Props!

Doing costumes and need some neat props? Don't worry, you've got everything you need right at your fingertips. So get out those old soda bottles, sponge curlers, foam letters and any other kind of thing you can think of. I'm sure most of you have see the Soda bottle rocket pack. They take to soda bottles, paint them black or silver, and glue red and orange party paper to the openings. Glue the bottles together side by side, turn them upside down and attach strings for should straps. TADA! You now have a jet pack! But what else can you do with all that "junk?" Here's one thing I found I can make with random stuff in my house, prop guns!

looks like something I bought at the store? Nope this is a high fashion piece made out of an old food masher, foam blocks, mardi gras beads, a bottle cap, 2 clothes pins, sponge curlers, and a small thing of pvc pipe.

Now do you see it? Just make sure you use a very strong glue, HOT GLUE ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH. Epoxy and super glue work pretty well. I started with a plastic food masher, that I never used, and then cut out a handle shape from those foam letter mats  (my boys had destroyed it so I figured I might as well use that) and glue them both together. Give the glue time to dry, then you can add some embellishments, that's what makes the gun look neat. I added a dissected clothes pin to the handle to give it more shape and the plastic part of sponge curlers to give some depth to the barrel of the gun. Glue on some mardi gras beads to the back to accent the but of the gun, and add a pvc pipe for a scope. My scope was kinda off so I used a piece of foam to lift it so it was level. Then I added as an after thought a sprite bottle cap to the back with super glue. Once the glue is dry, spray paint and enjoy! A water bottle/soda bottle would be a fun barrel to a gun as well. Just start with your barrel and then your handle then find random stuff in your house to accent it. twisty ties, broken toy pieces, the list goes on forever. Happy prop making!

Ariel yarn wig DIY

I just made this Ariel (<I don't know why that's a link...) wig for my Etsy shop. It was a custom order from someone who bought a Rapunzel wig last year. She didn't want it tied down so I had to do layers of hair instead of putting it all at the top. I was kind of making it up as I went. It was relatively easy, but kind of time consuming. I will see if I can come up with a faster way.

I bought a $1 beanie from wal mart that was red with blue stripes. I turned it inside out and it was solid red. I put it on the nearest child and with a red permanent marker I marked out where I wanted the layers of hair to go. Important step. Even if you don't mark them, make a mental note of how to put them on. 

Wrap the yarn around something close to the length or slightly longer then the total length you want the wig.

 Cut one side

 line up several strands

 Tape them together

 pin the tape to the hat where you want it. Start with the bottom layers and work your way up. 

 I used a zig zag stitch so it would have some flex to it and move better with the hat. 

 Then I trimmed the loops off, not a necessary step though

 I have gotten several rows on, I'm almost to the top. (I think I did 3 or 4 rows on each side. 

 Top view (you can see the red lines I drew)

 Before you add the top, make sure there are no bare spots. You may need to add more to cover the back.

Now for the top, after I cut the strands I laid them directly over the top straddling the hat. I worked them around till I got even coverage of the top then taped and pined them in place on either side of the part. Then just stitch down the middle

 Check and double check for pins before you put it on any ones head!
Then trim it up.

In retrospect I think I should have sewn the hook side of velcro to the had in various places and only done the top layer and then press it into the Velcro to hold it in place. That would have been SUPER fast. If  I try I will show you how it turns out. Cause I now have a little girl who thinks she needs an Ariel wig too. :)

Finished wig

 And back view

Total cost about $5 I used a little more than 2 skeins of yarn (which I think was a little much, I coudl have slimmed it down to 1)

Fixing broken mini blinds

In our housing community we HAVE to have mini blind on all the windows, and they CAN'T be broken. If they are broken they want you to replace them immediately. Well guess what... I have 3 YOUNG kids. They like to look out their windows, and they can't pull the strings to open the blinds so what do they do? They BEND them. You can only bend mini blinds so much before they break, thus resulting in an almost constant need to replace mini blinds in the house. 

So instead of buying a new set of blinds every 2 weeks, I kept one set of old broken ones and I just replace the slats when needed. Here, let me show you how. 

These are the broken blinds

There are little plastic buttons on the bottom of the blinds 

Use a flat head screw driver, or butter knife to pop out the one on either end. You can leave the one in the middle. 

Now pull out the string that runs through the middle, and untie the knot. If you can't untie the knot cut it as close as you can to the knot and burn the end so it doesn't unravel.

 Pull the string up through the blinds till you get to the top of the broken ones.

 Now pull the broken slats out the side

 Now just slide the new ones in, feed the string back through each slat down to the plastic bar on the bottom.  Tie a slip knot so the NEXT time you have to do this it will save you some time, and shove all the string back in the hole and snap the button back in. 

NOTE: mini blinds are not universal, make sure you get the same kind so the hols line up. Another option is to take the extra slats off the bottom  of the blinds, since they usually extend several inches below the window. 

Reader Photos!

Have you tried one of my projects? Or used some of my tips/advice? Send me a pic of your finished project and I'll post it on my blog. A friend just used my Rapunzel Wig pattern and sent me a pic, she did a GREAT job, and has the most adorable Rapunzel. :)

Mirror Etching/Engraving.

I just did this mirror as a wedding gift for one of my best friends. I told her I wanted to make them a wedding gift and not buy it, but I needed some suggestions. 

I ALSO told her that I like a challenge, so not to be afraid to suggest anything.  She said she loves Tuscan landscapes and off to google image search I went. 

Now before I scare you off with my very detailed etching, let me just say YOU CAN DO THIS! I counted up, and this is only my 10th glass etching project. 2 sets of duplicate projects, a couple that were just writing, and the others were not very detailed at all. 

Finding the right picture is usually the HARDEST part of an etching for me. There is almost never just ONE picture that is exactly what I want. So I have to use elements from several different pictures to get the effect I'm looking for. 

I spend HOURS finding the right ones and deciding how I wanted the finished product to look. 

This time I used these 5 as a template for the finished project.

Once I found the right pictures I had to make them the right size and style. My preference is to use a sketch cause it gives clear lines. To get the sketch look I zoomed in on the pic on the computer to about the size I wanted it for the mirror, placed my white tissue paper over the computer screen and traced the basic image. I had to fill in the gaps and draw a few things on my own to make the proportions right.

Once I got it the way I wanted taped it where I wanted over the mirror, but only taped the top 1/2 in place so I could slip the carbon paper under.

This is carbon paper, or transfer paper. You can get it at any hobby store. I got a package of 3 sheets for $2 or $3 about 6 years ago, and just started on my last sheet for this project. "shiny" side up, dull side down. You can reuse it multiple times. I use it on wood, and glass, but it will transfer to most surfaces. GREAT tool to have!

 When etching glass the MOST important rule to remember is SHADE THE LIGHT. Anything you want white you etch, anything you want "black" you leave unetched. Since I had a VERY large portion of area that I wanted etched I decided to try a new technique. I bought some etching creme

I got a 10 oz jar at the local Hobby Lobby for about $20. Kinda pricey, BUT what they don't tell you is you can SCRAPE IT BACK INTO THE JAR!!! 

So since I only wanted a certain area etched with creme and the rest to actually be hand engraved I took some fabric paint that I had and painted the lines that were drawn on with the carbon paper

 Any lines that crossed over other lines I waited to paint till the first ones dried. other wise you get big smudges

Now once you put the creme on you have to rinse it off, so to avoid rinsing off the carbon transfer of what I wanted engraved I did the engraving first.

I have a set exactly like this that you can get a Harbor Freight for $10. I use the rotary tool and the diamond point tips. . (The only tips I really use look like they have a ball on the end, they give me the cleanest smoothest lines out of all of them, I only used 3 different tips)

Now for that hard part, PERMANENTLY etching the glass. There is no eraser folks, so this first step can be kind of scary. Just close your eyes and JUMP ...ok, actually don't close you eyes, and no jumping with power tools and GLASS. Just be brave and BELIEVE in your self. 

You can see I basically engrave AROUND the transfer lines, then fill in the blank space

 Now I'm ready to use the creme! New experience for me. Since I was covering such a BIG surface it didn't give me a smooth even finish, which happened to be perfect for this project. 

Use in a well ventilated area and always Always ALWAYS use safety protection! In this case rubber gloves and eye protection.

I poured it on a small section and spread it with my finger. Let it sit for 2 mins then rinse off. I had to do this in about 3 different segments. 

NOTE: Do you see the dirty smudges on the mirror? Guess what? They are now PERMANENT dirty smudges. As I was rinsing I got some over spray on the middle of the mirror and didn't realize it, so the creme sat there. When rinsing off your piece RINSE THE ENTIRE THING, even if you didn't put etching creme on it. Then wipe it dry with a clean cloth.

Now I took a plastic scraper and easily scraped the paint lines off  (some small particles of the paint remained and I later had to go over it with a sharp exacto knife to clean it up)

 You can see the difference of detail with the hand engraving and the etching creme. Also an effect I wanted. 

 Now I took the different pieces of my landscape picture, taped them where I wanted them and slid the carbon paper under them to trace it on the glass. The carbon paper doesn't have to be taped down. 

 you can see the transferred image

 Now fill in the white. Again using the proper safety equipment. I highly recommend safety glasses and a facial mask, you don't want to breathe in glass dust. 

 Finished the landscape! YAY! I also went back over some of the creme etched portion to heighten the detail, like the crack in the wall and the wood grain. (But I did that after I took this picture, but you can kind of see it in the picture of it framed) (I know I"m probably the only one who will ever know the difference though :) )

 Now to attach the hardware.

I used hot glue to glue the mirror in the frame, covering every inch for the edge of the mirror, then glues the card board in, this protects the back of the mirror from getting scratched. 

 You want it 1/3 the total height of the mirror down(does that make sense?) The frame was 24 in tall so I put the hooks 8 in from the top. Then I attached the picture wire to the hooks. 

I'm VERY happy with the way it turned out (and so is my friend, which matters more than my opinion) Except for those darn permanent dirty spots :S

Don't ever be afraid to do something that is hard, because you will never know what you can accomplish. You just may surprise your self. And if it doesn't turn out, well I bet you learn a lot that will help you in the future. Win-Win

DIY Rapunzel Yarn wig

      Last year I sold these on Etsy for $50 a piece and made good money in Oct. BUT holy cow, it was a lot of work. And it just ended up being not that fun by the end of it. I ended up making a detailed picture patterns and instructions and tried to sell that, only sold one. So I decided to post it up here for YOU.
      It can get pretty expensive if you buy your costume. If you are like me and don't have a lot of money, but you do have time, you can make a few pieces or props for the costume and make it SUPER awesome.

This wig is relatively simple. It took me about 5-6 hours to make one, but that's cause I crocheted a hat, that was the most time consuming. There are several ways to do it, and hopefully this will help.

Rapunzel Wig 

            The wig can be put together a couple different ways. I have always done a crocheted beanie with the same yarn that I make the strands of hair with. This will hide the hat underneath very well. The hat can also be knitted with the same yarn. With a yarn cap, the hair is tied on.

            You can also start with an already made hat and sew the hair on, either by hand or machine. I will provide instructions for both methods, however since I have never started with a store bought hat, I have not ironed out any kinks that may come your way in going that route.

           

***This pattern does not include a pattern for the actual hat that the hair is attached too, only basic instructions for the hat.***

Materials:

Bright yellow yarn

(2 skeins of 7 oz/ 364 yards)

An accent color of yarn, it can be either lighter or darker. I use a Gold color

(You will only use about 1/3 of a skein the same size as you see in the picture of the accent color)

Flowers

Ribbon

Hot glue gun

Bobbie Pins

For a store bought hat you will ALSO need:

A beanie/ or a ball cap with the bill removed

1 yd Velcro (you only need the hook / or rough side. You will not need the whole yard, but you can usually find it sold by the yard in a small package)

To Start:

If you are crocheting the hat, Start in the center and spiral out adding stitches as you go to expand the hat. Use the bright yellow yarn.

 

The wig will look best if the hat is smooth on top.

 

Next

You will make 11 locks of hair. First cut 11 pieces of bright yellow yarn about 8-10 inches long

You will use these to tie the strands together to make a single lock.

 

  

To make the strands of hair, find something that has a circumference of your desired length that you can wrap the yarn around. I used a 4 ft folding table. Or you can use 2 chairs. Set them as far apart as you want, and wrap the yarn from one to the other.

Start at one end, wrap the accent color around twice, and the bright yellow around 10 times. 

At the opposite end from where you started take one of your pre-cut 8 inch pieces of yarn, slip it under all 12 strands, and tie them all together securely

.

Once it is tied, cut all the strands at the other end, where you started. Now you have one completed lock. Repeat until you have all 11. The strands will not all be even, that is fine. You will trim it all once the wig is completed.

 

For a store bought hat:

Before you can attach the locks you need to sew on the Velcro. This will hold the hair down to the hat and keep it in place. Cut the Velcro into 3 to 4 inch long pieces. Discard the soft side. Sew the strips (the hook side) on the hat in various places. You don’t need to cover the entire surface, sew them on every few inches.

 

The yellow circles is where each lock of hair will be sewn down, the rectangles is about where you need to sew the Velcro strips.

  

Attaching the Locks onto the hat:

Open the lock of hair and lay it across the front of the hat.

The center of the lock of hair will become the part in the wig.

 

For a Crocheted or Knitted hat: Use a crochet hook to pull the center tie through. Tie a knot on the inside of the hat, securing the lock of hair to the top of the beanie. DO NOT cut off the loose ends. Use your hook to weave them through the hat. This ensures that the knot will not come undone. It also leaves the inside looking much cleaner.

Repeat this step with 8 locks of hair going in a straight line from the center of the forehead across the top of the head.

 

For a Store bought hat:

Open the lock of hair and place it across the front of the picture as shown above. Pin the lock to the hat. Once you have all 8 pinned in a straight line up the hat, use a sewing machine to sew down the part in the hair.

For Both Methods:

            Now add the last 3 locks for the crochet and knitted hats, tie them on the same way, only do not open the lock of hair up. Let both sides of the lock hang down across the back of the head.

            For the sewing method, pin the lock on as shown in the diagram, open up the lock so you can see the center tie. Sew over top of the center tie on each individual tie for the last three, moving the strands from other locks as necessary.

 

When all the locks are attached the top of the head should look like this:

 Even out the strands so they cover the hat completely.

Now you are ready to braid the wig. This step is easiest if someone is wearing the wig.

You can skip the braiding and tie the hair together with ribbon every 8 inches or so to keep the length consistent.

Crochet Hat:

Once it is all braided you need to tie the strands of hair to the hat to keep everything in place. Tie it down in several places across the sides, bottom, and back of the head. Once the hair is all secure you can cover your ties by hot gluing the flowers over the top of them.

 

Both Methods:

Use your hot glue gun to glue on the flowers. Put the glue on the actual flower and not the plastic stem, it will melt the plastic.

 Trim the bottom of the hair and now the wig is ready to be worn.

Yarn (about) $4.50

Flowers $3 (or less, depending on where you get your flowers)