Don't Hate Me!!!

Hi Loves....ok I know it's been forever and a day since I posted anything. I'm planning on remedying that situation today...and tomorrow...I'm very sorry. Life got stressful there for a minute, but I promise i won't leave you guys hanging any more. Ok, keep looking, and in the mean time...happy crafting!!

Treyci

"dry erase" chore charts!!



Hello, Loves!! Today we're going to be making "dry-erase" charts. I don't know about you, but trying to get my kids to do their chores is like pulling teeth!! It doesn't help anything that they're boys, and by nature not cleaners haha. So I scanned the web a bit to try to find a chore chart I liked, and I came across this website: www.yourway.net  It's got TONS of free printables! Calendars, to-do lists, and these chore charts that I filled in with things my kids are supposed to do. So here is what we're making:

And here is what you're going to need:

Obviously, you don't need to use green duct tape hahaha...you can use any color, or you can even use the clear packing tape. So you'll need the printed chore list, I chose to put a piece of decorative paper on the back based on things my kids were interested in, clear sheet protector, tape, and scissors.

So first, you put the chart and the decorative paper in the sheet:

Then you're going to tear your duct tape in half length-wise, to length of the edges, and fold them over each of the sides.

So, these are your front and back views of the completed chore charts. Now, you might be asking...DO THEY WORK?!?!? Yeah they do!!

So here it is...the writing! haha...make sure you use a DRY ERASE MARKER!!! otherwise, it obviously won't work.

So here you go, loves...a chore chart for your little ones, or even for you, or even for Honey-Do's!! I like this for kids, it gives them a sort of...goal to go for. I made a deal with my sons that if they get all of their spaces exed in, they'd get a surprise, so it sort of helps teach them. And even if you don't want/need a chore chart, make sure you go and check out www.yourway.net the whole site is amazing, and the free printables are SO cool!! Seriously, there's a printable for everything you need.

So, as always, if you would like to see something specific done, or you'd like to see something re-done, let me know!! And until next time, Happy Crafting Loves!!!

Peace, Treyci

revamped privacy screen

Hello loves!! Today I am going to show you my revamped privacy screen. I picked this one up like a year ago at a garage sale...and while it wasn't "hideous"...it wasn't really very pretty either.  Also, after loving it when I bought it...I didn't love it much in my house. It's tall. It's wobbly. And...it was black and khaki O_O so the other day, I saw it leaning against the wall in my sons' room, and I thought...I wonder if I can make that look girly and sort of...whimsical? Guess what...I can. And you can too. Here we go.

This is what it looked like "before"....see, it's not horrible. It just didn't really "go" and it wasn't really "me". so. I bought some spray-paint...I didn't get a picture of it, but it was called...Champagne Nouveau. (which is fancy talk for a light pretty gold haha). It's by Krylon, it was one of the "brushed metallic" paints, and I picked a satin finish. I don't really like "shiny". (Note: Please remember to use spray paint responsibly. Use outdoors, or with plenty of ventilation. And if you're a minor, make sure your parents know what you're doing, and are supervising this.)

So after I spray painted this, it looked like:

(Please ignore my messy room haha)

Here's a closer picture of the paint job...see, it's not a "bright" gold, it's soft, sort of muted and romantic-y. I quite liked the color.
  So after I painted it, I decided what colors of fabric I wanted on it. (And by decided, I mean that I looked in the stash of fabric we have lying about and used what went together best...because I am cheap and I didn't want to have to go buy any haha). Then I cut the fabric into strips, I tried to get them to all be between 1 and 2 inches wide...obviously some of them were bigger...and every single one is crooked. Because I couldn't find one of those pizza cutter looking cutters for fabric ANYWHERE in the house haha...and I was impatient. So mine are very...well, let's say "rustic"...yeah. My fabric strips are "rustic".

So, as you can see...maybe...there are a lot of different colors, but they're all "muted" colors. I wanted it to be very soft and unobtrusive. There are a couple of brighter colors, but I tried to keep that at a minimum, just because I didn't want it to overpower any of the others. Some fabrics I really wanted to use, but were just too short, so I knotted them together to make a long enough piece...and I really think it turned out kind of cute that way. Anyway, all I did, was at the top end of the fabric strips, I sort of cut it in two pieces so that I'd have two "strings" to tie around the top bar. Then I just let them hang, like this:

Again, pardon the mess. I had thought about tying the bottoms, too, but I thought this looked cuter. Sort of summery, they blow in the wind...er...the AC haha. Anyway, as for "privacy" this doesn't afford much, it's more of a decoration at this point. I'll probably get tired of this again soon, and re-do it...and when I do...you'll be the first to see it!! I think next time I'll do standard "blinds" of fabric over them...sort of like they were to begin with, but obviously with prettier fabric. That stuff looked like burlap!

Anyway, as always, let me know if there's something you'd like to see done, or something you'd like to see more of! I will try  my best, and until next time, Happy Crafting!!

Peace, Treyci

Pretty Picture Frame Earring Holder

Hello, hello, loves!! I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've posted. The important thing is I'm back now!! Today i'm going to show you how to make a cute earring holder like this, out of just a few pretty common things.

First, you'll need a frame. I prefer these kind, they're decorative and pretty. However...this was not a pretty frame to begin with. This is what it looked like when I picked it up this morning at a garage sale.

You could argue that it's not that bad...but this picture doesn't do it's horror justice. But I didn't like it, so...I painted it. Thank God for spray paint ;)

Then you're going to need:



So you'll need the frame, obviously, a stapler (although, I  will say that it would be easier to use a staple gun...I just couldn't find mine haha). Scissors, ones that you wouldn't cut fabric with. I used window screen for mine, I think the smaller mesh makes it easier and more supportive of earrings.

Ok, so make a tracing of the inside of the frame. When you've got that pattern, trace it onto the mesh (or you could use chicken wire if you want), and cut out the mesh.

Staple the mesh onto the inside part of the frame, from the back. BE CAREFUL though...I'll show you what happened when I got a little too close to an edge :(

See those cracks?!?!? I ended up using some hot glue to hold them in place and covering them with the little cloth flowers, so that the cracks wouldn't show...I was kind of sad that I had to at first...but I really think I like it better with the flowers.

So, you can add flowers if you want...I'll do a post soon (maybe tomorrow) of how to make these flowers...or you can leave it plain. Staple a ribbon onto the back, and there you have it!! A pretty, decorative earring holder!! (I personally love this because I hung it on the wall on the way outside my bedroom door...now every time I leave, it'd be impossible to miss them, and I'll never leave without earrings again haha)

Until next time, loves....please let me know what you think of the posts so far, and let me know if there's something specific you'd like to see.

Peace, Treyci



DIY trashcan turned clothes hamper

So, I had seen one time in a home decor magazine (probably Pottery Barn, but don't quote me on that) a boys' room decorated like a garage. It had diamond plate dressers, those clocks that look like tires...you get the idea. One of the things that was in this room spread...was a clothes hamper...that looked suspiciously like a trashcan. I thought...why in the world would I pay $50 (or more...probably more) for a trashcan??? But I could't let go of the idea.

Saturday morning, my mom, my youngest son, and I went out garage saling (yeah, I'm that cheap)...and I found this trashcan!!!

(I have no idea why, but all my pictures got turned sideways...and after 30 minutes of trying to fix them, I decided to leave them...I'm sure you all know what a trash can looks like right side up hahaha)

So, after bringing it home, I cleaned it up really good...it was after all...used. Then I got out some spray paint...this is the kind I used:

I like this kind, I've used it before on metal cabinets, metal filing cabinets, shelves, you name it. And it does a wonderful job, and the finish is just lovely. Not that, I'm quite sure, my sons will care about the lovely finish. I got this at Home Depot, and I think it was like $4 a can? This didn't even take half a can.

I set my garage sale trash can on a set of saw horses...if you don't have any saw horses, just put them out on your sidewalk or driveway or whatever. You can always lay down a few sheets of newspaper so you don't get it on your concrete. (*note...please use spray paint responsibly!! use in a well ventilated area and only use it for its intended purpose...thanks.)

I know this isn't the best picture...but this is the finished product. I think going the used trash can route was a good thing...I mean, it's for a boys' room! I could care less that there's dents in the sides haha...the way boys are, I'm sure it'll have a lot more before long. Anyway, of course, you can always use a new trashcan...I have no idea how much they cost, as I was way too cheap to even check :) (*note: I even painted the inside of this one, because this one had some rust inside it. You don't have to do that, obviously)

So until next time, Happy Crafting. And as always...if there's something you'd like to see done, or something you'd like to see more of...don't be shy...ASK!

Peace, Treyci

technical difficulties

Ok...so I had planned on putting a post up today...and due to the fact that my internet is being a punk, and slow, and not letting me upload pictures or the video...I guess I'm not going to be doing that today....but...TOMORROW...i will try again, and hopefully the post for twisted fabric flowers will be up :)

Peace, Treyci

Introducing...ME!!!!

Hello, and welcome to my blog :) I hope you find something here that you'll enjoy. In this blog, I plan on exploring a lot of different crafts...I've got the attention span of a goldfish usually and I want to try and do EVERYTHING. It's my biggest weakness that I think I need to try everything at least once.

That being said...if there's a specific kind of craft you'd like to see done, or see done more often, please don't hesitate to ask. If I don't know how to do it...I'm sure I can find someone to teach me...or I know how Google works ;)

Plan on seeing some hairbow tutorial type posts, maybe some crochet patterns (although I'm not an experienced crocheter, so I'm not sure about that one), some scrapbooking ideas, random things that I think would make fun, easy Saturday crafts, and OH...kids crafts!! I don't know about all of you, but my sons enjoy making crafts from time to time...as long as they don't take too long to make, and I'm all about preserving the hobby for the future generation haha.

So, come on in, have a look around...I know it looks bare right now, but bear with me and I will remedy that shortly!!

Peace, Treyci