Little Birdie Secrets

unplugged summer pact and passport to imagination {with michaels}

2013-06-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation is upon us and I know for me that means fun in the sun, plenty of beach days, and spending 24/7 with my three little guys. Summer can be a real challenge for us moms because we want to entertain our kids and give them a great Summer experience but that can also be exhausting!

I love that Michaels has created an Unplugged Summer Pact!

Michaels says Summertime is time to break free from the smart phones, laptops and video games. Time for lazy days by the pool. Long weekends and road trips with friends. Backyard cookouts and picnics at the park. Time for breezy evenings outside with the kiddos running and laughing breathlessly, doing their best to play freeze tag and catch fireflies at the same time. Let us show you some great ways to have your own technology-free summer adventures. Join us and start by taking the Unplugged Summer Pact.

One great thing you can do after you sign the pact is register for the Michaels Passport to Imagination Program. My boys and I will definitely be participating this Summer! The program offers 2-hour crafting adventures on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 am to Noon for just $2 per session for children ages 5 and up. Explore the 7 continents and their amazing landmarks and icons on a 7-week voyage around the globe!

Call your local Michaels to register and have a fun filled, unplugged Summer!

fresh basil lemonade {recipe}

2013-06-06T01:20:00.000-07:00

The projects are piling up, and I haven't had time to post anything lately! And I only have two more days of freedom before my boys are home all. day. long. You may not see my craft room makeover until Christmas at this rate. But I had to take a break from Girls Camp prep to post this fabulous recipe that I am currently obsessed with. A few weeks ago I was crafting at a friend's when her husband brought us each a basil lemonade. Love at first sip. I am not exaggerating. It reminds me of an Indian lassi. Its tart flavor is balanced nicely by a dollop of whipped cream on top. You must make this today.

Fresh Basil Lemonade Recipe

Ingredients:

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate
3 cups plain yogurt (not Greek)
About 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. Truvia natural sweetener or sugar (optional--I like mine just a little sweeter)
2-3 cups ice cubes
Whipped cream
Lemon slices and basil leaves for garnish (optional)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blender until smooth. If lemonade is too thick to pour, let it sit a few minutes then blend again (this gives the ice a chance to melt a little).

Pour into four glasses (or 8 small glasses for smaller servings). Top with whipped cream. Garnish with a lemon slice and basil leaves and serve with a straw. Heaven in a glass!

an oz inspired kids lunch

2013-06-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

I am always looking for ways to get creative and keep my boys entertained and with Summer upon us, I really need to find fun activities for them. They recently watched the movie, Oz The Great and Powerful and so I thought it would be fun for them to take an adventure to the Land of Oz for their lunch!

My boys loved the hot air balloon theme in the movie, so I decided it would be fun to dress up the chandelier above my kitchen table with a hot air balloon hanging mobile for our adventure to the Land of Oz.

This was really simple to make but added some excitement to the table!

Here is how I did it:
I drew a simple hot air balloon template to trace each of my balloons onto patterned paper. I did a half of a hot air balloon and then traced my template onto a piece of paper that was folded in half. You want to trace the template onto the seam that has a crease in it so that when you cut it out, you will have a full hot air balloon shape.

I used 4 cut out balloons for each hanging balloon, but you can add more if you want a more dimensional hot air balloon.

Once you have all your balloons cut out, you want to start gluing them together. Stick the seams together and glue the one side down to another until you have a dimensional balloon. I did some patterned balloons and some solid balloons so I glued patterned balloon sides to solid sides so that the finished balloon would alternate between solid and patterned.

Then repeat the steps until you have as many paper hot air balloons as you want or need.

Then you can either use string, twine or in my case, fishing line to hang the balloons.

The hot air balloons could be used for so many different things, party invitations, place markers, a mobile, or strung together for garland or a party banner! You could even attach them to the string and let the kids run around the room like they are flying them!

I also used a few of these balloons as place markers and wrote the names of the boys as well as "Welcome to the Land of Oz" for our Oz inspired lunch.

Then I created a very simple hot air balloon meal. I cut bread into a circle (using my wide mouth canning jar) and then made a sandwich. I used pieces of string cheese to attach the balloon sandwich to a graham cracker basket. I also added a carrot inside the basket to represent the wizard that was being carried to Oz.

My boys loved it. Something about making food into a shape makes them so much more likely to eat it!

Click HERE for some really fun printable kids activities for Oz The Great and Powerful that my kids really enjoyed. Use them to have your own Oz inspired lunch!

Be sure to check out the info on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter for the movie Oz The Great and Powerful. The Blu-ray Combo pack comes out June 11th! You can find out more info on how to purchase it HERE.

The above image is for personal use only

I wrote this post as part of a campaign for Disney and Blueprint Social. I was compensated for this post, however all ideas are 100% my own.

free plus quilt pattern & tutorial

2013-05-31T01:47:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to share these photos of this "plus" baby quilt I made for an old friend months ago. This couple has very clean, modern taste, so I was afraid to pick fabrics with any sort of pattern, fearing it would be too baby or too busy for them. Instead I went with all solids, mostly Kona cottons (all fabrics are from JoAnn Fabrics). The plus quilt is a perfect way to show off solids. And it makes a great baby boy quilt (my big boys even requested I make them one--they said it looks like Tetris!).

I'd love to say I figured this out on my own, but I really didn't have time to do that if I wanted the quilt to be done before the kid was 10. I found an awesome tutorial and pattern from For the Love of George. What I love about her version of the plus quilt is that the middle of the plus is a long rectangle rather than three squares that you have to cut and then sew back together. More cutting? More piecing? No thank you!

If you use a straight line quilting on either side of the seams, no one will ever notice that the middle of the plus isn't pieced. And it saves loads of time.

I quilted with gray thread to match the plain gray backing and binding. It didn't stand out too much on the colors--it's a nice neutral. I chose two shades of orange and three shades of blue, plus green, brown, white, and gray. Look for colors that will make the other colors pop when using all solids, like my white and turquoise do.

The plus quilt tutorial shows you how to make a "cot" or queen size quilt (the cot size was perfect for a crib size quilt). Once I figured out the pattern needed to make the plus signs, I didn't need to use her diagram to lay the whole thing out. But it was so nice to have to get started. And how awesome is it that she offers the pattern for free? Be sure to go give For the Love of George some love from me!

Now to make a quilt for this little guy. He's almost 18 months and still doesn't have a real quilt from his mama. Seriously tragic. But I finally painted his room last week, so now I have no excuses to get going on his bedding. If you follow me on Instagram, you already saw a sneak peak of the color (Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore). I'm so happy with the way it turned out! Watch for my nursery before and after pics soon. . .

haybug designs giveaway

2013-05-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

The winner is...

jennymartin116

Congrats! We have passed your email address onto the sponsor, so they should be contacting you!

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I am so excited to tell you about a fabulous etsy shop, called HayBugDesigns. The shop offers all sorts of beautiful creations, like camera bags, camera straps, adorable pouches and home decor items!

I recently got the chance to try one of the camera bags and straps and I am in love! Look at these...

I love the chevron. You know I am addicted to it. I also love that I can put my lens cap into a pocket in the camera strap! Something else that I really love about the camera bag is that the inside dividers come out so if you need some extra space or just want to use the bag for something other than your camera, you can!

These bags are perfect for everyday use, and lucky for you....HayBugDesigns is giving one of our readers the chance to win a camera bag and strap of their choice! So, here's what you need to do--
Visit the HayBugDesigns Shop and pick out which camera bag and strap you would want if you are the winner. Then come back and leave a comment with what those items are. For a second entry, you can share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter (leave us a link in a comment!). This giveaway will end Friday, May 31st at 11:59pm PT.

HayBugDesigns is also offering a special discount to our readers for the duration of the giveaway! You can save $10 on a camera bag if you use the above code. Sweet deal!

kidzmet and a parent's playbook for learning

2013-05-28T08:52:00.001-07:00

Are you ever helping your child with homework and feel like you just aren't getting through to them? Or maybe you are a teacher and feel like certain students aren't getting the material you are teaching.

I recently heard about Kidzmet which is an online tool for teachers and parents that is all about helping parents and teachers determine their childrens’ learning style(s) and learn to speak their students’ preferred learning language.There are 8 types of learners. Knowing which types your kids are can help them excel and develop confidence in their learning and study strengths. You can complete a personality profile for each child and determine exactly how they learn and what you can best do to help them!

I love that you can choose to have a snapshot of these results sent to a teacher or to yourself and keep it as a reference for your lesson preparation!

If you want to continue further in honing your skills for which type of learner your kids are, you can pick up a copy of the book--A Parent's Playbook for Learning.

The book offers insight on:
--how to create a learning environment that allows their kids to excel and develop confidence in their abilities
--how to support and encourage their kids' education in ways that are best for him or her
--how to teach kids the strategies that help them each play to their individual learning strengths

These are great resources for parents and teachers so we can be sure we are helping our kids learn in the best possible, individualized way!

glitter elastic suspenders {tutorial}

2013-05-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

We have a fun tutorial to share with you today from our wonderful sponsor, Fleuriste Craft Supply!

Glitter Elastic Suspenders

You'll need:
1) Two pair of mitten clips

2) One pair of vest buckles
(Both of these items can be found at Hobby Lobby/JoAnn/Michaels for a few bucks).

3) 60″ of glitter elastic. I prefer the 5/8″ width as it fits the vest buckles better. You can find our 5/8″ glitter elastic here. We carry a couple different types that would all be great for suspenders.

4) Scissor, glue gun, little bit of glue

We used the 5/8″ polka dot elastic for this one, I just love it! I’m telling you guys, once you try these you won’t believe how simple they are! Dress up any outfit with a pair of glitter suspenders.

First, cut your elastic into two (2) 30″ pieces.

Next string the underside of one end of glitter elastic through one vest buckle. I glued mine to keep it from moving at all. This creates the adjustable portion of your suspenders.

See where the elastic is looped over and covers part of the “underside” of the elastic here? I put a dab of hot glue under there just to hold it really tight. Next you want to loop the elastic through one mitten clip to create the other mechanism for your adjustable suspenders. I had to do this a few times to make sure the mitten clip was facing the right direction.

Now you’re ready for the last little piece of your suspenders. We’re going to take the loose end here and thread it up through the vest clip.

Now that this is done all you need to do is attach the mitten clip at the opposite end and you’ve finished one of your two suspenders.

Do this whole process one more time and you’ve got two darling suspenders! Now you can work on additions to your suspenders, such as a flower or brooch. So many cute possibilities!

$100 target gift card giveaway from pick your plum

2013-05-15T09:14:00.001-07:00

We love Pick Your Plum! They offer such fabulous deals each day. Like today...they have a sweet deal for ruffle ribbon and thread! Be sure to snag some, you know their deals sell out fast!

We are excited to tell you that Pick Your Plum has also partnered with us to offer a fabulous giveaway! Who wants to win a $100 Target gift card for you AND a friend?! Yep, thought so. Here's what you need to do:

--Go HERE to enter the giveaway!

Share this giveaway with all your friends because if one of you wins, the other one will also get a Target gift card!!

The giveaway will end Sunday, May 19, 2013 at Midnight! Good Luck!

easy washi tape kids scrapbook journal {make every moment count}

2013-05-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

Happy National Scrapbook Month! With a challenge from Michaels to make every moment count, I decided to get my kids involved in my endeavor. Having all boys, I knew they wouldn't be into creating a typical scrapbook and it would definitely be too time intensive for them. So I set out to make an easy scrapbook with more of a journal feel so they could get excited about preserving their favorite memories!

I created an easy washi tape scrapbook journal that my boys loved creating! All you need is a few simple supplies. I picked up a few natural composition notebooks, washi tape, craft markers, and embellishments.

I let my boys decide how they wanted to cover their notebooks with washi tape. My oldest wanted a diagonal design so he chose a couple washi tape designs that he wanted and we got taping! We just taped all the way across the book in diagonal lines and alternated between two different washi tapes.

After we got the notebook completely covered, we added a wood letter and burlap sticker that my son picked out. The letter was just plain wood, so my son wanted to color it with a gold craft marker.

After the outside of the book was finished, we started adding pictures inside and then let my son write about what was happening in the picture and his favorite memories of those moments. It is a great way for kids to relate the experiences to go back and read later and it is a fun way to get them involved in simple scrapbooking and journaling!

Here is the book I helped my other son design. He wanted his washi tape in horizontal lines and he wanted spaces left between each row of tape. I love how it turned out!

The great thing about these easy kids scrapbooks is that they can customize them any way they want. The possibilities are endless! Celebrate National Scrapbook Month by getting your kids involved and making a simple easy scrapbook or journal and make every moment count!

make every moment count {michaels scrapbook challenge}

2013-05-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

May is National Scrapbook Month! Scrapbooks--in any form--are such a great way to preserve memories and capture moments that we want to remember forever! Unfortunately our minds might not recall those special moments accurately throughout time so it is great to be able to store those moments in scrapbook form and look back on them whenever we want. It is great to pass onto the next generations as well!

Michaels has issued a challenge to make every moment count during May and seeing as I have three boys with zero interest in anything crafty, scrapbooking is definitely a challenge!

I wanted to come up with a project that would be a simple, kid friendly "scrapbook" for them to record and enjoy their favorite memories.

Here is a sneak peak....full tutorial coming in a few days! In the meantime, visit the Michaels Lookbook for plenty of project ideas to inspire you to make every moment count.

HGTV fabric from JoAnn {and some awesome coupons}

2013-05-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I've been busy working on my new craft room, quilting for new babies, and getting crafts ready for our church's girls camp. School is out in one month--I have so much to finish before my crafting time turns to full-time mama time! But I do have another project in the works that I haven't shared. JoAnn Fabric and Crafts sent me some of their new HGTV home decor fabric to try. Here's a peek--do you love? It is really gorgeous fabric; heavy and soft and a beautiful texture. And that gray trim is one of their new trims. Love! My project is 95% done--just need to pick up some filler so I can show you the finished project!

I do have to confess something, though. Have you ever noticed that craft bloggers rarely talk about their crafting fails? I know I don't. I'd rather spend my time crafting and blogging about the good stuff than showing the projects that don't turn out (which there are plenty of). But I did have pretty lofty plans for this fabric that included tufting and piping. We're talking professional sewing skills, people, which apparently I do not have. FAIL! Luckily I played around with some scrap fabric and didn't cut into this beautiful stuff and ruin it! Anyway, the super-simple version of my project is coming soon. But until then, here are some AWESOME JoAnn coupons you can use this weekend to get some of their new HGTV line of fabrics at an amazing discount! It's already on sale for 50% off through Saturday, May 4, but here's a coupon to get you an additional 10% off! I'm also including another 15% off your total purchase coupon good through May 4, 2013 as well. Score. Stay tuned for my project tutorial, coming soon!

my craft channel episode {watch it online}

2013-04-30T16:06:00.000-07:00

Last month I filmed an episode of My Craft Studio with Kristine McKay on mycraftchannel.com. Going into it I was completely terrified, but I was surprised how comfortable Kristine and the staff made me feel from the second I walked into the studio. I was still nervous, but at least you don't have to watch my lower lip quiver with fear! l But try not to be distracted by my swinging hair (my layers got a little out of control!). Check out my segment, then take a few minutes to watch some of their other awesome craft-themed shows and explore their craft store! They do featured buys every few days with awesome deals from companies you love like Pink Paislee, Heidi Swapp, and more. You can sign up for a free membership to get emails about their deals. Totally worth it! And stay tuned--we're planning a giveaway with them soon!

duck tape bag tutorial {girls camp craft}

2013-04-25T20:04:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to be the craft counselor at our church's girls camp this summer (best assignment ever!). So of course I immediately started a YW Girls Camp Pinterest board (follow me here). We wanted to do a pre-camp craft to get the girls excited, so I decided to make these duct tape purses using Duck brand tape (inspired by this post by All Things Thrifty) to hold their secret sister gifts each day. The best part is that if they get dirty you can just wipe them down, plus they're waterproof! Perfect for roughing it.

"Duck" Duct Tape Bag Tutorial

Supplies:

Duct tape (Duck brand has tons of colors and cute prints)
White garbage sack for lining (any plastic sack would work--recycle those Target bags!)
Ruler
Pen
Scissors
Optional: button for flower center, hot glue to attach it

1. Decide what size you want your finished purse to be. Double the height and add a few inches for the bottom (if you want a flat bottom like mine), and add a few inches to the width for the sides (again, if you want a boxy bag like mine). I cut mine 8" wide and 18" long, so the finished size is about 7.5" tall by 6" wide. Use a ruler and pen to mark the bag, then cut your plastic bag to these dimensions. This will be the lining of your bag.

2. Cover one side of the bag with tape, keeping in mind that the bag will be folded in half, so each short end will be the top of the bag. You can do horizontal, vertical, or diagonal stripes.

3. Trim the tape flush with the plastic bag and fold in half, lining sides together.

4. Cut a piece of tape a little longer than the side of your bag. Place half of the tape on the side and fold it around to the other side. Now one side of your bag is closed! Repeat on the other side and trim off excess tape on top and bottom.

5. Now you will create the flat bottom of your bag. This part is a little tricky, so use the pictures. Turn your bag so you're looking at the side seam you just created. The bag is currently flat, and if you open it, the bottom corner becomes a point like this.

Push the first point in with your finger.

Then flatten the corner and pinch it closed so it looks like this.

Repeat with opposite corner. Now you need to secure your corners so they don't come untucked! There are two ways to do this. I chose to put a piece of the same tape I used on the side seams along the outside bottom of the bag

Or you can put a piece of tape along the inside bottom of the bag to secure the corners.

6. The next step is to tape along the raw edge at the top of the bag. I used the same color as my side and bottom seams. This part can also be a little tricky--just expect to have some folds and bubbles in the tape. But you really don't notice them once the purse is done, so don't fret. Carefully fold the tape over the edge all the way around the top. You may want to use shorter pieces of tape instead of one long one.

7. Next come handles. Cut two pieces of tape about 18" long. Fold them in half lengthwise with edges even.

Lay them on the inside edge of the top, overlapping slightly, and tape down. (You can see I started with a wide piece of tape and then decided to cut it down for aesthetic purposes a moment later.) Repeat with second handle on the opposite side.

That's it! If you want to add a decorative flower, here are a couple of ideas.

Pleated Duck Tape Flower

Start by cutting a circle out of a square piece of tape (it doesn't have to look pretty as you can see, just cut off the corners).

Next, cut two pieces of tape about 24" long each. Fold them in half lengthwise, but leave a 1/4" border of stickiness like this.

With the 1/4" sticky side up, press one short edge of one tape strip down on the outer edge of the tape circle. Make a fold or pleat and press down. Continue making pleats, slightly turning around the outside of the circle until you reach the beginning.

Moving in toward the center of the circle, continue making pleats around. When your first strip ends, add the next strip and continue around until you reach the center.

Duct Tape Fringe Flower

You can also make a cute a fringe flower. Start with the same circle of tape and long strip as the pleated flower.

Make fringe by cutting slits from the folded edge 1/4" apart about half way through the sticky strip (don't cut all the way through!)

Start on the outside edge and press down as you move around the circle. If you run out of strip, make another and keep adding until you reach the center.

When you get to the center, roll the last couple of inches and press the roll down in the center.

Trim off any excess fringe. Attach flowers with hot glue or even just another piece of duct tape!

I made simple duct tape tags so the girls would be able to find their secret sister's bag at camp. Cut a piece of tape about 2" long and fold in half. Trim off two corners to make a tag shape. Write names with a permanent marker (like Sharpie).

For our craft night I will get a few more solid colors and a few more printed tapes to give them plenty of variety. Check out Michael's or JoAnn to get a roll with your 40% off coupon. You can also find Duck tape at Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Costco--it's everywhere!

This post generously brought to you by:

washi tape sale is on {pick your plum}

2013-04-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

Oh no, did you see that Pick Your Plum has washi tape 70% off again today? Of course it's all new stuff from the last sale, so I'm going to have to stock up again. My collection is getting out of hand!

If you don't have any yet, check out this post to see how perfect it is for quick and easy gift tags, or here for how to use it on cards and scrapbook pages. And if you're already addicted, you have to check out the awesome ideas that Tausha from Sassy Style Redesign has (she owns over 100 rolls of this stuff, so you know she's using it like crazy!). The Pick Your Plum sale is today only, so check it out!

mother-daughter date at our favorite store {world market}

2013-04-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is right around the corner (it will sneak up on ya, watch out!) and I am so blessed to have the best mom in the world. Sorry, I know you thought your mom was the best, but really mine is. She is one of my best friends and because we love so many of the same things, we always have so much fun together. I have such great memories of growing up with her as a mom and all the fun traditions and things we shared. She also gives great advice, is always so willing to help me out and is always serving others.

I am lucky that my mom doesn't live too far away from me so we get to see each other often. One of our favorite things to do together is shop at our favorite store, World Market. My mom is the one who introduced me to this store and every time she comes to visit me we spend an evening (sans kids) poking along every aisle and checking out every item. I got to spend all of last week with my mom so we decided to get some fun items from World Market to spruce up our wardrobe!

World Market always has such a great selection of the most unique items. I love the international influence and they have great prices. It's why we love it so much! We found some fabulous fashion finds in the accessories and jewelry departments.

It seems like every time I shop there I find so many scarves I love. We each picked out a scarf and a bracelet. Accessories are great items to use in your wardrobe because they can go with so many different outfits and add such a great pop of color and pattern.

We had fun trying our new items out on each other and thinking about all the different ways we could pair these accessories in our wardrobes. My mom and I have similar tastes so it was a lot of fun and she gave me some great opinions.

So, since I know you love your mom as much as I love mine, nominate her for the My Amazing Mom Sweepstakes! You can nominate your mom for the chance to win a $5000 World Market gift card!! You can also enter to win the fan sweepstakes for a chance to win one of ten $500 World Market gift cards.

Be sure to follow World Market on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest for the latest updates!

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and World Market, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #MyAmazingMom. http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

re-purposed window into message board {michaels re-love challenge}

2013-04-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

I have been hard at work on my Michaels re-love challenge and am excited to show you the finished product!

Remember how I told you I have had this old window sitting in my garage for over a year? I am so excited that it has finally been put to good use!

I decided to take this window and make a big multipurpose message board out of it!

I really liked the rustic look of the old window and how it was distressed, but for this particular project I decided to freshen it up by spray painting it. I taped around the window panes and then covered them with paper so they would not get painted. I sprayed primer first, then white satin spray paint.

Then I painted one of the window panes with chalkboard paint. Michaels carries a chalkboard spray paint that makes it super quick and easy!

I made over another pane into a corkboard. You can buy cork in different sizes at Michaels or you can buy a large roll of it and cut it to fit whatever size you need. Since the window pane was so large, that was the option I went for. I measured it and cut it with an x-acto knife (well actually my husband Kevin did it for me!) I did two layers of it onto the pane so the cork would be thick enough to tack items onto it. I adhered the cork onto the window with my trusty E6000 glue. I am sure you could also use a hot glue gun or different adhesive tapes.

The cork section is great for pinning anything I need! Pictures, grocery lists, coupons, etc.

I made the last pane into a faux whiteboard. I just stuck a piece of white posterboard to the back of the pane and so it has a white background and I can write with dry erase markers right on the glass!

I use this whiteboard section for remembering things that are going on during the week, or messages that I want to write to my family as reminders or love notes.

This project was such a fun project and I will get a lot of use of it in my home now. There are always so many things to keep track of in our family and with this message board I can stay on top of it all!

If you are looking for more ideas on how to re-purpose old windows, check out our altered window frame tutorial and our altered window message board.

Don't forget to check out the Michaels Lookbook for more inspiration for your own re-love and re-purpose projects!

re-purpose, re-love project {michaels challenge}

2013-04-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

April is Earth month and Michaels gave me a challenge to find something that I have at home that I can re-purpose into something I love again! Re-love!

I know many of us have items sitting around our house that we just don't love anymore (or have never loved) and want to do something to spiff them up and make them into something we can use and love. It is a great way to get creative and feel happy that you aren't throwing something in the trash, but actually get something that you love out of it!

So join me this month in finding something in your home to re-purpose and re-love. Here is a sneak peak of a project I am working on this week....

I have had this old window sitting in my garage, taking up space, for a year now. I have had ideas for it and just haven't pulled it out and actually done anything. Well, this is the week. I will show you the finished product early next week, so stay tuned! For some inspiration to get you started on a project you would want to re-love, visit the Michaels Lookbook!

massdrop giveaway {3 winners!}

2013-04-08T18:27:00.003-07:00

We all know firsthand that crafting can get pretty pricey! Yet we do it anyway...because we love it! Well, what if I told you there was a site that can help you save big on crafting supplies? Exciting!

There's a site called Massdrop and they organize groupbuys for different online communities. The way a groupbuy works is that a bunch of people vote on what they want to buy, and then Massdrop negotiates with the company and orders it in bulk. They then pass on the discounts to the group. The best part is that the more people that join the buy, the bigger the discount gets!

I think this groupbuy concept is pretty cool and think we could probably set up some really neat products on Massdrop in the future. There's one deal on the site right now for something I use practically every day...Japanese Washi Tape! I think if we can get enough crafters on board we can get a great group buy going!

Massdrop is starting to run a few different craft products, and they've sponsored a giveaway for us! The giveaway is for their "scrapbookers starter bundle", which is made up of the Scotch ATG, Honey Bee Scissors and Tweezer bee tweezers.

Normally this would cost around $40, but they're on the site right now for $25 with free shipping! We're giving away THREE of these bundles so sign up below! Also if you register for an account on Massdrop (it's free, and you can use your Facebook account), you'll get a second entry. Enter using the widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

shindigz party supplies {giveaway!}

2013-03-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

The winner is

Little Ella Lu

Congrats! I have passed your email onto the sponsor so keep an eye out for their email!

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I love when I find a great party supply store. Shindigz is just that. Buy over 34,000 online party supplies, party tableware, party favors, decorations, and more! They also have really great products that can be personalized for any party!

I also love all the party ideas and kits that Shindigz has. Planning a party is a lot of work and I love when a lot of the thinking and planning is simplified by an easy kit that has everything you need!

I recently received some fabulous party supplies from Shindigz--just in time for Easter! I love all the supplies!

I especially love this Easter banner. I could have customized it any way I wanted! I chose a simple Happy Easter, but for a different occasion a banner with a birthday boy or girls name would be really fun.

Shindigz has everything you need for any occasion/party. You really just need to check them out! I was so pleased with the fast shipment of my supplies and I think the products are high quality.

Today, Shindigz is offering one of our readers the chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the site! To enter, visit Shindigz and look around. Find an item or theme you would love to try and then come back and leave a comment with what that is. For a second entry you can share about this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter (leave a link in the comments!). This giveaway will end on Thursday, April 4th at 11:59pm PT. Good luck!

plaid barn giveaway

2013-03-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Plaid Barn is a fabulous site that has daily deals on craft supplies, diy kits and more! I love it because craft supplies can get expensive, but with daily deals from The Plaid Barn, I can stock up on the supplies I need for much less!

Each weekday (Monday-Friday) starting at 8am EST, there will be an awesome item and an amazing price, but there will only be a limited number available! So you want to make sure you sign up for the emails! If you go to The Plaid Barn and enter your email address then the daily deals will start coming to your inbox. You don't want to miss anything; look what they have for a deal today...

These adorable daisy lids are just $3.99 for a set of 6! How perfect are these for summer picnics and BBQs? Your guests will love them!

There have been so many fabulous deals lately, take a peak at some examples of things you could snag over at The Plaid Barn each day.

Today, The Plaid Barn is giving one of our readers the chance to win a $50 goodie box filled with various items from their site. Follow the rafflecopter link below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

wrapping paper & ribbon organizer {video tutorial for joann fabrics & crafts}

2013-03-27T19:18:00.000-07:00

I hate public speaking. HATE it. In fact I told my husband we can never move again because every time we move they ask us to speak in church. Which turns out to be 15 minutes of me bawling and blowing snot bubbles from the pulpit while everyone in the congregation looks on, horrified. So imagine my dread when I was asked to be on camera not once but TWICE in the same week. And I presume I was supposed to be excited to be asked. I was honored, but not happy. Terrified. Mortified. The very thought of my speaking in front of a camera makes my stomach churn. But I'm also a people pleaser and I have an extremely difficult time turning down anything that has to do with crafting, so as a result here is video one of two (two will be seen on mycraftchannel.com sometime next month).

This is a video I made for JoAnn Fabrics' YouTube campaign to promote Creativity Made Simple. I made this wrapping paper and ribbon organizer for my craft room (which is currently under construction). I think it will look nice on my wall and get some of my supplies out of the closet. Several other craft bloggers have also teamed up with JoAnn to show you simple but creative projects on JoAnn's YouTube channel, so check them out, too. Oh yeah, and the blogger with the most video views will win a $100 JoAnn gift card for their self AND for one of their readers! So watch it for a chance to win, but don't judge. My awkwardness is hard to watch, but hopefully the information is helpful. Hey, I never said I was a movie star!

Wrapping Paper & Ribbon Organizer Tutorial

Thanks for watching! Here's a 40% coupon for JoAnn for you to use through the end of the month. Enjoy!

brighthouse baubles giveaway

2013-03-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

The winner is...

Grace Inman

Congrats! We have passed your email onto our sponsor, so be on the lookout for more info!

Happy Spring! This time of year I always love seeing all the buds coming up out of the ground and look forward to pulling out my bright colors to wear!

Brighthouse Baubles is a great shop that offers bright, beautiful, and affordable fashion jewelry which makes the perfect addition to any wardrobe! All items are priced under $50 and there is always FREE shipping within the USA!

Take a look at some of these fabulous designs...

So many items to love!! Today, Brighthouse Baubles is giving one of our readers the chance to win any item of their choice from the store! To enter, visit the Brighthouse Baubles store and find your favorite item, then leave a comment with what that is. For a second entry visit the Brighthouse Baubles blog and become a follower. For a third entry, like Brighthouse Baubles on Facebook. This giveaway will end on Tuesday, March 26th at 11:59pm PT.

SPECIAL OFFER: Brighthouse Baubles is giving our readers 30% off any order through Friday, March 29th! Just use the code LITTLEBIRDIE.

lilly lou finds {sponsor spotlight}

2013-03-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

We are excited to introduce you to our newest sponsor, Lilly Lou Finds! We love highlighting great sites and new companies, and Lilly Lou Finds is no exception.

Lilly Lou Finds is a brand new online market bringing you daily deals on amazing finds! It's a refreshing and bright virtual spot to find shopping opportunities on fabulous jewelry, striking apparel for women and kids, party decor, chalkboard accessories and much more! All at discount prices too good to pass up. The calendar is already full with these amazing finds and more. They only last a few days so you won't want to miss out!

Make sure to sign up for the newsletter to receive more information about the Grand Opening! The early spring launch is just around the corner and sure to be spectacular! Look for Lilly Lou Finds on Instagram, follow on Pinterest and like them on Facebook so you won't miss out on anything.

changeable picture frame {cre8time project}

2013-03-18T22:15:00.001-07:00

I've had so much fun adding more creativity to my life with my CRE8TIME challenge!

Thanks to a challenge from Michaels who joined the CRE8TIME movement, I have been having fun making cards, journals, and this changeable picture frame. You are going to love this simple project. You can make several of them in a day and they make great gifts!

Find a picture frame that you love, or re-purpose one that you don't like! You can even make one yourself if you are feeling extra creative. I went with an 8x10 frame, but you can choose whatever size you like depending on what you will clip onto the frame.

I spray painted this frame yellow...we all know it is one of my favorite colors!

Then find a piece of patterned paper that you love and insert it into the frame (once it is dry if you have painted it of course!) The great thing is that you can continuously change out the paper as often as you like. This is perfect for me, because I always want an easy way to switch up my decor. I have so much patterned paper; I will never get sick of what is in the frame!

After you have your frame and paper all ready to go, you need a bulldog clip and some E6000 glue (or super glue, or hot glue if you prefer). Glue your bulldog clip towards the top center part of the glass on your frame.

Press it firmly on the glass and allow it to dry completely. Make sure you use a good amount of glue so that the clip will stay adhered to the glass.

Now, here's the cool part.

You can clip anything you want onto this frame! I love this concept because I am constantly taking updated photos of my boys and I like to change them often. Sometimes I want to change out pictures to look at something different for a while. The boys really enjoy seeing the new pictures getting clipped onto the frame.

You can also use the frame for love notes! I have put my frame on the counter in the morning where I know my husband will see it before he leaves for work...

I've even used it for leaving messages, when I want to be sure my family will see them!

That's what I love so much about this! You can completely customize it for you...make several of them in different colors, change out your patterned papers, make several different sized frames, and clip on whatever you want! So, get creative. That's the whole goal of CRE8TIME anyway, right? Carve some time out of your day and create. You know you want to.

Reading Month with LeapFrog {& a giveaway!}

2013-03-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

The winner is:

jenmalonee

Congrats! Check your email inbox for the details on your win!

As parents, we know that reading with and to our children is extremely important. I have always known that reading was important- in my own life and in the lives of my children- but now that my boys are in school, I see what a push there is from the teachers to read to them every day! I think it is an integral part of any good curriculum plan. Reading is not important only as its own subject, but it really helps in all other aspects of education as well! There is no way I could have succeeded in my college courses if I had not been a strong reader.

Studies show that the more children read, the better readers they become. In one study, children who read 20 or more minutes per day scored in or above the 90th percentile; those who read less than 10 minutes scored below the 75th percentile. I am so grateful that the school my children attend, pay such attention to this. They have a program each year where the kids get a chart and if they read 20 minutes per day at the end of the month they get a prize. It has really helped to draw my attention to how much reading we do.

In honor of Reading Month, LeapFrog is donating $2 million of books to America’s schools, and you can help! Go to Facebook and share the “Read 20 Minutes a Day”pledge, and LeapFrog will donate 5 books for every pledge! Also be sure to visit LeapFrog's Reading Month page where you can get all sorts of tips, videos, activities, and printables to help your own children get engaged in reading! It is such an important part of our children's learning and we all need to get involved and get kids reading each day.

LeapFrog is offering special deals on reading products all through March, in honor of Reading Month, including $3 off of Tag and Tag Junior books. Here’s the link to print/redeem this offer.

I love the Tag products. My son loves using them and I love that he can just tap the pen onto a word and he can learn what it is! It really helps him learn new words and helps him become a stronger reader.

LeapFrog is offering a giveaway of one Leapfrog prize pack ($50 approximate value) to one of our U.S. readers! Leave a comment on this post letting us know what you do to incorporate reading into your children's day/routine. For a second entry, you can share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook (leave us a link!). This giveaway will end on March 21st, at 11:59pm PT.

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective but content and opinions expressed here are my own. To take the LeapFrog Reading Month pledge, please visit their Facebook page.