InspireMe Crafts

Dollar Diva: Tin Advent Calendar

"Life is a constant Advent season: we are continually waiting to become, to discover, to complete, to fulfill. Hope, struggle, fear, expectation and fulfillment are all part of our Advent experience."

 

Thanksgiving is over and now that the beginning of December is upon us its time to start the countdown to Christmas. And of course we have to do it in a fun, creative, and personal way and that is how the Tin Advent Calendar was born.   While doing a little online research I found out that the word 'Advent' comes from the latin word 'andventur' meaning 'arrival'.  Ahhh...itall makes sense to me now!  Now that I'm responsible for teaching the little man some important stuff I figured that I better fill in some of those blanks in my information bank so when the lil man asks "Why" or "what's that" I'll be equipped with something besides "I dunno" or "Go ask your dad".  Hence the little research. I love the internet :). 

I finally got to my project and as you might notice its not quite an Advent Wreath like I had planned, but more of an Advent calendar.  The original plan was to cut out a circleout of some cardboard I had and then add the tin cans around the circle like wreath decorations.  But as I sat there decorating every tin I decided to change my game plan.  I really liked how they looked next to each other so I wanted to keep them in the grid.  Lucky for me the DollarTree came to the rescue again!  The circle tins, cookie pan, and ribbon are all from the Dollar Tree.  The paper that was used was all left over Christmas paper from last year.  This creative and fun Advent Calendar can be made for under $10 if you already have paper and stickers and could probably still be made for under $15 if you need to buy paper and stickers.  Here's what you need:

MATERIALS:

Circle Tins(I found mine at the DollarTree in packs of 4.  They can also be found at Michaels for a lot more money)
Cookie Pan
Ribbon
Paper
Stickers
Glue Gun
Tape
Pencil
Scissors

HOW TO:

1. Trace the circle tin onto a piece of heavy cardstock.  Cut it out.  Use this as your template.  Trace around 24 pieces of paper and cut out.  Have fun!  This is where the kids can help if they are old enough.
2.  Once the papers are cut out lay them out in a color grid that you like.  Then apply number stickers. 
3.  Keeping the papers in the order you like start inserting the paper onto the inside of the tin.  You may need to tape them in place on the inside.  Put it back in its grid place and move on to the next.  Do with all 24.
4.  Take your cookie pan and arrange all the tins onto the cookie pan so they are equally spaced.  Start using your glue gun to glue the bottom of the tin to the cookie pan.  Continue with all 24.
5.  Use your glue gun to attach the ribbon to the back of the cookie pan.  You can make a bow or just a loop to hang it. 
6.  Fill your advent tins with lots of treasures!

This year we are going to do a treasure hunt advent calendar.  Since Lil Man is 2 and not the brilliant girl on the Today show that can already read, we are going to simplify it for him.  We are going to take pictures of places where the present might be hidden and he has to go find it.  For example, we may take a picture of shoes so that he has to go look in the closet to find his gift.  We're doing a combination of this and putting little surprises in the tin like chocolate and stickers.  Other ideas might include inspirational quotes, a little part of the Nativity Story, chocolate, stickers, or clues to where the little gift might be hidden. 

Enjoy and YAY! for the Holiday season!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Holiday Letters - JOY, BELIEVE, HOPE

 

I hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving and are now ready to get in the full blown Holiday Season!  To start off the wonderful season I wanted to introduce you to my Holiday Collection.  I currently have three letters available "JOY", "BELIEVE", and "HOPE".  I have one of each ready to ship at this time!  I can also do a custom order and mix and match designs and words.  Please check them out at MY ETSY SHOP and to purchase.

I'm currently working on an Advent Wreath that I can't wait to share with you.  I'm trying to finish it ASAP but something always seems to come up!! :)

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun! 

Creative Thanksgiving Crafts

"A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues" - Marcus Tullius Cicero

Since I didn't provide a plethora of Thanksgiving craft ideas I thought I'd at least point you in the right direction for some cute ideas that will keep your kids occupied (and maybe the hubby if he is better off out of the kitchen) while you create the feast of a lifetime. 

Past Ideas from InspireMe Crafts:

"Give Thanks" Banner
Thankful Tree
Thanksgiving Tablerunner
Thanksgiving Trivia and Fun Facts
Thanksgiving Quotes
Terra Cotta Pot Thanksgiving Turkey

Ideas from other creative websites:

Cardboard Tube Pilgrims
Family Handprint Turkey
Apple Thanksgiving Placecards
Terra Cotta Pot Pilgrim Centerpiece
Pilgrim Cap Place Cards
Pine Cone Turkey

Well those ideas should keep you, and hopefully your kids, busy!  I'm off to finally make my grocery list for the Thanksgiving meals, desserts, and all that yummy stuff in between.  I'm hoping it all turns out great...actually I'm just hoping it turns out.  I guess that's what I'm most thankful for this year, that my husband didn't marry me for my cooking skills and my son is too young to really remember if we end up ordering Chinese food because the turkey, mashed potatoes, and everything else just weren't up to par.  At least I know I can get the dessert right! 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Pink & Brown Bedroom Decorated Letters

 

Here are photos of an order from an ABC Baby Boutique customer.  They are surprising their daughters with this new room for Christmas.  Are you jealous?...I am!  Remember the letters are on sale until the end of November for $18 at my Etsy Shop.  I love doing custom orders to match your room or you can choose from some of the designs I've already done!  I think its now time for me to figure out Thanksgiving dinner since we're only a couple days away!  AHHHHH.....

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Your Child's Name in Alphabet Blocks

"Action, looks, words, steps, form the alphabet by which you spell character" - Johann Kaspar Lavater

 

I was busy knocking some things off of my giant "To-Do" list when I decided to do this project.  The latest project has been putting the toys Lil Man no longer uses into plastic tubs and into the storage room.  But of course as soon as I start putting them away he wants to play with them :).  Instead of putting these alphabet blocks in the plastic tub for who knows how long, I decided to pull out the glue gun and create Lil Man's name to display on top of his bookcase.  And as I type this I realize the secret is now out....you now know "Lil Man's" real identity.  See, this just proves that my husband is right...I am a horible secret keeper.  I hate to say that my husband is right....it just doesn't sound right coming out of my mouth.  (I love you hunny). 

The good news is that I recently saw packages of these alphabet blocks in the dollar section of Target so if you don't have extra blocks hanging around you can jump oI decided to do it vertically, but you of course could also choose to do it horizontally.  Instead of letting the alphabet block name stand alone you could also add it to a frame, chalboard, corkboard, or even put it above your child's designated cubby in a mudroom. 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun! 

Cranberry & Pink Floral Letter

 

Here is picture of my latest custom hanging letter.  This design is now available at My Etsy Shop or you can always contact me via email with any questions!  They will remain on sale for $18 until the end of November.

I've given up on Thanksgiving, besides the meal of course, because I just have been too busy.  So now I'm focusing on Christmas to bring you some new and fun craft ideas for the holidays.  So stay tuned...

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

****UPDATE****  My last pink & cranberry floral design has been sold.  However, I have a dark red/light red version available and I'm always to willing to work with you individually to find the perfect match for your room just email me at inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com.

 

Gotta Make It: Terra Cotta Pot Thanksgiving Turkey

"Gobble 'til you Wobble"

 

OK...don't laugh.  I decided to share because I still think my Terra Cotta Pot Thanksgiving Turkey is somewhat of a good idea even if the execution gets a B-.    If you take a closer look at my turkey head, you'll notice it doesn't look quite like a turkey :(.  At least I got the feathers right.  In fact, my son said it was a snake and when my husband saw it he didn't say anything.  Whether his silence was a sign of a long day or if he was just keeping the laughter from bursting out we'll really never know his true feelings, but the silence was enough to know that this little gift will stay put on our coffee table instead of someone else's. 

If you decide to give the Thanksgiving turkey a try and have some better artistic abilities than I do, I'd love to see pictures.  We decided to fill it with almonds, but you could do M&M's (his other favorite) or any other nut mixture you like.  Give it as a gift or make a larger one to hold some snacks prior to the big feast. 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun! 

Custom Decorated Letter - "Kenlee" Purple & Teal Stripes

 

Here is a photo of the first order through ABC Baby Boutique! They sent me a picture of the bedding and then I created the letter to match.  I think its going to be adorable in the room and add that special touch.  Take a look at other designs at My Etsy Shop, ABC Baby Boutique, or you can browse around my online photo gallery to the right.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Decorated Letters now available at ABC Baby Boutique!!!

   

Great news!  I was contacted by the owner of ABC Baby Boutique about offering my Custom decorated letters on her website and within a week we were up and rolling!  I'm so excited to be expanding my customer base and I would say its been a success.  So far I've completed 3 letters that are ready to be put in the mail tomorrow and a new list to start on tomorrow. The owner, Kathy, makes adorable bows, headbands, tutus, and everything else you could think of for your little princess so be sure to go check her out at www.abcbabyboutique.com!

I'll be sharing my first custom orders through www.abcbabyboutique.com this week so stay tuned!  And hopefully I'll have some time to share some Thanksgiving ideas...if not you know I'll have plenty of Christmas ideas to share :).

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Thanksgiving Quotes, Poems, & Sayings

I'm still in shock that Thanksgiving is only two weeks away and I blame it on the media and stores!  They make you forget about Thanksgiving because as soon as Halloween is over the Christmas stuff takes over all the stores and the Holday television advertisements now replace all the Election ads.  Ahhh!!  So I'm a little behind on ideas for Thanksgiving so I thought I'd start with some simple Thanksgiving quotes, poems, and sayings that you can use for your projects, cards, table settings, or just for a little inspiration!  Enjoy...

We are blessed.

Gobble til you wobble. 

Carving Memories

What a Bunch of Turkeys!

Count Your Blessings

Family Traditions

The Feast

Hearts full of Thanks

Having someone to love is family, having somewhere to go is home, having both is a blessing.

Thank you for the food before us, the friends beside us, and thelove between us.

There is always, always, something to be thankful for.

Everyday is a gift.

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.  ~E.P. Powell

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The thing I'm most thankful for right now is elastic waistbands.  ~Author Unknown

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
~Author Unknown

I love Thanksgiving turkey.  It's the only time in Los Angeles that you see natural breasts.  ~Arnold Schwarzenegger

Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday.  People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year.  And then discover once a year is way too often.  ~Johnny Carson

Baby Blue & Brown Custom Decorated Letter

 

Here is the newest design to add to the collection.  A very simple baby blue and brown combination that can obviously be done with any color scheme to match your your room or nursery.  Please check out the other designs at my online shop at http://inspiremecrafts.etsy.com and in the photo album to the right of the website. 

I love custom orders so please let me know your color scheme or theme and we can go from there!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It...with the kids: Special Sidewalk Chalk Message

 "The reason grandchildren and grandparents get along so well is that they have a common enemy. " ~Sam Levenson

 

I came across these pictures the other day on my computer as I was trying to cross another project off my list, which was take old photos off the computer and save them to some CD's.  I was trying to make more space on my computer and hopefully improve the quality of how its running.  This is just one project of many.   I've made a deal with myself that I can't start any new projects until I finish all the ones that are already on my list.  This includes household projects as well as craft projects.  I feel like I'm nesting and I'm not even 9 months pregnant.  In fact, to clarify, I'm not pregnant at all... maybe this is just a "Winter Cleaning" and trying to prepare for the craziness of the holidays and everything that is out of my control.  At least I can control my project list.  :)

Anyway, the grandparents were coming to visit from Washington State (I have to add the state part now that we live in Virginia) so Lil Man and I decided to leave them a little note that they would see as they came into the house. You'll also notice that it was obviously some time ago since he's got shorts and Crocs on.  Although its not 80 degrees most places right now, as long as there is no snow on the ground you can still leave a special chalk message for your loved ones.  Surprise your husband with a note, or have your kids surprise their dad.  Whoever it is will definitely enjoy a little surprise like this one. 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Dollar Diva: Children's Art on Canvas

"There is no abstract art.  You must always start with something.  Afterward you can remove all traces of reality." - Pablo Picasso

 

I'm trying to find more and more creative ways to showcase Lil Man's artwork besides throwing them into a memory book.  I hit the jackpot when I went to the DollarTree and found canvases there for $1.  The size I used for these were 3 in a pack for $1  You cannot beat that and needless to say I stocked up so you'll be sure to see more canvas projects.  :)

He painted these pictures a while ago and they were sitting in the pantry waiting for a home.  Since they were 11 X 17 pieces of paper I was able to get two canvases out of one piece of paper.  I used spray adhesive to attach the art to the canvas and then used glue on the back side to fold over the edges.  I attached a photo hanger and voila!  You have instant art that could really be showcased in any room!  If you don't already have art waiting to be showcased skip the step of painting the paper and go straight to the canvas.  Your little one will feel like a true artist with his/her own blank canvas to begin with.  In fact, maybe you'll want to find your creative artist inside as well.  :)

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

11/04/2008

 

That's all I have to say today :)

Crayola Crayon Trick-or-Treaters this Halloween

I wanted to share some of the pictures from readers who decided to give the Crayola Crayon Halloween costume a whirl.  What I love is all the variety you see in these costumes.  That's exactly what I wanted this website to be...to inspire you with an idea and then you can apply your own creativity and variations to the ideas to make it your own.  I think they all turned out adorable!  Take a look....

 

You thought you had your hands full?  Megin C. dressed up her 4 yr old twins and her 17 month old triplets..along with her husband of course.  :)  And don't they look adorable?!?

 

Stacy, Ashly, Holly, Nittaya, Heather, & Amber decided to make their costumes a little more hip than just some sweatpants for their work party.  They found tunics, tank tops, shirts, leggings, and shoes in their colors and used those instead.  Add some fun hair wigs from orientaltrading.com and you are set to go! 

 

Liana, Tony, Joey, and Christina created their tops on fabric that they could put right over their clothes.  Brilliant and cute as can be!

  

And all you can do is go "ohhhh, how cute!" when you see these precious girls.  And yes, they are triplets!  Another mom we should all bow down to in awe. 

Thanks again for our readers who tested it out and shared their pictures!  If you made the costume and want to share your pictures please send them to inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com and we'll share them for everyone to 'ohh' and 'ahh' over!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Happy Halloween! Oh wait, was that yesterday?!

"Happy Belated Non-existent Halloween!"

The title of this post is perfect to explain our Halloween. Please indulge me and let me explain...

As of a week ago, this was my son's costume...CavMan. 

If you are not familiar with Cavman, he is the University of Virginia mascot, and since Lil Man seems to be the biggest UVA fan there is it only makes sense.  Just to put how much he loves UVA into perspective, let me give you some examples:

 

1.  What 2 year old wants to read the UVA Athletic Department Annual Report (basically a financial report with some pics) as his night time story?  No joke.  That's what he wants.

 

2.  He has been practicing his Trick-or-Treat line for Halloween of "Trick-or-Treat. Let's Go 'Hoos" for at least 2 weeks.

 

3.  He will listen to a 1/2 hour CD of the Virginia Marching Band and will stand in front of the CD player and play his trumpet for the WHOLE CD.  He'll even march for you and do a little dance. 

 

4.  If his clothes are not orange and blue or UVA you have to bargain with him to wear them.  Needless to say, we have a plethora of orange and blue in his closet.  In order to get him to wear new shoes we had to buy blue and orange ones and call them "UVA Soccer shoes".

 

5.  He says "Good Night" to the soccer players, football players, CavMan, Basketball team, and the marching band every night before he goes to sleep.

 

6.  If you ask him where he works he says "I work UVA.  UVA Basketball". 

 

As you can see, this Halloween costume is only fitting for the biggest littlest UVA fan there is. And let me remind you that this was not mom or dad's idea...he requested CavMan for his costume for the last 2 months.  If we rewind to yesterday, this is what our Halloween ended up being:

 

You may notice no CavMan costume.  No displaying mom's first real accomplishment on the sewing machine.  No strutting around the campus as the cutest thing ever.  No candy (mom was more disappointed about this than anyone).  No nothing.  Just a simple "Happy Halloweeeeeeen" as he munched on some fried chicken.  Which was also not part of the dinner plan for Halloween. But all of this just reiterates that although we think we may be in control, the opposition from a 2 year old can be hair-pulling frustrating, and trying to say we are in control may be a little white lie.  However, I did have control over one thing....my emotions.  Although I may have been devastatingly disappointed, instead of turning into a walking and talking water faucet I realized that he was having just as much fun munching on his drumstick and talking to his dad as getting a bag full of candy.  Although our evening did not consist of knocking on doors and hearing "trick-or-treat. Let's go Hoos", it did consist of my son's laughter and some special time with dad during a crazy week.  Now that's priceless and better than a bag full of candy for mom....I think ;-).

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun.