DIY Pendant Lamp - Weekend Project

Dollar Store Crafts has a great weekend project posted on their site for a pendant light tutorial. I love the colors! Can you believe these are ping pong balls? [link]

Want to buy ping pong balls in bulk? How about 144 of them for less than $10 link

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DIY Plastic Strands

A great tutorial with lots of visuals on how to make plastic strands or as they call them wire. Full instructions are on WikiHow [link]

Need a heat gun?  link

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DIY Barbie Doll House

Wow, can I just say how amazing this is? Southern Disposition shares a DIY tutorial for making a barbie doll house from three ring binders! Yes, three ring binders. They fold closed and don't take up a lot of room when not in use. If you never venture to make this, your loss. But you still need to go see this post and be in awe of the creativity. [link]

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Initial Glass Pendant DIY

You know when you see an idea and you want to kick yourself for not thinking of it first? Well, this in one of those times. I love to make jewelry. I give it away, I sell it, I wear it. This is such a fantastic idea for so many gift giving opportunities. I am thinking even crafting with kids this would be fun and quick the only thing I would worry about is the etching cream usage. For the entire tutorial you can see it over at Midwestern Girl DIY [link]

Looking for supplies? You can find them here:

Etching Cream Glass Rectangle Tiles

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Copyright Free Images

Are you looking for free public domain imagery for your crafting or art making? Here is a great online resource. The images are mostly vintage by nature due to the copyright infringement laws. [link]

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Free $40 Gift!!!!

Create your own memory books, journal, calendar, cards......at a considerable savings. 

enter code Welcome2012 at checkout to receive a $40
credit to apply toward your purchase  [link]

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Hollow Polymer Clay Bead Tutorial

Want to make a hollow polymer clay bead? Here's a link to a tutorial with step by step photographs. [link]

Need some clay to get started?
Variety of Polymer Clay

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Beaded Earrings Free Tutorial

Oh what a grand find. There's a ton more free tutorials at BeadsMagic but here is the link to the earrings pictured above. [link]

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Martha Stewart Give Away

Plaid is offering a Martha Stewart glass and ceramic paint give away. [link]

The contest will end Friday September 7th, 2012 at 12 noon EST

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Free Printable Card Set - DIY

This adorable Matryoshka Card Set is available as a free download and printable from the Cannon website. [link]

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Crochet Kitchen Sponge DIY

I found this great free tutorial on Ravelry for a crocheted kitchen sponge. I have made kitchen scrubbies, I've felted soap into fleece. This was a new idea for me, crochet a cover for a sponge to make a super kitchen sponge. I can see many of these being made in the near future! [link]

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Beaded Heart Tutorial

Sonyastyle shares a beautiful beaded heart tutorial with her readers. [link]

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Crochet Large Stitch Rugs

Purlbee shares with you a free pattern for large stitch crochet rugs. They use alpaca but I bet you could be creative and use another kind of fiber or use multiple strands. [link] 

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DIY Beads from Paper

Instructables has a great tutorial for making beads from paper. Yeap, you remember doing this as a kid. It is the same technique but taken to a higher level - just check out the results! [link]

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Wire-wrap Rosette Ring Tutorial

A sweet little rosette wire ring tutorial from McFarland Designs. There are great step by step images. [link]

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PrintRunner Sticker Give-away

A unique way to promote your products. Stickers! How about using them to seal your sold items? What a great marketing tool. Print Runner is offering free stickers to one lucky Craft Connection reader. Enter to win now!

Maybe your are not a crafter that sells their product. How about a business card sticker for your family or labels to identify your "stuff". Keep in mind if the size of the sticker is too large, you can put two designs on one sticker and just cut them down when you get them! I did this once - worked great!

PrintRunner is your convenient online  print service resource. Check out their site and try printing sticker from them.

Details of the giveaway prize:      Stickers
                       Sticker Shape           :       Standard Stickers
                       Flat Width              :       2"
                       Flat Height             :       3.5"
                       Quantity                :       250
                       Paper                   :       Premium Sticker Stock
                       Colors                  :       Full Color ( 4 Color Process), Black and White
                       Proof                   :       NONE
                       Ready to Ship In        :       3 Business Days
               *Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you to PrintRunner for providing us this giveaway, I will receive a set of stickers for hosting this.

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DIY Magnetic Notepad

I have to admit, I am a bit of a push over when it comes to magnetic note pads. But, I don't like the price. I guess I could add a magnet to any old note pad, but I never do. I loved finding this DIY project on the Curbly website [link]. Plus, there are free downloads for the pages to print at home: four grocery lists and four task lists.

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Wrapped Bracelet DIY

Here is a visual tutorial for making a bracelet with flexible vinyl (PVC) tubing, thread - wool, silk etc to your taste, double sided tape (5 mm width), and a knitting needle. Here is a link to the full tutorial, it is in Russian [link]. If you would like to translate it, try using Babblefish. 

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DIY Sharpie Dinnerware

I have seen this technique on a lot of blogs and I have read a lot of reviews about this project. My first concern would be the comments about the toxicity of the ink. I search on the Sharpie website and found the pens to be a "Quick-drying ink AP certified nontoxic formula". First hurdle accomplished. The next concern I had was the ink washing off. I don't have a tried and true solution for this. I would recommend against putting it in the dishwasher. But other than that, I think it is a grand project and one worth trying. As I said, there were a lot of sites with instructions but the one I found first was at The Sweetest Occasion [link]. 

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DIY Felt Trivet and Coasters (no sew)

How About Orange shares a tutorial for a felt trivet. This is a cut and assemble piece with no sewing! You can alter the colors and the size. This project has a lot of possibilities. [link] There is also another tutorial on the same site for coasters using the same technique. [link]

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Fold A Paper Bow

Learn how to fold a bow from a single sheet of paper. You could recycle a magazine page, try gift wrapping paper, origami paper - just about any paper. I don't think I will be buying bows to wrap presents with anymore! Thanks to Let's Create for translating the tutorial into English. [link]

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Frosted Vases DIY

I found this great craft on Pinterest. However, the image linked to a site that didn't contain any information about the craft so I can't credit the creator. But, here is the basic idea. Wrap rubber bands around the glass vases, then spray them with craft spray that 'etches' the glass. Allow them to dry and then  remove the rubber bands. 

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DIY Garden Flower Pots

SaiFou shares a "visual" (no text) tutorial on how to make pots and a bird bath out of concrete. [link]

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River Rock Hot Pad DIY

A package of river rocks, a piece of felt and some hot glue. What do you get? A great looking hot pad! It's so Very Cheri shares ideas for this technique making a hot pad or a door mat. [link]

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Reversible Jumbo Tote DIY

A jumbo tote that is reversible as well as portable because it rolls up for storage and travel. Oh so many uses for this versatile bag. Thanks to Craft Passion for the tutorial. [link]

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Kids Craft Kits

 Kiwi Crate makes it easy for parents to promote creativity for their children.  Available as a monthly subscription, kits come in a wide variety of themes to match your child’s interest. Each craft kit comes with all the supplies needed (plus extra) to complete each craft. The best part is the kit is delivered directly TO YOUR DOOR!

Kiwi Crate is offering a 25% off your first month to TCB readers! (excluded sibling add on)  Promo Code: TCB25  – This code is only available for one week.

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Fabric Binder Purse

Jolie's Junebug Boutique share a visual tutorial of sorts for this fabric binder purse. With a little studying, I think you could conceive of how to put one together for yourself. Take a look and see. [link]

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Get Your Free Journal

PaperCoterie is offering Craft Connection readers 1 free journal to all first time customers. When you enter the coupon code welcomejournal at checkout, you will receive one top selling product free. Standard shipping rates apply with no minimum purchase necessary. Tell your friends to vist and use our link. Offer is good until December 31, 2015. [link]

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Free Craftsy Mini-Class

Learn the Tricks to Modern Buttercream in this Free Craftsy Mini-Class

Joshua John Russell is back at Craftsy in his brand new, free class,

Modern Buttercream. Learn his tricks for making Swiss buttercream

in any climate! If you’re a brand-new baker, Joshua teaches you how

to cut, level, and fill your cake like a professional! And if you’re a

seasoned veteran, take this class to brush up on techniques and learn

new tips along the way. After all, there’s nothing to lose because this

class is free!

Make your cakes look as wonderful as they taste with Joshua’s help.

Learn how to create a smooth or textured effect on the final layer of

frosting, and how to add fondant embellishments and simple piping

details for a sumptuous finish to your delicious cake. Jump into your

cake-decorating adventure with Joshua John Russell’s brand new,

online Craftsy class. Enroll now in Modern Buttercream forfree!

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How to Make a Gift Bag

Need a gift bag in a pinch? How About Orange shares how to make a gift bag from ordinary newspaper.  I am sure once you've learned how it is done, you could imagine all kinds of other materials that could be used like gift wrap, magazines, packing paper, maybe even fabric? [link]

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Revamped T-shirt

Wobisobi shares with us a unique idea for transforming a regular t-shirt into something stunning. [link]

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Sew A Reusable Snack Bag

Very good detailed tutorial for making a reusable snack container. I am thinking of so many other uses, like a make-up travel bag or pencil bag for the kids. You can find the information at Mauby's [link]

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Recycle a Pillowcase Tote

Growmama shares a tutorial for making a tote or market bag out of a pillowcase. [link]

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Recycled Washer Necklace

Washer necklaces are a very popular craft and everyone has their own version of making them. This one uses nail polish. What a great idea. It is an inexpensive craft and great for kids and adults alike. Give it a try and check out the examples at The Handmade Adventures of Captain Crafty. [link]

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Chip Bag Shrinkies

A little tutorial, a little science lesson. That is what you will find on Mad About Science when you go to see how to make chip bags shrink. You can use them on your backpack, as a key chain, just about anything you can imagine using them for. But you'll have a great time telling everyone about how you got it to shrink and why. [link]

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Crafting for the Birds!

Michael's shares a simple craft idea for a bird feeder/bath. I think this idea could be incorporated into other uses. How about for dogs? Dry food on the bottom, wet food on the top? Maybe a serving dish for parties. Like chip and dip! You could paint it in whatever style you desire. It is so versatile! [link]

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Saving Old Tape

This great tip was gleaned from Pinterest: a little heat makes old tape work like new.

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No Sew Tote

Create a no sew tote from bandanas. Find the tutorial for this at Making Friends. [link]

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Lace Enhanced Candles

Eddie Ross shares examples of his spray painting and lace technique on candles and wrapping paper. The results are simply elegant. I love this idea and it sparks so many other applications. [link]

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Craftster Monthly Challenge

MONTHLY CRAFT CHALLENGES
Start crafting! Craft Challenge #77, Foodie Frenzy, is due August 1 - 8, 2012! Enter now! Post your project in Craft Challenge #76, Fun in The Sun, now through July 9, 2012! Congratulate, mielejolie, the winner of Craft Challenge #75, The Great Paper Production!

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OMC : Cartridge Buy-Back

USED CARTRIDGE Buy-Back Offer

Oh My Crafts will give in-store credit of $5.00* for each used cartridge. [link]

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Sand Bowl

Sand bowl made from a mix of sand and glue. Designbloom has additional photos of this piece which are beautiful. There isn't really a tutorial but I think you can get the idea from the pictures. [link]

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Beaded Jewelry Contest :: $750 in Prizes

$750 in Prizes! Enter a Beaded Jewelry Competition now!

Necklaces, Earrings, Bracelets, Anklets, and more! Get your best work together and enter  Summer 2012 Beaded Jewelry Contest for the chance to win $750 in prizes! categories this year are fairly interpretive, there should be a category for everyone to enter. The categories are: Whimsical or Romantic - think flirty, feminine, delicate, flowery type designs. Bohemian or Eclectic - Gypsy, folk, diverse designs. Traditional or Contemporary - everything from classic pearls to "modern" designs. Be sure to read all the contest rules and guidelines before entering. See Rules

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