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Hello lovelies. I blog this from I75, in the midst of a 20 hour road trip back to Indiana from Ft. Myers Beach. Mobile hotspot is pretty sweet, I must say. Leaving the ocean, not so great.  While I am rambling, I want to take the time to let you know about a brand spakin’ new website that promotes your crafts and DIY projects. It is called Decor 2 Adore{able}…

Here is another peek at my craft room overhaul.  I wanted to be able to see all of my buttons in a way that was cute and vertical, since horizontal space is quite the commodity.  I thought of a tiered cake stand, and decided to hit the dollar store for supplies to make my own.  With the exception of the glue and spray paint (which I had on hand), I got everything needed to create this organizer for less than $4, and I love it! You could even use extra plates in small, med, large, and a couple of wine glasses or candle sticks if you have them handy.

I found these silvery plates in 3 sizes, and some wine glasses, which I spray painted white with Krylon Dual (already has primer in it).   Two coats each with 10 minutes of dry time between did the trick.

Next, I just glued the wine glasses in place on the plates with a line of E6000 around the rim and base.  Let dry overnight before using.

I love it!  I can see all my buttons, it is adorable, and it cost under $4.

To see how I made the marker storage on the wall, visit this DIY craft marker storage post.

Visit my craft magazine/book storage tutorial for how to convert hardware store boxes to cute, essentially free storage.

More budget friendly organizing for those craft spaces to come.

What are your favorite creative organizing solutions?

Tie dye has come a long way in simplicity and technique over the years.  Until this project, I hadn’t played with tie dye since childhood, and I remember it being a huge mess.  Wasn’t there something about boiling water, and dying in the washer?  Isn’t that only for t-shirts?  That is why I was a little skeptical about trying out this product, but I am so glad I participated!

Tulip Tie Dye is a cinch to use, and tie dye is not just for the t-shirt these days.  With the “just add water” applicator bottles, protective gloves included in their kits along with the handy surface protector, cleanup was no hassle.  In my box were two 3-Color Tie-Dye Kits, one Paradise Punch and one Tropical Fruit.  You can see all of the available colors at I Love To Create – One Step Tie Dye Products.  If you don’t see the exact shade  you have in mind, know that these dyes are mixable so you can create custom colors.  I accidentally bled orange and teal together in a hobo purse I dyed, and the effect was a gorgeous burnt sienna agains the vibrant turquoise and orange!  It ended up being my favorite finished piece.

If you think you can’t make a gorgeous tie dyed piece because you have no idea what to do to make those funky designs, fear not.  The product insert (pictured above) has you covered with detailed step by step photo tutorials of illustrating 8 different techniques.  Here are some example techniques you can find over at I Love to Create.

There is something for everyone.  Today, I will show you how I made this ombre neck tie, a perfect Father’s Day gift idea.

• Following the instructions in the insert, I pre-washed the tie blank (purchased at Michael’s) and let it dry to dampness before beginning.

• With gloves on and work surface covered,  I filled the bottle with water, shook to mix until the dye powder was dissolved, and applied dye to top 1/3 of damp tie.  The instructions say to use half the bottle, but that was way to much for my lil’ tie, so I poured out the extra liquid into a container for later use.  Left with half the dye, I filled the applicator bottle full with water to dilute the dye for the next segment of the tie.

• Again, I applied the diluted dye to then next middle segment of the tie, discarded extra dye to leave 1/2 bottle remaining, filled the bottle with more water and applied this to the last segment.

• To finish, I covered the tie with the plastic and let it sit for about 5 hours. I then washed by itself in a larger load setting, with a small amount of detergent per package insert.  Line dry… done.

There were so many techniques I wanted to try that I went a little nuts.  Here are some purses I made for graduation gifts this year.  I found the blanks at Joann Fabrics, but you could whip one up yourself in no time.

One more shot of the tie…

Tulip Tie Dye Kits are available at Walmart, Walmart Canada, Michaels, JoAnn, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby, Hancock Fabrics, Meijer. Tie dye kit contents and colors may vary by store.

For more inspiration and updates, be sure and follow ILTC on facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

Disclosure:  I received product and payment for this post.  All opinions expressed in this post are authentically mine.

Today, I am happy to share with you a glass tile pendant tutorial from Irina at Irina’s Cute Box.  These tutorials are abundant in the creative blog world.  Irina shares her version incorporating a bezel setting.  She uses the same jewelry component supplier as I do, Sun and Moon Kits on Etsy.  Wonderful prices and service make this my go to shop for all of my wholesale needs.  In addtion, Irina has available some free printable images you can use for the tiles, and digital collage sheets available for purchase in her Etsy store (see examples and links below).

TUTORIAL:

You will need -

• Images
• Diamond Glaze or other glaze if you prefer
• Bezel is used in this tutorial – You could also just leave the glass tile as is, seal the back (with Mod Podge or resin) and glue on a bail for attaching to chain.
• E6000 or superglue

The collage sheet is 4×6 inches,  containing twelve 1 inch square images perfect for glass tile pendants,  at resolution of 300 dpi.   Print on heavy (80-100 lb) using laser printer.  Laser images are more vivid and less likely to smear than ink jet.

Supplies shown are from  SunAndMoonKits shop on Etsy.

To make the pendant -

• First, cut out image with scissors

• Apply small amount of glaze on the back side of the glass tile.

• Spread glaze evenly and pull out any air bubbles with fingertip or toothpick.
• Place the image with face down on the glaze and gently press it from center to the edges, ensuring no air bubbles remain.   The paper should slide on the glaze when you touch it. This tells you that the right amount of glaze was applied.
• Let glaze harden for a couple of hours and trim extra paper on the sides.   Use water and a lint free cloth to wipe away any excess glaze on the glass.

• Put a little bit of super glue in the setting.

• Place the glass tile with paper side down.

• Let dry, add chain and you are finished.

Visit Irina’s  blog for other free graphics and her GraphicLand shop on Etsy for  more beautiful and affordable digital collage sheets in a variety of shapes and sizes!

Graphic Land on Etsy

The research put into my recent 60+ Recycled Can Craft Roundup left me collecting all the pretty cans I could find.  Here, I used the well known Arizona Tea can for the flower shape and a garage sale tin for the pink circle.  Making jewelry with Sizzix is so fun.  I am completely obsesses.  No material is safe from being die cut around me. These pieces cost next to nothing, so keep your eyes peeled for interesting cans and old tins while you are out thrifting.

Here is how I cut my shapes:

I used the same process for the arizona tea can, and a layered flower Sizzix die.  Then I marked the center of each of the 3 layers (silver retangular blank, Arizona can flower and pink tin) with a black sharpie, to know where to punch a hole for my rivet.  Using a nail and hammer on a piece of scrap board, I hammered a hole in each piece where the mark was.  No pics of this, but I will get some shots of the process next time. 

I riveted the pieces together and glued on the pink pearl embellishment using E6000. 

I hole punched the bracelet with my crop-a-dile at each end to add the chain for the bracelet.  That is that. 

I am excited about this book I just ordered on Amazon; Create Colorful Aluminum Jewelry.  Looks like I am not the only one obsessed with this concept!

Dr. Oz has issued a 10 lb weight loss challenge that is straightforward and doable.  The payout for the effort put into these steps will be huge, not just for the waist line, but for overall health and longevity.  As always, Dr. Oz channels his medical expertise into an understandable, life enhancing plan we could all stand to incorporate into our daily routines.

THE RULES (or suggestions, if you don’t like to be told what to do):

• Bye bye to soda – We are talking the high fructose corn syrup kind here, attributed to tooth decay, diabetes and more.
• No food after 3 hours til bed time – Got it?
• 10 minutes of motion a day – This seems low to me, but that is what he says.  Walking, throwing a frisbee, playing with kiddos…
• Portion control – No forbidden foods?  I like that.  His rule of thumb is no snacks larger than your fist… sorry Big Mac.
• Get on that scale everyday – accountability is key; track weight = lose weight (ok, not if it is the only thing you do, but it helps)
• Take Vitamin B complex everyday – B vitamins are essential in metabolizing food, and in energy production to help you keep going.
• Take daily vitamins – This should include Calcium (600 mg, plus 600 mg from food) and Magnesium (400 mg) for bone strength,  Vitamin D3 (1,000 IU taken with DHA) for memory and heart health, DHA (900 mg) for memory, vision, heart and prevention of strokes, Probiotics spore form for decreased inflammation and enhanced immunity and a Multivitamin to cover what your diet misses.
• Healthy recipe planning – Dr. Oz provides a host of healthy recipes to keep your calories low, many with a budget in mind.
• Know serving sizes and how many you can have of each family – There has got to be an app for this, right?  This plan allows 10 servings a day as follows;  Protein and fats 4 servings daily, Complex carbs 3 servings, Fruits 3 servings and Veggies unlimited.  The unlimited veggies help keep you from being hungry (in theory).  The important thing to keep in mind here is how much of whatever you are eating = a serving size.  Did you know that the 1 serving of cheese is the size of 2 dice?  Yikes.  I am at least a 5 dice kind of gal.  Get informed.  There are ample resources available to help you get on the level with serving sizes.
• Don’t get too hungry – If you do, you are more likely to binge.  Make sure your meals have plenty of protein and fiber (complex carbohydrates), so you stay full longer.  Healthy snacks between meals are great too.

Remember holiday and party pitfalls, and take steps to guard against falling off the wagon:  Don’t go to parties or shopping hungry, have accountability partners in your life, no snacks/desserts larger than your fist, etc.  if the food at an event is going to be too tempting, you can opt out of going . Do what you have to do.  Commit.

What has worked for you?  What has not?

I love the time of year when I can get busy outside with bigger projects that require cutting wood and good ventilation. That brings me to DIY headboards. There are some amazing creations out there using everything from barn doors to framed photos and salvage items galore. Get creative and make a masterpiece headboard to fit your style, without breaking the bank!

As will all of my 50+ round-ups, if you have a great project that I missed, send me a link so I can include it in the compilation!

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Welcome to Thrifty Thursday!!!

If you are new, we are thrilled to have you.  Take a look around at the awesome projects, and share your own.  If you are back, thank you for visiting again.  You are what makes this an inspiring DIY/craft project round-up!

LINKY STUFF:

How it Works: No giveaways, shop or links to your main blog, please. That way we know when we come to Thrifty Thursday, we will only encounter DIY projects and not end up sifting through a bunch of other links. Entries not related, or to main blog pages/shops/giveaways will be deleted.
Other stuff:
*Please add a text link or my button to your post!
*A few projects from the previous week’s linky will be spotlighted, so let them know they ROCK!
*Please visit the at least the 2 blogs above you and shower them with comment love.
*Leave me a comment and let me know you were here. I love hearing from you.
*Have fun and be inspired!
*My friend Nikki knows how to throw a great party too. Be there…

FEATURES:

Artsy Vava created upcycled pickle jars and I am crushing big.  This belongs in 50+ Mason Jar Crafts -  I don’t care that it is a pickle jar!

I am loving on this quote wall art DIY at the Bold Abode.  Go on over for the full

step by step.

Party hats, everyone?

As far as craft book and magazine organizing goes, it doesn’t get much more frugal than free.  For this organizers, I simply collected boxes on various trips to local hardware stores.  They gladly gave me them for free.  If you don’t see empty boxes while browsing the aisles, simply ask an associate.

Here are what mine looked like before spray painting them…

I used Krylon Dual in white and coated each box.  Then I added adhesive scallop border to the upper row.  Eventually I plan to make some cute labels.  I love how it came out.  Now I can see all of my inspiring books and publications without digging through piles of randomness!

Today’s Dr. Oz show was packed full of  simple, doable ways to propel the body’s metabolism into high gear.  Turning 35 soon, I was all ears.  I have noticed I can’t get away with as much midnight ice cream as I use to enjoy, and that is just not o.k.  Three ways to easily increase body’s ability to burn fat caught my ear, and that is what I am sharing with you today.  Every little bit helps, right?!

• Every morning at breakfast drink the following concoction:
  2 Tbsp tomato Juice.
  1/2 Tsp Horseradish.
  Dash of hot sauce.
  Squeeze of lime.

This is packed with powerful antioxidants to blast belly fat and rich in metabolism-boosters vitamin C and limonene.

• At lunch, replace soda with Kombucha Wonder Drink, which costs $3.00.

This bubbly tea is available at natural food stores and contains oolong tea which helps protect your liver so it can concentrate on metabolizing fat

• At night, combine a spicy red wine, ice chips, and a bit of mint.

The wine helps you relax and boosts metabolism for up to 95 minutes.  Adding ice chips to your red wine makes your body to burn extra calories since it takes energy to warm the drink to body temperature. The mint’s scent has been shown to stave off late-night hunger.