Valentine's Day... Two Gift Ideas

Hey guys, so today I decided to post a few homemade tutorials for Valentine's Day, since many like to take part in giving gifts to the people you care about. Anyway, the two crafts that I will show you are called Matchbox Valentines and Handmade Conversation Heart Soaps. The first one, Matchbox Valentines are very, very simple, and cute! It is pretty much a covered up matchbox, which is empty, until you fill with something nice, like candy, letters, etc. The second one, on the other hand, takes a bit longer. I hope you guys are excited for today's post, let's begin.

Matchbox Valentine
Materials:
-matchbox (bigger than the mini ones, the bigger, the better)
-any piece of paper (wrapping paper, construction paper, etc.)

Steps
1. Take a decent sized matchbox and empty it. Then, hold it the long way, one end facing you.
2. Take it in your hand and pick up your paper in the other. From one edge, wrap it around the matchbox. If your paper is too small, grab a bigger piece.
3. Open up matchbox and fill it up with desired contents.
4. If desired, wrap ribbon around box. This benefits if you want to tuck in a note under the ribbon. Enjoy!
Here, to the right, are finished results of this craft.



Homemade Conversation Heart Soap
instructions copied from: http://www.marthastewart.com/266875/heart-shaped-soap
Tools and Materials
Nonstick 9-inch square pan
Heart-shape cookie cutter
Glass measuring cup
Glycerin soap
Bench scraper
Soap colorant or food coloring
Spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol
Cutting board
Needle nose pliers
1/8-inch metal letter stamps
Masking tape
Heart-Shaped Soap How-To We used a 2-inch cookie cutter (1 inch high) and 2 1/2 pounds of glycerin soap-sold at crafts stores-to make 16 hearts.

Steps
1. Depending on your equipment, yields may vary. To determine how much glycerin you'll need, fill pan with water to 1/4 inch below height of cookie cutter; pour water into measuring cup. Record amount; discard water.
2. Cut soap into small pieces with bench scraper; fill measuring cup. Microwave on medium heat until melted; stir. Add soap and heat until you've reached the water amount. Add colorant; stir. Pour liquid into pan. Spray with alcohol to eliminate bubbles.
3. Let harden at room temperature, 2 hours. Freeze 10 minutes.

4. Turn upside down onto cutting board. Create soaps with cookie cutter; pull cutter out with pliers if it sticks. Tape stamps together to form words, and imprint on soap, applying light, even pressure.To the right are pictures of the finished results.





I hope you all enjoyed this post and these tutorials as much as I do. Please comment on your thoughts of this post, and suggestions on future ones!

Paracord Bracelet

Hey guys, so today I'm going to show you how to make a paracord bracelet. For those of you who don't know what that is, of how it looks, the picture on the right is an example of this bracelet. As you can see, this craft incorporates a lot of knots, and patient. Don't get me wrong; this craft has very simple steps, but it can also very easily be messed up! Warning: this craft uses the use of flames, so please be very careful of ask other to do that step for you.  Okay, let's get started!

 

I feel that this bracelet is very cute, and goes great with any casual outfit. In my opinion, I think that even though this video comes along with three tutorials, the first one is easiest. Remember, that you don't need specific colors for this craft. This bracelet make the perfect gift from the heart for Valentine's Day, Birthdays, and just about any occasion. I hope you all enjoyed this craft and plan on trying it out! Feel free to comment and suggest ideas as well asstate your opinion! That's all for now, bye!!

DIY Earring Holder!

Hey girls, how many times have you had your earrings scattered all over the place, and always say to yourself, that one day you'll take care of the mess? I've been there. Looking for a cute and affordable earring holder can be tough, so how about making one which is quick, and easy, and best of all, under $5! This craft is very simple and cheap. The picture on the right is how this craft will turn out. I feel that the earring holder looks fairly well, especially considering the small amount of cash needed to achieve this look. Let's get started!

Here's the website that has instructions on how to make this craft: http://www.alittletipsy.com/2011/04/diy-under-5-make-earring-holder.html

I feel that this makes the perfect gift for any occasion, whether it be a birthday, or Valentine's day, or just something to say that you love that person. The materials are very common: Splatter Screen, Hot Glue, etc., and can be found at stores such as Dollar Tree and Target. The background can vary as well as the style, depending on the type of fabric that you use. Remember, the important thing is that it's YOURS, so it should represent YOU! Creativity and uniqueness is key to any piece of art, so nothing has to be a precise way! I hope you all liked this craft as much as I did, and plan n trying it out! Bye!

Origami Magic Ball

Hey guys, so to the right are pictures of an origami magic ball. This is in fact, a craft that I've been working on for the last couple of days, and so far, I can honestly now say that I'm terrible at origami! Yes, I know that origami calls for precise directions, and total patience, as well as a good understanding on tasks. That aside, I know that many of your are origami lovers, so this post is for you. Also, if you're not great at origami, like me, take this as a challenge. Try it, I dare you to. Anyway, this ball not only looks cool, but is fun to play with! It's squishy, and tiny, and tons of fun! Do you have what it takes to make this ball? Let's find out...      

                                                                           

 

So above are two videos. The first one is the normal, classic magic ball. But the second one is a mini magic ball, which makes it easier to understand the steps, and is a little easier to achieve. They both require massive amounts of patience, and will probably take you more than one try to succeed. This craft also calls for a minimum of materials, and they are commonly found in households. Make sure that you clear your schedule before you start this project, because this will not be a quick project. This project is not easy, and that's a fat, so don't gt frustrated if it doesn't work the first few times. That's all for now, bye!

If you give up, here's a website where yo can buy the magic ball for $4: 
http://www.etsy.com/listing/102792362/origami-magic-ball?utm_source=googleproduct&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=GPS&gclid=CNGw0YDi4bQCFcuZ4AodWg8Axg