Cat Food Can Ornament

 

We made ornaments for family this year out of empty Fancy Feast cans (the little ones) for a Christmas craft this year.

I haven’t seen this done too often but they are the perfect size for tiny tree-sized shadow boxes.  Here are the supplies I used:

• Cat food cans
• Red velvet ribbon
• Gold gimp braid
• Scissors
• 48lb photo paper
• 3x5 Thermal laminating pouches
• An iron + pillowcase (or laminating machine)
• Glue (hot glue and/or clear Tacky glue)
• Glue stick
• Glossy Mod Podge
• Cotton balls
• Floral greenery scraps
• Cardboard scraps

I started by taking a picture of the kids and removing the background using Lightroom’s AI. Pretty futuristic stuff.  I printed a bunch and then cut them out.

I put the photos inside the laminate sheets, put the sheets inside a cotton pillowcase, and sealed it with a hot iron.

They came out a little bumpy but good enough.

We crushed the sharp edge of the can down with pliers. I glued the gimp braid over the crushed edge with Tacky Glue.

Charlie picked out a pretty mountain background and we printed out little circles of that and glued it to the bottom of the can.  Then coated with Mod Podge for shine and longevity.

Then I unraveled a cotton ball and glued half of it to the bottom. 

I cut some strips of cardboard and hot glued them into little rolls.  I made these small enough to hide behind the kids photo, to separate it from the background.

I hot glued these rolls to the back of the laminated photos, and glued a bit of greenery to the front.

Then I glued the other side of the cardboard to the background and glued the rest of the cotton ball snow down on top of it.

Last I glued a red velvet ribbon around the outside with a little loop at the top for a hook, and added a matching bow.

Trunk or Treat!

Halloween's a little past but I need to post this for Geoff's sister.  Hi Rebecca!

Charlie's school had a Trunk or Treat event this year, and since I have a station wagon and like making stuff, we volunteered.  We did a Harry Potter car, and I was McGonagall.  Note my in-character, not amused stare.  

I made all our costumes.

Charlie was Harry, natch.  I wish we'd gotten a better picture of him :/

I'm really really proud of all of this, but the thing I feel like I really want to point out is the balance because if I don't you would never see it. 

It's an ornament hanger from the thrift store, the bottom of two Ice Breakers containers, some round picture hangers, and bent wire, all painted gold, then finished with some jewelry chain, lobster claws, and a brass stamping from my stash.   

Kind of involved, but a witch cabinet isn't complete without a balance right?

Potions, ingredients and books.  I've been collecting cool little bottles for a while because I like witch cabinets for Halloween, so I just added a few recognizable ones to my collection to make it Harry Potter (see the Veritaserum and Polyjuice).  They're all filled with 99 Cents store stuff, junk from my yard, household items, etc.

For books, I found a bunch of Harry Potter book covers on the HP wiki, and then I filled them out with some old faded books I found at the Salvation Army.

That 'herb' is the top of a bunch of carrots, no real herbs wasted.

Bubbling brews.

The top cauldron is dry ice in water, heated in a very tarnished chafing dish I scored at the Salvation Army with a Sterno.  I put it on a spare tile I had in the closet, to try to keep it fire safe.  It still made me a little nervous, but it was really spectacular and the kids were all fascinated.

The near one, however, is just spiderwebs :)

Geoff loaded a small tablet with a shot from the movie and looped it, and then I stuck it in this fancy picture frame.  Moving picture achieved!

The floating candles are these candles from Amazon.  Kind of a splurge but they are so cool!  

I hung them from the ceiling by spanning a wooden board between the back seat handlebars.  The candles are strung on fishing line, and then threaded athrough a piece of posterboard supported on the board.

I have them hung in Charlie's room now because they're so pretty.

Every Harry Potter car needs a Golden Snitch.  I bought this from Amazon, and then painted it gold because it should be gold, why is it not gold?  It's hung with fishing line.

And Dumbledore!  Geoff rocks the beard.  We forgot his glasses though, I am kicking myself.

Finally, the two dementors are wire and cardboard draped with various scrap and 'spooky' fabrics, and then I glued some skeleton hands to the ends.   I'm keeping them to hang on my door next year.

How was your Halloween?

HOWTO: Jewel Costume

I got a question on Tumblr about my Jewel costume; I'm posting the answer here because it's easier for me to format.  Without further adieu here's how I made my...

Jewel costume AKA the super spandex tube top

you'll need:

* 1-2 yds white spandex - enough to wrap around your torso

 (You may want to source some 'wet look' or metallic spandex - it's more opaque than regular spandex.  Try SpandexWorld.com)

* 1 yd turquoise spandex

* ...and matching thread

* some scraps of lightweight interfacing (NOT iron on), wide enough to go across your chest.

* a sewing machine with a stretch stitch 

 (preferably not zig zag - a stretch stitch is a stitch that goes forwards and backwards so that the stitch has give but is still sews a thin straight line.  My Kenmore converts to stretch stitch if you set the stitch length slider backwards - check your manual)

* stretch ballpoint needles

 (Using the right needle for the right fabric is important - the ballpoint keeps the fabric from snagging and helps maintain correct tension)

* Washable marker 

 (I like using washable Crayola markers but you can also use a sewing pen)

* Pins

* Iron & ironing board

Take measurements around your bust, waist, hips, and from clavicle to mid-hip.  Make sure you are wearing the same kind of undergarments you'll be wearing when you're in costume (especially a bra).  Using these measurements, take two pieces of white spandex and sew a basic, curvy tube.  

Remember to sew it with the stretch stitch and stretch knit needle.  Leave the top and bottom unfinished, we'll get to that later.

With it still inside out, try it on and check the fit.   If needs to be tightened anywhere, you can mark those places with your handy marker while it's on your body.

...then take it off and sew it tighter where you've marked.  You should now have a perfect fitting tube top!

Now cut the asymetrical "V" shape out of the interfacing.  You will use this as a pattern for the spandex, and also to stiffen the fabric so it will hold the pointed shape.  

Hold it up to your body to make sure it looks the way you want, and make sure it is as wide as the front of your tube top.  FYI Jessica's V peaks on her left side. 

Figure out how wide you want the turquoise part to be - my stripe is about 2.25" thick and I think that feels right but you might need to adjust for your proportions.

Turn the white tube right-side out and put it on again.  Take the interfacing V and hold it up to your body 1/2 higher than where you would like her turquoise V to be.   Put a dot on the spandex just under the point of the V, then take it off and line the interfacing up again with the dot.  Carefully trace the bottom of the interfacing shape onto the spandex.

Using the interfacing as a pattern, cut two pieces of turquoise spandex, leaving an extra 1/2 inch on all sides for seam allowance.   Then measure the back of your spandex tube, and cut a rectangle that is as wide as the tube, plus 1", and 3.25" high (or as tall as yours is plus 1" seam allowances).  Sew these four pieces together: sew each back piece to each front piece first, making two turquoise circles.   Then pin the two tubes right sides together, sew together across the top and turn inside out, to form the top of the costume.   

...it should look something like this except maybe less derpy.

Iron down all the seams on LOW HEAT - spandex melts VERY easily be careful.  You may even want to put a piece of fabric in between your iron and the spandex to keep it cooler, test it on a scrap of fabric before you do your sewn costume.

Slip the interfacing into the front piece but don't sew it in - the interfacing helps hold the shape of the point but it isn't stretchy, so it's better if it moves freely inside the spandex.

Pin the turquoise piece to the white piece so that the bottom edge lines up to the line you drew earlier.  This is going to be a little awkward because the shape is now inverted, but if you pin the vertex of the V first and then the sides it should work out.  

The fold in the turquoise piece should now be pinned so that it is pointed down on the costume.  Switch to turquoise thread and sew 1/2 inch from the unfinished edge of the turquoise piece.  Push the interfacing in so you don't catch it with your needle, and sew all the way around the tube.

Turn the turquoise piece up so that the fold is pointing up.  Cut away the excess white fabric, rinse away the marker lines, and then iron the seam down (again, LOW HEAT).  

And you're done!

(Captain Marvel: underthenerdhood Spiderwoman: prodigium)

Other notes:

For Jewel's costume I originally made it as all one piece, but the combination of the straplessness and the attached feet meant that every step pulled the whole costume down (eek), so I switched it to a shirt with matching pants and separate shoes.  Not accurate but much more practical.  

This is why I left the bottom unfinished, so it wouldn't make such a big bump when I tucked it into my pants.  No worries, spandex won't fray.

I used these tights in white, and these boots (leftover from my Dr. Girlfriend costume ^_^ )

Her belt is the remainder the turquoise spandex, sewn into a simple loop.  

Her 'jewel' is two diamond pieces craft foam, one slightly smaller than the other.  They are papier mache'd together and then sprayed with several layers of Plasti-Dip for smoothness, and finished with Testors Spray Enamel in Electric Pink.  It's attached to the belt with a loop of velcro.

I made her earrings using some pink chandelier beads wired onto basic earring findings from Michaels.  

And I used these gloves in Marine Blue, which were a close match for the turquoise spandex I got from Joann Fabrics.

Hope that answers all your questions, brilliant-but-scary-bad-wolf!  Sorry it took so long!

Shabby Nightstand Update

I haven't posted much in while have I?   I've been really busy with home reno since we moved in here last year, but I haven't wanted to take pictures until it's 'done' and there's still so much to do. I think it might never be done.

Anyway so I painted this nightstand.



I've had this nighstand for a while; I picked it up for $20 on Craiglist. I liked it that it was small enough to fit in our narrow space, and it had a handy shelf and drawer. But it was plain blonde laminate and very boring.

When I was looking for ideas I saw this end table project. Pretty great right? I also happened to have a piece of wood that I 'reclaimed' from our storage space- the previous tenants had left it there when they moved. I had no idea what it was but it looked pretty nice.

 

It was originally a long narrow board (sorry I forgot to take pics), maybe it was a shelf or something.  I cut it in half and then Gorilla glued both pieces on top of my nightstand after I painted it, and filled in the gap with some wood filler.  You can sort of see the seam here.

My inspiration was more white/modern, but I'm not so modern and I didn't really want white.  I've been ogling this cool coffee table every time I go to the Galleria, so I almost did turquoise too, but like everything in our house is aqua or teal or turquoise.

I looked through my much-too-full box of paint samples and decided to go with Benjamin Moore Apple Blossom green, a color I almost used in my bedroom.

 

I thought it was too much for a whole bedroom, but pretty cute for a lil nightstand right?

I made plaster-of-paris chalk paint, so I wouldn't have to prime.  That stuff is pretty great!  Definitely understand why the blogosphere was nuts over it, it's so easy to use and thick and chalky.  I guess you're supposed to use furniture wax, but I finished it with oil-based poly, because I had some, and I thought the yellow color would make a nice antique-y look.

The little trim is from my favorite moulding store and also stuck on with Gorilla glue.  The knob is from World Market. I'm not sure it works but it's good enough for now.

Here it is in my bedroom:

   

The mismatched nightstands are a little weird but the ceiling is actually slanted so I think the height difference works.  Half tempted to paint the other one green too but it's actually nice wood, so maybe not.  Also I have so much else to do.  Let's just leave it weird for now...

Painted dresser

Hi people! Wow, it has been so long since I last posted, google has changed their posting tools. I am a bad blogger.

But I've still been doing a lot of crafting for my new place.

I got this little dresser/nightstand thing from a friend - it was just plain wood, and boxy. I thought it would a great thing to try painting. I've been enamored of decorate painting on dressers since this picture by Laura Gunn. Hers is nicer but she's a professional painter or whatever.

I used a bunch of house paint samples that I had lying around, and I painted it on my new patio:

It goes great in my aqua-red-white-gold office.

(This picture is awful. There is not enough light in this room yet, so I had to use a flash. Funny story: when I moved, I somehow lost the plates that hold a pair of wall sconces that I planned to put in this room. I keep hoping they'll show up, so I haven't bought new lights. But they haven't shown up. And it is dark. SIGH. )

I put in some antique blue milk glass knobs. Again terrible picture. So dark. But trust me they are adorable?

Please send me some sconce-wall-plate finding vibes, and I'll try to post more stuff!!

I'm Alive!

Wow, I'm sorry for the lack of activity here, folks!

We moved in February and I'm still putting my life back together. But I've been crafting loads of stuff for the new place and I have a lot to share. Just give me a moment to get some pictures together...

I've also done four new costumes this year! I made Howl and Sophie for Anime Expo, Jewel from Marvel, and I finished this too. I'll post more about them later, but if anyone is interested, I usually post my costume stuff first on my Deviant Art page. Feel free to check it out, 'n stuff.

Bethany Hawke cosplay

Preview for my next costume, Bethany's Circle Robes from Dragon Age 2. I want to do Dragon Age again, but I don't really want to show my navel anymore. I still have to do some detail, like the buttons and the shoulders and the collar, but it's almost done.

I really like the color and the fuzzy sleeves.

HOWTO: Toddler Totoro Costume

You may recall Charlie was Totoro for Halloween, and I promised a tutorial, way back then. Well, here it is, finally!

This costume was really easy and I finished it in a single (long) afternoon naptime, about 3 hours.

Supplies:
1.5 yards charcoal grey fleece
(you could also use blue)
18"x12" scrap of ivory or white fleece
1 sheet craft foam (the thickest white one)
1 22 inch matching grey zipper

First, to make the basic jumpsuit pattern I laid down a set of my son's clothes and traced VERY loosely around them:



This was how I made sure it was roughly the right size - much easier than trying to measure a two year old! The fit is very baggy, so it doesn't have to be perfect.

Trace one side, then fold the fabric in half and cut that piece out for the front. Then fold that whole piece in half, and use that as a pattern piece for the two back pieces, leaving a half inch for seam allowance:



So the body is composed of three pieces that look roughly like this:


Pin & sew the back pieces together from the crotch up to the "butt", leaving the rest open for the zipper. Then pin and sew the front and back together, right sides together, around the arms, body and legs.



Like the body, I also traced loosely around one of my son's hoodies to make the pattern for the hood:



Again, it's loose, so the shape is approximate, but make sure the length of the bottom will approximately match the size of the neck on the body, after hemming.



Sew these two pieces together starting at the top of the head (the zipper opening has to go all the way to the top or your baby will get stuck), then hem the front around the face opening. Pin into either side of the neck hole, right sides together, and sew in.



For the belly design, I cut a 17.5"x11" oval out of the lighter fleece and then ironed it on with fusible web. I sewed this down for safety, like an applique, and then did all the little triangles, similarly, on top of this.



The tail is just two elongated "D" shaped pieces, sewn right sides together, flipped inside out, and stuffed with scraps of fleece.



Tail pattern is about 7" long.



To finish the body, sew the tail on by pinning it to the butt, the round part of the "D" facing up. Sew across, then fold down. Finally, install the zipper from the butt to the top of the head.

The ears are made using this general pattern, pattern piece is about 6" tall:



Cut four ear pieces from grey fleece, then each pair sew right side together and reverse. Trace the resulting shape onto craft foam then stuff the foam piece into the ear so it's stiff.



Then sew onto the top of the head, the same way as the tail. I also sewed in a craft foam "head band" on the inside of the hood, for stability, and sewed the ears to that as well.



I finished with a leaf made out of craft foam - this didn't survive the night, but you could make one out of felt, or even grab something from the floral department.

And that's how to make a super easy Totoro toddler costume!