DIY antique fabric frames.

I could decorate the $1 frames you can get a craft stores forever. A decorated frame is just about the simplest project you can make, and you can whip one out quickly - so it also makes a great gift idea. Melissa took the $1 frame decorating a step further and turned them into chalkboards. I love this because I always have something to say, and in particular I think it would be funny to use them to write passive aggressive notes to family members if you are feeling snarky. Or, just kind messages if you are feeling . . . kind. Either way, these would make a lovely addition to your home. Head to Melissa's blog to learn how to make them!

Mod Podge fabric frames at No. 2 Pencil

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Floral Mod Podge keychains.

I am always changing out keychains. I kind of think of them as a fashion accessory, you know? I'm also always looking for great gift ideas, and these small floral keychains fit the bill. You don't need many supplies, and if you have paper scraps and some scrapbooking embellishments in your stash, you are good to go. Don't you love them? Easy to find, too. Visit Jill to learn how they were made.

Mod Podge keychains at Create.Craft.Love.

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Make your own embroidery floss beads.

I just did a project with embroidery thread, so I was thrilled when I came across this jewelry project by Rachel. You see, I have a lot of thread left over . . . so why not create my own embroidery floss beads? Not only do you get to use up the floss, but you also get to use up scrap paper and Mod Podge with the cute tutorial. It's very easy and you'll be wearing a new piece of jewelry in no time (could adapt to a necklace or bracelet!). Visit Rachel below for more info.

Make your own beads at Lines Across

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Art magnets from Play-Doh lids.

Are the littles in your house fans of Play Doh? If so, you may have 1,000 lids from old jars laying around. When you open that closet door and they all spill out, you now have a craft to do with them thanks to Molly's guest post at Mom 4 Real. This solves two problems, including what to do with children's artwork. They make such colorful frames, don't you think? Visit Jessica's blog to see how they were made.

Art magnets from Play Doh lids at Mom 4 Real

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Whimsical personalized journals.

I just love these little notebooks with snaps and handles that Kim dug out of her stash - and I love it even more than she used paper and Mod Podge to customize them for daughter's birthday party! Who doesn't want a personalized journal to log their hopes and dreams in? Or to sketch pictures of their favorite pugs? Exactly. There's a lot more info at Kim's blog, so pay her a visit to see how she made them.

Personalized journals at Too Much Time on My Hands

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Chevron wooden earrings.

I'm really enjoying projects on plain wood lately. Like where part of it is painted or stained and the rest is left bare. Wood jewelry fits into this category, so these earrings from Bethany are right up my alley. She uses a really cool technique with wood glue as a stain resist, which I'd never seen before. Add a little Dimensional Magic on top of these wood earrings and you're good to go. Visit Bethany to see how she made them.

Chevron wooden earrings at Pitter and Glink

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DIY paperweights from glass candle holders.

Hi! It’s Shannon from Madigan Made and today I want to show you a simple and inexpensive project.

I don’t know about you, but I’m an avid dollar store junkie. Next to the craft store, the dollar store is one of my favorite places for creative inspiration. I love going there just to look around for inexpensive craft materials. This month when I saw these shallow, rounded glass votive candles, I wondered if they could be flipped upside-down and decorated to make paperweights.

So, I grabbed a pack, got home and I made two paperweights in no time! All I needed was some scrap paper, decoupage and resin. I used pretty paper that I already had at home that would coordinate with the colors in my home office.

Want to make one for your desk or as a quick and easy handmade gift? It is so simple!

How to make a paperweight with decoupage and a glass candle votive:

Supplies Needed

• Shallow, glass candle holders
• Scrapbook paper
• Mod Podge (gloss or satin formula)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Brush
• Pourable resin (and any needed materials to mix like: disposable container, gloves, Wooden stick, etc.)   

Step One: Find a round object that is a similar size to the circular inset of the candle. Trace a circle around the item and cut the shape out to fit inside the glass candle holder. Trim a strip of paper that will line the sides for the hole in the glass.

Step Two:  Brush a thick layer of Mod Podge on the interior areas of the glass. Press the two pieces of paper (the circle and the strip) onto the glass, with the back of the paper facing you (the ‘good’ side should be facing outward through the glass). Smooth out any bubbles (they will be easy to see when you look through the glass).

Once that dries, apply another thick coat of Mod Podge on top of the paper. Allow that to dry completely.

NOTE: You can technically stop at this point and you will have a pretty, decorated piece of glass that will function as a paperweight. I chose to go a little further and fill that open cavity with resin so that the piece looked more finished. Adding the resin also added more weight to the object, making it feel like a heavy piece of glass.

Step Three: Set up an area to pour your resin that is well ventilated.  Read the directions on the box carefully. Wear the proper advised protection. Mix the resin in a disposable container by using the two chemicals provided as directed by the manufacturer. The brand I used advised a 1:1 ratio. Stir and whip the mixture thoroughly (for about 2 minutes) and pour that solution immediately into the cavities of the candle holders. The resin mixture is self-leveling and bubbles will rise to the top on their own. But you can help eliminate the bubbles by breathing over the surface or using a propane torch. (The carbon dioxide, not heat is what helps release the trapped air.) Allow the resin to harden and cure for at least 48 hours.

Admire your pretty, new piece of “glass”!

Here is a close up of the top and bottom of the two paperweights I made: If I had planned ahead, I could’ve embedded something cute inside the resin OR decoupaged more coordinating paper to the inside of the glass hole so the print would be visible through the resin. Oh well! I like that just the simple white back of the papers show through.

The possibilities on this craft idea are endless! I think it would be cute to decoupage a circular photograph in the middle and then line the sides of the glass hole with pretty paper. That would make a great gift for any parent or grandparent.

I can’t wait to get back to the dollar store again. I definitely need to pick up more of these glass candle holders. Plus, I never know what I will find or what will inspire me!

About the Podger: You might call Shannon the Clark Kent of craft blogging. By day, she is a pharmacist and by night she shares simple ideas for crafts, décor and much more with her readers. She also craves chocolate, loves a thrifty find and tries (often unsuccessfully) to avoid glue gun burns. You can find Shannon on her blog, Madigan Made, and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, too.

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Make photo magnet mosaics.

I have an entire collection of photos from my various social media (including Instagram) that I'm quite sure the world needs to see. Or at least people that come visit me. I found this cute idea at Photojojo - turn your refrigerator into a gallery display using your photos and a bit of Dimensional Magic. I like that idea. Do you think it would be weird if I had an art show on my refrigerator? Me neither.

Make photo magnets at Photojojo

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Make an Anthro inspired moleskine.

I love projects inspired by Anthropologie - it's one of my favorite stores, but my checkbook is a LOT smaller than my eyeballs when it comes to their amazing things! If I can DIY it, why not? Zandi did that very thing with her notebook, and she used paper and Mod Podge. I would actually choose her notebook over the original because I like the polka dots better, but that's just me. Take a peek at the inspiration and her tutorial at her blog.

Making an Anthro-inspired moleskine and gift tags at Radical Possibility

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Mod Podge painted rocks.

I get tickled when someone unknowingly pays homage to this blog by Mod Podging rocks. Teresa did just that, after painting them in bright and beautiful colors with meaningful words and images. The result is a perfect gift for someone you love or want to bring joy, and be sure to tell them about my blog when you give them the rock (I'm totally kidding!). Find out more about the project at Teresa's blog.

Mod Podge painted rocks at Blooming on Bainbridge

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Mixed metals Podgeables necklace.

Everyone who reads this blog regularly knows what a big fan of Mod Podged jewelry I am - especially really unique pieces like this one from Carol. She used the new Mod Podge Podgeable shapes as well as the Antique Matte formula AND Glitter Dimensional Magic to create this industrial inspired necklace. Isn't it pretty? It's also easier to make than it looks. I love projects that look complicated but aren't at all. Visit Carol to find out how.

Mod Podgeables mixed metal necklace at The Answer is Chocolate

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Anthropologie inspired beaded necklace.

I've been obsessed with polymer clay for quite awhile, but to this date the only thing I've done is my Lorax bead necklace. I really want to make a more sophisticated necklace like this one from Johnnie at Saved By Love Creations. She was inspired by Anthropologie, and her ombre pattern is easy to achieve with her instructions. She also put the cherry on top by adding the new Mod Podge Pearlized Glaze. Visit Johnnie to see how it was made.

DIY: polymer clay necklace inspired by Anthropologie at Saved By Love Creations

Other projects I've featured from Johnnie (I love her stuff!):

• DIY patriotic mason jar lanterns
• Chevron polymer clay pendant
• Coiled magazine dish
• Mod Podge lampshade makeover
• Craft stick pendant necklace

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Mini fabric magnets.

I just recently did a post on Mod Podge projects for beginners, and this is another one that would fit into that category. If you are just starting out Mod Podging or need a quick gift idea, then this project is for you. I also know that some of you seamstresses out there have fabric scrap stashes with the teeniest bits that you don't know what to do with . . . this would also be good for you. Take about five minutes and make yourself some magnets. Visit the link below to learn how.

Mini magnet DIY at justlove.ly

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Building and decorating a dollhouse.

I never had a dollhouse when I was little - but then again, I liked playing with my brothers' toys better. The great thing about a dollhouse is that Barbie and G.I. Joe can live together in harmony . . . so males and females alike can appreciate. Everybody needs a house, right? And I supposed you are wondering what the Mod Podge part is of this lovely home. It's the wallpaper! It takes the home decor of a plain dollhouse up a notch, don't you think? Learn more about the project at Young House Love.

Building a house for dolls at Young House Love

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Custom luggage tags.

Are you going on a trip any time soon? Or a conference where you need something unique to give away? These custom luggage tags by Nat and Holly are perfect! I'm even thinking of them as wedding/party favors! You can personalize to your heart's content, and you can whip these out much faster than you think. Use up that scrap paper, my friends, and make gifts for those you love. Visit the link below to learn how.

Custom luggage tags at My Sister's Suitcase

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Mod Podge bangle bracelets with Dimensional Magic.

Are you a bracelet kind of gal? I definitely am. Remember the time that I decorated these wood bangle bracelets? You may or may not be excited to know that I'm at it again. But I hope excited. I went with a bit of a different color palette this time, but I still used the Dimensional Magic and the microbeads. These are so bright and fun - and I can take them into fall. Here's how to make them!

Gather These Supplies

For both bangles:
DIY Bangles - the blue floral bangle is the flat exterior and the brown bangle with green beads is the pentagon
Mod Podge in your choice of formulas (I used Gloss)
Scissors or Craft knife and mat
Pencil
Craft glue
Paintbrush

Blue Floral Bangle with Beads:
FolkArt Acrylic paint - Forest Moss, Teal
Paper scraps - K and Company
Martha Stewart Microbeads in Brownstone

Brown Distressed Bangle with Beads:
FolkArt Acrylic paint - Hot Pink, Real Brown
Mod Podge Dimensional Magic
Paper scraps - Basic Grey
Martha Stewart Microbeads in Peridot
Tissue paper or vellum
Tape
Candle
Sandpaper

You need to do some preparation for the pentagon bangle, since you have five flat areas to cover with paper. Using a vellum scrap and a pencil, I rubbed around the edge of the shape to make a template for cutting paper - kind of like pencil rubbings you did when you were little. Do you only do one? No - I recommend doing all five sides and then numbering. I like my paper shapes to fit exactly.

Tape the vellum down to your sheet of scrapbook paper and then cut out the five separate shapes. The way I kept track is with numbering. If you write a number onto the bangle and onto the back of the scrapbook paper, you'll never see it; it will be Mod Podged down.

Cut paper to fit your flat bangle as well. Set all the paper aside.

Basecoat your bangles according to the colors listed in the instructions. For the blue floral bangle I used Teal as the base color and then Forest Moss for the inside. I painted the brown bangle with a layer of Hot Pink to start. Give at least two coats and allow to dry.

The brown bangle is distressed. You can distress easily by rubbing a wax candle all over the bangle, especially on the ridges. Rub firmly and then brush off any extra wax chunks that are left. Remember that the more wax you add, the more distressed the bracelet will be.

Paint your second color directly over the wax and the first color. Paint until the first coat is completely covered and allow to dry.

Rub a piece of medium grit sandpaper over the top of the bangle - you'll see the areas where the wax is just rub away (quite easily), and you can see the first layer color beneath. Sand more for more distressing.

Add the paper pieces to your distressed bangle with Mod Podge (also Mod Podge the paper onto the blue floral bangle). Allow to dry for 15 - 20 minutes, then give them a top coat. Add a few coats of Mod Podge to seal the bangles.

Time to add the beads. To do this, paint Mod Podge around the edge of your paper and sprinkle the beads onto it. You'll see here that I used Mod Podge in an old Dimensional Magic bottle so that I could get more control (I have a very shaky hand). If you don't have an old bottle, use a smaller paintbrush and drag the Mod Podge around the edge. Sprinkle the microbeads on, allow to dry and then rotate and repeat. When dry, your blue floral bangle is finished! You still have one more step on the brown distressed bangle.

Once the beads are completely dry, add Mod Podge Dimensional Magic to the oval part of the bangle, right on top of the paper. Unfortunately this is a slow process, but only because of dry time. The good thing is that you can add the Dimensional Magic and leave it to dry (DM side up). Come back later and then rotate the bangle, add more DM. Total application time is about 15 minutes, but total dry time means this project is at least going to take overnight. Once the Dimensional Magic is dry, your bangle is done.

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