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Tip Store: Crafts & Hobbies: General

Saving Super Glue

​Are you always throwing your super glue out because it goes hard once you’ve opened. Store in the fridge, never goes hard and last to the the very end of tube.
Contributed by Teresa Stone

​How to Control Hobby/Craft Spending

I am a self-confessed craft-addict (quilting, cross stitch, embroidery, crochet, knitting) who spends way too much on craft supplies and has accrued a substantial collection of “craft stuff”. My 2022 goal is to use what I have. Part of my collection problem is to browse craft websites and ebay when I am bored, emotional, tired etc. but I stumbled upon a diversion strategy. As soon as I feel the urge to splurge, I browse Pinterest instead. It diverts my attention, and the inspiration and free projects remind me that I have enough already and do not need more. By the time I finish, I no longer have the urge to buy anything. This has saved me hundreds this year, and I have not bought anything I didn’t actually need!
Contributed by Rebecca Akon

​Bring a Little Christmas Joy into Your Home

This craft was inspired by the beautiful range of Christmas wrapping papers appearing in the shops, some wooden letters and a desire to create something new to add to our Christmas décor this year. It took all of about 20 minutes to make too - so quick and easy, and very cheap if you use materials you already have. You will need: 1 picture frame Wooden letters to spell out your word (I spelled out JOY, they were the letters I had in the craft cupboard) Wrapping paper - choose your colour and theme, I used a beautiful black and silver Christmas paper Spray craft paint to complement your wrapping paper Glitter Clear glue Hot glue gun or strong wood glue Step 1. Take your picture frame apart. Spray the frame with the craft paint (I used silver). Spray your letters, front and back. Set the frame and the letters aside to dry. Step 2. Put the glass from the frame on top of the backing board. Measure and then cut wrapping paper to fit. Wrap the glass and the backing board together in the paper. Step 3. When the paint on the lettering has dried, spread each letter with a thin layer of clear glue. Put the letters on a large sheet of paper (this will catch the excess glitter). Carefully spread the glitter over each letter, gently tapping the excess glitter off each one onto the sheet of paper. Put them aside to dry. Use the paper to funnel the excess glitter back into the glitter jar - you'll be amazed at how much you'll be able to save. Step 4. When the frame has dried re-assemble it. Step 5. Centre the letters in the frame until you are happy with the arrangement. Using your hot glue gun stick each letter in place.
​ From Cheapskates Tip of the Day 21st October 2013

​Add Atmosphere with these Little Wineglass Lamps

Picture
These are very cute little lamps. Made from a simple wine glass and scrapbooking paper, vellum or wrapping paper and a tea light (candle or LED) they add a touch of whimsy or of elegance to your table setting. Use them to decorate the table for a casual family dinner or a delightful birthday lunch or even a wedding breakfast.

You will need:
Lampshade template
Wineglass
A4 size scraps of paper
Glue stick
Decorative scissors (optional)
Decorative paper punches (optional)
Blutak, floral putty or a small amount of clean sand

Step 1. To get a copy of the lampshade pattern click here.

Step 2. Trace the lampshade pattern onto the sheet of scrapbooking paper. Cut the straight ends and the inner curve using plain scissors. Cut the bottom edge with decorative scissors if you want a fancy edge.

Step 3. If you are going to punch a design, use your paper punch about 2.5 cm from the lower edge, spacing the designs evenly around the bottom of the shade.

Step 4. Apply a thin line of glue to one straight end. Lap the other end over the glued end, forming the shade. Press firmly along the edge.

Step 5. Put a dab of Blutak in the bottom of the glass. Sit the tea light on it and light it. Put the lampshade over the wineglass.

If you are worried about using traditional tea lights, use little LED lights. You can get them at craft shops or in the craft department of $2 shops.
​ Tip of the Day, 9th September 2013

​Pretty Ribbon Bookmarks

These bookmarks are so very pretty, very handy and a wonderful way to use up those little lengths of ribbon every crafter seems to collect. You will need: Ribbon of different widths - one narrow, one a little wider Spray adhesive or a good fabric glue (I use the Lincraft spray adhesive, there are lots of different brands available though) Card stock Hole punch Adhesive flowers (I used scrapbooking embellishments) Step 1. Place the narrow ribbon on the wider ribbon. Trim the ends to fit. Spray the narrow ribbon with the adhesive and stick it to the wider ribbon. Press it down firmly. Step 2. Trim the ends of the ribbon with fabric scissors so they are even. Step 3. Punch or cut two pieces of card stock. You can use a round shape or a flower or even a square. Glue two punched-out pieces of card stock at top of the ribbon, one on each side, to make a tab. Press them together firmly. Step 4. Attach your adhesive flower or sticker or whatever embellishment to the card stock.
​ Tip of the Day, 1st April 2013

​Create a Message Centre

In a busy household keeping track of who is where can be downright hard. This simple message centre can be made in just a few minutes and provides the perfect place for scribbling messages to keep track of who is going to be home for dinner or who has gone where. You could even use it to keep a running shopping list or a "honey do" list. I made this one from an old picture frame where the glass had broken, a tin of spray craft paint (because I didn't like the colour of the frame) and a spray tin of blackboard paint. I stuck sticky magnetic tape along the top and bottom edges on the back so it would stick to the fridge and stapled a length of string to the bottom righthand corner to hold the chalk. You will need: A photo frame - choose the size that suits your needs Craft paint for the frame if you don't like the colour Spray blackboard paint, available from craft shops and hardware stores Step 1. Take the frame apart. If it has glass in it, remove it and dispose of it safely. Remove the backing from the frame. Step 2. The backing will become the blackboard, so give it a light sand to remove any rough spots if necessary. Wipe over with a damp cloth. Step 3. If you are going to paint the frame, do so now and put it aside to dry. Step 4. This is best done outside. Place the frame backing onto a sheet of newspaper, right side up. Give the blackboard paint a good shake. Lightly paint the backing board according to the directions on the can. Set aside to dry thoroughly. Check to see if it needs another coat of paint. Step 5. When the frame and backing are dry, reassemble them. Step 6. Cut lengths of magnetic tape to fit the top and bottom edges of the frame (or recycle four of those promotional magnets that appear in junk mail) and attach. Step 7. Measure out 60cm of string or cord and staple it to the bottom right hand corner of the frame. Tie a piece of chalk to the loose end of the string. Hang your message centre on your fridge.
​ From the Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing Blog, Monday 1st October 2012

​Recycle T-Shirts into Rugs

Approximate $ Savings: Purchased floor rug $100 to $150, mine free

​ I have been saving pretty much all my families T-shirts for the past 20 years. I cut them all into yarn and crocheted them into a big floor rug, it took quite a long time but I am more than happy with the result. You could make smaller rugs a lot quicker. They are thick and soft under foot especially on timber and tiled floors. You could have family and friends save all their shirts for you, then the only thing it would cost you is your time.
Contributed by Going Green

​Celebration Cards

My daughters (aged 5, 3 & 1) love to be creative - always wanting to do 'collage'. I was forever 'sneaking' their creations into the recycle bin (of course I have kept samples - but hey there is only so much you can put away). Then one day I had a 'light bulb' moment! I folded their creations into a card, perfect! I now keep all of their creations - make very minor alterations to some of them (in term of size etc.) and voila I am never in need of shopping at the last minute to buy a birthday etc. card at a ridiculous price. We haven't had any complaints yet! These cards tick all the boxes - kids are busy, recycling, saving money and one less job to cross off Mum's to do list!
​Contributed by Jamie McGuire

​Singlet Shopping Bags

Approximate $ Savings: $1-2 per bag

Instead of buying environmental bags for shopping just sew together the bottom of old singlets. You get different size bags depending on the singlet size, they take up very little room when folded and you are recycling old clothes.
Contributed by Linda, Leumeah

​ Editors Note: You can use your favourite t-shirts to make great bags too, when they are no longer fit to be worn and you really don't want to turn them into dusters. Click here for the instructions. Cath.

​Cushion Filling From the Laundry

Recently someone added a tip about saving the scrap wool, cotton and material to use as stuffing for toys etc rather than buying bags of stuffing. I do something similar. Recently I noticed one of my lounge cushions had started going a bit flat. We had just experienced a bit over a week of rain so I had to resort to using the dryer for dry the clothes. When clearing the lint filter I thought it would be useful for topping up the filling inside the cushion. The lint had come off clean clothes and towels, so it is clean and free from icky bugs and dirt etc and it was nice and soft and very fine particles. I just carefully undid a small section of the seam, pushed the lint into the cushion and sewed it back up. I was lucky that at the time my laundry bin (a plastic shopping bag hanging on a hook) only contained the lint I had been cleaning out of the filter every time so I had a few loads worth of fluff in there, but now I have 2 bags in there, one for other rubbish and the other exclusively for lint. My son's favourite stuffed toy is starting to go limp, so the next item on the agenda is that. I am confident that it is harmless filling, at least I know what chemicals are in the material as it's only the washing powder I use.
​Contributed by Erika, Hunter Valley

​Reverse Garbage

I thought I might share a link to this fantastic store. Reverse Garbage is a haven for crafters, home decorators, and mums who like to keep their kids busy! Reverse Garbage sells (among other things) commercial and industrial discards to the general public. This includes fabric, wood and paper, various containers and packaging items, paint, craft items, cards... the list is endless! As a mum, one of the best finds is large reams of white paper - cheap as chips, and means that kids have huge sheets of paper to create wrapping paper and artworks for family and friends. Reverse Garbage sells too many interesting and affordable items for me to even attempt to list! It is also a not for profit organisation that is dedicated educating people of re-use. We have just bought a new house and Reverse Garbage will be our first stop for unique and interesting decorating ideas. www.reversegarbage.org.au
Contributed by Marissa, Illawong
​ Website: www.reversegarbage.org.au

​Crafty Workmates Get Together to Share Skills

Approximate $ Savings: 10-$200

​ At my work there are a few crafty ladies and some that are also renovating or decorating a home, so we have put together a little club. Once a month we meet at someone's house (we take it in turns) and we bring books, ideas and different skills that we can all share. One of the benefits is if someone is stuck for a solution to a decorating problem, or how to finish or start a project then we have the group to help with ideas. The savings are made when we share reference books, patterns and instructions. Most of the time if I want to learn a new craft some one has already done it and they can pass on the information and skills without me having to pay for classes and books. It is also a great time to catch up and have a coffee with friends.
Contributed by Kellie, Gordon

​Knitting Up a Knee Rug

Use up those leftover balls of wool and knit a rug in time for Christmas; it's easy and you only need about 30gms of each colour. It's fun to knit them in footie colours for your men. You can use different weight yarns, use two very thin ones together to make similar thicknesses. Using size 10 needles cast on 35 stitches. First row: K2, *slip one purlwise, K5, repeat from * to end, k2 Second row: P2, slip 1 purlwise, *P5, slip 1 purlwise, repeat from * to end, P2 Join in second colour 1st row: *k5, slip 1 purlwise, repeat from * to end, K5 Third row: *K5, yfwd, slip 1, yarn back, repeat to end, K5 Knit 40 rows then change to two new colours. Knit to required length, cast off. Knit as many strips as required. It's fun to do and you can watch TV at the same time!
​Contributed by Rosalind, Wagin

​How to Restore Secondhand Books at Home

I love buying books, especially picture books, for my grandson but they are expensive to buy new. Second hand books can be bought very cheaply from markets, garage sales and op shops and can easily be restored to clean "as new" condition! First wipe over the covers with eucalyptus oil (Bosisto's cleaning grade is perfect and inexpensive) on a tissue or cloth to easily remove dust, stains, sticky and greasy marks, kill germs and make the book smell fresh. Polish with a clean dry cloth and the cover will look like new! If the edges of the pages have yellowed just close the book and sand them lightly with a scrap of fine sandpaper, sanding ALONG the edge not across. And if you are selling books to a book exchange or at a garage sale make sure you restore them like this first..you will get more money for them!
​Contributed by Susan, Mount Coolum

​Ribbons

I recently purchased a new black shirt that had two long pieces of black satin ribbon attached to the shirt. I cut them off and instead of throwing them away I cut a tiny triangular V at each end with nail scissors and put the ribbon in my gift wrapping box. I also thought they would make a great hair ribbon for a girl. Normally this would go to land fill.
​Contributed by Roslyn, Glen Iris

​Biggest Craft Group in the World

The net offers endless sites that you can download patterns and ideas for free. I have quite a few in a folder that I printed off. If I am looking for something in particular and stumble on something else that looks interesting I print it off. At the start of the school year you can buy lever arch folders and plastic sleeves very cheaply. I have also joined an on line quilters group and am happy to say I now have many friends around the world. We offer support for each other as well as advise. I have received a lot of help from them with donations of blocks for fund raising. We all pitch in and help where we can with shoulders to cry on and hugs (all be it cyber space hugs) as well as fabric and patterns. If I ever can save the money for a trip around the world I have plenty of offers of places to rest my head. For free! Saving enormous but the friendship is truly priceless.
​Contributed by Ruth, Orange

​Green Bag Patterns

I've noticed my re-usable shopping bags are developing definite signs of wear and tear. Instead of buying new ones ranging anywhere between $1 to $3.00+ from the Supermarket I thought I would have a shot at making some. This site (from a sewing forum) has heaps and it's a way of using up your old sheets, etc. So, if you can sew, it might save a few dollars.
Contributed by Fay, Broadford
​ Website: http://tipnut.com/35-reusable-grocery-bags-totes-free-patterns/

​Recycle Plastic Shopping Bags into Something Useful

I have discovered a fantastic website which has a unique way to recycle those annoying plastic shopping bags. The tutorial from Etsy will teach you how to fuse plastic bags together to make a fabric that can be used to make all sorts of things including bags and raincoats. My favourite is the cosmetic bags which are going to be Christmas gifts for my girlfriends this year. Just go to the you tube website and type in Etsy how to - fuse plastic bags.
​Contributed by Natalie, Eltham

​Easy Envelopes for Homemade Cards

I am a card maker and often make a square shaped card. I make my own envelopes for these cards and others as well. To buy square shaped cards works out to be very expensive. I have bought Christmas cards after Christmas, which are square shaped. Usually there are 12 to a packet and of course the envelopes are included. I have picked up several of these packs for as little as $1 and saved both time and money. The cards can be cut up and used as embellishments on cards and scrapbooks.
​Contributed by Tricia, Burleigh Heads

​Machine Knitting 'Sponge Bar' Spares

Approximate $ Savings: $25 each purchase

​ Instead of replacing the entire 'sponge bar' of your knitting machine use window draft excluder sponge to replace the flattened sponge on the bar. This will keep you knitting at a cost of .60c compared to somewhere between $25- $28 for a new bar which in fact is just a holder for the sponge that wears out. Sponge is available at the local hardware superstores.
Contributed by Carol, Mudgegonga

​Friendship Bag

Approximate $ Savings: Can't put a $ value on this

​ Friendship Bag: In a small bag with label attached. TO.......... A candle to light your way. A marble just in case someone loses yours. A bandaid to help heal your wounded feelings. A Paper clip to keep it all together. A cotton ball to cushion the rough road ahead. A piece of string to tie together when things fall apart. A rubber band to stretch yourself beyond your limits. A safety pin for the unexpected. An eraser to make mistakes disappear. 5 cents so you'll never be broke.
Contributed by Sally-Anne, Coomba

​Using Half Balls of Wool

I'm an avid craft person and I do a lot of knitting and I often find I have half used balls of wool left sometimes. What I usually do is either share what I have left with friends who might need to have a certain colour saves on buying a full ball. Or I try and make things either for a school fair or market that I can sell at it's great when I can get extra pocket money to do extra stuff.
​Contributed by Christine, Rosebery

​Recyclable Materials

Places that produce catalogues and colour flyers have a by product, various coloured transparent plastic sheets, about butcher paper size, I found such a place in Sydney that was throwing it all out, I have since been picking it up and distributing it to local schools for craft work. If only there was some list of what companies throw out, I'm sure a lot could be re used.
​Contributed by Mark, West Hoxton

​Junk Mail TO Fridge Magnets!

When you receive those annoying oversized real estate fridge magnets in the mail. Even though, they have a calendar .I'd hope you would already have one as they come at such odd times of the year!) DON'T throw them away! Either stick a picture or paint on it. Get the kids to even!
​Contributed by Becky, Salisbury