Thanksgiving Doilie Canvas

I was having a hard time thinking of Thanksgiving crafts. I love Halloween and Christmas so much that I often look over Thanksgiving-except the food! So I changed some "snowflake" art into fall colors and added a little "thanks". Super easy, and very pretty.

Cost: $15-- I got the paint on sale for 77 cents, and used my Michael's coupons
Difficulty level: easy, but messy


You Need:
Canvas (mine is 12x12)
Fall colored paints
Paper doilies--find them in the baking area of the craft store
Mod Podge and foam paint brush

Step One:
Paint your doilies and let them dry completely

Step Two:
Decide how you want to arrange them on your canvas, and then start Mod Podging. Apply a little to the canvas or the back of the doilie, THEN paint over the whole doilie.
Here's where it's messy-- use your fingers to make sure the edges stick down to the canvas.

Do this with all of your doilies.

Then, paint over your whole canvas with the Mod Podge to make the whole thing shiny.

I decided to add "Give Thanks" as an after thought. Do it in pencil first, then trace it with gold paint pen.                                                   

Now, decide where to put it!    

           

Custom DIY iPhone Cases

This super easy craft will allow you to change the look of your iPhone without buying 10,000 cases to do it. Yay saving $$!

Cost: $25 including buying the case

Difficulty Level: easy-ish

First, order this ultra clear, thin iPhone case from SwitchEasy. It's the clearest one I've found (no opaqueness, and no logos on the back!) Switch Easy NUDE Ultra Clear case

Then, go buy thin scrapbook paper. NO GLITTER!! It will scratch your phone and your case. I also got some thin plastic lace patterned paper. It feels like a transparency

Pick a paper, flip it over to the back, and trace your case. Use PENCIL so it doesn'y mark up the case. Also trace the camera hole.

*Cut out the pattern and make sure it fits in the case. This takes some trimming.

*Now for the harder part--cut out the camera hole. I found it easiest to use a hole punch to get the curve over the flash, and then just used scissors to go over the camera. *Maybe you're more deft with an xacto and can do this nicely. I can't.

Line up your paper in the case, and snap your phone in.**Take couple photos with and without the flash to make sure there is no paper in the way**

Repeat with other patterns and colors. Now you can change the case as much as you change your outfit!

Have fun and get creative. You can add photos, quotes, drawings, anything on paper!

Kayleigh's Costume: The Reveal

I LOVED being Hedwig! I made a message, mask, and headband along with the feather trims on the dress. I wore it with black tights, and delivered messages to people from "Harry" all night. Success!

Film Negavite Lamp

Saw an amazing photo of this on Pinterest and just had to do it! There was no tutorial, so I totally winged it. You're welcome...because now you have directions!

Difficulty level: easy-ish

Cost: $15 including the lamp

You will need:
A glass lamp. This one was $8 at Ikea. (Free for me, I've had it forever)
Old film negaitves. Try to use black and white; color film is brown and not as nice. * I used 12*
Mod Podge and a sponge brush

Step One:

Clean and dry your lamp, and choose your negatives. Mine are from my and Katie's high school photo journalism class!

Step Two:
Apply a layer of Mod Podge ( 1 inch wide) to 2 sides of the lamp. You will wrap the strips one at a time around the corners. ** This was my first time ever using Mod Podge!**

Keep doing this until half of your lamp is covered.

Let the glue dry before flipping the lamp on the other side. Then, keep on gluing!

Let all of that dry too. ** Some of the film had a hard time staying down, so I used a little hot gule to tack it.

Last Step:

Plug it in and enjoy, or give it as a gift. This would be cool if you had old vacation or wedding negatives too. 

 

Pretty sweet look! And I'm proud of my first Mod Podge creation.

                

Kayleigh's Halloween Costume

Here's a little sneak peek of my Hedwig (owl) costume that I will be debuting on Friday!

I finally got the boyfriend into Harry Potter last year. Then he goes and gets onto the red carpet premiere of The Deathly Hallows--without me!! Anyway, this year he is going to be Harry. Honestly, he's perfect for it. 

BUT, I didn't want to be Hermione or Ginny; I was already what some refer to as "Whore-y Potter" a couple years ago. 

So.... I decided to be Hedwig, Harry's pet owl. (Also, I got the idea from Katie who went as Hedwig to our Harry Potter Housewarming Party. Yes, we're nerds)

There's my sketch, supplies, and the feather trim that I made myself. I'm afraid you'll have to wait till I wear it for Halloween to see the finished product. 

Don't want to ruin the surprise, BUT I'm thinking we will look a bit like this:

Heehee...

If you've made your own costume this year, I want to see it! Tweet us a picture @girlvscraft or leave one in the comments! 

Happy Crafting!

World's Easiest Pumpkin Decoration

 

Seriously, the easiest EVER!

Buy either a real pumpkin, or the fake carvable ones (that's what I have). Then spell out words with sticker letters!

No-Sew Felt Leaf Garland!

This fall colored felt leaf garland is a simplified version of some awesome Christmas felt garland that I saw last year at Etsy Dallas' Jingle Bash craft fair. Since I don't own a sewing machine, I had to do it a little different. I think it turned out adorable and is probably easier than sewing it!

Cost: $5

Difficulty: easy (time consuming though)

You will need:

Various colors of felt. I used the cheap stuff from Michael's (20 cents per sheet = 9 leaves)

Neutral colored yarn (again, I got the cheap kind)

Paper and pencil to make your leaf stencil

Scissors

Tape for the end of the yarn so it's easier to thread.

Step One:

Make your leaf stencil and cut it out. 3 inch leaves are a good size.

Step Two:

Trace the stencil on each piece of felt. I fit 9 on each piece. Then, cut those out too.

Step Three:

Cut 3 holes in each leaf by folding the leaf in half and sinipping a small hole. ** DO THEM ALL BEFORE YOU START THREADING**

Step Four:

Put a small piece of tape around the end of your yarn. This makes it much much easier to thread into the felt! Then, start threading the yarn through the leaves.

Step Five:

Keep on threading those leaves on! When you run out of leaves, tie small loops on the ends so you can hang the garland, and so that it doesn't unravel on you.

Now, hang above a window, drape a mantel, wrap it around banisters, or decorate the table!

Happy Fall! Now, go drink a pumpkin spiced late. You earned it!

Chalk-Paint Wine Glass

Tired of drinking someone else's wine? Solve that problem with a little chalk paint on the base of the glass. Then your guests can write their names or draw pictures to mark their wine.    Here's how it's done!
  
Cost: You can do a full set of 8 glasses for less than $30 (assuming you're getting the glasses at Target...) This was free for me since I already had a glass and the paint.

You will need:
A wine glass (or many wine glasses)
Primer
Chalkboard paint
A place to dry the glasses. I recommend wax paper. 



Step one:
Take your wine glass outside and spray the base and a bit of the stem with your primer. Let it dry outside.

Step two:
Open up your can of chalkboard paint and literally dip the bottom of the glass into the paint.   ** Note: doing it this way is easy, but takes a long long time to dry. If I did it again, I would use a paint brush instead. **

Step three:
Pull it out slowly and let some of the excess paint drip back into the can.

Step four:
Let it dry... this is where I did NOT plan ahead. I sat at the table holding the glass in the air until it was just dry enough to set down on a magazine. I recommend getting some wax paper ready!

When it finally dries, you can start writing with chalk!! Now, I have no idea if the glasses are still dishwasher safe. I will be handwashing this one. Good luck, and Happy Hallo-wine!