Author: Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is a cute bracelet and earring set you can wear casually or when you dress up. The bracelet is made by putting beads on an elastic cord which makes it easy for to put on and take off without help.  You can choose any color that catches your eye. I chose one of my favorites, blue.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

Bracelet:

• Elastic bead cord (any brand) .5mm to 1mm in diameter
• 6 blue frosted glass beads
• 3 blue/turquoise tear drop glass beads
• 3 blue round striped glass beads
• 3 blue ornate glass beads
• 3 blue striped tear drop glass beads
• 6 blue glass spacers
• Hypo cement glue
• Scissors
• Adhesive tape

Earrings:

• 2 silver ear wires
• 2 – 6mm blue/turquoise square glass beads
• 4 silver spacers
• 2- 2 inch silver head pins
• A pair of needle nose pliers

For the bracelet, cut a 9 ½ inch length of elastic cord. Place a piece of adhesive tape over one end of the cord to prevent the beads from sliding off. String the beads in the following sequence: 3 blue frosted glass beads, 1 blue glass spacer, 3 blue/turquoise tear drop glass beads, 1 blue glass spacer, 3 round striped glass beads, 1 blue glass spacer, 3 ornate glass beads,  1 blue glass spacer, 3 blue striped tear drop glass beads, 1 blue glass spacer and end with 3 more blue frosted glass beads and 1 blue glass spacer.

Take both of the elastic cord ends, remove the adhesive tape from the one end, and tie the ends in a square knot. Put a dab of glue on the knot and let it dry. Cut off any excess cord and pull the knot into the nearest bead that has a large hold.

Now for the earrings, put a silver spacer, a square glass bead and another silver spacer onto a silver head pin.  Using round or needle nose pliers make a loop above the top bead. Attach the loop to the lower hole on the ear wire. That’s it. You now have a beautiful bracelet and earring set that you made yourself. Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Stretch Bracelet and Matching Earrings

I have a perky little  jewelry project for you today. It is actually three bracelets. You can wear one or all three at the same time.  The best part is that they are very easy to make and beautiful to wear. You’ll be using elastic cord with is pretty easy to work with as long as you follow the directions.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• Elastic bead cord (any brand) .5mm to 1mm in diameter
• 18- 6mm bronze glass beads (one bracelet)
• 18- 6mm champagne glass beads (one bracelet)
• 18- 6mm orange glass beads (one bracelet)
• 27 gold spacers
• Hypo cement glue
• Scissors
• Adhesive or Scotch tape

Cut a 9 inch length of the elastic bead cord. Place a piece of adhesive tape over one end of the cord to prevent the beads from sliding off. String 6 of the bronze glass beads then three gold spacer beads and repeat until the 18 of the glass beads and 9 of the gold spacers are used. Take the two ends of the elastic bead cord and tie them in a square knot. Put a drop of glue on the knot and let it dry. Cut off any excess cord and then tuck the knot into the nearest large hold bead.

Repeat this pattern with the 18 champagne beads and 9 gold spacers. Then repeat again with the 18 orange beads and the remaining gold spacers.

When choosing your beads, you can buy any brand. The beads are all basically the same. You can chose different colors than the ones that I used and different shapes, too. You can also use plastic beads if you desire. Whatever color shape or material you choose, your bracelets will look great on your wrist.

Have fun. Use your imagination. I chose the bronze, champagne and orange colors because they caught my eye at the time.

Post from: Blisstree

Bronze Toned Bracelet Trio

For this craft project you can use a disposable tin ashtray or a piece of heavy card stock. I used the a piece of scrapbook paper that I had left over from another project. I hope you don’t throw away the scraps from the projects that you do because they come in handy when you least expect it. You can find disposable ashtrays at party supply stores.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A disposable ashtray or heavy card stock paper
• A favorite photo
• White glue
• Glitter – any color
• A glue stick
• A paintbrush or a popsicle stick

If you are using paper stock instead of an ashtray you will need to make a few folds in the paper. Cut a square of paper and put your photo in the middle.  Measure about ½  inch from the edge of the paper to the picture on all 4 sides and fold the paper, but don’t crease it. You want the edges to stand up.

Put your picture in the middle of the square. You may need to trim it a little to make it fit. Glue the picture to the scrapbook paper with a glue stick. You will need to let the glue dry before continuing. You can use glue dots or hot glue to eliminate the wait.

Next, you’ll take the white glue and put a small bead around the edge of the picture. You may need to use a small paintbrush for this step. Sprinkle your glitter on the glue bead. Use plenty of glitter to make it look full. Shake off any excess glitter.

Now you can do one of two things to make your picture frame complete. You can take a hard piece of cardboard and bend it in half to make a L. Glue half of the cardboard to the back of your frame to stand the frame up.

I took a piece of magnet, you can buy magnet in strips at the craft store, and I positioned it on the back of my frame in the middle and I have it on my refrigerator. This craft is easy enough for use as a rainy day craft for children, too.  Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Ashtray/Card Stock Photo Frame

I know I haven’t done a lot of jewelry craft in the past, but I will try to do a little more in the future. Most jewelry crafting takes a little bit of experience and the proper tools. The project today a simple bracelet the looks beautiful when it is finished. You’ll see this bracelet sparkling across the room.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• Tiger tail beading wire
• A toggle clasp
• 1 package of crimp beads
• 1 package of headpins
• Assorted crystals
• Pink pearls
• 1 package of crystal spacers
• A crimping tool or needle-nose pliers

Cut two lengths of tiger tail to the desired length. I would cut it about 12-14 inches, you can always trim it down when you finish doing the beading.

Holding both strands together, put them through one of the crimp beads, then through one clasp and then back through the crimp bead. Use the crimping tool or the needle-nose plier to crimp the bead.

String both strands through one of the crystal spacer beads, then through one of the pink pearls. Separate the strands and add five or six crystals on each of the two strands. Repeat this step a couple more times until you have your bracelet at the desired length.

Finish up by putting both strands through a pink pearl and a crystal spacer. Pull both strands through a crimp bead, the other clasp and then back through the crimp bead. Use the crimping tool or needle-nose pliers again and crimp the bead.

You can create dangles by putting beads onto the headpins, clip off the extra length of the headpin and use the needle-nose pliers to form a loop to attach the dangles to the bracelet. This is optional. This step is for someone who is a little more experienced with making jewelry, but give it a try. You may be a natural. Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Pink Pearl and Crystal Bracelet

I have worked with beads before, but never applied them to glass. At first this project intimidated me and then I thought, why not give it a try?  And I’m really glad that I did. It is a lot easier than it looks and I had a lot of fun with the beads. The ones that didn’t roll away from me, that is. Anyway, give this project a try and I’m sure you’ll love the finished product.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A glass and bead surface adhesive
• A glass vase measuring 6” x 4 ½” x 3”
• Seed beads: yellow, orange, fuchsia, green, line and metallic gold
• Tape
• Scissors
• A deep plastic bowl
• Small plastic bags

To begin, reduce or enlarge the pattern as needed to make it fit the vase. You can find the vase pattern at http://www.domesticbuzz.com/templates/beadvase.pdf Cut out the pattern to fit inside of the vase and tape it in place.

Outline each section with gold beads. Working with one section at a time, squeeze an even amount of the glass and bead surface adhesive along the lines. Holding the vase over a deep bowl to catch the excess beads, pour the gold beads over the vase turning it so that the beads attach to all sides of the glue. Continue with the whole pattern and then let it dry. Pour any excess beads from the bowl into the to be reused.

To fill all of the sections in the design, squeeze the glue in the desired section and use the tip of the tube or a tooth pick to create an even layer. Again, holding the vase over the bowl, pour the beads over the glue area and pat them lightly with your fingers. Pour off any excess to be reused. Repeat this step for the remainder of the design using the color of beads shown. Remove the pattern and let the vase dry completely.

You can place short stemmed flower inside or a candle. This vase looks especially beautiful with a lit candle. Remember to never leave a burning candle unattended. Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Beaded Brilliance Vase

Here is a project I think you’ll really enjoy. You can use these little votive hearts for Valentine’s Day or any day. They are easy to make and they look great when you light them up. You can do one votive in white like I did and the other in either pink or red. I chose pink and I piled on the paint to give it a rough texture.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• Ultra Frost paint – Frost White, Raspberry Red (and Gold-optional) I did use any gold, but you can
• A small glass votive
• A small ivy bowl
• Cosmetic sponges
• Heart stickers in various sizes
• A paint palette or a paper plate

Start off by washing both the glass votive and the ivy bowl and let them dry thoroughly. Choose a large heart sticker and place the sticky side on a piece of fabric or on your pant leg before putting it on the glass. This will make the stickers easier to remove from the glass when you are finished. Take the glass ivy bowl and apply a large heart sticker in the middle of the bowl. Using a cosmetic sponge, dab the bowl with the white paint. When that dries, take the sticker off. The glass should be clear. Paint small red hearts at various places on the bowl.

Now take the glass votive and do the same thing with the stickers. Put them on a piece of material or your pant leg first, before putting them on the votive. Place the stickers on the glass votive at various locations. You can make a pattern if you’d like to. Dab a piece of the cosmetic sponge into the red paint and cover the whole thing. If you want to make the votive pink, just add a little bit of white paint to the red. Let it dry and peel off the stickers.

These two candle holders are beautiful when lit. Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Votive Hearts

Today I will show you how to make a special treat jar for your dog or cat. You can use the same paw print for either a cat or a dog. I made one for my dog already and the cat’s will be next. Make sure the glass jar you use has a tight fitting lid to keep the treats fresh.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A glass jar with a tight fitting lid
• Enamel gloss paints –Black, White, Tuscan Red
• A small paintbrush
• A paint pallet or a paper plate

The first step is to wash glass jar and let it dry completely. You can clean the outside of the glass with a little bit of ammonia window cleaner to remove any grease.

I am putting a couple of templates on one my site for you, so visit http://www.domesticbuzz.com/templates/pettreat.html to copy them. You will have to play with the template a little to get it to the size you will need. I put the templates on a page of their own and copied and pasted until I had the number of bones, hearts and paw prints that I needed.

I then cut out the bones, hearts and paw prints and I taped them on the inside of the glass jar. After you have all of the templates in place you can start painting the outside of the jar. This is the easiest way to make the treat jar.

If you know me, then you know that I can’t even make stick people. If I can make the treat jar come out as good as it did, then anyone can do it.

The hardest part of the project was sizing the templates, but if you play around a little, you’ll get them to the size you need. Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Pet Treat Jar

Now it’s time to get my valentine gifts ready for giving. This lavender gift box is for my littlest granddaughter, Brea. She really love anything frilly, so this is just right for her. I’ll fill it with small things that all little girls like to receive, one of them being some chocolate candy.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A paper mache box with a lid
• 2 coordinating 12 x 12 lavender scrapbook papers
• A purple or white flower
• Purple ribbon for the bow
• Narrow lavender ribbon
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Adhesive dots

Cover the lid and the box with the scrapbook paper using the glue stick. They will be a lot easier to work with if you let them dry completely.

Use a pair of pinking shears to cut the ribbon if you have a plain edged ribbon. I don’t use the shears because I like to use the ribbon that has wired edges. I like to way the finished project looks when I use the wired edge, but that is a matter of personal choice.

When the box is dry, take the lid and wrap it with the ribbon. I wrapped only the lid so that the bow will stay intact after it has been opened. You can use the box as a keepsake box for the top of a dresser or bureau. Place a few adhesive dots under the ribbon to keep it in place.

Make a small bow, with the ribbon, for the lid. Position the flower on top of the lid next to the bow with adhesive dots. You can personalize the box if you desire with some alphabet or scrabble tiles. Spell out the recipients name with the tiles. You can also use a piece of card stock and print the name on it. Use pinking shears on the edges, punch a hole in the corner and attach it to the lid or tie it on to the bow.

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Lavender Gift Box

I have three granddaughters and I always try to make them something special for Valentine’s Day. I like to give my girls something that has been made with love. I chose this Valentine Box for my middle granddaughter who is 10 years old. I know she’ll love it.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• White Acrylic paint
• Pure Bronze paint (optional for an antique effect)
• Mod Podge Satin
• Wooden Box
• Scrabble Game Tiles or Alphabet tiles (I got these at the craft store)
• Scrapbook paper (one sheet each of floral, red patterned)
• A paint brush
• Water
• Glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors
• Sandpaper

Give the box, lid and spools a base coat of white paint. Let it dry and give it another coat. When it is completely dry, sand the box and spools and dust off the debris. If you want an antique effect, squeeze a small amount of Pure Bronze paint onto a foam plate. Dip a clean rag into the paint and wipe gently across the box and spools. Let it dry completely.

Trace the box top onto the floral paper. Cut it 1 inch smaller than the box lid.  Mod Podge the floral paper to the center of the box and let it dry. Use decorative edged scissors to cut ½ inch wide strips of the red paper (I bought paper with a design already cut out). Mod Podge the strips to the sides and top of the box as shown and let it dry.

You can cut out some green leaves and Mod Podge them to the top of the box to add a little extra color if you desire.  Glue the alphabet tiles to the top of the box. You can spell out anything you want like “Be Mine” or “Love.”  I chose to personalize the box with my granddaughter’s name, “Shanna” and that makes the gift exclusively hers.

Post from: Blisstree

Valentine Gift Box

Oh boy! Do I have a cute and yummy project for you. These little creations are called cocoa cones, although you can use hot cocoa, hot chocolate or even flavored coffee. Giving these cones as a small gift is a great idea. Or you can just make them up, have a small get together and give them as a favor.

Everyone who I gave them to, loved them. They are probably the easiest of my projects, yet, to make so I hope you’ll give them a try.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• Two 12 inch clean disposable pastry bags (plastic)
• Two packages of instant hot cocoa or hot chocolate (like Swiss Miss)
• ½ cup of mini marshmallows (I got the multicolored ones)
• Sprinkles (optional)
• Curling ribbon
• Card stock
• A hole punch

Empty the two packages of hot cocoa/chocolate into one of the pastry bags. Cut off the top of the pastry bag about 2 inches above where the chocolate mix ends.

Put the filled pastry bag into the second bag and fold the top of the first bag down over the hot chocolate.

Put about ½ cup of mini marshmallows into the second bag on top of the hot chocolate mix. You can put some sprinkles in at this time if you’d like.

Gather the bag and tie it with a twist tie to keep it secured. Put the curling ribbon over the twist tie and make a bow. Curl the ends of the ribbon hanging from the bow.

Make up a tag with the following instructions: “Divide the ingredients evenly between two mugs and add 6 ounces of hot water or milk to each cup. Stir and Enjoy!

Cut out the instructions and glue them to a piece of card stock. Punch a hole in the end of the card stock, insert some ribbon into the hole and tie the instructions to the top of the pastry bag.

You can add to this project by placing the cocoa cone in a small basket with a couple of decorative mugs and a small bag of home made cookies.

Post from: Blisstree

Cocoa Cones

I have a room that I just redecorated with a Victorian theme. I have corner swags (store bought) over the doorway entrance and at the corner jamb of my closet door. These store bought swags didn’t cost a lot, but after taking a good look at them I realized that I can do the same thing myself. I don’t need another corner swag, but I do need something to hang on my wall in between the doorway and the closet, so the project that I am going to show you today is a rose covered swag for that wall.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• One 30 inch wooden swag (found in any craft store)
• 3 dozen cloth roses (I used the long stem so that I could cut them down the way I wanted them)
• 3 different sizes of green leaves
• A hot glue gun

Place your swag on a flat surface, a craft table if possible. Start out by hot gluing the largest green leaves along the bottom of the swag. You can glue the rest of the leaves however you want them. You can stagger them, largest on the bottom, then the next size up, etc.

I suggest that you glue all of the greens first and then set up your roses/flowers. You can use any flower, they don’t have to be roses.

Place the flowers on the leaves across the bottom first. Then place the remaining flowers/roses where you think they look the best. I have made different swag in different ways and they always looked great when I finished them.

You can spread the flowers out or put them in small bunches. Play around with the look a little bit before using the glue to attach them to the swag. Make sure that the flowers are secure and dry before hanging.

The swag and flowers are very light weight, so when you hang them on the wall you don’t need any heavy duty picture hangers. I use a couple of small paneling nails, hammered right into the wall, to hang mine. Paneling nails make the smallest hole in the wall in case you make a mistake.

Post from: Blisstree

Rose Covered Swag

Even if you don’t know anything about arranging flowers, you can do this easy floral arrangement project. If you can cut, glue and stick stems into a styrofoam block then you can do this. When choosing the scrapbook paper, pick something bright and colorful, but make sure that it corresponds with the stem flowers you use and it will look beautiful.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• 8×8×8 styrofoam block
• 5 sheets of scrapbook paper
• styrofoam glue
• A paper trimmer or scissors
• 1 bundle of Salt Cedar Twigs
• Assorted stem flowers like roses, pom pom flowers, orchids (whatever you like)
• Some greenery or leaves (silk works well)
• Wire cutters
• 1 package of floral tape, any color

Measure the scrapbook paper and cut out the 8×8 sheets to cover the 4 sides and the bottom. Cut the first three sides to overlap the opposite side to make the edges neat and smooth. Apply the glue to the edges of the foam. If you put the foam on the whole block this will cause the paper to wrinkle.

Take about 5 or 6 Salt Cedar twig branches and bunch them together. Cut one end of the bunch and wrap the ends with the floral tape. Put this end into one side of the block, close to the edge, in the center. Bend the branches to the height you want them and cut and wrap that end with the floral tape. Push this end into the other side of the cube, close to the edge and in the middle. This will form your handle.

Cut the stemmed flowers and arrange them in the block. Cut some of the flowers longer (to fit the center) and some shorter (to go around the perimeter of the block) and just push them into the styrofoam. Arrange some leaves or baby breath around the arrangement to fill in any bare spots.

There you have it. A beautiful floral arrangement.  Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Quick Floral Arrangement

This project is another one of my favorites using reverse decoupage. Reverse decoupage is when the  decoupage material is applied to the inside of the glass rather than the outside. With this hurricane globe, after decoupaging, I use a flameless candle and the effect is beautiful.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A hurricane glass globe
• A picture to decoupage (gift wrap or magazine clippings work well)
• Clear drying graft glue (I use Modge Podge)
• Cream or Off White glass paint
• A sea sponge
• Scissors
• Paper towels
• Window cleaner
• Craft knife
• Cutting mat

Choose a picture or graphic to decoupage and, using your scissors and craft knife, cut out the picture so that it looks clean. Put the picture in a small tray of water. At first it will curl up, but then it will lie flat. When it flattens out, take it out of the water and pat it dry with a paper towel. This process cuts down on the wrinkling of the graphic when you apply it to the glass.

Make sure to clean your glass globe with window cleaner to remove any debris, grease or fingerprints. Apply craft glue/Modge Podge to the front of the image and position it where you want it on the inside of of the glass globe. You can use as many images as you like. After you have your image in place, apply a coat of glue over the back of the image. Allow this to dry completely.

Using the window cleaner and a paper towel, clean any excess glue off of the glass and let that dry. When the glass is dry, take your sea sponge and glass paint and apply the paint to the entire inside of the globe. You will need to let this dry completely. Reapply the paint as many times as needed until you can no longer see through the paint.

You can burn candles inside the hurricane globe if you place the candle in a votive, but I like to use the small flameless candles for this project. Whether you choose a real candle or one with a battery, your finished hurricane globe will look great.  Enjoy

Post from: Blisstree

Reverse Decoupage Hurricane Globe

Making a topiary tree puts me in the mood for spring. I know, it’s only been winter for less than a month but mood means a lot.  Anyway, using the bright beautiful colors for this topiary just make you feel good. This project is very simple to make and very economical, so give it a try.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A hot glue gun
• One 4 inch styrofoam ball
• One 2 inch styrofoam ball
• A 4 inch clay pot
• A twig or wooden dowel (about 10 inches long)
• Acrylic paint in brown, black and gray for the pot
• Pink and purple ribbon (optional)
• 2 dozen silk white and pink roses/buds (I got these at the dollar store)
• Light gauge wire
• Moss or greenery
• Pebbles or marbles to weigh down the pot

Prepare the clay pot by painting it in a black acrylic base paint and let it dry. With a small sponge, dab a little bit of gray paint in various spots on the pot and let it dry. When dry, take the brown paint a fine brush and paint some squiggly lines through the pot to make it look like granite.

Now take the twig/dowel and hot glue the tip and stick into the 4 inch ball. Set this aside and let it cool. When cool, arrange the roses/buds around the ball, hot gluing to keep them in place. I used roses to cover most of the ball and some buds to fill in the spaces. You can also use the ribbon and wire here. Make bows out of the ribbon and use a piece of wire to twist around the center of the bow, then insert it into the ball.

Now take the 2 inch ball and cut it in half. Glue the flat side in the bottom of the painted clay pot. Allow that to dry. When dry, put a dab of glue on the other end of the dowel and insert it into the half of the 2 inch ball that is glued into the pot.

When that sets, add the pebbles or marbles to give the pot some weight. This will keep the pot and topiary from falling over. Add the moss or greenery to the bottom of the topiary to hide the pebbles or marbles and your done. Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Topiary Tree

This is a great way to keep the cost down when you are planning a wedding.  Mason or canning jars can be bought from thrift or craft stores for very little money. You can make this beautiful canning jar wedding candle for pennies apiece.

Use recycled items whenever possible. I  used old potpourri and an old mason jar that washed up nicely. You can also do the jars in colors that correspond with the weddings color theme.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A wide mouth mason or canning jar (Craft stores sell them with a plain front – no writing)
• A glass votive candle holder
• Wide wire edged ribbon
• Potpourri, any type
• A short pillar candle
• Small silk roses  – I used white, but you can use any color
• A small length of pre-gathered lace (about one inch wide)
• Craft glue
• Spray paint (silver)

Spread some newspaper out and pour your potpourri on the paper.  Spray the potpourri with the silver spray paint. Make sure to cover all sides of the potpourri. Shake the paper a little to mix and spray again to make sure you cover all of the bare spots. Let this dry completely.

When the potpourri is dry, put it in the canning jar. Cut the pre-gathered lace to fit the neck of the jar with a half inch overlap.  Place the glass votive holder in the mouth of the jar.

Fasten the wire edged ribbon around the neck of the jar and allow the top edge of the ribbon to overlap the glass votive by a quarter of an inch. Tie a bow in the front of the jar and cover up the overlap of the lace.

Glue the small silk roses to the front of the bow and position the candle in the votive holder.

There are lots of variations to this project. Instead of using potpourri try using small sea shells or fill the jar with decorative marbles, pearls or miniature silk flowers.

Post from: Blisstree

Canning Jar Wedding Candles

Here is a project for you to make if you want to add a contemporary flair to your home décor. It’s a votive candle holder with a black vine/leaf design. It holds a single candle and creates a focal point that is different, but beautiful.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started.

• Vitrea 160 Glass Paints- #66 Black Tube Outliner
• A glass votive candle holder
• Paper towels
• Cotton swabs
• A glass cleaner with ammonia
• A stencil or template to follow.

Start off by cleaning the glace surface with the window cleaner, or you can use rubbing alcohol if you choose, to remove any debris, grease or fingerprints.

Open the outliner tube and make sure the nozzle is clear. Squeeze the tube to start the flow of paint. Try this on a paper towel first.

Draw the stem lines onto the votive glass by squeezing the tube gently. The lines should be fairly thin.

If the lines are too thick they may bubble up if and when you use the baking process. If you don’t plan to ever put the votive in the dishwasher, there is no need to bake the glass for permanence. If you would like to give it permanence, it will require you to bake it in a regular kitchen oven.

Next, draw the small leaf designs on the stems and fill them in with black paint. Arrange the leaves around the votive as seen in the photo.

If you are going to bake the glass, allow the piece to dry 24 hours and then place it in a cool oven on the middle oven rack. Set the temperature to 325° Farenheit and bake for 40 minutes. After baking, turn the oven off and open the door to allow the piece to cool down gradually.  Once the votive is cool remove it from the oven. The paint will then be permanent and you can safely put it in the dishwasher.

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Black Vine Votive

Reverser decoupage is a process where you apply the decoupage material on the inside of an object. When I saw this project, I knew I had to give it a try. I always have fun when trying something new and this project was no exception. If you like to decoupage, or even if you’ve never decoupaged before, I hope you will give this project a try.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A Glass vase
• A picture to decoupage (I love roses, so that’s what I chose)
• Clear drying craft glue or Modge Podge
• Cream color paint
• Taupe color paint
• Scissors
• Water
• Paper towels
• A window cleaner with ammonia
• A craft knife
• A cutting mat
• A sea sponge

When you are working with glass, always clean it with an ammonia type window cleaner to remove debris, grease or finger prints for a beautiful finished product.

If you don’t have a picture or a card with a photo that you want to use then look on the web to find a graphic you like and print it. Using a craft knife, cut out the picture being carful to keep it looking clean.

Place the picture in a bowl of water. At first it will curl up, but then it will flatten out. When it flattens, remove it from the water and place it on a paper towel. Pat it dry with the paper towel. This process will prevent the paper from wrinkling when you apply it to your vase.

Apply glue/Modge Podge over the entire surface of the graphic and place it where you want it on the inside of the vase. Make sure the picture show through the glass. Once you have the picture where you want it, apply an even coat of glue/Modge Podge over the back of the image and let it dry completely.

When the glue is dry, remove any excess glue from the glass with a little bit of window cleaner. Allow the vase to dry. When the vase is dry, apply the taupe colored paint with a sea sponge on the entire inside of the vase. Allow this to dry and repeat the application with the cream colored paint, with the sea sponge,  to the entire inside of the vase. You may need to repeat this a few time until you can no longer see through the vase.

Since you are painting the inside of the vase, to put flowers in the vase you will need to fill a glass with water, place it inside the vase and insert the flowers into the water filled glass.

Post from: Blisstree

Reverse Decoupage Vase

Here is a quick project for those of you who like to keep their desks supplies in fashion. I know quite a few people who decorate their offices and the standard supplies that they keep there. This project is for a fabric covered tape dispenser. It only takes a few minutes and it will brighten up your desk.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A regular tape dispenser
• Sheets of Treasure Tape or a roll of double sided tape
• Glue dots
• Miscellaneous buttons
• Fabric scraps
• Iron on ribbon, Teflon Press Cloth and a household iron (if you would like to make it look quilted)

The first thing to do is to clean off your tape dispenser with a little bit of alcohol to remove any greasy finger prints or dirt. This will help the tape that you’ll be using, to attach your fabric, to stick.

Then cover your dispenser with the tape sheets, cut to size, or with the double sided tape. Cut your fabric pieces to fit the dispenser. Then remove the protective white tape to expose the adhesive for the fabric.

Place the fabric carefully on the adhesive exposed tape. Take your time and fit the pieces or strips together. Smooth the pieces with your fingers and let them set for about an hour.

To create a quilted look: When the pieces are set, create the quilt seams by laying pieces of iron-on ribbon on the fabric where desired. Cover the ribbon threads with the Teflon press cloth and hold there for a few seconds until the thread adheres. Continue doing this until you complete your design.

When you finish with the quilting step, place the glue dots in various areas, remove the white tape liner and attach the buttons.  Enjoy!

Post from: Blisstree

Fabric Covered Tape Dispenser

Here a is cool bulletin board project. You can use is to hold your papers or your pictures. You can hang it up for everyone to see and the real plus is that you made it yourself.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• One  1” x 12” x 36” sheet of styrofoam
• Fabric measuring 18” x 30”
• Ribbon in three contrasting colors or designs (I used circles, diamonds and gingerbread men)
• Buttons
• A ruler
• A sharp pencil
• A serrated knife and an old candle or dental floss
• Straight pins
• Thick, white craft glue
• A low temperature glue gun and glue sticks
• Two sawtooth picture hangers/li>

Using a ruler and pencil, score the foam sheet to create a 12” x 24” rectangle.  Wax a serrated knife with and old candle. Hold the foam sheet firmly an a flat surface and cut on the scored line using the knife like a saw or you can try the dental floss. Stand the sheet on its edge and hold a 20” length of floss along the scored line. Put one hand on the top of the board and one hand on the bottom and draw the floss down through the foam sheet at the scored line.

Place the fabric right side down on a flat surface and spread a thin, even coat of white craft glue on the edges of the foam rectangle. Center the foam on the fabric and carefully wrap the fabric around the foam. Fold the corners neatly and glue and pin the fabric to the back of the foam sheet.

Cut the circle ribbon into two, 28” lengths. Starting 3” down from each corner, glue and pin the ribbons to the back of the bulletin board and around the front forming a criss cross pattern. Repeat with the diamond ribbon. Cut the gingerbread men ribbon into four, 12” lengths and position them into a v-shape. Glue in place.

Cover two buttons with fabric and glue to the front of the bulletin board covering the point formed by the gingerbread men ribbon. Let it dry.

Glue the two sawtooth hangers to the top two back corners and you’re ready to hang it.  For additional support you can insert and glue two straight pins into the holes in the sawtooth hangers.

Post from: Blisstree

Bulletin Board

When I decorate a room I like to coordinate the fabrics and colors too. We recently had our main  bathroom painted and wallpapered and I wanted to do something a little different. I decided to apply some of the contrasting wallpaper to the light switch cover or plate and it looks great.

Kathy Zengolewicz

Here is what you will need to get started:

• A light switch cover
• Scraps of wallpaper or a wallpaper border
• masking tape
• A pencil
• Scissors

First, take the switch cover and place it on the wallpaper. Center it on the design if you’ve chosen such a design and center the hole also.

Use a pencil and lightly make an outline of the hole on the front of the wallpaper.  Use sharp scissors and cut a line own the center of the box you just made. Carefully cut out the hole from the middle outward forming two flaps.

Turn the wallpaper over so that you are looking at the back. Match up the switch hole with the cut out in your wallpaper. Trace around the switch cover with the pencil and draw another line ½ inch larger all the way around the cover. Cut out the larger line.

Place the cutout on the front of the switch cover and align the switch hole. Fold each side to the back to  form creases. At each corner make a snip on a 45 degree angle from the outer pencil line to the inner pencil line. This will make the folds look neater.

Wet the wallpaper and reposition it on the cover. Smooth the paper slowly with your finger being careful not to rip it. If the paper doesn’t stay in place you may need to use the masking tape to hold it until it dries.

When it dries, remove the tape and attach the cover to the wall.

Post from: Blisstree

Wallpapered Light Switch Cover