Packaging Tape… not just for Taping!

LOS OSOS, CA – Saturday afternoon – Eileen Eisele of Tape Swell was a recent guest on our Inspired At Home radio show. If you haven’t checked out this product – go now! WOW!!!  These are the coolest printed tapes ever! “Printed tapes? ” you ask. This is one of those fabulous ideas that you say to yourself  ” I should have thought of that!!!”  Eileen has a line of  packaging type tapes that have really “swell” designs printed on them. So instead of sending out a package with just plain old clear tape, you use  one of  TapeSwell’s designer tapes and viola! instant inspired package. I LOVE it!!!

Of course I didn’t want to stop at putting tape just on my outgoing packages…. I wanted to design with it!  I took some inexpensive paper mache boxes and made them into designer boxes by using the black printed design.   I suggest making lots up… cause you never know when you might need a small gift box. And what could be easier that just putting tape onto a box. So super swell and simple!!!

Oh no, I didn’t stop there!!! You know me, I just have to create more!!  Jewelry was my next design challenge with this amazing product.  The EcoHeidi in me thought it would be great to create with a recycle item. I love plastic drinking straws. These are great because they are a bit thicker than most plastic straws. (I’m pretty sure I got these at Subway.) I painted the plastic drinking straws black  (Krylon’s Fusion Paint for Plastic works great!) Let them dry. Cut the painted straws into different lengths. I then put pieces of  the plastic tape (I used the tape that looks like lace) over the prepared drinking straws.  I then threaded glass beads and the straw beads onto a strand of silk cording. I tied a knot in between each cluster.  At the end I crimped a metal cording bead, then attached a closure.  Fabulous look!!

I just can’t rave enough about TapeSwell!!! And thanks, Eileen, for your creative product! I Love It!! Just being creative!! EcoHeidi- That’s me!!

What to do with Dryer Sheets

LOS OSOS, CA – Monday morning – Dryer sheet sachets have to be one of my top ten favorite designs! I actually made these sachets years ago for the Aleene’s Creative Living television show.  (And yes, these were tucked away in storage in  ‘the Shed’). I have made many since these originals, as they make a great gift for just pennies, and you get great comments.

I love the delicate look these have.  By using the dryer sheets and the white paint they kind of have a lacey look.  AND they are recycling (or is this upcycling?) something that normally gets thrown away. (That is if you can find them in dryer – usually stuck to the sheets and towels!)  So, start saving your used dryer sheets or if you want to make some right away… grab some right from the box. Either way you’ll make a great creative project. Creatively yours…. Heidi

DRYER SHEET SACHETS
by Heidi Borchers for www.inspiredathome.com

Materials

Dryer Sheets (You can use new or ‘used’ dryer sheets. If they are wrinkled, iron flat with low to medium heat on iron. Test first as some dryer sheets tend to melt from hear of the iron. If this happens, iron dryer sheet in between two thicknesses of paper towels.)
Acrylic paint  - white
Sewing machine (If you don’t sew, you can glue with Aleene’s® Fast Grab Tacky Glue®)
Craft foam – any color
Foamboard
Aleene’s® FunCraft™ Foam Glue
Tulip 3D Dimensional Paint – Liquid Pearl
Brush – ½” wide flat
Lavender flowers, potpourri or aromatic herbs
Waxed paper (to protect work surface)
Iron
Scissors (and craft knife for foam board)
Paper towels
Wet wipes

Instructions:

Transfer patterns (see below) to craft foam and cut out. Cut foamboard slightly larger than designs. Glue craft foam design to foamboard using Aleene’s® FunCraft™ Foam Glue. Let glue dry.

To stamp designs, place prepared dryer sheet onto waxed paper on a flat surface.  Plan placement of your design so you can make use of the entire dryer sheet, making sure you have enough space around design to stitch on the sewing machine. Carefully and quickly, brush an even coat of acrylic paint onto foam design. Immediately while paint is still wet, press onto dryer sheet and lift. Wipe paint from stamp with wet wipe or damp paper towel.  Let paint dry. On the heart design, I placed dots of Tulip paint along edge of hearts. Let dimensional paint dry.

SEW TOGETHER
When paint is dry, place a piece of dryer sheet (same size as painted one) to back of painted one and stitch three sides. Fill with potpourri, lavender or your choice of herbs. Stitch remaining side closed. Clip off any threads.  If necessary, trim edges with scissors or pinking shears.

-OR- GLUE TOGETHER

If gluing edges together, place a thin line of the Aleene’s® Fast Grab Tacky Glue® onto three sides of a plain sheet of the dryer sheet. Place painted side up in the glue. Let glue dry. Fill with potpourri or lavender. Carefully glue remaining side closed. Let glue dry. Trim edges as above.

Heidi’s Designer Tip:  I always test the stamp design first. Just apply the paint as instructed and then stamp onto clean piece of paper or waxed paper. This will help to give you an idea of just how much paint to use and how much pressure to put on the stamp. Then to ahead and stamp the dryer sheet!

I Love Aleene’s Look of Forged Foil!

LOS OSOS, CA – Monday morning - As you know, I love to eco-craft! Today’s project continues from our feature a few weeks ago where I forge foiled onto matboard. Don’t throw away your used aluminum foil. There are so many fun projects that you can make with the vintage Aleene’s Look of Forged Foil. With this technique, you can make some cool and fashionable bracelets that I designed! >>Heidi

Look of Forged Foil Bracelets
by Heidi Borchers

Materials List

Aleene’s® Super Thick Tacky Glue™
Aleene’s® Spray Finish
Thin flexible cardboard scraps – one 1-1/2” x 9-1/2” strip for wide bracelet, one 1” x 9-1/2” strip for narrow bracelet
Aluminum foil
Toothpick
Scissors
Pencil
Waxed paper
Paper towels
Acrylic paint – black
Paint brush – one for glue, one for paint
Black flat-back jewels (plastic, glass or stone)
Clothespins

Instructions

For wide bracelet, draw star design on cardboard scrap and cut out. Center and glue star to 1 side of 1-1/2” x 9-1/2” cardboard strip. Let dry. Cut 1 (4” x 10-1/2”) strip of foil.

For narrow bracelet, cut 2 (3/4” diameter) circles and 1 (7/8” diameter) circle from cardboard scraps. Center and glue larger circle to 1” x 9-1/2” cardboard strip. Glue 1 smaller circle on each side of large circle. Let dry. Cut 1 (3” x 10-1/2”) piece of foil.

For each, spread a coat of glue with brush or finger on right side of cardboard strip. With shiny side up and edges of foil extending beyond edges of cardboard, press foil into glue. Smooth foil with fingers, molding foil over cutouts. Fold excess foil to back of cardboard, overlapping edges, and glue to secure.

Use a toothpick to gently imprint design into foil. Be careful not to press too hard or foil may tear. Let dry.

To antique bracelets, pour a small puddle of black paint on waxed paper. Add a small amount of water to paint. Brush thinned paint on design. Immediately wipe off excess paint with paper towel, leaving paint in crevices to highlight imprinted design. Let dry. Apply 1 coat of sealer to design.

For wide bracelet, center and glue jewel to star. Let dry. For narrow bracelet, center and glue 1 jewel to each circle. Let dry.

For each, curve bracelet into a circle, overlapping ends ½” (or adjust overlap to suit your wrist size). Glue ends together. Use clothespins to hold ends together until glue is dry.

Heidi’s Designer Tips: For a different look, try foiling with colored florist’s foil (without paper or plastic backing). Some of these foils come in beautiful colors and textures that enhance the look of your forged foil project. You can also check out my Forged Foil tutorial at www.favecrafts.com.

I Love my Aleene’s Super Thick Tacky Glue!

LOS OSOS, CA – Monday morning – One man’s trash is another woman’s treasure! As many of you know, I recently published a book which featured plastic water bottle bracelets so that left me with a lot of plastic bottle lids.  Here’s a fun recycling project that transforms water bottles lids into contemporary art that’s sophisticated enough for the art lover and clever enough for a kid’s art project. >>Heidi

Bottle Lid Art on Canvas
by Heidi Borchers

Materials

Canvas – 8” x 8” (or 4” x 8” or any desired size
Plastic bottle lids (from water bottles) – on the 8” canvas art we used 16 lids – on the smaller canvas, we layered lots of lids)
Paint brush- ½” flat
Acrylic paints- black and other assorted bright colors
Pencil
Ruler
Aleene’s® Super Thick Tacky Glue ™
Assorted jewels, flat marbles, small glass mosaic tiles

Instructions

Use pencil and ruler to measure and mark sections on canvas. On the 8” canvas, we divided into 16 – 2” squares.  On the 4” x 8” canvas, we measured 3” x 3” for the center, flanked with two 2” x 3” sections.

Glue one plastic bottle lid into the center of each section. On the 8” canvas, we glued every other lid reversed. One up, one down, one up, one down. On the small canvas, we layered all sorts of sizes and shapes.  Let glue dry.

Paint the entire canvas and plastic lids with black paint. Let dry.

Using photo as guide, paint each section with a different color. Note that some of the black paint is left to show through the color. Paint each plastic lid with a different color.  Let dry.

Glue a jewel, flat marble, or tile into the center of each plastic lid. Let glue dry.

Heidi’s Designer Tips: To transform this into an affordable kid’s group project, use a cardboard cereal box instead of the art canvas for the base. Just tape the box closed with masking tape before gluing and painting. The kids will enjoy seeing how they can turn trash into an artistic treasure!