Here are our favorite craft and DIY links this week. Be sure to follow us @amazinggoop for daily updates on crafts, DIY projects and more! Hope you have a great weekend! Continue reading →
All posts tagged howto
Sticky Business: Posts We Liked This Week
Here are our favorite craft and DIY links this week. Be sure to follow us @amazinggoop for daily updates on crafts, DIY projects and more! Hope you have a great weekend!
Craft:
If you’ve got a dollhouse in need of furnishing, this Dollar Store Crafts project is just what you need to create miniature dollhouse books.
In time for the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, I Love to Create shows you how to make a pillow with the words “I have a dream.”
Love mercury glass but hate the price? Remodel This shares a glazing technique for creating affordable mercury glass.
Get organized by making a Memo Holder from old cereal boxes. We recommend EcoGlue for this project.
DIY Projects:
Learn how to repair a stone patio fireplace from Do It Yourself.
Don’t throw out an old TV cabinet until you’ve seen this project for turning it into a child’s play kitchen.
Need a small, custom desk space? Curbly shares the perfect DIY Desk project .
A new columnist for Decor8 shares this fantastic DIY Branch Pendant project created by a few simple but unexpected household items.
Photo credit: I Love to Create
Repair, Don't Replace: Unstitched Zipper Placket
A couple of years ago on a business trip on the other side of the country, I picked up a pair of pants on clearance at Banana Republic for less than $10. It wasn’t until several days later and when I had returned home that I realized the zipper placket was completely unstitched. The pants were inexpensive enough that I wasn’t motivated to return them and I also knew it was an easy fix. And I always had it in my mind that I would do so (despite my lack of sewing machine).
After a recent move, I was resolute to keep what was useful and donate what was not. So, armed with a tube of E6000, I determined to fix my pants. The pants were clean & dry. This part of my pants is not visible once this particular repair is done, but if you were to use this same technique to fix a hem, for example, you’d want to be more careful about potential permanent wrinkles.
I followed the directions on the tube and then left them on the counter so the glue could cure overnight.
The repair was invisible, pants washed just fine, placket intact. E6000 creates a permanent bond that will hold through washes, ironing and every day wear.
Get your own tube for repairs of all kinds, including zipper plackets, at ExcelBuyOnline or your local retailer.
Host Backyard BBQs Like a Pro
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:
- Goo Gone Patio Furniture Cleaner is safe for all materials such as plastic and canvas and does not require additional cleaners to get the job done.
- Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner works well on plastic, however, dilution is suggested.
- Siege Outdoor Furniture Cleaner is recommended for plastics and metals.
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!
Guest Post: Baby Name Art Canvas How-To
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
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.
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.
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.
Last Minute Holiday Gift: Fun Costume Jewelry
This is the third in a series of last minute gift ideas from ’round the Web counting down to the 25th of December. All the projects can be done very quickly and require minimal supplies. Let us know if you do any of these projects. Enjoy!
From Swelldesigner (Alexa Westerfield), we bring you a how-to for costume jewelry on the cheap. Super colorful costume jewelry is fun for girls of all ages.
- Jewelry-making pliers
- Earring wires
- Ring blank
- Assorted buttons and other flashy stuff
- Glue (like E6000)
For more info, visit Swelldesigner’s post here.
It's an Eclectic World
We’re thrilled to join the blogosphere with our very own Eclectic Products blog.
Here’s what we have in mind:
- Product tips, tricks and information
- Projects and how-tos
- Videos
- Customer stories
- Behind the scenes
If you use an Eclectic product and would like to submit a project, you can visit our testimonials page (click on submit your story) or email info@eclecticproducts.com.
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