The Tiny Funnel: July 4th

Showing posts with label July 4th. Show all posts

Wind Sock for July 4th

Why not make a windsock (or two) to decorate your porch for July 4th? They're really easy to put together and made from a water bottle, duct tape and a trash bag.

Materials:

1 liter plastic bottle
Masking tape
Duct tape (multiple colors)
Parchment paper
Hole punch
Filament or string
Trash bag
Scissors (use pinking shears to make fancy edges)

Remove the packaging from the soda bottle.
Dry the bottle and add a strip of masking tape at the top and the bottom of the bottle where the curve starts and stops.
Cut the bottle along the strip and trim it so it's straight and use the hole punch to add holes every 2" along one edge.

Add two holes across from each other on the opposite end of the cut "tube".
Remove the masking tape.

Lay strips of duct tape onto parchment paper and cut fun shapes and designs then add them the sides of the tube.
The parchment paper is a little trick that let's you cut duct tape easily without it sticking (too much) to the scissors.

Thread and tie a length of filament through the top two holes then add 1" wide strips cut from a trash bag to the bottom holes as streamers.

Happy 4th of July!

Embroidery Hoop Screen Printing

This is an easy, fast and fun way to make multiple prints for any occasion and it's just in time to make 4th of July T-shirts... or napkins... for a parade or a party next week. A great project to do with kids this weekend.

Materials:

12" Wood embroidery hoop (plastic will slip)
Sheer woven fabric – organza, voile, or an old sheer curtain panel from the thrift store
A star design-printed or drawn
Pencil
Scissors
Acrylic paint
Paint brushes
Screen printing ink made for fabric (Speedball)
Expired gift card (any plastic card)
Plastic spoon
Paper plate
Heavy paper or cardboard
Washed and ironed T-shirt (or bag)

Secure the fabric between the embroidery hoops so there are no wrinkles or gaps and the fabric is taut. Trim the edges.

Place the star design under the flat side of the fabric screen.

Trace over the design with a pencil onto the fabric.

Flip the screen over and apply acrylic paint to the fabric in the “negative” areas --the areas that will not be printed.

Allow the paint to dry.

Hold the screen up to the light and look for any light shining through the painted fabric.

Apply paint to the other sided of the hoop, especially in the areas where there are light holes.

Allow the paint to dry.

Inspect the screen one more time for light holes and if it’s good, make a test print on scrap fabric or paper.

Place the hoop flat-side down on top of a piece of test piece of fabric or paper.

Use a plastic spoon to spread the printing ink across the top of the screen above the image.

Use a plastic card to squeegee the ink over the area-- top to bottom then scrape off the excess.

Carefully lift the screen up, and look at the print.

If any spots need to be filled, clean the screen – dry it with a paper towel and fill the holes in with paint; if it’s just one or 2 dots, cover them with masking tape on the bottom side.

When it’s time to print for real, place a piece of cardboard under the item being printed (or inside, if it’s a shirt or bag), to keep the ink from bleeding through.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for heat setting the ink.

Glitter Spider Web

Did you think we fell off the planet Earth? It feels that way in terms of blogging.
I've been very busy this summer with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas development for work. The boy is going to camp, the husband traveled to Germany- busy! busy! And while we've been doing projects - most are work related.

OH-And I've discovered Instagram (look there's a little box on the right column!)

I had plans to make a “firework” version of this spider web for the 4th of July- but instead it rained cats and dogs here and we all went to IKEA to shop for mattress (which we did not buy BTW).

I may try making one in fine glitter anyway but I have to stock up. I know! The girl who loves glitter is almost out. Crazy!

So that's why you're seeing this spider web in July.

In the meantime, I was interviewed by Cindy Atoji Keene from The Boston Globe about my job. It was pretty cool-the linky is here. She is wonderful and we had some lovely talks.

If YOU want to try making a glitter fireworks or a spider web place mat-- here's what I found out:

Use flexible drying glue like Aleen's tacky glue and not Elmer's white glue as white glue dried brittle and hard and the whole thing snapped apart.

Draw your design on a piece of paper first- put a piece of wax paper over the drawing (may need to overlap because you drew something biggish) and lay lines of glue on the wax paper over the drawing.

Sprinkle the glitter all over the glue and let it sit until it’s dry- don’t fuss with it. Maybe gently tap some of the excess away onto an extra piece of pre-creased paper (it’s easier to help get the glitter back into the jar).

DON'T get impatient and try drying it in the oven- the wax will melt to the glue and you will have to trim it away like I did.

When it's completely dry – use a (dry) paint brush to loosen any glitter that is not stuck down- that’s my trick for glitter projects so that you don’t leave a trail about the house.

I’d love to see yours if you make one!

Doughnut Cake

Please understand- I'm a Cook's Illustrated kind of gal all the way - all 40 ingredients and 80 steps (love this video). But for work - sometimes I go fast; cut corners, buy refrigerated sugar cookie dough, use canned frosting and food coloring.

I do. Sigh.

But this is not for work. This is for my boy who loves doughnuts; however, I broke my rules and used food coloring to give it a 4th of July kind of twist.