MISTI Sticker Replacement (and Hack!) - Original and Mini

Do you have a MISTI stamping tool, but aren't really a fan of the pink rulers? There are now replacement ruler stickers in a beautiful turquoise color (yay!) and although they are meant for your Original MISTI, you can make them work for your Mini MISTI, too. 

You can either watch the full video on YouTube, or just watch it right here:

Thanks for watching!

Royalty Free Music From: www.bensound.com

Multi Strand Spine Bookmarks {The Twinery}

If you've been around my blog lately, you know that one of my favorite "crafts" is Bible art/journaling. It seems like at any given time there are a couple of particular passages that are in the queue for future pages to be done, and this is a pretty way to mark those places. 

These bookmarks are particularly useful for a large book like the Bible, but they can work for any book. 

And even better...they aren't just regular bookmarks - they can tuck right into the spine of any hardcover or case bound book. 

They were simple to make, too:

1. To start, I cut a strip of paper just a bit more narrow than my Bible's spine. (I used patterned paper for mine so that they will look good as regular bookmarks, too.)

2. I wanted to add a little sturdiness to these, so I did my very sophisticated laminating technique (aka - adhere clear packing tape to both sides and trim). This will not only help protect the paper piece, but will act as reinforcement for the punched holes.

3. Next, I punched a few holes near the top of the bookmark to give me a place to thread my twine.

4. Then, I threaded the holes with twine and and finished them off by a combination of braiding and/or knotting. You can choose any method for this that strikes your fancy. You can even add beads and/or buttons to the ends to give them some weight. 

(Photography fail - I meant to show the steps in order for making a bookmark, but you'll just have to tell your eyes to go right to left.)

If you want to tuck these into the spine of your book, it is probably easiest if you lay your book out open and flat and slide the paper portion into the spine. You can even insert two (or more) to get more place holders.

Once the bookmarks are inserted into the spine, just use the twine place holders as you would a ribbon bookmark that comes adhered to your Bible or hard cover book.

 Happy reading!

Supplies: 
Patterned Paper: Heidi Swapp (Favorite Things 12x12);
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Stone, Solid Caribbean, Solid Pink Sorbet, Solid Mandarin, Solid Honeydew);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); We R Memory Keepers (Crop-A-Dile);
Other: (Clear Packing Tape);
Bibles: Zondervan (NASB Note-taker's Bible); Zondervan (NIV Holy Bible, Journal Edition);

Find all my posts pertaining to Bible art or journaling here.

Distressed Foil Embellished Onesies {The Twinery}

Today I've got a fun project to share with you...distressed foil embellished onesies!

Foil is so popular right now, and I love the fact that it can be applied to fabric. I wanted to create a fun gift for two of my newest nieces, and I thought decorated onesies would be perfect. My sisters-in-law like vintage and/or shabby chic styles, so distressing on the hearts was the perfect look.

This may look like a difficult and time-consuming project, but it really wasn't. In fact, it went something like this:

Step One: Punch shapes from Hot Melt Adhesive.
*Step Two: Feed the kids.
Step Three: Iron Hot Melt Adhesive punched shapes onto onesies.
*Step Four: Change a diaper.
Step Five: Iron Deco Foil onto onesies.
*Step Six: Put baby down for nap.
Step Seven: Peel back  to reveal finished design.
*Step Eight: Think to yourself, "Wait...you're not finished. These are cute. You should make one for your own baby."
*Step Nine: Repeat steps one through seven.

*Some steps may not apply to all crafters. Feel free to insert a chocolate break instead.

To get that fun, distressed look, I simply set the iron to a higher temperature than was recommended on the package when ironing on the foil. (It will dull some of the high shine of the foil and alter the amount of adhesion, so you will only want to do this if you are wanting the distressed look.)

After I created the onesies for my nieces, I went back and made another onesie, this time choosing a star embellishment for a "little sheriff" look.  

And, of course, no gift is complete without being tied up with The Twinery's fabulous twine! I chose Solid Lilac and Solid Peapod for the heart onesies, and Copper Shimmer twine for the star onesie.

If you are looking to do a distressed foil look on paper, that is possible, too. Simply place parchment paper over the foiled image (after you've peeled the transfer sheet off), and use firm pressure with an iron, being sure to move it back and forth. This will wrinkle and dull the foil - a perfect distressed look!

Before you go...I don't mean to alarm you, but it's come to my attention that some people are using irons for things other than craft projects. I just felt the need to spread the word incase you come in contact with one of these people. They are out there.

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies: 
Transfer Foil: Therm O Web (Deco Foil - various colors);
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Peapod, Solid Lilac, Copper Shimmer); 
 Tools: Fiskars (Squeeze Punches, Scissors);

Valentine Treat (Peanut Butter Balls) {The Twinery}

Hi there! 

Today I'm sharing a delicious treat with you!  

Okay, it's not easy to share homemade, chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls through the internet...but I can at least share the recipe with you. (And the recipe makes plenty to share with friends and neighbors.) 

You can find the recipe here:

Recipe:

4 cups natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt...no sugar)

8 cups (2 lb. bag) powdered sugar

2 cups butter

2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients and chill in refrigerator until firm.

Scoop into balls and place in fridge or freezer until firm.

Melt 2 pounds chocolate chips with 1 stick (1/4 box) Gulf Wax paraffin wax in a double boiler (or a dish over a pan of hot water).

Dip each peanut butter ball in chocolate coating. Place on tray that has been covered with wax paper & return to fridge or freezer to firm up. Dip tops in melted chocolate (if needed) and return to fridge or freezer to firm up. Store in fridge or freezer.

This recipe is pretty forgiving. Add more peanut butter, more butter, more sugar...more chocolate...whatever you want. 

And I don't pretend to be some master chocolatier - these aren't the prettiest things. (In fact, my friends and I call them my "peanut butter blobs".) 

But they sure do taste good!

Once you've got all those treats made, it's time to wrap them up.

I created these quick and easy boxes that each hold three peanut butter balls:

And, of course, I used The Twinery's twine to add an extra pop of color (and hold the boxes closed).

...delicious treats all packaged up and ready to pass out for Valentine's Day! 

(If you don't eat them all first.)

Enjoy!

Supplies: 
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Charcoal, Solid Honeydew, Solid Pink Sorbet); 
Patterned Paper: Heidi Swapp; Jen Hadfield;
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors); We R Memory Keepers (1-2-3 Punch Board);

Handmade Holidays 2015 {Blog Hop}

The Introduction:

If you are hopping along with us today: Welcome!

If you aren't already a follower, I'd love to have you follow my blog!

If you are on Facebook, please "like" Ink Blots by TRD.

If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you! Please feel free to join along in the hop - you can start at the Clearsnap blog.

The Gift:

I'm excited to be part of this year's Handmade Holidays blog hop! I've participated in the past and have always enjoyed it. You can see some handmade gift ideas I've previously shared here.

When it comes to the holidays, generally I've got gifts for family taken care of. What I generally have the hardest time deciding on is gifts for our neighbors and church family. Last year, I opted for Salted Caramel Sauce in a mason jar. Yum! 

This year, I'll probably go for another edible gift, like this Lemon Curd:

I love to package it up in little mason jars - because, really, who doesn't love mason jars?

This Lemon Curd is eggless, gluten free, delicious, and easy to make. (Bonus - you can easily make this vegan by using vegan butter.)

Is the word "curd" difficult for you to swallow? (Pun intended.) That's okay - just call it Lemon Topping or Lemon Sauce!

Here's what you'll need:

Most Lemon Curd recipes are complicated and easy to mess up - those eggs can make it tricky! I love the simplicity of my one dish, egg free Lemon Curd. Just toss it all in a saucepan or pot and cook over medium heat until it has started thickening. (Be sure to stir or whisk it so it doesn't boil or burn.)

Once the Lemon Curd has thickened, pour it into some small canning jars. (Or, if you are like me and need to "test" it first, pour it straight on some fresh-from-the-oven scones.)

For neighbor gifts, just pair it with a bag of scone mix:

I used Solid Pink Sorbet baker's twine from The Twinery to decorate my Lemon Curd mason jar and bag of scone mix.

Don't worry if scones aren't your (or your neighbor's) thing. Lemon Curd is delicious many ways: on ice cream, mixed in to some plain yogurt, on (or in) crêpes, on pancakes, spread on toast...or you can just eat it straight out of that cute little jar. 

Thanks for stopping by today - and happy holidays!

The Hop Order:




The Giveaway:
Before you move on - don't forget about the giveaway! This collection of over $600 in craft supplies will be sure to help you make this holiday handmade. Enter to win using the widget below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Twine Bombed Twig Tree Display {The Twinery :: Blog Hop}

{Looking for my current giveaway? Look HERE.}

The Introduction:

If you are hopping along with us today: You should have come here from The Twinery blog. If you did, you are in the right place! Welcome!

If you aren't already a follower, I'd love to have you follow my blog!

If you are on Facebook, please "like" Ink Blots by TRD.

If you are one of my regular readers: Thanks for coming back! I love having you! Please feel free to join along in the hop - you can start at the The Twinery blog.

The Hop Order:

The Twinery blog

Tifany DeGough <--- You are here

Amy Crockett

Jeanne Jachna

DoBea Alberts

Anita Mulcahey

Jennifer Cuthbertson

Tobi Crawford

Stacey Schafer

Denise Hahn

Melyssa Connolly

The Project:

I was inspired by a display I saw at a library and the popular art of yarn bombing to do this "twine bombing" (twine wrapped) twig display for my daughter's room. I used the Twinery's Solid Caribbean twine for this, but any of The Twinery's solid or striped twines would work just as well.

My daughter LOVES color and can never have enough. For her, being in a rather neutral colored house is a tragedy. I've got a few projects in mind to add some color to her room (stay tuned to see more!), and this Caribbean twine tree was a fairly quick and easy way to add some color to the top of her bookcase. 

I started by gathering a few twigs from our backyard. I coated them with Mod Podge for a little extra stability and to seal them, but I am not sure this step was necessary. From here on out, all I needed was twine and a strong adhesive. (I added in some washi tape, too.)

Once I had my supplies together, I just needed to start wrapping the tree branches. I used some washi tape to cover the ends, then adhered the end of my twine down about an inch from the tip. I brought the twine back up to the tip from there and started wrapping (just so that the end was not exposed). Then I wrapped, wrapped, and wrapped some more. Where there was a fork in the branch, it took a a little extra patience to get it covered, but was still rather easy.

I combined a few twine wrapped branches and a few washi tape wrapped branches in a mason jar, tied a Caribbean twine bow around the neck of the jar, and my project was complete! 

Thanks for stopping by today!

The Next Stop:

Amy Crockett

Supplies: 
Twine: The Twinery (Solid Caribbean); 
Other: (washi tape);
Adhesive: Ranger (Glossy Accents); Plaid (Mod Podge);
Tools: Fiskars (Scissors);

Stamped Cloth Napkins with Braided Twine Ties {The Twinery}

Hi there!

Today, I want to share a quick and easy summer project - stamped cloth napkins...all tied up with a braided twine tie: 

First, let's stamp those cloth napkins:

Photo One: Gather your supplies. (Plain cloth napkins, ink, stamps, and twine.)

Photos Two & Three: Stamp your image(s) onto the cloth napkins with ink that will be permanent on fabric. 

Photo Four: Use iron to heat set ink. 

Next, use three strands of twine (one yard each) to create a braided twine tie. I used two strands of The Twinery's Marigold twine and one strand of Pink Sorbet.

Tip: I went back to my friendship bracelet making days and used a binder clip to clip the twine to something steady while I braided it.

I simply knotted each end of the braided twine tie to keep the braid in place.

These stamped cloth napkins are prefect for dressing up those summer picnics...and also make great hostess gifts! 

Quick, easy, handmade, unique, and pretty...what more can you ask for in a summer project?

Supplies:
Twine: The Twinery (Marigold, Pink Sorbet); 
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company (Donna Poppies); 
Ink: Memento (Dandelion, Lilac Posies);
Other: Mainstays (White Cloth Napkins);
Tools: Fiskars (Trimmer, Scissors);

Twine Net Drink Holder {The Twinery}

Today I wanted to share with you a quick project that can be created using a Mini Bundle (15 yards) of The Twinery's twine (I used the new tri-color Firecracker twine):

To create the twine net for your mason jar, it is a fairly simple process of knotting. (I used a series of overhand knots.)
I think these would be fun to create with a scouting troop!

First, cut your 15 yard Mini Bundle into 10 strands (1 1/2 yards each).
Then, knot as follows:

Photos 1 & 2: Tie all 10 strands of twine in a knot, keeping the knot at the center. (You will have 10 strands approximately 2 1/4' long on each side of the knot - a total of 20 strands that you will use to create your net.)

Photos 3 & 4: Take two strands (starting with one from each side of the large knot) and tie them into a knot approximately 3/4" away from the large knot. 

Photo 1: Continue working around, knotting two strands together until all 20 strands have been paired up and knotted approximately 3/4" away from the large knot. This will form the 1st row.

Photos 2, 3, & 4: To create the 2nd row, take two strands (one strand from a formerly created knot, and the second strand from the formerly created knot next to it) and tie them into a knot. (Again, keep them spaced approximately 3/4" away from the previous knot.) Continue working around, knotting the 2nd row until all 20 strands have been paired up and knotted.

Photo 1: Lay the base of your twine net on the bottom of a mason jar (or other drinking glass), keeping the large knot at the center. From here, the glass will keep your net's form and make it easier to work with.

Photos 2 & 3: Create more rows by taking two strands (one strand from a formerly created knot, and the second strand from the formerly created knot next to it) and tie them into a knot. (Again, keep them spaced approximately 3/4" away from the previous knot.) Continue working around, knotting each row until all 20 strands have been paired up and knotted. I created 6 total rows in this way.

Photo 4: To start forming the handle, split the net in half, gathering half of the strands on one side and half on the other. (There will be 10 strands on each side.) Knot these as you did to create the previous rows of the net, starting at the outermost strands (which will separate one set of knots from the other). This will create a total of 10 knots on the 7th row. For the 8th row, gather 5 strands (both strands coming from 2 of the knots on the 7th row, and one strand from another knot on the 7th row) and tie them together in a knot approximately 3/4" away from the previous row. Do this with all the strands, which will create a total of 4 knots on the 8th row. Then, gather all 10 strands on each side and knot together, for a total of 2 knots on the 9th row. Bring both sets of 10 strands up and knot together to create the top of the handle.

Wow...that was harder to explain than I thought! 
It really is a simple process once you get started and hopefully the pictures and description together will help it to be clear.

This is a great way to keep your drink close, but not completely tie up (pun intended) your hands.

You can also find a tree branch (or some other convenient place) to hang your drink...

If you'd like a drink holder that can be worn on your shoulder (purse style), I would recommend starting with 10 strands of twine at least 2 1/2 yards long. (Go even longer with the strands to create something that can be worn cross-body or sling style.)
The finished product (without the jar) can easily fit into a pocket or purse - so bring one along with you to your next picnic or outdoor party.

I am thinking it might be fun to create some outdoor candle jar holders like this, too! 

Or maybe even a reusable fruit/veggie grocery bag?

What else can you see being created with this net technique?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Supplies: 
Twine: The Twinery (Firecracker);
Tools: Fiskars (Scissors);