October 14, 2015

DIY Halloween Costume Ideas

by Rachael in Halloween, What to Wear, Photos, List

Here are good, more-or-less timeless, costume ideas that can be made with varying degrees of DIY-ness; some (all?) are unisex/can be for either gender - not trying to make anybody obey gender stereotypes, the costumes are just divided for the sake of organization. ~ Enjoy!

1. Snow White - Youtube video on how to create the majority of the costume here. Tutorial is detailed enough, provided you have basic sewing skills. — 1. Snow White - Youtube video on how to create the majority of the costume here. Tutorial is detailed enough, provided you have basic sewing skills.

2. Guess Who? Maria - Above photo is here and some more inspiration for the costume is here. — 2. Guess Who? Maria - Above photo is here and some more inspiration for the costume is here.

3. Cupcake - Cupcake photo and very brief instructions here.                                                      … — 3. Cupcake - Cupcake photo and *very* brief instructions here.

4. Greek Goddess - Easy-to-follow Youtube tutorial here.

5. Pinata - Simple directions with pretty pictures here.

6. Red Riding Hood - Above photo is here and Youtube tutorial on how to make an easy Red Riding Hood cape is here.

7. Scarecrow - Photos are here along with instructions.

8. Rosie the Riveter - Above photo is here; here is a good tutorial on how to get victory roll-style hair just right

9. Energizer Bunny - Above photo is here; Youtube video tutorial to give you an idea of how it comes together here.

10. Skeleton - Above photo is here; skeleton template can be found here, makeup tutorial here, and other ways to achieve the costume here.

bobrossandhappylittletreeDIYcouplescostume

1. Bob Ross and Happy Little Tree - Above photo and instructions here.

2. Pantone Color Combo - idea, above photo, and instructions all here.

3. June and Johnny Cash - Above photo here.

4. Our Get Along Shirt - Above photos are here and here; Extra inspiration on how to get that pained/annoyed expression just right is here. — 4. Our Get Along Shirt - Above photos are here and here; Extra inspiration on how to get that pained/annoyed expression *just* right is here.

5. Sheldon and Amy - Above photo is here.

6. Deer and Hunter - Above photo here; deer makeup tutorial here; and deer costume instructions here.

marypoppinsandchimneysweepdiycouplescostume

Photos: Bob Ross and Happy Little Tree; Pantone; Johnny and June Cash; Our Get Along Shirt; Sheldon and Amy; Deer and Hunter; Mary Poppins and Chimney Sweep; Firefighter and Dalmatian; American Gothic; Camp Counselors

Photos: Thor; Elmer's Glue; Price is Right Contestant; Tyler Durden; Inspector Gadget; Zoolander; Urkel; Clark Kent; Cactus; Photoshop

Photos: top; women's; couple's; men's; girl's; Raining Cats and Dogs; Peter Pan; Rapunzel; boy's; UPS Man; George Washington; Strong Man; little one's; Spaghetti and Meatballs; Chef and Baby Lobster; Cabbage Patch Kid; last

September 11, 2014

Easy Magnets

by Rachael in DIY, Images, Text

A fun, super-easy, inexpensive craft that can be thoughtful, goofy, or useful depending on what images you choose There are different ways to make unique magnets, including: using homemade clay and imprinting words; hot-glueing jewels, old broo… — A fun, super-easy, inexpensive craft that can be thoughtful, goofy, or useful depending on what images you choose
There are different ways to make unique magnets, including: using homemade clay and imprinting words; hot-glueing jewels, old brooches, earrings that have lost their mate, and the like, to make fancy, girly magnets; and there are even websites where you can simply pick some of your Instagram photos and they'll be made into mini refrigerator magnets *for* you - but this has to be the easiest way. And it produces something functional (who doesn't need more refrigerator magnets?) that, while I'm biased having made them, doesn't look sloppily cobbled together.
Here are the easy steps and the, very few and inexpensive, things you need:

The part that I think makes this magnet-making method easiest is: I chose some images I wanted to use, sized them down and put some fun frames around them (faux bois, leather, houndstooth), then put them all on one page and printed them out on shipping paper, so they were already on something adhesive. If you wanted the magnets to be glossier, you could print on photo paper or simply use photos you have around, but then you'd need to adhere them to something sturdier, which adds an extra step to these super easy magnets.

Cut the images out of the shipping label paper they were printed on and adhere them to cardboard.

Paint the images with a thin layer of Mod Podge to add some shine and make them a little more substantial. And also because all projects call for Mod Podge!

I have a tendency to go a little Mod Podge crazy, but I exercised restraint and only used two thin layers and it worked out well. Also, painting the images with Mod Podge while they are all on one sheet of cardboard is way easier than cutting them out first then Mod Podge-ing them.

I made these for my friend, Liz, and because I had bought the roll of magnetic tape for something else and never ended up using it. She and I are both fans of Andy Samberg, so I enjoyed scouring the internet for just the right photo I thought she (and her husband) would want to see on their fridge everyday. The other photos are of where they live in Hawaii, their dog Reese, and a graphic I made that says "Dirty/Clean" to put on a dishwasher. I can't imagine anyone having quite the same amazing taste in funny men and German Shepherds that she and I have, but here are the original images I used if anyone is curious and must have a Shy Ronnie magnet for herself.

Once Mod Podge layer is dry, cut out the images from the cardboard. I went over the sides with a layer of Mod Podge after I cut out the images (then laid them on wax paper to dry), but it wouldn't be noticeable if this step wasn't done.

Cut up the magnetic tape into the right sizes for your images, adhere them to the back, and you're done!

The magnetic tape works well but if you really wanted your magnets to be sturdy and long-lasting, you could use additional glue to make doubly sure the magnetic tape stays affixed to the cardboard.

These turned out cute and deciding on the images was fun. Black and white pictures or cut out flowers would make pretty magnets if one didn't want to go the goofy route, and these could be a cool, and easy, inexpensive, housewarming present, too.

September 7, 2013

Transfer Photos to Canvas

by Rachael in DIY, Images

Transfer Photos to Canvas - What You Need

Select a photo you would like to transfer to canvas. Print photo. It’s either the printer ink or sorcery that makes the image transfer, so I think you have to use a printer print-out; a photo lab-developed photo or magazine image wouldn’t work. Print the photo the size you want it or to fit the size of canvas you have. It’s easier to buy the right size canvas or print the photo to fit exactly than to have to cut canvas later, trust.

I used an image of an "Irish Blessing" I found online and re-wrote it with a font I liked and changed the background to a photo I liked better. Can't remember where I found the original, so thank you anonymous internet image producer. And Ireland.

Transfer Photos to Canvas - Irish Blessing

Cover photo (color side up) in Mod Podge. Like completely saturate. Lay on top of canvas, Mod Podge side down. Smooth out any wrinkles in the Mod Podged photo.

Wait 24 hours.

After 24 hours: in directions I read online, it said to take a sponge to the photo and that it would rub off/dissolve, leaving the image. Maybe because my photo was printed on pretty thick photo paper, but I just sort of peeled the photo paper off and the photo had transferred to the canvas (witchcraft). There was some left over Mod Podge that was making the transferred image foggy, so I wiped it off with water.

Here are some online instructions for other people's version of this. I read like four or five different ones then tried to wing it. My results may indicate that. . .

Painted Canvas: Mod Podge Photo Transfer

How-to-guide: Transfer Photos to Canvas

HGTV

Transfer Photos to Canvas - Mod Podge Step

You can use craft paint to enhance the photo. I made this for a boy, so I tried to keep it simple and not pour glitter on it. (I did try mixing black glitter into black paint and seeing how much glitter I could pour in until it started being noticeable, so my canvas does have secret glitter.)

After paint dries, add coat of Mod Podge. Even if this wasn’t one of the directions, I would have done it anyway to get rid of my never-ending bottle of this stuff (still half a bottle left. . . ).

~ Display and enjoy. ~

Transfer Photos to Canvas - Wedding Photo

This was a couple of photos my friend took at a wedding recently that I liked. I combined them into one image that, more or less, fit the size of canvas I had. There was much lovely silver glitter involved.

July 15, 2013

Screen Print T-Shirts

by Rachael in DIY

There are a lot of internet tutorials and DIY blogs on “screen printing” t-shirts. Here are a few I read up on before trying:

craftgrrl

DIYFashion

instructables

Here are the steps I did:

1. Make/find an image you would like on a t-shirt. Simple, angular images work best. You use the negative space, so the image needs to have negative space. I tried to replicate a colorful image, but had the best luck with one- or two-color images.

2. Print image.

3. Use light-colored or sheer hose to stretch across an embroidery hoop. I bought really cheap, as-large-as-I-could-find (or as large as I could ascertain since hose sizes have names like “QQQ” and “AZ1”). Even with large hose (you can’t use the top part of control top hose – the mesh is too closely-spaced together) and cutting the leg part apart to make the largest flat surface, it was still a bit of an ordeal stretching the mesh across the embroidery hoop and securing the clamp-thing. I thought this part would be the easiest, but it was the hardest. Maybe if I had ever used an embroidery hoop for anything before buying one for 99 cents at Walmart the day before I would have been more savvy. Live and learn.

4. Put embroidery hoop covered in hose over image print-out (with hose side touching the paper). Trace image onto hose using marker/sharpie.

5. Paint around image with Mod Podge. I’ve read you can use tape, too, but even on an image that seemed to have a lot of straight lines, when I tried this way it was time-consuming and boring, plus painting is fun. Also the whole reason I was doing this was to use up a giant thing of Mod Podge I had had for a year, so, Mod Podge.

6. Allow Mod Podge on hose to dry. Once dry, lay embroidery hoop (hose side touching fabric) on the shirt you're using. Paint the un-Mod Podge-ed areas with whatever color you choose. Peel away the embroidery hoop. Hang shirt to dry.

Ta da!