He Crafts She Crafts......Letter Perfect!

*COMMENT ON BOTH BLOGS AND BE ENTERED TO WIN SOME TERRIFIC LOOT and THE BIG-ASS BOOK OF BLING!

There is a place called Dollar King near where I live and let me tell you, it is UH-MA-ZING!  I found masonite letters for 99c each and went nuts.  As I was stuffing the entire alphabet in a cart I realized these were perfect for the HE CRAFTS SHE CRAFTS blog I write with my friend Stephenie (www.mycraftyadventures.com).  So here we are!  I opted for creating a free standing key holder that I could keep on my desk which could also work as a jewelry display on your dresser.  Stephenie made a WONDERFUL holiday centerpiece with her "S" and I have to tell you, I'm a bit jealous......She always knows how to put the "S" in sparkle and shine!

SHE CRAFTS

HE CRAFTS

YOU'LL NEED

Masonite letter

Piece of wood large enough for the base of your letter

2 small "L" brackets

E-6000 glue

Hammer 

4 small nails or small hooks

Grey Krylon Primer

Black Krylon Fusion spray paint

Krylon metallic gold enamel pen

If you need to, sand and clean your pieces

Nail 4 small nails (or screw in 4 small hooks) for your keys in different areas

Glue the "L" brackets to the back of the letters making sure they are flush with the base of the letter

Glue the "L" brackets to the piece of wood for the base and let dry

Spray with the Krylon Primer and let dry for about 15 minutes

Spray with the Krylon black and let dry for 15 minutes

Take your metallic gold Krylon enamel pen and trace around the edges of the letter to get a nice gold edging.  For the base of the letter, place a piece of paper on the base flush against the letter and carefully draw across the bottom.

Make sure to leave a comment here and on Stephenie's blog to be entered to win some terrific prizes AND The Big-Ass Book of Bling!

HE CRAFTS SHE CRAFTS.......IT'S IN THE CARDS!

I can't resist a deck of cards. I love the patterns, the waxy coating and how many variations in design there are.  I also can't resist when I find decks for 25 cents each!  This was the perfect item to send  Stephenie (www.mycraftyadventures.com) for our He Crafts She Crafts blog because cards are cheap and available.  At first I was thinking I would invent a new card game, but I racked my brain and shuffled around (get it!) and couldn't come up with anything.  Finally, BOOM!  I used them to mat some art pieces. Stephenie ROCKED this challenge with her GAME TIME PARTY by creating a chandelier up style, an invitation, a utinsil holder AND a banner!  I officially fold (see what I did there!)  Just a heads up, it can be tricky gluing waxy cards down but I found spray adhesive works really well.  I was actually able to try a NEW spray adhesive from one of my favorite companies that you can use INSIDE! Yes, you heard it here first.  Spray adhesive for use INSIDE...NO FUMES!  It's out in January and it's made by.........well, you'll have to wait, won't you.  

(LEAVE A COMMENT and you're entered to win some goodies from both me and Stephenie)

He Crafts:  My playing card art matting.  Try gluing them at an angle!

SHE CRAFTS:  I love this banner and utensil jar!  Easy and stylish! 

She Crafts:  Amazing chandelier up style! 

She Crafts:  The perfect invitation!  You GO Stephenie!

Make sure to check out her site and give her some love:  www.mycraftyadventures.com

Thought it would be fun to photograph these with a HAND!  Get it?!  Hand! 

YOU'LL NEED

Cardboard

Spray adhesive

Cards

Scissors

Double stick tape or glue stick

Small piece of art

Colorful paper or card stock 

Frames

Spray your cards and arrange them on your cardboard.

Lay something flat on top, weight them down so that they dry perfectly flat. 

Cut out your art and cut a small frame around it using some contrasting paper or card stock.

Double stick tape it or glue stick it to the contrasting paper. 

 Adhere it to the cards

 Arrange in your frame

 Finish up and hang!

Make sure to leave a comment for me and Stephenie and we'll pick a winner
to enjoy a gift box of goodies!  I'm including a BIG ASS BOOK OF BLING and Steph has the hookup for some fabulous cutting tools as well.  Good luck!

He Crafts She Crafts........Rag Rug Style!

Time for another installment of HE CRAFTS SHE CRAFTS with my friend Stephenie Hamen (www.mycraftyadventures.com) and yours truly!  Before I talk about our projects I want to point out that the He Crafts She Crafts posts are NOT about who does it better, it's about FRIENDSHIP and a MUTUAL LOVE of CREATIVITY.  I LOVE doing this blog with my friend and I am honored that she takes the time to do this with me.  So there you go!  Maybe you can find a friend to give two different perspectives on something?

This week I got to pick the "ingredient" and I chose a rag rug from the 99c store.  Ok, I'm just going to admit it, I've made rag rug bags before BUT in my defense, I have never made one like this!  Complete with a heart and plastic clothesline chain, this RAG RUG BAG is entirely different.  Stephenie got her Halloween ON with her rag rug and embellished with different color ribbons for a Halloween Placemat.  I want 10 of these for my Halloween Candy Feast!
Make sure to check out Stephenie's blog and leave her some love.
www.mycraftyadventures.com
(Leave us a comment and we'll pick someone to win a fab-tastic prize)

He Crafts:  My Rag Rug Bag

Here's my how to video! 

She Crafts:  Stephenie's Halloween Placemat!  I LOVE THIS!

She Crafts arial view

 He Crafts Rag Rug Bag

Here's what you'll need:

 Sewing machine

Rag rug

Fiskars Pinking Shears

Scissors

Vinyl

Plastic chain

Wire cutters

1 1/2" wide ribbon

Matching thread

Cut 2 scalloped strips (about 2" wide) the width of the rug using the pinking shears

 Cut out a heart also using the pinking shears

 Cut your plastic chain the size you would like your handles

 Cut four 5" long pieces of 1 1/2" wide ribbon

Stitch on your heart 

Thread a ribbon piece through each end of the plastic chain and stitch across the ends as shown 

 Pin the ribbon pieces to the bag and under where you will be placing your scalloped trim

 Stitch across the scalloped trim catching the ribbon under the stitching

 Repeat on the other side

 Stitch up your side seams

Fold a corner in the bottom of each side of the bag and stitch across

Turn right side out and you're done!

He Crafts She Crafts......Paris Night Light

PARIS NIGHT LIGHT-He Crafts
My friend Stephenie www.mycraftyadventures.com loves to challenge me with the simplest things for our HE CRAFTS SHE CRAFTS blog posts.  Sometimes I'm completely inspired with our objects and other times it's a test of my creative will.  This project was no exception.  You see, Steph has a terrific ability to make everything pretty, lacey, colorful and wonderful.  I almost immediately go for a can of paint and a drill!  This time I decided to use flowers and lace and see if I could marry my two styles with this simple standing frame and turn it in to something interesting.  I came up with a night light.

 REVERSIBLE FRAME-She Crafts
This is what Stephenie came up with and I love it.  It's a reversible frame with photos on each side.  So smart!  Make sure to head over to her blog and see how she made it and leave a comment! We'll pick a winner to receive some goodies (and one of my books)!
www.mycraftyadventures.com

You'll need
Standing frame (this one is from Ikea)
Postcard of a night scene that has some sky
Night light (got mine at the 99c store)
Black Krylon spray paint
E-6000 glue and hot glue
Bows, ribbons, flowers, lace
Small extension cord
Sandpaper

 Sand the image off of the nightlight

 Open your frame

 Cut your postcard down to size

 Poke holes in the sky part of the postcard with a pin

Spray paint your frame and let dry

Frame the postcard and then glue the nightlight to the back of the frame behind the postcard

 Glue on your embellishments with either hot glue or E-6000 and let dry

Add an extension cord and then plug in your night light

For TONS more ideas, make sure to grab a Mark Montano book! 

See all of the books and get the best price HERE!