Easy DIY Project: Summer Placemats

Good morning friends,

It is a beautiful summer day here and I have a very easy project to share with you.

At the beginning of summer I had purchased a nice tropical theme vinyl tablecloth.  I liked it a lot because it went so well with my tropical centerpiece that I had recently made.

Then along comes Bella (our new kitten) and she decides to use the tablecloth as her very own scratching pad.  Needless to say, one side of the tablecloth looked like thin spaghetti one day when I came back from doing errands. 

As bad as it looked, I couldn't throw it away.  I liked the tropical pattern so much.  So I put my thinking cap on and came up with a way to salvage most of it.  Luckily, my kitty didn't damage the top of it (the part that lays flat on the table).

So I came up with a plan to make placemats.  I was so pleased how they came out and mostly because I was able to keep the summer tropical pattern that I liked so much.

Here is how it looked when I decorated my table with the new placemats.

The placemats were so easy to make.  Here are the instructions if you want to make some.

The size I cut my placemats are 19"x13". That includes the 1/2 inch on each side to fold under.

Then after cutting it into a placemat size, I flipped it over and folded the edges down.  I used masking tape to keep the edges down.  It stuck nicely to the vinyl part and the cotton batting (that vinyl tablecloths usually have).

I used the masking tape all around the border.  It adheres nicely without lifting up.

And that is all there is to it.  It was very easy to do and I am so happy with the results.

The placemats go perfectly with my tropical centerpiece that I made.

I hope you enjoyed this easy DIY project. I enjoyed sharing it with you.

Let me know if you make some placemats.  With all the different patterned tablecloths out there, the possibilities are endless.

Have a great day! :)

Deb

Summer Popsicle Stick Craft

Good afternoon friends,

Today I have a fun summer craft that can be used in more than one way.

It is a Popsicle Stick Beach Chair.

This mini beach chair is the perfect size to make for a summer party table decoration.

1)  It can be used as a name place setting.

I had one of those small drink umbrellas that I used here for a little more detail.  The name card was made with a piece of cardstock and I used my craft scissors to cut around it to make a wavy edge.

It can be a unique coaster for your drink.

 It can also be a nice candle holder.

Like I said, this mini beach chair has many uses.  

And it also is a perfect place to just relax on a nice summer day.

 If you would like instructions on how to make this mini beach chair, I will be happy to email the instructions for free.  Email me at dbcroce15@gmail.com. 

If you do decide to make it, let me know what you intend to use it for.

Have a great afternoon!

My Craft Storage Solution Part 2

Good afternoon friends,

It is a rainy afternoon here.  Great day for staying in and doing a craft project. I am working on something that I will share in my post next week.  I will give you a small hint:  It is made with popsicle sticks.

Today I have some photos I took of my completed craft cabinet.

Here is what it looked like when it was a computer cabinet.  On the top shelf we used to keep computer paper and computer disks.  The next shelf was for our computer monitor.  The shelf underneath that slid out for the keyboard.  The shelf underneath that one also slid out and we used it to write on.  The space on the bottom was for the computer hard drive and then next to that was a drawer that we used to keep our computer manuals. We used this cabinet for our computer for many years; but then our needs changed. When we didn't have the computer anymore it became a cabinet for odds and ends.  I had a hard time trying to figure out what to do with it, but in the back of my mind I just couldn't get rid of it.

I am so happy that we kept it because it has become the perfect place for all my craft supplies.  Here is what it looks like now.     

I call it my "craft nook".  It is just the perfect size I needed for my craft supplies.  It just cost me $14.00 for the bins at Dollar Tree to complete this project.  I made the labels myself so I didn't spend any money on that. 

The cork board on the side door panels came with the computer cabinet.  I have my Washi tape and scraps of scrapbooking paper hung up with push pins.

 On the other side door panel.  I have some cut-outs that I use for scrapbooking/ card-making.  I also have my Glue Dots hung up so I always know where to find it.

My craft bins are organized in a way so I have things categorized together.
The bins in the back:  
bin#1:  white glue & craft glue
bin#2:  pom poms & pipe cleaners
bin#3:  wooden sticks (like popsicle sticks, clothespins, other wooden craft sticks)
The two bins in the front:
bin#1: bead-making (all the things I use with beads)
bin#2: clay-making (all the things I use to make clay figures & miniatures)

The bins in the back:
bin#1:  clear tapes
bin#2:  Duct tape (plain & pattern)
bin#3:  glue gun & hot glue sticks
bin#4:  misc craft supplies (like googly eyes, velcro pieces, etc)

The bins in the front:
bin#1:  glitter glue
bin#2:  paints
bin#3:  paints

On the first slide out drawer I have my paper cutter.
On the second slide out drawer I have my drawing pads and glass mat cutter
The two bins on the left side on top of the box drawer has my craft tools in the one bin and paintbrushes in the other bin. 
Then on the floor of the cabinet I have a bin with all my scrapbooking supplies (cardstock, other scrapbooking paper, stickers, etc).  Behind that bin I have another bin with just construction paper.
Then lastly, in the square drawer I have foam pieces.  

   Here is the completed craft cabinet again.  Those two pretty boxes on top of the cabinet also are part of this craft organization.  I was lucky to find them at JoAnn's on clearance awhile back.   The small box has my label maker and labels.  The bigger box has my craft magazines in it. 

I hope you enjoyed this post.  I enjoyed sharing my craft cabinet organization with you.

Feel free to leave a comment and share any of your craft organizing tips.

Thanks for stopping by. :)

My Craft Storage Solution Part 1

Good Morning Friends,

Thanks for being so patient with me.  I had a lot of organizing I had to do with my craft supplies.  My craft room is no longer a craft room anymore because it was turned into a bedroom for my father-in-law who is now living with us.  So my craft supplies got uprooted and I had to find a space for them in another part of the house.  We don't have much space to begin with so I had to be creative and think of a way to store all my craft supplies.   So my solution to this dilemma was this:

Old Computer Cabinet

I took our old computer cabinet that we weren't using any more (which was going to get thrown away if we couldn't find a space for it) and turned it into my craft storage cabinet.  I am so happy that we didn't get rid of it.  I polished it up, found a space in our living room where it is out of the way, and it turned out to be the perfect space for all my craft supplies.  I wish I had thought of it sooner.  For months I racked my brain trying to come up with a storage solution.  I am so happy with the results.

Tomorrow's post will feature part 2 of  "My Craft Storage Solution".  I will let you see inside my craft cabinet and show you how I organized each section of it.  Stay tuned. :)

Do you have a special place where you store your craft supplies?  Let me know in the comments below.

Coming Soon

Hi Everyone,

I will have my first blog post up soon.  The site is under construction.  Stay tuned!