Save money! Be unique! Have hella fun! Make your own embellishments

Save money! Be unique! Have hella fun! Make your own embellishments

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When I was in my twenties I would naively brag about how I was great at finding bargains–except I wouldn’t use the most refined language. My stepmother would gently correct me, telling me I shouldn’t say I was cheap, and instead describe myself as frugal. She was right, of course. Never for a single moment–even back in college when I sometimes wished I could just be a carefree party girl–have I “been cheap”.

I would be nice if this was because I am full of grace and elegance–kind of like a chubby Jackie Kennedy–but that is not my personality either. Unfortunately, I think more apt descriptions would include that I am an introvert and too anxious to do something completely wild..

Maybe this makes be boring, but I am also frugal and creative. And that combination has some great outcomes including the fact that I often make my own craft embellishments.

I made these adorable and color-intense doo-dads with just a few inexpensive supplies: hot glue and ColourArte’s Primary Elements Artists Pigments.

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Tutorial to make your own Pearl Button Embellishments

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Step 1 Squeeze dots of hot glue onto a non-stick craft sheet. Wait a few moments for the glue to cool, but not completely harden.

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Step 2 Dab your finger into a Primary Elements color of your choice and gently pat/rub the top and sides of the circle so that the Primary Elements sticks to the glue.

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Step 3 Place the craft sheet filled with dots into your freezer for one hour.

Step 4 Remove the dots from the freezer and let the dots sit for an hour or two. The reason you freeze the dots is because Primary Elements reacts to the moisture from the freezing process and sets the powder so that it does not rub off when you handle them.

 

Tutorial to make Colorful Embellishment Shapes

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Step 1 Use a paint brush to dab Primary Elements onto a silicone mold.

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Step 2  Fill the cavity of the mold with hot glue. Make sure you fill all the tiny crevices.

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Step 3 If you end up with unwanted bumps and unfilled areas as the glue begins to harden, just reheat the the glue by blowing hot aiir from a craft heat gun onto the shape. All those bumps and holes should disappear.

Step 4 Place the mold into your freezer for one hour.

Step 5 Remove the mold from the freezer and let it sit for an hour or two. Then just pop the embellishments out of the mold.

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Step 6 Store your embellishments in a jar or another container so that you have them readily available for future projects.

 

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Great Stuff

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