The chair is progressing, but is currently stalled (Chris left all of his tools at Ruth's house, so we can't work on it until he gets them back). I am hoping to finish it this week, I'll keep you updated.
In the meantime, I have a new favorite speedy craft! Stenciled and stamped Dishtowels. They are easy, cheap, and fun. Best of all, they allow for a lot of creativity and personalization! Here's what you need:
Floursack towels ($5 for 5 at Walmart)
Stencils ($1 at JoAnn's, or $5 for bigger ones at Hobby Lobby)
Fabric Medium ($2 at JoAnn's)
Acrylic Paint ($65 at JoAnn's)
Foam sponges ($3 at JoAnn's)
Rubber ABC stamps ($20 at JoAnn's, but I got mine on sale for $10)
Paper bags from your grocery store
You can cut the cost by just doing stencils, or even making your own! Here's how you do it:
1. Figure out how you want to fold your towels. I find that the neat little package the stores sell them in is almost NEVER how I fold mine. Fold them how YOU will fold them from now on, and iron them flat for a good work surface (I hate ironing, so I smoothed mine out and skipped this step ;))
2. Cut a paper bag to fit inside your towel. The paper bag will prevent the paint from bleeding through the first layer of towel. (I ran out of paper bags and started using the stencil backing--it was plastic, so it still didn't stick. Just don't use newspaper or paper towels, or anything that will stick to the paint when it dries.
3. Mix your paint. I chose to mix fabric medium with acrylic paint because there are more color options, but you can use fabric paint, too. Just make sure whatever paint you use is for fabric, so that you can wash and reuse these towels. For fabric medium and normal paint, you mix 1 part fabric medium for 2 parts normal paint.
4. For stenciling, position your stencil and use a foam sponge to apply paint. If you want to stamp words on the towel, apply paint with a sponge to the stamp and press the stamp carefully to the towel--not too hard, or you will have a border, not too light, or it won't show up.
5. Lay out the dishtowel to dry. DO NOT REMOVE THE PAPER BAG INSERT UNTIL FULLY DRY...It will make a big mess if you do.
6. Wait 24 hours, then iron the towels. The heat from the iron works with the fabric medium to make your design permanent. Do not use the towels until after they have been ironed. That's it! Super easy!
I made these for a friend's bridal shower, for a sick friend, and last night I did a few for my mom and mother-in-law. Here's some ideas for stencils:
-farm animals
-forks, knives, and spoons
-fruit or vegetables
-borders
-keys
-sail boats and anchors
-polka dots
And here's some ideas for sayings or words to stamp on (Some of these I used, others I just think would be cool)
-bring home the bacon
-let them eat cake
-home cooking is best
-hey honey
-let's eat
-kiss the cook
-eat at mom's
-eat your veggies
-I like my food dead. Not sick, not dying, dead.
-All your kind words and all your well wishes never replace your help with the dishes
-eat, drink, and be merry
-bon appetit
-all good wives let their husbands eat dessert first
-I kiss better than I cook
-A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand
-Cooking should be entered into with abandon or not at all
-People who love to eat are always the best people
-I ate my willpower
-We love our bread, we love our butter, but most of all, we love each other
-Do you know the muffin man
-you don't have to like it, you just have to eat it
I think it would be fun to do holiday ones, too--handmade Christmas gifts!? ...Trees, gingerbread men, angels, bells, holly, reindeer...I think it would be really cool to have holiday dishtowels. :)
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