Blog - Laura Kelly's Inklings

July 31, 2019 by: admin

Make Your Own Water Bottle Dog Toy

Our pets love to get gifts, especially toys and treats. You can make your own water bottle dog toy with Kunin Felt and a sewing machine. The only other supply you need is an empty plastic bottle. This water bottle dog toy is a great project for beginning on the sewing machine! I love it because it doesn’t take very long so lots of water bottle dog toy treats can be made in one project sitting. Easy sew pet projects are the best! This post is sponsored by Kunin Felt but the ideas are my own.

To create a water bottle dog toy you will need the following supplies and tools.

Kunin Felt in a Variety of Colors (Rainbow If You Want to Make a Rainbow and White for Clouds)
Rotary Cutter and Cutting Pad
Sewing Machine
Water Bottle

Cut 7 felt pieces that measure 2 x 12 inches for the body of your dog toy. Cut a dozen 3/4 x 12 inch strips for the fringe of your easy sew dog toy.

Sew the seven wide strips together.

Pin the thin strips into looks along ends.

Sew the loops into place.

Fold your dog toy in half so the seams are showing and sew it into a tube then flip it right side out.

Insert the water bottle (empty with NO lid)!

Cut two felt strips to tie the ends closed.

I’m participating in the Christmas in July Make Along with Underground Crafter. Come join the fun! 29 bloggers have teamed up to bring you a month full of free patterns to kick start the handmade holiday season — including crochet, knitting, and sewing projects. There’s something new to make every day in July. Each week will have a theme.

Week 1 (July 1-7): Babies, Kids, and Teens
Week 2 (July 8-14): Women
Week 3 (July 15-21): Men
Week 4 (July 22-28): Home
Week 5 (July 29-31): Pets

We’ve also partnered with some of our favorite companies to get some great prizes for you — including yarn, pattern books, and more! Find out more information about participating designers, the schedule, and how to enter to win the prizes on Underground Crafter. The deadline for entering the giveaway is Sunday, August 4, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

How To Join the 2019 Christmas in July Make Along

You can join in by crocheting, knitting, or sewing the projects as you have time.
Share your progress and post pictures of your finished projects. Tag your projects and posts #CIJMakeAlong2019 on all social media.
If you’d like to chat with other crocheters, join the Underground Crafters Facebook group
By the end of the Make Along, you’ll have up to 31 awesome projects. Get ready for the handmade holiday season while having fun with us!

Visit Underground Crafter to learn more about the prizes, enter the giveaway, and to get links to each Christmas in July Make Along post as it is released.

If you are fan of making your own dog treats, you might love this easy sew project too with a free pattern to make dog bandannas.

July 28, 2019 by: admin

The Twenty Best Harry Potter DIY Projects

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Harry Potter! This year on July 31st Harry turns 39. To celebrate I have rounded up the twenty best Harry Potter projects from my blog and Arsty Fartsy Mama. She is clearly a Harry Potter fan too. Hopefully you will find a project that inspires you to make things and create. There are also lots of free printables in these project posts AND recipes too. Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card AND a Harry Potter prize pack too while you are here. I think these are the twenty BEST Harry Potter DIY Projects of all!

These are my favorite five projects in this bunch! The Harry Potter Peg Dolls have my whole heart.

The painted rocks spread so much creativity and KINDNESS!

Chocolate Frogs! They are as yummy as they are festive for a party. They are definitely one of the best Harry Potter DIY projects!

These FREE Printable Harry Potter (and friends) bookmarks are adorable!

Butterbeer is delicious and this recipe is simple! It is a must have for a Harry Potter gathering.

This Harry Potter Planner Charm by Laura’s Crafty Life is simply magical!

Are you ready to enter the giveaway contest? Enter to win a Harry Potter Prize Pack (Pictopia Game, Authentic Hogwarts Patch and Weasley Car 3D Puzzle AND a $50 Amazon Gift Card)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Yay Harry,
Laura

Oh wait, one more! Check out these magnetic bookmarks from Laura’s Crafty Life!

July 28, 2019 by: admin

Excavating Dragon Eggs

My son Dawson was a major believer in dragons as a child. He has swords and would spend HOURS in the back yard slaying imaginary dragons. I would watch from the deck in complete awe. I was always so curious to know what he was seeing in his mind. The magic of play for a child is a necessary part of developing a healthy grown up life. It teaches kids to problem solve and communicate. MindWare makes so many amazing toys and games for healthy play. Their Excavating Dragon Eggs is a favorite. They provide an opportunity to get kids OUTSIDE into nature to discover and explore. That is, of course, if that is where the golden eggs are found. I am excited to share these dragon eggs along with a fun MindWare game (Cauldron) and some free dragon printables. This post is sponsored by MindWare but the ideas and opinions are my own. If you are one of my followers in the Denver area, you can pop into Beyond the Blackboard to get Dig It Up! DISCOVERIES! Dinosaur eggs today!

The Dig it Up! DISCOVERIES dragon eggs are GOLD which makes them mythical from the start. Hide them in a wooded place and take your kids on a hunt. I found a great nest spot right by the lake beside my home.

Provide each excavator with a jar of water. The eggs should soak a bit before the excavating dragon eggs begins.

Allow time for the excavating process. It is so much fun to listen to little excavators in action. “I see a tail!” “I think that is a head!”

Use the Excavation Guide that comes with the dragon eggs to determine which one is found.

Which one did we find on our first try?

The game Cauldron Quest is a great one to take on your adventure. It is an easy play and great for kids ages 6 and up. The pieces are heavy enough that they won’t blow if it is a bit windy outdoors so it works great on a picnic table.

This word search puzzle of the dozen kinds of dragons in the eggs is FREE to download.

There is great temporary tattoo paper that can be printed on to create custom tattoos. These dragons would work great for this activity and you can download them FREE too.

If you would like to buy a box of Dig it Up! DISCOVERIES Excavating Dragon Eggs (12 included plus the guide), you can get them on MindWare’s website. They each come in an individual bag with a excavation tool so they are PERFECT for parties, especially Harry Potter birthday parties.

Do you want to WIN a set of 12 Dig It Up! DISCOVERIES! Dragons??? Enter here! You could also choose Fairy Eggs or Dinosaur Skeletons if you are a winner should dragons not be your cup of tea!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Back in the springtime I shared Fairy Eggs with a fun riddle hunt. You can find out more about that in the blog post with the details.

Cheers to Magic!

Laura

July 26, 2019 by: admin

Make Harry Potter House Inspired Bookmarks

When I was in Chicago earlier in the summer, I attended a blogger retreat and learned so much. One of the sponsors of that retreat was Darn Good Yarn. This company was new to me but I can admit that I was instantly a fan. The bright vibrant colors of the gorgeous Sari Ribbon Yarn sparked joy and inspiration. Upon arriving home, my Goddaughter Chloe (also attended the conference) and I whipped up an adorable braided keychain with our sampler of the Sari Ribbon Yarn. I decided that I simply had to create something magical for my Harry Potter series so here it is, directions to make Harry Potter house inspired bookmarks. Harry Potter bookmarks (also known as page holders) are perfect for a party/classroom craft or a gift. This post is sponsored by Darn Good Yarn but the ideas and opinions are my own. You can save 15% on your purchases on Darn Good Yarn with the code LauraKellyDesigns15 !

In the case that you might need a Hogwarts house update, this is for you.

Gryffindor: Scarlet and Gold House Colors! Mascot Lion. Values courage, bravery, nerve, and chivalry.
Ravenclaw: Blue and Bronze House Colors! Mascot Eagle. Values intelligence, creativity, learning.
Slytherin: Green and Silver House Colors! Mascot Snake. Values ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness.
Hufflepuff: Yellow and Black House Colors! Mascot Badger. Values hard work, patience, justice, and loyalty.

Let’s get straight to making. The Sari Ribbon Yarn is 100% silk and handmade from vintage saris. Can I just say that I LOVE this detail. For each Harry Potter house inspired bookmark, you will need the two colors of the house in the Sari Ribbon Yarn (5 yards of each of the two colors). It comes in sampler packs with each color measuring EXACTLY what you need at 5 yards.

Cut three stands each measuring 12-20 inches, depending on the length you want for your Harry Potter house inspired bookmark. Tie them together at one end in a knot, leaving about an inch to two inches of fringe. Braid them three strands until you have 3 inches left then stop and tie in a knot.

It is Pom-Pom Making Time…

Cut a piece of the yarn into an eight inch stand. Use the remainder of your Sari Ribbon Yarn to make a pom-pom. Wrap it around a two inch wide piece of cardboard or foam board. Slide it off.
Use the eight inch stand you cut off to tie the yarn was around the center of the ENTIRE thing. Tie it as tight as possible.
Cut the loops open on both sides to create the pom-pom. Trim excess if desired. Tie it to the braided piece on the end with the longer fringe, using the fringe to knot.

Ta Da!

Add keys, buttons or embellishments if desired. I am a Hufflepuff so of course have a darling pin to add to the Harry Potter Hufflepuff bookmark I am going to use!

My daughters are Ravenclaw and Gryfindor so they will be getting the other two. About that other house, Slytherin….I am going to have to get some gray/silverish Suri Ribbon Yarn to make another bookmark. I do have a Slytherin son you know!

YAY for Harry Potter! I am thinking about adding little pom-poms to this Hogwarts House Garland that I made last week!

I thought I would share the amazing braided key fob that we made last week with the Sari Ribbon yarn. It holds our pool fob and mailbox keys. We have it hanging by the door so everyone has quick access to the community resources.

Darn Good Yarn offers a monthly yarn box. I think it is a brilliant idea. You can get more information about it HERE.

Cheers to Making All the Things!

Laura

July 25, 2019 by: admin

Steak on a Stake, Fairies and Live Mermaids: What to Look for at a Renaissance Festival

Last weekend I attended my first ever Renaissance Festival in Colorado and what comes to mind first is HUZZAH (a word I learned that is used to express approval or delight)! From steak on a stake, fairies and live mermaids; here is what to look for at a Renaissance Festival (commonly also known as a Ren Faire or a Renaissance Faire. The Urban Dictionary refers to it as a renfaire. I have friends who have been going to these amazing gathering for years and I can honestly say that I have no idea why or how it happened that it took me so long. I arrived and became an instant enthusiast. I am a believer in all things magic and royal. The Colorado Renaissance Festival was filled with both.

I first want to share our BEFORE and AFTER Photos! YES, we bought a lot of “garb”. One has to start somewhere! This is definitely an example of what to look for at a Renaissance Festival.

I pulled the definition right from the Urban Dictionary and am sharing photographs from my visit to fit each part. The bold words are from the definition. This pretty much sums up what you will find at a Renaissance Festival, a festival celebrating and reenacting the romance and glory of the Renaissance.

Performers portray fun, entertaining, and (usually) historically accurate characters in an improv environment for the amusement of patrons.

Stage acts provide a variety of entertaining spectacles, including live music, juggling, and stage combat.

Artisans and shopkeepers sell their wares, usually related to the Renaissance in some way i.e. period weaponry, period clothing (known in the renfaire circuit as “garb”), handmade soaps, feast gear, etc.

Kitchens and carts sell Renaissance-themed foods and beverages.

So you want to go to a renfaire now too, right? Here is a list of ones you will find around the country.

If you are regular goer, you might like this little Renaissance Festival BINGO (Pocket Version) that I created. It is for two players. Download and print it then give each player a board. Sit in ONE spot and mark the items off as they appear. Another version is to take cell phone photos of the items and be the first one back to a designated spot with a BINGO of the items in photos. If you are wondering what to look for at a renaissance festival, the items in the RenFaire BINGO game will certainly give you some ideas.

Renaissance Festival BINGO Free Printable Game

You might have noticed that I am not in the AFTER photo wearing new garb. That is because I am working on my master plan of exactly what I want to wear the next time I go. Look out!!! I am going to be magical.

Huzzah,

Laura

July 25, 2019 by: admin

How to Make a Mandrake

“I ridiculously LOVE the scene when Hermione, in her usual know it all demeanor, informs her classmates on mandrakes while they are in the greenhouse learning to repot them. She says, A Mandrake, also known as Mandragora, is a magical and sentient plant which has a root that looks like a human (like a baby when the plant is young, but maturing as the plant grows). When matured, its cry can be fatal to any person who hears it.” I created a mandrake in a few easy steps that is durable enough to be used for a Harry Potter party decoration or as a part of a book project. It is sturdy and holds up to play thanks to the fabulous Beacon Power-Tac Insudrial Grade Adhesive. I love this product because it comes out THICK and ready to work with when using things like rocks, clay and fake plants. This post is sponsored by Beacon, the makers of Power-Tac, but the ideas and opinions are my own.

To make a mandrake in a pot, you will need the following materials/supplies:

Beacon Power-Tac
Small Pot
Sculpey Premo Brown Clay (2 Colors to Mix)
Fake Plants
Pencil

The first step is to use the clay to hand sculpt a mandrake body. They are all different it could look a lot of different ways! Here is mine!

Use a pencil to create a hole in the top for and two holes in the bottom. Fake plants will be glued into these holes.

Bake the clay as instructed in the directions and let cool. While it is cooling, use the Power-Tac to glue rocks into the bottom of your pot, leaving room for the fake plant roots that will be added to your handmade mandrake.

Once the mandrake is cool, use Power-Tac to glue the plants into the holes by filling the hoes with adhesive then sticking in the plants. Let dry! The strength of the Power-Tac will hold the plant pieces completely in place when the mandrake is pulled to be re-potted, hopefully before the mandrake scream fatally kills a wizard!

Place mandrake into the pot and add a little foliage around it. This is actually moss from the yard.

If you are a fan of herbology class at Hogwarts, you might want to give this Harry Potter crossword puzzle a go! You can download it FREE!

While the Power-Tac is out, make some magical flying keys in just two steps.

Glue feathers to keys with Power-Tac.
Tie string to the keys and hang them!

This blog is FILLED with Harry Potter ideas for parties, crafts and home decor! Here is one of my favorite new projects! I used Beacon’s Fabri-Tac to bring this Harry Potter throw pillow to life! Check it out and make one of your own!

YAY for magical Harry Potter Herbology Class, DIY Mandrakes and AWESOME Beacon Adhesives!

Laura

This post contains affiliate links.

July 18, 2019 by: admin

DIY Windsocks from Recycled Containers

This morning I had the pleasure of sharing these DIY Windsocks from Recycled Containers on FOX31 News Denver. They are a great way to make something wonderful from a container that might otherwise go into the trash. DecoArt makes Multi-Surface paint in a wide variety of amazing colors. They are perfect for this project because they work great on cardboard, plastic, glass AND metal so no matter what container is being re-purposed; they will do the job! This post is sponsored by DecoArt but the ideas and opinions are my own!

To make the windsocks, follow these steps.

Paint your container with DecoArt Multi-Surface paints.
Attach a handle to hang the container by punching holes in the sides and tying ribbon or strong through.
Attach ribbon or fabric to hang from the bottom of the container. This can either be glued around the base or tied to the hanger at the top and pushed through and out the bottom.

These bugs are made from toilet paper tubes.

This Laura Kelly signature (black with white polka dots) DIY windsock from recycled containers (aka mini Pringles) is my favorite.

Tin cans work great too. This was once a can of broth and is now a super darling starry night DIY windsock.

Zoe made this DIY windsock as a recycled craft project using the tube from the middle of a GIANT roll of bubble wrap!

Check out the segment on FOX News! I love hanging out early in the morning with Meaghan and Kirk!

Here are some photos from the newsroom!

Happy Recycling,

Laura

This post contains affiliate links!

July 15, 2019 by: admin

Harry Potter Kindness Rocks for Spreading Magic

Painting these Harry Potter kindness rocks for spreading magic brought me so much joy. I love to paint. I love Harry Potter and all of his friends. I love to do things that I know will make other happy. I am so excited about scattering these rocks around my community today. Harry’s birthday is July 31st so I am doing projects all month with the wizarding theme to celebrate. I used Patio Paints from DecoArt to create these masterpiece Harry Potter kindness rocks because it works so great on the rough and porous surfaces AND it is great for outdoors. This post is sponsored by DecoArt but the ideas and opinions are my own. I will be sharing some rock painting tips in this post so you can create Harry Potter kindness rocks too, or any other theme that you love.

It is also time for another round of Craft Lightning, crafts that can be completed in a blink of time. The theme this month is Painted Rocks and there will be tons of bloggers sharing great ideas.

Okay, let’s paint some rocks. You will need the following supplies and materials:

DecoArt Patio Paint
DecoArt Galaxy Glitter (If you want to add glittery sparkle…)
Paint Brushes
Water Cup
Paper Towels
ROCKS
Sketched Ideas for Rocks (If Desired)

Start by painting the first color layer on the rocks. Let this dry completely (unless you are blending colors) before adding another color/element.

Add the other colors and elements to your designs, letting them dry in between.

If you want to add glitter, Galaxy Glitter creates an awesome layer of glitter. I love the way it worked for the Snitch and the Lightning Bolt.

Here are some of the Harry Potter Kindness Rocks that I created!

YAY for Rock Painting,

Laura

Be sure to check out these other rock painting posts too!

July 12, 2019 by: admin

Make a Luna Lovegood Sleep Mask

I LOVE all things Harry Potter, well except maybe a few of the Slytherin characters. I have read the books more than once and watched all of the movies bunches of times. My favorite character of all is hands down Luna Lovegood. She is just so fabulous. She believes in magic and has special glasses called Spectre Specs to help find and see magical creatures. I whipped up a sleep mask with Kunin Felt to wear and hopefully promote dreaming about magical createus like wrackspurts and blibbering humdingers. The sleep mask is a no sew project so great for crafters of all levels and ages. This post is sponsored by Kunin Felt but the ideas and opinions are my own.

To create the Luna Lovegood sleep mask you will need to the following materials and supplies.

Kunin Premium Felt (18 x 12) – Orange
Kunin Premium Felt Pieces – Black, Orchid, Red, Red
Buttons
Ribbon (18 inches) x2
FabriTac Glue from Beacon Adhesives
Scissors

Start by tracing your hand at the edge of the orange felt piece.

Fold the felt in half. Add a half circle to the hand into the fold. Cut in the fold and open to create the base of the Luna Lovegood face mask spectre specs. Cut pieces from the other colors of felt to add character to the sleep mask.

Glue the pieces to the felt base of the Luna Lovegood sleep mask with FabriTac glue. It is awesome because it dries fast.

Flip the mask over and glue the ribbon pieces to create a method of tying the mask around the head.

You can also tie the mask on to a Luna Lovegood pillow!

If you want to make the pillow, you can get the directions HERE on the blog.

If you too are a Luna Lovegood fanatic, you might also be interested in my project with the free paper doll printable.

YAY for All Things Harry Potter (and Luna Lovegood too)!

XO,

Laura

This post contains affiliate links.

July 12, 2019 by: admin

DIY Hogwarts Garland for Harry Potter Party

July 31st is Harry Potter’s Birthday! If you are celebrating or throwing a Harry Potter themed party of any kind, this DIY Hogwarts garland is a great and simple decoration. It is quick to make with scrapbook paper, ribbon or twine and a Xyron Creative Station (Lite). It always makes me so happy to use paper pieces that some would consider to be scraps because they are no longer full size. I keep my papers sorted by colors so projects like this are super fun. Selecting patterned paper in appropriate colors for the houses of Hogwarts was ridiculously fun. Because the Creative Station covers the entire surfaces to be adhered together with a sticker like backing, the garland is durable and party friendly. This post is sponsored by Xyron, the makers of the Creative Station, but the ideas and opinions are my own.

Before we get started, it is important to know a little about each house.

Gryffindor: Scarlet and Gold House Colors! Mascot Lion. Values courage, bravery, nerve, and chivalry.

Ravenclaw: Blue and Bronze House Colors! Mascot Eagle. Values intelligence, creativity, learning.

Slytherin: Green and Silver House Colors! Mascot Snake. Values ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness.

Hufflepuff: Yellow and Black House Colors! Mascot Badger. Values hard work, patience, justice, and loyalty.

Okay, let’s make the garland!!!

To create the DIY Hogwarts garland, you will need just a few supplies.

Xyron Creative Station (I used the Lite version)
Scrapbook paper in the house colors.
Hole Punch
Ribbon or Twine
House Letters (Cut Out for FREE Downloadable Pattern)

Start by cutting a base piece of paper for each house using one of their two colors. Make the rectangles 5 x 7 inches.

Cut out stripes 1/2 inch in width in the coordinating colors for each house.

Run the strips through a Creative Station to turn them into amazing stickers that will adhere like magic to the base pieces.

Stick the stripes to the bases.

Cut the letters out from the free download for each house. Run the letters through the Creative Station to turn them into sticky wonders and adhere them to the coordinating garland piece.

Hole punch the corners of each piece to the garland and thread ribbon or twine through to create your masterpiece.

This is great DIY Hogwarts garland project for decorating Harry Potter themed party spaces, classrooms or bedrooms! If you are wondering about me, I am a Hufflepuff and proud!

If you are looking for a Harry Potter party treat, you might love these yummy wands.

The Creative Station Lite is a great tool for so many reasons. In addition to creating sticker backing as an adhesive, it also laminates and create magnetic backs. Search the blog for Xyron projects and you will find a plethora of idea.

Cheers to Making and Celebrating All Things Harry Potter!

Laura

This post contains affiliate links.

Make Your Own Water Bottle Dog Toy

The Twenty Best Harry Potter DIY Projects

Excavating Dragon Eggs

Make Harry Potter House Inspired Bookmarks

Steak on a Stake, Fairies and Live Mermaids: What to Look for at a Renaissance Festival

How to Make a Mandrake

DIY Windsocks from Recycled Containers

Harry Potter Kindness Rocks for Spreading Magic

Make a Luna Lovegood Sleep Mask

DIY Hogwarts Garland for Harry Potter Party

Before we get started, it is important to know a little about each house.

Okay, let’s make the garland!!!

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