Craft Ideas on 3 Levels
Posted under: There are many types of hobbies that people enjoy. From working cars to creating multiple scrapbooks, hobbies are essentially what one does simply because they want to and receive a great deal of pleasure from it. Not because they have to. Whatever the hobby is, creating is the ultimate goal. Even if creating an enjoyable hour for yourself is the only thing created, it is still a hobby of enjoyment.
For those that enjoy using their hands, there are plenty of ways to create with your hands. People often crochet, sew, sculpt, carve, build or paint. Every crafter has their preference and chooses their own favorites.
The following are three different ways to enjoy a happy wallet but be able to craft great gifts or simply craft for yourself.
The Universe – Most Simple
Ever wanted to bottle the universe and put it on your shelf? Since it wouldn’t really fit, you can easily make the universe seem to be enclosed in your hands. You only need three things: a paint brush, glow-in-the-dark-paint and mason jars of any size. You can easily dip the brush in paint and add dots to cover the entire jar and make it seems as though you truly have captured the stars.
The Gift of Crayons – Little More Involved
This craft can be for a gift to your child’s teacher or even for your child’s room. What you need for this craft is a 12″ and an 8″ embroidery hoop or basketry hoop, a box of 64 crayons, ribbon (if in the color of a ruler or something to do with a classroom, it will add additional effect), hot glue gun, two hot glue sticks and classroom stickers (of buses, blocks, anything for decoration).
Place the 8″ hoop inside the 12″ hoop with equal distance between all edges. Next, arrange the crayons along both hoops. It is easier to line up the bottom of the crayons so they are touching on the 8″ hoop and moving out diagonally to the 12″ hoop. Hot glue the crayons to the hoops one you have laid out where the crayons should go, leaving the unglued crayons on the hoops as you glue them down to keep spacing. Finally, tie the bow around the crayons at the top and create a hanging loop (see picture), and then add whatever stickers you want to complete the craft. ***Mom’s Party Cafe
The Mirror – Simple but Takes Time
Oftentimes, it’s too expensive to purchase a mirror that already has decorations surrounding the mirror to add a special touch, so why not add your own touch? Take a simple mirror with a wooden frame, any size you want will do. Aside from the mirror, what you will need then is one full roll of white Crepe Paper, a hot glue gun, two hot glue sticks, scissors and paper twine, raffia or something similar.
Use the hot glue gun to glue four strings of twine to the inside of the mirror’s frame as well as four strings on the outside edges. Have someone help you with the holding of the mirror as you do the outside edges.
Next cut the crepe paper into strips. Take the paper and crumple one end about 2 or 3 times to create a ball shape to act as the base of the flower. Then twist the strip around the base as the flower rolls in your hand, applying glue everyone in a while and once at the end to secure the flower.
Finally, attach the flowers by starting with the four corners. Add lot of glue on the frame and then add the flower. Once the four corners are done, fill in the rest. When you are finished you have a beautifully crafted mirror that did not cost hundreds of dollars.
All of these crafts are fun and don’t have to break the wallet. From painting to gluing, all three will be a great gift for someone else or for you to add to your collection.
About Author:
Miscelleana Rhinehart enjoys finding simple ways to create and writing is one of her favorite. After writing for more than four years, Ms. Rhinehart enjoys sharing her experience on certain topics when she can. Currently she writes for a marketing company that offers Michigan used cars and ways to search for them via online classifieds.
Tried the glow in the dark jars. Bought glow in the dark paint at craft store dotted the INSIDE of jar with the paint as I wanted to put lids on jar and leave outside in sun for night time. Did not work no glow after sitting in sun all day. So aree the dots suppose to be on the outside of the jar ?? Any help appreciated
it would be easy to paint the inside or a jar if you use a paper clip and a pencil erase. Undo it and stick it into an eraser. Then you can dip the eraser into the paint, You can bend and then re-bend the paperclip in another direction to get it throughout the jar. And then you can use another size eraser (or shape one) for different sized “stars”. That way you don’t really have to wait for the paint to dry before handling the jar.
DId this with my 1st graders. We used a water bottle instead of a mason jar. It was harder to shake the brush, but worked ok. They still said that I was a genius! You woulda thought we made diamonds! Thanks for this idea!
SJZ – I wonder if you could roll the cheap glass decorative marbles from HL? I wasn’t sure if you meant actual marbles, in that case I’d have to search high and low. Thinking of ways to hang these jars on shepherd’s hooks in the backyard.
There isn’t a picture of the mirror. Would love to see a finished product
[...] been fascinated with glow in the dark jars for several weeks. So I decided to try my own glow in the dark approach – painting flowers [...]
I LOVE the ideas here!! Very creative!!!
As an old tole painter, we learned to make dots by using the opposite end of an art-brush. If you used different size art brushes, your dots would vary, accordingly. At least the dots would not smear as easily as using the brush-ends…
I love the idea of bringing the stars into the backyard. Beautiful!
Exposing the glow in the dark paint to light should make it glow fairly consistently during the night. My son has glow in the dark stickers on his wall. If all else fails, you now have a use for that blacklight you bought during high school.
How long does the glow-in-the-dark paint last? Can you hold it up to the light then make it glow a great number of times or does the effect wear off quickly?
Hmmm…. I don’t actually know since I’ve never made this craft. I’m in the process of finding some of the paint so I can try this myself and then of course I’ll post the results!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Question about the glow in the dark mason jars (sorry, lame questions I know). 1) do you paint the inside or the outside? 2) once you paint them, what kind of dots do you add and how? Inside or outside? Would love to try this, they’re beautiful!
You dab the glow in the dark paint on with you paint brush to make the dots. That’s what gives it the “stars” effect. Painting the outside would be best I think, otherwise you have to find a paint brush with an extremely short handle and you’ll end up with paint all over the back of your hand.
I believe you would paint dots on the outside with the glow-in-the-dark paint. Using the end of a new eraser dipped in the paint would make fairly consisitant dots, or you could just use the tip of a round paint brush.
Be sure to expose the painted jar to light in order for it to glow.
(I was thinking of rolling marbles in a small container of the paint, let them dry, then put them in the jar.)
Where do you get glow in the dark paint?
Not sure Michelle, This was a guest author who featured this amazing craft! I would guess though that a paint store or craft store would be able to point you in the right direction. Isn’t this a cool idea though?
You can get glow in the dark paint at Hobby Lobby. Its in the wearable art section. It comes as FABRIC paint. Tulip makes a great brand, but there are many others as well.
Glow in the dark paint is sold at Lowe’s, Home Depot,etc.
That is fantastic!
Classified: Mom Following you on Twitter also @Classifiedmom!
These look fun! I’m a new GFC follower stopping by from Smile With Me Saturday. I would love for you to visit my blog at http://www.naturallyhealthyparenting.blogspot.com Thanks. -Kelsie
LOVE the crayon wreath…something like that would be so fun to give to the teachers I know
.
It does look really fun doesn’t it?!?! BTW – Don’t forget to get listed on the Local Blog Directory page so people can find you by local state! http://hobbiesonabudget.com/local-blog-directory/ Have a fun crafty day Judy!