Bottle-Cap Magnets

Bottle-cap magnets are a fun way to add a little personality to your fridge, and are a gift friends and family will love.

I follow Martha Stewart’s instructions, and have found that it’s a pretty easy process (although using clear casting resin for the 1st time was intimidating). I use a 1″ hole puncher and stamp out the circles, the glue them into the bottle caps with enormous amounts of ModPodge, let it dry thoroughly and then pour in a thick layer of clear casting resin. After the resin is totally dry, about 24 hours later, I glue on a super strong magnet on the back and, ta-da, bottle cap magnets.

What you’ll need:

• 1-inch circular craft punch
• Any interesting paper (I often use scrapbooking paper)
• Craft glue or ModPodge
• Bottle caps
• Clear casting resin
• Contact cement
• Small magnets (I recommend these by Rare Earth)

Directions:

• Using the craft punch, cut out pictures. Using craft glue or ModPodge, attach one picture to the inside of each bottle cap. Let dry thoroughly.
• Cover a work surface to protect it from spills, and lay caps on top. Following manufacturer’s instructions for clear casting resin, fill each bottle cap to the rim. Let dry overnight.
• Using contact cement, attach magnets or thumbtacks to the backs of the bottle caps. Let dry overnight before using.

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Quilted Burlap Christmas Stocking

This is our first Christmas in our new house, and I decided to make new Christmas stockings for the fireplace mantle.  I love the rustic look of a burlap stocking, but wanted to soften it up a bit, which is why I decided to add a quilted cuff with a lace trim.

I found the best tutorial for making a lined stocking with a cuff on the Cluck Cluck Sew website. McCall’s has a free stocking pattern (with instructions) online, but as I don’t have a printer at home, I used last year’s Christmas stocking as the pattern and cut 5/8″ larger than the stocking’s edge.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Fabric for the outside of the stocking – I used burlap
• Fabric for the lining of the stocking – I used linen leftover from another project
• Fabric for the cuff – I used the Diamond Double Faced Quilt Fabric
• Fabric for the hanging tab – I actually used twine, but you could use the burlap and sew a tab
• Lace (optional)

Instructions:

• As mentioned, the best tutorial was on the Cluck Cluck Sew website. The only change I made was to add a piece of lace to the bottom of the cuff. I added the lace before I sewed the raw edges of the cuff together.

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy decorating for the upcoming Christmas season!

I know we are all busy, and if you don’t have the time to make a stocking yourself, I am happy to sell you one. Please use the contact form below to reach me directly.

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Autumnal Door Arrangement

Hello again! It’s been over a year since I have made a post! Life got a bit busy. I started a new job, then got engaged/married, and bought a house…all in the same year! Now that life has slowed down, I have more time for crafting…and blogging. Yea!

Last week, inspired by Martha Stewart’s Autumnal Door Arrangements, my friend and I made our own versions of the seasonal door decorations. Only a few materials are needed, and you may find that you already have most of what’s needed. Unfortunately, the caning was impossible to find! I substituted burlap, which turned out amazing and was probably way cheaper! I decided to use fresh flowers instead of dried or artificial silk and got the Autumnal flora from a variety of places – JoAnn’s, the grocery store, even my own backyard.

Materials

• Floral wire or floral tape
• Caning or burlap
• Scissors
• String
• Decorative ribbon
• Wire
• Autumnal flora arrangement (dried or fresh)

If you found caning and will use that instead of burlap, follow Martha’s instructions. However, if you will be using burlap as I did, you’ll want to follow these steps.

Steps

Step 1

• Bind the stems of foliage, twigs, and flower bouquets using floral wire or floral tape.

Step 2

• If using fresh flowers, wrap ends of stems with a damp paper towel or newspaper and secure a small plastic bag over the towel/paper with the floral wire.

Step 3

• Position burlap as a diamond, and wrap the sides around, enclosing the bouquet. To secure, tie a piece of string around.

Step 4

• Wrap with a decorative ribbon (I used a brown ribbon I saved from Pottery Barn), tying it in back for a tailored look. Run a wire through the back to hang.

Happy Fall!!!  

I also made an arrangement that didn’t hang on the door. Instead I used a plate stand to prop it up. Worked perfectly!