InspireMe Crafts

Valentine’s Day Gift: Ribbon Patchwork Art

"A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you"

I have that infamous "crap" closet and today some of my "crap" came in handy for a handmade Valentine's gift. Ever since I started making my wall letters, I started collecting the ribbon scraps in leftover spaghetti jars knowing that one day I would know what to do with 5 jars full of beautiful 1 inch pieces of ribbon. Ha! I started that about 3 years ago and this is my first project with the ribbon scraps. This ribbon patchwork heart clearly didn't even put a dent in my 5 jars worth, but at least it is a start! My 20 month old and 5 year old were both able to do this project so it makes the perfect gift for the Grandparents.

Above is just a sampling of the ribbon collection ;). At Michaels, I found these pre-cut heart stickers. I originally bought them for another project, but I never got around to it. Lucky for the grandparents! The great thing about these hearts, is that you peel off the one side and it is sticky, which makes it super easy (and a lot less messier) for my 20 month old to cover the heart in ribbon.

I let them go crazy and decorate the hearts with the ribbon. Then when it was covered, I turned the heart over and trimmed any ribbon that was hanging over the edges, so we had a nice neat heart. The sticky part is convenient, but it really wasn't that strong. After the kiddos went to bed, I piled a layer of Mod Podge over it and let it dry over night. The next morning it was ready to be put in the mail.

I am thinking about making a larger version of this to display around our house around Valentine's Day. Maybe I can get it done before I pack up all the Valentine's stuff to make room for St. Patty's Day and Easter! Hey- maybe if I make it large enough I can even use up a majority of those 5 jars worth of ribbon scraps. Wish me luck J.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Valentine’s Day Snack Mix

"When love is not madness, it is not love" – Pedro Calderon de la Barca

My whole family is crazy in love with some of these chex recipes I have been trying out. The latest addiction is the Chex Peanut Butter and Chocolate Blast recipe. With a few tweaks to the original recipe it is perfect for Valentine's day and a yummy gift for a teacher, friend, the grandparents, etc.

(recipe from back of chex box with a few accidental tweaks)

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 cup white vanilla baking chips (8 oz) (I used pink for V-Day)
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup candy-coated peanut butter candies (I used Valentine's Peanut M&M's)
1 cup dry roasted peanuts

DIRECTIONS:

Line 2 cookie sheets with foil or waxed paper. Place 3 cups cereal in large bowl. In small microwavable bowl, microwave white vanilla baking chips uncovered on High about 1 minute or until chips can be stirred smooth. Pour melted chips over cereal in bowl; stir to evenly coat. Spread mixture in single layer on one of the cookie sheets. Refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.

Repeat the above using the remaining cereal and the peanut butter chips; refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.

Gently break up coated cereal into large bowl. Add candy and peanuts; stir gently to combine. Store in airtight container.

To package I used some cellophane bags with some felt Valentine's heart stickers.

Enjoy! See if you can make it last more than one day…didn't work in this household. Guess I'll have to make it again to try J.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Martin Luther King, Jr. T-Shirt (Freezer Paper Stencil)

"I have a dream that this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. " – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

***This is a re-post from last year because it was very popular and all his teachers wanted to know where I bought this shirt.  Now I need to get to it and make one for my little man :)******

I'm smitten and, no, I'm not referring to my husband or kids today (although I am always smitten for them). Freezer paper has done it. I was a virgin to the use of freezer paper until now ….and now I just can't control myself. I'm so giddy with all these ideas for projects in every room of the house filling up this little brain of mine. I can't wait to test them out. Let's hope the boys decide to cooperate the next couple of weeks so I can share! I started this project at 7:30 pm last night after the kiddos went to bed. It took me about an hour (not including drying time). So there is time for you to do this before Martin Luther King, Jr Day on Monday.

Since I was a newbie to using Freezer paper I turned to the internet and some other crafty people for help. I got the general idea from MADE and she also has great directions. Be sure to check her out for references and support. She even shows you how to take any photo and "posterize" it so you can use it as a stencil. Or you can do as I did and go to spraypaintstencils.com and print a free stencil already prepared.

MATERIALS:

Freezer paper (with foil and plastic wrap at store)
Xacto Knife
T-shirt
Fabric Paint & brush/sponge
Iron
Cutting board, cardboard or other hard surface you don't care about
Stencil
Tape

HERE WE GO….

1. Print out stencil or create your own. Refer to MADE's instructions to make your own stencil. I cut my freezer paper to 8 ½ X 11 and taped it to a piece of regular printer paper. Then I ran it through the printer so it would print on the dull side of the freezer paper. .

   

   (oh yeah…did I forget to mention that a glass of wine is always good while doing the project J)

   The bowl is there in case you have little pieces that you will need later. In this stencil I didn't need any later to complete the photo.

2. Place your stencil on a hard cutting surface. I don't have a craft cutting board so I used some cardboard. Tape the stencil down so it doesn't move. Start with the small pieces and start cutting the stencil out. It takes a while so I suggest cut, take a sip of wine, cut, take another sip, cut, get some chocolate etc. Before you know it, your stencil will look like the one below.

 

1. Take your stencil and place it on your t-shirt with the shiny surface face down and dull side up. Iron over the stencil onto the t-shirt. Make sure you iron it really well so there is no bleeding with the paint.

   

   

 

1. Place a piece of cardboard or something else in between the front and back of the shirt to prevent any paint bleeding through to the back. Take your fabric paint and apply to stencil. Let it dry. This is always the hardest part…not to peek too early. Doing it at night helped because it was time for bed anyway.

    

   

 

1. So first thing in the morning…..

   Remove the stencil. Tada! I had the biggest grin on my face and LOVE the shirt. Luckily, Lil Man does too. Now the hubby wants one. (note…check your paint directions to see if it needs to be heat set.)

   

   

   

It's never too early to start sharing the story with your children. Although my four year old is not ready for a detailed history lesson, he does get the gist of it. His explanation to us this morning was, "When Martin Luther King, Jr was a kid, the kids with yellow hair, brown hair, and red hair were not allowed to play together. So when he got older he wanted to change that. So now all the kids can play together."

Live and support the dream and keep the conversation going…these shirts are great to remind our kids and EVERYONE the importance of treating all people equal , with respect and love, and to stand up for the injustices that we see in the world. Give your child the gift to dream and the foundation to stand up for themselves and others….share Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s story.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

 

Free Printable: Have a Finger Lickin’ Good Halloween

My mom is always sending the boys boxes full of stuff…and they usually include candy. The last package was like Mary Poppins' purse, it just kept going…and going…and going. I would pull out candy corn, then some suckers, oh wait, more suckers and finger suckers and eye ball suckers and pirate suckers and skull suckers. You get the idea?! I only have 2 boys, but if you looked in the box you would think she added a 0 to the end of that number. Nonetheless, we always love getting a box of surprises (so please don't stop, Mom). I figured we could give some of these suckers to friends or trick-or-treaters (sorry, Mom). Is that re-gifting? Hmmm…. . Either way, there is no way my boys will finish all those suckers. The finger suckers caught my attention so I made this printable to attach to it.

And since you guys are the best readers ever you can get the download here: Download Finger lickin good halloween printable.

Of course, the boys had a finger-lickin good time!

The finger suckers and free Halloween printable would make great gifts for classmates, trick-or-treaters, teachers, neighbors….just about anyone!

Thanks for stopping by!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Creative Gift for a Friend

"Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea" – Henry Fielding

We all have some "tea-rrific" friends in our life and it is time for you to show them just how much they mean to you! This creative gift is simple and inexpensive and you can find everything you need laying around your house. In fact, the only thing I bought for this DIY gift was the tea.

I have a habit of keeping every spaghetti or salsa glass jar we have and now it is time for me to start using the mason jars in creative ways instead of collecting dust. The fabric and button were all scraps from other projects. With a little hot glue they can go a long way to decorating a mason jar for a gift.

My love for cheesy sayings obviously puts the "Thanks for being a Tea-rrific Friend" at the top of my list. The creative juices were flowing and there would be so many ways to package a Tea themed gift with this saying. Have you seen how many adorable teapots and teacups are out there?! Oh…and do you have a teacher that likes tea? Because "Thanks for being a Tea-rrific Teacher" with tea, a tea cup, honey stirring spoons, etc would be adorable. What about a neighbor? Brighten someone's day unexpectedly with something simple.

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

Mason Jar Cupcakes

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional" – Chili Davis

If you have been an InspireMe Crafts follower for a while, you know by now that if it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done! Once again, I waited until the last minute to get something in the mail to my sister for her 22^nd birthday (but it doesn't mean I love her any less…you got that sis?). The surprise package had to travel from Virginia to Idaho via good ole USPS so it was essential to get it in the mail on Friday. Thursday night I decided I would try out this cupcake in a mason jar thing, Friday morning I grabbed the supplies, Friday at 12pm I started baking cupcakes and at 3:45pm I was dropping them off at the post office. I guess the good thing about my procrastination problem is that you are guaranteed quick and easy project ideas.

I didn't have any time to research recipes and ideas, but I can only imagine the yummy possibilities. I had leftover Mason jars with chalkboard tops from my Mason Jar Drinks and grabbed boxed cupcake mix and frosting from the store.

1. Grab your jars.

1. Bake some cupcakes. Let them cool. I cut off the top portion. Placed first cupcake in jar.

1. Mixed up some frosting in her school colors. Place frosting in Ziploc bag, cut off corner, and use it to tube it into the jar for the first layer. Add another cupcake and layer of frosting.

Then sprinkles…

Off in the mail they go. I wanted to do the Cupcake in a mason jar because I thought it was cute… pretty simple motives. I am a pretty simple gal. However, it turned out to be a fantastic idea if you want to mail a treat. Obviously, mailing cupcakes to Idaho probably would have arrived as one large mushy mess with frosting all over the box (it wouldn't stop me from digging in), but not quite the look I am going for. Problem solved when you mail them in a mason jar! According to the birthday girl/official taste tester they were still fresh and delicious upon arrival (I did mail them priority mail so they would get there in 2-3 days). So far we have decided cupcakes in a mason jar are 1) cute, 2) practical, and to wrap up my argument that everyone should have cupcakes in a mason jar….3)it's just fun! I don't know why, but taking a spoon and digging in just made it seem like a whole new dessert and experience. A must try for anyone of any age.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

DIY Cupcake Stand

"Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed, but cupcakes make it worthwhile."

I'm not a morning person. Even if I get 8 hours of sleep, my husband quivers as he utters his first morning words to me trying to figure out if I will smile or bite his head off. After 10 years of being together he has figured out a way to make mornings just a little less painful as I open my eyes and remember that I do have a heart.

Coffee. And even better, coffee delivered in bed. How can I be grumpy with a loving husband that brings me my coffee? I can't, right?!

Coffee definitely makes it possible to get out of bed, but cupcakes do make the day worthwhile. Luckily, I have been blessed with a fabulous friend and neighbor…did I mention her passion is baking? We love her evening surprises of special treats from cake truffles to the above Pumpkin Spiced Latte Cupcake, but our waistlines are calling her all sorts of bad names. As I am biting into my 2^nd Pumpkin Spiced Latte Cupcake of the day, I am secretly calling her that "no-good, diet sabotaging, calorie adding, muffin top promoting, baking beeatch…." Really, though…she's not a beeatch - just a fun-loving baking genius. J

With all the treats we were "taste-testing", my creative juices were flowing and I thought her delicious treats needed a Cupcake Stand suitable for her masterpieces. I have seen all sorts of DIY cupcake stands using candlesticks and plates, but I thought some Terra Cotta pots plus some new pearl Martha Stewart Paint would make a "perty" cupcake stand. $5 and you are ready to go.

The "pearliness" in the paint is gorgeous so I decided it needed some bling too! I had some sparkly stickers to write "Enjoy" and then decorative crystals to "bling-up" the bottom of the Cupcake Stand.

Ooooohhh….I mean look at that Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcake…. Delish! You want to enjoy it, don't you!?

With a special delivery like this you would be sure to make even your enemy's day!

Look at my boys ooogling over the cupcake and the pretty girl!

I'm in love with this Terra Cotta Cupcake Stand. Inexpensive and pretty and useful! I am also thinking of placing my business cards on it for a Holiday Show and even making one to hold some of my jewelry. There is always more than one use for something;).

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Decorating a Mug {Gotta Make It…With the Kids}

"Grandchildren: the only people who can get more out of you than the IRS" – Gene Perret

Quick! Grandparent's Day is Sunday, September 11, 2011. I know, I know…when you hear September 11 you automatically think of something else, but that special day for those special Grandparents happens to land on that date this year. So if you are like me and cutting it close, go grab those kiddos, put a special Paint Sharpie in their hand and tell them to let their creative juices flow and draw one pretty (or "cool" as my little big man prefers) picture on a coffee mug. Every morning the grandparents will surely enjoy sipping some coffee, tea, or orange juice from their personalized coffee cup.

The great thing about the Sharpie paint markers is that it dries almost instantly and it is ready to go. It is even dishwasher safe…a must in this household!

I think I want one!

Now, let's just hope the Grandparents don't take a peek at my blog and see their surprise before it arrives in their mailbox J

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Decorated File Folder

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." Jim Ryan

After I made my calendar on My Memories Suite I wanted to have it in a visible place for quick reference and so the hubby and I can both be on the same page with what is going on in Little Big Man's first year of school. Of course, if it is going to be in a visible place I wanted more than just a "normal" file folder. It is pretty easy math (math I can handle)… plain file folder + modern scrapbook paper + calendar = stylish organization.

Trace the file folder, cutout, and then glue it on! Really as simple as 1,2,3 J

Add a personalized calendar to the front, and stuff all those important papers inside for quick access.

I could put it in one of my many file organizers, but I really wanted it out and about. I had a couple clip magnets on the refrigerator that did just the job. After I witnessed the pile of stuff that came home in his backpack mail on the first day, I am not sure how long the magnets will hold it up. I may need to adjust my system a little and keep only immediate papers in this file.

Then there is my little man always cleaning in his diapers J….

You can get organized (and stylish organization) without spending major $$$$ just by looking around your house! If you have My Memories Suite it can help create some custom and stylish ways to get you organized…be sure to go check out my giveaway post here and leave a comment or subscribe to InspireMe Crafts for a chance to win!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Back to School Survival Kit

"As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools." – Author Unknown

Tomorrow is Back-To-School week for us so I'm trying to do something special every day for Little Big Man before his first day of Kindergarten on Friday. Every kid needs a Back to School Survival kit, right? I saw the below free printable on Tip Junkie and it seemed like the perfect place to start for a school survival kit. This back to school idea jumped out at me because each surprise seemed like a great way to bring up some tough conversations with your kids. I'm a little naïve about my kiddo going to Kindergarten and thought it was too young to talk about bullies, etc. Several veteran kindergarten mommies told me a different story. So here we are a week before school discussing what to do in certain scenarios at school in case another kid is being picked on, how to treat others, what to do if my baby is being picked on, filling people's buckets and how to continue to be a good friend.

Add the cute printable with some $1 Section Target finds (including the baskets!) and you have a fun way to kick off the school year.

I'm not sure the first day of school for your kiddos, but it's a quick project. I think I finished it while I watched one of my guilty pleasures on tv (Real Housewives of….). Just print, cut and attach and you are ready to go! Thanks TipJunkie for the free school printable.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Back to School Projects

"If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers" – Edgar W Howe

Little big man and I are both ready for school to start. He is so excited for Kindergarten (or is it the bus he is excited for? Or is it so he can have a break from me?). As a parent, I love the enthusiasm he has for learning and I just hope it continues to grow. In fact, I am a little jealous right now. I am one of those freaks who love school and can't wait until I can go back again. Don't get me wrong…there were the days (usually before a dreaded test) that I rather be doing other things and may even fake my temperature. The old school thermometer held up to the light bulb didn't fool the mom when it read 106 degrees. I am the perfect example that sometimes you can be book smart and not so street smart. Ooops….

Once college came and I had some choice in the subject of my classes, plus some great professors, everything changed. Here I am 30 years old and still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Until then, I'm channeling that inner kid in me and dreaming of all the back-to-school crafts I could be making, but just can't find the time in the next week. In case you are lucky enough to find some free time check these awesome ideas out…

Back to School Wreaths…

Source

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Teacher Gifts…

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(Umm…Rolos and Hershey Kisses in this craft, woo-hoo!)

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Yummy Treats…

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I'm still daydreaming….. but I think I am going to snap out of it and get to work on a little Back-to-School surprise for my kiddo. Of course I'll be back to share the surprise as long as the daydreaming doesn't take over again. I hope you have been inspired and that some of those sparks are going off in your own creative mind!

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

 

GIVEAWAY!!!!! My Memories Suite Scrapbooking Software

In all my free-time lately (you know…those 5 minutes you might get in one day) I have been experimenting with my new scrapbook software, My Memories Suite. I had new digital scrapbooking software and I needed to get myself "Back-to-School" organized so a school calendar for little big man seemed like the perfect fit for experimenting with My Memories Suite. I know, I know…I mentioned "scrapbooking" software and my Back-to-School calendar isn't quite the typical scrapbook page. Oh well. It turns out My Memories Suite has so much more to offer than just scrapbook layouts. I can't wait to experiment with making a Movie/Dvd. You can even insert videos and then share it with family and friends. Having all our family on the other side of the country, I have an inkling this new scrapbook software will get some use. I was quite impressed with the number of backgrounds and embellishments that came with the software. They have more that you can purchase in the MyMemories.com store, but everything I used to make my calendar was free and/or already included in the scrapbook software.

Here is my calendar made with My Memories Suite and then added to the front of a file folder to keep me organized…

Stay tuned for future posts with more details about my Back-To-School Calendar and using My Memories Suite. Who knows…if I am lucky enough to get 10 minutes of "down time" tomorrow I might experiment with my next project on My Memories Suite.

So onto the really fun stuff for my readers….they include the words FREE and SAVINGS from MyMemories.com. I have your attention now, don't I?!

 

Special SAVINGS for inspiremecrafts.com readers:

*Go to MyMemories.com and enter the below coupon code at checkout (I would copy & paste to make sure you get your discount)…

STMMMS97184

When you use the above coupon code you will receive $10 discount off the $39.97 price. PLUS you will receive a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store to purchase digital kits and backgrounds to use.

 

 

MyMemories Suite GIVEAWAY – FREE, FREE, FREE, FREE J

To enter do one or all of the following to increase chances of winning the MyMemories Suite Software for FREE….

1. Subscribe to inspiremecrafts.com by entering your e-mail address below (I don't give the email out to anyone.  You just get an email when I have posted something new)

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

2. Go to MyMemories.com and let me know your favorite digital paper pack or layout and leave your preference in the comments of this post.
3. Have your own blog? Share the news of the discount and giveaway with your readers by linking to this post and receive another 2 entries. Leave a link to your blog in the comments to let me know.
   ****to leave a comment, go to the bottom of this post, look for the 'Comment' link and click on it***** 

I'm so happy that MyMemories Suite has been so generous to offer this to my readers. Go take a look at their site, MyMemories.com and see the endless possibilities you can do with the software.

Oh yeah…I bet you want to know when the winner will be announced?! The winner will be announced on …September 1^st. I'll be back soon to share more projects and how-to's with MyMemories Suite.

Use Code: STMMMS97184 to get $10 discount AND $10 coupon for MyMemories.com store.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Twine Wreath (92 Crafty Days of Summer)

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it" – Jim Goodwin/Sydney Harris

Life gets a bit hectic this time of year so I thought it was time to capitalize on that relaxing beach feeling I long for. The bummer news is that we never made it to the beach this summer. So we are bringing the beach to us…Oh yeah! The front door seemed to be the best place to remind the hubby (and me) to relax and enjoy the special family time that we have. Chuck all that stressful mumbo-jumbo at the door and kick up the feet, relax, and laugh. The dishes won't scream at me if they don't get done tonight and the finished laundry may get a little wrinkly – but it is still clean. However, those stinky diapers can't wait …those must be taken out to the garbage. We can relax after that!

My only worry was that it may be a little too blunt to just say "Relax" on the wreath and as a result, would actually cause more stress. I mean, imagine when you are crying and someone tells you to "stop crying". Or when you are irate and fuming and someone says "just calm down", as if that is going to actually solve my problem right away. Usually when someone ignores my emotions, it just makes my blood pressure shoot through the roof (it it wasn't already there). Luckily, I asked the hubby flat out if it had that effect on him and he said, "Not at all honey. It really does help me remember to relax." I'm pretty sure it was sincere and not him just being a good hubby!

So this is how it all started….

I had two rolls of twine from the DollarTree laying around in my "crap closet". I purchased the Styrofoam wreath and started wrapping. Every so often I would add a glob of hot glue to keep the twine in place. Just keep going….it takes a little time, but it looks so cool when it is all done. I'm making progress….

Now it's all done and ready to embellish. After all that work ( a day's worth of wrapping while dinosaurs were played and meals shoveled in the kiddos' mouths) I was not about to make anything permanent on this wreath. I wanted to be able to use the twine wrapped wreath again without having to re-do it all. So I decided to use safety pins and simple knots to keep everything in place. When I am done with my "relax" reminder and memories of the beach, I can easily remove the embellishments and start all over.

I had left over fabric from the Denim & Diamonds party and I always have ribbon. I cut out some triangles, used my Sharpie to test my spelling skills, and glued the fabric triangles to the ribbon. Since I wanted a "temporary" wreath embellishment, I just tied it into place.

With some more leftover fabric, I just started wrapping away and secured with a safety pin. Then I borrowed a starfish from our shell collection, I tied some accent ribbon on and hung it on the front door. So far it has survived some nasty thunder storms and the quick hands of my 14 month old. I guess it is meant to stay there for a little while.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully this may have inspired you for your own wreath, but importantly, I am hoping it is reminding you to just relax!

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

Bird Nests in Glass Jars (Day 27 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer)

"God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest." – J.G. Holland

Lately, our nature walk has been opening the front door and going around the block. I know it is not very adventurous, but sometimes with a 1 & 5 year old it just seems good enough. Especially when you can relax just a little when you don't have to worry about ticks, poison ivy, bugs (my little big man swells up pretty bad from bug bites), cliffs, streams, etc. Don't get me wrong, I grew up camping and enjoying all nature has to offer and I have fond memories. But sometimes…going around the block is just good enough. And look at everything we've found! Bird nests …one right in our front yard in the grass and one down the street on the sidewalk. Plus we have found some broken egg shells here and there. For awhile the nests just sat on our console table in the entry way and every time little big man came in he would pick it up, put it down, turn it around, and repeat. I wanted to enjoy them for more than a week so I needed something to keep those curious fingers off of them – at least most of the time. Some glass jars did the trick! In the glass hurricane I added a bag of rocks from the DollarTree and now my little big man has a place to put his rock collection as well.

I hope you have been lucky to find some bird nests and enjoy the beauty of them with your kiddos!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Kid’s Artwork on T-Shirt (Day 26 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer)

"I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich." Dan Wilcox and That Mumford, M*A*S*H

Can you tell what is most important to my hubby? His shirt will spell it out for you…F-A-M-I-L-Y. And I love him because he wears it out and about as a proud daddy should. Little big man and I wanted to make a t-shirt for him, but we were trying to figure out the best way to get the art work onto the shirt. Would he draw it on paper, then I scan to computer and print onto an iron-on? Or would I use the freezer paper technique that I love so much? That all seemed like way too much work….there is only so much time in a day! Luckily, I decided to try out these fabric markers for the first time. And as you can see…little big man drew his daddy a Family Man shirt. He has each one of us in the photo holding hands and then he decided to get fancy and write "Family" with each letter in different colors.

Now I want one! I mean look at that smile (I'm not biased or anything) I would wear or eat anything he made me!

And look at his determination (that ball is half his size)….

Gotta love them! Go give your family some extra hugs and kisses tonight!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Girl’s Bow and Headband Holder (Day 25 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer)

"Heaven ran out of halos so I got this fabulous tiara instead"

Here I go again on all that girly stuff! I made this bow and headband holder for a client. I found the oval wood hanger at Wal-Mart for $4 (pretty good deal, huh?). I think it was meant for a key holder, but the hangers are great to hang all those pretty headbands on. I glued ribbon on the back and let it hang down a couple feet to clip on all those bows. I Mod-Podge'd the paper onto the wood, added "Olivia" in chipboard glitter letters, tied some bows, and glued some pearl brads onto the hanger part. Voila! A bow holder fit for any princessJ.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Framed Dictionary Page (Day 23 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer)

"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary." – Donald Kendall

I'm working on my photo gallery wall the opposite way everyone suggests. Instead of laying it all out on the ground and then transferring that plan to the wall, I've just started filling in places like a puzzle. I've started at the bottom and am working my way up the wall…and so far its working for me. I had a old black frame I wanted to use and I also wanted a few things besides family photos. So my $1 target Dictionary came in handy. No need to feel guilty for ripping pages when its $1. The problem was which word to use – Family…or Joy… or Love… or Crazy… or Tired…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I added a heart around the word "JOY" and a frame…

And you get some new wall art for your special photo gallery wall. I haven't hung my "Joy" dictionary page on the wall yet. Until I get to it, it will be showcased on our console table.

Here's a sneak peek at my photo gallery wall…..

Hopefully, I'll be sharing some more photos of the progress because I would like to completely check this off my list ;)!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Ballet Bag (Day 20 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer)

"Ballet is a dance executed by the human soul." – Alexander Pushkin

Being the only girl in the family I will always jump on the opportunity to go all out and make something "girly" since my boys aren't too receptive to frilly and pink. We had a birthday party for our friend (who also happens to be my ballet student) so it was the perfect chance to make something pink and pretty. I made this canvas ballet bag with the pink silhouette of a ballerina using the freezer paper technique I described in this Martin Luther King, Jr post. I added a cute clip on flower, ribbon, and some iron-on purple glitter letters.

I used the personalized ballerina bag as the gift bag. I added a ballet book, glitter wand, and a star sucker…oh and some pink tissue paper (as if I didn't have enough pink stuff already).

Stay tuned to MY ETSY SHOP…you may see some of these cute ballet bags for sale J. Have a birthday party soon? Think about turning your gift bag into part of the present.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Day 19 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Rocket Snack Cups

"They say genes skip generations. Maybe that's why grandparents find their grandchildren so likeable" – Joan McIntosh

We had a trailmix snack bar for our little space shindig. Each kid received a rocket cup to fill up with all the snacks they wanted from the "bar". We had pretzels, M&M's, goldfish, Funyons, Raisins, Marshmallows, etc. I saw the rocket ship idea here, but could not figure out the tops at 10:00pm they night before and decided they were not necessary (my sanity was).

The rocket snack cups are something quick and fun if you are having some kiddos over for a playdate.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Day 18 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Cardboard Box Space Shuttle

"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity" – George Smith Patton

Y'all know that I have myself a space junkie… so you'll understand why I made this space shuttle out of a cardboard box for the kiddos. I've been promising it since May and our space party finally gave me a deadline to get it done. 1 wardrobe box, 5 rolls of white duct tape, black electrical tape, xacto knife and a couple hours and you have yourself a play space shuttle in your living room. I used these wonderful directions found here. They are a must have for this space shuttle/rocket ship project!

I'm not going to go through the directions on this post because she did a great job outlining them along with illustrations for you to follow. However, I will show you some pictures of my space shuttle attempt.

Tearing the seam of the U-Haul wardrobe box to lay it flat…

Taking the top flaps off….

Cutting slits and diagonals….

Fold it all together. I ran out of duct tape, then packing tape and finally found some electrical tape to hold it until I got more duct tape (ooops).

Boys already think it is the greatest thing ever…

But mom had to add some white duct tape to finish it up!

Notice my little big man's "astronaut" uniform. He has been asking for one for awhile, but he has to wait until his marble jar (our reward system) is full to get one. What I love about this age is their imagination! He went to the dress up box and found a sailor Halloween costume. He added his snow boots, black batting gloves, and the astronaut mask he made at pre-school (from a milk jug) and was happy as can be. Oh yeah…we added a "patch" with the Atlantis' final launch logo on it. This kid thought he was going for lift-off in 10, 9, 8, 7……

I love my kids and I love creating these experiences for them (it is worth staying up past my bedtime to get it done). My mommy superpowers didn't work to get him to the Kennedy Space Center for the viewing of the final space shuttle launch, but my mommy superpowers sure did put a smile on his face!

Liftoff…

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Day 17 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Mini Marshmallow Popper

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!" – Dr Suess

I know I didn't post yesterday, but I definitely kept up with the 92 Crafty Days of Summer challenge as I prepared for little big man's final shuttle launch party. To make up for the lack of project yesterday I'll add a couple today to make sure we stay on track!

Have Kids? Then YOU MUST MAKE THE MINI MARSHMALLOW POPPER. Did my point come across with the all caps? It is less than $2 for 12 and it is guaranteed fun. In fact, I might have had just as much fun as them. What is a marshmallow popper you ask? Well, it shoots mini-marshmallows and it can shoot them far. And the best thing is you don't have to worry about the kiddos getting hurt from something soft like marshmallows. I didn't want the kids shooting at each other so I made an "Alien" for them to shoot at. But after I made it I realized it looked more like a silly monster. No one questioned my alien and the best thing was that it was made out of some tissue paper I had laying around.

The Mini Marshmallow poppers kept the kiddos busy and full of laughs while we waited for all the guests to arrive. I found the easy directions for the mini marshmallow popper here.

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

Day 16 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Organize Sidewalk Chalk

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance" – Franklin P. Jones

I'm sticking to my project a day challenge, but I needed a quick one for today. At first I felt ashamed that I was doing something so simple, but then I remembered that if it wasn't for this challenge this project still wouldn't be getting done. It's a good reminder that all the little things add up and even though it was a simple organization method it did just that …got me organized one step at a time. So project number 16 is done in my challenge and all my sidewalk chalk is "organized".

Below is what I found all over my house – and when I say all over I mean it! The far top left sidewalk chalk was in our entry way, the Crayola box was in the garage, the broken plastic tub with chalk was on our front porch, and the pack of 4 was in our bedroom. What good the chalk would do in our bedroom or how it ended up there…I just don't know.

I searched the house for something to use to place all the sidewalk chalk in one spot. I had a bucket that would have been really cute, but then in the winter I couldn't stack it in the garage. So I went with the always dependable plastic tub.

But I couldn't just leave it in the plastic tub and call it a "project". If I add a chalkboard sticker on the front (an extra minute) then that should suffice the project criteria ;).

And now the boys have all the sidewalk chalk at their disposal to surprise their dad with some special messages.

I hope you have some inspiration to go tackle one of those quick and small projects because it is just as important as those big ones to create an organized household and life! One project a day. If I can do it you can do it too!

Be inspired, get creative and have fun!

Day 14 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Drinks In Mason Jars

"It is easily overlooked that what is now called vintage was once brand new" – Tony Visconti

We went to a friend's house for a 4^th of July BBQ and needed to bring drinks to share. Drinks in mason jars were the perfect answer to prepare and take. Plus they look cute J

I used some chalkboard stickers on top, tied some stars around with twine and secured a straw in place. At the party I placed them in a tub with ice to keep them cool. I had plain lemonade in the jars for the kiddos and then I made red and blue cocktails for the adults.

Red Cocktail:

1 bottle dry white wine
1 bottle champagne
¾ pineapple juice
¼ lemon juice
Hawaiian punch to taste/color
pineapple chunks, strawberries, kiwis

Blue Cocktail:

Vodka
Blue Curacao
Lemonade
Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries

Easy to transport in my cooler bag…

Certainly easy to enjoy one – or three (with the hubby as the designated driver, of course)….

The ideas are limitless for mason jars. But right now some yummy cocktails are just right for these hot days. These could be used for weddings, baby showers, holidays…just Google it and see what's out there! You'll be inspired!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Day 13 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: No-Sew Curtains

"Sewing mends the soul"

For many, sewing may mend the soul, but every time I pull out the sewing machine I usually get myself all worked up and I would probably end up cussing if my little men weren't around. What should take a few minutes takes me hours. I've come to the simple conclusion that me and sewing…we're like oil and water, we just aren't meant to be (boo-hoo). I was desperate for kitchen curtains since that house peeking through the window went up in what seemed like a week. We needed a little privacy…not that we are walking around naked in the kitchen, but to hide me being nosy and constantly looking out the window to see what they are up to ;). Yet, I couldn't find what I wanted in the stores…you see my dilemma!

Luckily, I found some tan and black damask fabric I liked, some tension rods, and some curtain clips. Add them all together and you have some no-sew curtains as long as you cut carefully. I know many who sew (including my mom) are probably saying, "Are you kidding me?! You put up just fabric without hemming the sides or putting backing on?" But for the rest of us DIYers who aren't blessed with sewing skills….the no-sew curtains work out just great.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Day 11 of 92 Crafty Days of Summer: Organize Children’s Art & School Projects

"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep" – Scott Adams

If you have a school age child you know the dilemma with all that art work that comes home every day. You treasure every single one, but you don't treasure the pile they add up to. And although we love our children dearly, we also know that each piece of art is not quite the next Picasso. What to do, what to do?! My dear friend covers her garage with the art work and another makes bookmarks out of them. I love both of those ideas, but they didn't quite work for us. My first problem is when we first come into the house entry way. I have baby on one hip, purse and diaper bag on shoulder, groceries in a hand along with art work from school. We walk in the door and plop it all goes to the ground. Little big man is rushing up the stairs to eat lunch and watch Caillou and of course little brother wants to follow. I barely get the keys out of the door before they are trying to rush upstairs. The art work that went plop onto the floor now went plop onto the chair. Every day that pile on the chair would get a little bit bigger and bigger and bigger until poor mommy here just couldn't take it anymore. I needed an organization solution for my child's artwork when we walked in the door, temporarily, and then a forever solution. Let me explain…

1. We enter the house. I needed somewhere to hang it right then and there. Solution: 3 square cork boards covered in fabric and in a 12 x12 frame. Push pins in and ready to be put to use! I walk in the door, pin it up, and chase the kiddos up the stairs.

   

2. End of the week the children's artwork bulletin board is looking pretty full. I went and looked for art folders…decided that spending $30-$60 on one was just not going to work for me. But two 50 cent poster boards taped together would work. Tape the bottom and two sides together. Leave the top open to plop that art work in. I tucked it away in a corner and filled it up every week with the art. (picture below…keep in mind I took this picture after a year of holding art…its seen better days, but it got the job done)

   

3. It's the end of the year and my poster board art organizer is just about overflowing. I want to throw it away, but that marble painting is so cute and what about that ice cube painting?! The photo book is the perfect solution. At the end of the school year, I pull my child's art work out and take pictures. Then I go to Shutterfly and create a photo book of his art. Now I have a compact 5 x 7 book of his art that we both can enjoy and tuck away when finished.

   

   

   

4. Trash. Then when he is sleeping or not looking I throw them all in a trash bag and take it out to the trash can. I feel horrible for admitting to it…it seems so cruel when I write it down. However, he's never asked about them. And, of course, you can send some to grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. and let them anguish on what to do with all the art work.

Everyone's needs for organizing their children's art work are unique, so the same idea won't work for everyone. However, I hope this sparked some inspiration for you to start prepping for the upcoming year and figure out how you will manage the load of fine Picasso art coming through your front door. The pictures of the photo book are from last year, but I just completed this year's and ordered it. So yes, ladies and gentlemen (not sure any gentlemen read this blog) I can count that as project number 11 of my 92 Crafty Days of Summer. J

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!