MAD IN CRAFTS

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Over 40 Under $10 Craft Tutorials

8:01 AM tutorials

On Mad in Crafts it is obvious that I love to make crafts on a budget. I have gathered together most of my under $10 projects here in this round-up. If you are also a fan of cheap crafting, I have some news for you! I have started a BRAND NEW BLOG called All Cheap Crafts.

All Cheap Crafts is a blog dedicated to providing craft ideas for décor, parties, gifts and more even if you don’t have much money to spend on supplies. On All Cheap Crafts NO PROJECT will cost more than $10 to complete! So, please enjoy this round-up of inexpensive craft projects and then head over to All Cheap Crafts for even more great ideas!

DECOR

Typography Art Globe

Spring Pillow Covers

Animal Head Bookends

Studded Mint and Gold Art

PB-Knockoff Mirrors

Placemat Pillows

Upcycled Typography Art

Embellished Pillow

$6 Nailhead Table

Mexican Paper Flowers

Magazine Index Binder

Snow Globe Soap Dispensers

Rainbow Ribbon Bins

Snowflake Crayons

Fork Curtain Tieback

No Sew Fabric Pumpkins

TARDIS Closet

OUTDOOR AND FLORAL

Front Door Bouquet

Dollar Store Outdoor Plaque Fix

Fire & Ice Lanterns

Simple Nest Wreath

Floral Wire Pumpkins

Fashion Designer Inspired Vase

Party Streamer Seed Tape

Twine and Yoyo Wreath

HOLIDAY

Speckled Robin’s Eggs

Pumpkin Watering System

Jingle Bell Swag

Snowflake Coasters

Sugared Egg Centerpiece

Gold Leafed Pumpkin

Christmas Quote Art

Dollar Barn Christmas

Christmas Ornament Wreath

GIFTS AND WEARABLE

Raspberry Coconut Scrub

Message in a Bottle Necklace

If you like these tutorials, be sure to check out MY NEW BLOG, All Cheap Crafts today!

Did you like this post? Think it’s worth sharing? Please share with your friends using the social media share buttons on the toolbar at the bottom of the page!

Thanks, Jessica

Mad Skills Party #160

10:54 PM Mad Skills Party

Welcome to the 160th Mad Skills Party!

If you have participated in a Mad Skills Tutorial Link Party in the past, you have probably gotten one of my emails. I like to highlight a few of my favorite submissions each week, and email is a great way to do it! I also like to be able to thank all of you for participating in the party. It really means so much to me that you do. Commenting on each project is no longer an option for me, and I (legally) can’t spam you all with unasked for emails. BUT, if you sign up for the newsletter, I can still say thanks for your hard work AND you get to see the highlights from the weeks’ parties!

Sign up for the email by clicking HERE or using the form in the NEWSLETTER section of my sidebar.

If you are linking up today, you might be featured in this week’s newsletter!

For the Mad Skills party, as usual you can link up a post, old or new, to share with other readers. The only rule for the party is that the post MUST BE A TUTORIAL. The tutorial can be written, pictorial, or a combination of the two, but it should be a project or a process that another crafter would be able to replicate. Any Mad Skill level, from novice to advanced, is welcome!

There is a Mad Skills Tutorial Link Party button that can be found by clicking HERE! Please add to your blog post or update your party pages! You have until midnight (EST) on Thursday to enter your projects!

By participating in this party, you are agreeing to allow me to feature your project in my weekly Mad Skills newsletter. Each feature will include a link back to your project, a photo from the tutorial, and a brief explanation of why I loved your project.

Stencils and Sweets (Weekly Wrap-Up)

8:17 AM wrap-up

This week was a mishmash of posts ranging from simple stenciling projects to whimsical sweets tables! In addition to this week’s Mad Skills Tutorial Party, I shared these posts:

Hot Air Balloon Themed Sweets Table

Stenciled Watercolors

25 Stenciling Projects

Instant Typography

Thank you to these great sites for featuring me or my work recently:

This week’s throwback post is from TWO summers ago (see, I was still a “blogspot” URL!) I made some Upcycled Hanging Lanterns from old solar lights that had been left at our house by previous tenants. The process was simple and nearly free!

Do you like a good round-up post? They are so handy, especially on Pinterest, because all the applicable tutorials are assembled and organized ahead of time. I love round-ups and just created a Pinterest board JUST for Craft and DIY round-ups! Follow along for tons of project ideas.

Follow all my Pinterest boards for ton more DIY and craft inspiration!. You can also find me using any of the social media links found below. Let’s keep in touch!

Or you can sign up for the Mad Skills weekly newsletter HERE.

My NEW ebook is now for sale on E-Junkie. Find out more about it HERE!

Did you like this post? Think it’s worth sharing? Please share with your friends using the social media share buttons on the toolbar at the bottom of the page!

Thanks, Jessica

Instant Typography

8:08 AM home decor, shamefully simple

Looking for a way to waste a some time this weekend? I have you covered, friends! Recite is an addictively fun website that instantly turns your words in to stylish typographic images.

Type in whatever you like, and instantly see what those words would look like in a variety of layouts. You can then share the image via social media or download it to your hard drive.

If you can’t think of anything witty to turn into a graphic, worry not. Recite has a resource of quotes organized into helpful categories.

And, if all else fails, Beatles lyrics always win.

Or maybe TV shows are more your style:

Check out Recite when you’ve got a while to play around with it. It’s good, time-wasting fun. (PS This isn’t a sponsored post; Recite knows nothing about me. I just thought the site was really fun.)

The first commenter to correctly identify the Beatles songs and TV shows quoted above gets a virtual high five via Twitter and Facebook.

My NEW ebook is now for sale on E-Junkie. Find out more about it HERE!

Did you like this post? Think it’s worth sharing? Please share with your friends using the social media share buttons on the toolbar at the bottom of the page!

Thanks, Jessica Hill

25 Stencil Project Tutorials

8:14 AM home decor, tutorials

Home décor and craft stencils have come a long way from stenciled grapevine borders and country goose-adorned napkin holders. Newer stencil projects come in all shapes and sizes and can decorate anything from walls to fabric. I rounded up just 25 unique stenciling projects here today!

Stenciled DVD Coasters – Crafts by Amanda

Monogrammed Teacher Mugs – Dollar Store Mom

Powdered Sugar Stencil – rockscissorpaper

Stenciled Quote Wall Hanging – Always Expect Moore

Stenciled Glass Vase – Just Paint It!

Painter’s Tape Trellis Stencil – Just Paint It!

Stenciled Doodle Leaves – The Swell Life

Stenciled Flower Pots – Dollar Store Crafts

Spray Chalk Stencil – Oh Happy Day

Stenciled Watering Can – Mom Endeavors

Stenciled Dumpster Table – Pretty Handy Girl

Stenciled Baker’s Rack – Mad in Crafts

Stenciled Lampshade – Home Stories A to Z

His and Hers Tray Tables – Crafts by Amanda

Reverse Stenciled Dresser – Flor

Finger Painted Lyric Art – Mad in Crafts

Easy Heart Stenciled Shirt – Dollar Store Crafts

Stenciled Boy Backpack – I Love to Create Blog

Stenciled Glitter Frame – Always Expect Moore

Stenciled Mirror Growth Chart – Dollar Store Mom

Stenciled Burlap Runner – Just Paint It!

Fast Stenciled Napkins – 30 Minute Crafts

Bleach Stenciling on Fabric – Gypsy Moment

Stenciled Treat Bags – 30 Minute Crafts

Glittery Stenciled Table Runner – Just Paint It!

Did you like this post? Think it’s worth sharing? Please share with your friends using the social media share buttons on the toolbar at the bottom of the page!

Thanks, Jessica

Stenciled Watercolors (for People Who Can’t Paint)

8:39 AM dollar store, home decor, shamefully simple, tutorials

I love abstract floral watercolors. I think they are so lovely and soft, but they also have a graphic punch. I tried to recreate that look with the watercolor curtains in my daughter’s bedroom, and I wanted some artwork to match. Unfortunately, I don’t have the artistic skills to create the finished product that I wanted. Instead, I found a hack that makes it possible for anyone who can hold a paintbrush to create gorgeous watercolor paintings!

To make Stenciled Watercolor Paintings, you will need:

^{Some of the following links are affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you choose to make a purchase after clicking through.}

watercolor paper

watercolor paints (mine were kids paints from the dollar store!)

paintbrush

small bowl of water

stencils

stencil adhesive

It’s important to use watercolor paper for this project. It’s not that expensive, and it makes the end product look so much nicer. Spray the back of the stencil with a bit of stencil adhesive and position it on the paper. Begin by adding a few basic colors to the stencil.

Add in more colors, using the water to blend them together. DON’T be fussy about where the colors go. The more they blend, the more beautiful it will look.

Remove the stencil and admire your artistry. Some of the color will seep under the stencil, but that is just fine. It adds to the “painterly” look of the piece.

When I say that this tutorial is for anyone who can hold a paintbrush, I mean it. It’s a great way to have your kids create colorful artwork that can easily be framed and hung on a wall.

The more colors used, the better. The only way to mess it up would be to douse the paper with water. That might make the colors spread around the stencil more than you want, blurring the shapes. Otherwise, you can just go to town!

These make beautiful place cards or greeting cards too, just fold the paper in half. You know, in case you forgot that FATHER’S DAY IS THIS SUNDAY!

Look how pretty the prints look matted and framed! There is no way I could have created that freehand, but I don’t think you could tell that I used a stencil either. The process is so simple and quick, that you could make enough paintings for an entire room in one morning.

Did you like this post? Think it’s worth sharing? Please share with your friends using the social media share buttons on the toolbar at the bottom of the page!

Thanks, Jessica