Make Your Own Ball Tool

You can make your own ball tool with items you probably have on hand.

ball tool

Craft tools can be expensive. When you can make your own, save money, and they work just as well – why not do it? This ball tool is just that and you can make it from items you have around the house.

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.

materials

Materials:

Video Tutorial:

Here is the flower I made using the DIY Ball Tool.

If you would like the free SVG file I used to make this flower you can find it in the store: [wreath card]

Super Easy DIY Sticker

Make your own stickers with this easy process.

These cute diy stickers are so easy to make. You could work with your own drawings or choose a printable from HungryJpeg. I used the Forest Friends clip art for my stickers. Keep you eyes peeled for the freebie of the week, from

These cute diy stickers are so easy to make. You could work with your own drawings or choose a printable from HungryJpeg. I used the Forest Friends clip art for my stickers. Keep you eyes peeled for the freebie of the week, from HungryJpeg to grab some cute printables for free.

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.

After printing out the images on regular copy paper, I fussy cut around each image. Using some protective paper, packing tape, and glue I easily made them into my own stickers. Watch the video tutorial below to see how easy it really is.

Video Tutorial:

Back to School Bookmarks

DIY bookmarks with Gwen Studios ribbon.

with Gwen Studios

Now that it is time to head back to school, I am making a few versions of bookmarks using ribbons from Gwen Studios. These bookmarks would pair well with gifting a book as well. My family often gives what we call a moment gift consisting of a good book and a bag of M&Ms. I think we now need to add a handmade bookmark to the gift.

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.

As a design team member for Gwen Studios, I was recently sent this great box full of ribbon samples. There are satin and grosgrain ribbons. It was fun choosing different widths and colors to work together for the bookmarks.

Gwen Studios ribbons can be found at Walmart and Michaels. To see all the back-to-school themed projects made with Gwen Studios ribbons, make sure to visit the Designer Crafts Connection website.

Ruffled Ribbon Bookmark

This first bookmark I am calling a ruffled bookmark because of the folded/ruffled green ribbon. The brown and burgundy ribbon had the ends melted with a lighter to keep them from raveling. All the layers were glued together using Fabri-Tac.

The central ribbon that appears to be ruffled was actually folded and glued. Each fold was glued twice – front and back. You could choose to sew instead of glue but I didn’t want a line of thread to show so I glued it.

Blue Fringe Bookmark

blue bookmark

The blue bookmark was similar in that it used three layers of ribbon. All the ends were sealed with a lighter so they don’t fray except the end of the blue ribbon. One end of the blue ribbon was fringed. To do this, the very thin edge of the ribbon needed to be cut away where the fringe is. This made making the fringe easy to do.

The blue ribbon bookmark was put together using double-sided tape. The glue will also work but might seep through the light-colored ribbon so tape was used instead as a precaution.

Magnetic Bookmark

magnetic bookmark

This is a magnetic bookmark. It only uses one piece of ribbon.

stamping

I stamped the yellow ribbon with bees using Staz-on black ink in a random pattern.

paint magnets

To use magnets, I used a thin advertising magnet that is easily cut with scissors. Since the ribbon was light-colored, the ad showed through the ribbon so I painted the advertisement side with white paint.

glue magnets

Once the paint was dry, I glued the magnets to the back side of the ribbon leaving a very small space between the magnets. In hindsight, the double-sided tape might have worked better.

The excess ribbon was folded and glued to the magnets creating a nicely finished folded edge. Because the magnet I used wasn’t that strong, I left a small area of each magnet exposed. It would look a lot better to cover the entire magnet so using a strong magnet really would help.

Curling Ribbon Earrings

Learn how to make earrings using curling ribbon.

with Gwen Studios

This month the Gwen Studios design team is working with curling ribbon. Curling ribbons can be used in a variety of different ways. Quilling paper is very similar to curling ribbon so I thought it would work in a similar way. I chose to roll the ribbons into disks and make earrings.

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.

ribbons

Curling Ribbon comes in a variety of different colors. Gwen Studios curling ribbon can be found at Walmart.

logos

I would like to thank Gwen Studios for providing me with the ribbon to work with. Designer Crafts Connection will share links to all the projects made for this month’s nautical theme design team projects.

ribbon and quilling paper

The photo above shows the difference in size between the curling ribbon on the left and the quilling paper on the right. The ribbon is just about twice the width but comes in a really long length that you can cut to your desired size.

rolling the ribbon

Using a battery-operated quilling tool, made the rolling of the ribbon quick and easy. The ribbon naturally curls in one direction, following that direction makes the rolling of the ribbon a bit easier to work with. Use tacky glue to add different colors to the rolling.

To secure the ribbon, I added a piece of cardstock onto the back of the curled ribbon in a coordinating color. To see the entire process, watch the video tutorial below:

Video Tutorial:

I made two different pairs of earrings using the same curling technique. The blue pair are stud earrings while the pink version is made using ear wires.

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, O – Other
Earring Studs
Earring Studs
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AZ
Glue Bottles
Glue Bottles
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AZ
Gwen Studios at Walmart
Gwen Studios at Walmart
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O
Jewelry Tool Kit
Jewelry Tool Kit
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AZ
Quilling Tool
Quilling Tool
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AZ
Reptile Glue
Reptile Glue
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AZ
Westcott 8
Westcott 8″ Non-Stick Scissors
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AZ

Origami Ornament

Make a Christmas ornament using origami paper.

with Yasutomo Origami Papers

There are many creative ways to make ornaments. You can use paint, alcohol ink, or fabric. Why not use origami paper? I cut mine into squares but tearing the paper would also make a beautiful ornament. I am working with papers from Yatsutomo. The ornament is plastic but this technique will also work on glass.

Many of the items I use in posts are provided by the manufacturers to promote their products.
A special thanks to those brands who sponsor this site. Some links are affiliates, thank you for using them.

materials

Materials:

  • plastic ornament
  • mod podge
  • Origami paper
  • paper trimmer
  • scissor
  • ribbon
  • foam paintbrush
  • Scotch tacky glue
ribbon on ornament

The iridescent paper didn’t want to stay put. I found overlapping it with the other patterned papers helped to hold it in place. After covering the ornament with origami paper, I used a color-coordinating ribbon to finish off the look.

Video Tutorial:

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, C – Cricut
Cricut Portable Trimmer
Cricut Portable Trimmer
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AZ | C
Mod Podge Gloss 8oz
Mod Podge Gloss 8oz
Shop at:
AZ | SB
Scotch Tacky Glue
Scotch Tacky Glue
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AZ | SSS
Westcott 14849 8
Westcott 14849 8″ Straight Titanium Bonded Non-Stick Scissors
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AZ
Yasutomo Fold'ems Origami Paper
Yasutomo Fold’ems Origami Paper
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AZ

Making a Playful Cat Tag

Making a playful cat tag with Fairy Stamper.

with Fairy Stamper

cat tag

Cats are playful. The Nala stamp from Fairy Stamper needed to be playful and the scrapbook paper with the birds worked well. I put the two together to make a playful tag.

Materials:

  • scrapbook paper
  • cardstock
  • Nala stamp
  • black ink pad
  • clear embossing powder
  • heat gun
  • DIY shimmer spray
  • Distress Oxide
  • blending brush
  • ribbons
  • hole punch
  • works board
  • scissors
  • tape runner

Video Tutorial:

The glimmer on the tag is hard to capture on video and photography. Hopefully, the image above shows a bit of how it shimmers. I make my own shimmer spray. If you would like to learn how to make your own you can follow this link. [DIY shimmer spray]

Suggested Materials List:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook,
Distress Ink Bundle
Distress Ink Bundle
Shop at:
AZ
Intense Black Ink Pad
Intense Black Ink Pad
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SSS
Professional Makeup Brush Set
Professional Makeup Brush Set
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AZ
Tape Runner
Tape Runner
Shop at:
AZ | SSS | SB
We R Memory Keepers - All-In-One Tool - The Works
We R Memory Keepers – All-In-One Tool – The Works
Shop at:
AZ | SSS | SB
Westcott 14849 8
Westcott 14849 8″ Straight Titanium Bonded Non-Stick Scissors
Shop at:
AZ

DIY Christmas Tree Earrings

Die cut a pair of Christmas tree earrings using shrink plastic three different ways.

with Scrapbook.com

3 pairs of earrings

Fun for the holidays, fun for gift-giving, make a pair of Christmas tree earrings with a die from Scrapbook.com, and shrink film. I’ve shown three different designs all made from the same die. The green earrings are using alcohol ink, the rose gold earrings used a stamp pad, and the silver and black pair were stamped with a rubber stamp.

Many of the items I use in posts are provided by the manufacturers to promote their products.
A special thanks to those brands who sponsor this site. Some links are affiliates, thank you for using them.

die and shrink film

To make the earrings I used the smallest die from the Nested Tree Dies and shrink film from Grafix. I used white and silver shrink film.

Materials:

  • Nested Tree Die
  • Shrink film – white, silver
  • CrossOver II
  • alcohol inks
  • Rose gold stamp pad
  • Stazon ink pad
  • rubber stamp
  • jewelry making tools and findings
  • Alcohol ink marker (green)
  • UV light
  • UV resin
  • hole punch
  • toaster oven

Video Tutorial:

As the film shrinks, the colors become more intense. While there was a pattern on the rose gold trees, it is all but gone once shrunk. However, they did take on a more metallic sheen almost like glitter. Do you have a favorite pair?

Make sure you stop at every crafty post along the way for Christmas magic and inspiration!

1. Jamie Pate
2. Juliana Michaels
3. Marie Nicole
4. Becki Adams
5. Patricia Roebuck
6. Terra O’Brien
7. Amy Mattingly
8. Janet Trieschman
9. Adrienne Boese
10. Amy Brown
11. Kinjal Trivedi 
12. Nadine Carlier
13. Erin Reed
14. Anita Trippi
15. Lynda Keyes
16. Lea Lawson

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other
Crossover II
Crossover II
Shop at:
AZ
Grafix Shrink Film
Grafix Shrink Film
Shop at:
AZ
Jewelry Tool Kit
Jewelry Tool Kit
Shop at:
AZ
Nested Tree Die
Nested Tree Die
Shop at:
SB
Spectrum Noir Markers
Spectrum Noir Markers
Shop at:
AZ | SSS | SB
StazOn
StazOn
Shop at:
AZ | SSS | SB
UV Light
UV Light
Shop at:
AZ
UV Resin
UV Resin
Shop at:
AZ

DIY Filled Ornament Gift

Make your own diy filled ornament that is great for gift giving.

with Gwen Studios

ornament

Make a two-fold gift for holiday giving with this Christmas Ornament. It’s an ornament to hang on your tree and you fill it with a special treat. Anyone would love to receive this special gift. All the beautiful ribbons are from Gwen Studios and can be easily found at your local Walmart store.

Many of the items I use in posts are provided by the manufacturers to promote their products.
A special thanks to those brands who sponsor this site
Some links are affiliates, thank you for using them.

Materials:

  • scissors
  • cardstock
  • Zyron sticker maker
  • Ribbons from Gwen Studios
  • clear ornament
  • Christmas medallion

This Christmas Tree ribbon is amazing, I have never seen anything like it. Gwen Studios has a variety of different patterns of die-cut ribbon available. It is cut really well but because of the small pieces, you may need to remove some from the design to gain the full effect.

photo credit: J. McGuffee

Check out the display of Gwen Studios die-cut ribbons at Walmart. There are trees, snowflakes, gingerbread men, ornaments, deer, and more.

I ran both the tree and red ribbon through a Zyron sticker maker and stacked them together before I wrapped my ornament with them. Now I am adding the double bow and Christmas medallion to the ornament with a bit of Fabri-Tac glue.

Don’t forget to fill the ornament and attach the gift tag that coordinates. I filled mine with candies but bath salts or hot cocoa would be nice as well. Just personalize the filling to your recipient.

The complete video tutorial can be viewed below:

Video Tutorial:

The filled and finished ornament is ready to gift. It would be great to make a few of these to have on hand for last-minute gift-giving.

christmas inchies

And if you would like the printable to make the Christmas embellishment, you can find the inchies printable here: [Christmas inchies]

Suggested Materials:

Links are Affiliates
AZ – Amazon, SSS – Simon Says Stamps, SB – Scrapbook, O – Other
Fabri-tac
Fabri-tac
Shop at:
AZ
Westcott 14849 8
Westcott 14849 8″ Straight Titanium Bonded Non-Stick Scissors
Shop at:
AZ
Xyron Sticker Maker
Xyron Sticker Maker
Shop at:
AZ | SSS | SB
Gwen Studios at Walmart
Gwen Studios at Walmart
Shop at:
O
Clear Ornament
Clear Ornament
Shop at:
O

Designing a Leaf Letterhead

The Leaf Letterhead SVG file can be used in a variety of different ways.

with CutCardStock

decor piece

This leaf letterhead svg file is very versatile. I’ve created a finished decor piece with it to show you how it could be used. The design was created to be used in a variety of different ways like a letter, menu, invitation, announcement, and any other way you can imagine. You don’t have to put another piece behind the design, or on top of it as shown. It is just one option for this file.

Many of the items I use in posts are provided by the manufacturers to promote their products.
A special thanks to those brands who sponsor this site
.

card stock
card stock

The Royal Sundance Card Stock in Brilliant White is the star of this post and the card stock that was cut. It’s joined with Stardream Metallic Gold and Glama Card Stock in Kraft. The poem was printed using my Cricut Maker and the Kraft card stock but it could also be printed on a printer.

Cricut Maker

Use a personal cutting machine that works with an SVG file. I am using a Cricut Maker for cutting and writing. Because the design is 8.5″ x 11″, and the card stock is the same size, you have to pay attention to the alignment on your mat. The Kraft card stock was written on and cut on the Cricut Maker too. I used a 0.4 black Cricut pen for the writing.

Video Tutorial:

The SVG file for the Leaf Letterhead’s link can be found at: [Leaf Letterhead] – Make sure to read the note about how to center the file.

The link for the poem in Cricut Design Space: [Frost poem]

Embossing Toilet Paper

You can emboss toilet paper – have you tried this technique yet?

embossed toilet paper

Toilet paper for crafting – yes! I embossed layers of toilet paper. This technique was a new one for me and I couldn’t wait to try it out in a variety of different ways. I really like the playfulness of this technique and the fun results from a basically disposable product.

Many of the items I use in posts are provided by the manufacturers to promote their products.
Some links are affiliates. A special thanks to those brands who sponsor this site
.

basic materials
basic materials

What a fun way to use your embossing plates in a new way. The basic materials needed are an embossing plate, toilet paper, a spray bottle with water, and a manual die-cutting machine – mine is a CrossOver II.

I also used a stamp pad, glimmer mist spray, and spray inks.

styles of embossing
styles of embossing

While the differences might look subtle in some of the dry embossed toilet paper samples, yours could look very different depending upon the colors you use. Starting from left: spray inks, plain white, pink ink pad, spray glimmer mist. Once the embossing has dried, you can also add additional color on top*. I would suggest wiping with an ink pad to add color.

*Please note that any additional wet products added to your dried embossing could reactivate the paper and you could lose the embossed designs.

Video Tutorial:

These embossed pieces once dry can be used in all forms of crafting. You can cut them down to your desired shape and size. I would even suggest trying to die-cut them. One additional suggestion: to adhere use a tacky type of glue and don’t use a tape runner on the embossed toilet paper – it will tear.