Creative Carmella

DIY Teacher Appreciation Gift

2013-05-05T11:39:00.001-05:00

It's Teacher Appreciation Week!

Time to celebrate the wonderful people who spend their days teaching and thinking of new ways to help our little ones learn...

Day One..

"Thank You for helping me write a chapter in my story"

DIY Painted Canvas

For this project you will need:

1 board {hard backed} canvas

printer

pencil

craft paint

To get started, free hand the shape of an open book..

Using two paint colors, paint in the book...

For a guide for the words, I printed the saying in a few different fonts in Microsoft Word, leaving an empty space for "write"

To use your print off as a transfer for the words on your canvas, turn the paper over and color on the backside of each word with pencil...

Now, turn the paper over and tape it into place on the canvas. Trace each letter...

Once you have traced all of the letters, pull back the paper to reveal a perfect penciled transfer!

I used a ruler to mark of the paper lines for the word "write"...

I asked Bryce {my Kindergarten boy} to sign his name at the bottom and then I was ready to paint it all in!

I used a very fine tipped brush and painted right over the pencil marks....

You could also add a book store gift card to go along with this gift, that's what I am planning to do before we wrap it up :)

I hope you will come back and check in for more ideas tomorrow! It's an entire week of Teacher Appreciation here on the blog and Facebook!

Thanks so much for taking a look!

Image Transfer With Mod Podge... shabby chic flower pots

2013-04-30T12:32:00.000-05:00

Hello there!!

It's been such a while since I have blogged... I have so much to tell you all about, but I'll save that for another post!

Today, I wanted to share a quick, super easy, and perfect gift for Mother's Day

Here's what you will need to get started:

Terracotta Flower Pot

Craft Paint

Foam Brush

Mod Podge, Matte Finish

A Printed Image, {I use my very plain DeskJet Printer, noting fancy required!}

To get started, first you will need to find an image for your flower pot... cruise on over to my favorite site for such things : The Graphics Fairy and you will find a ton of images to choose from!

{click HERE to find the image of the bee that I used}

Now it's time to paint your pot... I used "light buttermilk" Americana acrylic craft paint. After the paint was dry, I went back and distressed the pot with sand paper to give it a shabby, worn look

Next, you will need to trim around the edges of your image. Using your foam brush, paint a thin layer of Mod Podge on the image

Next, place the paper, image side down, onto the flower pot. Take care to smooth out any bubbles that may form. Allow to dry over night.... yep, that's the hardest part for me too ;)

So... you've waited all night and now your ready to reveal your transfer!

Start by dipping your fingers in a small amount of warm water and gently start to rub away the paper...

Keep working at it until all of the paper is removed...

Now it's time to use it!

What do you think?? Would you love one of these as a gift?

I would love to hear if you try this, or any of the other projects I share!

Hop on over to my Facebook Page and share a picture any time! I'll see you there!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Exciting Things Coming Up......Sweet Tea & Shopping Spring Market!!

2013-03-25T11:34:00.000-05:00

I have been on a mini blogging break because I have been getting ready for a few exciting things...

First up is...

I can't tell you how excited I am for this event!! It's located on a beautiful, family friendly, working farm.

We love Bottom View Farm for so many reasons... it's one of my kiddos favorite places to spend a day. The animals, tractor train rides, zip lines and fresh strawberries will be ready for picking!!

{These a few pics from our visit this past fall}

SO.... if you are nearby....come on out and visit the 90+ vendors that will be there!!

You can also meet Ben and Hillary from FOLK Magazine, eat some tasty food, play like a kid with your kiddos and do some serious shopping!!

It's worth the trip, so bring your friends and I'll see you there!!

Oh.. what will I be bringing???

Here are a few things.... and I've got lots more up my sleeve!

Now... I guess I better get back to work ;)

Mini Lemon Tarts.....

2013-03-20T10:24:00.000-05:00

I am not a baker. I repeat I am NOT a baker.

In my dreams.....

I am an amazing pastry chef... my house smelling of sweet, buttery smells,

cute apron with just the right dusting of flour, and perfect little creations popping out of the oven every hour.

dream land.

not reality for me....

But...

that doesn't mean I don't try ;)

After all, I am a lover of all things sweet so it's bound to happen that I try to bake every now and then, right??

Last night's attempt turned out pretty good... better than I expected...

I found this recipe on a grocery store coupon mail out.... I love lemons, and I already had everything to make it so I went for it..

Here's what you will need

Crust:

1 & 1/3 cups flour

1/2 stick cold butter {cut into small pieces}

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4-5 teaspoons ice water

Filling:

6 egg yolks

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tsp lemon zest

To make the crust:

Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter... I don't have one of these {remember I am not a baker} so I just used two forks and worked the butter into the flour until it was crumbly. Using a stand mixer on a low setting add in a teaspoon of ice water a little at a time until a smooth dough starts to form. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

*high school home economics flashback*

cutting the butter into the flour will make for a flaky crust... what happens when each tiny little piece of cold butter gets covered in flour is magic. Once in the oven, the butter will start to let off steam and form tiny pockets of flaky goodness through out the crust. The same goes with biscuits.... so work that butter in good ;)

Wow... so I did learn something from that class?!

okay, moving on now...

Once your dough has chilled, roll it out onto a floured surface. Roll it as thin as you can get it and, using a scalloped cutter, cut and place your ""tart shells" into a greased muffin tin. I used a 2" cutter, and a regular sized muffin pan. Lightly press the dough into the pan to form the shells.

Preheat your oven to 400*

For the filling:

Mix all of the filling ingredients together and whisk over med/low heat until it thickens slightly. It should remain at a med temp and not boil.{about 8 to 10 minutes should do the trick}

Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes.

spoon the mixture into the tart shells... don't fill them to the top, leave a little room for bubbling and rising.

bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is toasty brown.

Allow the tarts to cool completley {this will be the hardest part...at least for me it was}

Top with whipped cream just before serving....

And this is the part when I tell you,

"If I can do it... YOU can do it!"

haha.... remember, I am not a baker... so go easy on me!

Hope you enjoy!

The Wild One.... A Little About Liam

2013-02-28T11:11:00.000-06:00

Liam, Oh... Liam.

We call him our "wild one"... He is the baby of our three kids and couldn't be more different than the other two.

At {almost} 18 months old now, I find, that most days I run and run just to keep up with him. He climbs... on EVERYTHING, he runs from me at any given chance, he tends to hurt himself somehow daily.

He is wild.

I see myself giving apologetic looks to strangers that are in waiting rooms with us. You know, the "I'm so sorry I can't seem to control my wild child" look. They smile, some maybe give a little, "bless her heart" under their breath. {It's a southern thing... we bless a lot of hearts around here}

As much as I would dream of him just slowing down, recently, I started to change my thinking. I started praying. I prayed that God would show me how to be a momma that could appreciate his energy. A momma that didn't look around in waiting rooms to see if anyone was shaking their head as my wild child ran wild. I prayed that I would just watch him.... and be grateful.

Watch him and be happy to see such an active boy with a sweet spirit.... because what I didn't tell you up there while I was describing this wild child of mine is that he is so sweet. He says, "Hi! Hi!" to everyone he sees. He smiles.... at every single person he passes. And, boy oh boy, when he slows down to give you a hug... it will be the best you ever had.

The fact is, I was wasting too much time just trying to make him slow down.... trying to make him into someone he simply is not.

Take a look at the news, or your facebook feed, and you will see stories of mommas who long to see their children healthy again. They pray and pray just to see them run wild, play, and smile at strangers.

Yes... it was my "Ah-Ha" moment.

All that praying I did revealed to me that to be a good momma to Liam, I just needed to be grateful for all he is... wildness included.

So if you happen to see me out and about with my boy, I hope you will see that being wild isn't so bad.... and not everyone is meant to be tamed.

Scentsy Container into.... Earring Holder

2013-02-26T12:24:00.000-06:00

I love Scentsy... I love it so much that I talked my sister into being a Scentsy consultant so I could giver her all of my money. {Seriously... I could write a check every week for this stuff!}

I have always loved the shape of these little containers, and thought,

"Couldn't I use them for something else instead of throwing them away??"

And then this happened...

Perfect for my sweet Nola's earrings... that she tends to never {ever} find a place for when she is finished wearing them...

Start out with an empty Scentsy container

peel the label off and stick it onto a piece of cardstock, trim the edges to make a guide for cutting out your pretty scrapbook paper....

Cut out some cute little owl eyes {I used a quarter as a guide for the circles} and a little owl beak, and Mod Podge it all into place on the scrapbook paper...

After that, give the entire surface of the paper owl a thin coat of Mod Podge and place it inside the container lid...

And fill it with all of those pretty earrings that you have lying around {everywhere!!}

And that's it!

Nola will be home from school in just a little while... I think she is going to love it!

{momma points! oh, yeah!}

Thanks so much for taking a look!

linked to:

Chicken Salad... with fresh dill & red grapes

2013-02-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

Today, I've got the perfect "make ahead" recipe for you.....

Here's what you will need:

1 rotisserie chicken

2 tablespoons fresh dill {finely chopped}

1/2 cup red grapes {sliced in half}

1/4 real mayo

1 tablespoon celery salt

salt & pepper to taste

First, remove all the chicken from the bone and place in a large mixing bowl. Shred using two forks. Stir in the mayo, celery salt, and dill.

At this point I give it a little taste and then season with salt and pepper.

To finish fold in the grapes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

I usually make this the night before I serve it, but..... it tastes pretty good right after you make it if you don't have time to plan ahead!

Serve with croissants and enjoy!

{I promise you are going to love it!}

linked to:

Painted Art from a Coloring Sheet... a diy project

2013-01-30T19:31:00.000-06:00

Think you can't paint?

Well.... I'm here to prove you wrong

I have a confession....

I'm really not that great at drawing...but I do love to paint {or try to paint}

I have days when I feel really good at it, but mostly.... I am not.

This entire project started as a little thought,

"hmmm.... I wonder if there would be a way to revamp color by numbers?"

And this is what happened...

To get started you will need a few things:

1 8x10 canvas panel {I got a three pack of these at Wal-Mart}

Pencil

Acrylic craft paints

Paint brushes {various sizes}

A coloring sheet of your choice {google images "printable coloring sheets"}

Getting started is easy, you'll just need to do a little google image search for just the right print you want to paint.

The picture I chose, came from HERE

But... because this bright idea came so late at night, and taking pictures of the process wasn't really an option, I am also using this picture found HERE as well to walk you through the process.

Start by printing your coloring sheet.

Next, choose a background color for your panel. Lighter colors work better for this project

I chose a sunny, light yellow for this one

While the paint is drying, turn your coloring page over and color all over the back of the image with a pencil

After checking to make sure your canvas panel is dry {use a hair dyer if its not yet}

place the color sheet face up on your canvas, and tape it into place

{I trimmed the edges of my paper to fit}

Make sure to mark the corners so that you can find the exact placement again if needed

Now, take your pencil and trace away... press as hard as you can.

Once you have traced the entire picture, pull the paper away to reveal your transfer

{If some areas didn't show up that well, or you forgot to trace anything, use your corner marks to line it up again for more tracing!}

Now you have your drawing and you are ready to paint!

This is the part where you let your creative self take charge... there is no right or wrong, and no two paintings will look alike.

Choose a few of your acrylic paint colors to start... I started with the green stems and leaves

And then I moved on to the flowers, using my transfer as a guide...

My only tip would be to add in white paint to any color you have used to go back in and highlight, it adds some dimension, wouldn't you say??

Just keep working your way around, using your favorite colors... highlighting here and there as you go....

{I was channeling Bob Ross when I typed that...hehehe "happy little trees...."}

And.... a little more....

At this point, I wanted to transfer the "coffee" letters on the can again, so I made sure the picture was all dry and I taped the color sheet on again using my corner marks {see why those things are so important now??}

And it was finished!

So, tell me... do you think you will give this a try?

I would love to see your pictures if you do!

email them to me at:

creativecarmella@gmail.com

I'll be so proud and excited I'm sure I'll want to share them on my Facebook page

{with your permission of course}

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Valentine's Day Mantel....

2013-01-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

I know what you are thinking,

"ummm.... it's January, why are you decorating for Valentine's Day???"

Well.... the thing is, I have a hard time with the month of January. It's gray, it's cold, it's mostly just a time I wish I could hibernate and live in my pj's.

I. don't. like. it.

So, to help me battle my "winter blahs" I decorated with lovey dovey things that make me smile.

ahhhhh... that's better :)

Fresh flowers...{ which I plan to buy myself again and again this winter }... mason jars.... chalk art...

Oh, I think I am in love...

I love this little open frame... I made it last year using the same technique for scrapbook paper transfers as I did the "love lives here" sign....

So, tell me... do you get the winter blues too?? what do you do to help?

Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a look around!

Linked to:
Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special

Duck Dynasty Inspired Toddler T-Shirt

2013-01-07T06:00:00.000-06:00

Hey, Jack... have you watched Duck Dynasty??

We laugh, laugh and then laugh some more at these crazy guys every week!

Phil Robertson, the original duck commander, has quickly become my favorite. He loves Jesus, he loves his wife, and he loves seeing everyone... Happy, Happy, Happy!

What more could you want??

I thought it was so cute when Liam tried saying, "happy, happy, happy" while the show was on, that I try to get him to say it all the time now... it's pretty cute {says his momma}

So cute, in fact, that I wanted to make him a tiny t-shirt....

I used the freezer paper method to make it... here's what you will need to make one too:

Freezer paper, fabric paint, exacto knife, sharpie, t-shirt and an iron

Step one: trace your lettering on the freezer paper. I cut the paper to size, lightly taped to my computer screen and traced the letters with the glossy side of the paper down.

Step two: cut out the lettering {very carefully} with an exacto knife, be sure to keep the small pieces that are removed from the centers of letters.

Step three: Iron the stencil onto the t-shirt. A few seconds with a hot iron will do the trick

Step four: Paint in the letters with fabric paint.

*first* add a piece of cardboard inside the shirt so the paint won't bleed through to the back side of the shirt

I added a small line of paint beside the first row...

You can use an old credit card {or in my case, an old zoo membership card} to swipe the paint across the stencil

Step five: allow paint to dry and remove stencil. It takes only about 10 minutes for the paint to dry if there is only a thin layer. I used tweezers to remove the smaller pieces inside the letters.

and.... let your little guy model it for you.

On the coffee table, of course.......hehehe

Cheese!!

Our future duck hunter is looking pretty sharp, and....

Happy. Happy. Happy.

Just the way his momma likes to see him ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to comment with any questions if I didn't answer them all here!

Glitter Tote... Nola's Review and a Giveaway!

2013-01-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

My Nola girl felt pretty lucky when she opened a package from CraftProjectIdeas.

We always love a good craft project, but this one was just for her....

She received a Doodle Deco Glitter Tote...and for my girl, nothing could be more perfect ;)

Included in the set, were all the things she would need to decorate her bag in just her style... no help needed from mom

{she may have been a little too excited about that part...}

there were markers to fill in the bold lines with any color that she wanted, and rhinestones she could use to add a sparkle

She colored and blinged out her bag... and has been carrying it with her everywhere..... yep, she's pretty proud :)

I love these new crafty creations because they give her a chance to add her own style and personality to each project. And.... to be honest, I think she is pretty happy to have some independence with her craft projects now too.... I suppose that happens, huh? Geez, why do they have to grow up???

While I ponder that question some more, keep reading for your chance to win one of these too!

Doodle Deco is giving one lucky winner a Glitter Tote just like Nola's!

Here is a little more info about the entire line of Doodle Deco items......

Doodle Deco™ is a line of activity kits for today’s modern girl. From stylish bags to room décor items, like picture holders, wall décor, clocks and more, there is something for every girl. The fun and on-trend icons applied to the wide variety of products allow girls to truly make their world a reflection of who they are. Each set includes markers to color in the designs and other fun embellishments! Find Doodle Déco™ items at your local Walmart. Ages 6+. MSRP $9.99- $17.99

To enter for your chance to win, use the rafflecopter below!

Good Luck, and thanks for stopping by!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Easiest {and best} Chicken and Dumplings... ever.

2013-01-03T20:48:00.000-06:00

Are you ready for the easiest recipe for Chicken and dumplings ever??

This recipe is from my brother in law's mom, and let me just tell you... it is SO good!

Here's what you will need:

1 cup of diced or shredded, cooked chicken {leftovers from a roasted chicken are great for this}

46oz chicken broth {1 carton and 1 can}

2 cans of small biscuits {10 biscuits per can}

salt and pepper to taste

Add the broth and cooked chicken to a large pot, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. While you are waiting for the broth to come to a boil, cut each of the biscuits into fourths {I cut mine like I would a tiny pizza} Once the broth is at a rolling boil, carefully drop each of the biscuit pieces into the pot. After you have added all of the biscuit pieces, give them one stir to make sure they are separated. Cover the pot and reduce to a simmer for 30-40 minutes.

And.... ta-da!

Easy, easy and oh so tasty too!

Enjoy!

linked to:
Happy Hour Link Party

and a Happy New Year.......

2012-12-27T19:13:00.002-06:00

Christmas went by in a hurry, didn't it??

It's always a little sad for me taking the Christmas decorations down, everything just looks so.... well, not magical :(

My sweet Nola, was so sad to see the tree put away that I had to think of something quick.

So.. we dressed up our mantel to get it ready for the New Year...with her help, this is what we came up with...

It's bright and shiny, perfect for ringing in the New Year!

too bad my pictures are pretty terrible... not too many bright and shiny days here lately :(

We used our Christmas twinkle lights around the chalkboard window to give it some shine. the bottle brush trees also get to hang out for just a bit longer too :)

We added some "super snow" to a few mason jars, we are always hoping and wishing for snow around here so this fake snow will be great to display while we patiently wait for the real thing to fall....

have you seen this stuff before?? I read that movie sets use it a lot because it looks so real, and let me tell you... it does!

Also... if you look just to the left of the snow, you will see my awesome candle holder that my sister in law made me for Christmas! {she claims not to be very creative....wrong!}

I added a pocket watch under my little handmade cloche {a stemless wine glass with ornate thingy glued to the top} Time set for midnight, naturally ;)

And to top it all off, Nola and I made a ton of Sculpey clay snow flakes to hang from the ceiling.

All in all, I think we still have a bit of a magical look..... it made her smile, so you know it was worth it to me!

Here's one last look at our Christmas Mantel... and our New Year Mantel too.......

Happy New Year, friends!

linked to:

Happy Hour Link Party

Blessed......

2012-12-20T09:39:00.001-06:00

I have been trying to think of how to write this post for two days. You see, on Tuesday, Liam and I got to deliver the coats that we had been raising money for. Selling these necklaces, which you all embraced and blessed us by buying.

We got there, to the after school program, carrying these bags of 20 coats and it was supposed to be a joyful thing. You all allowed our family to bless 20 children with warm coats for the winter.... and yet, I had a heavy heart. But I continued on in, dropped off the coats, shared hugs, and then Liam and I were on our way.

As we pulled out of the parking lot, I started praying. Praying for the 20 children that would have these coats. I didn't know exactly which child would receive each coat, but I knew God did... so I prayed for them. I prayed that they would be proud of their new coat, that it would be something that they would have chose for themselves. I prayed that they would see that there is kindness in the world, and there would be others to lend a hand up in life if you needed it. I prayed that maybe the kindness would spread, and that they would bless someone else too.

I prayed and I prayed as I drove..... it was about 20 minutes into my praying that I thought about something that took my breath away. While I was praying for these 20 children with new coats, I knew why my heart was so heavy. I also had 20 other children on my mind right then.....

What happened in Newton, CT on Friday shook me to my core. I still can't seem to wrap my head around what happened that day. I remember hearing about it, and knew that if I turned the TV on, I would see images that would break my heart. I didn't turn the TV on, I just started praying.

To know that the lives of the students, faculty and families involved in that day would be changed forever, is just almost too much to think about. Because as a momma to three beautiful babies, I can't imagine a single day without them.

But what I do know is that there is still good in the world.

Gandhi said it best with this quote,

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"

Those words resonate with me...

So, if I want the world to be a more kind place, I, myself, must be more kind.

If I want the world to be more understanding of differences, then I, myself, must be more understanding.

If I want the world to be more giving, then I, myself, must be more giving.

See where I am going with this?

What our family was able to do on Tuesday, thanks to you all, was pass on a little goodness that is in this world. Plant a small seed of kindness.... and for that I am truly grateful.

I can think of no better way to pay tribute to those innocent lives lost than to continue to teach my own children that we are blessed beyond the "things" in our lives. We have each other.

Thank you all for giving us the opportunity to give back.

We are so very grateful..... and blessed.

Coat shopping with my babies.....

Giveaway From Bound With The Word.....

2012-12-02T09:48:00.000-06:00

Today, I am excited to introduce you to a new friend of mine! Brandy, from Bound With The Word, and I met a few weeks ago at a craft show. I was so inspired by her work and her story that I asked if she might share with all of you...

Here she is to tell us about her work...in her own words....

Bound With The Word is a line of jewelry that I, Brandy Klaers, handmake. All jewelry that I create either have scripture on them, or are inspired by scripture. I make bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings. My line is offers options for men, women, and children. Customers can personalize their jewelry by choosing their own verse, and colors. The special thing about wearing Bound With The Word jewelry is that you are speaking life to yourself, and to all those you come in contact with!
Bound With The Word was created a little over a year ago in 2011 after having several circumstances fall into place. First, I had been praying to God for a way to raise money to go to India with the organization named Hope Again. Second, I am always making something with my hands, and at that certain point in my life I was enamored with polyshrink plastic. And then third, I desired to know scripture so well that it would be written upon the table of my heart as it describes in Proverbs 7:3.
One day as I was reading in my quiet time, Deuteronomy 6:8 jumped out at me, “"And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand,” and a light bulb went off! J I created some bracelets with my favorite verses and then I posted some pictures on face book. To my surprise I had several people who actually wanted to pay me to make them some as well! Two months later I opened an Etsy account and within one year, the Lord had answered my prayer of being able to raise the money I would need to travel to India! Now I use my profit for my family, and also to help support other minsitries.
My jewelry making business has been such a blessing in unexpected ways! Its not only a business but a ministry. Customers will often share the reason why they are buying, and their prayer requests with me. Cancer of a loved one, celebration gifts for a little league baseball team, a death, needed encouragament, a gift to a Sunday School teacher, baptisms…I am honored to be able to be trusted with many tender hearts.
I still am waiting for God’s timing for me to go to India with Hope Again. We are currently raising money to build a children’s home in Pune, India. To learn more about Hope Again please visit:www.hopeagaininternational.org.
To purchase from Bound With The Word please go to:www.etsy.com/shop/boundwiththeword and please “like” my face book page as well at www.facebook.com/boundwiththeword

I was so inspired by Brandy's work and the message that she shares with every one of her beautiful pieces.

You can see more of her work in her Etsy Shop and on Facebook, I hope you will take a look around and find something that inspires you too!

Today, Brandy is giving away one

gray damask John 14:6 scripture bracelet with black leather bands along with a John 3:16 gray ring to match. Retail value: $15.50

To enter, please use the Rafflecopter below!

{open to US only, please}

Good Luck to you all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spray Painted Wreath & My Christmas Mantle

2012-11-19T13:44:00.001-06:00

Christmas is coming!! I am more than a little excited about this....

So excited, in fact, that I have already begun decorating.

I know, I know... you are supposed to do that the day after Thanksgiving, but this year we are not hosting Thanksgiving at our house so I wanted to go ahead and get started.

Today, I wanted to share how I spruced up a boring wreath with...

Spray Paint!

This year, I wanted to go for a "winter white" look for our decorations and this green wreath just wasn't cutting it..

So I got out a can of Rustolem in "heirloom white"

And I gave it a few coats on each side of the wreath.

Once it was dry, I added some strips of burlap "ribbon" and glued on some mini pine cones using E-6000 glue

And... that was it. I LOVE the way it looks on the mantle... It's what I had in mind, and it's always nice when a plan comes together, right?

So...do tell...When do you start decorating for Christmas??

Thanks so much for stopping by!! Be sure to stop by Facebook and Twitter so we can "chat"!

Shared at:
Shine on Fridays at One Artsy Mama

Charlie Brown Christmas Tree... DIY Ornament

2012-11-12T19:11:00.000-06:00

I say this a lot, but it's true...

"sometimes the things that live inside my head just need to be made no matter what."

{even if they are weird... or no one "gets it" but me}

This was one of those things. I had the idea, and really there was nothing else I could do until I got it finished!

{please tell me I am not the only one this happens to}

I bought a box of glass ornaments at Hobby Lobby a few days ago {half price!!} and I was just hoping inspiration would strike...

So while I was starring out into the back yard, thinking about what these ornaments could turn into, I spotted our Cedar tree...hmmmmm......that got me to thinking.

So I gathered up my supplies:

Glass ornament

E-6000 glue

Cedar trimmings

small tree branch, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

red glass beads {for Charlie's ornament}

Jewelry head pin {or florist wire would work too}

Epsom Salt

I started by {carefully} cutting a slit or groove into the end of the tree branch. Careful now, we don't want any ER trips for the sake of a craft ;)

Then added some of the E-6000 glue in the groove, set my "tree" in and held it until it was sturdy. {about 5 minutes should do the trick}

To add the lone "ornament" I went to my never ending bead supply and picked out a pretty red...just like Charlie's. I used a head pin from my jewelry supplies and ran it down the center of the bead, and then, using my wire twisters made a curve in the wire to create a hook.

I hooked the ornament onto a branch and then carefully closed the hook tightly around the branch to secure it.

I added a good amount of E-6000 glue to the bottom of the tree and carefully sent it down into the glass ornament.

I used a cooking skewer to press it firmly in place. Once it was set, I poured in a little snow! {Epsom salt} and it was all finished.

I sure hope it would make little Charlie Brown proud ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by to take a look!
Be sure to stop by Facebook & twitter to "chat" with me some more! I'd love to see you there!

linked to:

Shine on Fridays at One Artsy Mama

A Southern Tradition.... Sausage Ball Recipe

2012-11-10T09:07:00.000-06:00

I'm a southern girl.

Born and raised in Alabama...

A holiday never passed in our house without some of these being made

Oh, goodness.

They are tasty!

SAUSAGE BALLS

1 lb Sausage {we use Jimmy Dean's, mild}

2 cups sharp cheddar

1 &1/4 cup Bisquick {biscuit/pancake mix found on the baking aisle}

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until blended. To do this, we roll up our sleeves and do it by hand. Once all the the ingredients are mixed together, roll into 1 inch balls and place on a sheet pan. {use a pan with raised edges so the oils from the sausage don't make a mess in your oven}

Bake at 375*F for 15-20 minutes until tops are slightly browned.

Enjoy!

Fall Tabletop Decor....

2012-11-01T10:12:00.000-05:00

It's Fall...

Pumpkins.

Crisp, cool air.

Hot chocolate.

Football.

Bonfires.

and family gathered around the table....

Why not something pretty to look at while we are all gathered there?

this tabletop decor started as a few simple to find things....

I cut the burlap just a little larger than the frame back, and hot glued it into place...

I trimmed around the edges... and then slid it back into the frame

I added some leaves from the yard...

And then a pumpkin...

and then.... a couple more pumpkins.....

.... just a few more....

And it was complete!

too easy, right?

I am so in love with fall.....I'm going to ask it to stick around a little longer this year ;)

{Stay tuned, soon.. I am going to show you how I used this same burlap frame for an entirely new use, you know...just in case fall doesn't last forever...hehe}

Thanks so much for stopping by to take a look!

I'll be sharing this post at these parties:

Get Schooled Saturday @ Too much time on my hands

Sweet Saturday Link Party @ the Gingerbread Blog

Power of Pinterest Link Party @ Fox Hollow Cottage

Vintage Crate {plus} Caster Wheels {equals} a Toy Box that goes....

2012-10-30T09:31:00.000-05:00

Vintage Crates...

I. love. them.

I scored this one for $8 at a neighbors yard sale...

Red Diamond Explosives...

I knew I wanted to make it into a toy box.

you think I'm nuts don't you??

my reason?

When my kids make a giant mess with their toys, I can say,

"It looks like a bomb went off in here!?"

Must have been from the explosives box....hehehe

I bought these, 1 inch swivel caster wheels, HERE.

Now these toys are on the move....

I'll be sharing this post at these parties:

Get Schooled Saturday @ Too much time on my hands

Sweet Saturday Link Party @ The Gingerbread Blog

Glow in the Dark Ghosts....

2012-10-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

I usually don't do too much decorating for Halloween. And... if I do, it won't be scary.... and if you think it's because of the kids, you would be wrong.

It's me.

I'm a chicken!

So.. this will be as scary as it gets around here...

Glow in the Dark {not too spooky} Ghosts

This is what you will need to make your own:

Flower pot

Acrylic craft paints

paint brush

Hot glue gun

Glow in the dark glue sticks {I found these at JoAnn}

I started by painting the flower pot black.... easy peasy.....

Once that was dry, I painted on my little ghosts...

Now for the hot glue... I just traced the ghosts and the lettering...

And... that was it!

The kiddos loved it... after all Halloween really is about the ~~CANDY~~

Ummm.... I mean.... KIDS, right?

heehee!

What are your kiddos getting dressed up as this year??

We will have a scarecrow {Liam} Power Ranger {Bryce} and a pretty princess {Nola}

I'll be dressing up as a taxi cab driver, nurse, mediator, psychologist, referee

Also known as...

A Momma ;)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Trash to Treasure.... Roadside Re-Do

2012-10-24T14:19:00.000-05:00

I seem to be lucky in the roadside furniture department....I mean just look at all of these projects I have done over the past year just from trashed furniture:

1. Nightstand Re-Do

2. Chalkboard Table

3. Headboard to Bench

4. Kitchen Worktable Re-Do!

You might remember me telling you all on Facebook that I found this table on the side of the road....

It was a pretty cool piece and I couldn't see leaving it for the trash man, so I loaded it up in my car

{I am getting really good at this now..haha!}

I asked you all there on Facebook...

"What should I do with this thing?!"

Your ideas were amazing, but when I read,

"Keep it the same, just refinish the top!"

I was sold.

Too easy.

And that's exactly what we did.

{my dad and I, that is}

We sanded the top down to the original wood with a 60 grit sandpaper. The wood had some damage, there wasn't enough sanding in the world to take that out, so we decided it "added character" ;)

After staining the top with a "pecan" stain, we gave it about 5 coats of polyurethane to give it a nice shine and durable work surface.

For the bottom of the stand, we simply left it alone. It was chippy and white {my kind of perfect} so we painted on a coat of poly to seal in all of that goodness...

I am in love with the drop leaf... perfect for a couple of helpers in the kitchen sitting on bar stools!

This was a piece that I didn't have a place for yet, so I loaded it up {again}

and took it to a sale with me to display some of my wares on...

and guess what?!

Someone wanted to buy it immediately!

I wasn't prepared for that... and I really loved it, but when she told me that she had been looking for a piece just like this for her kitchen, I knew I had to let it go.

It sure was a fun re-do...

and I'll be on the look out for more roadside finds to turn into treasures soon!

Have you found any treasures on the side of the road?

I'll be sharing this post at these parties:

Get Schooled Saturday @ Too much time on my hands

Pick Your Plum Giveaway!

2012-10-16T07:09:00.001-05:00

I love having giveaways and today's is a good one! By now most of you know about Pick Your Plum and all their awesomeness. If you don't, yet let me explain.

Pick Your Plum is a day-a-deal site. Every day at 7:00 am {MST} they post a new deal on their site. The deals can be for clothes, craft supplies, thread, jewelry, they have even had fabric. {something for everyone} When the deal is sold out, or the day is done, it's gone for good. You want to be quick to get your deal before your neighbor does. Here's a tip, Pick Your Plum always posts the deal to their facebook page first, so you might want to "like" them, so your in the know. Today you get the chance at winning one of their AWESOME grab boxes stuffed full of $25 worth of Pick Your Plum products. Here's some of the deals they have had in the past. Any of these could be in your box or, none of them. It so fun to open the box and see the surprises!

Okay, now wipe all the drool off your chin and keyboard because it's time to enter the giveaway. There are a lot of options this time. You don't have to do them all, but the more you do the better chance you have to win. Open to the U.S. only. Good Luck to you all! a Rafflecopter giveaway

DIY Hello Kitty Scrapbook Paper Picture Frame, and Hello Kitty Scrapbook Supplies GIVEAWAY!!

2012-10-15T05:30:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago my wonderful friends from Horizon Group and Michaels sent out a fun assortment of Hello Kitty Scrapbook Supplies for my sweet Nola girl and I to try out!

All of these fun things will be available at Michaels October 28, 2012!

We were so excited to get started on a project!

This is what we came up with just to get started

Our supplies included:

Mod Podge

Small wooded frame, {Michaels for $1}

Hello Kitty Scrapbook paper and embellishments

small foam brush and a finger nail file

First, Nola started by painting a thin layer of Mod Podge on to the frame

Then she place the frame {glue side down} on to the back of the scrapbook paper

after it was exactly where she wanted it, she flipped it over so she could do her favorite part.... smoothing the paper with a rolling pin!

{around here, you never know what will sneak its way into our projects, haha!}

After the Mod Podge was dry, it was time for momma to step in and help out. To get the edges nice and smooth, I like to use a finger nail file. I use even strokes downward and the paper creases perfectly!

So much easier than trying to use scissors to cut close to the edges...

I did the same trick on the inside edge where the picture goes too. Too easy!

Next we broke out the Hello Kitty paper tape! Oh yeah!

We added a nice finished boarder all the way around the frame...

After adding some of the paper tape to the front and a cute little cardstock embellishment, we were all finished!

I think she did an awesome job!

What a talented girl!!

{says her momma}

So, do you want to hear about what YOU could win??

Horizon Group and Michaels are giving one luck reader all of this!!

Pretty awesome, right??

A huge thank you to Michaels for the giveaway and for allowing Nola and I to use all of these awesome supplies! We had a such a great time!

To enter, follow the instructions on the rafflecopter below, and good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pallet Art Work.... Let It Be....

2012-10-14T09:38:00.001-05:00

I love the simple things in life....

you know, the little things that just make you smile?

It doesn't take much for me, sometimes the smallest of sentiments make the biggest impact with me.

This pallet sign started out as, well....a pallet..hehehe
My handy dad cut and framed a few pieces together for me..

Here's the front view,

and the back...

This sign measures 20inx20in

Now for the fun part...making a stencil...

For this I used Freezer Paper, and to make it even easier... I just taped it right to the front of my computer screen and traced!

Just make sure you have the waxy side down.

I chose the font that I liked and typed it out in Microsoft Word and started tracing...

After I had it all traced out, I used an Exacto knife to carefully cut it out. I was sure to save the center part of any letter also.

Once I had all the lettering cut out, I placed it out on the sign....and because I used Freezer Paper, I was able to iron it in place :)

Yes, it works on wood too! Well, not as well as fabric, but it holds it in place long enough to get it painted and makes the job a whole lot easier

I used a few different colors of acrylic craft paints, and a very stiff bristled brush to paint in the stencil.

When the paint was dry, I used tweezers to pull away the freezer paper, and that was it!

My new wall art has found a home in our dinning room for now...

Such a sweet and simple reminder for our little family to see!

Thanks so much for stopping by!