. Now that foot soak is good for the sole!

CRAFTY SHOPPING TIP

Epsom salts have been used in bath soaks since the mid 1600s, when a farmer in Epsom, England discovered that the salt seemed to heal scratches. Chemically, it is Magnesium Sulfate, but you can find it in cartons at the drugstore simply labeled "Epsom Salts." 

Dreamy Kimono Eye Pillow

Say sayonara to sleepless nights with this pretty eye pillow made from Kimono fabric and tied with a simple obi sash. The tranquil scent of lavender makes this the eye pillow of your dreams.



To soothe an achy head, place your eye pillow in the freezer
for 15 minutes before use. Then place over your eyes and chill out.

YOU’LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments
Kimono fabric, 8” x 8” square
Periwinkle satin, 4” x 10”
Peach satin ribbon, ¼” wide, 18” long
All-purpose light blue thread

Scented Herbs & Essences

Dried lavender flowers, ¾ cup
Whole flax seeds, ¾ cup
Lavender essential oil

Tools & Supplies

Straight pins
Sewing needle
Scissors
Bowl
Spoon
Kitchen funnel
Iron

WHAT TO DO

1. To make the pillow, lay the kimono fabric face-up and fold in half, with the wrong side out. Pin all three open edges together with the straight pins.

2. Hand stitch the pinned sides together with a backstitch. On the last side, leave a 2” gap to pour in the filling. Remove the pins and turn the pillow right side out.

3. To make the filling, blend the lavender flowers, flax seeds, and 30 drops of lavender essential oil in a bowl. Let air dry for one hour.

4. Use the funnel to pour the filling into the 2” opening in the pillow. The pillow should be floppy, not plump.

5. Stitch the opening closed with a slipstitch hidden inside the seam by folding the fabric edges in and tacking them together. Stitch inside each fold in a back-and-forth pattern.

6. To get the look of an obi sash, lay the periwinkle satin face down. Fold a 1” hem on the two long sides and iron. Then fold a 1” hem on one of the short sides and iron.

7. Lay the pillow crossways across the periwinkle fabric. Fold the periwinkle satin around the pillow, overlapping the hemmed end on top of the unironed end. Pin together.

8. Stitch the top end of the periwinkle satin to the bottom end of the satin with a slipstitch.

9. Wrap the peach ribbon around the periwinkle sash and finish with a petite bow. Naptime!

Fancy Floral Frame

Check out our dollar store frame makeover in this week's Woman's World. All you need are some metallic paints, silk peonies, and glitzy rhinestone buttons. Dollar Store Chic!

Monogrammed Pendant for Mom!

Create a personalized pendant for Mother's Day featuring Victorian vintage roses and gold leaf accents!

Materials
1 Darice Rectangle Frame Charm, 20x25mm

1 Darice Clear Charm Cover

1/2" Letter sticker on clear background
Scrap of printed text from book
Vintage Victorian Rose clip art

Krylon Gold Leafing Pen

30" Ribbon

Tools & Supplies
Darice Scrapbooking Micro-Scissors
Beacon’s Premium Tacky Glue
Toothpick

Steps
1. Cut a square background image from the printed paperback text. Glue into the Frame Charm with a toothpick and Tacky Glue.

2. Trim the Victorian Rose clip art to fit in the bottom third of the Frame Charm. Glue in place.

3. Use the Krylon Gold Leafing Pen to add gold accents to the clip art.

4. Peel off letter sticker and place over background.

5. Peel the back off the Clear Charm Cover and adhere it to the front of the rectangle charm covering the collage inside.

6. Thread the ribbon through the loop at the top of the rectangle charm.

Scentsational Lavender-Rose Sachet

Create a fancy, floral sachet scented with soothing botanicals. A simple and lovely gift for Mother's Day!

YOU’LL NEED

Materials & Embellishments

Teal silk shantung, 11” x 11” square.

White iridescent organdy ribbon, 1½” wide, 18” long.

Magenta silk rose, 4” diameter.

Small rubber band.

Scented Herbs & Essences
Dried rose buds & petals, 1 ½ cups.
Rose fragrance oil.
Lavender essential oil.

Tools & Supplies
Scissors.
Ruler.
Wire snips.
Bowl.
Spoon.

WHAT TO DO

1. To create the scented sachet filling, pour the rose buds and petals into a bowl. Add 10 drops of the rose fragrance oil and 10 drops of the lavender essential oil and stir.

2. To make the sachet, lay the silk shantung square out on a table. Spoon the sachet filling onto the center of the square. Gather the corners and edges of the fabric square tightly together to create a ball. Secure the fabric at the top with a small rubber band.

3. To embellish the sachet, snip the stem of the silk rose 2” from the base of the bloom. Stick the remaining rose stem down into the center of the sachet.

4. Finish the sachet by wrapping the organdy ribbon around the top to conceal the rubber band. Then tie the ribbon in a tidy knot and trim the ends at an angle. Scentsational!

Make Something Pretty For Mother's Day

A teacup missing its saucer is practically a flea market freebie! With just a little candle wax, a wick, and some gardenia fragrance oil, it has the potential to be a pretty scented candle for the boudoir. And what a delightful idea for a Mother's Day gift!

You Will Need:Vintage Teacup (3” diameter at top) Yaley Medium Flat Braid Candle WickingMicrowaveable Soy Wax
Lavender Fragrance oil (5 drops)
What To Do:Step 1. Cut a 6-inch piece of candle wicking. Feed through wick clip until end sits just inside. Clamp the wick clip closed with pliers.
Step 2. Rest a pencil across top of teacup. Dangle the wick into the teacup and rest the wick clip in the bottom. Tie the end of the wick to the pencil to hold it in place.
Step 3. Measure 1 cup soy candle flakes into microwaveable container. Microwave on high 1 minute, then stir with a craft stick. Heat 1 more minute, till all clear and runny. Add 5 drops of lavender oil to the melted wax and stir.
Step 4. Pour the wax slowly into the teacup leaving ¾” at the top – make sure the wick is still centered. Let cool and trim the wick to one half inch. Let the wax cool. The old-timey style of this teacup candle looks sweet on a vanity. And smells so good!

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!

Make 'n Takes Now Online!

We did a different Make 'n Take every day at the Southern Women's Show in Orlando. If you didn't get a chance to craft with us, we've put the How-Tos on our Web site. Just click on the pictures below to see each project.

Stamped Metal Jewelry

Resin Ring

Riveted Metal Pendant

Vintage Monogram Pendant

Steampunk Chic is here!

It's here! It's here! Our new book just arrived! Hot off the press. The UPS guy just dropped off 2 big cartons full of Steampunk Chic: Vintage Flair From Recycled Finds. Whooo hooo! So exciting!

Our wonderful editor Pam Mostek would want us to tell you it's loaded with fun and funky steampunk crafts and step-by-step how-tos. Kitty's favorite is the mantel clock made out of a cigar box and Jennifer's favorite is the cupcake stand. Take a sneak peek!

Smashing Glass Tray

Make crime pay with a cool dresser valet made of recycled car window glass.

Give an ordinary wooden tray an edge with shattered green glass from a broken car window. Simple high-gloss resin lets you embed the glass safely while creating an ultra-modern mosaic.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Wooden or bamboo tray, 6"x6"x2"
Shattered glass from a car window, 2 cups
EnviroTex Lite Pour-On High Gloss Finish, 8-ounce kit
Disposable cups, 2
Wooden chopsticks, 2
White Con-Tact paper
Household silicone sealant, clear
Medium-sized cardboard box
Scissors
Ruler
Level

WHAT TO DO
Step One
Measure the inside bottom of the wooden tray and cut a piece of contact paper to fit. Stick the Con-Tact paper to the bottom inside of the tray. Seal the inside corners and bottom edges of the tray with the silicone sealant and let cure for 45 minutes. Pour the shattered glass into the tray and shake the tray until the glass creates an even layer. The glass should be about three-quarters of an inch deep.

Step Two
Following the directions on the EnviroTex Lite box, pour the entire contents of the resin and hardener into one cup. Mix thoroughly with a chopstick for one minute. Then pour the mixture into a second cup and mix with a new chopstick for one minute.

Step Three

Immediately pour the resin mixture evenly over the layer of shattered glass until it is completely covered. Place the tray on a completely level surface and cover with a dust-free box. Let the tray cure undisturbed for 48 hours. 

Tiny Bubbles: Don't worry if you whip bubbles into the resin as you stir it. Once you have poured the resin, most of the bubbles will de-gas on their own within five minutes. If any bubbles remain, gently exhale over the surface and the bubbles will rise and pop.

Don't Get Busted: Be a law-abiding crafter and put away the hammer! Instead, call an auto shop that specializes in window repair and ask them to save you some glass.

A Novel Keepsake Box

Turn a vintage book into a beautiful memory box perfect for your tiny treasures.

YOU'LL NEED
Materials & Embellishments:
Vintage book, at least 1½" thick.
Black velvet, approximately the size of the book's cover.
Gold leaf sheets.
Upholstery tacks, four.
Black craft paper.
Gold photo corners, four.
Heirloom photograph.
Satin ribbon, 1½" wide, 4 feet long.
Embellishments, such as decorative papers, old maps, postage stamps, antique watch faces, skeleton keys, foreign coins, broken jewelry, and old buttons.

Tools & Supplies:
Mod Podge decoupage medium.
Small paintbrush.
Pencil.
Ruler.
Large binder clips, three.
Craft knife.
White chalk.
Scissors.
Double-stick tape.
Gold leaf liquid adhesive.
Gold leaf seal.
Hammer.
Rubber cement.
Hot glue gun and sticks.
Decorative edge scissors.
Adhesive foam squares.

WHAT TO DO
1. To glue all the pages of the book together, open the front cover and press down on the book's pages, creating a tight stack. Paint a coat of Mod Podge on the outside edge of the stack of pages. Clamp the stack of pages to the back of the book with binder clips and let dry.

2. To create a niche inside the book, use the ruler and pencil to draw a rectangle on the first page of the book, 1" from the sides. Using the craft knife and ruler, cut through several pages of the book along the guidelines. Remove the cutouts, then cut through the next layer of pages. Repeat until you reach the back of the book.

3. Coat the insides of the niche with Mod Podge and let dry. Press the velvet into the niche face-side-down and mark where to trim it using white chalk. Cut the velvet along the chalk lines. To make the velvet fit neatly into the corners, cut a square the depth of the niche off each corner. Use double-stick tape to line the inside of the niche with the velvet.

4. Remove the binder clips and close the book's cover. To gold leaf the edges of the block of pages, coat with gold leaf adhesive (be careful not to get the adhesive on the book's back or front covers). Let the adhesive dry until it is tacky (about 60 minutes), then tear off a piece of gold leaf and lay it on the page edges. Use a dry paintbrush to push the gold leaf onto the adhesive. Continue until all the edges are covered in gold leaf. Seal with gold leaf sealer.

5. To add feet to the bottom of the box, turn the book face-down and place one upholstery tack at each corner, ½" from the edge. Hammer into place.

6. Embellish the inside by cutting decorative papers to cover the first page around the niche. Adhere with rubber cement. Use hot glue and ribbon to hide the rough edges. To add a featured photograph to the inside of the lid, attach the photo to black craft paper with gold photo corners. Trim the black paper with decorative edge scissors, leaving ½" around the photo. Glue it to the center of the lid with rubber cement.

7. To embellish the outside of the book, cut out a piece of a map ½" smaller than the book cover, and attach it to the center of the book cover with rubber cement. Cover the edge with silk ribbon using hot glue. Add a smaller piece of decorative paper, such as an old postcard or pretty wrapping paper, to the center of the map with rubber cement. Continue adding embellishments such as postage stamps, foreign coins, broken jewelry, and old buttons. Find the center of the wide satin ribbon and glue it to the back of the book with hot glue. Finally, place your precious mementoes inside and tie your Novel Keepsake Box closed with the ribbon.

CRAFTY SHOPPING TIPS
*For just a few dollars on eBay, you can buy interesting postage stamps ranging from Guinea's lovely orchids to Tanzania's colorful butterflies.
*For decorative papers and metal embellishments, check out your local scrapbooking store.
*The flea market is a great place to find old books, watch faces, and skeleton keys. And, if you don't have an old family photo for the lid, the flea market has those too, by the hundreds. Meet your new Aunt Gertrude!

Moving Pictures Photo Blocks

Create a clever conversation piece with family photo blocks.

Turn six favorite photos into infinite fun! Simply cut pictures into squares and mount them onto wooden cubes. Then rearrange them to create a coffee table puzzle that's also an interactive scrapbook.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
6 family photos
9 wooden blocks, 2 inches by 2 inches each
Sandpaper, fine grit
Red spray paint
Tack cloth
Mod Podge decoupage glue
Foam paintbrush
Ruler
X-Acto knife
Cutting mat
Computer and laser printer

DIRECTIONS
Step One
To smooth the raw wooden blocks, rub the edges with fine grit sandpaper. Remove any dust with the tack cloth, then spray paint the blocks red on all sides. When the cubes have dried, clean them once again with the tack cloth to remove any paint dust.

Step Two Crop a favorite photo so it is square, then enlarge it to 6 inches by 6 inches. Print the photo in black and white on a laser printer (inkjet prints will run). Using the X-Acto knife, ruler, and cutting mat, cut the enlarged photo into three 2-inch wide strips. Then cut each strip into 2-inch squares. You should end up with nine 2-inch squares.

Step Three

Glue one 2-inch photo square onto one side of a wooden block using the Mod Podge decoupage glue and the foam paintbrush. Apply a coat of Mod Podge on top of the photo as well (it dries clear). Glue the next 2-inch photo square onto a different wooden cube. Repeat until each wooden cube has one segment of the photo mounted on one side. Repeat steps two and three until all six family photos are cut and mounted to the cubes. When you are done, every cube will have one square of each photo. Arrange the photo blocks three-by-three on your coffee table, then flip and turn each cube to recreate the original photos.

Chroma Zones: To give your puzzle an artsy touch, use your computer to tint the black and white photos in different colors so one picture ends up red, another blue, and so on.

Makin' Copies: Don't have a laser printer in your home office? Just take your images on a CD to Kinko's and they'll print them for you! And by the way, black and white pictures print best on the color printer. Who knew?

Big Little Tip: You can make this puzzle big or small depending on the cubes you choose. Createforless.com offers wood blocks ranging from ½ inches to 3½ inches. (Just think how cute a set of ½-inch cubes would be on your desk!)

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!

Extreme Makeover

Take a flea market vase from dull to dazzling!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Materials:
Flea market vase with a porous surface, like pottery.
Plaid Folk Art acrylic paint,
Wicker White #901.
Plaid Folk Art acrylic paint,
Fresh Foliage #954.
Plaid Folk Art acrylic paint,
Azure Blue #643.
Plaid Folk Art Extreme Glitter,
Peridot #2776.
Plaid Folk Art Extreme Glitter,
Turquoise #2778.
Lasercut stickers, leaves and bees.

Tools & Supplies:
Fine sandpaper.
Foam paintbrush.
Stir stick.

Before: Choose a flea market vase with a porous surface, like pottery.

WHAT TO DO
1. Rough up the surface of the vase with fine sandpaper. Be sure to sand any raised or glossy areas. Wash and dry the vase.

2. Prime the vase with a coat of Wicker White paint. Paint inside the mouth of the vase where it will show. Let dry. Apply a second coat if needed.

3. When the vase is dry, paint it with the Fresh Foliage paint. Be sure to paint inside the mouth of the vase. Let dry. Apply a second coat if needed.

4. Stir the Peridot Extreme Glitter thoroughly. Using the foam paintbrush, paint the vase with a coat of Peridot Extreme Glitter, leaving the inside of the mouth unglittered for contrast. Let dry for one hour.

5. Some stickers curl when wet, so test a sticker by painting it with the Extreme Glitter. Only use stickers that will not curl up. Arrange the stickers on the surface of the vase to create an all over pattern. Rub the edges of the stickers to keep the paint from seeping under the edges.

6. Using the foam paintbrush, paint the vase Azure Blue. Use a dabbing motion rather than a brushing technique over the stickers so the edges don't pull up. Cover the entire vase, including inside the mouth. Be sure to get paint into all the open areas of the stickers. Let dry.

7. Stir the Turquoise Extreme Glitter thoroughly. Using the same dabbing technique as before, apply a coat of Turquoise Extreme Glitter to the vase. Do not paint the glitter inside the mouth. Let the vase dry for one hour.

8. Carefully peel the stickers off the vase to reveal your makeover magic!

Stylish Silhouette: This project is all about masking, so when picking out stickers, consider their silhouette and do not focus on the printed designs.