Frame your own artwork

For a while now I have wanted to make an art piece of my own to place above our humble dining room table. The problem? I am no artist. That's right, sometimes crafty girls cannot paint or draw.. or it may just be me. Either way, I have created a fabulous piece of "art" using scrapbook paper, ribbon, fabric, cardstock, embellishments, and any other scraps you have laying around the house. It's beautiful and sophisticated, and I didn't have to use a paint brush! Do you want to make your own? Let's get started.

What you need:

• Large Frame with the piece of glass insert (I got mine on sale at Hobby Lobby. But I would suggest trying thrift stores or Goodwill for a large frame and spray painting it because these larger frames get pretty pricey.)
• One sheet of poster board in the color you want your background to be (I chose white to go with my black frame). 
• Hot glue gun and Elmers glue (or some other kind of craft glue). 
• Scissors
• Pencil and a ruler
• Two sheets of 8 1/2" X 11" card stock in the color you want to "frame" your individual pictures  - like a matting (I chose black to counter the white background and match my black frame).
• Scrapbook paper, ribbon, buttons, embellishments, fabric, pretty much anything you want to add. This is your project!

Here we go!

1.  Trace on your poster board how many "frames" you want to have. I like the 3 X 3 look, but it was difficult to find a square frame, so I went with 2 X 3. Make sure you measure exactly how thick you want your background border to be (I chose one inch of white) and how thick you want your matting border to be (I did half an inch of black card stock cut out into strips and glued on to the poster board). 
2. Next, lay out your designs for each individual frame. Think of different textures and give some of the elements a 3-D look by adding pieces of thick cardboard behind them. Glue each of the elements in place.
3. Now cut the poster board to the size of the glass in the frame and glue it right on top of the glass. And you're done! 

Here are some close-ups of the different types of textures I used. It's hard to see in this picture, but in the frame on the right, I gave the design an illusion of being 3-D. I accomplished this by adding a card stock backing to the design to make it sturdy (the design was cut from a piece of fabric) and then glued on two pieces of thick cardboard stacked on top of each other to the back. When you are creating your frames, try to use different textures and add some dimension to make your pieces more interesting and visually stimulating.

Here is the end result. I was very happy with how it turned out.

 This project is a little time consuming, so mommies - plan accordingly! Even though it takes a little time to make, it's super easy to do.. especially for a "non-artistic" crafter like me! I hope you will give it a try!

This is where the completed artwork will hang. It isn't hung yet, obviously, but when my husband gets home from work it will be. It's not that I can't hang a piece of artwork myself (I hung my whole frame wall by myself, for crying out loud), my husband just likes to be "involved" in my crafts. And that means leaving little things for him to do like hanging things. He says it's his way of "crafting" with me. Ha! I love him.

Hope you try this fun project. Let your imagination run wild! 

And let your husband hang your framed artwork up. ;)

Ciao bella,

Mini Tutorial: How to crochet leaves

Hey crafty gals!  I hope the weather is as nice where you are as it is here in Melbourne.  I have all the windows in my house open and I am just soaking in this fabulous 70 degree weather with a refreshing crisp breeze.  There's nothing like it!

I hope you have checked out the Patterned Paper Wreath Remix--what a great way to welcome Spring!  (Depending on what that little Groundhog sees tomorrow, I suppose.)  I received a few questions about the embellishments on the wreath so I thought I'd give ya the instructions on how to make 'em.

First of all, the pattern for that oh-so-sweet flower is not a Crafty Girl original--it came from a blog called A Little Birdie Told Me.  It's a great tutorial for beginners as it has lots of pictures!

The leaves, though, are result of playing around and because I'm a new crocheter, my "pattern" may not be correct in terms of jargon, but I think you'll get the picture.  ; )

Start with a chain of 14.  Then in the second stitch from your hook, make one sc going through the top half of the chain (all stitches will only go through one side of the chain--see pictures below to see what I mean).  1 hdc in each of the next two stitches, and then 1 dc in each of the next two stitches.  Chain one, then 1 tr in each of the next three stitches.  Chain one, then 1 dc in each of the next two st, 1 hdc in each of the next two st, 1 sc in the last stitch.  Chain two and repeat the same pattern, working up the other side. 

 This picture illustrates how to work your crochet into half of the chain.  You'll work into the other side of the chain when you work your way around. 

Here's a visual of how I wrote the pattern in my trusty graph-paper notebook that goes absolutely everywhere with me:

Yeah. As I was writing this, it occurred to me that newbies should not be writing crochet patterns.  Hope it makes sense to you in some capacity!

Patterned Paper Wreath - Remix!

Did you know that the first post Sharon and I ever worked on together was her Patterned Paper Wreath?  It was several months ago, before Two Girls Being Crafty was even a thought, and I was blogging elsewhere.  Sharon told me about a craft she was making and I asked for pictures so I could share it with my readers, and a very popular wreath was born.

Here's Sharon's awesome original wreath:

So, now I have made Sharon's Patterned Paper Wreath like three or four times...  Each time using the same wreath form but different festive papers.  Honestly, as cute as it is, I was ready to mix it up a bit.  You crafty gals know what I mean.  You can only do the same craft so many times, right?  So, here's a remix on the original. 

You'll need the same supplies as you do for the other wreath, which is:

5 or 6 12x12 sheets of scrapbook paper

Hot glue

14" wreath form

Ribbon or fabric for bow, or some other sort of embellishment

Here's the paper I chose.  If I were to do it over again, I'd do 6 pages of paper instead of just 5. 

Anyhow, cut your scrapbook paper into strips measuring 1"x4".  This means that you'll make 36 loops from each sheet of paper.

To make each loop, all you have to do is fold the paper in half (without creasing, of course) and glue the ends together.  You'll end up with a pile of loops!

Lay your wreath down on a flat surface and start gluing the loops on with the round end of the loop touching the surface.  This mimics the wreath hanging on a flat surface, so it's important to start this way if you don't want naked places on your wreath.  Go around the whole wreath gluing on your loops...

Then use the same basic method for row 2, and so on...

I crocheted an embellishment 'cause I love to crochet these days and I have lots of scraps of yarn.  You can buy a flower or make a flower, or do a bow of some sort--the possibilities are endless.  Or you really don't have to embellish at all--you can do whatever you want to do!  I made a fabric-covered button for the center of the flower to add another layer and some extra texture.  (Tristin's note: because some readers asked for it, you can learn how to make these crocheted embellishments on this post.)

Here she is, in all her glory!

If you make one, please send us a link to your site!  We'd love to check it out. 

So, what do you think about the Patterned Paper Wreath Remix?  I'm obviously already in "Spring" mode!

Linky Love: Gung hay fat choy!

No, I didn't just call you fat--I actually said, "May you be prosperous"!  Not sure what I'm getting at?  It's almost the Chinese New Year, folks!  Are you ready to celebrate? 

I always try to celebrate small holidays in some small way because it makes what would be a normal day feel a bit more special.  Chinese New Year is one of my favorites because if nothing else, it's a good excuse to enjoy some good Chinese food.

You may be interested to know that in the Chinese Zodiac, 2011 is the year of the Rabbit.

If you're interested in knowing about your position in the Chinese Zodiac it's fun to spend a few moments using google to research--or go to your favorite Chinese restaurant where they're sure to have place mats with brief explanations.  (Again, I'll make any excuse to go out for Chinese food!)

Little Birdie Secrets shares some awesome recipes and ideas for a Chinese New Year's celebration.

Martha Stewart offers some background on Chinese New Year traditions and even a printable template for red money envelopes.  Now there's a tradition I'd like to adopt!

If you're looking for even more party and celebration inspiration, check out this post from Not Just a Mommy.  You'll be sure to find some inspiration.

Be sure to check back next week because I'll be sharing step-by-step instructions on how I make delicious pork won-tons!  (And I'll be sharing my super-simple secret on how to make any chicken broth taste like the kind you get at a Chinese restaurant!  You won't want to miss that tidbit...)

Gung hay fat choy,

Upcycling Toothbrushes into Bracelets

First and foremost, we're so excited that Thrifty Decor Chick featured our blog on her series of newbies!  We're so excited to have so many new people visiting and we're equally stoked to welcome so many new followers!  Isn't Thrifty Decor Chick the bestest?  We think so.  Thanks, Sarah!  (If you're interested, you can see our highlight on the TDC blog here.)

And on to the crafty-ness...

When I was in middle school in California, I knew this gal named Kathryn who was super-cool.  You know, just one of those naturally cool kids--a trendsetter, too.  She wore a rad bracelet that she made out of a toothbrush and I thought it was awesome (naturally) so when she gave me the secret on how to make one, I rushed home to do it myself.  (See, even back then I was a DIY gal!)

Any-hoo, wanna make your own?  I thought you did! 

Here's what you'll need:

An old toothbrush (sans rubberized texture stuff)
Needle-nosed pliers
Vise grips (or you can get creative with whatever tools you have)
Tongs
A pot big enough to accommodate your toothbrush

You'll want to start with a super-plain toothbrush and avoid any of that grippy/soft plastic stuff that most toothbrushes have these days.  I use child-sized toothbrushes (What?!  I'm a small person with a small mouth... you wanna make something of it?  Obviously I have a short girl complex, too.) so they are pretty plain and perfect for making bracelets.

I used needle-nosed pliers to remove all of the bristles.

Umm, when you're using said needle-nosed pliers on the bristles, take it easy...  I teach by example guys.  So, learn a lesson from me be and gently remove the bristles from the toothbrush, and provide ample support to the neck of the toothbrush.

Obviously, I had to restart with a different toothbrush.  And I was much more gentle the second time around.

Doesn't the naked toothbrush look so awkward?

Once you have a naked toothbrush, boil that naked toothbrush for an hour.  Seriously, do it for a whole hour--don't skimp on time!  If you check it midway through, the toothbrush will seem like it will be pliable enough to form but if you bend the brush too early you may cause ugly white streaking (think: stretch marks) and possible snapping.

Once the toothbrush has boiled for an hour, you're ready to shape it into a bracelet.  You can use a bracelet you have as a size reference or you can just wing it.  I guesstimated and it came out fine!  I used tongs to hold the toothbrush in the middle and vise grips to shape the hot plastic.  If you make a mistake, don't worry--you can pop it back in the boiling water for 15-20 minutes and reshape. 

Common sense warning: that toothbrush is HOT!  You would be too if you'd just been boiled for an hour.  Be careful!

Once you're happy with your shape, drop the bracelet into a bowl of cold water to "set" the shape.  (I think that the Lemongrass Fiestaware bowl compliments the purple toothbrush quite nicely!)

And there you have it--a gorgeous toothbrush bracelet!

Pretty fun and simple, right?  I'm not a jewelry girl--but I think that even if I was, I'd much prefer for my husband to make me one of these for V-Day than to buy some generic piece of bling.  But that's just me.

Crepe Paper Rose Tree

Hey there! Since Tristin and I can't seem to get enough of Valentine's Day decor (and I hope you aren't tired of it), here's another fun and easy V-Day craft. It's what I call a crepe paper rose tree.

Here's what you need:

• Crepe paper in your favorite color (I bought fun, bright colors at Hobby Lobby for only $1 per roll. And the rolls were huge. You can also buy two smaller rolls at the Dollar Store, but they only had normal colors. Normal? Eh. Not my style.)
•  An awesome branch from outside (mine is pretty awesome).
• Glue (I used Elmers.. it takes a little bit longer to dry, but you won't burn your fingers.)
• Sheets of scrap paper (these will become the "ball form" for your pomanders.)
• Thread or string
• Extra vase that you have sitting around. 

Since I already had everything except for the crepe paper, the supplies only cost me $1! Love it! :)

Let's get started:

1. First, make a million roses. And by "a million" I mean "a lot". I used this crepe paper rose tutorial from the House of Smith's. However, I had trouble mastering the "twist" while you wind it around the base of the flower, so I also used this video to help me understand the twisting part. I had trouble getting the first couple just right, but after it clicked, I was flying through them. 
2. After you have completed half a million roses and desperately need a break, start your mini pomanders. Cut two pieces of string/thread (5" or so each). These will be used to tie your pomander to the branch. Glue one end of the string to the center of your sheets of scrap paper (I used 3 or 4 sheets of paper per pomander - stacked and then crumpled together). Making sure your other end of string is sticking outside of the paper, create the ball form by crumpling up the paper. Now add your roses to the ball form you have created. Fill any "holes" with mini roses or just pieces of crepe paper. Tie your pomanders to the tree.

3. Now glue the rest of the roses sparsely around the tree. I added some tiny pops of bright blue to add some fun variety. Stick your branch/tree in a vase, and you're done! You may need to add decorative stones or rocks to keep your branch in place. Using rocks from outside would give it a cool, rustic feeling. 

Here's the finished product:

I love it! Stay tuned for another craft I'm working on that also uses these gorgeous crepe paper roses. 

Yet another heart garland...

What?  Another heart garland?  Yes.  Sorry for the lack of variety!

But if I may point out, each of the heart garlands we've crafted is using a different crafty medium--the first is made of paper and glue, the second is made of felt and embroidery floss, and this guy is crocheted with yarn.  Talk about variations on a theme!

Here's more of the crocheted version of the heart garland in all its colorful glory:

If you want to make one of these fancy-schmancy crocheted heart garlands, check out Little Birdie Secrets.  They have an easy-peasy tutorial on how to crochet a heart--then hook those suckers up with a chain and badda bing, badda boom--another garland!

You may notice the yarn is the leftovers from Junebug's Granny Square Sweater Vest.   Leftovers from other projects work perfectly for small motifs like the little heart. There's no need to go and buy pink and red yarn for such a simple little decoration.  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  Not all Valentine's Day decor has to be red and pink!

Happy garland-making!