InspireMe Crafts

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!

Killer Whale Birthday Party: The Birthday Boy Whale Shirt

"The first sign of maturity is the discovery that the volume knob also turns to the left".  ~Jerry M. Wright

The above quote cracks me up. ..it describes my son to the 'T'. The birthday celebration is for the big '5' and I have a feeling we are years from discovering that the volume knob turns to the left. His volume controls are loud and louder and nothing less. And recently is volume was cranked up to loudest when he insisted that the killer whale on his shirt needed to have white on it. Yet, after a good night's sleep he decided he liked it with the blue. Good thing I didn't act too quickly on fulfilling his wishes. J

I made this killer whale shirt using my new favorite technique – freezer paper silhouettes. I followed the same directions as shown here and as originally found on MADE's website for her silhouette President T-shirts.

To re-cap see below, but for detailed directions go here.

1. Print your photo onto the non-waxy side of the freezer paper.
2. Using an X-Acto knife, cut out your photo.

1. Place wax side down on t-shirt and iron.

1. Paint with fabric paint and let dry.

4 more days until the party and oh so much to do! I had all these grandeur plans to make some inexpensive games for the party like throw the ring on the dorsal fin, toss some fake fish into the mouth of the killer whale, a fishing hole, etc. Then reality hit and I realized there was not enough time and I've seen this kiddos play – they will be happy just running around at the park. I'm glad I had my reality check. Although, the games would have been fun !

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

 

Gotta Make It: Chalkboard Heart with Sock Monkey for Valentine’s Day

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

I love chalkboard paint just as much as I'm in love with freezer paper right now. I saw this sock monkey and couldn't resist. A little red chalkboard paint to cover the heart, add a ribbon to hang it, and write a message….it really is as easy as 1,2,3 to make an adorable Valentine's Day gift. We made these for each of our boys so we can leave them messages to remind them just how much we love them (I'm sure the trillion kisses and hugs a day remind them, too). Can you find where the chalk is hidden? It's a perfect spot to make sure it is always near!

I have a few ready to ship if you would like to purchase one…just go to my ETSY shop or send me an email at inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com. The sock monkey and chalkboard heart is perfect for children, teachers, and even adults.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

A Roarin’ Dinosaur Birthday Party

"Have a roarin' good time"

The Lil Man turned 4 last April and every time I look at his birthday party photos they make me smile - so I just had to share! He had so much fun that he has requested another dinosaur party for his 5^th birthday party, but I'm currently trying to talk him into something different. Wish me luck because whenever I suggest something he still sounds like a toddler who says 'no' to everything. This is going to require some creative parenting in order to get my 4 year old to think that an "Under the Sea" party was HIS OWN idea….am I dealing with a grown man?!? He has been obsessed with killer whales since he was 2 so I don't think it should be too difficult to sway his wants……we'll see.

I am a HUGE fan of Etsy and tell everyone about it when I have a chance. In order to make his party unique I tried to find as much as I could on Etsy. So I started off with his invites from Dimple Prints as well as the cupcake toppers.

Here he is enjoying his 4^th cupcake. Ooops….I mean 4^th frosting top. He only eats the frosting J.

A birthday boy needs his special outfit and, once again, Etsy delivered. Happy Family was a joy to work with and our family went all out with the theme....hence the cheesy matching! Although, I must say, as long as we don't wear them all at the same time we still wear the shirts (except me because it was a maternity shirt). I might have to order a new one!

Then we had table decorations. We placed buckets and shovels with the children's names on all the tables along with some dinosaur fossil replicas we found at Michaels.

Lil Man and his friends then went on a dinosaur dig. They took their buckets with them and went looking for their own designated area to dig for dinosaur fossils. Each one had a dinosaur egg and dinosaur fossil hidden in their area. I found the dinosaur eggs at Michaels and when you place them in water a dinosaur is "born". The dinosaur fossils were found at Oriental Trading. And my dinosaur diggers needed some official looking badges to enter the dig area J.

And the biggest hit of the party was the volcano. I wish I would have taken photos of it while I made it, but I was running short on time and just needed to get it done. Here's a quick summary of how I did it…..Find a disposable aluminum pan with sides on it to control the mess when the volcano erupts. To form the shape of the volcano I used some plastic bowls and cups and secured it with duct tape. Make sure the top has a shallow bowl so that it will 'erupt' and run down the sides. I used a small plastic cup that I cut in half so it wasn't so deep. I then added some paper mache to the outside to help form the shape. After it was dry I painted it with some brown paint and added sand and rocks. Each kid had a few chances to make it explode. I had a mini shot glass size cup I would fill with vinegar and a few drops of red food coloring and then the kids would pour that into the volcano that had about 1-2 tbsp of baking soda in it. Get lots of vinegar and baking soda because it will be a hit! I thought I had more than enough, but we ran out.

After some running around and opening presents the kids were off with their parents and their handy dandy gift bags.

If you are planning a dinosaur party I hope our party sparked some ideas to make it a hit!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

I've linked this party over at Under the Table and Dreaming

Gotta Make It…with the Kids: Fabric Heart Valentines

"A friend is someone who knows all about you, and loves you just the same."

You might be wondering why I'm posting a Valentine's craft idea today, February 15^th. Right now your thoughts are trailing off to something like this… "Who is this woman? Duh! Valentine's was yesterday. She is a total mess, at least I know when Valentine's Day is." Well…yes, it is not uncommon for me to be a total mess with my thoughts and projects scattered everywhere, but for once I did have my day's correct. I was just a little behind and figured it is better late than never, right?!

For Lil Man's preschool class we made these fabric heart Valentine's. I'm definitely a novice sewer so no "real" sewing skills needed. A bonus right there! In fact my 3 year old did help with a lot of this. It was not a project that mom just put together and sent to school with her son. However, after about the 5^th one he was losing interest and mom did pick up some slack.

 

 

I started by cutting out a template from a piece of cardboard. Then I traced the template with a marker onto the fabric. I used two different fabrics…one for the front and one for the back. This is where your Lil One can start helping! Let them pick out the fabric. We found the heart fabric together and then we actually had a blue design for the back until Lil Man discovered a new fabric while wondering around in the fabric store singing some crazy song and putting on a show for the shoppers. He came across the red polka dot and said, "Mom! Mom! How about this one?" The best part is this lil kid is a bargain shopper! It was half the price of the original one we had picked out. He's a keeper J.

Once the hearts were cut out from the templates, we took one heart from each design and placed them together with the design sides facing each other and the backs facing out. I used the sewing machine to sew around the heart and leaving an opening at the bottom.

I turned the hearts the right side out through the opening and then lil man started stuffing the hearts like crazy. Prepare for a mess if your lil one is helping J.

Then we cut out some small rectangles from an off-white fabric. Lil Man used some small single letter stamps to stamp "Friend" on some and then his classmate's names on others. This was perfect because he was able to refer to the class list from his teacher to stamp the name. He can write his own name (at least we, his parents, can decipher it), but we are not at the whole alphabet yet. Stamping was a perfect solution to have him really included. We tucked the "Friends" pieces of fabric into the opening and then using a needle and thread we sewed the heart shut and the "Friends" tag on. This was lil man's intro to sewing. With Mom's help, of course, he helped sew a couple of the hearts shut.

Next we cut ribbon and placed the ribbon with the child's name under a button. Sew the button on with the name and ribbon under it and you are set to go! Oh, and then have your child write his/her name on the back or stamp it! Hand out to everyone and enjoy. Of course this could be done any time of year, but Valentine's was perfect. I was surprised at how much Lil Man really likes it. He hung it up right away and is very proud.

Just don't wait until the last minute to do it like me J. Have fun!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It…with the Kids: Valentine’s “I treasure you” Treasure Box

I know I've been MIA lately, but I've been on a mission. It is time to de-clutter and organize our household before baby #2 arrives and it has been a top priority. In the meantime, the house remains a mess as I decide what gets tossed and what gets labeled and a new home. The thought of another mess from a project was just too daunting the last couple of weeks, but I did find some time to work on a Valentine's craft project with Lil Man the other day. The best part is that I went through my craft closet (a.k.a crap closet, as my husband calls it) and pulled everything out from there for the project...so in essence I was staying on track by getting rid of some "crap". J

I had leftover treasure boxes from when Lil Man needed some creative poopy training , so we started with that as our gift box to decorate. Then we found some Valentine's paper and he cut them into small pieces, applied with Mod Podge and then sealed with more Mod Podge and a little glitter mixed in. Add some XOXO's on the front and you are set to go. I thought we were done with the treasure chest when that cheesy light bulb in my head went off. I had to add "I treasure you" on the inside to make it complete. See….I told you it was cheesy! Add some chocolate and of course this gift from your child will be a hit!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

New Wall Letter Design: Pink Birds to match Pottery Barn Penelope Nursery Bedding

Take a look at one of my new wall letter designs…

The pink bird with sage green accents was made to match Pottery Barn's Penelope Nursery Bedding (seen below). However, any girl who loves birds, pink, and green will love her personalized name sign.

To purchase a personalized wall letter ($22) you can go to:

1) My Etsy Shop:  Checkout with PayPal credit/debit.

2)  Custom Order Form:  Fill out form and I'll email you an invoice to pay with debit/credit through PayPal.

And of course, I love custom designs! Send me a picture of a room or the bedding used, and I'll see what designs I have available to match. I can be contacted at inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com .

The order deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery is Sunday, December 6^th. After that date, I'll let you know on a case-by-case basis whether I can get it done by Christmas.

And, as always, thank you so much for stopping by!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Button Christmas Tree Tote

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other".  ~Burton Hillis

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and had plenty of yummy food and time with family and friends! Now that my lazy turkey days are coming to an end, it is time for me to break out the Christmas decorations and let the holiday season truly begin. My first Christmas craft project this season is fun, inexpensive, and festive...you can't ask for much more than that! Use this Button Christmas Tree Tote as a gift bag or bring it with you to do all your holiday shopping… or even give it to a child to use as a school bag in December. Head to the store and pick up the following for the project…

MATERIALS:

tote bag
buttons ( I used 9 small, 12 large, 1 star – silver and gold)
thread
ribbon

HOW-TO:

1. Lay out buttons to resemble Christmas tree shape next to tote bag. I used small and large as well as gold and silver buttons.
2. One by one start to sew each button on to the tote in the shape that you laid out next to the tote.
3. Continue until you are done J.
4. Tie a ribbon in a bow and sew to where the handle attaches to the tote.
5. Use your bag as a gift bag or tote it around town.

I'd love to see your finished button tote bags and variations that you come up with! Just email to inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com and we'll share your creativity.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Message Photo Blocks

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One is roots; the other, wings". – Hodding Carter

Christmas is just around the corner and I'm sure you are starting to look for some ideas for personalized Christmas gifts for your loved ones. We originally made these message photo blocks for Grandparent's Day, but it would really work for any holiday!

I originally got the idea after seeing this blog post on Brassy Apple. Instead of framing the photos, I made photo blocks out of them. I did one block for each grandparent, so each block contains the picture of Lil Man with 'I', 'heart', 'U', and 'I heart U'.

MATERIALS:

1 wood block ( I chose a 4x4 inch)
4 photos (need the letters you want to take the photos). I had photos printed at store for top quality.
Mod Podge or your favorite decoupage
Black paint
2-4 Foam brushes
Scissors

HOW-TO:

1. Paint your wood block black (or your chosen accent color) on all sides. Let dry
2. Cut your pictures to size.
3. Apply thin coat of Mod Podge to back of picture. Adhere to wood block. Smooth out bubbles by using a cloth over the picture. Repeat on each side. Let dry according to directions on decoupage. Usually 20 minutes.
4. Apply coat of Mod Podge over the top of picture and block. You may have to do a couple of pictures at a time, let dry and then do the others. Make sure to get the corners and sides of the pictures as well.
Note: It helps to rest the block on a cup upside down or something similar so the Mod Podge doesn't adhere to the newspaper you may have underneath for dripping.
5. Let dry overnight.
6. Give to a loved one. J

I hope you enjoy as you prepare for the holidays!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Giraffe Print Wall Letters

 

New giraffe print design available for monogram letters or the all-in-one wall letters. This design was done to match a giraffe print baby bedding with baby blue accents, however, any accent color can be used!

PRICING:

1 Monogram Letter - $14.95
2 Monogram Letters - $27.90
3 -Monogram Letters - $38.85
All-in-one: Name on Initial - $22.00

   

ORDERING:

To purchase you can either go to:

1) My Etsy Shop:  Checkout with PayPal credit/debit.

2)  Custom Order Form:  Fill out form and I'll email you an invoice to pay with debit/credit through PayPal.

After the payment is received, it takes about 7-10 days before the decorated wall letters are ready to be shipped. If you would like to see more photos of my hanging letters please visit my Wall Art – Photo Album on the right of side of the website.

Want your own custom hanging letter, but not giraffe print? No problem! Contact me via email at inspiremecrafts [!at] yahoo.com or via Etsy conversations and I can email you samples based on your color scheme.

The letters typically measure around 9.5 in in height (not including ribbon) and about 6.25 inches in width. Each letter varies a little.

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: Ballerina Tutu Message Board

"Dancing can reveal all the mystery music reveals."

I just can't get enough pink lately and combine it with my love for black and white damask and you have a super cute craft project for this weekend J. This time the finished DIY project is a Ballerina Tutu Message Board. It takes a little time, however, I did finish it in one evening so it is definitely a realistic project to put on your to-do list.

MATERIALS:

1 piece of foam board
1 yard of fabric (you'll have leftovers)
3 yards of tulle
2 yards of thick ribbon (I used pink with black polka dots)
2-4 yards of thin ribbon (I used pink and black)
1 yard of 7/8 thick ribbon or elastic
Glue gun
Scissors

How-To:

1. Cut out your foam board in the shape of a leotard. I just eye-balled it with a pencil and then used an X-Acto knife. It takes a little persistence and makes a mess, but if you have a 3 year old they will enjoy it!

   

    

2. Lay your fabric upside down on a flat surface. Place your cut foam board onto the fabric. Cut the fabric around the foam board leaving a few inches all the way around.
   
   

   

    

3. Get your glue gun ready and start glueing away! Place some glue on the foam board and secure the fabric around on the back side. You may have to cut slits in the fabric going all the way to the foam board. Doing it in 1-2 inch sections will help.
4. After you have secured all the fabric, turn it over and look at the beginning of your masterpiece.
5. Next is the TuTu. This was my first time making a tutu so I referred to this YouTube video. It is very helpful and she can explain it way better than I can at the link below:

   How to Make A No Sew Tutu
   

   I did not follow her directions exactly. I used a thinner ribbon (7/8 inch) to tie my tulle to. Also I only used 3 yards worth since I was not going all the way around. I also tied ribbons around the 7/8 inch ribbon when I was done with the tulle to add some color and to provide a place to hang more things.

   

6. Once the tutu is made, tie the two ends in the back to secure it in place. I did it around the 'waist' of the foam board so there is a little foam board underneath the tutu.
7. Take your 3-4 yards of thin ribbon (I used bright pink) and wrap around the body part of your foam board. This provides some more color and places to hold pictures and notes. You can do any design you like!
8. Then take your thick ribbon and cut two pieces to the desired length for hanging. I did about 1 yard on each side. I secured one end of each piece to the back with the glue gun. Then brought the other two ends together to tie a bow. Now you can hang it!
9. Make one more bow with your thick ribbon and safety pin it to the front of your tutu.
10. Add some pictures (if you want)….it would be awfully cute just as decoration in a ballerina room or dance studio.
    
    

    

    Your ballerina will love this Tutu Message Board!

    
    

    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: "I'm Bored" Craft Kit in a Pail

 "Be yourself, and you will rarely be bored." - Zack Aaronson

Summer is here and for many of us that means the kids won't be getting on the bus to go to school for 8 hours.  Instead, they will be home.  Of course, we all love more time with our kids, but we will inevitably hear "Mom, I'm bored" more than a handful of times even if they are signed up for every camp in town (and the surrounding areas).  So take an afternoon this week to get your pre-emptive strike ready so when you hear that pathetic "Mom, I'm bored", you go to the closet and hand them their "I'm Bored" Craft Kit in a Pail and let the creativity begin. 

All you need is a pail that you can find at your local craft store and some household items to fill it up. Of course you could use a box, jar, beach paill, etc.  I started by raiding the closets and pantry in the house.  I found and included plastic cups, popsicle sticks, buttons, scrap paper, yarn, excess fabric, feathers, ribbon, wiggly eyes, straws, and styrofoam balls.  At the DollarTree I found some pipe cleaners and colored cotton balls and at Michaels I found some $1 craft projects.  Include whatever you think would work well for that age.  Mine was made for a pre-schooler.  Then I made a list with possible ideas to see if they could make the item with the materials in the pail such as a duck, a house, a flower, a cat, etc. 

Take a peek of what is in the Lil Man's pail....

 And a peek from the top...

Another twist on this "I'm Bored" Craft Kit in a Pail is to put different ideas on pieces of paper, fold them up, and throw them in.  When they come to you saying they're bored let the 'boredster' pull a slip of paper from that pail for an idea of what to do.  You could make this a fun mix of things and even include a few chores that they could do around the house :).  Then we will all be happy (or at least us)! 

Add their names to the outside to personalize the pails and you'll be set.  You could even take them on road trips.  Hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear or see pics of your "I'm bored" Craft Kit in a Pail variations.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: T-shirt Pillow

"I'm more of a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal"

 

I'm definitely a t-shirt and jeans kind of gal, but there are only so many t-shirts you can hold on to.  I recently decided to go through my t-shirts to dwindle the mile-high pile of t-shirts accumulating in my closet.  You'd think it would be pretty easy if you just ask yourself these questions about each shirt:

1. When did I wear it last?
2.  Are there holes or stains?
3.  Does it fit?

I didn't find it that easy because even if I haven't worn that t-shirt for 2 years it still provided a memory of a camp, team, or event I took part in. So when Brassy Apple informed me of her summer craft series and saw the first challenge I knew I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do something with at least one t-shirt! I've always loved the idea of the t-shirt quilts, but the amount of time I had and my novice sewing skills just didn't seem like the right match.  So instead, I took a University of Virginia Athletics T-shirt to make my son a pillow. The key was that his favorite basketball player signed the shirt on the back top, so I couldn't leave that part out :).  So instead of making  a normal square or rectangle pillow, I went with a 'real' t-shirt pillow...arms and everything!

Here's what you need to gather up:

1.  T-Shirt
2.  Sewing machine, thread, scissors, pins
3.  Pillow Stuffing

To get started:

1.  Turn your t-shirt inside out.  Place the pins as needed to get you started on the bottom of the shirt.  I folded the bottom of my t-shirt up so that it wouldn't be too long.

 

2.  Start sewing.  :)  Straight stitch along the bottom. 

 

3.  Turn the shirt right-side out.  You'll now have the bottom of the shirt sewn together with no stitches showing. 

 

4.  Sew each arm sleeve shut with a straight stitch along the seams of the shirt.

  

5.  Stuff that shirt full of pillow stuffing.  Then place pins along the neck line.  Sew a straight stitch along with current seams of the neckline.

6.  Voila!  All done. 

 

7.  Give to your Lil Man and let him enjoy! 

 

I'm always excited when Lil Man is truly ecstatic about one of my projects for him.  He loves this pillow and immediately put it to use.  And I must say, that this pillow might get used by me when the hubby is out of town.  I gave it a nice hug and it was almost like I was getting a hug back.  Not quite as good as the real thing, but definitely better than an empty bed. 

You can go to Brassy Apple on Wednesday, June 3rd  to check out all the other ideas from the T-Shirt Challenge.  I can't wait to see what people come up with! 

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: No-Sew Felt Clutch

"May we always laugh together, cry together, and be there for each other...."

I bought some felt to make some little Valentine's for Lil Man's friends and somehow I ended up with a felt clutch!  Luckily, one of his girl friends loves to carry around purses so this became her Felt Clutch/Purse Valentine.  It will be the 'wrapping' to her little Valentine's gifts, but will also be the most useful 'wrapping' she's ever seen! 

MATERIALS:

1 - 8 1/2 X 11 piece of felt
Glue Gun and Glue sticks
Ribbon
Embellishments
Velcro

HOW -TO:

1.  Take your piece of felt and place it front of you, with 8 1/2 being the width and 11 being the length (vertical).  Gently fold it into thirds starting by folding the bottom third up and then the upper third down. 

2.  Glue the bottom third into place be gluing along both sides.  Do not glue the upper part because that is the space in your clutch.  When using the glue gun with the felt, be careful not to use too much because it will seep through the felt. 

3.  Add Velcro to the bottom third and the inside of the upper third (see pics for better description). 

4.  Add some ribbon, buttons, flowers, etc for embellishments.  I also cut a couple slits on the fold of the upper third and slid ribbon through the two slits to create an arm strap. I secured the ribbon on the inside with the glue and covered it with another piece of felt to cover my mess :).

Obviously, this would be really cute with stitches in it if you are good sewer, but if you are like me and want quick and easy the glue gun will do!  Now fill your Valentine clutch with some surprises and give it to your little princess.  Considering that felt is about 25 cents a piece your little girls who love to dress up can have one to match every outfit! 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Wall Letters - Made to Match for Butterfly Meadow by Kidsline

 

Here are photos of one of my latest "Made-to-Match" designs for the Butterfly Meadow by Kidsline collection.  If you would like a personalized wall letter for your child's room please fill out the ORDER FORM or visit MY ETSY SHOP.  They are $22 plus shipping and take about 4-7 days before they are ready to be mailed. If you have any questions please ask! 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

PLEASE NOTE:  Since this design, the butterfly has been discontinued so a different butterfly will be in its place.  Sorry :(

Wall Letters - New Designs

 

Instead of posting all the new designs separately I thought I'd make it simple and create a little collage.  These letters are whats been keeping me busy:).  New specialty designs include butterflies, Tinker Bell, music notes, Thomas the train, farmer themes and several beautiful designs in various color schemes.  There are larger pictures in my Hanging Letters Photo Album on the right sidebar if you'd like to see more pictures. 

You can purchase my letters through MY ETSY SHOP or you can also fill out the ORDER FORM on the left sidebar. 

I love custom orders so please let me know if you have a specific design you would like it to match and we can go from there. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

New Decorated Letter Design - "Kaylin" Purple and green flowers

 

This new "Kaylin" collection is now available on my Etsy account.  This adorable purple and pink flower design was specifically made to match the NoJo Razzle Dazzle Bedding.  You can check out my designs and place custom orders at MY SHOP.  In addition, you can always email me at inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com to get started! 

I hope your holiday shopping is almost done!

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.

 

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!

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!

NEW Hanging Letter Design - Red & Blue Polka Dots

I completed another new design this weekend and its now available in my Etsy shop.  This blue and red polka dot hanging letter is personalized just for you.  This design can be done for any name and any letter.  You purchase this design from my SHOP and then in the message during checkout you let me know the letter and name.  3-4 days later its in the mail to you!  Gift certificates are available..just email me at inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com. 

Please let me know if you have ANY questions!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Last Minute Baby Shower - Part 5: The Diaper Cake

I couldn't wait to share "The Diaper Cake" with you!  I really wish I could take credit for this masterpiece..but I can't. :(  You can thank Terri M. and Wendy H. for the fabulously decorated diapers.  I mean, what parent can have too many diapers...none!  So why not give a creative gift that doubles as quite the conversation piece at a baby shower.  It truly was the perfect touch. 

I'm sure you can find directions on how to make it online if you "google" it, but I believe it just entailed rolling up diapers, arranging them, and decorating with ribbon, teddy bears, teething rings, shampoo, and anything else 'baby'.  As soon as I get the link to the directions they used I'll be sure to post it here. 

I've got more to come from the baby shower including party favors, games, trivia, food, sweets, and more so stay tuned in the next couple of days as I squeeze in some time to share the ideas with you.

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!