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Guest project: ShoeGOO Decoupage(ish) Shoes

by eclectic on July 30, 2009 in Crafts, Guest Project with No comments

We are constantly amazed by the innovative and stylish crafts that people produce using Eclectic Products. Stacie Grissom recently shared her secret to making a cute pair of shoes using some basic art supplies, household items, and ShoeGOO.

Below are instructions… now hop to it and get crafty!

You Will Need:

  • Old pair of shoes, any kind will work.
  • Shoe GOO
  • Anything you want to cover your shoes: pictures, magazine clippings, candy wrappers, comic book pages, poetry book pages, fabric scraps, etc.
  • Rhinestones, beads (optional)
  • Tweezers (for rhinestones or beads)
  • Fast drying glue such as Amazing QuickHOLD

Step One

Step One

Step One:
Organize the items you want to place on your shoes and construct a design. Place the clippings on the shoes, starting with the larger items first. Place a drop of fast-drying glue such as Amazing QuickHOLD on the corner of the clipping to hold it in place and then cover the paper with Shoe GOO. Don’t be stingy with the Shoe GOO.

After the larger clippings are in place, start filling the spaces with smaller scraps until the shoe is entirely covered.

Step Two

Step Two

Step Two:
Once all of the clippings are in place and the shoe is covered, start putting drops of Shoe GOO on the shoe by rubbing it over the shoe. Only rub the the Shoe GOO over the shoe once to get a clear effect. Rubbing over the shoe more than once will cause the shoe to become opaque. Apply Shoe GOO lightly on the most visible parts of the shoe.

Tip: Place a generous amount of Shoe GOO near the sole of the shoe and where the shoe bends. Without a helping of Shoe GOO, the clippings may crack off.

Step Three

Step Three

Step Three:
Place a dollop of Shoe GOO where you would like to add embellishments. Apply rhinestones or beads to the Shoe GOO with tweezers.

Step Four:
Allow the Shoe GOO to dry completely.

Step Five:
Add another layer of Shoe GOO on places that look thin and, again, around the soles and where the shoes bend. Wait for the Shoe GOO to dry.

After this, you are done! You will have a funky pair of recycled shoes that will catch the eyes of people everywhere.

To view more photos of Stacie’s ShoeGOO photos, visit her Flickr page or visit her blog Stars for Streetlights.

Host Backyard BBQs Like a Pro

by eclectic on July 21, 2009 in DIY with No comments

In the category of “random holidays,” we learn that July is not just National Hot Dog Month, but it’s also the National Month for baked beans, blueberries and ice cream. Sounds like a BBQ to us!

As we are wont to do, we scoured the Internet to find the best of the best tips for prepping for and hosting a delightful backyard soiree.

Prepping

Check the backyard for any safety issues such as filling holes that may cause people to fall when walking, or fixing a loose board on a deck or stones in a patio. Clean up a cluttered yard by putting away all unnecessary items such as toys and outdoor maintenance equipment.

You may have noticed that wobbly leg on the deck chair at the Memorial Day get together. It’s time to repair it! Make quick and easy repairs using Amazing GOOP Lawn & Garden or EcoGlue Extreme.

Keep your party bug free by setting up insect repellent devices around the yard. Make sure your repellent is EPA-registered or recognized as safe for kids, pets, and the environment. Repellent devices include Allethrin Lamps, Geraniol Candles and Diffusers, and Metofluthrin Diffusers.

Next, clean the stuff.

Good Housekeeping recommends the following top patio-furniture cleaners:

Decorating

Liven up the party with decorations:

  • Pick a theme and place decorations around the patio, yard, and house.
  • Spruce up picnic tables with fresh-picked flowers.
  • Cover tables with vibrant plastic or cloth tablecloths.
  • Place votive candles on tables to add ambiance and additional lighting to the party.

Party Time!

Whether your cooking simple hot dogs and hamburgers or lamb shish kabobs, prepare everything ahead of time to avoid a hassle during the party. Food and Wine Magazine recommends four simple steps to a great barbecue: slather, rub, mop, and barbecue sauce. Tasty food is a key component to a successful barbecue.

Prepare a buffet table and set out a cooler with cold beverages just before your guests arrive. Arrange the buffet table in a logical order so guests can easily maneuver through the delicious grub you prepared. Place condiments and extras in a central location for easy mid-meal maneuvering. Replace perishable items with fresh food to avoid potential spoiling.

Prepare games such as badminton, horseshoes, and volleyball. Make sure you have the appropriate game equipment for your guests and encourage some friendly competition by offering fun prizes.

Keep the party groovin’ with a killer music selection or playlist. Who knows, maybe the music will provoke an impromptu dance party.

And voila… you now have a successful barbecue!

Pick Doable DIY Projects

by eclectic on July 14, 2009 in DIY, Home Improvement with No comments

It’s summer and that means it’s time to start some home improvement projects. Lucky for you, there are abundant resources available for doable DIY projects. Avoid a DIY disaster with tips we found that help you choose your projects wisely and plan carefully.

Step one: Do your research!

Interior designers suggest searching the Internet for step-by-step videos for a particular project. A video will help you visualize the project and decide if the project is doable. Research also will give you a realistic idea of how long a project will take.

Research the necessary tools for the job. Many tools may only be needed once for a specific cost. Research tool rental costs to reduce DIY expenses.

Step two: Time to get started!

Outdoor projects

There are many doable outdoor DIY projects for the inexperienced. Staining a deck or laying a stone walkway are both simple outdoor projects that experts suggest for home-improvement novices. The DIY Network suggests building an outdoor patio as a simple addition to a yard.

Spruce up dreary gray concrete surfaces with acid stains, acrylic stains, epoxy paints, and scoring techniques. Water based concrete stains are a popular eco-friendly solution for coloring concrete surfaces. These stains act like a dye and come in a wide array of colors. For example, SoyCrete is green building compliant, non-hazardous, and acid free concrete stain.

Painting

Painting is a simple, affordable way to improve your home. To make a paint-job look professional and clean, sand surfaces before painting. This doable DIY task gets tricky when attempting to paint the ceiling. Some designers suggest a laminate plank system for ceilings. The laminate planks can be affixed to any ceiling with hooks and screws, which gives your home a sleek, professional look.

Lighting

Upgrade your lighting fixtures by adding decorative trim to lamp shades. Plain drum shades and pendant light kits are available at home good stores. Avoid a DIY disaster by leaving technical electricity work to the experts!

Wallpaper and Upholstery

Experts advise starting small when it comes to wall covering. If you’re nervous about applying wallpaper, save money and time by prepping the walls. To prep the walls, start by sanding, remove the dust with a damp cloth, and then prime with wallpaper primer. If you work up the courage to apply the wallpaper, start small and take your time.

To read more about doable DIY projects see the full article: Want to fix up the house? Pick doable DIY tasks.

DIY Links We Like

by eclectic on July 7, 2009 in Crafts, DIY, Home Improvement, repair with No comments

We know you enjoy DIY – building, crafting, repairing – and sometimes finding interesting, useful and inspirational things online can be very time consuming.

Since we’ve been reading and sharing a variety of projects, innovative ideas and just cool stuff on Twitter, we thought compiling them for you here would be fun, too.  You can join us anytime on Twitter, by the way. @amazinggoop for DIY and craft tweets and @EPI_Industrial for builders and contractors.

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DIY Gardening: Build a Rain Barrel

It’s gardening season and your plants are thirsty. Make your own rain barrel with used plastic containers. Rain barrels are an efficient, cost effective way homeowners can collect and recycle a valuable resource.

33 Clever, Time-Saving, Money-Saving Reader Tips

Readers contributed bunches of tips that speed repairs and save money. You can find the best of the tips from This Old House. Our favorites were tip number 16, place a bag in a paint tray to decrease the mess, and number 30, unclog hairy drains with Nair hair remover. We’d also add #34: Use a good adhesive.

How to Build a Patio Planter

From our buddy, Danny Lipford, learn how to build a wood patio planter with simple instructions. Summer heat doesn’t mean boring entryways. Add simple late summer or fall plants for a lovely addition to your patio. You can make it even simpler, by using EcoGlue Green Solutions Premium Wood Adhesive.

50 Nifty Tricks for Big DIY Savings

Shrink household expenses with 50 simple ideas. Some of the tricks may help you save $500. Some of the tips include shortening your dryer-vent hose and making your own cleaning solutions. And… Of course, add a tube of GOOP to your toolbox for on-the-spot repairs to save some coin, too.

How to Make an Herb Garden from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Reuse plastic bottles and create a fresh herb garden. This clever project would be great to do with your kids and watch your garden grow. Of course, we recommend EcoGlue for the glue used in this project. The steps are easy and you can have fresh basil before you know it.

19 fresh ideas for outdoor rooms

It doesn’t take much to improve a porch, patio or garden. Here are some easy and inexpensive updates for outdoor spaces. One of our favorites is fresh idea number 8: Create a new outdoor room with a simple change in flooring.

How to Decorate a Table with Bamboo Veneer Flowers

Spruce up a coffee table with an organic, floral twist. This article will show you how to make your own pattern from photos of flowers and apply them with bamboo veneer.

Mosaic Birdhouses

Learn how to make stunning mosaic birdhouses that will brighten your yard and make a stylish home for the birds in your yard. This article provide seven easy construction steps and materials. We’ve provided several mosaic projects on An Eclectic Blog and know that EcoGlue or Amazing GOOP both work well.

Mega Movie Monster Attacks!… Amazing GOOP Repairs.

by eclectic on July 1, 2009 in Just for Fun with No comments

In a “vintage” 1994 television ad from Eclectic Products, a Godzilla-like mega monster attacks a Japanese city. What better to put it back together than Amazing GOOP?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF-ymRJok_A&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_profilepage&fs=1]

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Guest Post: Baby Name Art Canvas How-To

by eclectic on June 29, 2009 in Contest, Crafts, Guest Project with 4 Comments

Joanna Gallo is another winner of our giveaway at Cut Out + Keep. We wanted to highlight one of her crafts here on An Eclectic Blog. Please visit her blog, go ahead and snicker, which includes information about crafts, local travels, recipes, entertainment, and more.


Baby Name Art Canvas

Baby Name Art Canvas

You will need:

-12 x 16 inch pre-stretched art canvas
-12 x 12 inch scrapbook paper
-Vintage wrapping paper or other paper with scenes
-Acrylic paint
-Wood letters
-Sand paper
-Mod Podge
-Tube of E-6000
-Bottle of Amazing EcoGlue
-Ribbon
-Ric rac

Step 1 – Begin by prepping the wood letters. Some wood letters may require a quick sanding. Once the letters are smooth, apply a coat of white acrylic paint as the base. Set the letters aside on a sheet of wax paper or a baking rack to dry.

Step 2 – While the letters dry, start working on the canvas. Gather two pieces of scrapbook paper to cover the front of the canvas. Trim one piece of paper to fit the canvas, leaving a 1/2 inch border of white around the edge. If the paper has a pattern, line up the second piece of paper with the edge of the cut side to be sure the pattern matches. Trim the second piece of paper to fit the remaining exposed canvas.

Step 3 – Make a tiny mark at each corner of the paper with a pencil. Apply Amazing EcoGlue to one piece of paper. Line up the paper with the pencil marks and rub over the entire surface. Repeat this step with the other piece, making sure to line up the pattern.

Cut out scenes from the wrapping paper.

Cut out scenes from the wrapping paper.

Step 4 – Cut out the scenes from the wrapping paper. Decide on the placement and mark the corners with a pencil. Place a light amount of Amazing EcoGlue on the back of each scene and line them up with the pencil marks. Rub over the entire surface, making sure edges are sealed.
*If you can’t find vintage wrapping paper, click here to borrow some from Joanna.

Step 5 – By now the base coat on the wood letters should be dry. Apply a coat of color to the wooden letters with acrylic paint. Set them aside to dry.

Step 6 – Once the letters are dry, embellish them with various details such as sponge painting, borders, and more. Once the embellishments dry, seal the letters with glossy Mod Podge or any other sealant.

Add embellishments to the wood letters.

Add embellishments to the wood letters.

Step 7 – Meanwhile, start embellishing the canvas. For example, trim each scene with a bit of ribbon and ric rac using E-6000.
*Quick tip: To keep the edges of ribbon or ric rac from fraying, dip them in clear nail polish.

Step 8 – Once everything is dry, attach the letters to the canvas with E-6000.

Any new mother will appreciate such a thoughtful gift.


Guest Post: Mosaic Mushroom How-To

by eclectic on June 22, 2009 in Uncategorized with 1 Comment

Gretchen Demitroff won our giveaway at Cut Out + Keep. We wanted to highlight one of her crafts here on An Eclectic Blog. Please visit her blog, Angry Pincushion, for more info and detailed descriptions of the medium and large size “mushrooms.”

Mosaic Mushroom Garden

Mosaic Mushroom Garden

You Will Need:

-Two Terra Cotta Pots, One 1 1/2 inch pot (pretty tiny) and one 3 inch pot
-One 4 inch Terra Cotta saucer
-Flat glass marbles
-Polished pebbles or stones
-Two colors of Acrylic paint in shades of tan or creme
-Paint brush and sponge
-Tube of Amazing EcoGlue or Amazing GOOP Lawn & Garden
-Clear Acrylic Gloss (or Matte), Water Resistant Spray Coat

Step 1- To make the base, or the stem of the mushroom take the smaller of the two terra cotta pots (make sure it’s clean first!) and using EcoGlue or Amazing GOOP, glue it onto the larger pot (just like you were stacking them together ). Let dry for 24 hours.

Step 2- After the pots dry for 24hrs, paint the mushroom “stem” with acrylic paint. I used a tan base coat, let that dry then applied a lighter creme or tan color. Using a dry sponge I dragged the lighter shade down the sides for a layered effect, it makes it look more like a real mushroom stem. Let paint dry.

Step 3- After paint is fully dry, affix the terra cotta saucer, for the mushroom cap, to the base pots with a liberal amount of adhesive, let dry for 24hrs again.

Step 4- Now using EcoGlue or Amazing GOOP, begin applying the flat marbles and pebbles on to the top of the saucer or “mushroom cap”, and down the sides of the saucer, in whatever pattern or colors you wish. You can substitute more flat marbles for the pebbles if you wish. When you begin affixing the marbles and pebbles to the sides of the saucer, they might slide a little, so sometimes you have to hold each marble or pebble in place for a few seconds until it sticks by itself. Let dry for 24 hrs again.

Step 5- Using grout on the mushroom’s cap is optional, I chose not to, but if you like that look go for it! If you plan on putting your mushroom outside make sure to spray it using a water resistant clear gloss, or matte spray coat.

Congratulations! You are now the proud parent of a beautiful baby garden mushroom :)

Preparing for Hurricane Season

by eclectic on June 18, 2009 in DIY, Home Improvement, Uncategorized with 1 Comment

Hurricane season is approaching and weather agencies anticipate several named hurricanes in 2009.

Many areas of the country are still rebuilding and repairing damaged buildings and properties from the recent ruthless hurricane seasons. Preparation, however, can make a tremendous difference in protecting your home.

Rooftops

Prepare your roof for hurricane-force winds, which can tear away roofing materials. Well-installed roofs also will prevent the damage from changing pressures caused by hurricanes.

Ray Rosewell, CEO of DaVinci Roofscapes says pressure that escapes into the home through the roof can cause walls and windows of a home to actually blow out. Hurricane winds also cause damage by lifting shingles from the roof and hurling various debris onto the roof. Experts recommend high wind roofing materials for hurricane inflicted areas.

Windows and doors

Broken windows and doors can also allow hurricane winds to rip through your home. Similar to roof leaks, the high winds that come through doors and windows cause a build-up of pressure, which can blow out the roof and walls of a home.

Impact resistant windows will help prevent these blow-outs. Many impact resistant windows are built with reinforced glass and are designed to withstand flying debris. Storm shutters and shades also offer protection against hurricane winds.

Companies such as Wayne-Dalton introduced Fabric Shield storm panels. Hurricane fabrics are durable and can be used several times without replacement.

Protecting valuables

Protect valuable items in the home with watertight products. Products such as Pelican Cases are polycarbonate cases designed to resist weights up to 5,000 pounds. Protect electronic documents by backing them up on external hard drives and other data storage devices and storing them outside the home.

General Repairs

If you’re in hurricane-prone areas, arm yourself with a tube of EcoGlue Extreme, to make on-the-spot fixes of damaged or broken fixtures around the exterior or interior of your home. Check for loose siding, tiles, window or door jambs, for example, and glue them in place.

For more information about hurricane preparation, please visit:

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Smart Tips for Using Contractor Referral Websites

by eclectic on June 7, 2009 in Home Improvement with No comments

Choosing a good contractor is a topic we’ve discussed before. With a majority of Internet users searching for information online to help make decisions about everything from shoes to medical care to home improvement products and professionals, referral websites can substitute or complement personal referrals.

You’ll find two types of referral Web sites: homeowner-to-homeowner and professional-to-homeowner.

The Queen of the homeowner-to-homeowner sites is Angie’s List. Members of Angie’s List pay a fee of about $50 a year to have access to reviews and ratings from fellow homeowners. Since 1995, when it launched, the site has grown to more than 300 categories. Providers are “graded” with letter grades on areas such as price, quality of work and professionalism.

As a member, you can search for a professional by zip code and check out ratings from other homeowners and read about their experiences. Angie’s List users take the responsibility of their contributions seriously. Everyone understands that the community depends on each member reviewing their experiences.

Angie’s list does not allow contractors to buy a place on the site or be featured above another.

A professional-to-homeowner site like Contractors.com provides a more traditi0nal referral service, but really serve a complementary role to a site like Angie’s List. On Contractors.com you submit a project and a team of former contractors reviews it for accuracy. The team then submits to licensed and insured contractors in your area.

Within about 24 hours, you’ll hear from up to three contractors interested in bidding on your project. This service is free to homeowners, it’s the contractors that pay the fees. Contractors pay for leads and can also pay for premium listings. Contractors.com also includes homeowner-generated reviews.

Regardless of which site you use to help make decisions about your home, we have a few general tips to consider.

  • A legitimate contractor will want to see a larger project in person before giving you a quote.
  • The best sites will offer support over the phone. Contractors.com will help keep contractors communicating with homeowners and Angie’s List will even step in to resolve disputes.

This Old House has a terrific article on the topic of using contractor referral sites. If you have experience with one of these services (or another), please let us know!

Repair Don't Replace: Turning Trash to Treasure

by eclectic on May 26, 2009 in DIY, Repair Don't Replace with No comments

Before throwing out that scrap wood, worn out piece of furniture or leftover DIY project materials, consider reusing them. We found some clever projects that do just that.

Give Old Furniture an Inexpensive Facelift

Bring an old table or chair back to life by refinishing it. Home improvement guru Danny Lipford gives directions on how to refinish.*

  • Apply liquid stripper according to the directions, allowing it to stay on the surface for the recommended amount of time.
  • Use a putty knife with rounded edges to remove the bulk of the old finish.
  • Take off the remaining finish and stripper using steel wool or a plastic scouring pad dipped in the recommended solvent.
  • Fill cracks, holes or damage with a wood filler like Famowood.
  • Sand the surface thoroughly; start with coarse sandpaper (80-100 grit) and work up to fine (180-220 grit). Sand with the grain when possible.
  • Stain the piece, applying with a rag, and allow to dry.
  • Finish with several coats of a clear finish such as Glaze Coat.

Picture 1

Piece it Together with a Mosaic

In the same vein as refinishing, you can also save furniture by creating a mosaic table top. Using recycled glass, beads or tiles, you can create a work of art. E-How has great directions for making mosaics.

Deep Fried Kudzu has directions for creating this cool swirly marble mosaic table top (left). Simple, yet stunning. A great way to make a generic or tired table your own.

We’ve found EcoGlue works well for mosaic projects.

Get Crazy Creative with Vintage

You can do lots of amazing things with old suitcases from creating anything from filing cabinets to end tables. You might have some old hard-side suitcases in your garage; if not, it’s likely your local thrift store does.

I thought these suitcase cat beds were pretty clever. Maybe if I had one, my cat wouldn’t sleep on my laundry.

The legs can even be glued on (no fancy power tools necessary) with something like EcoGlue Extreme or Amazing GOOP.

Scrap Convention with Cool Wood Projects

If you’re a woodworker of any manner, you have piles of scrap wood. You can create a country chic wall decoration that doubles as a place to hang bags, coats and keys. You can glue the “tree branches” together with EcoGlue Premium Wood and then nail it to the wall in just a few places (rather than peppering your wall with nails for each piece).

Be Inspired by the Pros

You can also see how professional designers are doing amazing things with furniture and style with reused and repurposed items at Design Blog.

What have you done to turn trash to treasure? Leave your tips in the comments.

*Note that product recommendations are our own, and not from the original directions. But we’re still sure they’ll work.

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