crafting for cheapskates

Glitter Magnets

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 21:23:00 +0000

Something I've wanted to do for a long time is cast glitter in resin. But, that shit is expensive and my unemployed ass just can't buy what it takes to do it. BUT, there are always cheap-ass alternatives to every craft project, so I'm excited to try this one out. It uses those Dollar Tree marbles and E6000, which I already have in my stash. Add a magnet to the back and you're set!

See the full tutorial right here at DeLoop!

Top 10 Craft Blogging Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 01:42:00 +0000

The holiday DIY buzz is in full force, and there are hundreds of thousands of blogs, tutorials, Pin-boards and craft ideas getting published everywhere. I've seen some great ones and some shitty-ass ones and I'm sure you have too.

Are you a crafty person who has a blog? Do you want more traffic to go to your site? Here are 10 tips from me for making yours stand out:

Never open a blog entry with a fucking apology. Don't say, "Sorry I haven't blogged in a while, but my son had an ear infection and my dog needed an operation..." because nobody cares. Truly. Just assume that your readers are happy to have a post from you and get the fuck on with it.
Take awesome pictures. If you are working late at night and are having trouble with your lighting situation, wait til morning and put your project on a table by a goddamn window. Natural light is always best, but if you know what you're doing, you can still get some decent, bright photos in a room without windows.
Don't say, "You really should use [awesome product] but I only have [lame-ass product] at home right now so whatever." You instantly lose credibility. If you only have lame-ass product at home, wait til you can buy the good stuff before you post a fucking tutorial!
Break down your project into 4-6 simple steps. This will help clueless readers keep up and it will help you articulate what you're trying to say.
Take a photo of each step as you are doing it. Take each of those 4-6 photos and put them into one image in Photoshop or other photo-editing software (pixlr.com is free). This exponentially increases your chances of getting Pinned on Pinterest, where ALL the DIY people are posting. Don't forget to put your watermark on it! Pins get re-pinned and re-re-pinned and some bitches don't site the source. Don't let any motherfuckers steal your idea (and don't steal anyone's idea and claim it as your own, you motherfucker).
Use bullet points or number your steps and materials list. Some bitches think it's OK to write in paragraph form and you have to read through how she had to go to the grocery store or remembers some bullshit memory about whatever. Again, nobody fucking cares!
If there is a certain amazing product you like, take a photo of it. This isn't to kiss the company's ass, but to give readers a visual so they know what to look for at the store. Say where you got it, if it comes in different finishes/colors/whatever. If you tried another similar product for that particular project, fucking speak up and say why it didn't work. Keep in mind, that product could be better for a different project so don't say it's fucking worthless unless you know for fucking sure.
Post posts from other posters that you like/admire and remember to put a link to their site. Also, let the person know! He or she would most likely be stoked to know that someone else is passing along their ideas, and if they're cool, they might post one of yours.
Create a Google alert for your name and blog. You will get messages when someone is talking about you or gives you props (or slams you, depending on if you're a shitty blogger or not).
When you're taking a final photo, put the project into context. If it's something you wear, wear it. If it's a toilet paper holder, take a photo in the goddamn bathroom.

What are some of your gripes or props about how-to bloggers?

Beauty School Dropout: Dia de los Muertos Dummy

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 06:07:00 +0000

I just got a couple of heads from the beauty school down the street. As you may have guessed, their hair was preeetty fucked up. No worries! We can still use the faces on them, like I did here:

Before

After

I used 3 coats of gesso to get the face super white, then added acrylic paints over it. I used an image search online to find some design ideas to use here and there.

I also stuck on a thrift store wig, because no beauty school dummy should have fucked up hair.

Here are some progress shots:

Tips:

It's all about symmetry. When you make a design on one side of the face, do the same thing on the other. Think about a mirror going straight down the middle, between the eyes.
Keep your lines organic and flowy, not always straight.
Try not to put the same color designs next to each other.
I like to pop a design with a highlight, like with the blue lines I did on the sides of the face. I added white to the blue and made a light blue inside line to make it stand out.
In your image searches, try typing "_____ tattoo design" (the blank can be rose, flower, etc.).

Paper Mache Sugar Skull

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 07:18:00 +0000

Today I finished a rad sugar skull that I'm pretty fucking happy with. Instead of over-explaining this one, I'm gonna just upload a few pictures and some very simple steps for you to give it a try.

Do it!

1. Mix 1 part flour to 2 parts water. Get all the lumps out.

2. Blow up a balloon (not all the way) and knot it. Cut a book page’s two right-hand corners off. Masking tape it to the balloon to form the jaw.

3. Shred newspaper into strips and dip into flour mixture.

4. Make a mess. Add strips going one direction all over the balloon, tape, and paper.

5. Allow to completely dry.

6. Add more dipped strips, going the opposite direction. Make another mess.

7. Allow to completely dry. Pop the balloon from the bottom with a pin.

8. Smooth all over with sandpaper.

9. Coat with gesso or primer. Allow to dry. Add a second coat and allow to dry.

10. Use an image search to find inspiration for painting the face.

DIY Fascinator

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 03:20:00 +0000

You guys know I'm a sucker for vintage accessories, right? How about a handmade, upcycled vintage accessory? Umm, fuckin A!

Check out how to make a fascinator from Broke With Designer Taste!

Wooden Tikis

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 01:31:00 +0000

This is a super easy project that has 1,000 or more variations.

Materials:

Block of Wood
Yarn or Rope
Acrylic Paint
Nails (for Franken-tiki)
Hot Glue or White Glue (hot glue for rope; white glue for yarn)
Brayer (for the golden tiki)

Franken-Tiki

Start with a block of wood and hammer a couple of giant fucking nails into the sides. Crooked and big are fine! Do a Google image search for franken-tikis to pick a good face to start with. Sketch it onto a block of wood using a pencil. It will leave a slight indentation on soft wood. Pick the best shade of ghoulish green yarn.

Paint it a sickly green. I mix yellow and black and add water so that the wood grain shows through.

When it's dry, outline the pencil marks with white glue. Cut the yarn to size and press it into the glue lines.

Add more paint in different shades of ghoulish green. The eyes should be white/yellow, and keep in mind that the low brow will leave a weird shadow just below it (that's why I didn't fill in the entire eye space; leave the tops of the eyes dark).

Using a dry brush, add a few more splotches of color, and make the hair black.

Rope Tiki

Draw a face onto a block of wood with a pencil.

Trace the pencil lines with hot glue and follow with cuts of rope.

Golden Tiki

Do the same as above, only use white glue and any motherfucking color yarn.

Use a brayer to add iridescent paint onto the yarn part only. If you use a brush, you risk getting the shiny shit onto the dull background.

Strainer Earring Holder

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 01:46:00 +0000

I've seen lots-a earring holders that are cute and all, but most of them are mainly for dangle earrings. This one will accommodate both dangles and posts. Ready to make one? Listen up:

Materials

Cheap-ass Strainer
Pliers
Hot Glue Gun
Rick-Rack, Sequins (not "sequence," dummy), Ribbon, etc.
Iron-on or Patch
Wire Cutters

Plug in yer hot glue gun so it has time to warm up.

I found this hand-held strainer at Daiso (goddamn, I love that place), but they are available in any type of dollar store in any strip mall. The idea is to bend the handle back so that it becomes a stand, leaving enough room for you to put the earring backs on. This one was a teeny bit tough to bend, and if yours is too, use wire cutters to snip a little bit of metal to allow the handle to fold back.

Use pliers to bend it if you can't do it by hand.

Play around with the handle as well as the 2 loopy-legs in front until it stands up by itself.

Now add your rick-rack, sequins, ruffle, fabric, beads, etc. around the outside of the circle. I started with black rick-rack...

...and used a coffee stirrer to press it into place. You may think you're immune to hot glue burns, but trust me, motherfucker, you aren't. Don't fucking burn yourself.

... then I added red sequins on top of that.

Finally, glue a patch or iron-on at the top, hiding the seams.

Tips:

Experiment with a necklace, fabric, fringe, pom-poms, chain, fur, etc. to glue around the outside, but be sure to start at the top. This way the patch will cover up where the two ends met.
Stick a bunch of patches or photos all the way around the outside.
These strainers come in lots-a sizes. Make some big ones, and some small.
Spray paint the strainer.
If you're looking for a-fucking-dorable stud earrings, check out Metal Monk.

"Die, Die, My Darling" Misfits T-Shirt Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 07:49:00 +0000

Remember when I made a dress from my Horrorpops T-shirt? I'm doing it again with this Misfits shirt dress. I had this leopard skirt that I wasn't wearing a whole lot because it has an elastic waist. Since it looked good with the purple screen printing on this T-shirt I found at a thrift store, I *had* to fucking sew them together.

Materials

T-shirt
Skirt
Thread
Sewing machine
Scissors
Serger (optional)
Pins
Dress form (optional)

The sleeves and neck were already cut off when I bought it, so if you want it to be a tank, chop them off. Also chop off any elastic that's on the skirt.

It helps to run the skirt through the sewing machine if there is a slip attached that you want to keep.

Try them on at the same time and decide how long the skirt should be and how long the shirt should be. They should meet somewhere around your natural waistline. Pin the two together with a safety pin so they are attached at the level you want.

Take it off and turn them both inside-out, still attached by the safety pin. Using straight pins, pin the rest of the skirt to the shirt all the way around, from front to the back. Don't skimp on the pins!

A dress form comes in handy here, but it's optional. Take it to the sewing machine to stitch all the way around the waistline. Make sure both are inside-out and that the printed sides of each are together. Sew in a straight line all the way around. If you're great at sewing, you can go straight to the serger here.

Using a serger is easy but threading the motherfucker is another story!

Trim any access "ruffle" fabric so that it doesn't look all bunchy when it's on.

Once the two are joined, turn it right-side-out and try it on. It took me a few more trips back to the serger to get the right length. Change it up if you need to.

When you're happy with the waistline, it's a good idea to do a topstitch. This means you turn it right-side-out and run it through the sewing machine *just* off of the line where the shirt and skirt meet. See the left photo? The skirt goes out, then down, making it kinda puffy. The one on the right has a topstitch, which makes it look finished and reduces puffiness.

Additional tips:

You really and truly don't have to be good at sewing to do a project like this. Just sew in as straight a line as you can, but if you get something bunchy, try again.

Still fucking up? Got strings and puckering and uneven lines? Cover that shit up with a belt.

Another Crafty Dia de los Muertos

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:03:00 +0000

You already know that The Crafty Chica is hands-down the best person to go to for Dia de los Muertos projects. I really love this sugar skull pinata tutorial... no balloon required. Good, because I fucking hate balloons.

Mirror, Mirror, on the Motherfucking Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 04:51:00 +0000

...who's the SCARIEST of them all? This weekend's Scary Craft party was so much fun! Which of these would you say is the SCARIEST? Cast your vote!

Halloween Movie Glow Jars

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 05:06:00 +0000

My pal Amy introduced me to the concept of a glow jar, and after looking around a bit, I see people cracking glow sticks open and spilling chemicals inside jars. Sure, it does look rad, but fuck no, I'm not opening one of those things! I've got a better solution, with a couple-a different processes.

Materials

jar with lid
Glad Press n Seal or a piece of vellum (check the scrapbook section at the store)
glow stick
Office Depot window decals
ink jet printer

So I bought some window decals for another project, and happened to have some leftover. You get 10 sheets for $15 online, or they may be a little less at the store. They're super great!

Find images that you like and using your own photo software, make them high-contrast and the correct size for your jar. You can print in color, but it won't really show when it's dim and the images are back-lit, especially if the color on the printout is the same as the glow stick.

Follow the directions on the package, and allow the sheet to dry before getting your grubby fingerprints all over them. Measure how tall it needs to be, and you can most likely eyeball how wide the image should be; or you can wrap it all the way round.

While the images are drying (they do smudge), cut a piece of vellum that is the correct height for your jar and as wide as needed to wrap all the way around and overlap a bit. For this Bride jar, I used a simmer sauce jar from Trader Joe's and made it 3.5" high and 10" long. Cut out the image you wanna use.

The vellum I found has a cool wallpaper pattern on it. Found it in the scrapbook section. You go find it too. Roll that shit up and slip it inside the jar.

Now carefully peel off the window cling and add it to the outside of the jar.

Slide in a glow stick, put a lid on it, and show that shit off!

Another way to diffuse the glow:

It's a bitch to get it out and cut in a straight line, but it's ok if it gets wrinkled so don't be anal about it. I recommend wrapping it twice for a better diffusion. Trim it down so it fits your jar, leaving the thread for the lid uncovered. Follow the remaining steps, putting the window cling on the outside.

Tips

Spray paint the lids
Make multiple small images and put them all over the jar
Use cut-out stickers and stick those on too
Put the Linda Blair one next to your friend who passed out at your party so he/she has something to wake up to

Free Shipping on Etsy Orders

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 01:42:00 +0000

Hey crafty friends! In honor of the movie Frankenweenie and of course Halloween, I'm offering free shipping in my etsy shop! I just added some brand new sweater keepers and hair flowers.

Use the code HALLOWEENIE when you make your purchase now through November 1st.

Stop wasting time and fucking buy something!

It's Alive!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 07:27:00 +0000

OK you guys... I've spent an entire month building this site and it's finally ready for launch! Check it out, bitches!

http://www.joanneyada.com/

Now you can have me over to your house for drunk crafting. Sign up now!

Something's A-Brewing

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 21:49:00 +0000

Change is in the motherfucking air, and I've been a super busy bee. Lots of new ideas and projects are coming, not to mention some real face-to-face encounters with Bay Area friends.

What do I have up my sleeve? Find out at midnight tomorrow!

Crafty Chica Sighting

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 03:58:00 +0000

Heya, so I was all like packing up and moving today (East Bay, here I come), and loaded my car with half of everything that I own. I stopped at Michael's on my way out, hoping to shake hands with The Crafty Chica before hitting the road. I'm super glad I made the stop and said hello. I'm bummed I couldn't make the (cr)after party, but hey...

...you do remember when I made that Ed Wood shrine, right?

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 04:40:00 +0000

I'll be selling at this rad event in San Jose next month. If you missed it last year, you've got yourself a second fucking chance. Don't miss it!

Sweater Keepers

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:55:00 +0000

Hey bitches! I've been a busy little bee, making lots of sweater keepers for my Etsy shop. What the fuck is a sweater keeper, you ask? They're also called sweater clips or sweater guards.

If you're lucky, I'll show you how to make one. Do ya feel lucky, punk?

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 00:59:00 +0000

I'm super excited to be selling my handmade hair flowers at this event. I'll see you there!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 17:52:00 +0000

Fucking rad ideas from Mookychick.com for customizing your leather jackets. Don't miss the links for creating and downloading stencils and buying cheap spikes and studs!

Tin Altar

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:43:00 +0000

Remember dead idols with these modern Mexican tin art-inspired altars. After making a few of these, I will never look at disposable pans the same again!

Materials

disposable tin loaf or roasting pan
Xacto
scissors
image of fallen idol
thumbtack
pencil
hot glue
soft cardboard or self-healing mat

Find a couple of pans in different sizes and with different designs. Some have some pretty stellar designs that give you a good starting point for framing your picture. So many possibilities with this shit:

Cut off all 4 sides of the pan, leaving only the bottom. Save the corners, because they will be used to make the altar stand up.

Place the tin on a soft piece of cardboard or self-healing mat and use an Xacto to make a window. Draw onto the tin, pressing gently, making embossed lines using a pencil. Follow the natural pattern to get started. It also helps to flip over the frame and emboss the other side to heighten the designs. Draw squiggles and flourishes in the corners, the sides, and top and bottom.

Use a thumbtack to create dots in different patterns- follow the curves of the embossed lines already there.

Write a little something to dedicate your altar.

Tape or hot glue the image to the back.

To make the frame stand up, bend the pan's corners to create 1 or 2 stands, depending on how large your frame is. Glue to the back.

I used 2 for this Johnny Cash altar...

..but I only need one for the little ones.

If your handwriting sucks, type and print out your words, tape the paper to the tin and trace with your pencil, pressing into the tin. You don't need to have a photo to remember a fucking legend.

Tips

When gluing your stands to the back, remember that it's HOT. Use a popsicle stick or pencil to press the metal into the HOT glue
Before securing the stand, make sure it's level
Add a ribbon loop to make it hang instead
Add color with enamel or nail polish, then clear coat
Draw something into the tin. Use a paper printout and trace it if you can't draw:

How to Infuse Your Own Vodka

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 01:12:00 +0000

A rad, boozy tip, courtesy Amber Bouman, via Broke-Ass Stuart.

Clicky click: How to Infuse Your Own Vodka

Paper Parasol

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 02:39:00 +0000

Don't lock yourself in the house just because it's fucking hot out. Protect yourself at the farmer's market and the car show this summer with this rad customized parasol.

Materials:

blank paper parasol (find one in almost any color at Luna Bazaar or Oriental Trading Company. I picked mine up at an art supply store.)
Sharpies - fine and broad tips
Tombow brush pens
Duct tape - any design/color
a copy of a design to trace (optional)
Masking tape or painter's tape
Scissors

And go:

Figure out what kind of shit you want on your parasol. I like the idea of cherry blossoms as a traditional kind of design, but I wanted to update it. I drew 2 designs: the cherry blossom branch and the enlarged cherry blossom and crossbones. I split the branch design in half and printed two 8.5 x 11 sheets.

I didn't free-hand the design completely- I found an image online and traced the basic branch and flower placements. I changed the shape of the petals, added the crossbones and spider webs. There's no shame in using an image as a starting point- just make it your own.

If you want to use my designs, be my guest. Copy + paste each one, then enlarge and print.

Cut the pages down to make them more manageable. Scotch tape the two pieces together, then tape all of the printouts underneath the parasol.

Try to tape them to the bamboo rods to avoid ripping the paper.

When the designs are taped down, you can see the lines through the paper of the parasol.

Make sure that the placement is balanced, and that nothing is going off the sides. The parasol usually comes in a sleeve which is made of the same paper that is used to make the damn thing. I use this sleeve to test my markers for color and to take note of how the ink bleeds. Take a moment to be sure you like how the colors look and practice drawing with your Sharpies. Notice that drawing faster makes thin lines, while drawing slowly makes thick, bleeding lines.

Using a fine tip Sharpie, trace the outlines onto the parasol.

Add color. I used two shades of pink, then some gray, yellow, and blue.

I like using the brush pens to show brush strokes.

It took about a day to draw it all out, but I'd say it's worth it.

Damn straight!

Now to add a little detail on the tippy top. I found this rad lace-print Duct tape at OSH:

Snip the piece of tape so that it will wrap around the circle like so. Add more if ya wanna.

Tips:

Using dried-out markers will help with shading.
Add a cell phone charm or even a ceiling fan ornament to the top or to the handle.
It's delicate. Be careful!
When coloring in the flower, direct your brush strokes to the center of the flower rather than coloring side-to-side.

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 20:13:00 +0000

I remember the days of chatting on a phone and curling the chord around my fingers. Rotary phones may take up too much space in your apartment and won't give you directions to the nearest sushi stop, but they haven't disappeared completely. I love this rotary phone-inspired resin ring, made by Krissi.

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 06:50:00 +0000

I love this DIY tea tutorial from A Beautiful Mess!

Anchors Away Tote

noreply@blogger.com (Jo Anne) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 06:36:00 +0000

Who doesn't need a new tote bag? In the city of San Jose, plastic shopping bags are outta here for good (there's a city ordinance to back that up). And that's a good thing. So what the hell else will you put your shit in?

I found this bag with potential in the clearance rack and immediately knew something rad had to go on the front. I used freezer paper to paint a simple design on the front pocket.

Materials

fabric paint: blue, white, black, yellow, red
fine tip fabric marker: black
tote bag, dummy
freezer paper
Xacto and mat
pencil
iron
sponge brush / daubber
detail paint brush
design outline, like this one, but alter it to make it your own!

Method
Print the design whatever size you want, onto normal copy paper. Trace the outline with a pencil, nice-n-dark.

Tear out a big piece of freezer paper. It should be a little bigger than the bag, to be safe. Turn the copy of the anchor over and place it onto the freezer paper... not on the shiny side, but on the paper-y side of the freezer paper.

Hold the paper down and scribble the shit out of the back of the drawing. Notice that you can still see the outline of the anchor, even on the back of the paper. Do it nice and hard.

When you lift the paper, the anchor design will be transferred onto the freezer paper. Cut it out with an Xacto.

Don't forget to cut out mini circle too.

The large piece of freezer paper with the negative space cut out will be your stencil. Iron that shit on cotton setting. This will keep the freezer paper from slipping when you're painting.

One more time, don't forget that mini circle. Iron it in place.

Start painting your base color, using a sponge daubber or brush. For big areas of color, sponges work better than brushes.

Add some shading for some motherfucking depth...

I painted white first so that the red would be brighter.

Fuckin A.

Once the paint is dry (do not disobey me), peel the freezer paper off.

Trace a black outline where needed. Notice in the photo above that I fucked up a few spots and the blue is outlining the red. Cover that shit up.

Tips

Follow the instructions on the fabric paint container. You will probably need to heat set the image to keep it from washing away.
Speaking of which, wash your tote often. You don't want cooties.
Always make your designs unique. If you need inspiration, find something as a starting point but alter it to keep away from copyright law.
Add iron-ons, jewels, write on the background with a Sharpie, cut it out and make a back patch, etc.