How to make Floral Washcloth Soap

Sometimes you need a homemade gift that isn't too over the top - a token housewarming gift for a new neighbour, perhaps; a little something to say you care, or a small pick-me-up for someone in need of good cheer.

This little craft project fits the bill; it also makes a nice bazaar craft for funddraising at your school or church. If you don't have the supplies on hand, a quick trip to the dollar store will get all you need at very little cost.

What You Will Need:

1.two washcloths - one white, one colored

2.bar of soap

3.one main silk flower with leaves, plus a few sprigs of delicate floral accents such as baby's breath

4.thin ribbon

5.hot glue and glue sticks

Project Instructions:

1. Lay the white washcloth on a table. Fold the left side over an inch or so, then double over again, and once again if required, until the folded side meets the center of the washcloth. Repeat with the right side.

2. Fold the colored washcloth in the same manner as the white one, but make it about about one inch narrower from side to side .

3. Place the soap in the center of the folded white washcloth - the sides of the washcloth should be even with the sides of the soap. Fold the bottom edge of the washcloth up to meet the top edge, enclosing the bar of soap in the middle.

4. Fold the colored washcloth over the white washcloth, as shown in our photo.

5. Secure the soap in the middle of the washcloths by tying thin ribbon around the washcloths, just above the soap. Tie the ribbon in a small bow, leaving the two ends to trail down.

6. Use just a small amount of hot glue to secure your choice of small floral accents, such as baby's breath, in the center of the ribbon bow. Don't use too much hot glue; if the glue spills over onto the washcloth it will be very hard to remove.

7. Finally, use another spot of hot glue to secure your main flower to the smaller floral accents.

How to make Floral Air Freshener

Floral Air FreshenerSupplies:

1.round air freshener in a plastic casing
2.small piece of pregathered lace trim
3.silk carnation or similar silk flower
4.baby's breath or similar small floral decorations
5.narrow ribbon to make a bow
6.glue gun and glue sticks

Project Instructions:

1. If the air freshener has a clear plastic wrapping, remove the wrapper. Heat up the glue gun and glue the pregathered lace trim around the top of the air freshener, so that the edge of the lace is lined up around the edge of the air freshener. Apply glue only to the top of the lace, which will be hidden by the flower.

2. Center the carnation on top of the lace and glue in place.

3. Glue one or two sprigs of baby's breath, or other small silk flowers, under one section of the carnation.

4. Make a bow from thin ribbon, and glue the bow just underneath the baby's breath.

How to make Reverse Decoupage Angel Plate

What You Will Need:

1.Clear Glass Plate

2.Paper Doily (to fit plate)

3.Victorian Cut Out Art

4.Clear Drying Craft Glue or Decoupage Medium [if using craft glue, mix together

5.one part water to one part glue for easier application]

6.Gold Glass Paint

7.Rubbing Alcohol or White Vinegar

8.Window

CleanerCraft Instructions:

Select a Victorian angel image for this project. You can find Victorian cut out art in craft stores, but you could also use pictures cut from calendars or magazines providing you take care to cut out the image cleanly and immerse the picture in a bowl of water to relax it before using.

Wash the glass plate with soap and water and rinse well. Dry completely and wipe with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar to remove any oil residue from your fingers. Apply an even coat of decoupage medium or craft glue to the entire underside of your plate.

Note:

If you are using craft glue to decoupage this project, mix the white glue with an equal amount of water and mix together thoroughly before proceeding.

Place your cut out image as shown, right side down, at the center of your plate and apply another coat of medium to the back of your cut out, pressing out any air bubbles that may have formed. Immediately place a paper doily, again with right side down, on the top of your cut out and apply another even coat of medium over the entire doily. Press out any air bubbles.

Set the plate aside to dry completely. Once the medium is completely dry, dampen a paper towel with window cleaner and use it to wipe away any medium residue that has adhered to the clear glass area only. If you don't remove this excess glue, the paint finish may be a little foggy when viewing from the right side of the plate. Be careful not to disturb the edges of your doily when removing the glue.

Once again, wipe the clear glass area only with alcohol or white vinegar and allow to dry. Apply an even coat of gold paint to the entire underside area of your plate. Allow the paint to dry and apply additional coats as necessary. Two to three coats of paint should be fine. Be sure to allow each coat of paint to dry before applying the next.

Although this plate cannot be immersed in water, the top can be wiped clean, so it's the perfect compliment to any tea service or simply to hang as a decorative accent.

How to make Decoupage Christmas Lightbulb Ornament

Supplies you will need:
1.burned out light bulb
2.mullberry paper (you can substitute tissue paper or wrapping paper if you prefer)
3.Christmas florals and greenery
4.small Christmas decorations, including small artificial apples and pine cones
5.thin ribbon
6.fishing line or transparent thread
7.hot glue gun
8modge podge - shiny or matt finish

Inatruction:

1. Make sure the light bulb is clean. Wipe with rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner to make sure the glue will stick properly.

2. Tear paper in small shapes and decoupage it onto your bulb, using at least two layers. It is not necessary to allow drying time between layers. When the bulb is completely covered, decoupage your ribbon starting at one side of the bulb, round the bottom and up the other side. Use two pieces of ribbon, wrapping the bulb like a package. Set aside to let dry completely before adding decorations.

3. Cut pieces of Christmas greenery, all about the same size, and hot glue these them around the top, hiding the threaded stem of the bulb completely. A six foot Christmas swag or garland provides enough greenery for many light bulb decorations.

4. Accent the greenery with pine cones, miniature apples, tiny Christmas packages, or whatever small decorations you have on hand.

5. Finally, cut a piece of fishing line to make a loop as long as needed for the bulb to hang from your tree. Knot the loop and hot glue it to the metal part of the light bulb.

Tips:

There are many things you can do with this craft. If you like sparkles, try sprinkling glitter on the paper when it is still wet, or spray the entire ornament with glitter spray to give it a little extra zing. Gold webbing can also be sprayed on for a vintage look.You might also like to try a monochrome theme, using paper, florals, leaves and decorations in various shades of a single color.

How to Decoupage Terra Cotta Pots

Decoupage is an easy craft technique that can be used very effectively on terra cotta pots or plastic pot sleeves. Because it is so simple to do, decoupage offers endless decorating possibilities.

In this project, we used paper napkins with an Easter egg theme, but you could use similar techniques to decorate a plant pot for any special occasion, or to suit the plant you have growing in it, or the decor of a particular room.

Plastic plant pot sleeves, of course, have the advantage of being easily removed or rotated to suit each season and will last longer because they don't have direct contact with moisture from the growing plant. Decoupage Plant Pots and Pot Sleeves

Craft Supplies:

1.terra cotta pot or plastic plant pot sleeve

2.decorative paper napkins, magazine pictures, gift wrap, wallpaper, seed packets, old postage stamps, or fabric

3.decoupage medium, either gloss or matte finish or white glue thinned with an equal amount of water

4.foam paint brush or soft bristle paint brushoptional: craft paint or spray paint
Decoupage PotsCraft Instructions:

1. Wash the pot or pot sleeve and let dry thoroughly. If desired, base coat the pot or the pot sleeve in a paint color that will work well under your chosen decoupage material. The base color - either the original or the paint - will show through most paper napkin decoupage projects. You should therefore use a white pot sleeve, or paint your pot in a light color, if the original color will dull the final finish. For our project, the medium brown plastic pot sleeve was fine without paint. The base color is also less likely to show through thicker decoupage materials, such as magazine pages or some fabrics.

2. Cut or tear around the motifs that you wish to decoupage on the pot. If you want a central motif that will not be overlapped with other designs, then cut or tear around it, then cut or tear lots of other colored background pieces. Vary the size of the decoupage pieces for the best effect.Our project was completed using only egg shapes, or partial egg shapes, cut from one Easter theme paper napkin.

3. When working with paper napkins, usually the top printed layer of the napkin is carefully separated from the other layers and only the printed layer is used for decoupage. However, in this case, both layers of a two-ply napkin were used together for each egg shape.

4. Begin decoupaging by spreading a thin layer of decoupage medium over a portion of the plant pot or sleeve. Cut a straight line at the bottom of the first paper shape and align it at the bottom of the pot or sleeve, overlapping the bottom rim just a little. Press the paper down with your fingers, gently curving it over the rim. Coat the entire piece with decoupage medium, or thinned white glue, using the paint brush to carefully smooth it into place.

5. Continue adding more pieces, overlapping each piece as you go. Treat the pieces at the top of a plant pot sleeve in the same way as you did the bottom; cut the paper piece close to the rim, but overlap the rim a little and stick the overlap down on the inside of the pot.On a plant pot that will be filled with moist soil, take the decoupage only to the rim, but trim it off without overlapping to the inside.

6. Once the pot or pot sleeve is completely covered, paint on one or two more coats of decoupage medium and let dry.

Suggestions:

Before decoupaging, consider sealing all surfaces of a terra cotta pot with polyurethane sealer or patio paint to protect the decoupage finish from moisture.Use decorative-edging scissors to cut out the decoupage pieces for a unique effect.

How to make Pumpkin Tea Lights

Here's a Halloween candle craft that you can use to light the dinner table on Halloween night, or to illuminate a side table with a slight orange glow. Pumpkin tea lights are so cheap and easy to make that you may want to paint several extra for the windowsill, so the candlelight can be viewed from outside the house as well.

Material:

1.Canning jar, recycled glass jar or drink glass (I used a drinking glass)

2.Orange and Black Paint (acrylic enamel or glass paint)

3.Sea Sponge

4.Votive or tea light

5. candlePaint Brush

How to:

A regular jar or glass can be used for this project. Begin by painting your jar with a sea sponge, by gently patting orange paint over the entire outside surface of the jar. A regular sponge will work but the effect will not be quite as nice as you will get from a sea sponge when the jar is illuminated.

Allow the paint to dry and follow paint manufacturer's instructions, if heat setting the paint is required.Paint a face on the jar with black paint.

Here's where you can get a little creative, and add a different character to each jar. See our face photos for ideas to get you started; small differences in the shape of the eyes, noses, or mouth can alter each tea light significantly. Practice drawing a few faces on paper until you create a design you like, then copy it to the jar.

To add a little extra to your design, paint fine lines with black paint around the jar, representing the natural segment lines on a pumpkin. Be careful not to overdo this; faint, slightly uneven lines that are not all alike look best.Insert a tealight or votive candle into your glass and you're all done!

How to Make Cookie Cutter Floating Candles

Supplies:
1.metal cookie cutters
2.play dough or any inexpensive clay
3.wick
4.wax (you could recycle old candles, as I did, for this project)
5.tin can
6.popsicle sticks or pencils

Cookie Cutter Floating CandlesInstructions:

1. Start by taking a tin can and squeezing the can in a little so you will form a spout to pour out the wax. Place in some chunks of wax. I used some wax from a collection of used candles. Take a pot of water (just a little bit of water is needed), and then place the can in the pot of water and start melting until all the chunks are melted.

2. While you're waiting for the wax to melt, take the clay and roll it out flat, about a 1/2 inch thick and wide enough that you can place your cookie cutter in the middle.

3. Place a cookie cutter in the center of the clay. Press it in, so that indents the clay but doesn't go all the way throught it. Take a piece of wick and stick it in the middle of the cookie cutter so that the wick sticks in the clay a little. Now place the popsicle over the cookie cutter (see photo), near the wick, so it will prop the wick up straight.

4. Pour the wax in the cookie cutter on top of the clay, almost to the top.

5. The hardest part now is to wait for the wax to set, which takes about 45 minutes. When set, remove the cookie cutter from the clay - the cool thing is it doesn't stick to the clay. I was so excited, I couldn't wait to get them out of the metal cookie cutter, so I popped them in the freezer. This was great, because they shrank a little and popped right out. Now get your glass bowl, fill with water, and enjoy your floating candles!

Caution:

Wax is a flammable substance and, as such, should be handled with care. Do NOT reheat or melt wax if doing so poses a fire hazard for you. Never leave a child alone with a lit candle or hot melted wax. A lit candle is potentially very dangerous; never leave a lit candle unattended. We are not responsible for any accidents or mishaps that occur if you choose to do this craft. Please be alert, use common sense, and keep yourself and others safe from harm!

How to make Recycled Pop Bottle Candle Holders

This is truly a Trash to Treasure recycling project - you get two candle holders from each recycled pop bottle!
Pop Bottle Candle HoldersSupplies:
1.20oz soda bottle (I used diet Pepsi)
2.Exacto knife
3.Scissors
4.Model car or airplane paint
5.Thin ribbon
6.silk or dried flowers
Pop Bottle CandleholdersInstructions:

1. Take the paper label off a 20 oz diet Pepsi bottle.

2. You will see a line towards the bottom of the bottle with swishes like icicles hanging down. Carefully make a small cut with the exacto knife along the top of this line, then finish cutting with scissors to make a nice straight edge all around. 2. The bottom section will be used as a candle cup. Paint with the model paint in gold and then when dry, paint with white the icicles hanging down. Insert a glass candle votive and a tea candle to complete this candle holder.

3. On the top section, find the line with swishes going up. Cut around that line with the exacto knife and finish off with your scissors. I didn't add a bottom as the tall candles stayed right at the neck and stood up straight because of the round bottom. Paint with the gold paint then let dry. Tie a little ribbon at the neck, with a bow and add some dry or silk flowers. Viola - two candle holders recycled from the trash and made into treasure!

Caution:

Never leave children alone with candles - and never leave a candle unattended while burning. Please use candles safely!

How to Make a Rhinestone Studded Candle

Pretty up a store bought pillar candle with rhinestone studded hearts for a personal, homemade gift perfect for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day.

Rhinestone Pillar CandleMaterials List:

1.White or off-white candle, 4 or 6 inches tall
2.red rhinestones, 1/8"

3.stud

4.coverspaper heart shape

Rhinestone Studded Heart CandleInstructions:

Print and cut out the heart pattern on this page, or use any paper heart shape that is the size and shape that you would like. Place it where you want the heart motif to be on the candle and use a pencil to press small dots around the heart spaced wide enough apart to accomodate the rhinestones.

The stud covers are those that we all use to put on our pants and the back of jackets. The stud covers have four little teeth and the rhinestones are like a jewel with a silver flat back.

Place a rhinestone inside one of the stud covers and press into one of the dots that you pressed into the candle. Continue doing this until you have rhinestones placed all around the heart shape. Make more heart shapes all around the candle. Burn the candle down the middle to prevent the studs from falling off. Once the candle has burned down in the middle sufficiently, consider filling the hole with a tea light candle, which you can then replace when it has burned down. In this way, you can preserve your personalized rhinestone pillar candle for a much longer time.

Caution:

Candles should never be used by children, or left unattended while burning.

How to make Picket Fence Light Switch Plate

Craft Project Supplies:

1.9 popcicle sticks

2.Old pair of scissors

3.White paint

4.gold paint or brown

5Green paint

6.Hot glue or modeling glue

7.Small silks flowers (or small wooden flowers would be perfect)

8.Clear enamelLight switch plate

Picket Fence Switchplate Instructions:

I painted my switch plate white (shown above), but I think green would be better, as it will show the fence better. Here are two photos of the picket fence switchplate done by a reader; aren't they pretty with .a green base?

Paint the switchplate in your base color and set aside.

Note:

Now I screwed my switch plate on and then I glued my fence on, but it is safer to drill some holes in the fence to accomodate the switchplate screws, then glue the fence to the switchplate (leaving the screw holes accessible) then paint as directed. Please be very careful when working around electricity and work safely when you do your crafts!

Cut the tips of the popcicle sticks in an arrow at the top, making sure that all 7 sticks are even. With the 4th stick, cut the popcicle stick so that the switch is avaliable; the 4th stick will be cut so a little is showing on the bottom of the switch and the point is up to the top and the middle is cut out. Cut the 2 remaining sticks so they hang across the top and the bottom of the 7 sticks. Cut the tips off on both sides.

Line up your 7 sticks closely together making sure the space for the switch is available. Take the last 2 sticks and glue them across the 7 sticks, one at the top and one at the bottom, look at the picture for a guide line.

Paint your fence white, let dry and with a dry brush, brush on some gold paint or brown. just a little for a rustic effect.

Glue on some flowers and with a very thin brush, paint on some vines. Spray with enamel to preserve. Enjoy !

How to make Recycled Hanging Jar Lanterns

Hanging Jar LampSupplies:

1.Jar (any jar with a rim will work)

2.Heavy wire (wire coat hangers are great for this)

3.Sea salt or sandM

4.Candle (suitable for jar size)Wire cutters Pliers

Hanging Jar LanternsHow to:

• Begin by measuring the amount of wire required to fit your jar of choice. To do this wrap a piece of wire around the rim of the jar, loop it up for the length of the handle and back down to the wire (see Photo Diagram 3). Leave 1 inch more of the required amount of wire and cut the wire.



• With your pliers, create a very small loop in each end of the wire (see Photo Diagram 1). Don't pinch the loop completely closed, as you will need to feed the wire through the loop a little later.



• Insert the wire through the loop (see Photo Diagram 2).

• With your pliers pinch the loop that is holding the wire tightly, to keep the wire handle from slipping out of the loop.








• Attach the other loop to wire, opposite the connection for first loop. Again, with your pliers, pinch the second loop closed.

• Slip the ring that you have formed (See Photo Diagram 2) over the rim of your jar and secure the ring in place by pulling tightly on the wire and bending the wire upward to create your handle. This is where it is very important to use a heavy wire. Lighter wires will slip and not remain secure on your jar rim.
  
  
• Now that you have created your hanger, simply pour a little sea salt or sand inside your jar, place a candle in the jar and you are all done.

How to Make Unique Wedding Candle Favors

Supplies:
1.mason jars
2.seasonal candy
3.raffia
4.tapered candle

Candy Jar CandlesInstructions:

1.Canning jars display a playful glow when holding a white taper candle nestled in holiday candy.

2.For a delightful presentation, place a clear cellophane bag in the jar. Fill the bag halfway with wrapped or unwrapped candles and secure with a twist tie.

3.Use raffia to tie a candle to the outside of the jar.

How to Make Canning Jar Wedding Candles

Wedding Jar CandlesSupplies:
1.wide-mouth mason jars or any brand of canning jars
2.glass votive candle holders
3.wide wire-edged ribbon
4.chunky potpourri
5.short pillar candle
6.small silk or dried flowers
7.small sprig of baby's breath
8.small length of 1" pregathered lace
9.craft glue or hot glue
10.spray paint

Wedding Jar CandlesHow to:

1. Spread potpourri on sheets of newspaper and spray liberally with silver spray paint. Allow to dry, turn potpourri, then spray again to cover any bare spots.

2. When potpourri is completely dry, add it to the canning jar.

3. Cut a length of 1" pregathered lace to fit around the neck of the jar with a half inch overlap. Glue the lace in place around the bottom of the jar neck, so that the lace rests on the "shoulders" of the jar and the overlap appears at the front of the jar.

4. Place the glass votive candle holder in the mouth of the jar.

5. Fasten a wire edged ribbon around the threaded neck of the jar, allowing the top edge of the ribbon to overlap the glass votive by about a quarter of an inch. Tie a bow at the front of the jar, covering the overlap on the lace.

6. Glue on a small sprig of baby's breath, then your choice of ribbon roses, silk or dried flowers.

7. Finally, position the candle in the votive candle holder.

Variations:

- Consider adding wedding charms or small silver bells to the flower decoration.

- Vary the color scheme to suit other anniversaries

- do a search on Google to find traditional wedding anniversary colors for each year.- Instead of potpourri, consider alternative fillings for your wedding candles

- spray paint seashells, or simply fill the jar with an elegant pick of white silk flowers nestled in a spray of silver leaves. Pretty glass marbles in white or mother of pearl, available in most dollar stores, would also look very nice.

How to make Baby Shoe Floral Decoration Craft

You Will Need:

1.baby shoe
2.thin ribbon
3.small bunch of silk flowers
4.small piece of styrofoam or floral foam
5.rubbing alcohol
6.crackle medium
7.acrylic craft paint
8.optional - rub on decals

Baby Shoe Floral DecorationInstructions:

1. Remove the shoelace from the baby shoe and wipe the outside with rubbing alcohol. Let dry - it shouldn't take longer than a minute or two.

2. Paint the entire outside of the shoe in a color that you want to see as the "crackle" color. I used mauve, although it is difficult to see in the photo. Let dry, then apply the crackle medium and let dry until is tacky to touch. At this point, apply the top coat of paint. Now the magic begins! You will start to see the bottom color peeking through the top coat in a series of fine cracks - this is often known as an "antique" crackle finish. Let the crackle finish dry.

3. Lace up the baby shoe with a thin ribbon that coordinates with your choice of flowers.

4. Glue a small square of styrofoam or florist's foam in the inside of the shoe, near the heel. Let the glue dry, then push the stems of your flowers into the foam block.

5. Optional - if desired, add rub-on decals to each side of the shoe. Enjoy!

How to make Petite Demitasse Topiary

Use a pretty demitasse cup as the inspiration for this rose topiary in a teacup. Choose flowers to match the cup design, and assemble the complete topiary in one to two hours, for a unique decorative home accent.

Demitasse TopiaryMATERIALS NEEDED:

STYROFOAM* Brand Products:Balls, 1-1/2" and 2"

Other Materials:

Demitasse cup, with or without saucer

Silk flowers, assorted small flowers to match cup

Silk flower stem, 6" length (model used rose stem)

Ribbon, 1/2 yd x 5/8", wire edge

Green moss

Scissors

Wire cutters

Low temperature glue gun and glue sticks

Demitasse TopiaryInstructions:

1.Insert and glue 1" of silk flower stem in 1-1/2" ball.

2. Cut flowers from stems and glue to 1-1/2" ball; continue until ball is covered.

3. Place 2" ball in cup; if needed, flatten sides to fit. Flatten top of ball so it's level with rim of cup. Glue in place.

4. Insert and glue 1-1/2" of flower stem in foam ball in cup.

5. Cover foam base with green moss.

6. Make two-loop bow with center knot. Secure with floral wire. Wire bow to the topiary stem, under center front of ball; glue in place.

How to Make a Glass Slipper Floral Decoration

Glass SlipperWhat You Will Need:
1.high heeled woman's shoe
2.glass stones with one flat side in clear or translucent colors
3. spray paint
4silk vines and flowers
5.craft glue or hot glue
6.florists foam (oasis)
7.wood plaque (optional)
8.spray paint or stain f or the wood plaqueHow to Make a Glass Slipper Floral Decoration

Instructions:

1. Spray paint the shoe and let the paint dry completely. Gold, silver or bronze colors add glimmer and shine, but you can use any color that fits your decor.

2. Hot glue the glass stones randomly all over the shoe.

3. Cut a piece of oasis (green florist's foam) to fit inside the shoe.

4. Cover up the foam with any type of dried moss.

5. Add picks of silk ivy or vines, then add a mix of dried or silk floral accents. Small flowers, such as baby's breath, can be used to fill in spaces, but single large flowers have appeal too.

6. If you wish to mount the slipper on a wood plaque, follow manufacturer's instructions to stain or paint the plaque first, then seal with a good sealer. Let dry completely before gluing down the shoe.

How to Make a Hand Puppet

This simple hand puppet can be made from any type of fabric you like. Try using felt or cloth for people puppets and an appropriately colored fake fur for animal puppets.

Things You'll Need:
1. Buttons
2. Embroidery Needles
3Ribbons
4. Batting
5. Beads
6. Cardboard
7. Dressmaker Pins
8. Embroidery Floss
9. Fabrics
10. Felt
11. Fur Fabric
12. Glues
13. Sewing Machine
14. Sewing Machine Needles
15. Sewing Needles
16. Threads
17. Yarns
18. Cardboard
19. Scissors
20. Scissors
21. Pencils
22. Pencils
23. Stiff Paper
24. Rulers
25. Pencils

Instructions:

Step 1
Use a pencil to draw the puppet pattern onto a piece of stiff paper or light- to medium-weight cardboard. Draw and redraw as often as needed to get the desired shape.

Step 2
Draw the head and the neck, then make arm shapes that stretch outward. The arms can be angled upward, downward or drawn at a 90-degree angle to the body.
Step 3
Make sure that the distance between the underarm points of the pattern is narrow enough to allow the wearer to insert a thumb into one arm and the little finger into the other. Position the head so that the wearer's other fingers will be able to extend into the head portion of the puppet. Step 4
Draw a straight line on each side of the shape that extends from the underarm to the desired length. The total length of the puppet should be no longer than the distance from the wearer's fingertips to his or her elbow.
Step 5
Add 1/2 inch to the completed puppet outline for a seam allowance, and cut out the pattern along the outline.
Step 6
Place the pattern onto the wrong side of the fabric, and pin it into place if necessary. Cut around the outline of the pattern piece. Unpin the pattern and cut out a second piece of fabric as you did the first.
Step 7
Do any machine stitching of features or surface decoration before the puppet pieces are stitched together. Just make sure that any decoration is placed so that it will not be caught in the seam of the puppet (unless you've planned it that way).
Step 8
Use glued or sewn-on felt and/or fabric cutouts to create the puppet's features. Other items such as buttons, beads, ribbon, yarn and embroidery stitching can also be used to create features and decorate the puppet's surface.
Step 9
Position the two fabric pieces so that the right sides are together and all edges line up evenly.
Step 10
Stitch the pieces together along all edges except the bottom edge. Clip, notch and trim the seams as needed.
Step 11
Turn the puppet right side out. You may need to use the eraser end of a pencil to push out any pointed ear portions of the puppet.
Step 12
Turn the bottom edge under 1/2 inch and stitch into place.

How to Make a Jumper for a Teddy Bear

Dress Teddy up for the first day of school - or for a holiday - with this supersimple jumper.

Things You'll Need:

1. Dressmaker's Measuring Tapes
2. Ribbons Or Yarn
3. Fabric Glue
4. Fabrics
5. Irons
6. Sewing Machine
7. Sewing Needles
8. hreads
9. Worktables
10. Scissors
11. Paper And Pencils
12. Sewing Chalk

Instructions:

Step 1
Fold your fabric in half.
Step 2
Lay Teddy down with her head extending over the fold (so that the fold is right above her shoulders).
Step 3
Make a mark on the fabric at each side of her neck (this is where you'll cut the neck hole).
Step 4
Make a mark above the point where her shoulders would end if she had them (that is, directly above where her arms join her body), a mark under her arms so you'll know where to end the side seams, and a mark for length (about 3/4 of the way down her body).
Step 5
Lift Teddy up and set her aside.
Step 6
Make a second mark 5/8 inch outside the shoulder mark for hem allowance and a second mark under the arms at least an inch outside the first on either side, depending on how fat Teddy is (you'll need a seam allowance to sew the sides together, and Teddy is probably a little chunky).
Step 7
Draw straight lines from the second (outside) shoulder marks to the second (outside) underarm marks.
Step 8
Draw straight lines from the second (outside) underarm marks down and out at an angle (think of a triangle) to the bottom corners. Draw a straight line across the bottom (you should have a shape that looks roughly like a rectangle on top of a triangle).
Step 9
Start at the outside shoulder marks (not the neck marks!) on the fold and cut straight down to the outside underarm marks, then turn and cut at an angle following your chalk lines, then cut across the bottom of the jumper.
Step 10
Cut carefully along the fold between the neck marks to make a head hole. Unfold the jumper to cut a V-, square or scoop neck in front.
Step 11
Make a vertical cut straight down the back from the neck hole (so that the back becomes two pieces).
Step 12
Fold the jumper right sides together and sew side seams to your underarm mark.
Step 13
Narrow hem all edges, or finish with fabric glue.
Step 14
Attach ribbon or yarn to both sides of the back seam so the jumper will stay on.

How to Make a Poncho for a Teddy Bear

Ponchos are back in style after a 20-year break. Dress your Teddy in the latest fashion!

Things You'll Need:
1. Fabric Glue Or Paint
2. Fabrics
3. Irons
4. Sewing Machine
5. Sewing Needles
6. hreads
7. Scissors
8. Scissors Instructions
9. Sewing Chalk

Instructions:

Step 1
Fold your fabric in half.
Step 2
Lie Teddy down with his head extending over the fold so that the fold goes right under his neck.
Step 3
Draw a square on the fabric with chalk - the poncho should come about three-quarters of the way down his body (length) and to his paw tips (width).
Step 4
Make a little mark at each side of his neck.
Step 5
Lay Teddy to one side for safety.
Step 6
Cut down the sides and across the bottom of the poncho.
Step 7
Cut carefully between the little marks on the fold to make a head hole.
Step 8
Try the poncho on him. Don't be surprised if you have to make the hole a bit bigger; many Teddies have large heads!
Step 9
Narrow hem all edges, or finish with fabric glue.

How to Make a Cape for a Doll

A cape is the easiest piece of doll clothing to make - and it's also the most versatile. Pick a color and turn your child's doll into Supergirl or the Wicked Witch of the East (or make the cape reversible for a quick change!).

Things You'll Need:

1. Ribbons Or Yarn
2. Beads
3. Fabric Glue
4. Fabric Paints
5. Fabrics
6.Glitter
7.Irons
8.Needle Threaders
9.Needles
10. Pins
11. Sewing Machine
12. Pins
13. Scissors
14. Scissors
15. Drafting Compasses
16. Threads Or Glue

Instructions:

Making the Cape
Step 1
Measure and cut out a circle with a diameter twice as long as you want the cape to be.
Step 2
Fold the circle in quarters and cut the corner off in a curve (just a tiny little piece, especially if it's a small doll) to make the neck hole.
Step 3
Unfold the circle and lay it out flat on your work space (it should look like a very fat doughnut with a tiny hole).
Step 4
Cut one slit from the edge to the hole to make the front opening.
Step 5
Finish all edges with a narrow hem or with fabric glue to prevent unraveling (if you're using felt, you don't need to hem).
Step 6
Glue or sew pieces of yarn or ribbon to the edges of the neck hole; they should be long enough to tie in a bow.
Hemming

Step 1

Turn over 1/4 inch and press (you'll need to clip the curved edges - making tiny cuts straight in from the edge every 1/2 inch or so - to get the neck edge and bottom edge to lie flat).
Step 2
Machine stitch.
Making a Reversible Cape
Step 1
Follow steps 1 to 4 with both fabrics so that you have two identical circles.
Step 2
Place the circles right sides together and pin.
Step 3
Sew around all sides, leaving a 2-inch opening in the bottom center of the circle's outer edge for turning.
Step 4
Clip the curved seam allowances (neck and cape bottom) by making tiny cuts into the seam allowance (making sure not to clip the stitching) so that the edges will lie flat.
Step 5
Turn the cape right side out and press.
Step 6
Sew up the opening by hand.

Letters and Bills Organizer:

Cardboard and Ribbon Letter OrganizerWhat You Will Need:
1. 14x19 corrugated cardboard (I had used cardboard from the back of an old picture frame, but you can use any size you need.)
2. Ribbon - 2- 3/4 inches wide
3. Thin ribbon to match or complement the wider ribbon
4. Tacky glue
5. 1 inch ribbon for the bow
6. Optional: Decorative button
Letters and Bills OrganizerWhat You Do:

Starting at the top of the board, take one strip of wide ribbon and measure from the center back all the way around the front to center back, overlapping the two ends where they meet. Now use this strip to measure eight more, or as many as you need for your cardboard, cutting them all the same length.

Take the first strip and center it at the top front of the cardboard with the ends of the ribbon hanging off each side. Fold the ribbon in half lengthwise and glue it over the top edge, so it extends equally over the front and the back. Glue the side tails to the back of the board.Take the next strip and glue only along the bottom of the length of the ribbon leaving the rest of the ribbon free. Center this over the front of the board and slightly overlap the first ribbon with the new one.

Glue in place. Apply glue all over the side tails and press firmly on the back to secure.Take the next strip and repeat all the way down the board till you get to the bottom of the board.When dry, take some thin ribbon and trim the edges of your organizer. I also added a six looped bow at the bottom (detail in photo at left). Since I thought the bow looked plain, I added a button in the center.

You can add what embellishments you like!Lastly, take the thin ribbon and glue the tails to each side of the back of the organizer so you can hang your organizer. I used Fabric tac. Enjoy!

Paper Napkin Curtain Valance:

What You Will Need:

•The prettiest paper napkins you can find - dollar stores sometimes have surprising bargains!
•Clothes pin (added at the bottom of the curtain for extra pizazz)
•Acrylic paint (to match napkin colors)
•Coordinating silk flowers, with a few green leaves
•clothespin
•craft glue

Paper Napkin Valance
Instructions:

These are the shortest instructions ever, but don't be fooled by the simplicity of this project; after you try it once, you'll be wanting to update the curtains in other rooms as well.

Start by opening one of the napkins, cover it with a cloth, and iron to remove the fold lines. Repeat with each napkin that you will use. The number will vary depending on the width of your curtains.

Drape the napkins diagonally over the curtain rod, as shown in the photo. Begin draping with the napkin in the middle then moving outwards to the left and to the right.

Pick a color from the napkins that you wish to emphasis, and paint your clothes pin in that color. Let the clothes pin dry, then glue on some coordinating silk flowers and leaves. Use the clothes pin to draw up scallops on the bottom of your curtains - est Voila!

When you get tired of this look, just toss the napkins away, and go for a stripe or entirely different pattern, and start again.