CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--EARTH DAY KID CRAFT

copyright 1991 Lois Winston

Tomorrow is Earth Day. Here's an Earth Day poster you can print out for your kids to color.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-JUTE & SEA SHELLS CONTAINER

Jute & Sea Shells Container

Is winter getting you down? Can’t wait for summer sunshine and trips down the shore? Put yourself in a summer state of mind with a summery craft project. This jute and sea shells decorated container will look great with some of the other shell crafts we’ve previously featured. Use it in the bathroom to hold your hair dryer and brush or in the kitchen for utensils or on your desk for scissors, pens, and pencils.

Materials: coffee can, 1/4” sisal rope (a 50 foot package will be enough to cover the coffee can and a matching soup can for smaller items), assorted sea shells, hot glue gun and glue sticks

1. Using hot glue and beginning at the lower edge of the can, tack the cut end of the jute to the can. Wind the jute around the can, gluing every few inches.

2. Continue gluing jute around metal top edge of can. Trim jute when can is completely covered.

3. Glue sea shells to can in desired arrangement.

Additional sea shell crafts from previously posted blogs can be found at the following links:

Sea Shell Topiary

Sea Shell Wreath

Sea Shell Photo Frame

Sea Shell Jar and Bath Salts

Sea Shell Mirror

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- CHRISTMAS VOTIVE GLASS CANDLE HOLDERS

The most common excuse I hear as to why people don’t craft is that they’d love to but they have no artistic talent. Artists need talent. Crafters only need desire. You can craft even if you can’t draw a straight line. Today’s project proves that.

I recently discovered DecoArt Glass Paint Markers. As the name implies, these are markers designed to be used on glass. They come in a variety of rainbow colors as well as gold, silver, and white. I was immediately intrigued with the possibilities. 

To test out these markers, I purchased a couple of inexpensive glass votive holders that I found at a local fabric and craft store. All you need in addition to the markers and a piece of glassware is some alcohol for cleaning the glass prior to painting and a small piece of white or light colored paper.

Once I cleaned the glass, I rolled up the paper and placed it inside the votive holder. This was just to help me see as I worked. Using the green marker, I made vertical lines around the votive holder, not worrying about keeping the lines evenly spaced or straight. I just freehanded it for a contemporary look I’d recently seen on some high-end vases.

After my lines were drawn all around, I took a red marker and made rows of dots in the spaces between the lines.

That’s all there was to it. Within minutes I’d created a pair of stemmed votive holders that will look great during my holiday entertaining. Could it get any easier? I doubt it. So don’t let me hear any of you saying you can’t craft because you have no artistic talent.

So who will give this project a try? Post a comment to enter the drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author. -- AP

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- SHELL JARS AND BATH SALTS

Continuing our seashell theme, this week’s craft is super simple and would make a great hostess gift if you’re invited to a friend or family member’s seaside vacation home. Make a dozen or so and keep them on hand for whenever needed. A set of three in a basket makes for a perfect gift.-- AP

MATERIALS: small glass jars with screw-on lids (available at craft stores,) hot glue gun and glue sticks, decorative shells, bath crystals or beads.

1. Glue a couple of shells to the jar lid. 


2. Fill the jar with bath crystals or beads.

If you’d like to make your own bath salts, here’s an easy recipe:

BATH SALTS

MATERIALS: 3 cups Epsom salts, 2 cups sea salt, 1/2 ounce essential oil, 1 cup baking soda (optional -- baking soda will soften the skin and condition the water), wire whisk, air tight glass containers (such as Mason jars).

1. Whisk salts together well in a glass or metal bowl. 


2. Add essential oil and continue to whisk together. 


3. Whisk in baking soda, if desired. 


4. Spoon into jars. Seal tightly.

That’s all there is to it! How much simpler can you get? Actually, even simpler. Watch for next week’s shell craft to see what I mean. Meanwhile, post a comment to be entered in the drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author this week.-- AP

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- SEA SHELL TOPIARY

I love making topiaries. I think they’re a very versatile decorative element for any time of year. Today I’m going to show you how to make a seashell topiary from some of those shells you collected at on your summer seaside trip. -- AP

MATERIALS: 2-1/2” diameter clay pot, 6” Styrofoam cone, small piece of floral foam, 5” length 1/4” dowel, primer and white spray paint, ball of white twine, assorted small shells, assorted small white and translucent flat buttons, hot glue gun and glue sticks, tacky glue, 2 sequin pins.

1. Paint the clay pot with primer, then white paint, allowing paint to dry between coats.

2. Apply vertical rows of tacky glue to the cone.

3. Pin the end of the twine to the bottom of the cone. Begin wrapping twine around cone, working from bottom to top. When you come to the top of the cone, cut excess and pin end.

4. Beginning at the bottom edge and working in horizontal rows, attach shells to cone with hot glue. Vary the direction of the shells, overlapping some.

5. Glue buttons randomly around shells in open spaces but leave some spaces uncovered for variety.

6. Glue buttons around the lip of the clay pot.

7. Glue floral foam into pot. Glue dowel into center of floral foam.

8. Place cone centered over pot and lower onto dowel. Remove cone from dowel. Fill hole in cone with tacky glue. Replace cone over dowel.

CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA-- SEA SHELL WREATH

BREAKING NEWS: This evening at 7pm eastern time, Lois Winston, the author who writes about my life, will be part of an author mystery panel on Giovanni Gelati's GZONE blogspot radio show. The panel will also include fellow Midnight Ink authors Beth Groundwater, Alice Loweecey, and Sebastian Stuart. You can listen to the show live or go to the website and listen to the archived broadcast later. 
Now back to our regularly scheduled Monday craft. -- AP

For many of us, summertime means trips down the shore (if you live in New Jersey) or to the beach (if you live in other parts of the country.) No matter what you call it, though, you’ll probably come home with bags of seashells. So what do you do with all those shells once you get home? Instead of dumping them on a shelf or in a closet, use them in craft projects. Over the next few weeks, I’ll show you how to make all sorts of shell crafts to create lasting memories of that summer seaside trip. -- AP

SEASHELL WREATH

Materials: 6” flat Styrofoam wreath, 3 yds. 7/8” wide flat white lace, 5” 3/8” wide white ribbon, 3/4” white plastic hanging ring, tacky glue, hot glue gun and glue sticks, assorted shells,

1. Wrap the lace around the wreath, overlapping and pulling the lace taught as you wrap. Wrap until the wreath is covered. Trim excess lace and glue end at back.

2. Thread ribbon through hanging ring. Fold ribbon in half and glue cut edges together. Glue ends of ribbon to back of wreath, securing with several sequin pins.

3. Hot glue shells to front of wreath over lace, varying the direction and size of shells.

Look for more simple shell crafts in the weeks to come. -- AP