Craft #1 – Cork Board Map Gallery Wall

Enter: chalkboard paint.  Which claims to “turn virtually any surface” into a chalkboard.  Well, that’s just what I need!  But one more problem.  There’s no way the world will fit on a bulletin board – even a large one – with enough space to pin and write and doodle… so… how about a gallery wall!

Considering I had one very large white wall to fill up with SOMETHING, and not a whole lot of plans for it, a Cork-Chalk Board World Map Gallery Wall seemed to fit the bill!  For an economical option, I created most of my bulletin boards out of frames, cork board sheets and foam board backing.  I spray painted the frames to match the room, and covered the cork board with several layers of chalkboard paint.  I used an opaque projector to blow up a world map and drew it on paper, then transferred the tracings to the boards.  I painted on the tracings with white acrylic paint freehand – to give it a chalk-like look.  I made our personalized pins with regular tacks, sculpy and stamps for initials.

Now I can pin the places we’ve been – there’s one color per person, plus some little balls with stars to denote the places we WANT to go.  And we can write erasable notes: like maybe a color key to keep track of things.  
Get some chalk markers and you can easily have loads of fun with your gallery wall!  Make a game out of it – family history, geography, social studies.  Make fun notes or travel reminders.  Draw natural landmarks.  Or dress if up with doodles or fun quotes.  Lovely!

Craft #2 – Montessori Book Shelves

I have been wanting to have what I call the “Montessori book shelfs”. The idea behind the Montessori book shelfs is that they allow the children to see the front instead of the spines. I couldnt find them where I lived and so decided to make some.

These are made of recycled materials – cereal boxes and plastic grocery containers, paper mached for strength and colored and painted for aesthetics.

It is perfect for a small number of books, which are rotated from time to time. The top shelf was left natural, and the children helped me to pur heart prints over them. That led to a good hour of messy creativity and art.

The second one I painted white and used crayons for the art

Here are a few pictures of it in use

Craft #3 - Spring Garden Bracelet

I have been obsessed with shrink plastic lately so I knew I would be using it in this audition project.  What seems like 100 flowers later, I had my Spring Garden Bracelet.

I love over-the-top color in my accessories.  Then it goes with everything!

I also don’t believe in the saying “less is more,” either.

I thought the calla lilies added some nice contrast.

Craft #4 – Pastel Effie Skirt

Lately, I have been devouring The Hunger Games books in anticipation of the new movie. And its been a while since I have go all out and made myself a great costume so enter; Effie Trinket!

Craft #5 – Ruffle Pant Upcycle

Who doesn’t love a CHEAP, EASY, CUTE sewing project!!!

I love to thrift and see simple shirred dresses like this one on almost every rack! So I thought… “Why not make a pair of girlie pants out of these castaways?”

The ruffle is there, the elastic is there and the side seam is sewn… simple simple simple!

Using a pant pattern or really just another pair of pants, I created the legs, using the ruffle along the bottom of the dress as the ruffle along the bottom of the pants. I also used the already sewn side seam of the dress as the side seam of the pants.

I altered the shirred top of the dress to be the waistband of the pants and that is it!

Added a fabric flower for f.u.n. to the waistband…

And that is it!

This simple pair of pants took about 10 minutes and cost 2.99! I hope you go make some too!

Craft #6 – Barn Wood Coffee Table

Craft #7 – Writing Half-Desk

Craft #8 – Closet Armorie

#9 - The Penelope Nursery Mobile

My sister is going to have a little girl soon. She has the cute Penelope nursery bedding from Pottery Barn. I thought that I would make her a mobile to match her bedding.

#10 – Spool of Thread Wall Art

It was made with very few supplies and just a little patience  

Craft #11 – Button Bouquet

It started out innocently enough… a nice afternoon at the farmer’s market when a good friend noticed wedding bouquets made from jewelry and she fell in LOVE.  Next thing I knew, she asked….. “could you please, please please make me something like this?”  Now I do not have a bunch of extra jewelry laying around, but I do have lots and lots of buttons….

So with a little wire, florist tape,tulle, some flowers and lots of buttons…and tra-la!  you have this….

Looks great in a vase….. or you can carry as a bouquet..

and even the hidden underneath is pretty..