Diane's Country Cottage Crafts - Projects, Tips, Recipes

Diane's Country Cottage Crafts

Craft Projects, Craft Tips, Craft Recipes

I love to Craft all types of things. Here I would like to share some projects that you and some your children can do. I hope you enjoy them! If you have a craft project you would like posted here please e-mail me the directions and your name for credit. I will change these projects so come back and see what's NEW. Continue down the page to see Craft Tips and Craft Recipes

Projects
Fabric Angels
Materials: Fabric of any color or design, thread, metallic paper twist, lace, ribbon, pearl strings, craft wedding bands, ribbon rose, hot glue, stuffing.

This is a easy project. These are nice for tree decorations or gift decorations.

Cut (1) 8" circle from fabric. Sew lace around circle. Put a small amount of stuffing in center of circle. Using a piece of thread, tie the material to make a head. Tie a piece of ribbon around neck making a bow in front.

Cut a 6" piece of paper twist. Unfold paper twist, pinch together in middle using thread tie around center to hold together. Glue to back of Angel at neck. Cover thread with ribbon rose or ribbon bow. If you didn't glue ribbon rose to back glue it to front bow. Glue a halo, using pearls, or wedding band onto the head. Sew a small loop of thread or ribbon to the back of the Angel to hang her by.

Paper Twist Heart
Materials: Paper twist (2 coordinating colors), large paper clip, 1/8" wide ribbon, Silk craft leaves, ribbon rose, pearl stems, craft wire or twist tie, hot glue gun.
This is a easy project. Makes a nice gift package decoration and Christmas ornament.
Cut 2 pieces 21" long of each color paper twist. Using large paper clip hold one end of two colors together. Twist (like braiding) the 2 colors together. Shape into a heart shape, the cut ends are the top center of heart and curve down into the center. Using craft wire tie all ends together about 1 1/2" from end. Glue silk leaves over wire, glue pearl stems on next, Cut 1 piece 1/8" ribbon 20" long. Cut 1 piece 1/8" ribbon 7" long. Using longer length, lay ribbon back and fourth to shape into bow with 6 loops (three each side). Using short length, tie around center of bow. Glue to heart. Glue ribbon rose on top. Make a hanger out of ribbon and attach to back.
Using silk holly leaves and bells are nice for a Christmas theme. Also group 3 hearts together at various lengths and make into a wall decoration.

Cinnamon Scented Candles
Materials: 5 long tapered candles. Large clean vegtable can, Large pan, Pot holder, old paint brush, wax paper, cinnamon.

This is easy and makes and wonderful gift. Great to give a hostess or co-worker.
Fill pan part way with water. Place clean can inside pan, if pan has too much water drain out some water. Heat water. Break one candle and place in the can. Add about 2 tablespoones cinnamon. When candle is melted, remove pan from heat. Working over wax paper, hold end of new candle and brush on melted candle and cinnamon. Handle carefully. When candle is covered with melted wax place on wax paper to finish cooling. If wax hardens in can return to heat to remelt.
This was shared by Toodie on my message board.

Cheese Cloth Ghosts
Materials: Cheese cloth, styrofoam ball, pony bead, thread or yarn, needle, awl or knitting needle.
Cut cheese cloth into a circle the size you want your ghost. Place styrofoam ball in center of circle. Make a hole through styroform ball using awl or knitting needle. Thread needle, Tie thread to bead (this will keep thread from going through styrofoam ball),insert threaded needle with bead through hole in styrofoam ball and cheese cloth, knot at top of ghost, leave enough thread or yarn to hand your ghost. You can paint black eyes with tulip paint if you want.
Colors of God - Keychain
Materials: Satin cording, Pony Beads, Split ring

This is a easy project. Kids like to do this. Great for VBS or gift.
Measure satin cording to 17", fold cording in half. Attach cording to split ring by placing placing cording inside ring and pull tails of cording thru folded loop of cording, pull. (not to tightly) Place beads on in order of verse with a clear bead between each colored bead. Tie off end close to last bead. You can also make this project into a bracelet without the clear beads. Using the verse below make a small card and attach to keychain for gift.

Verse: Colors of God
Red is for the blood HE gave.
Green is for the grass HE made.
Yellow is for HIS sun so bright.
Orange is for the edge of night.
Black is for the sins we made.
White is for the grace HE gave.
Purple is for HIS hour of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.

EGG shaker noise maker
Materials: Plastic Easter egg(any size), Acrylic craft paint, Dimensional paint, Spray clear acrylic, Paint brush, Glue, Popcorn

This is a easy project. A great project for kids.
Adult supervision recommended for young children. Fill small half of egg with some popcorn kernals. Glue both ends of egg together. Let dry. Decorate outside of egg with paint. Let dry. Spray with clear acrylic. When dry let kids shake and make music.

Edible Crystals
Kids like this project, they get to watch the crystals grow and eat them when they are done.
Materials: Clear glass, 1/2 cup water, 1 cup sugar, clean string, clean paper clip, pencil.
Attach string to center of pencil, and attach paper clip to other end of string. Pour 1/2 cup water into a pan. Add 1 cup of sugar to water. Heat the mixture over a low temperature until the sugar dissolves. Do not stir; Pour warm syrup into glass and hang weighted string into syrup with pencil resting across top of glass. Let stand at room temperature. Place glass on windowsill that get's sunlight. In about one week large crystals will begin to form. (Break the crust for water to evaporate.)

More Edible Crystals
My son's school uses this recipe
Materials: Clear glass, granular cane sugar, crafts sticks, plastic disc or lid, wooden spoon, sauce pan, measuring cups.
1. Make a tiny slit in the center of the plastic disc. Push wooden sick through the hole in the disc, make sure it is secure.Set the disc on top of the drinking glass. Adjust stick so that the dnd inside the glass is about 1 inch from the bottom of the glass. 2. Measure 2 2/3 cups of sugar and set aside. Measure 1 cup water and pour it into sauecpan, bring water to a boil. Turn heat don to medium and add the sugar. (A couple drops of food coloring will give your crystals color) Stir the mixture with wooden spoon for 10-15 minutes until all the sugar has dissolved and solution looks clear. Remove from heat and cool for at least 1/2 hour, stirring from time to time. 3. When solution has cooled, remove the disc with the stick from the glass and pour the solution into the glass. Fill to 1 inch from the top. Discard the rest of solution or make a second edible crystal experiment. Replace the disc and make sure to position the stick as before. Put the glass in a safe place where it won't be distrubed. Crystals will start to grow in 1 - 2 days. Let crystals grow for at least one week before you eat. (Larger crystals will grow if you place two pencils under the disc to allow better evaporation.)
If you would like to print out the directions for the projects click on your print option on your browser. If you have any questions about the instructions, send me a E-mail with details of your question. I will get back to you.
If you have any projects you would like featured here E-mail me the details, your name (to give you the credit) and your site location.

Tip

Never use your good scissors to cut paper.

To remove labels from plastic containers, heat with hairdryer and peel off.
Do not overheat!

Put glue sticks in freezer before using, it cut down on the strings.

Use a fabric disappearing marker to write your verse on your tole project. If you don't like it, use a slightly damp cloth to wipe off ink. Rewrite your mesaage. Using paint or your writing marker write your message over the disappearing ink.

Alcohol free baby wipes are good for cleaning rubber stamps.

Have your child rubber stamp or color a small brown or white paper bag to make a inexpensive gift wrap bag.

Fill a clean empty 2oz. paint bottle with water to thin your paint with clean water.

Tole painters use Painters or Zig woodcraft markers for writing your message on wood and for your detail lines. Zig has a extra fine point. These don't smear or bleed like permanent markers do.

Empty baby wipe containers make very inexpensive and nice storage boxes for craft supplies, household pencils and pens, camping utensils, small sized children's toys, video games. Take off the label using the tip above and decorate or boxes.

Use empty film canisters to store embossing powder, glitter, small beads, vegtable seeds.

You can use plastic stencils like the brass ones to emboss. Mix embossing, stenciling and rubber stamping together on a card for a unique and beautiful look.

Write paint color on top of bottle to read name at a glance. A dot of color on top is also useful.

Try using baby wipes to get the crayon off the walls your cutie pie colored.

Too many keys on your key ring. Color code them with nail polish

Tie a small piece of colored yarn on the toes of socks for easy sorting. Give each household member a different color.

Cut the top off a 8-9 pound powdered laundry soap box, clean out inside, decorate box with left over self-adhesive wall paper or shelf liner or anything you like. This is the perfect size for storing those craft and tole painting magazines.

Recipes

White Bread Dough

1 - 2 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 tablespoon white glue

Tear bread slices into tiny pieces into a bowl. Add the white glue to the bread crumbs and mix with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened. Now, roll a bit of the mix between your fingers to check its consistency (this will vary depending on the dryness of your bread) If it feels very wet or too gummy to roll into a ball, tear up and mix in a little more bread. Knead for 1 to 2 minutes. Dough should become elastic and satiny. Mold into shape. If dough gets dry while molding, dip finger in water to moisten. This dough will dry to a porcelain like smoothness. This is great for making earrings, buttons, beads or tiny figurines. To add a hard, semigloss finish, mix equal parts of water and white glue and brush on several coats. Air dry 1 to 3 days.

Uncooked Playdough

1 cup cold water
1 cup salt
2tsp vegetable oil
3 cups flour
Tempera paint or food coloring

Mix water, salt, oil and enough paint to make bright colors. Gradually work flour and cornstarch to consistency of bread dough. Store in airtight container.

Cooked Play Clay

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Food coloring (optional)

Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture holds together keep mixing or it will stick to the bottom of the pan). When clay is cool enough to touch, knead it on a floured board. This clay has a long drying time so it works like play dough, but sculptures will dry in 3 to 5 days. Stored in an airtight container, dough will last for 2 to 4 weeks.

Paper Mache Paste

1 cup water
1/4 cup flour
5 cups ligtly boiling water

Mix flour into 1 cup water until mixture is thin and runny, stir into boiling water. Gently boil and stir for about 3 minutes. Cool before using.
(Use with newspaper/newsprint strips for paper mache)

Whipped Snow

2 cups warm water
1 cup pure laundry soap or flakes
Electric mixer

Put water and soap in large bowl and beat with mixer until very fluffy. Add food coloring if desired. This can be molded into shapes and left to dry.
Idea: Shape into 3 different sized balls. When dry, glue together to make a snowman.

Tips working with Homemade Clays

If the dough gets too dry, revitalize it with a few drops of water; if it becomes too sticky, knead in more flour or cornstarch.
While working, cover any extra dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap to prevent clay from drying.
To add color to the dough, knead in food coloring. for more vibrant colors, use cake-decorating coloring paste.
To join two pieces of clay, dab a drop of water on the surface to be joined, then press the two pieces together firmly. If the pieces come apart when the sculpture is dry, reattach with white glue.
When dry, most doughs can be painted with acrylics. For best results, apply one layer of white paint as a primer, let dry, then apply colored paints.

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