Monthly Archives: September 2015

Coaster Saved by Mod Podge

Too Much Acrylic Spray? Mod Podge to the Rescue!

For those who don’t know me, I wear many hats…musician, wife and mother, nutritionist, entrepreneur, and crafter. In conjunction with those comes, housekeeper, bookkeeper, problem solver, nurse, “budget-er”, confidante, shipping specialist, inventor, advertiser, photographer, webmaster, and the list goes on.

Lately I’ve been winding up some craft projects in getting ready for an upcoming craft show. My latest endeavor…coasters, some with cute sayings on them, some with just fabric. Things were going along smoothly until I sprayed too much acrylic spray in the finishing touches on some of them, in an effort to “get a good coating on them.” Well, a heavy coating of acrylic spray was NOT a good idea. They appeared cloudy. At first I assumed they just weren’t drying because the weather was damp. After waiting all day, I realized I created a real problem.

After doing some Internet research and trying a few things, I found my answer to getting them to look bright, clear and shiny again. But first, let me tell you what NOT to do…

First, I tried sanding them with 220 grit sand paper. Then I wiped them down with a damp cloth. All good and well, but the excess acrylic spray was still on them and they looked worse than before I sanded them. They were dull and scratched looking.

I tried wet sanding another one with #400 grit sand paper, then wiping them down with a damp cloth. Not much better results than the attempt with the other sand paper.

Next, I tried a cotton ball with pure acetone (nail polish remover). That DID remove some of the acrylic spray, but created a sticky, gummy mess that also took some cotton ball fibers along with it that I couldn’t remove from the coaster. Yuk. Won’t do that again!

The nail polish remover did the trick of telling me not to venture further. Here’s what I found that DID work, EVEN with the coasters that were scratched and dull looking…

I found that lightly sanding them with #0000 steel wool (that’s the finest grade of steel wool you can buy) took just a hint of the outer layer of acrylic spray off the top and also removed any small bumps that were formed in the process of coating them initially. This made them smooth and a bit dull looking. I wiped them off with a damp cloth and dried them.

Coaster Saved by Mod Podge

Coaster Saved by Mod Podge

Next, I reapplied a thin coating Mod Podge (glossy finish) with a foam brush. After they dried, to my amazement, the brilliant color of the fabric returned! They did not look dull, nor scratched (EVEN the ones that were scratched from so much sand papering looked shiny and the color of the fabric was brilliant). The picture to the right is one of the coasters that looked really scratched after attacking it with sand paper. The picture was taken after applying the one coat of glossy Mod Podge. (Note, the “scratch” appearance in the lower left corner is not scratches at all; it’s light reflection of the glossy finish.)

After allowing the Mod Podge to dry really well, I reapplied three very thin layers of acrylic spray and the coasters look fabulous. Needless to say, THOSE coasters are well coated and should work well for a long time!

Lightly sanding the excess acrylic spray and reapplying Mod Podge saved me from losing my merchandise. If you’ve accidentally over-sprayed your clear acrylic spray, and your project is cloudy looking, try lightly sanding it with fine steel wool, wiping it off with a damp cloth, wiping it dry, then reapplying a thin layer of Mod Podge. After it dries well, start over with the acrylic spray with light, thin layers. It worked for me and hopefully will work for you too!

Happy crafting,
Judi

NEW Unique Effective Gentle Dish Scrubbies

NEW Handmade Dish Scrubbies Unique Simple Effective

As I’ve said in previous blog posts, I love to create and am always looking for something a little different to make. I’m a practical person, so I usually stick with “useful” things, rather than dust collectors. When I discovered this new scrubby yarn, I decided to give it a try. To my delight, it makes excellent, nonabrasive, very effective scrub pads that are MUCH less stressful to make than those made with nylon netting. Hence, I’ve added them to the collection of merchandise on my website.

These scrubbies or scrub pads are simple yet very effective at removing dried food and residue from dishes, pots and pans, glassware, ceramics, silverware, etc. They are nonabrasive, so they can easily be used on nonstick cookware, dishes, crystal, glassware, silverware, you name it! I’ve shared them with friends and neighbors and they’ve come back wanting more! They are soft on hands, yet they have a scrubbing power greater than cotton dishcloths alone.

Each is made with two strands of yarn…a cotton yarn plus a scrubby yarn. The new scrubby yarn has little “extensions” that gently remove food from dishes. That yarn is made from 100% polyester, so it does not bleed when washed. I couple it with cotton yarn for absorbency and together they make a real workhorse for washing dishes!

I’ve found that the blend of polyester with cotton makes them more durable than cotton alone, and they don’t tend to sour like all cotton does. When it’s laundry day, simply toss them in the washer and dryer along with other towels and they come out good as new. I prefer to put mine in a laundry bag since they are rather small compared to a bath towel.

The size is roughly 4-1/2 inches square, so they are a comfortable size to handle when doing dishes. Not too big, not too small. They wring out easily too, so they’re worth trying if you’re looking for something a little different that’s new, very effective, simple, nonabrasive, and gentle on skin.

Green and Blue Scrubby Set

Green and Blue Scrubby Set

I currently have three color combinations available, all in packs of four. One combo has two green and two royal blue, all with cream colored cotton yarn.

 

 

 

 

Red and Yellow Scrubby Set

Red and Yellow Scrubby Set

The next combo has two red and two yellow, all coupled with cream cotton yarn.

 

 

 

 

 

Black with Beige Yarn Scrubby Set

Black with Beige Yarn Scrubby Set

The third option has four black coupled with beige cotton yarn.

 

 

 

 

 

Green Blue Scrubby Set

Green Blue Scrubby Set

As you can see from the pics, the scrubby yarn comes in bold, bright colors. More combos are coming! Click the links above (or here) if you’re interested in trying any of these wonderful, new, unique and effective scrubbies! They’re worth a try and you’ll be glad you did!

Enjoy,
Judi