"Giving Thanks" Thanksgiving Table Decor DIYs

iLoveToCreate
Giving Thanks Thanksgiving Table Decor DIY
Margot Potter

My new crafty gal pal Cheryl Burchett and I are co-hosting DIY segments for Gannett News here in Knoxville on WBIR Channel 10. We just filmed some fun Thanksgiving themed segments and the first one aired this week. I've embedded the video below AND here are the step by step instructions for some inexpensive and simple projects you can make to take your holiday table from drab to fab in seconds flat! You can make these projects as complex or as simple as you like, but whatever you do, Aleene's Tacky Glue dry adhesives make putting it all together a breeze!  

iLoveToCreate: Retrofabulous All Occasion Greeting Card

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous All Occasion Greeting Card
Margot Potter
These are your grandmother's crafts, ya gotta problem with that?

Avalon has been taking advance placement and honors classes and her homework straw pile is epic!  It's my birthday today, so I decided to whip up my own birthday card.  I'm a Leo, we're kooky like that.  You can make one too using layers of coordinating paper, trim and faux rhinestones and a vintage image sized with text added in photo editing software.  I share my birthday with the ever so lovely and talented Miss Cathie Filian, so I used her fabulous Podgeables to add some dimension to the card!  Aleene's Dry Adhesives make putting it all together as easy as 1-2-3!

Materials
Podgeables tag shape
Yellow and orange cardstock
Patterned scrapbook paper (I used Retro Collage from Michaels)
Patterned tissue paper
Genevieve Gail Felt Floral Ribbon Trim
3 large faux rhinestones
3 medium faux rhinestones
Aleene's Tacky Sticker Sheets
Aleene's Tacky Dot Roll

Tools
Paper cutter (largest cardstock layer is 5.5"x11"-folded to make card.)
Scissors
Bone folder

My image came from a vintage Vogue pattern from the early 1950s, Dover books is a great source for permission free images.  I scanned, edited, sized, added the text Retrofabulous and printed it out.  Decide how you wish to frame the image, trace and cut out.

Use a paper trimmer to cut yellow cardstock and patterned scrapbook paper in decreasing size. Cut ribbon to fit card. Use Aleene's Tacky Sticker Sheets to adhere image to front of acrylic frame and tissue paper to back of frame. Layer and stack remaining papers and trim using Tacky Sticker Sheets. Add faux rhinestones with Aleene's Tacky Dots!

iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Tres Chic Cupcake Toppers

Avalon and I decided to throw an intimate soiree for #TeamPotter on last night's Craft Wars episode.  Friends and family all live far away, so we just made our own little party with Avalon's best friend and the three of us.  Av had a project due today for iLoveToCreate and I've been playing with my logo and we decided that cupcakes and decorations were in order.  So we made these super cute, super simple cupcake toppers.  You can make your own using permission free fashion images or photos or anything you like!  Aleene's dry adhesives made it easy and fun and we love how these turned out.  I think I may have to make some jewelry out of these!  Tune in next Monday and I'll share how I made the cupcake stand topper with the ruffled lace technique and talk about quick and easy ways to personalize your parties.

Materials
Toile/Damask scrapbook papers in coordinating prints
Black and white fashion image printed to fit in a 2" punch
Large wooden or plastic party picks
Flat back plastic rhinestones
Aleene's Tacky Tape Runner
Aleene's Tacky Dot Roll 1/2"

Tools
Fiskars shape cutter and circle templates (2/5" circle)
Fiskars 2" circle punch

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Mini-Frame Pendant

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Mini-Frame Pendant 
Margot Potter 
"These are your grandmother's craftshttp://www.margotpotter.com/collections/yourgrandmotherscrafts, ya gotta problem with that?"

Making these miniature wearable paper artworks is easy peasy and a ton of fun.  Old book pages make great collage backgrounds and you can find images in Dover Books titles or do this with upcycled new magazine pages for a more modern look.  No matter how you do it, Aleene's Dry Adhesives and Jewelry Glue make this a breeze!

The Craftabration Continues!  Day two of Margot Potter: Live Handmade! I'm sharing a project I created for iLoveToCreate.  These are my collage jewelry frames.  I make them for myself, family and friends and they're just divine.  I can not claim to have invented this art form, but I can tell you it's a ton of fun making these mini-collages.  The images I use are from vintage pre-1940 magazines I found at a flea market in Paris...and soon...my little crafty chickadee...you will be able to buy them as PDFs from my new site!  YAY!  I'm still working on the logistics of that, so until then, here's a little project to whet your whistle with a free vintage image for you to use!  We've got lots of old book pages for your collage backgrounds at the new site...I'm just sayin'.

(This image is sized to fit in a 1.5x1.5" frame. For personal use only.) 

Materials
Miniature Frame (HHH Enterprises)
Tiny metal Tim Holtz idea-ology flower
4mm crystal AB SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS round
Old book page
Red construction paper
Artistic Wire mesh black
Aleene's Tacky Tape Runner
Aleene's Tacky Sticker Sheets
Aleene's Jewelry and Metal Glue
Chain
Clasp
Jump rings

Tools
Chain nose pliers
Small scissors
Pencil

Trace background paper to fit frame and cut with small paper scissors. 

 

Cut out and adhere tiny collage elements using Aleene's dry adhesives.

Use Aleene's Jewelry and Metal glue to attach flower and crystal.  (Be sparing, a little goes a long way!)

Cut a small section of mesh and tie a bow, pull mesh tubing on both sides to create bow shape.

iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Rage Comics Inspired Father's Day Card

iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts
Rage Comics Inspired Father's Day Card
Avalon Potter

Avalon has become obsessed with Rage Comics memebase.  We have to literally peel her phone out of her hands to get her to focus on something else.  She drew this AWESOME Rage Comics inspired whale recently and we knew it would be perfect for a Father's Day Card.  This is the 'Sudden Clarity Whale'.  You can have your teen draw their own version and scan, size, print and use on a one of a kind greeting card to make Dad feel super special on his super special day.

Aleene's Dry Adhesives make it super easy to make great cards in a flash!

Materials
Blue cardstock
White printer paper
Patterned coordinating paper
Whale image printed to fit front of card
Words: Dude! and I'm literally a Happy Father's Day card!  printed and sized to fit card
Aleene's Tacky Tape Runner

Tools
Small scissors
Paper trimmer
Fiskars Shape Cutter template word bubble and brackets

Print your whale image to fit card.

Cut out printed whale. 

Cut frame, word bubble and waves using shape templates and cutting tool. 

Use Aleene's tape runner to assemble front of card. 

Use tape runner to assemble card interior. 

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts: One 'Cool' Mom Mother's Day Card

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts

One ‘Cool’ Mom Mother’s Day Card

Margot Potter

“These are your grandmother’s crafts...

...ya gotta problem with that?”

It's almost here...are you ready?  This Sunday is Mother's Day, my fine friends.  No one works harder than mom and no one deserves a day off more than she does.  Take it from this hard workin' mama, we really, really, really appreciate the love.  What better way to show mom how much you love her than with this wickedly funny retrofabulous card you can make yourself using Aleene's FABULOUS dry adhesives?  Take her somewhere special and let her kick her feet up and relax, she's earned it.  Believe me.  

Materials

Dove gray and soft pink cardstock

Damask scrapbook paper

One flat back large faux gem

Vintage images (digital downloads here)

Print out vintage typewriter text  18pt.: “Happy Mother’s Day, to one ‘cool’ Mom.”

Aleene’s Tacky Tape Runner

Aleene’s Tacky Dot Roll 3/16”

Aleene’s Tacky Sticker Sheets

Tools

Fiskars Shape Templates (Stars and Banners)

Fiskars Shape Template Mat and Cutting Tool

Fiskars Paper Trimmer

Fiskars Scissors

Bone folder

FREE Digital Downloads FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY-NOT FOR RESALE

1.  Print out digital downloads and text.  Use paper trimmer to cut. 

2.  Cut graduated layers of pink and damask paper for backgrounds using paper trimmer, see images for reference.

3.  Use bone folder to crease center of gray cardstock.

4.  Attach paper layers using Aleene’s Tacky tape runner on edges.  Make sure you center each layer as you stack.  No Sweat on front, Relax on inside cover.

5.  Cut out shapes.  Three stars starting with the smallest in grey and graduating in the next two sizes in pink and damask.  Cut thin banner shape in damask. 

6.  Use sticker sheets to layer stars on lower left hand corner of front of card.

7.  Use Aleene’s Tacky Dot to adhere faux gemstone.

8.  Attach damask banner to center of inside of card using Tacky Sticker Sheet, add text with background using glue runner.

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Teen Crafts: The Original Hip Hop Easter Card

The Original Hip Hip Mixed Media Easter Card Copyright Margot Potter for iLoveToCreate

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Teen Crafts
The Original Hip Hip Easter Card
Margot Potter
"These ARE your grandmother's crafts. Ya gotta problem with that?!"

It's hard to believe, but it's true.  Easter is on the way and Peter Cottontail is not far behind! Miss Avalon is buried in school projects and Miss Mom decided to make what she calls a "retrofabulous" holiday card. Avalon approved heartily, so we're calling this a vintage inspired teen craft. This wonderful image is from the turn of the last century when anyone behind the wheel of a horseless carriage, let alone a rabbit, was truly a sight to see. The original postcard was scanned, the image cleaned up and extracted from the background and new text was added. Ya gotta love technology! I'm sharing the image here for you to download, for PERSONAL USE ONLY. (That means, please don't make something from this image and sell it.)

Aleene's AWESOME dry adhesives make it so easy to whip up fun filled holiday cards in the blink of an eye. Why not make your own "retrofabulous" Easter cards for your friends and family? It's a great way to use up those old trims, buttons and scrapbook papers.

Materials
Coordinating Scrapbook Papers (I used Me and My Big Ideas Mambi Sheets)
Simplicity large orange rick rack trim
One large green or coordinating color button accent
Image and text for front and inside of card (Hippity, Hoppity, Happy Easter) printed. (I used Modern #20 font sized to 26pt.)
Aleene's Tacky Dot Runner
Aleene's Tacky Line Roll

Tools
Fiskars Paper Cutter
Fiskars ShapeCutter Templates (circles for the scalloped edge and brackets for the interior background)
Fiskars ShapeCutter Tool and Mat
Bone folder

1. Print your images and text. The image will be cut to 5"h x 4"w.

2. Use paper cutter to cut image and text. Interior text should be 2.5"h x 2"w.

3. Yellow background paper should be cut to 6"h x 4 3/8"w. Add scalloping to the left edge of the yellow background paper with ShapeCutter template and tool.

4. Cut a strip of striped paper (after using ShapeCutter template and tool to add scalloping to the left edge of paper.) The strip should be 6"h x 3/4"w at the widest scallop.

5. Cut dotted orange cardstock to 6 3/4" h x 5 1/2" w. Fold in half and use bone folder to crease edge.

6. Cut the rick rack trim to fit top and bottom of yellow cardstock, 4 3/8"w.

7. Use wire nippers to cut shank from back of button.

8. The elements are layered as follows: Yellow cardstock, rabbit image centered on cardstock, striped edge on right side of rabbit image, rick rack on top and bottom of yellow cardstock and button in lower left corner. Use Tacky Dot runner for paper elements and Tacky Line roll for trim and button.

9. For the interior, cut a piece of striped paper to frame the text. Striped paper should be 2.5"h x 3" w. Use ShapeTemplate to cut a bracket big enough to fit layered papers. Layer these and attach to inside center of card using Tacky Dot runner.