I Love to Create -The Right Glue for the Job

When embarking on any craft project involving sticking two things together choosing the right glue for the job is crucial. One glance at the adhesives aisle in your local craft store and you can see sometimes choosing which glue you should use can be a daunting task. Don't worry, today for I Love to Create I am going to hold your hand through the entire selection process plus throwing in a few gluing tips. Oh ya there are glue tips.


Fabric Glue
For those that don't sew a fabric glue like Aleene's Liquid Fusion can be your best friend. Without ever threading a needle you can often times fake a stitch or add an applique like on Customizing Your Kicks with just a dab of glue. One word of warning is to be careful not to get too heavy handed when gluing fabrics together as some things will darken from the glue.


Decoupage
Yup technically it's a glue with a fancy French name. If they sold Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage Medium in Gallon Jugs I'd buy it that way. Unlike most glues that don't show, decouage can say it loud and proud on your craft project in glossy like I used on my terrarium picture frame, matte or my personal fave glittery!


Temporary Hold
Sometimes as odd as it sounds, you don't want your glue to stick forever. Aleene's Tack It Over and Over is the perfect temporary hold glue for projects like appliques or in my case holding a stencil in place for glass etching.


Fabric Stiffener
Not only does glue adhere things, it also stiffens things. Sometimes you want the stiff without the sticky and that is where Aleene's Fabric Stiffener and Draping Liquid comes in handy. Very handy when making things like say string lamps or doily bowls. Did I mention you can add paint and dye to it to give it color.


All Purpose Glue
No crafty home is complete without a good all purpose go to glue around. Aleene's Original Tacky Glue is one of my favorites. Now that I have a kiddlet using non-toxic glues is important to me. Liquid Fusion Glue is put to use more often than any other glue in jewelry studio. Not just on jewelry I use Liquid Fusion on majority of my craft projects from turning TVs into picture frames to my neighbors trash into a toadstool.


Acid Free Glue
And you thought gluing paper was the easiest of all gluing tasks, wrong. When embarking on a paper crafting journey like perhaps scrapbooking or anything involving photographs you want to be sure and opt for an acid free glue like Aleene's Acid Free Tacky Glue.


Spray Glue
I must admit I have only recently discovered spray glue and all I can say is Aleene's Tacky Spray, where have you been all my life. Sometimes you have a lot of surface to glue like when attaching a piece of painted black velvet to a canvas and a spray glue can be a life saver.

This is just the tip of the adhesive iceberg. There are metal glues, industrial glues foam glues and more. Just remember there is always a specific type of glue for each project.

I Love to Create - String of Painted Pants Pearls

I picked up a bad habit from my younger sister. Instead of rinsing my paint brushes in the sink I often find myself wiping them on my blue jeans. Whether I'm painting tights, silk screening a onesie with pantyhose, making a wee witch shrine or painting a black velvet picture of Dolly I tend to wipe my brushes on my pants before they hit the sink. I can't keep a pair of jeans paint free to save my life. For once this worked to my benefit.


Recently my favorite painters pants started to die a slow painful death. The holes in the knees didn't bother me, but when the holes in the crotch started I knew it was time to retire my favorite jeans forever. I couldn't bear the thought of just throwing my jeans away so instead I thought of a way to up-cycle them so that they could be with me always. Today for I Love to Create we are turning old blue jeans into new necklaces.


SUPPLIES
Old Painters Pants
Ping Pong Balls
Fabric Fusion Glue
Sewing Machine
Thread
Scissors


Don't let the picture fool you, I didn't end up using the wooden beads I opted for ping pong balls instead. The bigger the better right? The first I thing did, I should say we did since my mom helped with this project, is cut out strips of the blue jeans.


Measure your strips so that when they are sewn into a tube they will fit snugly around your beads or balls. Once you have your strips the size you want sew right sides to right sides to create your tube.


Once your tube has been sewn you will need to turn the fabric right side out.


The next step is to start stuffing your balls or beads into your denim tube. I cut small strips of leftover blue jean to tie in knots in-between each ball. I decided to only stuff the part of the tube with paint.


To make sure that my knots did not come undone I went through and added a dab of Fabric Fusion Glue.


All that is left to do is wear my snazzy new necklace. I just tie the lose denim edges and presto. I think it might also be cute as a belt or as a Jeanne Bice Quacker Factory style headband.

Summer Goal - Hit Every Pool, Splash Pad & Swimming Hole in Austin Part 2

Have you been waiting with baited breath for the next installment of my summer swimming extravaganza? Well I have been dying to tell you about it! Tallulah is turning into quite the water bug this summer!


First up I discovered that South Park Meadows is the perfect spot for shopping and summer fun. After a morning of sandal shopping with my sister Hope we took Tallulah and her friend Sylvia to the splash pad in the center of the shopping center. Not only is there free splashing to be had there is also Amy's Ice Cream, a great playscape, grassy areas to throw a blanket down and several different restaurants to choose from.


Since I was heartbroken about the baby pool at Garrison being under construction I was pleased as punch with my visit to Dick Nichols Pool. So much so that I find myself going several times a week. The pool is free and not only is there a large and less crowded normal size pool there is also a baby pool. If you look closely in the picture you can see Tallulah in her blue bikini enjoying her swimming lessons. There is also a nice 1 mile trail around the park perfect for walks and bike rides. Tallulah enjoys their park amenities as well.


My favorite swimming spot of the summer thus far was Krause Springs. The springs are located in Spicewood, TX about 30 miles west of town. The $5 admission included butterfly gardens, a man made spring fed pool, lots of trails, scenic beauty, waterfalls and of course swimming. I have to say that though we had tons of fun I will be waiting until Tallulah is a bit older before returning. There are slippery rocks, deep water and steep inclines to navigate. When she is 5 and has lots of swimming lessons under her belt and has been walking for longer than 3 months I will feel better about a return visit. However, it is almost worth the trip to take in the scenery. I leave you with a few pictures from Krause Springs.

I Love to Create - Delightful Doormat

Recently when walking into my house I looked down and realized I still have a Halloween themed doormat. It's July I could either just tough it out a couple more months or I could paint myself a brand spanking new one. I opted for plan B.


SUPPLIES
Plain Door Mat
Tulip Soft Fabric Paint
Paint Brush
Scanner
Computer
Printer
Tulip Fabric Marker
Ruler
Embroidered Effects: Projects and Patterns to Inspire Your Stitching (Sublime Stitching) by Jenny Hart

TRIM
I used a metal ruler to create a border around the edge of my plain beige mat. I filled in the border using Tulip Fabric Paint.


PICTURE PERFECT
I used a pattern from Embroidered Effects as my design. I loved the cute little birds and thought they would look great on my door mat. I scanned in the embroidery pattern and enlarged it to fit on my rug. I printed up three separate pictures.


TRANSFER
Unfortunately, I could not get transfer paper to work on the texture of my rug so I was forced to draw the picture. I should say my husband was forced to draw. I used a Tulip Fabric Marker to transfer my design.


PAINT
After my design was on the rug I went back in with Tulip Fabric Paint and filled in. I also decided to add a few embellishments of my own!


WIPE YOUR FEET
Now I can put away my Halloween door mat for the next two months and display my own customized cute as a button mat in the meantime. I'm hoping the fun birds will distract visitors from the holes in the screen left by my over zealous 140 lb dog and 24 lb child.

Tallulah's Nursery on OhDeeDoh

Did ya see Tallulah's nursery on OhDeeDoh? When I did the home tour for Apartment Therapy her nursery was not yet complete, so hooray OhDeeDoh came back in and did an update! You might also remember the post I did on my own blog all about the process of converting our spare bedroom into the nursery. I hope you enjoy and I'd love to read your comments!

Indie Biz Chicks

Looking for something to do tonight? Might I suggest tuning in to the Indie Biz Chicks podcast. I will be discussing blogging (which I know I have been sucking at, but I caught Tallulah's cold), teaching, the pressures of business and more. I always love chatting about business with host Crissy Herron so tonight should be oodles of fun.

I Love to Create - Future is so Bright, I Gotta Wear Crafty Shades

After last week's summer inspired straw fedora make over it seemed only appropriate to keep up the beachy theme with some revamped sunglasses. Since I Love to Create and as it happens I have the mother load of sunglasses, I tried out several different options.


SUPPLIES
Crafty Chica Little Chica Paint Pack
Sunglasses
Petroleum Jelly
Paint Brush
Drop Cloth


Apply petroleum jelly to the lenses of your sunglasses. Place your glasses on a large drop cloth. Fill your brush with paint and flick at your glasses to create splatter effect. Allow paint to dry completely and use tissue paper to wipe jelly off of lenses.


This is a fun pair of sunglasses I made drilling small holes in the frame and wire wrapping with trinkets!


SUPPLIES
Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage Medium
Hole Punch
Sunglasses
Colorful Paper


Use a hole punch to make small dots of colorful paper. Remember hole punches come in more shapes than just circles these days. Use Collage Pauge to adhere your dots to the sunglasses frame. Allow to dry and wear.


It's amazing how much cuter all these sunglasses look after a quick and easy craft make over.


SUPPLIES
Sunglasses
Liquid Fusion Glue
Trinkets


Using Liquid Fusion Glue adhere anything your little heart desires to a pair of sunglasses! I see rhinestones in the very near future.

You could wear those plain black sunglasses again this summer or you could make a custom pair to match every sundress in your closet. I know which option I'm working towards.

I Love to Create - Straw Fedora Beachy Makeover

As I mentioned earlier this week my fam just returned from a trip to the Texas Coast. It's hard for me to believe it, but I came home empty handed. That's right even after perusing cheesy tourist shops I didn't buy a thing. However, there was one item that keeps haunting me - a painted fedora. The hat was by Roxy and super duper cute, but alas the price tag was not so cute. I snapped a few pictures because I knew at home I had an arsenal of Tulip fabric paint and a plain straw fedora just begging for a beachy makeover.


SUPPLIES
Tulip Soft Fabric Paint
Square Paint Brush
Straw Fedora
Liquid Fusion Glue
Scissors
Black Ribbon


PAINT
If I had been able to put my hands on some painters tape I might have adorned this hat slightly differently. However, the tape was on the lamb so I free handed my stripes. This is where the square shape of your paint brush bristles comes in very handy. I studied the picture of the dreamy hat from the souvenir shop and mimikied the same stripes pattern. Allow your stripes to dry in-between coats.


HAT BAND
Measure a piece of black ribbon. Attach to hat using Liquid Fusion Glue.


All that is left for me to do is wait for a sunny day or my next trip to the beach and sport my new and improved fedora.