Recycled Tennis Ball Halloween Creatures!

10/26/201510/26/20151 Comment

Hi everybody!

I hope you are having a fantastic October so far!

Can you believe Halloween is next weekend already! Where does the time go…other than away!

So, I work in a tennis shop, and where there is tennis there are a lot of tennis balls. Rather than throwing out some of the old tennis balls around the shop, I decided to convert them into fun creatures for Halloween, and I must say the kids are loving them so much, that I decided to share them here.

These fun little guys are so easy to make. You only need a few things, most of you probably have around the house already.

Supplies:

Tennis Balls
Sharpies
Glue Gun
Index Cards
Tape
Pipe Cleaners
Yarn, Fabric or string for mummy
Optional: Googly eyes instead of drawn in eyes for spider.

Pumpkin Ball:

Super easy Just draw with your black sharpie triangle eyes a nose and a mouth.
Then use an orange sharpie to color everywhere but in the eyes, nose and mouth.
Let dry for a minute or two.

Ta-Da! Pumpkin Ball!

Batty Ball:

Also super-duper easy. Draw two large circles for eyes with your black sharpie.
Then add the pupils.
Add a circle for the nose and some fangs.
Use a brown sharpie to color the rest of the ball, you can use black but the details of the face will be hard to see.
For wings, I used an index card and drew out a wing, then cut it out, and used this wing as a template for the second wing. Just make sure you flip it so it is in the correct direction.
Once both wings are cut out, use a large marker to color in the wings. I then used a fine tip sharpie to add the details.
Make a small bend in the wing where it will attach to the body.
You can either use a glue gun or tape. If you use tape, put a rolled piece of tape under the bend and then use a few more across the top. If you use glue gun, add a tad of hot glue to the folded part of the wing and stick it to the body.

Mr. Spider Ball

I used 4 small pipe cleaners and cut them in half.
Use a hot glue gun to attach to the ball. Let dry completely between adding the legs so they don’t fall off.
Then use a sharpie to draw on eyes. You can also glue on googly eyes if you have them.
I added a few stripes to the legs. You could also color them in, or use a sharpie to color the whole ball.

Mummy Ball!

First, use an index card to draw out some eyes.
Cut them out.
Use hot glue gun to glue them onto the ball. Let dry.
Grab your yarn, string or fabric and your glue gun.
Add a small dab of glue around the top of the ball and slowly start to wrap your yarn around adding tiny dabs of glue all along the way.
Continue to wrap around until you go all the way around.
Secure with glue.

The possibilities are endless. I would love to see what you come up with.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Have a wonderful week!

Would you like some more Halloween inspiration here is a past post on easy Halloween Jar decoration fun: https://sugarbeetcrafts.wordpress.com/2014/10/23/quick-and-easy-jar-decoration/

Mummy, Spider, Pumpkin & Batty

Cereal Box Crafts! #2 Bookmarks and Organizer Dividers!

08/08/201508/07/20152 Comments

There is nothing more tragic than the tons of trash we go through as a human race. So it is nice to find things to repurpose and upcycle. Finding things to do with things has become an obsession.

If you missed last weeks post on turning cereal boxes into postcards you can find it here: https://goo.gl/LTxRR5

This week, while doing some research on my things to do with cereal box posts, I decided to show you just a couple super simple and quick things you can do with cereal boxes or food boxes that you can use in your office or school supplies.

In school or work or well just life you can never have too many bookmarks or dividers!

I have no idea what it is like to be a kid these days, but in my day…in school, I was always jealous of the kids that had rad supplies that were totally original. Sure it is nice to get new stuff but there is nothing like something you made yourself, that no one else has. Even if it is as simple as a bookmark.

This one is so easy, cut out the picture side of boxes to your favorite foods, punch a hole at the top and add some string! And there you go. I used a fancy scissor and cut the top and bottom, just to add a little something extra…and there you go. A delicious distraction.

Here is another way to fancy up a food box bookmark.

Yum! Scalloped Potatoes box! The side of the box was the perfect size for a bookmark, So I grabbed some fabric washi tape that is a bit wider than normal and cut out side of the box.

I measured the size of the bookmark and cut out the same amount of washi tape. I covered both sides, so cut two equal pieces of washi tape.

Then carefully apply the washi tape to the cut out box piece.

Once that is complete, Grab a hole punch and some ribbon or string.

Punch a hole in the top middle and loop through your string.

There you go a pretty little bookmark. What a great gift!

Ok lets move on to the super quick organizer divider!

I use a small divider to keep all my ideas and such. Because I am an over organizer and use a ton of divider tabs, unfortunately you only get so many with the pack, and sometimes if you have an organizer like mine, it is hard to find the right size divider.

So I make my own!

You need one of your current divider pages, a box that is big enough to fit the divider page, scissors, and a hole punch.

Use a marker to trace the outline of your current divider page to your cut out box.

Then carefully cut out.

Cover your made page with the original page to mark where the holes go. Mark with a pen, then punch out your holes and add to your organizer.

If you want to get fancy you can use Mod Podge (or glue) and paper to cover the new divider page.

I used scrapbook paper here:
*Cover your newly cut out divider page with a light layer of glue. Then press down on your paper.Let Dry.
*Once dry, cut out the divider page and punch your holes.

These are just a few super simple things you can do with food boxes. You never know what supplies you need in a pinch, or when you need a quick distraction project for a kid..or for yourself 😀

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Cereal Box Crafts #1 – Cereal Box to Postcards

07/30/201507/30/2015Leave a comment

Hi Everybody!

I hope this post finds you doing spectacular! My next series of posts are going to be Cereal Box Crafts. They are so great to work with, every house has them and by converting one piece of trash into treasure you are helping this beautiful planet. Besides, art supplies can get pricey, so it is always exciting to find everyday items to reuse.

Last September I did a post on using old paperboard as a mixed media canvas. You can absolutely do this with a cereal box or the technical name “chipboard” boxes that food comes in. Here is a link if you would like to give it a go: Mixed Media Art on PaperBoard.

Today I am going to show you a fun way to customize post cards with a Cereal Box.

Supplies Needed:

Cereal Box
Scissors
Mod Podge
Gesso
Ruler
Markers
Pencil
Stickles Glitter Glue
Glitter
Blank White paper.

Instructions:

1. Grab your box, scissors and a ruler or an old postcard, and trace the postcard wherever you like on the box. If you do not have a postcard to trace use these dimensions: At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long.

If you do not have a postcard to trace you can use the dimensions. At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long.

2. Trace and Cut.

Trace and cut

3. I chose to use the word Honey in my postcard. So I outlined the word with thick black sharpie. It gives me an extra thick boarder to work with. This step is optional.

4. Next, Use Acrylic Gesso in white and some fine detailed brushes to paint everywhere but the word Honey.

5. Once the Gesso is completely dry (it may take a few coats), use a pencil to write in your words. I chose: “Honey I sure do miss you”.

6 Once your completely satisfied with your words, Grab your sharpie and trace. (Just fyi, you can erase on gesso, just be careful and go with the strokes.)

7.) Now Grab your Watercolors and paint all around your words. This takes some fine brushes.

Don’t worry, It does not have to be perfect.

8. Once that is completely dry, Grab your stickles glitter tubes and fill in the words. I outlined my words in a black glitter stickles (not shown), then filled with Gold. The word honey was outlined in gold and filled with a brown. Then added some dots around the sides.

Let Dry

9. While that is drying, Grab your white piece of paper. Trace another post card size rectangle. I then used scalloped edge scissors and chose to make the white paper a tad smaller than the postcard to create a border effect.

10. I added a Post Card Stamp, but you can hand write this or use other stamps.

11. Use Mod Podge to attach once the front is completely dry.

Finished:

Once it is all completely dry, its a good idea to put a spray sealer on the front side. It will protect the water color and all your hard work!

Also its a good idea, once all dry to stick it in a big book over night so it stays completely flat. Sometimes with all the moisture the paper will want to curl. If you have a tacky surface put the post card in wax paper or freezer paper before you put in the book so they don’t stick.

Here is another idea with Glitter. I did not write a tutorial on this one, but if you want one let me know.

Glitter Post Card!

Can you imagine getting that in the mail!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

I would love to hear what you think or even better, see your projects!

Feel free to link up to your related blogs in my comments! I love to spread the word on artists!

Have a fantastic week!!

New Items! Meet Glitter Junk! @ Sugar Beet Crafts on Etsy

05/13/201505/13/2015Leave a comment

Hello Everybody!

I just wanted to drop a quick line because I have been super busy making new stuff for my Etsy store.

I created a new line called Glitter Junk! It started off as just a fun project for myself. I love glitter and have been really into it this season. I wanted glittery jewelry that was not to child like, but I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted. So I decided to make my own!

I loved it so much and received so many compliments I decided to make a bunch for the Etsy site.

These charms are so fun and really pretty. They sparkle at every angle and have an awesome 3D effect. Each one takes about 3 days to make and every one is unique.

My favorite part of crafting is having an idea or vision in my head and then actually fabricating it into something real. Working with resin is kind of a challenge, especially when working in a small space.

In the end, I am super happy with how they came out….too happy, its hard to part with them. Me and sparkly go hand in hand!

I would love to know what you think! They are at https://www.etsy.com/shop/SugarBeetCrafts

more items coming soon.

I hope you enjoy!