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Napkin Ring Craft for Creativity Connection

November 15, 2016

Napkin Ring Craft for Creativity Connection

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 […]

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Posted in Thanksgiving/Fall Crafts | Leave a Comment

Recycled Drink Lid Jellyfish Craft

August 2, 2016

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 […]

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Posted in Recycled & Green | Leave a Comment

Recycle Craft: Cardboard Tube Drums

January 26, 2016

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 […]

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Posted in Kids Stuff, Recycled & Green | 1 Comment

24 Ideas to Use Up Fabric Scraps

April 22, 2015

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 […]

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Posted in Fabric Crafts, Giveaways, Recycled & Green | 28 Comments

DIY Travel Accessories Tutorial

March 30, 2015

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 […]

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Posted in Fabric Crafts, Recycled & Green, Sponsored Posts | Leave a Comment

Craft Countdown with Becky Striepe

April 18, 2013

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 […]

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Posted in Crafty People & Places | Leave a Comment

Recycle Craft: Faux Lampwork Paper Beads

April 16, 2013

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 […]

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Posted in Beads/Jewelry Projects, Craft Projects, Recycled & Green | 5 Comments

How-To: Fabric Flower Guest Book

June 19, 2012

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 […]

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Posted in Baby & Shower Crafts, Craft Projects, Fabric Crafts, Holidays/Themes, Wedding & Shower Crafts, Wedding Crafts | 1 Comment

How-To: Recycled Fabric Flowers

June 18, 2012

  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 […]

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Posted in Craft Projects, Fabric Crafts, Recycled & Green | 1 Comment

How-To: Luggage Accessories Using Recycled Neckties

April 18, 2012

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 […]

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Posted in Craft Projects, Fabric Crafts, Father's Day Crafts, Holidays/Themes, Recycled & Green | 6 Comments

“Green” Craft Tools: Recycled Scissors by X-Acto

April 17, 2012

“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 […]

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Posted in Craft Product Reviews, Crafty Tools, Paper Crafts | 1 Comment

Video Review: (Guitar) Pick Punch

April 10, 2012

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 […]

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Posted in Craft Product Reviews, Crafty Tools, Paper Crafts, Recycled & Green | 1 Comment

“100 Days” Craft Idea

February 17, 2012

“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 […]

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Posted in Beads/Jewelry Projects, Craft Projects, Kids Stuff, Recycled & Green | 5 Comments

“Go Green” Linky Party!

April 2, 2011

“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, […]

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Posted in Jenny Sez | 18 Comments

Guest Post: Christine Urias and “Wee Wonderfuls” Book Review

March 28, 2011

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 […]

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Posted in Books, Magazines, Events, Craft Product Reviews | Leave a Comment

Recycled Zipper Pulls and Luggage Tags

August 31, 2010

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, […]

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Posted in Craft Projects, Kids Stuff, Paper Crafts, Recycled & Green | 9 Comments

Recycled Necktie Coffee Cozies

April 14, 2010

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. […]

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Posted in Craft Projects, Fabric Crafts, Father's Day Crafts, Holidays/Themes, Recycled & Green | 11 Comments

Recycled Domino Craft on CraftsUnleashed

April 9, 2010

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 […]

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Posted in Craft News, Craft Projects, Recycled & Green | 1 Comment

Kid’s Craft: Nature Prints with Solar Print Paper

August 21, 2009

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 […]

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Posted in Craft Product Reviews, Craft Projects, Kids Stuff, Paper Crafts, Paper Crafts, Recycled & Green | 9 Comments

Soldered Memory Glass Pendants

March 29, 2009

Soldered Memory Glass Pendants

Jenny is teaching soldered glass memory charms at Grand River Beads in Rocky River, OH.

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Posted in Beads/Jewelry Projects, Craft Projects, Holidays/Themes, Mother's Day Crafts, Recycled & Green | Leave a Comment

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Hi! I’m Jenny, the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS and the Head Dummy behind CraftTestDummies.com where you’ll find craft product reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news.

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Jenny Barnett Rohrs is Head Dummy and Pied Piper behind CTD, which focuses on reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news. Jenny has appeared on HSN, Scrapbook Soup PBS series, and is currently the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS.

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Copyrighted Content Permission All images and tutorials on this blog are copyrighted material. Please contact me if you would like to borrow any media (photos, video or audio files), tutorials, or ideas from this blog. 99% of the time I would be happy to allow you to use one photo with appropriate credit and link back to CraftTestDummies.com (preferably to the same post it was borrowed from.)
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