Oodles of Crafty Pantyhose Possibilities

Today if you pop over to Craft Magazine you can find a fun project I did for them using pantyhose to make earrings. I have been on a real hose crafts bender and don't see it ending anytime soon. To coincide with my how-to project on Craft I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite pantyhose crafts. There is so much more you can do with them besides wear them on your legs!


How can you wear tights in the summer? When they have ice cream cones painted on them! Check out this easy how-to project for customizing your favorite pair of tights, leggins or hose.


Craft Chi made me actually want to go out and buy old school pantyhose for the first time in a long time. Not to wear on my legs, but to make into a ruffle.



Braiding pantyhose has all kinds of possibilities. Just check out these examples from a few of my vintage craft books. I also found that crocheting pantyhose has pretty cool results.


You might recall my love of prize ribbons. I recently combined this love with my new found fascination of pantyhose crafts.


I stole this picture of a pantyhose room divider from Cathy of California, but Diane of Crafty Pod has even more pictures from this amazing book.


Did you know you can use an old pair of pantyhose to silkscreen? You can I promise, heck I'll even show you how.


It's yellow, it's made of pantyhose and it's a necklace - what's not to love? Smaggle is my hero of hose.



A pantyhose lampshade sounds right up my tack-a-liscious alley. Follow these handy dandy instructions from a 1959 copy of Pack-o-Fun and make your own.


I've used my Yudu to silk screen clocks, vinyl record bracelets and now leggins!


I wish I had seen this fishnet covered jewelry holder bottle on Cut Out + Keep (found via Outsapop) when I was doing my series on jewelry displays.


Nylon fantasies indeed. Just picture those ornaments as earrings, oh ya baby,

Back from the Beach

Whoo I am wiped out from a trip to the Port Aransas. Luckily the whole BP mess has not effected the Texas coast, so the fam got to enjoy 4 days of sun and sand. Sorry for being MIA, but it would just be wrong to blog on vacation don'tcha think? I am busy playing catch up and washing the sand out of our clothes. Tallulah gave the trip a thumbs up, but came back with a virus and a fever. Miss the beach already, but glad to be home.

I Love to Create - Customized Grandparents Puzzle

This Father's Day I think it is equally important to recognize all the grandfathers out there too. After all, there would not be a mommy and a daddy without them. Tallulah's grandparents do not live in Austin so she does not get to see them as often as we would all like. Just because she can't see them in person does not mean she can't see them daily in pictures. This week on I Love to Create we are customizing a puzzle grandpa (and grandma) style!


SUPPLIES
Wood Block Puzzle
Pen
Crafty Chica Little Chica Paint Packs
Paint Brush
Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage Medium
Scissors
Aleene's Acid Free Tacky Glue
Deco Patch Paper


PRETTY PICTURES
Choose the pictures you want to use in your puzzle. Trace the shapes of the puzzle pieces onto the photographs with a pen. Cut out the picture shapes with scissors and set aside.


PAINT
Paint your puzzle using Crafty Chica Little Chica Paint Pack. I opted for a golden yellow, but feel free to get crazy. It took a lot of restraint to not add polka dots. You might need to sand or prime your puzzle first in order for it to take the paint. Also I needed to apply several coats.


DECOUPAGE
Using Deco-Patch paper and Collage Pauge I adorned the tops of my puzzle pieces.


GLUE
Attach your photographs to the puzzle using Aleene's Acid Free Tacky Glue. You might also use some decoupage on top of the photographs to protect them from baby drool.

Summer Goal - Hit Every Pool, Splash Pad & Swimming Hole in Austin!

I have decided to make it my summer goal to hit as many pools, splash pads and swimming holes in Austin as humanly possible. Tallulah is my co-pilot on this quest and good thing she loves the pool just as much as her mommy. Anyone who lives in Austin knows that we have a lot of swimming options here. We could go to a different place every day and probably not get to them all. This might be a two summer goal. Throughout the summer as Tallulah and I knock out our list, I thought I would keep you posted with a few brief reviews.



So far this summer Tallulah and I have hit Garrison Municipal Pool, West Enfield Pool and Deep Eddy Pool. West Enfield was small, free, quiet and shaded. There was a small spout in the corner with water pouring out that entertained Tallulah thoroughly. There is no formal baby pool, but the shallow end (2ft-ish) is sectioned off from the rest of the pool.

Garrison Pool is walking distance from my house so I was crushed to discover that the shaded baby pool is under construction. The regular pool is crowded and at times a little over stimulating for a baby in a floaty. When their baby pool opens I will re-evaluate the situation.

Deep Eddy is my favorite so far this summer. The pool is split in two with a spring fed section for swimming laps and a chlorine section for frolicking. The best part about Deep Eddy for kids besides Jim Jim's Water Ice and the large shaded grassy area to sit is the shallow end. When I say shallow I mean 6"s or so. The depth of the pool is graduated like a beach which is great for a toddler.

I already have plans for a visit to a splash pad and a back yard baby pool date this week. I'll give you another review when Tallulah and I have a few more spots under our belt. In the meantime Austinites, where are your favorite places to get wet? With or without kids.

I Love to Create - Happy Father's Day to the Vinyl Record Lovers!

Father's Day is right around the corner, which means I am putting my crafty thinking cap on. Last year I made a customized 6 pack of beer which was a big hit. Today I have project on Craft about how to make etched pint glasses for dad with pictures of his kids (four and two legged). All that was left in the equation was a set of coasters.


Coasters are a little fussy for our house, so I needed to make them a bit different to fit in. Remember the Musical Mustache Masks I made? I had tons of vinyl records left over. I made jewelry with some and a clock with others, but I still have several to spare. The only thing Chris loves more than a cold glass of beer is the warm crackle of a vinyl record - why not combine the two!


SUPPLIES
Vinyl Records
Hot Pad or Glove
Aleene's Spray Acrylic Sealer
Felt
Scissors
Oven
Liquid Fusion Glue
Sand Paper


HOT VINYL
Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees. Place your records in the oven and heat until they start to warp. Wearing a glove or using a hot pad take your records out of the oven one at a time and cut with scissors. There will be lines close to the label for you to follow. How much vinyl you leave showing is totally up to you. You may have to heat cut and heat and cut again to get all the way around the center. If your coasters are not flat heat one last time and then place between two books when you take them out of the oven.


ROUGH EDGES
For the most part your scissors will make pretty smooth cuts. If there are any rough edges use sandpaper to smooth it out.


WATERPROOF
Take your coasters outside and spray with Aleene's Spray Acrylic Sealer. Apply two coats allowing to dry completely in-between. This will help protect the label on your coaster from condensation.


SMOOTH BOTTOM
Sure the top looks great, but there is still that pesky hole for water to drip through and onto your table. Trace your circle onto a piece of craft felt and cut out. Glue on un-varnished side of coster.


POUR DAD A COLD ONE
Set your ice cold beer, Big Red or water on your coaster and don't think another thought about table rings. Lord knows dads never did anyway.

What are you making dear old dad this father's day?

Ruffle-o-Rama on Stylelicious

Set your DVR tomorrow for 7:30 EST on the DIY Network for a ruffle-tastic episode of Stylelicious. Tina Sparkles demonstrates how to make an 80's inspired skirt trimmed with ruffles. I will make a faux ruffled tux shirt with iron-ons and matching knee-highs to complete the look. Susann Keohane has an idea for a ruffle-trimmed dog sweater.

Austin Adventures - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Several years ago I wrote a blog post about things to do in Austin. Most of the list still holds true, but now that I have a kidlet I look at the list a little differently. A couple of people have suggested that I make a list of things to do in Austin with kids. That's a great idea. My kid is only 16 months so my list is not very long, but it growing every week. Like last weeks trip to Boggy Creek Farms, our adventure at the rodeo or the time we went to the car show. Most of these adventures are things that adults could do sans kids and be equally entertained, so don't click out of here just because you have not bred yet. Most recently our family adventures took us to the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. I scored a Groupon for a discounted year membership and we decided to activate that bad boy this past weekend.












The flowers and native plants were lovely and I had no idea there was so much art. When it is cooler I plan on taking full advantage of all the trails. Speaking of cool be sure to pack some ice water, sun screen and wear something light weight - it gets hot out there. I of course put Tallulah in something covered in wild flowers and matching sun hat!

Wish I had thought to go last month when the wildflowers were in full bloom. I see the fam getting our moneys worth on our membership.

Got any suggestions for family friendly adventures in Austin? I'll try to go and check it out and blog all about it.

Dollies at Play

Friday Hope, Tallulah and I packed it up and spent the day thrifting all the way up to San Antonio and back. Lot's of scores were made, but one of my faves was the book Dollies at Play. The book is made with thick waxy cardboard pages like a baby's board book - which are perfect to craft with. I see a date with a Big Shot and Dolly book jewelry in my very near future.