Spotlight on Thrasher's Creative Crafting Club

I have mentioned before that I teach 5th grade, and this fall I transferred to Thrasher Elementary. I. Love. it. It's a fantastic school, and everyone I have met has been great.

Anyhoo, Thrasher offers students different after school clubs to be a part of, and most of the teachers participate in the clubs. My club is the "Creative Crafting" club. Big surprise, right? I have a big bunch of 4th and 5th grade girls, and we are focused on DIY accessories. FUN!

This past week was our first meeting, and I asked if they might want to be the focus of a blog post once a month. With joy and anticipation, they quickly agreed to my request, so here we are.

This month we made "friendship button bracelets." Aren't they cute? I found the idea in an issue of Family Fun Magazine.

You can find Family Fun's tutorial, here.

We only meet for an hour, once a month, so our craft had to be a quick one.

The girls loved it, though, and did a great job.

Good times.

Next month....Shrinky Dinks. Yup, you heard me.

It's gonna be awesome.

Happy Wednesday-

Tracy

Bangles & Buttons!

Ok, so I love these bangles. Isn't it sad that I am making them, yet don't have my own? Everything I make nowdays has been going into the Chatty Crafty box. Prime example: velevet bangles. Love'em. I am making them in other colors as well. OH! Also, on some I have added a fabric flower. Can't picture it? I know, sounds "too much," but seriously cute. Will post pic soon.

For these, I simply hot glued my velvet ribbon to a bangle, and started wrapping. Hot glue the end down when the bangle is completely covered. Be sure your ends are on the inside of the bracelet. No time?? Ok, just come to Chatty Crafty (of course, you'll have to wait a couple of months..), and pick some up from Paper Wings. ;)
Another fab example: Button earrings. I think I love these because they are so BIG. It gives them kind of a retro feel, doesn't it? I also love the saucy little prints on these. Excuse the hideous ears...those are mine...I just wanted to show how, exactly, they looked on.

Fall break is next week, and this year we are staying home. Normally, I would be sad not to be traveling to the beach like we usually do...HOWEVER, this year I am psyched. I am going to lock myself in my craft room for 8 hours everyday, and kick these bigger Chatty Crafty projects out. It really excites me to think there will be more than an hour to work on something. Whoo hooo- real progress.

Pondering Halloween costumes-

(for me, not the boys)

Tracy

My Love for Twine Grows

I had been thinking of doing this with yarn, but then saw twine bracelets, designed by Kenneth Jay Lane, in an In Style magazine (July 2011) . This is a Kenneth Jay Lane bracelet that sells for $50:

That's right. FIFTY smacks. Seriously. I knew there had to be a better way.

(I may figure out a better way to do this, however, this is how I made these three. I have worn them already a few times and they have held up fine.)

First, I gathered up some bangle bracelets that I didn't really wear anymore.


Second, tie a knot around the bracelet (tightly) and just start looping the twine around and around.
Third, once you have the entire bracelet covered, tie off the twine,trim it down, and use a little dot of adhesive (I used E6000, as it dries clear) on the end.


I made the natural colored one first as a trial. Then I wanted color. Again, there is probably a better way...I was debating between painting the twine once it was already on the bracelet or trying to dye the twine first.
I ended up soaking the twine in a slightly watered paint for about an hour (it may not need that long, that's just how long I was away doing something else), then removed it from the paint, and let it dry.
I think they turned out really fun and I love the colors! These are definitely going on the "Would be a fun gift." list.

Cheers!-

Tracy