All posts tagged Eclectic Products

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.

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.

Calling All Crafters!

by eclectic on July 19, 2008 in Contest, Crafts with No comments

Share your favorite CRAFT PROJECT and WIN!

Start submitting your projects now. Eclectic Products will take project submissions until August 31, 2008 and the winner will be notified by: September 10, 2008.

How to submit your craft project:
Send complete information to: info@eclecticproducts.com

1. List all materials used. REQUIRED: Any Eclectic product of your choice.
2. A text paragraph describing your project.
3. Steps taken to complete your project (beginning to end).
4. Step by step images (to post with your project description and step by step instructions).

Eclectic Products will pick one project from all submissions. The winning project will be issued a $25.00 Gift Card from your favorite Craft Store and a six-pack of the Eclectic product used in the project. PLUS your project will be posted here and on our Web site.

Why Good Shoes Matter

by eclectic on May 12, 2008 in General Information, Sports with No comments

Wall of Sports Shoes If you’re active in a sport like tennis, basketball, running or skateboarding, you know that your shoes can take a beating.

In fact, A 150-pound person walking just one mile exerts a force of 63.5 tons on a single foot, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association. Selecting the right shoe is paramount, especially in preventing foot-related injuries.

Each sport will have specific shoe features that are important, but there are also a few general rules of thumb to keep in mind when choosing shoes.

We all have different types of feet, but there are two ways to consider foot type. One is your “strike,” or how your foot hits the ground and the other is arch.

Strike is generally categorized in three basic types: supinated, pronated and ideal. To figure out which one you are, you can look at the wear of your current shoe.

SUPINATED – if your shoes wear is on the outside of the shoe first. The heel will be worn, but so will the shoe outside edge or little toe area.

PRONATED – with a pronated foot, the wear is on the inside heel and around the ball of the foot.

IDEAL or NEUTRAL – this foot will show little wear in any particular place.

You can also do the “wet foot” test gauge your arch.

Based on the pictures, decide which type is similar to your foot. Shoe manufacturers have taken foot types into account and created three functional categories for walking and running shoes:

Motion Control
Design: A straight shape shoe that is the most rigid and resistant to twisting and bending of all three styles
Best Fit: Individuals with a low arch, flat and generally straight feet

Stability
Design: A shoe with a slight curve to the shape
Best Fit: Individuals with medium-arched feet, typically deemed “normal”

Neutral
Design: A curved shoe that is the least rigid and resistant to twisting and bending of all three shoe categories
Best Fit: Individuals with high-arched feet
Knowing your foot type will help you choose the right shoe, but again, a few basics apply for all feet when choosing a shoe.

  • A removable insole: allows you to replace it with your own if necessary.
  • A snug heel: better for control of the back of the foot. Women purchasing men’s shoes should be aware of this.
  • A roomy toe box: you should be able to wiggle your toes comfortably and wide is better. Your toes should not touch the front of the shoe.
  • Try shoes on late in the day when you feet have expanded. You should be able to fit a finger between your heel and the back of the shoe when sitting.
  • To maintain your shoes, try Eclectic Products Shoe GOO.

For more tips visit our sources for this blog post:

Clever Projects For Mother's Day & Beyond

by eclectic on May 10, 2008 in Crafts, Just for Fun with 2 Comments

A plain serving tray, a simple TV tray, unembellished wooden egg or an end table that needs a little pizazz. FAMOWOOD’s Glaze Coat can help you create memorable projects for moms or for yourself.

Glaze Coat Pour-On High Gloss Epoxy Coating is an ultra-clear, high-gloss finishing epoxy ideal for home improvement and craft projects. Just one coat equals 60 coats of varnish.

  • Coat tables, clocks, game boards and furniture
  • Imbed coins, rocks, sea shells, flowers or any non-waxy material
  • Preserve pictures, photographs, posters, signs and ceramics

Below you’ll find the directions for one of many Glaze Coat projects you can do. The end result may be different, but the steps are the same. For more detailed instruction, watch our video about Glaze Coat here. And get your questions answered on our FAQ page.

Glaze Coat Serving Tray Project

Supplies:

1 pt. Kit Glaze Coat
Unfinished or painted wood serving tray
Assorted photographs (we suggest color copies)
Apron
Latex gloves
Scissors
Masking Tape
White Glue
Mixing container
Stir stick
Spreader
Paint Brush

Tape bottom edge of tray with masking tape.

Cut photos in decorative shapes and apply to surface with white glue.

Let dry thoroughly.

Position tray on level pedestal for glaze coat application.

Wearing an apron and gloves, mix Glaze Coat precisely according to package directions

Pour Glaze Coat in the middle of serving tray. Spread to outside edges. With a paintbrush, brush additional Glaze Coat on the inner and outer sides of tray as well as in the inside of the handles. Use a hair dryer or torch to remove any air bubbles that might rise to the surface. Dry completely. When dried remove the masking tape from bottom of tray. For a high gloss finish – repeat procedure.

Other projects you can do with Glaze Coat:

Simple Ways to Go Green

by eclectic on April 22, 2008 in Green with 1 Comment

On this Earth Day, remember that going green does more than benefit the earth — it benefits your pocketbook by saving money on energy bills. Some of the following tips are inexpensive and easy, while others require an initial investment but pay for themselves in time.

  • Since older models require significantly more energy to run, consider replacing your air conditioner or furnace if they are more than 10 years old. Before you buy, look for Energy Star rated models which meet strict EPA and Department of Energy guidelines.
  • Plant deciduous trees to shade the south side of your house. Deciduous trees will shade in the summer and lose their leaves in the winter to let more sun (and heat) into your house. For more landscaping tips visit HGTV and for more about planting trees visit American Forests.
  • Reduce water consumption and lower the cost of heating water by repairing leaky fixtures and installing low flow shower heads, faucets and toilets.
  • Make sure the walls and attic are well-insulated, adding more where needed.
  • Prevent wasted heat or cooling by sealing leaky windows.
  • Replace bulbs and lighting fixtures with energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs. These pay for themselves with the savings they provide.
  • Recycling kitchen waste into garden compost is another great way to contribute to the health of the environment. It not only reduces the amount of garbage going into landfills, but makes for healthier plants, too. Learn how at HowtoCompost.org

Finally, look for green products to replace your everyday household items. Green cleaners, paper products and even DIY tools can be found at your local store. For DIY, we at Eclectic Products have developed an adhesive that is earth-friendly without sacrificing the strength. Amazing EcoGlue is an industrial-strength adhesive for the green-conscious DIYer. EcoGlue has less than one percent volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by weight, no animal derivatives and virtually no hazardous pollutants. Even the bottle and packaging are recyclable.