How to Make a Pretty Pincushion

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Create a Pincushion

Using some fabric, poly stuffing and hot glue, your teacup can become a pretty little pincushion.

Instructions

  1. Take a scrap of fabric and place it around the poly stuffing, making sure it’s nice and tight
  2. Fit the ball snugly in the teacup
  3. Hot glue the fabric together where the bottom (unseen) of the ball will be
  4. Place a band of hot glue about 1 inch from the rim and the bottom of the teacup
  5. After pressing the fabric-wrapped stuffing into the teacup, place your pins in it and enjoy

How to Make Tea Candles

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MATERIALS

  • Nested pans
  • Partially burned candles
  • Candy or candle thermometer
  • Tongs
  • New wicking
  • Teacups
  • Wick sustainers
  • Wooden skewers

STEPS

  1. STEP 1

    In a small pan set over a larger pan of simmering water, melt down old candles; clip the thermometer to the upper pot, and keep temperature at about 185 degrees. Remove old wicks with tongs.

  2. STEP 2

    Cut a piece of wicking to the cup's height plus 2 inches. Clamp one end to a wick sustainer; tie the other end around a skewer. Dip wicking and sustainer into melted wax to coat them. Remove and stick sustainer to cup's bottom.

  3. STEP 3

    Pour in the wax, stopping 1/2 inch below the cup's rim. Allow wax to set, about 1 hour. The candle will harden with a well in the center. To even it out, use another skewer to prick a circle of holes about 1/16 inch deep around the wick. Pour in melted wax until surface is 1/4 inch below rim. Cut wick.

17 Places to Test Free Products

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I've worked with 2, 4, 5, 12 and 15 and can tell you that they do send the products they promise. I'm definitely going to be signing up for more of these.
  1. Tomoson - Product Review site for Bloggers. You will need to have social networking accounts as well since there are requirements set from different advertisers. I have gotten my foot in the door of product testing with this site.
  2. BzzAgent – Fill out easy one page surveys and qualify for campaigns.
  3. Influenster - Receive random Vox Boxes if you qualify from the surveys they send out.
  4. MomSelect - In-home parties to test kid products
  5. House Party - Test products and have in-home parties.
  6. PinchME - Get new samples to try out every 2 weeks
  7. Smiley360 - Free samples of various items
  8. Kraft First Taste - Try new Kraft food products
  9. Vogue Insiders – Try new beauty products
  10. Tide Team - Try new Tide products
  11. Pillsbury Mills Advisory Panel - Try new Pillsbury Products
  12. Ebates – Free cash and gift cards
  13. Nike Product Tester - Apply to test shoes and apparel
  14. Generation Mom - Test kid/baby toys
  15. Moms Meet – Test kid products with a group of your friends/family
  16. InStyle Trendsetter - Evaluate brand-new products!
  17. Marie Claire -  Exclusive access to special offers, insider events, sweepstakes, and more.

Fancy Holiday Chalkboard

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Here is how to make this adorable chalkboard frame!

  • Take apart a vintage frame (find at garage sales, flea markets, antique stores, etc.) and cut a piece of black board to fit inside (from Home Depot).
  •  Buy some chalkboard paint at Home Depot.
  • To cut the chalkboard, you could use a porter cable multi tool. Then use Liquid Nails to glue the chalkboard into the frame.
  • A hot glue gun works well to glue on a piece of felt for the back. If liquid nails gets on the blackboard side it's easy to clean off with a wet cloth if you do it right away.
  • For the cord to hang the chalk, upholstery trim works nicely (hot glued only the trim not the chalk so the chalk can be swapped out.
  • Make a cute and functional eraser by attaching a piece of felt to a wood block. You can use  a round wood block that has a hole in it, covered both ends in felt and wrapped it and hung it with trim (used hot glue gun). Use trim for a decorative hanger at the top (also hot glued).