Vintage Figure Mobile

This project is one of my favorites and could be done in so many fun and different ways, I can't wait to see all of yours! Post them in the flickr!

Supplies needed:

2 wooden dowels, about 1/2" to 3/4 of an inch 12-18 inches long

4 buttons of your choice

yarn in a pretty color

old necktie or fabric strip

4-6 vintage figurines. (NOTE: it's very important that you have pieces weighing close to the same, otherwise your mobile will not hang straight-they must balance out.)

Tools needed:

hot glue

scissors

1. Wrap dowels in the yarn, don't worry about covering the ends, and gluing as you go, usually every 1-2 inches for security. The tighter they are wrapped, the nicer it will look. Seal the ends with glue and trim up loose strings.

2. place a bit of glue on the center of one dowel and place the other one cross-wise on top. Wrap around all directions of the cross to secure and seal with hot glue. It should look like a " (+) plus sign" when you are finished.

3. Glue the 4 buttons on each end of the dowels to finish the ends.

5. Decide where you would like each vintage figure to hang. You may have to play with it a bit to get it to balance out evenly. Using yarn or ribbons, tie the figures to strings varying in length.

6. Tie the figures to the mobile and seal all the knots with a small amount of glue on each one. Trim excess strings.

Use the necktie or fabric strips to create the hanging cord. I just tied my tie into a pretty bow and secured it with glue. Find a place to hang your mobile and you are all set!!!

paper scraps techniques

Hey guys! I hope you are all enjoying camp indie! Here is some great ways to use up some paper scraps that you would probably have thrown away. ;)

Supplies: Scrap Paper, large sheet of paper(12" x 12" works good)

Tools: Sewing Machine, Scissors

1. Cut your scrap paper into strips.

2. Line up a strip on the edge of your larger paper and another strip right next to it. Sew a zigzag stitch down the edge where they meet up.

3. Keep adding strips and sewing until you fill up the page.

You now have a new piece of paper! It also looks great as cards:

and here is a favorite technique of mine! :)

Supplies: Scrap paper

Tools: Sewing machine

1. Stack 2 pieces of paper (back sides together) and cut out leaf shape. keep cutting leafs until you have enough. I used about 20 pairs (40 leafs alltogether)

2. Starting with a pair of leafs, sew down the middle, Don't cut you strings at the end of the leaf, instead pull your leaf so that there is extra thread and start sewing another pair of leafs. Repeat until your garland is the length you desire.

3. Repeat with the rest of your leafs.

4. Attach to your ceiling. :)

Another cool shape is raindrops. :)

Vinyl Records Side Table

This is one of my favorite projects, it turned out so cute! I can't wait to see every one's take on it!

Supplies Needed:

8-10 old magazines,(the more colorful the better)

2 vinyl records

2 brads (standard size)

Tools Needed:

Glue (something fairly sturdy)

1. Start with your first magazine. Open the mag to the middle(doesn't have to be exact) and grab 3-5 pages. Fold them,altogether, in half towards the spine in the middle of the magazine.

2.Continue to do this on both sides, evenly working on both sides,towards the middle. When you get to the covers, fold in just as you normally would.

3. Set each magazine aside after you finish it, so that it fans open and the pages spread out. Do this to all of your magazines.

4. Now, you are going to glue the spines of the magazines together, so that they form 2 cylinders, with the spines on the inside. (*For my table I used 4 magazines on each level of the table.) Make sure your glue is heavy-duty enough and will hold with the weight of the magazines.

5. Attach the magazines to each other at the covers and seal any loose spots.

6. Attach the two cylinders together by gluing the bottom of one to the top of the other. Seal really well. The magazine flaps will not match up perfectly, but you will be able to do a bit of rearranging.

7. Put a brad in the center of each record and then glue one record to the top and one to the bottom of your table. You can definitely add your own personal flair to the records with paint, pens, glitter, paper, etc, and it would look so cute!

Interchangeable Mustache Coffee Cups

I love love love this project! It's one of my faves.

Supplies: Coffee Cups, Felt, Velcro Circles

Tools: Scissors

1. Design your mustaches & Cut them out of felt.

2. Position your mustaches to decide where you velcro dots need to go on.

3. Attach Velcro to all pieces.

You can change out the mustache as often as you want! :)

Please post yours in the flickr group! We would LOVE to see it!

Upcycling Shoes Tutorial

This is a fun project, using a couple of new ideas, developed mostly out of desperation for new shoes. And while my penchant is for high heels, this would be a cute project for dress flats or flip flops as well. xoxo, Miss Tay

Supplies Needed:

Old shoes (your choice,I usually go with my favorites that have been loved so much they are falling apart)

Vintage Sewing Patterns (or other old papers if you like)

Modge podge, or other decoupage glue

Acrylic Paint(optional)

Using a Sewing Pattern

1. Start with well-loved but cleaned shoes. Choose your favorite pieces out of the old sewing pattern and tear them up. That's right. I tore mine into about 3-4 inch wide strips,of varying length and size.

2. Using your glue, begin to decoupage pieces onto your shoes. Don't worry about overlapping, or the excess, this is for fun, and the glue should seep through a bit. press the paper into the seams of the top and bottom edges of the shoe as your go, glue and creasing. Cover the shoes completely with sewing pattern, or as desired.

3. Brush the entire shoe with glue again, to seal. Allow to dry.

4. Trim the excess paper off. Enjoy!

Using Paint

1. Again, start with clean, well-loved shoes. Cater to whimsy and paint as desired. I had an old pair of off-white shoes that had become so off-white, they were really unwearable. Painted with brown acrylic paint, they had an almost "woodgrain" look and texture to them. Enjoy your new shoes

Postcard DIY

Fabric postcard

Supplies:

fabric, felt, batting, postcard backing ( download the ones I used here )

tools:

sewing machine, scissors, ruler

1. Print and cut out your postcard backing (make sure its 4" x 6")

2. Cut out 1 4" x 6" piece of fabric and another out of batting.

3. Cut out a simple design to applique, and sew it on, going around the edges with a stitch. I like either just the straight stitch or the zigzag stitch.

4. stack your backing, batting and front piece together, Go around the edges with a zigzag stitch to attach them.

5. clip strings & send it in the mail!

Paper postcard

Supplies:

Scrap paper, post card backing

Tools:

sewing machine, scissors

1. Using the technique we showed you on paper scraps day cover a 4" x 6" rectangle of paper and cover with scraps.

2. stack on top of post card backing, and zigzag stitch around the edges.

3. clip strings and mail! :)

Your friends will love getting handmade postcards in the mail! :)

Bike Gear Jewelry

This is a great way to use those old bike gears, but make sure you clean them good. ;)

Tools: Scissors, Craft wire or Jump rings.

Supplies: Old necklace or Jewelry Chain, Bike Gears, Embellishments ( I used candy dot jewels)

*note* if you don't have any bike gears around, go to your local bike store, in their maintenance area, they will usually give you some that they were just going to throw away.*

1. arrange your gears into a design you like. Attach them together using jump rings or craft wire. *I used craft wire for this part to add more texture and appeal. If you are using craft wire, wrap through each gear to bind, twist in the back and trim any extra wire. Seal the ends with glue so that they aren't sharp.

2. To add you bike gear pendant to your necklace/jewelry chain, you have 2 options:

A. attach with wire or jump rings so that it hangs down like a pendant from a chain.

or B. Split you chain/ necklace so that you have 2 ends and attach to each end with wire or jump rings, so that your gears are actually part of your necklace.

this is what I did, because I was recycling a broken necklace.

3. Embellish as desired. I used green candy dot gem stickers. buttons, charms, or beads would look FABULOUS!

I love how the gears give it somewhat of a steampunk look. don't forget to post your version in the flickr group!