It's time to celebrate the Fourth of July! Breakout the red, white, and blue glitter already!

Here are some ideas that will help make the day pop!

This is a fun kids project - a Statue of Liberty tiara made from an upside visor and drinking straws.


Star Spangled Pool Float


Super Star Soaps


Patriotic Fabric Collage

Glittered Bikini (Note: I didn't like how I executed this design, but you'll get the gist...)



Americana Folk Art Shrine


Star-filled Snack Book


Soda Can Star Lights


Patriotic Paper Swag

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* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Hosting a "Let's grill at my house for the Fourth of July!" kind of party? If so, you have one more day to put together some delicious crafty entrees. These easy party lights can be made faster than your average fireworks explosion, not to mention that you probably already have the bulk of the supplies in your pantry. It also proves that from an artistic standpoint, soda pop cans are just as awesome on the outside as they are inside.


Supplies:
Paper and pencil
4 red or blue (or two of each) soda cans
Tin snips or heavy-duty scissors
Hole punch, standard size
1 strand of 10 minilights
Protective gloves

Make a circle template by tracing a 2-inch circle on a piece of paper. Cut it out. Wear protective gloves and carefully cut off the top and bottom of the soda can with tin snips or scissors. Cut through the length of the body of the can to make one rectangular piece of metal. Work it with your hands or use a brayer to make the metal as flat a possible. Lay the circle template on the metal and cut around it. Repeat until you have three circles. Snip out the shape of a star from each circle. Punch a hole in the center of each star to make an opening for the bulb to fit through. You may need to punch several times to make the hole large enough. Carefully press a star over a minilight. Repeat until all the lights are covered. You should have one remaining light to use as a replacement if needed.

Tips and variations: String the stars together with ribbon to make garlands or streamers. Glue the stars around the base of a flowerpot or around a large picture frame. You can also use them to decorate scrapbooks or journal covers. Instead of stars, cut out layers of flowers in various sizes and lay them on top of each other and connect with a rivet or grommet to make multilayered flowers.
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CLICK HERE to see my crafty videos at LifetimeTV.com!

Other links:
STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR

* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Is there anything that hasn’t been made for the Fourth of July? Statue of Liberty tiaras? Been there. Star spangled pool float? Done that. Patriotic party horns, visors, water bottle holders - the list goes on. All month I worried about what to make for this week’s column.

Recently I checked out a party store and noticed scores of plastic banner swags for the front porch. I let out a huge sigh of relief. I knew with all the cool scrapbook papers on the market, it would be a cinch to make my own Fourth of July version.

There are two ways to approach this idea: fast or artful. To make a speedy version, simply cut your red, white and blue scrapbook paper sheets into circles, slip them over a long piece of string, and use a glue stick to secure. However, if you really want to show your Americana pride - make paper collages for each of the banner pieces, or embellish them with stamped designs. Even better, summon the spirit of Betsy Ross and use fabric, interfacing, ribbon, and a sewing machine. Add some glitter or tassels for that sparkly fireworks effect.

Here are some other ideas for Fourth of July crafting:

- Use glass paint and glitter to dress up glass Coca Cola bottles. Use them as centerpieces.

- Buy a pack of white paper placemats and use a silver metallic marker to write quotes from the Declaration of Independence (“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”)

- Paint papier-mâché stars in red, white, and blue and use monofilament wire to hang from the ceiling.

- Set out a bulletin board with colorful papers and pens and ask each guest to write down what the word independence means to them.

- Make an Independence Day-themed music playlist, burns copies onto CDs, slip them into decorated envelopes and pass out to guests or random people you encounter that day as random act of kindness.


4th of July Paper Swag

Supplies:

1 spool of string or ribbon
12 sheets of scrapbook paper (4 red, 4 white, 4 blue)
Decorative Edge scissors
Hole punch
Glue stick

Directions: Fold one sheet of paper in half and cut the corners so you have a circle shape. Use the hole punch to add accents along the edge. Repeat with the remaining sheets of paper. Stretch out the string and leaving a six-inch tail, slip one of the folded circles over the top of the string, so it rests in the crease. Use the glue stick to seal the paper together. Leave a two-inch space and add the next piece. Continue until the banner is complete.

Variation: You can also use fabric or doilies or make your banner. For rustic “Americana” look, use light sandpaper to age the paper and sew the ends together.





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CLICK HERE to see my crafty videos at LifetimeTV.com!

Other links:
STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR

* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

With the crazy price of gas and groceries, we are all hurting for change. Or better yet, stacks of cold cash!

Sometimes, you just have to put your message out there. Straight to the point. This is a money box I made a bit ago that serves several purposes. It can be used to hold that pesky loose change from the bottom of your purse, or it can be where you store your notes for your genius money-making ideas. Or coupons, tokens, rare diamonds - you name it.

I've used this box for all of those reasons at one point or another. These days I use this box to drop in notes of what I would do with a million dollars. That way when (if?) that happens, and I worry about what to do with it, I can open the box and say, "Oh yah! Of course! I want to build a new school in an African village!"

Obviously this falls under the "visual manifestation" genre of craft projects. Try it and see if it brings more money into your life to pay bills or save for that much-needed vacay.

I started with a plain wood box and painted it. I glued the pennies to the top with Liquid Fusion, and used mosaic grout in between. I then used play money for the outside of the box, and glued on some gold balls for the feet. It needed some sparkle, so I added Tulip crystals.

And hey - if you get REALLY strapped, you can always pry the pennies off the top ;-)

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***
CLICK HERE to see my crafty videos at LifetimeTV.com!

Other links:
STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR

* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Here in Phoenix, the temp has reached 115 degrees. There's nothing I can do about it except run from one air-conditioned area to another. Even then - it's still hot!

But at least we can think "cool", right? Here is an easy recipe for frosty designer glassware. You can score a set of glasses at the discount department store for less than $5 and make them your own using one jar of etching cream. Or you can go with my preferred method and buy assorted shapes and use one stenciled theme to tie them all together. If you want a classier look, visit a high-end housewares store and peek at their offerings for inspiration. This project also works great as a wedding, shower or housewarming gift because you can design a set to fit the person.

Supplies
• Assorted drinking glasses
• Blue painter's tape
• 1 package of round labels (office-supply section)
• 1 pair of plastic gloves
• 1 small brush
• 1 jar of etching cream (found at the craft store)
• Chopstick or toothpick
• Extra strength waterproof adhesive
• 1 bag of 6mm flat backed crystal (I used Tulip brand)

Directions: Wash and dry the glasses. Start with one glass. Apply a band of blue painter's tape around the rim. Add labels randomly around the outer surface of the glass. Press all the edges down firmly, which will prevent the etching cream from seeping under the label. Wearing the gloves, use the brush to apply a thick layer of the etching cream in vertical strokes all around the glass. Let sit for 10 minutes, rinse and remove the labels. Dry the glass. Apply a new set of labels in the same spots. This time, apply the cream horizontally around the glass. Let it sit for 10 minutes, rinse and remove labels. If there are any "bald" spots of the cream, repeat the process and apply cream vertically. The glass should look evenly etched with clean polka dots. For the finishing touch, dab the end of a chopstick or toothpick in the adhesive and make a small dot on the glass. Pick up a crystal and set it on the adhesive. Continue as desired all over the glass. These glasses will even hold up in the dishwasher.

Variations and tips: Use painter's tapes in different widths to create the look of stripes. Put words on your glasses by printing them in large fonts on sticker paper, cutting the letters out with a craft knife and using the remaining paper as a stencil for the cream. Aside from drinking glasses, you also can etch mirrors, pitchers, vases, salt and pepper shakers or other glass objects. For more color accents, use porcelain paint or colored crystals.
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***
CLICK HERE to see my crafty videos at LifetimeTV.com!

Other links:
STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR

* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com

Have craft supplies, will travel. Just because you are going on vacation doesn't mean you have to leave your scissors and glue stick at home. Pack a thin minicrafting kit so you can whip up custom greeting cards to send to friends and family back home. As you buy your postcards, take a minute (honest, that's all the time this project will take) and glue them to the front of blank cards so you have more room to share your getaway adventures. This project is a great way to pass the time on the road and is mess-free. To make it even speedier, prep the blank cards with scrapbook paper and foam core before leaving on your trip.
Postcard greetings
Supplies
Postcards
Blank notecards (jumbo size)
Scrapbook paper
Glue stick
Thin sheet of foam core
Scissors

Directions: Cut the scrapbook paper to fit the cover of the card. Affix in place with the glue stick. To add a lifted "dimension" to the card's look, cut a 1- by 3-inch piece of foam core and glue it in the center. Trim the white edges from the postcard and glue to the foam core. You can embellish with eyelets, decorative staples, brads, small crystals, ribbon and rubber stamps.

Variation: Make a set of cards, wrap them in a ribbon and give them as a gift. Instead of using them as cards, insert in matted frames and hang as wall art. Look for gift shops that carry boxes of postcards. That way all the cards will have a similar theme.



AND - if you like the postcards (Romance Pulp Postcard Box) I used, here is where you can buy them!
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* All content/photos copyright, Kathy Cano Murillo, 2006. Photos property and courtesy of Arizona Republic and AzCentral.com. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com *

Labels: collage/paper, summer/4th of July

Kathy Cano-Murillo
Special for the Republic

Dads are the hardest people to shop for. Whatever they don’t buy for themselves, they end up making in the garage. How can kids compete with that? The trick is to make something cool, classy and 100% functional that Dad would never think of. It has to have timeless appeal and be memorable too. Before I set you into a panic attack the day before Father’s Day, know there is crafty hope!

Every dad has some kind of office or workspace, right? How about a nice desk set sporting dozens of mini-images of the family? This project is inspired by the many print ads on the market that make use of tiny thumbnail-sized pictures to cover a large area. From far away, the letter tray, file sorter and pencil cup will look an ordinary desk set, but up close, Dad will see all kinds of happy faces.

My cousin has three kids (including a new set of twins!) and I knew they would be the perfect subjects for this project. I asked her to send me a few photos, and within minutes I had dozens. I used all of them! It made me think how this idea is a great way to make use of all those “outtake” shots that don’t make it into frames, a wallet, or scrapbook pages, but are still cute and show-worthy.

The best way to tackle this is to make one collage sheet of images, and then make copies from it. Keep the original in a safe place for future projects. If you aren’t into making a desk set, here are some other ways you can use the collage paper:

- Cover a flat picture frame.
- Use it in your scrapbook layouts.
- Print it on larger-sized paper and use as wrapping paper.
- Laminate it and use as a placemat, or drink coasters.
- Line a photo album, notebook or journal with it.
- Cover a filing cabinet with it.
- Add to the sheet by applying stickers, or have the kids put their handprints or write sayings.
- Print out a large sheet and hang or frame as a poster.


Decoupaged Desk Set for Dad

Supplies:

1 wood tray
1 wood file folder sorter
1 pencil cup
Assorted pictures of kids
Color copier
Decoupage medium
Brush-on varnish, brush
Silver paint pen
Scissors

Directions:

1. Using a photo computer program, scan in the pictures and arrange them in small (thumbnail) squares on the page. You can repeat the images as much as you want. If you don’t have a computer, you can shrink the pictures using a color copier and make a collage on a piece of typing paper.

2. When the entire page is covered with the pictures, print it out and then make about 5 color copies.

3. Brush on a thin coat of the decoupage medium to the outside areas of the tray, sorter and cup. Carefully apply the paper. Smooth out any bubbles. Neatly trim off excess with the scissors. Let dry.

4. Coat the decoupaged surfaces with brush-on varnish, let dry. Use the paint pen to draw on a nice, straight border around all the edges.



***
CLICK HERE to see my crafty videos at LifetimeTV.com!

Other links:
STORE * BOOK * T-SHIRTS * MY SPACE * FLICKR

* All content/photos copyright, © Kathy Cano-Murillo, 2007. For more artsy goodness, check out CraftyChica.com * for awesome crafty resources check out DuncanCrafts.com