P2RL: Slime

Pinterest to Real Life: Slime

A while ago, my boys and I were getting a little bored with playdough, so I thought I'd look up something new and fun to do. What I found was Slime! This is such an easy project to create and it leaves you with hours of fun play time! 

I used equal parts glue and liquid starch. I only had the white glue on hand but you can also use the clear kind for a different look. It's also really fun to add some food coloring to the glue before mixing it with the starch (I did the other way around and it didn't mix as well). After the color and glue is mixed, stir in the starch, the whole thing will begin to solidify, and you can then take it out and work it with your hands. We had it on the cookie sheet at first while we worked in the rest of the starch to contain the mess but once it was mixed in then we could just put it right on the table with little mess. For storage, we put it in a plastic baggie, squeezed out the air, and put it in the frig. I have no idea if keeping it cold helped extend the life but after awhile the slime picked up bits and pieces of yuck and I tossed it out. So now we need to start all over... maybe with a different color! :)

At first Jameson did not want anything to do with it! He didn't like the texture but once he saw his older brother playing with it then he had to do it too!! There have been many a happy hour with the slime in our house (read: the kids were busy so mom could get something done)!

Tutorial Tuesday: Book Binding

Since switching my blog over all of my links are needing fixed. I'm slowly working on it and hope to get it done soon! In the mean time here are some of my past posts about book binding! :)

Creating the Pages

Creating the Cover

Putting It All Together

Jean Journal Cover

Tutorial: Book Binding: Jean Journal Cover

This is another installment of my book binding series. You can learn how to create the pages HERE, create a fabric cover HERE, and learn how to put it all together HERE.


This tutorial is an extension of the fabric cover post and will be short and sweet. Follow the basic instructions laid out in that post to create the chip board pieces and how to apply the cover.

When you Mod Podge the chip board and the jean cover leave a larger gap (about 1/4 inch) between the spine and the book front and back. The jean is thicker and needs more room to close.

I have also added ribbon ties to the inside chip board to hold it closed. Mod Podge a square of scrap fabric on top to hold it in place. You can also add a book mark to the top edge using the same concept.

I wanted my jean journal cover to have a nice hard cover so I applied 6-8 coats of Gloss Mod Podge, letting it dry between coats.

To achieve the high gloss and to also keep the Mod Podge from having a tacky feeling I sprayed the whole cover with a clear acrylic gloss spray. I might have done a couple coats, I can’t remember.

Once my cover was dry (let dry at least 24 hours) I assembled it according to the directions you can find HERE.

Enjoy!

Tutorial: Ironing Board Cover

My old ironing board cover was getting cruddy to say the least. Yuck. I don't even like looking at the pictures- but I'll share them with you anyways. So I thought it was time to update it but I didn't want to spend any money or be limited by the selection at the store. So my solution was to create one for myself instead! I took some pictures to show you what I did and I hope I can explain it well enough that you can create one for yourself too. Maybe use that cute fabric you have or match your room décor?

Skill Level: Intermediate

I began by deconstructing (aka taking apart) the old cover. I took out the elastic cord to reuse in the new cover and I cut apart the old cover and laid it out flat.

My old cover had a thin foam padded layer that I didn't want to reuse and didn't want to mess with taking off. Instead, I used 2 layers of flannel for the padding. I'm sure I could have gone out and bought something but flannel is what I had on hand and it works perfectly well!

Anyways, I began by laying the old cover onto my new flannel and cutting out the new one. I left roughly 1-inch all the way around. I did the same with the top/decorative fabric.

My ironing board cover also has a nose tip, which I cut out with roughly a 1-inch seam allowance all the way around.

I layered all my fabrics and stitched on the nose tip. Trim and zig-zag or serge the edge.

Then zig-zag or serge all the way around the main body of the ironing board cover.

Fold over the edge about an inch- this is for the casing. Stitch near the edge, leaving an opening. Insert your elastic cord and sew the opening closed.

Viola! Enjoy your brand new one-of-a-kind ironing board cover!

~Heather~

Tutorial: Book Binding: Putting It All Together

Awhile ago I learned book binding as a hobby, a way to express myself, and as an alternative to expensive store bought journals. I would like to share with you the knowledge that I've gleaned so that you too can create great looking journals. This is the third post in this series. You can find the first one HERE and the second one HERE. Enjoy!

Skill Level: Intermediate

Supplies:

• Your previously made journal pages
• Your previously made journal cover
• Card Stock
• Mod Podge- I'm using Matte finish
• Paint Brush
• Brayer
• Something Heavy
• Wax Paper

Directions:

1. Cut your card stock to the correct size. For my journal I needed 8.5 inches X 11 inches. Fold in half and crease. The card stock is also called the endpaper.

2. Apply Mod Podge to the journal cover and stick the endpaper on, crease towards the spine. Using the brayer, roll out any air bubbles. Put a piece of wax paper in the middle of the endpaper to keep the pages from sticking together.

3. With wax paper between the first and second pages of the journal pages, apply Mod Podge to the top page. Stick the endpaper to the Mod Podge, crease towards the spine and roll out any air bubbles with the card stock.

4. Repeat with the back cover.


5. Admire your new journal!


6. With wax paper between your pages and covers, place your journal under a heavy weight and let dry for at least 24 hours.

7. When dry admire your freshly made hand bound book!

And this concludes the third post in my book binding series. You can find the first post HERE and the second post HERE. I hope you enjoyed this mini-series on book binding!

I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment!

~Heather~

Tutorial: Book Binding: Creating the Cover

Awhile ago I learned book binding as a hobby, a way to express myself, and as an alternative to expensive store bought journals. I would like to share with you the knowledge that I've gleaned so that you too can create great looking journals. This is the second post in this series. You can find the first one HERE. Enjoy!

Skill Level: Intermediate

Supplies:

• Fabric (cottons are the best)- you will need less then a fat quarter
• Chip Board- available at most craft supply stores
• Exacto Knife
• Mod Podge- I used the Matte finish but you can use Gloss too
• Acrylic Paint- optional (only need if your fabric is light colored)
• Ruler and Pencil
• Paint Brush
• Brayer
• Wax Paper
• Your previously made journal pages
• Something heavy

Directions:

1. Measure your journal pages. You'll need to know the length and width for the spine and the cover. My spine measures 1 inch X 8.5 inches. My covers measure 8.5 inches by 5.5 inches.


2. Measure and cut out 2 covers and 1 spine from the chip board.

3. Lay down your chip board covers and spine onto your fabric. Cut enough to have at least a 1 inch overlap on all sides.

4. For my cover I've chose Michael Miller's Starling fabric and chosen a decorative plaid paper to match for the inside of the pages. The paper will be used in a future tutorial.

5. If you are using a light fabric, like I am, paint your chip board. I had an off-white paint but it did the job perfectly and I can no longer see the dark chip board through the fabric. Let the chip board dry completely before moving on.

6. Paint a layer of Mod Podge on to your chip board. While it's drying a little bit paint a layer of Mod Podge onto the back/wrong side of your fabric cover. Putting a layer of Mod Podge on both helps to ensure a good seal.

7. Place one of your covers about an inch from the edge, place the spine 1/8 inch away the cover, and place the second cover 1/8 inch away from the spine. Leaving the 1/8 inch spaces next to the spine will allow your cover to bend closed!

8. Flip your cover so the fabric cover is right side up and using your brayer, smooth out any air bubbles.

9. Flip your cover back over and apply a layer of Mod Podge to the corners of the chip board and the corners of the fabric. Fold the corners over and roll out any air bubbles with your brayer.

10. Apply a layer of Mod Podge to the edges of the chip board and the fabric and fold the edges over. Roll out any bubbles with your brayer. Apply a coat of Mod Podge to the edges to seal them up.

11. Layer the journal cover with wax paper or kitchen paper. Place a couple of heavy books on top to keep the cover from warping and let dry overnight.

And this concludes the second post in my book binding series. You can find the first post HERE. Next week I'll show you how to put it all together!

I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment!

~Heather~

Tutorial: Book Binding: Creating the Pages

Awhile ago I learned book binding as a hobby, a way to express myself, and as an alternative to expensive store bought journals. I would like to share with you the knowledge that I've gleaned so that you too can create great looking journals. Enjoy!

Skill Level: Intermediate

Supplies:

• Paper
• Corner Punch- optional
• Something to crease folds such as a bone folder
• Pencil and Ruler
• Something to punch holes with such as an awl
• Large sharp sewing needle
• Strong Thread such as book binding thread or hand-quilting thread
• Glue and Paint Brush
• Wax Paper
• Binder Clips or something to hold the journal pages together

Directions:

1. Begin by using the corner punch to create decorative corners. I'm using a plain rounded corner punch but craft stores and online stores have all kinds of different options. You can also make different sized pages and journals by cutting them in half length or height wise. I am using a full sheet of 8.5"x11" paper for this journal.


2. Group the pages by any number, for this journal I grouped 10 pages. Fold the pages in half and crease with your bone folder so there is a nice sharp crease through all the pages. Each group becomes a signature. For this journal I have 10 signatures for about 200 pages.




3. Using the ruler and pencil, mark a dot 1 inch in from both edges on each signature. Depending on the size of your pages, you will need a total of 4 dots per group for the stitching. On my journal I have 2 groups and after marking the first dot I marked subsequent dots 3/4ths of an inch apart towards the center.


4. Using your awl or sharp tool punch holes through each dot on each signature. I find it easiest to unfold each signature and pinch the pages together as I punch the awl through.

5. Now comes the sewing! Thread your needle with the string thread and tie a knot 2-4 inches from the end. You'll need the long tail to secure your stitching. You'll be working with just 2 signatures at a time and works best when you have an even number of signatures. Once you learn the sequence the sewing becomes pretty quick.


6. On your first signature go in #1, out #2, in #3, and out #4. Place your second signature below the first. Go in #5, out #6, go in #7 (also # 3 on the signature above), go out #8 (also #2 on the signature above), go in #9 on the second signature and out #10. Tie a knot with the string at the end of #1.


7. Grab your next signature and place it underneath your previously completed pages. Go in #11, out #12, in #13 (also #9 on the signature above), out #14 (also #6 on the signature above), in #15, out #16. String the thread through the loop that was created between #4&5 on the signatures above.
8. Grab your fourth signature and place it underneath your previously completed pages. Go in # 17, out #18, in #19 (also #15 on the signature above), out #20 (also #12 on the signature above), in #21, out #22. Tie a knot with the string from the end.
9. Continue this sewing pattern until all your signatures are sewn together. Keep your string tight and squeeze the signatures together as you go so your binding isn't loose.

10. When you are finished sewing apply a thick layer of glue to the spine and stitching. This will secure everything.

11. Wrap the spine wax paper and clip closed with several binder clips. Allow to dry for at least an hour and overnight if possible.
    

And this concludes the first post in my book binding series. In the next few weeks I'll show you how to create the cover and put it all together.

I'd love to hear from you! Leave me a comment!

~Heather~