I Love to Create - Kitschy Hair Covered Earmuffs.

First there was Princess Leia and her cinnamon roll style hair-do. Years later came the Limi Feu spring/summer 2009 runway show and their amazing hair covered headphones. Then with a Boom Boom Pow Fergie is all over MTV wearing her own spikey hairphones. I thought to myself, mommy like. The problem, I don't wear headphones. What I do wear are ear muffs.




As you know ear muffs are typically not the most stylish looking of warming accessories and I set out to change that. Inspired by the hairphones and with a wink and a smile I hope to keep your ears not only warm, but also in vogue with today's I Love to Create project.


SUPPLIES
Tracks of Hair
Liquid Fusion Glue
2 Plastic Doll Faces
Aleene's Hot Glue Gun
Clothes Pins
Small Rubber Bands
Scissors
Ear Muffs


All Hair and Ear Muffs are not Created Equal
First you need to choose your hair. I opted for a red/brown shade to match my real hair. I also went with cheap synthetic hair. This is the exact same fake hair you would use to put in extensions (read about my escapades with fake hair here and my sister Hope's how-to guide for installing a weave here). The hair comes in tons of colors and if you wanted to pay more money you could even buy human hair.

Once you have your hair, next you need ear muffs. Look for ear muffs that don't collapse or fold up like a sandwich. If you had to you could make a pair from foam and a hairband.

The first step is to coat the band of the ear muffs with Liquid Fusion Glue on top and underneath. Take a portion of the hair and wrap the headband. Use clothes pins to secure the ends.


Creepy Vintage Doll Heads Make Everything Better
The next step was a happy accident actually. As I was braiding, wrapping and gluing hair to the earmuffs I started to realize that I did not have enough hair for the job. Suddenly I thought back to some crocheted doilies I had recently purchased at the thrift store with creepy doll heads in the center. I rushed to my stash of doll parts and there smiling back at me were two of the exact same vintage doll head halves. They fit perfectly in the center of my ear muffs and added just the right amount of kitsch to my couture hairphones.

I used Aleene's hot glue to attach the braids for the most part. However, I went back through with Liquid Fusion Glue to anchor down all the ends. Hold in place with clothes pins and allow to dry overnight.


All that is left to do is wait for a chilly day. I never thought I would say this, but I kinda can't wait for our next cold snap just so I can wear my hair muffs.



If you liked this post, I got a feelin' your gonna like these posts too...

Tartan Tiaras
New Years Eve Pipe Cleaner Tiaras
Cowgirl Hat Headbands
Fergaliscious Domino Nails

***This is a sponsored post by I Love to Create - I was compensated & given free supplies. Mama has gotta pay the bills somehow and really who in their right mind would say no to free craft supplies***

Crafty Business Resolutions

Does you list of New Years Resolution perchance involve either getting your craft business off the ground, taking your crafty business to the next level or maybe doing a little more marketing for your craft business? If you answered yes to any of these questions start the New Years off on the right foot and take the Naughty Secretary Club Crafty Business Seminar at Stitch Lab. You have your choice of 3 classes: Thursday, January 7, 6:00 - 10:00 PM, Monday, February 15, 6:00 - 10:00 PM or Saturday March 27, 11:00 - 3:00 PM.


Get an idea of some of the things we discuss in class by reading a few of these articles….
The Business of Creative Blogging
Is There a Market for Your Crafts?
Marketing Your Business for Free

Operation Craft Space Clean Up Volume 1

Just like everyone else this time of year I am working on my New Years Resolutions. Lose the rest of my baby weight, learn to crochet more than a scarf and cleaning my studio are all on the list amoung others. Actually the one about the studio is at the very top of my list. I have never been one to keep my crafting space clean. You have probably heard me talking down my nose about crafters with meticulously organized and clean craft spaces. However, with the arrival of Tallulah last year my studio has gotten out of control messy. Possibly the worst it has ever been. To the point where I feel stifled in my creativity from the clutter and can't find anything. That being the case I am determined to start 2010 off with a clean and organized craft space. I'm not saying it will stay that way long, but at least it will get a good scrub down to start.


Let me catch you up to speed on my studio. Naughty Secretary Club headquarters used to be in the master bedroom of my house. Pick up a copy of Handmade Nation to see the old digs in it's full glory. True story: I refused to be interviewed in my studio for the Handmade Nation documentary because it was so messy, boy do I regret that now. Eventually I converted my 2 car garage into my new studio. You can see the before and after pictures here.


If you can believe it these pictures were taken a few months ago and the studio looks even worse as I type. Now there are Christmas decorations, lamp shades and displays from various holiday craft shows that need to be put away in the attic.


At this point you are probably thinking to yourself, why in God's name is she showing anyone this hell hole? Well I'll tell you. I have decided through the month of January I will give you the readers a weekly pictorial update on my progress. That way if you are watching I will be pressured to really get things picked up and organized. I'm also planning on posting pictures again in June so you can get a 6 month update.


The reason why it might take me a month to clean my studio is le' bebe has wittled her nap time down to a mere 2 hours a day and my last hope at an assistant (AKA my sister) has long since quit coming for the most part. Most naps I have to put together orders, get the house picked up and answer work emails. Cleaning my studio has fallen to the wayside. It's not like I can bring Tallulah into the studio with me it's choking hazard central in here. Although I suppose I could set up a play pen if there were enough clear space which at this point there is not.


In the meantime I am asking for any and all organizational advice. How do you keep your craft space clean? I can hear my dad lecturing me about cleaning my room as a child "A place for everything and everything in it's place". Wish me luck and I'll be back next week with hopefully some cleaner pictures.

I Love to Create - Black Eyed Peas for Luck & Crafting

It may be Christmas Eve, but I am already thinking ahead to next week and New Years! In the South we have a tradition involving black eyed peas. Some people eat them on New Years Day to ensure good luck all year long, but my logic was that if you craft with them on New Years Day as well as eat them it might make your new year extra lucky! Grab some dried black eyed peas, Tacky Glue and get ready for an all new I Love to Create Post.


SUPPLIES
Dried Beans
Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue
Wooden Plaque
Sublime Stitching Transfer Paper
Embroidery Pattern
Gold Cording
Pen
Stick


BEAN DESIGN
You want to choose an image that is not terribly detailed to use for your bean art. I found that embroidery patterns work great. I chose this owl from Q is for Quilter in the Hoop Love Embroidery Pool. Using transfer paper and a pen trace your image onto a piece of wood.


BEAN GLUING
One section at a time apply your Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue and your beans. The more beans you use the better since they come in all kinds of colors and will help give your image more depth.

I glued the owl and the stick he is perched on first. Next I went around the edge of the owl and glued down some gold cording.

To ensure good luck in 2010 I filled in the rest of the empty space with more black eyed peas.


With the rest of your black eyed peas try my favorite bean dip recipe.

Bearded Babies

There is no good reason why Santa should be the only one who gets to wear a white fluffy beard this Christmas. Check out Vickie Howell's blog to see how Tallulah grew hers.

Babies First Christmas Cafeteria Tray Frame

Did you happen to see my post on Craft Magazine today about transforming a cafeteria tray into a Baby's First Christmas picture frame?


Looking for more fun picture ideas? Check out this post with 5 kitschy up-cycled frame options.

10 Not so Typical Tannenbaum

Thought I would kick off Christmas week with a few pictures of not so typical Christmas trees.


This fun little button covered tree was made by Sarah Johner by for Susan Beal's fantabulous book Button Up!


Wall decals seem to be all the rage and Christmas tree shaped ones are no exception. Take a stroll through Etsy for several options like this fun one by Coco Color Design.


By far my favorite Christmas tree I have seen this year is this one that my friend Karly sent me made of random junky goodness.


My friend Dave Lowe whips up a Christmas Tree made from magazines for an episode of Craft Lab.


Another take on the magazine tree from rzdeloach's Flickr page.


I found what looks like a Mad Scientist's test tube tennenbaum on Bev 10 99's Flickr page.


This Christmas tree from World Have You Say's Flickr page is made of plastic bags. You could make one of Vickie Howell's wreaths to match.


Nothing says Merry Kitschmas like paper cups and rubber gloves.


Since the picture I posted of an Ice Cream Cone tree was such a big hit I thought I would post another picture of a tulle tree from the same issue of Christmas Ideas from 1961.


Ok I said 10 because it rymed better with typical and tannenbaum, but really we have 11 trees. These jewelry covered trees were the inspiration behind my Floral Fro creations.

Feel the Glee at Stitch Lab this Weekend

Stop by Stitch Lab this weekend and check out their new digs, sign up for one of my jewelry or crafty business classes and peruse the crafty booths. You might find some Naughty Secretary Club goodies mixed in with the All Dressed Up and Shy booth!

I Love to Create - Christmas in an Ice Cream Cone

As a little girl my very favorite Christmas ornament was one that my babysitter Janet Maxwell gave to me. Janet was cool and would tell me about the U2 and Go-Go's concerts she would go to, she drove a blue car with yellow polka dots and she was a cheerleader. To me Janet hung the moon so when she made my sister and I Ice Cream Cone Christmas ornaments you know I thought they were they best thing to happen to December 25th since Rudolph.


I had long since forgotten about Janet and her crafty cones until I was recently flipping through a copy of Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Ideas for 1961. The kitschy holiday pictures and crafts had me turning the pages like this baby was straight off the New York Times Best Sellers List. Then there it was... the Ice Cream Cone Tree on page 27 and the memories of Janet and her ornament came rushing back. As you might recall from my customized cartons, loquat and pumpkin flavors and even painted tights - I kind of have a thing for ice cream cones. Maybe it all started with Janet and her ornament. Today for I Love to Create I am going to show you how to make your very own!


SUPPLIES
Ice Cream Cone
Liquid Fusion Glue
Crafty Chica Little Chica Paint Packs
Tulip Fashion Glitter
Tulip Glam It Up Iron On Crystals
Christmas Ball Ornament


BALLS + CONE + GLUE = ORNAMENT
The first thing you need to do is glue your ornament into your ice cream cone. Remember you can use a plastic or glass ornament, solid or printed - you name it. You just want to be sure to leave the part with the hanger out of the cone. Speaking of cones if you are more of a sugar cone guy or gal go for it! I used Liquid Fusion Glue along the rim of my cone to anchor my ball in place.


WITH SPRINKLES ON TOP
You could stop there, but why? I like to think if you are reading the Naughty Secretary Club blog you too are a firm believer in the more is always better philosophy. That being the case let's put some topping on that cone. I used Crafty Chica paint and free handed a yummy topping onto my Christmas ball. While the paint was still wet (and fairly thick) I sprinkled on Tulip Fashion Glitter. Allow to dry.


YUMMY TO MY CRAFTY TUMMY
If you are going to take the step of adding an ooey gooey glittery faux candy dipping sauce, what's a few rhinestones? Using your Liquid Fusion Glue add small dots randomly around your cone and stick in your rhinestones. Allow to dry.


DECK THE HALLS
These ornaments look good enough to eat, though I would not recommend it. Speaking of, just because you would not eat these ice cream cones does not mean someone (or something) else wouldn't. When storing your cones I recommend a zip lock bag so hungry little attic vermin don't decide to snack on your cone during the other 11 months of the year.

Buy yourself a pack of cones, some crafting supplies a cheap box of ornaments and get crazy! You can use all kinds of color combinations, leave off the glitter if you want, glue a fake cherry on top, what about a double dip cone? The possibilities are endless.

Pictorial Roundup of the Cherrywood Art Fair

So I have my first Cherrywood Art Fair under my belt and the pictures to prove it! Thanks to everyone who stopped by, I hope to see you next year!