InspireMe Crafts

DIY Decoupage Valentine’s Day Plates

We made our own plates this year for Valentine's Day and I can't wait to use them tomorrow! All you need is some clear glass plates (purchased mine for a $1 at DollarTree), tissue paper, sponge brush, and Mod Podge. If you have young kiddos, be prepared for another mess! Little man went to town with the Mod Podge and it reminded me just how much fun a 20 month old can have with a sponge brush.

I started by using a dry erase marker on the top of the plate to create our design.

Flip over your plate and apply some Mod Podge. BE SURE TO APPLY THE MOD PODGE ON THE BACK/UNDERSIDE OF THE PLATE.

Start putting tissue paper on the Mod Podge.

Apply another coat of Mod Podge on top of the tissue paper. Make it thick. Let it dry and add another!

Let it dry overnight and then flip over (wipe off your dry erase marker design) and then bon appétit! It is probably not dishwasher safe, but the top can still be washed with soap and water. Plus for a $6 project (for 4), if I only use it once I am okay with that J.

The boys' finished plates……

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

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: 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!

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!

Gotta Make It: Wooden Heart Love Notes

"We need the power of love, not the love of power"

 

My hubby and I try to focus on the little things to show our love for one another and to catch the spirit of just how much we love each other.  It might be because we can't afford the $10,000 diamond ring, the new car, the fancy surprise vacation (although all those sound fabulous), but I think its for the better.  I know you think I'm crazy right now, but hear me out.  Its easy to pull out your debit/credit card and book a vacation, but its not necessarily easy trying to figure out a new, creative, and did I mention inexpensive way to show your love for your partner.  I'm sure someday we can surprise each other with fancy vacations in some tropical weather ( which I could really use 80 degree weather right now), but for now I am going to surprise my hubby with some fancy love notes. 

The inspiration for this Valentine surprise (that is actually great to do all year long) is from the infamous Necco Sweethearts.  Its that time of year where you see those sweet candy treats EVERYWHERE!  So I made some of my own using some wooden hearts that will save our teeth from some un-needed sugar.  The idea is that on Valentine's Day I am going to hide these surprise love notes in different places that he will discover through out the day such as his toiletry bag, car, work, near his coffee cup, etc. 

I used Mod Podge to put some pretty paper on one side of the hearts and then some letter stamps to write messages on the other side.  You may notice "SHMILY" on one of the hearts and some of you may know what this is and others may not.  I didn't know until my hubby told me and we've adopted it ever since.  It means "See How Much I Love You".  We heard a story of a couple who would leave little notes and surprises with "SHMILY" on it.  Something as simple as leaving it on the mirror when it is steamy for your loved one to see later.  Or a sticky note somewhere they may not be expecting goes a long way. 

You can be as G-Rated or R-Rated as you want with the notes, in fact you could even use these to put special notes to your kids in their lunch boxes.  Everyone loves a surprise...even the little ones!

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!

Gotta Make It: Hugs & Kisses Gift Bag

"Hugs & Kisses"

 

We did it!  We got the Valentine's gifts in the mail in enough time for them to reach the grandparents on the other side of the U.S. before Valentine's Day (hopefully :)).    Since its hard for us to give real hugs and kisses to them every day, we decided to do a Hugs & Kisses theme.  The lil man decorated the bag with X's and O's and inside the bag are a few surprises.  We filled it with Hershey's Hugs & Kisses, some Valentine cards the lil man picked out, some decorated cookies and then some action photos we took of lil man blowing kisses and giving hugs.  We figured pictures of him giving hugs & kisses to them was the next best thing to the real ones :). 

If you are looking for some last minute ideas this is definitely quick and easy and something that will keep the little ones occupied. 

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!

Gotta Make It...with the Kids: Paper Love Chain

"It doesn't matter where you go in life.  It's who you have beside you."

 

It's officially been over a month since Christmas and I'm still on my mission to end the nightly question of "Santa not coming tonight?" from my 2 year old.  I'm starting to come to terms that it may not end until we start talking about the Easter bunny making a visit, or even more daunting...until next Christmas (eeek!).  Until then, I figured the more Valentine's Day projects and decorations we do, the greater chance that after we finish reading his 10th night time story he may just go to sleep without asking the THE question.  We'll see...

This is a 4-material project and most likely ones you already have in the house.  I LOVE those projects!  Plus its super easy and you can make it as simple or as extravagant as you like. 

MATERIALS:

Paper
Glue Stick
Scissors
Pen

HOW-TO:

I think everyone knows how to make these paper chains. Cut paper into equal widths and lengths using either a paper cutter or scissors.  Make a circle and secure it by using the glue stick.  Take another piece of paper and place through the circle and then secure with the glue stick.  Continue as you make a long love chain. 

To finish it off we wrote a name on each loop of a family or friend that we care for.  If you are going extravagant you could use stickers, add pictures, embellishments, etc. 

Here are some other adorable paper chains, garlands, banners for Valentine's day..

Be Mine Garland by bekahjennings

Love Banner by StoriaHome

String of Hearts Felt Garland by BranDesign

And you have to check out all these paper chains in this photo.  Get the kids to work and you too could have a wonderful window display like this one.  :)

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Photo Pillow

"I love you more today than yesterday...('cause yesterday you really ticked me off)"

 

Can you believe we've survived the holiday madness of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years? It was a busy household here and as a result I didn't have much time to start projects and share them with you.  But now that the Christmas tree is down and the string of visitors is over I've had the chance to look ahead to Valentine's Day instead of waiting until the last second :).  I'm trying to get Lil Man ready for Valentine's Day hoping that it will end the pre-nap and pre-bedtime question of "Santa not coming tonight?  Christmas all done?".   Lil Man seemed interested in the finished product of this project, however not as a decorative pillow, but as a football. And it didn't stop the Santa question tonight. Luckily, it wasn't for him and it was for the hubby who still seems amazed that I sewed the pillow.  The sewing skills are finally improving :).

I've had some June Tailor Quick Fuse Iron-On Inkjet Fabric Sheets (say that 10 times fast!) for awhile and I finally had the chance to use them!  Its really simple and if you have great graphic design skills you could have a blast.  My graphic design skills are a 3 out of 10 so we stuck with the basics.  A picture with one of my favorite love sayings "I love you more today than yesterday....cause yesterday you really ticked me off".  I couldn't sum up marriages and relationships any better. 

After you design it, print the design out and iron it on.  You are done!  They had tons of ideas for these  such as pillows (you don't have to sew one yourself, just go buy an inexpensive one from Wal-Mart/Target and start from there), aprons, scrapbook covers, t-shirts, computer mouse pads, backpacks, CD covers, Banners, etc. Its definitely an easy way to get a photo or design on to your favorite accessory. 

Have fun with these!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Valentine's "Nuts for You" Jar

"I'm nuts for you!"

I'm a dork.  Ask my husband, family, or friends and they will all tell you that I am a dork to the core.   Things like these cheesy gifts and sayings make me smile.  I've embraced my dorkness and have decided that its a positive attribute.  It makes others laugh WITH me and it makes ME laugh so how could it possibly be negative as some people perceive the word 'dork'? My dorkness brought this Valentine's gift to light.  My hubby loves mixed nuts so I created this "Nuts 4 U" jar full of mixed nuts.  Of course its super easy, super quick, and super cute...so there's no reason not to do it!

MATERIALS:

Empty glass jar ( I keep and reuse our spaghetti sauce jars)
Paper
Ribbon
Embellishments

TO DO:

1.  Clean out an old spaghetti sauce jar or buy some empty ones.
2.  Attach ribbon with glue gun to glass jar.
3.  Cut paper to size and attach with glue gun.
4.  Embellish with stickers, flowers, letters, numbers, etc
5.  Fill with nuts

See...I told you....it was super easy, super quick, and super cute!  Did I mention that its super cheap inexpensive?   Have fun with your ideas this Valentine's Day and see if you can come up with a gift that will not only put a smile on their face, but make them laugh!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Bake It: M&M's Valentine Cookies

"Love is in the air"

I didn't have time to try anything new baking this week.  :(  Bummer for my taste buds, but great for my waistline!  So instead I thought I would share an idea with you that I thought was cute.  The X's and O's Cookie found at brightideas.com is perfect if you are looking for a last minute treat for your child's class or loved one.  I also saw a package of cookie cutters at the DollarTree including the X and O and hearts for $1.  You can't go wrong at that price!  Bake some cookies and then have your kids decorate them with sprinkles or M&M's to give away as their Valentine's.  The DollarTree and $1 section at Target also had some cute cellophane Valentine bags that you could put them in and tie with some adorable ribbon. 

I've never been to brightideas.com before this, but I will definitely go back.  There are loads of ideas organized by seasons and holidays so its quick and navigable...you won't get frustrated!  It is run by M&M's so most of them contain ideas with their products, but they are just too cute. Have fun!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Sweet Valentine Decorations

"Whatever you are...be a good one" - Abraham Lincoln

I'm the queen of sweets so I absolutely loved doing these projects...plus this goes under the Dollar Diva category because nearly everything was from the DollarTree or the $1 section at Target.  The only issue with this project was the accessibility to the sweets.  I actually did these a little while ago and we are still two weeks away from Valentine's Day and all the M&M's have disappeared from the lollipop tins.  Hmmm.....I wonder if that would be the cause of those extra pounds lately?  It's a good thing I took those pictures a while ago.  So here are some of the ideas.  These would make great holiday decorations or table settings for kids and adults alike! 

Let's start with the Heart Lollipop Tin.  I got the lollipops and striped tins in the $1 section at Target.  Inside the tin is a styrofoam square which I purchased 3 for a $1 at the DollarTree.  Stick the stryrofoam in the tin, stick the lollipop into the styrofoam, and surround with red, white, and pink M & M's.  Voila! You have an absolutely SWEET Valentine's decoration in minutes and for pocket change!  I must admit that this was my mom's idea.  I've been waiting FOREVER for her to send me pics from her party, but still haven't received them to share with you. :(  You think that guilt trip will work?!?

For the Candy Heart Votives, I purchased the hearts and votives from the DollarTree. With the glue gun I then started from the bottom and went around and around and around gluing the hearts on.  I then put all the leftover hearts inside the votive for everyone to enjoy. 

Candy Square Jars also were from the DollarTree.  For the licorice one, I simply stuffed them in the inside of the square votive and it makes a great effect and a nice splash of red!  Plus you can re-use the votive afterward since there was no gluing, etc.  For the candy hearts jar, I used the glue gun to glue the hearts on the outside of the jar and then filled it with some other leftover candy. 

The Chocolate Heart Bouquet was created using a $1 tin, styrofoam, and the chocolate lollipop suckers I made in a previous post.  I then took some heart stickers from the DollarTree and added them to the outside of the package and the tin to add a little extra love :)

I hope these sparked some ideas for you.  Your kids and friends would LOVE this for a party. Sweets are non-generational so enjoy this one...

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Animal Valentine Tags

"I'll love you 'til the day after forever"

I didn't really make any  New Years Resolutions, but if I did, I would say that learning new things would be one of mine.  I've been trying to learn Adobe Photoshop whenever I have a 2 minute break from my son..which isn't that often, so it has definitely been a slow learning curve for me.  These witty (and silly) Valentine's tags are one of my first Photoshop projects that I am proud enough to show and share!  They are about 2in X 2in.  I simply cut them out and glued them to some cardstock.  They would be adorable solo with a little note on the back or you can make chocolate lollipops like I did and attach the Valentine tag with ribbon to it. 

The chocolate lollipops are so easy and inexpensive to make.  Go to your craft store and grab a lollipop mold ($1), some chocolate ($2), some lollipop sticks ($2 for tons), and some lollipop bags ($2 for 15).  All the stuff is grouped together at the store so it will be a quick stop if you have a squirmy kiddo with you like I usually do!  Then all you do is follow the directions which is melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute, stir, put in mold, add the stick, put in fridge, chill, take out, put in bag, add ribbon....and Voila!  You are done.  Phew...

If you really like the tags go ahead and check out my PayPal Storefront in the right sidebar.  I'm going to sell the tags for $3 for me to email you the document that includes all 6 and then you take care of everything else from there.  If you would like me to print, cut, put on cardstock, and mail it will be $8 for 6 tags or $10 for 12 tags and that includes shipping!  If you want more than 12 email me at inspiremecrafts@yahoo.com and I will give you a quote.  But you better hurry because Valentine's day is just around the corner. 

These would also be adorable as flowergirl gifts or if you are a parent you could put the tags in lunch boxes as little surprises for your school-aged children.  I hope you enjoy it!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Check it Out: Paper Source

Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery.  And today?  Today is a gift.  That's why we call it the present.  ~Babatunde Olatunji 

These are a few of my most recent "Gotta Have's" and they are from one of my favorite websites, papersource.com. You will find a perfect gift, package, and card all at this website for Valentine's day or any other gift giving holiday.  Can it get any better than one stop shopping from your computer?

As a busy mom, I live off of coffee and one of my favorite new hobbies is finding super cute coffee/tea mugs.  I LOVE these two mugs that simply say "Wake Up" and "Create".  There are several others that say things like "Bliss", "Think", "I'm Awake", etc. 

Want to get some flowers for your loved one, but with a twist?  Paper Source has flower kits to make bouquets out of paper!  Genius.  I'm going to try creating this one day on my own and I'll let you know how this goes. 

They also have adorable gift packaging.  They have the red/white polka-dot box and the red/white striped pillow box, but I think my favorite is the mini-suitcase.  This would be adorable to fill up with some sweet little gifts and to give them to you child for Valentine's day. 

Get creative this month and go check out papersource.com...you won't be dissappointed.  In fact, I just found out there is a store within a couple hours from us and they have workshops you can go to....don't tell my husband!  :)

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Nuts for You Valentine Gift

"I'm nuts for you!"

I'm a dork.  Ask my husband, family, or friends and they will all tell you that I am a dork through and through.  Things like these cheesy gifts and sayings make me smile.  I've embraced my dorkness and have decided that its a positive attribute.  It makes others laugh WITH me and it makes ME laugh so how could it possibly be negative as some people perceive the word 'dork'? My dorkness brought this Valentine's gift to light.  My hubby loves mixed nuts so I created this "Nuts 4 U" jar full of mixed nuts.  Of course its super easy, super quick, and super cute...so there's no reason not to do it!

MATERIALS:

Empty glass jar
Paper
Ribbon
Embellishments

TO DO:

1.  Clean out an old spaghetti sauce jar or buy some empty ones.
2.  Attach ribbon with glue gun to glass jar.
3.  Cut paper to size and attach with glue gun.
4.  Embellish with stickers, flowers, letters, numbers, etc
5.  Fill with nuts

See...I told you....it was super easy, super quick, and super cute!  Did I mention that its super cheap inexpensive?   Have fun with your ideas this Valentine's Day and see if you can come up with a gift that will not only put a smile on their face, but make them laugh!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Valentine Breath Mint Tin

"Love Stinks...but your breath doesn't have to!"

Ok...so I totally love this idea, but I'm not so in love with the whole design.  I tried creating it with stuff I already had, and I just couldn't come up with the perfect combination.  However, I thought I would still share it with you to give you the idea and then you can run with it and create your own masterpiece. 

Remember the days when you were the one without a significant other on the most romantic day of the year?  You would grab your other single friends, a movie, some ice cream, and create your own celebration.  Well, if you decide you want to share some laughter with some of your single friends (or ones struggling with love), consider making this breath mint tin.  On the outside simple put "Love Stinks" and then on the inside put "...but your breath doesn't have to".  Then fill it up with some of your favorite breath mints and give it to your friends.  It will be sure to put a smile on their face. 

All you need is the following:

Tins
Paper
Embellishments
Glue

Trace the shape of the tin onto your favorite paper, cut, glue, and decorate.  It's really as simple as one, two, three! 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun! 

Gotta Make It: Love Quote Wood Block

"Love overflows and joy never ends in a home that's blessed with family and friends"

I love quotes..(just in case you couldn't tell from my blog).  They are always so inspirational and wise.  I've always dreamt of being that "wise" mom that always had the right quote to say for my son's life lessons. The problem?  My memory! My memory just doesn't seem to be as good as it use to be (if it ever was good).  Whether its me getting older or the post baby memory loss so many moms talk about, we'll just never know.  So until I have the fancy video games to improve my 'brain power' (or have the time to play them) I have come up with a more creative solution....the Love quote wood block!  All I'll have to do is take a quick sneak peak of some home decor in my house and I will have the perfect thing to say.

Since Valentine's Day is around the corner, I decided to go with a "love" theme, but wanted to avoid the whole purple, pink, red color scheme.  Instead I used a chocolate brown, maroon, and light green color scheme (one of my favorites).  On the top of the wood block I chose to simply put "Love".  Then on each side I showcased one of my favorite love quotes.  The four quotes I chose were:

1.  Love overflows and joy never ends in a home that's blessed with family and friends.
2.  The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.
3.  It doesn't matter where you go in life, it's who you have beside you.
4.  I have learned that being with those I love is enough.

Once you choose your quotes this is what you'll need:

MATERIALS:

Wood Block (I chose a 3.5 in one)  Find at local craft store or cut your own.
Paint
Paper
Printer (or quote stickers)
Ribbon
Embellishments
Scissors, glue, paint brush

HOW-TO:

1.  Paint block and allow to dry.  (I chose a tan/light brown color)
2.  Measure each side of block and cut paper to size.  (I chose 4 different papers to use)
3.   Attach with glue. 
4.  Print quotes on desired paper.
5.  Add quotes and embellishments.  Get creative and decorate to your liking. 

What I love about this project (besides making me seem smarter and wiser) is that its so versatile.  It will make a great creative Valentine's gift for your loved one, famiy, or friends and it can also stay out all year long if you choose.  You could also make an adorable centerpiece for a wedding or anniversary party.  Just choose a larger block, decorate it with your party colors, put some pictures of each other and your favorite quotes about love. Add some candles and little flowers around it and Voila!  You have a very unique table setting that will  entertain your guests, save you some money, and capture your favorite moments. 

Like the idea, but don't have the time to make it?  It's available to purchase on my Paypal Storefront (in the top, right sidebar). Enjoy!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Decorated Tin Paint Can

" Thank you for the food before us, the friends beside us, and the love between us" 

If you are looking for a fun and creative way to give your gifts this Valentine's Day (or any holiday), consider using a craft Tin Paint Can.  There are endless possibilities with this and they are just too cute.  All I did was measure the height and width of the can and then cut out the papers I wanted to use.  A little glue, stickers, and ribbon and Voila! You are done.  Fill it with your favorite cookie recipes, candy, or your favorite trail mix (try the Archer Farms Trail mix from Target...its delish!) and give it to someone who has been especially sweet this year!

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun! 

Gotta Bake It: White Chocolate-Rasberry Cookies

"Life is unsure...always eat your dessert first"  - Anon

If you've read this blog before than I'm sure you remember me raving about the Better Homes & Gardens Cookie Cookbook...it is a must have!  I have baked and shared the Chewy Coconut Macaroons and the Chocolate Crinkles on here and today I am recommending you go make the White Chocolate - Raspberry Cookies.  They are absolutley delicious and would be a great Valentine cookie.  In fact, a great Valentine gift for a friend or a loved one who loves to bake is to bake a batch of these cookies and then include the Better Homes & Gardens Cookie Cookbook with it.  You can't go wrong! 

Prep:  30 minutes       Bake:  7-9 minutes   Oven:  375 degrees      Makes:  48

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces white baking bar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
3 ounces white baking bar
1/2 teaspoon shortening

1.  Lightly grease a cookie sheet; set aside.  Chop 4 ounces of the white baking bar; set aside.  In a heavy small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 ounces of the white baking bar over low heat while stirring constantly; cool.

2.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in eggs and the melted white baking bar until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.  Stir in the chopped white baking bar.

3.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheet.
4.  Bake in a 375 oven for 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute.  Transfer to wire rack; cool completely.

5.  Just before serving, in a small saucepan melt the raspberry jam over low heat.  Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the jam onto the top of each cookie.  In a heavy, small saucepan combine the 3 ounces white baking bar and shortening.  Melt over low heat, stirring constantly.  Drizzle each cookie with some of the melted mixture.  If necessary, refrigerate about 15 minutes to firm baking bar mixture.

Nutrition Facts per cookie:  104 cal, 4 g total fat (2 g sat fat), 14 mg chol, 66 mg sodium, 16 g carbo, 0 g fiber, 1 g pro.

As I mentioned before, you can't go wrong with these cookies or any of the ones in this cookbook.  Have your kids help make them and package them for your friends, babysitters, teachers, family, etc. 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!

Gotta Make It: Bumble Bee Lollipop Valentine

"Bee Mine"

We're only a month away! That's right...we are quickly approaching the holiday you either love or hate. The holiday full of cheesy sayings and exchanges of candy, flowers, and gifts between your loved ones.  The month of Romance is just around the corner.  But with Romance, we need some laughter too and something new to the same old candy hearts and kid valentine's...which brings me to my project for today.  Let your kids take the most creative Valentine to their classes for all their friends and teachers...the Bumble Bee Lollipop Valentine.  Adorn it with some cheesy/witty sayings like:

1.  Bee Mine
2.  I Bee-lieve in you
3.  I'll Bee there for you
4.  My heart Bee-longs to you
5.  (If you can come up with some more please do share in our comments!)

Click this link to download the template for the bee:  Download bumblebee_lollipop_valentine.pdf 

And here are the wonderful HOW-TO's on this project...

I hope you enjoyed this one and please let me know your thoughts!  Be sure to check back because I have sooooo many ideas I can't wait to share with you! 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!!!!!

Gotta Make It: Decorated Frame

"It doesn't matter where you go in life, its who you have beside you."

  As you know I love paper and ribbon and creating something "pretty" with the two.  I've always done my projects without all the fancy tools they offer out there, but Santa (my parents) were very good to me this year!  They gave me the Cricut machine.  I LOVE THIS!  If you are not familiar with the Cricut, its a portable machine that you can load your own paper into and it cuts out shapes and letters in a matter of seconds.  You can see why I love it so much.  My first project with testing it out was this frame and card.  With Valentine's day around the corner, its time to start thinking about those creative gifts for your loved ones.  Be sure to check here regularly because I have all sorts of fun ideas for you and your kids. 

This frame and card is pretty self explanatory.  I started by painting the frame brown.  Then I traced the paper to fit the wood frame.  Attach the paper (which I adore...its basicgrey and ki memories) to the frame and smooth out.  I then used the cricut machine to cut out my letters.  I used the Martha Stewart Fine Point Glue Pen (love it) to attach the letters.  To finish it off I glued the ribbon around the edge.  Then I made the corresponding card.  I read the book "P.S. I Love You" by Cecilia Ahern and now its out as a movie.  I haven't seen the movie yet, but I LOVED the book.  It made me laugh and cry out loud - which books usually don't make me do.  That book inspired this card. 

Be inspired, get creative, and have fun!