BACKUP CRAFTY GIRL

Once again Sharpies are  the  go-to artistic product.  The ink is transparent and permanent and  creates a stunning effect on glass.  To make the stained glass plate in the picture above you will need: 1)   Glass plate -  If you'd like to make a stained glass plate like the one pictured above, you will place your picture face down onto the front of the plate so you can see your picture through to the backside and begin tracing.  You will be drawing onto the wrong side (back side of glass) so that the plate can be used to serve on. However, you may only want to use it for decoration and then it won't really matter what side you use to draw on. If you are going to make a candle holder , you will need a piece of glass that's open enough to  have a piece of paper inserted into it so you can draw your stained glass outline on the side that's facing out (more about where to get your images below). I like to buy my glass pieces at Dollar Tree, for ...

Learn how to make these gorgeous snowflakes at the link below, easy peasy, but oh so pretty!  I think I will make these for my neighborhood ornament exchange party. There are so many ways you can make snow flake ornaments, see pics below, have fun! Here is the video link: http://www.countryliving.com/diy-crafts/a37079/clothespin-christmas-ornaments/ Using spray paint to make the process a little easier and faster You can also purchase premade wooden ornaments (click the pic above) to save time!

If you would like to learn how to make a beautiful wire ring like the one pictured above, then watch this short video below given by Rachel Murgatroyd of Wire Guild. They look very elegant but are really very simple to make.  Imagine the possibilities!  (Warning:  this may become addicting).  What lovely gifts these rings make... Of course, the more you learn about making wire rings, the more advanced your projects can become. I would recommend starting with a simple ring and then moving along to more detailed ones (pictured below) in the future if you find that you enjoy working with wire. I will tell you that I have made quite a few of the simpler ones pictured above and have yet to try the more involved versions, although they are on my 'To Do' list!

I love handmade Christmas ornaments and I love the feeling I get when I see a beautiful old-fashioned Christmas scene. So that's why I decided to make my own Christmas ornaments by transferring a beautiful scene onto a piece of wood using a simple decoupage method. Decoupage is simply the art of adhering paper cutouts to another surface with a sealant like Mod Podge  (Matte Finish or you can buy their version of a photo transfer medium which works really, really well!). You can very easily make beautiful handmade ornaments like the ones pictured above (follow the directions below). Transferring images can be a pretty tricky business and there are many ways to do it.  Below is a video explaining how to transfer an image using a mixture of simple white school glue and water: You can make beautiful ornaments to decorate your own tree or you can make personalized ornaments for family, friends and neighbors. First, you need the supplies - they are: - a picture to transfer onto you...

The beautiful Japanese temari balls pictured above would be just the perfect centerpiece for a dining room table or, because of their meaning, you could make them into Christmas tree ornaments to give to family and friends. Traditionally, temari balls were made from the fabric of old kimonos.  In Japan, parents would wrap each temari ball with a small piece of paper containing a wish for a brilliant and happy life written on it.  They would give their children this gift on New Year's day.   The children would never know what the wish was.  The outside of the ball then be decorated with threads in a beautiful design. Sometimes a  temari ball  would be wrapped with a bell or rice grains to make noise, and it is said that they were wrapped so tightly that they could bounce. Temari balls are considered to be highly valued and treasured gifts that symbolize true friendship and loyalty.  The bright threads and colors used to create each unique temari ball a...