iLoveToCreate Tori Spelling Inspired Pin This Necklace

iLoveToCreate Tori Spelling Inspired ‘Pin This’ Necklace

Margot Potter

“These are your grandmother’s crafts...ya gotta problem with that?”

My design process is a very intuitive one.  I see things, they spark ideas and off I go to figure out how to turn the ideas into reality.  Not everything works out the way it is in my mind, but that’s part of the fun of design.  These vintage wooden clothespins were part of an Estate Sale haul from several years back.  I knew there was a design in these, but what, I didn’t know.  Watching Craft Wars, I’ve been utterly charmed by Tori Spelling’s large scale whimsical necklaces.  This week I was going to make a Pop Craft Challenge inspired Dog Toy box, but honestly I was running out of time and feeling stressed until I stumbled on these clothespins, pictured Tori’s jewelry and it all came together.  My vintage craft magazines are filled with found object jewelry like this and I find it all such fun.  I am seriously smitten with this design. I can not wait to wear it to the big Craft and Hobby Association show I’m attending this week.  You could do something similar using clip style clothespins or golf tees would make a smaller scale but equally delightful design. 

Materials

11 ½”x4” vintage wooden clothespins

8 10mm crystal SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS rounds

2 sterling or silver plated dapped French ear wires

2 sterling or silver plated EZ Crimp ends

2 silver tone or black size 2 crimp tubes or beads

.018 49 Strand Beadalon wire

2 metal loop topped craft screws

10.5” segment gun metal textured cable chain

Gun metal lobster clasp

Crafty Chica Paints: red, black, white

Tulip sponge brush

Aleene’s Spray Acrylic Sealer matte finish

Aleene’s Turbo Tacky Glue

Tools

2 pairs chain nose pliers

Mighty crimp tool

Flush cutters

Electric drill with 1/16” bit

Marker

Mark and drill holes in clothespins.  There is a hole in the center top of each (these are drilled side to side so the pin leg opening will hang forward on the wire.)  The second side to side drill hole is at the sides just above the top of the pin leg opening.  Repeat for 9 of your clothespins.

Make a small hole in the center top of two clothespins; these will be threaded with the loop top screws to create the earrings.

Paint all clothespins.  There top drilled pins are red.  Make three more red, three black and three white.  This will take several coats drying in between.  You can also sand in between coats.  Use a foam brush to paint and a small detail brush to reach inside of the pin legs.  Paint all sides.

Once pins are completely painted and dried, seal with spray sealer and allow to dry.

Cut a 10” segment of beading wire.  Thread an EZ Crimp end on one side, secure with Mighty Crimp tool.  We have a video that shows you how to do this here.

Thread 9 clothespins on the wire alternating colors.  Thread wire into a second EZ Crimp end.  Use chain nose pliers to grasp and pull wire through end pulling the clothespins taught, but not too stiff.  Use Mighty Crimp tool to secure wire, use flush cutters to cut off excess wire tail.  Thread a second wire into the lower hole opening on the outermost clothespin.  Thread on one of your crimp tubes, use chain nose pliers to compress tightly.

Slide a bead on the wire, thread into the next pin and repeat this process until you reach the final bead.  Thread the wire into the 9^th clothespin, add a crimp tube, tighten wire to remove any slack and compress tube with chain nose pliers to secure.  Cut off excess wire with flush cutters.

Attach a jump ring to one of the EZ Crimp ends.  Repeat on the other side, adding the chain.  Finish by attaching a jump ring to the open end of your chain and add the clasp before securing closed.

To make earrings, thread a loop top screw into the pre-drilled opening.  Dab a little bit of Tacky Glue on the screw before inserting.  Use chain nose pliers to push and turn loop into opening until it is completely embedded.  Use chain nose pliers to attach ear wires loop tops by opening the loop on the earrings, sliding them into the loop and securing closed.

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts: Sparkletastic Easter Earrings!

Sparkletastic Easter Earrings
iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts
Copyright Margot Potter
“These ARE your grandmother’s crafts...ya gotta problem with that?”

From McCall's Needlework and Crafts 1968

I have been toying with making a pair of sparkly Styrofoam earbobs for a while now. There are endless variations on this idea in my stash of vintage craft magazines. They’re also made of cork and wood...I’ve even seen these made of crumpled aluminum foil. The idea is to suspend a round ball on a thin chain for a pair of swingy earrings. Remember that these are styrofoam, so they weigh almost nothing, but if you like a more delicate silhouette, feel free to use smaller balls. I like my jewelry big and bold. These would be perfect for a teacher, young mom or if you’re feeling cheeky, to sport to the family Easter dinner. I’d make a matching necklace and wear this out and about just for fun, but I’m not afraid to be noticed.

Take this idea wherever you like, add sequins, seed beads, rhinestones. A splash of glitter gives it a little sparkle and the sparkly rick rack trim immediately evokes Easter eggs. I’m of the mind that life is short, so have a little fun now and then. What could be more fun than pink sparkly Styrofoam earbobs?!

Materials
2 1.5” Styrofoam balls
Sparkly silver rick rack trim
2 2” head pins
2 matching beads to secure headpins
2 ear wires
2 1” segments of thin chain
Aleene’s Foamtastic Glue
Crafty Chica Little Paints in red and white
Crafty Chica glitter in pink
Craft wire for painting and drying balls
Styrofoam block for drying balls

Tools
Chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Flush cutters
Foam brush
Scissors

Insert a 5-6” segment of craft wire into each Styrofoam ball. Mix red and white paints to make hot pink. Use a foam brush to pounce pink paint on surface of ball. Sprinkle glitter on ball and shake off excess. You will probably have to go back in for a second coat to hit any spots that aren’t fully covered, if you repaint make sure to re-glitter. Allow to dry, inserting wire into Styrofoam block.  Keep ball on wire. Run a bead of Aleene’s Foamtastic glue along rick rack trim. Wrap trim around center of ball. Insert back into block and allow to dry.

When glue is dry, GENTLY thread a beaded headpin into the center bottom of your ball and thread to the center top. Make sure pin is straight and take your time.  Bend wire at a 90 degree angle using chain nose pliers. Cut to 1/4” with wire cutters. Grasp end of wire with round nose pliers and CAREFULLY turn into a loop. Open loop to add chains using chain nose pliers.

Cut chains and thread on open end of loop. Use chain nose pliers to secure closed.  Use chain nose pliers to attach earring wires to top of chain.

Optional: Add a beehive, tiara and a pair of cat eye glasses...hee.

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts: Spring Peepers Easter Topiary

Spring Peepers Topiary Margot Potter for iLoveToCreate

Straw Flower Topiary Copyright 1963 Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Ideas Magazine

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts
Spring Peepers Easter Topiary
Margot Potter
"These are your grandmother's crafts...ya gotta problem with that?"

I love topiaries.  It's true, I do.  Yet, inexplicably, this is my very first topiary craft!  There are a plethora of handcrafted topiaries in my stash of vintage craft magazines, mostly Christmas themed like the one above.  I've been meaning to make one and well, the time came.  Two years ago Avalon and I bought these little Easter chicks on super sale at Michaels after Easter.  We thought we had a lifetime supply, until this idea popped into my head.  I ran out of chicks mid-project and had to make an emergency tiny chick run to Michaels, thankfully they had more. What made me want to put tiny chicks on a styrofoam ball? I can not say.  But I love it so much it's staying in the living room until after Easter. 

This is so easy and fun to do.  Aleene's Tacky Glue Dots make super quick work of attaching the chicks.You can either use a pot that is already decorated or just mix up some fun colors with your Crafty Chica paints, add some fun trims, toss some Easter grass and either pre-made eggs or jelly beans on the top, add a bow and instant cute!  I love this as a centerpiece for Easter, you could make a couple more smaller ones for either side to make a trio.  I'm a big believer in the rule of threes.

Spring Peepers Topiary Materials

Materials
3" Styrofoam ball
8" Wooden dowel
Approx. 115-120 3/4" fuzzy chicks
4.5" Clay pot
Coordinating clay pot saucer
Easter grass
Glittered foam eggs or jelly beans
Styrofoam block for inside of pot
Decorative ribbon for pot rim
Ribbon to tie beneath topiary ball
Coordinating scrapbook papers
Coordinating button
Layered flower die-you could use a pre-made flower here if you prefer
Crafty Chica Paints (I used green and yellow mixed and red and white mixed)
Aleene's Acid Free Tacky Glue
Aleene's 3/8" Tacky Glue Dots

Tools
Die Cutting Machine
Scissors
Foam brush

Paint the pot pink and the pot rim and dowel green.  Allow to dry.  

Use glue to adhere ribbon trim around rim of pot.  I used super thick rick rack trim.

Die cut layered flower and adhere to conceal spot where ribbon ends meet using Aleene's Tacky Glue.  Use a Tacky Glue Dot to adhere button to center of flower.  Allow ribbon and flower to dry.

Take a chick and press it's feet on a Tacky Glue Dot.  Press the chick on the styrofoam ball.  Work from the center out, making a ring of chicks all facing the same direction.  Work to the center on one side (this will be the top of the topiary) and the center on the other leaving a space for the painted dowel.

Once pot has dried, cut styrofoam to fit inside.  Add some easter grass to hide foam.  You'll insert the dowel into the bottom of your topiary ball and insert that into the center of the foam in the pot.

Tie a bow around the bottom of the topiary ball.

Make some coordinating decorations to dress up the table...and if you love carrot cake...get the recipe for these Easter Bunny Nest Coconut Carrot Cake Cupcakes today on Your Grandmother's Crafts!

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts: Mythical Leaf Creature

(Mom's Note: Avalon really blew us away with this project. She described it to us, drew a sketch and then she made this finished design. Seriously? On top of the fact that she's a straight A honor roll student and she's been chosen to attend Kiwanis leadership camp this summer, she's an amazing three dimensional thinker and artist. Yup, I'm a proud parent!)

Leaf Man Sculpture Copyright Avalon Potter for ILovetoCreate

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts
Mythical Leaf Creature
An Avalon Potter Original Creation
“Teen crafted, mom approved.”

We were assigned the task of creating our own mythical creatures at school recently. I have always loved Greek mythology, so I was very excited about this project. While my friends were busy making flying evil dolphins and Medusa berries I thought I would go with something a little less sinister (yes, a dancing leaf). My magical leaf had to be 3-d for my school project so I went out in search of paper clay and a manikin. Once I had finished the leaf I still felt like it needed some thing more, so I thought what better way to give it life then to paint it with Tulip and Crafty Chica sparkles and paints! I had lots of fun making my leaf creature and I hope you do too.

Materials
Paper clay
4.5 inch human manikin
Paint brush
Aleene’s spray acrylic sealer
Tulip soft fabric paint (Light green)
Tulip white glitter paint
Little Chica Paint Packs (Green)

Tools
Paintbrush


Instructions

1. Take the mini manikin and position it as you desire.

2. Cover the manikin with a medium to thick layer of clay then cover the torso and head with clay hanging off of the sides to use to form your leaf. On the tips of the feet make a curve to form the elfin shoes.

3. Sculpt the clay on the sides into points in random spots to make it appear like a leaf. Then add a vein with a few smaller veins off the sides running through the middle of the body.

4. Cover the back of the head and the torso with more clay including the clay hanging of the armature. Fill in any cracks.

5. Let the clay dry for one to three days and fill in any cracks as they appear.

6. Get the light green paint and paint the limbs and the vein the light green.

7. Take the dark green paint and paint the torso and head (excluding the vein) dark green.

8. Paint the metal and platform white. Let the paint dry.

9. Take the clear sparkle paint and coat the entire leaf with it.

10. Once the entire armature is dry take the coating and spray lightly over the entire project two to three times. Let it dry and your adorable leaf friend is done.

Free Halloween Craft Project: I Love to Create Jackolantern Tote Bag

I Love to Create Teen Crafts
Jack-o-lantern Purse
Copyright Margot Potter

I know I’ve got a winner when my daughter begs me to let her wear the project to school. She didn’t even want to wait for the tote to dry! I made a series of sketches with half images of iconic Halloween items: a skull, a bat and a jack-o-lantern. I decided on the jack-o-lantern, but I may revisit the other images. These half images have been showing up all over the place lately, so I thought it might give a ‘cute’ project just a little edge.

My daughter is finished with trick-or-treating but she’s got a party to attend and she loves wearing Halloween themed t-shirts. I thought this would be a fun way to look stylish and seasonally apropos. I may sport this bag myself, you never know!

Materials
Black blank canvas purse
White marking pencil
Crafty Chica Little Chica Paint Pack
Tulip Fashion Glitter Rock and Roll (clear crystal)
Tulip Glitter Dimensional Fabric Paint (crystal sparkles)

Tools
Fine tip paint brush
Square tip paint brush


1. Hand draw half of a jack-o-lantern on the right side of your purse using a white marking pencil or gel pen. You can opt to use a template if you prefer, you may need to size the image on your computer to fit the dimensions of your purse.
2. Mix equal parts red and yellow Crafty Chica paints to make a deep orange. Paint a layer of orange and allow to dry. Use a fine tip brush for details and the flat tip brush for larger areas.
3. Paint the stem green. Allow to dry.
4. Paint a second layer of orange. Allow to dry.
5. Use black paint to cover any white lines left from your pencil.
6. Paint a layer of dimensional glitter on purse and sprinkle clear crystal glitter on it.
7. Shake off excess glitter and allow to dry.