Rock Painting - Kids Craft DIY

Spending a weekend with kids engaged in something creative is a great feeling for most parents. How we spent the weekend this time was really fun paint activity. While my sister gave us a visit, we found some rocks outside an under-construction building during our evening walk and we were tempted to turn them into cute artsy pieces. We picked a few in different sizes and shapes.

Most kids will have a set of acrylic paints and paint brushes in their school stationary supplies that come handy in the project. So what our children (my son and my nephew) created is really adorable
and I thought of posting it for mommies who are looking for a cool kids activity.

Material Required:
Smooth Surfaced Rocks
Acrylic paints
Painting Brushes
Pencil/Fine Point Marker
Sealer

Steps:
1. Wash and clean the rocks to remove all the dust and pat it dry. Avoid using the rocks that have rouch patches on those as the paint job won't look graceful.

2. After the rocks are dried up properly, colour those for a bright base to provide you a nice canvas. It may take one or two coats of paint for better finish. Let it dry under the sun, if possible.

3. Help your child envision how the finished project should look like and then draw it first with a pencil. For the older children, a thin marker can be used to draw fine detailing on the rocks.
4. Using acrylic paint for painting should give the rocks a glossy finish. Continue the drawing in repeatitive process until it is visibly appealing.
5. Be patient letting each coat dry before moving on. You may use a hairdryer to dry the paint faster.

6. After the finished rocks are completely dry, give them a coat or two of Craft Varnish/Sealer/Mod Podge. This makes the paint colours pop and will also make your child's art last longer.

These rocks may be used as paper-weights, garden decor or simply an indoor decor piece.

(Just one regret, didn't click any pic while little hands were at work) :(
How do you think the kids performed.... we love it though!!

DIY- Plastic Planters In Cute Doll Shape

Let's make our home an expression of happiness. How about making someone welcome you with a cute smile every time you enter your home? Nope! I've not deputed an ever-smiling gatekeeper, but these are the beautiful planter-dolls that you may place at any corner of your house for a unique decoration with positive feel of greenery.

And if you want to make few for your dream house, here are the easy steps -

Material Required for 1 Doll:

• Large Plastic Pots - 3 nos.
• Small Plastic Pots - 12 or 14 nos.
• Brush
• Acrylic Paints
• Scissors
• Piece of cloth in Black Color
• A stitched dress for doll (Optional)
• Silicon Adhesive 
• A Piece of Rope

How to go about it:

1. To make arms and legs:

• Pierce a hole at the base of every pot.
• Place 3 or 4 small pots upside down one above the another.
• Take the rope through the holes pierced in all pots and attach them together putting a knot under the lowermost pot. 
• It will make either an arm or leg of the doll.
• Repeat these steps 3 times more so that you have 2 arms and 2 legs ready with you. (Make sure to use the same number of pots to make both the arms as well as both legs to maintain the symmetry in the size)

 2. To make the upper and lower portion of body:

• Place one of the bigger pot upside down and cover it with the sticthed piece of cloth to resemble like the dress of doll. You make completely skip using the cloth dress and paint the dress with acrylic paints.
• Now place two bigger pots over this dressed pot in such a manner that it holds the dress due to its weight. The inner pot is actually the one that will be used as real planter.

3. To attach the arms and legs with central body parts:
Use silicon adhesive to stick the arms and legs at the proper position. It will be easily done since the plastic pots are light-weight than clay pots. If it doesn't work, the piece of ropes can be knotted together to tie the body parts and then be painted beautifully.

4. Finally, paint the eyes and lips on the topmost pot with some cute funny expressions using acrylic paints and stick a stripped black cloth neatly on the back side of facial painted pot to look like doll's hair.

The happy planters are ready to decorate your garden, balcony, staircase or any neglected area of home so brightly. There can be a number of variations in designs depending on your creativity, time constraints, material available and ofcourse how passionate you are ;) There is one more design here.

Did you like this home decoration DIY?  Have you tried this kind of home decoration ever? If yes, I'm eager to know your creative ideas...

DIY - Flash Tattoo Phone Case

I'm on vacations...
nope, that doesn't mean I'm traveling, rather I'm at home utilizing my time in doing things which sit aback during normal working days. So today there is the time for an easy DIY post to decorate a boring phone case into something worth showing off ;)

What I used?

Phone Case
Flash Tattoos
A pair of scissors
Towel
Water

Steps:

1. Clean your phone case for any possible dirt on it.
2. Measure the area on your phone case that you wish to cover and cut out the flash tattoos of same size. I chose basic geometric shape pattern, so cut those into stripes.

3. Think of the placement of the tattoos on the phone case and try placing the tattoos on phone case to have a clear idea.

4. Once decided, start the process by removing clear film from the tattoo sheet.

5. Place the tattoo sheet upside down on the phone case so that the sticky tattoo touches the surface of phone case.

6. Now, make the tattoo sheet slightly wet either by dipping your fingers in water or using a sponge applicator. Press it gently using the towel so that excess water is absorbed and the sheet doesn't slip away from its place.

7. After 30-35 seconds, peel off the tattoo sheet and what you get is a transformed phone case that gives your phone a stand out look suited to your stylish persona :)

I'm happy to reuse my old phone case in a new avatar now ;) Do you think it was worth investing few minutes on it ... waiting to hear what you have to say.

Recycling Old Newspapers into A Wall Hanging

Hi Everyone

One of the section on my blog has been feeling so sorry that I hardly updated it since many months...and that is DIY section. Though I really like to reuse different kind of material lying unused at home, but was unable to spare time to do it. Even for today's DIY idea shared by me in this post, its my sister who did most of the effort. So giving her full credit for this creation, I describe the stepwise procedure to turn old newspapers into this pretty wall hanging.

Material Required:
Old Newspapers/Magazines, A pair of scissors, Glue, Acrylic Colors (shades of your choice), Painting Brush of any size, Pencil, Water.

Steps:

• Take old newspapers/magazine pages and cut them into stripes of size around 15" wide using scissors.
• Place the pencil in one of the corners of each newspaper stripe and start rolling it. Apply glue to secure the last corner when you reach the end of every stripe roll. (Using a pencil will ease you rolling the stripes of similar diameter.)

• Now again using a pencil, start making a circular pattern of the paper rolls. You may attach two or more paper rolls to make a large circle, if needed. Apply glue to turn every circle off at its end.

• Prepare the circular patterns of different sizes because these will be joined together to form larger patterns in the end.
• Take every circular pattern and gently press it from its innermost layer so that it shows some bulges on other side.
• Dilute the glue with some water and apply it with brush onto the bulged side of every circular pattern so that it retains its shape and doesn't get disfigured later.
• Now create the desired wall hanging pattern by joining the smaller circles onto the sides of bigger ones and stick them together using glue.

• Finally, paint the wall hanging in the shades that matches your interiors or decorate it with mirrors, glitters etc. 
  

You can also place this colorful beauty under the glass of your center table in your drawing room or lobby area to impress everyone and get compliments :)

Share your views on what did you feel about this DIY creation...waiting for your love.

ezebee.com - A Free Online Marketplace For DIY Creatives

Hey Friends

Engaging myself in some craft work during leisurely time is my hobby. To be more precise, I should say it was a childhood practice in the family to reuse some old stuff in the best creative manner which gradually became my hobby :) 

But in the present scenario, when I'm more than occupied with my full-time job, household and blogging activities; I badly miss creating 'wealth out of waste'. Many a times, the thought of giving up my stressful job and then shifting to a joyous craft business knocks my head which are pricked like a bubble with the apprehensions like whom to sell, how much to invest and ofcourse how much rewards would it generate.

Motivated by such thoughts, when I was seeking some information over internet relevant to my situation, ezebee.com scooped out as a super impressive website that helps entrepreneurs, artists, DIY creatives to generate an income by selling what they make.

Opening an online showroom of your own on ezebee.com to start your business without any extensive training or extra-ordinary skillset has become much easier now. Exhibiting your original handmade items, fashion accessories, woodwork, glass work, homeware, or whatever you create is the job of few hassle-free clicks.

Hey! but did I mention, being an owner of your own place and escalating the demand of your stuff is completely FREE for users. You need not to give up any fee or commission to set up your shop here. Three cheers for the good work!!

To the craft enthusiast like me, did you ever visit any craft fairs or exhibitions in your town? If yes, I'm sure you must have experienced that feeling of inspiration that comes seeing the craft work of others.. Here on ezebee.com, I found a Community tab that is a great way to connect yourself with creative minds from the rest of the world. You may avail advantage of Group and Forum membership and exchange useful ideas with like-minded people in the industry by extending your business network.

Last but not the least, I can anticipate that many of my readers who, by now might have made up their mind to explore the site, would be wondering whether this opportunity holds beneficial for people from India as well? Well, YES! Since ezebee.com is a global platform uniting small business enthusiasts, no matter which country you belong to, everyone is welcome to engage in the conversation. 

Infact, there is People tab which lets you search members or showrooms for your preferred location/country. 

The crux of my review says its a fantastic idea to Sign Up on the site that understands your small business's needs and actually is a good place to look for inspiration for your upcoming DIY projects. Turn your passion into a successful business venture on this one-of-a-kind website :)

DIY Waste to Wealth - Painting Ideas

               I remember myself drawing really neat diagrams in my Science practical files in my school days, and even did the favour of completing files of friends many a times. Still I missed that creative bend of mind that was needed to draw n paint something purely out of my own imagination :(

                I might not have improved my skills anything better in all those years coz there was hardly any need to pick brush n colors as I decided to graduate in Commerce as opposed to Humanity or Science streams. Infact, this thought of being active in Art & Craft never crossed my mind until it became a compulsion to me for my junior's interclass activities every weekend. I found myself running short of ideas; be it Origami, Diya Decoration, Card Making, or Mask Making ... Thank God! we have access to mighty Google that always saved me with a positive answer to my son's usual query "Mumma, I want you to help me in ____________ for tomorrow's activity, will you be able to help me out ?" ;)


                 Anyways, now I'm reasonably tolerable with my li'l better fine motor skills ;) So I thought of doing a simplest DIY today with as economical as Rs 50 (yup, this is the total money i spent for this DIY session)...

              I found a pair of old ballerinas kept un-noticed for last many months that actually used to be my favourite once, but since its top layer had chipped out a bit from sides, so I threw it carelessly in the shoe rack. Today, I decided to paint it anew and my junior quickly arranged in the required material (before I could change my mind) and bought two of his fav shades of Fevicryl Acrylic Colors i.e Red (Crimson 04) and Yellow (Lemon Yellow 11) for Rs 13 each and a Kokuyo Camlin painting brush (S-52 Pony Hair 6) for Rs 25.

So here are the pics how I turned the "Waste into Wealth" in simple steps and no major expenditure :)

The old lemon ballerina painted in Crimson Red

Lemon color used to draw petals in front

the completed floral pattern

some polka dots to add up the quirk for the finishing touch

(Though the previous design under the crimson paint is slightly visible even after double coat, but as I wore the ballerinas with contrasting outfit  the next day, there was no hint of awkward looks)
             
        In the same groove of painting today, I used the left over paints on an old clutch also. Have a look ...

the ugly face of the clutch that was lying in trash :P

the base paint kept for drying up

drawn li'l stars using brush

used pencil to draw thinner patterns

thought of giving my signature :P

the final product, ready for use :)

               I know I should not ask for your views on this silly attempt of mine, but won't mind if you would motivate me :P Lolz ;)
With a promise to do better next time, see ya !!

Simplest Home Remedy for Festive Glow

Festive season is already in and we all want to look our best. But at the same time, this is that moment when excessive work load leave us tired n stressed out, without any time to pamper ourselves. 

I always plan for some skin care DIY on weekends, but my weekends are hardly spent at home ...be it leisurely outings or routine household committments, I'm always overly occupied :(
 

But this morning, as I had a casual look at myself in the mirror while brushing my teeth; I decided then-n-there that I need to take out time (few minutes atleast) for myself today... So here is how I managed to give my face n body a relaxing start of the day :)

I mainly used wheat husk that is an amazing exfoliant when you want to ditch dull skin in a hurry and brighten up your face with a healthy complexion.

Ingredients

4-5 tsp Wheat Bran (choker)
1 tbsp Honey
4-5 tsp milk
1 thick slice of cucumber 

Cut a thick slice of cucumber without peeling it off.
Rub it over your entire face and neck area in circular motions. It will help your skin in preparing for the cleansing procedure by opening up your facial pores and ultimately will lead you to extract maximum benefit. 

Then wipe your face n neck with a lukewarm cloth and gently pat it dry.

Now make a thick paste by mixing the wheat husk with enough milk and honey. 

Apply this paste on your face n neck and massage it for 5-7 minutes on your face with light pressure in gentle circular movements until your skin turns rosy pink :)

As the paste on your skin gets dried, rinse it off by rubbing with fresh water. 

The wheat husk will exfoliate old skin cells, while the honey and milk will moisturize your facial skin ... And the outcome is Softer, smoother skin instantly!

Tips: 
Those who have very dry skin can replace milk with milk-cream for better effects. And those who have oily skin can add few drops of lemon juice into the mixture as per their skin suitability.
2. Make the paste in proper consistency that effortlessly moves as per your hand movement. If its watery thin, you should add some more husk and if its extra thick then add some more milk.
3. I don't mind using this remedy on entire body by adding lemon juice in it, especially on exposed parts like arms n back bcoz i notice visible tan-reduction after its use.


I would love to read home remedies from my lovely readers in comments so that me and all other can be benefitted :)

 

Its all woven with the threads of elegance at Elabore Store

Hey Friends,

I'm more of a 'casual dressing' kinda person usually mixing n matching my kurtis n tops with leggings, jeggings, denims or varied styled bottoms. Because being a working woman, I value my 'comfort' more than following so-called 'trends', but I take good care of not compromising in my decency and elegance while teaming up my outfits :)

Every woman has her own reasons what particular fashion accessories she chooses to complete her dressing. For me, its a trappy wrist watch n a classy handbag on daily basis plus some lovely scarves wrapped around my neck to instantly add that oomph factor.
 In the course of my search for an online store to shop for premium stoles n scarves, I came across Elabore Store and was amazed to see the widest range of exclusive Shawls, Stoles and Scarves with over 2000+ styles:)

Interestingly, as soon as I opened the site, it welcomed me with an exciting offer to get a discount of Rs 250/- on purchase of min. Rs 1000/- ...that's not bad ;)

 The next thing that gave a sparkling shine into my eyes was to know that Elabore Store is delivering all orders without applying any Shipping Charges and that too with no geographical restrictions. That means, FREE delivery nation wide :) Thank God!! the shipping cost while shopping online actually sucks when we pay a part of your order amount as shipping.

Talking about their collection, I really felt glad that Elabore Store has kept a separate section for MEN's scarves (all men should THANK Elabore Store for giving them equal importance in Fashion World) ;)

Finally, I moved on to select some exclusive scarf for myself. They have arranged the products under so many categories like Fabric, Price, Season, Style, Deals and Occasion etc. It simply means the needs of shopper have been taken into consideration while products display. A shopper knowing clearly of his/her budget can directly click on Price tab and even Sort the items to choose as per available budget :)

In the same way, we can choose according to fabric used like Cashmere, Pashmina, Wool, Cotton, Silk and many more exclusive fabric blends;

 We may even look for bold colors, thick stuff or pattern suitable for specific season like summers, winters, autumn or spring :)
And there was something really new which I had never heard about earlier i.e. Elabore store had shawls for Yoga and Meditation also ;) Amazing!! Isn't it??

The style category has clear cut distinguish among Plain, Printed, Striped, Funky, Embroidered and much more... so click on your preferred style and order without any fuss ...

The elite range of luxury stoles simply stolen my heart and I decided then and there to place an order on mom's bday with a stamp of sheer pleasure on a lovely stole.

Elabore store has its Summer n Monsoon Sale on presently where you can save upto 50% on your purchases and instantly upgrade your trendy wardrobe at rock bottom prices.

But thats not the end of the story friends, Elabore store is selling its stuff in collaboration with many selling partners which are

Overall, I'm deeply in love with the spectrum of lusciously colorful, ultra-light, delicate and whisper-heavy stoles, shawls and scarves on Elabore Store <3 And the collection is so wide that I'm yet to finalise what to order for myself ;)

So here are some catchy features of Elabore STore
1. Payment options: Credit Card, Debit Card, Net Banking, Cash on Delivery
2. Nationwide free shipping and assured 7 days delivery. (No International Delivery Yet)
3. Flexible return policy provided that the buyer claims for return within 15 days.
4. Telephonic orders accepted via placing an order on  +91 76967-99966    

And here comes my personalized expression of Elabore Store's theme :)        
 

"Tie it, Twist it, Wrap it, Love it" 

Hope you like my DIY ideas embedded in the post ...do share your views in the comments below friends ... waiting to hear from u :)