Fast cheap and easy framed art from the dollar store.

Today was my 9th wedding anniversary and to celebrate we went out to eat at our favorite Chinese place. There just happens to be a Dollar Tree next door to said place where we walked around to build up an appetite. ;) I am working on two long winded crochet afghan projects right now but I was getting bored with crochet. Because of that I wanted a project that would be fast and not take too much time away from those things but would give me something else to do creatively. I looked and looked and couldn't really find anything that would be fast until I came across these unfinished document frames and some acrylic paints. I picked them up thinking I could do something with them but not sure what that something was. Then I found this really great gift bag with a painting of a bunch of folks dancing and having a good time outside of the Apollo. It was vibrant and graphic and I knew that I had to have it. Then the idea hit me, I could frame that art and hang it on my wall to enjoy whenever I wanted. I found a lot of bags with very interesting and pretty artwork on them. There were three or four of them with several little girls in Edwardian style clothing. They were doing various little girl things like having tea parties or playing dress up. They would be very cute in a little girls bedroom. I did two pictures that were both in a sort of music theme. The jazzy one at the Apollo and the one of a dancer.

First off, sorry for the quality of the pictures. I used my cell phone camera because the batteries in the regular camera were dead. OK you will need a frame, paints, a gift bag of course, a pen or pencil, some scissors, paint brushes and paper towels. The process was really easy. First you unwrap everything and take the frame apart. You also need to prep the bag by cutting out the string that is used as a handle (if it is made with one.) Next you need to lay the glass onto the bag and figure out where you are going to cut it. Using my paint brush program I drew a line around the glass in this pic so you can see it better here. The thing you want to do is get the most interesting parts of the picture into the frame. I think the people in this one are far more interesting than the car so I positioned the glass to show them. Next you want to trace around the glass and then cut the picture out. Cut on the inside of the lines so that you don't end up with a piece of paper that is too big for the frame. It may be easier to cut out on the sides of the bag leaving a big margin and then trim it out. I framed the picture before painting the frame so that I could make sure my paint matched the picture but you can paint it separately. To frame the picture you need to put the glass back into the frame and then put the backer onto it. Make sure that the hanger is facing up and that you get all of the tabs pushed down. (see pic 1)

Ok now for the painting. I used acrylic paint for this but I watered it down to make a stain. I mixed red with pink to get a rosier color that matches the neon sign in the picture. I used an upside down sour cream container lid as my palette. (see pic 2) To use it as a stain you need to work in small patches and go quickly. First you brush the paint on then you wipe it back off. This will make the color a little lighter so keep that in mind when you are selecting or mixing your paint. The benefit to staining is that once you wipe the paint it is pretty much dry. Once you have finished staining make sure the glass is clean (if you framed the picture first.) Then hang it and enjoy.

Pic 1:

Pic 2

Felicity Scarf

Worsted weight yarn (Delft Blue super saver) size K hook. Gauge isn't important.

Ch 21

Row 1: Dc in the 4th ch from the hook. DC in the next 2 ch's* ch 1 sk the next ch Dc in the next 4 ch's. Repeat from * 2 more times.

Row 2: Ch 3 turn * 4 DC in the next ch 1 space ch 1. Repeat from * 2 times. Ch 1 DC in the top of the last DC

Row 3 Ch 3 turn. 3 DC in the 1st ch space. * Ch1 4 DC in the next ch space. Repeat from * 1 more time. Ch 1 3 DC in the next ch space 1 DC in the top f the last DC.

Repeat rows 2& 3 until scarf measures 6 ft in length. End with Row 3.

Finishing: SC evenly around the scarf working 3 sc in the corners. Slst in the 1st st to end. Weave in ends. Cut 120 16 inch pieces of yarn to make the fringe using 12 strands in each hole.

Cecily Hand Bag and Coin Purse

I lucked out and found a lot of yarn at my favorite dollar tree between fall of last year and last month. I used most of it for patterns written by other people but I wrote a couple of my own to use these yarns with. This particular pattern was made from Caron Rhapsody yarn. It is discontinued, which is probably why they have it at the Dollar Tree. It is worsted yarn so pretty much any worsted yarn can take it's place. I used about 3 ounces of color A and 2 oz of color B. Gauge isn't really important but using an I hook, I measured 16 chs at 4 inches to give an idea of gauge.

Hand Bag

Ch 21

Rnd 1: 2 DCs in the 4th ch from the hook, 1 DC in the next 16 chs, 5 DCs in the next ch, on the opposite side of the ch, 1 DC in the next 16 chs, 2 DC in the same ch as the first 2 DCs, join. 42 sts

Rnd 2: Ch 3 * (2 DC in the next DC) twice, DC in the next 16 DC (2 DC in the next DC) twice DC in the next DC*repeat from * around, join. 50 sts

Rnd 3: ch 3, 2 DC in the next DC, DC in the next DC, 2 DC in the next DC, DC in the next 18 DC, (2 DC in the next DC, DC in the next DC) 4 times, DC in the next 17 DC, 2 DC in the next DC, DC in the next DC, 2 DC in the next DC, join. 58 sts

Rnd 4: Ch 3 FPDC around, join (58 sts)

Rnd 5: Ch 3 DC around join, (58 sts)

Rnd 6-17 repeat Rnd 5 (Rnd's 8, 10, 14, and 16 are worked in color B)

Rnd 18: Ch 3, DC in the next 6 DC, ch 30, sk next 15 DC, DC in the next 14 DC, ch 30, sk the next 15 DC, DC in the next 7 DC's join.

Rnd 19: Ch 3 DC in the next 6 DC, DC in the next 30 chs, DC in the next 14 DC, DC in the next 30 chs, DC in the next 7 DC, join. 88 sts

Rnd 20: Ch 1, sc around, join 88sts

Rnd 21: slst around, join, fasten off, weave in ends.

Coin Purse

(use same yarn, hook and gauge as hand bag)

Ch 21

Rnd 1: 2 DCs in the 4th ch from the hook, 1 DC in the next 16 chs, 5 DCs in the next ch, on the opposite side of the ch, 1 DC in the next 16 chs, 2 DC in the same ch as the first 2 DCs, join. 42 sts

Rnd 2: DC in each DC, join

Rnd 3-5 repeat Rnd 2

Rnd 6: Ch 4 * sk next DC, DC in next DC, ch1, repeat from * 20 times, join in 3rd ch of ch4.

Rnd 7: Ch 3 *DC in ch sp, DC in DC, repeat from * 20 times, DC in last ch sp, join.

Rnd *: sl st around, join, fasten off, weave in ends.

Drawstring: ch 101 slst in 2nd ch from hook and in all others till the end, fasten off weave in ends.

Weave the drawstring through Rnd 6, tie the ends together.

30 seconds stash bust craft: Cat toy

Sunday was Easter. Ya'know what you get at Easter don't you? Well aside from chocolate bunnies with no ears and stale peeps...... mmmmm stale peeps...........! Sorry I got distracted for a second. Anyway you get plastic Easter eggs at Easter, especially if you have, live near or know a kid that went on an egg hunt. My niece gave me a green one. So what do you do with a plastic Easter egg you ask? You stick a jingle bell in it, glue it shut and give it to your cat to play with, that's what you do with it. I used a little dab of E600 on the lip and just shut it on top of the glue. Make sure it is dry before you give it to your cat.

Stash bust wind chimes.

There used to be a very annoying set of refrigerator magnets hanging on my fridge. That is before my fridge died, shortly after my stove died. Both have been replaced with lovely new ones. (I named them, Ester is the fridge and Ellis is the stove. Don't ask I can't really explain why I name inanimate objects.)

Anyway, there were two "wind" chime magnets hanging on the old fridge. I put wind in quotes because there is very rarely a breeze flowing through my kitchen. The way they chimed was when the door would open. First there was a clang clingity clash when it opened then there was a clang clingity clash when it closed.

I am not at all opposed to wind chimes as a lovely tinkling sound in the garden or on the porch on a breezy day. I decided I would cut the chimes off said offensive "wind" chimes to make some pretty wind chimes for the porch to go with Mom's other twelve wind chimes. This is how I did it using only things that were laying around the house or that were in my stash of supplies.

You will need:
Chimes (I have seen a bunch of cheap chimes at the Dollar Tree that look pretty flimsy. You could also get them the same way I did if you have annoying cursed refrigerator magnets. You can also get creative and find other things that could be chimes. I have some bells I'm gonna try next.)

Tiger tail or fishing line

Crimper beads if your using tiger tail

Jump ring

Needle nosed pliers

Assorted beads in colors you like. Make sure one is relatively large because it will be the clanger in the middle of the chimes to make them make noise.

3 lengths of chain about one inch long. I used the chains out of a packet of key ring chains I got at the Dollar Tree but any small chain will work.

1 wine glass charm ring, I also got these at the Dollar Tree. (calling it wgcr in the tutorial.

The round end of a toggle jewelry clasp or a key ring.

A clasp from a key ring to use as the hanger


Ok first up you need to make the lengths of line or tiger tail that the chimes will be on. Either way you do this the concept is to make a secure loop that the chime will hang from but still be able to move freely. String a crimper bead, if you are using tiger tail, then string the chime. Now you want to secure the loop, if you're using tiger tail crimp the crimper bead down with pliers or a crimper tool. If you're using line tie a good knot. For either string you want to use the beads to cover up the tail you just created. To finish off leave a loop at the end and either crimp it or tie it and feed the tail through the beads to hide it. Do that two more times to have a total of three chimes. I would do more than three the ring might get really crowded that way.


Now you need to make the clanger. First you need to attach a small stopper bead to keep the large clanger bead on the line. It works the same way as adding the chimes except you will pull the line snug against the bead before you fasten it off. Now string your clanger bead and an assortment of beads after it. Make this string long enough to go right between the chimes then add about 1/2 an inch more.

Next you need to string a couple of beads onto your wgcr as spacers then one of the chains then one of the chimes then a few more beads then one of the chains etc until you have all three chains and chimes on and the ring is filled with beads. Using your pliers bend the flat end of the wgcr up and feed that part through the loop end. Then flatten that against itself to secure it. Now you need to use a jump ring to attach them to the toggle ring. You will also hang the clanger from this jump ring but it needs to hang down through the wgcr. Finally attach the clasp to use as a hanger and you are done.

Easy crochet ripple afghan

Several months ago I came across some Caron Bliss yarn in five bright fun colors at my favorite Dollar Tree. I bought all of it without knowing what to do with it. Well it sat in my stash for a while until I decided I had to do something with it. I was already working on a larger ripple afghan so I decided I would make a baby sized one with my Bliss. I had intended to save this in case I ever needed a shower gift for a little girl but my mom confiscated it to use as a lap blanket. I have never written a pattern down before but it is pretty simple so hopefully I didn't mess it up but we'll see.

You need 3 skeins each of Caron Bliss in (a) Snow, (b) Sour Apple, (c) Majestic, (d) Cotton Candy and (e) Mango
1 K hook

with color a Ch144

Row  1: with color a sc in the second ch from the hook, sc in the next ch, sk the next chain, * 1 sc in the next 10 chs, 3 sc in the next ch, 1 sc in the next 10 chs sk the next 2 chains, repeat from * until there are three chs left then sk 1 ch and sc in the next two chs change color when the last two loops are on the hook by drawing up color b. Cut color a

Row 2(and on)  ch1 and turn. sc in both loops of the next two scs, sk the next sc, * 1 sc in the back loop only of the next 10 sc, 3 sc in the back loop of the next sc, 1 sc in the back loop only of the next 10 sc sk the next 2 sc repeat from * until there are three scs left, sk 1 sc, 1 sc in both loops of the next 2 scs, ch1 turn

Repeat Row 2 until you have 45 inches make sure you repeat the full color pattern. Crochet 2 rows of each color to make one color pattern. Crochet over the tails while you are working so you don't have as many ends to weave in. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Crochet cat toy

Ok as promised I am posting a new tutorial for a cat toy. This is my cat Bogie's favorite toy. You will need 1 practice golf ball, 1 jingle bell, 1 size G crochet hook and enough scrap yarn to cover the ball completely in single crochets. (scissors and duct tape may also be needed)

Next you need to get the bell into the ball. If your bell is small enough you will only need to make one small cut on the ball to get it in there. I do it with a regular pair of craft scissors. I just find the smallest section of plastic between two holes and cut it. That should give you enough room to get the bell inside the ball. (say that five times fast) If you have to cut a large hole then you can put a piece of duct tape over it to keep the bell in until it is covered.

Now you need to get crocheting and it is simple amigirumi, meaning it is constant single crochet never joined until the end. I didn't write a pattern for it but it is simple you just increase on one side and decrease on the other to make a ball. If you don't like amigirumi you can join each round increasing in the beginning and decreasing in the end to make it a ball.

If you don't know how to crochet you can go for the duct tape option. I like duct tape and I have it in a ton of crazy colors. You can make a bazillion things with it. But right now I'll just do a cat toy. I just cut two strips of it long enough to completely cover the ball. I put one on it and smoothed it down as much as I could then I put the other on in the opposite direction and smoothed it down. Make sure you don't have any exposed sticky though. Otherwise you will end up with cat toy covered in cat fur.