Sweet Paul: Make http://www.sweetpaulmag.com Fri, 24 May 2013 14:05:57 GMT Feed43 Proxy/1.0 (www.feed43.com) 60 50eeaad906f637e35ec75f0e65896c68 Fri, 24 May 2013 14:05:57 GMT Festive Pom-Pom Photos http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/festive-pom-pom-photos

You will need:

Photos (You can print on cardstock from digital files)

Pom-Pom Trim

Hot Glue Gun

Scissors


Simply glue the trim around the edge of your photo. Snip the trim with scissors once you've gone the entire way around the photo. Display with love!
]]> 737a6e42bf8619c187ac3959a479d5d1 Tue, 21 May 2013 13:05:53 GMT Butterfly Watercolor Notecards http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/butterfly-watercolor-notecards

From Lova: "I always find inspiration in remaking things I did when I was little with better materials and more precision. These cards are an example of that. These butterfly cards can be used as birthday cards, invitations or as art for a wall."

 

You will need:

Watercolor paints

Paint brush

Heavy watercolor paper

Water

Butterfly images to use as inspiration


Cut out and fold cards out of water color paper. It is much easier to see where to paint if the cards are already folded before you start painting. Use watercolors to paint the shapes that make up the wings of the butterfly. Fold after you paint each shape so that the paint won’t have time to dry. Use more water for bigger more experimental shapes, and less water for small more precise shapes. Wait for the paint to dry completely and then they're ready to use!
]]> 336fcf7b0d18ab414b021a7354369924 Tue, 14 May 2013 16:32:58 GMT Lova's World: Printmaking & Stamping with Erasers http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/lovas-world-printmaking-amp-stamping-with-erasers

From Lova: "I love stamps, and using erasers is such an easy (and cheap) way to make your own! I was inspired by my view of New York City when I made these stamps. Each stamp is similar to a building I can see from my living room window. Making a cityscape is easy using these stamps, because I can use the same building several times!"


You will need:


Erasers - these ones from Target are great

Cutting tool - an Xacto knife would work great

Ink pads

Paper

Pencil


Use pencil to draw some buildings (or maybe trees to make a forest) on the erasers. Carve out all the space that you do NOT want to be covered in ink. It might be necessary to carve quite deep if you don’t want any accidental marks. Use the stamps to make cityscapes on cards, gift tags or envelopes!
]]> fc2c491d0eb3bfaafbc23a4df0802fcc Fri, 10 May 2013 12:55:38 GMT Professor Figgy's Glow Slime! http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/professor-figgys-glow-slime

Our friend, Professor Figgy, shares his recipe for the ooey-gooeyiest GLOW SLIME imaginable!


You will need:

Tools and Materials:

Plastic or glass container

Needle-nose pliers

Standard highlighter

Water

Latex gloves

Mixing bowl

Jar (with lid)

Elmer's School Glue Gel(4 oz. bottle)

Craft sticks

Borax


Start by making “glow water.” Fill container with 2 cups hot water. With pliers, pull out felt writing tip and carefully pry off bottom of highlighter and remove felt ink tube from inside. Place both the felt ink tube and the writing tip in the hot water and let sit for 4 to 6 hours. Once water has cooled and ink has saturated the solution, use gloved hands to squeeze any remaining ink out of the felt tube. Discard highlighter pieces. To make slime, create one solution in a bowl by combining 1/3 cup glow water with the entire contents of a 4 oz. bottle of Elmer's School Glue Gel. Stir mixture with craft stick until thoroughly combined. To the jar, add 3/4 cups glow water and 2 teaspoons Borax. Secure lid tightly on and shake mixture until borax dissolves as much as possible. Pour solution from jar into mixture in bowl, stirring continuously with a craft stick. Once solutions are combined, remove the resulting glob from the bowl and work it in your hands for 3 to 5 minutes until it comes together and is less wet and slimy. Store your slime in a resealable plastic bag or air-tight container. Slime will “glow” under black light!
]]> 4efde4f24dea45b458c84e52781f816a Wed, 08 May 2013 15:27:59 GMT Lova's World: Origami Sphere http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/lovas-world-origami-sphere

I made one of these origami spheres when I was a kid... well, three years ago. But this time I decided to make it in shades of pink. There are a lot of different versions of modular origami spheres, but I am especially fond of this one. I used instructions from an old Swedish origami book, but I found another video tutorial here.

 

Once you learn to make one of the pieces the rest go very quickly!

 

you will need:

60 square pieces of paper - I cut my own 6"x6" squares from paper from The Paper Source but you can use pre-cut origami paper of any size if you like.

paper glue - optional


Fold 60 modules, twelve each out of five different shades of pink, or any other color you like. (This is quite tedious, but oh so pretty when you’re done!) Start with the lightest color and make a circle of five. 3.This is the tricky part. Attach rings of four to each side of the five module circle, and rings of three in between each ring of four. Each ring of five should have rings of four attached to the side, each ring of three should have rings of four attached to the sides, and each ring of four should have two rings of five and two rings of three attached to the side. Every time you have used all the modules of one shade of paper, start using ones that are slightly darker. It’s okay if the shading isn’t perfect, as long as the top is light and the bottom is dark.
]]> 30748b2447d1506a17f74f4aba7cedc2 Fri, 03 May 2013 16:54:34 GMT Sock Hobby Horses http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/sock-hobby-horses

This project is featured in our NEW kids issue!  Read the whole issue HERE!


You will need:

thick woolen socks

2 large buttons

yarn or floss in different colors

batting/Polyfil

wooden rod, 3-4 feet


Start with sewing buttons on each side. Using floss or yarn embroider eye lashes. Add the mane by sewing and tying pieces of wool/floss to the sock. Stuff the sock. Place on a rod and fasten by tying several times with yarn. Make the bridle by tying yarn around the nose and leave some extra for the reigns. GIDDY UP!
]]> 8d7cd519def9835c2234e2918cc6a987 Fri, 03 May 2013 15:54:28 GMT Circus Paper Crafts with Printables http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/circus-paper-crafts-with-printables

Our friend Lova Blavarg designed and illustrated these beautiful circus themed paper craft projects!


Download, print and create your own circus: 

Kids Issue - Circus Paper Crafts

]]> 82aace9d4e835eee75f911b2acc24164 Wed, 01 May 2013 18:46:27 GMT The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Party Invite & Cupcake Topper http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz-party-invite-cupcake-topper
Illustrations and project design by Lova Blavarg!

Download here:

Kids Issue - Oz Projects

]]> cf039fddcaeae50f72ef7bae419c855f Wed, 01 May 2013 17:46:25 GMT Transform Your T-Shirt with Thomasine Dolan http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/transform-your-t-shirt-with-thomasine-dolan

Fashion designer Thomasine Dolan teams up with a few of our favorite kids to customize a simple white t-shirt using just fabric dye and scissors!


Read the full story in our Special Sweet Paul Kids Issue!  HERE


Download instructions here:

Kids Issue - T-shirt Instructions

]]> cefd7527bade975cc2d23686fac51516 Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:42:22 GMT Lova's World: Delicate Beaded Bracelet http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/lovas-world-delicate-beaded-bracelet

From Lova: "Me, my mom, and my little sister went to a bead shop the other day, and I decided that I wanted to make thin, delicate bracelets. I had so much fun picking out the colors! My mom wanted the blue/gray one, my sister claimed the red/pink, and I took the pink/blue. We’re all wearing them now!"

You will need:

Delicate metal beads

Needle

Thread

Clasp

Pliers


To start, put a small metal bead on the thread, and then the clasp. Put the thread through the metal bead again and use pliers to flatten it. Start threading beads! I think that putting them randomly is quite beautiful. .Make sure to check that the bracelet is the right length for your wrist. When you’re done, end the bracelet the same way you started it.
]]> db18523371e06e48be10f7e036f26407 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:55:27 GMT Floral Wreath Centerpiece http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/floral-wreath-centerpiece

The folks at Flower Muse sent me 90 stems of the most beautiful peonies for my birthday!  I used the flowers for a wonderful birthday brunch!  One of my favorite projects of the day was this floral wreath centerpiece made of the most stunning white peopnies.  This would be PERFECT for a brunch, wedding or for your Mother's Day festivities!

 

You will need:

Fresh flowers - I used peonies

Oasis wreath base - The Cutting Garden has a great selection

Scissors


Wet your oasis wreath form. Begin to trim your stems to about 3 inches each. Arrange the flowers into your oasis form. Continue until the form is very full. Set on your table and enjoy!
]]> f4e5effd3cf7aafdf22d40eafdeccdcb Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:25:16 GMT Lova's World: Printable Paperdolls - Meet London! http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/lovas-world-printable-paperdolls

From Lova: "The other day, Paul told me about himself as a child, and the clothes he liked to wear. This inspired me to make a paper doll of a little boy with a nice wardrobe. His name is London and the bear is called Hamley, after one of my own old teddy bears."

 

You will need:

Printouts of the paperdolls that you download form this page

Scissors

Water color paints or magic markers or colored pencils

 

DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE FILES HERE: 

London Paperdolls - Lova's World
Download and print out the files attached to this post. Be sure to use nice heavy paper if you're planning on painting with watercolors. Color the printouts with paint, markers or colored pencils. Cut out the paperdolls, being sure not to cut off the tabs on the clothing! Meet London!

]]> 5fadf4fa7c911697daacc00cae077300 Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:43:48 GMT Lamp in a Jar http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/lamp-in-a-jar

I have been obsessing about making my own lamps lately. Its so easy and so much fun.

You can buy these great vintage cord, plug and socket kits in so many places, or you can just buy one from Etsy.  Snake Head Vintage is a great source for vintage and retro lamp parts:
Follow the video to attach the plug to your cord. Loop your cord through the top of your lamp if you're using a top like the one in the photo. Attach the socket to the cord. Let there be light!

]]> a8a2f00cef482e0aa15e532920b17de5 Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:36:15 GMT Lova's World: DIY Notebook http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/lovas-world-diy-notebook

From Lova: "There are very few things that I love as much as beautiful notebooks. I have a big box of them in my room at home, and each one has a different purpose. Some I write stories in, some are for lists, ideas, or drawings. It's one of those things I feel one can never have too many of. Something I have never done before though, is binding my own notebook, where I got to choose the size, the ribbons and the patten of the cover myself! I found a kit fromPaper Source which had great, easy to follow instructions. I would say that this is a great gift for a creative friend, especially if you know their favorite color, but I think I will keep this one for myself!"

These are the supplies I used:

Inside Paper

Book Cloth

Decorative Paper

 


I had never done this before so I just followed the instructions that came with the kits, but I think I might be able to make my own next time! I took some scraps of the pretty decorative paper and glued it to unsharpened pencils. After they dried I sharpened them and had great tools to write in my notebook with!
]]> 65f72c60b2e2a5d5905c74a147698b26 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:03:10 GMT The Perfect Party http://www.sweetpaulmag.com/crafts/the-perfect-party

It's friday, it's the weekend, let's PARTY! I'm feeling a party coming on guys.

Here are a few of my favorite ingredients for a PERFECT party!

 

You will need:

 

Great people - Invite people who you can mix and match around the table, you want everyone to have a good time.

 

Candles - Candle light is important, we all look better in a soft glow and the ambiance will be SO fab!

 

Playlist - Music is so important.. not to loud! You want to hear the conversation. Smooth bosa nova is my favorite

 

Menu - Customize it to the occasion. Make the food ahead, things you can heat up combines with cold canapes. You don't want to be sweaty and messy in the kitchen when your guests arrive.

 

Flowers - Keep it simple! I always try to use just one variety for a party.

 

Balloons - always and forever!  You can never go wrong with balloons.

 

Drinks - Always make sure you have enough, and don't make them too strong.  Also, be sure to have non-alcoholic options.

 

Ice - see above... ALWAYS have enough!

 

A great outfit - put together something chic and special for yourself... you're throwing a party, after all!


Mix all ingredients together. PARTY on!
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