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Happy crafting...

"Peace"

COST: less than $2.00

if you already have stamps.

here's what you'll need...

• Unfinished wood frame - 8" x 8", with a 3.5" window, (no glass). We got ours for $1.00 at Micheals.
• Acrylic paint - white and black
• Red cardstock - cut to 4" square
• Foliage - just a sprig of something teeny, (if desired)
• Stamps - our stamps were from 3 different sets, but many stamp companies have compilations sets that would work. Friends with stamps, who are willing to share, would also work wonders.
• Sandpaper - 280 grit - or whatever you have
  
  

here's what you'll do with it all...

• Paint the frame white, allow to dry for a minute or two, then paint black. We actually gave just the top a quick second coat of black. Allow to dry for at least an hour or so if possible to make sanding easier.
• Sand. Start out lightly and add pressure as you need to - you're just wanting to rough up the inside and outside edges a little, and few patches on the top surface.
• Stamp your top design and then your bottom wording. Allow this to dry/set for a few minutes. You can use your hair dryer to help speed up the setting process.
• Stamp your picture on to the cardstock. Center it if you're not using any foliage. Off-set your picture just a little if you're going to use a sprig.
• Sand over your florish and lettering very gently. It doesn't take much pressure to shabby them up.
• Attach the sprig with a needle and thread, we used embroidery floss.
• Insert your picture, and voila!

Super easy. Super cheap.

Scriptures Bag

COST: less than $5.00

here's what you'll need...

• Decorative Placemat - some of the prettiest bags are made from placemats that look much too nice to be used as just a placemat.
• Handle - you can use most anything - a sturdier, heavier ribbon works well
• Trim or other embellishments - only if you want to

here's what you'll do with it all...

• Attach handles to each end of your placemat - make sure they'll be aligned with each other when your bag is finished. Reinforce your stitching.
• Fold in half, right sides together, and seam each side - leaving the top open
• Square each corner. While still inside-out, flatten each corner, seamed edge along bottom of bag, forming a point. Sew across the point, about 2" or so below the tip - it should form what looks like a triangle.
• Turn right side out and you're done

Galvanized Message Board

COST: approx. $10 to $15

depending on fabric choice, and where you get your tin

here's what you'll need...

• Canvas - 16x20 - you can get a two-pack at Hobby Lobby for about $8.00
• Fabric - a yard is plenty
• Sheet Metal - 12x16 - you can purchase sheets ready cut from most craft stores, or you can buy the larger sheets or rolls from the hardware store and cut it yourself with tin snips. If you just happen to know a "sheet metal guy", you may be able to go through him. We have a guy, but are checking to see if he wants to go public before we give out his info.
• Glue - Liquid Nails for the tin, and a tacky glue for the ribbon
• 1/2" Ribbon - approx. 1.75 yds - grosgrain works best because of it's thickness and sturdiness
• Magnets of your choice

here's what you'll do with it all...

• Staple your fabric to frame - keep it nice and tight - keep straight if you have a more linier pattern
• Apply liquid nails to back of tin and center on covered canvas
• Hide the edges of the sheet metal with your ribbon
• Glue the do-it-yourself magnets to buttons, silk flowers, glass pebbles or whatever else you can think of

Family Proclamation

COST: dependent on your frame choice

here's what you'll need..

• A Copy of The family: A Proclamation to the World
• Picture frame with matting sized to fit your proclamation
• Family photos - the number of pictures needed depends on their content and how they fit around the matting.

what you'll do with it all...

• MAKE DUPLICATES - BE SURE YOU HAVE DUPLICATES OF ALL THE PHOTOS YOU'LL BE USING BEFORE YOU START CUTTING! Especially if you're using irreplaceable family pictures.
• Make a template - use the matting to help make your template. Use it to help you fit your pictures before cutting, so that you know what will show in your final frame.
• Cut and paste your pictures to the matting
• Insert the Proclamation. Hang and admire.

Recipe for Life

COST: less than $3.00

here's what you'll need...

• Wood block - 2x2 or 2x4 block cut to about 8" long. You may be able to use remnant pieces - you can usually find them back where they do the cutting at your local home improvement store.
• Tin sheet - 5 x 7 - you can get them at Home Depot
• Acrylic Paint
• Vinyl lettering - you could also stamps, die cut letters, or stencil your lettering

here's what you'll do with it all...

• Cut a slightly angled slot the full length of your block, along the top side. You may need to ask around to find your wards "wood guy" if you can't do this yourself.
• Sand your block
• Paint
• Apply your lettering - you can even add a little something to your tin sheet if you're so inclined
• Place the tin sheet into the slot, and you're done

The nice thing about this display is that you can easily change it's purpose by using different words.

Alternative Suggestions:

Thought of the Day - share quotes you've enjoyed

Messages - make a larger one and use as a family message center

To Do - keep your list here

V.I.P. - place pictures of your family v.i.p.

Love Notes - share the good things you've seen in the people around you

On the Menu - write tonight's dinner choice with a grease pencil, or dry-erase marker

Scripture Mastery - pick your family favorites

Magnets

COST: less than $3.00 for the tin set

COST: less than $3.50 for the tin set

Your cost for these really depends on the price of the container you use, and how many pebbles you put in your set. These little tins were from one of the local craft stores and were only around $2.00 each, but you could also use the organza bags often used for jewelry. The tins do come undecortated - we added the vinyl accent.

The pebbles end up costing about .15 cents each. Our words were printed from the computer, but you can also use pictures and words punched from magazines or scrapbook paper. Photos work well too.

Click here to download a copy of the magnet sets used in the display.

here's what you'll need...

• Glass Pebbles - you get about 24 to a bag in the larger size pebble
• Magnets - these come as blank discs, and are available pretty much anywhere
• E-6000 Glue - very sticky and messy - put down some kind of extra protection for your work area
• Circle Punch - 1" works best for the large pebbles - we used 1-1/4"punch; it was a little big but worked fine. You can also use scissors to but your circles if thats easier for you.
• Words or pictures - print on, or back with cardstock if you can - if your paper is too flimsy the magnet can sometimes show through.

here's what you'll do with it all...

• Punch out your words or pictures
• Apply the E-6000 to the back of the pebble - the amount is somewhere between just-enough and not-too-much! You want enough glue that it oozes to the edges, but not so much that it's leaking out, and getting everywhere.
• Place your word, right-side against the gluey surface; move around, pressing gently to spread the glue and remove air bubbles. FYI - you'll get a little messy.
• Allow to dry, then press magnet to the center back of your covered pebble

Alternative Suggestions:

Glue round magnets to the back of silk flowers

Print your favorite quotes and scriptures - glue to the front of a magnet sheet. The thinner sheets slice easily on a paper cutter.

From magazines or scrapbook paper, punch a circle the size of your magnet, then glue your picture or word straight to the front of your magnet...and you're done!