diy – Try It – Like It

DIY Vampire Earrings with Shrink Plastic Tutorial

DIY Vampire Earrings for Summerween and Halloween.

I am joining a group of my crafty friends to share tutorials for Summerween. Have you not heard of Summerween? No worries. Summerween is a fun, unofficial celebration that blends summer vibes with Halloween. It has become especially popular on social media, Etsy, YouTube, and among crafters who enjoy spooky themes year-round.

Ritzy Parties will start us off on August 4th
Me on August 5
Sassy Eyed Susan on August 6
Juanita’s Casita on August 7
You can find them all on Instagram.

I created these cute vampires to transfer to Shrink Film in order to make a pair of festive earrings. If you would like the image you can grab the free PDF file below.

Download the PDF [vampires]

The image above shows the difference between the original design on the right and the finished piece after shrinking on the left. As the Shrink Film is heated, it typically shrinks to about half its original size while becoming thicker and more durable.

After the pieces had fully shrunk and cooled, I adhered coordinating paper to the backs for a finished look. I then sealed both sides with a coat of Mod Podge to protect the design and add durability. Finally, I attached the jewelry findings and black glass beads, creating a pair of lightweight earrings that are ready to wear.

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other #REF! #REF!

Findings Kit Shop at: O	Glassboard Shop at: AZ \| O	Jewelry Tool Kit Shop at: AZ
Mod Podge – matte Shop at: AZ \| SB \| O	Ranger Heat Tool Shop at: AZ	Scrapbook Scissors Shop at: SB	Sharpie Markers Shop at: AZ
Spectrum Noir Markers Shop at: AZ \| SSS \| SB

DIY Small Journal

A simple stitched binding and a matching dangle add the perfect handmade touch to this little journal.

This small journal was inspired by the beautiful texture and character of the handmade paper used for the cover, allowing the natural fibers, subtle imperfections, and organic feel to guide the overall design. I chose to fill it with blank paper but you could add a variety of different papers if you desire.

The binding is a simple sewing stitch, keeping the construction easy and flexible. I also like to add a small decorative detail to the front of my journals to clearly indicate the front from the back. For this one, I also added a dangle that coordinates with the color of the handmade paper, giving it a subtle finishing touch while tying the whole piece together.

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other #REF! #REF!

Dollar Tree
Shop at:
O

Glassboard
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AZ | O

Glue Bottles
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AZ

Pearl Cotton
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AZ

Sewing Clips
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AZ | O

Zig Adhesive
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AZ

No-Sew No-Glue Binding

No sewing, no glue, no ruler—just ribbon and scraps to create an adorable handmade notebook in minutes!

Make a Cute No-Sew, No-Glue Notepad with Ribbon

Looking for a quick and creative way to use up your craft stash? This adorable notepad project uses no sewing, no glue, and not even a ruler—just some beautiful ribbon from Gwen Studios and a few basic supplies you already have on hand.

This is a perfect stash-buster craft that comes together fast, making it ideal for last-minute gifts, craft fairs, or a relaxing creative break. Simply stack your paper, punch holes, and tie a bow for an easy, decorative binding that looks charming and polished.

These little notebooks are wonderfully versatile. Use one for your grocery list, tuck it into a junk journal, or gift it to a fellow paper-crafting friend. However you choose to use it, you’ll love how simple, stylish, and satisfying this project is to make.

Quick, easy, and full of creative potential—this is one notepad you’ll want to make again and again!

I started with a leftover piece of scrapbooking paper and simply folded it in half, which instantly made me think it would be the perfect cover for a small notepad. From there, I trimmed some regular copy paper to fit for the inside pages and added a scrap of cardstock for a little topper. That’s really all you need for this project—aside from the ribbon for binding, of course. I chose to use heart-shaped eyelets for a decorative touch, but they’re completely optional and not required to make this notepad work beautifully.

The links provided are for your use and may contain affiliate links.
They cost nothing for you to use.
Thank you in advance for supporting this site with its use.

This project was created for Gwen Studios. You can find all the design team projects listed on the Designer Crafts Connection website. Gwen Studios products can be found at Walmart and Michaels.

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other

Cricut Portable Trimmer Shop at: AZ \| C	Crop a dile Shop at: AZ	Cut Cardstock Shop at: O	Glassboard Shop at: AZ \| O
Gwen Studios at Walmart Shop at: O	Non-Stick Scissors Shop at: AZ	ribbons Shop at: O

10 Christmas Gifts Every Crafter Will Love

Every crafter knows — the right tool makes all the difference! Whether you’re giving one big gift or building a creative gift basket, these tools are sure to spark joy this Christmas season.

A Craft Tool Gift Guide from Try it – Like it – Create it

If you’re shopping for the maker, DIYer, or paper-craft enthusiast in your life, these tool-themed Christmas gifts are sure to inspire their creativity well into the new year! Whether you’re buying for a beginner or a seasoned pro, these picks combine functionality with fun.

Titles are linked to Amazon.

1. Cricut EasyPress Mini

Perfect for small-scale projects like tags, mugs, and fabric crafts. Its compact design makes it ideal for anyone who loves their Cricut machine or enjoys heat-transfer projects.

2. We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile

A classic tool that punches holes and sets eyelets through chipboard, leather, plastic, and more. It’s durable, easy to use, and comes in beautiful colors — a staple for paper crafters.

3. Tim Holtz Glass Media Mat

This glass workspace gives any crafter a professional surface for blending inks, stamping, and mixed-media art. It’s easy to clean, with a handy built-in grid for measuring and aligning. (there is also a smaller travel size available)

4. Brother P-Touch Embellish Ribbon & Tape Printer

Add a personalized touch to gifts, labels, and crafts. It prints on ribbons and tapes — perfect for organizing supplies or decorating handmade items.

5. Fiskars Precision Craft Knife Set

An ergonomic precision knife with interchangeable blades for cutting stencils, vinyl, or detailed paper shapes. Every crafter needs a sharp, reliable knife on their worktable.

6. Sizzix Big Shot Die-Cutting & Embossing Machine

The Big Shot remains a crafting favorite for cutting intricate shapes and embossing textures. It’s a must-have for scrapbookers, card makers, and mixed-media artists.

7. Tonic Studios Guillotine Paper Trimmer

For crisp, clean, professional cuts every time — this trimmer handles card fronts, scrapbook paper, and even chipboard with ease. (there are three different sizes available)

8. Ranger Heat It Craft Tool

A quiet, compact heat tool for embossing powders, drying ink, or melting wax. It’s a small but powerful tool that adds polish to finished projects.

9. Dress My Craft Mini Scoring Board

Small but mighty! This portable board makes it easy to create envelopes, boxes, and fold lines — perfect for paper crafting on the go.

10. Dremel Stylo+ Craft Rotary Tool

This pen-style rotary tool is great for engraving, sanding, polishing, or etching on glass, wood, and metal. It’s an all-around creative powerhouse!

Bonus Ideas

Tool cleaning brushes for die-cutting and stamps
Silicone mats for glue, resin, or paint
Magnetic tool holders for tidy workspaces
Glassboard, CraftCatcher, or MagInk Tray from Glassboard Studios!

Halloween Sticker Printable

Add a little spooky fun to your crafts! This free Halloween printable is perfect for stickers, tattoos, magnets, or all your paper crafting projects.

This Halloween printable can be used in so many different ways—get creative! Print them as stickers, temporary tattoos, or even magnets. They also make a perfect addition to all your paper crafting projects like cards, scrapbooks, tags, or party décor. Cute, spooky, and versatile—these designs are ready to bring a little Halloween magic to your next project!

Grab the free PDF file here: [Halloween pdf]

My go-to printer brand for years has been HP. I also use their ink supply service where I pay a monthly fee and they send me ink cartridges as needed. It comes out to be a lot less money this way and I don’t have to keep track because they do all the tracking for me. The HP Envy Inspire is a great-priced machine that will produce beautiful prints.

If you are looking for a great crafting-weight paper for printables, I have been using HP Project Paper. It is heavier than copier paper but not quite as heavy as cardstock. It is a great medium weight for layering, folding, and more!

You can easily turn clip art images into magnets using Printable Magnets Sheets from Cricut.

Another fun option would be to turn images into Temporary Tattoos with this pack of 5 sheets available on Amazon.

Diy Washi Tape With Only 2 Materials

Create your own DIY washi tape with only two basic materials.

Creating your own DIY washi tape is simple and fun, requiring only two basic materials: double-sided tape and decorative tissue paper or napkins. Lay the decorative paper down onto the double-sided tape. Trim the excess paper, and you’ve got custom washi tape ready to use! This easy project lets you make personalized designs for scrapbooking, journaling, or any craft that calls for a creative touch. It’s a quick way to add unique, handmade flair to your projects!

All you need is double-sided tape and a napkin. I couldn’t get the pictured napkin to separate so I switched it out for another napkin that would. Don’t throw away the white layer you removed, it can be used as well.

I took that white layer to my spray box and sprayed a few different colors of Distress Oxide onto it. After it dried, I applied it the same way to the double-sided tape.

Making your own washi tape lets you match the colors and patterns exactly to your projects, giving them a cohesive and personalized touch. Plus, it’s a fun way to explore your creativity and make something truly one-of-a-kind!

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other

Distress Oxide Spray Shop at: AZ	Dollar Tree Shop at: O	Glassboard discount code JANET20 Shop at: AZ \| O	Non-Stick Scissors Shop at: AZ
Scrappy Tape Shop at: AZ

DIY Nail File Folio

with Gwen Studios

Using nail files from the Dollar Tree to measure the necessary length of Gwen Studio ribbon, I sewed them together to make a nail file folio. This is a great way to protect items in your handbag from rough nail files. These folios also make great gifts.

This project was created for Gwen Studios. You can find all the design team projects listed on the Designer Crafts Connection website. Gwen Studios products can be found at Walmart and Michaels.

Sewing the ribbons together side by side, do not overlap. To do so you will need a stitch that covers enough area to hold the ribbons together. Use a bit of washi tape to place the ribbons together at the top and then begin stitching just below the tape.

After joining the two ribbons together, fold them in half and sew a straight stitch along each side to form a pocket.

Cut the folded ribbon along the top edge just shy of the length of the nail file. Then use a lighter to finish off the ends of the ribbon folio.

Video Tutorial:

Faux Texture Paste – Tag it Tuesday

This week’s tag uses a household product as a faux texture paste. I started with white ink and it didn’t work as well as I envisioned. I added sequins, ink blended the edges, and a raised sentiment. While the sequins darkened the look, they also added a bit of sparkle when moved in the light.

Video Tutorial:

In the close-up image you can see the depth and texture of the paste. I like the activity created by the pinwheel stencil.

Materials:

stamp and die set from OneDaySavings. https://bit.ly/3YCrMWc
Stencil and Paper from Brutus Monroe
Sequins – Spellbinders
Ink – Makers Forte

DIY Your Own Mixed Media Sprays

I will show you how to make your own DIY Mixed Media Sprays. I called this “plastic paint” for lack of a better explanation. I was inspired by a video I watched on the Pink Poodles Craft channel and went in my own direction from her experimentation.

Materials:

spray bottle
beads
water
polyacrylic
craft paint

Video Tutorial:

Depending on your chosen colors, you can end up with very different results. There is no end to how many layers of spray you can use.

In the close-up image, you can see the variety of layered colors showing through and the spots created by the spray of paint and the spray of water on top.

I am not done experimenting, I want to try adding mica powders and metallic paints. It was really fun to do and hard to stop layering.

Tell me how you would use these creations, as card backgrounds. Would you die cut them? In collage? I want to make more to add to my stash for future crafting.

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, O – Other

DecoArt Paint Shop at: AZ	Polyacrylic Shop at: AZ	Ranger Heat Tool Shop at: AZ	Spray Bottles Shop at: O
Steel Mixing Balls Shop at: O	Teflon Craft Mat Shop at: AZ

Valentine Chain

This DIY Valentine Chain is a fun craft that is easy to make with a few Dollar Tree supplies and a free printable. The chain can be used in so many different ways. Consider it for your Valentine’s Day decor, as a long chain with a tassel on the end, or even as a festive necklace.

Grab the free PDF file here: [Valentine inchies]

This DIY doesn’t just have to be for Valentine’s Day, you can use any printable inchies or even decorative paper.

The materials I used were scissors, a 1″ paper punch, a free printable, twine, and wooden beads.

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, O – Other

1″ Circle Punch Shop at: AZ	Dollar Tree Shop at: O	Glassboard discount code JANET20 Shop at: AZ \| O	HP Envy Inspire Shop at: AZ
HP Paper Shop at: AZ	Non-Stick Scissors Shop at: AZ	Reptile Glue Shop at: AZ	Temu Glue Bottles Shop at: O