Patriotic mini wearable hat - recycled craft

Memorial Day and July 4^th is on its way and you can be prepared with a patriotic mini hat wearable!  You can wear this little patriotic mini hat by with the handy hair clips under the brim at all your parties and events.  And the best part of all is that you make it from an up-cycled Jell-O or pudding cup.  The kids will love to make these little hats.  You can optionally add some elastic string to the brim so the kids can easily wear them.

Supplies:

·      Jell-O or pudding cup, washed and dried

·      Acrylic paint in red and white

·      Heavy cardboard or mat board in blue

·      Star ribbon

·      Red rattail ribbon

·      Scissors or craft knife

·      Corrugated cardboard piece to protect your work surface

·      Paper plate to hold the acrylic paint

·      Small paintbrush

·      Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

·      Two alligator clips or optional string elastic

·      Compass

·      Blue sharpie marker

·      Optional: string elastic and awl or nail

Instructions:

1.     Paint white strips on the cup with the white acrylic paint and let dry.  After the white paint has dried paint red stripes next in the spaces next to the white stripes.  Let dry.  After it has dried add another coat of both colors if needed.

2.     Using the compass draw and cut out two 2 ½” diameter circles from the heavy blue mat board.  In the center of one the 2 ½” diameter circles cut out a 1” diameter circle.  This will fit over the cup to form the brim.

3.     Use the blue sharpie to color the edges of the circle if they are white.

4.     Fit the mat board/ cardboard brim over the painted cup and glue to the lip of the cup.  Glue the smaller blue piece of mat board or heavy cardboard to the top of the hat.

5.     Measure around the brim area and cut a piece of 1/4” wide star ribbon to fit around.  Use the hot glue gun to attach.  Glue rattail ribbon around the edge where the brim meets the hat to fill in any gaps.

6.     Glue the second mat board/cardboard large circle to the bottom open part of the hat with some hot glue.

7.     Attach two alligator hair clips to the bottom of the hat. 

Optionally:   make two holes on either side of the brim and thread some string elastic through the holes an knot them.

Tuxedo dog collar with Mini Bowdabra bow maker

January 14 was National dress up your pet day.  While I don’t like to force my doggies to wear uncomfortable cutesy clothing, I think they enjoy wearing a fancier collar once in a while.  What could be fancier than a black tie event? Use the Mini Bowdabra bow maker to make a perfect bow tie in seconds! National dress up your pet day isn’t just for dogs though.  Dress up your horse, cat, mice, or whatever sort of pets you have and be sure to take some photos. For more information check out National dress your pet up day. http://www.national-awareness-days.com/national-dress-your-pet-up-day.html

To make the tuxedo collar for a small dog you will need:

·      Plain collar to fit your dog

·      White felt

·      Two white or two black buttons

·      7/8” wide black wired ribbon

·      1/8” wide black ribbon

·      Ruler

·      Scissors

·      Mini Bowdabra bow maker with ruler

·      Bowdabra bow wire

·      Needle and thread or Glue gun and glue sticks

1.     Fold the felt in half and cut into a curved shape leaving the top edge straight.  Open the fold and trim it necessary to make a U shape.  Mine is for an 11 lb. terrier and its 4 inches across the top edge.  Make it wide enough to fit on the chest area of your dog.  (For larger dogs you will need to make it a little bigger)

2.     Once you have your chest shirt piece ready either sew or glue on two buttons down the center.

3.     Attach the shirt piece onto the collar closer to the buckle side.  Stitch it or you can glue it on with a glue gun. Check the fit on your dog to make sure that the decorative part of the collar in on the center of the chest when you buckle it.

Make the bow:

4.     Cut an 18-inch piece of Bowdabra bow wire.  Fold in half and insert in the Mini Bowdabra bow maker.  You will have a loop on one side and two pieces of wire on the other.

5.     Cut a piece of 7/8” wide black ribbon 7 ½” long.  Insert in the bowmaker. Make a loop at the 1 ¼” line.  Make a matching loop on the other side.  Scrunch down with the wand.

6.     Insert the two wire pieces through the loop while the bow is still in the bow maker and pull tight.  Remove the bow and tie a knot in the back.  Fluff the loops and cut off the excess wire and ribbon.

7.     Cut a small piece of 1/8” wide black ribbon.  Glue around the center of the bow.  Attach the bow to the center of the shirt piece on the collar with hot glue or sew it on.

Note:

To make the girl dress collar simply substitute white 7/8” wide ribbon for the black.  Use faux pearl buttons for the front and glue on a strip of white lace trim to the upper part of the collar Attach a length of string pearls around the center of the bow gluing to secure.

When making collars for larger dogs use wider ribbon for the bow ties.

Snow Queen Snowflake wand costume extra

If you are dressing your little girl up in a Frozen costume this year why not make a little snowflake wand for her?  It’s easy and it is so much fun.  Many stores already put out the Christmas ornaments or you can order online.  I have included several optional steps that you may or may not choose to use  on your wand.

You will need:

Approximately 3 feet of 2 ¼” wide sheer silver wired ribbon

Barbeque skewer

Sparkle snowflake ornament

Four mini icicle ornaments (Optional step)

Plastic straw (Blue works out well but you can cover it if you don’t have a blue one)

Scraps of white sparkle felt (optional)

Glue of choice, glue gun and glue sticks …or tacky craft glue

Bowdabra mini Bowmaker with ruler

Bowdabra silver bow wire

(Ribbon measurements are approximate and are flexible)

1.     Gather your supplies. Put a dab of glue on the end of the skewer.  Attach the 20-inch piece of wired ribbon.  Begin twisting the ribbon onto the skewer all the way down to the end wrapping as you go.  Attach a dab of glue to hold the end in place. 

2.     Cut a 1 ½” piece of the plastic straw.  Add some glue and place in the center of the snowflake. (Back of wand) Add some more glue to the tip of the wrapped skewer and insert into the straw.  Set aside while the glue dries.

3.     If you didn’t use a blue straw and you want to cover it, cut a small rectangle of white sparkle felt and cut the bottom corner as an angle.  Add some glue and attach over the straw.

4.     Make the Bow. 

5.     Cut an 18 inch piece of Bowdabra silver bow wire, fold in half and insert into the mini Bowmaker with ruler.

6.     Using about 18 inches of the silver wired ribbon place one end into the Bowmaker to the 3-inch line.

7.     Make loop at the 2-inch line on the opposite side

8.     Make a matching loop on the other side

9.     End with a tail at the 3-inch line. Scrunch down with the Bowdabra wand.

10. Insert the two loose ends of bow wire through the loop and pull tight. Remove from Bowmaker and tie a knot in the back.  Tie the bow onto the wand and knot it. Use a pencil or pen to wrap the extra bow wire around to make a spiral.  Repeat on the other side and pull to the front.

11. Glue on four mini icicles on the front of the wand. (optional)