Passport Update II

        Sadly, another month has gone by in my ever-shrinking Summer. Which means it's time for another progress update on my Summer Passport!

Here's how we stand...

1. Movies & TV (4/8)
2. Crochet (2/5)
3. Books (5/8)
4. Clothes (2/20)
5. D.I.Y. Stuff (9/20)
6. Extras (4/0)

        I finally made some progress on my Movie&TV section, as well as my Extras section. Let's do some math, out of the 61 projects I planned to do, I have so far completed 22 of them, which makes me 36% complete! But I've also completed 4 extra unplanned projects which I'm pretty proud of too!

Here's to me getting more accomplished!

Magazine Frame

        One of my favorite ways to decorate my room is with pictures, but I hate paying $12 or more for a cute frame! Here's my cheaper and colorful alternative!

Let's get started!

Supplies:
1. Picture Frame (I like to get mine from thrift shops, they're usually less than $3)
2. Magazine
3. Scissors/Paper Cutter
4. Mod Podge (My favorite finish is Satin)
5. Sponge Applicator

Step 1: Remove the back, glass, and any other hardware/accessories so that you are left with the bare frame

Step 2: Rip out a few pages from your magazine, you won't need more than 3 or 4, and you won't use the entire page either

Step 3: Cut your magazine pages into small strips, here's how I cut mine:

Step 4: Line your strips up around the perimeter of the frame so you can plan out how it will look, make sure you account two strips for every corner

Step 5: Once you are happy with the layout break open your Mod Podge and start gluing your strips down, make sure to cover the inner rim of the frame as well

Step 6: Apply Mod Podge to the bottom of the frame and press the strips into it, use your scissors to cut the strips that reach past the edge of the frame

Step 7: Apply a coat of Mod Podge to the parts of the frame covered with strips, and wait 20 minutes for it to dry

Step 8: Apply another coat of Mod Podge to the frame, wait 20 minutes for it to dry, aaaaaaaaand.......

You're finished!

Enjoy your magazine picture frame!

Paracord Lanyard

                My school, like many others, requires all students to wear an identification around school. The type of lanyard you wear is another way that you identify yourself. I loved making the paracord bracelets so this is a tutorial inspired by that, paracord lanyards!

Let's get started!

Supplies:
1. Lanyard
2. Paracord
3. Scissors
4. Lighter
5. Measuring Tape/Ruler

Step 1: Measure the length of your lanyard with paracord, add about 3.5 to 4 feet to that amount. That is how much paracord you will need.  

Step 2: Cut the ID holder off of the lanyard, this will be the hardware we use for the new lanyard

Step 3: Fold the paracord in half to find the middle; lay the lanyard at the looped end

Step 4: Slide the clip up the end with two strings to where the lanyard begins

Step 5: With one hand, hold the clip where it is, and with the other, fold the looped end over

Step 6: Now you're ready to start tying knots! We're going to use the square knot

Step 7: Tie the same knot, but from the other side this time

Step 8: Repeat steps 6 and 7 until you've reached a length you like

*NOTE: If you forget which side you left off on, find the farthest down knot, that is the side that you start on*

Step 9: Once you've reached a length you like, make sure you tighten the last knot you made

Step 10: Cut the remaining strings, close to the base

Step 11: Use the lighter to singe the the paracord where you cut it to keep it from fraying and unraveling, aaaaaaaaand.......

You're finished!

Enjoy your new paracord lanyard!

Paracord Bracelet

           Paracord, or parachute cord, was used by the military in World War II in parachutes as suspension lines. After the soldiers parachuted down, they found many uses for the paracord. This versatility has made paracord surge in popularity in recent years. Time to jump on the crazy train!

Let's get started with the bracelet!

Supplies:

1. Paracord (blue - Michael's, black - Home Depot)

2. Scissors

3. Lighter

4. Measuring Tape/Ruler

*NOTE: Paracord at Michael's is about $2.50 for 16 feet, in bright colors. Paracord at Home Depot is about $2.50 for 50 feet, in not so vibrant colors*

Step 1: Measure your wrist, add about an inch to make the bracelet more comfortable. You can add more than an inch if necessary

Step 2: Take the wrist measurement, with the added inch(es), and add about another 5 inches or so to account for the knot, this will be the core of the bracelet

Step 3: Fold the piece of paracord in half and use the lighter to burn the ends of the paracord to prevent the cord from fraying

Step 4: Tie a knot at the end of the paracord, try to get the knot close to the end

Step 5: Take the initial measurement; cut that many feet of your paracord. Fold the cord in half to find the middle, and place that behind the core

Step 6: Tie a square knot as shown

Step 7: Tie the same knot, but from the opposite side

Step 8: Repeat the knot tying, alternating sides until just before you get to the knot at the end of the core, it's okay if the bracelet starts to curl while you're tying the knots

*TIP: If you forget which side you left off on, look for the knot that is furthest down. Which ever side the knot is on, you start from that side*

Step 9: Once you get close to the end of the core, tighten the last knot and cut the remaining strings close to their base

Step 10: Use the lighter to burn the cut paracord, so that it won't fray, aaaaaaaaand.......

You're finished!

Enjoy your new paracord bracelet!

Bubble Paintings

               Another one of the things I wanted to do this Summer was a Bubble Painting. I originally saw the idea on Pinterest a few months ago, and I've been dying to try it since! Here's how they turned out:

Let's get started!

Supplies:

1. Painting Surface (I used on sale canvases from Michael's)

2. Food Coloring

3. 7 Plastic Cups 

4. Bubbles (I bought bubbles with wands because I didn't have any wands)

*OPTIONAL: Bubbles aren't water proof, if you spill any water on this project, before OR after it is dry, the colors will run and fade. After your painting has dried, apply a coat of Mod Podge to help seal in the colors and protect the piece*

Step 1: Pour out your bubbles into 6 of the 7 cups, you don't need a ton, just enough to cover the bubble wand

Step 2: Add your food coloring to the bubbles to make the "paint," I made a cup for each primary and secondary color. You'll want the color of the mixture to be very opaque so that the bubbles show up on the canvas

Step 3: Pour water into the 7th cup, this will be where you rinse your wands so that the colors don't mix

Step 4: Dip your wand into a bubble cup and start blowing the colorful bubbles!

Step 5: Let your bubble art dry for about an hour after you've finished, aaaaaaaaand.......

You're finished!

 Enjoy your new, bright Bubble Paintings!

Puppy Paintings

          I recently saw a video where a girl made a painting with her dogs. I loved the idea and decided to replicate it with my own adorable Pomeranian puppy.

Let's get started!

Supplies:
1. Dog
2. Paint (Baby friendly and washable is best)
3. Paper Plates
4. Painting Surface 
5. Treats

Step 1: Pour out the paint you're going to use for your puppy painting

Step 2: Either put your puppy in the paint, or use treats to get them to walk in the paint

Step 3: Now get your puppy onto what you are painting, use treats to get your animal to walk across and "paint"

Step 4: Let the painting dry for about an hour, aaaaaaaaand.......

You're finished!

Enjoy your abstract puppy painting!

Passport Update

          It's been about a month now that I've had my Summer Passport; an update is in order! The passport has six categories of different things to accomplish, each category varies in length. The categories I came up with were:

1. Movies & TV (8 shows/movies)
2. Crochet (5 projects)
3. Books (8 books)
4. Clothes (20 projects)
5. D.I.Y. Stuff (20 projects)
6. Extras (Empty at the moment)

       If you're counting, that is a total of 61 things to watch/read/make/do. Thus far I have completed:

1. Movies & TV (0/8)
2. Crochet (1/5)
3. Books (3/8)
4. Clothes (1/20)
5. D.I.Y. Stuff (5/20)
6. Extras (0/0)

        That's 10/61, or about 16% of the Passport is completed. Yay! Here's to getting more things accomplished! Hope I can get a lot more of these things finished!

Confetti Tumblers

         About a year ago I picked up these very cute stemless wine glasses at Target, and they reminded me of a Anthropologie set that were replicated on a blog post! I tried the project and here's what I came up with!

So let's get started!

Supplies you will need:
1. Glasses or cups
2. Rubbing Alcohol
3. Q-Tips/Cotton Swabs
4. Paint (Enamel works best for glassware, I recommend primary colors plus white)
5. Paper Towel
6. Paint Pallet (or something to hold/mix paints)
7. Newspaper (or another thing to protect surfaces)
8. Parchment Paper
9. Cookie Sheet

*NOTE: Before you start you should plan out the colors you'll use on the glasses* 

Step 1: You'll want to clean your glasses before you paint them, so you have a nice surface to paint on. Use your rubbing alcohol and paper towel to wipe the glasses.

Step 2: Now you'll want to start mixing the colors for the first glass. I made one cool toned, one warm toned, one primary colored, and one primary/secondary colored. Let's start with the primary colored, as that's the easiest!

Step 3: Break out your Q-Tips and start dotting painting away! Don't stick to a pattern, make it organic, it's okay if it isn't perfect, try not to leave too much empty space in between the dots.

Step 4: Mix the paints for the next glass, and paint

Step 5: Repeat Step 4 until you've made all the glasses you want!

Step 6: Let the glasses air dry for four days.

Step 7: Lay the glasses right side up on parchment paper on a cookie sheet

Step 8: Put the cookie sheet with the glasses in a cool oven and set the time to 30 minutes and the temperature to 325°F. Turn the heat off after the thirty minutes, but leave the cookie sheet with the glasses in the oven for at least another hour. After the final hour, remove the cookie sheet aaaaaaaaand.......

You're finished!

Enjoy with your adorable, new confetti tumblers!