Crafty

I love to craft. Since my daughter was about three, every year over Thanksgiving weekend we make Christmas ornaments to give as gifts. Over the years, we have expanded to include larger gifts such as scarfs, decorative pots and framed scrapbook pages. One thing I've never done, but always heard it was very easy was using Mod Podge, which is a type of glue. This year I don't have a classroom, so I've been missing the classroom-set-up activities I used to enjoy every summer. I decided to decorate my new office with some crafty items to satisfy the need to "nest". I'm sharing an office with a coworker and we decided on an orange and pink color scheme. .I made two different Mod Podge items,  a sign that says Imagine (the name of my school) and some flower-pen-vases. I will post pictures of the finished office next week. Here are some pictures to show you how I did each project:

"Imagine" Sign

Mod Podge $8.99

Paper plates $1.00

Sponge applicator $1.00

Wooden letters $1 each

2 pieces of scrapbook paper $11.99 

(I could have purchased these individually instead of the 

pack and they would have been about $.60 each.)

 I used a paper plate for the Mod Podge glue and a cheap sponge applicator. Sometimes I used my fingers, and the glue comes off very easily.

I bought a package of fancy scrapbook paper and used this to put on the wooden letters.

I traced each letter upside down, leaving about 1/4 inch around for overhang so the unfinished wood would not show.

After cutting out the paper, it looked like this.

I put Mod Podge on the wooden letter, placed the paper on top of the wooden letter and put a smooth coat of Mod Podge on top. 

Flower Pen Vases

Mod Podge from previous project 

(I still have most of the bottle left!)

Plastic cups $.33 each

Floral Tape $1.00

Ribbon $1.00

Flowers  $2.00

12 pens $1.00

Tissue paper $1.00 

(Only used two sheets of tissue paper)

For this project, I tore pieces of tissue paper. I put Mod Podge on the plastic cups, then placed the pieces of tissue paper on the glue. I overlapped slightly. I used the straight edge of the tissue paper on the edges of the cup. After the tissue paper was placed I gently sponged (by dabbing) Mod Podge on top of the tissue paper.

I used wire cutters to cut the stems about four inches from the flower. I used the floral tape to wrap the stem against the pen. I ended the tape at the top under the flower. I tied ribbon over the edge of the tape to reinforce the tape so it does not unravel.

I put some pennies in the bottom of the cup to keep it from constantly tipping over and stuck the flower pens inside the dried cup.