DIY Agate Coaster

August 2, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

Hello Everyone!

Happy August to you! Is is just me, or is this year flying by? Now that it is August I just realize that I am waaaaay behind on my crochet temperature blanket. You can read about it here. Time to start working on it again, but that is not what this post is about, lol. I am going to show you how to do something completely different Smile

These DIY agate coasters are an easy project that make a perfect gift.

Materials:

~ Sliced Agate. You can find them online in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes.

~ Paint Pen

~ Felt

Instructions:

I have had these agates for a while, they were my Grandfather’s, I found them in his stash of rocks. He was a rock hound and had something of everything. They are a little smaller than I would have liked, but I like to use what I have on hand. The neutral color is perfect for me, but you can get them in almost any color of the rainbow.

Then you paint around the edges with a paint pen. I picked mine up at Wal-Mart for a few bucks. I painted around the edge twice.

Put felt squares on the bottom to help protect your furniture and that is it!

Easy project to add interest and spice to your home.

Recycled Glass Vase DIY

July 7, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 1 Comment

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are all having a great week. Last weekend we had a wonderful relaxing weekend, with not much on the schedule! In fact, over the weekend is when I finished this recycled glass vase project.

I have had these little champagne bottles for ever. They were just too cute to throw in the recycling bin and I knew that I would eventually find the perfect project for them. And I did, I made these cute vases!

Materials:

~ Glass bottle. (I used the champagne bottle, but you can use almost anything else. For instance a used olive oil bottle. )

~ raffia, jute, cord, burlap, ribbon, flowers

~ washi tape and anything else you want to glue on your new vase!

~ Hot glue

Instructions:

#1. The Shabby Chic Vase

~For this vase I used this Natural Polished Hemp and wrapped it around the entire bottle. I did not take of the labels for this vase and the cord did a good job of covering the labels. But if I were to do it again I would take them off. Just keep gluing and wrapping until you cover the bottle. This will take awhile so put a tv show on and go to town.

~ One I was done wrapping I added some burlap ribbon to the base area and then a layer of pretty ribbon.

~On the neck I added some brown ribbon and a flower. And there you have it, a cute shabby chic vase.

#2 The Diamond Wrap Vase

~ For this vase I wanted a really fancy, blinged out vase and I think I achieved that look, haha. To start take the labels off and then take the bottle to a well ventilated area to spray paint it. (Confession time: I am not very good at spray painting, I am too impatient to wait between layers and I always make a mess. So usually my hubby takes care of my spray painting, but I really wanted to get this project done so I didn’t wait for him to get home from work. I thought my cardboard box was good enough to keep the spray paint contained, buuuuuut I may or may not have painted the glass my outside table… Oh well, I guess refinishing the table will be a new project for me to work on this summer. lol)

~Anyway when you are done painting and it is dry start wrapping the bottle with Diamond Wrap (I found this at the dollar store) Add a flower to the top and you are done. This is perfect for the dinner table or for holidays. Imagine how cool this vase would look in candle light?

#3 The Washi Tape Vase

~ I have this wonderful washi tape that I found on Amazon and I thought would look great on the bottle. I just started wrapping the bottle using a different tape for each layer.

~ Just keep going until you are done. Since the bottle is curved the tape didn’t lay flat in all areas, but that is ok, I think it look like it has been aged in a attic for a long time.

~ Add a ribbon to the top and a flower and you are done!

There you have it, some great vases made from a glass bottles that were headed to the recycling bin!

What have you used to make a vase out of?

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DIY laptop cover

June 21, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 3 Comments

Hello everyone!

The other day I was working on my laptop and just kept getting distracted about how boring it is. I mean, the laptop is just black, no color at all. And you all know me by now, so you know that this just won’t do. I had to fix it!

See much better!

Materials:

~ Laptop or any electronic

~ contact paper (I found mine on Amazon)

~ Letter stickers (I found mine on Amazon)

~ Exacto knife and scissors

Instructions

~ Cut your contact paper a little bigger than the laptop

~ Slowly and carefully peal the back off the contact paper and adhere to your laptop. Try to keep it straight and try and keep the bubbles out. I still ended up with bubbles, but that is ok. I think it adds to the creativity

~ Once the contact paper is on then carefully trim the edges with an Exacto knife. Smooth it all down and make sure it is secure

~ I love the chevron pattern, but I felt like it needed more so I added the purple, glitter letters. I think that was the right touch.

That is it! It is a great way to add character and personality to you electronics, and I already feel more productive!

And the best part is this was easy enough that you can change your design often. I have seen some really cute contact paper designs at the dollar store.

Repurpose an old window into a Chalkboard

June 14, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

Hello Everyone!

As many of you already know I was working a project for a Mental Health Awareness charity auction. We were all repurposing and painting old windows. Here you can see my post about creating a shabby chic message board. Today I am going to walk you through how I made this chalkboard with an old window.

Materials:

~Old window. This window had pealing paint and a crack in the Plexiglas, so it was perfect for this project.

~ Cleaning supplies and sandpaper

~ Paint, brushes, and tape for the frame

~ Primer, chalkboard paint, and brushes for the chalkboard part.

Instructions;

~ The first step is to prep the window. Not the most fun, but it is necessary for a successful project. I sanded all the edges until they were smooth and ready to paint. This took a while because the window was so rough.

~ Then you paint the frame. I did tape off the Plexiglas because I am not the neatest painter. I used Artist’s Loft in Metallic Cobalt Blue, I love the iridescent quality of the blue paint.

~ Paint away. Kitty help is essential to the success of any craft project Smile Starlight is my favorite kind of help, lol.

I did 2 coats of the blue

~ After the frame had dried for a day I taped off the frame part and prepped the Plexiglas. First I lightly sanded the glass so that the paint would adhere. Then I put a coat of primer on according to the directions. I used Kilz primer.

~ Once the primer was dry I painted 4 coats of chalkboard paint on according to the directions. I used Rustoleum Chalkboard paint. Once it was dry and cured for 3 days I conditioned the chalkboard according to the directions.

~ Once it was completely dry and conditioned I took a stencil and painted a design in the corners and added some flowers and that is it. A new chalkboard for an old window

Have you painted and or repurposed an old window? How did it turn out? I would love to see pictures!

Re-purpose an old window into a shabby chic message board

June 2, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

If you follow my Instagram (taketimetocreate) then I am sure you have already seen the reveal of this repurposed window. For those of you who don’t follow me there here the shabby chic message board!

I have to say I do love the way it turned out! This all started when my friend asked me to paint a window for a silent auction for mental health awareness. At first I wasn’t too interested, not because I didn’t believe in the cause (because this is one cause I totally support) it was because I wasn’t sure I had a design that would work. Most everyone else did a more traditional painted window with flowers on the glass and things like that. Well of course I didn’t follow the crowd. So I did my own thing and hopefully it will bring in a lot of money for the charity!

Here is how I did the repurposing.

Materials:
~ old window (for this to work you for magnets you will need one with a metal screen)
~ sandpaper, tape, cleaning supplies
~ paint and brush
~ cork
~ flowers, magnets, tacks, and clothes pins
~ ribbon and burlap

Instructions:
~ The first thing you will need to do is sand down all the rough edges and smooth it out. Once you like the feel of the window then give it a good cleaning.

~ Now you are ready to paint. I taped around the edges to help cut down on how much paint went on the screen, and this seemed to help.
Paint a couple coats until you get it to how you like it. I used this white acrylic paint that I had on hand.

~ Cut your cork down to size and glue it on to the screen. I just glued the edges with a metal glue and that seems to hold it pretty well.

~Then I went to work decorating the edge. Shabby chic is all about layers so that is what I did. I put down a layer of burlap, the layered on a layer of crochet ribbon that I had in my stash.

That looked good, but I felt like it was missing something, so I added a ribbon on top and flowers in the corners.

Then I added ribbon to the bottom of the screen and to the bottom of the window. Once that was done it was time to add the flower decorations.

~ For the flowers add a magnet the back of some and tack to the others. For the clothes pins I just added ribbon to a plain clothes pin I got from the dollar store.

And that is it. This is a very fun project that is easy to do and I loved using what I had on hand. I can’t wait for the auction and hopefully they will make a lot of money for their cause!

Artwork from a Dollar Store Placemat

May 26, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 6 Comments

I have this little area in my office that needs some artwork. It is near the coffee pots, so you know it is one of the most important areas in the office Smile

Anyway I was at the dollar store and saw these really cute placemats and thought they were perfect. With some dollar store frames I was able to get 6 pictures for $7! What a deal!

Here is how I did it:

Materials:

~ Placemat (I got mine from the dollar store)

~ frames ( I got mine from the dollar store)

~ pencil

~ Scissors

Instructions:

~ I used the glass from the frame as a template for the correct size, and I just drew around the glass

~ Then I cut the placemat along the pencil lines.

~ Place it in the frame and you are done! Some patterns might be too close together so you might want 2 placemats so you have a little more freedom as to where to cut out the desired design.

And that is it! A very easy project that didn’t cost too much and it will be a perfect addition to the office!

DIY Magnet Chip Board Letters

May 12, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

Hello everyone!

I have these left over chip board glitter letters. I love the color and and glitteryness but I only have a few letters left, so I though they would be perfect for this magnet project. But with so few options I had to figure out what to spell and “Be Kind” just stood out.

Be Kind is a motto that I try and live by. I don’t know what people are going through so I always try to be kind, no matter what the situation. So this is a nice reminder that I put in my office at work. I think being kind to each other is one of the most important things we can do.

So here is how I made these chip board magnet letters.

Materials:

~ Letters

~ magnetic sheets

~ glue (I used Loctite)

~ scissors and Exacto knife

Instructions:

~ The letter have an adhesive back so I pealed off the paper backing and I pealed off the paper protecting the magnetic sheet

~ Glue on the letter to the magnet. This is probably not necessary, but I like to be sure it won’t come off so I thought a little glue was a good idea.

~ Cut around the letter. I used scissors and an Exacto knife to get around all the edges.

And you are done. I think they turned out super cute. What letters do you need to use up and what do they spell?

Disney Action Figures from the Dollar Store

May 3, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all are having a great week so far. Our weekend snow storm ended on Sun and now the sun is out and the weather is beautiful. I love spring in Colorado!

Anyway, I was at the Dollar Store the other day (of course I was at the Dollar Store… I seem to be there a lot, haha) and while I was there I saw these really cute Disney action figures. Once I saw them I knew they would be perfect as magnets and tacks for my office.

This is a pretty easy DIY so here you go.

Materials:

~Action Figures

~ magnets or tacks

~ glue (I used Loctite)

~ Sandpaper

~ Masking tape

Instructions:

~ Find where you want to place the tack or magnet, some of the action figures are easier to figure out than others. I had a little bit of a hard time with Donald because of the way his back is arched, but eventually I did find a good spot to glue his tack on.

~ I rough up the spot where I wanted to glue down the magnet or tack, this will help adhere the glue. I also roughed up the tack.

~ glue the magnet or tack in place. I put masking tape over the magnet or tack to help hold it in place while the glue was drying.

~ FYI Dory had to be trimmed in the back so she could lay flat. Some of your action figures may need to be trimmed as well.

And that is it, I can’t wait to go back to the dollar store and see what other action figures they have and see what I can do with them!

Monogram Wood Burn Coasters

April 27, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

Hello Everyone!

Before I get into my DIY I just wanted to let you know that there will be some updates coming to the blog. The design will be getting an overhaul. All the same content will be here, hopefully it will be easier to find and navigate to.

I am excited for the updates, and I will keep you posted on the progress.

Last week I told you guys about my cousin getting married (I made a clutch to go with my shoes. You can see that post here) The wedding was beautiful! I am so happy for them.

I wanted to give them something special for their wedding so I decided to try out my wood burning tool. (I have had it for a while, just never used it)

I thought coasters would be good for the newly weds, and a monogram of their last name would be perfect.

Materials:

~ wood ( You can use scraps you have around, or pick some up at a store. I found mine at Michaels)

~ Wood burn tool

~ graphite paper

~ print out of what you want to wood burn (I just created my monogram in word and printed it on my computer)

~ Stain (I used a pre stain because of the nature of the soft wood I was using, then I used a natural stain, and finished with a clear coat)

~sandpaper and foam paint brushed

~ Felt or cork for the back

Instructions:

First you lightly sand the wood to make sure it is nice and smooth.

Then you transfer the design onto the wood. I traced the design with a pencil using graphite paper. This worked really well.

Then I stared to outline the monogram with the wood burn tool.

This was my first attempt at making something with the wood burn tool and I learned to go at a steady pace with even pressure.

Also be very careful, the tool is HOT. I even have the band aid to prove how hot the tool can get Smile

Once it was completed and I was happy with the design I pretreated the wood with a Pre-Stain. Then I followed up with a natural stain and finished with a clear coat. Follow the directions on the stain to get the best results.

Then I put self adhesive felt on the back, and then I was done!

This was such a fun project! It did take a little while to get the hand of wood burning, but now that I get it I have a ton of other projects that I have in mind! These are perfect gifts for everyone!

DIY projects with glass animals

February 24, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 3 Comments

My Grandpa was a rock hound, he searched and collected rock for as long as I knew him. He loved rocks and he created some wonderful, beautiful jewelry with his rocks.

Here is a 70s fantastic picture with my Grandpa. I love this pic, it was taken not long after my brother was born (he is the baby in my Grandpa’s arms). I am the little cutie in my mom’s arms, my sister Valerie the cute little blondie, and my other sister Kim is the cutie sitting down.

And what I love best about the above picture is about 5 seconds after it was taken this next picture was taken (or maybe it was 5 seconds before the actual photo when my folks were trying to set everything up). But either way the before and after is funny. It is almost impossible to keep 4 kids in one place. It just makes me giggle every time I see it.

Anyway, I digress. As I said my Grandpa was a rock hound. It was fun to spend time in his rock shop and see his tools and rock and various treasures. When he passed my oldest sister, Kim, got almost all his rocks and tools. Well, I was visiting Kim a few weeks ago I spent some time digging around in the rocks she had. And I come home with a treasure trove! My Grandpa had these really cute glass animals, I knew I could do something with them. Be prepared for more future posts with rocks, I may have collected a ton from my sister….

Aren’t they cute! But you know real life happens and before I even started my craft projects Cole had to take a few (or 10) so this is all the remains. LOL. He also had first dibs on all the rocks I brought home, so I have significantly less than what I started with. I love how interested he is in rocks and nature.

I made some necklaces and some little decorations with the glass animals. I will divide this post into 2 parts, starting with the jewelry.

Materials:

~ Glass animals (you can get these almost anywhere. I would look on Amazon, eBay, or do a quick Google search, or sometimes rock and or bead shops might have them)

~ Wire, pliers, jump rings

Instructions:

~ The little dogs had a little glass bump that was perfect for a jump ring. Add a jump ring and a chain and you are good to go. I think this is the easiest project ever!

~ The giraffe was a little harder, but not much. Just take some wire and wrap it around the body of the giraffe.

Once you have wrapped it as much as you want then twist it at the top and add a jump ring, just watch for the center of gravity. You want to make sure your jump ring is in a place to make sure the giraffe will hang right. Then take the wire and twist to the bottom and secure and cut off extra. I am thinking that I will need to add a dab of glue to make sure it is secure.

~ Please note that these are glass and to be very careful when you wear them. These might not be suitable for children, they might break.

Making Glass Animal decorations

Materials:

~ Rocks

~ Glue (I used Loctite, but E6000 would probably work, or any other glue like that)

~ Glass animals

Instructions:

~ Gather your rocks and animals. As you can see I have a lot, but this isn’t even a tiny fraction of what I brought home. I am so excited for all the rock projects I have in store!

~ Then glue your animals to the rock base and that is it! Display them on your favorite shelf. Reminder that these are glass and fragile, so you should be careful handling them and these are probably not for kids to play with.

Nice and easy for this Wonderful Wednesday! Check out my Etsy shop to purchase some of these creations. TakeTimeToCreate.etsy.com

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Take Time to Create

Taking a few minutes in our busy lives to create new and wonderful things

diy home

DIY Agate Coaster

Recycled Glass Vase DIY

DIY laptop cover

Repurpose an old window into a Chalkboard

Re-purpose an old window into a shabby chic message board

Artwork from a Dollar Store Placemat

DIY Magnet Chip Board Letters

Disney Action Figures from the Dollar Store

Monogram Wood Burn Coasters

DIY projects with glass animals