¡CraftCrap Quickie: A Hole-y Moley kinda Fix!

I dunno about you but when I think about the "fashionable" things I was into in my teen years, I sometimes internally shudder at myself in embarrassment. "WTF was that all about?" is definitely a statement that would define that era for me. I drive down the street around 3:15 and I see all these lil tween/teen-y boppers with this jeans ripped beyond shreds steez, looking like that were attacked by a damn wolverine. Holes that reach from the crotch down to the knee... I'm old. Way too old to be cool like that.  

At 31-ish and still not making any damn sense with most of my ensembles, one thing I have learned during these years of being a grown-ass woman, I REALLY HATE holes in my jeans. I don't find them cool. They're pretty damn annoying actually. If I missed a spot shaving the night before, chances are the hole in my jeans will frame that section of my thigh/leg nicely. Awesome. If it suddenly becomes cold and the wind is howling, I have my holes to remind me I have no business trying to look like I'm with it & hip. Just don't.

So here it is. A quick tutorial on how to fix this issue WITHOUT a needle and thread. Because as most of us crafters know, jean material can be a MOFO to handsew! And besides, AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME 4 THAT!!!

Your Ingredients:

• Some Fierce Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun w/glue (duh!)
• Your favorite scraps of fabric
• Your holey-moley jeans

First up, heat your glue gun to laser mode (jk...unless you have that feature.) and turn that leg w/the hole(s) inside out.  

Make sure whatever scrap you picked is gonna cover the entire hole, unless thats what you want...Take your time and use your heated glue to go around the edges of the hole. (This might take some skill because you don't want to glob this shit out. Keep it thin but plentiful... (make sense?) press your fabric down on to the bead of glue nice and firm (you don't want to feel hard glue bumps). Follow that edge of the hole your covering with the glue until completely covered. 

Cut your excess off and make it nice...

And now you are covered. The closer you cut your excess, the better you'll feel but just be careful not to cut too close...

Leg done! And skin now protected! After quite a few washes, my hot glue fix is still working in full affect. I'm not gonna guarantee this a wash proof but I will say that my mom jeans are still going strong with no lifts or glue melts from the dryer.

Get warm folks... I heard it's about to get a wee bit chilly up in this mug!!!!

- Cuts & Stitches Ma Bishes

 The C.C.Q

¡CraftCrap Collabo: Gamerosity!

Whaddupppp crafty gente?!?! How are things drying, hanging, setting, finishing, resting with y'all right now? I hope all your projects are coming out stellar as $#@!*!

Wanted to share this new collabo I got coming up that I feel so honored to be apart of. Coming to the wonderful folks at Gamerosity this Winter, your CraftCrap Queen is teaming up with Gamerosity head honcho Manny Munoz to provide customized headphones to the awesome pediatric cancer Heroes they support. Our goal is to make every kid feel EXTRA special with customized headphones handcrafted just for them to add to their Gamerosity crowd-funded iPad Hero Pack. 

Take a look at just what I'm talking about:

The packages these Heros get are hella stuffed with awesome goodies from the Gamerosity crew and affiliates like MaxLove. We're talking hats, shirts, stickers, hand-crafted Official Gamerosity Stuffies, iPads, headphones and even a freakin CAPE!!!! BECAUSE EVERY HERO NEEDS A CAPE!!! (Can this package get anymore awesome?!?!)

Each one of these kids is a body of inspiration that the rest of us can take note from and I feel so blessed to bring my skills to these hearts. Check out the test run I recently did:

 

I was kinda intimated by the idea because these kids deserve perfection. I mean look at this Hero's smile!!!! I CANNOT DISAPPOINT!!!!!

 

Each drying session I thought of the how can I make these things pop???? Oh! I know! Pinstriping paint! That'll do it!

And all the while I'm peeping the Gamerosity Facebook & website for hella inspiration... EASY PEASY! Just take a look yourself!

A lil more dry time... A lil more inspiration:

And finally... BOOM!!! Packaged and sent to the Center of Awesome Hearts (Aka: Gamerosity Headquarters)

 

The eagle landed and got an official thumbs up from Head Honcho Manny. With that, we are set for a Winter full of hot cocoas (with espresso shots like a mofo) and tons of customization for these lil warriors. I look forward to paint covered hands and freezer paper everywhere!!! WOOHOO!

SOOOOOOOOOOOO....

If you like what these Gamerosity people are doing (I mean come on! HOW CAN YOU NOT!!!)  do yourself a favor a peep the site or the FB page. You can donate any amount to any child you see on the campaign or if you want to spread the word about this insanely generous organization, then buy one of their hella dope shirts designed by the man himself, Manny Munoz. Purchasing the apparel on the site not only helps get a Hero funded but also clothes you in the most purposeful and fashionable way possible. Check out the latest installment from the Gamerosity Sidekick Collection w/ Alex's Lemonade Stand, which teams up with like-minded affiliates to support these brave kids via awesome apparel:

                             

 Designs so dope your like damnnnnn just take my money! Click the pics and make your $$$ do something fantastic!

-Paint Splashes and Kisses,

The C.C.Q

¡CraftCrap Quickies: Adding jewels 2 the treasure chest!

Boom #1: Random Charms + Gold Elastic String + Toggle Closure= Perfect Neck Piece.

Boom #2: Ninja DeathStar Ring: Your favorite extra super strength glue +ring+ 50 cent toy machine prize = the start of your ill ass OAK ring collection! 

Boom #3: 

= 

And I'm OUT!!!!

Kisses & Stitches Ma Bishes,

-The C.C.Q

¡Pochaloca Studios: another Etsy sale? Whatttttt!!!

Big ups to my fellow banana slug alum Vicky for making a purchase from the store Ayer! She is seriously too legit! This crown is definetly meant for Queen Vicky!!

And check out this sweet lil extra sumthin sumthin I threw in, cuz I love her. I just love her!

Xoxox,

-The C.C.Q

¡CraftCrap News: The Latest Happenings!

Whaddupppp my #craftcrap peoples!!! Here are some things that have been crackin lately around the #craftcrap #pochaloca areas of my life.

1st off: Googly eyes make everything better. But you already know that. (I think someone at Neff needs to consult me for their kids department. Let me upgrade you.)

2nd: Since coming back from Oregon. I've been on one with S.O.J ideas. (If you don't know, throw those letters into your Google search bar and get learned.) This was one of my first and its on Etsy for purchase. Lots of fun details on this. Look for a ANOTHER store by your truly featuring ALL my S.O.J items for sale.

3rd: I see all you awesome faces following me on Twitter and favoriting me on the Etsy, talking to me on the FB. I wanna tell you I see you BOOBOOS!!! <3 <3 <3 Thank you for the support. It's the octane in my tank!  Tell yo mama and her friendssssssss and ya Daddy tooooooo!!!

Next:

Decided to pick up the 'ol squirrel hairs and throw some WD-40 on these old rusty striping/lettering bones.

Not too shabby for being so dang rusty. I dunno if you can see it in the pic, but my straight lines weren't too bad. Surprised myself!

Now I just need a handle.

I have lived in a few states on both coasts and regardless of where I am, I can count on this guy. My G'ma used to hit up his dances back in the day in El Monte and to this day this dude rocks my kids and I to def! This shirt was supposed to be an ode to crocheting but I just had one of those epiphanies and had to go with it. Art Laboe: ABOUT THOSE OLD SCHOOL LOWRIDER CLASSICS!!!! <3<3

Next Up: There's a tutorial on how to make these darlings. So light. So affordable. So perfect with any outfit. Learn nowzers!

And last but CERTAINLY not least, because this is HUGE... to me. 

I got my 1st legit ETSY sale! I say "legit" because I have dealt with some weird stuff in the years I've been on Etsy w/Pochaloca, hoping to make a break. This was awesome also because it was a fellow derby sister making the purchase which she loved. DERBYGIRL LOVE! S.C.D.V BABY!

Quick F.Y.I: Pochaloca purchases come with a lil sweet something because I just freakin love you. 

Headed back to the trabajo table to bring you more goodness.

Cuts & Stitches Mis Bishes,

- The C.C.Q

¡CraftCrap Tutorial: Light-As-A-Feather Flower Earrings!

That time is coming people! Can you smell it? Have you seen it already?

If you've been to your local dollar store I KNOW you have... The Holidays are stretching their bones ready to reeeeeeeeeeek havoc on your wallet till 2015 hits. This lil TUT is gonna show you  how to make some of those on your shopping lists, kinda stoked and super flowery femme-d out. I call them: "Light-As-A-Feather" Flower Earrings. This also a great way to repurpose old earrings.

*Important to note: This project is meant for the ears so be aware that if you or someone you hella love has an allergy issue to plastics/silicone touching their skin, they might still need you to get them that weird ass shirt from that one place. 

Here are the ingredients to your next #craftcrap mess:

Pictured above (starting from left):

• Stud earrings (might even repurpose some old ones! Think about it!) 
• -needle nose pliers
• -hot glue gun w/Lots of extra glue sticks!! (*once you finish this project you might wanna make more of these earrings so keep plenty of glue sticks on hand. **try the dollar store for a great deal on them.)
• -Mod Podge (Not Pictured -doesn't matter what kind-if you don't have it don't trip!)
• Plenty of paints and crap to get down with (brushes, paint pens, glitter, crystals, gems, etc.)
• Some sort of heavy duty glue (I went with this Elmer's Glue All cuz I was out of E6000. Works swimmingly!)
• Xacto Knife
• Bulldog Adhesion Promoter is something that I use when I'm pinstriping weird surfaces and these plastic cuties are kinda hard to paint with regular 96cent paint (not opaque enough, chips off, etc.). This stuff fixes that. Its not necessary but it helps me mucho!

AND THIS...

The Mod Podge Flower Mold (TECHNICALLY, you can use ANY silicon mold you like, this particular tut is gonna use this one. Remember the bigger the mold, the bigger the earring.)

Alright lets get things pumping with a some hot glue heat up!! Sizzle Sizzle!

With that toasty glue we're gonna fill up these molds starting from the lowest point of the design in the mold and outward, filling it up with the glue in almost circular fashion. Keep going till you got that sucker pretty much full of hot glue.

(Try not to go over board as you get to the end of filling it. This will effect your earring ACTUALLY working.)

Filler' up......

And Boom! 

While that glue is still flexible, grap your mold and give it a gentle WHACK on a nice flat surface. Don't get crazy traviesas! You'll end up with hot glue errywhere. This move kinda gets the kinks out from filling gone not right issues. 

That pic was hella hard to take. The ultimate hand action selfie!

Chill time for like 3 minutes and...

You now have flower. Well flowers.  Your gonna grab your Xacto knife and cut two that you like (*Tip: Not all of them will be the same, unless your profesh. Im not. Use your knife to carve out any imperfections you see along the way. Becareful!) if you used the one I did. If not then you need to make another one from your mold or... MAKE TWO DAMN EARRINGS thats what I'm trying to say.

Alright so this step maybe unnecessary, but here comes that Bulldog Adhesion Promoter in effect. 

A quick spritz and a good 5 min dry time in summer time temps... 

That'll get it done.

Time to get down on it!! Do you baby! Glitter that plastic!!! Jazz that flower like its never been jazzed b4. I dunno. 

Make your precious flowers something to last for a minute. Seal it up with your preferred Mod Podge/Sealer. I had some Matte left over. Awesomesauce, quiet literally. 

Dry time again. Its gonna vary.

While they dry you can grab the following:

Not the flowers, obvi. Those are drying. I'm talking about the needle nose and earrings. 

Place the earring post and stem between the cutter part on your needle nose or other wire cutter. 

CUT!

While holding the stem with your pliers, dip the end of the stem into the opening tip of your heavy duty glue container (because you don't need a bunch, just enough!). 

Place the glue end of the stem in the middle of your flower and press down so that it is secure but not piercing through the other side. If you go too far you may not be able to wear it... maybe you got chubby ear skin. I dunno. Just be reasonable or look at your favorite studs for length reference. 

Add the backing and you now have some really cute accessories to add to your jewelry box.

And there you have it. Your next #craftcrap DIY thats can fill all of your holiday goodie bags, stockings, favors and what have yous. 

Oh and did you remember those BALLS we cut off earlier (LOL!)... well like any good crafter, I saw their second life and saved them for this iPhone decoden cover, featuring my homemade ElRod scrap paper. Can you spot them?

Love you foos!

-Cuts & Stitches Mi Bishes

 The C.C.Q