Photo Decorative Marbles

Photo Beads

Materials:

Clear marbles (the ones with one flat side, can be found at any craft store)
Cardboard photo index cards
Clear Silicone or PVA (white)craft glue or modge podge.

These photo beads are a great way to use up the small photo index cards you receive with photo processing.

Cut a piece of cardboard or paper backing the size of your marble. Then glue your image onto the cardboard. Then Glue the marble to the top side of the picture so that you can still see the picture. Let it dry. When the glue dries you will be able to see the picture through the marble. Then use these beads as magnets or jewelry pieces. You can wire wrap them or adhere them to frames for some fun projects.

Tin Can Frankenstein

You will need:

empty aluminum can
1 sheet green felt
1/2 sheet black felt
scraps of white and light green felt
1 black skinny chenille stem
white craft glue
2 small black pom poms
scissors
4 round magnets

Make this darling little Frankenstein out of felt, glue and a tin can. Fill him with lollipops for Halloween or use as a Halloween pencil holder for your homework desk!

Make sure can does not have any sharp edges around the opening. If it does, use a piece of sandpaper to sand them down.

Lay green felt on work surface. Lay the can down on to the felt. Roll the can up in the felt to see exactly how much you will need to go all the way around the can. Trim, leaving about 1/2" overlap. Leave about 1" overlap that will fold over the bottom of the can as well as a 1" overlap for the top (mouth) of the can. Glue the green felt around the can, glue the excess overlap to the bottom and inside the mouth of the can.

To create the hair, lay the black felt on the work surface and place the can on top like you did for the green. Roll can up in the black felt and measure about 2" down from the top of the can. Trim excess. Before attaching black felt, cut one side in a grass-like scissor cut for the hair.

Glue the hair in place, lining up the straight edge with the top of the can.

Cut out the patterns for the eyebrows from black felt and the eyes from white felt. Glue in place (see photo).

Cut out the pattern for the nose from the light green felt and glue in place.

Cut chenille stem into a 4" long piece. Bend into a squiggly mouth as shown in the photo. Glue in place.

Glue the black pom poms to the centers of the white eyes.

Place 2 round magnets on each side of the head for the bolts, no glue required! The magnets should stick through the felt directly to the can. You can glue them in place if you prefer.

Let him dry before filling with candy, pencils or anything else you can think of.

About the Author:
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine.

Tank top Bag (5 min project)

Recycled Tank Top Bag

Materials:

Old Tank Top
Sewing Machine
Optional items for embellishing

This recyced project shows you how to upcycle an old tank top into a environmentally friends shopping tote in just 5 minutes.

For this project we used a plain tank top that has the most basic embellishment on it. Fabric painted dots.

Your embellishment ideas will only be limited by your creative abilities. You can add ribbons, iron on transfers or use marker pens to write environmental slogans onto the tank top tote such as. "Go Green", "This is not plastic" etc.

To create your 5 minute tote you will need a sewing machine or serger overlocker to close up the bottom of the tank top. Sew across the bottom a few times to make it extra strong for vegetables or fruit.

You can sew directly across the bottom as shown or turn the tank top sideways with the arm holes on top of each other and then sew (this placed the handles directly in the middle of the tote. )

This project is so quick to make it is perfect as a school or group craft project, the children can take turns at sewing the bottom closed or have an adult standing by. The activity duration can be lengthene by allowing the group to decorate and embellish their finished totes.