InspireMe Crafts

Gotta Make It: Chalkboard Silhouette (Denim & Diamonds Party Décor)

My other obsession right now is chalkboard paint and I am turning anything and everything into a chalkboard. The chalkboard silhouette for my Denim & Diamonds party just proves my obsession. At first I was going to make a stencil using freezer paper and spray paint the area with chalkboard paint. But that just seemed like a little too much work when it was the day before. Thank goodness for Michael's shipment of new stuff because they now carry chalkboard stickers that come in a rectangle size a little bigger than 8x10. With the chalkboard sticker, I just cut out the silhouette using a stencil printed from online, peeled off the back and attached it so my fabric covered canvas. Since this was a "bling" party where guests could try on jewelry I added some rhinestones around the silhouette's neck and a few from where her ears would be.

For some of the other decorations…

I made a table runner from some discount fabric and used the remnants to cover some canvases.

I took a clear vase that I'm sure we all have hanging around or you can find one at the Dollar Tree. I spray painted it white along with some branches. With leftover fabric from the baby food jar candles, I wrapped it around the center of the vase and scotch taped it into place. Yep….scotch tape.

From the branches I hung some beads to add some more "bling". We were going to hang some earrings from the jewelry line, but they were just a tad too heavy for the branches.

I hope you like some of the ideas from my Denim & Diamonds party sparked some simple but fabulous ideas for your own party! I promise that next time I have a party I will take way more photos!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Terra Cotta Pot Easter Bunny

"If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done"

I must admit...I'm very proud of this project.  This was one of those accidental projects that was just meant to be. At the Dollar Tree I got 4 Terra Cotta Pots for $1.   I used one in my Easter Topiary project so I was trying to figure out how to use the other three.  Well..here it is!  The cutest Terra Cotta Pot Bunny ever. This Easter craft would be great to do with kids of all ages....my almost 2 year old son did the painting.  I just added a little 'touch-ups' when he was done. :)  I promise that its really easy, even if my "how-to" looks a little long. 

MATERIALS:

3 Terra Cotta Pots (I chose 2.5 inch one)
White (or off white) craft paint
Paper
Ribbon
Wiggly Eyes
Pink Pom-Poms
Cotton Balls
Glue, scissors, black felt pen, paintbrush

HOW-TO:

1. Start by putting glue around the large rim of one terra cotta pot.  Take the 2nd pot and immediately attach the large rim to the previous one (the second pot is basically upside down on top of the first). This creates the bottom portion of the bunny.  Then take the 3rd pot and apply glue to the small bottom portion.  Place on top of the 2 attached terra cotta pots.  Let dry.  Look at the picture if there is any confusion.  NOTE:  I chose to use the glue gun because I didn't have any other glue that was strong enough. It worked great if you are careful when you apply it.

2.  Paint the three pots.  Also paint the top inside portion of the top terra cotta pot.  Let dry (this doesn't take long).  NOTE:  I chose a slightly off-white color instead of a bright white and I really like how it turned out.

3. While the paint is drying start to cut out the body parts for the bunny.  You'll need two ears, two arms, and two feet.  Be creative with the paper you choose.  I chose an off-white paper and the pink and white polka dots.  I inked the edges of the paper with a pink inkpad (the kind you use with rubber stamps) to give it a softer look.  Draw in any fingernails or 'toenails' on the bunny.

4.  When the paint is dry, attach the bunny ears to the inside of the top terra cotta pot.

5.  Attach the top of the arms (shoulders) to the side of the bunny (leave the 'hands' unglued at this time).

6.  Attach the feet of the bunny underneath the bottom terra cotta pot. 

7. (OPTIONAL) I added a ribbon bow-tie to my bunny.  I first attached the ribbon around the 'neck' of the bunny (where the two pots meet).  I then created my bow-tie, by cutting the ribbon on diagonals and gluing them together.  Then I attached the bow-tie on top of the ribbon. 

8.  Cut out an Easter egg.  I glued the bunny hands to my paper egg and the top part of the egg to the terra cotta pot. 

9.  Add wiggly eyes underneath the rim of the terra cotta pot.

10.  Add a small pink pom-pom as the nose.  Draw in the mouth with a black felt pen.

11.  Don't forget to add the bunny tail with a larger pink pom pom on the back. :)

12.  Put cotton balls in the top of the terra cotta pot. 

12.  And finally....enjoy! 

I hope my directions made sense.  I'm trying to improve my 'how-to' directions, but who knew it was so time consuming!  I like the creating part..not explaining how :).  Hopefully if there is any confusion the picture can clear it up.  I really hope you enjoy this one.  Please, please, please, send me some pictures if you decide to do it. I would love to see the creativity of everyone and possibly even share them with everyone! My email is inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com.

Take care and until my next last minute project comes to me...

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Frankenstein Takeout Box

"Hold on, man. We don't go anywhere with "scary," "spooky," "haunted," or "forbidden" in the title". ~From Scooby-Doo

 

Our happy Frankenstein Takeout Box is easy, inexpensive, cute, and quick to make! We are going to fill them with some yummy and fun Halloween treats and give to Lil Man's pre-school teacher. Here's what you need to get started:

MATERIALS:

Green Chinese takeout boxes (found at Michaels or another craft store in the gift packaging area)
Black & White Felt
Black Permanent Marker
Wiggly Eyes
Brads
Glue & Scissors

HOW-TO:

1. Cut out black felt so that the top edge is flat and the bottom edge is in a zig-zag. Glue the black felt on the top portion of the sides for his hairline.
2. Glue two wiggly eyes on.
3. Push the brad through the takeout box to make a nose. On the inside secure the brad in place by separating the metal parts.
4. Draw a smiling face (or mean one if don't want a silly Frankenstein) and a scar above his eye with a black marker.
5. Cut out little teeth with the white felt and glue to the drawn in mouth.
6. Fill with Halloween surprises.
7. Give to someone special.

Enjoy!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Silly Monster Halloween Treat Boxes

Lil Man and I had lots of fun making these Silly Monster Treat Boxes for Halloween. Plus, every time he starts to show a hint of being afraid of monsters we just say "it's one of those silly monsters" and it seems to calm those fears before they jump out of the closet. All you need are some craft supplies you probably have laying around your house. Here is what you need for your next Halloween Craft….

MATERIALS:

Small Boxes with lids ($1 at Michaels)
Craft Paint
Craft Supplies (Wiggly eyes, felt, small pom-poms, pipe cleaners, straw, yarn, buttons, feathers, etc)
Markers, Glue, Glue Gun, Scissors

HOW-TO:

1. Paint your treat boxes your favorite colors
2. Start cutting, gluing, coloring, and get creative!
3. Fill with yummy treats
4. Give to your family and friends

Button Billy Monster

 

Triple Eye Timmy Monster

 

Pink Paulina Monster
(Lil Man's Creation)

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It….With the Kids: Handmade Gift Wrap & Gift Bag

"The manner of giving is worth more than the gift".  ~Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ever get tired of going to wrap a present and having the wrapping paper at the end of its roll….just short of what you need to succesfully wrap your gift? Or how about this…you go to wrap a Birthday gift and you have 3 rolls of Christmas wrapping paper, but no birthday paper. Ahhh!!! Have no worries because after we did this handmade gift wrap for a friend, I'm not sure we'll go back to store bought wrapping paper anytime soon. This was a nice creative twist to traditional wrapping…and thoughtful J. Lil Man had a birthday party to attend and in true fashion, we devoted plenty of time to picking out just the right presents, but not enough on how we were going to wrap or bag it.

My "Ah-ha" moment came when I looked up and saw a painting by Lil Man on his painting easel that had been there for a little while. I had him add some final touches to it and voila, we had creative DIY wrapping paper. If you don't have a painting easel with a roll of white paper, but do have that leftover Christmas paper, just use the white side of the wrapping paper to paint.

Then came the next challenge. We had this large flying disc thing-a-majig and did not have a bag big enough for it and wrapping it seemed too daunting for an 8:00a.m. project. We needed a handmade gift bag…

 

To make our handmade gift bag, we took some white paper from a roll of paper, cut a piece about 6 feet long, layed it on the kitchen floor, and started coloring with markers. Lil Man drew a humpback whale (see it J), some squigles, and his favorite –circles. We folded it in half and then used a hole punch to punch holes along the sides. We grabbed some scrap ribbon and tied knots thru each hole to secure the bag. Add a couple holes at the top and a ribbon to make the gift bag handles. And once again, a creative and handmade gift bag for that special someone.

Look at Lil Man! He is so proud of his creation and ready to give it to his lil buddy. Can someone talk this kid into a haircut?!?

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Photo Magnet Bookmarks

When I posted my Magnet Bookmarks previously it only took a few moments for my biggest fan (my mom of course) to call and ask for one. Instead of using some pretty paper, I decided to use a photo of her favorite grandson (and only grandson). A simple request turned into a great gift for Grandparent's Day. I followed the same instructions outlined on the Magnet Bookmark post. However, I took it a step further to package the gift in a creative way. I went to the DollarTree and found a book. I then ripped out a page, displayed the magnet on the page, and just in case they didn't get it….added "A bookmark!". I then put it in a clear plastic sleeve to keep the photo safe. Of course I made a handful for all the grandparents and great grandparents…

You can do this very quickly so if you are scrambling for some Grandparent's Day gifts…you still have plenty of time!

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Juice Box Flower Vase

"Earth laughs in flowers."  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Hamatreya"

Nothing says summer like a backyard barbecue with bright colors and beautiful colors.  When we were on vacation last week (hence the lack of posts), we went to my cousin's wedding reception.  Besides the fact that my Aunt and Uncle have a yard and garden that should be featured in Sunset Magazine, they also added a few creative touches to their backyard barbecue wedding reception.  At each rectangular table were a couple of Juice Box Flower Vases full of bright flowers.  All she did was clean out a juice container, cut off the top, add some water, and add a bouquet of your favorite flowers.  So simple, so economical, and so adorable!  You could use these juice box flower vases for Baby Shower decorations, barbecue decorations, Mother's Day gift, and I'm going to use it as a little hostess gift this weekend for a barbecue we are attending. 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Magnet Bookmark

"Why pay a dollar for a bookmark?  Why not use the dollar as a bookmark?"  - Steven Spielberg

 If I can make an everyday object pretty, well gosh darnet I will!  My random bookmarks of receipts, scratch pieces of paper or the book-cover flap were just not flying anymore.  The solution?  Magnet bookmarks out of some of my favorite paper. The magnets hold your bookmark in place and you can even place it to remember what sentence you are on if you couldn't finish the page. But the possibilities  don't stop with pretty paper.  Use a favorite greeting card that was given to you, a ticket from a concert, game or play, a photo, etc.  This project takes 5 minutes, so squeeze a little time in and whip-up some eye candy for your summer reads.

What You Will Need:

Paper (photo, card, ticket, postcard, etc)
Adhesive Magnets (I had business card magnets that I cut in 1/3)
Scissors

To Get Started:

1.  Fold your paper in 1/2.  You can use any size you want. 
2.  Cut your magnets to size if needed. Remove the adhesive protector from your magnets. Place one magnet on each end of your paper so that when you fold it they attract.
3.  Start using the magnet bookmark in your book

Magnet bookmarks are great little gifts for stocking stuffers, Book Club gifts, hostess gifts, or you could make one for Father's Day using a photo or some artwork from the kids.  I'd love to see some pictures if you decide to make some magnet bookmarks of your own.  :)

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun! 

Gotta Make It: Flower Gift Boxes

"We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers."  ~Seneca

 

I've been making a conscientious effort to avoid buying things that I don't have an immediate use for.  Luckily, I did not follow my own rules when I came across these flower gift boxes in the shape of a purse while doing some bargain hunting at the DollarTree.  Instead of saying, "Oh, those are cute" and moving my little tush forward, I stopped,knelt down to the bottom shelf and piled every color they had into my arms.  The ideas were limitless...flower girl gifts, Mother's Day brunch table settings, random gifts, birthday gifts, teacher gifts, thank you gifts....you get the point.  But you know what happened?  I liked them so much and I was so selfish that I held on to them forever because they were just too cute.  Well, I finally came to terms that a bunch of flower gift boxes sitting on a shelf were not doing any one any good.  Mother's Day was here and my son and I needed a gift box for our Snickerdoodles....the time had come to part with my beloved boxes :).  We filled them up with some scrumptious Snickerdoodles (recipe to follow shortly), personalized them with some notes and initial tags, and delivered them personally to some well deserving moms.  And my moms never cease to amaze me because they all "get me" and my quirky obsession with adorable gift giving things and truly appreciated these little special boxes...or maybe it was all about the sugar filled cookie inside....hmmm.

The moral of the story...break the rules sometimes (but know your limits)!  Although you may not be able to find these exact boxes at the DollarTree today, there may be another gem waiting for you to overstock on.  Or even better...you could even recreate these bright colored boxes. Let me know how that goes if you give it a whirl.  I'm sure my readers are always up for a challenge. 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It...with the Kids: Egg Carton Caterpillar & other Egg Carton Crafts

"There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."  ~Richard Buckminster Fuller

 

My son, like so many children, adores any book by Eric Carle.  However, The Very Hungry Caterpillar always seems to be a favorite.  To celebrate spring and the story, we decided to make a craft to go along with the book.  At some point, you are sure to have an empty egg carton so when that time comes, be sure to throw it in that "I might use pile".  Then when the lil bugger is looking for something to do, sit him or her down with some paint, glue, wiggly eyes, markers, straws, etc and let them make their very own caterpillar to decorate your window sill. 

MATERIALS:

Egg Carton
Paint
Paint Brush or Foam Brush
Wiggly Eyes
Straws or Pipe Cleaners
Markers
Scissors
Glue

HOW-TO:

1. Cut Egg Carton in half length-wise.  Paint and let dry.
2.  Glue on Wiggly Eyes.  Use Markers to decorate and draw on face
3.  Using scissors, make two incisions on the top.  Cut two straws to about 2 inches in length.  Insert straws into incision.

Pretty easy, huh?  If you are egg lovers like us and are looking for some more egg carton craft ideas take a look at these links....

Egg Carton School Bus

Egg Carton Alligator

Egg Carton Kitty

Have fun re-using those egg cartons!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Personalized Flower Gift Using Plant ID Tags

"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into."  ~Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858

 

April is always a crazy month of birthdays and anniversaries and I'm usually not as organized as I would like to be when the time comes around.  I usually try to bake something, but I knew on this weekend that I just had too much on my plate to get any baking done for the special birthday girls.  However, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing because who doesn't love flowers?  I found these beautiful daisies already planted in the coordinating pots for a great price. Then I used some metal plant ID tags to write a special message to the recipient.  This was for a birthday, but it would also work well for Mother's Day or Graduations.  These Plant ID tags come with an erasable marker so I tucked the marker in the flower pot so they can re-use the tags. 

Quick, easy, beautiful, inexpensive and personalized....can't get any better than that.  :)

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

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!

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!

Gotta Make It: Glass Jar Ghost Luminaries

"An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself."

     

I've been holding onto glass jars for a while now waiting for a project idea to pop into my head.  I  save them ALL whether its spaghetti sauce, salsa,  or jam...if its in a glass jar it gets a thorough cleaning and then placed in the pantry.   The time has come to put those jars to use and Halloween is the lucky holiday.  The salsa jars make a perfect base to create glass jar ghost luminaries.  The best part was that this project is one that Lil Man was able to help with so your kids will have a blast making these.  Here's what you'll need for the ghost luminaries:

• Glass Jars
• White & black acrylic paint
• Black Sharpie Marker
• Paint brushes
• Candles

Now that you have the materials situated (and who doesn't love a list that's only 5 bullet points?) let's get started:

• Lay out some newspaper if you have some important areas to protect. 
• Take your clean glass jars (all paper & stickers removed) and start painting with the white acrylic paint.  You may need to add a second coat after it drys.  Let dry.
• Using your sharpie marker draw in your ghost eyes and mouth.  Paint over with the black acrylic paint. Let dry
• Place the candle inside and light it up!

Pretty simple if I do say so myself.  They'll look great if you have some stairs or a path in front of your house.  My glass jar ghost luminaries don't quite look 'perfect' since my 2 year old did the base coat, but if you took the time to do it 'nicely' they could definitely have a very professionall look to them!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Have It: Halloween Paper Lanterns

 

I saw these Halloween Paper Lanterns at the DollarTree and had to have them!  I wish we were having a Halloween party this year because these would make adorable decorations hanging over the table.  But since there is no party, I put them in the fireplace instead.  When you turn out the lights and turn them on they look really good in there!  They take some AAA batteries and then the magic happens!  I wish the pictures did them better justice.  :) 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Halloween Wreath

When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam,
May luck be yours on Halloween.

 

I wanted a Halloween wreath for our front door so I've been brainstorming for a couple days (maybe that's why I can't go to sleep lately...hmmm...).  Well, I thought I had a priceless Dollar Diva idea so I ran to the DollarTree, grabbed my supplies (wreath, ribbon, bones...plastic, of course) and got to work.  The original plan was to cover the wreath in a black ribbon and then have the bones going around the whole wreath.  The problem?  My wreath size to the size of bones ratio was just not right.  The wreath was too small and the bones were too big.  Bummer.  But I couldn't let that put a damper on my creativity so we improvised.  I had some black and silver ribbon (purchased from DollarTree awhile ago) and I wrapped it around the whole Styrofoam wreath.  Then using a plain black ribbon I used some chipboard cut outs to spell "boo!" across the middle of the Halloween wreath.  I added some hand bones (in a pack of 8 at the DollarTree) and here was my new wreath.  I actually think it turned out pretty well for improvising on a failed plan and it looks just perfect on our door!  If you decide to let your creativity flow and make a Halloween wreath, I'd love to see pictures!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Last Minute Baby Shower - Part 10: MISC Decorations

It's bittersweet to say that today's post will wrap up my "Last Minute Baby Shower..on a Budget" series.  I hope you enjoyed the ideas as much as I enjoyed planning and creating this celebration.  For the last post I just wanted to share some quick, simple, and budget friendly decorating tips that you can really use for any celebration..not just baby showers. 

1.  Centerpieces don't have to be flowers:  Although I love flowers as centerpieces, it just was not within my budget.  Instead I found these adorable gift bags (2 for $1 in the Target $1 section), added some tissue paper, placed on top of a plastic plate I found at the DollarTree and added some Sweetarts around it.  My bags were empty, but you could add a simple gift inside and have a drawing or something to let a guest take it home.

2.  Paper & Ribbon can tie a whole event together:  Find some paper and ribbon you love and add it everywhere.  It will really tie your whole event and decor together.  Its inexpensive and absolutely adorable!  I used the same paper for the magnet party favor, the clothespins, the onesies, etc.  All of that did not cost much at all...it just took time.  So don't overlook the small details.

3.  Wrapping Paper can be your best friend:  I was lucky to find some coordinating wrapping paper that was just adorable.  I kept my empty cracker boxes, wrapped them up, added "Sweet" and I had instant decor.  I also used it to elevate the food so that it wasn't so one-dimensional.  It was great to have on hand, because at the last minute I needed to come up with a hard writing place so I quickly wrapped up a large book and voila!  You could also use it on tables as a table runner to spruce things up a bit. 

4.  Do what you can:  We all have different budgets and spending plans so if you want to throw a friend a shower, but are worried about money...just do what you can and don't be afraid to ask some of your friends to help out by bringing a dish to share or whatnot. 

Now its time to move on to Halloween ideas....

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Last Minute Baby Shower - Part 9: Sweets Table

We are winding down to the last couple of posts about the last minute baby shower and the ideas you may be able to use for your future entertaining.  I've had fun sharing everything, but I'm definitely ready to move on to Halloween! 

With my "Nothing is Sweeter than a Baby Girl" shower theme, I had to have a table just dedicated to sweets.  To add a couple special touches I did the following:

1.  To make the table more dimensional instead of having everything at the same level, I wrapped some empty boxes in the wrapping paper I had used elsewhere. 

2.  To carry on the theme I made the "Sweet Baby Girl" sign from a pink cutting board I found in the $1 section of Target.

3.  The pink & green pails were also found at the $1 section of Target.  I added some Styrofoam and then stuck dum-dums in one.  On the other I used a triangle stryrofoam to glue "baby girl" candies to. I started at the bottom and worked my way up.  I used a pink coloring pencil as the 'trunk' of the candy tree and to hold it up in the pail.  I then added some sparkle hear and there.  On the third pail, I used a flat, round piece of Styrofoam, and starting from the middle I started gluing twizzlers around and around until it was full.  I added a "R" for Reagan and voila! 

4.  To add some quick color I used Tropical Mike & Ike's and Dots in glass jars. 

Tomorrow I'll share some misc decorations to conclude my "Last Minute Baby Shower" on a budget.  Have a great day!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Last Minute Baby Shower - Part 7: Baby Shower Trivia

I'm not much of a game person at baby and bridal showers.  I don't mind having the bride or expecting parents to be put on the spot, but when it comes to myself, I rather just sit back and enjoy my food and drink.  I'm a loser :(.   As a result, I went with this alternative 'game'.  Its more like a silent auction.  I placed a trivia question on each clipboard and then had a spot for everyone to write their guess down.  Whoever got the questions right, or was the closest educated guesser, got the corresponding prize.  Simple, yet guests can win something and we all love to win!  Here are the details of where I found what:

Those cute gift bags were in the dollar section of Target (2 for $1).  The clipboards were from the DollarTree and then I covered it in paper.  The adorable trivia coasters are from Michaels.  There were 20-something trivia coasters in a set.  I used three for the game and then placed the others all around as conversation starters.  You could certainly make these on your own instead of buying them, but it just saved me a lot of time! 

For the Expecting Parents, we kept with the "Sweet" Theme and played the Pregnancy Candy Bar Matchup.  There were words related to baby and pregnancy on one side and then candy bars on the other (attached with velcro so they could be moved).  They had a set amount of time to get the correct candy bar with the correct term.  Here are some examples:

WORD:  Conception            CANDY:      Skor
             Hospital Bill                             100 Grand
             Poopie Diaper                          Tootsie Roll
             Hospital Address                      5th Avenue
             Contractions                             Whoppers
             Nurses                                      Sweetarts

I found this game at www.creative-baby-shower-ideas.com and there are some other great ones that were recommended to me at http://nested.typepad.com/blog/files/mommy-to-be-traits.pdf

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun! 

Last Minute Baby Shower - Part 4: The Party Welcome Table

Today was the day of the big shower and I think it went really well!  Instead of sharing all the pictures all in one post, I thought I would divide it up into sections so you can see the ideas, the ah-hah ideas, the oh-no ideas, etc without being overwhelmed. 

As you walk into the clubhouse (yep, I paid the fee and booked it...and to be honest I'm SOOO GLAD that I did), I had this 'Welcome' table.  It served a few different purposes.  1)  It was pretty 2) Guests wrote their mailing addresses on the outside of the envelope so when the expecting parents are doing their "Thank-You's" it will be so much easier on them and 3) the 'Welcome' sign set the tone of the party reminding the guests of the theme..."Nothing is sweeter than a baby girl".

Here are some of the tricks:

The Welcome Sign:  Its a cutting board!  Yep, you heard read me right.  I saw the cutting board at the $1 section in Target and knew that it could be put to good use. 

The Writing Tablet:  I bought a roll of wrapping paper in the colors of the baby shower to use in various places.  The first place was for the hard surface for guests to write.  I wrapped a book that I found in the clubhouse with the paper and voila!..you've got color and a purpose.

The Onesie:  I Googled "Onesie Clipart" and used that as my template.  On my computer I printed "Nothing is Sweeter than a Baby Girl" on pink paper, placed the template over the writing, traced the outside, and then cut.  You'll also see the onesie's in other pictures with a little twist. 

The baby banner, gift bag, and striped bowl were all found at the Target $1 section. 

Now that the day is over, the dishes are done, and I'm sitting down with my feet kicked up, I'm so glad that we had this baby shower for our friends (I just wish they didn't have to move). It just reminds me how nice it is to entertain and have your friends and family around for a good time.  It also makes me think outside of the box when I'm doing things on tighter budgets....and I love seeing the magic of creativity come to life (and the failures).  Stay tuned to see some of the other ideas you'll be able to use for your small, big, inexpensive, or expensive parties! In the meantime..

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Last Minute Baby Shower - Part 3: The Decorations

"People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one". -Leo J. Burke

Boy, did I hit the jackpot this weekend!  On my string of shopping stops looking for inspiration for the fuchsia, purple, lime green color scheme I wanted to go with...I came across the dollar section at Target.  Although it was not in my desired color scheme they had loads of color coordinated stuff for baby showers.  It couldn't get any better than this!  Here are some of the key things I found:

1.  'Baby' Banners in adorable designs with glitter!!!
2.  Baby Gift Bags:  These will have two uses:  a)decorations b) gifts for the winners of games
3.  Blank Note Cards:  People will write their addresses on them when they arrive so the mom-to-be won't have to track down addresses for thank-you's.
4.  Pink & Green Mini Pails:  Don't know exact use yet, but I know it will be good once I get the 'ah-ha' moment.
5:  Post It Notes and Gel Pens:  Adorable!  And they will be used in the "Blessings for Baby" book that I will showcase later.

Then I stopped at the DollarTree and found:

1.  Baby shower plates, silverware, napkins
2.  Various decorations that you'll see later

Next was Michaels:

1.  Baby Trivia Coasters:  Awesome, awesome, awesome.  You'll see how I will use these on a later post.
2.  Baby Girl Candies:  Again...you'll see how I use these later for decorations.

All together, I probably spent about $50.  Not bad for all the stuff I got.  Stay tuned for more details on the decorations, food, and the actual party!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Last Minute Baby Shower - Part 2 : The Invitations

Its official and there is no going back!  The invitation (evite) has been sent and we are exactly one week away from the 'last minute baby shower' I'm throwing.  Oh yeah...and I'm doing it on a tight budget so I'm sharing the ups, downs, ah-ha's, and oh-no's with you. 

I'm a paper kind of gal.  Not just 'kind of', we're talking major obsessed with paper, stationery, and ribbon. So you can imagine the pathetic looking frown I had on my face when I realized it was just too late to send out a paper one, not to mention the budget.  Faster than we can say "baby girl" Evite was to the rescue!  I briefly looked around at the baby shower templates they had, and although they were nice, I just wasn't finding one that I wanted to email to everyone.  Luckily, I noticed the option to create your own.  Now we were talking. :) You choose the background, then you choose the image (I chose the baby carriage) and then Evite gives you options for the 'accent' images (the polka dotted circles on each side of the carriage).  I thought it turned out decent and I love the RSVP option.  I'm actually addicted to it.  Every time I go by my computer (which is VERY often), I hit the refresh button on the internet to get an update. If you are an instant gratification type of person like me, then this will be heaven.  As of now we are at 26 attending, 4 declined, and 36 still haven't replied.  The deadline is Tuesday.  Tick, tick, tick...come on people! 

I'm going with a 'sweet' theme so this was the wording for our invitation:

"Nothing is sweeter than a little baby girl"

Come help us celebrate the anticipated arrival
of their sweet baby girl - Reagan. 
Join Cindy, Devin, & Reese
for hors d'oeuvres & good company on

Sunday, September 28
2:30 p.m.

Carriage Hill Clubhouse

Please RSVP by Tuesday, September 23rd
and I'll send driving directions & more details.

Families welcome! 

I really want to do a non-traditional color scheme.  I'm going to go look for inspiration in the coming days, but I'm thinking a fuchsia, lime green, and purple combo..similar to the Evite invitation.  We'll see what I happen to run into.  The pit-stops for inspiration are DollarTree, Wal-Mart, and Target.  I'll let you know how it goes...

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It...with the Kids: Hands Down Paper Weight

"Hands Down the Best Dad Ever"

I've been trying to be better about not buying things just because I like them.  I try to make sure I have a use for it in the near future or I know exactly where I'm going to put it.  Prior to becoming a one salary family, if I liked it...I'd get it.  Pretty simple.  Its part of the shopping habits I'm trying to change to make sure we always stay within our monthly budget.  Fun stuff, huh?! 

Well, I passed the glass circle in the Michaels clearance section probably about 8 times before I decided to purchase it.  I'm not sure what it was meant for, but I knew it was a good deal.  It only took me about 4 weeks to figure out what I would do with it before I purchased it for a steal...$1. 

Lil man and I went home, dipped his hand in paint, put his paint covered hand on paper, and let it dry.  Then I placed the circle glass thing-a-ma-jigger over the paper and traced a circle.  I cut it out and inked the edges.  Then I took a gold glitter pen and wrote " 'Hands Down' the Best Dad Ever" and included the date around the outside of the hand print.  Next, I used a spray adhesive to attach the paper underneath glass.  Once it was dried, I added a couple layers of Mod Podge to protect the bottom surface. 

Now it proudly sits on daddy's desk to make sure nothing blows away :).  This gift would work for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparents Day, for Teachers, etc.  The ideas are limitless.  So continue to think out of the box when you see something for a great price.  I actually think it was meant for candles to sit on top of...but I'm not sure. 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It...with the Kids: Paper Barn with Flaps

"If the rain spoils our picnic, but saves a farmer's crop, who are we to say it shouldn't rain?" - Tom Barrett

On rainy days, we are always looking for new things to do. Its so easy to just turn the TV on, (he certainly wouldn't mind, but I can only take so much Barney), so I'm constantly trying to have ideas up my sleeve.  That's where your craft box of misc things you've held on to will come in handy.  If you see a great deal on something, but don't exactly know how you are going to use it yet...grab it!  Take it home and add it to your rainy day box. If a food container or box just seems to good to throw it away...add it to your rainy day box!  Random buttons, cotton balls, ribbon, broken shoelaces, straws, popsicle sticks, tin cans, stickers, magazines, etc are all great things to add.  When that rainy day arrives, there's no doubt that you'll be prepared.  Depending on how old your kids are, you can either come up with the project or you can hand them the rainy day box and let them have at it.

Lately, I've noticed that lil man loves books with flaps and anything to do with animals.  So we combined the two and made our own farm animal flap piece of art...or whatever you want to call it.  All you need is an empty cereal box, construction paper, scissors, markers, and some animal stickers.  We had some animal stickers from the DollarTree and some cool chipboard ones from Michaels that I picked up when they were on sale for 50 cents.  We cut out the construction paper and then glued it to the cereal box in the barn shape.  Then we added the flaps by folding the paper and gluing them on.  Then lil man got to do the fun part.  He was the farmer and he placed all the animals inside the flaps wherever he wanted.  He also decorated the barn doors and then I added the animal sounds.  Whenever we find more animal stickers he'll add them to his barn and plays peek-a-boo with them.  For a project that didn't really cost anything, its been a big hit in our household.  We'll see how many days it lasts before he decides to start ripping it apart :).  That can be the next part of the project for the next rainy day...

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Travel Magnetic Checkers & Tic-Tac-Toe Game

When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money.  Then take half the clothes and twice the money.  ~Susan Heller

I never thought traveling in our family van would be one of my fond memories of childhood when I grew up.  Being stuck in a car with four siblings for 4+ hours isn't exactly a day at the beach.  Between the bickering and the every 5-minute check of "are we there yet?", I'm not sure how my parents didn't pull their hair out or pull over and let us hop on out and walk the rest of the way.  However, I do remember all the popular car games we would play or even the ones we would make up.  Do you remember I Spy, The License Plate game,  Slug Bug,  20 Questions, Rock-Paper-Scissors, and all the others games to make time pass?  Now the biggest bickering is between what video to put in the travel DVD player.  I'm not ready to toss out the travel DVD player yet, but I am ready for some variety for the car rides. 

My son isn't quite old enough for this one yet, but plenty of others will benefit from this Travel Magnetic Checkers & Tic-Tac-Toe game made from a Baking Pan!!!  The best part is yet to come. If your kids are always in your hair while you're trying to get the family ready, have them make this themselves.  It'll keep them occupied before and during your car trip!  Plus, because of its magnetic playing pieces you'll be sure not to lose any pieces when you make that sharp turn. You probably thought I was done with the good news, but there's still more!  You can create this magnetic game board from materials (mostly) purchased at the DollarTree! 

MATERIALS:

8X8 Baking Pan
24 Magnetic Pieces
Paint
Ribbon
Photo Paper
Glue
Spray Finish
Circle stencil
Mesh or ziploc bag
Scissors, Ruler, Pencil

HOW-TO:

1.  Turn your 8x8 baking pan upside down.  Measure 1-inch squares vertically and horizantally so you have 64 1-inch squares.  Pencil in the grid.
2.  Paint every other square and then alternate the next row.  Refer to a picture of a checkerboard if confused.  Let dry.
3.  While the game board is drying,  size 12 pictures of each player to match the size of the magnet game pieces.  Have game pieces for each player of the family or use different colors.  Then choose 2 different types of crowns from clip art.  Size 12 of each crown design to fit the magnet pieces.  I was able to get them all onto one page.  Print the paper and let dry. 
4. Using your circle stencil that corresponds with the size of your magnetic game pieces, trace the circle around each picture and crown.  Cut out all the pieces. You should have 12 Player 1, 12 Player 2, 12 Crown 1, and 12 Crown 2. 
5.  Using the glue apply the pictures of Player 1 to the first 12 magnetic pieces.  Let dry.  On the other side, apply the pictures of Crown 1.  Repeat with the other 12 magnets for Player 2 and Crown 2.  Let dry.
6. If your paint is dry apply a spray finish.  Let dry. 
7.  Add any ribbon or embellishments to the outside of the baking pan.
8.  Flip the baking pan right side up.  Cut 4 equal pieces of ribbon.  Glue on the ribbon in a Tic-Tac-Toe pattern.  Use your picture pieces as game pieces for tic-tac-toe. 
9. Glue on a mesh bag or ziploc bag to the inside side to store the pieces for safe keeping while not using.

Voila!   You have a fun project and game for those car -rides that will keep your kids occupied and hopefully make a more enjoyable and carefree car ride.  To test your older kids math skills, ask them how many squares are on a checkerboard....don't be too quick to answer! 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!