DIY Bottle or Jar Cleaning Brush

Bottle or Jar Cleaning brush

This is a simple project with three main parts.

You will need the following.

1. Wooden spoon
2. Mop yarn
3. 4 inch foam mini paint roller
4. Hot glue - high temp.

The tools you will need are as follows

1. A sander of some type either belt sander or Dremel tool
2. quarter-inch drill bit and drill
3. hot glue gun with high temp glue.

Take the wooden spoon and sand the handle down just enough to fit inside the paint roller. Then drill 1/4 inch holes in the lower half the spoon, as shown here.

Then using a hot glue gun inject a small amount of blue inside the paint roller and long handle. Insert the handle into paint roller and immediately cool with cold water. The cold water is to keep the foam from melting and two quickset glue. Once you have glued the foam roller onto the handle it should not turn. If the roller rotates on the handle it will not do a very good job in cleaning bottles or jars. After you have assembled the foam handle you can use a crochet hook or latch hook or even micro forceps as seen here, to assemble the mop yarn. Mop yarn may be hard to come by at craft stores so I simply bought a mop from the dollar store and cannibalized it for the yarn. Yarn should be 6 to 8 inches in length and can be added to the spoon by either using half hitch knots or double knots on either side of the holes, so as to prevent the yarn from pulling through. You may want to add two or three strands per hole in order to get the right density of yarn. If you find that after assembly yarn is still too long you can simply trim with scissors. Once you have finished this your project is complete and you now have the best bottle brush ever. It's makes a great gift or a great project just for yourself.

    If you're going to make these for sale it is important to keep in mind that the cost of your materials is critical to whether it is profitable. Most of the materials were purchased at a dollar store and the cost of materials was kept under a dollar. Where you may lose some money as with any crafts is with the amount of time spent in creating the item. This may be offset by adding the item to a gift basket or similar project.  It may be possible to save a little bit of money by cutting out your own spoons out of quarter-inch wood stock. 

   Be sure to try different materials as well. Here we tried mop yarn, craft foam sheets cut into 1/2" X 4" strips and fabric netting. Each gives a different quality cleaning action. The netting is good for scrubbing tough stains, the foam works good at moving material and the mop yarn a good all around  material that holds water well.

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FREE Natural DIY Fiber Filling and Batting

I've been meaning to do this story for some time, as it actually has quite the history here in Fallon, Nevada. 

Milkweed, October 2015

    During World War II Japan cut off our supply of fiber fill (kapok) that was being used for making life vests, but a local weed came to the rescue. This plant that plagues farmers and gardeners alike is actually one of the most useful wild plants there is when it comes to textiles. My uncle told stories of kids going up and down ditch banks during the Great Depression collecting milkweed pods to sell the down. And I remember collecting monarch butterflies and yellow swallowtail butterfly caterpillar that feed on it. 

    It grows a seed pod that produces a hypoallergenic fiber fill that can be used in making pillows and stuffing quilts. The fiber is easily collected just before the pods open while the pods are still green. Pods are cracked and the seeds are raked off. You are then left with milkweed down that when allowed to dry makes an excellent fiber fill. There have also been a number of people who have experimented with combining it with other textile such as cotton or wool and then spinning that cotton or wool into yarn. (Sorry but I do not know the ratio used of cotton or wool to milkweed silk ) Unfortunately milkweed down by itself is too brittle for spinning but as I said before it has many unique and useful properties. Native Americans were also known to use the rubbery sap as a chewing gum by rubbing the sap between their fingers to make a rubber ball to chew on. Although I would not recommend it as it tastes awful and may be toxic, the white milky sap is similar to liquid latex. Fibers from the stem would also be used to weave into fishing line or cordage which was then used for making other things.

Drought and late in season, liberty pond

    It should be noted : before harvesting you should make sure that the milkweed has not been sprayed with an herbicide. If it smells funny or the leaves are brown then I would stay clear of these plants. The plants are readily found along ditch banks and ponds. And make sure you remove all the seeds, because if the seeds get wet, they will sprout.

Silky and soft to the touch

To me it is a mystery as to why this plant has not yet been commercialized, as it outperforms goose down. It is more breathable, more durable,and warmer than goose down. It also uses less water when compared to similar fiber crops. So if you’re looking for an inexpensive fiber fill this may make a

good alternative.

The green milkweed pods in the background of this photo are what you're looking to harvest just before they open 

Note green milkweed pods in background

milkweed at liberty pond

 

These beetles also make milkweed their home.

The fire and gem beetles are harmless and may be a good indicator that the plant has not been sprayed with herbicide or pesticide.

How do you humanely control roosting birds?

 Creating bird spikes with 3D pen

    In my first attempts at creating bird spikes, I simply used a quarter round or half round piece of old molding. Using a 16th inch drill bit I drilled numerous holes and then used the 3-D pen to partly fill the hole with extrusion from the pen and then moving outward creating spikes. 

     Although the finished product did not give me the rigidity in the spikes that I wanted it still seemed to work. 

In my last attempt I ran a bead of plastic at the bottom. This created better adhesion and stability to the spikes. I also tried creating lattice to give it additional rigidity, although I'm not sure that it was needed.
    The spikes do not harm the bird as they are not sharp enough or stiff enough to do so. They end up being more like the bristles on a soft broom and more of an obstacle that the bird can't quite figure out how to get around.
    A piece of styrofoam could be used in place of the wood, making it light enough to be stuck to a wall with poster putty. This might work great with woodpeckers and flickers that tend to roost on the sidewalls or under eaves .

Note: The Styrofoam will melt some with the 3D pen, so use gloves and some caution when working with it. 





     
I look forword to hearing any constructive ideas or suggestions. 

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Do you need a plastic washer for your craft project or whirligig?

Washers for whirligigs and crafting.

FOR SAFETY REASONS NEVER USE THESE WASHERS TO REPLACE PARTS ON COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS. 

Always use the manufacturer's recommended replacement parts.

    Nylon washers are not very cheap, but I have found an alternative that cost next to nothing, helps the environment and works almost as well. 

    One of the things that I do on a yearly basis is to do preventative maintenance on my whirligigs and weathervane's. With all the moving parts and high winds, there is a lot of wear and tear on these mechanical wonders. What I found out is metal on wood wears out the most, so I use a lot of plastic or nylon washers. Although washers are not the most expensive part to a whirligig, they can cut into your profits.

  I couldn't help, but share this money-saving and environmentally friendly up_cycling of plastic jugs. As for the patterns, I simply invested in an assortment of metal washers to use as a template for the various size washers that I use in my whirligigs. After all for a couple of bucks worth of cheap metal washers, I now have a set of templates that are worth the investment and will never wear out. I could've very easily used a compass to draw the circles, but I wanted something that was more consistent with actual washers.

    
(Be sure to use the appropriate safety goggles and other safety equipment when using rotary tools)

    I have found almond milk jugs and other opaque or heavier jugs seem to make the better washers. Anyhow, using a metal washer as my template and a black marker to trace around the metal washer, I create my patterns. Usually, I take the time to make several hundred at a time, so I have washers on hand for later. Then I simply rough cut them using heavy-duty utility scissors, dollar store kitchen scissors or a Dremel with a fine tip rotary cutting blade. (An X-Acto knife on a cutting board will also work as well.) I then finish the washer by sanding the edges or dragging a knife blade crossways against the grain to remove any ragged edges. A Dremel with an abrasive bit also works very well.

For those of you who like to do things the hard way I have included the following photo as a pattern.

Now keep in mind these washers will not necessarily take the place of a heavy-duty nylon washer and will most likely biodegrade over time if exposed to sunlight.

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Bottlecap refrigerator magnets

Quick and easy Bottlecap refrigerator magnets 

So for this project you will need an assortment of bottle caps from either microbrews or smallbatch soda pop. Preferably selecting bottle caps with interesting designs. You will also need a hot glue gun, magnets that will fit inside the bottlecap, and something to use as a spacer such as a piece of Styrofoam, sliced wood dowel or piece of plastic.

 Place your bottle caps upside down on the work surface as shown in the photos below. Hot glue your spacer inside the bottlecap. Make sure your spacer sit evenly with the edge of the bottlecap in thickness. If you do not have a spacer fill the bottlecap with hot glue and let cool. The reason for letting the glue cool is that if you place the magnet on the hot glue while it is still hot the magnet will sink out of sight.

You will want the magnet to set above the edge of the bottlecap so if the bottlecap magnet gets moved it is less likely to scratch the refrigerator. If you're concerned about scratching the refrigerator apply a small bead of hot glue around the sharp edges. Another option is to buy a cookie sheet from the dollar store and use it to display your magnets on.

 Once the glue has cooled the magnet is finished and ready to use or give as a gift.

The following is a short video on how to make the magnets.

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DIY crafts micro clamp from clothes pins

Do you need a micro clamp but don't want to spend the money? Here's a quick DIY micro clamp made from clothes pins.

Micro clamps can be made cheaply from a package of close pins purchased from the dollar store. As you can see they can be made in an assorted shapes and sizes to meet your custom needs.

 You can use a belt sander, disk sander, Dremel or whatever you happen to have. I have even used a scroll saw to cut various shapes and sizes. My preferred method is still to use a belt sander with a course grit but that is only because it is quick and easy.

These clamps can be made in a minute or less and not only do they come in handy for various projects, I have also found them to be in demand at craft and trade shows. I usually sell them as an assorted package of 4 for a dollar.

They can be used for various projects such as holding projects while I'm painting them, or holding parts together as they are being glued. Uses are many, and if you know a crafter in need of clamps, they make a great gift.

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Custom decorated keys

    So there has been many a time I've gone into the hardware store to get a new key. And there on some rack you see displayed decorative keys. You think to yourself "How nice it would be to tell the difference between the different keys on your keychain." But when you look at the price of a custom key you find sticker shock, or you find that your key does not come in custom designs. So here's an idea on how to decorate your own keys so you can tell the difference between your house key, your car keys or whatever.

(1)  First you want to roughen up the surface of the area that you're going to paint. (Do not sand or roughen the part that goes into lock, as you may change the shape of your key. As a result, the key may not work. ) You can use emery cloth or the tip of a screwdriver. The reason for ruffing up the surfaces is so that the paint will stick better.

     A Dremel with an abrasive tip works best.

(2)  Find some cheap nail polish to use as your paint. Dollar stores are a good source for this. I have found that nail polish actually works better than most paints and comes in a much larger variety of colors including metallic and glitter.

(3)  Once you have your colors picked out simply layer your design on the key. With some nail polish it is possible to get a stained-glass or enamel effect.

(Note; The brush that comes with the nail polish is big and bulky and may make getting fine detail difficult to impossible.) Use a fine tip paint brush to get detail. Just be sure to clean your brush after with nail polish remover.

(4) Once you have your key painted be sure and let it thoroughly dry. Preferably letting the key dry overnight. Then simply repeat the process on the other side of the key, to get both sides.

There you have it, a custom miniature piece of art on a key.  So go out and try different things and let us know how your artwork turned out. Be creative and inspire the world!

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DIY book marks plastic, wood, tile, metal ect.

 To make your own bookmarks start with a semi-transparent milk jug or water jug. Cut out a large flat plastic piece from your plastic jug and then lay the plastic over the following patterns and trace them out. Once you have your pattern traced, simply cut it out either using an X-Acto knife or a pair of utility scissors, which can be purchased at most dollar stores. Be sure and use a cutting board if you are using an X-Acto knife. Once you have your outside pattern cut out you have the option to use the X-Acto knife to cut out the designs or you may wish to simply paint the designs.
    If you're going to paint your designs on plastic, it is recommended that you use either nail polish or plastic model paint. If you have a problem getting your paint to adhere to the plastic, you may wish to use a little bit of sandpaper or a file to rough up the surface you are painting.
    Stickers or plastic gemstones with adhesive are also an option that can be used to decorate your bookmark but keep in mind that the bookmark needs to fit in between the pages of a book or magazine.
    You can also add a tassel made out of embroidery floss or ribbon by using a paper punch or leather punch to punch a hole at the top of the bookmark.
    Once you have your plastic bookmark cut out. you can either use it as is or as a template or pattern to make your bookmarks out of other materials such as wood, laminate, photographs, metal or any other suitable material.

The above pattern is designed to be printed out on a 8 1/2" X 11 standard paper in landscape mode. The bookmarks are 5 1/2" tall and 1 1/2" wide, but you can print what ever size you want. 

Please keep in mind that the patterns are copyrighted and intended for only your personal use or small-scale production. Any production over 1000 requires a 10% royalty be paid to Nevada crafter.com all foreign entities are required to pay a 15% royalty or negotiate terms with Nevada crafter.com

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How to make an I.Q. rock.

I.Q. Rock

This is a simple project that even as a kid I used to make money at. It makes a great practical joke and quite entertaining.

For this project you will need:

1. A rock (preferably flat )or other object that has four sides.
2. Paint  (The color you choose is up to you. I chose black and white because it's easy to read. Also use an exterior paint if you plan to leave these outside.)
3. A wide paintbrush to cover large surfaces (a half inch or one inch brush will do.)
4. A fine paintbrush with a good point to do your lettering
5. old newspapers to work on. ( I use baking cooling racks over a large aluminum pan. These can be had at dollar stores or keep a lookout at yard sales.)

 Okay once you have your rock and your paint give your object (rock) a good coat of paint on all sides. This may require you to paint one side at a time and letting each coat of paint dry thoroughly. Once you have a nice background for your lettering your ready to start putting your words on your stone. On the top write the words turn-over and on the opposite side (bottom) write turn-over.

  In small letters on one edge write I.Q. Make the lettering large enough to read but small enough not to be noticed.

On the opposite edge write the word TEST and once again make your lettering as small as you can but still readable. At this point if you'd like you can add little border flowers, leafs or some type of crosshatch to frame your words.

Once your work is completely dry it is ready to place in an inconspicuous but noticeable place. Such as a rock garden or someone's desk and then sit back and watch the fun. Most people will pick up the rock and read it, turn it over several times before realizing it's a joke.

At craft shows I uses to get 25 or 50 cents but later I learned I could get as much as $5 if I put the rock in a gift box with a joke book or printed a rating sticker on the inside lid.

The rating sticker went something like this. "Turn me once your I.Q. is good turn me twice you're not looking so good, turn me thrice and you need to go back to school, turn me a fourth time and there is no hope for you." So have fun making your IQ rocks and remember to check out http://www.nevadacrafter.com/

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