As some of you know, I make craft videos for other companies…and this month is one of my faves- harvest napkin rings made from dried beans. I’ll tell you why. I love it because I straight-up stole this craft from my grandma. Yup, Grandma Helen was quite a crafter. And once upon a time, she made a WHOLE WREATH from dried beans and seeds. She made these little circles from recycled cardboard and then painstakingly glued little beans onto […]
Recycled Drink Lid Jellyfish Craft
As some of you may know, I have a *thing* for jellyfish- I love to watch them swim and float, and the seem pretty magical to me. Consequently, they pop up in crafts I do! This particular jellyfish craft features recycled materials (bubble or dome style drink tops), along with our old standbys bubble wrap and chenielle stems. Now this is a craft I created for Faber-Castell’s kid’s channel on YouTube. I make videos for them monthly, but my name […]
Recycle Craft: Cardboard Tube Drums
In my previous career as a Music Therapist, I came up with a number of crafty projects, and making musical instruments was my favorite! We were always working on a super-tight budget, with an eye toward recycling when we could, and making instruments that adults wouldn’t be embarrassed to play. One year, I came up with drums made of tubes and shrink wrap- and today, I’m sharing it with you! This is a great rainy day craft, scout craft, vacation […]
24 Ideas to Use Up Fabric Scraps
Another confession: I hoard fabric scraps. Sometimes is the color, sometimes it’s the texture, sometimes it’s just that it’s a bit of a piece of clothing or reminds me of something I can’t let go of yet. So I hold on to a ton of fabric scraps! Today, I have a ton of great ideas for using up fabric scraps- some from me, but a bunch from other talented crafters/bloggers/designers. SO many great ideas here! So…now are you […]
DIY Travel Accessories Tutorial
Thanks again to Fairfield World for sponsoring content on CTD. Please visit their site for more product information and free projects! As I was preparing my post about Poly Pellets and Micro Beads for Fairfield World, I got inspired to get out my machine and make a few things. I had a pair of my daughter’s old leggings and knew that the knit fabric would be great to recycle – so I created a travel neck pillow AND a stress/sleeping […]
Craft Countdown with Becky Striepe
My name is Becky Striepe (pronounced “stree-pee,” like “sleepy”), and I am a freelance writer and vegan crafter living in Atlanta, Georgia. My life’s mission is to make green crafting and vegan food accessible to everyone! 5 tools or supplies you can’t be without 1. Vintage buttons 2. Ric Rac 3. Fabric scissors 4. Burlap 5. A rainbow of thread colors 4 favorite sources of creative inspiration 1. Food and cooking – I love making […]
Recycle Craft: Faux Lampwork Paper Beads
Ok- Time for a show of hands- who here is a paper hoarder?? Don’t worry- you are among friends. No judgment here. I find that not only that sometimes to I have a hard time cutting into my favorite sheets of paper, but sometimes when I do, I can’t even toss the little baby scraps. I just love them and want to own them all!! But I’d drown in scraps if I didn’t find some ways of using them up….and […]
How-To: Fabric Flower Guest Book
This craft ran last year on CraftsUnleashed.com- but I thought you all might like to see it here on CTD. Get your fabric scrap ready, and make a guest book/open house/autograph book that will be a treasured keepsake! Yesterday I showed you how to use recycled fabric to make shabby-chic flowers. Today, I’m going to show you how a few of these blooms and some pearly accents can transform a standard guest book into a personalized centerpiece. You’ll need: Victoria […]
How-To: Recycled Fabric Flowers
This post originally ran on CraftsUnleashed.com last year- but I thought y’all might like it here, as well! Get your fabric scraps ready and craft it up! I love to be able to recycle- it means I can stretch my money and save more for my craft shopping! Well, this handy-dandy flower is made from recycled silk or taffeta (I got mine from a relative who sews prom gowns) but you could just as easily rip up an old […]
How-To: Luggage Accessories Using Recycled Neckties
It’s no secret- I love recycle/”green” crafts. There’s something about taking something that is headed for the garbage or donation bin and then transforming it into a new, useful or beautiful object. Today’s tutorial is both useful AND beautiful- we’re going to make luggage handle cozies and tags from old neckties- the wilder the print, the better! With these colorful accessories, you’ll never wonder, “Is that my luggage?” ever again! Let’s get to it! To make one set (a handle […]
“Green” Craft Tools: Recycled Scissors by X-Acto
Hello, Crafters! It’s Earth Week, and that means a special spotlight on a “green” or Earth-friendly tool or product is in order. So today, I’m turning my attention to X-Acto 9-inch Recycled Scissors. These scissors feature a green plastic handle that is made from recycled materials, and the blades are about 3.5 inches long. The overall length is about….8.5 inches! They must have rounded up. Here’s how they are described on the website: X-ACTO9” Recycled Scissors are crafted with the […]
Video Review: (Guitar) Pick Punch
Today’s review is a fun one for me- I’m reviewing the Pick Punch that my dear, sweet son bought me for Christmas last year. I geeked out when I saw it in a catalog because it’s a great way to reuse old bank cards, gift cards etc. And you all know that I love “green” crafts! For those of you who don’t know me in “real life,” I’ve played guitar since I was 14, and spent 15 years as a […]
“100 Days” Craft Idea
So, this is new to me: my kids celebrate the first 100 days of school. (We didn’t do this back in the day.) As a result, my first grader was required to bring in 100 items- anything, really- and display them for the class. The purpose is counting, I suppose. But I saw this as a crafter-tunity to use up some beads AND get my daughter making art! Since I recently thinned out my beading stash (yes, I am a […]
“Go Green” Linky Party!
I love crafts that use recycled materials- besides being economical, you get that “warm fuzzy feeling” that you are doing something positive for the environment. So this month, the Linky Party Theme is GO GREEN! Link up your best craft projects (up to three, please) that recycle, upcycle, or otherwise use items/materials that might be headed for the trash. I’m still gathering goodies to giveaway, but the prize pack will include a notebook by ecosystems, a bottle cutter by DiamondTech, […]
Guest Post: Christine Urias and “Wee Wonderfuls” Book Review
Hi!! My name is Christine and I am the Host of Scrap Time!! Today I am here at Craft Test Dummies to share a review with you on the book ‘Wee Wonderfuls’ by Hillary Lang! I love Handmade Dolls!! I had a pile of my daughter’s clothing and I though instead of giving it away, I would use the fabric to make my own dolls! I then came across this book, ‘Wee Wonderfuls‘ by Hillary Lang and I was immediately […]
Recycled Zipper Pulls and Luggage Tags
It’s a new school year and new backpacks and jackets have been purchased- but it’s only a matter of time before my kids yank the pulls right off of the zippers! So I’m getting the jump on repairs by making some fun, recycled ones that the kids can personalize. We’re building the base on an unlikely substrait- Formica samples from the home improvement store! You can pick a few up the next time you’re there, and if you ask nicely, […]
Recycled Necktie Coffee Cozies
Little known fact: my #1 search term that brings people to my blog is “Necktie Crafts.” Really. And I don’t know WHY I have such a fascination for old neckties…but well, I do. And here’s another craft to get you scouring your grandpa’s closet and thrift stores! These coffee cuffs are also a NO-SEW project- hurray! You can whip up a slew of these in a 1/2 hour or less…and all you need is neckties, Fabri-Tac, and a few embellishments. […]
Recycled Domino Craft on CraftsUnleashed
As many of you know, I’m the Editor over at www.CraftsUnleashed.com, the blog that ‘s sponsored by ConsumerCrafts. I got to post one of my favorite crafts over there, altered dominoes. I love reusing game pieces, and you only need a few supplies- some alcohol inks, a black ink pad, and stamps, plus some paper glaze for a top coat! You can turn your little mini works of art into magnets, pins, pendents, or small components for larger altered art […]
Kid’s Craft: Nature Prints with Solar Print Paper
Here at the Casa of Crafts we are trying to squeeze as much out of the rest of summer as we can; and while the sun is still shining brightly, we thought we’d try out some Solar Print paper as a fun science/nature craft. This quasi-educational project can be done over a few different stages, too. We started off by exploring our new yard and collecting leaves, stems, and flowers, and then trying to identify them all. We then pressed […]
Soldered Memory Glass Pendants
Jenny is teaching soldered glass memory charms at Grand River Beads in Rocky River, OH.
