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Ah, The Great Outdoors: Homemade Camping Gear and Munchies

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The-Great-OutdoorsOh, how I miss family camping trips. As a child, there was nothing more exciting than watching my parents pull sleeping bags, lanterns, and outdoor eating utensils out of a storage closet. My little brother and I would run around and try to remember what each object was for. My parents, of course, would be less than amused: “Get out of the way; this box is heavy!” “Chelsea, turn that lantern off or you’ll waste the battery!” Making camping preparations was just about as exciting as the actual trip itself. If you’re planning a campout this summer, try to make some of your own homemade camping gear.

Your journey begins once you dust off a cooking set or unload cozy sleeping bags and when you discover the best s’mores recipe ever. And it will live on in the pages of a handmade travel journal. Make the absolute most out of your trip right from the start. These DIY camping ideas will make sure that your trip is as fun as it can be. Camping, of course, can be a stressful time, but we have everything you may need to bring right here, as well as a few snacks to enjoy. Let the kids be part of the fun with camping crafts for kids as well.

 

Homemade Camping Gear

Everything from cooking sets and sleeping bags to hand warmers and simple campfire seating can be found in this handy must-have camping list.

PENTAX ImageRugged Camper Cooking Set

Camping or Sleep Over Bag

No Sew Hand Warmers

Fun Camping Butt-Kits

Camping Tote

How to Make an Outdoor Candle Chandelier

Marshmallow Sticks

Good Things to Bring Camping

Summer Hike Water Bottle Strap

DIY Folding Camp Chair

Tin Can Name Plates

 

Food for Camping

I hope you’re not expecting something “healthy.” These delicious snacks for camping will satisfy your adventurer’s sweet tooth and include the best s’mores recipe ever. If you want to try a little something different and stray from oatmeal raisin cookies, then try making a few campfire cupcakes. As you make them at home, you’ll grow even more excited for your trip. Just make sure you don’t eat them all before you leave!

Campfire-Smores-Kabobs[1]Campfire S’mores Kabobs

Campfire Cupcakes

Cutest Cookie Campers

Edible Crafts Campfire

The Coolest Campfire Cookies

Camping Getaway Snack

 

 

 

 

 

How to Make a Travel Journal

No camping trip is complete without a special place to store all your memories. If scrapbooking isn’t your thing, consider making a travel journal to jot down a few funny stories or tape in some canoeing tickets. These woodsy journals are perfect for you to tote along on your trip.

Earthy-Memory-Book[1]Watercolor Travel Journal

Earthy Memory Book

 

BONUS!  If you need a few extra crafts to keep the kids busy while you’re setting up camp or trying to pack, download our free eBook:  22 Summer Crafts for Kids. I bet my parents wish they had this when they were trying to load the minivan!

 

What is on your list of must-have camping gear?

 

The Glow of Summer: Fun Lantern Crafts

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And at last, we see the light! With these beautiful glowing crafts, you can learn how to make a lantern, tiki torches, votives, and more. Every summer needs an extra special glow. Whether you’re throwing an outdoor party or barbecue, or planning on going camping, be sure to plan for some magical summer lighting. The enchantment of paper lanterns, glowing jars, and critters for kids can be all yours this summer.

Glow-of-Summer

How to Make a Lantern

Polka-Dot-Tissue-Lantern[1]

Nothing says summertime romance like a beautiful paper lantern. Even though these don’t float into the air like Rapunzel’s did, they are still lovely and will give any summer gathering a magical feel. Some are round, some are square, some are tall, and some are short. Whatever your lighting needs may be, there is a lantern waiting to be made with your hands.

Polka Dot Tissue Lantern

Chinese Paper Lanterns

Tomato Cage Lanterns

Personalized Paper Lantern

Glowing Glass Bottles

Bold-Bottle-Tiki-Torches--1--[1]

Shiny glass is just the right touch for a glowing flame. These crafts will help you combine two beautiful elements: fire and glass. Tiki torches are the most festive outdoor lighting for the summer, and you can use them again and again. Votives are clever crafts that book your decorating skills to the test. Don’t fret if you live in the city, because you can also create special star lights and lanterns that will turn your walls (or the roof of your tent) into a starry sky on a cloudy night.

Bold Bottle Tiki Torches

Seaside Votives

Sparkling Star Gold Lights

Fancy Pretty Decoupaged Jar Lanterns

DIY Night Lights for the Kids

glowing-mason-jars[1]

Don’t hog all the lighthearted whimsy to yourself. These DIY night lights are perfect for the kids to help you with. They can make colored Mason jars, fun glowing critters, and create there own starry sky lanterns. These crafts are perfect for the family camping trip or an outdoor sleepover. No matter what you do this summer, make sure the younger ones get a taste of summertime enchantment for themselves.

Glowing Mason Jars

Unexpected Plastic Egg Fireflies

Blob Votives

Jellyfish Light Ocean Crafts

Starlight Tin Can Lanterns

BONUS:  Find more DIY summer decorations and a few tasty recipes!  Our free eBook 12 Fabulous Picnic Craft Ideas + Restaurant Copycat Recipes has everything you need to plan the perfect outdoor picnic. Let your craftiness shine!

SONY DSC

DOUBLE BONUS:  If you want to turn “junk” into more fun projects, have some a little extra crafty summer fun with 32 Recycle Crafts for Kids.

Plastic-Bottle-Bird-Feeder(1)

Which glowing summer craft is your favorite and why?

 

Cinema Saturday: How to Make a Starry Candle Luminary

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It’s difficult keeping one’s Christmas home decor looking new and exciting every year, and in-store prices are not easy on a tight budget. Thankfully, there are always thrifty craft projects that can show you how to make your own Christmas decorations for less. Sometimes, all you need is a few festive materials to brighten things up. Follow this tutorial courtesy of AllFreeChristmasCrafts to make a luminary that can fit in anywhere. You’re definitely going to be using this creative craft tutorial later in the year too!

How to Make a Starry Candle Luminary

What Christmas decoration do you think is the most important? Tell us below!

How to Decorate Flameless Candles + Pumpkinpalooza Contest!

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To celebrate our Pumpkinpalooza contest, we’re bringing you the best flameless candle and pumpkin projects from all of our crafty friends! Scroll down to the bottom of this post to find out how you can win $1000 in cash and prizes just by decorating a pumpkin!

This post comes from Angie of The Country Chic Cottage.
Learn more about Angie and check out all of her projects on AllFreeHolidayCrafts.

 

 

Fall is a wonderful time to seasonally decorate your home.  Bring fall colors into any room in your home with these decorative fall candles.  Three super simple methods for adding some fall colors to candles for your home’s decor or your Thanksgiving table.

Choosing flameless candles for this project is important because some of the components on the decorations are flammable.  Energizer makes a great battery operated candle that is real wax and scented.  Your guests will never know that you are not burning the real thing.

These candles can even be operated on a timer so you don’t even have to worry about leaving them on.

For the first decorative candle, you will need:

  • Jute twine
  • Small pieces of Indian corn (Note:  The corn used here is real but I am sure there are fake versions at your local craft supply store.)
  • Energizer flameless candle (Note:  The corn stalks can be very flammable.  The flameless candle is very important.)

1.  Begin by cutting a long piece of twine and wrapping it around your candle a few times.

2. Tie your Indian corn on tightly to the candle.

3.  Our first decorative candle is complete and in under 5 minutes.

For the next version, you will need:

  • Fake gourds (These can be found at the dollar or craft supply store.)
  • Small screwdriver
  • Jute twine
  • Energizer flameless candle

 

1.  Using a small screwdriver, you can poke a hole right in the top of the gourd.

2.  Thread with jute twine.

3.  Then tie onto another candle and your second decorative candle is complete.

Now for our final decorative candle idea, you will need:

  • Jute chair webbing (The version shown is trimmed in red.  You can find this at Walmart or a craft supply store generally with your by the yard trim.)
  • Small wooden cutout (This version already had holes on both ends.  If needed, add holes to your cutout with a small drill or heavy duty hole punch before painting.)
  • Craft paint in desired color
  • Paint brush
  • Jute twine
  • Stamps
  • Ink
  • Energizer flameless candle

1.  Paint the cutout in a deep dark red and allow to dry.  Gather stamps and white ink to spell happy fall .

2.  Stamp the letters directly onto the wooden cutout and allow the ink to dry.

3.  Thread jute twine through the wooden cutout.  Wrap candle with jute webbing then secure by tying your wooden cutout around the candle.

Flip the switches on your candles and enjoy the glow!  These candles really do look just like the real thing.  Fool your friends and family while still enjoying the scents of the season with these candles from Energizer.

Decorate your candles with one, two, or all three of these methods for a festive holiday display.

Enter our Pumpkinpalooza Contest!

How creative can you get this Halloween? Enter our Pumpkinpalooza contest and show off your creative skills! You don’t have to get out a knife for this contest – show us what you can do with Mod Podge, paint, paper and more! Entries will be judged by Mark Montano, Margot Potter and the Crafty Chica, Kathy Cano-Murillo. If that wasn’t cool enough, the winner will received $1000 in cash and prizes!

 

 

How To Enter

  • Submit you photo of your decorated pumpkin at FaveCrafts.com.
  • Contest submissions will be accepted September 24th through October 21st. Only one submission per person please, so use your best pumpkin decorating ideas.
  • You must use a pumpkin. You can decorate the pumpkin any way you like, but there must be a pumpkin, real or artificial. We recommend using a Funkin, so your creation can be displayed year after year!
  • Craft-lebrity voting will be from October 22nd to October 24th.
  • The judges picks will then be opened to reader voting from October 25th to October 30th.
  • Winner will be announced on the Halloween, October31st!

Official Rules

  • Contest open to US and Canada residents 18+
  • One entry per person, duplicates will be deleted.
  • Contest entries close October 21, 2012 at 11:59p CST.
  • Entries must be submitted at FaveCrafts.com.
  • Entries must be an original design by you.
  • Winners will be posted on this blog Wednesday, October 31st and notified by email.

AllFreeChristmasCrafts Giveaway: Candle Magic Snow Glowbies Candle Kit

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You probably aren’t thinking that much about Christmas right now. I understand the feeling and frankly, it makes sense. However, lately I’ve been hoping in my mental time machine and heading back a few months to November and December. In my opinion, this is the most wonderful time of the year (the song does not lie). This is when we love snow, don’t mind cold temperatures, celebrate family and give gifts. What could be better?

To bring back that fuzzy feeling that comes with the holiday season, why not make your own Christmas candles? The Candle Magic Snow Glowbies Kit comes fully stocked with all the materials you need to create your own little wax snowmen. Winter is in full swing, so we might as well celebrate with snowy Christmas craft ideas!

This Candle Magic kit contains three colors of wax, boil bags, wicks, balloons and a paintbrush. There is also a step-by-step instruction guide to help you along the way.

Make your own Frosty and a gang of friends with the latest giveaway from AllFreeChristmasCrafts. Test out your candle-making skills now with this free kit and gather up the family for an afternoon of creativity.

Enter now for your chance to win! Contest ends March 13.

How Do You DIY Candle Holders?

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Have you noticed how much different a room looks when you add the flicker of candle light? Candles make all the difference, don’t they? And they’re cheap too! I like to use candles in my centerpieces at every dinner party and family get together, and of course weddings just wouldn’t be the same without the ambiance that candles bring. But you can’t just stop at candles–you’ve got to make decorative candle holders to go with them! I just put together a list of some cool (and better yet, cheap!) candle holder projects. Check out 19 Cheap Votive Candle Holders. Here are my faves:

These Mercury Glass Candle Holders from Mark Montano are made from odds and ends from a thrift store. I love thrift store crafts! And the finished result is gorgeous:

Another fun way to show off candles is by hanging them up! These Under the Sea Hanging Votive Holders are made out of jars and can lend a nautical vibe to your party:

Since 4th of July is right around the corner, I included these Patriotic Candle Holders in the mix. Wouldn’t these be cute for your 4th of July barbecue?

You can see the rest of my candle holder picks in my article, 19 Cheap Votive Candle Holders. And here are some cute, cheap votive candle holders I found online.

Martha Stewart strikes again! Why is it that everything on Martha’s website is absolutely fabulous? Just check out these lacy votive holders–you’ll be surprised at how they’re made!

These Shabby Chic Rose Votives are made with rose petals from the dollar store–the same petals I used in my petal skirt, in fact!

Check out this post to find not one, not two, but three patterns for crochet jar cozies to use as candle holders. These would make such a great handmade touch at a wedding.

Which one is your favorite? Do you know of any other candle holder projects you’d like to share? Don’t miss 19 Cheap Votive Candle Holders!

Got Wedding Ideas?

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You may have noticed that I’ve basically taken over this blog with my wedding craft ideas. I thought you might be interested in seeing other people’s wedding ideas too! I just recently scoured the site looking for more wedding inspiration, and put together an article of 33 Summer Wedding Ideas. Here are some of the best!

Daydreaming about fake flowers is my favorite part of wedding planning so far. Okay, that might be a stretch, but flowers are definitely something that I plan to spend a significant amount of time crafting. I love the Rose Bouquet Ball idea on FaveCrafts:

The roses are actually silk roses, but I think this pomander would look great with handmade paper or fabric flowers too. I think the handmade flower details at this wedding are beautiful, especially the giant blooms on their chairs!

Another cute idea I found was these Button Candles. I’m a sewer (sewist? seamstress? sewing enthusiast?) so including a button motif at my wedding would be so cute!

Decorative votive candles are such a thrifty way to dramatically alter the ambiance at your reception too. I found this cute votive idea at Two Crafty Mules. Check out their tutorial–you’ll be surprised at how simple it is!

Another project I included in my 33 Summer Wedding Ideas article is this Pastel Flower Wedding Invitation. I just love the texture and how the paper flower pops out at you!

What are your favorite wedding projects on FaveCrafts? If you’d like to see more of my favorites, check out 33 Summer Wedding Ideas. I also have a favor to ask you: Can you share your favorite wedding ideas with me? I need all the inspiration I can get!

FaveCrafts 365 Candle Tip for Your Candle Wick!

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Watch this short video to learn how to make your candles burn longer and cleaner!

I’m a candle person. There are candles all over my house and studio. I use mainly container candles and save the glass containers to pour my own candles. I love beeswax and soy wax the best, how about you?

Here are some candle crafts!

Three Wick Feather Candle

Votive Candle Holder

How to Make Soy Candles Video

Ask Maria “Building Candlemaking Skills”

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Dear Maria,

Candlemaking is my favorite craft right now. Any tips or advise on how to improve my skills?

Carol C., Campton, NH

Hand dipped tapered candles from dlightsonline.com.

ANSWER

I wish you’d said if you had a specific style of candle you like making. There are so many styles including votives, pillars, container, rolled, tapered, and tealight. Plus there are a variety of waxes used for candles including beeswax, paraffin, soy, and gel.

One of the most important elements of a candle is the wick. You have Zinc cored, flat braid, square braid, waxed, and pre-tabbed. The tab is the metal piece used as an anchor for the wick. A Zinc cored wick can stand up on its own as will the waxed wick, but the braided wicks don’t have any body or weight and will flap down. Wood wicks are also now available for candlemaking.  Pick the right wick for your candle. There are some guidelines on Wikipedia.

The candle to the left might burn better with additional wicks.

The larger in diameter the candle, the more wicks you should consider using to make the candle burn at its best and longest. For example if you have a container or pillar candle that is 10” in diameter, a single wick will end up leaving much unused wax. It’s much better to use more wicks evenly spaced. Always trim the wick of a candle to 1/4” before burning. Excess wick will either mushroom or burn too hot. And speaking of hot, chilling your candles before use will lengthen the burning time of your candle. So keep a few in the refrigerator!

To the joy of crafting,  Maria, Craft Expert at FaveCrafts.com

We hope you enjoy this new regular feature on FaveCraftsBlog.com, Ask Maria. We welcome you to ask our Craft Expert, Maria Nerius any questions you might have about art, crafting, and creativity. Maria has been a craft professional for over 25 years designing, writing, and teaching art and crafting with a hardcore passion for handmade. Send us your craft questions.

New Pattern Monday: Romantic Accents

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Give your dining room or bedroom a romantic facelift with small accents that illuminate a dim room. Lighting is the key to setting a romantic mood, isn’t it? If you’ve got a beautiful dinner for two set up, and the lights are brighter than ever, it just won’t feel as romantic. You’d be surprised how small changes can make an otherwise boring room into a romantic haven for two.

Check out these cool lighting ideas that make for romantic accents:

Holiday Candleholders – Festive for Valentine’s Day.
holiday-candleholders

Faux Stone Candle Holders – Creates a rustic-chic look.
faux-stone-candle

Chunky Candleholders – A more modern twist on romance.
chunky-candleholders

Illuminate the Night Lantern – A trendy night light that’s not just for the kids.
nightlight

If you like these crafts, check out more Candle Crafts at FaveCrafts.

Crochet

Jewelry

Knitting

Paper

Sewing

Thrifty