Winter Denim pocket

Cute and very simple winter craft idea.  I cut out a denim pocket from an old pair of jeans, and a hat and a mitten from an old flannel shirt. Used a small piece of white felt for the brim of the hat and the top of the mitten.  Whip stitched around the edges, and stuffed it full of pine, pine cones, and berries, or whatever else you may have laying around.   Hot glue a pom pom to the top of the hat.  Embellish with raffia, buttons, or ribbon.  Cut a small hole on both sides of the pocket to add the  wire hanger.  For the snowflake, I used a large snowflake stamp, dipped into white acrylic paint.

IDEAS for this project:
You could stick a wooden moose cutout and some pine, stencil a moose, or cabin on the front for a cute country cabin look, you could fill it with Cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, stencil a cute kitchen saying on the front, you could use iron on transfers and do some holiday ones using the free vintage images on the web, you could modpodge items onto the front of the pocket such as all red  buttons shaped into a heart for Valentine's Day, you could use acrylic paints and paint a primitive snowman on the front, you could stuff it full of primitive snowmen.  Lots of ideas for this simple project.  Please feel free to submit any ideas via my email, or on my comments page. 
enjoy!

Resurface a rusted cast iron pan

 


STOVE AND GRILL POLISH
Ever run across that perfect vintage cast iron piece you just gotta have. You want  to paint it, but it is so covered in rust you are having second thoughts.  Here is the magic solution.  It's called STOVE & GRILL POLISH-BLACK LIQUID.  I purchased this at Ace Hardware.  Thanks to my buddy Jack, he knows a little about everything.  I don't know what I'm going to do when he leaves.  I was lucky enough to get 4 cast iron campfire pots, but they were really rusted.  So, here's how it works.  Using a med to course grade steel wool I cleaned it up and washed it out with soap and water.  Allow it to dry completely and using a sponge begin applying the STOVE AND GRILL POLISH.  It protects and covers the rust like magic. This is amazing stuff! (See photos of before and after below).  You of course, can not cook with it after using this stuff or put food in it unless you line it with something that allows you to do so.  It is solely for decorative purposes.  I made a cloth lining for the Halloween campfire pot below so that it could be filled with candy.

BEFORE




AFTER

   



SNEAK PEEK OF FINISHED POT

  

Make your own snow textured paint

Making your own snow texture paint is fairly easy.  You will need the following items:

Crumbled stone texture paint texturizer(purchased at Ace Hardware)

Measuring cup

Measuring spoons

Any White acrylic paint

Stiff bristle brush-to apply

Airtight container for storage

Fine glitter-optional

Paper towels for clean up

Pour about 1/8 cup of White acrylic paint into your measuring cup. I used a 1/4 cup to allow room for mixing. Now add 1 level tablespoon of the Crumbled stone texture to the White acrylic paint and mix with the handle of your brush. Simple as that. Apply to your project with a stiff bristle brush and allow to dry.  It will take several hours to dry.  The project shown above was done onto a mason jar lid. You may sprinkle with fine glitter to add a bit of sparkle if you choose.  This must be done when the snow texture paint is still wet.

Make your own crackle finish

 

MAKE YOUR OWN CRACKLE FINISH

You will need Elmer's white glue, a paint brush, and a container to pour the glue into.

Apply a base coat of paint to your project.  I used black acrylic paint.  Allow to dry and apply a 2nd coat, and again allow to dry.  Once dry spread a good coat of  white glue to the entire project.   Experiment on a scrap piece of wood, before applying to your project.  Allow to dry to a tacky state, and apply an acrylic topcoat of your choice.  I used Orange for a Halloween project I was doing.   You will begin to see the cracks appear as it dries.

Remove dried paint from your brushes

HOW TO REMOVE DRIED PAINT FROM YOUR BRUSHES
Squirt a small amount of hand sanitizer onto a piece of wax paper and stroke back and forth to load it into the brush.  Wipe onto a paper towel.  Repeat process until it wipes clean on your paper towel.  Be sure to clean your brush with soap and water when done, as the alcohol in the hand sanitizer will dry out you brush.