Challenge 23 – You Are Here

What to do with all the old maps you’ve accumulated now that we have AAA and GPS? Turn them into something crafty of course! This week we either made something with a map or made something that looks like or is inspired by a map. [See all the submissions from Iron Craft]

Melinda Hileman’s Submission: Travel Box

Melinda and her mom have gone on a lot of trips together, and she always keeps brochures and souvenirs. She decided to turn a shoe box into a keepsake box for our travel goodies!

Using an old box from her husband’s boots, Melinda Mod Podged scraps of paper bags over the box, then added pieces of maps from each place they went. The box only has a few maps so far since most of her travel things are in storage. There’s plenty of room for maps on the outside, but she may run out of room inside!

Challenge 24: Something For Him

Father’s Day was coming up, and it was time to recognize the wonderful men in our lives. (Recognize them with a craft, of course!) [See all the submissions from Iron Craft]

Melinda Hileman’s Submission: Happy Father’s Day (from the dog)

Melinda made these cards (that were to be given to her husband and be from the dog) in eScrapLite on her iPhone since she was away from her computer most of the week. She had to do some tweaking and add the text in Photoshop since eScrapLite is frustrating and doesn’t leave text where you put it (among other issues).

Challenge 25: Scan This!

You’ve seen these QR codes pop up everywhere and Iron Craft thinks their graphic quality just screams to be used in crafts. Plus our crafts could contain a secret message since once scanned QR codes can link to a website, video or even just text. [See all the submissions from Iron Craft]

Melinda Hileman’s Submission: QR Code for grandma

This week was rough, since Melinda’s grandmother had been in the hospital and she was going into hospice. She made this to tell her everything she wanted her to know just in case Melinda did’t have time. Not exactly a craft, but a geeky way of saying goodbye.

The code reads: “Mamaw, we are here with you and love you very much. We want you to know that we will be okay. We will look after each other and keep our family together. Thank you for being you – you made us who we are today. Your love will never be forgotten. Even though we will miss you, it is perfectly natural for you to go. We will treasure all of the beautiful moments that we had together, but we don’t want you to suffer anymore, or to continue to cling to life just for us. You have our full and complete permission to die. Grandpa will be waiting for you when Jesus calls for you. You have nothing to fear or worry about. You know that we will always love you.”

Challenge 26: Camp Craft

Woohoo! With this challenge we are halfway through the first year of Iron Craft! Summer is here, and some of you were literally at camp. In honor of these adventures they challenged us to do some camp crafts.[See all the submissions from Iron Craft]

Melinda Hileman’s Submission: Hospital Survival Kit

Melinda spent the last two weeks camping out in a hospital and then a hospice to stay with her grandma. These are the items that she was glad I had (or finally got someone to bring her!).

Hospital survival kit:

1. Good Kleenex – the stuff at hospitals is like sandpaper
2. Pillowcase – how well do they really wash those things?!
3. Bandana – some days, your hair is not going to cooperate – cover it up
4. iPhone – way to update family and keep entertained
5. Charger – no way to use your iPhone if it’s dead
6. Chapstick – I think their air is dryer, so your lips really need it
7. Eye mask – there are always lights on that will annoy you
8. Ear plugs – there are always sounds that will annoy you and keep you awake
9. Gum – for morning breath, or when your mouth gets dry
10. Hair tie – the temperature fluctuates, so it’s good to have something to tie up your hair with
11. Pen and paper – if family asks what the person’s doctor said, it’s good to have lots of notes
12. Hand sanitizer – they may have some in the hospital, but its always good to have your own
13. Change – your days start to seem to revolve around meals, so have lots of cash handy

If you get a couple of the pocket-size Kleenex packs, all this will fit in a gallon ziploc if needed. That ziploc is great for putting your wet toothbrush and shampoo in so that you can keep them clean and out of the bathroom.

Challenge 27: Stars and Stripes

As we headed to the 4th of July, the stores fill up with Red, White and Blue accessories. Old Navy puts out a whole LINE of clothing for the day. It’s funny, because at least with Christmas sweaters, you can get a whole season out of the piece. But much as Iron Craft WISHES it were, the 4th of July is not a whole season. It is just a day, and if you are lucky, you stretch it into a weekend. In honor of the 4th, and all the fun, they challenged us to make something ‘stars and stripes’ inspired. [See all the submissions from Iron Craft]

Melinda Hileman’s Submission: Stars and Stripes Charm Necklace

Before her grandmother died, Melinda told her she wanted to make a charm necklace for her and grandpa. Her only request was that it included an American flag. Melinda included a flag for grandpa (he was in the Navy and loved our country), a cross charm and a blue bird charm for grandma (she loved the bluebird of happiness and watching the birds out her window). She made the flag and bird charms using Mod Podge Dimensional Magic. Since she used an inkjet printer, the images did bleed a little, but they still turned out pretty good considering she’d never done anything like this before.