acrylic paint

[thehermit.livejournal.com]

Can I use cheap (watered down) acrylic paint as a stain on wood?

RANTRANTRANTRANTRANT (question too)

[wrenja.livejournal.com]

If you ever get the crazy notion that making your own peppermint sticks is a cool fun and exciting idea, DO NOT FOLLOW THROUGH. I learned this the hard way tonight. Granted it was the first time I've ever worked with molten sugar, but it was too much drama, pain and effort to make them. My thumbs still hurt from trying to pull the sugar. My first attempt of the evening I got about 8 sticks out before it was too hard to pull anymore without it cracking, but being stubborn I went right back into the kitchen and remelted it, pulled it again and started cutting it sooner, so I was able to get a good amount, but goddamn my hands hurt :(

So anyway, I'm sure eventually I'll look back and say "oh it really wasn't so bad, I should try it again" because I am a fool and do not learn from the past, so I am doomed to repeat it. Anyway, has anyone here worked with sugar in this way? If so I'd absolutely love to know how that jerk jaques torres on food network just plays with hot sugar with his bare hands, when I was going crazy with latex gloves. How do you make this bearable? There has to be some way, I hope at least, does anyone have any hints for making candy like this, or do I need to find a different community for this sort of question

P.S. yes, I got the idea from the Dec. issue of Martha Stewart Living.

(no subject)

[lunachix7.livejournal.com]

I really want to make jewlery using candy. What should I coat the candy with?

cardboard hands

[tribalglenna.livejournal.com]

I recently bought a pair of "moisture gloves" (you put lotion on your hands and wear these gloves while you sleep then you, in theory, wake up with softer hands...) anyways...they came with nice cardboard hands inside of them to hold them up in the pacakging, but now I feel that they're too good to throw away. Does anyone have any ideas for me?

(no subject)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_cloudy_/]

( Animal hats are conduscive to greatness. )

x-posted

[fuct-in-da-hed.livejournal.com]

Hi! I've decided I would post pix of T-shirts I have recently stenciled.
( Read more... )

My main gift craft!

[starrrie.livejournal.com]

Here is my main gift craft this year.
( Something other than marbles and scarves! )

SEAMSTRESS DOWN!!! SEAMSTRESS DOWN!!!

[dykestar.livejournal.com]

Okay, so last night the single scariest thing to ever happen to me while sewing happened:

I sewed my finger *into* the machine.

Somehow my finger got sucked in while the fabric was threading through. The needle actually made a couple of perfect little stitches in red thread on my fingertip before jamming up. Amazing.

My partner was PANICKING. Running around screaming "OMG! SHOULD I CALL 911?! SHOULD I CALL 911?!"

I calmly wound the machine up with my free hand to get the needle out of my finger, cut the thread, pulled my finger out... took a moment to marvel at the little red stitches in my finger-tip... and then pulled them out. I then wrapped the little wound in scrap fabric and sent my partner to the kitchen for ice (and a chill-pill, haha).

My finger's "fine" (which means a lil' dried blood under the nail and sensitive if I bang it into something really hard, but otherwise good) and I was back at the machine in less than an hour (hey, I got Christmas gifts to finish).

Sooooo I was wondering:

What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you while making crafts or sewing???

I think it will be fun to read these... cuz you know, if we don't learn to laugh at these lil' accidents we'll never get back in there and tackle whatever it was again ;)

(no subject)

[navybean.livejournal.com]

i just drilled sizable holes in an antique (19th century) china coffeepot, teacup, and saucer. OH MY GOD, ultimate adrenaline rush! :) actually, the saucer broke in half... but that's been fixed with super glue. haha, i'd never used a power tool before-- it was fabulous! i'm making this for my mom. two days ago, i had no coffeepot, no teacup, no saucer, no lamp-making supplies, and no means of drilling the holes. today, i have all my supplies, and the holes are drilled. i am still confused as to how this all happened, but basically i'm incredibly lucky. i'm so happy!! i'll post pictures of the finished project after christmas.

speaking of christmas, i've been meaning to share this idea for a while... if you are still trying to think of a present to make for someone (i'm assuming that other people procrastinate as much as i do), here's an easy, awesome project: make placemats out of fun record (vinyl) covers! you can get funky records at thrift stores for between 10 cents and a dollar. then buy some posterboard from a craft store or art supply store, and spray paint it gold. buy some clear laminate sheets (or contact paper), too-- the kind that comes in biiig rolls (buy a couple yards... it depends on how many placemats you're making. do the math!). cut the front side of the record away from the back side. you'll be using just the front. cut the poster board into rectangles of the same height as the record covers, and of whatever width you'd like. (i did about 4 inches). glue or tape one of these poster board rectangles to each side of the back of the record cover, with a few inches of the gold showing on the front. (in other words, attach the 3 pieces by making the record cover overlap the poster board rectangles by about an inch and gluing.) laminate using the contact paper, and voila! you have a totally fabulous retro placemat that's water-and-food resistant and oh-so pretty. i'll take pictures of the ones i made if you'd like to see!

<3
diana

(no subject)

[blissedmistake.livejournal.com]

i just wanted to say how happy i am that all the members are so nice. :-)

Harvey Shrine Box--trying again

[twotrees.livejournal.com]

This is the gift I made for the director of our local production of Harvey by Mary Chase

( View from the front... )

I hope this works.

x-posted to craftgrrl and my journal

Readymade

[simplyfussfree.livejournal.com]

Readymade has some subscription deal for Christmas where you get a subscription for yourself for $20 ( their reg. subscription price ) and can get a subscription for a friend for only $10. It's in the US only. I was wondering if anyone wanted to sign up with me and we'd pay $15 each? Just reply here if you'd like to. Thanks.

last minute Christmas q...

[fashi0nablylate.livejournal.com]

I made those rice heating bags for my mum and stepmum, and I'm about to write out directions for them. The instructions on making them didn't tell me how to use them, just said to heat them. Should they be put in the microwave? For how long? Can you dampen them first? Thanks a bunch.

(no subject)

[skwairpeg.livejournal.com]

Hi craftgrrls,

I hope it's okay to ask this here - if not, please let me know and I will delete the question.

I have an online store where I sell my crafty wares, and I'm interested in adding some gourmet-ish food items to my inventory. Do any of you have some information about the legalities of doing this? I assume I need to provide an ingredients list or label or something, but that's all my Christmas-frazzled brain has come up with so far. Shouldn't I have some kind of insurance before I start selling food to people? Is there something special I need to do beforehand so there's no smackdown from the law? We make some foody things that I think would go over well, and I'm ever so curious to know if any of you have sold food items or know anything about doing this.

Thanks in advance...

new hat!

[cyn.livejournal.com]

( click for 2 more )

it's a variation of the kittyville pattern - band in seed stitch with red worsted, body with same red plus a strand of orange technofur. then there is about an inch with those two PLUS another strand of technofur in red, and black long eyelash. the thick band squares off the hat and makes it more of a tam. nifty!

Freshness

[grunterstar.livejournal.com]

How long do you think peppermint bark, spoon, and lollipops stay fresh for if kept in zip lock bags? In seperate bags, of course.

(no subject)

[gotojersey.livejournal.com]

I checked the FAQ and I couldn't find the answer to this...

I want to make some of those light bulb vases for gifts, but I was wondering...do they have to be burned out? Like, I have a bunch of light bulbs, they just aren't used yet. Is that okay?

Thanks in advance!

security purse

[macabre-grrl.livejournal.com]

I saw a free pattern a while ago for a security purse and I lost the link, boo hoo. The outer purse would slide up the strap to reveal an inner compartment. Does anyone remember seeing this?

EDIT: FOUND IT!!

It's cool!

record clock question

[skwairpeg.livejournal.com]

I want to make a clock for my brother using an old record. I have all the clock parts, and a record... my question for you all is: how can I attach the clock parts to the record securely? I made a CD clock last year and after a short time the CDs were falling away from the clock. I can't really describe it except to say that it just got... floppy. Should I just glue the bugger on there? I have some good glue from when I made marble magnets, would that do it?

Thanks in advance.

cd clock

[warheart.livejournal.com]

i want to make a cd clock for someone for christmas (i won't see her till after christmas though so i have some time). i was wondering how i could make a hanger for hanging it on the wall or a stand so that it can stand on a desk? i know some people have made record clocks so how did you get it to be a wall or desk clock?
wendy

Sew a needles pulling thread......

[needler.livejournal.com]

In the shocking event of running out of wrapping paper and with one more thing to wrap I ended up creating instead of rushing out to buy more!

So with my little brother tig_omph in mind I ended up making a very simple black brocade bondage stocking trimmed with safety pins and a contrasting zip.



Thats what it turned out like.
Its not the best picture but it gives you an idea..oh and the stocking is stuffed with a traditional tangerine, a handfull of wrapped sweets a tin with two minature bottles of jack daniels in it and a texas chainsaw masacre t-shirt.

Should keep the little hooligan happy :)

(no subject)

[calliek.livejournal.com]

Hot damn I'm tired of crocheting.

Marble-related question

[eaterofsouls.livejournal.com]

My brother plays this game called Go. It's japanese, I believe. If you've seen A Beautiful Mind, it's the game that Russel Crow and his friend would always play with the black and white little beads on a very big gridded board.

I wanted to get my brother a new Go board, but the remainder of my money is needed to invest in a small business venture with a friend.

So I was thinking that maybe I could make him some new beads to use on his board, with pictures to make things more interesting. He loves llamas and sheep and domo-kun. But, I was wondering what I would use to seal the images on.

I know to use silicone sealer when making magnets, but what should I use for a backing? The marbles will be picked up and slammed down repeatedly so I don't want the paper being scratched off.

A last resort big project would be to paint the board onto a cookie sheet and make it magnetized go, but I'd be worried about the marbles sticking to each other.

Any suggestions?

*POOF* There's a fairy hiding in this post.....

[syntheticat.livejournal.com]

=)

( Is she under here??? )

hmm!

[tuaqmuk.livejournal.com]

( MORE MORE MORE )

Help a girl win a silly family tradition

[blood-girl.livejournal.com]

I have got a question for you all that I am sure is not in the FAQs. See, I need ideas.
Every year, me and my brother in law do this thing at Christmas. We buy eachother random gifts, and then make the packages impossible to open. It started out as a sort of joke one year, when he wrapped my gift in a layer of duct tape to make me have to cut it open. And it has gotten crazy.
We do layers upon layers of wrapping paper, duct tape, masking tape, wire, and twine, and dozens of different sized boxes before we can get to our gifts. We usually save these until the end of the presents, and then the family votes for who "won" that year.
Mike one last year, because he wrapped a bunch of little boxes many times, and inside each was a letter. When I opened all the boxes(some were empty too, and some had candy. Probably 50 in all) the letters spelled out loser. Then he got me my real gift, which had just been sitting under the table.
I can't lose again this year. My big idea for this year was wood. I bought a 2X4, nails and a saw at the hardware store. I then cut 6 perfectly square pieces, and am nailing them into a box that he will have to open. And I have rope that will go around the wood, and probably glued down.
But, I need more ideas. And this is where you come in. Can you think of any layers I could make? Accessible items or fabrics or whatever that I can use to wrap up this present even more. I got him a plushie jellyfish, which is in a small box. The wood box is about 1X1, and the largest box I have to use is probably 4X3, so any sized materials would be fine.
What do you think?

Good God, Girls!!!

[dykestar.livejournal.com]

So, from the horror stories that have been gathering over at this post, I thought I could (very easily) come up with a Top Ten List of dangerous craft tool. So here we go (no particular order).

Top Ten Most Dangerous Craft Tools!

10) The Sewing Machine. Seems like one false move and anything from fingers, to hair, to clothing can and will be sucked in.

9) The Sewing Machine Needle. Apparently, this little blighter is given to snapping and flying at unsuspecting eyes and skin at any given second!

8) X-acto Knife. Oooooh Mama! If you don't know why this one made the list... then go carve a linolium print block by hand. I dare you.

7) Knitting and/or Crochet Needles. Although these needles are so big that you'd *think* they'd be easy to spot, apparently they have a way of wedging themselves into the most unsuspecting places to wait for a pair of poor, innocent "buttcheeks" to come a-sittin'!

6) Rotary Cutters. The stories behind this one are an advertisment for cutting tables in and of themselves. *shudder*

5) Scissors. Yeah, so what if we're told to be careful with them from a young age... those sorts of messages don't always stick. Be honest, who in here has *never* ran with them, EVER???

4) High-Temp Hot Glue Guns. What in gods name are these still on the market for??? Okay, so I do know, I even own one. There oughtta be safety gloves marketed for these things, though, that's all I'm saying.

3) Super-Glue. *Insert yr own funny story here* And by the way, acetone takes it off. Yeah, as in nail-polish remover. Write that down everybody. Acetone.

2) The Common Iron. As any seamstress can tell you. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then yr skipping those parts of the pattern that say "PRESS", aren't you? Shame on you.

1) The Kitchen. Yes, the entire kitchen. Cooking and baking can be a craft, too. A *dangerous* craft. You've got knives, graters, food processors, blenders, ovens, stove, dishes that *aren't* so mircowave safe, hot cooking oil... it's like a torture chamber that sometimes produces delicious results.



Anybody got any honorable mentions?

the Muff, v.2.x

[bete-noire.livejournal.com]

okay, apparently not satisfied with all the other things i've done lately, and apparently having lost my nice isotoners ( :{ ), i have been a working on the Muff, v.2.

since, you know, the Muff v.1 was, uh, kinda seat-of-the-pants-like, and didn't come out so photogenic.

this one is WARM! and self-lined so, super super soft.

( click here to See My Muff [ok, couldn't resist], and some directions )

in the next exciting issue of Badly Drawn Directions for Her,

interior elastic pocketyboos for your ID!

;}

more later.
alll kinds of love,

~~n

x-posty: co_crafty, shemadethis, darkthreads, craftygoths, craftgrrl, maybe others, who knows? wahoo!

Cleaning stuff/removing glue etc

[vratch.livejournal.com]

I found this great resource when searching online for a way to remove metallic marker from fabric. I can't be the only clumsy crafter who'll find this useful:
http://www.atozsupplies.co.uk/stainremoval.html

(no subject)

[grunterstar.livejournal.com]

I can't find this is the memories but I need help, pronto.

How would I go about melting down cinnamon and lemon candies for spoons?

Any help is GREATLY appreciated. It's for a Christmas gift so that's why I'm all nervous about it and pressed for time.

xoxo
*Kim

(no subject)

[lethaltuesday.livejournal.com]

 

( xmas gifts made by yours truly )

Gingerbread house.

[fluffypuffer.livejournal.com]

I made a gingerbread house a couple days ago. My icing was sloppy but I think it turned out okay... and I can't wait to eat it. Mmm.

( Pictures. They better work this time.... grrr )

nothing to do with Christmas

[heavynleigh.livejournal.com]

My husband has a coworker named Bernie who is a great friend of ours. In July he turns 60 and ever since he turned 50, he's been asking his wife and daughter where his surprise party is. Well, they're throwing him a surprise party in less than 2 weeks under the guise of holding a Christmas family reunion at his favorite restaurant. They even made him book the room. He has no clue, it's great!

Anyway, I've been trying to come up with good gag gifts for him but I've been coming up blank. Any suggestions? I think my creative juices have dried out from Christmas!

I do know I'm going to package it like blood_girl's brother in law did to her last year for Christmas. I might spell out "old coot" or "ancient one" instead of "loser" though. :-)

Edit: I don't want to do the usual with the balloons/mugs/whatever from Spencer's and the like. There are going to be a LOT of people there (75+) so I'm sure he'll get plenty of that. He's very into gadgets (retired from IBM), anything Irish and awful (often bawdy) jokes. I think for part of it I'll make him a CD with funny songs. Any suggestions for that?

I'm sorry if this has been asked..but i tried looking for it..but couldn't find anything on it.

[sunienites.livejournal.com]

what do you guys use to cut the magnets when making marble magnets? i bought a whole roll that's not cut.

Thanks.

I'm making some tonight.:]

christmas pressies!

[fashi0nablylate.livejournal.com]

( rice heating bags and a not-quite-book )

(no subject)

[staticdischarge.livejournal.com]

I have a question for all my stencil makers.

If I gave you some pictures could you turn them into stencils for me? Or can someone give me some advice into making pictures of my own into stencils? Thanks in advance!

(no subject)

[gotojersey.livejournal.com]

My best friend is obsessed with the color orange and so I made this for her birthday, which is tomorrow:



I followed the directions posted in the FAQ, put sand inside, put a fake flower inside (which I sprayed with flower smelling purfume), and used this plastic piece that came with blood capsuls that I had for the bottom. I put orange dots all over the white plastic. I am so proud! I've never really been crafty before hehe.

(no subject)

[xsaltyx.livejournal.com]

Here's a picture of a few of the Christmas ornaments I made for family this year. Most of them are Sculpy. The large beaded angel was made from a kit I got at Walmart. In the back is a reigndeer made from a jinglebell that I got from a Walmart kit, too. Oh! And the instructions for the Sculpy Santa and penguin were on the Sculpy website! So handy. The others I just kind of made up.

( Christmas ornaments!!! )

(no subject)

[idripmelting.livejournal.com]

does anyone know the link to that sushi stationary kit? ill double check the faq but i didnt think it was in there, if it is im sorry.

thanks.

it's okay i found the site on my own!:) here it is if anyone else is interested: http://www.kidolicious.com/frflsunode.html

finished!

[jinfae.livejournal.com]

check out my christmas presents this year:
http://www.geocities.com/idoeveryday//122303.html

Last Minute Xmas gift

[starsalone.livejournal.com]

So, I had decided a few days ago that I wouldn't have time to shop for a co-worker of mine, and decided to buy her a gift card. Today was my day off and I was bored, so around six p.m. I decided I wanted to make her christmas present.

( here are my results )

I know i didn't get close enough so you could see the details. a couple of them acceptable ones were far from perfect, but being a crafty person herself, i hope she'll at least appreciate the effort.

what do you guys think? this is actually my first "serious" crafting project.