Candle In A Cup

What else is swankier than a candle in pretty little teacup?  I can't think of anything.  Well, not right now anyway.

What you need

Teacups

Wicks - start out with 6 inch wicks

Wax

Skewers

Extra string

How's It's Done

Melt wax over low to meadium low heat.  Put a small amount in the bottom of your teacup and place wick on top and hold to secure.  Be sure to place the wick in the center of the cup as much as possible.

Take your skewer and wind the top portion of the wick around it.  This will preent your wick from falling to the side during your pour.  

Pour in the melted wax slowly and stop about 1/2 from the top.  After your wax sets it may be necessary to add an additional layer of way to the top.  Just a smidge will do.

Dyed Clothespins

So, I saw a picture not too long ago, I'm sure it was on Pinterest, but this picture was of dyed clothespins.  They were adorable!! Which got me thinking of all the wonderful crafty things I could do with them...not to mention, they're for sale all over the place for more money than I'm willing to pay, so why not create them instead?!

I set out on a mission to find supplies.  I'd read several different methods to dying your clothespins; Easter egg dye, food coloring & vinegar, Rit dye, etc.  It's too late for Easter dye and I didn't want to purchase anything (gotta save every dime you can, you know?) so I opted for the food coloring and vinegar.

Here's the food coloring I used.  I wanted to use liquid coloring but had none in the pantry...oh well!

I got this from Amazon, it's Americolor Soft Gel Paste Student Kit- Culinary Academy 1st Choice!.  I think it turned out well...I did add vinegar and water to a pot (although I didn't measure) and heated it up a little.  I'd say start with 1/4 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup of water and little bit of the color.  Heat it up - not too hot, and pour over clothespins.


 Unfortunately, I don't have pictures of this process.  I have got to start remembering to take pictures when the crafty bug hits me!  ;)

I let mine soak for about 15 minutes but you can leave yours in longer if want a darker color.  Also, using the vinegar will make the metal claspy thing to look a little more worn and vintage'y.  So now I have a ton of very swanky clothespins ... what to do, what to do!  :)

I hope this gives you great inspiration to get crafty!  :)


Here's a couple of projects you can make with your dyed clothespins!

                    

Prints Charming...

I love printables.  In fact, I love them so much, I have a favorites folder filled with sites that have the greatest printables around.  In going through my folders, I had a brilliant thought - I should share some a couple of my faves with you!  ;)

Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made has some of the prettiest vintage printables around.  Most are scanned from actual books like this antique book cover below (all FREE!).  Tons of DIY projects too!  Seriously, I can stay on her blog for hours - I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!  :)

The Background Fairy has tons of digital images as well as backgrounds, headers, layouts, buttons and more!  If I need something and can't find it anywhere else, you can bet that The Background Fairy has it.  All of their images are free to use with a few terms.  They even take request!  If you're looking for something and can't find it - just send 'em an email!  They're happy to help!  :)

Burlap!

Is there anything better than burlap?  I love it!  The rustic texture lends itself well to becoming a very swanky addition when it's all said and done.  Here are a few examples...


I swear if my man child ever asks his precious to marry him (I mean, he's had the ring since Christmas but he's nervous...lol), this is what I want to do on the chairs.  I love it.  It's so pretty and very swanky.




A very simple pillow.  Just cut your squares, sew them up and add your stuffing.  I'm not sure what they used for the lettering but I think a simple acrylic paint would suffice - well, it's what I have on hand anyway.  :)




Very swanky indeed!  I have tons of coffee sacks I scored on ebay one day - this would be a really cute in any room of the house, although I think mine will go in my kitchen!  :)  It looks easy enough - hardly any stitching.  But, I will put a full tutorial up once I attempt this!  :)