DIY Duct Tape Covered Plastic Basket

July 12, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

Hello Everyone!

The old adage “Necessity is the mother of invention” is usually true. And the case of today’s DIY it was especially true

I have this plastic basket that I use to store my paint brushes in. But the holes in the basket make it very easy for the brushes to fall out. So I needed a way to plug the holes.

Yikes! Look at that mess!

Duct Tape to the rescue!

All I did was wrap the basket with this fantastic duct tape that I found at the dollar store. The basket is tapered so the wrapping was not perfect, but it works great for my brushes.

Don’t forget to wrap the inside, because the sticky side of the duct tape peeks through.

Once I was done with the duct tape I added some sparkle tape to the top and bottom for a little fun.

And that is it. The basket is finished and now my brushes are contained!

Turn Gift Bags into Wall Art

June 16, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

Hello Everyone!

I have a serious question for you, have you seen the awesome gift bags at the dollar store? They are amazing! So cute and every design imaginable. When I see them I think that these should be hung on the wall and not given away. And that is just what I did.

This one I put in my teenage son’s bathroom. He got a kick out of it. We will see how long it stays there, haha.

This is not the most complicated DIY that I have ever done, but it is easy and fun and you can have new art work for a couple of bucks.

All you need are gift bags from the dollar store (from this picture you can see that I might have a problem collecting too many….. nah, I think I don’t have enough, lol)

And a frame ( I got mine from the dollar store as well)

Just use the glass from the frame to see where to cut and cut out the design and put in the frame and that is it! All done.

Think about all the options, you can switch out for the holidays (the dollar store always had gift bags around Christmas)

You can give a gift in the bag and give them a frame to use after they open the gift. It is like a 2 for 1 deal.

I thought that this one was very sweet, wouldn’t this look perfect in a nursery?

This one would look so cute in a nursery as well.

This one would great for newly weds, or even as a decoration at a wedding reception.

This one would be great for a boy’s room or a man cave. The possibilities are endless.

And the best part is that there is usually an identical design on the front and back so you can get twice as many pictures out of 1 bag. This is great if you have 2 kids that want the same art and you only want to buy 1 bag.

I did save the back of the bag for different projects in the future, so look forward to seeing these designs again.

I hope you can find some really great bags to hang on your walls.

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!

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!

Dollar Store Puzzle Coaster DIY

April 7, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

Hello Everyone!

have you ever been to the dollar store and you see something really cute and you just know that you can do an awesome DIY with it? Well that is what happened to me with these puzzles I found at the Dollar Store.

They were just so cute I knew I needed to make something with them and I thought they were the perfect size for coasters.

Easy DIY, so here I goes:

Materials:

~ Puzzles

~ glues (I used Tacky glue and Mod Podge)

~ Exacto knife or scissors

~ Backing (I used some leftover fleece, but felt or cork would work)

~ Cardboard or poster board (optional)

Instructions:

~ First you have to assemble the puzzles. This is a really fun part!

~ Once they are all put together I spread a layer of Mod Podge on the front. I wanted a glossy look so I used Gloss A helpful hint is when you are gluing the back layers on to put something heavy on the coaster so that it will dry flat.

~ After that has dried then spread a layer of tacky glue to the back and adhere it to the fleece (or what ever you choose)

~ before you do the above step you might want to make the coasters a little more durable. So for the 2nd set I put a layer of cardboard, but I found that almost too thick. Poster board would be a happy medium. But they still work perfectly without any additional layers (my first set didn’t have anything extra and they work great)

~Once you are done with the fleece then cut it out.

And you are done! Ready to enjoy your new coasters.

Have you found something at the Dollar Store that you just needed to DIY? I would love to see what you came up with!

Making a Dollar Store Cell Phone Case Super Cute

March 31, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

Hello everyone!

Once again I found myself at the Dollar Store. I always seem to find something I just *need* when I go. Well this time I found all these super cute cell phone cases. If you follow me in Instagram you already know all about them. you can follow me at @taketimetocreate on Instagram

I will show you what I did with each case and have fun making your own!

Materials:

You will need a variety of materials, I just depends on what you want to do. Here is a short list of some of the things I used:

~ Glue ( I used E-6000 and Loctite)

~glitter

~stickers

~rhinestones

~Soft gloss gel paint medium

~mica powder

~Chip board letters

Instructions:

1st case

For the first case I decided that it needed glitter! So I coated the outside of the case with a layer of E6000.

Sprinkle glitter on it, shaking off the excess.

Once it is dry coat it with a layer of Mod Podge to keep the glitter from going everywhere.

I love how it turned out!

2nd Case

This one I just wanted to put a pink rhinestone where the plaid patter intersects.

Just put a dab of E6000 where you want the rhinestone and put the stone on the case. To make things easier I use a syringe when doing precision gluing and a wax tipped tool to help pick up the rhinestone.

I forgot to take a pic when I was done, but you get the idea! Smile

3rd Case

This beautiful swirly case needed some rhinestones. I just found some swirly ones and put Locktite glue on the stickers and added them to the case.

It was quick and easy, and I love the added detail to the case.

4th Case

This one was just as easy as the rest. I just used some chevron stickers to add detail to the white areas.

Just be sure to glue the sticker down with Locktite

Fun!

5th Case

This one is fun. The pattern was already bold, but I thought it needed more. So I added a chipboard letter and parentheses with Loctite and it is good to go!

I really like how this one turned out.

6th Case

last but not least. This one was a little more involved, but not much. The case was not plastic, but more like a fabric on the area I painted.

I used come soft gloss gel and mixed in some Mica Powder on a small plate. You only need a little bit of each.

Then I painted stripes and blended them together.

This one was fun to make and I have to say I love how it turned out.

have you decorated a dollar store cell phone case? If you have I would love to see it!

DIY Coloring Page Holder

February 16, 2016February 16, 2016 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

I have a confession, I love to color. In fact I have been coloring long before it became the popular thing to do. I have always found it a great way to relieve stress and relax me. So when adult coloring books starting becoming popular I was literally giddy with so much happiness! So many possibilities and options! But, they are more expensive than the kids coloring books I usually found in the dollar store. So I started to look online and print them out at home. You can find tons of free coloring pages online, it is almost overwhelming. But with all these pages I needed a way to contain them, a cute holder of some sort.

Here is what I came up with.

DIY Coloring Page Holder

I found this folder at the dollar store and while it works just fine all plain and boring, I just couldn’t leave it like that. (surprised?) Next to the folder was the really cute sparkly tape. Perfect for the folder.

Materials:

~Tape and file folder

Sparkly tape

Folder from Dollar Store

~Coloring pages or coloring book and crayons

I just placed the awesome tape around the edges and that was it. Nice and easy and it made the folder so much cuter.

Front of Folder

Just fill with coloring pages that you printed or that wonderful coloring book that you have been working on. Keep your crayons in the folder as well and you are good to go.

Fill with Coloring Pages and Crayons

So do you love coloring as much as I do? Don’t you think this would make a great gift?

Have you embraced the new trend or are you passing on this trend?

Front of Folder

Back side of folder

DIY Magic Towel Wall Art

November 12, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / 2 Comments

I am loving the magic towels. The images are so fun and colorful. The Batman ones really stood out for me so I decided that I needed some wall hanging for our Fandom Basement.

Our basement is where we celebrate all fandoms! You can go back to this post and see how I made the Tardis Door. Oh and do you like my hand painted Deathly Hallows symbol and Captain America shield? Just a few details to the Fandom Basement. We love just about all the fandoms…

This wall art is easy and fairly inexpensive.

Here is what I did for this wall art.

Materials:

~ Magic Towels (I got mine at the dollar store)

~ Iron

~ Foam board (I got mine at the dollar store)

~ Craft Glue (I used Aleene’s)

~ Ruler or straight edge for a cutting guide

~ Exacto knife or rotary blade.

~ Ribbon

~ Ticky Tac, or some way to hang it.

Instructions

~ I washed my towels first. Once they are thoroughly cleaned I ironed them nice and flat. Then they were good to go!

~ I stacked them on top of each other so that when I I cut the towels they were the same size. I used a ruler for a guide to make sure it was straight.

~ Once it was all cut I spread craft glue on the foam board. Then I placed the towel on the board

~ After the towel was secured to the foam board I trimmed the edges so that it looked good.

~ After it was cut out I trimmed the top edge with ribbon. This was a good way to hide the frayed edges.

~Then I noticed that the white foam edges that were showing did not look very good, but I was out of ribbon so I did the next best thing and colored the edges with a Sharpie.

~ Before hanging up let it dry completely. I would place books on top so that it stays flat. I did not do this step and my art curled a little bit and so I had to flatten it after it was dry.

~Then hang it up. I used Ticky Tac, but you can use just about anything you want.

Not bad for just a few dollars. These would looks great in a kids room or bathroom and when they get tired of it it is easy to change out.

This time I mounted it on foam board, but next time I am going to try and frame the towel, or stretch it on a 12×12 canvas. So many options, I just hope I have enough wall space.

That is it! What do you make with your towels? I would love to see the art you create.

DIY Cinderella draw string bag

October 6, 2015October 6, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / 3 Comments

Last weekend while I was at the dollar store I saw these magic towels. I had seen them before and I thought they looked neat, but I don’t like using them as actual towels. They are thin and scratchy so I have never purchased them. When I saw them this weekend my crafty, creative juices started flowing. So I bought a few or 15. Whatever. I am sure I will find uses for them.

Here are some of the awesome magic towels I picked up. So many choices! I can’t wait to get my crafting on!

For this project I thought I would decorate a plain drawstring bag. I have to say that everything is better with sparkles and Cinderella!

My son is so patient and tolerant modeling my new bag. He didn’t even protest when I asked him to model my bag. He makes my heart sing Red heart

This is pretty easy to do and you can use any magic towel to customize it to you heart’s content.

Materials:

~ magic towel (prewashed and ironed. You want to make sure it is flat and ready to use)

~ Wonder under or any iron on fusible web. ( I just used what I had on hand)

~ Fabric Paint

~ Scissors

~ rhinestones

~ Rhinestone glue. ( I used Aleene’s Jewel it)

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry and iron your magic towel. That gets it ready for its transformation.

2. Iron your drawstring bag. I got my bag at JoAnns, but I am sure you can find them just about anywhere.

3. Iron your fusible web on to the back of the towel.

4. Carefully cut out Cinderella.

5. Peel the backing off. You can see the Cinderella wording and shoe, but I decided not to use them.

6. Iron Cinderella to the bag.

7. When Cinderella is cool start going around the edge with fabric paint. I found that I had to make a thicker line than I usually do because of how thick the towel is. I wanted to make sure the towel won’t unravel and that Cinderella stayed in place.

Once that was done I had Cole try on the bag and I decided that it didn’t have enough sparkle. I am sure you surprised that I didn’t think it had enough sparkles, right?

8. I had these packets of rhinestones that I found at the dollar store that I thought would work perfectly. They are connected together in strips, which worked perfectly.

9. I laid the strips out in a pattern that I liked

10. Once I got it how I liked I glued the rhinestones down. This is to make sure the rhinestones stay on the bag.

11. let dry over night and then you are ready to rock an awesome Cinderella bag. Doesn’t Cole look great rocking the bag? He is a great sport.

Paint a Plastic Dollar Store Vase with Nail Polish

September 29, 2015 / TakeTimetoCreate / Leave a comment

First I have to tell you about the free arm knitting class I took last night at Michael’s. It was awesome.

I am was excited to finally learn how to arm knit and check out the infinity scarf that I made!

So much fun, and the instructor was wonderful and very patient! Once I got the hang of it, it was easy to do and very fast. I can’t wait to make other things with arm knitting. You can be sure I will feature arm knitting projects in the future Smile

Anyway, on to the other project I did this weekend….

I was wandering around the Dollar Store this weekend and I saw this plastic vase. It looks like it could be a cut crystal vase from a distance, I am talking about way distant, like a mile or so. But up close you can really tell that it is plastic. So I thought I would help the vase out and give it sparkles and color.

Here is the vase in all its glory.

And here is an up close to of the “cut crystal” part of the vase. I like the design and it is pretty enough to use.

Materials:

~ Vase you want to paint

~ Nail Polish. Any color will do. I used this copper color called DS Glow from OPI, I thought it was perfect for fall and the holidays. This vase will work for a variety of holidays, which is a good thing. But at a dollar for each vase you can make a new one for each holiday.

Instructions:

1. Paint a first coat over the parts you want colored.

2. Add a second coat, more if needed. I just added color in a few strategic parts on the vase. Now I know that my painting is not perfect, but I am convinced that it adds to the charm of the vase. Perfection can be overrated Smile

3. Let dry then add flowers, candy, marbles,or anything else you thing would look good in your new vase.

I put mums in the vase for the fall.

Here is the vase with poinsettias in it rather than the mums. Ready for Christmas.

Take Time to Create

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

dollar store craft

DIY Duct Tape Covered Plastic Basket

Turn Gift Bags into Wall Art

Artwork from a Dollar Store Placemat

Disney Action Figures from the Dollar Store

Dollar Store Puzzle Coaster DIY

Making a Dollar Store Cell Phone Case Super Cute

DIY Coloring Page Holder

DIY Magic Towel Wall Art

DIY Cinderella draw string bag

Paint a Plastic Dollar Store Vase with Nail Polish